LibDem Blogs - Archived!

Today's Daily Telegraph reports that Chris Huhne has five MPs willing to nominate him as leader. This is excellent news, and my immediate instinct is that Huhne would be an excellent candidate, whose campaign would highlight areas that other leaders would neglect. In particular, he would be a brilliant candidate to highlight environmental issues and establish a new green Liberalism. If there's one issue that has turned voters off the Lib Dems, besides law and order, it must be economic policy. That's why Chris Huhne, a ruthlessly realistic economist of international standing, is so well-equipped to lead the party. ...

Perhaps [the Prime Minister] would like to explain why it is that one in five schools does not have a permanent Headteacher. On most weeks a very sensible question for PMQs. But less than four days since you took over as caretaker leader of a political party today was not the time to ask that question. The response was uproareous laughter from all corners of hte chamber, yes there were even a few

I have been visiting the South West for a few days as part of the project I am working on. Probably the most unusual project I have ever worked on and involving the use of IT and data in the livestock industry. I am staying here for a little longer than necessary as I have had to make an unscheduled visit to the Abattoir. This was following a storm that brewed up yesterday following comments from one of my suppliers to the client. The subsequent over reaction ricochet around for a while and I had to drive to Cornwall to ...

Mr Cameron's best slogan in the Tory leadership contest was: "Why put off what needs to be done?" Mr Clegg is, by some margin, the Lib Dem who would give the Tories and Labour the most trouble in 2009. He should be his party's next leader. So why put it off?So writes Matthew d'Ancona in this morning's Daily Telegraph. I don't see the Liberal Democrats as being in such a deep crisis as he does, and he is kinder than I am about Mark Oaten, but I think he right about Nick Clegg. The rumour tonight is that Chris Huhne ...

Actually the BBC says: Ruth Kelly to keep education job but you know what a headline like that means.

So I checked out the Liberal Democrat category in Wikablog, and there was a Google ad lurking in the corner. Now in the Australian category, the ad sensibly offered cheap flights. But why on earth did Google decide that LibDems were a suitable market for 'Free Instant Ordination'?

A difficult day for the Lib Dem benches, as it was always going to be. Even so, it would not have taken a political genius to grasp that it was not a bright idea to make too much of the number of schools without heads. Taxi for Mr Campbell. Simon Hughes also ran into trouble, but all credit to both of them for flying the Lib Dem flag. And Mark Oaten? Nick Robinson's blog on the BBC site kindly gives the answer: Where oh where, asked Tony Blair at today's Prime Minister's Questions, was the third contender for the Lib ...

Well, Herefordshire actually. The Shropshire Star reports: A 64-year-old great-grandad from Shropshire was ordered to remove his trilby in a local pub after the landlord said he could be mistaken for a “hoodie”. Colin Osborne, of All Stretton, was drinking in The Monument pub, in Hereford, when he was told that he would not be served unless he removed his trilby. Mr Osborne, who has worn trilby hats for 20 years, complained but was warned he would not be served unless he removed the trilby, which was hiding his face from CCTV cameras.

A welcome return to the blogosphere to Forceful and Moderate, run by former LDYS exec member and Young, Free and Liberal editor, Vivienne Raper. A couple of years ago there seemed to be a wealth of young liberal blogs, but a lot of them have fallen by the wayside, abandoned and unloved. It’s therefore encouraging to see this one revived. Regular readers of this blog (by which I largely mean Max) will have noted the dearth of meaningful analysis. This is a trend I intend to continue, but if you do crave something with a bit more substance, F ...

At full Council last night we had a question, followed by a short debate, about the progress towards opening the Rose of Kingston. I am a trustee of the theatre, and normally I have to declare an interest and leave the chamber when it appears on an agenda. But because no decisions were being made I was able to contribute this time. This is what I...

Watching PMQs today, a thought struck me. No, not "who on earth allowed the "acting head" question in?", but this: "why are questions of a local nature directed at the Prime Minister?". It must surely be a matter of common sense that, when wanting to see a particular problem resolved, one must take this problem to the person most directly responsible for solving it. This should be a statement of the obvious, but yet the questions to the Prime Minister still come, regular as clockwork. At this point, I must admit that many of these questions are not ...

