The era of industrial Britain, where a large section of our workforce provided cheap labour in factories and processing goods is over.

People rightly want our political leaders - on all sides - to concentrate on minimising the damage to jobs, living standards and our savings from the banking crisis.

At times unpopular measures are needed in order to change behaviour.

Like many of my friends and colleagues, I can't get enough of Obama news; latest polling, speeches, visits, reaction of world leaders.

There's a loss of faith in the banking system that for so long has been the backbone of prosperity and growth.

Funding for sports (and the arts) are often the first things facing the chop in difficult times.

In politics, the number of women in the cabinet has fallen and, if current poll trends continue and Labour loses a number of marginal seats, the number of female MPs is likely to drop significantly.

Indeed, when all parties campaign effectively the overall effect is to push up voting rates, as you see in tight marginal seats or close general elections. That must be good for democracy.

Today the demands are for even higher standards in the quality of care, for greater flexibility and convenience in treatment times, and for more prevention through screening and health checks.

At its most basic the democratic contract is a simple one: the right to vote comes with a responsibility to society, through tax payments and citizenship.

Sixteen- and 17-year-olds pay taxes and can join the army, so surely they should in turn be given their right to vote.

The solution to our drug problem is not in incarceration.

Prayer is good; but when used as a substitute for obedience, it is nothing but a blatant hypocrisy... Don't hedge! Time flies! ... Enlist!

Tumblr gets better faster with more resources to draw from.

I think that fear of embarrassment is the essence of the human challenge.

Daddy always said you only explained things to the people that actually mattered.

Comedy clubs have brick walls behind the performer. Bricks make you funny. When I'm in front of a fireplace, I'm hilarious.

The wing of the Falcon brings to the king, the wing if the crow brings him to the cemetery.

God in his omnipotence could not give more, in His wisdom He knew not how to give more, in His riches He had not more to give, than the Eucharist.

I have killed, robbed, and injured too many white men to believe in a good peace.