Rob McDowall

Rob McDowall: The House of Lords - a bastion of cronyism, fat cheque books and political favours

Opinion Previous Article Next Article Equality Council member and human rights advocate Rob McDowall says it's time ditch the House of Lords retirement home.Writer and human rights advocate Rob McDowall says it's time to ditch the House of Lords retirement home DAVID CAMERON'S dissolution peerages again shine a spotlight on one of the biggest political embarrassments in the United Kingdom: the House of Lords.

OPINION: BBC Newsnight Comments Are A Symptom of A Hetero-Supremacist Media

If you are as boring and politically minded as me you probably watched Newsnight last night but did you catch the Tinder segment? The 'new' host Evan Davis highlighted the public spat between Tinder and a Vanity Fair journalist and made a sweeping generalisation while he was at it.

Payment Giant Paypal Blocks Payments For UK CBD Start Up

When you set up a business taking care to choose the right partners and suppliers is an important step, which, if you get wrong can cost you dearly. In June I wrote about the MediPen CBD oil vaporiser and detailed how the product was a legal and effective way to experience the benefits of CBD oil in the UK.

The Shocking Reality: Deadly Stealth Weapons Available In UK For Just £15

In the UK, under Section 5 of the Firearms Act 1968 it is an offence to posses, purchase, sell, acquire or manufacture a Stun Gun, Taser, CS Gas or Pepper Spray without the authority of the defence council (or in Scotland, Scottish Ministers) but that hasn't stopped online sellers and market places making them available for purchase and import into the United Kingdom.

Edinburgh Campaigner and Equality Advocate Jamie Szymkowiak In 2016 Scottish Parliament Bid

A common criticism of politicians is that they don't represent the people they serve and with the political awakening which followed the Scottish independence referendum in September last year, an influx of new and diverse prospective political candidates was sure to challenge that notion.

MediPen: A Refreshing New and Legal Way to Experience the Benefits of Cannabis in the UK

As someone who has lived with chronic pain and associated conditions since my early adulthood, I have tried scores of aids, medications, complementary products and stimulation devices in order to try and reduce my pain and allow me to live a fuller life.

Scotland's Most Topical Joke... Scottish Labour

For too long Labour, as a national party, has tried to be everything to everyone and pitch itself as an antidote to the cruel and bitter Tory cuts, while at the same time joining the Tories in smears, knee-jerk reactions and adopting shiny posters and Americanised slogans supposedly designed to appeal to voters.

Profit Before People: Over 200 Firefighters Condemn Government Cuts in Open Letter to Voters

The open letter from 100 business leaders published in the Telegraph confirmed what we all know, big business prefers the Tories but in the run up the election in May lets not get distracted by business leaders pursuing their selfish interests.

SNP 'Boss' Defects to Scottish Labour

Despite it becoming quickly evident that French Gate existed only in the head of the Telegraph's Simon Johnson it certainly set the cat amongst the pigeons. Scottish Labour mobilised the troops and many of the Labour heavyweights sprinted to condemn Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP only to delete their tweets a couple of days later.

Campaign to Bolster the Voice of Disabled Voters in Scotland

Tuesday sees the launch of the One in Five Campaign at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh with Scottish politicians Christina McKelvie, Ken Macintosh, Mary Scanlon, Patrick Harvie, Willie Rennie and the Scottish Socialist Party's Sandra Webster coming together to pledge their support.

Policing in the UK: Walking a Thin Blue Tightrope

Make no mistake, I am all for ensuring the police service isn't top heavy and is more able to respond to the ever changing needs of those it serves, but I would plead with the next Government to think hard about what policing means to the British pub...

Do Twitter Do Enough? My 'Clones' and Relentless Abuse

I regularly receive Twitter comments ranging from the tame and jejune 'fag', 'fudge packer', 'cock sucker', 'spazzy' and 'ugly cunt' to the more personal and nasty 'you should have been kicked out of your mums womb', 'I'd slit your throat fag', 'You should get raped with a machete' and 'Hitler had the right idea.

Stitch on the Black Triangles and Be Done With It!

Vilification of benefit claimants and disabled people is endemic, perhaps the government should just stitch on the black triangles and be done with it or bring in the Welfare Games to keep us at a more manageable number and remind us how grateful we are for all the 'pitty money' (in Simon Stevens words) that we get.

Seven Free Services No Charity Can Live Without

The internet is awash with products and services which promise to revolutionise the way charities work, collect donations, and manage information and the like. As someone who has worked in and volunteered in the charitable sector for over 11 years, I have listed a number of the best 'free to charity' offerings...

