Thrill to footage of Nevill Holt Hall (now widely accepted to be the chief model for Bonkers Hall) from 1:13 and of Market Harborough cattle market from 9:57. This film brings home just how powerful the British state became during the Second World War. Thanks to Mark Howson for posting it on Bluesky - he says the Clarkes are still farming near Medbourne.
Just before the Christmas recess I sat down in the Commons cafeteria opposite a Conservative front-bencher whom I knew. 'There will have to be a coalition after the next election,' he told me, 'bringing you together with Labour and the Greens.' I realised after absorbing this that he was effectively telling me that the Conservatives could not revive in time to hope for a majority, and that the prospect of either a Reform majority or a Tory-Reform coalition gave him nightmares. It's 3½ years at most until the next general election. Plenty of crises and shifts in political moods may ...
When I gave up on The Times a few years ago, I reinvested those freed-up funds into some proper journalism - the Economist and the Washington Post. Quentin Letts had been the trigger for me, but it was probably inevitable - newspaper of record, indeed - although I did think that I was probably getting the better of the deal. And, despite all of the gloom, I still value my subscriptions. At least, I did until Jeff Bezos decided to place his mark on the Washington Post. Now, regardless of what your preferences in terms of coverage, what most thinking ...
2025 has been a good year! It has quite a few ups and a few downs, however as humans, we have an amazing ability to adapt and embrace the most difficult challenges. I had many moments when I thought: "what's the point of all of this" and many moments, when I felt energised, driven and highly motivated. From a professional perspective, I have experienced quite a few changes; after many years and some amazing experiences, I left my full-time job with the Community Alliance Broxbourne and East Herts and I started a new role with the North Herts and Stevenage ...
There has been some talk recently of Andy Burnham challenging Keir Starmer for the leadership of Labour. In effect, some are seeing him as the Prime Minister in waiting. This is of course totally ludicrous for the following reasons:Burnham is not currently an MP or peer, thereby excluding him from the position of Prime Minister.A Burnham leadership bid is in effect an admission by the
Why not make writing a guest post for Liberal England one of your New Year's resolutions? It could be on the Liberal Democrats, politics more generally or... anything really. Why not something on a local campaign or quirky piece of history? Please drop me an email if you want to discuss your idea first: I'd hate you to spend time on a piece I wouldn't want to publish. Here are the 10 most recent guest posts published here:Councillor defections: The trickle becomes a stream - Augustus CarpLet next week's online summer school rekindle your Radical Liberal fire - William LaneWhat ...
As we enter 2026, the UK is in desperate need of a political reset. From manufactured outrage to simplistic blame games, this is the age of TikTok politics, where complex policy challenges are reduced to 40-second clips, and success is measured more in social posts shared than real lives improved. But here's the crucial reality check: most people are absolutely sick of it. Young people especially tell me all the time how the whole tribal and adversarial politics is a complete turn-off. "Why can't you politicians all just work together?" one asked me plaintively the other day. And I completely ...
Both the Guardian and the Independent feature new year's day articles looking forward to the Welsh Senedd elections in 126 days time, and in particular the position of Reform in those contests. Coincidentally (or not), Nation Cymru published an article on new year's eve by Desmond Clifford, a former head of office for the Welsh First Minister, which demands to know why Labour is undermining the devolution they created, and which very much reflects the hopeless position Welsh Labour are currently in as a result of their own actions, but also, of course, the impact of Keir Starmers government. The ...
One of the Lib Dems' most effective campaigners on Tyneside passed away on 30th December. Gerry Keating was elected to the former Tyne and Wear County Council in 1981 and then to Newcastle in 1986. Despite some breaks from the council, he served as a councillor for over 30 years. Knowing his health was deteriorating, he decided to stand down as councillor for North Jesmond in 2024. Gerry was
So, the fireworks have gone off, and a new year has begun. I gave up making public announcements of resolutions made a long time ago - why broadcast your failures? - and this year is no exception. But I can be fairly sure that some things will happen in the coming year. First, it's my firm intention to bring my leadership of Creeting St Peter Parish Council to a close in May. Now, I acknowledge that I've been trying to do this for a while though, and there may be some resistance - either I'm making the job look harder ...
[IMG: Prad Bains and local Liberal Democrats on the Hamble Foreshore] Prad Bains and colleagues on the Hamble Foreshore. News from the local Liberal Democrats: The Liberal Democrats are delighted to announce that Prad Bains has been re-selected as the Lib Dem candidate for the Hamble Valley Parliamentary constituency. In the 2024 General Election, the Lib Dems achieved 14,869 votes in the newly created Hamble Valley constituency, resulting in the Party now needing a swing of just 2,402 votes to win this seat at the next General Election. The seat is now also in the top 10 closest constituencies for ...
In his The Folklore of Shropshire, Roy Palmer quotes a letter by a John Noakes recording the belief that it was unlucky to have a female come first into your house of New Year's morning: So generally does this absurdity prevail, that in many towns young lads "make a good thing of it" by selling their services to go round and enter the houses first that morning. The folklorists Iona and Peter Opie noted in the 1950s that a boy of about 10 banged on a door at Pontesbury and recited: Happy New Year! Happy New Year! I've come to ...
So 2025 is over. How was it for me? Well, not a bad year actually. Our farm was productive. We've sold lots of livestock. The hens played their part in the success by producing a mountain of eggs. The apple crop was gigantic. Meanwhile, two of our milking goats have produced a lake of milk even though one of them failed to produce any kids this year. On the downside, the hot dry weather, combined
At the beginning of December, I thought I had a bad case of flu. This surprised me as I had already had my flu jab. Of course, it was just a case of that scourge of illnesses, man flu! I had a really bad barking cough and was almost incapable of speech. This is a really sad thing for a politician. So, I was quite sensible for a mere man and went to the Green Lane Pharmacy. I did not really need to describe the symptoms but after a brief chat I was given an off the shelf medicine. Within ...
The Guardian reports that UK manufacturers are to be hit with mountains of Brexit-style paperwork in January on £7bn worth of exports to the EU after the government failed to secure an expected exemption from new green taxes. The paper says that the UK had hoped to secure a carve-out by Christmas on the carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM), but EU commissioners have confirmed this is not going to happen: UK Steel says the exemption is unlikely to be in place before Easter, resulting in detailed paperwork for exporters in a repeat of Brexit when they were hit with paperwork ...
Happy New Year from Liberal England. January Man was written by Dave Goulder and can be found on Martin Carthy's 1971 album Landfall.