How do you like them apples?

There is a certain breed of

New Labour apparatchik

who loves to spout off about how great Cuba and Chile are at proving that socialism is a realistic concept for the 21st century. They purr on about how great Cuba's health care system is and how we should all be forced to pay the levels of taxation that they endure to prop it up. TB has got into spats before with these sort of

naive scumbags

and was wondering how they would like to respond to some developments in Parliament recently. TB has spent some time in Cuba and while he had a very pleasant time on the beach sipping rum and smoking Cohibas, the island is far from the political paradise these idiots try to make it out to be. Scratch beneath the surface and there is a population desperate to break free.

John Bercow, for his faults, has managed to say something sensible for once that might actually upset the Labour backbenchers he is so desperately trying to butter up for his anticipated bid for Speaker.

ConservativeHome

has picked up on this exchange from

Hansard

:

"John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of the number of people convicted of the crime of social dangerousness in Cuba in each of the last five years. [265458]

Gillian Merron: We are very concerned about the use of charges of "social dangerousness" in Cuba to arrest those whom the Cuban authorities believe may cause a crime in the future.

During Cuba's review at the Human Rights Council in February 2009, the UK recommended that Cuba refrain from using such laws to restrict the rights of freedom of expression and association.

The Cuban government does not publish statistics on the number of people convicted on these grounds, but the non-governmental Cuban commission for human rights and national reconciliation, estimates that there are currently between 3,000 and 5,000 people in prison in Cuba convicted of “pre-criminal social dangerousness.”

Our embassy in Havana has requested these figures from the Cuban authorities and I will write if we receive a reply."

A typically shallow and weak response from the Left. The Minister should have damned the Cuban government to eternal outcast until they pack this appalling behaviour in. Presumptively locking someone up is a despicable violation of basic freedoms and so over to you

Mr Miller

.

Defend your beloved Castro now. TB dares you.

He's still TB's favourite Labour MP but...

If

Tom Harris's blog

proves anything it's that Labour MPs are, believe it not, real people, and at least one of them has a sense of humour. It's normally a good place to go for some avuncular, insidery gossip or analysis. However whenever he tries to go on the all out attack on the tories it just back fires and leaves Mr Harris looking like a wannabe Draper or Sion Simon. His attacks just seem to grate and weaken his normally spot on analysis.

Now Tom Harris understands why the right dominate the blogs, he has worked hard to nurture a community around his own, and responds and talks to his readers. To some extent he tolerates tories, (unlike Dolly et all.) Dan Han and his youtube hit has really given the Left the needle however, and its driving them nuts!

Tom completely misses the mark

in claiming that the fact that Dan Han was such a hit proves that the Conservatives are still the nasty party, and just because Dan is a eurosceptic it means anything he has to say is a load of tosh. Well frankly it's Harris that is spouting the tosh. In case he hadn't noticed, Hannan's speech had nothing to do with Europe but instead was an articulate and precise attack that hit every chink in Gordon's armour. More than that, it was also what many Americans wished they could say to Obama but have yet to find the voice, hence it's success across the pond. It wasn't just an attack on Brown and his government, but instead it was an attack on Obama and the whole dangerous borrow-and-spend-to-stimulate consensus that needs to be stamped out.

Labour have been caught off their guard by the Dan Han sensation. It's coming up for 2 million views and they are left scratching heads. Instead of attempting to attack it for ridiculous reasons about Europe, why not take a long hard look in the mirror instead and allow yourselves to realise that this man is speaking the truth and the reason it is so popular is because it's correct! There is something about the Dan Han attacks that seem static and reserved when compare to Tom's usual flowing style. Is his heart really in them?

Come on Mr Harris you could be the Labour's Dan Han if you used your platform and following to be the boy to call out the emperor...

Starting at the top...

TB has been taking a peek at the this years MPs expenses claims. As the

Twitterati

have pointed out, it's great to see Gerry Adams right at the top of the list claiming 150k for not sitting in the House of Commons. Oink.

However what really struck TB at first look is why the hell is Gordon Brown claiming taxpayers cash for time spent away from his main home? Granted his constituency is some 500 miles from Westminster but surely Downing Street is a convenient enough resting place after all those long hours saving the world?

Why the hell has he spent

nearly £20,000

on other properties or hotels? The figure is pretty similar to that of other Scottish MPs who don't have the luxury of the 10 Downing Street apartment, or an official grace and favour property that comes with being a high profile minister, which suggests this isn't additional time away from London or Scotland in his official capacity as PM.

Someone has got some er er er er explaining to do.

Let the games begin:

MPs expenses have just been published.

Happy hunting.

+++no doubt more to follow+++

Oh sweet Jesus...

Via

Oliver Shah's blog

TB is having a good old chuckle at the

new course

offered at Birmingham City University:

Described as “very relevant and very scholarly” by

convenor Jon Hickman

, the course offers field-trips - perhaps to internet cafes - along with seminars and “research workshops”.

Is the MA in Social Media for me?

