LibDem Blogs - Archived! - Wednesday 12th September 2007

Labour attempt to engineer another race row

One of the less edifying spectacles of tonight's Southwark Council Meeting was a co-ordinated attempt by the Labour opposition to manufacture a race dispute where none exists. The basis of the dispute was a response to a question at an earlier Council Meeting about the proportion of senior officers in the Council who are non-white. It has fallen from 17.2% in 2004 to 15.7% today. It emerged during the meeting, thanks to the persistence of Councillor Noakes, that Labour had no idea how many people were covered by the 'senior' derogation. So it was unclear whether this fall referred to ...

Oh, Ming - you could have said it so much better

You have to choose your words so carefully in politics. But, sometimes, you can choose them too carefully. Ming Campbell went firmly on the record today to affirm his view that a referendum on the EU reform treaty was - in his words - “not necessary”. It was entirely the wrong way to make a perfectly valid point. Why was he wrong? Words matter. “Not necessary”. Jars a bit, doesn’t it? It’s an

There Should Be A Referendum on the EU Treaty

I'm adding my voice to several Lib Dems who believe that there should be a referendum on the latest EU Treaty. I'm a declared Europhile that recognises that although there are significant issues with the way in which the EU operates which certainly need to be reformed, the pooling of sovereinty with our fellow EU partners has certainly helped Britain to punch above it's weight on a range of international issues. We need to go out and sell the benefits of the EU to the British people. For too long now we've allowed the crankies in the Tory Party and ...

Menzies Campbell backs the wrong referendum

This morning's Financial Times carries a report based on an interview with Ming Campbell. It begins: Sir Menzies Campbell, Liberal Democrat leader, on Tuesday took the heat off Gordon Brown over the revised European Union constitution, arguing that a referendum on the new treaty was “not necessary” ...Sir Menzies, a “pro-European”, told the Financial Times the new EU reform treaty was “sufficiently different” from the original constitution to avoid the need for a plebiscite. I have argued before in favour of a referendum on the treaty - not because I have any affection for referendums but because for years now ...

The depressing homogenisation of ITV

The proposals announced by Michael Grade today to reduce ITV's regional newsrooms, from 17 to nine, is yet another step in the steady ratcheting of the homogenisation of ITV. In the 1960s and 70s, each ITV region was run by an individual, independent private company. They had their own logos, on-screen continuity "personality" announcers, news programmes, magazine programmes, start-up films,

Due credit to Steve McLaren

Well done to Steve McLaren, England manager, for his decisions in the last seven days. Picking Heskey, Barry, Robinson and Wright-Phillips have all been proved rught, with the wonderful Gareth Barry and Emile Heskey putting pressure on more illustrious names such as Rooney, Lampard and Carrick to start producing the goods at international level. The fact that Wayne Rooney has not scored a competitive goal for England in over three years speaks volumes, but it was so refreshing to see players playing for the shirt, and not cash tonight. Well done England and well done to the manager. P.S. And ...

crazy golf in Teignmouth

Last Sunday Vic and I were out early to get a quick round in on Teignmouth's crazy golf course before the hordes descended. Twice in two rounds I've managed to get a hole in one, but this time it didn't stop me from losing to the girl Marsom. I cracked on the last 3 holes to let a promising below par round slip to 3 over. Talk of a boxing day return match has already started.

Selection Candidate Comes Out: there must be a referendum

I am exhausted after another night’s canvassing for my former agent John Mackie who is standing for Dover District Council. But I think I still have the mental energy to write. Good people have warned that this post may ruin my chances of coming first or second in the South East European Selection. I believe those people are mistaken. Even if they are right, I have such strong feelings that I am obliged to speak out. In my judgement, Ming is wrong to dismiss calls for a referendum on the proposed European Treaty. I am not a Lib Dem with ...

