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Brightoniana: Embassy Court

I love a nosey behind closed doors and I was interested to take a tour around Embassy Court on Saturday. It's a fascinating and beautiful building from the 1930s. More Miami Beach than West Pier, and certainly a Brighton icon. Tales of Embassy Court's heydey before the war, replete with a martini bar and lifts reserved for servants, did make me wonder. The cost of keeping these flats was extraordinary. It was all about exclusive luxury. I can't imagine it was as respectable as our lovely tour guide suggested. I'm sure it was a hotbed of adultery, kept women, well respected men in the ... Read more »

Election Notes 15/04/10: Cleggfever

Election Notes 15/04/10: Cleggfever

If political activists all over Britain were supposed to be glued to the telly for the historic first debate in General Election history, I didn’t get the memo. I was at a meeting for the most part discussing the day after and then decided to have a quiet, non-political beer with a chum ... Read more »
Election Notes 14/04/10: Has anyone got Alanis Morissette's number?

Election Notes 14/04/10: Has anyone got Alanis Morissette’s number?

... Read more »
Election Notes 13/04/10: Posters

Election Notes 13/04/10: Posters

I have become a poster spotting obsessive. There is a serious risk of injury as I walk around Brighton examining not just each and every house but each and every pane of glass in each and every window. I’m looking for election posters. I may yet miss pot holes and dog turds. If you spot me ... Read more »
Election Notes 12/04/10: GALLIFREY: LAB HOLD

Election Notes 12/04/10: GALLIFREY: LAB HOLD

Doctors Who are voting Labour and I’m pleased that the Labour Party is courting Whovians. It’s a shame that more eight year olds can’t vote. The new Labour party political broadcast has a voiceover from one Timelord, David Tennant, and it invokes the memory of another, via his son (Sean ... Read more »
Election Notes 11/04/10: One of our households is missing.

Election Notes 11/04/10: One of our households is missing.

I was down in one of those streets not far from the sea at the weekend delivering Labour stuff. I had pre-addressed leaflets: that means they’re targeted to specific voters based on our canvassing information. We don’t bother writing letters like that to Tories or people who are against telling ... Read more »
Election Notes 10/04/10 : Leaflets

Election Notes 10/04/10 : Leaflets

This weekend, as I sweated my way down the 50th set of basement flat steps on the delivery round I've done so many times in the past few years, I thought to myself that I would have never joined the party had I known quite how many leaflets I would need to deliver to prove my loyalty. God knows how ... Read more »
Election Notes 09/04/2010 The Tragedy of Brighton Pavilion

Election Notes 09/04/2010 The Tragedy of Brighton Pavilion

It’s such a privilege to have a choice of women as your next MP. It’s also terrible. It breaks my heart that Labour, Conservatives and Greens all have credible female candidates. Why are they fighting each other? It’s great that my next MP will be a woman. And yet I look around and see ... Read more »
Election Notes 08/04/2010: An idea.

Election Notes 08/04/2010: An idea.

Against my better judgement, I’ve decided to write daily notes about my experiences in the 2010 General Election up until May 7th. It’s all part of my personal aspiration to blog a bit more this year. I also want to add my own reflections to the political discourse. That desire is general and ... Read more »
I’m ashamed of the Digital Economy Bill

I’m ashamed of the Digital Economy Bill

I can’t praise the Digital Economy Bill and I wish it had been buried. It was a bad bill and will be a terrible act of law. I opposed the bill and lobbied people within the Labour party explaining why I thought it was a bad bill. I will not defend the Labour government on this occasion and ... Read more »
“I’m not convinced that the Argus wields political influence.”

“I’m not convinced that the Argus wields political influence.”

If I ever needed a reminder that bloggers are everywhere and nothing you ever say is off the record, it came on Tuesday. Something I said on Monday evening at the Brighton Future of News Group (#bfong), as part of a wide ranging discussion about local and national politics, political leaflets ... Read more »
On being Irish enough

On being Irish enough

Perhaps unsurprisingly, I like celebrating St Patrick’s Day. Who can object to a merry pint of Guinness or three, a convivial slurp of the Bushmill's or clinking Sláinte with a slug of Jamesons? Pass the potato bread, the soda farls and the wheaten loaf! I’ll have a crisp from Mr Tayto too, if ... Read more »
Travel back to 1979 with Question Time

Travel back to 1979 with Question Time

Permit yourself a trip back to 1979. I commend you to the first episode of Question Time currently available on the BBC iPlayer. It’s a wonderful show and maybe, maybe, something to make you hanker after a better, more gentle and more personable age. And blimey, in some cases: how little has ... Read more »
Where've you taken me to this time, old girl?

Where’ve you taken me to this time, old girl?

I'm sure everyone does this, right? Have a few beers, see a discarded wardrobe in the street, climb in and pretend it's a Tardis. Everyone does it. ... Read more »
Brighton Scenes #9

Brighton Scenes #9

Two ladies. Diddly diddley dee. Immaculately turned out. Venerable dames, dolled up and not a day under 80 (I guess) but looking fab and much younger. On a Saturday afternoon for a few pre-Christmas drinks with chums in a nice pub not far from the sea. Lady 1: What are you having love? Lady ... Read more »