When Tom Watson MP, political blogger extraordinaire, signed on as an assistant government whip in September 2004, there was some cynicism about whether he’d be able to hang on to his reputation as an independent voice. After all, how can someone whose job it is to enforce the government line possibly provide retain their freedom to express themselves? The Guardian‘s Ros Taylor went so far as to produce her own extracts from Watson’s future posts:

If you could out someone as a treacherous hypocrite on this blog, would you?
That’s what I was asking myself on the fast new train from Worcester Shrub Hill to London this morning. (Thanks, Darling!) Can’t wait, really.
Posted by tomwatson at 05:45PM | Comments | TrackBack. Read More

Sharpener readers with good memories may recollect that there is a certain common theme to my posts. They all have something to do with citizenship and passports (in a rather formal sense). This one is no different. It’s about David Hicks, the Australian detainee in Guantanamo Bay, who discovered belatedly that he was entitled to UK Citizenship by descent (via his mother). Read More

Albania to employ Ex-Homeland Security chief
New job for new mates

Banksy sticks it to Paris
Hilton pranking and His Master’s Voice

I’m sorry but I just don’t buy it.

A group of prominent MPs, alarmed at the rise of anti-semitism in Britain, will accuse some left-wing activists and Muslim extremists this week of using criticism of Israel as ‘a pretext’ for spreading hatred against British Jews.

The charge is made in a hard-hitting report – by MPs from all three major political parties – which will be unveiled at a Downing Street meeting with Tony Blair on Thursday.
…
Though emphasising the right of people to criticise or protest against Israeli government actions, it says ‘rage’ over Israeli policies has sometimes ‘provided a pretext’ for anti-semitism.

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