Don’t fear the Reapers

A novel way to get young people to church is being tried out with a special service at St Paul’s in (Lib Dem) Grangetown, Cardiff. The church was used as a location for Paul Cornell’s Doctor Who episode Father’s Day a few year’s ago, and the series is its means to entice fans in, as icWales reports: Fr Dean Atkins, youth officer with the Diocese of Llandaff and one of the organisers of the service, said: “The figure of Doctor Who is somebody who comes to save the world, almost a Messiah figure. “In the series there are lots of ...

Where does Europe end?

I actually meant to write this at the weekend but have only just got around to it. The catalyst was England playing Israel in the European Championship qualifiers, but someone also recently asked me about Israel taking part in Eurovision and Turkey's aspirations to join the European Union.

How rumours start

This week has been pretty chocka with meetings, what with panels, full council and area committees already happened, and member-officer steering groups and member development still to come. As well as giving councillors a formal way of debating policy, they also bring us together informally, and that’s when corridor gossip begins. After tea at Full Council (pan-fried salmon, chocolate roulade, cheese) Labour Cllr C asked me a throwaway question en passant: “Have officers talked to you about the proposed changes to the Development Control Ctte?” My hackles were instantly raised. Changes? What changes? Does this impact on me? Is my ...

The Time Has Come: Pull British Troops Out of Iraq

Ming Campbell has today called for British troops to leave Iraq. You can back Ming’s call by signing his petition. “It is time to recognise that British troops can do no more in Iraq. “Their professionalism and dedication has been outstanding and their courage has been beyond belief. “The Government is failing to answer the fundamental question about the military purpose they are serving and the political objective they are achieving by their continued presence. “The level of casualties is unacceptable. We have a moral obligation to the young men and women of our armed forces. “We should now set ...

Biased BBC reporting undermines Lib Dem success

The odd headline showed above is the way the BBC reported that the Lib Dems got three stars for the party's environmental policies in the Green Standard report. What the report showed was that the Labour Party got just one star and the Tories zero. I'll repeat that for the hard of reading, the Tory got nothing, zilch, a big fat nought. So let's get this right, the BBC are equating the Lib Dems three stars, and if you read the repot, they are issued on a trafffic light system of red, amber and green, which gets you a star, ...

Ming is wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong !

It is being reported by Shane Greer on Iain Dale's blog that Ming has ruled out the Lib Dems supporting a referendum on having an EU constitution. If so, what a catastrophic and misguided political move it could prove to be. Ming may support the EU, but most British people are now deeply sceptical of the EU. This does not mean they are anti it, but a further deepening of the EU's powers, or indeed for that matter a taking away of EU powers needs to have the approval of the British people. If the EU constitution is 96% similar ...

How full is your glass?

Is your pint glass half full or half empty? I've never worked out why we're so precious of some of our old imperial measurements. Especially when no one is quite sure how much a pint should actually be. Wikipedia has at least 7 different definitions of it. So when I ask whether your pint glass is half full, is it 284ml, 280ml, 285ml, 213ml (S Aus.) or 225ml (US dry). Now the one thing you can't argue about with metric measurements is that half of a 1/2l glass is always 250ml.

Where have my party's principles gone?

I generally try to be positive about the party on my blog, as I want to be supportive and positive about what we do -certainly in "print" ... BUT .... What the bloody hell has Ming gone and done? Deciding that the British People won't have the right to choose where their power goes? It is not the right of any politician (of whatever party) to decide, it is not their power to freely give away and we are the party that really stood for that. I am pro-Europe (although not hook line and sinker as Devil's Kitchen recently assumed), ...

Ellie Lawrenson - The Question's Left Unanswered

Yesterday's "Not Guilty" verdict on Allie Lawrenson's grandmother, who had been accused of Manslaughter might be the end of the story for some, but for me it leaves certain key questions unaswered. I would like to know 1) Ellie's grandmother had smoked 10 joints and was then knocking back a bottle of wine. Surely the 10 joints constitutes some sort of offence ? 2) What is Ellie's mother's role in this ? She left her child with a woman who was, it appears from the evidences, stoned and on her way to being drunk too. 3) The dog was, according ...

