The Wardman Wire

Here is today’s roundup of stories.

Comment

BBC (BBC) - The rise of single issue campaigns
Fewer people than ever are members of political parties, but growing numbers are only too happy to sign up to single issue campaigns.

Dan Kennedy (Comment is Free) - Battle for the Bay State
US elections 2008: All politics is local, as old grudges and new loyalties come to the fore ahead of Massachusetts Super Tuesday primary

Bobbie Johnson (Guardian) - Notorious pirate website faces copyright case
The Pirate Bay, which is based in the southern Swedish city of Malmo, has become a thorn in the side of the film industry, as one of the internet’s most popular destinations for people who want to find and download films and music illegally.

Timothy Garton Ash (Times Online) - Our state collects more data than the Stasi ever did. We need to fight back
To trust in the good intentions of our rulers is to put liberty at risk. I would go to jail rather than accept this kind of ID card

Tom Watson MP (Tom Watson MP) - Just a bit tired but can you help me?
I have some responsibility for technology projects and want to use the blog to ask for some advice and ideas.

News

BBC (BBC) - Ex-forces heads reject war votes
Four former chiefs of the defence staff have attacked the prime minister’s plans to let Parliament have the final say on sending troops to war.

Economist (Economist) - The legacy that got left on the shelf
The second-biggest consumer-goods firm is finally beginning to make the most of the advantage it was handed in emerging economies

TAHIRA YAQOOB (Mail) - Is this WORST outfit EVER for The Cheeky Girls?
When the Cheeky Girls attended an environmental charity event, their outfits took even their usually skimpy standards to new depths.

NYT (NYT) - Kurd Power Wanes as Arab Anger Rises
Once in a position of enormous strength, Iraqi Kurds are pursuing policies that are uniting most Sunnis and many Shiites.

Sky (Sky) - Chaos In India After Internet Outage
Firms in the Middle East and India say they are facing big losses after undersea cables were cut, disrupting internet services.

Michael Evans (Times Online) - Honour for the unsung Spitfire flying heroines
The survivors of a group of women who flew Spitfires in non-combat roles during the Second World War are expected to be honoured with a special badge.

Francis Elliott, Rajeev Syal (Times Online)

- Papers show Ken Livingstone used public servants in vote battle
The Ken Livingstone 2004 campaign instructed public servants to write articles in support of his last reelection as Mayor of London in a breach of rules forbidding political abuse of taxpayer cash.

Scotland

BBC (BBC)

- Free health care cost not known
Flagship Scottish policy of free health care for the elderly was launched without full information on costings, a watchdog report has found.

Wales

BBC (BBC)

- Low take-up of language services
The take-up of Welsh language services run by large businesses and public bodies can be as low as 1%, a snapshot survey for BBC Wales suggests.

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