LibDem Blogs - Archived! - Wednesday 14th March 2007

Toilets in North Norfolk

Justin Hinchcliffe has contacted me to ask about the article on Newsnight tonight about toilet closures in Holt. I must thank Justin, who unlike some Tories who would jump in and attack, took the time to ask me first and get the true facts. A real gentleman. The problem is, of course, that man of the public toilets in North Norfolk are not up to new government standards. It is interesting to note that new toilet facilities are being opened in the district, but I doubt the BBC reported this. Also neighbouring Broadland have closed toilets (a Tory run ...

Are the Tories really supporting charges for educational resources ?

The BBC had had to withdraw one of its services "BBC Jam", an education service that can be accessed by schools and parents to help support the National Curriculum, because it might affect commercial enterprises who would normally charge a fee for such services. It appears the Tories are on the side of the commercial enterprises in the case, certainly this is the opinion I get form reading their quotes on the matter HERE. If BBC Jam is stopped for good, it will effectively mean that low paid parents will have to pay in order to help their ...

"They are very naughty goats" says Mayor

News from Lynton.

Football League to scrap draws - Pillocks

Some people are absolutely obsessed with tinkering with things until they go wrong. So why are the Football League, a successful organisation who run the lower tier of the professional game in England (but not the Premiership) considering banning draws and replacing them with penalty shoot-outs ? As I understand it the Football League has rising attendances, has 50% more fans going than any other equivalent second tier league in the world, and has got its house in order over monitoring transfer fees and agents. So why oh why are they trying to wreck a basic part of football, ...

Blue Peter Babylon

It's not just today's news story. As sausageNet says: the programme has also had it’s fair share of scandal ... Most notably, Peter Duncan’s film career before he became a presenter, Janet Ellis had a baby out of wedlock (shocking I know! - especially as it was Sophie Ellis Bextor!), Michael Sundin’s death of an "unspecified illness" (AIDS), Richard Bacon taking drugs at the 40th Anniversary party and John Leslie … well, just being John Leslie!And it does not even mention the fact that Valerie Singleton narrated Nudes of the World in 1961.

School places crisis in Haringey

Shocking new figures from Haringey - one in five children are not getting their first or second choice school. So much for Labour's mantra of "choice, choice, choice"! And what's Labour-run Haringey Council doing? Coming up with a new logo in secret!

Trident.......In the Interests of the Country...........

Well, marooned as I am in Belfast's fair city, was sadly unable to join the demo at Westminster today. But, was intrigued at the Tory position of "We are putting our country's interests first".............two questions. Number one, the implication that anyone who takes a different view isn't........so whose interests pray, are they allegedly putting first? Not BAe systems that's for sure. Number two..........this is said with such high handed conviction. I can draw only one conclusion, subtext from Mr Cameron and the Cameroonies......normally we don't put the country's interests first. Actually Mr C, we had worked that one out. Some ...

I haven't emigrated

It has been a few days since I have blogged. But I would like to announce that I have not emigrated. I am sitting in my Local Party Executive, and as with these things - emigration looks appealing. So what I have been doing - well on Sunday I was filming around London, and since then I have been buried in things Welsh. Life is now deeply buried in that period of not having a life before elections

Save the score draw!

I had to check the calendar when I heard the Football League are considering scrapping the draw. I can report it is not April 1st. Some time ago there was a big hoohah about the definition of Britishness. Well here’s your answer - THE SCORE DRAW! And not forgetting of course, the no-score draw The thrill [...]

What will the next Lib Dem manifesto say?

You can watch this update from Steve Webb about the consultation for the next Liberal Democrat (Westminster election) manifesto: Party members can take part in the consultation at manifesto.libdems.org.uk

+++ BREAKING NEWS +++ New Lib Dem candidate for London Mayor?

The Facebook group says it all. I'm touched. Woof woof.

Can we have Davenport back please?

Just very randomly, earlier caught this post which links through to a blog about peregrine falcons nesting on Derby Cathedral. Nice. Just in the garden of Bootlaces in Tottenham, about to leave to watch Spurs take on Braga at the Lane. Pedro, one of the Braga fans who was in touch in the last week or two, can't make it to London for this - but he continues to blog about the match and I hope he enjoys watching tonight. Will be interesting tonight... Not least at centre back as we have Ledley still out, Anthony Gardner now ...

