The sage of Derbyshire writes: I am not at all convinced by Alistair Darling as Chancellor. For me, the best Chancellors were the ones who were strong political personalities in their own right - Roy Jenkins, Nigel Lawson, Ken Clarke, Brown himself. By contrast the weakest Chancellors have historically been those who, like Darling, lacked an independent power base from that of the Prime Minister - Anthony Barber and Norman Lamont spring to mind.
Sky News quotes the general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union as saying: "We have witnessed the biggest rescue effort in peacetime Britain by our emergency services and it's not over yet."I wonder if this is right. The Eastern Daily Press website has a very good feature on the East Coast floods of 1953 which, I suspect, were far more serious than any we are experiencing at the moment. Incidentally, Wells railway station - which is pictured on the first page of the EDP feature - is now a pottery and secondhand bookshop. The line to Hunstanton never ...
Sing London is getting people singing in all sorts of places over the next week or so. Hook is doing its own bit, with a community singing workshop led by Nicholas Smith of Kingston Music and Arts Service. It will be at Hook Centre this Saturday from 10.30-11.30am. Nicholas says: "No experience or training needed, just the willingness to learn a song, and sing with a group...
almost everynews paper, or even every media organisation is biased to one train of thought or another. whether it be the choice of political party, to support, The sun newspaper makes before a general election, or the recognised liberal bias or the BBC, or right wing bias of America's Fox News its a simple fact of life that people are allowedto make thier own judgements on issues, and these can affect a persons work, particually if u are a journalist or TV producer, But there are those in the world, specifically in America who feel that Wikipedia, the ...
Labour have called the parliamentary by-elections of Ealing Southall in west London and Sedgefield (County Durham) for July 19th - just 21 days time. 
'Graphoprint' North Wales Closure - Eleanor Burnham Comments Eleanor Burnham, Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for North Wales, today raised an urgent question to Economy Minister Brian Gibbons regarding the closure of the Graphoprint printing plant based at the Deeside Industrial Estate in North Wales. The company went into administration last Friday and it has now been decided that 180 jobs will be lost from the North Wales plant. Ms Burnham raised the emergency question in Plenary this afternoon to demand what Welsh Assembly Government support would be given to those employees who are now to lose ...
A useful meeting with Blackness Area residents last night covering numerous issues including the road surface in Abbotsford Place (I'm arranging a site visit for the Residents' Association to discuss with Planning & Transportation staff), recycling bins, road lining in Blackness Avenue and refuse presentation issues. I've followed up various issues with Council staff today.Today saw my last surgeries at Mitchell Street Centre, Harris Academy and Blackness Primary School until after the school holidays. Between Mitchell Street and Harris, I had the joy of a puncture! I am awfully grateful to the community councillor who attended my surgery at Harris ...
I ended up being just about in favour of the ban on smoking in public places, for two reasons. Firstly, the health of people who don't smoke is a very valuable public good. Secondly, most people who smoke want to give up and it's a reasonable assumption that most smokers aren't in a meaningful sense choosing to do it; so making smoking less attractive is a good thing. (Hopefully a generation of teenagers will realise getting drunk in pubs is better than smoking outside.) However I didn't realise that the smoking ban would lead to EVERYWHERE being plastered with these ...
A few weeks ago the Tories were claiming a Lib Dem was set to defect to them. It didn't happen. Then three days ago a a Tory MP defects to the Tories without any predictions at all that it was going to happen. Yesterday it was predicted that another Tory was going to defect to Labour today. And it hasn't happened. Shouldn't the rule be that defections happen when you least expect them and that predicting them is a pointless activity ?
At a time when we are involved in two civil wars (Afghanistan and Iraq), and have continuing peace keeping roles elsewhere in the world, why does Gordon Brown thin that being the Minister of Defence is a part time job ? Gordon Brown seems to believe that the Defence brief is so easy that he has given Des Browne the position also of Minister of State for Scotland. Okay, so with a Scottish Parliament this is hardly an onerous job, but to devalue the role of the MOD seems very odd indeed. That is, of course, unless he is asking ...
The Edinburgh News has, for one day only, become the Edinburgh "Good" News, covering only good news stories. I guess a single page newspaper won't really catch on though.
Ward: Combe Down App Ref: 07/01833/FUL Parish: N/A Registered: 8th June 2007 ...