A quick plug here for the Liberal Review. It's well worth a look, both for coverage of news of the Lib Dems in the mainstream media, and for its daily blog roundups of posts on liberal themes. The editor's blog is well worth a look too. (As an aside, it is interesting to note the number of blogs explicitly mentioning 'liberal-inclined' among their target audience or subject matter. That sort of understanding is vital if the Liberal Democrats really are to push for the large liberal vote that exists.)

After an astonishing turn of events, the last 1000 pixels went for a mere US $38,100.00 on milliondollarhomepage.com. This was down to a succession of winning bidders getting cold feet and retracting their bids. lost.river.trader claimed they Entered wrong amount of $160,009.09ast1155td ast1155td claimed they Entered wrong amount of $175,000.00latentauthor Changed User ID says "Seller changed the description of the item" Retracted: US $153,000.00all4freeuk Changed User ID Cancelled: US $140,200.00 saying it was a fake bid.onlinepokerandcasinos Retracted: US $2,100,000.99 saying they entered the wrong amount.And so it goes on... there was even a fake bid of $25,000,000 ...

Occasionally, whilst researching, I come up with some things that I believe are of a wider interested. This afternoon brought one of those moments. It's a section of the 1776 Pennsylvania constitution, which gives instructions to the legislature on the principles it should use when deciding to levy new taxes: SECT. 41. NO public tax, custom or contribution shall be imposed upon, or paid by the people of this state, except by a law for that purpose: And before any law be made for raising it, the purpose for which any tax is to be raised ought to appear ...

Today I noticed a large number of hits on my blog coming from Austaralia and noticed that they were all begin referred from here. The reason for this interest is that Democrat Party Queensland Senator and Member of Austalian Parliament Andrew Bartlett posted a very thorough and balanced piece on recent Lib Dem developments, quoting and referencing various Lib Dem (and other party) Blogs. Like so

Apparently now has 5 MPs backing him. I hope he gets the other two.

No, not a reference to Lib Dem leadership contenders, but the best album by my favourite /band/group/artist/beat combo, Green on Red. They split more than a decade ago, but played a reunion at the Astoria, London last night. I wouldn't have missed it for the world. So instead I missed it for a meeting of Watford Borough Council's Development Control Committee, of which I am a member. This is not the first time such a thing has happened. Indeed it has happened so often that sometimes I almost become paranoid that my favourite artists checked the register of Watford ...

by Peter I have remarked before how few friends Cameron seems to have in the business press. A search for the origins of the Major story (below) brought this piece from an article in The Business to light (thanks to Stephen B): let us not be fooled into thinking the Conservatives, for 15 years Britain’s leading regicide specialists, are united behind their new, youthful leader. Most Tory MPs voted against Cameron even when it was clear he was going to win. It is not with universal delight that Tory MPs learn they are to be whipped ...

I've finally succumbed and purchased a book of kakuro. I manage to get a daily fix of killer from The Times, and also a couple of sudoku although I don't always bother unless I'm really too quick on the killer. But finding a daily fix of kakuro is still challenging, without forking out for the print version of the Grauniad. I actually find kakuro the most stimulating of the number puzzles now as I haven't quite mastered all the logic rules to speed it up. I can complete most of them - eventually. But they require more than just the ...

Acumen in politics is observing where the momentum lies. Just ahead in the polls, confident of purpose, David Cameron is riding high. By attacking his own right-flank, by swatting away cherished Tory beliefs and policies he angers his own core vote. This is the essence of triangulation: beat–up your own side to prove to the centre that you are now reasonable and fit for government. For those who observe that David Cameron wrote the last Conservative Manifesto – and has been at the right-arm of many a Conservative politician for the last fifteen years – such volte face is either ...

It was as if we had never left. The first day of formal meetings after the Christmas recess started as we had ended 2005, talking about trains. The very first question to the First Minister was from Laura Anne Jones who wanted him to make a statement on rail travel in Wales. From then on it all went downhill. We only had a half-decent wordplay to illustrate a serious point from Leighton Andrews to liven up the next hour: Leighton Andrews: Are you aware that in the Rhondda, Arriva Trains Wales is rapidly gaining the nickname ...