Freedom Forever

Over on Cicero's Songs Cicero is debating the meaning of freedom in modern society. I think it's a fascinating debate, but to tell the truth I don't have the intellectual energy to get any further involved than to offer a short passage from one of my favourite novels, Gorky Park. To summarise, the FBI are trading two Russians who want to defect in exchange for the location of valuable sables stolen from the USSR when there is the following conversation between a would be defector and an FBI Agent, which for me perfectly encapsulates modern freedom in all its limitations: ...

The Evil Empire

I’m not sure whether I should be seeing this as the brilliant satire it really is or if I should actually be quite upset but, either way I’m loving the concept behind The Evil Empire. Steven Grasse is arguing that English people shouldn’t be pointing the finger at the United States. He asks “After all, whose [...]

Top searching

Everyone else does it, so why shouldn't I? Here are some of the more unusual searches that have led to people arriving at Liberal England in recent weeks... joan hickson toplessstiperstones sexthe most bonkers cheese maker in Englandnewspaper deliverers in canal winchestermike gatting nakedthis horrible bastard blairnaked men melton mowbraygeorge formby one eye wooden legbeing smacked with a rolled-up radio timessouth wales monastery elephant

Action update - West Road and litter

Yesterday I was contacted by a resident of West Road (near to my house, not far from Clifton Road off the Village) talking about problems with litter. The street is pedestrianised in parts, and too narrow for the street cleaning vehicles to get down. I am impressed at how often my own street is cleaned, but then it is fairly busy. We also have the advantage of a couple of waste bins to deal with

Join the campaign on Facebook

Over the next few weeks the campaign will pick up – there’ll be more Focuses, our St Mary’s annual report, and lots more information. And from the other parties as well, I imagine. But there’s no need to wait for the next Focus to find out how the campaign is going or what issues I’m working on. The blog will be updated pretty much every day, as it is now. In addition, I have set up a group for

A Black Cloud

Well-known Conservative Parliamentarian, Baron Black of Crossharbour is today on trial in Chicago for racketeering and fraud, though sadly the usually assiduous ConservativeHome has missed the story. Deepening my disappointment further, the Tory Party’s website team haven’t yet managed to knock up a biography for him. I’ll do one for them if they like!

Labour faces visit from anti-corruption investigators

Anti-corruption investigators are to be sent to the UK to dig into why the Labour Government axed the investigation into allegations of corruption by British Aerospace in the Al Yamamah arms deal. In what will be a major embarrassment to Labour’s claims to be tough on crime, the OECD has decided it needs to send a [...]

Oi Angela leave those kids alone

News of a small victory for common sense reaches us from the Commons. It appears that Angela Watkinson's attempt to introduce a parental notification law into the UK has been foiled by our very own Dr Evan Harris. Ms Watkinson's ten minute rule bill would have forced doctors and other health professionals to inform the parents or guardian of any under-16 year old seeking advice on contraception

The Belsize Safer Neighbourhoods Team needs you!

It’s been nearly a year since the Belsize Police Safer Neighbourhoods Team was set up under Sgt Jason Moseley. What have they achieved? Are their current priorities - burglary, car crime, and anti-social behaviour – the right ones? If not, what should their priorities be? Come and have your say at the Belsize Safer Neighbourhoods public meeting this Thursday (15th March) in the Swiss Cottage Community Centre in Winchester Road at 18:30.

The XO restaurant vs the Sir Richard Steele pub

The XO restaurant continues to tax minds in Belsize Village and at Camden Council. We already have enforcement procedures underway because they removed a double door in defiance of a rejected planning permission. And we found that they were illegally using our rubbish collectors to take their waste. Many residents say parking has become more difficult in the evenings because so many clients are coming from outside Belsize. And it now looks as though the XO is about to break the terms of its licensing application for the “XO to go” takeaway shop, which is supposed to sell cold food ...

New fingerprint powers?

The government could be seeking new powers for the police to fingerprint people who break parking rules or drop litter. A consultation paper is today published on a review of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, which sets the boundaries for most police powers, though it’s been subject to a lot of amendments and revisions [...]

