Yes, the bureaucrat is on the road again, this time to Washington, DC for something just a little different. As I mentioned about three months ago, I have been appointed Co-Chair of the Foreign and Military Policy Commission of Americans for Democratic Action (ADA), and their convention starts on Thursday. Accordingly, I fly to the nation’s capital tomorrow, by a somewhat circuitous route (
Busy, busy, busy - again. Work is pretty insane at the moment, so just haven't had a chance to blog. What else has been keeping me busy? Well, had a governors meeting last Wednesday evening (will be blogging about that in detail when I get the chance). My sister had her baby on Saturday, so I am now uncle to four (count 'em, four) nieces. Sasha is Tamsin's new little sister. There's also been more work, working at weekends, a bit of council (a fair amount of casework). And as my parents were down to see ...
Just four days ago the Tories announced proposals for more directly elected Mayors as part of Michael Heseltline's City task force report to David Cameron. Today the Tories described the role of London Mayor as "The nearest thing we have to a dictator". So are the Tories just opposed to Mayors of different political parties only ? Do they propose more directly elected Mayors because they want more dictators ? Is this a sign of more Tory hypocrisy ?
Attended the first of what will be super Tenants and Residents group tonight – a Council local flat development, where residents are fed up with in-action and are ready to take on roles themselves to move necessary work to be done. Good suggestions that are achievable were explored and others that are huge challenges. I arrived home to find that a cllr colleague (who will be nameless), has done
This is a new meme on me, but a worthwhile way of allowing me to promote five blogs that make me think. Many thanks to Darren Lilleker for tagging me to do this from an original meme HERE. So, in no particular order: 1) Paul Walter "Liberal Burblings" - Brilliant Lib Dem blog. Full of commentary on policy, Witty comments about the media and a brilliant and regular dismemberment of David Cameron. 2) Ed Maxfield - He always made me laugh and think when I worked on campaigns with him. His Eastern European knowledge also makes ... 
On Monday, Ken Livingstone announces he's unilaterally blocking opposition appointments to the London Fire Authority for not being diverse enough. On Tuesday, the Conservatives introduce a Lords motion calling for a two-term limit on the London mayoralty. Yet more bullying, blustering, hilarious politics for London. Rationally; yes, it would be nice to have an ethnically balanced London Fire Authority. However, while the constitution of the Authority is what it is, Ken can't just block appointments. The reason he's trying to is to bully the other parties by withholding prestigious posts and lucrative allowances. Whether anyone on the ...
"We get the modern world" says David Cameron. This is from the party that wants to venerate, keep and expand grammar schools. This is from the party that wants, until it was sat on, to allow charging for museums. ...from the party where 54 per cent of MPs surveyed disagree that gay couples should have the same rights as heterosexual couples. ...from the party where 48 per cent of MPs
The TUC have published a detailed report on the impact of migrant workers: Contrary to far right accusations that immigrants are a drain on the welfare state, TUC research shows that migrant workers are paying more in taxes than the value of the public services they receive. Across the economy the arrival of migrant workers has not depressed jobs or wages, and although there is limited evidence
The Conservative Health Policy Working group has reported. I have scanned the report to the point where I nodded off about two-thirds of the way through. It is full of motherhood and apple pie with recommendations which wouldn't stand up to scrutiny as "SMART" targets (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound). Most of the proposals are anodyne to the extent that the government
The Sir Salmon Rushdie affair is creating havoc. Oh dear. I am not a fan of the honours system. In fact, I would not weep if it was ended. It is odious that many people get honours for simply doing their job. The class differentiation which is inherent in the system is nauseating. Having said that, many fine people have been honoured. I don't begrudge Beefy Botham his knighthood, given that he
Spent much of today in Perth (between day-job activities!) at the Tayside and Central Scotland Transport Partnership meeting at which I was appointed TACTRAN's Chair for the following four years. I was delighted to be the unopposed choice for Chair and will work hard to promote sustainable transport initiatives across our region, covering Angus, Perth & Kinross, Stirling and the City of Dundee. I'm also pleased that Cllr Alan Jack (Conservative, Perth & Kinross Council) will be Depute Chair and have no doubt that Alan & I will work well together over the next four years.Anyway, here's the TACTRAN ...
