Labour leader writes preface to Blue Labour e-book in which he praises movement for recognising the centrality of life beyond the bottom line Ed Miliband has gone further to embrace the thinking of “Blue Labour”, the loose set of intellectuals who believe the party must do more address a conservative working class, by recognising that New Labour’s embrace of globalisation ignored the importance of human relations and community provision of services. Miliband has written a preface for a Blue Labour e-book in which he praises the movement for recognising the centrality of life beyond the bottom line. “It is our families, friends and the places in which we live that give us our sense of belonging,” he writes. The book is based on a set seminars held since the general election looking at the way in which neoliberlaism cut the party off from some of its community traditions. Critics claim Miliband is being forced to embrace Blue Labour and its politics of “radical conservatism” because precious few other intellectual currents are alive in the party, but some Blue Labour thinkers have long admired Miliband and are his close personal friends. Miliband, under pressure to move towards some policy specifics, is due to take further steps in the next week to set out where he thinks the party needs to go after the staging post of the local elections. Mliband argues in a preface to the e-book: “Even in the aftermath of a profound economic crisis, politicians of all parties need to realise that the quality of families’ lives and the strength of the communities in which we live depends as much on placing limits to markets as much as restoring their efficiency. “And for social democrats in particular, the discussion points to the need to ask how it can support a stronger civic culture below the level of Whitehall and Westminster.” Jon Cruddas, the influential Labour backbencher and a supporter of Blue Labour, underlined the political meaning of Blue Labour, saying: “Appealing to Lib Dems is all well and good. But we have to start to reach out to the millions of working class former Labour voters who left us for the Tories. We need to encourage them to come home.” The authors, including the Labour peer Lord Glasman, are sharply critical of Labour following its election defeat saying: “Labour lacked an organised party, it had no plausible ideology, and it had no narrative of the past 13 years that could explain its lack of transformative power. It has no shared interpretation of its history, and it had lost its idea of reason and its conception of the person. “The coalition government had accepted much of its progressive agenda of social tolerance and constitutional reform, and Labour lacked an alternative. It had no viable political economy through which it could address issues of the deficit and sustainable growth. The party was administered, not organised, and its membership had fallen as its power was removed. In England there was no redistribution of power to localities that was not managerial. There had been no development of the appropriate relationship between state, market and society, and of the role that the labour movement and a Labour government could play in generating a good life for our country.” Some of the authors call on its leaders to do more to admit Labour government errors. Marc Stears, an Oxford University academic, writes: “In an understandable desire to protect the reputation of the outgoing government, senior Labour party politicians are frequently found publicly denying that the country’s financial troubles are the party’s fault. But it is extraordinarily difficult for these same politicians to help build new and better relationships in the face of such denials. People will not engage in common action with those who they believe are shirking responsibility. “The crash in the financial sector and the resulting deficit came under Labour’s watch. The party and its leadership is thus always going to be popularly held to be at fault, whatever the disagreements on macro-economic policy. “An acceptance of responsibility – an acknowledgement of weakness in this regard – would not make the crafting of new relationships between Labour’s leaders and its people harder, as is currently implied. It would make it far easier. Pride in our party’s achievements should not prevent us from acknowledging our mistakes. He also urges the party to not to believe “radical politics consists merely of a culture of complaint, and an expectation of state beneficence”. He also delivers a warning that Labour must break out of its current electoral enclaves. “Just like Stanley Baldwin’s National Government of the 1930s, David Cameron’s coalition knows that it can be re-elected without Wales, Scotland, and large swathes of the north of England. It does not need the public sector to be on side. It can quite happily allow Labour to represent the rump, while it collects the support of the rest of the country.” Jonathan Rutherford, one of the central Blue Labour thinkers, warns: “Labour must now have a reckoning with itself. It stopped valuing settled ways of life. It did not speak about an identification and pleasure in local place and belonging. “It said nothing about the desire for home and rootedness, nor did it defend the continuity of relationships at work and in neighbourhoods. It abandoned people to a volatile market in the name of a spurious entrepreneurialism”. He also warns Miliband against becoming associated with a progressive liberal class, at the expense of a wider group in society. “In England’s larger cities, and particularly among the educated elite, economic modernisation has led to an affirmation of racial and cultural difference, and a celebration of novel experience and the expanding of individual choice.” But he says across the country a more conservative culture holds sway which values identity and belonging in the local and the familiar. Economic modernisation, “the new”, and difference, are often viewed more sceptically, and as potential threats to social stability and the continuity of community, he writes. Ed Miliband Labour Jon Cruddas Patrick Wintour guardian.co.uk
