My 7 songs

I was tagged by Madam Miaow to list 7 songs that I am into at the moment. It goes like this:

List seven songs you are into right now. No matter what the genre, whether they have words, or even if they’re not any good, but they must be songs you’re really enjoying now, shaping your spring. Post these instructions in your blog along with your 7 songs. Then tag 7 other people to see what they’re listening to.

So as the master said something about music being the food of love play on and all that jazz, here are my 7 choices for the spring/summer months in no particular order:

1. Clubbed to Death – Rob Dougan

Ok, it reminds me of the original Matrix film, which had a great soundtrack as well. The mix of synth and classical especially in the middle where there’s a beautiful piano solo then violins. I just think it is one piece of powerful music.

2. Passionate Friend - The Teardrop Explodes

I blame that awful piss-poor telly programme Ashes to Ashes (just so not Life on Mars) what got me listening to more early 80s stuff (hearing OMD’s Souvenir in one episode I thought I was going back in time…). When I was a teenager I really liked the Teardrop Explodes (ok, I admit, I had a crush on Julian Cope), instead of going for the fast frenetic Reward , I am going for this one from the Wilder LP. It is upbeat along with Julian Cope’s lyrics/vocals.  Also, it reminds me going to Faslane circa. 1986 on a coach organised by B’ham CND where I had this anarchist sitting next to me (a Julian Cope look-a-like and at the time I was listening to their Wilder LP) who disliked Trots and was passionate about Proudhon. Though he did share his Vodka and jelly babies. Funny how memories work.

3. In The Waiting Line – Zero 7

Hypnotic, trippy downtempo song with beautiful vocals. I first heard this sitting in a cafe between Penzance and Mousehole. I was going to include Groove Armada as well but I have to resist cos my 7 will be dominated by trip hop.

4. Liza Radley – The Jam

I listened to The Jam/Style Council when I was growing up. Yet I only first heard this one a couple of years ago when I bought the CD Extras. It is a simple short upbeat song with Weller playing the guitar. It is a bittersweet song about the small town mentality and alienation.

5. Hippy Chick – SoHo

It reminds me of good summer parties during 1989/1990. From the mid 1980s onwards music, for me, was a barren wasteground of power ballards and Stock Aitken and Waterman. And then I heard this one. I love the fact they sampled the intro to The Smiths, How Soon is Now and the classic lyrics like, “got no flowers for your gun, no hippy chick”….

6. Teardrop – Massive Attack

Ok, one more trip hop and from Bristol. Again, it is watching House on C5 with the theme music being this song. I love the hauting vocals of Elizabeth Fraser along with the melancholic downtempo music. I can listen to anything by Massive Attack.

(I’m Always Touched By Your) Presence, Dear – Blondie

“Was it destiny? I don’t know yet”… I always liked Blondie and that New Wave period. I couldn’t decide which one to choose but I owned a 12-inch single of this one. I love the music, the lyrics and Debbie Harry’s vocals. And it leaves me feeling optimistic.

That’s all folks……

 I don’t who to tag… Anyone out there who feels inspired to take the challenge.

Counter-terrorism bill and 42 days: how close will the vote be?

Well, it seems like some of the PLP are caving in over 42 days therefore lacking that all important backbone. Step forward one Jon Trickett (and Susan has already reported about the COMPASS supporter capitulating to 42 days).

“Ministers were encouraged by the news that one regular rebel, Jon Trickett, the Labour MP for Hemsworth, had decided to back the government.”

Well, we will see tomorrow regarding the vote on 42 days which Labour MPs do indeed have the courage of their convictions to vote against this draconian measure and ones who just bottle it because they don’t want to damage Gordon Brown further. Gordon Brown is wallowing in the political mire due to his own ineptitude and cowardice. He has got only himself to blame.

Be interesting how Cruddas votes (is he voting for 42 days?) and also there’s a discussion on 42 days with some very unimpressed and pissed off COMPASS supporters on their website….

More on child poverty

According to the Households Below Average Income  report published by the DWP today, children living in relative poverty has increased by 100,000 between 2005/2006 and 2006/2007. And to simplify matters, the rich are getting richer while the poor are getting poorer:

The incomes of the poorest fifth of households fell by 1.6% between 2005-06 and 2006-07, whilst the incomes of the richest fifth rose by 0.8%.

While average incomes rose “modestly”, and that’s to do with pay awards being set well below inflation.

This underlines the fact that the increases in poverty seen during 2006-07 reflect weak income growth towards the bottom of the income distribution rather than rapid income growth in the middle.

There is also an increase in pensioner poverty. In the 2008 Budget there was one off payments to pensioners in winter 2008 at a cost of £575m. If NL don’t repeat this measure then poverty will increase again.

And as a recent report from the Joseph Rowntree Federation who state that poverty could rise to a new high under current benefit adjustment rules. Benefits and tax credits only rise in line with inflation behind increases in average incomes. The existing upgrading rules could result in child poverty rising to astronomical levels within 20 years time. But do NL really want to meet those targets in 2010/2011 of halving child poverty?

As Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) argue: We all know that the 2010 target can be met. We all know that even in tight Budget years, funding for the most important needs can be found. Failure in 2010 would not be due to a lack of national wealth, but a lack of moral leadership.

But what response of NL and James Purnell?

We have made significant progress on child and pensioner poverty, lifting 600,000 children out of relative poverty and halving the number of children experiencing absolute poverty in the last decade. We’ve also lifted … 1.9m pensioners out of absolute poverty. Had the government done nothing other than simply uprate the tax and benefit system, we estimate there would have been 1.7 million more children and 1.5 million more pensioners in poverty today.

What can be done?

Pensioners: make National Insurance truly progressive. Use the proceeds to make the state pension something that you really can retire on: double it. Give all women including existing pensioner women first class credits, for years past and present, spent providing domestic labour.

Children in poverty: Simplify the system so you don’t need to be a chartered accountant to comply with the reporting requirements. Provide free universal childcare.

Do these things now and win the next general election.

EDM 1714: Pauline Campbell

The MP John McDonnell has put forward this EDM in tribute and in memory of Pauline Campbell.

PAULINE CAMPBELL

05.06.2008

McDonnell, John

That this House notes with sadness the passing away of Pauline Campbell, a tireless, brave and committed campaigner who highlighted the shocking number of deaths of women within the prison system; further notes that since the death of her daughter, Sarah Campbell, who died in Styal Prison of a self-inflicted death in 2003, Pauline was a dedicated activist who fought to improve the treatment of women within the criminal justice system; and therefore resolves to continue Pauline’s campaign to argue for a urgent and radical change in the way women are treated throughout the criminal justice system and in particular, to call for a fundamental redesign of custody whereby custodial sentences for offenders should primarily be reserved for serious and violent offenders.