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The Dour one is smiling
It has been described as the economic 9/11. We are told it is the once in a life time economic crash – something we haven’t seen since 1929… if ever at all. The housing market has virtually seized up and we are now all less than proud owners of a [...]

This morning Tom Harris MP proposed that the Howden and Haltemprice by-election was a monumental “waste of public money” of the order of “two hundred grand”. I differ; it is well worth it.

Tom’s being rumbustious, so let’s have a meme.

“The best £200k waste of public money you can think of”.

I’ll tag:

• Gavin Whenman
• Miss Wagstaff
• Mark Pack
• The Winchester Whisperer
• Sadie at the Tavern
• Hamish
• Donal Blaney
• Paul Canning
• The Thunderdragon

I’m tempted to tag Tom Harris himself, but I’d better not.

Tom Harris MP, this morning (just), on the Haltemprice and Howden by-election.

What a waste of two hundred grand*

…

* the cost of the Haltemprice and Howden by-election to the public purse

I have to acknowledge his chutzpah. A Government Minister complaining about £200k as a “waste of public money”. This is of Charge of the Light Brigade quality.

So I present Tom Harris with a Max Miller Award for being a Cheeky Chappie beyond the call of duty, but he doesn’t need the snazzy tie he already has one of those.

Just in advance of the Haltemprice and Howden by-election, Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust have released a new poll commissioned from ICM. The points that jump out at me on a rapid reading are

The Politics Home story tracker (snapshot from 1:30pm) is not showing this registering yet; it may do so later.

The nuggets are:

• 60% of people think that 28 days is plenty of time to hold people without trial.
• 93% believe DNA profiles should be kept permanently for serious violent or sexual crimes.
• 74% of people think DNA records should not be kept at all, or only for a limited time, for those who are innocent.

I find this encouraging, but further questions arise for the future - notably that of innocent people who are placed on the sex offenders register.

This is the full text of the Press Release.