I report this week from The Staterooms in Battersea Square.
At 8.30 this morning Battersea Square was quiet…. not a single newly minted Egyptologist or iPad using pundit about and…..speaking to one of the residents, there seemed to be little enthusiasm for overthrowing the regime which looks after bins and other local services. I did, however, speak to one regular at Mazar (an excellent establishment, owned by Marlon, a Lebanese gentlemen with the right attitude to life) and he looked as if he was about to throw up after his drinking of the night before. I am pleased to report, however, that I was able to speak to a real Egyptian – Karam – who runs the front of house each day at Mazar and who sometimes cooks the excellent breakfast I eat every day if no chef is ‘abite’ when I fall in the door the moment the cafe opens. Karam was delighted with events in Egypt, but expressed concern at what may now follow.
My Tweet of the week must go to…..
The bandwagon rolls on and news agencies are reporting that huge convoys of buses and air-conditioned SUVs are now heading west across the searing heat of the desert to Algeria…. and the pundits on twitter are now gearing up to claim another dictator’s scalp as they hyperventilate from their armchairs and desks in Tory led coalition Britain.
Holman J rules Gove’s BSF decision was ‘unlawful’
The Lawyer reports…. “Mr Justice Holman has ordered the Government to review its plans to scrap the Building Schools for Future programme. The decision, handed down this morning, gives victory to six local authorities that brought the judicial review proceedings. In his judgment Holman J held that the decision taken by the Secretary of State for Education Michael Gove MP to halt investment in refurbishing every school in the country was taken without consultation.
This of itself is extraordinary enough… but the good news is the truly fantastic number of lawyers kept busy and employed by this litigation….. the report in The Lawyer reveals the extent of the army of lawyers involved. Libertarians, sundry ranters and others who want to have a pop at the legal profession and government in one hit, are invited to take medical advice before reading this….. SIX QCs involved (and many other lawyers)…. report is here.
I am going to do another Postcard…tomorrow…. I did manage to do some sensible stuff recently… not least my podcast with Carl Gardner on Prisoner Votes… – scroll down if you are interested.
BBCTimWhewell Tim Whewellby BBCNewsnight
#Egypt Freedom has triumphed in our hotel as Mubarak’s portrait is discreetly removed
AND… the really good news? Dave Cameron is going to ‘come out fighting’ on Monday to talk about Big Society again… this will, I have no doubt, make Monday morning even better for all of us.
Cameron to declare the Big Society does exist
OK… OK… I’ll get my coat….. dreadful Hegel pun ……Back tomorrow…
Best
Charon
So what’s your recommendation for a good Egyptian breakfast? We hope to be in Cairo soon…
I have been to Egypt a few times… wonderful place… to see The pyramids, Cairo Museum, Valley of The Kings, Aswan … I remember eating a lot of fruit and prawns, fish and good food!