LibDem Blogs - Archived!

When Chris Davies resigned as leader of the Liberal Democrat MEPs the BBC seemed unsure what his offence was. Some radio news bulletins thought it was that he had drawn parallels between Israel today and Apartheid South Africa. As the Israeli Supreme Court's decision to uphold the law barring West Bank Palestinians from living with their spouses and children in Israel shows, that is an entirely defensible view. No, Chris's error was to tell one of his constituents to that he hoped she enjoyed "wallowing in her own filth". After that he had no alternative to resign. How could an ...

I attended this tonight. It was badly attended and for the most part quite uncomfortable. The " Council" took a real pasting over the Woodhouse Moor car park proposal which I will not comment on further! As ever lots going on but a dwindling band of activists is fighting a rear guard battle against absentee landlords and a demographic where 63% of residents are students and 70% aged 18 to 30. As a Councillor I felt rather irritated by the lack of recognition of some of the good things that are going on. However wearing my residents hat (my house ...

Lord Bonkers writes exclusively for Liberal England: I see that my Literary Secretary has fallen for some cock-and-bull story about Theo Walcott being the great nephew of Sir Clyde Walcott. (Though I see from the comments to that post that Sir Clyde is now the Chairman of West Oxfordshire District Council. And a good thing too.) I can reveal, however, that there are some interesting - and rather better founded - family relationships and other facts invovling the England World Cup squad. Namely: Aaron Lennon is the cousin of the noted popular musician John Lennon; Sol ...

The select group of people who have read my essay "Defending Families" in the Liberator Passports to Liberty series will have come across the following passage: In February 1996 the educational psychologist Peter McParlin wrote an article for the newsletter of the British Psychological Society's Division of Education Psychology. He looked at the fortunes of children looked after by local authorities and found that only 3 per cent achieved five or more GCSE passes (the national figure for all children at the time was 42 per cent) and that on any one day up to 60 per cent ...

Two things to say about Tony Blair’s Bruce Willis inspired soundbite-of-the-day about Nuclear power being “back on the agenda - with a vengeance“: It is insuffrably ridiculous, the verbal equivalent of a 50-something man driving around in a Lambourghini; It is code for “that stuff about being genuinely open minded about nuclear power? Big fat lie. [...]

The decision of the Government to accept Birmingham's proposal to merge only Eastern and North Birmingham PCTs is a glimmer of sensible decisionmaking amidst a fog of incompetence. It will be an interesting test case to see if consequentially we cope better with the financial problems currently facing the Health Service. The government today were still only talking about Period 6 figures. That

In today's Times David Aaronovitch writes: I was perhaps a latish convert to the struggle for democracy and freedom.Let's see what his Wikipedia entry says: He completed his education at the University of Manchester, graduating in 1978 with an upper second B.A. (Hons) in history. While at Manchester, he was a member of the 1975 University Challenge team that lost in the first round after answering every question with the name of a revolutionary ("Trotsky" or "Lenin" or "Che"). He was initially a Eurocommunist and active in the Young Communists ... He was also active in the National Union ...

Residents in Birmingham who have resolved disputes with their neighbours with the help of the Birmingham Mediation Service are being asked to come forward and join in the 10th anniversary celebrations, which will take place in July. Over the last 10 years some 3,000 residents have used mediation with an 82 percent success rate. Residents can access the council service, which is free to everyone

Madeleine Bunting is very worried. Gallons of semen from Eastern Europe could be heading this way. And yes, she does employ the image of the HFEA playing the role of King Canute, attempting to turn back the waves. Thanks for that mental picture Maddy. I do apologise for not taking this all [...]

I went to a New Statesman organised event with Bruce Sterling in a pub in Belgravia last night (the pub was called the Grouse and Claret, could it be anywhere but Belgravia?). As is customary for such nu medja events it has been blogged and podcast already. There was much in what he said that [...]

