Farewell Credit Crunch

So there it is

, the official news that the Pope is a Catholic and the British economy has entered into a recession. Now before you have a go at TB and jump on him in the comments for celebrating this fact, there is a just one silver lining to this latest development. The ridiculous expression "Credit Crunch" can now be consigned to the dustbin of history. Invented by a journo and irritatingly overheard on buses, in Starbucks, class rooms and trade floors across the world for the last eighteen months, it has become the most ridiculous buzz word that everyone knew secretly meant the R word. 

Thank goodness we can just call it by it's real name now.

Free Douglas

The Standard

and

Iain Dale

are reporting this lunchtime that the rights' answer to Michael Moore, Douglas Murray, the author of

"Neo-Conservatism: Why We Need It

" and chief of the

Centre for Social Cohesion

has been banned from speaking at LSE. Douglas has been a big hit on Question Time and campuses around the country and can often be found entertaining young tories in the Carlton late into the night. His refreshing style and fearless attitude has got him into trouble before but for a university to attempt to gag him with the classic line about public safety is deeply concerning.

Tory Bear has lots of eyes and ears around LSE who have been reporting in the last year or so about just how eye-watering the extremism of the left is becoming on campus, but this is a step too far. He was meant to be chairing a debate on the merits of Liberalism against Islam and it seems the LSE has pandered to the hard left in stopping things kicking off in what was likely to be a lively evening...

Fact Checking...

ConservativeHome are running a series of posts at the moment discussing possible candidates to be given peerages under a tory government. It seems the

excellent suggestion

of National Convention head honcho Don Porter has given a certain elected CF official the perfect excuse for a bit of brown nosing...

Might want to check your facts though Owen. Don Porter is not and has never been an MP- did you even read the post?

Champagne Swampies

You may remember Tory Bear going after the PlaneStupid eco-rahs a while back. Now Sister Bear has given them two barrels in a this week's Spectator. My Lords, Ladies and Gentleman welcome to the age of the

Champagne Swampies

...

"Chief among the Champagne Swampies is Tamsin Omond (Westminster, Cambridge, daughter of a baronet), the Heathrow protest pin-up and founder of Plane Stupid. In her wake follow other equally glamorous Swampies: actresses like Miranda Richardson and Emma Thompson; then the pop-star contingent headed by Chrissie Hynde.

They’re the rich, often famous or aristocratic eco-activists who found a purpose in life saving the world from global warming, and as the recession eats away at less affluent people’s green resolutions, they’re becoming ever more noticeable."

Rhythm of the night...

Now TB has taken a lot of stick in the last year for not being Obama's biggest fan but he can't resist one more crack at him. Now this isn't an ideological thing, or an unwarranted attack but TB just wants to throw this out there...

He really cannot dance.

The British public rejects socialism.

Trot thug Tommy Sheridan has failed to win yet another election. Tommy was tonight booted off "celebrity" Big Brother... Shame.

The boos that greeted Tommy as he left were fantastic.

Most compelling evidence yet...

Tory Bear has often wondered why Obama had his Superman complex but the fact yesterday he was indeed bullet proof must be his best claim to the title yet.

He was

apparently

wearing a custom made bullet proof suit made by the Colombian designer Miguel Caballero. The fabric is seven times more flexible than a Kevlar vest and can stop a shot from a 9mm revolver.

That is pretty cool!

NUS shambles.

He would happily have chewed of his paw than have to sit through another NUS extraordinary conference in Wolverhampton, but word is reaching Tory Bear from various hacks that today's conference has been hijacked by Student Respect. They have have taken over the stage in a protest about Gaza and are apparently refusing to sit down and generally being very naughty.

Update: Apparently the trots went wild and stormed the stage, bringing procedings to a somewhat aprupt end. The Governance Review vote was pushed forward and passed. NUS reform is finally done.

Thanks to

Benjamin Gray

for the photo.

+++ Developing +++

Barry's big day...

Obama trounced McCain. It was inevitable and Tory Bear is over it. Regardless of his own political beliefs the inauguration of Barack Obama will be a pretty incredible thing to watch and TB has a six back of Bud cooling in the fridge. Washington is preparing for its $170 million party and the world is waiting with baited breath.

