LibDem Blogs - Archived!

Following the recent criticism of his leadership style from some sections of the media, today's speech was Charles Kennedy's opportuntiy to put the record straight. He did that, and more. In a speech that touched on almost all of the major issues affecting both the party and the country, he demonstrated a clear determination to lead the party forward. After such a commanding and passionate display, there can be no suspicion that his time as leader is coming to a close. He needed to make the speech count, and he did exactly that. But being ...

Last week I wrote about the Birkbeck College report on the government's Sure Start scheme. In particular, the way Polly Toynbee and a Guardian leader writer used it as evidence of the need for Sure Start to be expanded, even though it found few signs that the scheme was having a positive effect on the development of poor children. On the Spiked website Jenny Bristow suggests that this is not

Rushing up to Blackpool I put my PA in my car. (That can be done (just) in three trips with the TN-7000 Accompanier, Mixer/Amp, 2 1kW speakers, 3 Mikes and various cables). The plan was to use the PA at the Glee Club. Sadly at 10.30pm last night I found that I was missing the cables between the Amp and the armstretching speakers. Still the hotel (The Imperial) provided a PA. This enabled

Lib Dem MP Ed Davey is quoted as saying : "With the fierce debate about discipline in Britain's schools, perhaps the most important lesson from Hogwarts is its traditional "House" system" Well, thanks to Ophelia , I've seen the trailer for the next Harry Potter Film. It looks fantastic.

...Paul Leake has resigned from his party because of comments made on his blog. This is not being referred to as pleaking (thanks to Will Howells for pointing this out. So what you you guys think if an elected official of a ruling council party posted this to a representative of another party on a public forum. "I do think you guys will come second though and that for the [other party in

The Shropshire Star has another of its popular "lost apple variety rediscovered" stories today. This time there are two involved. No wonder the paper says the finds "have caused a stir among pomologists".

Bird flu: we're all going to die.

by Peter I don't want it, you don´t want it and they don´t want it. But there are a few signs of realism in tory ranks about their prospects next time around. The belief of some of those posting in their ability to split Lib Dems is belied by the success of Lib Dem politicians in Cardiff and Edinburgh since devolution. Still we need to work hard on unity. Personally I wonder if there is a future for a party that tries to contain both the Tory Reform Group and Cornerstone...

by Peter Let me go out on a limb and say that I think it would be a good idea to ban free speech at Lib Dem conference. I don´t want people to stop criticising the leadership. I don´t mind motions being referred back (refer'em all back, I say). I don´t even mind people making the same speech year after year. No. I would just like delegates to cease using the words "radical policies". And this isn´t because I am against Radicalism. Rather the contrary. If Radicalism means getting to the roots of a problem (and I ...

Wednesday 21st September 2005 - This year's North West Conference delegates' reception was again sponsored by the North West Development Agency and ITV Granada and being held on the eve of ITV's 50th birthday celebrations was a great evening and a fantastic way to celebrate both ITV's success and the Lib Dems success in the region this year. I was delighted as North West Chair to welcome Mark

When I was 16, a Liberal activist explained to me "Conservatism is the politics of greed, Labour is the politics of envy" - he said something about Lib Dems being fuzzy-edged optimists; time has corroded the exact quote. That was 1979 and things have become considerably more fuzzy-edged all round. My gut tells me that Compassionate Conservatism is a myth to gain votes, and Labour are no longer recognisable as Socialists. But what about Lib Dems? In a debate on core policies on Monday, I took away these principles. Yes, it's all ...

There is an interesting article in this morning's Guardian from Hywel Williams about Tony Blair and Wales. It discusses not so much Tony Blair's attitude to the Welsh as his sense of powerlessness as the devolution process moved forward out of his control. It has been inspired by the publication of the diary of his former press aide Lance Price and in particular the Prime Minister's reaction as the election results came in for the first Assembly elections. It's a difficult experience when you're used to getting your way and start encountering resistance. The decision by the Welsh electorate ...

Mischievous elements within the party gave the impression to the press that there was a crisis in confidence in the leadership of Charles Kennedy. Now I don't pretend to know who has been causing this (although I have my suspicions - I have no desire to be sued!) - but the result has been that every reporter from the lowliest hack to the most respected of TV journalists has been trying to find

Some odd searches that have brought people to my blog over the last day or so: victoria wood sandra yoghurt (that creates all sorts of unwanted images) r2d2 “deep roy” (no, it was Kenny Baker) sue johnston sun microsystems (I can’t think of Sue Johnston without picturing her shouting “Slade!”*) rose tyler’s ring (see 1) (* If you don’ get [...]

Chris Black has coined the word “pleake”: Pleake (vb.) - to leave a political party because of your blog For the background, see Bloggerheads, Jonathan Calder and my old mate from NUS politics, Paul Leake himself. © Will on No geek is an island, 2005. ¦ [...]

This blog hasn’t had any comments for the last two weeks. I initially assumed this was the fault of an apathetic - or possibly vacationing - readership. Then I decided I just wasn’t writing anything interesting. But now I suspect there was a technical hitch eating comments. I’ve adjust the settings and they seem to [...]

Student leader suspended in row over Islamist debate - this is just the sort of issue where the NUS needs to come out for the student union against the university, but will there support for their own “No Platform” policy come first? © Will [...]

Political Betting had an interesting review of hte week yesterday. Apparently an ICM survey had top-line figures of LAB 40: CON 31: LD 21. But when asked how they would vote if Labour was led by Brown and the Tories by Clarke the vote shares change to LAB 38: CON 30: LD 25. So both Labour and the Tories go down and the Lib Dems go up. So on top of the votes we are working hard to gain on the ground the favourites to be leader the other main parties will be adding addition support to our cause. I'm ...

I was disappointed, but not surprised, to see Menzies Campbell reaffirm the party's policy commitment that it would withdraw troops from Iraq in the near future. This position mistakes one issue (going to war in Iraq) with another (how best to assist Iraq from making the transition to a plural democracy). This is the reportage of the argument that Menzies has made [from the BBC]: In his speech to the Liberal Democrat annual conference, Sir Menzies said the Iraq war was illegal and conducted on a "false prospectus". ..... "The threat was manufactured ...