Clocks Change Tonight

Don’t forget to put your clocks forward tonight.

Tonight at 1am we all have to put our clocks forward one hour to British Summer Time. It will be great to have those longer evenings in the garden and to know that summer is now just a matter of weeks away.

New ICM Poll – Tories Increase Lead

 

 

 

There is a new ICM poll reported tonight for tomorrow’s Sunday Telegraph showing a 13% Conservative lead – up 1% from the last Guardian ICM poll. The Lib Dem’s are down 2% which is more consistent with other recent polls:

            Conservative          44% (up 2%)

            Labour                       31% (up 1%)

            Lib Dem                    18% (down 2%)

This would see a healthy Conservative overall majority of 84 seats, according to Martin Baxter’s Electoral Calculus site:

 

            Conservative          367 seats

            Labour                       222 seats

            Lib Dem                    31 seats

Making Car Tax Easier

I am something of a cynic about Government online systems and their efficiency but I have just renewed my Car Tax online. I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was. Previously I had to find my car insurance certificate (usually no easy task), find a Post Office that does tax discs (not all do) and join the inevitably long queue.

This time around I followed the link provided on the renewal reminder to www.direct.gov.uk/taxdisc and followed the five steps. The system automatically checks your insurance details and MOT status, and if that is in order you pay with a debit or credit card and the process is finished. It couldn’t have been easier.

Now I just have to wait for the disc to come to me in the post. That is where the system could break down but I have taken a print as evidence of payment, so I wait with interest its arrival.

For once a Government agency seems to be providing an effective, user friendly means to interact online and I am impressed.

UPDATE: I am pleased to report that my new tax disc arrived today (Tues 31 Mar), in time to put in my car for the new tax period tomorrow. I remain impressed with the efficiency of the system.