It is certainly not a new news story that bottled water is both bad for the environment but that it is also no purer or better for you than tap water. This issue comes to mind now following today’s feature in The Independent where some ad agencies were asked to look at how they [...]
Everyone seems to be sending me money at the moment. Google very kindly deposited money into my bank (). MessageSpace emailed me a few hours ago to tell me similar news, and checking up on YouGov I’ve finally reached the magical £50 mark (only took almost 3 years). However I believe that it may be a [...]
The noise problem near the rail bridge raised its head again yesterday and Network Rail swiftly undertook noise surveying yesterday afternoon; hopefully matters will be satisfactorily resolved very soon. A meeting with City Council Environmental Health, Network Rail, Police & others takes place tomorrow.I understand that the public inquiry in respect of the Tay Rope Works planning application (of which I moved refusal, with considerable backing from local residents) will take place over three days this June.With regard to the damaged pole in Paton's Lane I reported earlier (click on headline above to view original story) I had the following ...
The count in tonight’s East Barnet (London) council by-election has been postponed due to snow. Snow may have stopped the counting, but it didn’t stop the delivering!
Congratulations to Martin Turner, selected for Stratford on Avon, and to Wera Hobhouse, selected in Heywood & Middleton. Thanks to Colin Ross and David Hennigan for the news.
House of Lords reform is one of those topics that sounds straightforward until you try to do it! I've always thought that, like most of the rest of the world, we should have a main chamber (the House of Commons) whose excesses are reined in by a wholly-elected second chamber which would exist to revise, to question, but not ultimately to block. The tricky thing is how you get from here to there. This week in the Commons, Jack Straw announced plans for a half-elected, half-appointed House of Lords. Of the appointed peers, 3 ...
News reaches us that Lib Dem Chesterfield Borough Council has recently joined the elite ranks of local authorities who are EMAS accredited. EMAS, the Environmental Monitoring and Audit System, is a comprehensive assessment of an organisation’s green credentials. Only 16 local authorities in the country have EMAS accreditation, although more are working towards it. [...]
Can we tolerate schools teaching religious propaganda?
Congratulations to Vernon Coaker on his new appointment.
This blog has been known to poke a little gentle fun at Jacob Rees-Mogg, who is the son of the former Times editor and Tory PPC for the new North East Somerset seat. Peter Black has gone further, suggesting that Rees-Mogg's appearance on Newsnight (he provides a link to a video of it) is the reason why Liberal Democrats should never countenance working with the Tories. However silly Rees-Mogg's views (and they are very silly), that seems a bit strong. After all, we do run councils like Leicester and Birmingham together. But if we delve a little further ... 
I’m taking part next week in an international telephone conference call about internet campaigning techniques. At least, that’s what I thought it was … until I rechecked my emails and realised it’s actually an international telephone balloon debate. Oh and, from the very helpful instructions on how to take part, this tip: Speak clearly, be aware of [...]
As we are talking about the weather it is worth reflecting on one exchange in yesterday's Plenary questions to the Environment Minister, or to give him his full title, the Minister for Environment, Planning and Countryside. The Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for Cardiff Central, Jenny Randerson, started it off with a fairly innocuous question about global warming and then conjured up an image of its impact on Cardiff far worse than anything the City experienced today: Jenny Randerson: You may be aware that Cardiff will be one of the first places under water. I am sure that ...
Tonight at 7.10 (and tomorrow at 11.30) The Avengers come to BBC4 in color, along with several other changes from the black and white style. If you’re thinking, ‘But surely British television wasn’t transmitting in colour in 1967, so why make it like that?’ then the clue to the funding’s in the spelling! In a less dramatic change, this is my first New Blogger post, so if anyone knows how to make a heart symbol appear in a title…? Tonight’s episode is particularly silly, but dear to my heart purely because this week’s pile of murder victims are all astronomers. ...
What utter crap ! Read the story HERE. This sounds like some sort of dreadful "mission statement", that was fashionable for all companies to have in the 1990's.
