Birmingham Mail - Birmingham Mail Columnists - David Bell http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-blogs-views/birmingham-mail-columnists/david-bell/ birmmail en-gb http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-blogs-views/birmingham-mail-columnists/david-bell/2008/05/12/charity-must-begin-at-home-97319-20895883/ Charity must begin at home Sun, 11 May 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-blogs-views/birmingham-mail-columnists/david-bell/2008/05/12/charity-must-begin-at-home-97319-20895883/ IT WAS October 2005 when the earth moved in the foothills of the Himalayas. http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-blogs-views/birmingham-mail-columnists/david-bell/2008/04/28/political-put-down-is-a-real-let-down-97319-20830102/ Political put-down is a real let-down Sun, 27 Apr 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-blogs-views/birmingham-mail-columnists/david-bell/2008/04/28/political-put-down-is-a-real-let-down-97319-20830102/ AS an insult, it lacked a lot in snappiness, spite and spleen. http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-blogs-views/birmingham-mail-columnists/david-bell/2008/04/21/britain-needs-a-bill-of-rights-now-97319-20794475/ Britain needs a bill of rights - now Sun, 20 Apr 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-blogs-views/birmingham-mail-columnists/david-bell/2008/04/21/britain-needs-a-bill-of-rights-now-97319-20794475/ NEARLY 200 heroin addicts have won a £10,000 a head payout because the authorities stopped them taking drugs in prison. http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-blogs-views/birmingham-mail-columnists/david-bell/2008/04/21/relative-burgled-by-addict-97319-20794485/ Relative burgled by addict Sun, 20 Apr 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-blogs-views/birmingham-mail-columnists/david-bell/2008/04/21/relative-burgled-by-addict-97319-20794485/ A HEROIN addict who burgled his grandmother's home has been spared further time behind bars. http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-blogs-views/birmingham-mail-columnists/david-bell/2008/04/14/that-s-the-way-the-money-goes-97319-20761260/ That's the way the money goes... Sun, 13 Apr 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-blogs-views/birmingham-mail-columnists/david-bell/2008/04/14/that-s-the-way-the-money-goes-97319-20761260/ GETTING elected to the House of Commons is better than being enrolled in the Mafia. http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-blogs-views/birmingham-mail-columnists/david-bell/2008/04/07/a-nation-where-nothing-succeeds-like-failure-97319-20729898/ A nation where nothing succeeds like failure Sun, 06 Apr 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-blogs-views/birmingham-mail-columnists/david-bell/2008/04/07/a-nation-where-nothing-succeeds-like-failure-97319-20729898/ IT USED to be that captains went down with their ships. But this is England, a country where nothing succeeds like failure. http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-blogs-views/birmingham-mail-columnists/david-bell/2008/03/31/passengers-are-such-an-inconvenience-97319-20696953/ Passengers are such an inconvenience Sun, 30 Mar 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-blogs-views/birmingham-mail-columnists/david-bell/2008/03/31/passengers-are-such-an-inconvenience-97319-20696953/ THIS week's edition of You Couldn't Make It Up comes courtesy of Virgin Trains, whose services on the Manchester-Birmingham New Street-Euston run are becoming increasingly over-crowded. http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-blogs-views/birmingham-mail-columnists/david-bell/2008/03/17/drink-up-chaps-it-s-the-taxpayer-s-round-97319-20634236/ Drink up chaps, it's the taxpayer's round Mon, 17 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-blogs-views/birmingham-mail-columnists/david-bell/2008/03/17/drink-up-chaps-it-s-the-taxpayer-s-round-97319-20634236/ WHAT makes my blood boil is not so much being used as a human cashpoint to bail out the government but the incompetent way our money is spent. http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-blogs-views/birmingham-mail-columnists/david-bell/2008/03/10/an-over-taxed-toast-to-revenue-creation-97319-20596281/ An over-taxed toast to revenue creation Mon, 10 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-blogs-views/birmingham-mail-columnists/david-bell/2008/03/10/an-over-taxed-toast-to-revenue-creation-97319-20596281/ DURING the first 12 months of the failed attempt to impose a Continent-style cafe culture on Birmingham, violent crime at weekends shot up by more than nine per cent. http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-blogs-views/birmingham-mail-columnists/david-bell/2008/03/03/why-euro-gravy-train-is-for-their-eyes-only-97319-20550257/ Why Euro gravy train is for their eyes only Mon, 03 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-blogs-views/birmingham-mail-columnists/david-bell/2008/03/03/why-euro-gravy-train-is-for-their-eyes-only-97319-20550257/ FORMER Prime Minister Ted Heath sold it to us on the false premise we were joining a free trade area. http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-blogs-views/birmingham-mail-columnists/david-bell/2008/02/25/don-t-look-now-but-you-re-being-watched-97319-20520447/ Don't look now, but you're being watched Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-blogs-views/birmingham-mail-columnists/david-bell/2008/02/25/don-t-look-now-but-you-re-being-watched-97319-20520447/ BIG Brother is watching you. And his surveillance is becoming ever more intrusive. http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-blogs-views/birmingham-mail-columnists/david-bell/2008/02/18/we-pay-the-piper-he-calls-the-tune-97319-20489161/ We pay the piper, he calls the tune Mon, 18 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-blogs-views/birmingham-mail-columnists/david-bell/2008/02/18/we-pay-the-piper-he-calls-the-tune-97319-20489161/ SUPPOSE we must all be thankful for the downfall of Derek Conway. http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-blogs-views/birmingham-mail-columnists/david-bell/2008/02/11/why-metro-will-never-take-off-97319-20461358/ Why Metro will never take off Mon, 11 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-blogs-views/birmingham-mail-columnists/david-bell/2008/02/11/why-metro-will-never-take-off-97319-20461358/ I'LL tell you a secret about the senior Birmingham politicians involved in planning a city centre Metro. http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-blogs-views/birmingham-mail-columnists/david-bell/2008/02/04/pupils-locked-out-by-pfi-squeeze-97319-20432495/ Pupils locked out by PFI squeeze Mon, 04 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-blogs-views/birmingham-mail-columnists/david-bell/2008/02/04/pupils-locked-out-by-pfi-squeeze-97319-20432495/ ARSON-hit Perry Beeches School cost £15 million to rebuild seven years ago and its sporting and recreation facilities are second to none. http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-blogs-views/birmingham-mail-columnists/david-bell/2008/01/28/put-an-end-to-cotton-wool-culture-97319-20403219/ Put an end to cotton wool culture Mon, 28 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-blogs-views/birmingham-mail-columnists/david-bell/2008/01/28/put-an-end-to-cotton-wool-culture-97319-20403219/ THEY'VE been rolling cheeses down hills in Gloucestershire for time immemorial. http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-blogs-views/birmingham-mail-columnists/david-bell/2008/01/21/playing-the-grand-game-of-targets-97319-20375008/ Playing the grand game of targets Mon, 21 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-blogs-views/birmingham-mail-columnists/david-bell/2008/01/21/playing-the-grand-game-of-targets-97319-20375008/ LAST year police were on the track of a lad who raised £700 for Comic Relief and kept the money. http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-blogs-views/birmingham-mail-columnists/david-bell/2008/01/07/democracy-will-never-catch-on-97319-20330673/ Democracy will never catch on! Mon, 07 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-blogs-views/birmingham-mail-columnists/david-bell/2008/01/07/democracy-will-never-catch-on-97319-20330673/ IT LOOKS, at first glance, like an eye-catching step forward for democracy.