Chris Whiteside's Blog

Richard Branson has issued the following statement today on the Virgin website, here . "When Virgin Trains took the decision back in November to remove the Daily Mail from sale, it was not part of some grand campaign or at my behest – indeed Brian Souter and I were not aware of the decision until we read the media reports this week. The decision was made in response to feedback from some of our Virgin Trains employees. Brian and I respect our people when they make decisions and we listen to their views. It is the way we have always run our companies. But we must also listen to the concerns voiced widely this week – by those who agree with The Mail’s editorial stance and those who vehemently disagree with it – that this move has been seen as censorship. Freedom of speech, freedom of choice and tolerance for differing views are the core principles of any free and open society. While Virgin Trains has always said that their passengers are free to read whatever newspaper they...

Surgeon Captain Rick Jolly, who was honoured by both Britain and Argentina for saving the lives of hundreds of wounded from both nations during the Falklands War, died yesterday at the age of 71. He set up a field hospital which treated about a thousand casualties, and despite there being more than one unexploded bomb on the site he and his colleagues continued to operate. Every casualty who arrived at that field hospital alive was saved. Link here . Captain Jolly also saved several people from drowning by literally plucking them from the sea - he was lowered from a helicopter to rescue them. When you look up the word "Hero" in a dictionary, you should find a picture of Captain Rick Jolly there. Rest in Peace.

Whether or not any other party joins the Conservatives in adopting such a policy I agree with Brandon Lewis's proposal that Conservative candidates should sign a pledge to campaign in a way which shows respect for our opponents. As I recall we did something of the kind in the 2005 election. It ought to be possible to express disagreement with opposing candidates policies and views without insulting them as human beings.

Credit card surcharges have been banned throughout the EU with effect from yesterday. The ban was implemented by the UK government which after consultation extended it to include payments through PayPal. The ban will continue as UK legislation when we leave the EU. This is a Conservative graphic on the subject which was put out yesterday: There has been a certain amount of twining about the above Conservative message because the ban was initiated by the European Union, and I blocked one Momentum troll, not for pointing this out, but for doing so in a gratuitously offensive way. Yes, the ban on credit charge surcharges which came into effect this weekend is part of an EU initiative, the Directive on Payment Services ( PSD2 ). No, that doesn't mean that British Conservatives had nothing to do with it. The EU Commissioner responsible for Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets at the time the measure was agreed was a UK Conservative, Lord Jonath...

"For all their bombast, censors give every appearance of being dictatorial neurotics, who are so frightened of their opponents that they cannot find the strength to take them on in the open. I can’t imagine many saying, “ I’ll side with the people who tell me what I can and can’t think.” I find it equally hard to picture readers turning away from the Mail because Sir Richard Branson and “alternative” comedians who haven’t had an alternative thought since Blair’s second term tell them to. On the one hand, “liberals” rightly say that sexists, racists and homophobes are preposterous bigots. On the other, they run away from the chance to confront them. If you can’t beat a bigot in argument, you shouldn’t ban them but step aside and make way for people who can. It’s not as if they have impressive cases that stand up to scrutiny." ( Nick Cohen , extracts from an excellent article criticising censorship, "no platform" and banning newspapers, which you can re...

I've just returned from watching "The Darkest Hour" with my family in the cinema. The film, starring Gary Oldman as Winston Churchill, Kristin Scott-Thomas as Clementine, Ben Mendelsohn as George VI, Ronald Pickup as Neville Chamberlain and Stephen Dillane as Lord Halifax, depicts the first few weeks of Churchill's premiership, including the events leading up to and including the evacuation of Dunkirk and fierce arguments inside the government about whether to sue for peace with Hitler. It is an incredibly moving film and I strongly recommend it.

" The biggest problem with a second referendum would he a repeat of what happened in Scotland ." " People don't like referendums on the whole: they didn't like falling out with family members or friends and they had no desire to repeat the experience, which is why the SNP did worse." "The anger at simply ' having to do this debate over again ' would, I suspect, be a major hindrance to any 'Remain' campaign should the miraculous happen and a parliamentary majority for a second referendum emerge ." (Stephen Bush, article in the New Statesman which you can read here .)

Following on from the posts written here from New Year's Eve onwards about potholes in the Mirehouse West part of my county division, I have continued to chase for a date for action and there has been some progress today. Residents of Derwentwater Road should have received a letter today advising them that the potholes in that road will be filled and then sealed starting on Monday (15th January) and continuing for a few days over the coming week. Meadow Road is also on the list of roads awaiting urgent attention and because it is both a main bus route and the main spine road for the Western half of Mirehouse as well as being in nearly as bad a condition as Derwentwater Road it is,  I am advised.  now number one on the priority list of road surfaces needing attention in Copeland.  There will be a proposal to rebuild the road in the coming year's budget, although I have been warned not to underestimate the challenge given the construction of the road. There will be a re...

