Bridlington resident warned by police over Olympics joke

One Bridlington resident has felt the full force of the Olympic security crackdown after receiving a warning from Humberside Police following a joke she made on Facebook.

Helen Perry wrote on the Bridlington Free Press’ page that she was going to squirt the torch with a water pistol in protest at the lack of local torch bearers.

A few days later she received a phone call from Humberside Police advising her that such behaviour would see her arrested.

The authorities and the organising committee have been making a mockery out of many of our supposed rights in their efforts to protect the ‘sanctity’ of the Games.

Last week, protest group the Space Hijackers were suspended from Twitter after using Olympic trademarks as part of their satirical attacks on the Games.

And in Cornwall, shortly after the flame arrived in the UK, a Cornish flag was snatched from the torch bearer by outrunners as it was not part of the official uniform. 

Interestingly, the latest torchbearer to be confirmed for the Bridlington relay is Saudi Arabian doctor and fitness instructor, Dr Badr Alshibani. Dr Alshibani is male, which is possibly rather fortunate as his female compatriots have been banned from competing in the Games, in clear convention of the Olympic Charter.

Greg Knight misleads on global warming

The latest e-newsletter from Greg Knight has claimed the planet is no longer warming and may even be heading for a mini-ice age in what is a shameful abuse of climate science and statistics.

The newsletter, sent by his senior parliamentary researcher, Matthew Thomas, contains the following story:

The supposed consensus on man-made global warming is facing an inconvenient challenge after the release of new temperature data showing that our planet has not warmed for the past 15 years.

The figures even suggest that we could be heading for a mini iceage to rival the 70 year temperature drop that saw ‘frost fairs’ held on the Thames in the 17th Century.

Based on readings from more than 30,000 measuring stations, the data was issued last week, rather quietly, and without fanfare by the Met Office.  It confirms that the rising trend in world temperatures ended in 1997.

Having previously dismissed the role that our sun plays in climate changes, some scientists are now having second thoughts, but it will probably take ten or more years from now before we will be able to determine for certain whether the warming that took place late in the 20th Century was caused by manmade CO² emissions or merely by natural variability.

This story has been lifted near verbatim from an article written by the Daily Mail’s David Rose who, in January, claimed that the Met Office’s latest data showed there had been no warming for 15 years. The Met Office responded:

This article includes numerous errors in the reporting of published peer reviewed science undertaken by the Met Office Hadley Centre and for Mr. Rose to suggest that the latest global temperatures available show no warming in the last 15 years is entirely misleading.

They go on to include the full response they provided Mr Rose. One key part, which he ignored, said:

[...] what is absolutely clear is that we have continued to see a trend of warming, with the decade of 2000-2009 being clearly the warmest in the instrumental record going back to 1850.

As the Skeptical Science website shows, David Rose was selective in his use of data as well as quotes from the Met Office, a common tactic among people who claim global warming is not caused by humankind.

Similarly, the second claim, that we are heading towards an ice age, is also false. The Mail article suggests this will be caused by weakening solar activity but as the Met Office said:

This research shows that the most likely change in the Sun’s output will not have a big impact on global temperatures or do much to slow the warming we expect from greenhouse gases.

The suggestion that global warming is caused by the sun rather than human industrial activity, is one that holds no water. As Skeptical Science – a really handy website – points out, the trend for solar activity over the 20th century has been a slight cooling.

Note also that Mr Knight makes no explicit references or links to the data or the “some scientists [who] are now having second thoughts”. A person with the power to participate in lawmaking should at the very least provide evidence for such bold claims as those contained in his newsletter*.

This also links to his use of “supposed consensus”; actually a David Rose line. Climate skeptics like to talk down the consensus among scientists studying climate change and global warming. In actual fact, “around 95% of active climate researchers actively publishing climate papers endorse the consensus position.” (source: includes an explanation of how consensus emerges)

Furthermore, the claim that it will take ten years or more to know for certain what caused (like it’s stopped) global warming  sits nicely with Greg Knight’s apparent views on renewable technologies. The MP has been vocal in his opposition to proposed wind turbines in East Yorkshire; if he can undermine, in the eyes of his constituents, the science that supports our need for them then his opposition appears expedient.

