There has been much discussion, amongst Lib Dem Bloggers, as well as on the net in general about the wearing of the poppy. In one article it is suggested that the wearing of a poppy has become "politically correct". I believe this is totally incorrect, in fact if anything the poppy is far removed from the political spectrum. The poppy is a symbol. A symbol of remembrance. Remembering those
There is a buzz around the blogs about the BBC investigation of the Conservative's shadowy donor organisation. Here are a few points to think about.
The Lord Mayor's show is one of my highligts of the year. Although I haven't been to seen it for a couple of years, I have watched it on the comfort (and warmth) of my home. This year was that extra special because my Auntie Eve was in the show. Eve is one of those special aunts. One of those aunts who lets you get away with things your parents don't, for instant have ice cream and cream
I have been working on creating a defined structure for the umbrella campaigning I have been doing (with others) to improve Public Family Law. From Friday it has been called "Justice for Families". The main web page on my reference website is linked. As am umbrella campaign it will not have individual membership, but be based upon affiliation of other organisations. So far Fassit have agreed to
I start today with thanks to all the residents of the West End who helped today deliver my latest FOCUS newsletter for the West End. The superb team delivered thousands of leaflets in just a few hours! A slightly wet start, but a beautiful afternoon. A few of us are finishing the deliveries over next couple of days but certainly a mission well done!One of the issues covered in this edition is the effect of overgrown trees blocking light into residents' homes - see above - an example in the Pentland area where I recently had a site visit with ...
The role of the Midlands Industrial Council in funding Conservative party activity has been bubbling away as a controversy for some time. In essence, by giving money to the MIC rather than directly to the Conservative party, it has allowed big donors to remain anonymous. The MIC in turn, after receiving these anonymous donations, funds Conservative [...]
I'm very disappointed. In fact I'm stunned. According to the Guardian: Labour has enlisted one of the engineers of this week's Democratic victory in the US midterm elections in an attempt to boost its flagging fortunes before the local elections in May. Howard Dean, the former presidential candidate and one of the men credited with masterminding the trouncing of the Republicans, will visit the
OK, so that sounds rather too apocalyptic -- it's only a resignation, after all. You'll still be able to see him around, probably stacking the shelves at the local store (well, he has said he's not going to take the top job again). It's some time since I've seen him -- eighteen years, to be precise. It was in his SDP days, of course, when he came to speak at a meeting I'd arranged. Taking him to dinner was slightly bizarre: we undergraduates could stand him a meal at Pizza Express, and that let him regale us with tales ...
In my office in my house last night and a phone call arrives from Peter Craig, Councillor for neighbouring Whickham North ward, whose wife Susan is our candidate for our top target ward in Gateshead - Lobley Hill and Bensham. A rare event had just happened. Labour had put out a leaflet in Lobley Hill! LHB was a "safe" Labour seat in the past but like so many areas in the North East that are
This morning we were out delivering the few remaining Sedgley and St Mary’s Focuses left this month. We went to Scholes Walk and Scholes Lane in Sedgley, as well as bits of Rainsough and Butterstile Lane in St Mary’s. And I finally got to finish the Butt Hill Road walk that was curtailed after I ran out of Focuses last week. So if you live there and didn't get one, let me know! All the leafleting 
This week we’ve added East Lothian to our list of seats which have selected PPCs standing in the next election. Know someone who’s missing? e-mail robrobWHOISATlibdemvoice.orgrobWHOISATlibdemvoice.org (replace WHOISAT with @ to e-mail) (replace WHOISAT with @ to e-mail) The following seats have recently announced they are seeking Prospective Parliamentary Candidates (people to run as the Lib Dem candidate for MP at [...]
Well, I started this blog a month ago and figured I would give it a try and see if anyone, apart from my mum, would read it! Well although mum is top poster (I do realise just how sad that is) it turn...
I guess this says it all. I note that England were booed off the pitch at the end. I guess rubgy fans ARE just like football fans after all. I don't think I'll be betting on England retaining the World Cup. {Posted by Picasa}
As it’s 11/11 today, it seems fitting to recount an event that happened during the Second World War, 63 years ago yesterday. That was the day on which my great-uncle Frank Howells died. He was born in north London on the 4th of March 1915, one of twins, the ninth child of Thomas and Emily Howells. [...]
I observed the two minutes silence today at the War Memorial in New Malden and will be laying a wreath there tomorrow at 9.45am. Tomorrow you are all welcome to join the Acts of Remembrance held around the Borough. I will be attending the one at the Kingston War Memorial (in Memorial Gardens) at 10.45am and the Service of Remembrance in Kingston Parish Church at 11.30am....
My House Points column from yesterday's Liberal Democrat News. Risky business In 1774 Edmund Burke (who was an Irish Whig and not the English Tory that most English Tories imagine) told his Bristol constituents that “Your representative owes you, not his industry only, but his judgment; and he betrays, instead of serving you, if he sacrifices it to your opinion.” In other words, MPs and councillors should do what they think is right, not what they think will be popular. I was reminded of Burke’s words by the artwork Another Place -- the sculptor Antony Gormley's collection of 100 ...