I realised after the reshuffle today that my home town (Redditch) is now represented by the Home Secretary (Jacqui Smith) and my current MP (Bob Russell) is a member of the Home Affairs Select Committee. Slightly more interestingly, I’ve been trying to find details of which constituencies Redditch was in pre-1974 as while I’m pretty sure [...]
The BBC website has a helpful at-a-glance photo-guide to Gordon Brown’s first cabinet here. Only Des Browne, the Defence Secretary, survives in the same post he held under Tony Blair - every other cabinet post has changed hands. For all that, the reshuffle is perhaps not as extensive as might have been expected, though there are [...] 
Press Association: 'The Ealing Southall seat is likely to prove a stiffer test, with the Liberal Democrats posing the biggest threat to Labour's 11,400 margin from 2005' The by-election HQ is now open at Unit 5, Urban Hive, Grand Union way, Bridge Road, Southall, UB2 4EX. I see the Tories have selected their candidate who has "has had no previous involvement in the Party" - surely existing
On 27th June I saw a private pre-screening of a BBC programme about orangutans, to be screened on TV on 6 July at 7 pm in the Saving Planet Earth series. The BBC isn't allowed to be political, but this is a political issue. Watch the programme! See what the word deforestation really means. I came close to despair watching the programme. There is a lot of evidence about the importance of rainforests not just for the creatures that live in them but for the world's climate systems. The trees absorb rainwater and carbon ...
The smoking ban, which comes into force on July 1st, could cost Southwark Council another quarter of a million pounds, according to Lib Dem Cllr Jeff Hook, Executive Member for Community Safety. Speaking at Council Assembly last night, Cllr Hook responded to a question from Lib Dem Cllr Anne Yates on the likely costs to th e Council of the smoking ban. He told councillors that the Government had pledged to give Southwark a further £266,512 over the next two years for training enforcement and publicity.However, Cllr Jeff Hook told Assembly that the real costs are likely to be ...
Watching the final hours of the Blair years yesterday, one could not help but be struck by the two sides of Tony Blair. It was, perhaps, fitting that the last word in the house went to Ian Paisley. For, it would have seemed incredible for much of my life that anyone could persuade Ian Paisley [...]
Ming Campbell has reiterated that Liberal Democrats will not accept seats in Gordon Brown’s Government following the latest approach to a Liberal Democrat by Gordon Brown. Liberal Democrat peer Shirley Williams has been invited to advise the new Prime Minister on nuclear proliferation. Baroness Williams will discuss the offer with Ming, Lord McNally, the party’s leader [...]
Riverside ward Liberal Democrat Cllr Eliza Mann has welcomed the decision by Southwark Council to introduce a dispersal zone in the area of the Four Squares Estate in Riverside ward but called on the Police to enforce its provisions with tact and diplomacy. Speaking in a debate on the dispersal zone at last night’s Council Assembly, Cllr Eliza Mann said:“I welcome the decision to seek a dispersal zone for this area. Local people have been plagued by anti-social behaviour by small groups of young people for many years now and, despite all of our efforts, the problems persist.”“This action now ...
I am nervous man today, Don Campbell has summoned me to see Signor Norman "Beast" Lamb, our Capo responsible for drugs rackets in the united territories. Beast have fearsome reputation. A couple of years back a small bookstore owner with friends in the Conservatori Family, Signor Dale, attempt to set up a franchise on his turf. We no know exactly what happen, however soon after Capo Lamb visit his shop, apparently to 'buy the latest Harry Potter', Signor Dale disappear from Upper Norfolk Street, only to reappear a few months later with his own TV station that every night ...
Work and Pensions: Self-Employed: Disabled Q:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what training is available to disabled people in receipt of incapacity benefit wishing to become self-employed. A:We already have powers to offer training to disabled people in receipt of incapacity benefit through New Deal for Disabled People and Pathways to Work. Pathways to Work will be rolled
Work and Pensions: New Deal Schemes: Disabled Q:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make changes to the new deal self-employment test trading scheme so that disabled people in receipt of incapacity benefit can access it. A:New deal self-employment test-trading provision is already available to incapacity benefit recipients who are eligible through new deal for lone
Prime minister: Gordon Brown Chancellor: Alistair Darling Foreign Secretary: David Miliband Home Secretary: Jacqui Smith Health: Alan Johnson Schools and children: Ed Balls Innovation, universities and skills: John Denham Justice: Jack Straw Commons leader: Harriet Harman Defence and Scotland: Des Browne International Development: Douglas Alexander Work and Pensions: Peter Hain Northern Ireland:
Wednesday: First there was the HEATWAVE. Then there was DROUGHT. Then there were GALES. Then there were FLOODS. And on the next day THE LORD spake thus: "What do I have to DO to convince you people about Climate Change?!" What, you thought I was going to write about something ELSE today? Oh, all right... It is the END of an EARACHE! Lord Blairimort has quit as Prime Monster and as MP for Sedgefield too, and now Mr Frown has taken over. The entire House of Commons rose in ...
