Palestine
I was in Strasbourg last week attending the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). The highlight of the week was the visit of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday. I was delighted that the Assembly had agreed on the first day to grant “Partner for Democracy” status for the Palestinian National Council. However it was disappointing to hear from Manchester that whilst PACE was welcoming the Palestinians into the Council of Europe; on the same day the Conservative Home Secretary in her Tory Conference speech was besmirching the European Court of Human Rights with a contemptible speech prepared for and pitched at the xenophobic rightwing inside and outside the conference hall. The spat that followed between the Justice Secretary and the Home Secretary exposed a tension inside Cabinet amongst Conservatives that Nick Clegg may find difficulty reconciling with.
Stuck in lift
My busy week did not go without its hitches. I managed to get stuck in my Strasbourg hotel lift along with a Labour Peer and a Labour Knight of the realm. Our 30 minute ordeal ended for the three Amigos (Lord Prescott, Sir Alan Meale MP and yours truly) when we were rescued by a gallant hotel porter and a screwdriver.
Palestine
Palestine
I was in Strasbourg last week attending the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). The highlight of the week was the visit of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday. I was delighted that the Assembly had agreed on the first day to grant “Partner for Democracy” status for the Palestinian National Council. However it was disappointing to hear from Manchester that whilst PACE was welcoming the Palestinians into the Council of Europe; on the same day the Conservative Home Secretary in her Tory Conference speech was besmirching the European Court of Human Rights with a contemptible speech prepared for and pitched at the xenophobic rightwing inside and outside the conference hall. The spat that followed between the Justice Secretary and the Home Secretary exposed a tension inside Cabinet amongst Conservatives that Nick Clegg may find difficulty reconciling with.
Stuck in lift
My busy week did not go without its hitches. I managed to get stuck in my Strasbourg hotel lift along with a Labour Peer and a Labour Knight of the realm. Our 30 minute ordeal ended for the three Amigos (Lord Prescott, Sir Alan Meale MP and yours truly) when we were rescued by a gallant hotel porter and a screwdriver.