LibDem Blogs - Archived!

This post at Samizdata draws attention to a particularly spooky government poster, depicting members of the public as walking CCTV cameras. Now, I'm all for the idea that people should actively report crime. Who isn't? But as the post points out, that's not what people are being asked to do. "If you can see it, you can stop it", the poster says. But nobody is being asked to stop the bullying, they're being asked to report it, as though they were a passive CCTV camera rather than an active member of society. This campaign is ...

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So there I was, checking the Wikipedia entry for Uppingham School (Lord Bonkers' Alma Mater), looking at the list of famous Old Boys. And most of the expected names were there: Jon Agnew Check Stephen Fry Check Boris Karloff Check Johnny Vaughan What?? Is this widely known? That Johnny Vaughan went to public school? I am constantly amazed at the way that people feel obliged to pretend they are something they are not. Show business has more former public school boys covering up their background than even a New Labour cabinet.

Here's the report I gave to Badger Farm Parish Council on Monday (the pic shows both LibDem City Councillors at the entrance to the Ridgeway): Foliage, etc. As reported to the last PC meeting, Brian and I arranged to meet with the manager of Sainsburys. As we arrived, an elderly man lost control of his car and crashed into several parked vehicles. The ensuing chaos ensured that our meeting was

Chris Maines is asking residents for their help in identifying the borough’s worst potholes and road surfaces via a web-site that he has launched.

Lewisham Liberal Democrats have launched their local election campaign by pledging to make Lewisham a safer, fairer and greener place to live.

From The Guardian. Some fascinating comments reacting to Ollie's blether.

Whilst reading Vote 2006 I discovered that there have been some deselections of prominent Labour councillors in the borough. Supposedly some of them are due to incompetance (although if that were the case the entire local party should just pack its bags and go home). Some have cropped up in safe Tory or LibDem wards, but they stand no chance so that's obviously just a sop. Nobody seems to know

I had several political discussions or encounters yesterday. The first was when I rather glibly said that Blair would like the fact that his good friend Berlusconi is demanding a recount. This achieved a curt reply from an assistent to a Labour MP along the lines of "The Labour party are too busy twiddling their moustaches and laughing about the harm they're afflicting on the working classes and shagging their researchers (a la BBC dramas)".This puzzled me somewhat, but on reflection it reveals something interesting about the way this person views Labour and criticism against them, which is still very ...

In today's Times, Peter Riddell argues that recent events in Italy and Germany could be replicated in Britain - that we too may be heading for electoral stalemate and coalition. He writes: The Tories require a 4.4 per cent swing to become the largest single party. The same analysis, however, shows that Labour would lose its overall majority on a swing of just 2.2 per cent. That looks much likelier. But a hung Parliament covers a wide range of possibilities about the relative size of the main parties, with the Tories and Labour having between 240 and 320 MPs. Liberal ...

For the government to only reduce the hospital by 108 beds is a small cut in comparison to those they are making elsewhere. We, therefore, should welcome the final announcement of the new hospital. It has taken some time, but we have finally got there. The irony is that it appeared to require Gordon Brown's absence before it was signed off. Still a new hospital is a new hospital.

Google have now launched their Chinese service. In doing so they have agreed to some censorship. I am not sure that I entirely approve - but I understand why they did it. It is to be hoped that Google prove to be less good at censorship than they are at facilitating the free consumption of information. The problem for China - and now for Google, in a way - is that ideas are like money and water: the more you try to direct and constrain their flow, the more they seep beyond control. So it will be interesting to see ...

Well, I never really believed Blair was a Socialist anyway, but I thought perhaps Beckett might be? Then why oh why does the taxpayer foot the bill for £1.2 million worth of Blair’s flights using the Royal Flight from RAF Northolt? Important summits - perhaps - but holidays in Italy? Commuting to his Sedgefield constituency? [...]

