LibDem Blogs - Archived!

Something very strange has happened in the last few days. I have had e-mails from various people asking me to use this blog to publicise party activities. The first came from somebody who I assumed was either an activist in Cornwall or Parliamentary Staff, asking me to post pictures of Julia Goldsworthy MP campaigning in favour of the "teaching of financial skills in schools across the UK". Presumably my correspondent meant England as Cornish MPs have no jurisdiction in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland on curriculum matters. I declined the request on the grounds that this blog is not an ...

This week's by-elections saw the Lib Dems gain Gainsborough Lea ward from an Independent. The result means that West Lindsey DC is now LD 19, Con 17, Ind 1 and the Lib Dems have majority control of a council that until May 4th was Tory. As the (volunteer) Local Elections Officer for the East Midlands Lib Dems I can tell you that the Lib Dems now have majorities on 3 councils in the region. Also

Back to the 4x4 /SUV issue (and I see the Lib Dem VED and indeed air travel policies have got some publicity today) I was accused of demonising all 4x4 drivers. Well I wouldn't quite call it that but perhaps I could have been more precise: - Not all 4x4s are the top polluters; - so it follows that not all 4x4 drivers are selfish. And of course some 4x4s are essential for professional use. But

It is great to see Ming fighting back against that bijou outbreak of verbal incontinence last weekend. I hope Simon tops up his supply of pads to prevent any further spillages. I didn't give first preference for Ming (or Simon for that matter). But I have tremendous respect for Ming. He has been around for a long time in the Liberals/LibDems. Many is the conference I have seen him bestriding. He

Justin Lee Collins deserves great praise for his programme "Bring back the A Team" on Channel 4 last night. This hysterical Bristolian has such a "in yer face" style that he would make paint drying seem enthralling. He would be a natural for the voice-over on the Tango ads, if he isn't already doing them. It was fascinating to see and listen to the cast of the A Team (including George Peppard via

My House Points column from today's Liberal Democrat News. It's criminal Governments increasingly resemble spoilt teenagers. Look at the state of this bedroom. New laws piled on top of each other. Some have not even been taken out of their boxes, but you will still demand the latest model next year. That, at any rate, is Tony Blair’s approach. Since 1997 there have been more than 30 criminal justice bills. Before half the powers in one have been enacted, the next is on its way through the House. Yet Blair’s reaction to the bad headlines of the past ...

Today is the 200th birthday of John Stuart Mill. On Liberty is one of my favourite books, and I'm sad enough to re-read it every year. The most famous section, which brings a tear to every liberal cheek, is worth repeating: The sole end for which mankind are warranted, individually or collectively, in interfering with the liberty of action of any of their number, is self-protection. That the only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilised community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others. His own good, either physical ...

I am hoping that the refurbishment of the market place can be coupled with a facelift for our Thursday and Saturday market. I am going out on a limb here, but we need to have new awnings etc to spruce up the market. I have asked for this to be added to the agenda of the forthcoming Community Services committee. In turn, I have been asked to do a little research on markets elsewhere - who bought

We went to see Mark Thomas yesterday at the Drill Hall.He was talking about his "new book", well he didn't really, just did his routine which may have contained stuff from his book, but it wasn't made clear if any bits were from it.However he was still clever and still funny.The only thing I'm left wondering is why whenever Mark goes on tour does he always visit The Old Town Hall in Hemel?

The Guardian runs a blog today suggesting Al Gore might run for President. Gone is the stuffed-shirt who ran in 2000. Now we see a fired-up, porked-out, hip-shooting Al who is promoting his new film on climate change. The whole point is that, if Gore ran for President, he would revert to stuffed-shirt Al. He would have to because that is the sort of strait-jacket that Presidential-candidates have

Read, and be amazed. No, really: this account of a wasp stinging a cockroach and laying an egg on it really is worth a read.

This continues to be a hot topic. A month or so ago, in response to a resident’s suggestion, I requested an extra litter bin at the western end of the road and one near the entrance to the station. Unfortunately this has become delayed for a while but at least the Chief Executive of Newbury Town Council has now written requesting action on it from the corporate director of West Berkshire Council.