I welcome the fact that the Pope has laid down the "Ten Commandments of Driving". Before anyone dies of laughing up their sleeve, I do think there is a role for faith in driving. It is refreshing that the Pope is reminding his flock that a car is a deadly weapon if used in the wrong ways, and that inappropriate anger is easily generated at the wheel. I also think it is fitting for him to remind
Went to an All Party Group on Genocide meeting that is especially on the Darfur genocide. Chaired by John Bercow. His tack on Darfur is the need to set up an oil trust where the income would be able to be used for humanitarian purposes but which would also put pressure on the Government of Sudan not to renege on its recent agreement to allow the AU / UN troops to be deployed - albeit not until next year. It seems a good idea to me! There was a good discussion about divestment (to put financial pressure on the ...
Found myself on Corruption Panel - a cross-party ad hoc grouping of three MPs, one Baroness and one adviser from Transparency International. We were meeting with Ian McCartney, Minister from the DTI, to pursue what the Government are doing in terms of getting their act together on this scarring issue that is damaging our international standing and our business reputation. Whilst we were not there to talk about BAE and the current scandal – it is pretty hard to divorce one from t'other. For most of the meeting listened to what was put to the Minister and what the ...
Can someone explain this to me? Life on Mars Season 1 Box Set DVD Release Date: 15 May 2006 Run Time: 472 minutes Amazon Price: £16.98 GBP Doctor Who Season 1 Box Seat DVD Release Date: 21 Nov 2005 Run Time: 585 minutes Amazon Price: £49.16 GBP Those 113 minutes seem awfully expensive. Is this really the [...]
Having been elected on a promise to scrap Lib Dem plans to invest in social housing in South Norfolk, the Tories are instead going ahead with the scheme, because they now admit that the scheme had "already gone to far to be cancelled". Whatever the rights or wrongs of the scheme, wasn't it therefore a bare faced lie to claim that they would oppose the scheme. After all, the Tories at the time chaired the Scrutiny committee in South Norfolk, a privilege they have removed from the Lib Dems, so they were in the perfect position to find ...
Norwich's bid to become a Unitary Authority has been mismanaged and badly handled, from a publicity point of view, since day one of the process. And today it has come in for more bad press. In the first instance Norwich decided to put in a non compliant bid. This bid attempted a takeover of large chunks of neighbouring Broadland and South Norfolk. They failed to consult before the bid went in, only attempting some piecemeal consultation with local parishes after they had already made their decisions (and of course after they had already alienated the parishes). Whilst their takeover ...
Liam Byrne inhabits a parallel universe, it appears, in which Identity Cards are like nineteenth century railways. The BBC has the full story. Here’s hoping for a modern-day Dr Beeching to close them down again as soon as possible.
Tuesday 19th June 2007 - Today marks the 62nd birthday of the pro-democracy leader and Nobel Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, a woman who has spent much of the last two decades either imprisoned or under house arrest in Burma, under the control of one of the most brutal regimes in the world. In 1988, a month after up to 3,000 democracy activists were massacred by the government, Suu Kyi
Iain Dale was clearly deliberately trying to cause a stink today with his post about abortions. The first question one must put to him is, what does it have to do with the country? How is it in any way our business to label these women as shameful? I would have thought [...]
The rather odd way that English beaches are not 100% open to the public in the way that they are in Scotland and Wales is to be addressed. This is really good news and despite some moaning from landowners, is long overdue. I always find it odd, when abroad, that beaches can be fenced off or owned by hotels. Whilst it isn't quite that bad in the UK, we are an island race and I think as a nation we have more of an affinity with our coast and the sea. It ought to be our right as ...
Very Junior Minister With Special Responsibility For Paperclips And Being A Nasty Piece of Work Liam Byrne has made a starry-eyed pronouncement about the Labour Government’s second-favourite useless, extortionate, intrusive, unworkable fiasco (obviously, Iraq remains ahead by a long way), claiming that ID Cards and the National Identity Register will become a “great British institution” for the Twenty-First Century. Alex, from armchair: “Some of us prefer not to live in institutions.” Richard, from other armchair: “Just like workhouses were the great institution of the Nineteenth Century, you great *****.” Both: “Ho ho ho ho!” Perhaps the Government is trying ...
There must be loads of Local Income Tax supporters reading Lib Dem blogs, so perhaps they can answer this question. Given that so few of the super rich pay income tax, how will introducing a local version, as Vince Cable has suggested today, make the blindest bit of difference to them? Answers below please. Share This
I know that Nich Starling gets upset when people stereotype Norfolk natives (I won't use the common name). But I had to laugh when picking up a copy the Norfolk Free Ads paper in Great Yarmouth Sainsburys today. One of the two main front cover ads was for Tracters (sic). Oi can't read, oi can't roit but I can droive a tracter.
