There was an interesting article in Observer a few weeks ago suggesting that hard-to trace digital transactions could lead to hostile states or criminal organisations secretly making political donations and threatening democracy. The paper says that when Elon Musk appeared on huge screens dotted along Whitehall calling for thousands of attendees at far-right campaigner Tommy Robinson's Unite the Kingdom rally to "fight back... or die", the tech billionaire's image was accompanied by the logos of the event's sponsors. All but one were cryptocurrencies. They say that these images highlighted the arrival in Britain of a global pattern: the embrace by ...
Tue 14th
22:06
The Shropshire ley line quest reaches All Saints', Worthen, and the story of Mary Anne Talbot
More ley line adventures in Shropshire with Third Rate Content. This time they're at All Saints', Worthen and, though they don't find her grave, tell the tale of Mary Anne Talbot, an Englishwoman who wore male dress and became a soldier and sailor during the French Revolutionary Wars. If you want some scepticism about ley lines, see my first post on this one and the comments.
The Tomorrow's MP account on Twitter, which is run by the journalist Michael Crick, has the shortlist from which the next Liberal Democrat candidate for the North Cotswolds constituency will be selected. There are three names on the list: Nicola HorlickPaul HodgkinsonArthur SnellRather fancifully, Crick suggests that Arthur Snell is running his campaign from Kyiv. But on Bluesky Snell has assured everyone that he is in fact running it from Gloucestershire. The Conservative majority over the Lib Dems at the last election was only 3357, so this is one to watch.
Had she lived Margaret Thatcher would have been 100 yesterday. A dinner has been held for the Great and the Good of the Tory Party, along with the odd member of Reform, to mark the occasion. Apparently the Tories and Reform are competing to inherit her legacy. There can be little doubt that Clement Attlee wins the accolade as the UK's best post-war prime minister, and that the worst (so far) has been Liz Truss. However, in determining which post-1945 prime minister has done most harm I believe historians will decide it is a close-run thing between Margaret Thatcher and ...
Nathan Gill, the former leader of Nigel Farage's party in Wales, admits taking bribes to help Putin. And his Russian connection - the Ukrainian politician Oleh Voloshyn - in turn has links to a key figure wanted by US authorities over election interference, reports Carole Cadwalladr. Luvell Anderson explains why authoritarians like Donald Trump are afraid of satire: "Although humour can seem trivial to some, we should not underestimate its power to shift cultural agendas. Contempt toward elites in the form of satirical mockery can be cathartic and a demonstration of solidarity for those of lower status. Humourists can have ...
Tue 14th
15:00
Challenges for youth campaigners against authoritarian regime: from today's Georgia to yesterday's H...
Democracy movements are getting younger. But youthful energy alone isn't enough. Movements for freedom can be hijacked by malign influence or twisted into populist causes. The real challenge is keeping them liberal, disciplined, and resilient. Take Georgia. With intensifying demonstrations from Presidential elections to local elections earlier this month. The ruling Georgian Dream party — aligned with Moscow — was accused of manipulating the process, prompting opposition parties to call for a boycott and mass protests in Tbilisi. While the protests unfolded, the Atlantic Council (23 October 2024) published a report detailing Russia's interference in Georgian society. The findings were ...
Tue 14th
13:21Kamran Hussain writes: Representing people from all walks of life, not just "Middle England"
Editor's Note: In November party members will be voting to elect our next Party President and Vice-President. At Lib Dem Voice we welcome posts from each of the candidates - one to launch their candidature plus a maximum of one per week during the actual campaign. I grew up in a community with people who do the early starts and the late finishes: the shift workers, the carers, the shop staff who smile even when the till doesn't balance at home. For far too long, they've been told to "tighten belts" whilst the government loosened its grip on the basics ...
Just a reminder that, with the schools closed for the October holidays, our usual weekly ward surgeries do not recommence until after the school holidays, but will be back next week. However, we can still be contacted on any local issues or concerns - just e-mail westend@dundeelibdems.org.uk - many thanks!
Wales-online reports that Nigel Farage has falsely claimed he is the only current senior figure in Reform to have ever met Nathan Gill, the party's disgraced former leader in Wales. The claim comes after Gill admitted eight charges of taking bribes to speak in favour of Russia when he was a Ukip and Brexit Party member of the European Parliament. The website says that Farage - who led both of those parties - told the BBC on Friday: "I'm the only person in the senior management team of Reform who's ever even met him", however, Reform's current deputy leader Richard ...
A wonderful find on the Classic British Telly YouTube channel - everybody like and subscribe, please. Patricia Routledge was born to play Maggie Hobson, but Michael Caine's Northern accent is very much a work in progress. Click on the video above for a short scene that features them both. You can see more early Michael Caine on this blog in The Ship That Couldn't Stop.