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Diary: Work for free. Work for a Tony Blair charity Diary: Work for free. Work for a Tony Blair charity
(3 months later)
• The rules of the game have changed, Tony Blair famously said about the new era of al-Qaida terrorism. And though some would argue with the conclusion he drew from that, the idea that situations periodically require re-appraisal must be right. And perhaps the former premier might take the same approach to the employment of interns; for in the face of all the public indignation about the exploitation of the young by those who can afford to pay them, his charities persist in seeking help on the cheap. New ads have gone up seeking interns for the Tony Blair Faith Foundation. Three months in the capital; salary; "travel and lunch expenses". Mr Blair makes it clear that he distinguishes between interns who work for his commercial companies – who get paid – and those who work for charities that bear his name – who don't. But that approach must have a limited shelf life. The rules of the game have changed.• The rules of the game have changed, Tony Blair famously said about the new era of al-Qaida terrorism. And though some would argue with the conclusion he drew from that, the idea that situations periodically require re-appraisal must be right. And perhaps the former premier might take the same approach to the employment of interns; for in the face of all the public indignation about the exploitation of the young by those who can afford to pay them, his charities persist in seeking help on the cheap. New ads have gone up seeking interns for the Tony Blair Faith Foundation. Three months in the capital; salary; "travel and lunch expenses". Mr Blair makes it clear that he distinguishes between interns who work for his commercial companies – who get paid – and those who work for charities that bear his name – who don't. But that approach must have a limited shelf life. The rules of the game have changed.
• And so the day to teach the BBC a thing or two about what is and isn't torture came and, as promised, the veteran former BBC presenter, Jack Pizzey, and others arrived at Broadcasting House to make their case. The BBC is sniffy about calling waterboarding "torture", preferring to describe it as a "harsh interrogation technique". Pizzey and people say that's pussyfooted in the extreme. "Don Quixote fought to uphold old values in a crass age. I fight to uphold the values of a BBC which told me, as a news anchor, to condemn torture, but which now won't even call it that," he says. "As if nothing's black or white but there's always a grey balance to be struck, waterboarding is not torture because a few Americans used it and said it wasn't." But Monday, the day chosen for a show of strength, turned out not to be the best day. True, the Beeb threw up a few barricades and a Sky News crew arrived, but that turned out to be for the day's furore over excessive payoffs for execs departing the Corporation. As Pizzey ruefully observes: "Wonga will trump human rights." Still, it isn't a waste he says. A friendly anti-torture activist who knows Lord Patten has promised to interrogate the chair of the BBC Trust in private. Soft or harsh; Patten can hardly complain.• And so the day to teach the BBC a thing or two about what is and isn't torture came and, as promised, the veteran former BBC presenter, Jack Pizzey, and others arrived at Broadcasting House to make their case. The BBC is sniffy about calling waterboarding "torture", preferring to describe it as a "harsh interrogation technique". Pizzey and people say that's pussyfooted in the extreme. "Don Quixote fought to uphold old values in a crass age. I fight to uphold the values of a BBC which told me, as a news anchor, to condemn torture, but which now won't even call it that," he says. "As if nothing's black or white but there's always a grey balance to be struck, waterboarding is not torture because a few Americans used it and said it wasn't." But Monday, the day chosen for a show of strength, turned out not to be the best day. True, the Beeb threw up a few barricades and a Sky News crew arrived, but that turned out to be for the day's furore over excessive payoffs for execs departing the Corporation. As Pizzey ruefully observes: "Wonga will trump human rights." Still, it isn't a waste he says. A friendly anti-torture activist who knows Lord Patten has promised to interrogate the chair of the BBC Trust in private. Soft or harsh; Patten can hardly complain.
• But even if convinced, Patten might struggle to get the message through. The fear is that the rot runs deep. "I have unearthed the following agreement between the CIA and the BBC's HED – Head of Euphemism and Dissembling," says Pizzey. "It documents the terms agreed as appropriate for describing the following NTAs (non-torture aids). The rack – "a height-extension aid". Electro-shocking – "a nerve stimulant". Flogging – "blood-circulation enhancement". Burning – "exfoliation". Fingernail extraction – "digit-smoothing". Worrying indeed.• But even if convinced, Patten might struggle to get the message through. The fear is that the rot runs deep. "I have unearthed the following agreement between the CIA and the BBC's HED – Head of Euphemism and Dissembling," says Pizzey. "It documents the terms agreed as appropriate for describing the following NTAs (non-torture aids). The rack – "a height-extension aid". Electro-shocking – "a nerve stimulant". Flogging – "blood-circulation enhancement". Burning – "exfoliation". Fingernail extraction – "digit-smoothing". Worrying indeed.
• If Boris Johnson decides that replacing PM Dave is not achievable, will he actually make good on his threat to run for a third term in London? If he does, there is a fairly good chance that the blond would again be returned to do nothing very much in London for another four years. And if he does, we can blame the former Labour minister, Nick Raynsford, who piloted the Greater London Authority Act through parliament. There were discussions about term limits, but no agreement on what it should be, so it was decided not to have one. While politicians can only hold the office of President of the United States for two terms, it seems the mayor of London can rule forever. Go figure!• If Boris Johnson decides that replacing PM Dave is not achievable, will he actually make good on his threat to run for a third term in London? If he does, there is a fairly good chance that the blond would again be returned to do nothing very much in London for another four years. And if he does, we can blame the former Labour minister, Nick Raynsford, who piloted the Greater London Authority Act through parliament. There were discussions about term limits, but no agreement on what it should be, so it was decided not to have one. While politicians can only hold the office of President of the United States for two terms, it seems the mayor of London can rule forever. Go figure!
• Still the guess is that Boris will seek the big prize, doubling up as mayor and an MP; re-entering parliament in time for the general election of 2015. Nothing constitutionally to stop him. He'd shake things up. Many feel they need shaking up. "The coalition is grinding down now, isn't it?" says Tory refusenik Nadine Dorries, in the latest edition of Total Politics. "It's at its final ebb. Both parties are ticking off the days." Dave can't win, she says. Bring on Boris. "It's important to put out the message that we're going to have a Conservative majority with Cameron, but the people who say that are foolhardy and setting themselves up to look like idiots." With friends like Nad. The enemy within.• Still the guess is that Boris will seek the big prize, doubling up as mayor and an MP; re-entering parliament in time for the general election of 2015. Nothing constitutionally to stop him. He'd shake things up. Many feel they need shaking up. "The coalition is grinding down now, isn't it?" says Tory refusenik Nadine Dorries, in the latest edition of Total Politics. "It's at its final ebb. Both parties are ticking off the days." Dave can't win, she says. Bring on Boris. "It's important to put out the message that we're going to have a Conservative majority with Cameron, but the people who say that are foolhardy and setting themselves up to look like idiots." With friends like Nad. The enemy within.
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