‘We are MK Dons – Full Stop’

By me at Milton Keynes Citizen, this week’s front page story on the response in MK to a campaign in Wimbledon calling on MK Dons to ‘Drop the Dons’

MK Dons ‘till we die. That is the message from football fans throughout the city in the wake of calls for Milton Keynes Dons to ‘Drop the Dons’ from their name. Continue reading

Ken

Justice for Ken: The true level of abduction pain in Britain

As by written by me at www.miltonkeynes.co.uk

FOR more than three years Great Linford resident Ken Spooner has been desperately trying to bring his children home to Britain.
Devlan and Caelan were taken on holiday to their mother’s homeland, Zambia, in October 2008. But Zanetta Neyendwa refused to bring the boys home, leaving a heartbroken Ken with the task of negotiating the maze of both the English and Zambian court systems. Continue reading

Time to give the tinpot cups the heave-ho?

Isn’t it about time football got rid of some of its more tinpots cups?
Last night threw up yet more examples of why competitions like the Europa League and Carling Cup increasingly seem like a waste of time.
The exit of Manchester United and the all but exit of Tottenham Hotspur from those Cups at the hands of Crystal Palace and PAOK Salonika further evidenced just how devalued they have become. Continue reading

Senior council bosses worth every £378,477

As written by me and published in Milton Keynes Citizen today (December 1).

HOW many pounds does it take to recruit a senior council officer?
More than £20,000 if you’re Milton Keynes Council.
The authority has splashed out £378,477 in the last three year to bring in 17 senior executives – at a cost of £22,263 each.
In 2009 alone the council spent £320,854.66 to bring in a new chief executive, three corporate directors and nine assistant directors. Continue reading

The strange case of Derek Webb’s reappearing diaries

Private investigator cum journalist Derek Webb has been hovering near the top of the ‘ethics in journalism’ agenda for a couple of weeks now.
Mr Webb has emerged from the shadows to claim he was employed by News International to put hundreds of people under surveillance.
He says the now defunct News of the World commissioned him to follow a host of celebrities, Royals and politicians, including Princes William and Harry, Angelina Jolie and campaigning MP Tom Watson. Continue reading

Justice for Ken: MP for Africa to raise Ken’s case

Latest Justice for Ken story, by me, at MK Citizen

A SENIOR MP has given assurances he will raise the case of a city dad whose children were abducted to Zambia when he visits the African country.
Henry Bellingham, who is the Minister for Africa, promised to bring Ken Spooner’s story to the attention of the Zambian authorities when he next visited the country. Continue reading