Barcelona Viva!

Manchester United's dream of clinching back-to-back Champions League titles ended in defeat after the team was comprehensively beaten in the final by Barcelona in Rome last night.
Barcelona 2-0 Man Utd

For the first several minutes in this final United were rampant - then Samuel Eto'o scored for Barça, and Fergie's men simply disappeared. Xavi and Andres Iniesta ripped them to shreds.

Barça were definitely the superior side, they kept the ball and passed United to death. United were poor, and on the rare occasions they actually saw the ball, it was handed straight back to the opposing side. The second goal from Lionel Messi merely put United out of their misery.

So a hearty "well done" to manager Josep Guardiola for winning the Spanish league and cup as well as the Champions League for his first season in charge, and humble pie for the myopic British press who wrote Barça off. Reading some of the papers prior to the match, it appeared all United had to do was turn up and take the trophy, after all, wasn't Barça supposed to have a dodgy defence? Instead it was Guardiola instead of Fergie who had the historic night.

Furthermore, congratulations to Thierry Henry and Silvinho on winning last night. For Thiery this is an honour he has richly deserved (I only wished he won it with the Gunners back in 2006).

Finally, I seem to recall Patrice Evra boasting after United beat Arsenal in this year's Champions League semi-final: "It was 11 men against 11 babies"

What goes around, comes around, eh Patrice?

Meanwhile in North London (continued)....

Robin van Persie scores twice as Arsenal crush Stoke at the Emirates Stadium and end their season in style.
Arsenal 4-1 Stoke

A frustrating season ends with a glorious flourish for the Gooners. I'm also glad the fans showed their support for manager Arsène Wenger by chanting his name throughout the game.
But next season will be important for Wenger. Arsenal has not won a trophy since the 2005 FA Cup and the disquiet among some fans will not go away.
My hope is that Wenger will learn from his errors (and whether he likes it or not, he did make some costly mistakes), and silence his critics next season.
I also hope our fans will go and SUPPORT the team more often next season too. While the attitude of some players like Adebayor leaves a lot to be desired (and if Adebayor does leave, I won't be too upset), how will booing our players help?

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Meanwhile in North London (continued)....

Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas has been cleared over charges relating to his conduct after the FA Cup match against Hull in March.

Fabregas, who did not play in the game, came on to the pitch after the final whistle and was later alleged to have spat at Hull assistant Brian Horton.

But an independent commission has now found there was not enough evidence on two charges of improper conduct.

Fabregas in clear over 'spit' row

Case closed. I'd like to hope that Cesc receives an unreserved apology from his accusers, including those journalists who assumed that he was guilty.

But I doubt it....

The Westminster gravy train (continued)...

Roll up, Roll up, all the fun of the Westminster fair!

Want to know if your MP has been splashing out the taxpayers' cash?

Well, try your luck at finding out how much MPs have been claiming for across the country here:

Interactive regional heat map of parliamentary expense claims

• Watch as a Lib Dem MP submits claims for a packet of biscuits and a trouser press!
• Be amazed at a Tory MP's expenses claim, which reportedly includes a £1,645 taxpayer-funded floating "Duck island" for his pond!
• Marvel as as two Labour ministers face questions over capital gains tax on home sales!!

"You have sat too long here for any good you have been doing. Depart, I say, and let us have done with you. In the name of God, go."
Oliver Cromwell to the Rump Parliament

The Westminster gravy train (continued)...

Michael Martin has told MPs he will stand down, so becoming the first Commons Speaker to be effectively forced out of office for 300 years.

Mr Martin, who will also step down as an MP, has faced criticism over his handling of the MP expenses issue. In a brief statement, he said he would step down on 21 June, with a successor set to be elected by MPs the next day.

He later announced a clampdown on MPs' expenses, including a ban on "flipping" of second homes, of using allowances to buy furniture and household goods and a £1,250 per month cap on mortgage or rent on second homes.

The Speaker was clapped and cheered by MPs as he announced emergency changes to the expenses system which have been agreed between the party leaders, which also include a 'reasonableness' test to block dubious claims.
Speaker quits 'for sake of unity'

Meanwhile Douglas Hogg, the Tory MP whose claim for clearing the moat at his country estate came to symbolise the excesses of the MPs' expenses system, is to stand down at the next general election.
Moat claim MP to quit at election

It's obvious the Speaker misjudged the mood of the electorate towards the Westminster gravy train. Furthermore, his attempts to block the publication of MPs expenses - notably by fighting a ruling that they be published under the Freedom of Information Act - has rightly led to his position becoming untenable.

It's also obvious that the remaining MPs are desperately seeking a scapegoat to take the blame for their own shortcomings. But it will take far more than Mr Martin's departure to bring this sorry affair to an end.