Today the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) released satisfaction scores for Councils across the country. The satisfaction rate for Labour-run Bury Council is just 52%. So, 48%, that's almost half of everyone surveyed, were not satisfied with the Council. Out of every ten people dealing with the Council, 5 will go away unhappy. This is unacceptable. In addition, and perhaps
I wasn’t going to post today but I couldn’t resist passing comment on the new Daily Mirror website. I feel like crap, have a sore throat and am very busy but this was worth the extra effort. GOD how awful could they have made it? I mean the last version was bloody awful, an insult to [...]
Hat-tip to the Croydonian for this story about Nancy Pelosi. As second-in-line to the presidency, she is entitled to military transportation after the 9-11 scare. Her office requested clarification of the rules about aircraft to transport her from LA to Congress. This has led to accusations that she wants to travel by what has been described as a "luxury" C-40 jet to avoid the risk of refueling.
I am on full orange alert to expect a rant ending "it's political correctness gone mad" from a dearly loved relative, who specialises in that sort of thing. The rant invariably starts with the words "I read in the paper today..." so I always have ample warning to do an emergency shut down of all my critical faculties and put myself in a trance-like "um, um, yes, yes, ah, ah, yes, yes" mode. The
I have recently been having nostalgic thoughts about the Common Cold Unit. This was set up at the end of the Second World War to find a cure for the...er...common cold. They closed it down in 1990 because, although they could find plenty of causes for the common cold, they could not find a cure. Marek Kohn relates some of the details in an article called "Nasal Gazing". I suppose you have to
The Leader of the House of Commons has published his proposals for House of Lords Reform. He suggests that 50% should be elected for 15 year terms, a third at a time every five years; 30% should be appointed by party leaders and 20% should be appointed by the Independent Appointments Commission. But here's an different idea - lets elect the whole and have a democratically elected chamber!
No waiting at any time restrictions – Corporation Road The north side from its junction with Sandringham Road for a distance of 10 metres in a westerly direction. Concerns have been raised from residents regarding parked cars at the junction of Corporation Road/Sandringham Road. The parked cars are restricting visibility for drivers when exiting or entering Sandringham Road and restricting two-way traffic movement for other motorists. It is proposed to introduce ‘no waiting at any time’ restrictions. The proposals will increase highway safety in terms of reducing highway obstruction and increase highway visibility. No waiting at anytime ...
Just back from the fire authority where I am on the community safety committee. A lot of this is about prevention - smoke alarm fitting, education etc. We heard about a pilot programme beign done with the police which is about educating drivers about the real dangers of speeding, using a mobile phone while driving and so on. Some very graphic pictures but they should certainly get the message across. Fire fighters have to cut people out of wreckage when there is a bad crash.. and they see some awful things. This education work is ...
Just back from the fire authority where I am on the community safety committee. A lot of this is about prevention - smoke alarm fitting, education etc. We heard about a pilot programme beign done with the police which is about educating drivers about the real dangers of speeding, using a mobile phone while driving and so on. Some very graphic pictures but they should certainly get the message across. Fire fighters have to cut people out of wreckage when there is a bad crash.. and they see some awful things. This education work is ...
Last night I popped over to Wolverhampton to see a performance of Thatcher - the musical. It was a great performance from a small company. The musical essentially romps through her early years, standing for parliament, milk snatching, and then slows down from '79 and her premiership years. (Falklands, miners, "defeat" of socialism). And then the final acts of betrayal by Howe and her cabinet. The chap sat behind me continually muttered whenever there was mention of socialism, while there were others in the audience who were quite open about their support for Labour (and the Liberals). There were also ...
Hat tip to Iain Sharpe over at Eaten by Missionaries for pointing me to this article by Ruth Dudley Edwards, contemplating the differences between Irish Catholics and Ulster Protestants. While I often find myself at odds with Dudley Edwards, this article is interesting and thought-provoking, (although I take odds with section IV, about Irish immigrants in Ireland; Ruth Dudley Edwards may have
{Abu} BBC & Sky are reporting that radical cleric Abu Izzadeen has been arrested for inciting racial hatred. We walk a fine line when commenting on these things, and I really do think that the Police are damned if they do, damned if they don't. However, we just arrested a guy because of something he said. Think about that. Update: The charge is "encouraging terrorism".
