Mike Rouse Digs Deeper

There was a big story at the weekend about a "couple who broke up for financial reasons".

Mike Rouse debated it with one of our mutual blogging mates and decided to do a post on how his views developed in the light of the story - here.

Well, the subject of the original article has contacted Mike Rouse and further altered Mike's perceptions as described in a follow up post. As a result of the turn of events Mike has a much more interesting and rounded story.

In respect of the problems faced by young couples, there is no single remedy or policy solution. In truth, there are several underlying problems that need to be tackled including public housing allocation, taxes, benefits, the overall housing market and crime. David Cameron's promise to put the interests of ordinary families at the heart of policy is an important commitment to getting on top of the malaise.

The Start Of A Beautiful Relationship?

On Monday April 2nd the missus and I went to the upscale Rio's restaurant in Prague. On its walls you can see lots of pictures of President Vaclav Klaus and other local luminaries. We were the only diners in the main room and the downstairs room which was empty when we arrived, was sectioned off. It was noticeable that the prowling restaurant owner was somewhat agitated by our presence.

In our relationship, we have an arrangement whereby the girlfriend always gets the seat with the best views of the room and so as usual I was facing the wall, when my girlfriend whispered to me "Did you see who just arrived? It was Paroubek" (the married leader of Czech Socialist Party). I turned to see his hulking frame descend the stairs.

In his wake was a youthful security guy complete with earpiece who frisked the area and stationed himself at a table between us and the stairs. Some men and some glamourous blonde women arrived. The one pictured arrived alone - in not a dissimilar outfit to the one shown here. One of the restaurant staff mentioned to the security man something along the lines of "You would, wouldn't you?" to which he replied "I don't think my boss would like it". We were going to get a dessert, but the oppressive atmosphere was hardly conducive so we decided to leave. As we left the restaurant, the owner was involved in a heated and very rude exchange with a taxi driver telling him not to come so close to the restaurant and threatening to call the taxi company to have the driver sacked!!!

I shared my titbit with a Czech confidant the next day, but there wasn't enough to blog on, so that was that. Fast forward three months and it is revealed that Paroubek is divorcing his wife and has hooked up with Petra Kovacova (pictured above). The timing of events suggested in the joint public statements issued by Paroubek and his wife don't seem to stack up with what I witnessed, but I'll let people who understand the Czech language better then me check through.

In a situation mirroring the John Prescott scenario, Jiri Paroubek had criticised his opposite number Mirek Topolanek when Mirek was caught out last year. In a country where over half of all marriages end in divorce, both major party leaders have begun divorce proceedings in the past year. I don't think we're going to see a "back to basics" political philosophy any time soon here, but this is the kind of news that makes my girlfriend want me not to be involved in politics.

Which brings me on the following bit of pop psychology that has been doing the rounds.
"Men strive to attain political power, consciously or unconsciously, in order to have reproductive access to a larger number of women. Reproductive access to women is the goal, political office but one means. To ask why the President of the United States would have a sexual encounter with a young woman is like asking why someone who worked very hard to earn a large sum of money would then spend it." Discuss.

Slave Labour 2

I've written about Slave Labour before and have just prepared an article for the second book of New Labour Sleaze on worker exploitation by the Labour Party. Whilst I appreciate that the Home Office is stretched due to woeful mismanagement, it is crucial that rogue employers are tackled. Serious allegations have recently come to light about work practices at suppliers of "fair trade" fruit, which are now compounded by suggestions of illegal employment which fellow blogger Guthrum has rightly taken seriously.

After leaving an au pair assignment in the late 1990s, my girlfriend was briefly an illegal worker in the UK. No doubt the same cafe owners who exploited her are now employing nationals with no rights to work in the UK and are in the process undercutting and driving legitimate businesses to the wall. I hope to hear of action taken after this expose. I'm not filled with hope.

Social Conservatism

Discussing social conservatism is a minefield, but discuss it we must. Finally (and I mean finally) a consensus is forming that social attitudes are a root cause of the malaise in public services and damaging trends in government dependency, but as for responding to this with practical policies the Tories remain some way off. Matt Sinclair does a truly superb piece on this theme. In my opinion it is stunning both in its imagery and in its perceptiveness. I agree that an incredible challenge lies ahead for Cameron's Conservatives, (which I hope will be informed by IDS and other specialists) but one that can not be shirked.

