LibDem Blogs - Archived!

I have posted a short review of the BFI Classics volume on this film to Lord Bonkers' site. It originally appeared in Liberator magazine. Fans of If... may also be interested in my House Points column from 12 April 2002 (you will need to scroll down to find it): The headmaster character continues to fascinate. Some of his lines are strangely familiar. Take: "Britain is a powerhouse of ideas, experiment, imagination. On everything from pop music to pig breeding, from atom power stations to mini skirts. That is the challenge we have got to meet." Or: "Changes ...

The free range chickens that I buy from Meakins, the butcher in Leek Buttermarket, are larger than the ones they sell in Tesco's and come with their giblets. I cut them into 8 pieces: drumsticks, thighs, wings and breasts. Then I fillet the breasts. I save the liver and also save the back, neck and any trimmings for stock. What I'm not using immediately goes in the freezer. The breast fillets provide four servings. The drumsticks and thighs are another four The wings are one serving The liver is half a serving, and there will ...

Brilliant Pietersen sinks Aussies 3-0.

Now this is serious! The Wales on Sunday reports that there could be no room at the inn for festive revellers this Christmas thanks to a licensing shambles. Experts have warned that a third of Welsh pubs face being shut down for the party season as just 7% across the nation have applied for new licences - with the clock ticking towards an August deadline. If they fail thousands of pubs across "booze-loving Wales" face being shutdown.Although I have no direct experience of the licensing process I believe that it is fraught with red tape. I also understand that ...

if not to dash off a few verses to celebrate this: Bangladesh humble sorry Australians.Handel wrote the Hallelujia Chorus for less.

where the young James Cook learned his sailing.Old man 1 (overlooking the harbour): Oooo's that man from 'ere that sailed round the world?Old man 2 (after a pause for thought): Columbus.

If this report in the Observer this morning is right then the Prime Minister may well be taking an important stand on principle. Yes, I had to read that twice as well. The Welsh Assembly has already voted for a complete ban on smoking in public places on health and safety grounds. We are anticipating that a soon-to-be published Health Bill will propose giving us the powers to implement that ban. When the Committee to investigate smoking in public places was looking at this issue we were very clear that the sort of partial ban being mooted by the UK ...

I'm delighted that Councillor Laura Willoughby who stood as Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for Islington North constituency is a recipient of a Queen's Birthday Honour.She received her MBE for services to the community.Laura who has been an Islington councillor for 8 years say'It's quite unusual for somebody of my age (30) to get a Queen's honour, so it's quite a privilege'.She is a committed party activist who works hard for the constituency and I'm sure all Liberal Democrats will wish her well.