Commons Speaker’s caustic remarks follow repeated criticism by newspaper’s parliamentary sketch writer, Quentin Letts The Commons Speaker, John Bercow, has risked his political neutrality by describing the Daily Mail as a “sexist, racist, bigoted, comic cartoon strip”. He also apologised for breaking the trade descriptions act by describing the Mail as a “newspaper”. His stinging remarks came at a question and answer session with the political commentator Steve Richards at Kings Place in London. Bercow has been repeatedly criticised in the Daily Mail, notably by Quentin Letts, its parliamentary sketch writer. Letts recently described the Speaker as “preening, sycophantic, short-tempered and grotesque”. On another occasion Letts wrote: “Effortless humour is one of the things Squeaker Bercow so palpably lacks. Everything about him, even his wit, is by numbers, worn heavily, as though out of a book.” Bercow’s condemnation of the Mail was promoted by his wife Sally who is active on Twitter and is a staunch supporter ofLabour. There is a group of around 40 Conservative backbenchers and ministers that still deeply resent Bercow’s election to the Speakership either because they think he is too left wing, self promoting or simply unreliable. In his question and answer session with Richards, Bercow also discussed the sensitive issue of whether MPs were abusing their parliamentary privilege by mentioning details of super-injunctions. Bercow said that “no super-injunction should be preventing colleagues from trying to debate issues”, before noting that “it would be very sad if the sovereign nature of parliament as a whole and the House of Commons in particular was eroded by the judiciary.” Super-injunctions, he added, were “undesirable – we don’t want to see their spread”.But he criticised the Liberal Democrat MP John Hemming who has twice used parliament to reveal details of super-injunctions, sometimes already being discussed on Twitter. Bercow said: “Debating principles and issues is very different from violating an order to score a point.” He defended the right of his wife to express her views on a daily basis on Twitter. “She’s free to do what she wants. Sally is my wife, but not my chattel or my property. The duty of impartiality doesn’t extend to her – there isn’t a Mrs Speaker – and it’s a spectacularly sexist idea that Sally should have to be silent.” Bercow also said he believed IPSA, the body responsible for handling MPs’ expenses, was “far too complicated”. He disclosed he had written to IPSA asking it “sharply to reduce its own expenditures … particularly the large amount of money spent on communications officers to communicate with the public.” Bercow is known to be a supporter of further reforms to the Commons sitting hours, but will have to wait to see if any proposals emerge from the procedure committee or the modernisation committee. His signal achievement since becoming speaker apart from being willing to talk in public about his role has been to increase the number of ministerial statements or urgent questions, making the executive more answerable to parliament than for many decades. John Bercow Daily Mail Newspapers & magazines House of Commons National newspapers Patrick Wintour guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Models clad only in stilettos hang from nooses. In bed, Kanye West drapes the lifeless arm of one dead woman over another. Disembodied limbs, dead hands trailing the floor, vampires gorging on pretty ladies: Model corpses are basically everywhere in West’s new video for “Monster.” Is it any surprise it’s…
Continue reading …Forever 21, the “fast fashion” store known for its cheap designer knockoffs, is threatening to sue the creator of the website WTForever21 —because, among other reasons, the store doesn’t appreciate being associated with the “F-word.” Rachel Kane, who created the satire blog, talks to the Consumerist , Jezebel , and the Village…
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Tory MPs concerned that prime minister has abandoned key elements of Andrew Lansley’s radical NHS blueprint David Cameron is facing a battle to reassure anxious Conservative MPs after he announced a series of changes to the government’s NHS reforms to win over the Liberal Democrats and members of the medical profession. As Nick Clegg told his parliamentary party last night that the time was fast approaching for the Liberal Democrats to swing behind the reforms after securing major concessions, Tories voiced concerns that the prime minister had abandoned key elements of Andrew Lansley’s original blueprint. Cameron alarmed his backbenchers after he moved to meet the demands laid down by the Lib Dems at their spring conference in March by announcing the shelving of Lansley’s 2013 deadline, changes to the role of the health regulator, Monitor, and the opening up of GP-led consortiums. A senior Tory MP who warned last month that core “red lines” must not be crossed, warned shelving the 2013 deadline could threaten £5bn of spending on frontline health services. Nick de Bois, who was involved in the committee stage of the health and social care bill, said: “It would be a mistake to lose 2013 as a statutory date for completion of countrywide GP commissioning. “Yes, we will need to help GP commissioners get there. But if we don’t achieve that date we could end up with a two-tier health system much as we had under GP fund holding, and we could threaten the potential £5bn savings over the lifetime of this parliament to put back into frontline services.” The backbencher spoke out after Cameron outlined four key changes to the NHS reforms. In a speech to members of the medical profession at the clinical neurological centre at University College London Hospital, the prime minister said: • The health and social care bill will be amended to make clear that the primary role of Monitor is not to promote competition but to promote the interests of patients. It will “use competition as a means to that end”. • The 2013 deadline for the creation of new GP-led commissioning consortiums, due to take charge of 65% of the NHS budget, will be shelved. • Clinical commissioning will be opened up, with hospital doctors and nurses involved. Clinical senates will be introduced to allow groups of doctors and healthcare professionals to “take an overview of the integration of care” across a wide area. In a key declaration, Cameron said: “Our changes will now secure clinically led commissioning, not just GP-led commissioning.” • The 18-week limit on waiting times, enshrined in the NHS constitution, will be kept. Lady Williams of Crosby, the former member of the Gang of Four who has been one of the main Lib Dem rebels, welcomed the changes: “What we are now seeing, partly owing to tremendous efforts on the part of my own party, not least Nick Clegg, is a real change in the shape of what is going to be proposed. I think we will see really very substantial changes.” NHS David Cameron Conservatives Andrew Lansley Health Liberal Democrats Nicholas Watt guardian.co.uk
