LibDem Blogs - Archived!

In January the Guardian carried an article by Martin Wainwright about Tesco's controversial new store in Gerrards Cross. The plans, opposed by the parish council, the district council and the county council, but accepted by John Prescott, involve roofing over a railway cutting to provide extra space. Wainwright quoted a Tesco spokeswoman, Katherine Edwards, as saying: "We can see no reason why the further expansion should not go through and the store should be open by the summer."Er, how about this?

Ian attended his last graduation ceremony at Staffs Uni today. He is no longer employed there, but he did not want to let down his students. Ian told me that the Chancellor, Bill Morris, shook hands with each graduate. Usually it is the Vice Chancellor Christine King, but this year there was a risk that some of the students would refuse to shake hands with her. Bill Morris referred to her as 'our beloved' Vice Chancellor, which was a touch OTT in the circumstances. What is the fuss about? Well, the nosedive in recruitment ...

Liam Fox's call for a reconsideration of single-sex schools got a lot of media attention over the weekend - and has caused some debate in the comments on this blog. However, his article in the Observer on Sunday was more interesting. In particular, this quotation: The 1980s forces which generated economic revival also significantly increased social and geographical mobility. This markedly reduced the role of the extended family and the security it represented. Britain has lost some of the building blocks of a strong and stable society. The decline in secure family life, of good order in our schools ...

Tim Worstall has posted another of his selections of the best in British blogging.

No doubt some Labour AMs believe that concerns about the Government's White paper on giving the Assembly more powers amount to a Pontcanna moment - of no interest to anyone outside a small group of the chattering classes. They may well be right but such a judgement demonstrates a greater concern with presentation than substance. What is being discussed down the local pub is important but it is not the only matter worth discussing. Getting process issues right as well can be vital to delivering on the policies that really matter to the man and woman in ...

Had a call from neighbour's friend asking if I could advise her who to contact about her child being bullied by local kids - he goes to a school that has a uniform as it's dress code - the children causing the problem go to another school that doesn't bother. Her story is a bit scary - she's also worrying about 'Happy Slapping', this new dangerous and upsetting craze. Heard stories on the news but when it's in your backyard it brings it closer to home. Had to do some research for this one - found ...

according to this BBC story, Jacques Chirac, lame-duck referendum losing President of recession ridden France has said that Britain cannot be trusted because of our poor cooking. He is quoted as saying: "They only thing they (the English) have done for European agriculture is mad cow disease." Ooooh, you bitch. Obviously we didn't do French farmers enough of a favour liberating them from the

People have told me that I am not cynical enough to be a politician. Cynicism is a powerful tool when you are in opposition - and as Liberal Democrats we have plenty of experience of that. But it doesn't grace leadership very well. Tim Brighouse's definition of leadership has optimism as the first criterion. I know that my own enthusiasm about the projects I am involved in has sometimes been interpreted as naivity. But vision must precede pragmatics - if you never look beyond the obstacles then you will never get started. Recently, along ...

Yesterday I was passing through Cologne (as one does) and, with a couple of hours to spare between trains, left the station and walked into the nearest pub, the cavernous Alt Köln. I also walked inadvertently into the city's three-day gay pride festival. As I sat among the fake oak beams, nursing a glass of the local kölsch beer, a man aged at least 60 walked in to the bar, wearing only a black

Monday 4th July 2005 - Halewood Community Radio started broadcasting live this morning at 8am for 2 weeks from Asda in Hunts Cross. Run by the community for the community this project has been in the planning for over 2 months and I have been listening to the young people presenting the breakfast show this morning, tune in they are doing a great job!! 87.7 FM HCR

Sunday 3rd July 2005 - poster sites have been popping up all over the constituency and from my last visit I would estimate we are winning by about 3 to 1!! Let's hope that is a sign for July 14th, but we still have a lot of work to be done, hope to see many more familiar faces in the coming week!!

Sunday 3rd July 2005 - Very funny joke in the Sunday Times today, how many Conservative leadership candidates does it take to change a light bulb? None, until they recognise the bulb needs changing it looks set to remain in the darkness for another five years!!

Last night I went to one of the Steve Ajao benefit gigs. Steve is a local musician who was in a road accident recently. There was a really massive turnout in the back yard of the Prince of Wales Pub (on Alcester Road). Steve used to play a regular gig at the Moseley Arms in Highgate. I am hoping to play a number at one of the other benefit gigs myself. I did turn up to do a number at the

If Live8 achieved nothing else at least it brought Pink Floyd back together and what a set was that. Seriously though (and the above is a partially serious point) it is now over to the politicians to deliver on the agenda of making poverty history. It remains, however, that there is a need for Justice and Equity in the developing world as well as the rest (indeed more importantly). Being a relatively cynical politician, however, I am unsure what actually will change as a result of the jolly going on in Gleneagles at the moment. G8 is very ...

I suffer from hypothyroidism. I have to take 250mcg of thyroxine every day - that is three small pills; I get prescribed three months supply at a time. Until about two years ago, the pills were weighed out by the pharmacist and supplied in two small bottles, one bottle for the 100mcg pills and the other for the 50mcg pills. Then they switched to bubble packs. Now my 3 monthly prescription comes in up to 15 cardboard boxes. Each box contains one or two bubble packs and an identical leaflet. Our medicine cabinet ...

When you go in to get your ID Card, how do they know you are who you say you are?

Another gap in blogging due to a post election busy period.If I had blogged, this is what I would have blogged about:Doctor Who: Utterly brilliant! Managed to watch nearly every episode with the kids and son is now a firm fan (along with most of his friends). Excellent story lines, and even the weaker episodes made sense by the end of the series. Huge credit to Russell T Davies for bringing the Doctor back with such style and proving that there is such a thing as family viewing if the programme is good enough. Both ...