And finally, for a bonus laugh, there is the use of this Time magazine cover to illustrate the story. This cover is from… 1977. As if thirty five subsequent years of science don’t matter.

I have written to Mr Knight to ask for an apology and correction in his next newsletter and, further, that he engage in the grave issue of climate change with the scientific rigour it sorely needs.
*Not that it’s a problem in this case as Mr Knight (or whichever of his staff wrote the newsletter) was lax enough to simply copy text from the Mail article, making it easy to source the information.

Greg Knight forcing through NHS privatisation

Greg Knight last week voted with his Coalition bosses against releasing the risk assessment for the controversial Health and Social Care Bill

The proposed changes will essentially open up the NHS to full-blooded privatisation and put at risk the principle of free health care.

Health Secretary Andrew Lansley has so far refused to publish the risk assessment in open defiance of two freedom of information requests and despite regional risk registers flagging up serious concerns, including the likely failure to deliver statutory objectives.

Wednesday’s vote is typical of the government’s arrogant and unmandated approach to forcing through changes to the National Health Service.

The bill is opposed by the majority of doctors and nurses and has prompted an e-petition of over 150,000 signatures.

While Mr Knight toes the line in Westminster he is much more eager to please crowds at home by showing his support for Bridlington Hospital, which has suffered cuts to services over the past decade.

A year ago Andrew Lansley visited the hospital at Mr Knight’s invitation and told staff and patients it had a future. If this bill gets through Parliament the same can’t be said for the wider NHS.

Lest we forget, you simply can’t trust the Tories on the National Health Service.

Greg Knight wants to cut benefits for cancer patients

Our Right Honourable MP, Greg Knight, earlier this month voted to bind cancer patients to the time limit for employment support allowance.

This means that people with cancer who have been out of work for twelve months will now be means tested for this particular benefit irrespective of whether they are fit to work. Even if their partner earns as little as £150 per week, the ESA will be removed.

MacMillan Cancer Support estimate that “thousands of cancer patients – still recovering from their illness and therefore too sick to work – will see their income drop by up to £94 a week from April.”

Mr Knight’s cruel decision came in a day of votes to overturn Lords’ amendments to the Welfare Reform Bill, in which the government also enacted ‘financial privilege’ to prevent the Lords from responding to the defeat.

The government also defeated Lords’ amendments to allow young disabled children who have never worked to continue claiming contributory benefits and not charging single parents to use the Child Support Agency.

Turbine opponents acting like spoiled BRATs

Opponents to new wind turbines on Flamborough Head have stooped to a new low by lobbying the Heritage Lottery Fund to freeze funding for the Bempton RSPB centre, as reported in the Guardian.

It’s quite apparent that Bempton Residents Against Turbines care little for the health of local bird populations and more for their selfish campaign to prevent any turbines being built.

If they did care for wildlife then why would they try to strangle funding for a charity who are doing just that – protecting the birds?

These wind farm opponents are behaving like the BRATs of their acronym simply because the RSPB won’t kowtow to their demands. It’s time the NIMBYs grew up.

Child poverty in Bridlington – is Greg Knight helping?

Earlier this month the End Child Poverty group revealed the extent of child poverty across the country in 2011. In Bridlington the numbers are dire.

Children are defined as living in poverty “if they live in families in receipt of out of work benefits or in receipt of in-work tax credits where their reported income is less than 60% of median income.”

In Bridlington South, the number of children living in poverty is estimated at 31%. In Bridlington Central and Old Town it’s 29% and, in Bridlington North, 12%. In comparison, the figure for the whole of England is 20.9%.

These alarming figures beg the question: how can our MP, Greg Knight, be working in the interests of his constituents when he continues to support the savage economic and social policies of his Tory colleagues?

Since the current government took office, Mr Knight has:

• Voted to increase VAT, a tax move which hits people with low incomes the hardest.
• Voted for cuts which are causing huge job losses in the public sector.
• Voted to remove financial help for the poorest school students.
• Voted against small taxes on the big banks responsible for our financial hardship.
• Voted against taxing bonuses to fund youth jobs at a time of high youth unemployment.