Cuts in "Local news for local people" from ITV

It is a shame to see ITV losing another one of its best features, and one of the key things that opponents of the BBC's license fee payers always use to argue against the BBC. ITV are to axe a number of their more local newsrooms and amalgamate news in to nine regional centres. The anti BBC brigade constantly tell us that "the market" will provide and that the BBC does not need a license fee. but it is clear that the public service ethos and the wish to provide high quality news is something that can be pushed aside ...

David Cameron is always wise ......... after the event

The re-emergence of foot and mouth disease in Surrey is another disaster for farmers and a great shame too for the government who had, in the view of most observers, done everything possible to ensure it was contained and dealt with. So it was a shame to hear David Cameron scoring cheap political points on Radio Five on the way home from work on this issue. According to David Cameron, the restrictions on moving animals were lifted too early and he also implied that it was Gordon Brown's personal fault. Now I know they are desperate in the Tory party ...

I'm With Gavin - And Paddy

Gavin's written about the EU treaty better than I could have done .

What the Hell Has Happened to Us?

In the wake of Ming Campbell's announcement that he doesn't support a referendum on the new EU Treaty, LibDemBloggers have come out in support of him... Yes, that's right, in support. My post earlier today is the only one criticising his move. Where the hell are the outraged voices arguing the point that whilst we support the Union, we also believe in the principle that on matters where power is

Labour in control and already the Town Clock is on the blink

Redcar Town Clock is currently showing the incorrect time. The clock maintenance engineers have advised that the timing mechanism should right itself in a few days. Let's hope it does. One of the first things we did when we took control of the Council was get the town clock ticking again. It had been out of action for more than four years and the Labour administration claimed it was seriously damaged by vandalism. The truth turned out quite differently. The only thing wrong with the clock was that the mechanism had siezed up through lack of maintenance. The Lib Dem ...

Is the Lib Dem blogosphere moribund?

Anthony Barnett seems to think so. There is some merit to what he has to say, but my response can be found here. Longer term readers might recall me making similar points a couple of months ago. Anyone else want to have their say? Share This

Are imperial measurements really common sense?

There’s been much triumphant talk about a victory for common sense over the EU’s decision to allow the UK to continue using imperial measurements. But really what is the change from now? OK, so the UK will be allowed to keep pints of milk and beer, won’t have to change road signs and the price will still be displayed in imperial. That makes sense, but retailers will still have to sell most goods in metric, and so they should. Most countries use metric measurements, the business world is largely metric and most people these days are used to them. This ...

Opinion: How the Lib Dems can help tourism thrive

It may be easy to forget when it’s on your doorstep every day, but the UK is one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations. You only have to think about the stunning views from the Brecon Beacons, the tranquillity of the Norfolk Broads or the thriving cultural scene in Liverpool to understand why that’s [...]

Executive Member for Health resigns with dignity

Tonight's Council Meeting began on sad note with the resignation of Liberal Democrat Councillor Denise Capstick as Executive Member for Health and Adult Care. Denise, who was convicted for drink driving earlier this year had sought to stay in the role following support from colleagues and organisations that work with her such as Age Concern, based on her qualities as a hard-working Councillor and commitment to public service through her Council work, position as a Major in the Territorial Army, and as a nurse working for the NHS. She did not seek to excuse her error, she apologised and is ...

Surrey Docks Centre joins London Regatta

On Sunday Lib Dem Cllr Lorraine Zuleta drove the rescue boat for the Surrey Docks Watersports Centre in the London regatta. In the morning the race had to be abandoned due to lack of wind and she ended up towing boats back to Greenwich yacht club from the dome at midday. Attached is one of the pictures. In the afternoon the Surrey Docks team team took first and third places in the classes for abled-bodied sailors.

