"What do you think Prime Minister?"

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Hat tip "anon".  This song and the music takes me back to when as a teenager I lived in Holywell, North Wales, which overlooked Liverpool across the Dee Estuary and the Wirrel. During the Toxteth Riots of 1981 we could see parts of Liverpool burning from Holywell due to the disturbances. It was a sobering experience which I have never forgotten and which I remembered during the riots in London last year. To be clear - there is no excuse for such violence behaviour. Yes, we had Tories doing what Tories always try to do the poor in 1981 and 2011 but burning and looting your own community is just plain stupid. It is always the ordinary working class people who always suffer the most from such riots. Yet, anyone who does not think mass unemployment and extreme poverty will not result in such violence, sadly just doesn't get it. 

Virgin Media Complaint Update: Big Fat Zero

I made a complaint here on 4 January about anti-trade union boss Richard Branson and the treatment that you receive when you try and cancel your Virgin Media Contract. Following which Virgin Media apparently decided to cut off my land line to punish me for daring to make a complaint.  I made a further complaint here but once again, I have had no contact at all with Virgin Media. They are of course ignoring their own complaint procedure. But no surprise there. My phone is still not working.

I've just made a third complaint and have given them 72 hours to respond or I will make a report to the regulator. Not that they are at all bothered about this since the regulator is I understand pretty toothless.

I've had a quick look around Youtube and this clip by the CWU about Virgin Media plans to close its Liverpool office is one of the very few about Branson and Virgin Media that is not so rude as to contravene the Public Order Act. Sign the CWU petition against offshoring jobs here.

#Lab11 Labour Party Conference Liverpool 2011

This picture is from the inside of the ACC, Kings Dock, Liverpool next to the conference floor.  I arrived yesterday afternoon from Cardiff after the Unison Community Seminar. 

The Labour Party conference is a huge event with thousands of people attending.  It is not just about the debates and speeches on the conference floor that you see on the telly.  Meetings and fringes start as early as 8am and go on all day until the early hours.  They are often more interesting than much of conference business.

I am not a delegate for my union or CLP but here in an "ex-officio" capacity as a Labour Councillor which means that I can visit any part of the conference, speak but I cannot vote on motions or take part in ballots.  Not being a delegate gives you more time to spend outside the conference floor.  Obviously this is in my own time and at my own expense.

I hope to blog on conference fringes and debates that I attend at least daily.  Usually the day afterwards.