News from YBF

A full release from

YBF

is is now out:

"The Chairman, Chief Executive and Management Board of the Young Britons' Foundation regret to announce that Christian May, YBF's Operations Director, will be leaving YBF with effect from 17 July 2009.

YBF is pleased to announce, however, that Christian's successor as Operations Director is to be Steven Dent, currently YBF's New Media Director. Steven graduated from Loughborough University with a BA in Politics, having joined Conservative Future while at university. He was appointed YBF's New Media Director in August 2008, in which role he has created a number of viral campaigns and films.

Commenting on Christian's departure, YBF Chief Executive Donal Blaney said: "Christian has pioneered the development of YBF's campaigns and taking YBF's training out across the nation. He has been a superb Operations Director and will be greatly missed. Steven will have some large shoes to fill. I am delighted that Christian has agreed to join YBF's Advisory Board and that he will continue both to support our important work and to help train the leaders of tomorrow.

Speaking on his impending departure, Christian May said: "Working for the Young Britons' Foundation has been a hugely rewarding experience. I couldn't have imagined a job better suited to me when I left university, and the last year has been truly excellent. I'm delighted to have played a part in training hundreds of new activists, and to have been involved in our high profile campaigns. YBF's work is of vital importance, and I look forward to helping out from the sidelines in the future. I wish Steven all the very best in his new role, and I hope he enjoys it as much as I did."

Steven Dent added: "I will be following two superb conservative activists in Christian May and Shane Greer. The coming twelve months will be crucial both for conservatism in general and YBF in particular. I cannot wait to get started!""

Steven runs a

rather good blog

if TB isn't mistaken and he was wondering why it had livened up in the last couple of days. Best of luck to both of them and TB is looking forward to sinking some cold ones with them both at what will no doubt be another cracking

summer party

to hazily remember.

There's no I in Twitter

Putting Nick “what about my access” Robinson, The Guardian's chief sleaze apologist Michael White, and their arch rival Guido Fawkes on the same stage was never going to be pretty. It was a gamble that clearly paid off though for

Delib

. The political consultants hosted last night’s packed debate in the Grand Committee Room about whether the internet is the corrupter or saviour of democracy. After this lot once battled on Newsnight a few years back, there were old scores to settle.

Though people who wished for in depth chat about address harvesting and Obama type fundraising were grumbling, those there to see some of the most powerful political voices outside of Parliament spar did not leave disappointed. Guido went on the attack from his opening gambit and left a rattled White and Robinson having to resort to irritating liberal elite-esque sarcasm in an attempt to bat away criticism that had clearly hit a raw nerve.

The argument for the internet was greatly aided by the jumbo Twitter screen at the side of the stage which let the world

take part

in the event. Michael White’s somewhat Luddite performance was greatly aided in terms of comedy by the quick thinking anonymous tweeter who managed to crack the room up with

his message

for Michael on the screen.

Let’s just say it was twit with an “a”, not an “i”.

+++All change at YBF+++

Just call him scoop - Word is reaching TB tonight that Christian May, the deputy Chairman of Conservative Future has resigned as Operations Director of the Young Britons' Foundation.

Developing.

ID Cards will not be compulsory

Alan Johnson just

fired a shot

across the bows of the Tories with his announcement that the proposed ID card scheme will never be compulsory. This is of course fantastic news and a big congratulations should go to the likes of NO2ID, Liberty and for the sensible wing of the Conservative Party who have fought this measure tooth and nail since it was first conceived. This isn't the end of the war against the New Labour's authoritarian grip on Britain, but it's certainly victory in a major battle.

However on a slight tangent it is clear to see that Alan Johnson isn't going to let his stint at the Home Office be the graveyard everyone assumes it to be. In this one action he will win over a considerable amount of support. TB has said it before and will say it again. War-game, war-game, war-game - the Conservative Party must not get lull itself into a false sense of security.

Brown could be gone at any moment - it's up to Peter, and his most likely replacement is canny.

Quote of the Day

"Ed Balls has just called me up about my post from this morning , hopping mad. He instructed me to "take that post down now". I thought he was joking: has there been some change to the constitution where ministers now have power over the media? But he was deadly serious. "You should not call me a liar," said Balls. I told him that if he doesn't want to be called a liar, “he shouldn't tell lies”."

-

Fraser Nelson

King Cnut

Kim Il Sung's Wisdom of Foreseeing Weather

Pyongyang, June 29 (KCNA) -- It was early in June of Juche 70 (1981) when President Kim Il Sung gave field guidance to a co-op farm. Looking round the farm, he riveted his eyes upon one place for a while.
It was a magpie nest being made on a branch of a tall tree.
After staring at it, the President asked officials why the magpies were making the nest entrance sideward, not upward.