Eating Disorders... on a Scale From One to Hell...

Eating disorders are complex conditions which start for a variety of reasons and their impact stretches way beyond weight-loss or weight-gain and Thomas told me that his eating disorder has left him with permanent oesophageal acid reflux, stomach ulcers, chronic stomach pains, mouth ulcers, severely impaired peristaltic motion, damage to teeth, blocked tear ducts, scars on knuckles, sore throats, hair loss and pale complexion.

Thistles at Dawn

To my friends, family and foe it's no secret that I'm banging the drum for Independence and praying for a YES vote in just under 157 days, but one thing that needs to be said is that I am not an SNP supporter.

To Catch a Predator

No loving parent would dream of opening their doors to a sex offender hell-bent on manipulating and exploiting their child but with the increasing availability and use of modern technology, a parents' ignorance could inadvertently do just that.

I've Got the Scottish Virus

The Scottish Independence debate sparks fierce emotion on both sides of the camp and the colour of your rosette aside, strong support can be found on Twitter and Facebook from across the political spectrum.

Robbing Peter to Pay Paul

Payday Loans have become a hot topic and a regular feature in the British press week in, week out. The market has grown significantly and although the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) have no official figures on exactly how much the sector is worth it estimated it at around £900 million in 2008 with Consumer Focus estimating the total value of loans made in 2009 at £1.2 billion.

Taxpayers, Shareholders and the Employability Gravy Train

For years we have been told that society protects and has a duty to protect those unable to work due to sickness or disability as it is the right and the just thing to do. That tide has well and truly turned with the coalition at the helm of the controversial welfare reform drive...

Living with Crohn's Disease - What helps me get through the day... - OBMV

Bowels are temperamental things and our bowel habits are as unique as our tastes, we are all different after all but when things aren’t running smoothly it can wreak havoc on your quality and enjoyment of life. We have all experienced the misery of acute diarrhoea at some point in our lives and have had the displeasure of stomach pains and cramps, bloating and excess gas but for someone living with Crohn’s Disease it can be chronic and can have a serious and limiting impact on their daily life.

Dodging the bullets - disabled people should be forced into work

Paralised PIP boss Stephen Duckworth says PIP is 'enabling' and that over 1 million disabled people should be put to work regardless of if they are fit.

Simon Stevens and his itchy finger - OBMV

Simon Stevens, self styled disability consultant and 'comedian' dropped by disability charity for his Twitter hate row against disabled welfare claimants.

Railway Hero Suspended for Pensioner Rescue - OBMV

Railway worker suspended for wheelchair pensioner rescue at Southend Central station Essex. C2C cite breach of health and safety rules. Tell [email protected]

Yiamas Greek Taverna Review Glasgow - OBMV

  Yiamas Greek Taverna 16 – 20 Bath Street, Glasgow, G2 1HB www.yiamasglasgow.com Open: Mon – Sun : 12.00 – 11.00pm Good, uncomplicated and great value for money food is often a hard to find treasure in the bustling shopping streets of Glasgow, with many ...

Safety net for crisis hit Scottish benefit claimants - LGBT Network

Scottish Welfare Fund cushions Scots benefit claimaints in crisis

Operation Disable the Disabled - LGBT Network

Welfare reforms and media reforms are are driving disabled people to suicide. Operation Disable the Disabled is in full-swing.

10 Free Essential Tools for Bloggers and Internet Journalists - LGBT Network

Blogging can take it out of you and many bloggers report their frustrations at the limitations in blogging apps and websites. Sometimes you want to say something or show something but your blog provider or software lacks essential functionality and you find yourself having to shoe horn it in or limit what you share with your readers. Our 10 Free Essential Tools for Bloggers and Internet Journalists aims to make it easier for you to share what you want to share in the way you envision it.

Chronic Pain: The thorn in my side - Rob McDowall

Living with chronic pain isn't fun. Did you know in the UK nearly 8 million people live with chronic pain? Did you know the average wait is 6 years for treatment.

Anti-gay landlord refuses home to lesbian couple

An Isle of Man lesbian couple refused home by landlord and told that that it is within his legal right to discriminate against gays

Lack of youth involvement in policy making

Policy making lies at the foundation of any civilised society and we can learn a lot about society by the way it treats its young people. Young people in the UK are fair game for every political...

Top, Middle or Bottom - Gay dating apps

Eternal Damnation and Strawberry Jam - LGBT Network