Tuesday 31st October After the calm of the Black Sea and the Aegean, we hit a stormy patch in the Med. The morning saw a large number of people lying on settees or huddled in chairs clutching their sick bags. Fortunately I was unaffected though this was not what I can claim about the last time I sailed on the Med two years ago. I was rather ill between Benghazi and Tripoli and then off the
A couple of days ago I picked up on a report from the Times and Bloomberg about growth in M4 money supply. I've been trying to do a little research on relative growth of different types of assets and the money supply and retail prices. I don't know if this chart makes any sense, but I found figures from various sources for M0 and M4 (from the Bank of England statistics service), for house prices (from the Department of Communities and Local Government), for Retail Prices (from the National Statistics Office) and for the FTSE Actuaries All Share Index ...
There was I sitting all alone in my office, trying to get some work done (because I can't seem to get any done during the day!), music drifting from school hall where the disco was being held when my mobile phone rang. I answered. The caller asked for Neil (that's me) and I said that's me. Then she hit me with it. No it wasn't a former lover. It wasn't some blackmailer. It was Lynne
Last summer I walked along the sea wall from Walberswick to Dunwich. I am glad that I did, because it may no longer be possible. The Guardian reports: The washing away of sea defences on the Suffolk coast could have caused irreparable damage to a nature reserve that is home to one of Britain's rarest bird species, it was revealed today. A combination of a surge tide and strong north-westerly winds destroyed a mile-long section of shingle and dune bank between Walberswick and Dunwich, north of Ipswich, yesterday. It goes on to say that it is unlikely that ...
In my essay in Liberalism: Something to Shout About I wrote: Then there is the depopulation of public space over the past 30 years. Semi-official figures like park-keepers and bus conductors have disappeared, largely out of a desire to save public money, and been replaced by technological alternatives. The result is a landscape less friendly to children - you try asking a CCTV camera for help if you have lost the bus fare home. Inner Hippy has a post on the same theme, which takes the analysis further: So what is the cost of saving all ...
This clip has been seen 706,846 times since it was uploaded to YouTube just two days ago. This is the moment - in fact, just 10 seconds - when Senator John F. Kerry torpedoed any extant hopes he might have had of running for the Presidency again in 2008, by appearing to imply that US troops are doofuses. (Though I’m sure he will have been buoyed by my colleague’s support of him.) Mr Kerry’s
So Democrat Senator John Kerry admits he made a gaffe when he attempted to make a joke at George Bush's expense. What Senator Kerry says he was trying to make a joke about Bush earlier this week when he said that people who don't succeed in school would likely "get stuck in Iraq." As an ex serviceman, I don't believe for one moment that Kerry was attacking the US forces and genuinely feel has was trying to attack Bush, for being stupid and stuck in Iraq. The Republican press have jumped on Kerry's comments and implied he was ...
I wrote this post on Monday but for some reason it got lost in the ether. So here it is again. Monday 30th October Kusadasi is another tourism mecca, on the west coast of Turkey. We made a wistle stop visit this morning to visit the ancient town of Ephesus. It reminded me a bit of Leptis Magna in Libya which I visited two years ago. A considerable part of Ephesus remains to be excavated, just like Leptis Magna but both former Roman towns have restored streets and buildings. At Ephesus, the theatre towers above everything else for it ...
Well that was a day well spent. Just got out of the Declog Lib Dem Shadow away day (Declog or DCLG, is the abbreviation we use for the Department for Communities and Local Government). Had...
Yesterday took me to the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh for a visit to their library and museum organised via ELISA. The college itself is on Nicholson Street near Edinburgh University, its pillared frontage opposite the Festival Theatre standing out amongst the banks and restaurants. The very enthusiastic librarian kindly showed us a number of [...]
The councillors on the School Council at Lovelace School invited me along today. They had plenty of well thought out questions to ask me - how did I become Mayor, what kinds of things do I do, what do I do in my spare time (that was a tough one!), is the chain heavy, do I have a guard.... I then asked them to do something for me and to think about how the area where they live could be...
