London Lembit?
Could there after all be something in reports that Lembit wants to be the Lib Dem candidate for London Mayor? Read Liberal Democrat Voice. Tuesday 13th March 2007
11:39 pm
Could there after all be something in reports that Lembit wants to be the Lib Dem candidate for London Mayor? Read Liberal Democrat Voice. 11:35 pm
Cameron and the Greens converge
Liberal Democrats seem to be struggling on how to deal with the new green Tories under Cameron. Should we dismiss them as not really being serious about the environment and what Cameron is saying is just spin and he will never develop real green policies? Or, should the conversion to environmentalism be welcomed [...] 11:33 pm
If you're not doing anything else on May 3rd...
I’m all for making it easier to vote, and for piloting new and different systems. Sadly, New Labour’s typically authoritarian early experiments have included the abolition of the private ballot - or compulsory postal voting as it was better known. This too often led to well-documented illegalities - among all parties - as well as countless undocumented abuses where the 'head of the household' 11:13 pm
Consultation Labour style - the closure of Wisewood School
A quick link to a posting on the A Liberal View of Sheffield blog. As most of us in politics knows, Labour are not exactly known for their genuine consultations with local residents. But the latest consultation by Sheffield City Council over the closure of Wisewood School, err… sorry I mean the closure [...] 10:33 pm
Lembit for London
A late night debate is currently underway in the House of Commons, on the subject of London buses. Aside from a smattering of Labour MPs, there is one Conservative present - Bob Neill, the member for Bromley & Chiselhurst. There is also only one Liberal Democrat present - Lembit Opik, the member for Montgomeryshire. In case anyone wonders why [...] 10:23 pm
Birmingham’s “sparkle” rewarded
A glowing accolade on litter for the Lib Dem-Tory coalition in Birmingham. So perhaps Cllr Piper is right and we should be examining Birmingham in more detail… …at how they keep their streets so clean! Thanks to Matttt for the link. 10:14 pm
Peregrine falcons on Derby Cathedral
Last year peregrine falcons nested on Derby Cathedral and they are back this year. This blog will tell you all about it and will link to a webcam when it is in place. Derby Cathedral has a pleasant eighteenth-century feel. It celebrates a God of light and reason, not of blood and vengeance. 10:00 pm
South Africa criticises Mugabe regime
I supect this may be an important development: South Africa, seen as Zimbabwe's most important neighbour, broke its usual silence on the government in Harare to state its concern. "South Africa urges the Zimbabwean government to ensure that the rule of law including respect for rights of all Zimbabweans and opposition leaders is respected," Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz Pahad said. 9:45 pm
Keep your cock under control
Nice to see Market Harborough Magistrates Court making the national press. But the fowl in the dock comes from just over the county boundary in Northamptonshire. 9:33 pm
Celebrity Flibbertigibbet Attic
Dobson could be a very prescient man. Imagine for a moment a world where the magazine racks in newsagent’s shops contain titles like Nunc Dimitis and Look, Cogitate & Learn and The Weekly Cranium, rather than Pap! and Fluffyhead! and Bollocks! It was like that once, in the middle of the last century. And it [...] 
9:19 pm
Man Utd 4 Europe XI 3
Tuesday 13th March 2007 - I was delighted to be able to get back from Strasbourg overnight to be able to attend the special football match at Old Trafford between Manchester United and a Europe XI as the guest of European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, held to celebrate the 50th Aniiversary of the European Union. With the rich history and tradition of European success of our North 9:17 pm
The homophobia card. Put it away!