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Prosecution of Humberto Leal Garcia without consular support in Texas in 1994 contravenes Vienna Convention, say campaigners Top military leaders, lawyers, diplomats and former government officials have joined forces to protest against the pending execution of a Mexican citizen in Texas which they say would be in breach of international law and could put American lives abroad at risk. The governor of Texas, Rick Perry, has vowed to press ahead on 7 July with the execution of Humberto Leal Garcia, despite condemnation across the political and legal realms. Presidents George Bush and Barack Obama have, while in office, opposed the execution, and Congress is likely to soon introduce legislation designed to make such a judicial killing impossible. The almost blanket condemnation of Texas’s position stems from the fact that Leal was prosecuted without the benefit of consular support and advice from the Mexican authorities, as is required under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. He was found guilty in 1994 of sexually assaulting and murdering a 16-year-old girl in San Antonio. But the Mexican authorities were never informed of his arrest, and at his trial he was assigned court-appointed lawyers whom his current attorneys say were unprepared and incompetent. One of the trial lawyers has twice been suspended from practising law and reprimanded two other times for failing to carry out his obligations to his clients, according to the attorneys. In a clemency petition lodged with the Texas governor on Tuesday, Leal’s current lawyers argue that had Leal had consular access, he could have avoided conviction, let alone a death penalty. “The complete failure of Mr Leal’s attorneys to represent their client in any meaningful way deprived him of his chance for a fair trial,” the petition says. Joint letters have been sent to Perry’s office to accompany the petition, whose signatories include prominent figures in the worlds of law, diplomacy and the military. One letter comes from former US diplomats and top officials in the state department, among whom are the top legal adviser to the state department under Bush, John Bellinger, and the former US ambassadors to the UN and Nato, Thomas Pickering and William Taft respectively. In their joint letter, the diplomats argue that by failing to honour the rights of foreign nationals arrested in the US, Texas is putting at risk those of American nationals arrested abroad. “We believe that continued non-compliance will surely alienate this nation from its allies.” Top retired military figures including Rear Admiral Don Guter, Brigadier James Cullen and Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson warn in a separate letter that, by disregarding the Vienna Convention, Texas is also putting at risk military personnel stationed overseas. “As retired military leaders, we understand that the preservation of consular access protections is especially important for US military personnel, who when serving our country overseas are at greater risk of being arrested by a foreign government.” A complementary letter from former top judges includes among its signatories William Sessions, director of the FBI between 1987 and 1993. Leal is one of 40 or so Mexican nationals in a similar legal trap; individuals who are awaiting execution in the US, despite having consular access withheld at the time of their arrest and trial. Under the Vienna Convention, those facing prosecution in a foreign country must be given regular access to their consular representatives. Though that legal point has been pressed by the US on many occasions in cases where American citizens have been arrested abroad, Texas has decided to press ahead with the execution regardless. The US supreme court sided with the state, and the only way that Texas can be forced to budge its position is if Congress enforces adherence to the Vienna Convention with new legislation. Such a bill is expected to be introduced to the US senate within the next two weeks, but it is unlikely to pass all stages in both houses before the 7 July execution date. Texas United States Mexico US politics Obama administration US military Ed Pilkington guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …The military is digging in its heels against the idea of a swift withdrawal from Afghanistan. “I think we shouldn’t let up on the gas too much, at least for the next few months,” Robert Gates told troops yesterday, as he finished his final trip to Afghanistan as defense secretary….
Continue reading …A gay police officer has enlisted Gloria Allred’s legal help—so you know we’re about to report on a buzzy lawsuit. The unnamed cop is filing a discrimination complaint against his department, which he says denied his written request that he be allowed to march in uniform during Sunday’s West…
Continue reading …Eminem, famous for dissing other celebrities via song, has some words for Lady Gaga in new tune “A Kiss.” He takes aim at the Gaga-is-a-hermaphrodite rumors with the line, “Tell Lady Gaga she can quit her job at the post office / She’s still a male lady,” then goes on…
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Supporters of female candidates in Guatemala, Honduras and Argentina hail successes but critics fear entrenched dynasties Hillary Clinton failed to make the transition, but former first ladies across Latin America are following in her footsteps and campaigning to become presidents, in what may become a fresh wave of female heads of state in the region. Former “primeras damas” in Guatemala, Honduras and Argentina have waded into traditionally macho Latino politics in the hope of staying in, or returning to, presidential palaces. Their ambitions have provoked excitement and controversy, with supporters acclaiming a breakthrough for women – and critics concerned at
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