It will be interesting to see how Mr Anderson votes

Regular readers of this blog, including those in my local Labour party in Gateshead, will know my thoughts on the former left-winger-turned-instant-Blairite apologist Dave Anderson, Labour MP for Blaydon. He swept into the Labour nomination on a wave of left wing posturing and "socialist" drivel, posing as the guy who was against the Blair project. He did, of course, leave all that at the St

It will be interesting to see how Mr Anderson votes

Regular readers of this blog, including those in my local Labour party in Gateshead, will know my thoughts on the former left-winger-turned-instant-Blairite apologist Dave Anderson, Labour MP for Blaydon. He swept into the Labour nomination on a wave of left wing posturing and "socialist" drivel, posing as the guy who was against the Blair project. He did, of course, leave all that at the St

Lib Dem Candidates for Local Elections Announced

The Executive of the Bury Liberal Democrats met on Monday night to select the candidates to fight the May 3rd local elections in Bury, and I have been selected to contest St Mary’s Ward. Sedgley Ward will be contested by Steve Wright, and Cllr Wilf Davison will defend his seat in Holyrood. I am delighted to have been selected to fight St Mary’s by the local party, and if the people of St Mary’s

Blair rushing into Trident decision

Speaking at today’s Prime Minister’s Questions Menzies Campbell called Tony Blair’s decision to renew the Trident nuclear weapon system “hasty”. The Liberal Democrats would cut Britain’s nuclear arsenal by half and kick-start disarmament talks. Menzies Campbell asked: Does the Prime Minister accept that the most immediate nuclear threat is from other countries acquiring nuclear weapons? [...]

Well done Mr R Booth of Nottinghamshire

After the abysmal refereeing of last week from Mr Lee Probert, surely the worst referee I have ever seen, we went from the ridiculous to last night's sublime refereeing of Mr R Booth. Norwich won 1-0, but I never had cause to question the referee or his decision making. He allowed the game to flow, he talked to players to calm situations down, he was loathe to use cards, and he made sure we remember the game, not the football. I guess we'll never see Mr R Booth again. Referees like him NEVER get promoted !

A new dictator ?

With the name "Starling", you might expect that I have been called "Stalin" at some point in my life. Face to face it has been mentioned before, but today I received my first letter ever to be addressed to "Mr Stalin". I thought it might be because of my political standpoint, however, my views are far from communist. Then again, so were Joseph Stalin's. So I'll put it down to the fact that they recognise the fact that I could be a tyrranical dictator. It is probably good that I am quitting front line politics this year.

Trident

What she said.

Ted Heath's dying wish is vetoed by local Tories but supported by LibDem councillor

Conservative Home reports that Ted Heath's dying wish, to have his former home turned into a museum, has been vetoed by local Conservative councillors. Local LibDem councillor Paul Sample comes out of this well. He spoke up for Ted's wish saying: I think opening this magnificent house, with all of its mementoes, would be a fine testament to Sir Edward. I cannot understand why anyone would want

urban/suburban - sign the petition

***Sign the petition at http://campaigns.libdems.org.uk/southwarkissuburban*** I have started a petition on the urban/suburban issue. Click on the link above or below! Please help by signing the on-line petition and forwarding the link to your friends. http://campaigns.libdems.org.uk/southwarkissuburban .

Morgan Tsvangirai in intensive care after arrest

Earlier this week Morgan Tsvangirai, Leader of the Movement for Democratic Change in Zimbabwe, was arrested. The Guardian online is reporting that he is intensive care for wounds apparently sustained while in police custody.

Mastrogiacomo

According to the International News Safety Institute: One thousand news media personnel around the world have been killed trying to report the news over the past 10 years - that's almost two deaths every week, according to a new report released today (Tuesday, March 6 2007). Daniele Mastrogiacomo, a journalist from the Italian newpaper La Repubblica, was kidnapped in Afghanistan. Over 65,000 people have signed an appeal in support of his release.

Planning Applications

I have contacted the Council to call into committee the application to demolish the old Telephone Exchange. This is an important building in Combe Down and should not be destroyed without some debate. Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/00028/LBA Parish: N/A Registered: 2nd February 2007 Expiry Date: 30th March 2007 Location: 3 Quarry Vale Combe Down Bath BA2 5JZ Grid Ref: (E)375884 - (N)162272 LB Grade: II Proposal: Demolish existing decaying lean-to with perspex roof and replace with single glazed timber conservatory painted white with strengthened double glazed roof Officer: Caroline Waldron Applicant: Mrs Jennifer Morgan Agent: No Agent ...

BAE: inquiries spread to Romanian and South African deals

Although UK investigations into allegations of corruption in the Al Yamamah arms deal were dropped, BAE has been the subject of more widespread corruption allegations which, because they do not involve Saudi Arabia, would not fall foul of the same problems. A particular issue could be whether BAE didn’t tell the Government the full story when [...]

Is there no end to the twisted nonsense spouted by opponents of the Coatham Links development?

Posted by Chris: The opponents of the superb Coatham Links proposed leisure and housing development seem to have two methods of working. The first is to be highly selective in what they hear and to spin conspiracy theories around their selections. The other is they simply make it up. It was recently announced that the bowling alley is moving to the building where the bingo hall was going. This is because the Council and the developers Persimmon Homes had listened to the views of residents and businesses and had decided not to proceed with the bingo ...

