IRAQ FREEDOM?
Tony Blair's surprise visit to Baghdad today demonstrated that he's determined to make sure he's at the forefront of publicity if the new government succeeds. After a laborious five months of negotiations, Iraq finally has a government. For those who aren't sure who's who, take a look at the guide below....
Nouri Maliki is the PM and acting Interior Minister.
Barham Salih is the Deputy PM and acting National Security minister.
Salam Zaubai is the Deputy PM and acting Defence Minister.
Hussain Al-Shahristani is the Oil Minister.
Hoshiyar Zebari is the Foreign Minister.
Hashim Al-Shebli is the Justice Minister.
For a full list of Who's who in the Iraq cabinet, have a look on the BBC website.

WASTING POLICE TIME
I have just found a press release from the Conservative website stating that 'merging' the police force is actually shorthand for 'cutting the police force'. According to the source, plans are to replace full-time police officers with cheaper community support officers. What must be understood is that PCSOs have few powers compared to fully trained police officers. They are there simply to show an authoritative presence to the public. Shadow Home Secretary, David Davis pointed out that the public has paid for additional police recruiting, through higher council tax bills while the Government have been happy to brag about increasing the number of officers on the beat. Unfortunately, PSCOs are useless to help in the fight against crime. Without fully trained police officers (sorry Tony, they're more expensive), there is no way crime will be cut.

POLICE PRESSURE

A Populus survey has shown that a staggering 58 per cent of the population disagree with the government's proposals to merge police forces in England and Wales. Yet the government is storming ahead with its proposals. Does this really show that the government listens to the peoples' voices? Although the key thinker in police merger, David Blunkett, fell (or was rather pushed) from his post, Blair is continuing his plans to merge police forces around the UK and Wales (excluding London and Manchester). A Government Green Paper published last year said smaller forces would be amalgamated and replaced with "strategic forces" capable of dealing with policing in the 21st century, including neighbourhood crime, public disorder and organised crime. Will this poll stop the government in its tracks? Will Blair's ministers realise that it's now time to listen to the people it is meant to be representing?

MORE TAXES? SURELY NOT...

Why does every single luxury in life have to be ripped from our clutches? The Lib Dems' newest endeavor to get money out of us, is through the item that has become a commodity. 73 per cent of households in the UK own at least one, and it's something most take for granted. Yes,that's right, the Lib Dems have decided to begin car tax increase campaigns. However, like council tax, income tax, and just about everything else tax, it's going to sting those that have a higher income than those in lower bands. Annual road tax could increase to £2,000 per year (10 times the current rate) to attempt to slow down global warming. This would only apply to 'high-end cars' such as BMW's, and 4x4's. Most of the 'high-end cars' on the road are company cars - so will this really affect the roads?

JAMIE'S SCHOOL DINNERS

OK, when I was at school there was none of this 'Turkey Twizzlers' lark. In fact, we had a pretty healthy menu - fresh ingredients, freshly made. Even at secondary school there was a healthy option (although not many 16-year-olds chose the heathy option). Where has this junk food generation appeared from? With education cuts it's not surprising schools are forced to resort to low-cost unhealthy foods, but surely this is what the government should be concentrating on, rather than concentrating on creating a class-based education system? Alan Johnson's nutrition guidelines are fair enough on paper, but will it work in practice? Only if schools get more funding - again, the education reforms mean that schools funded by rich parents will benefit, and children will get a more balanced menu, compared to the schools funded by the government.

EDUCATION, EDUCATION, EDUCATION!

After working in a school recently taken over with special measures, it is easy to understand why children do not have the motivation to do well. It is not simply a discipline issue. Teachers seldom have the time to encourage lower achieving pupils to develop in the subjects they excel at or enjoy. This is not a problem on the teaching staff’s part. A shortage and high turnover in staff mean that many teachers are under strain. It is hard to comprehend how the Education White paper will improve the situation. Instead, leaving the schools in poorer areas to suffer with little funding, while richer parents subsidise education is better-off areas will intensify the situation.

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