The Coalition pledged to end child poverty, but according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies and Joseph Rowntree Foundation, their policies are forecast to throw an extra 200,000 children into relative poverty by 2015.

Furthermore, the above figures examine poverty before housing costs are included. A cap on housing benefit coincides with social rents for new tenants rising to 80% of market rates while private rents are soaring. This places further strain on poor families’ financial resources.

One way out of poverty is employment, but jobs simply don’t exist. The private sector hasn’t filled the gap caused by cuts to the public sector and attacks on the welfare safety net are worsening the situation. Austerity is not working.

Mr Knight is a staunch Conservative who rarely rebels against his party, a party who are making ordinary people suffer to pay for the bankers’ folly. Therefore, why exactly do we support his presence in Parliament?

Food resilience in Hornsea

Last year I posted about the Homegrown Hornsea sustainable food group. They’ve kindly answered some of my questions via email as an introduction to the group.

Can you briefly explain the premise behind the group?
We are concerned about the effects of peak oil, climate change and global economics on the world and are trying to find ways to make our community more resilient to these issues following the transition model.

What activities are you involved in?
We are really starting with resilience in our food supply. We have so far given talks and made contacts with other local groups. We’ve organised a couple of seed and plant swaps and had local food stalls at some fairs to promote our ideas. We are now organising a community orchard for Hornsea. We’ve some trees from the woodland trust, funding from the Coop community fund and support from the Lions. There will also be a children’s allotment/gardening club on the site.

How many people are involved so far?
11 people have joined the group but people from other organisations (HARP, CAFAT, Lions etc) are helping out.

Do you need any experience or knowledge of growing food to become involved?
No

What are your immediate aims? And long term?
Immediate aims to encourage more food production locally and consumption of local food. Long term we’d like to see Hornsea become majority self sufficient.

How involved are you with other transition groups, particularly any in the area?
We have met and chatted to members of Beverley and Hull transition groups and been to some national transition events.

How often and where do you meet together?
About once a month. The first step would be to join the Yahoo! group as we meet in different places and organise it via this group. We are having a meeting at the town hall in Hornsea on Sunday 15th January, mainly to launch our community orchard.

Should personal finance be taught in schools?

A parliamentary group headed by the MP for Brigg and Goole, Andrew Percy, has suggested that personal finance education be made compulsory in all schools.

The conclusions follow a nine month inquiry by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Financial Education for Young People and comes ahead of a parliamentary debate on the matter sparked by a petition from Martin Lewis, of MoneySavingExpert.com.

The group says that personal finance should be taught within mathematics as well as Personal, Social, Health and Economic classes.

In the Yorkshire Post Mr Lewis says: “We’re a financially illiterate nation, with millions caught by mis-selling, overborrowing and being ripped off.”

“Companies spend billions on marketing and teaching their staff to sell – it’s time we got buyers’ training. The most cost-effective way to start is to ensure every child in the country gets a basic understanding of personal finance and consumer rights before leaving school.”

Predictably the number of people with debts has also been used as part of the rationale but rather than confront this head on by, say, ensuring people have a job that pays a living wage or tackling the scourge of payday loan companies, we’re being convinced that the onus is on the individual to learn how to navigate such perils. Instead of society and economics taking responsibility for its own failings, the burden is being placed on individuals’ shoulders. If people get in debt, it’s their own fault.

Furthermore, with the miss-selling of financial services and ripping off customers, again it’s an individual’s own fault if they fall prey to predatory bankers and businesses. This is much like the government’s response to high energy bills where they suggested that customers should check they’re on the cheapest tariffs and even switch suppliers, rather than force the hands of energy companies.

Mr Percy also goes on to say that “teaching people about budgeting and personal finance will help equip the workforce with the necessary skills to succeed in business and drive forward economic growth.”

Once again education is being used as a breeding ground for employability and other such skills, rather than education for its own sake. Perish the thought that businesses might ever bother to train their own staff rather than expect the state to do its job for them.

Mathematical skills are undoubtedly necessary but, from my own memory at least, many ‘basic’ things such as interest and certainly percentages are already part of the curriculum; why does more financial acumen need to be wedged in? This feels more like an effort to prepare school children to be good consumers and pliant workers while more pertinent and pointed solutions, such as standing up to banks and businesses, are ignored altogether.