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Commander of five British soldiers killed by policeman in Helmand says local officers were open to corruption The commanding officer of five British servicemen killed by a rogue Afghan policeman has claimed local officers could lack commitment, were sometimes high on drugs and were open to corruption. Lieutenant Colonel Charles Walker described one episode in which an Afghan police officer passed on ammunition to the Taliban in exchange for narcotics. Walker, commanding officer of the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, also told how his men were posted at the checkpoint where they were shot dead following a “blood feud” between an Afghan policeman and a local Taliban commander. At the start of the inquest into his men’s deaths, Walker also insisted that the Afghan police force was full of men determined to do good for their country and he said there was “deep shock” and “shame” within the force following the killing of the five British men. Warrant Officer Class 1 Darren Chant, Sergeant Matthew Telford and Guardsman James Major, all of the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, died alongside Corporal Steven Boote and Corporal Nicholas Webster-Smith from the Royal Military police on 3 November 2009. Another six soldiers and two Afghan policemen were injured in the attack. They were sitting on steps at a checkpoint, codenamed Blue 25, in the Nad-e-Ali district of Helmand when they were killed. They were “relaxing in the sun” at the time and not wearing body armour or carrying weapons. The gunman, known only as Gulbuddin, fled and his motive is not known. At the inquest in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, Walker said that Blue 25 had been beset by problems when he and his troops arrived in the area. Residents of the nearby village of Shin Kalay felt the local police at the checkpoint, which was on a vital supply route, were heavy handed. A shura – meeting – was arranged with village elders and it was discovered that there was a blood feud between the local police officer in charge of Blue 25 and a Taliban commander. The checkpoint was coming under attack every night. Walker felt the villagers were tolerating or supporting the Taliban, allowing them to target the checkpoint. Walker decided to use his own security detachment – which usually helped guard him as he moved around the area – to mentor the local police at the checkpoint. He said the arrangement worked well and the routine attacks on the checkpoint stopped. Questioned by the Wiltshire and Swindon coroner, David Ridley, Walker accepted there were general problems within the Afghan police force, giving the example of a checkpoint commander who traded ammunition for drugs with the Taliban. He described how after the exchange, some of the officers got high on the drugs and their police station was attacked by the Taliban later that day. Reinforcements arrived just in time and the police station was saved, but Walker said the same thing happened the next day. This time the reinforcements were hit by a roadside bomb as they raced to help and five police officers died. Walker said such a series of events was “not untypical”. He said Afghan police officers were poorly paid and so were “susceptible to the influence of money”. Walker told the inquest that after the shooting he made a number of recommendations including setting up separate recreation areas for British and Afghan men and making sure rest areas were better protected. He also suggested that sidearms were carried as a deterrent against “irrational action”. The inquest continues. Military Afghanistan Taliban Steven Morris guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …You rarely see any outrage from the Beltway media when Republicans make insane claims about Democratic policies or politicians. When Alan Grayson went on the attack to try and get better health care for the country, the media quickly threw him under the bus as fast as they could. There is a huge double standard playing out in the media and it couldn’t happen at a worse time. Why is it fine for John Boehner to say on CBS that everything is on the table to lower our deficit except raising taxes? REPRESENTATIVE JOHN BOEHNER: No more whistling past the graveyard. And now is the time to deal with the fiscal problems we have in an adult-like manner. HARRY SMITH: Including Medicare? REPRESENTATIVE JOHN BOEHNER: Medicare, Medicaid, all– everything should be on the table except raising taxes because raising taxes will hurt our economy and hurt our ability to create jobs in our country. That’s not putting everything on the table. Raising taxes brings in much-needed revenue, and to dismiss that out of hand is not acting like an adult. How many times have you heard the Beltway media hail Paul Ryan as a brave and bold man instead of dissecting his policies in detail and exposing them for the shams they are? Luckily, we’re allowed at least one liberal economist on TV to speak up for us instead of the usual Conservative Democrat. Atrios: The Villagers have declared that the Democrats are not allowed to tell the truth about Republican plans. How about we replace their “employer provided health insurance” with a voucher and see if they think it’s the same thing then. Exactly. Let’s ask media elites to have to suffer the same consequences and sacrifice they are asking the American people to have to swallow and see how they would react. By the way, as monikers go, ‘The Enema Man’ fits Alan Simpson to a T. So I see that Alan Simpson is still giving us wise advice . What does it take for someone to stop being regarded in Washington as a wise man? The Snoopy Snoopy Poop Dog stuff is actually the least of it. I turns out that Simpson has been telling us how to fix Social Security, yet he doesn’t know the most basic facts about the program, and when confronted with data from the Social Security Administration, he insists that they’re left-wing talking points. Adding Simpson’s name to a document goes a long way to undermining that document’s credibility.
