Zac Goldsmith claims credit for something that doesn't exist

I always enjoy receiving an occasional email from my former MP Zac Goldsmith.  He has managed to maintain seamless email communication through various guises - Cameroon Liberal Tory, May loyalist Tory, Independent airport campaigner and finally 'Strong and Stable' Brexit Tory - without appearing to trouble those pesky data protection rules at any time.  (Or indeed his own sense of self awareness).

But regardless of this (no doubt Brussels inspired) pettyfogging data protection bureaucracy - I was intrigued to read his claim that: "Here in Canbury, I have worked hard for local residents over the past six years... I campaigned with the Council to deliver free 30 minute parking to help our small shops..."

The thing is there aren't any 30 minute free parking zones in Canbury.   

Now I'm sure this is an honest mistake and not deliberate misinformation on Goldsmith junior's behalf.  Because someone once said, "Deliberately misinforming people is worse than anything that happened in the expenses scandal, because it goes to the heart of democracy. When you're prepared to trick people two weeks before they go to the polls, that is the very lowest kind of politics."

That someone being er... Zac Goldsmith.

Ludicrous Olympic security

A navy 'gunboat' up the river, shoot to kill orders for airforce crew, more than 3,000 troops deployed, massive electric fences and surface to air missiles on local people's homes.  One might imagine we're living in some oppressive dictatorship determined to clamp down on dissent. 

But no this is London two weeks away from a festival that's supposed to celebrate - ahem - 'the spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play' (at the same time as being washed down by a glut of Coke and Big Macs).

The ludicrousness of this festival of security is summed up by a simple question.  If a rogue plane refuses to leave the 'no fly zone' over the Olympic park will Home Secretary, Theresa May, give the order to shoot it down - killing everyone on board and no doubt hundreds on the ground in one of the most densely populated parts of Europe?  If the answer to that is 'no' then the measures are pointless.  If the answer is 'yes' - well I'll leave my loyal reader to fill in the blanks...