Rescued from some doormats as a side-effect of Good Morning delivery in a council by-election today... a Tory 'Good Morning' (they are learning, please note) enclosing a second Tory offering. A very glossy and expensive looking card saying "Brown in, Prisoners Out" Attacking Labour for being soft on crime and bungling prisons policy. This looks like a nationally produced effort so watch out for it at other by-elections. By the way, this by-election is also plagued by the 'England First Party' campaigning against the LibDem council's policy of providing language interpreters where required and moaning about the ...
It’s still sinking in, but first reactions? Yay! 6 years since Straw left the post, we get to call someone Jack Boot again. Okay, Jacqui Boot. Will Ruth Kelly abolish public transport on Sundays? Des Browne to be defence AND Scotland? Are we going to be fortifying Hadrian’s Wall? Geoff Hoon as Chief Whip. Not [...]
Last night at Council my question to the Leader regarding the future of threatened creative industries was well answered. So thanks to the Executive for that. It seems as if the desire to save these businesses is shared across the Council, even if there seems to be little being done to actually save them! I asked a supplementary question seeking assurances that more work will be done to stop
Matthew Parris writes: Have you ever heard MPs bleating like sheep in the chamber? Many years ago, as parliamentary sketchwriter for The Times, I was astonished at the sound from the Labour benches when a little-known Tory backbencher rose. “Baa, baa!” rang around the chamber. My colleague whispered the explanation. This MP had been convicted of cruelty to sheep, having been legally responsible for his farm employees’ failure to feed his flock. His name was Quentin DaviesSo it was odd that Davies chose to sit next to Kali Mountford when he took his place on the Labour benches. Whatever ...
It seems to be that the system has moved into overdrive in North Tyneside. All of these babies are being harmed by the system as a result of them being prevented from being properly fed by their mothers. There really must be some form of formal investigation into the massive jump in babies being removed from their mothers.
Iain Dale is getting remarkably steamed up about Shirley Williams. The very helpful holding statement from the party makes it clear that Williams was not offered, and would not have accepted, a government post. The offer Brown made, which has not yet been responded to, is to advise the government on nuclear proliferation, a narrow remit based on Williams' previous experience with the Nuclear
The writs have been moved this morning for the Ealing Southall and Sedgefield by-elections. Both by-elections will take place on 19th July. I will be going to Ealing Southall this weekend, sadly I do not think I will get a chance to get to Sedgefield.
Thursday 28th June 2007 - The past few days have seen the European Parliament really take up the Climate Change Agenda. The Germans have been doing the Committee rounds to look back on the successes and failures of their six months as President of the EU and a key thread running through all the debates that I heard, certainly, was the need to link Europe 's internal and external competitiveness
Liberal Democrats on Southwark Council have attacked the Labour group for voting against securing the long-term future of the Freedom Pass. The Freedom Pass has allowed older and disabled residents to enjoy free travel around the capital for the past 23 years. At last night’s Council Assembly, Labour councillors raised their hands to vote against the motion which stated ‘Council Assembly reiterates its support for the continuation of the Freedom Pass in its current form’.Commenting on the debate, Cllr Caroline Pidgeon, Liberal Democrat Executive Member for Children’s Services who spoke for the Liberal Democrats last night, said:“I find ...
“I met Gordon Brown at 6:30pm on Wednesday evening. We had a friendly and constructive discussion. I was not offered a Ministerial position and would not have accepted one. “The Prime Minister and I talked briefly about the dangers of unsecured nuclear materials and nuclear proliferation, subjects I have worked on as a member of the [...]
2007 2006 2005 Jun May Apr Mar Feb Jan Dec Jul May Mar Jan Nov Edwards 40 39 42 38 26 35 28 15 8 7 8 12 Obama ...
