1.0Sgwrs Tei Bowhttps://www.clarkeroberts.co.uk/cyClarke Robertshttps://www.clarkeroberts.co.uk/cy/author/clarke-roberts/rich600338<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="tmaMKRPzVB"><a href="https://www.clarkeroberts.co.uk/cy/2011/01/16/milliband-strikes-or-maybe-not/">Milliband strikes! Or maybe not…</a></blockquote><iframe sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" src="https://www.clarkeroberts.co.uk/cy/2011/01/16/milliband-strikes-or-maybe-not/embed/#?secret=tmaMKRPzVB" width="600" height="338" title="“Milliband strikes! Or maybe not…” — Bow Tie Talks" data-secret="tmaMKRPzVB" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" class="wp-embedded-content"></iframe><script> /*! This file is auto-generated */ !function(d,l){"use strict";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&"undefined"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!/[^a-zA-Z0-9]/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),c=new RegExp("^https?:$","i"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display="none";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute("style"),"height"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):"link"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute("src")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener("message",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll("iframe.wp-embedded-content"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute("data-secret"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+="#?secret="+t,e.setAttribute("data-secret",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:"ready",secret:t},"*")},!1)))}(window,document); //# sourceURL=https://www.clarkeroberts.co.uk/wp-includes/js/wp-embed.min.js </script>Good afternoon fellow readers, how are you doing? I actually put off writing this blog until today as I thought the contents of the Trinity ramble may have fried your brains, if you’d read it. Even if not, I just thought I’d give a quick analysis (wrong word perhaps?) of this week’s Labour victory in the Oldham by-election. I actually feel quite guilty. Being a member of the Lib Dems I get invited to all sorts of meetings and really cool things of the political type, one such thing included an invitation to campaign in Oldham; an invitation I did not accept. Firstly because I was unsure of exactly where Oldham was and secondly, being a student I hardly have to the time to go galavanting off around the country to help my political party win a by-election. Needless to say the Labour victory was helped by my absence…clearly. One thing that had me thinking however, was the apparent over-reaction by the British media to this, seemingly insignificant by-election result. Labour already had the seat and the only reason there was a re-election was because the MP who won it originally had been deemed to have ran an illegal campaign; so Labour win again – not exactly a huge shock now is it? Secondly, I remember reading or hearing somewhere people saying how this was going to be a sign of things to come – the coalition was loosing the faith of the population and it further demonstrated the weakness of the government. Let’s just put something into perspective. It’s one by-election. It’s not going to determine the outcome of the next general election. A lot can happen in five years time and in the words of my dad, if the Tories manage to pull us out of the shit financially then we’ll all be singing their praises and we’ll probably vote them in again. We’re going through difficult times at the moment, times which, under a Labour government would’ve been postponed until later this year; people forget this. In a recession cuts are inevitable and so the government can’t really be blamed. Yes they’re harsh but they’re necessary. As for the Lib Dems well, what can I say? I think the current leadership has a lot to answer for. I’m not suggesting I’m opposed to the decisions they’ve made (actually on the contrary), but it does appear to be a Conservative majority government – there’s hardly any evidence of a coalition. Any way, I’ve strayed off topic. In other news, there’s now a subscription feature on the site so you can now keep up to date with any posts via email. Of course I still tweet them and post them on Facebook, it’s just a nice feature to have. Anyway, I need to go plan/start writing another essay – this time on the New Age Movement, how exciting? Peace y’all.http://images.newstatesman.com/articles/2011//20110114_20101208_104532988(3)_w_w.jpg