On the Scottish Referendum

For eighteen months the Scottish people have been able to ponder the referendum question, “Should Scotland be an independent country?”. The people voted to stay part of the UK on 18 September 2014 with the No vote winning by 55% to 45%. Whoever heard of a country voting to be governed by another?

The Yes side was gaining on the No side and could indeed have overtaken them by the date of the vote. On the weekend before the referendum the lates poll showed the Yes side ahead for the first time. Panic ensued and Prime Minister David Cameron, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and leader of the Labour Party Ed Milliband rushed up to Scotland offering new powers for a No vote, in what they called “The Vow”. Lots of us could see that offer for what it was, a disingenuous knee-jerk reaction and political game playing of the highest order.

Move forward to the day after the referendum and David Cameron makes a speech that links more powers to Scotland to reform of powers in England, a shifting of the goal posts that already has the Yes voters saying, “I told you so”. This only goes to harden my belief that politicians are shameless liars.

Yet I need to move on from this otherwise I am consigning myself to cynicism and nihilism and I don’t want that for my children or for my yet as unborn grandchildren.  I have never been a member of a political party, in part because my experience of politicians and political parties is that they are self-seeking. However such is my astonishment at the vote that I have decided to overcome this and join the Scottish National Party (SNP).

I know I am not alone here and I hope that with the support of many other like minded people we can build a better Scotland from within.

Diamond Bob Plunders Mines

This is a somewhat belated comment on the saga that is banker Bob Diamond. I noted in a previous post last year that bankers were awarding themselves mega bonuses despite being publicly owned and performing badly. Well it is starting to come home to roost. Barclays chief executive Diamond Bob resigned on 3 July, a week after the bank was fined a record amount (£290 million) for trying to manipulate inter-bank lending rates (Libor). Staff did this over a number of years, trying to raise them for profit and then, during the financial crisis, lowering them to hide the level to which Barclays was under financial stress. Diamond was one of the highest paid chief executives, earning £20 million last year, and was described as "the unacceptable face" of banking by the then business secretary Lord Mendelson in 2010. diamond's severance package could net him another £20 to £30 million.

Diamond's tenure was criticised for his level of pay, his perceived lack of humility or modesty, and for being the bank's chief executive at a time when a number of malpractices were identified within the bank.

Outraged, but not surprised, the activities of these bankers was described by the chair of the Financial Services Authority as follows:

"The cynical greed of traders asking their colleagues to falsify their Libor submissions so that they could make bigger profits - has justifiably shocked and angered people, in particular when we are facing hard economic times provoked by the financial crisis." Chancellor George Osbourne welcomed his resignation and said that he hoped it was the "first step towards a new culture of responsibility" in banking.

Investigations are continuing in the UK and the US into other banks over Libor fixing, including criminal investigations by the Department of Justice. The Serious Fraud Office in the UK is looking into possible criminal prosecutions.

Barclays and controversy are not however new bedfellows. In the 1980s it had continued involvement in South Africa during the apartheid regime. Barclays also helped to fund Robert Mugabe's murderous regime in Zimbabwe by providing £30 million pound for land reforms that seized farmland and kicked people out of their homes. In March 2009 Barclays was accused of violating anti money laundering laws and in the same month documents appeared on the website "WikiLeaks". They showed how the bank manage to create an elaborate circuit of transactions that amounted to nearly £1 billion of tax avoidance. In 2010 the Wall Street Journal described how Barclays and other banks were helping the Iranian government carry out financial transactions during trade restrictions. In February 2012 the bank had to pay the UK government £500 million in tax which it had tried to avoid.

On 18 August a report by the Government's Treasury Select Committee blames bank bosses for "disgraceful" behaviour. They also criticise the regulatory supervision by Financial Services Authority and the Bank of England. They called for ugrents improvements in the way banks are run and regulated. Bob Diamond appeared before the committee to give evidence which was described as "highly selective" and "fell well short of the standard that Parliament expects, particulalry from such an experienced and senior witness." Barclays was accused of trying to pull the wool over their eyes by giving them the impression that the Bank of England approved inaccurate Libor submissions. They described this as a smokescreen to distract attention away from their internal practices.