The Federal Executive Committee of the Liberal Democrats Monday evening to finalise details of the Party's leadership election.

by Robin. There have been some comments saying there are no photos of me on this blog. If you look at our friends wedding in boston you will find some of me. I'm the one with spiky hair in the black suit with white tie.

If Oaten’s campaign is supposedly Tory-esque then given that I am an ex-Charlie’s Angel (invited to stand near to the great man in pics) perhaps I should offer my services to Mark Oaten to stand with him in his photo-calls I can’t think what we would call ourselves Oaten’s O..... O.... Nope. Can’t think. And no rude suggestions please! Mark's M.....? Thankfully they can't call us Mark's Mingers as that's a contradiction in terms given the current leadership contest! Anyone else getting tired of the leadership tussle already? No positive developments lately just people digging at Oaten it seems. ...

I think the phrase 'put to the sword' describes what happened. Quick, someone propose a bill banning the hunting of Mings with backbenchers.

All of this crisis appears to have coincided with a run in form with my online chess games at Gameknot. My team mates have already remarked that I am on a killing spree with 5 successive victories and 7 out of my last 8 games ending in wins. In fact since the New Year I have completed 9 games winning 7 of them. I'd don't believe there is a similar correlation with my performance during the Tory

Interesting post on localism by Peter at the Apollo Project. One thing that’s often overlooked is that many counties (especially the historical ones) are at least as big as various US states, German Länder or even member states of the EU. Also that most countries do not have the homogenous bureaucratically tidy regional structure that Labour [...]

Peter over at the Apollo Project stole when he blogged about this article by Fraser Nelson from this morning’s Scotsman. It refers to an occasion when John Major, under severe pressure, attempted to persuade a prominent Liberal Democrat to defect by offering a guaranteed cabinet post: the Member for Fife North East declined. Some time later of possibly around the same time discussions were

He really is insufferable.

Mark Oaten, MP for Winchester and Shadow Home Secretary yesterday declared that he is standing the the Leadership of the Liberal Democrats. I am glad Mark is standing, we can now have a proper Leadership contest and I hope Ming and Mark are joined by Simon Hughes (and others) to ensure the contest is a real contest.

I’d forgotten about Stars in their Hats… So far, Oaten is the only Lib Dem candidate in this race. Bizarrely though, he may find he has come competition from his campaign manager.

‘One dimensional knee jerk populism’ soothed David Cameron yesterday, going on to say that ‘what we have seen today is a series of eye catching gimmicks.’ Difficult to say whether he was commenting on Labour or Conservative policy, or indeed George Galloway’s presence in the Celebrity Big Brother household. In fact, difficult to say that he wasn’t actually impressed whichever way. Which bit was eye catching, Dave?

Oaten's campaign launch sounds like it was dreamed up late at night. With lots of inspiration from the way the tories launched their leadership bids (a bevy of supporters surrounding the latest contender). Simon Hoggart, in the Grauniad, describes the scene well. Oaten-Opik does sound like a health food brand. "I believe I am a 21st century Liberal, and I am determined to lead a 21st century Liberal party," he added, which translates as: "Ming is 64, and past it, whereas I sound like a first-rate, hi-fibre health food." There are also a number of phrases that could make a ...

How to assess candidates for the leadership? This for starters is what will impress me. Above all put our own LibDem case on our own merits, not trying to be the Liberal Democrat version of this or that. As far as possible, no casual personal slagging-off on another candidate. We know each candidate has strengths and weaknesses. Let us note those as they emerge. I want each candidate to emphasise what they themselves positively bring to a leadership role. That will be contrast enough to the others without sour sniping. I do want to see awareness of the ...

by Peter Someone with thirty quid to spare might like to tell me how this story ends: "SOME time ago, John Major's government made an audacious approach to a prominent Liberal Democrat who looked and sounded like a Tory. Would he defect, if a Cabinet job was guaranteed?"

Menzies Campbell MP is an instinctive Liberal something that Mark Oaten MP...erm, isn't. In fact, he admits that he "only really got a philosophical belief about three years ago" (he's been in parliament since 1997!). Likewise, Mark Oaten MP was our Shadow Home Secretary when we were "not opposed to control orders in principle". At that time, Mark Oaten said things like: "Liberty, without which

Lib Dem Leadership Contender John Hemming MP today claimed a major success in his campaign to simplify passport photograph rules. I am pleased that following my questions on the bureaucratic nightmare of the new passport photographs that the government are starting to see sense. The most stupid rule was to require babies to keep their eyes open and mouth closed. Between 12th September and 27th

Vivienne, a new addition to the team of Lib Dem Bloggers, brought baldness yesterday on her blog. Then today Hugo Rifkind has a spot the baldy contest in the People section of today's Times. Hint: For any non-Lib Dem reading this from Left to Right is also the media percieved postion of the two candidates and candidate apparent (Simon Hughes). As someone who himself is confident in his rapidly

by Peter I know people only want to know who Mark Oaten's backers are at present, but once the election is over we have to start preparing for...well, we'll have to start preparing our manifesto. So here are a couple of useful pointers. In Public Finance, Profs Jones and Stewart have discuss localism. They say Despite New Labour’s apparent conversion to ‘neighbourhood government’, the talk in town and county halls across the UK is of ‘super councils’. Ministers believe that bigger is better, and they are starting to use the dreaded ‘R’ word again. Reorganisation is back in ...

It wouldn't be an election without a bar chart, so here's one This one is based on T-Shirt sales. Last updated Wednesday 11th Jan 2006 09:16

Two choice selections from Wednesday’s paper. First, in the corrections column, the paper withdraws an entire story: We said in error that the rap artist 50 Cent is billed to appear in a Sunderland pub on February 29. Neither the performance nor the date will take place. The next leap year is 2008. Goodness knows how they [...]

Age isn't as important as its cracked up to be. Case in point (he was 69)

In my continuing quest for a decent name for Menzies Campbells' supporters, I've found that the planet Mongo in Flash Gordon apparently had a number of races on it including the hawk men, lion men, shark men and blue magic men. These are the hawkmen from the immensely serious film version: The only appropriate race seems to be the [Yellow] Magic Men (or women) with Shirley Williams as Queen

I have to admit to having some sympathy for Zoe Williams’ argument here that the other Big Brother contestant commonly known as Maggot should be allowed a platform for his political views on BB. What’s the point of having him on otherwise? True, broadcasting must be politically unbiased, but there is a simple solution there. [...]

At some point in the next General Election campaign, Dave is going to have to start being nasty about the Lib Dems. Yet, he has spent the last few weeks borrowing so many of our clothes, how on earth is he going to convince people that we have the wrong policies? This latest article on [...]

Is it really wise for the Oaten camp to come up with this? Ming has not been a well man. Leading the third party is an enormous strain. You don’t have the back-up that the two main parties enjoy. Really? Why, then, did Mark believe that Kennedy was up for the job, despite his debilitating condition? [...]

Jonathan Calder wasn’t very impressed, and neither was I (no surprise there then). Why have all those people milling about in the background? Yes Mark Pursey, your mum can see you. If you’re going to do a Tory style launch, at least get them to flank you. Oaten’s campaign manager Lembit Opik needs [...]

To whom it may concern: I’m afraid I don’t accept anonymous comments on this site. Thin end of the wedge. Include a name, or at least a pseudonym. And a genuine (or genuine looking) email address. Sorry.

Peter and Dan Snow’s Whose Land is it Anyway? was a treat: a whirlwind tour around the issues surrounding land ownership in the UK today. And Kevin Cahill, mentioned yesterday, did get a “special consultant” credit in the titles (as well as a brief appearance). Several key points were of interest: the landed gentry from [...]

Effect measure is run by public health professionals posting anonymously. Lucid, informed, accessible explanations of what they think is happening, especially in Turkey. Read Turkey: the possibilities for a rational take on the situation. For regularly updated news and links, Avianflu. Plenty of sites telling you how to behave in the event of a pandemic, too. A lot suggest hoarding supplies