Further underneath Edinburgh
Further to this posting, it turns out that there is another tunnel under the city. The abandoned railway tunnel some characters enter in Alexander McCall Smith's 44 Scotland Street really exists. Saturday 28th April 2007
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Further to this posting, it turns out that there is another tunnel under the city. The abandoned railway tunnel some characters enter in Alexander McCall Smith's 44 Scotland Street really exists. 10:53 pm
Mail on Sunday
Tempting though it is to let the story pass without comment, if you're going to do a regular personal blog you have to stick with it in good times and less so – so I shouldn’t really let the story in tomorrow's Mail on Sunday pass without comment. In brief, what happened is this – just ahead of the deadline for new (more stringent) rules on MPs and stationery coming into force, one of my staff 10:06 pm
Listening to Winchester
With the local elections only a few days away, I thought I'd take the opportunity to mention the nine key pledges Liberal Democrats are making to the people of Winchester this year: Greener We will recycle more - taking kitchen waste out of your bins We will improve the energy efficiency of offices and homes We will protect our town and village green edges SaferWe will modernise and expand the 9:40 pm
Apathy about local elections isn't helped by apathetic or even pathetic reporting
I am grateful to a poster to my site called Peter or pointing me in the direction of the BBC Politics Show's Eastern Region report which highlights apathy towards local elections. However, the big question for me is would apathy be less if the BBC actually chose not to be so apathetic in its reporting of local elections ? For starters, the site I was referred too has a list of councils holding elections in the East but a quick look through the list highlights three councils alone in Norfolk that are holding elections but are not on ... 8:42 pm
Opinion: Vive la difference!
It’s not just the UK that goes to the polls next week. France will elect its first truly post-war President on 6th May. “I’m not issuing any voting instructions. The French citizens who voted for me are free to follow their conscience and make their choice”. So says Francois Bayrou, the ALDE-backed candidate, contemplating the Sego [...] 8:40 pm
Selection news: Lewisham West & Penge
Hearty congratulations to Alex Feakes, selected to fight the new seat of Lewisham West and Penge. Unusually, Dorset-based Lib Dem blogger Justine McGuiness has raised questions about the selection process on her blog. 7:50 pm
Six Cities Design Festival
The Six Cities Design Festival has finalised its programme of events and exhibitions. The festival will celebrate and promote design in all of Scotland's six cities, and Dundee is playing a leading part.By checking http://www.six-cities.com/ you can have a look at the varied line-up and book a place for any of the events that might take your interest. 7:45 pm
Candidate Profiles
The Lincolnshire Echo website has finally punlished the candidate profiles for the upcomming local elections here in lincolnshire. although i welcome this, albeit incredibally late show of information - especially when u consider that the profiles had to be in on April 20th, along with a photo of the candidate that does not appear with the information - i do have to wonder how many people are actually going to see them. 7:34 pm
Age and Being a Councillor
Age is a funny thing. I'm 48 now, but I don't think I feel different inside to the 38 year old me, or indeed 28 year old me. I'm sure that part of this is due to being a councillor. For quite a while I was the youngest in the Lib Dem group (and indeed got some invaluable help and advice from my older colleagues on such things as driving lessons, buying a car, buying a flat, and even that 7:33 pm
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Regional Parties - a force for good or a home for superannuated wannabes?
I am currently serving my third term as an Officer of my Regional Party, and I have frequently mused on the purpose of Regional Parties generally. At times, this has been less than entirely obvious but I feel that I’ve learned enough to explain what they (should) do and why they sometimes fail. Let me start by saying that, in my view, Regional Parties are much like Local Parties. The skills 7:21 pm
A tale of two London clubs
Just to show people about bias and tendency amongst leagues, not just referees, to be biased in favour of "bigger" teams, here is an example of the double standards at play. One team, let's call them Team A, signed a new player who was a free agent, they registered him with the FA, they registered him with their league officials, indeed they did everything you could imagine to ensure they followed the rules. There was, however, a problem. This player they signed had previously been playing in Wales so although he was English and the team he had played ... 5:46 pm
Scotty beamed up
The ashes of James Doohan, who played Scotty in Star Trek, have been fired into space. 5:16 pm
Surbiton Day Nursery
Some months ago I opened the Kingston Day Nursery after it had been remodelled. I must have behaved myself because I was asked back today by Asquith Nurseries to re-open Surbiton Day Nursery as well. This is a corner of the babies' room, and you can see that it provides a colourful and stimulating environment for little ones. They also have a large garden and the older... 5:06 pm
How was it for you?
James at the Brixton Academy last night... Meh. When the good songs came, the atmosphere was really good and all the classics hit the spot nicely. But to make a reasonably sound comparison era and style-wise, it wasn't anywhere near as good as either the Inspiral Carpets or Charlatans gigs I've seen in the last few months. I was a bit gutted as they didn't play one of my two favourite songs (How Was It For You?) - and I was a bit worried for a while as I had to wait until the encore for the other one ... 
