LibDem Blogs - Archived!

As usual the Election Campaing looks as if it will miss the point. The real challenges are to identify the problems and then look at how to resolve them. Much of this relates to the mechanisms by which government operates. For example we are heading for bed number cuts in Birmingham (yes about 100 more beds to be cut on the current info I have). This is driven by the incompetence of the

The Shropshire Star reports that there is to be an appeal hearing on Tuesday over the designation of Bromlow Callow as moorland. (Moorland is covered by the new right to roam legislation.) To see why it is important that the appeal fails and that people are free to enjoy the area, see this picture.

Today's House Points column from Liberal Democrat News. Tory Blues Imagine an English village. Cricket on the green. Blue skies. Red telephone box. The sun shining upon the ancient stones of the church, the mellow bricks of the rectory and the thatch of the cottages. A bobby cycles into view. He stops at one of those cottages and makes his way through the hollyhocks to the front door. When it opens, he can’t help noticing the corpse stretched out in the hall “What’s all this then, madam?” he asks. “It’s a burglar, Constable McNally,” she replies. “He broke ...

Secretary of State for Wales and Leader of the House, Peter Hain, tells the Western Mail this morning that childish political debate is turning voters off. He is right. However, he has been one of the most consistent practitioners of yah-boo politics over the last few years. Even in an article in which he condemns this style of debate he cannot resist having a go:Mr Hain said the Tories were failing to tackle Labour on "bread and butter issues," branded the Liberal Democrats "shamelessly opportunistic" and accused Plaid Cymru of losing its way altogether.As always Mr. Hain just cannot help ...

With a bit of luck CarpetGate will help find out a lot about the practicalities of why the Council Tax Payer is frequently ripped off. The particular cost was agreed by the council as a fee to be paid to the subcontractor plus a small percentage to the contractor. The contractor has a responsibility for value for money - which in itself is an interesting question to resolve. The Council does a

Whatever your views about the prospect of a national identity card, the position of the Conservatives is a disgrace. Many of them oppose the idea, but they voted for it at the legislation's first reading. Then last night they abstained, because they felt some questions had not been answered. Trying to face all ways at once. It fell (as so often these days) to the Liberal Democrats, to lead

I see that John Major has called for any information released about previous governments under the Freedom of Information Act to be delayed until after the general election - branding moves to release details of Black Wednesday as 'dirty tricks'. This is astonishing. It seems perfectly fair game to me to talk about a political opponents record in office and to reveal the full facts about the

"What am I doing here? I don't belong here." A thought that crossed my mind last night while at the cinema watching Creep. It's a pretty run-of-the-mill horror film, with the gimmick that it's set in the London Underground (a setting previously used in the superior 1970s flick Death Line). The frights in Creep were standard turn-the-corner-and-there's-a-scary-man style, with some unpleasant

I have noticed out and about in Enfield North that, like everywhere in London to be honest, that littering is a problem. Gum is a particular problem as it is harder to clean up. LIB DEM REPORT FINDS LONDON LOSING GUM LITTER BATTLE London Assembly Liberal Democrats today unveiled a new report showing that over £4 million a year is spent by London Councils and transport organisations on trying to

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A thought that struck me this morning as I skipped past page after page of newspaper coverage of the forthcoming royal wedding, was that if we had had the same attitude towards a divorcee partnering the monarch in 1936 as we do now, then history would have been very different. It is likely that Charles would not now be heir to the throne, he might have married Camilla the first time around and Diana may still be alive.In an effort to upstage the royal couple (or was it the other way around), Lembit and Sian revealed their wedding plans on ...

More political flash animations: Backing Blair The London Underground I've now sketched out another version of the landscape but this time put in all the trees first (in various shades of brown and orange pastel pencil since I don't have any other colours at the moment). Now, I just have to colour it in... I see trouble ahead...

Not many people outside of Romsey will have heard of Charlie (unless they were on the receiving end of one of his Man from the Pru visits) but it was a special pleasure tonight to be at the ceremony where he was awarded an Honourary Burgess. He is 92 and over the years has been involved in nearly every aspect of town life and it clearly meant a lot to him to be honoured in this way. His wife

I fail to understand the Tories on this (mind you - if I had ever understood the Tories I would have joined them). So what do you think of a party which starts off by opposing ID cards. The Leader then makes a strong case that his party will support ID cards (strangely at odds with his Shadow Home Secretary). Finally - when it comes to the crunch - they abstain! Three different positions in

Was rung up by a journo asking what I thought about all of this but what is there to say? I really do hope they will be very happy but even if I did think otherwise I am hardly likely to say that! If the election is going to be on May 5th and the wedding is in early April then at least it will give the public a respite from wall to wall politics. Much as I like wall to wall politics I am well