Peggy Anderson has been a stalwart and endlessly cheerful volunteer for the Newbury "Liberals" (as she calls them) since puss was a kitten. She has been particularly effective as leader of the powerful "Granny Gang" who bundle, fold and stuff fueled by endless tea and laughter. Many people associate Peggy’s smile with Newbury Liberal Democrats, especially as she has fronted many of our campaign

Two weeks ago, I wrote: The Liberal Democrats are now the single largest party in Oxford - for the first time ever... Oxford continues to be a hung Council, which will doubtless make for some interesting times ahead... I plan to sleep on it.Well, I've woken up now. At yesterday's annual meeting of Full Council, the Lib Dems were elected to form a minority administration, with an Executive Board

It was bound to end in tears. The Western Mail reports today that Rhodri Morgan's spin doctor - who mistakenly left a message on a reporter's phone describing journalists as "bastards" - is leaving to take up a temporary post with the human rights organisation Amnesty International. The paper explains: The trade union Prospect obtained an apology from the Assembly Government in 2004 for its members following a formal complaint about Ms Owens's conduct. An Assembly insider told us at the time, "Some people working in the press office have not been happy with the way she operates. ...

Ava Lowrey, a smart-as-paint 15 year old has started Peace Takes Courage posting anti-war animations. These have attracted the illiterate wrath of some of her fellow 'Murkans, the fruitiest of which she set to duelling banjos here. No old fashioned courteous Southern hat-tipping and Ma'ams here. Suitable only for liberal workplaces. May cause thigh slapping, strange campfire dancing and the urge to shout yee-haw. Please obtain owner's consent before slapping anyone else's thigh and do a complete risk assessment before dancing.

The extension of the 225 bus service along Hither Green Lane has been a great boon, taking off some of the pressure from the overcrowded 181 route. But there are a few niggles which I've raised with Transport for London (TfL), with the following results: 1) Q. There does seem to be a tendency for the 181 and 225 to come at roughly the same time to bus stops along Hither Green Lane, especially as they sometimes are timetabled to do just this.  This can be aggravating when the 181 is full up, and is then closely followed by a ...

Had a meeting today (Friday) with a guy from an outfit called "Green Issues" about a planning application for a proposed housing development on Connington Road between the Orchard Estate and the DLR line.  This is quite a substantial development of between 6-10 storeys, and 296 units (1 or 2 bedroom and some studio) flats.  I would strongly advise people to go along to the exhibition which they are mounting at the community hall on the Orchard Estate to see what is proposed and to give their comments. This will be on Friday 2 June (6.30-8.30pm) and on Saturday 3 ...

There are a lot of machinations going on at the moment prior to the Lewisham Council AGM next Wednesday, involving committee places etc.  Can't really tell you about those.  But I think I am allowed to say that I volunteered to go on the Healthier Communities Scrutiny Committee.  Partly because I know something about Lifelong Learning which is part of its remit.  And also because I have a mission to make myself and my community a bit healthier than we are present.

On Monday evening, I went to a meeting at Stonewalls Pub (in my ward) to discuss arrangements for Lewisham Pride with the local LGBT community.  Mike Keogh, newly elected Green councillor for Ladywell Ward, was also there.  The aim is to have a Pride marquee, with drinks and entertainment supplied by Stonewalls, within the Lewisham Peoples' Day event in Mountsfield Park on Saturday 8 July, The local Greens and Liberal Democrats were asked whether we would like stalls at the Pride Event, and I'm looking into this on behalf of the Liberal Democrats. Details of Lewisham Pride on the (continually ...

From the reviews so far TDVC (the filum) is a stinker. Critics in Cannes laughed, Peter Bradshaw in the Guardian gave it a one star review and a five star kicking in a bizarre review which included a fantasy scene involving Margaret Thatcher sacrificing Norman St John Stevas in front of a goat, followed by priapic dancing. I wasn't ripped to the tits on gonzo narcotics when I read it, I can only assume the writer was when thinking it up. For the definitive word on TVDC, be near a radio at 3pm, listen to the reliably ...