I’ve admired Lib Dem Cllr Martin Mullaney (Moseley & Kings Heath) for some time for his use of YouTube and MySpace to reach a younger audience. Unlike WebCameron’s ego-vids, Martin and his team take the camera out and film the issues in his area, to promote discussion. Tonight a friend of mine pointed me towards one [...] 8:48 pm
Tong Walks
Val Lyon and Michael Earp regularly walk in the Summer Lane area and take great pride in this lovely part of Combe Down/Monkton Combe. Like most of us, they don’t like to see it spoiled, as it so often is, by litter. They contacted Council Cleansing Inspector Wayne Honey, who supplied them with tongs to help in the litter picks that they often do when they are out walking. These regular expeditions have now been dubbed ‘Tong Walks’. Val says that this is hardly a chore – they get much satisfaction in the job of litter picking and a sense ... 8:01 pm
Marketing balls
I’ve been wondering all day whether to post this but, notwithstanding the possibility that I’m doing exactly what the bastards want me to do, I can’t resist. In short: this Information Revolution malarky - just what are the fuckers trying to sell me? Having been infuriated by all the tube adverts over the past week, [...] 7:21 pm
School Council
I vaguely remember seeing a new story on the BBC sometime last week where an MP was calling for school councils in every school in England - I must have seen it because I had a ‘draft’ post half written in Wordpress. Anyway, to the point. I love the idea, it serves multiple purposes including getting [...] 6:16 pm
Who or What is David Cameron?
I've been inspired by this column to write this short piece on Dave Cameron. A number of Conservative friends of mine have been grumbling for months now about David Cameron, although the current position in the polls of the Tory Party has tended to damp criticism down. They are probably quite right though when they say that David Cameron is not a 'proper' Conservative in the Mrs Thatcher sense of the word - which is quite lucky for them really, because the Tories would not be doing nearly as well if he were. That aside, as the poll lead ... 6:14 pm
Tories prop up failing Labour administration
Which ever way you look at it, the Trident vote will show clearer than any other parliamentary vote just who Labour can rely on to prop up their failing administration. Already Tony Blair's Labour Party have had to rely on Tory support to pass higher education laws, and now "Dave" and his chums will come to Tony's aid again to help him out over Trident. What ever do you think the Torie would say about the Lib Dems if they were to back Labour in order to subvert Labour's own rebels ? They'd be having an absolute field day. Irrespective ... 6:08 pm
No tears about end of ITV Play
I've said it before on this blog, but ITV Play, the so called "quiz channel", was so shockingly bad that it seemed to me to sum up why ITV was doing so badly. Now ITV have taken the decision to axe the channel, we can only hope it is the first step in ITV's recovery. 5:47 pm
Selly Oak Constituency Committee - 20 March 2007
The agenda for the Selly Oak Constituency Committee meeting on Tuesday 20 March 2007 has now been published. The meeting will be held at 7pm at the Stirchley Junior & Infant School, Pershore Road (to the rear of the Constituency Office). Items on the agenda include: a report of the Head of Public Health on changes to the law on smoking in public premises;an update on the "Be Active" campaign 5:46 pm
Two days pass and still no Tories are willing to defend David Cameron's air travel tax
Two days ago I blogged on the subject of David Cameron's half baked policy on air tax. A challenge was put out on the comments page for a Tory to come forward and defend their party leader on this issue. To date, not one Conservative has. I think this speaks volumes about the Tories commitment to the environment. You can link to the story HERE. 5:39 pm
This evening's plans...