If you are a media or cultural studies graduate, have experience in the web, PR, or marketing industries, and want an opportunity to explore the emerging area of social media through scholarly research or practice, then: yes.

That's right kids, for four grand you get to spend a year of your life being taught how to use Twitter, Facebook and MySpace. TB presumes that all written work and tutorials will be conducted in 140 characters or less?

There has been talk of micky-mouse degrees for many years. Golf course management, tourism and geography coming to mind immediately, but this is a new low. Tory Bear has a solution, instead of wasting £4000 to spend a year in Birmingham, in a room where everyone is on a laptop, TB will teach you everything you need to know about blogging and social networking in a week for £200.

Enroll in the comments now.

TPA goes viral...

It's all the rage these days...

+++Breaking: Dale turns down TV appearence+++

Shock waves are being felt around the media world tonight after it emerged

Iain Dale

has turned down a TV appearance. It is understood that Iain broke the news to the GMTV producers privately, before announcing the ultimate bitch slap to the world via his

Twitter feed

:

GMTV were unavailable for comment.

+++developing+++

And now the end is near...

As the carnival of embarrassment that was the Liberal Youth Chairman elections is wound up, TB thought we should all have a little competition to end things. For your chance to win a I ♥ TB thong just be the person to correctly guess the results of the election in the comments section below. Obviously include some sort of name...

So whether you think it really will be poor Liberal Youth and Elaine has spun enough to cling on, or Sara will break the age old curse of the one who wields the sword never wearing the crown, have a guess to the nearest few votes below. Don't forget the mysterious Ali candidate who never campaigned or the Re-Open Nominations option.


It's been a long old slog for the girls, with some ups and down and TB is glad to have done his part to aid the democratic process and accountability. The voting closes tomorrow and TB will try get you a result as soon as possible, though he understands some attempts are going to be made to try send him he wrong results, (oh those pesky Lib Dem kids and their sense of humour!) So will let you all know as soon as he has a definate confirmed result.

Good luck.

How far can they push it?

Nigel's shagging in his office, Harry's lining his pockets, Jacqui's husband and paid employee is charging his porno to the taxpayer, meanwhile McNulty has gone off the radar. There will be riots in the street this week, the government is collapsing before our eyes and yet they are carrying on as if nothing has happened. The question must be asked, what does a Minister of the Crown have to do before he or she feels it necessary to resign? Think about Profumo, Smith, Aitkin, Mellor and even to some extent Mandelson. When this lot got busted taking advantage of their position or bringing the government or their party into disrepute they had the decency to fall on their sword and quit.

But no, Ms Smith, Mr Cohen, Mr McNulty and Mr Griffiths are so out of touch with public opinion, so detached, so arrogant that they feel that they can soldier on with little need to even apologise for their mistakes. The stench of corruption and deceit around this government is becoming overwhelming. Can they really last another 13 months?

They are no different from common thieves and has anyone reminded Mr Griffiths that Blunkett banned sex in the workplace? It seems that the Labour government can get away with a host of crimes. What would a minister have to do before they were forced to resign?

This government is decaying and by god sleaze and scandal is back.

Are you a Dan Han Fan?

Just spotted the Dan Hannan facebook fan page:

Get involved

here

.

Well it seems sex scandals are all the rage again. Nigel's tried to get the Screws

silenced

, and failed and just watch Mr Smith

cringe and squirm

after he

charged

an evening with Madam Palm and her five lovely daughters to the taxpayer.

And if that wasn't enough, here are TB's must read articles from the rest of the Sunday papers:

• The Telegraph reports that the Government overtakes P&G in terms of advertising.

• Lord Myners may be in trouble for his tax haven hypocrisy but it seems he's also a drag queen according to the NOTW.

• India Knight has some home truths about rape and one night stands in The Times

• David Mitchell grins and bears the recession in The Observer

• The Times also has a pretty scary letter from a nutter in Wales.

Rules of political campaigning #87

Anyone who has ever stood in an election that has got a little dirty, or has had very vocal opponents or faced unfriendly press knows one golden rule that must never be broken. If someone makes an accusation against you, never ever repeat it as it gives it bite. Nixon's "I'm not a crook!" being the most famous example of this, yet it never fails to surprise TB just how stupid people can be at times.
Say you were standing for re-election after a year in office where you narrowly escaped a cop and also cocked up massively on the one project that would be the most obvious and visual impact your organisation would make in a year. Would you try to put these attacks in the past, learn from them and grow, or would you stupidly think it would be a good idea to regurgitate them all over the internet in some shallow defensive move. Well once again step forward Miss Elaine Bagshaw of Liberal Youth:

(click to enlarge)

TB has managed to track down some screen shots of the short lived Mythbuster page on Bagshaw's

re-election site

. They disappeared after any Lib Dem activist with a brain laughed their head off. They make for an interesting read and they are a pathetic attempt at redemption after a year of failure. One thing TB has noticed that really riles any member of Liberal Youth is any mention of their Freshers recruitment campaign this year. Apparently the rumour went about that Elaine had allegedly paid over £500 for the design of the materials without signing off on them with her executive or the Cowley St staffer. TB often laughed at, though ultimately dismissed the recurring joke that the materials were designed on MS Paint. Having seen them though, he doesn't know what to believe now:

Apart from being just generally awful they do look a lot like something designed on Paint, especially when they are enlarged.

