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parliament
UK’s budget for market in 2007 World Cup
2 years ago, at the start of MarchUnder UK Trade and Investment’s Market Visit Support scheme, there are no market visits planned to the Caribbean for the remainder of the financial year 2005–06. For the financial year 2006–07 commencing 1 April, UKTI’s regional teams are developing their plans for market visits in line with their trade development responsibilities. At present one market visit to the Caribbean is under consideration where a budget of £6,500 has been proposed to support around 10 small and medium enterprises.
In addition, Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, as part of the West Midlands EU funded ERDF project, is taking a group of companies to Barbados, St. Lucia and Jamaica from 17–24 April 2006, as part of a structured export development programme, to investigate specific export opportunities, some of which are linked to the Cricket World Cup. The entire EU funding available will go direct to small and medium sized enterprises in the West Midlands objective 2 area. UKTIs involvement is to provide International Trade Advisers to support the companies in their preparation and to help them follow up any opportunities identified.
Cricket’s role in the British economy
3 years ago, at the start of DecemberMy concern is that there will come a moment when some legislation will be introduced to give new rights to employees that is the straw that breaks the camel’s back. I do not know when that point will come. I have cried wolf before about this—I plead guilty—but the moment will come. I am fond of cricket, Mr. Deputy Speaker, like one of your colleagues. It is odd that when one watches a game of cricket one thinks that one side is winning, but in retrospect one realises that the other side has started to win. One cannot quite pin down the moment, but it happens. There will come a moment when Britain’s competitive advantage has eroded so much that we shall start to lose in the world economy.
What is he on about?
End of the road (for now) for BSkyB deal
3 years ago, at the end of NovemberThe ECB’s decision to give BSkyB exclusive rights to show all Tests on PPV (pay per view) TV is now, almost certainly, non-overturnable. (I don’t know if that word exists, but it’s a cracker.) The following people participated in today’s Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee:
Mr David Collier, Chief Executive, England and Wales Cricket Board, Mr Richard Bevan, Chief Executive, Professional Cricketers’ Association; Mr Roger Mosey, Director of Sport, BBC, Mr Mark Sharman, Controller of Sport, ITV, Mr Andy Duncan, Chief Executive, Channel 4, Mr Colin Campbell, Director of Legal and Business Affairs, Five, Mr Vic Wakeling, Managing Director, Sky Sports (at approximately 10.30 a.m.); Lord Smith of Finsbury and Lord MacLaurin (at approximately 11.00 a.m.); Mr David Brook, Mr Anthony Wreford, and Mr Stedford Wallen, Keep Cricket Free Campaign (at approximately 11.30 a.m.); Rt Hon Richard Caborn MP, Minister for Sport, Department for Culture, Media and Sport (at approximately 11.50 a.m.).
There’s nothing yet at Hansard (incidentally, my family descend from Luke Hansard - the House’s original printer), but Cricinfo have a report here. In it, Caborn says:
“If you are asking me ‘Can a deal be done?’, I don’t think it can,” Caborn said. “I am making no bones about it. I am supporting the ECB in what it has done.”
2009 is how long we’ll have to wait for it to return to terrestrial - although that’s only the end-date of Sky’s contract which will go up for review again. John Howard wouldn’t put up with it, would he? (Scott or whoever - fill me in on the state of play as regards cricket on TV in Australia)
Cricket in Parliament, and Arundel Castle
3 years ago, at the start of JuneThis just came through. It’s rare to hear about cricket in Parliament - I hope the Prime Minister will wish England good luck on the eve of The Ashes this summer, as he does with Football teams. Perhaps we should all email him…
This is Nick Herbert’s maiden speech (pardon the pun) as conservative Member for the Arundel and South Downs consistuency and, after waxing lyrical about how beautiful an area it is, he starts to talk about the ground.