While we're in the business of announcing what laws we would shred given half a chance, I want to make a plea for every other Lib Dem shadow cabinet member to take a long hard look at the laws which govern their respective portfolios and choose a few to shred. We could even make it a new "target" - ten pieces of legislation each to be added to the bonfire in the next six months (and so too in the manifesto) could be our spokespeople's primary "Key Performance Indicator". For me, there would be nowhere better to start ...
The Shropshire Star tells us: Britain is “wide open” to alien visitors and a department meant to look into UFO sightings has virtually “closed down”, a former Government expert warned today.On the positive side, the report does mention Lembit Öpik once.
Gordon Brown wants to see tougher laws against racial hatred. They're not necessary.
Spending the weekend in Birmingham on a party course learning how to use PagePlus - and look what that nice Duncan Borrowman has taught us to do. I’ve been using the program for over a year now, and I’m pretty au fait with most of it, but there are still brilliant nuggets of information that I [...]
Sat in Birmingham having lunch and hooking in to an open wireless access point. Went to Lib Dem Blogs aggregated and spotted that 3 out of yesterday's 5 top links were postings from here! And after only a few weeks back at blogging (and none of them were the various populist stories thrown in referring to the Spice Girls, Toyah Willcox et al). I must be doing something right.
I'm currently pondering what questions I shall ask for written answer at the next Full Council meeting. I have some thoughts, but any suggestions gratefully received.
The BBC and The Telegraph have stories today highlighting Labour MP Jon Cruddas' view that Labour have left a vacuum which the BNP has filled. I agree with much of what has been written in the articles. The most important recognition of cailure is when he says : “Some communities have been badly affected by a decline in traditional industries, a shortage of affordable housing and changing migration patterns. Society is becoming fragmented. There is also widespread disillusionment and distrust with party politics. Decision-making is becoming removed from local communities and voters are feeling increasingly powerless.” Actually, ...
From Bankok.com a fair description of the floating market as I remember it - I would also go with their recommend and take the traditional long-tailed boat option. Well on the tourist trail after the Bond films, the trip to the famous floating market at Damnoen Saduak is still worth doing. Totally chaotic, small "klongs" or canals are filled with small flat boats jockeying for position, expertly paddled by mature ladies ready to stop and bargain at a moment's notice. It's colourful, noisy totally touristy but great fun. Transactions are more concerned with tourists rather than locals these days but ...
Offshoring has for the last five years become the key buzzword for UK businesses, particularly for call centres. The transferring of several tens of thousands of jobs to the Indian sub-continent has been seen by many companies as a key strategy whilst customers of these companies are less than impressed. Norwich Union has got rid of or announced the loss over 4,000 staff in recent weeks on top of the previous thousands who have lost their jobs in the UK in recnt years. So when I phoned up Norwich Union about my staff pension, I got put through to ... 
The excellent Dizzy Thinks, possibly the most cerebral and least reactionary Tory Blog out there in the blogsphere makes an excellent point today about Stephen Pound MP and his blog. I have been linking to Stephen Pound's blog since I set this blog up just two months ago. I did this because I have heard Stephen Pound many times on the radio and on TV. I don't always agree with him but find him funny, witty and sometimes a little controversial. However, his blog has been something of a dud. He posts to it rarely, what he says is ...
The Archbishop of York has criticised the "systematic erosion of Christianity from public life." I recognise that political correctness has gone mad with respect to the "re-branding" of Christmas. Everyone knows that Christmas has its origins in Christianity (despite merging with Saturnalia in terms of the date on which it occurs), and that does not prevent it being celebrated by people of all faith and none. However, the other example he gives, that of the removal of a cross from a crematorium, is more difficult. The presence of a cross could be said to undermine ...
Nick Griffin, the Leader of the BNP, was acquitted yesterday of charges of inciting racial hatred. In 2004 Griffin made a speech to BNP activists in which he described Islam as a “wicked, vicious faith” and said that Muslims were turning Britain into a “multi-racial hell hole”. Griffin is a racist, he espouses an ugly creed [...]
a game for all the political family. How much sea level rise before the sea laps at your doorstep: zoom and and choose your sea level rise here. I've posted this link before, but for newcomers it's a grimly amusing way to spend five minutes turning parts of the map blue, and not in a political sense.