Caroline Pidgeon opens new Dulwich Wood nursery

Caroline was delighted to speak at the official opening of Dulwich Wood Nursery School and Children’s Centre on 12th September. Nursery Schools and Children’s Centres provide the valuable start in life that children need and offer access to a wide range of services such as health and parenting advice to ensure that parents have the support they need to bring up their child or children. “The new building is truly wonderful," said Caroline Pidgeon. "Congratulations to the governors, staff, parents and children who ensured the new centre was developed in this part of Dulwich” Photo: Children’s Lead Member Cllr Caroline ...

Labour Councillor 'smear'-trial update

Today's Times carries an update on the trial of Waltham Forest Councillor Miranda Grell, first reported here in April. Labour suspended Grell in the same month, pending her trial. If convicted she would likely be expelled from Labour, and if imprisoned for 3 months or more would automatically lose her Council seat. If not attention would then turn to whether the case were 'not proven' or whether she had been the victim of a conspiracy. Either way the result, while personally exhausting and devastating for the participants, should have positive implications for political campaigning in the UK, by putting a ...

Sad note on censorship

I’ve edited the quotation in the post below by censoring the swear word and racial terms. A good person emailed me that while most people would understand I was quoting someone else’s words, in the bent political world in which we live someone might try to suggest I was somehow adopting them as my own words. My first response was my Olivier impression (“Darling, it’s called acting!”) my second response was a West Wing-esque “bring it on” but on reflection I can’t be bothered to find myself responding to emails from people who pretend not to understand a quotation mark. With much regret ...

What the NFU really thinks about democracy

I have just seen a press release the NFU put out about the EU Reform Treaty and its implications for agriculture. It says, correctly, that under the provisions of treaty, the European Parliament’s Agriculture Committee gets a legislative voice for the first time. But then the bombshell:“A legislative voice for agriculture would potentially tailor Parliament’s dossiers to suit more closely the needs of farmers, however another set of opinions into the melting pot may serve only to weigh down action and increase bickering and bureaucracy.” Can this be the real view of the farming community: ‘Stuff democracy let’s have a ...

Mini motorbike seized, crushed

Police seized an illegal mini motorbike in Chipping Sodbury last week - the same day as a local teenager received it. He was apparently riding it up and down Brandash Road. These toys may look attractive, but they're not "real motorbikes". They're dangerous to inexperienced riders and the public, and they're not street-legal. Chipping Sodbury police explained: "Mini motorcycles cannot legally be ridden on the roads – including footpaths – or any public open spaces. The only place they can be used legally is on private land with the permission of the landowner". In other words, if you've been sold ...

Leading the fight against climate change

Ming Campbell has written an article for the Liberal Democrat Voice website on the issue of climate change: The role of our Party on this issue has always been to lead the way and we will continue to do so. Not only that, we’ll continue to press for Britain to take global leadership on fighting climate change. Read the full piece here.

Lib Dem views on NHS cleaning contracts

Isn’t it about time that the Party bit the bullet (so to speak!) and advised that Lib Dem activists campaigned for their local NHS trusts to contract in all Cleaning work? This would not only make us look bold on the issue of C.diff etc but also mark us out as helping the workers at the bottom of the heap. In my own area the local NHS trust has contracted in hospital staff (and the Lib Dem local council has brought waste collection in house). I can’t help but think that society’s moving full circle in understanding that is is ...

MPs: Stand by your beds!

George Foulkes MSP has called for his fellow parliamentarians to be put up in former miltary barracks. Hopefully there will be a proper drill sergeant to knock ‘em into shape. Do you remember the opening scenes from Stanley Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket? If you haven’t seen it, you haven’t lived. I quote, “If you ladies leave my island, if you survive recruit training… you will be a weapon, you will be a minister of death, praying for war. But until that day you are pukes! You’re the lowest form of life on Earth. You are not even human f****** beings! You ...

Private dentists? i'd rather have a box for me teeth!

