I am proud to be English, my country doesn't always give me reasons to be proud, but I am proud of my heritage, and where I am from, and so I should be. The politics of the country, are a completely different matter altogether. Tony Blair in my opinion does a great job, he doesn't always get the necessary support, but I think he's done what is best for us. People seem to think that people such as Tony Blair aren't human, that they shouldn't be allowed to make mistakes. They are human thou...

This situation just gets more heart breaking by the second. Watching Ken Bigley's family beg for his release. Words can't even describe the feeling. His wife who speaks little English confused and not fully understanding the situation. His elderly Mother breaking down and unable to get her words out. His son trying to appeal to the better nature of the terroists. An act I fear is pointless. A government keeping silent, as they won't be seen to be negotiating with terroists. A man blin...

Well I've just seen on the news that Bush and Kerry go head to head in twenty four hours time. That this is Kerry's last chance to win over the American public. As I'm not American and don't really know the feeling over there, is there really a chance for him to change things? Will 90mins really do anything for him. From what I have seen on JU, people are very passionate about their politics, and I don't think tey will be that easily swayed. As I said though, I don't know as I'm not the...

While Sat at some traffic lights near my sisters house, a woman was handing out leaflets to everyone waiting who were sat in their cars, the leaflets looked something like this; Peace and liberation! Free the hostages! Free the Iraqi people! Stop firing! Stop bombing Iraqi towns! No to the occupation! Troops out of Iraq now! We were against the war before it started. We opposed it while it was happening. We are against the occupation. Why? Why do most Iraqis want us out...

Things seem to hit home alot more when they are exactly that, close to home. Which is a shame. Because it shouldn't, this war has killed alot of people, but it never quite touches you till you see people crying, and hurting, and actually seeing the lives these statistics touch, hearing the words of Ken Bigley's family, the British hostage held by Iraqi kidnappers was nothing less than heartbreaking. Last night the kidnappers declared that unless their demands were met, there is a chance in...

I try not to get involved in politics, nevermind politics of a completely different country. It would appear American politics matters everywhere. Not just to the Americans. Hardly surprising is it really, considering the size, and wealth of America. The politics of America will end up having a knock on effect everywhere else. That's just the way things work. When British people demonstrated Bush's state visit last year. Our Prime minister in his infinite wisdom, presumed we were anti-...

As some of you may or may not know, I live in sunny Manchester, the capital of the North. Kind of. Well we like to think so. There is somewhat of a North/South divide here in England. We all have stereotypes of the other, and we find it difficult to shake them off. Us Northerners generally think that the South is snotty, and full of ponces. Where as the South generally think that us Northerners are common and have no class. Now this isn't true, but it is the general idea on both parts. So you c...

I have my faults. There is no doubt about that at all. I have opinions, and things that I believe in that other people would have a problem with. I am always willing to listen though. If people have a decent argument to put forward I will take it on board. I guess that's what this blog is about. I haven't fully made my mind up about the topic of this blog. So I am looking for other points of view. I don't have alot of patience. I have less patience for really stupid people. I know t...

Well the election is done. The decision has been made. I am seeing alot of articles around here about what, coulda, shoulda and woulda. Speaking as a Brit I can't say i am thrilled about the decision that was reached. However, it was a decision that had to be made by the American people, and a decision they will have to live with for the next four years. So for their sakes I hope it was the right one. There is little point in looking at what could of been. The more I learn about Bush a...

When I was eighteen and got my right to vote. I wasn't really interested. I didn't have a burning passion to change the world. No British political party were telling me anything too radical, and I knew that it would most likely go a certain way. So I wasn't to bothered about it. Turns out alot of young people thought like me. That it was difficult to relate politics to our lives, so we didn't even try. I went on happily thinking like this. As I've got older, more and more issues have...

I never had a problem with Brit troops going into Iraq. Many people here did. I can fully understand their position. It wasn't our war, we had no place there. We were simply following the lead of a country, bigger and more powerful than us. Many people here thought we were better than that. That Blair was better than that and him sending Brit troops over there was a sign of weakness more than anything. I don't think it was. It was something that had to be done. To show our support o...

Link Tony's speech has been written in Washington and he's running late. Our unflappable leader decides he can make his last minute changes on the hoof…

Ken Bigley joined his US counterparts. His family recieved news of his death today. They were sent a video showing him pleading for his life, then one of the kidnappers took a knife from his pocket and cut off Mr Bigley's head, as three militants held him down. They blamed Tony Blair for not meeting their demands. It's very sad, my thoughts are with the families of all three men.