On Thursday it was the meeting with Cllr Charles Adje (Haringey Labour councillor and Chair of Alexandra Palace Board) and Mr Firoz Kassam (of Firoka Group – who are purchasing a 125 year lease on Ally Pally). Cllr Wayne Hoban (ex Ally Pally board, Lib Dem Deputy Leader of the Opposition and ward councillor for the Palace) came with me. The meeting was not exactly a resounding success in terms of
Catching up on this week - on Wednesday Parliament was prorogued. A strange name for the ending of business - in this case ahead of the Queen's Speech next Wednesday. So we rushed through finishing off business from the last "Parliamentary year" so the decks are clear ahead of the Queen's Speech kicking off the new one next week. So - the Commons (MPs) had to deal with all sorts of odds and sodds
Ming Campbell recently wrote to party supporters as follows: Of all the problems that face our country today, the situation in Iraq is the most tragic; not only because of the scale of the catastrophe in that country - food shortages, electricity and oil supplies still below their pre-war levels, and the rise of sectarian violence [...]
Politicians are often envious of the amount of public participation in reality TV shows such as Big Brother. These programmes attract millions of voters and, more significantly, the profile of these voters reflects a group of people who do not normally participate in elections. The two votes are of course not comparable, and nor should they be. The business of electing political representatives, who are charged with using their intellect and judgement to legislate and govern, is nothing like the beauty contest that reality show contestants submit themselves to. The outcome of the first is complex, achieving only gradual ...
A considerable amount of fuss has been made about whether or not MPs should donate £165 (a day's salary) to those who have lost money in Farepak. I give more to charity in a year than £165 so the question is why Farepak? Firstly, noone has contacted me from my constituency about the issue so it does not appear to be an issue in Yardley. Secondly, for each MP who donates someone who lost a
After spending 8 months navigating the torturous procedures and requirements of the Patents Office we’ve finally secured ‘Registered Trademark’ status on the phrase MayorWatch. Although we’ve long claimed unregistered rights to the MayorWatch wordmark which forms our logo this latest development gives us rights to the ‘plan text’ phrase for the provision of news and educational [...]
In hindsight it was wrong to mock and invoke memories of 'Passport to Pimlico', if we want to build a sense of civic pride there are worse starting points than an emblem we can all be proud of.
I notice a fair amount of angst about White Poppies in LibDem blogs. Seems as if some people thing these are in some way ‘defamatory’ about people who fought in wars. As someone whose UK Grandfather fought in both world wars, whose Lithuanian Grandfather fought in the Tsars Army in the Great War and in Lithuania’s Army in the War of Independence, and who’s father won the Military Cross at Arnhem, I just don’t see it that way. Just a quick note here though to show some of the additional dimensions the White Poppy helps commemorate. In the early stages ...
As politicians we often have privileged access to people, places and events that others do not. Naturally, this can lead to envy and resentment, particularly if a politician acquires a prime seat at an international game for free and has hospitality thrown in to boot. As I have said previously, I tend not to take up the vast majority of these opportunities. This, though is not a general rule for others. If it were then the offers would dry up. Politicians are also expected to have some grasp of popular culture, even though they may not have the time or ...
Friday 10th November 2006 - After my usual weekly morning staff meeting in the constituency office and attending Friday prayers at my local Mosque it was off to Bury in the evening for their inaugural annual dinner. It was an honour to be asked to be the first guest speaker for Bury's first annual dinner and to take the opportunity to highlight some of the first's I have achieved since being
The advert has now appeared for Birmingham Ladywood. Birmingham Ladywood is currently held by Clare Short, elected as a Labour MP now sitting as an Independent, in the 2005 General Election the swing to the Liberal Democrats was one of the highest in the country, with the majority being slashed from 18,143 to 6,801. Clare's resignation of the whip, allied with the previous swing make Ladywood a very interesting seat for the next General Election.
One interesting sidebar on the recent US Elections is the election of Bernie Saunders as the Independent US Senator for Vermont. Robert the Bruce’s spider has nothing on his persistence as his political history summarised here shows. From pavement-stone community agitator to the Senate, and without bothering with membership of either of the so-called U.S. Political parties…Community Politics anyone?
Flying internally in the United States is rather like catching a bus at home, it seems so ordinary. Today's journey saw me fly from Albuquerque, New Mexico to Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas via Denver, Colorado. And whilst the upgrade to first class gave me a rather more comfortable seat, the only notable feature was the view out of the window. Despite the fact that it was in the mid-sixties in
It's a wretched business when a local party - any local party - divides into factions. So I have some sympathy for the Republican Party Chairman for Woodbury County , Iowa who seems to have had a hell of a bad time recently. He's reported in the Sioux City Journal as saying: Revealing the divide in the Woodbury County GOP, Salem said "real simply, we had two headquarters offices, which were
It seems Southwark Labour Leader Peter John has got himself into serious trouble with his own group having spun what a source close to Labour has described to one of our Councillors as “a deluded fantasy” about an non-existent coup that would see him taking over as Council Leader. What John has claimed to the local press in recent weeks is that a group of six Liberal Democrat Councillors have been in discussion with him about switching sides. Nothing has actually happened other than a lone disgruntled individual sounding off to journalists but oddly not actually taking the ... | < | November 2006 | > | ||||
| S | M | T | W | T | F | S |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |||
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
| 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
| 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | ||