On 30 August 2012, Antony Jenkins was appointed to replace Diamond Bob. He pledged that he will change the culture and said his first task was to "stabilise the organisation." Jenkins has kept a low profile and insiders say he is a serious and dedicated banker. He is said to be a conservative family man that will never appear in the gossip columns. Whether he can now reform the destructive culture that has built up at Barclays remains to be seen.

So far Barclays is the only bank which has been identified as submitting false Libor reports. Other banks are known to be under investigation.

Dundee Shops - Gone But Not Forgotten - David Low

If sporting goods was your thing then David Low in Commercial Street was the place to go. On four floors, this shop had all the football equipment on the ground floor. I remember buying replacement screw in studs for my football boots there regularly.

My first memory of the store though was when its City Centre store was at the corner of Seagate and Gellatly Street. This location came to be most remembered for being the home of Chalmers & Joy the record store but before that it was David Low's small sports shop. I got my very first tangerine Dundee United kit there. Later it moved to Commercial Street for which it was best known but I must have been pretty young when I got my kit from the Gellatly Street shop. I also remember them having another shop on Strathmartine Road near the Derby Street Multis and can remember getting an all-white Leeds United kit there.

This ad is thought to date from 1971. 

Dundee Has Much To Shout About

Well I’ve lamented the City of Dundee in so many previous posts that it is a welcome opportunity to comment on something positive. The regeneration of the waterfront has already started. You can begin to see the layout and visualise what it will look like when finished. The realignment of the entrances to the Tay Road Bridge is well established and nearby the demolition of the former Tayside Regional Council headquarters, Tayside House is progressing.  In order to avoid damage to the railway tunnel below, the use of explosives is not permitted.  Therefore we are seeing a gradual eating away of the building from top to bottom by a huge piece of demolition plant called “The Muncher”. This has attracted a lot of local attention and TV presenter Lorraine Kelly has tweeted her joy that the building will soon disappear.

Further along the road the former and once grand Tay Hotel turned doss house has been given a major renovation and make-over by hotel chain Malmaison.  This will return a once fine building to its former glory.

The Olympia swimming baths recently allowed people to come in for free in the final week before closing for business and are now part of Dundee history. The replacement, also called Olympia is ready to open and videos of the pool and slides have been circulating on Facebook.

All of these will play a supporting role to the most major project in Dundee in my life time, the V&A Design Museum.  The original plan was to locate the building in the River Tay, as though it appeared floating but this has been amended (due to cost) and now it will occupy the site that will be vacated by the old Olympia.

The bid to be the UK City of Culture for 2017 has added further excitement as it was announced that Dundee has made the shortlist of four alongside Swansea, Leicester and Hull. Having been lambasted for so many years, it is a good time to be in Dundee.

http://www.thecourier.co.uk/news/local/dundee/dundee-makes-uk-city-of-culture-shortlist-1.104322

Dundee has made the shortlist for the UK City of Culture in 2017 — but east coast rival Aberdeen is out of the running.  It will now compete against Hull, Leicester and Swansea Bay in the final run-in for the prestigious prize.

The only other Scottish entry, that of Aberdeen, failed to make the shortlist after a total of 11 bids were considered by an independent advisory panel chaired by Phil Redmond.  However, it looks like Dundee has ground to make up if it hopes to claim the prize after bookies installed Swansea as the favourite.

William Hill make Swansea their 2/1 narrow favourite to win the coveted accolade. Leicester is 9/4, Hull 11/4 and Dundee is the 7/2 outsider. “The shortlist is very strong and all four are very much in with a chance,” said William Hill spokesman Rupert Adams. “Swansea has been the best backed and starts as our favourite but the betting is very close.” The other failed contenders were Chester, East Kent, Hastings and Bexhill on Sea, Plymouth, Portsmouth and Southampton, and Southend-on-Sea.

