Much has happened since my last post

I realise that it has been over two years since I last posted to this Blog, and that therefore it is high time that I set down what has been going on in that time.

As readers will already know I got married in February 2008 to the wonderfully yummy Mrs F.

But looking back on the 24 months since my last post I realise that I have actually done rather a lot of very nice and enjoyable things, as well as working long hours and the occasional weekend.

So on the job front I have, of course, moved jobs and departments again and in October 2008 moved from UKTI to the parent department of BERR / BIS and became Private Secretary to the Minister for Communication, Broadcasting and Technology. This was a real step up, and although I already had some experience of working in Private Office from a three day stint in the Home Secretary's private office this was different. I was responsible for distinct policy areas in a Ministerial office working flat out on the production of a white paper in the technology sector.

Whilst the work was hard, at times stressful and occasionally tedious there were definite high points.

Meeting interesting people, seeing the workings of government up close and personal, getting to see how Brussels works and visiting Finland and China count as just a few things I will look back on with a smile.

The China trip was hard work in that it was four days non-stop, but it was a trip I would not have wanted to miss. I came away from China with a realisation that just as Moscow and Washington DC had set the tone for the second half of the Twentieth Century - and therefore the environment in which my parents and I had grown up; it would be Washington DC and Beijing setting the global tone for the first half of the Twenty-First Century. Europe has, I think, not yet quite realised this at a societal level and at the political level is groping around in the gloom trying to figure out what this means.

As 2010 rolls on, I am still in Private Office but working for the Minister for Digital Britain and trying to get the Digital Economy Bill through Parliament. It has been considered in the House of Lords at all stages and is shortly to be debate in the House of Commons. Much debate both inside and outside Parliament has taken place on the issues in the Bill, but my personal view is that it is a balanced package and is certainly not the last time the issues faced in the changing multi channel digital world will be looked at my the executive and legislative branches of government.

On the personal front the last two years with the wonderfully yummy Mrs F have flown by, and in part that is because we have found ourselves spending a lot of time in the air heading out of Heathrow. We have spent a week in a villa in the South of France with close friends, in New York for another close friends wedding, in central Europe visiting relatives and parents and in New York for our anniversary.

However, it has not been all work and no play. As apart from the travel detailed in the paragraph above we have seen a few films - although not as many as Mrs F would like - and been to the theatre and some concerts. On the concert front we have just booked tickets for Hardrock Calling in Hyde Park and can not wait to see Stevie Wonder rock the park.

I have been running to keep fit and sking in France, Switzerland and Italy, whilst there have been some drunken escapades at some of the parties we have thrown.

So to the present we are house hunting as it is time we bought somewhere together, so watch this space for more updates in the future.

April catchup

I have been thinking about what I would want to write about, and whether I would muse about UK, European, American or international politics. After some thought I decided to muse about all of these things.

Firstly, the UK is holding local elections on May 3 everywhere excluding London. I was in Edinburgh for work earlier this week and the bill boards were plastered with election adverts from all the parties. However, the slogan that jumped out of me was an item of graffiti on the side of a petrol station. An anarchist had tagged "Democracy is Overrated." I am sure they missed the irony that Churchill had once said something similar, but followed up with "until one has tried the alternatives." Scottish politics is strange. On one level it is parochial and self centered, and is quite happy to have high social spending without having to pay for it. At the same time the SNP claims the oil is Scotland's - ignoring that the oil majors are not - and that an independent Scotland would repeat the Irish tiger economy. The SNP has never come clean that this is only as a result of massive EU fund transfers, and took 20 years. Looking at the polls I think it is quite possible that the SNP will emerge from the election as the largest party but without a majority. The other parties will refuse to work with them, leaving the SNP to either govern alone or the need to hold another election 28 days later. Primarily an SNP win would be a protest vote against an unpopular government rather than a positive vote for independence.

European affairs this week are dominated by the French Presidential election. I hope for the French that Le Pen doesn't make the second round, but I fear he will. In terms of over all victor I hope Sarko becomes President as he alone seems to be telling the most truth to the French electorate. I read that at a common view of France is that it can't be reformed, but simply moves between revolutions. I don't think the V Republic will end, but at the same time something needs to be done to restore French economic growth and self belief in a positive direction. The French Anti-Americanism of recent years has long roots - as discussed by Justin Webb at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6547881.stm - restoring French economic growth / social pride and integration and a Sarko Presidency might just turn France around to a more grown up approach to the country with which it has the closest cultural values.

American affairs for me aren't summed up by the tragic events at VTech, but by the silence of those Democrat Senators who aren't facing re-election for four or six years on gun control. The Dems have decided that gun control is the fifth rail as far as their chances of winning the Presidency, but this is supine. They could develop a platform that defends the right of the citizenry to protect themselves, whilst stressing the first part of the Second Amendment with regard to a well regulated milita and that this means that weapons such as AK47s and semi-automatics pistols have no place in the hands of the private citizen. In addition gun shows would not be allowed to sell weapons for take home on site. Will this happen - no. Should it - yes. However, for me the bigger story from America is the Washington scandle around the Attorney General and his inability to clearly explain why he sacked the US Attorneys. I read two good articles on this - one at Salon and the other at Slate.

http://salon.com/news/feature/2007/04/20/gonzales/

http://www.slate.com/id/2164652?nav=tap3

Should the President sack the AG - yes. Will he, unlikely.

Internationally, well Iraq is still a mess and the chances of it getting better soon are slim. I came across an interesting fact yesterday, although am not sure whether it is true. Namely, there are around 45,000 private contractors / mercenaries in Iraq and this is welcomed by the Bush Presidency as a) the US army doesn't have that manpower to deploy in Iraq and b) it hides the true body count.

April has been a busy month for S and me. We are continuing with our wedding plans, and these seem to be going okay. My newish job is going well and I am getting busier.