I have just read in tonight's Express and Star that Wednesfield South's Conservative Councillor Fiona Latter has been found guilty of drink-driving and failing to give her details after causing an accident. Councillor Latter was twice over the limit when tested later on - 88 micrograms (the limit is 35 micrograms). According to Phil Bateman's website states she was driving with no licence or insurance.

Last night I was informed about the following product from Beechams to allay all our fears.

Just finished reading an interesting (and long) article on how the internet is being used in the US to revitalise the Democratic Party. Fortunately, the New York Review of Books also has a copy online. There’s a great deal about The Daily Kos and the way their Scoop technology allows broad involvement in the site. They’re using [...]

My dear wife has an article in a new publication by the New Local Government Network, Elected Mayors - making a difference?. Meanwhile I welcome Oxford Lib Dem blogger Stephen Tall A Liberal Goes A Long Way: No to ‘superbosses’ (Yes to elected mayors) as a convert to the cause of elected mayors.

As expected, the endless round of writing and delivering leaflets, knocking on doors etc. during election time is making it difficult to think of topics to post about. By way of a diversion from politics I did notice that Q magazine this month includes its selection of the 50 worst albums of all time and came up with a pretty good list. This prompts me to offer my own briefer list – five of the worst ‘classic’ albums. You’ll often find these in the CD collections of people over 35, but whatever you do don't suggest listening to them. ...

As reported in the Surrey Advertiser. One of my Conservative opponents, Dennis Paul, believes "his actions should be checked before they get out of hand". I'm sorry, but any form of sexual abuse, whether that be physical contact or indecent exposure, is abhorrable, and is already out of hand. If any student experiences such an attack and is unsure of what to do, please get in contact with the Representation and Welfare Unit at the University of Surrey Students' Union. They are extremely friendly, and everything will be treated with utmost confidentiality. If there are ...

Just heard from a former Vodafone colleague that the ‘3 minute conversation’ campaign has been recognised as the UK campaign of the year by Mobile News… In case you’ve forgotten it, here’s an execution from the campaign: So many thanks to the Mobile News Awards 2006 for the award for “National Advertising/Marketing/PR Campaign”. First the world and now [...]

Neither of us is much of a gardener, so it took us a while to get round to composting our food waste. What finally got us going was the Council's compost campaign last year, when they gave away free compost bins to local residents. Apparently over 3000 people took advantage of this. They are repeating the offer during April. Bins will be given free to the first 500 callers. So if...

Initial returns from Birmingham dentists show that the money raised by the government from Dental Fees has gone up by around 30% as expected. It will, however, not be possible to confirm this until a few months have passed.

Iran has announced that it has joined the nuclear 'club', Iran is saying that is it for a for its national energy supply, but of course it could be used to develop nuclear weapons. I am against nuclear either for energy needs or more obviously for weaponry but I have to say the 'West' is being highly hypocritical with Iran.

The Home Secretary has announced that he is to plough ahead with the merger of Police forces in England and Wales despite resistance from police authorities and local people. This resistance is especially strong in Wales where those in the north, mid and west especially, believe that merger will take away identity and accountability, whilst in the south those concerns are compounded by the fear of higher Council Taxes to pay for the reorganisation. It has been estimated that the cost of merger will be £50m across Wales but Charles Clarke now says that he will pay 100% of the ...

They won’t be celebrating Romano Prodi’s election victory in Downing Street. The relationship between the Blairs and the Berlusconis was mystifying to many Labour MPs. Some thought the Blairs were irresistibly attracted to the wealth and style of Silvio Berlusconi, and some pointed cynically at the deluxe ‘holiday home’ the Blairs enjoyed in Sardinia. But the [...]

Brilliant! Whatever next. They are just so desperate. It will be fascinating to see how this one pans out in reality. I somehow suspect that not many local constituency parties will want to take up the Central London option. So that leaves the "primary style" selection. Candidates will be questioned by local community leaders and the public and this session may be moderated by a local journalist. Then an executive panel of local Tories will make the decision. Cue dissatisfaction from party members who will be disenfranchised from the process and great opportunity for local opponents to make mischief with ...