Tonight I am out leafleting again, this time once more in the streets of Simister, as we ship the final batch of Holyrood Focus and the associated crime surveys. Many thanks to all the Prestwich residents who have returned their surveys. The information we’ve gathered allows us to deepen our understanding of the types of issues affecting local people, and we can work much more effectively with 5:17 pm
Halfway to paradise
Like children wearing their ASBOs as a badge of honour, liberal activists are struggling to get their websites banned by Chinese officials who fear that their poor, ignorant people cannot cope with all these freely-exchanged ideas. So what better time to write a story critical of the Chinese Government. This is not going to be the usual anti-Chinese tirade, however, for the policy that I am concerned with today is in essence a good one. China’s new law on property rights is a clear step in the right direction. However, it does not go far enough nor protect enough ... 4:56 pm
WAG most guide green tourism for a sustainable North Wales - Burnham
Burnham AM has today challenged Enterprise minister Andrew Davies to step in and get North Wales tourism going green with support and infrastructure to help convert businesses to a sustainable future. Ms Burnham, Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for North Wales, questioned the Minister on practical help the Welsh Assembly could offer businesses in some of North Wales most scenic tourist regions. Despite sustainable business policies from Visit Wales, the Welsh Assembly's official tourism body, there have been concerns within the sector that without appropriate infrastructure support green businesses are simply a pipe-dream. Ms Burnham, member of the North ... 4:54 pm
Government must suspend flawed junior doctor recruitment system - Randerson
Following last night’s UK Government announcement of a review into the Medical Training Application Service for junior doctors, the Liberal Democrats have tabled a motion in Parliament calling for action to restore confidence in the system. Welsh Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson Jenny Randerson said “Yet again, the UK Government has rammed through reform in the NHS without properly consulting the people it would affect and have been forced to backtrack. “Doctors in Wales have been expressing their concerns to me citing the lack of fairness in the online application form which fails to allow them ... 4:52 pm
Welsh Lib Dems offer the remedy for a healthy Celtic Dragoon, fit for the 21st Century - Öpik
Trust in Wales Ymddiried yng Nghymru WELSH LIBERAL DEMOCRATS DEMOCRATIAID RHYDDFRYDOL CYMRU Today, in advance of the Welsh Liberal Democrat Conference in Swansea this weekend, Lembit Öpik, Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats and MP for Montgomeryshire outlined the party's message to the people of Wales. He said: "If Wales was actually a leaving, breathing Celtic Dragon, then it is not well. Constrained and suffocating under a directionless Labour Government. But we have the medicine to nurse it back to health. "Wales is often described as a community of communities. That sense of ... 4:48 pm
Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ)
Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ) We're proud to be associated with GALZ in Zimbabwe. They are the leading LGBT rights group in Zimbabwe, and are also representative as a member of a coalition of African LGBTI groups launched in 2003 under the title All-Africa Rights Initiative (AARI). They continue to battle against opposition from the Government in their right to exist, amid laws that include sodomy and even one that makes "physical contact between males that would be regarded by a reasonable person as an indecent act" a criminal offence. There are also acts passed ... 4:47 pm
Environmentalism - The new religion?
Well Environmentalism is definitely one of the key political stories this week, with the new Climate Change Bill having been published and speeches from both Gordon Brown and David Cameron and the C4 documentary. Last year I was discussing Environmentalism with a couple of friends and I remember one of them describe Environmentalism as the new religion of the secular society. She was right and perhaps its time to come out as a true believer! 4:38 pm
Parking at Polepark, Street Cleaning and Heating Charges - Blackness Court and Sinderins Court
Had useful meetings with residents today - one about street cleaning in a West End street, the other about the parking problems in Polepark Road. Also been in touch with the Courier today following on from the article about the large increase in heating changes at Blackness Court and Sinderins Court - here's a copy of the news release I have given the Courier: Councillor’s concern over heating cost hike for sheltered tenants. West End Councillor Fraser Macpherson today expressed great concern over the heating charge increases being faced by residents in Blackness Court and Sinderins Court and indicated ... 4:31 pm
Bush versus Gore: How Green is my house?
Iain Dale added to the Green debate with his attack on Al Gore, commenting that he would be addressing the Shadow Cabinet: He will no doubt be instructing them all on the art of preaching climate change religion bollocks while at the same time creating a carbon footprint the size of a mammoth's. I made a milder remark about Gore on the same day. I was interested to read from Iain that: It's a 4:13 pm
The Secret of Children’s Books…
…Is to write stories that children want to read. That’s something lost on a lot of writers of ‘improving’ works, but I remember the secret from when I was a boy, and was reminded of it listening to this morning’s Today Programme. Though I’ve not been able to find details on the BBC or other media sites today, shortly before nine am there was a piece on some books employed as part of a campaign against homophobic bullying. Several mums were interviewed, as was someone involved with the campaign, but I’d have asked kids what they thought of the stories. ... 
