Watching the news coverage of the aftermath of the Iranian elections, it struck me that it might be mutually beneficial for our police forces to do an exchange programme: the British could invite Iranian police over here to teach them such useful things as kettling, while we could send the York Minster police over there to learn from the religious police. Anti-social behaviour in York would certainly go right down!

Seriously though, I don’t know what to think of Iran at the moment. Ahmadinejad is certainly just a tiny bit hideous in his views, but my impression until yesterday was that what limted democracy that is present in the Iranian system was functioning legitimately. Obviously I’m not so sure now. It has been interesting to follow the goings on via Twitter though, a few of the people I’m following have tweeted directions for protests and ways to bypass the blocks put on accessing certain web-sites. Unfortunately I guess the situation will calm down again soon into the same old oppressive and intolerant ways.

So Sarah Palin sat at the “news-desk” on Saturday Night Live and nodded her head along in good humour to Amy Poehler rapping through her campaign. Why doesn’t this happen in British politics? There is a lot to dislike in Palin’s politics, but just as with McCain and Obama’s recent after-dinner speeches, she’s shown that she can see the light side of the campaign and politics.

I wouldn’t suggest that all the ‘popular’ bits of American politics should be adopted, but seeing the debates, campaigning where the candidates meet ordinary activists (and sometimes even real people), and television participation, it seems that the candidates have a higher profile. Probably the voter turnout will be less that it could be, but — so long as it is backed by actual policy positions — the degree to which the campaigns communicate with the electorate seems really positive. And yes, I know that the positions they’re running for are just a tiny bit more significant than a seat in the Commons, but there’s still scope for scaled down self-deprecation and popular communication.

Climate & Energy Package

Ok, so things didn’t look good for the climate and energy package before it went before the environment committee of the European Parliament a couple of weeks ago, but it got through just about all right. Well today the European Council managed to make time to discuss it, in between Gordon Brown saving capitalism, and it seems that, while the eastern Europeans didn’t make much of a dent on it in earlier stages, they are doing their best to water it right down now. Euractiv reports that there is co-operation, but it seems likely that the final agreement will be a shadow of what it should have been.

Canada

Brave faces and disappointment for the Greens were the result of the general election in Canada. Despite gaining 6% of the vote, the party didn’t manage to elect an MP. It looks like the same old problems as we have in the UK were partly to blame: non-proportional electoral system, other parties spouting “greenwash”, &c.

UN

The United Nations Environment Programme will be leading an initiative to develop a workable “green new deal. The proposals are separate from the New Economic Foundation’s report on the same topic which was produced by a committee including Caroline Lucas, and while seeming to be watered down slightly, should be welcomed.