According to a study published by the University of Dundee recently, it seems that one in five dentistry students said they would shun NHS work once they had qualified. Given the disaster that is dentistry in this country, this is clearly a problem for everyone not willing to be sucked in to expensive and severely limited con insurance policies like Denplan. The simple thought occurs that, if these delightful students are receiving £180,000 worth of free education at the expense of taxpayers, it is not beyond the realms of possibility to set out a simple contract at the start of ...

Asda's possible new stores in south Birmingham

Asda are putting forward proposals for new stores in south Birmingham and one of the sites they are suggesting is in Selly Oak (the other is at Barnes Hill). As part of this process they say that they would want to hear the views of the local community and their representatives before submitting any planning applications. The Selly Oak site is in an area known as The Dingle on Bristol Road. It

Search of the Day

"Wrekin Mount Doom" A pleasing idea.

Taking steps on Climate Change

This morning I had the privilege of meeting the team who are marching 1000 miles the length and breadth of Britain to highlight the urgent nature of the climate change challenge that we face. The group has been put together by Christian Aid and are half UK based and half from overseas, including several Africans with first-hand experience of the impact of climate change on their communities. They are speaking at schools and churches, handing out leaflets and petitions and generally spending three months of their life getting people to take climate change more seriously. The marchers will be going ...

Conference will be the busiest ever

Twenty policy motions; ten set piece speeches; four consultative sessions; two urgent issue debates; three question and answer sessions; three presentations; five reports from Party committees; three reports from Parliamentary Parties; two business motions; six awards; 280 fringe meetings; 157 training sessions; and 68 organisations with stands in the Exhibition Area. The Liberal Democrat Conference 2007 in Brighton is going to be the busiest in the Party's history. The only thing missing is constitutional amendments.

Why Ming is right on the EU treaty

Not much I can add to this, apart from one word - agreed.

Support for the Reform Treaty.

West Midlands Lib-Dem Phil Bennion, one of seven members of the Coalition for the Reform Treaty is calling for the EU to agree to the changes outlined in the draft Reform treaty. In a letter published in the Guardian and covered in the Independent, the coalition argue that the changes to the treaty are necessary as the EU has enlarged in recent years. A copy of the letter is included below. We believe it would be fitting in the EU's 50th anniversary year for the Union to agree the changes outlined in the draft Reform Treaty. These proposals have been ...

Sybil the Downing Street cat

All power to the Chancellor, Alistair Darling, for bringing back a feline presence to the heart of government. The best news report is in the Independent: The Darlings have brought Sybil, named after the character played by Prunella Scales in Fawlty Towers, from their Edinburgh home to live in their flat above 10 Downing Street. It is understood that the Darlings will be footing the bill for the Government's newest recruit. Sybil will be given privileged access to the heart of government to help fulfil her task of keeping the building free of vermin. Gordon Brown's spokesman explained: "It's quite ...

Why Ming is right on the EU treaty

LibDem Voice reports that Ming Campbell has said that a referendum is not necessary on the EU Treaty. I am going to go out on a limb and say that I agree 100% with Ming. If you look at the items in the treaty, the idea of having a meaningful referendum debate on them is absolutely absurd: -Double majority voting needing 55% of member states representing 65% of the population from 2014,

Do we need to qualify for Euro 2008?

Time after time after time, England struggle through qualification for major tournaments, then get knocked out in the quarter finals. Add to this, with the stupid money flying about the Premier League, the club -v- country battle has never been greater. So ahead of tonight’s crucial qualifier with Russia, I pose this controversial question - would it be such a bad thing if we fail to qualify for Euro 2008? I think those who say they “don’t care about England” would soon change their tune if we were watching the cream of European football compete in Austria and Switzerland next ...

West Midlands region profiled

Today's Guardian has a profile in the Society section in association with Advantage West Midlands and the European Commission. You can also read it online at http://society.guardian.co.uk/advantagewestmidlands/

Opinion: Leading the fight against climate change

Climate change has risen to the top of the UK’s political agenda in recent months. The Prime Minister talks about it, the leader of the Conservatives talks about it. But the role of our Party on this issue has always been to lead the way and we will continue to do so. Not only that, [...]