18 DS tonight

On 18 Doughty Street tonight from 22:00 - 0:00, with top Liberal Democrat blogger James Oates, author Dave Hill, and social entrepreneur Simon Marcus, ready with some reactions to the Trident debate in Parliament and today's news.

Blue Peter Corrupt - Official

The BBC have truly lost it. Druggie presenters is one thing. Cynical competitive parents buying Blue Peter badges on eBay is quite another. But for Blue Peter to be involved in fixing a competition is, well, tantamount to defecating over the UK’s collective childhood experience. An apology is not nearly enough. The [...]

The Flaw of Jenkins' Ire

Simon Jenkins is in good trenchant form in today's Grauniad on Trident, but see if you can spot the logical fallacy in his opening paragraph: I can hardly believe that a majority of British MPs will tonight vote to renew the British nuclear deterrent. Almost all of them, of all parties, know in their heads that it makes no sense. They lack the guts to say so, Labour MPs because they want jobs

Des Browne - "I can't explain exactly why we need a deterrent"

Well.........that says it all really doesn't it? Des Browne, flustering and blustering away on the Today programme this morning...............but of course he justified that by saying "we live in a changing and very dangerous world and we cannot guarantee what will be the situation in the future". Well that's OK then. As I have said before, it's like a man building a dam in a time of drought, for fear of flooding, when the forest fires have already started. But, it was ever thus...........

Welcome back China!

It seem my site is available again in China :) I have my doubts about the site which purports to tell you whether a site is available. I think sometimes it gets broken and supplies false negatives. Either that or the firewall-bots employed have decided my site is acceptable.

The nuclear option

The question will be put this evening as to whether MPs want to replace Trident - or more specifically - the submarines that carry the Trident. Much of the comment in the papers today is rather predictable. The Telegraph's leader backs the Prime Minister (Defending ourselves in an unpredictable world); The Guardian a couple of days ago urged holding back from making a decision now (Labour's looming rebellion).However, the leader in the FT today reads like it was written by Nick Harvey - endorsing pretty much fully the line espoused by Ming Campbell and Nick Harvey in the Lib ...

Higher Campanology In Belgium

This is Jef Denyn, founder of the world’s first and most renowned institute of higher campanology. Mr Denyn was particularly skilled at using his fists and feet to elicit sounds from a carillon. Never complain that Hooting Yard doesn’t teach you a thing or two.

Don't vote for me

It’s rare you get a politician (even a part-timer like myself) asking people not to vote for them, but I like to buck trends. And I see over at UK Daily Pundit I am one of the options in a poll asking the question: "Which bloggers would you least like to see on the proposed Press Complaints Commission regulatory panel for blogs?"I’m not sure whether to be outraged, amused or flattered. I’ll

Another quickie

About to pop back across the pond after an exhausting trip. I will be writing up the conference for a specialist publication over the wekend but will share some observations, and if I don't get ...

What to do about a mast in the wrong place?

I like gadgets as much as anyone, and I recognise that my latest 3G handset or laptop data card means someone, somewhere ends up with a mobile phone mast near them. It would be hypocritical of me therefore to oppose masts on principle. However, sometimes you come across a mast application that seems almost designed to cause maximum concern, and we have one in Winterbourne at the moment. Phone company O2 want to put a mast at a telephone exchange in Nicholls Lane. Sounds reasonable enough, until you discover that the exchange is literally ...

Actual Size

Before plunging into the ocean, snorkelled and flippered or, as it may be, encased in full body diving gear, it is critically important that you are aware of the actual size of the innumerable life forms that teem within the vasty deep. If you have read Pebblehead’s bestselling paperback The Neurasthenic Aquaperson, you will appreciate [...]

The EU: Let it decline magnificently?

In the FT this morning, Martin Wolf asks just how liberal the EU is and how liberal it could be.

Reforming the Lords

Two big votes today, one on Trident and the other in the House of Lords on whether their lordships are prepared to support reform. The BBC report that peers are expected to reject MPs' proposals. We can at least be certain of one vote for democracy. The Presiding Officer announced yesterday that he would not be in Plenary today as he is heading to Westminster to cast his vote for both an 80% and 100% elected house.

Estonian Liberal Democrat parties win in landslide

I have just got the results from the Estonian elections ten days ago. The two members of the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party(ELDR), the Reform Party and Centre party, won a landslide. Liberal Democrat Prime Minister Andrus Ansip's Reform Party won 27.8 percent of the votes and the Centre Party led by Edgar Savisaar had 26.1 percent.