Matt manages to combine intellectual rigour and an engaging style in his writing. I think this is why he topped the young conservative poll that I ran in January. Elsewhere, I fully support the call he made in February at Conservative Home for Young Conservatives to explore and develop their political ideology. I understand that Matt has now left the LSE for pastures new, but I expect him to continue to make a significant contribution to right-thinking ideas in the future. A star in the making, I'd suggest.

Supertax Updated For The 21st Century

Super-tax Mark I - Super-tax For The Super-rich

The last time Labour were in power between 1974 and 1979, the very rich suffered from exorbitant tax rates. In the first budget when Thatcher came to power, Geoffrey Howe cut top rate tax from 83% to 60% on earned income and from 98% to 75% on unearned income. Those suffering top rate tax could generally arrange their affairs to avoid these punitive rates. For example, Rod Stewart became a tax exile in California in 1975 and called that year's album "Atlantic Crossing". Unsurprisingly, in reducing these exorbitant tax rates the Tories stimulated higher tax revenues. Super-tax was a poor economic idea grounded in the politics of envy.

Super-tax Mark II - Super-tax For The Masses

In their latest incarnation Labour have been keen not to frighten the rich. Access has been widened - these days anybody can suffer supertax. As a result of increased income tax, national insurance and reduced housing benefit and tax credits, those in the £10k to £15k household income range can face 90% plus marginal tax rates (and that was before yesterday). Faced with the clarity of yesterday's post on Gordon's regressive budget, certain Labourites have scampered away to try to prove that extra benefits will mean that low earners are not worse off after all as a consequence of the budget. If they can prove that, I think that will mean there are some poor souls facing 100% marginal tax. Aside from the obvious disincentives to work and the deep poverty trap that Labour are digging, this tinkering forces more and more people to wade through the government's byzantine benefits system to get back in benefits what they've just been taxed. Under New Labour, the client state rules thanks to the return of supertax. This rant is brought to you in association with the most incompetent, sleaziest, meddling, authoritarian government I have ever had the misfortune to cross.

Rough Justice For Daniel Coffill And Family

Regular readers may think that some of my posts are jocular. Indeed some are. This one isn’t. The reason a section of my blogroll is devoted to law and order is because I care about it. I’ve met pensioners afraid to leave their home for (justifiable) fear of being mugged and I despise that situation. The following comment was made on a national newspaper’s website – no link exists because the comment was spiked. The comment relates to the Daniel Coffill case about which I blogged a few days ago.

"I was a juror at this trial. It was an enlightening and worrying awakening of how our system works. Jurors were loathe to leave the court buildings during the trial, as the defendant's friends and family were hanging around outside. At the end of the trial when the defendants were found guilty the judge told the jury that the two defendants weren't going to be sentenced, as they had harassed the two witnesses during the trial while they were walking to the station!

As a result, the two were put into custody awaiting a further trial and sentencing. I spoke to the court usher at the time and asked him what sentence he expected the boys to eventually get. He said they would get at least double figures, as now the effect the crime has on the victim's family is taken into account. To hear their sentence was so short in the first place is wrong but to have it shortened further is unbelievable.. The whole system is a mockery

These lads, and their families, even during the trial, had no respect for the courts or their judgment. One of the defendants 'slow hand clapped' the jurors as we left. As a result of intimidation, we were escorted out via a 'secret' exit from the court to avoid any confrontation.

Since this jury service I have repeatedly thought about Daniel Coffill and his family caring for him - such a tragedy. These two should not be out on the streets. They took no notice of authority even when on trial. I wish to remain anonymous as I don't want to come face to face with any of them if they are to be out so soon."

I’ve emboldened what I consider the most sickening elements of the juror’s quotes. Is this the sort of criminal justice system we deserve? Let’s hear your thoughts.

Update

Just got a link from the excellent Inspector Gadget who has been covering this case in more detail.

Update Two

People are welcome to delve into my archives to uncover factual inaccuracies. Hint - there have been two minor errors that I have needed to correct. I don't have a track record of lying on my blog. Off topic comments on this thread (i.e. calling me a liar) will be considered trolling and will be deleted.