While everyone's obsessed with Hackgate

While everyone (by that I mean press and politicians) are all obsessed with Hackgate (and what a story it is so I'm not surprised) the wheels of parliamentary legislations continue to whirr in the background.

I heard on Monday (monday?) that the coalition had earmarked $1bn of NHS services to be put out to 'competition' and of the services likely to be privatised, children in wheelchairs is one....
Very sneaky, very very sneaky...There should be rows about this in the commons but the Tories are probably well happy Miliband won't let go of the coulson/bskyb/ thread so they can pass through a few more punitive policies.

Yesterday I got an email from a guy at Shelter telling me the House of Lords were discussing the housing stages of the localism bill which of course has massive ramifications for everybody.

I was surprised he gave me the link but simultaneously really grateful aswell. I contacted him ages ago to ask if he'd write to Dobson see but they're working on similar projects. This one directly affects me and I write of course on behalf of those in similar situations to me.

I emailed him back asking if Shelter were taking any volunteers in its policy and research departments and he said to keep an eye out for adverts but they do have a "large number of applications"...

Heart sinkage, if you can imagine my heart sinking. The competition not only for jobs, but the competition to work for free... I did all that trying to get into journalism....

Yeah, so while everyone's obsessed with Hackgate I'm feeling a little defeated...the housing bills are going through which I spent two years trying to avert the damage it will cause.

Ah well, best get down the pub. Last week there was a punter there reading the Sun.

"Why do you?" I asked him. "Instead of say, the Mirror?"

"Sport" he replied.

Yep, down at the Last of the Locals, they know who Murdoch is but he isn't someone or this saga something they really care about.

Make mine a double...