Continue reading …You rarely see any outrage from the Beltway media when Republicans make insane claims about Democratic policies or politicians. When Alan Grayson went on the attack to try and get better health care for the country, the media quickly threw him under the bus as fast as they could. There is a huge double standard playing out in the media and it couldn’t happen at a worse time. Why is it fine for John Boehner to say on CBS that everything is on the table to lower our deficit except raising taxes? REPRESENTATIVE JOHN BOEHNER: No more whistling past the graveyard. And now is the time to deal with the fiscal problems we have in an adult-like manner. HARRY SMITH: Including Medicare? REPRESENTATIVE JOHN BOEHNER: Medicare, Medicaid, all– everything should be on the table except raising taxes because raising taxes will hurt our economy and hurt our ability to create jobs in our country. That’s not putting everything on the table. Raising taxes brings in much-needed revenue, and to dismiss that out of hand is not acting like an adult. How many times have you heard the Beltway media hail Paul Ryan as a brave and bold man instead of dissecting his policies in detail and exposing them for the shams they are? Luckily, we’re allowed at least one liberal economist on TV to speak up for us instead of the usual Conservative Democrat. Atrios: The Villagers have declared that the Democrats are not allowed to tell the truth about Republican plans. How about we replace their “employer provided health insurance” with a voucher and see if they think it’s the same thing then. Exactly. Let’s ask media elites to have to suffer the same consequences and sacrifice they are asking the American people to have to swallow and see how they would react. By the way, as monikers go, ‘The Enema Man’ fits Alan Simpson to a T. So I see that Alan Simpson is still giving us wise advice . What does it take for someone to stop being regarded in Washington as a wise man? The Snoopy Snoopy Poop Dog stuff is actually the least of it. I turns out that Simpson has been telling us how to fix Social Security, yet he doesn’t know the most basic facts about the program, and when confronted with data from the Social Security Administration, he insists that they’re left-wing talking points. Adding Simpson’s name to a document goes a long way to undermining that document’s credibility.
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Councillors consider erecting tower for ‘nightmare’ gulls to move 150 nests from Tyne Bridge The only urban colony of kittiwake gulls in the UK faces a potential siege at Tyne Bridge. More than 150 nests have been wedged into granite carvings on the four towers that support Newcastle upon Tyne’s river crossing since the first two pairs arrived in 1997. Initially hailed as a tourist attraction, with visitor signs and temporary telescopes to watch their antics, the seabirds have now been condemned as an obstacle to the riverside’s award-winning regeneration. Newcastle, which has won Forum for the Future’s greenest city award two years running, is sensitive to any move that could forfeit its chances of a hat-trick. So councillors are considering a possible new landmark in an area already famous for Antony Gormley’s Angel of the North – a kittiwake tower to ensure the birds stay locally but not directly above bars, restaurants and shops. Traders in the warren of streets below the bridge, which forms a 15-storey artificial alternative to famous natural nesting sites such as Bempton cliffs on the North Sea coast, describe the level of noise and mess as a “nightmare” and “horrendous”. Debris from the colony includes mummified birds, and shopkeepers such as florist Vivienne Brown say tourists take refuge in shops to avoid being divebombed. The mass keening of the kittiwakes, whose name is inspired by their raucous cry, can also be heard in the tall, narrow streets huddled beside the Tyne. The birds spend winter at sea but return inland to breed between April and August, building larger nests than other gulls. “It’s a cause for concern because the quaysides are such an attraction now,” said a spokesman for Newcastle city council, which has joined Gateshead in two decades of investment along the waterfront. Projects such as the Millennium bridge, Sage concert hall and Baltic gallery have encouraged the opening of dozens of thriving small businesses, restaurants and bars. The kittiwakes were identified as a problem in a report last winter from the two cities’ joint development agency, 1NG. The report has also roused defenders of the colony, led by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. “They are one of the great features of this city and much loved by many people,” said Martin Kerby, the RSPB’s regional conservation officer. “Tyneside is the only really urban location in the world that you can find them and it is a great shame that this report seems to think they are not an asset but a problem to be removed. “TV crews have often been here to film them, the council itself put up signs to promote them and lots of visitors come to see them on