No. 10 Downing Street has condemned London’s tourist board for featuring a painting of the late moors murderer Myra Hindley (above)  in a promotional film shown at an official party celebrating the handover of the Olympic Games to the capital. Marcus Harvey’s portrait of Hindley, which is comprised of children’s handprints, is seen fleetingly in “Visit London’s” three-minute film, which aimed to give a taster of the city’s rich cultural life prior to the 2012 games. Hindley and her accomplice Ian Brady were involved in the sickening abduction, torture, sexual abuse and murder of children in the 1960’s , with the bodies of their victims being buried on moors above Manchester. The row erupted after the film was shown the night before...

US Presidential hopeful Barack Obama has selected Deleware Senator Joe Biden as his running...

(nb. I am not the Devil's Kitchen)Via The Englishman, I see that many comrades are failing in their duty to be productive.From the BBC:Most people in England, Wales and N Ireland will spend the August Bank Holiday watching television, a survey has suggested.Very wise. The traffic will be horrendous. Never leave your house on a bank holiday except in dire emergencies. There are people everywhere. Some 36% said they were not interested in getting involved with community events or celebrating their heritage.Of course they're not. It's a bank holiday Monday, for fuck's sake. It's the tail-end of a three-day bender. They've got work the next day. Leave them alone.Researchers found most people said they preferred to watch television or use the internet, with just 14% opting to visit their...

It turns out that PA Consulting, the company to blame (according to Jacqui Smith) for the loss of the memory stick containing details of the 84,000 prisoners held in our prisons, are at the heart of the National ID Card scheme. Makes you feel warm all over doesn't it? The company has been paid £100m for their work on ID Cards and they have received over £240m in government contracts in recent years. According to the Telegraph we (that's those of us who pay tax) are paying their consultants £160 per hour to work on the scheme - not bad money if you can get it.Dominic Grieve, the shadow home secretary, said: "The public will be alarmed that the Government is happy to entrust their £20bn ID card project to the firm involved in this fiasco, at a cost of millions of pounds to the UK...

Iain Dale has started a Blog MeMe (essentially a chain email) which is currently doing the rounds in the blogging world. I've been tagged by Malc in the Burgh to do this.The chain relates to where people were when famous events took place, and my list is below.Princess Diana's death - 31 August 1997This is the one I remember most clearly. I was at the wedding of a family friend and had just arrived home, sometime in the early hours. I turned on the TV to see that there had been a big crash in Paris and by the time I'd made a cup of tea it was announced that Diana had died.Margaret Thatcher's resignation - 22 November 1990I honestly have no idea, other than to say I would have been at school that day. I have vague recollections of seeing the announcement on the evening news, but that's...

Careful who you criticise. Last time it was the odious Alisher Usmanov: this time, so far as we can tell, a Sheffield-based "academic" whose website links to the Neo-Nazi David Duke. Apparently she doesn't like people pointing this out. Harry's Place is, at time of writing this (7:45pm on Tuesday), down: taken off line after legal threats. Here's the story in their own words, before the site was taken offline: Don’t panic if we disappear briefly…By Brett on Admin Harry’s Place may be removed (or rather have it’s DNS disabled) after a ‘complaint’ to the company that our domain name is registered with. We assume after threats were made on the weekend that this ‘complaint’ originates from Jenna Delich or her supporters. Though we have not yet seen the complaint submitted, we...

Beaten to the punch by an MP - a Labour MP at that, gah! - but very chuffed with second spot in Iain Dale's latest list, of the top 40 Scottish blogs as voted for by his readers and others - over 1,100 votes in total. These polls can be, and have been, criticised, and there's no doubt that if the vote had been run elsewhere it might have produced a different result. Nonetheless, it does open up a range of new blogs for the casual reader and reminds me that my own blogroll is hopelessly out of date, which I will address ASAP.Tom's blog is a worthy winner. It is that most rare of birds; a readable, entertaining and honest blog by a politician (and a minister to boot). I heartily recommend it.So thanks for voting and do check out some of the other splendid blogs on the list:1 Tom Harris MP2...

I have always had a preference for how the Skull Candy earbuds look, since they are one of the few that features a bit of color and are sold at a great deal of stores.  Well these new Sony earbuds seem to feature even more color and add a bit of sparkle to the mix as well.  Which means that these shiny little guys are likely going to be more fitting for the feminine type.  These colorful earbuds might actually be enough to get me to switch brands.  Well they would have been, if there was a US release date to speak of.  No, this pretty new product is headed straight for Japan and no word if it will venture elsewhere. It will be released September 10th in Japan, so any shot those of us elsewhere have at it will likely happen after then.  Hopefully Sony will release these in other...

The UK Foreign Secretary, David Miliband (pictured above), yesterday said Russia must not start a new cold war and he accused Moscow of trying to redraw the map of Europe in the wake of the war in Georgia. Miliband was speaking in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine which, like Georgia, wants to join NATO. The Russian president, Dmitry Medvedev, yesterday defied the West by recognising as independent the breakaway Georgian provinces of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, presumably as a prelude to their eventual annexation by Russia. “The Georgia crisis has provided a rude awakening,” Miliband said in a speech to students. “The sight of Russian tanks in a neighbouring country on the 40th anniversary of the crushing of the Prague spring has shown that the temptations of power politics...