4:07 pm
Euro myths
Tuesday 13th March 2007 - I did an interview with Granada this morning about "Euro Myths." I took the obvious example of the "Straight Banana," although I did bring my own, small and curvey banana, which I bought in Strasbourg - fair trade of course - to illustrate the point! A story in "The Sun" with the headline "Bananas must not be excessively curved," sparked the controversy way back in 1998 3:55 pm
Children's prisons fail to break the cycle of reoffending
Visiting a project which provides training and education opportunities for young offenders and disadvantaged young people, Liberal Democrat Leader Menzies Campbell spoke of the need to radically reduce use of prison for children. Key existing problems include: Children who are sent to prison are most likely to reoffend 78% of young offenders released from prison reoffend within a [...] 2:11 pm
Chinese whispers
For some reason Ellee Seymour's blog is banned in China but according to this test (and my statistics) mine is not. According to the Guardian the Chinese authorities will ban the opening of new internet cafes from this July in a government campaign to clamp down on online addiction and juvenile crime. I am not sure whether to be offended that my views are not considered subversive enough to be outlawed, or pleased that I have somehow slipped through the net and can continue to influence Chinese youth with my ramblings on such diverse and esoteric topics as the ... 2:01 pm
Can anyone identify this?
I know it's not the worlds best photograph but can anyone identify this raptor which I saw in my back garden last week? I've never seen one in my urban street before and was rather taken aback but probably less that the victim at its claws! 1:36 pm
Stick to the saving the whales, FFS
On my way to work today I saw a bunch of people sitting on a crane anchored in the Thames, proudly draping a banner saying "Tony Loves WMD". Adjacent was a Police launch or two with bored-looking police. Around the corner, in front of Parliament, three bored-looking girls wearing Greenpeace jackets were failing to hand out flyers which presumably said how awful nuclear bombs were. I'm sure this is going to have a real impact on the Trident debate. Can't Greenpeace just stick to saving whales? Anyway, I quite like our Party policy on Trident, which is ... 1:17 pm
Black Dog
I don't really know if I should be writing this post but here goes: Some years ago I suffered very badly with depression for about a year. Life was hellish during that time and I felt that I didn't want to exist. Fortunately I got through it and moved on in life. Today I should have every reason to be happy; I have a wonderful girlfriend in Catherine who I love deeply and whom I know loves me; my Dad is now safe and well looked after in his Nursing Home; I have a close family; I have ... 1:14 pm
A bad day for British justice?
A bad day for the rule of law as the trial of British soldiers for brutality against their prisoners in Iraq, resulting in the death of a captive, fails. The BBC are saying that the case against the most of the soldiers accused collapsed because the really brutal (as opposed to only slightly brutal) behaviour happened when they had moved on to another job, and another squad had taken over. So probably the wrong people were charged all along. Cover-up? Conspiracy? Who can tell? I'm enough of a realist to believe that in a war zone some behaviour ... 1:14 pm
A bad day for British justice?
A bad day for the rule of law as the trial of British soldiers for brutality against their prisoners in Iraq, resulting in the death of a captive, fails. The BBC are saying that the case against the most of the soldiers accused collapsed because the really brutal (as opposed to only slightly brutal) behaviour happened when they had moved on to another job, and another squad had taken over. So probably the wrong people were charged all along. Cover-up? Conspiracy? Who can tell? I'm enough of a realist to believe that in a war zone some behaviour ... 12:30 pm
Anti-bribery watchdog meets to judge the UK
From today’s Guardian: The government faces more international criticism this week over its decision to halt the Serious Fraud Office investigation into allegedly corrupt Saudi arms deals. The world’s leading anti-bribery watchdog yesterday began secret talks at a three-day meeting to decide whether to punish Britain over the controversial decision. You can read the full story here. 12:22 pm
New £20 note design
Adam Smith replaces Elgar.Spotted this news on Yahoo. 12:20 pm
Government to sell your personal data
I'm not a regular Daily Mail reader, funnily enough, but have just been alerted to this article by a mailing from Nick Clegg, Lib Dem Shadow Home Secretary. Presumably worried by the unpredictable and growing costs of their completely unnecessary and highly intrusive ID card database, Labour are planning to sell our personal data to businesses to recoup a bit of cash. But I would be surprised if the IT costs don't grow faster than even this Government can charge their fees. The Conservatives have provided belated (and, in my opinion, not thoroughly convincing) opposition to ID cards. ... 12:16 pm
More hot air...
