Daily View 2×2: 3 January 2010 – Islamic march plan sparks row in military town

It’s Sunday. It’s 7am. It’s time to learn how to dig a hole, but first the news.

2 Must-Read Blog Posts

What are other Liberal Democrat bloggers saying? Here’s are two posts that have caught the eye from the Liberal Democrat Blogs aggregator:

• What about the blood on your hands Mr Major? asks Nich Starling, reminding us of how John Major failed in the former Yugoslavia to act despite the warnings from Paddy Ashdown
• Market Harborough reindeer ban makes Conservative Home reports Jonathan Calder.

Spotted any other great posts in the last day from blogs that aren’t on the aggregator? Do post up a comment sharing them with us all.

2 Big Stories

Islamic march plan sparks row in military town

A controversial Islamic group sparked a row in Britain Saturday after announcing plans for a march to commemorate civilians killed in the Afghanistan war through a town known for honouring dead soldiers.

Islam4UK says it wants to march through Wootton Bassett, which regularly sees hundreds gather in its streets as the bodies of British soldiers killed in Afghanistan parade through in hearses.

The town, which is close to the Royal Air Force base where soldiers’ bodies are repatriated, has become a powerful symbol of Britain’s war effort.

Islam4UK calls itself a platform for Al-Muhajiroun, a radical group now disbanded which used to be headed by Omar Bakri, an Islamist preacher barred from Britain for his views. [AFP]

Rise in rail ticket prices criticised by watchdog

Rail watchdog Passenger Focus has criticised the new year rise in fares, which have gone up by an average 1.1%.

Season tickets and standard day tickets might see a “very small reduction” in cost, but some of unregulated ticket hikes were “quite stinging”, it said. [BBC]

Sunday Bonus

Ever wondered how to dig a hole? Wonder no more: