My son, Jack (15), has today completed a 50-mile cycle ride in aid of Cancer Research UK. Apart from being a proud parent, this is also a very worthy cause. So, well done, Jack. I will report his fund-raising in due course but, any donations will be very gratefully received, go to:Jack's Cycle Ride

News released today told of a 5 year old boy in Sussex, England who managed to drive for four miles in his step-fathers 4x4, before being brought to a halt.
Apparently, after taking the keys from his sleeping mother’s handbag, Thomas Chatfield managed to reverse, yes reverse (!), the vehicle off the drive before embarking on his epic journey, mainly along country roads near Chichester.
That manoeuvre alone makes him a pretty competent driver but, it is said that passers-by were alerted by his erratic driving.
Erratic? In what way? Maybe he was indicating when turning? That would have made him stand-out, because that’s more than most adult drivers manage to achieve!

An outstanding piece of work has just been released by The Work Foundation.
Exceeding Expectation: the principles of outstanding leadership
Click on the link to download the report. After 2 years of extensive research, the results show that people-centric leadership is proven to be the most effective way to successful business results.
It is well worth a read.

Is it any wonder that many people feel that our ‘society’ is crumbling and, as a result, they are disillusioned with future prospects for improvement? Yesterday’s news only served to illustrate what the problem is…poor leadership!
Example 1) Reports coming out of the Iraq War Inquiry seem to be indicating that we were misled by our Prime Minister, Tony Blair, as to the reality of the situation in that country. If that proves to be the case, then it is an outrage that someone in such a position would abuse the trust placed in them.
Example 2) Families of victims of the July 7 bombings in London have been treated to the prospect of having to face the Inquest alongside the families of the spineless murderous bombers; the lawyer due to head the Inquest claiming that their hands are tied. Garbage! Those responsible should take a long hard look at themselves, for treating the relatives of those cruelly lost in the atrocities with such disdain.
Example 3) It transpires that members of the management team from the Phoenix Group, who took over MG Rover, milked millions and millions of pounds from the business, before it went bust and many people lost their jobs. These people are as spineless as the London bombers, and then they have the temerity to offer to repay just a few million. How magnanimous of them! I don’t know how they sleep at night!
Example 4) This one takes the biscuit! The Catholic hierarchy in Ireland was granted immunity, to cover up child sex abuse among paedophile priests in Dublin. I need say no more; collusion between the police and the church to cover up such abhorrent crimes. As well as the police, the whole Catholic Church should hang their heads in shame. Their very existence is built upon the premise that we should adopt Christian virtues and do the right thing. Really? Why should we ever again pay attention to any one of its leaders – a travesty of language in the circumstances?
So, there we have it. Government, the Judiciary, the Police, the Church and Business leaders, all guilty of an abuse of position, and failing those that they serve. Indeed, some of those institutions are looked up to, by members of the public, for guidance and strength. I’m afraid the moral backbone is broken and, until we get some real leadership from someone, the future does indeed look bleak!

Whilst the programme itself was a glorious missed opportunity, the BBC is to be congratulated for last night’s Question Time, dominated by the controversial appearance of the BNP leader, Nick Griffin. Congratulated on two counts: firstly by resurrecting the British public’s interest in politics – so badly damaged by the MP’s expenses scandal – and, secondly, providing them with one of those rare events that polarises opinion so markedly.
Everyone is talking about the programme, and it dominates the day-time media. I have just listened to two members of the public rowing, on a radio talk-in, about Jack Straw’s father. Wonderful! The significance of that is not in its subject matter but, in the mere fact that passions have once again been aroused; the importance of that should not be under-estimated. It is crucial that we, as a nation, are not allowed to become apathetic.
However, what disturbs me is that our senior politicians are still failing to comprehend the subliminal message which, I believe, is being sent by those who do protest-vote for the BNP. That message is that people, generally, are fed-up of feeling marginalised by globalisation and that our elected members of parliament are failing to appropriately inform, consult and represent us on key issues.
It is, in fairness, a two-way street. If we do not as a body of people show an interest in politics – turn-outs of fewer than 50% in any election is frankly pathetic – then we do not deserve good quality representation. However, in return for our engagement, we should be entitled to our representatives displaying leadership, integrity and moral fortitude.
This is where I feel last night’s programme was a missed opportunity. Once again we were treated to a session of politics with no substance, because the modus operandi was to attack others – predominantly on this occasion Griffin and the BNP. When is a politician going to have the backbone to display the characteristics that I have just mentioned and tell us what their party is actually going to do to help us recover from this recession, get people back to work, address the failing health and education programmes and properly tackle law and order?
As a result, being a supporter of no particular party, those on the panel from our three major parties did nothing to grasp the nettle and tell me why I should vote for them next year. Political activists need to learn the lesson fast; otherwise this newly-generated passion will soon be lost again. Carpe Diem!