Council meeting

At last nights Council meeting my Car club policy item was passed although it was watered down by a Tory amendment. The Tories don't want Council owned land to be used for car clubs. They want private land to be used. That would be fine if it were somewhere that was available 24 hours a day. The local shopping centre (The Spires) was a suggested host. However the Spires car park closes overnight so what do you do if you want to use a car club car at night? The motion was not about subsiding private companies, it was about ...

Lib Dems are the greenest and that's official

Posted by Glynis: Liberal Democrat Councillors on Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council are delighted that an independent report has named the Lib Dems as the greenest of the main parties. The report entitled “Green Standard” is published by an alliance of respected environmental campaign groups including Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and the Woodland Trust. It awarded the Lib Dems three “green lights” approving their policies. Labour received only one and the Conservatives none. This confirms what we have always known. Whilst the other parties talk about the environment, only the Liberal Democrats put words into action. We have ambitious ...

Miles, Pints and Pounds are here to stay

Gunter Verheugen, the EU's industry commissioner, has announced that the UK can continue to use imperial measurements. Since 1995, goods sold in Europe have had to display metric weights and measurements, but imperial measures were allowed to continue in the UK until 2009. The announcement means that imperial measurements will now be allowed beyond 2009.

Pot Noodles

I read in The Times that Boris Johnson has expressed the view that Police should spend more time pursuing serious crimes, and not recreational cannabis smokers. He said: “I don’t want the police wasting their time rifling through the sock drawers of every student in London in the hope of finding a little rabbit dropping of cannabis. You know, I just think it’s a waste of their time.”An eminently senisble statement, though one likely to inspire rancour in plenty of Tories. It may also prove quite helpful to the Liberal Democrats, should Brian Paddick eventually emerge as their London Mayoral ...

Yes, we can have a vote on Europe: it's called a General Election.

There has been a lot of talk about both an early general election and a referendum on the July 2007 revision to European Union treaties. For what it's worth, I believe that the Labour Party's coffers need to refill before it can consider fighting a general election. (The Conservatives are also in debt; Liberal Democrats and Plaid - with its legacy - are best placed financially at present.) Of course, Gordon Brown can take up the explicit offers of help from some affiliated trades unions. But what would be the price of such help. Some TU officers might demand plum ...

What I Think of Jim Davidson’s Whingeing ‘Victim’ Act (go on, guess)

Paul Walter yesterday stirred a hornets’ nest with a Liberal Burbling on the self-destruction of Jim Davidson, who has bleated: “What about white, straight, Anglo-Saxon males like me? Who cares about us? Where do we go?” I didn’t see any of Hell’s Kitchen, but I’ve found this man a loathsome, repellent bigot for about as long as I can remember; from my teens, I remember people being bullied with his ‘jokes’ (possibly including me, but the details go hazy at my age), and in his latest outbursts demanding pity and blaming political correctness he has, as ever, missed the point. ...

Serially Out of Touch

I support the EU. I really do. It has been immeasurably good for this country. But, alas, it has its niggles. Too many decisions are taken behind closed doors, 27 Commissioners is too many and some decisions are taken at EU level which should really be left to national or local government ("the subsidiarity principle"). Which is why I welcome the new EU treaty, which, if the spin is to be

The Candidate For You?

Excitement is building up about potential candidates for the largest-franchise elected positions both in Britain and the United States – the Mayor of London and, somewhat more grandly if somewhat less directly elected, the President. Yesterday the Liberal Democrats announced their shortlist for the Mayoralty, while in the early hours of this morning Jonathan Calder linked to a handy guide to which Presidential candidate might suit you best. Anders Hanson has also written a piece about Brian Paddick which, as well as being jolly nice about me (thanks, Anders) raised two questions to which Mr Paddick has now supplied answers ...

