LibDem Blogs - Archived!

The Sun has launched a campaign to scrap the Human Rights Act which, in their words: "... has become a travesty under which the interests of killers, rapists and paedophiles are placed above those of their victims. Law abiding citizens must walk in fear while “human rights” give their assailants the freedom of the streets."This follows on from David Cameron's pledge to repeal the Human Rights Act

I received a letter today from The Indepdendent telling me that I’ve qualified for the regional final of their national sudoku grandmaster championship. This is as far as I made it last year, and progress will be harder this time as there are 60, rather than 100, places in the final. I have a few [...]

The Sun Online - Sun Says: Time to stop the madness As to my previous Post, its interesting that our old friend David Cameron is showing his true colours, if he can still remember what these are. Now wonder the Tory members are confused, Left, Right, Green, Black, do we wear a tie, do we ride a bike, is it OK if we do ride a bike to have our chauffeur follow behind with our briefcase? Another point of interest, that fine bastion of public information, The Sun is once again coming out in favour of the Tory's. As ...

BBC NEWS Politics Human rights law 'may be changed': "Liberal Democrat constitutional affairs spokesman Simon Hughes said: 'The answer is to seek better collective protection, not rip up human rights obligations which have stood the test of time and are important guarantees for the rights of us all.' " This is all part of a steady erosion of our civil liberties and rights as a human being that have persisted under Labour over the past 9 years. I know this is the party line, yet again I am reassured that I am in the right party. This is simple. ...

I have just put together my latest City Centre Harbour Community Council Update. The Community Council meets this Thursday at 7pm at the Central Library at the Wellgate. All local residents are welcome. I've covered the following issues in the update this month: • Dock Street (West End) and Whitehall Crescent • Recycling in the City Centre • City Churches • Parklife Skatepark Celebration •

Up till now I haven't posted about the BNP, mainly because I wasn't sure what to say. Last year I sat next to two Conservative tellers nattering away to each other. They seemed to have been force fed on a diet of Daily Express headlines and were insular and sour. When one of them said "If asylum seekers are going to stay here , they should be sterilised" I was at a loss for words. What I should

This is not the Sun-God - this is what The Sun says: THE Sun today launches a proud campaign to put an end to the human rights madness that is horrifying the country. We applaud David Cameron for pledging that the Tories would tear up crazy human rights laws, and we urge Tony Blair to get on and do it while he remains in power. So much for "liberal conservativism" then. This is how Shami Chakrabarti of Liberty responded "The Conservatives will have to decide whether they are going back to being the nasty party." In the ...

Maybe I've not had enough sleep today, but I'm not feeling charitable. Guido made money out of John Smith's heart attack and seems proud of it? Not something that will ever happen to you Guido, you clearly haven't got one. I won't want a link to your site any more... Mark Oaten blames a mid-life crisis and losing his hair? Not a career-saving statement. Please announce your intention to stand

Can I echo the thoughts of my fellow Lib Dem blogger (and, since last week, fellow Lib Dem councillor here in Oxford), Richard Huzzey, who has urged our MPs to give Ming Campbell a chance? Though I don't set much store by the journalistic standards of the Torygraph, anonymous quotes attributed to Lib Dem MPs, such as those reported yesterday, are crassly moronic: "Ming will be gone within a

Today's "Sun Says" reports on the pensions agreement between Blair and Brown (emphasis mine) : - "TONY Blair and Gordon Brown are fiddling while Rome burns. Restoring the link between pensions and pay rises is right. But it will make only a minor improvement to a pensioner’s income. And to fund it, we will have to work two or even three years longer before we can retire. That’s seven years after

I've started a new poll over at m'other gaff - www.stephentall.org.uk - to find out when folks think Tony Blair should step down as Prime Minister. I've given six options: NowLater in 2006 Mid-2007Mid-2008Mid-2009He should go on and on and onMy view, for what it's worth... Tony Blair has been the most talented, successful and formidable politician of his generation. Had it not been for his