Tott or Not.

Quentin Letts

has been discussing the poll to find the sexiest female policitcian in the world. Is it any wonder we didn't too well?

TB has an idea for a rather fun game in the run up to the next election. Whenever that will be.

Another nail in the coffin...

Greetings from the extremely sporadic free wifi onboard the Edinburgh to Kings Cross. TB is on his way home after finishing his last week of university. There are only finals between him and the big wide world.

Just spotted this

fantastic piece of news

. Without asking it being requested, Obama is taking an hour out of his G20 schedule for a meeting with DC. As he has made it perfectly clear in the past, TB doesn't care much for Obama but how does the old saying go about your enemy's enemy being a friend? The G20 bubble has burst for Gordon. So much hope and expectation was pinned on it, to the extent it was openly talked about in Labour circles as a potential launch pad to go to the country if it went well. If that happens this bear will eat his hat.

This is yet another wound to Gordon's already diminished leadership. Avoid flying mobile phones in Downing St today.

When the Twit hits the fan...

Ah the joys of

Twitter

. TB is one of those annoying anti-Twitter fans who uses the service arguably a little too much, but does so in an ironic way. Hence why this made him laugh:

You can follow Tory Bear on Twitter

here

.

Hat-Tip to

Super Man Can Fly

for the vid.

Derek and Clive Guido Live

Although the BBC chickened out and wouldn't run

Guido's video

from California, not to worry, TB thinks the t-shirt says it all:

Draper looked like a highly flammable, polyester clad tramp and was told to shut-up by Andrew Neil. It seems his tactic was just to shout everyone down and he went off on one at every oppotunity. Pretty poor performance really.

Watch it all here.

Best quote had to be from Guido: "I go after crooked politicians, you are a crooked politician"

Citizen Hannan

If you have ten minutes at breakfast, or maybe you have a coffee break today... whatever happens, find the time to watch Dan Hannan be interviewed on FoxNews. The British MSM have ignored this speech and the public have led the news agenda online. Fox tip him as a future PM and some sort of quasi-viral saviour of the world.


Hannan articulated everything this country wanted to shout at Brown and no nicer chap could deserve the success.

Do SkyNews know something we don't?

TB was just watching SkyNews and their special program they are doing on Pakistan. They were interviewing Communities Minister and MP for Tooting Sadiq Khan. However there seems to be some confusion about who Khan really speaks for:

Oh dear.

Thanks to the

MasterChemist

for the photo handy work.

Anyone else noticed...

The last few times TB has taken money out of a cash machine, nice RBS ones in Edinburgh, he has been given crisp, clean, brand new notes... His flatemates and a couple of others have noticed this as well.

It's odd, it's almost as if they are printing notes. Lots and lots of new notes.

Tomorrow belongs to them.

Ok sorry to go into overload with the videos today but this is simply something that cannot be seen without passing comment. Melanie Philips gives a pretty terrifying

insight

into the fact that Obama's campaign has seemingly never stopped and that branded activists are still hitting the streets winning support for their President, against well anyone who is willing to stand up to him. This unconstitutional move is made even more chilling by this quote from one of the Organising for America team in Birmingham, Alabama:

‘We're looking for supporters,’ said DeHaven of Hoover, one of the event's organizers. ‘We're not looking for a fight. That will come later, when we have an army.’

Well bear in mind that thought and apply it to this little video that is doing the rounds:



It has all the hallmarks of a good old school, Fuhrer loving, propaganda sing song. There they are, the children of the nation, standing in front of an emblem that is quite clearly not the flag of the country, but instead a logo that has been created to represent one particular style of overbearing politics. The symbol is worshiped and respected, remind you of anything else yet?

It's as if the clearly bonkers lady conducting the choir has taken the very worst bits of the Hitler Youth, thrown in some good old North Korean style loyalty and sprinkled a liberal helping of Californian nutjobs on top and filmed it. The most terrifying bit is the toothless, cutish, little seven year old, proudly wearing her uniform and singing about they are going to "change it, and re-arrange it". What the hell is that meant to mean exactly? Rearrange it? Rearrange what? Is she implying that the time has come for the forcible redistribution of property, because that's what it sounds like to TB! The time has come America. This is what you get for not standing up to glossy campaigns and being swept up on a roller-coaster of hysteria. There is absolutely no difference between the Obama Youth and the scene here from Cabaret, ie Germany 1936:



These children had no choice, they don't know what they are singing about. A whole generation of kids are being bought up to believe that Obama is the messiah and that anyone who stands up to him and what he advocates is evil and wrong. It's sick - look at the fervent faces of the parents, goading their kids on and cheering as they spout militant propaganda.

End rant.