Rupert's Read

In the wake of the very tenuous 'success' of the just-concluded Cancun climate conference (see http://liberalconspiracy.org/2010/12/15/why-climate-talks-in-cancun-failed-miserably/ ), it is more important than ever to think about why the human race seems to be failing so miserably to address this existential challenge to civilisation on Earth. I have a suggestion as to why, and a suggestion as to what we can do about it. Let me begin with this very thoughtful post that carefully makes the argument that those opposing serious action on dangerous climate-change eerily echo the arguments of those who opposed serious action to stop slavery. It points out for example the striking parallels that exist between the arguments of the capitalists who called for only voluntary action to reduce the negative impact of slavery, and the arguments of the capitalists who call now for only voluntary action to reduce the negative impact of manmade climate change. But I believe that ...

A week after the tuition fees debacle, here's my take on British politics, and on the exciting possibility now presenting itself: http://brightgreenscotland.org/index.php/2010/12/the-beginning-of-the-end-of-the-libdems ...Is this where British politics goes from here, post-fees? Let me know what you think, and whether you agree with my diagnosis or not. [Do comment at the BGS site, rather than here. ]  

http://climatevoices.wordpress.com/2010/12/09/rights-versus-markets-the-heart-of-the-debate-in-cancun/ An important piece, on the mark. Although of course nature does not have 'rights' - it is silly (though understandable) to try to turn nature into an Enligtenment-style juridical subject. But nature more obviously does have (to use Lakoff's term, or Marshall Rosenberg's) needs - and limits...

Neal Lawson's and John Harris's major piece in the NEW STATESMAN recently, "The paradigm shift", lays out a reasonably-ambitious set of ideas for a genuinely revamped policy programme for Labour under Ed Miliband's leadership, that Lawson and Harris call "New Socialism". There are important omissions (e.g. there is much talk of manmade climate change and even of questioning the desirability of further economic growth, but no mention of the concomitant and vital issue of the preservation of biodiversity; and there is surprisingly little commitment to a far more equal society,   a la   Wilkinson and Pickett, that could be achieved by a mixture of much more progressive taxation and equal 'carbon rations'); but the direction of travel is certainly welcome. What Lawson and Harris are recommending sounds, in other words, like at the least a sort of 'lite' version of the Green Party manifesto.     If the policy reviews that Mr. ...

This, from THE SUN today, reporting the latest YOUGOV poll - which puts the LibDems on 8% !!!!!!!

Proud to be one of the signatories of this letter, published in today's _Guardian_: http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/dec/10/get-off-learn-to-earn-treadmill  Have a read, and then do pass it on.

    Businesses in Bowthorpe Road, Norwich, call for rethink on crossing plans   Norwich City Council was to begin work on a new £50,000 zebra crossing at Bowthorpe Road in the new year. But the proposals have alarmed the owners of four businesses because they include the loss of parking spaces. Now the traders have grouped together and submitted a 231-signature petition to the council calling on it to rethink the plans, and the authority has announced a fresh consultation after coming up with a second proposal, so that both options can be considered. Lisa Holmes, a co-partner at Merry-Go-Round, on the corner of Bond Street, said even the revised proposal would cause problems for customers, and she said the petition showed the strength of feeling about the plans, dwarfing a previous 38-signature petition sent in my supporters of the ...