News just in - Govt wins 42 days by 9 votes

After a number of concessions the Government staves off defeat and wins on 42 days.

The concessions though are quite extensive and produce a rather strange legal apparatus to deal with situations where a longer period than 28 days is required, though the alternative would be to rush through legislation on the hoof in 1 day which, on balance, means the 42 days might be the least worst solution.

Very good coverage on the Guardian blogging on developments throughout the day.

What Gordon Brown should do over the summer

Firstly, rest.

Secondly delegate to (probably) Jack Straw, possibly Miliband over a long summer holiday.

Ideally he should rent a cottage in Devon for the first part of the holiday and be seen going for lots of country walks, a couple of shots of chatting with locals but no politicking.

Then aborad where there are no voters to interact with and (hopefully) no media apart from a few syndicated photos and clips of him reading something slightly trashy (if he's seen reading an economics text book that's not good).

Where? Can't be the US or he'll get caught up in the US elections. Can't be in the EU or he'll end up talking about the Lisbon Treaty.

So preferably somewhere he can completly unwind and be photographed wearing slacks and short sleave shirts.

No where immediately springs to mind but I wonder if Cliff Richards still has that yacht in the Bahamas.

Congratulations to COC

COC (it appears to be the world's first gay organisation, set up in 1946 in the Netherlands) has been recommended by the ECOSOC Committee on NGO's to obtain consultative status.

COC will join a number of LGBT organisations who have already recently gained consultative status at the UN (ILGA Europe and a number of other organisations such as LBL, LSVD and RFSL).

The UK appears to have played a key role in the committee, speaking in favour of the LGBT organisations and also persuading the USA to support (voted against on a previous occasion).

It was a 6-7 vote with 5 abstentions. In favour - Colombia, Dominica, Israel, Peru, Romania, United Kingdom, United States; against - China, Egypt, Pakistan, Qatar, Russian Federation, Sudan; abstained - Angola, Burundi, Guinea, India, Turkey.

Pink News report - Gay groups gain observer status at the UN
ECOSOC Report - Approving gay-rights federation in 'breakthrough' decision

Obama's gay campaign

This on the Obama campaign's efforts to involve LGBT people, including previous supporters of Hillary.

Yesterday's Prides

Reuters - Pride events in Italy

Gay NZ - Pride events in Rome, Athens, Warsaw

Amnesty welcomes British embassy flying the rainbow flag (after being flown in Riga recently).

Open letter about Riga Pride

The letter from a wide number of signatories (including ILGA Europe) welcomes the event was upheld and took place whilst still pointing out disappointing ways in which the event was restricted.

In spite of all of the negatives, it's instructive to compare this year's Riga Pride with that of 2005 which was banned by the City Council but went ahead after a Court order, and with 2006 where significant violence and disruption occurred from anti-gay campaigners.

Apart from the sheer tenacity of LGBT campaigners in Latvia (and similarly in other Eastern European countries) we should improved policing, support from organisations such as ILGA-Europe and Amnesty International and high profile politicians from within the EU and in neighbouring countries.

THT interview on blood donation

PinkNews interview with Lisa Powers of THT.

Excerpt dealing with blood donation here:

There is a perception that THT is supporting a policy that is discriminatory.

They need to actually think why would we do that, since we come from the gay communities, being part of the gay community.

I myself have been a gay activist for over 30 years, and I didn't understand it till I sat down at length with people from the National Blood Service and really went into it very carefully and now I understand it.

I don't blame people who don't understand the ban and think it's all about prejudice, because 99 times out of a 100 when someone tells someone they can't do something because they are gay it's prejudice.

The ban around blood is a real problem, and it needs to be constantly checked.

Our view is that we support the blood service as long as they keep reviewing the evidence and we recently had a meeting with the NBS, two months ago, and they are currently going into another review.

They are looking at all the evidence and they are going to be sharing it with us.

They also finally understand they they haven't done enough with the gay community.

I would say to any gay organisation which has tried to engage with the blood service in the past and failed because the NBS hasn't wanted to engage with the community, I would say go back and re-engage.

If you want you can come and ask us at THT about who to talk to.

