Richard Baum

Nick Clegg made his debut answering questions at Prime Minister’s Questions today, whilst David Cameron is at Disneyworld (or something). I thought he did pretty well, certainly better than I imagine I’d muster at the dispatch box. It was certainly an odd experience to see him there, and a happy one if tainted by the slightly sick feeling I get knowing that he’s only there leading the good sixth of a majority-Tory government.

Sadly, he didn’t distinguish himself when it came to answering the set-piece big questions from the Leader of the Opposition’s stand-in. Jack Straw was standing in for Harriet Harman, and asked about the loan to Forgemasters. Sadly Nick Clegg started talking about Iraq which, whilst interesting in context, is completely irrelevant. I don’t know the back story or the rationale for the Forgemasters decision, but I can hazard a guess that Jack Straw’s voting record on Iraq didn’t come into it. So why did Nick Clegg start talking about it? Sadly typical of everyone from every party I’ve ever seen answering questions there.

On a slightly more positive note, there is an interesting article in today’s Guardian about CRBs. Its author Mark Johnson, a charity-founder and former prisoner, highlights the injustices of the current CRB system and calls for a re-think on the concept of criminal records and calls for large employers to do more to employ rehabilitated ex-offenders. The comments under the article are also interesting, particularly the ones giving real life stories about the difficulties people have with CRB disclosures and the information given to would-be employers which is sometimes questionable at best.

I have been banging on about this issue for ages and have been in discussions recently with both the CRB and Lynne Featherstone MP, the Lib Dem Home Office Minister. Hopefully the law will soon change to make it fairer for those who suffer unduly under the current system.

Rick

Today’s Guardia