I can well understand Howard’s dismay at being unable to continue to represent such a beautiful constituency. I say with some care, given that I know that some of my hon. Friends present also represent beautiful constituencies, that Arundel and South Downs must be one of the most beautiful constituencies in England. Thirty miles broad—twice the size of the Isle of Wight—it can take almost an hour to drive from one side to the other. It famously contains the town of Arundel and Arundel castle, where indisputably the most beautiful cricket ground in England is found. Each year, a visiting touring side plays the Duke of Norfolk’s XI or another side constructed to give the tourists their first game. This Thursday, we look forward to the visit by Australia, which is to play its first game of the tour at Arundel. I hope that a member of the Professional Cricketers’ Association Masters XI will replicate the success of my great-grandfather, who, when playing for the Duke of Norfolk’s XI against Sussex at Arundel, took five wickets for seven runs. For those who might not know much about cricket, let me emphasise that five wickets for seven runs is quite an achievement. If we can begin with that sort of performance against Australia, it will stand us in good stead for a great Ashes victory.
As he says, Australia play a PCA XI at Arundel on Thursday - the traditional tour opener for tourists in England. Relaxed atmosphere, and opposition, to say the least…or not! My mistake - the PCA are fielding a decent team:
Stephen Fleming (Captain) Notts & New Zealand
Chris Cairns - Notts & New Zealand
Paul Collingwood - Durham & England
Devon Malcolm - former England
Darren Maddy - Leics & England
Chris Read - Notts & England
Chris Lewis - former England
Graeme Swann - Notts & England
Mark Ealham - Notts & England
Phil DeFreitas - Leics & England
Kevin Pietersen - Hants & England
Decent-ish. Do we read anything into Kevin Pietersen’s inclusion in this “friendly” game, and the 20/20, and the clutch of ODIs?
Cricket match in the shadow of Parliament
3 years ago, at the start of May
May Day Cricket match
Photo taken by mailliw @ Flickr.com.
Yes, that’s right, that is Parliament, and that is a cricket match being played in its shadow. I mentioned this in April - more about the match itself here, the offical Space Hijacker’s website here and images of the responses made by MPs here
Tony Blair - opening bowler, or middle-order batsman?
3 years ago, at the start of April
Tony Blair could be playing a cricket match in Parliament Square. Well, not likely, but you never know. A website by the name of UK Indymedia have challenged MPs in the Houses of Parliament to a game. They describe themselves as:
” Indymedia UK is a network of individuals, independent and alternative media activists and organisations, offering grassroots, non-corporate, non-commercial coverage of important social and political issues. ”
And their letter to the government follows:
Dear
As a part of the government, and an elected representative of the people of this country we employ you to manage the affairs of our country in an honourable and respectable fashion. To uphold our rights and the rights of people the world over, to act as an ambassador for the people of this country in your dealings with other nations and to place the well being of the people and our surroundings above financial or any other concerns.
As a conscientious member of the public, it is my role to monitor the movements and interactions of the people who represent my fellow citizens and I within government. We are growing alarmed at the manner in which our government is handling our affairs. Time and time again we hear of corporate relationships coming before human or environmental concerns. We hear that our armies are being sent out to protect us from evil, only to later find that we are an occupying army looking out for western oil interests, and the weapons we were told to be afraid of were a figment of the imagination. Next we are told that the original mission was to remove a corrupt dictator, later we find out that we are the ones being dictated to. We hear that we are going to rebuild Iraq after the devastation caused by our forces, only to fund out that this is simply a thin cover to exploit an occupied nations resources for our financial gain. We hear that terrorists are due to strike as they are jealous of our democratic system, only to wake up with draconian laws enforcing us to carry ID cards and banning protest against government anywhere that they may hear it.
This will not do, you are not acting in an honourable fashion.
We the Space Hijackers, hereby challenge you and your fellow Members of Parliament to a game of cricket. We challenge you to show us that your morals and behaviour are fit to govern this country. Prove to us that your support of the Olympic bid was not just more hot air. Prove to us and the rest of the country that you are what you claim to be. Prove it to us on the batting crease.
We look forward to receiving your acceptance or decline of the challenge in the very near future.
A decline of our challenge will be seen by us and the entire British Public as acceptance that you are the morally and honourably corrupt government that we suspect. We shall see you at the pitch.
Yours Sincerely,
On behalf of the Space Hijackers and the greater British Public.
Fantastic - well done them, even if it comes to nothing, bloody good on them. Big question is, though….what will Tony Blair do, where will he bat, and how can the Space Hijackers beamer him and make it appear accidental?
