LibDem Blogs - Archived!

I notice with interest that the latest Yougov poll for tommorrows Times (Lab 32 Con 35 LD 18 others 15) shows the same surge for "Minor" parties as other recent ones. I can't help but draw a parallel I have felt for a while with the 2004 Euro Elections. I always felt the massive UKIP vote was a really a vote to kick the political establishment in the balls rather than being about Europe per se. I suspect we may seem something similar next week. Most Green/BNP voters will get the the polling station and discover that they have no ...

... I'd be keeping pretty damn quiet about it. But, once again, the question has to be asked: what is it about the British nudge-nudge obsession with sex? We have a home secretary presiding over a chaotic government department incapable of undertaking the most straightforward checks on released foreign prisoners, some of whom have gone onto commit further serious offences, and what does most of

A week into voting, and the poll over at m'other gaff - to discover the most impressive Lib Dem MP of the 2005 intake - shows Lynne Featherstone in a commanding lead, on 30%, well ahead of her nearest challengers, Chris Huhne and Nick Clegg. But the other seven shouldn't feel too disheartened - what with the elections and everything, I haven't time to put up another poll just now. So there's at

I try not to do cheap politics, but, hey, there's an election on, and this story from Sky News is irresistible: Conservative leader David Cameron asked for Sky News footage to be withdrawn from screen after a disagreement with one of the channel's senior reporters. ... Sky correspondent Joey Jones was trailing Mr Cameron, with the agreement of his team, and took footage of him pressing the flesh

Sometimes, y'know, canvassing can be fun: Young lady: So how old are you, then? Me: 29. YL: Well, you're a sexy, young-looking 29. I mean, that's good, isn't it? (Shallow, moi?)

In the New Statesman Darcus Howe is saying what many people are thinking about Margaret Hodge Hodge is being vague, and in politics vagueness always conceals mischief, writes Darcus Howe Margaret Hodge, MP for Barking, employment minister and former leader of Islington Council, has ventured into racial politics again, concerned about a handful of working-class votes drifting from Labour to the British National Party in the East End of London. When Hodge says that eight out of ten voters in her constituency are contemplating voting BNP, it's not clear whether she blames this on black and ...

I could have shed a few tears of joy and sadness over tonights Dr Who episode. The role is David Tennents after just 3 episodes and it felt a bit like sitting down and eating a box of chocolates all in one sitting. The subtle dig at Jamies school dinners made me laugh out loud and Anthony Head as the evil head master was inspired casting. However what enraptured me was the Sarah Jane Smith story line. This could so easierly have been a "in joke" that hard core fans would have loved but the writer turned it into a ...

I still remember one lecture from the early days of the John Major government when one of my lecturers said 'suppose Government policy is this...but going on current form it might be when we leave this room.' However, similar things are now happening to Labour. Only this time it is suppose this Governemnt minister did this, I came back from an afternoon canvassing in Linlithgow to find all sorts

The Times Article brings together a number of allegations from across the country. It seems quite clear that in Tower Hamlets there is a big postal vote stealing operation going on. A lot of media attention was given to the investigation of 14 postal votes in Nechells Ward. These votes were sent to a house which belongs to the Family of the Lib Dem Candidate for the Ward. They include his

I've been curious at the levels of activity (or rather, inactivity) by the other two parties in Chessington North & Hook. I have so far spotted only ONE Conservative poster and ONE Labour poster anywhere in the ward. The Labour one is interesting because it is in the house of one of the candidates for Chessington North & Hook, as you might expect. But next door lives...

BBC NEWS UK Cannabis found at John Reid home: "defense Secretary John Reid." The government, facing one of their worst weeks yet in the run up to next weeks local elections were further blighted when a horde of Drugs were found at the home of defense secretary John Reid. Coming after it was revealed that Charles Clarke had let immigrant murderers and rapists go free, Randy John "Two Shags" Prescott's revelations of romps with his secretary, Tony Blairs Cash for peerages claims and Patricia Hewitt's statement about the health service, what next! Foresnsic Police experts confirmed that a stash of ...

headline on Guardian Unlimited. Surely wrong cabinet minister? And if you think that's obvious and in dubious taste, you obviously didn't listen to Marcus Brigstocke laying into Prezza, Clarke and the BNP on The Now Show. No belt not punched beneath. Well worth a listen. Tags: sickbag

I was at a meeting in the US for most of last week and came back to the tail end of Labour’s lousy week with Ministers Prescott, Clarke and Hewitt all under pressure. Of these, it does now seem clear that Charles Clarke faces the greatest problems as the hunt goes on for serious offences committed [...]

See this link for an interesting idea to get people talking about an issue. I for one have signed up and will post something on Monday

After the week Labour's had, you've got to piss yourself laughing haven't you?

The top judges from the three main judicial institutions in Thailand (the Supreme, Administrative and Constitutional courts) met yesterday and decided to suspend todays by-elections in the 14 unfilled seats. According to this piece on BBC online they may nullify the whole election process and order a complete rerun of the April 2nd elections.

There is an opinion piece in the Telegraph that caught my eye: Labour's shenanigans damage all the parties. Rather a Torygraph word "shenanigans" (very 1960s grammar school) but you can see where they are coming from. The "you're all the same" line is coming up quite a lot canvassing. So I started the article expecting to agree. Here is how it ends Scanning this week's headlines, most voters do not mutter, "bloody Labour", but "bloody politicians". A fascinating YouGov survey in our pages asked voters which party they would like to have running their council. No party ...

That if you're a politician whose having/had one or more affairs, don't use your family as a selling point on your leaflets. It's only going to come back and bite you on the bottom [all references to porcelain lavatories removed].

Today's Guardian reports that a new 146 government guide for immigrants containing a breakdown of all matters of British culture, history and tradition is in fact leading would-be citizens astray with a confusing array of historical errors, questionable suppositions and glaring misquotes. Amongst the errors it quotes are these: Claim: Describing the fighter pilots in the second world war, Winston Churchill said: "Never in the course of human conflict have so many owed so much to so few." Fact: He actually said: "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so ...

I'm still hacking periodically through the smörgåsbord of literary treats that I got as part of a 'spend so much and get 10 free fiction books' from The Book People. Like a chocolate selection, it's luck whether you get the fudge or bite into something sickly and creamy (replace with toffee if you have false teeth). I have a habit of dumping books if I can see where the author is leading and

In the last two years, Kingston has received over £40 million to improve school buildings. £23 million will be used to rebuild Chessington Community College. Classrooms at Chessington Community College Concept sketch for new school The plans will also provide joint sixth form facilities at Southborough Boys and Tolworth...

I am so tired... Long hours at the office, long hours on the campaign trail, the occasional hour of sleep, 4 May can't come soon enough... It does seem to be going well though, although you won't drag a prediction of victory out of me, be it in East Dulwich or Village ward (remember, vote for me and I won't turn you into a frog, or Kim Humphries for that matter - and let's face it, the frog has