LibDem Blogs - Archived!

There's so much speculation in the media as to when Tony Blair's going to hand over to Gordon Brown. Lib Dems and other bloggers are also having a field day. My personal feeling is that he not going anywhere for the next couple of years. Unless something dramatic happens or he's 'kicked' by his Parliamentary colleagues (at the moment can't quite see that happening) he'll probably stretch it out until mid 2008. The old adage Power begets Power seems most appropriate in his case - he's storming ahead like a bull in a china shop determined to push through ...

You go into the middle of a council estate with your leaflets and you shout at all the local kids you can see and hear - "any of you lot want to help deliver all these leaflets?" Then proceed Pied Piper like round the estate doling out badges and toffees and leaflets, the last at least to be pushed through doors by the shouting, squealing and quarrelsome horde. More in the Guardian.

It is not that I am trying to deal in stereotypes or anything but isn't this dragon-concept a bit overworked in marketing terms? Today's Western Mail carries this illustration of some of the dragon logos already in use throughout Wales. The one on the far right of the second row down is the new Wales brand logo. The Assembly Government logo is the one on the far right of the fourth row. The Assembly Parliamentary Service dragon is not featured at all.

This latest incident concerning ALDC campaign handbooks is bizarre, on several levels. Firstly, it should be said that it is a different order of issue than the ridiculous “be wicked, act shamelessly, stir endlessly” in which wicked, shameless, Labour and Tory stirrers queued around the block to express “shock” at how any politician would [...]

REDCAR's night-time economy, already boosted by the arrival of three new bars in the town centre, can now benefit from a new Government initiative that is linking the seaside town with Newcastle. Redcar and Newcastle are among 20 towns and cities nationwide who will be getting the help of experts to accelerate the economic revival of town centres across England. Officers from Redcar and Cleveland Council and Newcastle City Council meet for the first time along with North East Lincolnshire, representing Grimsby, under the new concept in Redcar on Friday, April 7, with nightlife high on the agenda. Redcar Town ...

Once again, quite unnecessary embarrassment has been caused for the LibDems by dubious campaign advice, this time suggesting rounding up children on council estates and getting them to deliver election leaflets. Anyone with a bit of political nous could surely spot that that was asking to be picked up and made into a “Pied Piper” story. [...]

Inspired by the success of Doctor Who, the BBC are launching an adventure series featuring his sidekick, the Boy Wonder: Robin Who. In other news, if someone who creates a crossword is a setter, is the crossword itself a settee? Tags: puns, robin+hood

You’ve got to hand it to Davey Cameron; he sure knows how to use the swivel-eyed loon brigade to his best advantage. And by dissing UKIP, he doesn’t even have to alienate his own swivel-eyed nutters. “fruitcakes, loonies and closet racists, mostly” Note the trendy allusion to Aliens there. That’s another target demographic sorted. After being [...]

This blog will not be used until after the local elections on 4 May 2006.

It is always interesting checking through the viewing stats for this blog. I see the IP address of several friends- Steve G, Steve T, Simon M and Andy W know who they are! Tristan has left several interesting comments, as has Andrew Montford- apologies for the delay in posting some of these, I had failed to notice that they were not being e-mailed automatically for review. On the other hand I see IP addresses from all over the place- those from the Baltic Countries are especially welcome- notably my old friend Igor, who I look forward to sharing a drink ...

At the time of the Paris riots last year, much was made of how the rioters felt excluded from mainstream society, cut off from the activities that normal French people take part in. The irony was that, by rioting, they were simply joining in an ancient French tradition that goes back at least as far as the Storming of the Bastille. Now the French are on the streets again - the fifth day of protests in the last month. Whilst I wouldn't join airline boss Philip Meeson in calling them "lazy frogs", there is something about the French ...

The Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has just gone on Thai TV and announced that he will not take the premiership in the next government. He said his decision was aimed at restoring unity in the country. He apologised to the 16 million people who voted for him in the election on Sunday. He will however remain in the position as caretaker Prime Minister until the Parliament is able to

Merseyside police work with Revenue and Customs and other agencies to stop £166m of drugs entering the country

UKIP Demands apology from Cameron The UK Independence Party is calling for David Cameron to apologise after he claimed its members were "fruitcakes, loonies and closet racists, mostly". *Cough* *Cough* *Cough*

The Welsh media nearly experienced an unaccustomed level of openness and transparency this morning when somebody pressed the wrong button and the Plaid Cymru group meeting was broadcast around the Senedd. Members of her majesty's press had gathered in the media briefing room in the new building to hear Jane Davidson set out the Government's views on the issues of the day when all of a sudden they were startled out of their slumbers by the dulcet tones of Dai Lloyd AM announcing the start of the Plaid Cymru group over the loudspeakers. Naturally, they reached for their notebooks just ...

So UKIP want an apology after David Cameron called them ‘fruitcakes, loonies and closet racists’. Said Nigel Farage ‘let him tell us anything that we have said that could be construed as remotely racist, otherwise we demand an apology’. So you admit to being fruitcakes and loonies then?

Labour government introduces new Secret Police. Well it had to be didn't it. Any announcement on policing these days has us all quoting Orwell before you can say aspidistra. The BBC reports Soca's new powers (presumably quoting the press release) as: Queen's evidence: Prosecutors will be able to offer statutory deals - immunity or reduced sentences - where, previously, deals were only

And throws stones inside glass house...

Rooms at the Findhorn foundation retreat just out side of Elgin are going fast, and it isn’t the tartaric yoga or macrobiotic cuisine that is drawing the crowds.  The By–election circus is in town and it promises to be quite a show. In May last year only 2% separated the three parties behind the SNP [...]

Having spent two years of my life in Leamington Spa, I'm sure I would have noticed the Leamington Spa Lifeboat Museum and the coastline, but I did spend most of my time in pubs and bars.Otherwise this is a nice website. Well designed with a mixed of real historical facts including: A second bomb almost destroyed a statue of HRH Queen Victoria – the blast shifting Her Majesty a full two inches along the plinth. Worth a visit to workout this years hints.

I have joined the "Million Faces Campaign". The campaign is run by Amnesty International, Oxfam and IANSA- the International Action Network on Small Arms.

At least according to this bill (see link) which according to my research was introduced by the Conservative MP for Tewkesbury - Laurence Robertson. Many politicians and religious leaders have suggested that it is time to have a review of the current situation and for parliament to have another look given that is is over 16 years since parliament last voted on the issues. Most of these suggestion