By-elections and updates

Reading: Pages from Ulysses, Urban 75 politics boards, Guardian Comment is Free site, essays by MG and PO'R, Derek Wall's blog.
Listening: Coldplay, TalkSport Radio.
Viewing: None.

Today saw the three by-elections in Bromley & Chislehurst and Blaenau Gwent for Westminster and the Welsh Assembly. (BBC Report)
Good Green candidates are standing in both Bromley and the Welsh Assembly election. Good luck to them both.

An update on the proposed Incapacity Benefit 'reforms' I have blogged on previously - the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) have produced a report condemning the likely effect of the 'reforms'. Good to see an established and respected body speaking out on this.

Finally, my union, Unison held a conference last week and some good progressive policy was passed, sometimes in the face of opposition from the leadership.

As well as backing the campaign against the Trident missile system replacement, conference agreed to oppose a new generation of nuclear power stations and called for 'massive investment' in renewable energy to help in the fight against global warming. A well deserved defeat for those elements of the leadership seeking compromise with New Labour came with the victory of an amendment to a motion on the energy industry. The successful amendment explicitly called for the industry to be taken into public ownership and control.

The need is there for mass, united movements against both the civil and military nuclear projects and for concerted action on climate change and emissions. The victories in Unison for those supporting these positions are therefore a very encouraging sign.

STOP PRESS - It now seems that the ASDA workers strike action that was scheduled for the next few days, and which I blogged on last week, has been called off by the GMB union after an agreement with ASDA management - announced in this press release.