Encouraging sounds from across the channel

EuObserver reports that M. Sarkozy has backed the idea of reforming the Common Agricultural Policy, one of the most ludicrous, expensive and inefficient EU policies. The fact that the French government is even thinking about shifting their position of just saying ‘Non’ to reform is a large step, and he’s phrased it fairly well- I do not [...]

Mirror, Mirror On The Wall

Who Is the Greenest of Them All? A new report by the Green Alliance has placed the Lib Dems ahead of the Tories and Labour for environmental policies. The Green Standard Report gave the Lib Dems three...

Advance Notice - AGM

Southport Liberal Democrats will be holding our 2007 Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Friday 30th November at St Luke's, starting at 8:00 p.m. A formal calling notice and agenda for the AGM will be sent to all paid up members of Southport Liberal Democrats about three weeks before the event.

Ming says EU reform treaty referendum “not necessary”

In a pre-conference interview in today’s Financial Times, Lib Dem leader Ming Campbell has dismissed calls for the party to back a referendum on the EU reform treaty - but has kept open the possibility of a re-run of 1975’s ‘in or out’ poll: … Sir Menzies, a “pro-European”, told the Financial Times the new EU [...]

Lord Bonkers

Liberal Democrat Voice has published a 17th Anniversary Special for Lord Bonkers' diary, a regular feature of the Liberator magazine. Speaking through his literary secretary, Jonathan Calder, the good Lord first introduces himself and then gives us some examples of his previous diary entries. The full selection can be read on Lord Bonkers' website but here are two to whet your appetite. On the first gulf war: Yesterday’s melancholy has abated and I am now determined to do something to end this dreadful war. Miss Fearn, with her warm heart, is knitting cosies “for the poor camels”, but I feel ...

What's in a name?

The battle of names regarding the new Assembly coalition government has the potential to be an entertaining source of conflict over the next few months. Plaid Cymru members consistently refer to it as the One Wales' Government, whilst Labour AMs have reverted to their usual form in calling it a Labour-led Assembly Government as in this press release from Val Lloyd. Val is claiming sole credit for Labour for extra money that has been given to carers even though her party is supposed to be in partnership with Plaid Cymru. Will this sort of behaviour be carried into the chamber ...

Back in harness

At last all has become clear, Betsan Powys obviously spent her prolonged absence from the interweb talking to Welsh Liberal Democrats. Her latest analysis of the dilemmas facing various potential candidates for the leadership of our Assembly group is uncanny. The only quibble I have with her post is that actually the Welsh Liberal Democrat group in the Assembly is far more disciplined and coherent a body that she gives us credit for. I think Betsan really should go on holiday now.

Personally Conflicted

A multi-lateral counter-terrorist organisation seems like a good proposition to me. A useful idea from that generally rather cynical, uninspiring faux homme populaire, John Edwards.

Zen and the art of green holidays

It’s tough work trying to lead a low carbon life. But according to my partner it’s much harder living with an “eco warrior”. Going to Portugal by train was not Laura’s idea of the perfect holiday. But after some heated discussions she accepted the challenge. After all it was never going to be as tough as last year’s cycle ride to Paris! So we bought Inter Rail passes as if we were teenagers and booked ourselves into a small organic farm near Lisbon. The first thing that hits you is that it costs more to go by train. We paid ...

Community Council, Western Cemetery Association, Magdalen Green, West End Christmas Week

A very productive meeting of the West End Christmas Week committee on Monday - things taking shape. The week this year is running from 1st to 8th December, with a launch on 1st December on Magdalen Green and the Christmas Concert, Lights Switch On and fireworks display on Thursday 6th December. Along with valued help from colleagues, I am distributing the first flyer to local shops later this week (see right).It's amazing to think that its already the seventh year of the West End Christmas Week, and we have exciting new initiatives this year to keep the week fresh and ...