In the latest instalment of our government by advance leak, it’s just come on the wireless that (to no-one’s surprise) Mr Blair is to come out strongly for the building of new nuclear power stations in a speech tonight. He’s wrong. The arguments are very well-rehearsed in the Liberal Democrats, but here’s a summary: we have to reject nuclear power generation as a means of achieving reductions in CO2 emissions because of the ludicrous expense to the taxpayer, risk of accidents, the long-term legacy of waste and the danger of terrorist exploitation of nuclear material. The positive alternative? Needs work, ...

Or even a government minister? Vernon Coaker, the new Under Secretary for Police and Security, has admitted he has smoked cannabis, following a line of ministers responsible for drugs policy who have also had a bit of the weed, including: Charles ClarkesCaroline Flint

to read on the web at New Scientist's Short Sharp Science blog. Worth a bookmark (especially if, like me, you're bored and frustrated by the torpor affecting the BBC's Science/Nature pages: too few updates, lead stories left rotting for days on end in a field of human endeavour that changes and advances by the day). Today's lead story is of the nature red in tooth and claw variety, three

Main event of the day for me is the long-awaited meeting with the police about our local police stations. There has been a lot of concern about the future of police stations in the borough (and indeed across London). And we know that our precious stations like Muswell Hill and St Ann's are in the firing line. The police make no apology for wanting buildings that work and will deliver effective

When ‘your team’ wins, it takes a heart of stone not to feel a rush of tribal jubilation at the victory. I’ve spent my entire life having no interest at all in football and actively resisting school and family pressure to gain one, but I can more than understand the ‘group loyalty’ feeling that comes with it. I didn’t watch the Cup Final on Saturday, but for once I rejoice in it as part of the same ‘team’ as Doctor Who: high ratings for both gave ITV1 its lowest Saturday audience share of its entire 51 years. Deleted; relegated; – ...

The BBC asks whether we need more armed police. Jean Charles De Menezes And I believe that yes, yes we do. See Also: Lack of Apology

Millennium Projects Q:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 24 April 2006, Official Report, columns 1358–59W, on millennium projects, if she will collect information on the performance of each project; and what monitoring of the performance of each project is undertaken. (John Hemming) A:Like all lottery distributing bodies, the Millennium Commission

This blog, which was once upon a time captioned “oh bugger” is rapidly once again becoming a record of the numerous ways in which I make a tit of myself on a daily basis! In the space of a five minute conversation in Portcullis House at lunchtime I think I managed to put my foot in [...]

…as the SWSS man with the megaphone used to shout each lunchtime outside my students’ union. Via James and Simon, here’s a marvellously sensible petition to sign: to abolish the sily, wasteful round trip to Strasbourg the EU Parliament has to make each month. Tags: eu+parliament, europe, petition

Later today I am catching a flight to Japan for a holiday with my friend Sean to see my friend Amanda, who is in Japan for a six-month work placement. I certainly need a holiday after the local elections and then travelling around Pakistan which was anything but a holiday. Again not sure if I will be able to update the website much whilst I am away but will try - we are travelling quite a bit in Japan to see as much as possible whilst there.

I've been out delivering envelopes for Christian Aid week. Not part of my political duties though philosophically related. You may have seen their quirky TV ads on the theme 'You add, we multiply'. Whilst on that subject you must check out mailorderchickens.

Via Tim Worstall* I came across Polly Toynbee's article on the Labour Party. It makes some good points. First on Labour's pitch for members An email arrives from the general secretary of the Labour party, desperately seeking likely prospects. So will I join, it asks?"It is undoubtedly a challenging time for the party ... Have you thought of joining? We are sure you feel the same way we do about the kind of society you want to live in." What exactly is that? "One where the economy is sound; one where there is a first-class health service free at ...

