We trust you, Gordon

The odd thing about the Conservative policy announcement today – where they pledged to match Labour’s public service spending over the next three years – is that the plans aren’t published yet and won’t be for a month or so. Talk about signing a blank cheque: if I were in the Treasury, I’d be tempted to put in a couple of joke commitments, just to annoy the Opposition. A gold statue of Kier Hardie, perhaps, or a really expensive metrication campaign. Right, Cameron, match that!

The Bell Hotel, New Alresford

A dinner stop on the way back from Basingstoke at the Bell Hotel in the pretty town of New Alresford in Hampshire. Very friendly service on a quiet Sunday evening and OK food. Steak was nicely presented with good accompaniments, but was a very English medium. Tom had kid-sized cod and chips which looked properly prepared. Desserts: a bland chocolate pudding for me but a much better apple crumble and ice cream for the little one.

Web 2.0: digital Maoism

Bloggers come in for a bit of French stick in a series of articles at Le Monde. Apparently:

Nous sommes victimes de “la résurgence d’une idée selon laquelle le collectif est le summum de la sagesse”.

and a lot worse besides.

The rubber pierogi circuit

Ken Livingstone has been wooing London’s Polish community ahead of the elections next year, according to the Guardian. I may not be a Polish citizen (though it might come in handy if UKIP ever take over), but I’d think about voting for a man who offered pierogi.

Candidates in Brighton (Pavilion), take note.