I have always disliked the corporatist nature of the Confederation of British Industry. From my early days as a Talisman for the Thatcher Revolution they were a suspect lot - more conservative than the Conservative Party. In fact, Mrs T changed Britain for the better despite, NOT because of, the CBI. In recent years, it's got worse and now we know why: They've been taken over by public sector vested interests (read here) and are led by a slopey-shouldered Director General called John Cridland. A man who blames his ‘junior officials’ rather than take responsibility for his own CBI startegic screw-ups. The CBI have U-Turned on the Scottish Referendum...time to do the same on their support for UK EU membership as a referendum on that matters draws near.

I return from a trip to #Scotland where I cut my political teeth as both a student political activist and paid party official. Now, as an outside interested observer I am amazed by how little discussion there is UK-wide over the Independence September vote. I mean, even the name of our country will have to change after it! This morning a former NATO Sec Gen said “Scottish independence would be cataclysmic for the West in an era of international turmoil”. My impression is that the ‘No Vote’ people have lost momentum and that the ‘Yes Vote’ may be gaining it. Wake Up England, Wales, N Ireland!

This morning's London Times reports that Labour Leader Edward #Miliband wants to deny Nigel #Farage of #UKIP a place in the 2015 General Election debates because UKIP has no MPs in the current UK House of Commons legislature. However if UKIP gets more than 20% of the vote in this May's elections for the European Parliament, the broadcasters who arrange the #Vote2015 Debates may have little choice but to include him. If they don't, will we see a return of "Debating Chicken"? Read here.