Just came across this tool on the BBC website, which visually breaks down the total cost of the bail-out across the world and in the UK. Definitely makes for interesting, if very perturbing reading.

A video on the BBC website shows Meghari landing in Libya to an apparently welcoming crowd of onlookers. A not entirely unexpected event, this can only serve to bring into doubt the wisdom of MacAskill's decision this afternoon. Attempting to defend his position, the Scottish Justice Minister had said that we should not make exceptions to the release of prisoners based upon compassionate grounds. However, given the nature of Meghari's crime and the message his release must send to those perpetrating similar terrorist attacks, some reservations must surely be permitted.

Scottish Justice Secretary, Kenny MacAskill, just announced that Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi is to be released and allowed to return home to Libya, upon compassionate grounds. Megrahi has so far served only a tiny portion of his sentance, whilst failing to show any remorse or regret, and his release is sure to anger many who have strongly rejected proposals for his release and return. Indeed, the White House has released a statement saying it 'deeply regrets' Scotland's decision to release him.

Given these tensions, the questions surrounding his conviction and mentions of a possible inquiry, it seems doubtful that this will be the end of the case.

This is a reminder for all those Tory Christians who want to get involved in politics! Please read the flyer and sign up today!!

Yesterday at near 10pm two soldiers were shot dead at their army base in County Antrim, North Ireland.

This event, following recent news about the redeployment of the Special Reconnaissance Regiment to NI is alarming news.

As a 20 year old, who can barely remember the Troubles or any such violence, the issue of government in NI seemed to me at least to be an issue, if not resolved, at least peacefully settled. Ian Paisley Jnr aptly described contemporary perception of the situation, saying: "For the last 10 years, people believed things like this happened in foreign countries, places like Basra."

Let us all hope that this is the first and last event of its kind, for the sake not only of those families involved, but the entire stability of an area that thought it had seen the last of such killings many years ago.

Many of you may have been aware of the fund-raising carried out yesterday by myself at King's College London. Some of you may also be aware of Ed Hallam's denunciation of this humanitarian effort on the Young Conservative today.

Let me refute his points here:

1. "Remember, this campaign by the DEC was too controversial for even the BBC to endorse it."
Indeed, the BBC refused to air the DEC; however, it was not that the campaign was 'too controversial', but foremost that it might impede the organisation's neutrality: "The danger for the BBC is that this could be interpreted as taking a political stance on an ongoing story." (Mark Thompson). This neutrality is fundamental to the BBC's operation and I understood their actions in not airing the campaign video.

2. 'Um, Alex, at best, that’s a willfully ignorant statement... show some spine and support for the conservative ideals you’re meant to uphold' Lovely. I apparently don't just purposely spout nonsense, but am spineless too. Well, here is the demonstration of spine. Although, Ed asserts the 'conservative ideals' I am 'meant to uphold', I am not sure what right one individual has to define either my political opinions or stake a claim to one particular ideology. Shocking though it might seem to some, a socially non-conservative, Barack-backing individual can be president of KCL Conservatives and a member of the Conservative Party, without subscribing to all those opinions frequently found on the Young Conservative. I may be a member of the Conservative Party and support it at university and at the ballot box, but this does not mean I have entirely conservative (small c) opinions or share those of every other member.

3. 'Student Unions are rarely on the side of liberty and freedom, so why, as freedom-loving conservatives, do you ask your members to dance to their tune? It’s not as if Student Unions don’t have a proud history of denigrating Israel... Ignore your SU, it’s worthless to you.' Indeed, some student unions may make a point of condemning Israel and taking a political stance on such issues. However, I am unsure why Ed appears to condemn the KCL Student Union (KCLSU) here. I congratulate the KCLSU for its neutral stance on the issue and chose to get involved in the fund-raising - a student led initiative - without any pressure from the SU above.

4. I understand the political debates surrounding the conflict; however, as I stated in my email (and provoked accusations of ignorance) these are not relevant to the humanitarian crisis. Much though Ed attempts to politicise the situation, I believe it would be unforgivable to stand by whilst innocent children, women and men starve and die. I support the right of Israelis, as well as Gazans, to live in peace and whole-heatedly hope that a peaceful solution to the Middle-East Crisis is found. There are risks involved in sending aid and the small possibility that this may fall into the wrong hands; however, in a balance of risks and considering the relative death toll and destruction on both sides this case does not stand. To use this as an argument against saving the lives of thousands shows partisanship and heartlessness on a scale I cannot comprehend. In the words accredited to Edmund Burke, "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil, is for good men to do nothing". Of course, those Israelis who have had their houses damaged and lost relatives do deserve compensation. However, considering the infinitely greater wealth of Israel, the necessity for external donations is hardly comparable.

I hope the unpatronising tone of this message does not fall on deaf ears, much as the contrary tone of Ed's original message did not fall on deaf ears here.