Get in touch with the blood service, get in touch with the right people at the top and persuade them that they need to explain themselves better.

We now have a FAQ policy about blood donation which is on our website, which tries to explain in as simple terms as possible.

Now sometimes people don't like what we are saying, literally last week we had a phone call to our department here from a gay man who was very upset about the blood policy and said how dare the blood service refuse the blood of gay men.

We said you have to understand that gay men are disproportionately at risk of HIV and then he started shouting at us 'how dare you pick on gay men, how dare you say we are disproportionately at the risk of getting HIV.'

But the fact is that in this country gay men are massively at risk, and what the blood service does, which they have been scared to admit in the past, is they play the odds.

They look at how much blood they need and they look at how many risks they need to take to get the blood they need and what kinds of blood, and they don't take any more risks that that.

Though the risk is relatively low, that something could go wrong, there is risk there.

When we talk to people about this, they are surprised to find out that that no-one from England can give blood in the US, because there is a tiny risk from BSE.

And it wouldn't matter if you are a vegetarian, and for a vegetarian to give blood in the US is like the gay man being refused to give blood here in England.

The dream ends

Clinton finally ended her campaign yesterday though I didn't manage to watch the speech. Here is a collection of some nice clips. As can be seen, she gave a thorough and full endorsement of Barack Obwma.

Whilst I didn't take to some of the tactics used by Clinton in her campaign (and Bill in particular has not come out of the campaign with his reputation enhanced) I have to admire Hilary Clinton's tenacity and energy in campaigning.

I am sure she'll carve out a powerful role for herself but I think that Hilary as VP is a recipe for disaster at some future point.

When the two candidates are so evenly matched it would be confusing as to which one felt more entitled to be President so you can imagine all sorts of difficulties - recent experience in the UK is perhaps not so good in this respect.

Some reflections on last night

I think it is really important to pause and reflect on the sheer history we saw last night in Bareack Obama becoming the first black nominee of a major party in the US presidential election, and yes that he was nearly beat by the first woman nominee.

How many times has it been said it would take the US 100 years to be 'ready' for a woman or a black President?

Whatever else it has achieved in it's existence the Democratic Party has, through this contest, put both of these within grasp.

So politics is still a noble endeavour, party politics (too often maligned) specifically.

Remarkable for any country to candidate of a minority ethnic group as a contender for high office, whereas in the US the Civil Rights movement is still in living memory for many.

I can only borrow this from Andrew Sullivan's blog:

My grandfather, 86 years old and a veteran of WWII, just gave me a call. He
was calling all of his grandchildren to let them know what an important night
this was in the history of our country.

Grandpa drove a truck for over 50 years, and he told the story of how he drove with a team of drivers, 2 white (including him), and 4 black. When they stopped at the truck stops, the black drivers had to use seperate restrooms and showers, and had to eat in a small room in the back of the kitchen. Grandpa and his co-driver would eat in the back with the rest of the team, and while they didn't speak of it at the time, they
knew it was wrong yet felt powerless to change it, and believed that it would never change.

Tonight, he told me, we have come full-circle. Many people, especially the younger generation who supported Obama, will never fully realize the historical import of what happened tonight. But he wanted his grandchildren to know this story that he had never told us, and it was the second time in my 33 years that I have heard my grandpa cry.

Obama's speech showed the same deep oratorical gifts that Obama has always showed. His ability to move the audience, move with the audience, create common purpose with them. He looked every bit a President and compared very favourably to the two other speeches, both of which were rather pedestrian in nature.

Of course, oratory alone (oratory is the thing that is decried when present but bemoaned when absent - in Obama we have a foremost modern orator that lives up to the highest ideals of the art) won't work and the hard graft of a General Election that leaves the contestation of the Primaries behind.

On the other hand I now have a more negative view of Hilary Clinton's speech - also some reactions here. I don't think she managed the required tone and her speech doesn't stand muster in the cold light of day. Seem to remember John Major saying something along the lines of "When the curtain falls, you leave the stage...").

I think the chances of being a VP were always slim but probably a generous concession speech was required to make it a possible. I think she's overplaying her hand and it will backfire.