Some hav always claimed the Euro is a flimsy currecny and lacks the all round strength of the goof old British pound, so at last, we have proof that the Euro is not what it was cracked up to be ! Read it HERE.
is calling for posts for CoTL 25. The host has asked for posts on the question of how politics should be conducted. Some examples of specific issues one might explore here include: ◦ The relative merits of conventional advocacy, or "working within the system", vs. radical activism. ◦ Which is more important in politics: means or ends? Liberals are often committed to both first-order ends
I am delighted to see that the government has given its ull backing to a potential bid fromthe FA for the 2018 World Cup to be held in England. Usually, World Cups are an expensive business. However, the largets part of that expense is usually in the infrastructure costs of building massive new stadia and the necessary transport links. We are very lucky in England to have some of the very best stadia and football facilities anywhere in the world without needing to invest a penny in them. Anfield (Liverpool), St James' Park (Newcastle) , The Riverside (Middlesborough), ...
Commenting on the warning by the information commissioner, Richard Thomas, that people are in danger of ‘sleepwalking’ into a surveillance society, Liberal Democrat Leader, Ming Campbell said: This report confirms our worst fears. Bit by bit a surveillance state is being assembled behind the backs of the British people. Britain has long distinguished itself by its liberal [...]
In a separate development, it’s emerged David Norman, newly appointed Director of Policy and Communications, has also handed in his notice.
On Tuesday morning, fresh (perhaps not the word) from the Caledonian Sleeper, I headed to the offices of lawyer Pinsent Masons for a very interesting breakfast seminar called “Legal risks of Web 2.0 for your business” organised by their IT arm OUT-LAW. It was absolutely packed - their most popular seminar so far, I was told [...]
Paul Rainger, director of campaigns for the Liberal Democrats, has announced he will retire at Christmas.
My Grandpa died on Tuesday night. His name was David Dauer and he was 83 years old. Regular readers of the blog will know, like we all did, that it was coming, sooner rather than later. As I said to him last week, his prize-fighting days were long behind him. It made him smile, and he proved me wrong anyway, accidentally hitting my Mum in the face the next day when she tried to give him a 
Not the chap with the pointy beard and the barrels of gunpowder, but the distinguished political blogger. Tim Worstall points us to a Wikipedia article that gives the answer.
There is a row going on in the blogosphere about whether or not the Lib Dems should have made it clear in the last manifesto that "free personal care" did not include a "free lunch". (or indeed a free dinner). The reality is that free personal care is an improvement on what happens at the moment. Anyone going into a residential home would have had to pay for their own food in any event. Hence
Earlier in the week David Cameron's parentage and knowledge of anatomy were called into question. Cameron visited a Youth Centre in South London and one year person told Cameron "you don't know your arse from your elbow," adding "you bastard".
I have to admit some admiration for Ann Widdecombe. I don't agree with most of her politics, but on the role of parliament and her defense of our parliamentary democracy is admirable. Perhaps sometimes she is prone to conservatism in the operation of the House, but her concern is effective scrutiny of government. Her defense of meritocratic selection of candidates is admirable too. She hasn't
At any one time, Kingston University has a large number of international students, who are here on one year exchange programmes, for short courses, or studying for full degrees at undergraduate and postgraduate level. Yesterday evening the University held a reception for the students, who come from all over the world. The Vice Chancellor, Prof Peter Scott, started by welcoming them to...
On Tuesday I was finally, after a number of delays, able to give my evidence to the Public Inquiry into Heslington East, the University of York's plans to double in size. Not having had the pleasure of making representation to a Public Inquiry before, or ever having given evidence in court, it's quite an interesting experience being cross examined. I didn't get the length of cross examination...
Iain Dale has pointed out an interesting exchange in Westminster Hall on Monday. Mr. O’Brien: It has been reported to me, although the hon. Lady (Sandra Gidley) might want to suggest that it is a misquote, that at the last Liberal Democrat conference—amazingly, I was not there—the hon. Lady called her party’s policy of free personal care [...]
Following the debate on Iraq this week I noticed the prominence of a number of historical parallels, including Suez, and in particular the Norway Debate of 1940. This gave me an excuse to distract myself with a little research. The story of this crucial parliamentary debate, which Roy Jenkins (in his biography of Churchill) calls "the most dramatic and the most far-reaching in its consequences of
Following on from the earlier blog entries about concerns regarding glass and litter at Sebraes, I had asked the Head of Waste Management if the department could meet with Scottish Enterprise Tayside (who own the site) to see if a maintenance agreement could be reached. Just received this feedback and this will hopefully go a long way to resolving the concerns about litter and glass on the site : "Fraser, we met with SET and have agreed a weekly cleanup which we will charge them for. We will have a litter pick done twice weekly and a mechanical sweep once ...