Just in case anyone thought it was all inauguration balls and dancing in the streets today, from Noon there, 5pm here Obama is the leader of the free world and let's take a peak at some of things he promised in order to get himself through the door:

• Close Guantanamo Bay -
  June 2007
• “Unrestricted rights” regarding travel and money remittances to Cuba -
  August 2007
• Stand firm against CAFTA -
  August 2007
• Remove all troops from Iraq -
  October 2007
  - Broken
  December 2008
• Face-to-face talks with Iran -
  November 2007
• Amend NAFTA -
  December 2007
• No action against Iran without Congressional approval -
  December 2007
• Get our troops out by end of 2009 -
  January 2008
• No permanent bases in Iraq -
  January 2008
• Unshakable support for Israel -
  May 2008
• Giving Israel $30 billion in aid -
  June 2008
• Switching focus to Pakistan -
  July 2008
• Switching focus to Afghanistan -
  July 2008

• Universal health care by end of first term -
  May 2007
• Ethics reform (restrictions on lobbying) -
  June 2007
• Merit pay for teachers -
  July 2007
• Sign Freedom of Choice Act -
  July 2007
• Net neutrality -
  October 2007
• Lobbyists “won’t work in my White House” -
  December 2007
  - Broken
  November 2008
• Health care benefits for vets -
  December 2007
• Financial aid to homeowners ($10 billion) -
  January 2008
• Credit card bill of rights -
  January 2008
• Will create searchable earmarks website -
  February 2008
• No public financing -
  February 2008
  - Broken
  October 2008
• Small business support -
  February 2008
• Gay employment bill -
  April 2008
• Raise cap on payroll tax for 3% of earners over $102,000 -
  April 2008
• Raise $97K cap on payroll tax exempting earnings under $250K -
  April 2008
• Roll back Bush tax cuts -
  April 2008
  - In jeopardy
  November 2008
• Regulating oil industry (Enron loop) -
  June 2008
• Helping college student loans (a $4,000 tax credit to help pay tuition and fees in exchange for 100 hours of community service. The campaign said the program would cost $10 billion a year) -
  June 2008
• $10 billion for early childhood education -
  June 2008
• 10% “universal mortgage credit” to homeowners who don’t itemize on their tax return -
  June 2008
• $150 billion a year for ten years to reduce dependency on foreign oil -
  June 2008
• Give American mayors more spending (”National Infrastructure Reinvestment Bank” at a cost of $60 billion over 10 years) -
  June 2008
• Windfall profits tax -
  July 2008
  - Broken
  December 2008
• No NASA cuts -
  August 2008
• 1 Million Plug-in Hybrids by 2015 -
  August 2008
• Shuttle after 2010 -
  August 2008
• $1000 energy rebates -
  August 2008
• Will go line by line to check for unnecessary spending -
  September 2008
• Tax cuts for 95% of Americans, anyone under $75,000
  October 2008
• Not a single tax increase for Americans making under $250,000 -
  October 2008
• Raise minimum wage to $9.50 -
  November 2008
• 2.5 million jobs by January 2011 -
  November 2008
• Appoint Republicans to Cabinet -
  November 2008
  - Kept
  December 2008
• No smoking in White House -
  December 2008
• Taxes done in less than five minutes -
  No date

Better get to work straight away Mr President...

Hat-Tip to the

allamericanblogger

for keeping the list updated.

Liberal? Democrat

Most of the younger Liberal Democrats Tory Bear comes across are normally quite decent people who are basically tories but can't seem to stomach going blue - far from the bearded and sandal wearing grassroots image of a Lib Dem activist. Every so often, however, he comes across a real odious little "liberal" bastard that makes the most cringe worthy of tory boys seem like Cameroonian miniatures. It's even more wounding when they decide it would be a good idea to take up video-blogging...

James Harrison proudly

boasts

he is the vice-chairman of Glasgow University Liberal Democrats and the campaigns and publicity officer for Liberal Youth Scotland. Well he is not doing a very good PR job in the bigoted and ignorant rant below. He opens with a corker about the two things that annoy him - gay Conservatives and the SNP...



James, or Jammy as he is apparently known to his friends, goes on to slag off LGBTory - the Conservatives official gay rights movement that has been personally endorsed by DC, Boris and other shadow cabinet big wigs, (TB will get round to writing about the reshuffle as some point FYI.) The organisation has over 300 members and plenty more supporters within the party and as Anastasia Beaumont-Bott, its head honcho, said when TB ran this video past her a moment ago - "I don't remember seeing any representation from the Scottish Lib Dems at last years Pride Scotia, or even the Lib Dems at Pride London. LGBTory exists not to create further divisions but to remind people you do not need to be gay to fight homophobia."

While it may seem like a good idea to bash the Tories again and again over Section 28, maybe "Jammy" should get his own house in order first. It's fair to say that LGBTory is the only gay movement within any of the political parties that is actually doing anything and actually registering on the radar with young members of the LGBT community. James asks "Why would you be a Conservative and gay? They hate you!" well Jammy, TB has news for you, Conservatives believe in freedom and right to live the life you want to lead, so it makes perfect sense that the Party is the natural home for anyone who wants to subscribe to that ideal.