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Training people in how to lobby an MP
Mornington Crescent - a station I rarely visit - was the stopping off point for me to get to the Jubilee Debt campaign's AGM where I am doing a workshop with Bridget from CAFOD about how to lobby your MP. A reasonable showing of people 'chose' our workshop and I thought Bridget was just great - just the right personality to enthuse people to get active and friendly and inclusive. The quality of 4:55 pm
Royal Kingston in Lahore
Last year Kingston's Land's End to John O'Groats bike ride in aid of the Pakistan Earthquake relief - E2E4E - was a great success. One year after the earthquake we held a memorial event and began to hear about the projects that the funding would be supporting. Then last night I hosted a very well-attended event in the Guildhall to celebrate some extraordinary achievements.... 4:28 pm
Speak Out
250 pupils from Year 10 in local schools responded to the Speak Out Challenge. This is organised by Speakersbank, which encourages young people to learn communication skills and develop self-confidence through public speaking. It recognises that the ability to be articulate in public is a key skill in active community life, and it actively promotes this through workshops and... 3:00 pm
Bobby "Boris" Pickett dies
I was saddened to read in the Telegraph* that Bobby "Boris" Pickett has died. It takes skill to come up with a record (i.e "Monster Mash") which is played frequently 45 years after it is issued. I played it last Haloween to my daughter. I often played it (usually from the original 45rpm disc) when I was a radio deejay. Saying "Bobby 'Boris' Pickett and the Crypt-Kickers" always tested my limited 2:25 pm
Prius not so dull after all....
A few months ago I blogged on the topic of how dull but necessary for me I thought the Prius was and how lamentable the lack of choice of cars that seek to mitigate their environmental unfriendliness -I can't quite bring myself around to describing a car as environmentally friendly! Still waiting for the Mercedes SLK'e for environmental' to come on the market (this is just a dream of mine and 2:04 pm
Gendarmerie in Jersey
.flickr-photo { border: solid 2px #000000; } .flickr-yourcomment { } .flickr-frame { text-align: left; padding: 3px; } .flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; } Gendarmerie in Jersey, originally uploaded by Up Your Ego. While I’m working through ideas and pushing my carbon footprint through the roof by flying constantly for the next couple of months I thought I’d share this [...] 2:03 pm
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Guilty of being too successful on Google
I am guilty of being too successful on Google. If you google the name of a West Berkshire Council election candidate and the words "West Berkshire Council", my blog comes up as the first search result with the address of the candidate. For example here is my name being googled. I was asked this morning by a leading local Conservative, in the second in a series of increasingly bizarre Focus 12:42 pm
Are there foreign bees living in your high hedges who have adopted suspicious seals that are being hypnotised into laying landmines?
If so, government inspectors can now enter your home (see report). You have been warned. 12:38 pm
Her Maj has written back to me!
Hurrah! I've had a letter from Buckingham Palace in reply to my missive. Check back soon for the unveiling of The Letter. 11:49 am
Five (Labour Let-downs this year)
Labour have let St Mary's badly down this year. Lib Dems act on behalf of local people all ear round. Compare our action on Prestwich Arts College, The Retreat and Blue Recycling Bins to Labour's record of letting local people down: 1) Labour have continued their programme of closing down old people's homes in Bury, including Claremont in St Mary's ward. The Lib Dems have steadfastly opposed 11:48 am
Darfur demonstration
Ahead of joining the demonstration at Downing Street tomorrow on Darfur, this morning's Independent has a piece including my views on the issue:It is clear that what we are witnessing in Darfur is genocide. The British Government and the international community cannot continue to watch as this catastrophe unfolds in front of them. A no-fly zone, a proper and extensive arms embargo, targeted 11:32 am
The BBC deletes the Eastern region
Has anyone else noticed that on the BBC's "Great British Menu", they have decided to delete the Eastern Region. The Eastern Counties have, it appears, been put in to some bland area called "Central". Quite what Norfolk has to do with Worcestershire and Hereford, I do not know. Come on BBC, be fair and let us have our own region and not be assumed to be part of the Midlands. 11:30 am
The Blair-Brown government has wasted its opportunities
Speaking on a campaign visit to Dunfermline, Ming Campbell said: Thank you all for being here today. It’s great to be back in Dunfermline. There are just five days left in this election campaign. Five days until voters throughout the United Kingdom are given the opportunity to make clear their wish for change. And the desire for change is real. That [...] 11:18 am
My predictions come back to me
A hard copy of my predictions blog posting for the election results for West Berkshire Council and Newbury Town Council has now come back to me in a sealed envelope via Royal Mail, postmarked for 27th April. I will be publishing that posting after the election results have been announced. I will leave the envelope sealed, so that anyone can check the fact that I did indeed make the 