Anticipating the finest cuisine Air Canada can offer I pondered whether Moose Burgers might be on the menu... Sure enough the main course was Chicken with a Red Pepper Mousse. Right dish, wrong ...
Like most old things, buildings need revamping and continual maintenance over the years. We have been quite lucky recently because Essex County Council, our local education authority, has invested in a number of projects including new windows and rewiring of the electrics. However, like with most funding projects there are restrictions. Which in many cases, although helps updates a building, does
Advertising in children's programming has been banned in Quebec province and other parts of Canada are considering the same for their areas. That answered a question I posed last week when we to...
Her Majesty’s Opposition must be feeling very proud after Jack Straw, the Leader of the House of Commons, Lord Privy Seal and former Foreign Secretary, praised their refusal to criticise the Government over the Al Yamamah arms deal controversy. My Straw had been challenged in the House of Commons by David Heath, his Liberal Democrat shadow, [...]
Yesterday I had the day off work, so took care of some case work instead! A local lady and her son have mobility difficulties, and wanted some help with their housing situation. At present their bedrooms are upstairs, and they have difficluty getting to them. I gave the Housing Placement people at the Council a ring and made enquirieis about a medical assessment which will hopefully ensure that
Is it grey that's the new black? Or out with the old and in with the old. Sorry for the recent silence – I even managed to miss House so I can’t comment on the unfolding story! Politics. Well who would have thought it. One of the joys of being a local politician is the way you can always find new things to be doing to make your communities better places; better for all residents, businesses and visitors alike. Somerset is a very special place, and as many of you will know, we are ... 
Liberal Democrat leader, Sir Menzies Campbell, will be talking to Emily Maitlis on BBC News 24 on Tuesday, 19 June at 1700BST. You can submit a question here.
Last Thursday I attended the Council's Plans West Panel to support some residents in objecting to applications and to speak against a few my self. I gave up / had other things to do at the 3 hour 50 minute mark when we had completed the grand total of 4 of the 15 agenda items. I have never been particularly satisfied with the process not least when I sat on a planning panel my self. However after Thursday I have to ask whether this is really the best way to make fairly large decisions about peoples lives. First off ...
Yesterday I spoke at a workshop for councillors at Eastleigh District Council. They were working on their ICT Strategy and wanted to explore some ideas about e-democracy. Now Eastleigh is Lib Dem territory and, like Kingston, committed to devolution to Area Committees (aka Neighbourhoods) over 10 years ago. So I didn't need to make out the case for providing spaces, both online and...
Every inch of Headingley Ward is covered by at least one properly constituted, residents led, grass roots community group. The area also has a rich ecology of special interest groups. This leads to my ( it seems ) controversial view that the Council's own ward forums are at best a waste of time and at worst a patronising neo colonial over lay by a bloated public sector bureaucracy. I don't apply this across the city as some times there are gaps to be filled. Believe it or not I do try to be open to new experiences so for ...
New LIB DEM Party Policy - Housing Proposals include: Building 100,000 new affordable, social and low cost homes each year. Devolving and reforming the planning system to make decisions faster and more effective for all parties. Introducing equity mortgages to ensure affordable housing is built and maintained for the benefit of generations of buyers. Building smaller social housing developments which are integrated with private housing Cutting VAT on housing renovations and repairs. (Currently 17.5%!) These proposals form part of the party’s Poverty and Inequality policy paper, which will be published shortly and debated and voted on at the ...
I have on my desk the three candidate manifestos from the people competing to replace me as the Lib Dem Councillor for Headingley. I wouldn't be human if I didn't feel a slight twinge of mortality. When I stand down next May it will be just shy of 10 years since I got involved in local politics and its been a huge chunk of my adult life. I pity anyone who looses there seat suddenly or unexpectedly. Its sobering enough departing in a planned way - I more or less made my mind up 18 months ago - but ...
The good thing about this article is that I can now claim this blog was inspired by a newspaper columnist, which seems so much less geeky than the alternative. Share This
BAE Systems yesterday formally announced the appointment of former Chief Justice Lord Woolf as chair of the company’s new inquiry into its business ethics - but the Al Yamamah deal won’t be part of his remit, according to today’s Independent. Yesterday, Lord Woolf said he would not have wanted to take on a role at BAE [...]
