A new piece for string quartet - AYLAN

This morning, as my personal response to the Refugee Crisis, I have written a short piece of music for string quartet. It's called Aylan (after the 3-year old whose body was found on the beach a couple of days ago).

The piece can be found in this folder:

https://app.box.com/s/lc1w8dxcg2tlclaua004zuca2t1kwuom

- there's a Sibelius score, score and parts as PDFs and an MP3 of the Sibelius "performance".

I'm going to be circulating it to friends I know who play in string quartets to see if any of them will perform it AND, hopefully, continue to put pressure on the governments of Europe - maybe even ask audiences to donate to some of the charities who are trying to help this dreadful situation.

Thanks for reading this and please feel free to forward it to anyone else you think might be interested.

COMMENT: Cam dine with me

This weekend's revelations that Cruddas, the Tory party vice-treasurer, had been caught trying to sell influence/appointments with David Cameron shouldn't come as any surprise.

Sure, the opposition will make the most out of the latest dubious cash for dinner revelations but if they're honest none of the major parties are without those who wish to buy themselves a greater influence with the party leaders.

How Labour can complain about large donations made from businessmen to the Tories while they themselves receive huge amounts from the unions is beyond me. Unions buying influence with Labour, a practise that's bedevilled the left wing of politics for decades, is a thoroughly disingenuous and dishonest system.

Some say that state funding of parties is the solution. I'm not convinced. State funding favours existing parties and, indeed, favours parties over independents which has to be a bad thing.

There are laws that require openness and honesty. All donations over £7,500 have to be declared. Clearly, some feel that they have a right to bypass the law and buy influence with policy makers.

Let's be honest, party politics is intrinsically corrupt. Parties are, themselves, coalitions of opinions and have to find ways of attracting attention and support.

Personally I'd favour an end to party politics, with all MPs being independents able to vote freely on every subject, no whips and no dodgy donations to have an influence on party policy.

OPINION: Funding of Political Parties

A report commissioned by the government has recommended that:

1. Donations from individuals should be restricted to £10,000

2. Donations from trades unions should be restricted

3. An increase of £23 million pounds (roughly 50 pence per taxpayer per year) should go into state support of parties

Obviously, the Tories object to (1), Labour object to (2) and, because they think the public won't like it, all three of the big parties object to (3).

But why, having commissioned a report, are they allowed to ignore its recommendations? Isn't that anti-democratic?

Personally, I'd limit all donations, outlaw the political levy that the unions do and remove state support for the corrupt system of party politics.