In spite of all of this no-one will deny her her position as a candidate who was a candidate to the very end of the process (quite a rare occureence) . There's lots of speculation as to potential roles but some that have been mentioned include Senate Leader, Health coverage supremo and the even Supreme Court. Putting her in charge of health care reform is a very good proposal as it people to remember the chaos the last time she was put in charge of it.

To get any where near to cashing in on her achievement in this Primary she does need to concede and get behind the nominee.

But the most important thing is to pause a while and reflect on hisotry in the making that I am sure, whatever the result of the election, will have massive ramifications for the rest of the world.

Clinton wraps it up

Actually quite a good speech. A pretty good hust for VP.

"I am committed to uniting our Party"

"Where do we go from here"

"No decisions tonight"

"I will consult with our Party leaders"

Effectively concedes without conceding.

Obama goes over the top

The last Democratic Primaries (Montana and South Dakota)

SD closes 8pm ET, Mont closes 10pm (1am and 3am on whatever time we're on at the moment)

11pm

Obama close to clinching the nomination

More and more superdelegates endorsing Obama - now only 12 short of the 'magic number'

Now on 2106

Described as the most exciting and historic Primary night in US history

11.40pm

Now on 2107 - 11 more needed

11.50pm

Now on 2108 - 10 more needed

1am

Now on 2112 - 6 more needed, 200 in front of Clinton

1.04 - 2113 - 5 needed

1.10 - 2114 - 4 needed

2.30 - Obama on 2119 and is therefore now the nominee presumptive

OBAMA WINS

According to the Associated Press Barack Obama has now won the Democratic nomination and has reached the required number of delegates and makes history for the US as the first black Presidential candidate (presumptive nominee until made into the official candidate at the Convention).

Andrew Sullivan (Daily Dish) How to Celebrate

Interesting pickings from the Drudge Report

Times The Clinton juggernaut coughs and splutters to a halt, Barack Obama on the threshold of history

BBC Obama on brink of victory

British Embassy flies Rainbow Flag in Riga

Story carried on several news services - Pink News article here, UK Gay News here.

THT on blood donation, supporting the current approach

Pink News carries this story today.

THT has stated its support in the context of regular review of the scientific evidence.

I have previously blogged that I am more sympathetic to the position of the current ban in respect of men who had anal or oral sex with men.

I do though note that in Australia there is a 12 month deferral for anyone having had 'male to male sex' and also has a provision of subjecting applicants who provide misleading information in their screening.

I think the Australian model is actually something worth looking at - I'm not aware of any countries having done away with any restrictions on men who have had sex with men donating and think it would be quite unsafe to so.

THT's (very brief) statement here of why they support the Blood Services approach to donor screening with respect to men who have had anal or oral sex with men and therefore pose a risk with regard to the safety of the blood supply.

Four Days in Denver

Great script for a deadlocked Convention unable to agree on a nominee. I won't spoil the ending. Makes for a great read.

(ht to Andrew Sullivan, Daily Dish)

Brown plants his standard on 42 days

"I'm determined to stick to our principles."

BBC report.

Obama Pride

Really like the link for the LGBT supporters of Obama.

Homosexuality in America

According to this poll 'homosexual relations' come between abortion and doctor assisted suicide, with the same percentage finding "homosexual relations" acceptable and wrong (48% for both sides) irrespective of their view of whether it should be legal or not.

Heathrow wins award for worst airport

Well not quite.

The world's airline organisation doesn't like Heathrow because it's too expensive.

Those of us who use it dislike it for other reasons.

Simon Barrow responds to Bishop Nazir Ali

From Ekklesia:

There are indeed serious issues about moral cohesion in modern, plural societies. But diversity and disagreement cannot be wished away, and a vision of social justice and responsibility will not be created by lecturing people, seeking to restore Christian privilege, portraying Islam as the new threat, or bemoaning the loss of a monoculture.

The churches need to be seen as small-scale communities of positive hope, not wounded dinosaurs complaining that people do not take them seriously any more and that the country is going to the dogs.

Similar thoughts expressed in his recent Comment is Free article Blinkered Bishop.