He told the officials, who racked their brains to find an answer to the unexpected question, that it would rain heavily this rainy season, it would not be an ordinary one but one accompanied with "torrential rain" and to make the entrance sideward was evidently for the magpies to protect their nest from the "torrential rain".
He emphasized that all the farms in the country should take thorough-going measures against the rainstorm and flood.

The officials looked up to and were deeply moved by the words of the President who clarified the essence of the question with prominent scientific penetration and extraordinary wisdom, seeing a natural phenomenon which was regarded as an ordinary one by others.

As he forecasted, the country was visited by heavy rain rare to be seen in history.
As the President taught, the officials and working people in the field of agriculture completed the preparation for preventing damage by heavy rain and storm before the rainy season and could protect all crops.

Copyright (C) KOREA NEWS SERVICE(KNS) All Rights Reserved.

Wonderful

stuff.

TB has a rather sore head after last night but some how managed to

file this to the Standard

from his phone:

• WHICH Cabinet minister would be brave enough to pitch up to the IPPR 21st birthday party/summer gig on the panoramic top floor of Centrepoint last night? Blair’s “favourite think tank” announced in the Sunday papers that it believed New Labour was dead. So Labour wonks were waiting with bated breath for the arrival of a promised cabinet minister. It was very bold of Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw to show up.

Ben didn't hit the dancefloor sadly. TB did, apparently there are photos. Oh dear.

Date set...

The wheels are in motion and the date of the Norwich North by-election has been announced:

You can follow the campaign and find out how to get involved

here

.

Weekly Cartoon from Posh Tory

If you haven't already, TB recommends adding

Posh Tory

to the blogs you take a peek at. His cartoons are updated a couple of times a week, and he will also be doing one for Tory Bear every Monday.

TB has it on good authority that really happened.

For more and infomation about buying orginals visit

the site

.

La la la I can't hear you.

Leak to TB here.

This made TB laugh...

Maybe it was just the hangover after a truly epic party last night, but the layout of this page from the Mail today made TB choke on his OJ.

Another weekend...

...another target for the

Sunlight Centre

.

In the sights this weekend it's everbody's favourite hands on guru Lord Rennard. The outgoing Liberal Democrat CEO is obviously rather worried as he has, apparently, got his lawyers dealing with all communications concerning his outrageous expenses claims:

Rennard is set to lose his Cowley Street power base in September, but will he have to go sooner if a formal investigation begins? He has already been sent to the frontline in Norfolk to attempt one of those old fashioned Lib Dem by-election campaigns where they delude themselves that they are "winning here". So you thought you could just get away with quitting and thinking no one check your expenses eh Chris?

And let's not forget the other scandal now.

The last word on all this...

Hat-Tip

@girlonetrack

What have we done to the world?

Those are the top things being discussed in the

tworld

right now. 24 hours ago, and for the last week Iran hadn't moved from the top spot.

Get a grip.

For shame...

Hmmm not sure how

grouping yourself

with ruthless authoritarian big state socialists is going to help but yarrrgh, what does a bear know.

Hat-Tip to

@adamramsay

+++Michael Jackson Dead+++

Apparently off to never Neverland?

Word has reached TB that Michael Jackson did manage to whisper a brief message to paramedics on his way to hospital...

"Put me on the children's ward"

Question Time Live Chat

Redacted.

You had to be there.

Another one in the Diary

:

• DON’T ever let anyone tell you charity shopping wasn’t cool. Last night saw the launch of Leap Anywhere the new website that puts the “good time in doing good”. It was all smoothies and fairtrade wine at 33 Portland Place and Glastonbury was the talk of the evening as London’s trendies warmed up for the big weekend. As Jade Jaggers’ Jezebel sound system and first time DJ Tamsin Egerton kept the music pumping the real party was outside, where Zoe Salmon dominated the all star table tennis. Prince Harry’s chum Guy Pelly seemed more interested in the PETA ladies, clad only in lettuce leaves, than the vegan snacks they had on offer.

Yes, ok, so TB went to a party sponsered by PETA, wanna fight about it?

Quote of the Day

Just got back from

Dave's speech

at Imperial. He gave a sound performance over civil liberties and stripping back the state. The quote of the day has be his reponse to a question about fighting the BNP in which he described them as a:

"...bunch of retarded racists."

Always refreshing when a politicain doesn't hold back and it seems DC has taken a leaf out of Bo Jo's book with this one.

Correct use of the English language - Fail.

Labour are rattled. They are using lines that will not work and are essentially spreading lies that they wouldn't have to cut spending if they won the next election. (Ed: HA!) It seems that they are having a little problem with their grammar in their GoogleAd campaign though. No doubt the over ambitious intern who will be blamed for this cock up was educated under a Labour government:

Must be tough to see the effects of the decline in adult literacy that they have caused.