Easy life, the Travelodge way

Work is very hectic at the moment - and won't be getting any easier over the next three weeks when I go to all the party conferences. Also had a council meeting last night, substituting on General Purposes for my ward colleague Sara Beynon who had to go to a Tetherdown governors meeting. Just a quick one on a story I spotted yesterday - a couple who have spent the last 22 years living in Travelodges. Not having to tidy/clean and no utility bills both definitely appeal... sadly, no Travelodges in Haringey.

Uncle Sam runs out of troops

So Bush is to announce a reduction, next year, in US troops in Iraq. But the only reason he is doing it is because the USA, bless them, have run out of troops, or will do next year if they don't radically reduce their deployments. It's nothing to do with the Iraqi political system and its army and police force being able to take the strain. We were told that was the reason for the troops being

LibDems come top in "green audit"

It is not surprising really. The Tories have emitted quite a lot of hot air on green issues (shoe chauffeurs, Husky photo-ops etc) but it is very difficult to find a commitment amongst their verbiage. Labour seem to have presided over a reduction in "green taxation". So this is confirming what we know anyway, but it is very timely and gratifying to have all the main green bodies confirming

Determination

Once again in Tallinn, finally completing the paperwork of a transaction that we executed a few weeks ago to fund a reverse takeover of a Polish company listed on the Warsaw stock exchange. Coincidentally, a party of British Liberal Democrats is visiting Estonia, and since the party of Parliamentarians is being led by my Uncle, I am able to tag along to a couple of the meetings. Some of the members of the group visited Tallinn four years ago on a similar mission. They are, inevitably, astonished to notice the dramatic changes, not least in the Tallinn skyline, that have ...

Opinion: Lib Dems must support LVT

I’ve been asked to preview the conclusions and argument for my book Location Matters: Recycling Britain’s Wealth here. If you subscribe to Liberator or Challenge (the Green Lib Dems’ journal) you will get reviews by others of the book before Conference. In the current Challenge you will also see a piece by me about how [...]

Day 2441: Sir Mr the Merciless and the Mean Green Mother

Saturday: Before anyone gets CONFUSED that is actually TWO stories! Listening to the "Talking Boll Politics", the summertime replacement for "The Weak(est link) in Westminster", we heard the Thinking Man's Crumpet™ Ms Joan Bakewell (NOT a TART!) praising Sir Mr the Merciless: "He is the most vigorous, most astute, most opinionated politician around."And she bridled at all the insults heaped on Sir Ming just because of how old he is! Later, though, we went out to see an ENTIRELY DIFFERENT man-eating lady: Audrey II, the star of the "Little Shop of Horrors". This was a TREAT laid on for us ...

Coalition for the EU Reform Treaty

The British Coalition for the Reform Treaty (CRT) is being launched in London today, stressing the positive policy impact of the EU Reform Treaty. The Coalition brings together the Liberal Democrat European Group (LDEG), the Labour Movement for Europe and Conservative pro-Europeans (yes, there still are a few!), as well as an all-party parliamentary group, various think tanks and policy forums and business leaders. As Roland Rudd, Chairman of Business for New Europe, says: ‘We have heard a lot of negative things about the Treaty. Many are scare-stories or based on inaccuracies. We took the initiative to form this Coalition to make ...

“Lib Dems Three Times Greener Than Other Parties” says Huhne

A new report by the Green Alliance has placed the Lib Dems lightyears ahead of the Tories and Labour for environmental policies. The Green Standard Report gave the Lib Dems three ‘green traffic lights’ compared to Labour’s one and the Tories’ none. “The Liberal Democrats have an ambitious and realistic objective for a zero-carbon Britain, tackling [...]

Chelmsford's democracy gains a bit but loses a lot

Democracy in Chelmsford gained and lost yesterday. First of all, the public inquiry kicked off into the Chelmsford Borough Development Plan – and later the electorate delivered a major shock by electing a Lib Dem in a by-election. In the morning, the Inquiry Inspector made it quite clear that he was operating under the new Government rules designed to push things through as quickly as possible.

Wednesday 12th September 2007

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