Polly Toynbee

Polly Toynbee was on Start the Week on Radio 4 this morning. Andrew Marr was asking his guests to make predictions about the year ahead.

Ms Toynbee made the prediction that we would become wealthier, healthier and safer next year, as we have done in each of the past ten years.

She also predicted that we would also not feel any of these things and as a result moan more than we had in the previous year.

Surely that's the point. It's not whether we are, according to statistics, wealthier, healthier or safe, the salient point is whether we feel that way or not.

National GDP may have risen and the economy may continue to grow, that doesn't mean that I am feeling any wealthier at the end of this year than I did at the end of last. I also know that my taxes have increased, as has my mortgage, as has the cost of running my car.

I also know that the turnover of my business has decreased, that I am facing greater costs as an employer due to increased legislation, taxation and regulation.

We may be living longer yet that doesn't mean I am feeling any healthier or that my family is any better off health wise. I know that my family might be healthy, but also that access to NHS services has not improved and that my mother is still facing a month long wait for an appointment at her local pain relief clinic.

Crime statistics may show that the level of crime is decreasing nationally, however my experience this year has been to have my car broken in to twice, two more times than in any of the previous five years. I hear daily from people that they feel there is no point reporting minor crime because the police are unable to respond quickly and seem unable to offer any prospect that the culprits will be caught.

Isn't it about time that commentators like Ms Toynbee stopped talking about the national statistics and started viewing the everyday experiences of real people? Then she might understand why people are likely to complain more in the coming year.

The wonders of wi-fi

Oh dear, I fear my New Year's resolution looks like it has been broken, and we're not even out of January. I am afraid that as I post this message, it'll show up as being posted on the 26th January rather than the 25th, because it is just that now in the UK.

I have an excuse however. Oh yes, I always have an excuse as my friends will gladly tell you (well I am a politician).

The hotel's wi-fi (wireless internet service) has been down until now (9pm Eastern Time), so I am officially blogging on Thursday 25th, although it's only Thursday 25th as a result of my time zone.

The fact that I can bring my laptop, just plug it in and happily tap away updating my blog and web site, effortlessly, thousands of miles from home, is truly wondrous.

I was left pondering about this while I was waiting for the system to come back on earlier today. Our ability to access information, details and one another at pretty much any time must, I surmised, play a part in people's increasing desire to ensure that they retain their privacy in their own homes.

Ten years ago the Internet was in its infancy, mobile phones were only just becoming popular and phone signal coverage didn't extend far beyond our towns and cities, laptops were enormous and no one had ever heard of blackberries. Now, even whilst wandering around Fort Lauderdale I can receive texts, phone calls and e-mails from home on my Blackberry, I can respond to them all, I can access the Internet to change my flight arrangements and I can even post to this blog.

Whilst that makes home, my job (Rubyz) and my vocation (politics) completely accessible, it also makes me totally accessible to other people. Sometimes it's nice (and necessary) to get away from all of that. Increasingly that comes when you get home and shut the door on the world. I can fully understand therefore why people should wish to retain their privacy in their own home and why I return to the opinion that privacy is going to be a huge issue in the years to come.

Jade Goody

So much has been written about Celebrity Big Brother this week that I hardly feel qualified to comment.

Suffice it to say that I have been on the receiving end of prejudice and discrimination. It isn't pleasant and for me Shilpa Shetty has behaved, from what I have seen, with decorum and dignity. Good for her.

As for Jade Goody, well, I think her comments on hearing she was to be evicted were the most incisive thing she has ever said. "I swear to God, I said it would start here and it would end here."

Let's hope it has, for all our sakes.

Things you didn't know about me

I've been tagged by Justin Hinchcliffe who has a very good blog here, to tell you five things you didn't know about me. So here goes:

I have a very large collection of videos and DVDs of the Eurovision Song Contest, so much so that a few years ago Pearl Carr and Teddy Johnson (If you're under 60 you'll have no idea who I'm talking about) got in touch to ask for a copy of my video of the 1959 Contest. They had performed 'Sing Little Birdie' live that night and, in the days before video, had never seen themselves. I was of course very happy to oblige.

When I was 9 I had a guinea pig called Skippy, you guessed it, I really wanted a bush kangaroo.

Jeg snakker norsk/I speak Norwegian

When I was 4 I appeared for a week on 'Romper Room' which was a childrens TV show on Anglia TV hosted by Miss Rosalyn.

I'm horribly claustrophobic: I'd rather climb stairs than take a lift, I avoid the tube if possible and my idea of hell is a windowless room with the door closed (I'd never last as a prisoner). I also have a dreadful phobia of rodents, particularly rats... shudder!

I now have to 'tag' other people to do the same thing apparently, so it's over to you Will, Richard and Jeremy.

EU Expansion

Bulgaria and Romania joined the European Union at midnight. So now we’re part of a community of 27 rather than 25.

I welcome the accession of the new states and the continued expansion to include, in time, Croatia, the other Balkan states and Turkey. Not least because I firmly believe the bigger the Union the less likely moves towards political integration.

One of my first political memories is of my Mum stopping in at the polling station to vote in the 1975 European Community referendum on her way to take me to school.

My parents voted ‘Yes’ to staying in the Common Market as it was then called. They voted to stay in a trading block, not to confirm an eventual political Union.

I’ve seen the effects of the gold plating of European legislation by this government on my business. It’s caused an incredible increase in bureaucracy and cost.

The Liberal Democrats favour greater European integration and the ultimately the introduction of the Euro.

I see no benefit in either of these courses.

We need to engage constructively with Europe, with the goal of renegotiating our membership. We should obtain more opt outs, not fewer, from the Union in order that we can return to managing the majority of our affairs. If this agreement isn’t forthcoming then reluctantly I’d support a referendum on our future participation in the Union itself.

The balance needs to be shifted back in our favour, the sovereignty of the UK’s parliament must be paramout when considering the laws that effect us all.

New Year's Resolutions

Well, the Festive Season is almost over and, thank goodness, so is the round of various parties and dinners.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not really a Scrooge, I thoroughly enjoy this time of year, not least the opportunity to socialise and catch up with friends who you haven’t seen through much of the year.

However, even more than before, this Season has had an expansive effect on my waisteline. Seeing those photos from the Christmas Day Swim has brought that fact in to stark relief for me. So, number one New Year’s resolution this year is to get back to the gym and start getting back in to some kind of shape.

My other New Year’s Resolutions, well

2. Be on time more often (Setting my watch ten minutes fast hasn’t worked as I know it’s ten minutes fast and therefore still think I have time to get places when I haven’t – I have to think of a new strategy).

3. Take Harry for more walks – he’s suffered a bit in that department through the Autumn.

4. Go to the cinema more often – I love it so why don’t I make the time to do it?

5. Write a post a day for this site, after all, if people are going to find out what I stand for then they need to see what I think on different issues.

Have a Happy New Year everyone.