the coast to coast tours. It’s a real shame that biodiversity such as this should be looked on as a problem.” Kittiwakes are causing concern internationally after several poor breeding years in their North Atlantic strongholds. A shortage of their staple prey, sand eels, has coincided with an increase in their main predator, the great skua. Breeding pairs in northern Scotland, home to the main UK population, fell by more than half to 23,000 in the past two decades and recovery has been patchy. The Newcastle council spokesman said there were no plans for immediate action, but the concept of a kittiwake tower had obvious appeal. He said: “They don’t seem to have found the Angel yet, but there could be a lot of interest in designing something appropriate for them just a bit further away.” The strategy has had some success in Gateshead, where a slender metal structure rehoused kittiwakes expelled when the Baltic flour mills were converted into a gallery in 1997. But 30 pairs of the resourceful birds have found their way back, and CCTV footage of their nests and fledglings is being used as a gallery attraction. Newcastle Birds Wildlife RSPB Conservation Martin Wainwright guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Councillors consider erecting tower for ‘nightmare’ gulls to move 150 nests from Tyne Bridge The only urban colony of kittiwake gulls in the UK faces a potential siege at Tyne Bridge. More than 150 nests have been wedged into granite carvings on the four towers that support Newcastle upon Tyne’s river crossing since the first two pairs arrived in 1997. Initially hailed as a tourist attraction, with visitor signs and temporary telescopes to watch their antics, the seabirds have now been condemned as an obstacle to the riverside’s award-winning regeneration. Newcastle, which has won Forum for the Future’s greenest city award two years running, is sensitive to any move that could forfeit its chances of a hat-trick. So councillors are considering a possible new landmark in an area already famous for Antony Gormley’s Angel of the North – a kittiwake tower to ensure the birds stay locally but not directly above bars, restaurants and shops. Traders in the warren of streets below the bridge, which forms a 15-storey artificial alternative to famous natural nesting sites such as Bempton cliffs on the North Sea coast, describe the level of noise and mess as a “nightmare” and “horrendous”. Debris from the colony includes mummified birds, and shopkeepers such as florist Vivienne Brown say tourists take refuge in shops to avoid being divebombed. The mass keening of the kittiwakes, whose name is inspired by their raucous cry, can also be heard in the tall, narrow streets huddled beside the Tyne. The birds spend winter at sea but return inland to breed between April and August, building larger nests than other gulls. “It’s a cause for concern because the quaysides are such an attraction now,” said a spokesman for Newcastle city council, which has joined Gateshead in two decades of investment along the waterfront. Projects such as the Millennium bridge, Sage concert hall and Baltic gallery have encouraged the opening of dozens of thriving small businesses, restaurants and bars. The kittiwakes were identified as a problem in a report last winter from the two cities’ joint development agency, 1NG. The report has also roused defenders of the colony, led by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. “They are one of the great features of this city and much loved by many people,” said Martin Kerby, the RSPB’s regional conservation officer. “Tyneside is the only really urban location in the world that you can find them and it is a great shame that this report seems to think they are not an asset but a problem to be removed. “TV crews have often been here to film them, the council itself put up signs to promote them and lots of visitors come to see them on the coast to coast tours. It’s a real shame that biodiversity such as this should be looked on as a problem.” Kittiwakes are causing concern internationally after several poor breeding years in their North Atlantic strongholds. A shortage of their staple prey, sand eels, has coincided with an increase in their main predator, the great skua. Breeding pairs in northern Scotland, home to the main UK population, fell by more than half to 23,000 in the past two decades and recovery has been patchy. The Newcastle council spokesman said there were no plans for immediate action, but the concept of a kittiwake tower had obvious appeal. He said: “They don’t seem to have found the Angel yet, but there could be a lot of interest in designing something appropriate for them just a bit further away.” The strategy has had some success in Gateshead, where a slender metal structure rehoused kittiwakes expelled when the Baltic flour mills were converted into a gallery in 1997. But 30 pairs of the resourceful birds have found their way back, and CCTV footage of their nests and fledglings is being used as a gallery attraction. Newcastle Birds Wildlife RSPB Conservation Martin Wainwright guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Councillors consider erecting tower for ‘nightmare’ gulls to move 150 nests from Tyne Bridge The only urban colony of kittiwake gulls in the UK faces a potential siege at Tyne Bridge. More than 150 nests have been wedged into granite carvings on the four towers that support Newcastle upon Tyne’s river crossing since the first two pairs arrived in 1997. Initially hailed as a tourist attraction, with visitor signs and temporary telescopes to watch their antics, the seabirds have now been condemned as an obstacle to the riverside’s award-winning regeneration. Newcastle, which has won Forum for the Future’s greenest city award two years running, is sensitive to any move that could forfeit its chances of a hat-trick. So councillors are considering a possible new landmark in an area already famous for Antony Gormley’s Angel of the North – a kittiwake tower to ensure the birds stay locally but not directly above bars, restaurants and shops. Traders in the warren of streets below the bridge, which forms a 15-storey artificial alternative to famous natural nesting sites such as Bempton cliffs on the North Sea coast, describe the level of noise and mess as a “nightmare” and “horrendous”. Debris from the colony includes mummified birds, and shopkeepers such as florist Vivienne Brown say tourists take refuge in shops to avoid being divebombed. The mass keening of the kittiwakes, whose name is inspired by their raucous cry, can also be heard in the tall, narrow streets huddled beside the Tyne. The birds spend winter at sea but return inland to breed between April and August, building larger nests than other gulls. “It’s a cause for concern because the quaysides are such an attraction now,” said a spokesman for Newcastle city council, which has joined Gateshead in two decades of investment along the waterfront. Projects such as the Millennium bridge, Sage concert hall and Baltic gallery have encouraged the opening of dozens of thriving small businesses, restaurants and bars. The kittiwakes were identified as a problem in a report last winter from the two cities’ joint development agency, 1NG. The report has also roused defenders of the colony, led by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. “They are one of the great features of this city and much loved by many people,” said Martin Kerby, the RSPB’s regional conservation officer. “Tyneside is the only really urban location in the world that you can find them and it is a great shame that this report seems to think they are not an asset but a problem to be removed. “TV crews have often been here to film them, the council itself put up signs to promote them and lots of visitors come to see them on the coast to coast tours. It’s a real shame that biodiversity such as this should be looked on as a problem.” Kittiwakes are causing concern internationally after several poor breeding years in their North Atlantic strongholds. A shortage of their staple prey, sand eels, has coincided with an increase in their main predator, the great skua. Breeding pairs in northern Scotland, home to the main UK population, fell by more than half to 23,000 in the past two decades and recovery has been patchy. The Newcastle council spokesman said there were no plans for immediate action, but the concept of a kittiwake tower had obvious appeal. He said: “They don’t seem to have found the Angel yet, but there could be a lot of interest in designing something appropriate for them just a bit further away.” The strategy has had some success in Gateshead, where a slender metal structure rehoused kittiwakes expelled when the Baltic flour mills were converted into a gallery in 1997. But 30 pairs of the resourceful birds have found their way back, and CCTV footage of their nests and fledglings is being used as a gallery attraction. Newcastle Birds Wildlife RSPB Conservation Martin Wainwright guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Councillors consider erecting tower for ‘nightmare’ gulls to move 150 nests from Tyne Bridge The only urban colony of kittiwake gulls in the UK faces a potential siege at Tyne Bridge. More than 150 nests have been wedged into granite carvings on the four towers that support Newcastle upon Tyne’s river crossing since the first two pairs arrived in 1997. Initially hailed as a tourist attraction, with visitor signs and temporary telescopes to watch their antics, the seabirds have now been condemned as an obstacle to the riverside’s award-winning regeneration. Newcastle, which has won Forum for the Future’s greenest city award two years running, is sensitive to any move that could forfeit its chances of a hat-trick. So councillors are considering a possible new landmark in an area already famous for Antony Gormley’s Angel of the North – a kittiwake tower to ensure the birds stay locally but not directly above bars, restaurants and shops. Traders in the warren of streets below the bridge, which forms a 15-storey artificial alternative to famous natural nesting sites such as Bempton cliffs on the North Sea coast, describe the level of noise and mess as