Films become advertisements and advertisements become films

As a watch collector, one of my favourite lines in a recent film is the Daniel Craig Bond version of Casino Royale. On the train with Agent Vespa Lynd, he is asked by her if his watch is a Rolex, to which Bond replies: "no, Omega". Unsurprisingly, Omega Swiss Watch Company is well known for its Seamaster Bond Watch which has been one of its most successful watches ever.

I thought of this advertorial in Casino Royale, after seeing this evening, the highly enjoyable zany comedy Knight and Day, with Cameron Diaz and Tom Cruise. Although there is no overt mention of Rolex, throughout the film, Ms Diaz wears a Rolex Submariner Gents model, which is shown - somewhat ostentatiously - to be on her wrist at opportune moments. Mr Cruise's watch by contrast is more understated, and he is possibly wearing a Bremont watch - which is known to be one of his favourite brands. It is interesting that Rolex has chosen Ms Diaz as an 'Ambassador' for the brand and believes that she is best placed to promote a popular Gentleman's style Rolex. It marks - and cements - Rolex's move away from high tradition to populist culture.

But back to the original point of my article. Although I use two watch adverts in films as examples, as a regular movie-goer, it seems to me that there is more and more branding in films. Sex and the City One and Two seemed to be one long advertorial for fashion brands with some weak story lines thrown in - a bit like the old 1980s Nescafe soap adverts writ large. More and more films have ever increasing brand ads and the sequels often seem to be more about brand promotion than the movies themselves. I am not necessarily opposed to the changing nature of movies, but it would be nice to be told in advance whether we are seeing a film or a ninety minute plus advertorial - albeit an entertaining one.

by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com

Back to BBC Democracy

Regular readers of my blog will know that democracy for BBC Licence Fee payers is a subject I have raised in the past. Yesterday, David Milliband, took on a variant of my idea and argued that the BBC should become a co-operative.

In response, I wrote the below article for The Spectator magazine 'Coffee House' Website and thought you might like to see it below:

What is that quote at the end of King Lear? I think it is something like “the wheel has come full circle”. I felt a sense of that wheel with the announcement by Mr Miliband yesterday that the BBC should be democratised and become some sort of mutual co-operative.

I have been campaigning for democratisation of the BBC licence fee for a while now, first writing about it on ConservativeHome in 2008 and most recently tabling an Early Day Motion, only a couple of weeks ago.

Inevitably a few brickbats were thrown. My idea was loftily dismissed when I suggested it to BBC staff and Danny Finkelstein called it the "worst idea he had ever heard", after I had dared to propose that licence fee payers should have had the chance to vote on whether Nick Griffin should appear on Question Time.

I am not saying get rid of the licence fee. In fact I am not ashamed to admit that I like much of what the BBC produces, and even think her innate left-wing bias is healthy for Conservatives, as it means that ‘the right’ have to be that much better and sharper when presenting their case on BBC programmes.

But, my central point has always been this: why is it that those who go to such lengths to defend the licence fee, are so opposed to some form of democracy? Why are the BBC hierarchy so against to having some form of genuine input from licence fee payers? Everyone knows that current so-called consultations are a sham, with most decisions having been decided well in advance.

Mr Miliband says – in a variant of my idea – that the BBC should become some sort of co-operative. I have no objections to this in principle, except that it still might result in the ‘great and the good’ making all the decisions. The best way to ensure real democratic control of the BBC is to allow licence fee payers, at individual level to make the key decisions. This means that they would elect the board and Chairman of the BBC, agree the annual Report and have some say over programme making and payment of salaries. It would be similar to shareholders having the ability to hire and fire their board – with one main difference: every licence fee payer would hold just one share, and one vote. Licence fee payers would vote via the Internet with a special PIN number, keeping administration costs low.

The BBC cannot continue in the way of a 1970s kleptocracy. Auntie pays out huge salaries to executives and celebrities alike. Her bureaucracy grows exponentially. Her undemocratic licence fee has become an anachronism in the days of multi-channel satellite television. If the BBC really does depend on the licence fee for its survival, then there must be some real checks and balances. What better way than giving licence fee payers a vote?

Paul Waugh of the London Evening Standard, also wrote about this HERE.

by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com

Blackberry: The enemy of Dictatorships: Time for a Blackberry democracy index

picture from Chillnite.com

The Economist magazine often has a McDonalds index, which assesses the economic prosperity of individual countries via the cost of a Big Mac.

