Tributes to Scottish men feared dead in New Zealand mine

Peter Rodger and Malcolm Campbell were working

in the mine at the time of the explosion

The Queen has passed on her condolences after 29 men are believed to have died in a mining blas in New Zealand’s south island. Among the men were two Scots, Peter Rodger, 40, and Malcolm Campbell, 25. The Queen said that her heart goes out to the families and friends of the 29 brave miners and to all who have been touched by this national disaster. Also Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron and First Minister Alex Salmond passed their condolences. The first explosion hit the  Pike River mine on the 19^th of November, probably because of explosive methane. Two workers emerged within hours, but there was no contact with the remaining group. On the 23^rd, a second blast hit the mine overnight. Police have said there is no hope of survivors. Pike River mine chief executive Peter Whittall said initial tests showed it was “extremely high in carbon monoxide, very high in methane and fairly low in oxygen”. Mr Rodger moved to New Zealand two years ago to be near his mother and sister. Mr Campbell had also worked at the mine for two years and was due to get married on the 18^th of December.

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I think it is a big shock for everybody who hears what has happened in New Zealand. You do not expect it so soon after the successful rescue of the miners in Mexico. It is terrible for the family and friends of the minors, especially because it will probably take some time before the minors can really be taken out of the mine. Till that time, they do not have any prove that their relatives have really passed away. The two minors who survived have been so lucky. Often, you hear stories about explosions in mines, or about minors getting stuck. I really think there should come more or better security rules for mines, to save lives.

Link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-11828142

Long waits for adoption have nothing to do with ethnic matching

Hugh Muir (diary editor) thinks there are two ways of looking at the debate triggered by Tim Loughton (children’s minister) after he said that there should be no barrier to minority children being adopted by white parents. One is the voice of sanity. For ethnic minority children, the wait is three times longer as for white children. His alternative conclusion is that Loughton may have been angling for an appreciative headline in the rightwing press. The columns by different writers that followed were long on opinion and anecdote but short on evidence. Loughton said that too many children languish in care because social workers hold out for ‘the perfect match’. The result is that ethnic minority children are over-represented among the young people in care who never find permanent homes. Jane Rowe’s studies (published in 1973 and 1989) showed that the black and minority ethnic children and the disabled children, had to wait longer. Improvement in the past has often been associated with community action or development of specific provision. It is of concern that an ill-informed debate will not address the real issues.

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I agree with Tim Loughton, who said that there should not be any hindrance to the adoption of minority children by white parents. I think it is sad that minority children, black children and disabled children have to wait longer to get adopted, or do not even find a permanent home. According to me, social workers should get better instructions about adoption procedures and their work should also be checked in a better way.

Link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/nov/18/long-wait-adoption-nothing-ethnic-matching

Four arrested after man found dying in van in Berkshire

On the 18^th of November, a fatally injured man was found in the back of a van that was being chased by the police and had pulled over in Berkshire. Police had been searching for the vehicle after receiving a tip-off. According to witnesses, the victim had been badly beaten and wrapped in plastic, and was barefoot. An officer said the man appeared to have been tortured. When the police found the man, officers immediately commenced first aid and called an ambulance. Witnesses said the ambulance arrived 45 minutes after the van was pulled over. They tried  to save his life, but he died shortly after being found. Apart from the victim, there were four men in the van. Officers suspected that the occupants may be involved in the crime. Two got arrested right away. The other two men fled, but were arrested later. The four men were taking into custody and a murder investigation has been launched.



The van in which the fatally injured man was found.

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This is a terrible story. I am wondering what exactly happened and why this man was tortured so much. Even though the police started an investigation, this could easily be a case that will never get solved. I do not understand that it took 45 minutes for an ambulance to come. The ambulance should have come much faster. Maybe if they would have come earlier, the man would still be alive.