The Scottish Liberal Democrats have elected Tavish Scott as their new Leader. He secured 1,450 votes, representing a 59% share of the turnout. Ross Finnie polled 568 votes (21.3%), and Mike Rumbles won 439 votes...

It’s reported that the Queen is becoming increasingly concerned that Prince William’s girlfriend Kate Middleton (pictured above) still does not have a job. Senior Buckingham Palace aides say that what is now referred to in the Royal inner-circle as the “Kate Problem” should be resolved before William announces his engagement to her. The Sovereign’s private concern about Kate’s lack of a career was first reported in June. She has already been nicknamed “Waity Katy” because of her apparent willingness to do nothing but socialise and shop until William decides when to propose. Now, Royal aides have revealed that the Queen has privately suggested that Kate, 26, should get involved with a charity to counter the potentially damaging public perception that...

A no of people seem to be making news of this, although it has to be said that there were rumours going around already.It reminds me of Harold Wilson's last years. I remember being a teenager and seeing him and his wife on St Mary's, whilst on holiday in the Scilly Isles, and then wondering why he didn't appear in the news so much as other the former PM's (then Home, Heath, and Callaghan). I soon found out when I came across John Junor's memoirs where he alluded to Wilson's mental decline, and indeed in Wilson's last years the rumours did increase. It certainly explained why he quit early.Now of course, his family and friends are now open about what appened, so is Carol Thatcher right to have mentioned her mother's condition.Well I imagine as a next of kin, she may well know best and know...

  Nick Clegg set out his vision for energy security at an offshore wind farm Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg has unveiled plans for an "energy independent" Britain by 2050, which he says can be achieved by boosting renewable energy. He is calling for a programme on the scale of the Apollo moon mission to end the UK's increasing dependence on foreign coal, gas and oil. The government wants more nuclear energy, but he says wave, biomass, wind and solar power is the way forward. The Tories say Mr Clegg's plans "defy reality" and "verge on the loopy". Setting out the details on a visit to an offshore wind farm in the North Sea earlier, Mr Clegg said the crisis in Georgia had brought the problem of dependence on foreign energy sources into sharp...

Home Awarded to The Guardian. Well deserved! Al Qaeda & Tory Hug a Terrorist Away Days Read the response of a senior Tory on Newsnight when this story broke, 16th January, 2008. Three terror suspects from Blackburn, Lancashire arrested - 14th August The Guardian - The Enemy Within? And here, Muslims Against Sharia awards The Guardian the latest Dhimmi Award (21st August). Guardian writers and readers clearly need to read and digest the below - NONE of this happened because of Iraq or Afghanistan. See the current al ekhlaas website - translated, where the threats first appeared. Take note of the number of visitors at bottom left. That’s 26 million, five hundred thousand+, (if it can be trusted)!  Twenty six MILLION visitors! The site was closed on January 28th after these...

ToryDiary: Accommodation in Birmingham Jeremy Hunt MP on Platform: What I learnt in China PlayPolitical videos: Barack Obama attacks John McCain for owning seven homes and a Swift Boat-style ad hits Barack Obama for links to 1970s terroristsAmericaInTheWorld: There are over 325,000 churches, synagogues and mosques in AmericaToday's must-read: James Forsyth previews David Cameron's likely foreign policy "The last few days suggest that Cameron’s instincts tend towards aggressive containment. He also has a keen sense of the importance of a British Prime Minister; something that will lead him — as it did Blair — into a more interventionist stance if elected and closer to Washington, still the locus of global power. It is noticeable that in private the Tories admire the energy...

I've just had the supreme pleasure of watching Boris Johnson giving his London Olympics handover speech. This is a speech to remember. Forget timing, forget polish and forget spin, this is how to give a speech. You too can enjoy Boris's speech by clicking HERE. don't miss it.Poor old Gordon Brown can only look on and wonder how Boris makes it look so...

The CwrtThe Cwrt is the place in the Senedd just outside the Members Tea Room where most of the plotting and skullduggery tends to take place.He/she started blogging on Saturday, 16 August 2008. Three coments in, and already 18+. Welcome to the Welsh blogosphere, and remember, behave...

More streaming episodes from Season 2 of Mad Men . Quite simply one of the best dramas on television at the moment. As ever follow the links to Megavideo to enable full screen playback and don't be fooled by the poker. Just click on the centre of the screen. EPISODE 4 - THREE SUNDAYS Peggy's family hosts lunch for a new priest in their church. Don and Betty enjoy a family weekend...

