Get a leg up to the press gallery

But only if you are a,

full-time reporters from a black and minority ethnic background.

Getting a place in the Press Gallery in Westminster, a Lobby job is key to getting on in the world of political journalism. Once there as the advert says you,

better contacts and a deeper understanding of political reporting

And have a better idea when jobs in the field are coming up. Positive discrimination anybody, the work of the ghastly chap John Bercow? Almost definitely.

There again, how is it that newspapers like The Voice do not already have a lobby spot? Only wondering, is it for lack of asking or for lack of responding?

Via @edwestonline

Hmmm... anybody else concerned by this?

This week a woman called Lisa Ring was fined £500 and sacked afterr being convicted of racially aggravated harassment in Harlow, Essex.

She had been reported by a 15 year old girl who has just been commended (anonymously) by the police for her actions.

It appears that a black toddler in Ms Ring's care was playing with a banana and Ms Ring made some monkey noises. Ms Ring a 37 year old mother of two claims she was just having a bit of fun and playing with the child.

The police said,

"This young woman exposed a very nasty piece of racist behaviour - which, without her, would have gone unnoticed. We thank for her actions. She deserves every credit. It's an excellent example of how the community and the police should work together."

Hold on, just a moment. In the past I have played with my own 'disturbingly white' children. At times they have played with bananas (they shouldn't play with their food, I know that) and I have made monkey noises. (They love the Jungle Book - King of the Swingers and so on). That I take it is no problem.

So the same action, with no doubt the same delighted response from the child (of course I wasn't there, maybe the child was screaming in indignation, though at 18 months I doubt it) was made by Ms Ring.

"a very nasty piece of racist behaviour".

Ye Gods, beating somebody up because they were black, indeed making monkey noises at somebody because they are black, yes that would be racist. Playing with a baby and making monkey noises due to the presence of a banana - case unproven. The statement by the police, applauding the actions of the 15 year old seem a part of a moral, and politically correct policing that has no place in British society, it seems overbearing and slightly sinister.

Update
Reading a little more it appears that there were further allegations about the incident, all of which were denied byu Ms Ring. I still feel the Police's comments were heavy-handed and sinister.

Stupid, stupid stupid.

An old friend of mine, a Cambridge don, sadly deceased, would, over the summer trawl the flat lands thereabouts for Morrris dancing events. He felt they were a fraud, not some ancient pagan rite, but Victorian psuedo rurality.
He would get a young undergraduate to push his bath chair up to the front of the crowd, and from beneath his plaid rug he would yell at the top of his reedy voice,
"Stupid, Stupid, Stupid" until he was gently pushed out ofthe way by one ofthe attendent bearded loons.

Would that he were still with us to respond to blatant idiocy like this.

Warning: This play features a sugar-roasted chicken

A playwright has been told he must warn audiences his one-man act features a roast chicken - for fear of offending vegetarians.

Doug Devaney, 41, of Roedale Road, Brighton, has toured the city for years with his play Mein Gutt, a black comedy about a man's losing battle against obesity.

But the vegetarian Sanctuary Café in Hove has told him the show can only go on if the audience is warned beforehand that there is a dead chicken involved.

Mr Devaney said: "I phoned up as a matter of courtesy to let them know I used a chicken as an essential part of the show but they got back to me a few days later to say I would have to give the audience a warning.

"I've heard of strobe lighting or nudity being cause for audience concern but never sugar-roasted chicken.

"Do people really need that much protecting? I wonder what they do when they walk past the rotisserie at Asda?

"I'm happy to do it - I just consider it weird. Will Shakespeareans have to warn theatre-goers about eye-gouging in King Lear from now on? It takes some of the surprise of theatre away and how sensitive are we?"

Sandra McDonagh, who organises events at the Sanctuary Café, said: "Essentially we just don't want to cause offence so we want to give out a warning beforehand.

"I had to run it past the café owners and they asked for a warning in case somebody stands up and says, I wasn't told about this'.

"People would definitely assume there was no meat on the premises but it will be nowhere near the kitchen or any food preparation area.

"There will always be one person who will be sensitive enough to complain. I have come across staunch vegans in my time who will kick off about most things and it's better to cover yourselves."

Via Eye on the UK