Link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/nov/18/man-van-sunningdale-berkshire-police

Cornwall mops up after devastating flash floods

Children sit on a wall above floodwater in St Blazey, Cornwall

After flash floods in Cornwall, hundreds of people were evacuated from their homes and had to spend the night in an emergency accommodation. Residents in the worst-hit areas expressed frustration at the lack of warnings and inadequacy of flood defenses. Environment ministers are expected to make a statement to parliament, setting out extra support for some of the worst-hit areas. Warnings were issued by television, radio and the Flood Forecasting Centre, run by the Met Office and the Environment Agency. However, the Met Office did not issue a severe weather warning until 10.30 pm, and the Environment Agency only send flood warnings to people who had signed up to its warning scheme. Liberal Democrat MP Stephen Gilbert said that the flood warnings for some areas had been inadequate and that he would be meeting the Environment Agency to “press them” on the issues. Ann Bailey, who runs the Harbour Trading Company in Mevagissev, said that the culverts get blocked with leaves and other debris this time of the year, so the drains cannot cope. The system cannot handle huge amounts of water coming down the hill. Prime minister David Cameron promised the government would do all it could to help the affected areas to recover. A multimillion-pound mopping-up operation has started.

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It must be terrible to be evacuated from your house because of a flood. It is not the first time this has happened in Cornwall. Ann Bailey tells in the article the reason for the floods, so it should be possible to find a solution for this problem. Peter Tatlow of Cornwall highway services said it is “almost impossible” to keep gullies clear of leaves and debris during the autumns. I think if the community spends more time on that, they can solve the problem. I hope that will happen also, so that the occurrence of floods will decrease.

Link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/nov/18/cornwall-flash-floods-weather

Cameron criticises police for not protecting Tory HQ against students

Prime Minister David Cameron has criticized the police for failing to protect the Conservative headquarters and also for underestimating the strength of a student protest which turned into a riot. It was a protest against student fees, organized by the National Union of Students and the University and College Union, which started peacefully. About 50,000 students, lecturers and supporters (the police expected 5,000 people) were marching from Whitehall past Downing Street and Parliament. Around an hour after the demonstration started, the protesters started to use more violence at Millbank Tower. In the violence, ten people, including three police officers, were injured. Senior officers admitted they made a mistake. According to Met Police Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson, the force should have anticipated the level of violence “better”. He said it is an embarrassment for London and for the police.



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Windows were smashed in the office block of Millbank

I understand the anger and the protest of the students. If they don’t do anything, less students will go to college or university, because it will be too expensive to pay to study. I think the whole protest got out of hand by using violence, which was not necessary according to me. I agree with David Cameron that the police failed by expecting just 5,000 people. That’s why there wasn’t enough riot police. I also agree with Peter Smyth, chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, who said that police officers must be supported when dealing with such unprovoked violence. 

   

Link:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/universityeducation/8124971/Cameron-criticises-police-for-not-protecting-Tory-HQ-against-students.html

Phil Woolas ejected from parliament over election slurs

 

The leaflet that cost Phil Woolas his Oldham East seat.

Phil Woolas, former minister of immigration, is ejected from parliament, in a judgment that will have consequences for all future campaigns. Elwyn Watkins (Woolas’ opponent) claimed that Woolas knowingly misled voters in Oldham East by claiming that Watkins had provoked Islamic extremists. He also claimed that Woolas lied about the intention of Watkins to live in the constituency.  The  high court ruled that Woolas knowingly made false and misleading statements about his Liberal Democrat opponent during the general election. Woolas lost his seat in the Commons and is barred for three years. He is also ordered to pay all costs.

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According to me, the high court took the right decision. Politicians are very important for a country. If they lie to make themselves more popular than the opponent, the nation does not know what to believe anymore. People can lose their trust in politics, because of situations like this.  I agree with Watkins, who said: “If you know you have lied about your opponent, then simply you have no part to play in democracy.”

Link:http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/nov/05/phil-woolas-ejected-parliament-election