The battle to become Britain's greenest party reached fever pitch this morning, and gosh wasn't it exhilarating? The Guardian gets particularly overexcited (Miliband launches landmark climate change bill), telling us that:"Britain's first ever climate change bill is published today, setting legally binding targets on the reduction of carbon emissions for the first time."And just to prove how young and hip he is, David Miliband even launched the bill on YouTube.This follows yesterday's twin announcements from Gordon Brown and David Cameron on how best to preserve our planet, whether it be through carbon limits or increasing air passenger duty.We also found ... 12:12 pm
Dabbling in the Anncoult
Ann Coulter is not a very nice person, but her latest splenetic outpouring leads me to fear she has wandered into the realms of self-parody. In a piece entitled Shooting Elephants in a Barrel, she begins by complaining that: "Lewis Libby has now been found guilty of perjury and obstruction of justice for lies that had absolutely no legal consequence." Given her frantic obsession with the Clinton impeachment (she went as far as to stand as a Libertarian to punish a Republican Congressman who hadn’t supported it), her adoption of this indifference to perjury seems a little odd. ... 11:52 am
Who wants to work in a prison?
There’s something of a prison staff crisis in many of our prisons, figures released this morning show. Belmarsh is 57 officers short - meaning more than 1 in 10 posts is vacant. Other prisons facing problems are Manchester, Woodhill, Chelmsford, Wakefield and Frankland, all with over 30 vacancies. For Chelmsford that’s 13% of the staff. This comes [...] 11:34 am
Voices raised in song
The best thing about working in an office that overlooks the Mall is that you get to see and hear all the big state processions - today the President of Ghana is in town, and there’s an enthusiastic crowd of two hundred or more Ghanains who have been down there singing their hearts out for [...] 10:28 am
Rats jumping ship
Yes, I know the analogy in the title to this piece is a little unkind. After all, many of the MPs abandoning the Government whip are honourable and primcipled men and women, whose conscience has determined that they cannot support the present regime over the renewal of Trident. However, the idea that Blair's ship may be sinking does ring true. It seems to me and many others that the vote on Trident tomorrow night is unnecessarily premature. There is no need to make a decision yet and I personally would prefer a government to have won a general election ... 9:36 am
Ron Paul running for President
Former Libertarian Party Presidential Candidate and current Republican Representative has announced he’s running for President. Its good to have a libertarian running - someone to put forward the small state, individual freedom and constitutional rule of law and liberal argument. I doubt very much that he’ll get very far, but its important to have such [...] 9:13 am
Second hand flight tickets anyone?
Well that’s a bit of a b*gger. I’m due to go to Romania in mid May to help the Liberals in their European Parliament elections. But I’ve just seen on EuroNews* that the (Liberal) Prime Minister has postponed the elections indefinitely… The official excuse is an on-going constitutional dispute between the government, the opposition and the [...] 9:01 am
Making the Difference bid deadline
Just a reminder, especially to anyone living in Fortis Green ward - the deadline for putting in bids for Making the Difference money is this Friday. So if you have any ideas for small improvements in your local area, costing up to £10,000 (but with a better chance of being successful if they are smaller), then it's your last couple of days to put those suggestions in. If you would like further information and details of who to contact, please e-mail me (address at top left). 8:55 am
What causes the perceived stigma of claiming benefits?
