LibDem Blogs - Archived!

To Longstock to have a ride in a vehicle that is fuelled on compost!! Expecting a small, underpowered vehicle I was surprised to find a bright yellow people carrier. I was so impressed I would have liked to have taken it off for use as a campaign vehicle but as there are no refuelling options currently it was not a sensible course of action.I have become quite interested in the potential of farm and household waste as a potential for energy generation ever since a gentleman attended my surgery and handed me a bag of a strange black substance and ...

Spent some time at the PPI Forum for Southampton University Hospitals Trust and sadly there were only three "real" members of the public there and two of them were from the osteoporosis society (which I think is quite an effective lobbying group). Hardly surprising really as the meeting was held at 10:30 in the morning when the vast majority of the public are at work. Oh, and someone mentioned that it wasn't properly advertised either. Parts of the meeting were very interesting but I didn't get the impression that the forum had any real teeth or powers to change anything ...

Interesting meeting with an EU Ambassador- The Embassy quoted Neil Kinnock who was asked about Fair Votes.."Of course we will have PR, when the Liberal Democrats get closer to power..." I have managed to remove 64 Spyware programmes installed since the beginning of the campaign, unsurprisingly I now have my broadband working at twice (i.e. normal) speed. Oh dear, the lengths that some people will go to...

...yes, actually I am!

When Chelsea play Manchester United the result is a niggly game with an undercurrent of violence. When Arsenal play Manchester United the result is a niggly game with an undercurrent of violence. When Chelsea play Arsenal the result is a sporting game with a good atmosphere between the teams. Can anyone spot the common factor in the niggly games with an undercurrent of violence?

If you want a picture of what is wrong with British politics, you could do worse than look at the job advertisements in the Guardian Society section each Wednesday.Today's outstanding ad - it takes up the best part of a page - comes from the London Borough of Newham. It has the slightly worrying heading "Opportunities in Parks".And what opportunities they are:Head of Parks: £46,300 - £49,000Parks Development Manager (Engagement: £30,600 - £33,100Parks Development Officer (Engagement): £27,000 - £29,000Parks Development Officer (Planning & Delivery): £27,000 - £29,000Assistant Parks Development Officer (Planning & Delivery): £24,100 - £25,600 That's five posts with ...

The BBC gives a transcript of an exchange between the Deputy Prime Minister and a journalist from the South Wales Argus. It includes the immortal words: Why are you asking me about this, I don't care, it's a Welsh situation, I'm a national politician.Only one thing worries me. Prescott sounds so coherent that you wonder whether it can be an accurate transcript. Tony Blair defends his deputy: That's John. Working-class people swear and punch each other. They told us about them once at Fettes.

There is a good article in today's Guardian by the philosopher Julian Baggini. In it he takes issue with the moral teaching of the new Pope: this crude dichotomy between the absolute moral truths of the church and the so-called laissez-faire relativism of the modern secular world is crassly simplistic.You can read it for yourself, and Simon Titley has quoted it extensively in this posting on Liberal Dissenter, so I will not quote any more from it here. Instead, here is a relevant thought from Joseph Schumpeter which is discussed favourably by two of my favourite modern philosophers: Isaiah Berlin ...

So close to a Hitler Salute. Just wish I had Photoshop... PS. Via Lynne Featherstone, this flash video!

Here's a tricky challenge. You are leader of a liberal political party. An important part of your job is to champion liberal and pluralist values, advance them politically and defend them against enemies.Elsewhere in the world, a new head of state is elected, who is diametrically opposed to your views. His previous job, which he did for 24 years, was chief 'enforcer' in the organisation formerly known as the Inquisition. He is described in the Guardian as an "iron-willed enemy of liberalism", while the editor of the Catholic weekly Tablet, writing in the Independent, confesses that this new leader has... ...

