LibDem Blogs - Archived!

I get a steady trickle of hits to this site via search engines due to my interest in false killer whales. This page, advertising paintings of very much real killer whales, which was one higher than me on MSN is interesting: If you “Love Whales” then you will definately want to start collecting Connie McClure’s [...]

Tim Worstall's latest selection has been posted on his blog. There is also a substantial review of his book in today's Observer.

Spent an industrious Saturday in Lib Dem HQ. Number 4 Cowley Street is a lovely old building, if rather cramped on the inside; at times it does rather resemble a party jumble sale. Legend has it that the party 'acquired' it from the SDP by squatting it in it, which seems to me like a good tactic. Like a lot of property in the area it still belongs to the Church Commissioners, who no doubt take a handsome income from it. Work was followed by play, with a few beers and arguments (what is the difference between a freedom and ...

British political life currently inhabits a strangely unreal world. Events are moving fast, so fast they appear to be static. This Wednesday, the new leader of the Conservatives – let’s call him David Cameron – will take on the old leader of New Labour, Tony Blair, at Prime Minister’s Questions. For all that the media will big-up the occasion, this will be merely the opening skirmish of a

Yet again, the government is playing its favourite trick. My suspicions are usually aroused by a story surfacing on a Sunday - it means that they get all the media attention for the day when there is little danger of much else happening, yet the story will soon be subsumed when normal working hours start. Yes, that's right, it's the government floating proposed legislation in the papers. Legislation that has little chance of actually becoming law, but creates a nice impression in the minds of the population that the government cares about an issue and is prepared to take some ...

Many thanks to Martin Tod for constructaregion .... Using it I have found out that an Essex-Southend-Thurrock region would have only 50,000 people fewer than Northern Ireland and be bigger in population than 2 German Lander, 12 US States and 4 EU members! I'm now looking at Freethink's local heroes, which seems worthy of detailed study.

On Monday 5th December 2005, Gordon Brown will make his Pre-Budget Report to the House of Commons. On Tuesday 6th December 2005 a new leader of the Conservative party will have been elected. On Wednesday 7th December 2005 that new leader will face the Prime Minister across the dispatch box for parliamentary question time. It is rumoured that at some point during that week, the Prime Minister will reshuffle the Cabinet. The campaign to become the next Government of the United Kingdom has begun, only months after the last general election. When Gordon Brown, announces his growth ...

I tried to find libdemwatch today but apparently their account has been suspended! However I stumbled across something from the Guardian's Election 2005 blog from last April where someone was belittling the Lib Dem campaign in Leeds NW: "Witnessing the Lidbem campaign strategy on the ground can leave you wondering which way is up. Libdemwatch has picked up an example of this in their LeedsNW

I have received some criticism from Labour about being concerned about the UK Gas Shortage. It is quite clear that there is a shortage of supply. The impact of this shortage is mainly resultant from the ambient temperature. The colder it is the worse the impact. More importantly the government can act to minimise both the possibilities of a Gas Emergency and also the impact of a gas emergency.

Stephen Tall's posting about his boredom with the left/right debate in the Lib Dems prompted me to finish off this posting which had been sitting in my drafts tray for a couple of months.

I’m currently going through the complete Yes, Prime Minister on DVD. I’m currently at the start of the second disc of the first series, and by coincidence I think young George and Dave of Notting Hill are at the same spot: DAVID CAMERON proposed a voluntary “National Service” scheme for school-leavers yesterday as his [...]

The Observer highlights the fears of most people concerning the reorganisation of Wales' police forces into a single entity, namely the cost. In particular they reveal that forces have been told there is no government money to pay for the shake-up - and the Home Office has admitted council taxes are likely to rise 'for some forces' to pay for it. Clarke and policing minister Hazel Blears met privately with Labour MPs last week to try to head off a growing revolt. The Home Office is understood to be scratching around for extra funds to soften the blow, ...