In a similar context, is it time to judge each country's democratic index based on the level of Blackberry usage? I ask this question following the decision of two Middle East autocracies, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia, to restrict Blackberry services. These regimes have done this on the grounds that Blackberry email and messaging is encrypted, making it virtually impossible for state surveillance and interception. The next country expected to do the dirty on Blackberry is Kuwait.

Last year, the UAE tried to get Blackberry to 'update' its software. It subsequently emerged that the update was in fact spyware, which would have enabled the UAE Government to track Blackberry emails. Fortunately, RIM, the maker of Blackberry, ensured that users deleted the software that had been uploaded.

Although modern technology has its downsides, the beauty of smartphones like Blackberries are that they need no landline and no broadband Internet connection to work. They rely only on mobile telephony and in Blackberry's case, the special Blackberry infrastructure. In moments, emails can be drafted, tweets can be twittered and Facebook messages sent. They are outside the all-seeing eye of the Big Brother State. All we need now is for RIM to develop satellite software that can bust the jamming of these autocratic Governments. These regimes, will be able to hold back this technology for only so long.

I have little doubt that countries which have the highest level of freedom and property rights, have the highest level of Blackberries or smartphones. As Thomas Jefferson once wrote: "The Liberty of speaking and writing guards our other liberties". What better 21st Century way of speaking and writing can there be than the Blackberry - the enemies of dictators everywhere.

by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com

Home Office Civil servants oppose Home Secretary's decision to ban Islamist extremists from Britain

On 30 May 2010, I wrote THIS blog about the extreme Islamist Zakir Naik who had been invited to Britain. Fortunately, Mr Naik's application was blocked by the Home Secretary, Mrs Theresa May, who refused him entry into the UK. The main point of my blog however, was not just that we should stop fanatics from arriving on our shores, but that we needed to look at why such people were being invited in the first place.

Now we learn that the Home Secretary's correct decision to ban Mr Naik has apparently been opposed by her own civil servants in the Home Office, some of whom - according to the Sunday Times - are at best appeasing, and at worst encouraging extreme Islamism in the UK. It is understood that senior officials have criticised the decisions and one has allegedly been suspended for trenchant criticism of the Mrs May.

For this reason, I and some other MPs have written to The Daily Telegraph, condemning the activities of these officials and urging that the Office of Counter Terrorism does not act against David Cameron's determination to root this poison out of our country.

You can read more details HERE.

by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com

Revival of British Horology stopped by Quango

Britain used to lead the world in Horology. In the seventeenth and eigtheenth centuries, English clock and watch makers were much in abundance - in the same way that Swiss watchmakers are today. It was John Harrison who solved the problem of Longitude with his Maritime clock. It was the Great Fire of the London that destroyed more than 160 great premises of clockmakers. This and a number of other reasons led to Switzerland gradually overtaking Britain and becoming the centre for great horology: a place it occupies to this day.



In recent years there has been a resurgence of British Horology. English watch maker George Daniels has revolutionised mechanical watch-making by inventing the co-axial escapement that has transformed mechanical watches. This mechanism reduces friction in a watch, ensures greater accuracy and much less need for servicing of the parts. It has been adopted primarily by Omega, and the co-axial escapement is now incorporated in all their automatic watches.

At a different level, the new Joseph and Thomas Windmills Company (named after the two great 17th & 18th Century English horologists of that name), has been established in order to create for the British consumer, an affordable mechanical watch - hand-made in England (albeit with a Swiss movement inside). Windmill watches are displayed in the Clockmakers Museum in London's Guildhall and well worth a look. They all have classic British designs and hark back to our golden era of watch making.

So I was disappointed to see that, despite this modest revival in British Horology, the Skills Funding Agency have arbitrarily cut funding for two key courses in Horology - the only two of its kind in the United Kingdom. This is despite the growing demand for these courses, and the wider interest in horology.

