Britannia Radio

More things which may have been overlooked - - -

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Eric Pickles accuses Health minister Ben Bradshaw of "breathtaking 
stupidity"
"A minister was branded "stupid" last night after claiming high 
unemployment is good for men's health. Ben Bradshaw told MPs: "More 
men go and see their GPs if they are unemployed. There can be an 
advantage from that because men are notoriously reluctant to seek 
healthcare and health advice." But the Health Minister's Commons 
comments yesterday were blasted by the Tories. Party chairman Eric 
Pickles said he was "insensitive" to the two million Brits currently 
out of work. He added: "This is breathtaking stupidity from Ben 
Bradshaw and shows just how out of touch Labour are with reality." - 
(The Sun 25/3/09)
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Following a series of vague answers on the implications of the Treaty 
for European defence, Shadow Europe Minister Mark Francois asked, 
"Has the Minister read the elements of the Lisbon Treaty that relate 
to defence?".  Ms. Flint replied, "I have read some of it but not all 
of it."  She went on to say: "I have been briefed on some of 
it."  [Open Europe 31/3/09]
  [Reply "Mr. Francois: You are supposed to be Minister for Europe; 
how can you not have read the treaty?" -cs]
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Doggone!   We're starving
Isn't it lucky the G20 summit was held in London?   The swanky dinner 
for world leaders might not have gone with such a swing if held in 
Moscow.   Vladimir Putin, the Russian prime minister, laid on a 
lavish buffet last week for members of his party, United Russia, as 
it discussed ways to stimulate the food industry.   Party members 
drew up their plans, then made their way to the buffet  --  only to 
find that the prime minister's dog had beaten them to it.   Koni, a 
black labrador, helped herself to pastries, biscuits and jellied 
desserts.   A bodyguard at the prime minister's residence, just 
outside Moscow, said:  "Koni ate everything."  (Sunday Times 5/4/09)
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You say quantative, I say quantitative...
Just in time, Legal & General has come out with the answer to all our 
prayers, a course on the Government's financial wheeze quantitative 
easing. "What is, Quantative Easing and what is the economic theory 
behind it," the company asks in its invitation for the seminar.
To be quite honest L&G, I've got no idea. But I do know how to spell it.
(Telegraph City Diary -10/4/09)
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Jonathan Isaby on CentreRight: You couldn't make it up - the 
unemployed in Southwark really have been invited on an Easter egg 
hunt by their local Job Centre (ConservativeHome Blog 6/4/09)
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One rule for them - because we're busy
It's not just the Channel Islands and the British Virgin Islands that 
have to worry about the global crackdown on tax havens. Three US 
states - Delaware, Nevada and Wyoming - stand accused of being tax 
havens by a foreign head of state.

Last month, Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker  (and 
chairman of the EUrozone's finance committee] asked the leaders of EU 
member states to challenge the US over the situation.

In Nevada, Daniel Burns, the spin doctor for gGovernor Jim Gibbons, 
was apparently unconcerned about the tax-haven label.
"We have a legislative session in process, and we have more important 
things to deal with than the comments of somebody in Luxembourg," 
Burns huffed.

Well, that's a fair and level playing field, isn't it?  (Telegraph 
City Diary -10/4/09)
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Gordon Brown must not freeze minimum wage, unions warn
Gordon Brown must ensure that the minimum wage continues to rise 
during the recession, Union leaders have said. [and ensure that the 
low paid never get jobs? - cs]     (Telegraph 14/4/09)
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