A few white flakes have wafted gently down from the sky and brought UK life to a shuddering halt. So what should a good Lib Dem be doing today, since going to work is clearly out of the question? Well, we know Lib Dem Voice supremo Rob Fenwick is building snowmen. But the rest of us need [...]
There are two things to fear from climate change. Firstly the changes in the environment and the effects they have. This is what most people focus on. Secondly the political uses to which fear of climate change is being put. This is far more worrying to me, much of the rhetoric is centred around authoritarianism. Too much of [...]
From 12 - 26 February 2007 kids in Birmingham can take their parents swimming for free this February half term! Every child with a Kids Swim4Free leisure card, or who signs up to the scheme, can take one adult swimming for free. Twelve pools (including Tiverton Pool) are taking part in Family Swim Week sponsored by Warburtons, each pool is offering a fun packed week of swimming activity running
Redcar and Cleveland Council today is furious at claims it is a 'cash-strapped' council as it underlined budget proposals which will invest £6.5million into the Borough to improve services for the elderly, young people and the environment. The Council’s policy and its 2007/2008 budget has already inspired job creation in the private sector, with three new independent care homes planned for the Borough. The Council’s Cabinet Member for Corporate Resources Councillor Glyn Nightingale dismissed ‘ill-informed’ criticisms of the Authority’s plan to shed over 100 posts in administration and management as well as cutting back on overheads to effect ... 
Like many party members I came home last night to a message from Ming about Harrogate. I was particularly struck by the following extract: "Conference will be asked to set a new Liberal Democrat policy to reduce significantly Britain's nuclear weapons by 50% - bringing Britain's warheads down to a maximum of 100. If approved these proposals mean that the Liberal Democrats would be pressing for a radical reduction in the size of the British nuclear deterrent so that Britain can take the lead in kick-starting the stalled international disarmament talks. We are all committed to nuclear ...
I've just registered for a new Open University course having taken a year off from my Bsc. My decision not to go to University via the normal route is something I don't regret, but I have to admit my lack of a degree digs at me more than ever, hence the decision to start again. The end is in sight, my plan is to graduate in 2009. The OU is an organisation I've always been very proud to be a part of. My degree will cost me around £2500 (albeit over about 7 years!), and all the excellent course ...
Recently I had reason to call-in a decision (with Alexis and Chris) made by the Executive Environment sub-Committee, chaired by Cllr Mike Greene. The decision they had taken was over a one way system in College Crescent between Finchley Rd and Fitzjohns Avenue. I was unhappy that the decision to instigate a one way "up" the hill towards Belsize was the wrong decision for two very closely linked reasons. School safety and traffic chaos. We are all adversely affected each and every day by the school run. Whether it be by the clogging up of our local streets, the increased ...
This photo was taken around 7am this morning, after a good couple of hours delivering in the snow of East Barnet. That's my colleague Cllr Monica Whyte with me. I'm not quite sure why we were looking so happy at that time of the morning after delivering leaflets in the cold, wet snow - but I guess it's good to smile... even if I had just taken my hat off and have squashed hair. I think turnout is going to be very low today, unfortunately. And a photo from slightly earlier in the day too, when ...
Last night Caroline, Tracey, Dave and I all went to see Thatcher - The Musical at the Grand Theatre from the local theatre company (Foursight Theatre Ltd). It was an excellent production covering virtually all the highlights (should that be lowlights?) of the Thatcher years along with some oddly-catching songs!
Not too sure if I can get away with saying that I can’t make it to work today. Snow seems to have appeared around 8.30 and whilst it’s still going, at worse we seem to have 1cm of the white stuff. Fingers crossed that the snow does disappear by next week, I need to fly out of [...]
According to the FT today a series of concerts "bigger than Live Aid" is being planned for July, in a bid to put the subject of climate change before an audience of a global audience of 2 billion. The event, scheduled for July 7, will feature co-ordinated film, music and television events in seven cities including London, Washington DC, Shanghai, Rio de Janeiro, Cape Town and Kyoto. It is understood that former US vice-president Al Gore, whose movie An Inconvenient Truth brought climate change to cinema audiences last year, will announce the event tomorrow in London.