A long but productive meeting of Overview & Scrutiny last night. There are good councillors on the committee who I get on well with, which helped made the three and a half hours (almost) fly by. The first hour and a half was taken by questions to the Labour Executive Member for Community Involvement. Some of my colleagues got quite exercised about the new council logo which was passed around - not particularly the logo itself, but how they arrived at it. The Labour Executive were consulted, but no other councillors. The Executive Member even said something along ... 8:26 am
Cash for peerages - any chance of a fair trial?
One thing we can be sure of is that Lord Levy has access to some very fancy briefs - barristers that is. We had last week's story in the Guardian and the BBC's story yesterday which states that 'Ruth Turner wrote of her concerns that "Lord Levy had asked her to lie for him". ' I would have thought any decent barrister would be able to argue that, given these suggestions in the media, any chance 8:19 am
West Worcestershire Tory Candidate in storm over 'Save our NHS' Rally
Richard Burt, who organised last Saturday's 'Save our Health Service' march and rally hailed the event a great success, but said that Conservatives had spoiled the event by displaying Conservative election posters with felt tipped slogans including one that said "Conservatives - the only vote." 7:59 am
Peers call for public to be heard on Lords reform
Party press release: Today [Tuesday] Liberal Democrat Peers will be encouraging members of the public to have their say on reform of the House of Lords. They will also ask the public to write down their views and place them in a ballot box outside Parliament during the House of Lords debate on reform of the [...] 7:45 am
Death by Indifference!
According to The Guardian yesterday and also according to the BBC online a campaign by Mencap on the issue of neglect of patients with a learning disability has forced the health secretary Patricia Hewitt to agree to an independent inquiry. The Mencap report (Death by Indifference) highlights six cases where people with learning disabilities were allowed to die because of a lack of proper care. Mencap is also seeking confirmation that the long promised confidential inquiry into premature deaths of people with a learning disability will be carried out although I have seen nothing in the statements from the ... 7:07 am
Clueless? (Update)
There is a rather cruel, but amusing article on the Tory's hapless "Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland" (aka the only Tory MP in Scotland). 7:02 am
Day 2262: Skynet launched
Monday: I do not wish to ALARM anyone, but is not THIS space based military weapons system the same as THIS space based military weapons system that destroys the world in "The Terminator"? I am not the ONLY paranoid elephant, you know! 7:01 am
Day 2261: Mr Balloon Fails to Fly
Sunday: Bit of a PR disaster for the normally sure-footed Mr Balloon today, as his new environment policy failed to get off the ground. The BBC went to an airport to ask passengers if they'd like Mr Balloon to CANCEL THEIR HOLIDAYS and funnily enough the answers were all pretty NEGATIVE. In another ASTONISHING move, the airlines have widely condemned the Conservatory plans! No! Do no LAUGH! Normally we should condemn this sort of reporting. But if the Conservatories are STUPID enough to make themselves sound like a HIGH TAX PARTY then I say ... 7:00 am
Day 2260: Worlds Collide
Saturday: The first new adventure for Dr Who aired tonight! It was a two-parter, shown before and after the trailer for next weeks Eurovision heats, after I'm a Celebrity Fame Academy Get Me Out of Here! I am not quite sure that I got the WHOLE plot, but it seemed to feature Dr Who and his new friend Martha, and Daddy Alex spotted a background clue to "Vote Saxon" which may be a plot-arc point. Meanwhile, my OTHER favourite time-travelling scientist, Professor Richard, has been getting into a scrape over whether he or Mr ... 3:10 am
Labour Deputy Leadership hopeful John Cruddas backs Lib Dem policy over Trident ?
Make your own mind up, but THIS looks remarkably like our party's policy. Its best summed up as "Let's not rush things, let's make the right decision, let's have a mature debate". 2:00 am
I have a confession to make...
I've just returned from a Lily Allen concert. There is something very appealing about her intelligent and genuinely musical irreverance, and she did not disappoint! I'm aware that some of her fans take her at face value more than she intends, but to me she's (relatively) harmless fun! 