The Welsh Liberal Democrats take the debate about how the Assembly is funded into Plenary tomorrow with a motion calling for the creation of an independent commission. In the past such a motion would attract the support of Plaid Cymru but would founder on the rocks of Labour and Conservative opposition. Wednesday, however, may be different. That is because the very commission that we are calling for is already the subject of negotiations between Labour and Plaid Cymru, with the First Minister having agreed to its establishment. The Commission is also in the rainbow accord document endorsed by the ...
BAE Systems is facing a new investigation, this time by Hungary, which will look into “alleged improprieties” into the awarding of a tender for fighter jets that to Saab. The announcement was made on Monday by Hungarian Defense Minister Imre Szekeres. The Hungarian media has widely reported on an investigative story by Sweden’s SVT television, which [...]
Lord Goldsmith, the Attorney General, will be questioned about his role in the Al Yamamah/BAE affair by the House of Commons’ constitutional affairs committee, the Guardian reports. The hearing is expected later this month while Tony Blair is still prime minister. The committee, chaired by the Lib Dem Alan Beith, will also question the head of [...]
Thatcher’s worst legacy to me was to associate economic liberalism with Toryism. Too often, sound economics and measures designed to increase liberty are rejected out of hand as ‘Thatcherite’ or ‘right wing’ despite being founded in liberal tradition and having been demonstrated to have worked. I see this most explicitly in the pages of Liberator where Radical [...]
Apple announced a couple of months ago that they were delaying (again) the launch of the latest version of their operating system OS X, to be called Leopard, until October. (Its former slot of the exciting new Apple release for the first half of 2007 seems to have been given over to the iPhone, though [...]
Soon-to-be Republican presidential candidate and actor Fred Thompson is in London today, seeking to buff up his foreign policy credentials with a major speech, and, apparently, to seek the support of Margaret Thatcher. Thompson is causing a flurry of excitement among disillusioned Republican activists - he came top of a poll in South Carolina despite not having entered the race or even yet set up an exploratory committee.Ultimately, the excitement about Thompson reflects his star power and a deep dissatisfaction with the rest of the field. But he is far from the Reagan conservative many of his supporters might think - ...
Social Responsibility-one of Dave Cameron’s latest buzz-phrases, one that can mean very different things to different people and groups. Another cynical attempt to invade liberal (and Liberal) space or a renewed commitment to transform society for good? It also sums up my ministry relating to social and community concerns in the Anglican Diocese of Norwich. What follows is an extract from the first in a series of occasional articles originally written for the July issue of Across the See- the monthly publication of the Diocese, focusing on aspects of the mission of the Church in this Diocese and beyond ...
Obviously I support the retention of manufacturing at Castle Bromwich and Lode Lane. Birmingham City Council will maintain its policy of wanting manufacturing at those locations and I am certain (although I have not discussed it with the leaders of Solihull as yet) that they will take the same view. The issue of the future of these plants (and businesses) is of major importance to the West
A Lib Dem motion underlining the importance of Royal Mail’s Universal Service Obligation was debated at Westminster Hall yesterday amid concerns that, if Royal Mail’s application for zonal charging for bulk mail is approved, bulk mail will be removed from the universal service. As Orkney and Shetland MP Alistair Carmichael commented, “What is left will hardly [...]
As reported in today’s Mail: Ken Livingstone has blocked the appointment of nine white men because they are “unrepresentative” of London. The Mayor used his powers to promote equality to stop them serving on the London fire authority. He refused to confirm all but one of the Tory and Liberal Democrat nominations to the body that sets [...]
I now discover that Lord Rayleigh already has two craters named after him. Here's a picture of the lunar crater Rayleigh . It's on the edge of the Moon , as seen from Earth- so it's hard to see it. It's quite big though - 107 km across. And here's a picture of the Martian crater Rayleigh. It's quite near the Martian south pole , and even has some frost in it sometimes. It's bigger than the
Julia Goldsworthy, MP for Falmouth and Camborne, was the guest speaker at last night’s Blackheath Supper Club, talking about how to win from third place — a message that is particularly relevant to Chris Maines, my successor as LibDem parliamentary candidate for Orpington, who is now gearing up to tackle Lewisham East. Julia had been warned by [...]
Sometime ago I signed a petition on 10 Downing Street E-Petitions website calling on the PM to create a campaign to explain and promote the EU. | < | June 2007 | > | ||||
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