There was only a small amount of snow in Swansea this morning but listening to the radio I very quickly established that it was much worse towards Cardiff. As soon as they reported that two eastward lanes of the M4 were closed because of an accident I decided to let the train take the strain to get me to my 9am meeting in the Senedd. Reports in the newspapers tell us that Industry chiefs believe that transport failures today could cost the economy hundreds of millions of pounds: Paul Knightley, forecaster for MeteoGroup UK, the weather division of ...
Camilla Cavendish has written a well argued article on Maternity Care. What is not clear, however, is what the government are actually proposing. Camilla's view (which is my view) is that to minimise risk we need to have doctors available for the more difficult births. That requires units of a given size. Exactly what the size is, however, is not that clear.
New blogger Chrisco at A Yellow Guard has quickly established himself as a blogger whose writing I always read. In this post he comments on the large anti-American sentiment expressed by many LibDem members and people in general. I have a confession to make, as a naive teenager I bought into much of the anti-American rhetoric along [...]
There's an update on the issue in today's Journal.
It took me a long time to get into Doonesbury. It was well worth the effort.
Last night was the special meeting of the Garston neighbourhood committee about faith schools in Garston. A lot's gone on over the last few years and we had wanted to have a discussion with both catholic and c of e relevant people about the issue on a wider area basis. There is currently a proposal fromthe archdiocese re potential closure of St Francis of Assisi, which is the catholic primary school in Garston village. There is also a consultation period about plans to have a federation between Garston C of E school and Holy Trinity catholic primary ...
Yahoo’s latest invention is amazing: Pipes allows the user to visually mix and mash all kinds of web-based RSS and Atom feeds. Have you ever wanted to combine a number of blog feeds into one, and then filter the content according to some simple criteria… that’s the sort of thing that Pipes can take care [...]
As I have come north from Lithuania, the weather has grown more wintry. Riga, yesterday was down to about minus 10, and catching the early flight up to Tallinn this morning has brought me to even chillier climbs: it is currently minus 19. I will not make smug comments about the chaos that a little snow and temperatures of about zero have brought to London. It just irritates me that when winter comes to Southern England, their disorganization makes the tiny problem into a crisis. It is the first time that I have done all three Baltic Capitals ...
Subjected myself to Party Animals again, it’s still God-awful. Still no sexy Lib Dems. Following the first episode, Labour researcher/blogger Kerron Cross claimed that lead protagonist Danny was based on him. I’m sure that this isn’t true, because unlike Danny, he doesn’t come across as being a conceited sanctimonious cretin all of the time.
Gary, the Sports Presenter from the Today Programme, couldn't make it through the snow this morning and did his sports bit from his own house! This is good, because it shows that even the Today Programme presenters can 'work from home'!! Hooray! Why aren't we doing more of this? Why do we all insist on piling into trains, getting into cars and criss crossing the country making ourselves
I got to the station this morning to get the 8.39 into Victoria. I have just got on the 7.55 train instead which was only 40 min late. Why is it that one snow flake and the country grinds to a near halt? I guess by the time this train gets to Victoria it is going to be a bit on the crowded side.---Sent via BlackBerry
About three or so years ago, when Politicos bookshop was closing down, I laid claim to their life size cardboard cut out of Ian Duncan Smith. I secured the deal, despite alleged fierce opposition. I took the said IDS on the Jubilee line to Canary Wharf to meet my journalist pal Mick Smith, who I had wound up telling him I had a very interesting contact for him to meet. IDS and I then traversed the DLR, Northern Line and Midland Mainline to Bedford, where he was presented with a Lib Dem rosette or two. Last night, at the Fairbridge ...
Wednesday: Look, I told you Mr Balloon would do ANYTHING to get back into the headlines. So here he is on ITVnone's "Good Morning Trees, Hello Flowers" programme saying that he would like to be a GOOD DADDY and PRIME MINISTER at the same time. Awwww, bless. [Barf barf barf] He says he still wants to be bathing his children when (he means if) he is in Number Ten – IRONIC MUCH for the man famous for throwing the BABY out with the BATHWATER!