a “nightmare” and “horrendous”. Debris from the colony includes mummified birds, and shopkeepers such as florist Vivienne Brown say tourists take refuge in shops to avoid being divebombed. The mass keening of the kittiwakes, whose name is inspired by their raucous cry, can also be heard in the tall, narrow streets huddled beside the Tyne. The birds spend winter at sea but return inland to breed between April and August, building larger nests than other gulls. “It’s a cause for concern because the quaysides are such an attraction now,” said a spokesman for Newcastle city council, which has joined Gateshead in two decades of investment along the waterfront. Projects such as the Millennium bridge, Sage concert hall and Baltic gallery have encouraged the opening of dozens of thriving small businesses, restaurants and bars. The kittiwakes were identified as a problem in a report last winter from the two cities’ joint development agency, 1NG. The report has also roused defenders of the colony, led by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. “They are one of the great features of this city and much loved by many people,” said Martin Kerby, the RSPB’s regional conservation officer. “Tyneside is the only really urban location in the world that you can find them and it is a great shame that this report seems to think they are not an asset but a problem to be removed. “TV crews have often been here to film them, the council itself put up signs to promote them and lots of visitors come to see them on the coast to coast tours. It’s a real shame that biodiversity such as this should be looked on as a problem.” Kittiwakes are causing concern internationally after several poor breeding years in their North Atlantic strongholds. A shortage of their staple prey, sand eels, has coincided with an increase in their main predator, the great skua. Breeding pairs in northern Scotland, home to the main UK population, fell by more than half to 23,000 in the past two decades and recovery has been patchy. The Newcastle council spokesman said there were no plans for immediate action, but the concept of a kittiwake tower had obvious appeal. He said: “They don’t seem to have found the Angel yet, but there could be a lot of interest in designing something appropriate for them just a bit further away.” The strategy has had some success in Gateshead, where a slender metal structure rehoused kittiwakes expelled when the Baltic flour mills were converted into a gallery in 1997. But 30 pairs of the resourceful birds have found their way back, and CCTV footage of their nests and fledglings is being used as a gallery attraction. Newcastle Birds Wildlife RSPB Conservation Martin Wainwright guardian.co.uk
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RMT union would says it would consider a deal with Transport for London similar to that struck with Network Rail, which is offering up to £500 for staff working extra shifts A strike-free Olympics on the London Underground would cost around £500 per tube employee, the RMT trade union indicated on Tuesday, as hopes rose that a settlement could be reached to prevent disruption at next year’s games. Britain’s largest rail union has already secured an Olympics deal with Network Rail including payments of up to £500 for staff performing extra shifts. It includes an agreement , described by industry sources as a no-strike deal in all but name, that disputes during the games period will go to the ACAS conciliation service with no industrial action while discussions take place. Bob Crow, RMT general secretary, said on Tuesday that the union would seriously consider a similar offer to its thousands of LU members. “We will be looking for the same if not better on London Underground,” he said. Peter Hendy, head of the mayor’s Transport for London authority, which runs the tube, told the Evening Standard that the Network Rail deal was “sensible”. The Network Rail deal also includes a no-sacking clause during the Olympics and Paralympics next summer. A spokesperson for Transport for London said: “We are continuing our negotiations with all our trade unions towards a multi-year pay and conditions deal that would cover the period of the Olympics.” Speaking at a London Assembly hearing on Tuesday, Crow said LU had agreed to set up an independent panel that would garner suggestions on improving industrial relations on the tube. “It is … some kind of panel where selected people on behalf of London Underground and trade unions can give recommendations on how best industrial relations can improve.” Any deal over the Olympics is likely to be wrapped up in an over-arching pay agreement with the RMT. The union has rejected a five-year pay deal including a 4% pay rise this year followed by increases of inflation + 0.25% for each of the following years. Last week LU raised its offer to a 4.5% pay rise this year. The RMT also wants the re-introduction of a consultative trade union committee at LU and the re-establishment of a transport wages board. Crow added that the RMT and other unions wanted a “dialogue” with the London mayor, Boris Johnson, while acknowledging that the mayor would not engage in negotiations. Crow said the RMT wanted to “have his ear every now and again”. Travel & leisure Trade unions Transport Bob Crow London Dan Milmo guardian.co.uk