Public sector workers rally in Hull

Thousands of public sector workers and supporters turned out in Hull today for a public rally and march alongside their strike against pension cuts.

Representatives from various unions gave speeches to a buoyant crowd in Victoria Square, marked by a large contingent of women, before setting off on a march around the Guildhall and city centre.

A union rep from the Fire Brigades Union gave a rousing speech and recounted an anecdote of a colleague who had dropped out of their pension scheme because he was faced with contributing 11% of his salary each month or paying his mortgage.

Even a Church of England vicar spoke before the crowd, receiving a warm reception for her denunciation of making public sector workers well into their 60’s.

Numbers were high and at one point the march stretched all the way along Queens Gardens, from the Maritime Museum down to the Guildhall. Many bystanders applauded.

Hull College was closed by the strikes, as were many other schools in the city and wider East Yorkshire. One teacher from Wolfreton told me their picket managed to convince a number of teachers not to cross the line.

Numerous other pickets were held outside Hull City Council offices around the Guildhall in the morning. Workers who crossed these lines came in for some stick when the march later passed by their windows.

Following the procession protesters reconvened in Victoria Square where people were invited to take the microphone, including one brilliant speaker who spoke of “gold-plated Tory hypocrites” taking huge MP’s pensions.

Martin Dean of the Green Party voiced his support for the unions and urged people to get their friends and family to join themselves while Matt Whale of Youth Fight for Jobs spoke of their recent Jarrow March.

There was no high profile Labour presence, however a representative of the Labour city council did give a supporting speech near the start.

Although today’s industrial action is over the attack on public sector pensions, there was no disguising the contempt felt for the Coalition government and its austerity measures, with further campaigning and organising urged on other issues.

Drilling for oil and gas in Walkington

Energy is increasingly becoming a talking point among communities across East Yorkshire. Various wind turbine applications came under fire during the summer and now the same is happening with a proposal to drill for oil near Walkington.

Residents in the village and nearby Cherry Burton have voiced their opposition to the work proposed by the Canadian firm, Rathlin Energy, which is currently being considered by East Riding Council, citing concerns over noise and drilling dangers.

Seismic testing last year suggested there may be oil and gas in the area and the current plan is for a test well to operate for a few weeks in search of the fossil fuels. If successful a further application will be filed to extract the oil and/or gas permanently.

Some viewer messages to Look North during the week supported the creation of jobs and others mentioned the need for new energy. Rathlin themselves say residents will benefit from the drilling, but only the land owners whose land they rent.

Conversely, some residents fear the possible use of hydraulic fracturing (aka ‘fracking’), a method of drilling suspected of causing two minor earthquakes near a drill site in Blackpool as well as water poisoning in the States. The energy company have said that fracking, in which fluid is pumped into rock to force open reserves, will not be used but they haven’t ruled out its use in the future.

The plans highlight the predicament we’re in with regards to future energy supply and consumption. Rising energy prices are increasing fuel bills (and fuel poverty) and we remain dependent on many fuel imports. The volatility of these fuel prices mean we will continue to be susceptible to high costs.

This is before we even consider climate change. Such fuel dependence makes it attractive to make use of our natural resources but as witnessed here, in Blackpool and in Scotland, there is still a tendency to go after fossil fuels. This week world leaders will meet in Durban for the CoP17 climate change summit, where little progress is expected due to the West’s intransigence.

We should therefore be backing green technology and emphasising the role communities can play in their development. The proposed turbine factory on the banks of the Humber will create or even save jobs in a city (and county) where they are much needed.

Similarly people in East Yorkshire should back turbines and other green projects where appropriate. Taking ownership of such assets, rather than letting developers simply do as they please, can also lead to other benefits for local residents, such as funding for social justice schemes.

Alongside all this we must question our consumer lifestyles, which is the crux of the climate change problem, and one that objectors to wind turbines have so far failed to address. Hopefully this application for drilling in Walkington will be thrown out so we can instead focus on greening East Yorkshire and leaving behind the dirty fuels of the past.