LibDem Blogs - Archived!

The County Council is offering 2000 free composting bins (with others at low prices) to residents in an effort to cut the amount of waste across Durham. On average 30% of household waste is organic (mainly food and garden waste) and can be safely composted. To order a bin, phone 0845 077 0757. Delivery is free and they come with an information guide. Great for the flowers and the environment.

We hear about Howard Flight - not sure why he has resigned because he appears to have been honest! Actually - even the Tories don't appear to think they're anywhere near "breakthrough" if the conversation I overheard in the tea room was anything to go by.

When you thought it couldn't get any worse, the Tories "inadequate at a political, managerial, and community level" ruling party of Lincolnshire County Council, still feel it's fine to run it alone. They've apointed Martin Hill to be the leader of the council, and he has appointed 9 other Tories to be on the executive with him.Did they not read the Audit Committee Report?Let just hope that come May 5th we'll see a change in colour for the political map of the rather blue Lincolnshire.Whilst we're on the topic, a generic countywide Tory leaflet landed on my doorstep yesterday (I'll ...

Have just found this and was chuffed to be nominated as this blog is really quite basic and ad hoc. Very pleased to see a good Lib Dem showing.

Had an e-mail from Sarah T tonight commenting on the Parliamentary Awayday. Eight shadow cabinet members (7 guys and me) had to give 3 minute presentations on policy areas followed by a grilling. Her comments were nice but I laughed when I read that I was the only one "wearing clothes which had been pressed and fitted". Was tempted to say that it was because I am a girl (and I do not claim to be a crumple free zone) but clearly someone needs to tell the boys which way is up when it comes to that hot, pointy triangular ...

To the Oxo Tower on Monday for a "Meet the Specialist Press" event. I have to say that when we have run these in the past we have used awful halls, served fairly mediocre nibbles and lukewarm chardonnay and only ever attracted the real enthusiasts from less mainstream publications. So I trudged along with a sense of duty and a heavy heart but this time it was great. There were lots of people, edible food and drinkable drink and there was a real buzz to the occasion.Spent some time talking to a Daily Mail specialist journalist and when I ...

There was I all togged up and ready to go - staring into the green lights in the BBC studios at Millbank waiting to go live to talk about Labour's five point plan for older people.... only to be asked a question about the draft Mental Health Bill.... Split second decision to try and wing it as it was a subject I've taken an interest in. Just about coped and left the studio to be confronted by a cluster of worried looking people who said, "Err, weren't you supposed to be talking about older people?" Obviously a case of crossed ...

I haven't blogged for a week and I have had withdrawal symptoms but have also had a lot to do. The original aim was that this blog would be used in the election but, if 2001 is anything to go by, finding the odd minute or two to blog will be a challenge but I will try and rise to it.

Amid the general election fever, everyone seems to have forgotten that there will also be county council elections on 5th May. With any luck, this election will spell the final end for Lincolnshire's corrupt Tory county council. This political scandal simply beggars belief (for the story so far, see my posting of 29th November), the most notable event being the imprisonment of former Tory leader

All we know is that a number of PJP Activists have been arrested. What we cannot understand is that if they had all the warrants on Tuesday when all the people were in court they had to wait until 7.30am this morning. They could have gone to the court and arrested all of them in one go. It appears to be that the police have gone around to witnesses for the Election Court. The witnesses have

Recent figures dug up by we Lib dems, have shown that Chase farm hospital is £20million in debt. With sky-high MRSA rates, a big debt and the need for many people to travel a good distance to get there, the electors will have their chance to make their views clear on May 5th. I notice that my Tory opponent has finally replied to the Enfield UNA (link to the right), but it seems curiously cut and

I have been asked to be on LBC radio station, not to talk politics, but to take on someone from Oxford and someone from London Uni in a quiz as part of their Boat Race coverage. At Peterhouse all I managed was to represent my college, but I have a belated honour on Sunday's show. I have to be at the station at 11am, so when the show is is guesswork...

The usually sedate Welsh Affairs Committee appears to have given the Secretary of State for Wales a bloody nose. As this article in the Western Mail makes clear Welsh Secretary, Peter Hain, has in the past urged Wales' four forces to use more Asbos (Anti Social Behaviour Orders) in the fight against petty crime and yobbish behaviour. However, the Labour dominated Committee has now branded the Government's flagship measure to tackle anti-social behaviour a "crude" tool and urged Ministers not to "discriminate" against Welsh forces, who rarely use it. Martyn Jones, who chairs the Committee, even ventured some criticism ...

Well, this is getting interesting. Suddenly my blog has become the venue for a comments war between Leighton Andrews AM and the former IT Manager of the National Library of Wales. To add to this the number of hits on this site has doubled as people come and see for themselves following it being shortlisted for the Guardian Backbencher's Political Awards.Talking of the National Library of Wales, I note that Tom Jones will be celebrating his 65th Birthday with a concert in his home town in front of 25,000 people. The link between Tom and the National Library is the ...

One of the debates in Birmingham at the moment relates to the provision of the list of postal voters. Last year (and in other authorities this year) the elections office provided an electronic list of postal voters before the elections. We have requested that again this year, but the returning officer is saying that the law prevents her from providing the list. I was told I could visit the

Off to London for drinking, delivering and Doctor Who so don't except much blogging until next week. In the meantime, I'm thinking about moving from Blogger to WordPress. Any comments as to whether to take the plunge would be very welcome.

The BBC has commissioned a 3rd series of Little Britain.The writers of the series, David Walliams and Matt Lucas, have confirmed that rather than writing new material they will simply show clips from the previous two series. It is believed that audiences will not be able to tell the difference, as the sketches basically consist of the same catchphrases repeated over and over again, week in, week out.

The story of the morning is the claim that Mark Thompson, the BBC's director general, once bit a colleague when working as editor of the Nine O'Clock News. Lord Bonkers writes: I knew Lord Reith well and never saw him bite anybody, but there were persistent reports in the 1960s that Hugh Carleton Greene had eaten a junior researcher.

Channel 4's Location, Location, Location came to my ward this week, looking at a flat, and two houses around Gilesgate as prospective homes for a couple from London. In the end, the couple put an offer in on a flat at St Giles Close, a stone's throw from my old house. In the end though, they pulled out. Nice to have a chance to nosey at the inside of houses I can't afford at the moment. Housing in general has been much in my thoughts over the past few weeks. There are far too few ...

Tariq Ali has just announced (in the magazine Red Pepper) that he'll be voting Liberal Democrat. Apparently he lives in Lynne Featherstone's constituency of Hornsey & Wood Green, a target seat. Every little helps. I trust that the ALDC will produce the appropriate Focus leaflet artwork in due course.