tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870143465614132758.post5486751605070175981..comments2023-06-25T04:43:54.742-07:00Comments on Test5 testing: Now Blears uses the dog whistlePaul Walterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00525444717679391831noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870143465614132758.post-90700598918087625392007-06-11T05:54:00.000-07:002007-06-11T05:54:00.000-07:00Thank you for those interesting thoughts Gareth.Thank you for those interesting thoughts Gareth.Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00525444717679391831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870143465614132758.post-87965621206136796622007-06-11T04:08:00.000-07:002007-06-11T04:08:00.000-07:00Blears seems to be arguing an indistinguishable po...Blears seems to be arguing an indistinguishable position from Margaret Hodge.<br><br>Of course in Reading, there are significant police shortages which leave people feeling significantly less safe. Labour politicians then bleat on about street drinking bans and the like. Who would police them?<br><br>Meanwhile, regulations to give private tenants at least minimum safeguards about housing conditions aren't brought in by Labour councils.<br><br>But thanks Paul for the reminder that bigotry is alive and well in the Labour Party - in case such proof were ever needed.Garethnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870143465614132758.post-56285071034047389282007-06-10T02:03:00.000-07:002007-06-10T02:03:00.000-07:00Chris, most of her comments (and indeed much of Ho...Chris, most of her comments (and indeed much of Hodge's comments) are relatively harmless, I agree. But she blows it with the street drinking and minumum wage comments. That is just lazy Alf Garnett politics. Politicians should reflect accurate research - not rehash lazy, racist saloon bar stereotypes.Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00525444717679391831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4870143465614132758.post-26997079760470785292007-06-10T01:57:00.000-07:002007-06-10T01:57:00.000-07:00Paul,I know Salford about as well as I know Saturn...Paul,<br><br>I know Salford about as well as I know Saturn, so I can't tell if she's accurate in what she says about the minimum wage and street drinking. <br><br>But would you agree with some of her other comments in the Times article? -<br><br><i> The controversy echoes the row surrounding Margaret Hodge, the industry minister, who suggested British indigenous families must be given preferential access to social housing. Ms Blears, who said she disagreed with Ms Hodge, called on people from different ethnic backgrounds to mix through sports clubs and in schools, and said there were "dangers" for society in segregated areas.<br><br>She said: "You can't tell people where to live. You can't say this street is reserved for eight black families and eight white families. But you can provide a range of housing that people want to live in. You can make it attractive, secure and safe. Sometimes people cleave together because they don't think it's safe. Now if you have a proper police service, people will feel comfortable living in other areas." </i>Chris Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04380208481112766609noreply@blogger.com