As for his borderline homophobic comments well TB will let you be the judges on that one. Gay Christians also come under fire in his close minded little world... Wait for the classic at the end where he claims because he is a liberal he won't just slag you off because he disagrees with you politically. Hang on a sec, if this isn't Jammy slagging something off then hell hath no fury if you really piss him off!

What a horrible little man.

conservativefuture.com

TB has been a busy bear in the last week so apologies for the lack of blogging. Just catching up on emails and it seems a shiny new Conservative Future

website

has now gone live. This has been in the pipeline for awhile now and congratulations to Richard Jackson for chasing CCHQ to give the website address back to CF and for over seeing the new site.

Another old Face(book)

They must be taking this whole let's get online thing very seriously over in the red camp. Which old face has suddenly appeared on Facebook in the last couple of days?

Well if it isn't the King of Spin himself! His wall says he is planning on attending the European elections in May.

TB wonders in what capacity!?

Tony Hart 1925 - 2009

Having been away from the computer for most of the weekend Tory Bear was saddened to hear the news that Tony Hart had died. Smart Hart is one of the iconic children's television programs of this bear's generation and Hart's career spanned more than fifty years.

Who could forget this cheeky mashup:

Image: B3ta

Reach for the Stars...

Student hack Oliver Mundell (son of the Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland,) is a big force on campus and is branching out in new ways to help students.

Here he is discussing how to cut the cost of student life with Bradley from S-Club 7 who played in the Edinburgh Union last night. Given that Bradley is still touring as S-Club 3 and even stole his glass from the bar he is clearly a man who knows how to deal with living on a tight budget.

London launches with a bang...

TB is rather annoyed he couldn't make it to last night's launch of

London Conservative Future

... By all accounts it was a wicked night with over 200 people coming along and high profile guests Eric Pickles, Mark Field, Andrew Rosindell, Liam Fox and Ed Hallam entertaining the crowds.

Take note Lib Dems

. This is how you launch a movement and throw a damn good party.

Want to ask Dave a question?

In a new inititve DC will be taking questions at the first ever online policy launch. Head over

here

at 1.30 to check it out...

Won't get that on LabourList!

Do you suffer from B.B.C?

Do not click

here

if you are of a nervous disposition, are eating or drinking, are easily offended, intellectually insecure or live in Hastings.

TB smells bacon.

It was billed as the students of Scotland rising up against the the tyranny of Israel. The socialists were there, as were the hippies, as were two very sinister looking chaps dressed up in full Hamas gear, but in the end the Edinburgh University on campus Gaza protest was a bit of a damp squid. 60-80 unwashed hippies turned out with some pretty half hearted chanting, meanwhile streams of students poured past the protest barely batting an eyelid and in doing so gave their tacit consent to Israel's quest for a sustainable peace in the middle east.

Eight police vans and a mobile CCTV unit, as well as the press, nearly out numbered the students. Instead of removing illegal masks or dealing with the menacing behaviour of said Hamas clad activists, who was it that came the closest to being collared by the law? Well the tiny minority of pro-Israeli students that were quietly watching. TB and a few friends stood quietly on the sidelines as the mentalists raged against a global Jewish conspiracy and when one person chose to display a simple but effective Palestinian flag with the words "Fuck Hamas" written on it, the police had a hissy fit. Grassed in to the law by the guy running George Galloway's rector campaign an argument about free speech soon erupted between TB and co and some very gruff coppers. Apparently it was this that was breaching the peace and not the hoard of terrorist loving scumbags that were yelling outside a library.

Lothian and Borders police should be ashamed of themselves. In response to TB's suggestion that freedom of expression was apparently still alive and well in this country, PC plod replied - "well I don't like swearing." Since when was the law in this country determined by the will of an individual copper?

Pathetic answer.

A goat amoungst wolves...

John Bercow was one of the few tories deluded enough to fall for Gordon's Government of all the Talents banter in the summer of 2007 and although it seems he was forgiven for joining Gordo's big tent, it seems he is up to his old tricks again.

According to today's

must read article

in the Mail by Quentin Letts, Bercow wants to be the next Speaker and is buttering up Labour MPs in the overture to some sort of campaign.

TB wonders what the fine people of Buckingham have to say about his siding with Labour?

Rules of Political Life #76 - Never get on a Segway

If you ever needed proof that blogging Labour MP Tom Watson was a bit of a pillock then look no further...

Well it didn't do Lembit any harm... Oh wait.