Meltdown

The Labour party has been comprehensively mauled in local elections. They knew it would be a bad night. They hoped it would be better than it was. They lost over 250 seats, most of which went to the conservatives. The Lib Dems won a few, but nothing very significant, especially when you consider that they usually do well in local elections. Turnout was somewhere around 35% which is appalling, but I can't really complain because I didn't vote myself. I would have voted had I been on the electoral role, but I wasn't, and after the stress it caused me last time I tried to get a vote, I wasn't up for tring it again. As an evangelical anti labour type, it was good news as far as I was concerned. The only worrying development was the success of the BNP. They won 11 seats.

The BNP claims that it is not a racist movement, but in case you were in any doubt, you should take notice of what Simon Smith, who won a BNP seat in Tipton said, "I am pleased to have won in Tipton because it is a very Anglo-Saxon and traditional area". Anyone who voted BNP should be ashamed of themselves. I still think they'll die down after a few months, but I can't deny that they bother me. With any luck Griffin will end up in prison before too long and the party will fall apart.

Blair is currently reshuffling his cabinet, an act which former minister Frank Dobson likened to "rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic. Frank Dobson was once a buddy of Mr Blair. In fact Blair wanted him to take on the London Mayor job. Dobson quit his ministerial post to do it, but then failed to get elected because Red Ken Livingston, standing as an independent candidate, beat him. So far we know that Margaret Beckett is to become Foreign Secretary (promotion for ballsing up farm susidies) and former foreign secretary Jack Straw gets demoted to leader of the house. Charles Clarke is sacked as home secretary, to be replaced by John Reid (wasn't he recently found in posession of dope?). Geoff Hoon is to become Euro minister. John Prescott is to remain as Deputy PM but lose his office. So I don't know who the defence secretary is now, or what will happen to Ruth Kelly, Patricia Hewitt, or Tessa Jowell.

January Girl pointed out yesterday that when Patrick McGoohan asks, "Who is number 1?", that the answer given is ambiguous. It could be saying "You are number 6", or "you are, number 6". I've had this discussion with various people myself. I really do need to see the final episode. I have a feeling that the final episode was rushed and came sooner than it should due to a budget cut. I do know that 17 episodes were made, which is an odd number. Three series would usually be 18 episodes. Anyone who has never seen The Prisoner is now wondering what the hell I'm droning on about.