Culture Minister Ed Vaizey said: “I want to congratulate the four shortlisted cities who have made it this far, and indeed all 11 cities who put time and great effort into submitting bids. “The events in Derry-Londonderry over recent weeks highlight just how much of an impact being ‘City of Culture’ can have. “It brings together communities, encourages economic growth, and inspires social change and the shortlisted cities should be very proud of the bids they have put together so far.”

Mr Redmond added: “It was incredibly difficult to decide on a shortlist as all the bids recognised the power of culture to bring about social change and offered innovative and interesting programmes.

“In the end the panel thought the four short listed cities offered plans that were ambitious, realistic and would not only deliver for their communities, but would also maintain the momentum created around the success of Derry-Londonderry.”

Southend’s failure will be a particular disappointment for Tory MP David Amess.  Mr Amess (60), who represents Southend West, reportedly said: “I have looked at some of the competition and frankly they are absolute dumps some of them. I better not say more because I’ll get into trouble, but I really think it is Southend which jumps out.”

Signs of Getting Old

In the free Metro newspaper of 18 June there is a small article called "Top 50 Signs Of  Getting Old". Not all of them apply to me but some do and I've added in some of my own.

Finding shop assistants rude when they speak to each other whilst serving you

Thinking doctors, police officers and school teachers look about 12 years of age

Gasping for a cup of tea

Developing an interest in gardening

Walking out of a shop when the service isn't good enough

Needing an early evening nap

Driving more slowly than you used to

Feeling stiff

Complaining about the rubbish on TV

Developing your gadgie radar

Only tipping a restaurant when you feel they deserve it

Watching antiques programmes on TV

The Horsemeat Scandal

If 2013 is to be characterised by anything then perhaps the horsemeat scandal will be its defining moment.  Customers were shocked to discover that their supermarket beef burgers contained anything up to 100% horsemeat.  Then it was discovered that Findus brand lasagne neighed rather than moos and Tesco’s own branded spaghetti was more bolog-neighs than anything else.

After nearly a month in the news, Britain's horsemeat scandal shows no signs of abating, with the Food Standards Agency now calling for a "relentless" inquiry into how non-beef products ended up in supermarket burgers and big-brand processed food.  But are consumers starting to shun processed meat products - and the supermarkets that sell them?  Certainly there is a growing chorus of politicians - from all sides - urging families to abandon supermarkets in favour of independent family butchers.  Former Labour environment minister Ben Bradshaw has said he would not buy or eat processed beef products, because the government cannot offer assurances about what is in them.

"If people want to be confident about the meat they're eating they should buy fresh British meat, preferably local and from a trusted source," he said.  And Tory MP George Eustice - a member of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs select committee - said: "There's growing concern about the provenance of meat products.  This latest scare over horsemeat is the latest in a long line of similar problems.

"If people want to know for sure where their beef or pork comes from, their best bet is to support their local butcher, who will know where their meat is sourced."

There is some evidence - disputed by the supermarkets - that consumers are beginning to change their shopping habits.  Consultancy firm Kantar polled 6,221 people on 11 February - the day Tesco confirmed some of its spaghetti bolognaise products contained horsemeat.  Their results suggested one third of consumers were less likely to buy processed meat because of the horsemeat scandal, with 13% saying they intended to buy more locally sourced meat, and 5% intending to buy less meat altogether.

Independent butchers are also reporting a boost in demand - particularly for processed meat such as mince and burgers.  The Q Guild - which represents 110 of the "highest quality butchers in the UK" said freshly made beef burger sales have increased by up to 30%.  And Roger Kelsey - chief executive of the 13,000 member National Federation of Meat & Food Traders (NFMFT), said there was "definite evidence" consumers were looking for alternative supplies.  He estimated his members had enjoyed a 10-15% boost in their business since mid-January, with anything up to a 50% increase in the demand for sausages, mince and burgers.