I only watched the first hour of the Eurovision semi-final live because I switched to Big Brother at 9. The freaks at Eurovision had nothing on the housemates… There were the toffs, the idiots, obligatory OTT gays (at least most of the other housemates probably can’t spell “stereotype”), the sociopath, the bimbos… What an awful [...]

I had high expectations for this series of Big Brother. After what they did with Celebrity BB earlier this year, I was confident that Paris Hilton was going to be one of the housemates and would have to pretend to be an ordinary person and not a celebrity at all. Then, in a [...]

Cannot get my head around blogging about anything much at the moment. Head is too full of football and too nervous and excited to think about anything else. Normal service will be resumed sometime after the Play Off Final on Sunday after a period of celebration or depression. Got our two tickets and will be setting off very early on Sunday. Cardiff here we come The BBC Preview can be found here But for a Leeds view you cannot beat Leeds United Life For Leeds United Life view of the Leeds Team Selection click here ...

Oh, I do love the Universe’s sense of humour - ever since I’ve started getting into serious preparation mode for my walk, my body has protested with little injuries. I managed to strain or pull a muscle in my shin on election day two weeks ago, and then just as that’s returning to normal, I [...]

Ironically Eric Forth who was adamantly opposed to Dave Chameleon's A-list, so much so that he had stated his intention to stand on at the next election aged 64 or 65 to prevent one of the chosen few taking his plum Bromley and Chiselhurst seat. Now it seems very likely that an A-Lister will be parachuted in from somewhere for this secure Tory seat. Possibly one from our next installment of

‘You can’t sell national messages in every FOCUS’. Health issues like asthma or illness from poor housing Rubbish in the streets Buses Clean air Recycling Farming Flooding Overseas aid and charity Action by your local MP, MEP, MSP, Welsh or London Assembly Member Recycling Abandoned cars Water supply Cuts to the trains Animal welfare Recycling GM crops and other food scares Traffic jams Clean buildings, walls and pavements Air pollution, river pollution and sea pollution Recycling… Yes, you can. On every page of our Manifestos there’s a box marked ‘Green Action’. Just do the same with every leaflet ...

Off to Dysart School yesterday for my very first engagement, and an excellent start given my focus on young people. Dysart is our school for children with severe learning diffficulties. I called in to see the older students last year when they were launching their Young Enterprise scheme selling hand made products online. This time they were celebrating two weeks of work...

Adam Crozier the Chief Executive of the Royal Mail has said: That the current situation — where a thousand post offices have fewer than six customers a day — was “not sustainable”. However, six per day comes to 36 a week which might actually be the whole population of some of the villages that are possibly under threat by mr Crozier's radical changes. Rural post offices are often also the only

Today's word is 'weltschmerz'... Pronunciation: 'velt-"shmerts Function: noun Usage: often capitalized Etymology: German, from Welt world + Schmerz pain 1 : mental depression or apathy caused by comparison of the actual state of the world with an ideal state 2 : a mood of sentimental sadness I've not had a great day. I'm tired, I'm frustrated and, worst of all, I've only just realised it. There's a decided feeling of fin de siecle in the air and I've no desire to deny it anymore. I've been so ...

I have no possible defence for this view. I am guilty. Guilty as charged. However I LOVE Big Brother. It is of course a mindless, tacky, pointless, degrading freak show where by the talentless get there undeserved 15 minutes of fame. I should be ashamed of myself but I am not. I work very hard all day in a drugs project grapling with human misery. I come home and try and make sence of an inner city community and the Bermuda triangle that is the Council. I feel entitled to a bit of bread and circuses and for me ...

Following today's announcement of Chris Huhne's environmental tax plan The Green Switch, I have to say that it is both worth the wait and delivers all of his promises from the leadership campaign. The £2,000 Vehicle Excise Duty for Chelsea Tractors Policy has caught the eye of the press - the BBC picked it up almost straight away, and I imagine most of tomorrow's broadsheets will carry it - the