In the eyes of the public, the actions of these (dis)honourable members are no different from that of a benefit cheat - both are attempts to steal the taxpayers' money through dishonest means.
Those MPs guilty of fraudulent activities should be punished.

Football, football, football (continued)...

Manchester United sealed a third successive Premier League title by getting the point they needed against Arsenal.
Man Utd 0-0 Arsenal

Well, it pains me to say it but congratulations to Man Utd on becoming Premiership champions...AGAIN.

As for Arsenal - manager Arsène Wenger should not be beyond criticism, but the suggestion in some quarters that he's not the right man to carry Arsenal FC forward is ludicrous at best.
Obviously Wenger knows that he has a bit of work to do with the team's deficiencies this summer and the paying fans have a right to get their point across, but I felt that some of the negativity aimed towards the manager and team this season was almost counter-productive.
Yes it was another trophyless season, but let's stop undermining the confidence of our players.
Wenger pleads for fans' patience
Wenger will have money to invest

The return of Charmaine Sinclair (continued)....

Well, after last week's suprise return on TV, ex-glamour model Charmaine Sinclair was back on SKY Channel 948 yesterday for another "Legends" weekend, and she still looks great - but why not judge for yourself?

(NOTE: kudos to stralis440 from the VEF for the pics)

The Westminster gravy train (continued)...

Two Labour peers face suspension from Parliament for six months after being found guilty of misconduct.

Ex-trade minister Lord Truscott and Lord Taylor of Blackburn were accused by the Sunday Times of being willing to change laws in exchange for cash.

The two men denied the allegations but they now face sanctions following a probe by a House of Lords Committee.
Two Labour peers face suspension

Meanwhile Labour MP Elliot Morley has been suspended from the party after he admitted claiming £16,000 for a mortgage he had paid off.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown made the announcement as he launched Labour's Euro election campaign, even though Mr Morley had paid back the money, which he said was claimed due to sloppy accounting.
Brown suspends mortgage claim MP

Conservative MP Andrew MacKay earlier quit as parliamentary aide to David Cameron after he and his wife, Tory MP Julie Kirkbride, claimed full second home allowances on different addresses.
Tory MP quits post over expenses

More than 20 MPs have agreed to repay claims totalling nearly £130,000, and Parliamentary Labour Party chairman Tony Lloyd has written to all the party's MPs, urging them to publish their expenses.

This has gone beyond a disgrace. If these self serving, greedy and dishonourable bunch were passing dodgy expense claims in ANY other form of employment, they would sacked for gross misconduct!! These events has shamed British politics, sickened the electorate and virtually handed votes to the far right British National Party at next month's European Parliament election.

Does these politicians fully realise the damage they have done?

Well done Arsenal Ladies....again!

Arsenal Ladies won 1-0 at Everton to claim their sixth successive Women's Premier League title.
The win completed the treble of League, FA Cup and League Cup and marked manager Vic Akers' retirement - 22 years after he formed the Arsenal Ladies team.
Arsenal Ladies seal league title

I would make a joke about how the ladies team could teach the men a thing or two about being winners, but it's no laughing matter for Arsenal FC these days....

The Westminster gravy train...

Gordon Brown has apologised on behalf of all political parties for recent events relating to MPs' expenses claims. The prime minister said "mistakes" had been made and that public trust must be restored "immediately". Tory leader David Cameron has also urged MPs to say "sorry" for the expenses system.

His comments follow revelations in The Daily Telegraph that leading MPs had entered invoices for items including dog food, light bulbs, mock Tudor beams and a ride-on lawnmower.

Although all claims were legitimate, Commons Speaker Michael Martin announced an independent body auditing expenses claims would be set up "very soon". The Speaker has also defended calling in police over the expenses leak, as he admits public trust has been damaged
Brown apology over MPs' expenses

As a taxpayer who has read how our MPs has misued public money, why should I have any faith in our political system, when it's more akin to a gravy train for our "Honourable Members"?
People will rightfully ask, why vote for any of these parties when they all appear to be as bad as each other?

“No question, now, what has happened to the faces of the pigs. The creatures outside looked from pig to man, man to pig, and pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.”

George Orwell,
Animal Farm

Viola Wills RIP

I was saddened to learn this morning of the recent passing of Viola Wills on May 6 after a away after a long illness. She was 69 years old.
Viola was the singer behind the hits Gonna Get Along Without You Now and Dare To Dream, and also worked with Barry White (who discovered her), Joe Cocker & Smokey Robinson.
Dare To Dream was a fave of mine, I was hooked by its simple but beautiful piano opening and Viola's soulful voice.

'Aim for the sky and always dare to dream' was Viola's favourite saying.
Good words to live one's life.

Viola Wills (December 30, 1939 — May 6, 2009)
Viola Willis: Disco diva best known for her hit 'Gonna Get Along Without You Now' (obituary)

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