The Western Mail reports that the voting in the Plaid Cymru group yesterday was 10 AMs in favour of the Labour/Plaid deal and five for the rainbow coalition. Elin Jones, Dai Lloyd, Janet Ryder, Gareth Jones and Chris Franks were the members who voted for the All-Wales Accord. I was astonished to read on Betsan Powys' blog, and then subsequently in the Western Mail, that Ieuan Wyn Jones told reporters that a major factor in his decision to go with Labour was his uncertainty about whether the Welsh Liberal Democrats would stay the course in a rainbow coalition. Even ...
"If the relationship between the new and former Prime Minister were a Shakespearean play the drama would end with Mr Blair's resignation at the palace. Various blood-spattered bodies would lie across the stage. Instead Mr Brown appeared at the Palace minutes later and some of those bodies hope to be resurrected today. The play continues."So says Steve Richard's in today's Independent and so it is ('Gordon Brown starts off stronger than anyone expected'). Unfortunately, as we have merely arrived at the interval, not the final curtain, the journalists are all petrified of making predictions that are too bold today, for ...
I arrived safely late last night in Lithuania’s capital, but my case didn’t make the tight connection in Copenhagen. Being deprived of one’s luggage is always unsettling — and not only because one can’t clean one’s teeth. I’d planned to spend this morning working through a great pile of documents in preparation for a seminar [...]
If Wales forms an historic coalition government between two former enemies, and not a single UK newspaper bothers to give it more than a paragraph of attention, did it happen? Share This
There aren't many occasions in Parliament where you will look back and say 'I was there', but yesterday for Tony Blair's final PMQs would be one of them. One of the little known quirks of the House of Commons is that if you want a guaranteed seat for a big occasion you have to turn up at 8am and put in a 'prayer card' in the seat you want. You then turn up at the start of business (1130 on a Wednesday) and attend the three minutes of prayers that starts each day, and then the seat is ...
Our new Prime Minister started his premiership with the words “This will be a new government, with new priorities. This need for change cannot be met by the old politics…Let the work of change begin” So which brand new figures, entirely untainted by any involved in Blair’s government of the last ten years, are tipped to [...]
Harry’s Place carries a report on the decision of the Bangkok International Film Festival to withdraw the film Persepolis, based on the comic book of the same name. Doesn’t this seem like a pity?
Tony Blair has gone, but it’s time to dance away the heartache. Get over it! This Thursday (I'm indisposed tommorow), we have Roxy Music’s smooth rendering of Jealous Guy. Whilst former Roxy associate Brian Eno slung his rock presence behind the Liberal Democrats a couple of years ago, Ferry’s politics are a little more clouded in ambiguity. Whatever they are, we have all forgiven him for that Nazi gaffe now. In truth, I’d forgiven him within seconds. Two Mondays ago, I went out for dinner and actually saw Bryan Ferry. Last Monday, I went out for dinner and saw Charles ...
Camden residents are set to see the benefits of investing in energy saving measures thanks to a new £250,000 council fund. The new ‘revolving energy’ fund will be used by the council to invest in projects to test environmentally friendly initiatives and reduce the amount of energy council buildings use. By reducing the energy council buildings use, the scheme aims to reduce CO2 emissions, help protect the environment and save money. The savings would then be re-invested in more energy saving projects. The project ultimately aims to show businesses and residents how to make changes that help save the ...
After an extended period out of contact (and extremely busy) I return to London to resume the blog. It has been a busy time in the areas in which this blog takes an interest- the issues of freedom, in both an international and a British context. It is inevitable that I should acknowledge that my country has a new Prime Minister first, and to be honest I heaved a sigh of relief when Mr. Blair left office. His legacy will be examined in great detail over the coming years, but it is hard to avoid noticing how much he ...
The Times reports that Gordon Brown is discussing a "foreign affairs advisory" role with Shirley Williams. I seem to remember some Liberal Democrats acting as advisors to Labour office holders before - for example, Susan Kramer on the Transport for London board. Lord Carlile's "independent" advisory role on terrorism, although somewhat controversial, is another example. There are great risks
The "Normal Mouth" blog, who looks at the Blair years by numbers. Of all the blogs doing their thing about Blair, this is the most original.
I have learnt tonight of the sad death of Bromley Liberal Democrat activist Lennard Woods. Killed when his bicycle was involved in an accident with a car in Greenwich Park. Len was chair of Bromley & Chislehurst Liberal Democrats. Over the years he narrowly missed election to Bromley Council - which was never justified as he was a great Liberal and a tireless campaigner for local people. I first
As part of their major summer campaign on the NHS, the Liberal Democrats have launched a new website - http://www.nhssos.com/ | < | June 2007 | > | ||||
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