adam
10 Questions For 2008 - Before making any predictions for next year it's worth recalling Donald Rumsfeld's most penetrating remark:
"There are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns - the ones we don't know we don't know."
A lot will happen that I can't predict, but working from the known unknowns of next year's calendar, here are ten questions which I believe will shape politics at home and abroad in 2008.
- Will the British Economy go into recession?
- Will Boris Johnson become Mayor of London in the 1st May Election ?
- Will Harriet Harman, John Mendlesohn or any other senior Labour figures have to resign when the donorgate reports come in?
- Will the USA elect the first Female or black President on 4th November?
- Will the Lib Dem's new leader Nick Clegg cut the mustard?
- Will Parliament pass the government's bid to extend detention for terror suspects to 42 days?
- Will the Beijing Olympics pass without serious incident?
- Will Jacob Zuma secure the ANC nomination to be South Africa's next President?
- Will there be more extreme and unexpected weather patterns?
- Will Pakistan's Elections permit an orderly transition of power ?
Sadly the assassination of Benazir Bhutto has already answered this question in the negative before the turn of the year.
Whatever is in store... A Happy New Year to all blog regulars! [adam boulton]
Egg On Their Face(book) - Facebook have been left red-faced after they disabled Lib Dem MP Steve Webb's account saying they believed he was "a fake".
As the social networking site's chief Parliamentary champion, Mr Webb was concerned at this treatment and contacted Facebook to complain.
Happily, after 200 people started a "Steve Webb is real" group on the site, his account has been reinstated.
Parliament Square's Mandela Moment - Two of London's most famous squares are now adorned by a statue of Nelson following today's unveiliing ceremony. There's the Admiral in Trafalgar Square at one end of Whitehall, and now Mandela in Parliament Square at the other end. Mandela... [adam boulton]