Of interest

An interesting postbag this morning including: A letter from the Welsh Committee of the Communist Party of Great Britain asking me to send a message of support to the Czech Communist Youth Union who have apparently been banned for the 'crime' of declaring themselves to be in favour of a planned economy in public ownership. A worthy cause I am sure, especially as I believe in freedom of expression, no matter how misguided, but somehow ironic nevertheless.A letter from South African Advocates at law requesting my assistance in re-patriating $20,500,000. Presumably they have given up on e-mails.An e-mail from my ...

Meet the new boss - same as the old boss

This indicision's killing meDanny Finkelstein has a post in Comment Central exploring the significance of Cameron's hair changing from a parting on the right to a parting on the left. Da Fink even drops in an understandable reference to The Who. But wait! Read on! Townshend's lyrics are spookily accurate: And the morals that they worship will be goneIt's true! Just ask ConHome! The change, it

Why I’m wary of government research

Its funny how if a company sponsors research people are often so skeptical (rightly so) but people are often so trusting of government sponsored research. This report helps illustrate why we should also be skeptical of government funded research. Funding is being withdrawn from a study into childhood obesity, a study which is producing results which [...]

The 'wreckup-loving' modern Tory party

Serial Hattipperary to Peter Black, Iain Dale, Tom Watson and Paul Flynn. This is a classic. Cheryl Gillan chose St David's Day to sing the praises of a Welsh community councillor who, she said, is "a good man - in touch with the people". She even read out part of his MySpace profile, thus: "The more I read, the more I was drawn to the...Conservative party—freedom of enterprise, freedom of

Trident - and deterrence

Whereas I will be opposing the government's plans on this later today I thought I should put on record my views relating to this issue. The underlying question is whether the UK should be in possession of nuclear weapons. That is weapons that are based upon the use of fission or fusion generated explosives. It is clear that we have moved on from the concept of Mutually Assured Destruction.

Take Me Back To Old Plovdiv

This piece first appeared in August 2004. I am posting it again for the simple reason that now, thanks to the indefatigable Salim Fadhley, it can be accompanied by a photograph, and thus be truly inspiring… I am suffering from a spiritual malaise. I am soul sick. I have not eaten any breakfast. I need to [...]

City Centre & Harbour Community Council public meeting

The City Centre & Harbour Community Council is holding a public meeting on Thursday 15th March at 7pm in the Conference Suite, Central Library. The subject is Wireless Access in the City Centre. The City Centre & Harbour Community Council is hosting this public meeting on Thursday night to discuss the possibility of installing a community wireless network that would enable city centre residents, businesses and visitors to access the internet for free. A similar scheme has been operating in Norfolk since July 2006 and is currently the largest free community wireless broadband ...

Wolverhampton Capital City of the Black Country?

According to last night's Express and Star the Government has backed plans from the Black Country Consortium to create a number of zones specialising in different things in the four boroughs that cover the Black Country (I don't want to get into a debate about the specific geographical limits of the Black Country). Wolverhampton would be the 'Capital' City of the Black Country and the education centre, Brierley hill would be the shopping centre, West Bromwich and Walsall would both specialise in culture, arts and entertainment and Dudley would be cast as the Black Country tourist attraction.

Banned blog

Apparently my blog is banned in China. I have not a clue why that should be as I cannot recall blogging about China at all except for one piece about the Great Wall of China Hat tip to Peter Black for the link. If anyone wants to see whether or not their own site is banned in China then go to the greatwallofchina.org. They have opened a website in China and route your url request on greatfirewallofchina.org through to their server in China. The server in China opens the url and the result is sent back.

Navnit for mayor!

Ive been saying it for months but I hope someone has urged Navnit Dholakia to run as Lib Dem candidate for London Mayor. Rumours that the leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats could be the party’s candidate makes the issue even more urgent. A ‘Navnit for Mayor’ group is up and running over at www.facebook.com.

Blackpool's tourism industry too successful

The BBC has some coverage of the Lords' Select Committee looking at the surprising decision to award the supercasino to Manchester. The news on my '3' phone has interesting additional reporting not featured in the BBC article: Being quizzed by the same committee, Stephen Crow, the professor who headed up the independent panel that selected Manchester however appeared to back Blackpool's supporters' gripe that the process to assess the bidding towns and cities worked against the seaside town. Crow said the panel was swayed away from Blackpool after deciding that it would be too difficult to use the ...

Wednesday 14th March 2007

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