Jo Christie-Smith receives today's Alex Wilcock award for sustained posting on the subject of working from home. Fortunately, the company I work for has a very modern attitude to working from home. I do so about 3-4 times every fortnight. Today, I needed no persuasion. I could have spent 180 minutes driving back and forward through the snow. Or I could have walked downstairs to my office and
Jack Straw has published his proposals for reform of the House of Lords but I have some serious concerns about what the government are proposing. Their proposals are summarised on the BBC site as follows: A 'hybrid' of elected and appointed peersReduce size of House from 746 to 540 membersEnd hereditary and life peerages over timeElected peers to be voted in at same time as Euro electionsMaximum time in office of 15 years for elected and appointed peersAppointees a mixture of party politicians and non-party figuresLords may be renamed - possibly 'The Reformed Chamber'Anglican bishops and archbishops to keep ...
I’m grateful again to Jonathan Calder for drawing my attention to this example of control-freakery by the Democratic Unionist Party, which is asking their candidates to sign a contract committing them to support party policy. This one little incident demonstrates why Ulster unionists have such bad public relations. I can’t imagine the Sinn Fein leadership tolerating it for too long if their elected representatives demonstrate quirky, maverick views that contravene official policy. But somehow these things will be well understood without having to be spelled out. By contrast it is typical that the more literal-minded unionists will want ...
4.30am and on the way to East Barnet. Heading there with some of the other by-election Good Mornings usual suspects - Monica Whyte (Hornsey ward), David Schmitz (Harringay ward) and Neil Williams (Highgate ward and Leader of the Opposition). Already a layer of snow and it's still falling steadily... what will that do to voter turnout today?? You can plan most aspects of a campaign, but the weather can really mess things up. Good luck to Sean - he really deserves it and will be an excellent councillor if elected. UPDATE: My own Fortis Green ward ...
Magpie-like, I shall seize on a couple of items from Liberal England that highlight stories I missed when I was away. Phil Willis’s opposition to parental choice in schools is predictable but still annoying. It is a similar attitude to that displayed by Don Foster on casinos (see previous post). Both seem to have a paternalist, almost Fabian, attitude, with a touching faith that experts know best. ‘You see, the people, the poor dears, they don’t know what’s good for them.’ I can’t imagine that Willis or Foster stop for a second to consider how their pronouncements relate to ...
Where I was in fuller agreement with Alan Duncan was over his strictures against street clutter – he made reference to a roundabout near Kettering where he counted more than 200 poles, signs etc. This is hardly a new issue. My own bugbear is the hideous pedestrian guardrails, that seem to be installed as part of almost any new urban traffic scheme. In theory they are designed to protect the pedestrian. But in fact they box us in, restrict our freedom and make roads look like racetracks so that drivers feel more confident in going faster. The ...
As The Grauniad reports this morning, George Bush's Republican administration disembursed $12 billion in cash in Iraq in a period of less than 15-months. That's the kind of spending that even Victoria Beckham might be a little embarrassed over. What's more, the Coalition Provisional Authority appears to have learned its book-keeping practices from Colleen McLoughlin. To quote the C.P.A.
The gap in postings has been at least in part because I have been away at the Local Government Association urban conference in Newcastle. I heard Alan Duncan, the Conservatives’ Shadow Secretary for Trade, Industry and Energy argue for more autonomy and powers for local government. This seems a bit rich given that during their last 18 years in power the Tories went to almost any lengths to avoid giving extra powers to councils and to take away as many as they could. I mischievously asked whether this conversion was genuine or just because he was speaking to a ...
Well done to The Guardian. As I pointed out yesterday, between the 'staff and agencies' to whom the column was accredited (read 'wire-stories and someone on work experience'), they had managed to mislabel David Owen as a "party stalwart". I pointed this out to them, and was pleased to find an email this evening from the paper generously admitting that it was a "good point", and declaring that | < | February 2007 | > | ||||
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