I am frequently infuriated by the press. It is often irresponsible, unprofessional, sloppy, inaccurate, and follows a herd-like mentality. But there is a fundamental difference between being annoyed when the press gets it wrong and trying to censor the ability of the press to write things I don't like. The only thing worse that an occasionally irresponsible free press would be a press which could only write what government or self-appointed censors allow it to write. That's why even when I don't much like the newspaper concerned I am very concerned at attempts to organise boycotts of newspapers by advertisers or customers. As David Aaronovitch argued in yesterday's Times , this starts us down a slippery slope. Similarly I strongly disagree with the House of Lords outrageous hijacking of the Data Protection Bill to instruct the government to re-start the Leveson Inquiry. However well-intentioned some of those involved may be, as Guido Fawkes explains her...

"To many who may not even read the Mail but who oppose the kind of one-sided censorship that now gets it banned from trains, the boycott represents a bullying juggernaut hurtling towards them and their belief in the freedom of expression." "Today Virgin, tomorrow . . . who else? " "Going down this route — using the bludgeon rather than reasoned argument — simply answers intolerance with more intolerance. To attempt to shut down a world view, however much it may offend you, is far worse than allowing that world view to be heard. And doing so merely justifies attempts to shut down the opinions of those who claim to be liberals." "You can be the bold, banning anti-racist one moment, only to find that you’re someone else’s to-be-banned transphobe the next. When the censors come knocking it’s never just for your enemies. That’s why the only thing that we can all hang on to is the right to be heard whatever we think of the other side’s opinions."...

The County Council met today in Kendal. The page on the county council website with the agenda papers, and where the draft minutes will appear when they are written, can be found at http://councilportal.cumbria.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=123&MId=9295 . Probably the two most important items on the agenda were Item 8 ) to vote on the outcome of a review of the constitution, which produced a set of proposed changes to the council's contract procedure rules designed to make them more robust and transparent and reduce the risk of any future shambolic fiascos like the one which led to the recent Amey court case, and Item 9 ) a proposal to amend the council's "Minimum Revenue Provision" policy to adopt a more prudent and stable approach to the accounting treatment, and particularly the time profile, of repayment of the authority's debts. I don't want to trivialise the rest of the agenda or suggest that none of it was significant. A number of very...

"The House of Lords have just voted to restrict press freedoms. This vote will undermine high quality journalism, fail to resolve challenges the media face and is a hammer blow to local press."  "We support a free press and will seek to overturn these amendments in the Commons." ( Matt Hancock , new Culture Secretary. speaking last night after the House of Lords effectively voted to re-start the Leveson inquiry .)

Bach's first variation on Cantata 140, "Wachet Auf" (Sleepers Wake.) I nicknamed this "Not the Black Horse" because the side melody from a different variation on the same theme was used by Lloyds Bank as the music for their "Black horse" TV adverts.

UK manufacturing output is expanding at its fastest rate since early 2008 after recording a seventh consecutive month of growth in November. Renewable energy projects, boats, aeroplanes and cars for export helped make output 3.9% higher in the three months to November than in 2016. Official figures also show industrial output rose by 0.4% in November For the month of November, total production was estimated to have increased by 0.4% compared with the previous month, with the biggest contribution coming from energy supply. Lee Hopley, chief economist at manufacturers' organisation EEF, said: " UK manufacturers were, in the main, in good shape as 2017 came to a close, with the majority of sub-sectors enjoying growth. "Manufacturers' expectations for the year ahead point to output and export growth being maintained through this year on the back of continuing support from a burgeoning global economy. "This, together with an ongoing commitment from gover...

Following this week's reshuffle the full list of members of the new government can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ministerial-appointments-january-2018 .

Rape is a vile crime which can do massive damage to the lives of victims: To make a knowingly false accusation of rape is also a vile crime which can also do massive damage to the life both of the immediate victim, the person falsely accused, and to the indirect victims, which can often include genuine rape victims whose truthful complaints are taken less seriously as a result. There are also instances where both the accuser and the person in the dock are innocent victims. Most often this happens when through mistaken identity the wrong person is accidentally accused of a real rape. DNA evidence and other improvements in forensic technology has made such cases much rarer, but the possibility for mistakes is still there. The prosecutor's dilemma There is no way to construct a criminal justice system which will not sometimes fail all these types of victim. It is difficult to increase the chances of convicting genuine rapists without increasing the risk of ruining the lives o...

This seemed rather topical today. Journalists often present the willingness of a Prime Minister to change or terminate ministerial careers with no attempt to consider the views of others as a sign of strength. It could, however be seen as a sign of wisdom if, as has been reported, the PM was willing to discuss with her ministers what role they should play in the government rather than just issue orders.

New cabinet following today's reshuffle: Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury Theresa May Chancellor Philip Hammond Home Secretary Amber Rudd Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson Brexit Secretary David Davis Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson Transport Secretary Chris Grayling International Trade Secretary Liam Fox Environment Secretary Michael Gove Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley - replaces James Brokenshire, who resigned for health reasons Justice Secretary David Gauke - moves from Department of Work and Pensions, replacing David Lidington Health and Social Care Secretary Jeremy Hunt - stays at Dept. of Health and is also given control of social care Conservative Party chairman Brandon Lewis - replaces Sir Patrick McLoughlin Business and Energy Secretary Greg Clark Housing and Communities Secretary Sajid Javid Culture, Media and Sports Secretary Matt Hancock - former minister for digital & culture, ...