An employment tribunal recently dismissed almost all claims in the closely-watched Peggie v Fife Health Board case. Sandie Peggie, a nurse with gender-critical beliefs, sued her employer over its policy allowing a trans woman doctor to use the female changing room. The tribunal found no direct discrimination, no indirect discrimination, and no victimisation. Only one narrow procedural claim succeeded. For many, this reads as vindication of trans-inclusive policies. But there's a bigger story liberals need to understand. This case is part of a coordinated litigation campaign operating largely in the shadows, bankrolled by wealthy individuals and organisations whose funding remains ...
I read a lot of posts and articles from people who try to dissect the reasoning behind Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine. Some conclude that it is simply a geopolitical squabble between two post-Soviet states. Others suppose that NATO and/or the EU must have "provoked" Russia into invading a completely separate nation that is not formally a member of either international organisation, despite both organisations allowing nations to join or leave as they please; see Brexit for the EU and the most recent threats of US departure from NATO. However, I propose a much simpler, albeit darker, reason for Russia's ...
Today marks the last day of the West End Christmas Fortnight and here's what is on : 10am to 4pm - DJCAD Design and Craft Pop-Up Shop - Matthew Building, 13 Perth Road - unique Christmas presents made by DJCAD graduates, plus art materials for gifts and making cards or decorations. 10.15am - Pilates - Blackness Library - for further information contact pilatesforyou3@gmail.com 11.30am - Baby Bookbug - at Blackness Library and also 2.30pm - Bookbug - same location - all welcome! 4pm to 5.15pm - Social Knitting Group - at The Wardrobe, 112 Nethergate. All abilities welcome, free and ...
The BBC reports on the report of the Covid Counter Fraud Commissioner, Tom Hayhoe, which concludes that much of the £10.9bn in taxpayer money lost to fraud and error in Covid support schemes is now "beyond recovery". Hayhoe's report says that the response to the pandemic had led to "enormous outlays of public money which exposed it to the risk of fraud and error", with employment support schemes set up by the previous Conservative government, including furlough and help for the self-employed, suffering £5bn of fraud: Many of the support measures were credited with propping up the economy throughout the ...
The great Dickens scholar Michael Slater, who died last month, explains the background to A Christmas Carol, reveals Dickens' reasons for writing it and discusses its monumental success.
Huffington Post had gone behind the New World (formerly New European) paywall and emerged with a story about the level of public support for Brexit today: Peter Kellner, who founded YouGov and sat as its president until 2016 - the year of the Brexit referendum - predicted that there's most likely a majority of 8 million now in favour of rejoining the bloc. And, because psephology is a heartless science, he said a lot more, beginning with the observation that more than six million Britons have died since 2016: Considering the turnout among older voters was higher than average and ...
Just like so many people, I went through much of my life following the politics I grew up with. Growing up in Wales, this was nationally Labour. After years of following the Labour ideology without questioning it and spending many years involved with student politics, it was the Brexit vote that made me think. The morning the Brexit result was announced, my young daughter turned to me and said, "That's rubbish, what are you going to do about it?" This was my turning point. I soon found out that my political home was not Labour, and the personal views I ...
(Editor's note: The above photo merely gives a flavour of the 1906 election and is unrelated to the specifics of the article below.) It's a torn and faded paper poster in a nondescript frame; no illustrations, just 30 or so lines of red-printed text in a wide range of sizes. But it's a strong contender for the treasured item I would rush to save from a fire. "We are seven!" it begins. Then in huge type, "Great Liberal DEMONSTRATION" followed by the much smaller but far more interesting line: "To celebrate the return of a Liberal MP for every constituency ...
At the last election Matthew Green and his team in South Shropshire achieved a remarkable 23 per cent swing from the Conservatives, finishing only 1,624 votes short of victory. Matthew was MP for the old Ludlow constituency, which covered much the same area, between 2001 and 2005. Today comes news that Matthew has been reselected as the Liberal Democrat candidate for South Shropshire. He writes on his Facebook page: In South Shropshire with the continued rapid collapse of the Conservative Party, at the moment it appears the next general election will be between the Liberal Democrats and Reform. We need ...
BBC News wins our Headline of the Day Award. The judges wonder how our regular guest blogger Augustus Carp will cope with this when he posts his next survey of councillors changing parties. Mark Pack will love it though.
[IMG: Matthew Green] Matthew Green posted on Facebook: I can now confirm that that I have been selected by South Shropshire Liberal Democrats to stand again in the next general election (probably 2029). I was very much encouraged to stand again by the response I received from South Shropshire voters in last year's General Election. In July 2024 despite becoming the candidate at very short notice, the fabulous team around me help produce a stunning 23.4% swing from Conservative to Liberal Democrat, almost regaining the seat. Short by only 1,624 votes. The next general election, although probably in 2029, already ...
Most people who join a political party at some point or other seek to gain elected office. First to be elected as a councillor, sometimes as a Member of Parliament and occasionally as Police and Crime Commissioner, or elected Mayor or even Member of the European Parliament (in the olden days of yore!). These were not the aspirations for Elizabeth Stanton-Jones, who has recently passed away and whose funeral takes place today. Instead, she sought to work for the local Liberal Democrats where she lived and delighted in seeing others getting elected (she did, of course, dutifully stand as a ...
I don't think Federal Council ever fully found its feet. And I think one of the fundamental reasons for this is that we never really understood what it was for. Was it intended only as an emergency brake for bad decisions made by a reduced size Board, or was it intended more of a broader Overview and Scrutiny function, equivalent to local government? My interpretation of the constitution was that it was the latter, but much of the discussion in Council focussed more on the former – which decisions should we call-in? This fundamental tension is one the party must ...
Our joint weekly ward surgeries take place tonight. This week they are as follows : Blackness Library (Tuesdays 5pm - every week during school term time) Harris Academy reception area (2nd Tuesday of each month at 5.45pm during school term time) All welcome - no appointment necessary!
The Independent reports that Rachel Reeves' pledge to take £150 off household energy bills could be wiped out because of the costs of nuclear energy, hidden green levies and new levies being introduced by the energy regulator. The paper says that in her Budget last week, the chancellor promised to take £150 off household bills by scrapping the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme, but the former Labour donor and green entrepreneur Dale Vince has now claimed that the impact of paying for building nuclear energy capacity will largely wipe out the £150 because of the £1bn cost in the first ...