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Police arrest Conservative councillor over corruption allegation
Disturbing news from Portsmouth via The News (dated 25th April) and the Liberal Democrat Voice. Obviously the man is innocent until proven guilty. Councillors are not often held overnight by the police, as this Conservative councillor has been: Tory Jezz Baker was arrested at 1.30pm yesterday after a month-long police investigation. It is understood to be alleged that Cllr Baker, who sits on 10:50 am
Transport blues
You have to admit that this is a bit strange. A meeting to discuss one of the Welsh Assembly Government’s flagship transport policies was held in England. The Western Mail tells us that council representatives and bus operators from all over Wales travelled to Shrewsbury yesterday for a discussion about the concessionary fare scheme for pensioners. As the paper's source says: “It is really an admission of defeat when a meeting about transport in Wales has to be held in England, supposedly because it is the easiest place for people from North Wales and South Wales to come together.” ... 10:43 am
The Rector Of Stiffkey and another famous resident
The Independent today has a nice piece which is balanced and very fair regarding the famous Rector Of Stiffkey. I won't repeat the whole story as you can read it HERE. As someone who undertook responsibility for leaflets distribution for 18 months to Stiffkey until a new volunteer was found, I got to know the village well and had certain locals that I could always ave a little chat with about the world and local issues. As the Independent article makes clear, you won't find a true local Stiffkey resident with a bad word to say against the ... 10:15 am
Another tale of a silly Lib Dem candidate - Oh dear !
Dizzy has brought another tale of candidatitus, a disease that affects a few daft candidates in all parties, to be fair. This time its a Lib Dem in Salisbury who has withdrawn so as not to split the Labour vote ? I don't know if she realises that Labour are very unpopular at the moment and that by her not standing she is proabably helping the Tories as many Lib Dem voters will vote for anyone but Labour. Oh dear, oh dear. At least the Lib Dems are not being accused of telling people it's a sin ... 10:10 am
What happens in Bounds Green Tube station in the middle of the night?
Turn up on the site of the modernisation of Bounds Green tube station - boy did it need it! 1.30am had tested my ability to stay awake and my fear since returning from the Mayor's Charity Ball is that I would fall asleep and miss the whole thing. However, my safety training had said that anyone going on site could not have any alcohol at all for 8 hours beforehand (24 in other situations) and so 10:02 am
Selection news
While there has been an earth tremor in Kent, there has been a shock in Lewisham. In a selection race which was clearly hard fought, the outcome was decided by pulling a name from a hat! Jo Christie-Smith, a hardworking, potential candidate lost last night to Alex Feakes, in the Lewishan West and Penge selection. This means the Party has managed to select two white males for two of our top seats in London. Both Alex and Chris are able, there is no problem with them representing our Party, and they are good blokes. I really like ... 8:54 am
A new approach to drawing up a reading list
As somebody who doesn't have time to read as much as he would like, one of the pleasures in life is a friend recommending a brilliant book that you would have never have got round to reading otherwise. Therefore how delighted I was to see that my good friends in the Christian right has created a reading list just for people like you and me. Scanning down the list of the American Library 2:05 am
Hampton Hill Potato and Politics with Vince Cable
Tonight was the Hampton Hill Potato and Politics in Liberal Democrat Richmond. Yesterday Jonathan Fryer posted on this welcome variant on Pizza and Politics. Nearby Kingston are well known for their "Poppadom and Politics" evenings, all variants on the theme of political discussion and cheap food. Tonight's speaker was Vince Cable on the role of the military after Iraq and Afghanistan. As you 1:11 am
Farewell Ian Taylor
Sixfields said goodbye to Ian Taylor tonight as he hung up his boots for the final time following the 1-1 draw with Huddersfield. The 38 year old starred in midfield last season but faded this, however his experience has been vital to the Cobblers over the past two years. From the Northampton website: Ian Taylor moved [...] 1:04 am
Controlling arms exports
Lobbied by the Control Arms campaigning wing of Oxfam ahead of the review taking place into the Export Control Act. In May the Government will begin its review of the first years operation of this act. This is important as there are holes in the system which mean that arms end up quite easily in countries where war wages, feeding the violence. With Oxfam were three local constituents come to 12:24 am
Crying Wolf about Fascism
I was deeply impressed with an article I read earlier this week in the Guardian magazine section by Naomi Wolf. I was impressed because while individually I think she had managed to point to a lot of worrying trends in terms of US policy, it actually left me less convinced that the US was on its [...] 12:10 am
(Probably) final thoughts on Scottish Independence
This will probably be the last thing I write on Scottish Independence this side of polling day as I’m off to Cardiff tomorrow. Firstly, a group of 60 Scottish scientists have hit out at the SNP. We should remember that the Scottish Enlightenment was very much a product of the Union. A generation of [...] 
