LibDem Blogs - Archived!

How about preventing rather than treating disease? Ensuring health as a priority so that fewer of us make our way into hospital? The Primary Health Care system seems to have done a 180 degree turn on how to deal with health/disease in Tower Hamlets. The representative of the Primary Care Trusts (PCT)presented this proactive approach to Tuesday 15th's Local Area Partnership consultation with local residents which I chaired. The PCT want to put more money into stop smoking, exercise and teaching people about diabetes. Since listening to their statistics on local ...

Today's Conservative assault on travellers is a sign of how low the Tories are prepared to sink. It is so illiberal that even New Labour and Mark Oaten have condemned it. Michael Howard should reflect on the fact that, had his own prejudices been government policy in the 1930s, his refugee Romanian parents would not have been admitted to this country. Meanwhile, Mary Reid reports on how the

A bizarre mix-up. Welsh First Minister Rhodri Morgan was mistaken by a BBC employee for one of Doctor Who's tree people. An easy mistake to make. If Peter Black posts in the next few days about Morgan turning up in the Welsh Assembly chamber wearing green make-up, you will know why.

The funniest story of the weekend has to be the police cautioning of Chris Pond, the Work and Pensions Minister, over an incident of criminal damage. The BBC has the full details here. Mr Pond told the Mail on Sunday: "I decided to bring the nightmare to an end by accepting a police caution." I am sure we all feel his pain. In the past he has taken a different line on the subject (note to Labour Party press officers: it is a good idea to put a date on your media releases): Anti Social behavior causes untold ...

Tim Worstall has posted his latest BritBlog round up here.

I don't post many of these quiz thangs but this one was spot on. You Are 25 Years Old 25 Under 12: You are a kid at heart. You still have an optimistic life view - and you look at the world with awe. 13-19: You are a teenager at heart. You question authority and are still trying to find your place in this world. 20-29: You are a twentysomething at heart. You feel excited about what's to

So the Conservatives have decided to be upfront with their racism. Their advert in Sunday newspapers today attacks travellers. The Tories want to change the Human Rights Act - think about it!- to crack down on supposed violations of planning laws by gypsies and other travellers. I enjoy chatting with the residents that I represent in my ward. I can listen to and accept all kinds of views but I do find it very difficult to handle bigotry. Yesterday I was out knocking on doors, and a resident told me that he wouldn't be voting ...

This afternoon I spoke to a meeting in Stechford. Part of my speech related to the damage the Labour Government are doing to the laws and rules created in British Traditions stretching back centuries. Two key elements are the Magna Carta and Habeas Corpus. Articles 38 and 39 of the Magna Carta said: 38 In future no official shall place a man on trial upon his own unsupported statement, without

This is one of the tags used in and around Yardley. This particular tag appears twice around the Swan Island. Although we are managing to keep some areas clear of graffiti there are other locations where this becomes harder. Some may say I am a bit sad for going around photographing graffiti. The fact is, however, that graffiti makes an area a mess. The message of keeping things clean

Talking to local people Part of Saturday was spent doing the usual tours of Shopping Centres. On this occasion Simon Hughes MP came out with the Yardley team. The response on the streets was quite positive. This was probably helped by the improved weather. The previous week was rather cold. What is nice about this process is that we can get a bit more subtlety into the political

Meanwhile, rumours abound about the hasty rehabilitation of former Home Secretary, David Blunkett. Having resigned to spend more time pursuing his family it seems that Mr. Blunkett is keen to make a contribution to any post-General Election Labour Cabinet. Whether the colleagues, whom he so comprehensively rubbished in his biography, will be so keen to have him back remains to be seen. Still, they will have plenty to talk about on those all-important cabinet away-days.

It does not do to crow about these things of course because it is so easy to get caught up in confrontational situations oneself. It has been a hard week, you are tired and a neighbour pushes you that little bit too far so you retaliate, not violently, but in a short-tempered frustrated sort of way and before you know it you are before the beak charged with criminal damage. Or, as in this case, you get let off with a caution. The point is of course that these sorts of reactions are precisely what the Government have termed to ...