The poll has closed, and your votes been counted... the result is that Lynne Featherstone has pipped Chris Huhne to the post as the most impressive Lib Dem MP from the 2005 intake, 23% to 21%, with Nick Clegg (on 15%) just a few votes behind. Julia Goldsworthy, Jo Swinson and Jenny Willott - three of the youngest MPs in the Commons - followed on 12%, 10% and 6% respectively. Jeremy Browne and

I've had a bit of a spring tidy with the blog (well, I am supposed to be revising). There's a nice spangly banner at the top*, the google search box has gone - seeing as there's now an option to search within this site at the top of the page - and the sidebar has been generally tidied up. * Thanks to this tutorial.

I found this article in today's Guardian fascinating. They report that French President, Jacques Chirac is about to make history as the first French president to be immortalised as a complete buffoon on the cinema screen, in a satirical documentary by two Oscar winners. Dans la Peau de Jacques Chirac - Being Jacques Chirac - played to tears of laughter at Paris previews this week. It will open in France on May 31 as part of a phenomenon the newspaper Liberation calls "Chiracophobia: the new national sport". Already The Tragedy of the President, a book detailing ...

I have just come in after a short trip to Laugharne to find that both cup finals are in extra time. I am sorry that I have missed the six goals that have so far been scored at the Cardiff event as it looks like a cracking game. Is it me or is there something poetic about Gretna being pitched against Hearts for their cup glory?

Email from Leeds United this morning confirming I have a ticket. Checked the credit card and it looks as if they have taken for all three tickets I applied for on Wednesday. Cardiff here we come Super, super Leeds,Super, super Leeds,Super, super Leeds,Super Leeds United

This weekend we have seen the first concerted attempts to question Sir Menzies' performance as Lib Dem leader. Quite frankly, I'm once again glum that people are taking their first flushes of dissatisfaction to the media. Hardly anybody would argue that Sir Menzies has been better than Charles Kennedy at PMQs, but quite why this is an excuse to disloyally attack his longevity as leader I don't know. Sir Menzies won a clear mandate in a well-debated leadership election this year. I supported Chris Huhne, but Sir Menzies has unarguable qualities that have been - and will be - ...

Ed Davey: "I don't agree with Simon Hughes's analysis." "You have got to remember where we were three or four months ago. We have had a pretty traumatic time in the party. "For some of us it actually went back quite a few years. The party hadn't been managed as well as it should be." Sir Menzies was "very professional, very determined and very confident. He's set about changing things that aren't on the radar at the moment." I'm with Davey on this.

A terrific kerfuffle is waging over a judge’s decision to grant 9 Afghan hijackers asylum, with both Blair and Cameron muttering about human rights. What do human rights have to do with it? No-one is seriously questioning that we should extradite people to countries where we can expect them to be oppressed or badly treated [...]

I was very saddened to hear yesterday of the death, at the age of 90, of Claire Bruce. Claire was a very well respected member of the West End Community in Dundee and a great supporter and member of Dundee West Liberals, later Dundee LibDems. I quote below the obituary from the Dundee LibDem members' newsletter just issued: "Dundee Liberal Democrats were very saddened to learn of the recent death

A limited amount of debate has been going on about the new "Ministers change law by edict" bill going through the House next week. David Howarth has put down some really good amendments on this which go to the nub of the bill. It remains that the government are putting down a bill that makes it easier for Ministers to change the law without a full parliamentary procedure. Almost anything

Well.. i can hardly believe what happened on friday. For at least two years I, and others, have been working to get a gate at the end of a particular pathway in Garston. The reason - to stop the parade of stolen cars and flytippers using it. We got the gate.. and got keys out to all the organisations that actually needed to get a vehicle down there. The gate looked good.. there was a separate footpath entrance so people could still walk down.. people living nearby (Vineyard Street/Almond Court) were delighted. I mentioned this ...