At least we're not having any of this around here. BBC NEWS | Election 2005 | Election 2005 | 'Islamists' hit Galloway meeting

A steady mornings canvassing in Marlow Bottom (again). Much better numbers- a few CON>LD switchers and several very soft Conservatives. We even get a poster up! This is heartening, after a run of quite solid Conservative streets yesterday. For lunch, I meet with Steve Cohen, the editor of the local Bucks Free Press. We initially go off to the King George V- a pint, but no food, so we walk over to the Disraeli. As we walk in the group at the bar turn round and give a cheer- "Hey its Paddy Ashdown!" (I am wearing my rosette). Steve is ...

I am not sure what it is about John Prescott and Wales but when I walked into the Assembly Chamber today everybody was talking about this article in the South Wales Argus. As David Cornock points out it wasn't quite as exciting as the rumble in Rhyl but it was still entertaining. I will let the Argus reporter, Mark Choueke, take up the story of when he asked Mr. Prescott for a comment on Peter Law's decision to stand as an independent in Blaenau Gwent: Mark Choueke - How did you and your cabinet colleagues react to ...

It has been widely remarked by assorted commentators that none of three main parties wants to talk about Europe in this election campaign. Each party calculates that there is nothing to gain but quite a lot to lose.But there's a more fundamental political question that none of the parties wishes to talk about, and that is the long-term cost of pensions and healthcare. An article by Anatole Kaletsky in today's Times explores this topic and comes to some uncomfortable conclusions.Health and pensions account for nearly half of Britain's annual £519 billion of public expenditure.Health is cited by 44% of voters ...

My stepson came home yesterday wanting to know 'why would anyone want to vote for a party that puts up taxes'. I should point out that he is not yet old enough to be politically aware (in the European Elections he suggested that we vote for France - because they have Thierry Henry). Turns out that his friend's dad, evidently a Tory, thought it was about time to proselitise my stepson for the Conservatives (at eleven). That we are proposing to increase income tax for those earning over £100,000, I would not attempt to deny (nor would I apologise for ...

For some reason Captain Beany is not standing in his native Aberavon this time but in Cardiff Central. A postcard is now being circulated to homes therefore with a picture of the caped crusader on a tin of beans. The front of the card contains the legend "Vote for the one politician you can trust. He does what it says on the tin."On the back is Captain Beany's manifesto:"Dear bean lover, here we go again - another General Election another gutsful of politicians' promises we all know they just won't keep. Captain Beany doesn't make empty promises. Yes -he's ...

Various people (mainly those in the Labour Party) have tried to argue the case that the DTI did not push MG Rover (and Powertrain) into administration. The linked article that has just been pointed out to me includes the following dated 4th April 2005. Five days to rescue Rover as Chinese blow cold on deal By Michael Harrison Business Editor Apr 4, 2005, 12:34 MG Rover, the only remaining

I don't have the time to follow much of all the internet coverage of the election - but this one caught my eye as being quite fun!

Well, it's a relief to know I'm fighting for the right party! Who should I vote for? Your expected outcome:Liberal Democrat Your actual outcome: Labour -16 Conservative -57 Liberal Democrat 89 UK Independence Party -11 ...

A dull grey morning, although the forecast promises better- after yesterday's shower dodging, it would be something of a relief. The main news is the election of Josef, Cardinal Ratzinger as Pope Benedict XVI. Now that we actually have a Pope again, the contrast between "God's Rottweiler" as some have called the Cardinal, and the charismatic John Paul II seems quite marked. I, like most others, will have to keep an open mind- we will see what the new Pope does in office, and I wish him well. The Conservatives have come back a little, but the latest policy announcement- ...

Halfway into the campaign and there were quite a few seats vacant on the opposition benches in Plenary yesterday. At least one of the three Tory Parliamentary candidates, David Davies, made an appearance but there was no sign of the other three. To be fair to David, he did not just come along to be counted. He made a contribution in First Minister's question time and spoke on school dinners. He has given his apologies for Education Committee this morning however.The first thing we noticed on entering the chamber was that a new seating plan had been circulated. Although he ...