LibDem Blogs - Archived!

Last night Channel 4 showed X-Rated: The TV They Tried to Ban, a survey of controversial programmes, to launch its Banned season. Though it seemed to believe that history began with the Sex Pistols and Paul Ross made an appearance, it was instructive and frequently hilarious. One consistent theme was the stupidity of the protestors. They did not see the brilliance of Chris Morris's series Brass Eye. They did not see that Derren Brown was demonstrating that spiritualism was fraud. Most importantly, they could not that Dennis Potter's The Singing Detective was the strongest imaginable statement of the view that ...

Anthony Evans has e-mailed me a link to his site The Orange Filter, which is intended to spark a revival of classical liberalism. Take a look: it even sells liberal T-shirts.

Tim Worstall has started publishing a weekly digest of the best in British blogging. His BritBlog Round Up 3 has now been posted. You can find it here.

An interesting other point of this report is that for the BBCSHA area it is clear that Payment by Results is likely to result in the "price paid to BBCSHA trusts [] on average [rising] for no additional activity" Because our PbR price is on average lower than general this will mean paying the hospitals more for no more work. The SHA also wants increases in the proportion of funds spent on Primary Care (GPs) of 2% per year. To me this does not really stack up properly. ie we will move money out of the hospitals. The cost will ...

PCTCutsSolihull-30HoB Teaching-65South Brum-133Oldbury and Smethwick-23Wednesbury and West Brom-8Rowley Regis and Tipton-20Eastern Brum-54North Brum-65Walsall Teaching-80Dudley South-90Dudley Beacon and Castle-54Wolves-81Source: Birmingham and Black Country Strategic Health Authority (BBCSHA) Strategic Framework 2004 - 2010.Note that the BBCSHA "fair share" capitation funding is £100m less than calculated.(that's about £40-50m for Birmingham)

These are the figures as to how the BBCSHA intend to reduce bed numbers by 20% (in local NHS Hospitals).ReasonBedsNet ChangeNoteBaseline6,985Demographic Changes6,955-30 Stage 1 Managed Change - daycases 6,913-42apply standard LOS6,198-715Intermediate Care5,556-642Shift to primary care5,452-104National assumptions6,169717length of stay for new models of care5,580-589Total Net Change-1405 (20%)

Off to Harrogate for the weekend for the Lib Dem Spring Conference. Had a really good drive up and arrived just in time for a reception with Party President Simon Hughes and a disco organised by the Association of London Government. Saturday saw Charles Kennedy's set piece speech which was excellent. Full of passion about the issues facing Britain and absolutely a man with the drive to take us

Had a cross-party debate on Friday afternoon at Clevedon Community School. I was invited by the head of the sixth form to talk to those likely to be casting their first votes in the coming General Election. A really good turnout with 100+ students present. I arrived to find the Labour candidate, Chanel Stevens, loitering in the reception and we were soon greeted by the head teacher and head of

Rather worryingly, the morning is starting to develop a distinct underwear-related theme and the day has barely begun. There is this article in the Western Mail in which a matrimonial lawyer, a financial adviser, a quality controller and a graphic designer have got together to hang crisp, clean undies out on the line to dry as part of their garden display for a premier horticultural show coming to Wales next month. And then there is this on Sandra Gidley's blog! I am not sure if it is wise of Sandra to admit that she is in the habit ...

Saturday marked the end of my period of three car ownership when I sold my Marlin Roadster. I was sad to see it go but it coulnd't really have gone to a better home since the guy who built it (or at least the engine) now has it again. He owned it some years ago [...]