Britblog Roundup #73

Welcome once again to the Britblog thingie, your list of the posts that you think should be brought to everyone’s attention. You can make your nominations for next week by emailing the URL to britblog AT gmail DOT com. Just whatever it is, any subject, any view point, that is either from or about these Isles: what is it that we should have seen but didn’t?

The first thing up has to be the way the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is dealing with Craig Murray. Scroll around his blog a bit to see the last few posts. Essentially, they are claiming that Crown Copyright on documents released under a Freedom of Information Act request may not then be republished. The usual rabble (cough cough) of disgruntled leftists doughty fighters for freedom and liberty are spreading the word and/or mirroring the documents. Postman Patel,  Blairwatch, Lenin’s Tomb, The Left End of the Dial, and, breaking my own rules about this roundup (ahem) Tim Worstall. My take is that Murray is entirely justified in republishing under the fair dealing provisions referring to criticism, review and news reporting. Love to have any legal views which confirm or deny that.

Moving swiftly along to our regularly scheduled entertainment, Trick Cycling for Beginners on mental illness. Absolutely worth reading and do go through the comments.

A very useful guide to running a campiagn (as in single issue, not political party) blog from Humantide. Full of meaty good advice.

The Ministry of Truth on the Prescott/Anschutz story. A great primer and backgrounder on the whole thing and a series of further questions to try and get to the bottom of it all.

The Planning Blog on a meeting at the House of Commons on the Labour movement in Iraq.

From last week, two I missed. Paul at The Sharpener and Robert Sharp both lost out to something rather dreary over that old question of national identity and Britishness.

Fascinating memoir from Adil, who describes himself as an "ex-Muslim" on 7/7 and visiting London.

SuzBlog on how to save water: an updated version of the brick in the cistern. My personal reaction is that if a brick was good enough for grandpa.....also, the modern version is made out of plastic. But what about the oiiiiilllll!?

My London Your London reviews Antony and Cleopatra at The Globe.

Philobiblon (who is, in case you hadn’t heard, now something quite posh at al-Guardian) on poetry and the changing tastes in such.

Antonia Bance on Labout Party meetings: no, you don’t have to be Labour to recognise the characters. The clothes and the hairstyles might change across the political spectrum but not the characters.

A fascinating little piece of history in the Kennet Valley. I’m not quite sure about the year referred to though. Empress? Stephen and Matilda?

Nee Naw reveals that he was the ambulance dispatcher who took that very first call on 7/7 a year ago. He got to meet Tony Blair as well, but into each life some rain must fall.

Purple Elephants Corner doesn’t hold with these public silences (mawkish displays). I’m not so sure about the first anniversary of 7/7 but the Dianathon did indeed enrage me.

The Huntress is irked by Grazia Magazine. The way she describes the rag it doesn’t surprise me in the least.

Little Red Boat on being happy, in love and not thin. My own reaction to that trio was to buy a bicycle which got rid of the happiness part quickly enough but perhaps that won’t work for everyone.

Sunny at Pickled Politics on the inanity of the way in which "Muslim Spokesmen" are selected by hte TV stations for debates.

Grumpy Old Bookman on the fascinating little bits and pieces of fiction you can find around the net.

Diamond Geezer takes us around the Olympic area of London. What’s being ripped up to make way for the new.

Tom Reynolds on the problems with the new guidelines for who treats what in the NHS. Is it really a good idea to get people who are not doctors diagnosing?

Liberal England is most amusing in taking apart Ben Bradshaw’s highly distinguished career.

Charlie Whittaker takes issue with something of The Great Leader’s. I think he nails him, actually.

DoctorVee hasn’t quite got the hand of this seasons thing yet. Hates, hates, summer.

ConservativeHome gives the real reasons why John Prescott should go. Oddly, sex isn’t one of them.

The NHSBlogDoctor on another stunning outbreak of competence in NHS management. One guilty of serious professional misconduct to sift the diagnoses, a thief in charge of the budget. Remarkable.

The Anglo Saxon Chronicle on the Boy Dave’s new concern for yoof. Plus a new book.

Stumbling and Mumbling compares abortion to financial options. Both disturbing and immensely elucidating. A must read in fact.

And that’s it for this week, keep surfing and send in the URLs for next week’s ...until then:

Toodle Pip!