http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/janet-street-porter/?service=Rss http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/janet-street-porter/janet-streetporter-were-ready-to-rise-up-against-ecotowns-828257.html http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/janet-street-porter/janet-streetporter-were-ready-to-rise-up-against-ecotowns-828257.html?r=RSS <p>Without being cruel, it's a worry that the Housing minister, Caroline Flint &ndash; the woman put in charge of dumping 10 new eco-towns all over rural England &ndash; can't even sort out her notes for a Cabinet meeting so they aren't visible to the press.</p> Janet Street-Porter Thu, 15 May 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/janet-street-porter/janet-streetporter-weve-put-the-wrong-gordon-in-charge-825925.html http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/janet-street-porter/janet-streetporter-weve-put-the-wrong-gordon-in-charge-825925.html?r=RSS <p>Last week was a tale of two Gordons. Gordon Ramsay was out and about, first hobnobbing with the Queen at a reception at Buckingham Palace to "honour" the hospitality industry. He exhibited an uncharacteristic level of humility by stooping so low to chat to HMQ that she must have copped a face full of the sprouting blond artichoke that's living on top of his head. </p> Janet Street-Porter Sun, 11 May 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/janet-street-porter/janet-streetporter-deep-in-rural-england-fresh-fields-for-the-bnp-822753.html http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/janet-street-porter/janet-streetporter-deep-in-rural-england-fresh-fields-for-the-bnp-822753.html?r=RSS <p>Now that the BNP has gained its first seat in the London Assembly, commentators have tended to focus on the party's growing appeal to lower-middle and working-class urban voters. But there is another side to the story.</p> Janet Street-Porter Thu, 08 May 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/janet-street-porter/editoratlarge-an-army-of-choosy-shoppers-could-see-off-greedy-retailers-820869.html http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/janet-street-porter/editoratlarge-an-army-of-choosy-shoppers-could-see-off-greedy-retailers-820869.html?r=RSS <p>The election results of the past week confirm that anything tagged with the word local is guaranteed to get a powerful response. Voters turned out in their thousands to register their discontent with the Government, not about international issues such as Afghanistan or Iraq, global warming or the candidates for the US presidency, but over how issues far closer to home are being handled. Frankly, we care more about whether wheelie bins are collected weekly or fortnightly and how much a parking permit costs than if child poverty targets are being met and whether we're building enough new homes. There's a sense that when the going gets tough &ndash; with rising mortgage, fuel and food costs &ndash; it's time to batten down the hatches and focus on a more personal agenda. Sure, many voters were concerned about the 10p tax rate being cut, but the vast majority were driven by local issues.</p> Janet Street-Porter Sun, 04 May 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/janet-street-porter/janet-streetporter-ive-still-got-a-beef-with-supermarkets-818678.html http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/janet-street-porter/janet-streetporter-ive-still-got-a-beef-with-supermarkets-818678.html?r=RSS <p>The Competition Commission yesterday published the lacklustre final part of its two-year investigation into British supermarkets, concluding that, overall, there was little cause for concern. The report, costing tax payers an estimated &pound;4m, does not compel supermarkets to divest themselves of land banks they have accumulated, but new planning restrictions are proposed to prevent new stores being opened in an area if the retailer already controls 60 per cent of the market share within a 10-minute drive from any proposed development sites.</p> Janet Street-Porter Thu, 01 May 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/janet-street-porter/editoratlarge-debt-is-never-the-way-to-ease-poverty-816220.html http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/janet-street-porter/editoratlarge-debt-is-never-the-way-to-ease-poverty-816220.html?r=RSS <p>You know there really must be something wrong when even a bloke as patently dumb as Guy Ritchie cottons on. He's told a journalist: "House prices... just go up... and the natives of England are being left behind. Anyone who has tried to buy a house in central London knows it's almost impossible unless you've got ten million quid." Luckily, when his family outgrew their &pound;7m Marylebone mansion, Mrs Ritchie could afford to stump up &pound;6m to buy the house next door, so Guy's problem has been solved. </p> Janet Street-Porter Sun, 27 Apr 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/janet-street-porter/janet-streetporter-st-george-the-patron-saint-of-cashing-in-814692.html http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/janet-street-porter/janet-streetporter-st-george-the-patron-saint-of-cashing-in-814692.html?r=RSS <p>St George's Day was celebrated yesterday in the usual way we mark these events &ndash; by linking them inextricably to sport. Instead of bunting, bright red England football shirts were festooned the length of Carnaby Street, and could be won by entering a newspaper competition.</p> Janet Street-Porter Thu, 24 Apr 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/janet-street-porter/editoratlarge-naomi-wrighty-bono-do-what-you-do-best-and-skip-the-politics-812185.html http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/janet-street-porter/editoratlarge-naomi-wrighty-bono-do-what-you-do-best-and-skip-the-politics-812185.html?r=RSS <p>Fresh from the contretemps that ensued when her luggage went missing and she left a plane in handcuffs, Naomi Campbell announces to an expectant world that she is launching a crusade for fellow victims "disrespected" by British Airways. The former footballer Ian Wright tells us he's no longer prepared to appear on the BBC because he's treated as "a court jester". This from the chap who has just signed up to present the new series of Gladiators on Sky One. </p> Janet Street-Porter Sun, 20 Apr 2008 00:00:01 +0100