First off the news that Motorola have announced a red version of the popular L7 SLVR to help eliminate AIDS in Africa. The phone is available unlatched to networks so anyone can place their current SIM into it straight away. On purchase £10 and 5% of all call and text charges will be donated to Bono and Pat Shiver's (Product) Red Global Fund to help combat AIDS in Africa. I was unable to get a

In a Guardian article about Jack Straw to broker deal on party funding towards the end he is quoted, about his previous jobs at Home and Foreign Secretary as saying: Mr Straw said that he welcomed the change of job in part because in nine years as home secretary and foreign secretary he had been on call, night and day, without a break. "There had to come a time at one stage where I was going to be able, not to go off duty entirely, but not to have to respond to emergency calls all the time," he ...

It was good to see this in the Mirror PM SLATED FOR BLAMING CHAOS ON COURTS PM slated for blaming chaos on courts And he launches new crime crackdown By Oonagh Blackman Political Editor TONY Blair was slammed yesterday after blaming the courts for voters losing faith in his fight against crime. Critics accused the PM of failing to get a grip on yobs and reoffenders during nine years of government. Lib Dem Nick Clegg said: "Tony Blair has presided over a wholesale degeneration in our criminal justice system. "Who does Mr Blair ...

A wry smile for the FCO’s biography of Lord Triesman which boldly asserts that: “He joined the Labour Party in 1960 aged 16. Apart from one brief interlude, he has remained a member ever since” Lord Triesman spent the majority of the 1970s as a member of the Communist Party.

A Tory councillor in neighbouring Wigston has been snapped parked on the zig-zag lines outside a local school in the morning rush-hour. Alan Cocksedge, Borough councillor for Wigston St. Wolstan's ward was in his 4x4 Range Rover with a personalised number plate. It was this plate that allowed a parent to spot that it was him. Do new Tory values include breaking traffic laws, endangering children

Given my reckoning that the Labour vote’s about as low as it can go, Andy Darley has responded “Oh, I dunno - they haven't reached the point that the Tories did, where they poisoned an entire generation of people like us from ever voting for them ever again, under any circumstances…” – which in some ways is true, though my point is that, with all they’ve already done, I don’t know what they could do that would be worse. Iraq ‘poisoned’ quite a lot of people from voting Labour, even if it’s becoming a less impassioned issue for many voters, ...

BBC News get the wrong Guy. I’ll resist the temptation to ask whether a man off the street wouldn’t be better than some news channel “experts”…

It does not bear thinking about. I was initially very sceptical when I read on the Guido Fawkes blog that a new BBC daytime fitness programme, The Body Politics, starring Mark Oaten, will be starting on Monday. However, courtesy of Liberal England, I have now seen confirmation in this Guardian article. "The programme has a serious message about using free time to get fit, especially now obesity levels are rising," Mr Oaten explained. "It's been hard work getting into shape, but I feel so much better than I did. I have been playing a lot of ...

A typical morning in the Wilcock-Flowers-Dome household; all is quiet and still save my post-nocturnal groans and sneezes, the hissing of the shower and the intellectual strains of the Today Programme (“And now, a skateboarding duck”). Suddenly the most dreaded words known to the morning are heard – even worse than “Jack Straw after eight o’clock” – that “it’s time for Thought For the Day with Anne Atkins”. Adrenalin gives me instant energy (note to ed: can we get that effect from The Six Million-Dollar Man here?) and within seconds the radio is off and a CD is spinning. ...

Just had to post up a photo of the "his and hers" Fatboys posing together. Sadly Purple and Black does appear to clash a bit with Pink and Blue but they are both beautiful machines and in the long run the Purple and Black beastie will look a bit different. The plan is to switch the double seat for a single seat and give the paintwork a completely different look which is currently in the research and design phase. Meanwhile the latest catalogue of potential customisations has turned up. It is about 800 pages long so that should keep me ...

Well this is one programme I won't be missing - video to the ready. The Body Politics, the new BBC daytime fitness programme starring our Mark Oaten. It starts next Monday and runs for six weeks. What a laugh - the mind boggles - just can't wait... Have to give Mark credit for at least trying to change his persona and reinvent himself - as things stand he's personally nothing to lose. Seems to be the in thing these days. Fall from grace because of one scandal or another and return as a star on a TV show. It's ...