Frank's Westminster Blog

That Grandmother's grieving cry of anguish three weeks ago as the body of her grandson passed her by in Wootton Bassett, was more than a cry of a family's anguish at losing a young member. It signalled what will be a decisive change in public opinion (link). In early July the Sunday Times carried a poll showing that one in five voters wanted troops out. Today's Independent reports that that figure has risen to one in two of the electorate wishing to see British troops leave Afghanistan....

How can the BBC be saved? It certainly is not going to survive in its current form. There are powerful commercial pressures who simply want a slice - and a growing slice - of the license fee. There's growing disquiet over the license fee poll tax. Why should poorer people pay an equal sum to richer people, especially as they are less likely to view BBC programmes? If that wasn't bad enough, there's the digital revolution. The BBC was set up at a time when the means of broadcasting were...

A grandmother's piercing cry as the coffin of her grandson moved in front of her sounded of more than the anguish of one family. It heralded, I believe, the end of the Government's current strategy in Afghanistan. The grandmother's cry, that was carried on the news broadcast two weeks ago, has done more than all the groups campaigning against the British strategy in what Neville Chamberlain would have called a "faraway country". The intensity and drama of the pain has made the bringing back

Some Birkenhead GCSE results are deeply disturbing - as some are in most other areas of the country. I do not believe this is because young people have suddenly become thick. Nor do I believe it is because the teaching profession has collapsed. It would be sensible to consider a number of forces at work - the rise of chaotically run families would certainly deserve more than a mention. But central is how schools are organised and what they are allowed to teach. The biggest cause of our...

The PCT is progressing well and building a new health centre to replace the old workhouse buildings on the St Cath's site. It is part of their aim to transform how NHS services are delivered to us. I was given a presentation of the scheme on Friday and I was thrilled to be told what is planned. The local historical society asked for the most significant parts of the old building to be preserved and all of them will be. You can see how they have used that impressive gateway into St Caths as...