Plenty to ponder over Pickles planning pledge

THE FRIDAY THING: TORY MPs, fearful of losing their comfortable seats in the next election (and with Osborne and Cameron on their side they have every right to be fearful) are threatening to oppose Eric Pickles’ barmy plan to allow extensions to be built no matter what the neighbours think about it.

Up to now, such issues have been determined by council planning teams, not overweight politicians.

I know council planners don’t always get everything right and have been responsible for some gross messes in the past, but on this issue they are firmly behind those residents who do not want a 20ft extension on their neighbour’s home.

The extension plan is, unfortunately, government policy, which is why so many MPs are getting increasingly twitchy about it. Most of them want to vote against, but are aware that going against the party line could earn them more than black looks. Going against Government policy is not exactly the best way to endear oneself to those who hold power.

Apparently it will take up to 50 Tory MPs to rebel, so it will come down a question of seat against sanity. Let’s hope there are enough Tory MPs with the common sense to see the Pickles plan stays in the jar.


IT is not surprising that a largely unheard of body, the Equality and Human Rights Commission, has announced its presence by going public with a dose of daftness.
The Commission says now it has given permission for Christians to wear a crucifix at work (which should never been an issue in the first place) everyone else should have certain rights too.

These new freedoms mean Druids, pagans, vegans, atheists and vegetarians should all have the right to demonstrate their differences.

Vegetarians, for instance, can refuse to clean fridges with meat in them and bosses have to adapt working conditions for anyone who has a faith or belief.

Workers can down tools and go on pilgrimages and green ecologists can be excused from duties that increase CO2 emissions, such as flying to business meetings (though flying to a holiday will probably be OK).

But what about those who believe in Manchester United, or are sensible enough to follow City? They can wear their colours but can they have time off work to pay homage to their team?

And what about fishermen, gamblers, those who sweat chunks of their body worshipping the god of fitness in the gym, road runners, cyclists, horse rider or those devoted to the telly?

I am sure that each of us, if we thought for long enough, could come up with a belief that demonstrates our personal equality rights.


Last word: Cookery programmes are hugely popular on TV but some meals are plainly not for the squeamish. Apparently the Royal Recipe Book suggests that Henry VIII was a regular scoffer of goats testicles mashed up with marjoram and moulded into the shape of an apple.
That was the cringe of the week until I came across a story about a women who had just given birth to a 15lb baby. Now that really did bring tears to my eyes and added to my eternal gratitude that I was born a man at a not inconsiderable 10lb 6ozs.