The costly 2012 Olympic Games has lost four of its top sponsorsToday's Independent reports that American photographic company Kodak, Canadian financial services company Manulife, Chinese computer group Lenovo and American pharmaceutical Johnson and Johnson have either announced or are expected to announce the end of their support.Let us hope no more money is cut from children's sport to fund the Olympic Games. I hope that the British athletes who competed in the 2008 Olympics and those who will be competing in 2012 will do their bit to visit schools promoting sport.It puzzles me why the new 80,000 seat stadium is temporary. Could this not have been used by local children after the games?The 2012 Olympics seem to be costing more and more. While many people will derive pleasure from...

The Stop the War Coalition is stepping up it's activities in the wake of war in Georgia. David Miliband, who wants to be our next leader very badly, is pushing even harder for Georgia to be accepted into NATO. Stop the War points out that had Georgia already been a member then other NATO members would have been obliged to support Georgia. So we're now looking down the barrel of a gun again. WELL DONE DAVID!!! We can't take comfort in a General Election sorting matters out, given that David Cameron has also waded into Georgia with an identical agenda. Al this in pursuit of the U.S. Neo Cons who push the idea of Armageddon, Christian Zionism and far right extremism which would be hard to match by any Muslim cleric. The Stop the War current mailing is reproduced here because the...

It would appear that only the Labour party believes it can win the next election. The latest ICM poll in The Guardian suggests that even if they changed their leader to David Miliband, they would still lose. Yet Gordon Brown was recently quoted as saying he would win the next election. Clearly he is not on the same planet as everyone else, but that does not come as a particular surprise to many of us, although whatever planet he is on must have an immigration problem with so many other MP’s from all parties there as well. Apparently voters of all ages and classes believe that David Cameron would make a better Prime Minister.  Now before Cameron gets carried away, I should point out that virtually anyone, aged from 18 to 80 years of age would make a better prime minister. Until Cameron...

In the video below you will see it, a revolutionary solar island capable of floating out in the sea like a giant lily pad harnessing the suns rays for electrical gains. It’s been designed by Swiss inventor Thomas Hinderling, at the moment, a 5km wide, 20m high island prototype is currently being built in the UAE and is expected to generate hundreds of kilowatts of electricity at a price nearly five times cheaper than current electricity rates. If everything goes well, this might just be a concept that could become reality and full production of these islands could begin as soon as 2011. Watch this video… [via Alternative Energy] Remember: A 'dofollow' link is awarded to top five commentators of our blog in our sidebar each month, so get commenting you lazy bum! Thanks for...

I’ve just finished reading this news story, it made me smile and awwh! All at the same time! An eight-year-old dog has touched the hearts of Argentines by saving the life of an abandoned baby, placing him safely alongside her own new puppies. The country’s media are calling him “the miracle baby”. He was born prematurely to a 14-year-old girl in a shanty town outside the capital, Buenos Aires. She is said to have panicked and abandoned the boy in a field, surrounded by wooden boxes and rubbish. Then along came La China, reports say, the dog which somehow picked up the baby and carried her 50m to place him alongside her own puppies. The dog’s owner reported hearing the child crying and finding him covered with a rag. The baby, weighing 4kg (8lb 13oz), had...

A number of people have commented on Liberal Conspiracy's latest... er... conspiracy.As its a slow news day, I might as well highlight this blog post at the Guido Fawkes blog. Paul Staines asks: ‘Is Brown bonkers?’, adding later on that:It is low politics to hurl cheap abuse at opponents, but this is not borne of malice towards Brown, Guido feels like the boy who pointed at the naked emperor and said what everyone was too embarrassed to say.Erm, yeah right. He’s as concerned about Brown’s sanity as I am about trainspotting. What Staines is doing, and what the political right excels at, is starting and constantly promoting malicious narratives. Their hope is that it becomes a talking point for the mainstream media and that is how he becomes framed.Whereas the Left would never...

A priest is organising a beauty pageant for nuns and asking them to show off what god gave them.Father Antonio Rungi wants contestants in 'The Miss Sister Italy' to show they can be more sister sexy and less sister Wendy in a bid to shake off the old and dour image."Nuns are above all women and beauty is a gift from God," the Italian told Italy's Corriere della Sera newspaper.He is asking the sexiest nuns from across Itlay to send him their photo (nudge, nudge) saying they will be used for internet users to vote for their favorite.He added that the nuns are not being ask to strip down to their underwear and that it will be up to them whether they pose with the traditional veil or with their heads uncovered. The contest will be launched on Father Antonio Rungis blog next...

The summer meltback in the Arctic has ended and the ice is on the march, confounding the alarmists who were predicting in June that the Pole would be ice-free this year. Currently, the ice area is some 600,000 square kilometres greater than it was at its minimum extent last year.According to Cryosphere Today, the median (1979-present) annual sea ice minimum occurs on September 8, but the dates have ranged by nearly a month from as early as August 26 to as late as September 24. This current minimum seems to put the end of the meltback into the early end of the range, adding to the anecdotal evidence that we are in for an early (and hard) winter.Meanwhile, the constant flow of "climate change" stories continue unabated in the media, demonstrating nothing more or less than the inescapable...