The figures are challenged by the British Retail Consortium (BRC), which represents UK supermarkets.  BRC spokesman Richard Dodd said: "Our retailers say they haven't seen any big changes in buying patterns, although there has been more interest in burgers made of fresh meat, rather than frozen."  One of the main reasons advanced for why supermarkets and big brands like Findus have fallen victim to the horsemeat scandal is the length, and complexity, of their supply chains.

Rising beef prices and a public preference for cheap food were contributory factors leading to the horsemeat scandal, food industry experts say.  Beef and veal prices have risen by more than 45% across Europe over the past five years, according to the European Commission, while the global auction price for beef has topped $5,300 (£3,500) a tonne.  Horsemeat, by contrast, currently costs about $1,200 a tonne.

"It is clear that rising beef prices and the relative cheapness of horsemeat have led some people to see the potential for making big profits through fraud," says Peter Hardwick, head of trade development at Eblex, the English beef and sheep industry body.  Mr Hardwick believes the financial pressure on meat producers, who operate at profit margins of 5% and below compared with double-digit margins for retailers, may have also contributed to the problem.  "There isn't cheap beef to be found anywhere," he says. "But we still believe that ready meals can be made as cheaply as they always have been."

Despite soaring beef prices, ready meals containing beef mince have not risen in price accordingly, even though the meat is their most expensive ingredient.  For example, the average chilled ready meal costs £2.31, up just 4% over the past three years, roughly in line with food inflation, according to research from retail analyst Kantar Worldpanel.

Meanwhile, our love affair with the ready meal continues apace.  Almost nine out of 10 UK households now buy them, despite a study published in the British Medical Journal in December 2012 finding that not one of 100 meals tested fully complied with World Health Organisation nutritional guidelines.  The cheapness and convenience of chilled ready meals in particular has led to sales growing almost 10% per year over the past three years.  Frozen meals are a bit less popular, but spending on these has also risen over the same period.

To put this into context, we now spend £74bn a year on food, yet spending on food and non-alcoholic drinks as a proportion of household expenditure has fallen dramatically from 24% in 1963 to just 9% in 2012, according to the Office for National Statistics.

How can we explain this apparent paradox?

"Food is cheaper in real terms than it has ever been," says Richard Dodd, spokesman for the British Retail Consortium (BRC).  "But it has become so affordable because we've become much more efficient in agriculture, production and retailing.  "Yes, we spend much less of our disposable income on food these days, but this is related to rising incomes and the increased affordability of food."

Intense supermarket competition has educated the British shopper to expect cheap food, says Richard Stevenson, technical manager of the National Federation of Meat and Food Traders, the body representing most High Street butchers.

More than 90% of British consumers still consider price an important factor when shopping for food, according to Kantar Worldpanel, compared with 73% who take health into consideration.  Just 32% of shoppers consider whether the product has been sourced through fair trade and only 22% care whether or not it is organic.

Tesco, Asda, Co-op, Morrisons, Lidl, Iceland and Aldi have all withdrawn burgers and beef mince ready meals as a result of the scandal.  Manufacturers such as Findus and Birds Eye have taken similar steps.

Yet, the Food Standards Agency says more than 99% of 3,634 tests carried on processed minced beef products contained no horse DNA at or above the 1% level.  The 13 products that did, have already been withdrawn from sale.  The BRC says that its member retailers have completed more than 90% of their tests, and that out of 1,500 completed since 20 January, only six proved positive.  

"I'm encouraged by these updated results which confirm how few products have been involved and that any that were have already been removed," says BRC director general Helen Dickinson.

New DNA testing regimes notwithstanding, the intense financial pressure on the meat and food processing industries is expected to only increase while shoppers continue to expect cheap, convenient processed foods made from raw ingredients whose prices continue to rise in the global marketplace.

Headlight Fury

Why are so many cars running around with a busted headlight? I seem to becoming more aware of this and every night I see at least 3 cars where one headlight is dimmed or not working at all. It's really irking me.