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After watching the show for so long, I get the psychology behind American Idol. Last season, when it came down to the final two, I correctly predicted Lee DeWyze. This year, I’m going to go out on a bigger limb and predict the winner with three contestants to go. This is tricky because all three remaining contestants — Haley Reinhart, Lauren Alaina, and Scotty McCreery — very much appeal to the main voting demographic (mostly tween girls and their mothers). Let’s start with the women. Haley and Lauren both play the role of ‘American Sweethearts’. They both had a great arc throughout the season, not peaking too early. They both check the right boxes that allow the voters to relate: they show humility and are good but not too good where their success appears out of reach to their fans. However, I predict Lauren will triumph over Haley. Lauren is just that much more of an ‘American Sweetheart” than Haley. She shows that much more vulnerability, is more obviously unsure of herself (which is very relatable among the voting demographic and plays more to the underdog aspect), looks more the part, and is closer in age to the main voting demographic. In fact, I think Haley was in trouble last week, and the judges knew it. However, I think the judges made a decision that they wanted a female to win this year so they biased things psychologically so that Haley would remain in the competition (thus increasing the chances that a woman would win this year). How did they bias things? I think the judges met before the performance on Thursday and came up with a plan. Steven Tyler would be the ‘nice guy’, during Haley’s first performance, and Jennifer and Randy would be the bad cops, being harsh but hinting that she could make a comeback during her second performance that evening. Note the importance of this hint. I’ve noticed that when the judges decide they really want someone to go, they will just flat out make a statement like “I don’t think you have what it takes to remain in this competition” but when they want someone to stay, they will instead say “This wasn’t your best performance, but we know you have more in you and can come back and knock it out of the part next time”. The former phrasing activates an “it’s over” mindset for the voters whereas the latter phrasing activates a completely different drive — the basic human desire to root for the underdog. What the judges did on Thursday was very clever. They decided to actively re-calibrate Haley’s arc, making people empathize with her, and want to root for her to make a comeback. Still, that psychological trick won’t be enough to carry Haley all the way. The finale will include Lauren and Scotty. Between the two, who will win? To make this prediction, let’s not forget the voting demographic. This isn’t just a talent competition. If it were, the final three would have been James Durbin, Pia Toscano, and Jacob Lusk. But that didn’t happen. The ones that didn’t make it through this season either peaked too early, were too consistent, were too good, too quirky, too different, or even just too old. This year’s James Durbin was extremely talented and put all his passion into every single performance, but like Adam Lambert who was eliminated in the finale two seasons ago, he came out too stong, too early. Also like Lambert, Durbin was too good, too ‘out there’, made too many voters uncomfortable, and did this all too consistently. Lady Gaga wasn’t kidding when she told Lauren: “When I was 16 years old, I was too weird to be on American Idol. They would have shut the door right in my face.” I believe it! That would have been unfortunate though had that happened, as there is lots to learn from people like Lady Gaga. No, this show has come down to a red state, middle-school popularity contest. I think I’m going to move on to X-Factor where hopefully there will be more of an appreciation of diversity! My prediction is that this year’s American Idol finale is going to be neck and neck, perhaps one of the closest calls in the history of American Idol (although they seem to say this every year). But in the final count, I predict Scotty McCreery will win American Idol. Scotty ticks the most boxes in this regard (many of the same boxes the winners of the last two seasons have ticked — shoot, what were their names again?): Scotty sings a popular genre (country music), Scotty is talented but non-threatening, Scotty is likeable, Scotty is dreamy, Scotty is religious, Scotty is down-to-earth, Scotty is normal (he doesn’t have — god forbid — a weird tick or Asperger’s like James Durbin had! Because remember, voters don’t like people who are different on this show), Scotty is confident, and Scotty has a nice smile. Oh, and the most important reason of them all? Scotty has the best name in the world.
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