I have tabled a House of Commons Motion opposing this unnecessary and damaging decision:

"That this House is concerned that the funding available for the two accredited qualifications for clock and watchmaking offered by the awarding body EMTA Awards Ltd (EAL) in conjunction with the British Horological Institute have had their funding cut by the Skills Funding Agency with effect from 31 July 2010 without adequate consultation or a proper notice period; is further concerned that there was a very short and inadequately advertised window of opportunity in which to object; notes that there is an existing and growing demand for these qualifications, both from students and the watch and clock service industry; further notes that the cuts in funding could threaten the existence of the last course available in the UK leading to accredited qualifications for training clock and watchmakers at Birmingham City University; believes that this centre of horological excellence provides a unique opportunity to prepare students to service clocks and the rapidly increasing number of hi-tech complicated watches, which is a growth industry; further believes that such niche qualifications in highly specialised trades are valuable to British industry; and calls on the Government to review this decision, in light of the rich and centuries-old tradition of clock and watchmaking in the British Isles, and also in light of the jobs and economic growth offered by the sector.

I have also written to Government Ministers about this and hope to do an Adjournment Debate on supporting British Horology, sometime when the Parliamentary Recess ends. We should be backing the resugence of British Clock and watchmakers - not trying to stifle it.

P.S. For a brief summary of the history British clock and watch making, click on HERE

by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com

Sunday Update: Apprentices, County Court, Hair Salon, Policing plus some Sheep

Quite a bit has been going on over the past week or so.

Harlow Job Centre Plus. Given Harlow's high unemployment rate (the highest in West Essex), I wanted to meet Job Centre Plus Staff. I had a good meet with local staff and regional managers to discuss programmes to help people get back into work. I also discussed the ongoing Foodbank problem whereby - inexplicably - Job Centres were banned by the last labour Government from giving out food vouchers to the unemployed. As regular blog readers will know, I am lobbying hard to get this ruling changed.

Harlow Homeless Centre: I have visited Streets 2 Homes twice over the past two weeks to meet some of the Homeless and discuss current issues with Acting Director, Patsy Dye. We are working hard to get the Government to change the law to ensure that housing benefit is paid directly to landlords, something which would help the homeless considerably.

All Ability Sports Day: This was a very successful event at Stewards School. A Sports Day primarily for those with some disabled. It was good to see so many sports going on, and the passion of the trainers, parents and participants.

Apprentices: Some good news here. I have had regular meetings with Cllr. Ray Gooding and Cllr. Stephen Castle from Essex Council, to help push our Apprenticeship programme forward. I have also met with Dean Barclay part owner of Harlow Greyhounds, who has agreed to sponsor my Apprentice, jointly with Harlow Council. He has also agreed to place two Apprentices from Harlow College with his construction company from 2011.

Harlow Running Club: Delighted to start the firing gun for the Running Club County Championships. I was lucky as I got there on the dead of the starting time as I wasn't sure where exactly the race was starting.

Policing: I spoke in the Commons mini debate on the Policing White Paper, noting the Essex's Chief Constable qualified support for elected Police Commissioners. I also have got the Home Secretary to agree a visit to the Chief Constable to discuss this and related issues.

Futureversity: A great meeting with this Charity that sets up courses for young people over the Summer. I want Futureversity to come to Harlow.

Harlow Big Society: See my previous blog HERE.

Harlow County Court: Sadly, both the County and Magistrates Court face closure under the reorganisation of the legal system across the UK. I met with Harlow County Court Staff and local Solicitors Attwaters, so as to get local views to help me with my submission to the Government.

Sheep: The highlight of the past week or so has to be the Sheep we are seeing all over Harlow. The fibreglass sheep all over the Town Centre are there to celebrate the Henry Moore Sheep exhibition in the Gibberd Gallery. It is well worth going to the Gallery to see the incredible sculptures and sheep etchings. It is a very proud artistic time for Harlow - particularly given our status as a sculpture town. I was pleased to be given a small sheep - a lamb perhaps - which will be displayed proudly in my Commons Office.

Maria's Hair Salon: Twenty five years and still going strong in Slacksbury Hatch. To celebrate the owners held a special party, in part to celebrate a refurbishment. I was invited to cut the ribbon. So many customers were there, some whom had been getting their hairdos done for twenty five plus years.

Harlow Royal British Legion Open Day. My weekend ended with an excellent afternoon at the British Legion Club. Hundreds of people came to the open day to gather round stalls, eat barbecue and join in the entertainment. Miraculously the weather held up without the rain.

Well, as the cartoons say, that's all folks. I start a holiday on Tuesday, so my activities and blogging will be lighter than usual. Next week, I am off to Northumberland and Cumbria for a break. I am really looking forward to it.

by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com