Unlike most Parliaments that use electronic voting systems, in the House of Commons (& Lords) we still march through lobbies, have our names recorded by clerks, and our numbers counted by two...
Over the past few months there has been an attempt by the British Conservative Party to paint themselves as somehow more of a "Liberal" Party. David Cameron has referred to himself several times as a "Liberal Conservative". Many Conservatives have pointed to aspects of Thatcherism (even!) as Liberal in inspiration. The ideas of deregulation and limiting the role of the state do have some Liberal flavour, its true. Yet the fact that Cameron can suggest anything of the kind reveals the essential flaw in the arguement. Even if the Conservatives once, briefly, embraced aspects of economic Liberalism, they never even ...
The MySpace blog has already had its own little bit of fame! The local newspaper, the Evening Post, ran a piece about it a few days ago and I have done a radio interview on GWR FM. Hopefully we may ev...
There were a number of votes yesterday on how parliament should operate. I voted for shorter speeches and september sittings, but against the communications allowance and requiring more notice for amendments in committee. Now, however, the communications allowance has been put in place I will probably fall into line and make use of it. (in the next financial year). I am subsidising my office
I’ve been critical of the media lately, but I think it’s because I value them rather than despise them. In recent posts, I complained about the media’s obsession for religious fundamentalism and their unwillingness to ask the important questions behind the issues. A friend of mine wrote to me saying: “One of my favourite things about the BBC website is its 'most read' ratings - it always
Health and Safety Executive Q:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the Health and Safety Executive plans to make its guidance books available in electronic format.(John Hemming) A:holding answer 11 September 2006 Over the past 18 months, HSE has made more than 1,000 previously priced publications, mainly reports, freely available in electronic format, through the HSE
I hadn't realised that the Mayor had already been given the power to say yes to planning applications as well as the power of veto until I went to the London Civic Forum conference. This was granted in the earlier round of consultation this year and the planning powers proved to be the most contentious of the new powers given to the Mayor. The round of consultation that ends today on the...
According to the BBC former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has flown to China in an attempt to meet up with the current Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont, who was attending a regional summit there. Both sides deny any such meeting took place. The Nation reports that the Thai Embassy in China has been criticised for failing to report Thaksin's travelling to China. "Council of National Security Gen Sonthi Bunyaratglin criticised Thai Embassy in Beijing for failing to report that ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra is in the Chinese capital. "I confirm that Khun Thaksin is now in China. I ...
13th century Siamese (Thai) people migrated south and settled in valley of Chao Phraya River in Khmer Empire. 1238 Siamese ousted Khmer governors and formed new kingdom based at Sukhothai. 14th and 15th centuries Siamese expanded at expense of declining Khmer Empire. 1350 Siamese capital moved to Ayatthaya (which also became name of kingdom). 1511 Portuguese traders first reached Siam. 1569 Conquest of Ayatthaya by Burmese ended years of rivalry and conflict. 1589 Siamese regained independence under King Naresuan. 17th century Foreign trade under royal monopoly developed with Chinese, Japanese, and Europeans. 1690s Siam expelled European military advisers and missionaries ...
Good news reported at the Blackness Area Residents' Association meeting last night was its success in getting nearly £6000 in lottery funding for a community project. This will allow the group to buy a high-tech cinema-style projection TV/DVD system to allow them to, for example, run film shows for the local residents at the Corso Street sheltered lounge. The Lord Provost will be presenting them with their award at the City Chambers next Thursday. Been advised by the City Engineer's Department that, due to patching of the roadway in Commercial Street, it will result ...
Living in London brings with it the opportunity to take in the vast amounts of cultural activity that permeate the city, unless of course, like me, you're too busy and too disorganised to take advantage. Fortunately, some of my friends are much better at this, and Peter Ladanyi, an old friend from my youth politics days, was thoughtful enough to suggest that I join him and other friends for a
If you’re a conference rep who has received ballot papers for the federal party elections then today is your final chance to return them, but you must put a first class stamp on the envelope to have any hope that they’ll arrive in time to be counted. The results are announced on Monday 6 November. | < | November 2006 | > | ||||
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