Today started badly. I had set out bright eyed and bushy tailed for the SOAS-IFCELS end of term party, but half-way across the pedestrian crossing between Holborn tube station and Sainbury’s, a dexterous pickpocket opened my shoulder bag, unzipped the inner compartment, and lifted my wallet. Happy Christmas, Jonathan! Sans money, sans credit cards, sans [...] 
Today's House Points column from Liberal Democrat News. I have been madly busy at work for the last couple of weeks, hence the rather uninspired blogging recently. So this time I decided to subcontract my column to the late philosopher Bertrand Russell - better known in Lib Dem circles as "Conrad's dad". Russell's great contribution to philosophy was in mathematical logic. I suppose the idea that someone who knows a lot about that necessarily also has profound things to say about politics is rather a 19th century one. Yet whenever I read Russell on political questions I am surprised at ...
You may think that responding to every headline with a public inquiry and changes to the school curriculum is a modern habit. Not a bit of it. I was talking the other day to someone whose son attends the London Nautical School. She said - and the school's website confirms it - that the school was founded in 1915, as a consequence of the official report into the loss of the Titanic. It was set up to teach better seamanship to London's youth. Today it is a foundation school and sports college within the Borough of Lambeth, and displays an ...
I am so tired of all the whingers moaning about the choice of Fabio Capello as the new England manager. The constant cry on the radio today was of second rate English managers, and plenty of third rate ones too, moaning about why an Englishman was not chosen for the job. It does not take rocket science to explain the answer to this simple problem. There are too few English managers managing at the very highest level. Those who do have a habit of treating the media with disdain (for example Harry Redknapp and Sam Allardyce refuse to speak to ...
No political relevance, just some rather special music that I felt like blogging about tonight. The Korgis were an underated band from the 80s. Their first hit "If I Had You" was credited to their frontman James Warren and Rachmaninoff. They could show a certain delicate wit, as in this lyric from their track "O Maxine": "O Maxine, Don't ever leave me Though you make love in a matter-of-fact
Earlier today I had an e-mail from the communications officer at Oldbury power station. She had come across my posting on Evel Knievel and through it the story of my participation in the 1977 British Monopoly championship, which was held at Oldbury. The station is soon to close and they are writing its history. It seems that I am a valuable source for this particluar episode. I am told that other highlights of the station's history include: the filming of a Doctor Who episode, featuring Tom Baker and Elizabeth Sladen;the filming of an episode of Blake's 7;Pan's People dancing to ...
I'm a bit de-mob happy since I've broken up from Uni today. Nothing to do now until Jan 7th. Well, apart that is from 4 mini essays, revision for an exam 1st week back, prepare a presentation for assessment as soon as I return, a mock exam on Jurisprudence, some consolidation reading on Hart, Austin, Kelsen, Finnis, and Aquinas, and required reading of Plato's Republic, and Machiavelli's The Prince ahead on next terms course on key political thinkers. But other than than, my time is my own! Anyway, to pass the time, some examples on video campaigning from the Republicans ... 
Apart from very busy surgeries last night, I attended a meeting of the group that is planning to set up a community organisation for Pentland, Ancrum, Cleghorn and surrounding areas. A really enthusiastic group and I am really keen to see this group succeed as it would be great to have an active community organisation in the north part of West End Ward. I was pleased to advise of updates on a number of local issues - including controlled entry, road safety, road and pavement repairs. I also left the meeting with a number of local concerns to raise and ...
A few weeks ago acting lib Dem leader Vince Cable commented in Prime Ministers Questions about the remarkable transformation of Gordon Brown from Stalin to Mr Bean. Already in the UK, this label has stuck with Gordon Brown has his government shuffles from one crisis to another, with each crisis seemingly born of his own party's incompetence. But in Europe, Gordon Brown had no image problems. He was seen as a strong chancellor, a man who could be relied upon and a new leader with get up and go. Oh how those illusions bust be shattered now. Gordon Brown's dreadful ...
I think this piece on Liberal Conspiracy gets to the heart of why Social Democrats irritate me. I have been irritated by Social Democrats and Christian Socialists alike since I was at university and writing a dissertation about New Labour. The holier-than-thou tone of Blair and most of the New Labour hierarchy doesn't just come from the arrogance of power (of course they had the same tone when they were in opposition...) - it stems from the idea that the State (and if you want to push it, the socialist movement and the Labour party) are the embodiment of the ...
The Armed Forces Journal is presumably intended for officers of the US military. Non-partisan, it provides some thoughtful writings on military-related matters. For example, in their section on "darts and laurels", it sends a dart at the British government: To the British government For its scandalous decision to drop the corruption probe into the Al Yamamah arms deal with Saudi Arabia.
Six weeks ago, Mike Huckabee was fifth in the national polls for the Republican US Presidential race - with 6%. Now, a American Research Group national poll shows him tying for first place with Guiliani on 21%. It is an extraordinary turnaround especially when you consider the comparatively tiny amount of money which Huckabee has at his disposal. He has raised $2.3M, while Guiliani has raised
Meaning rather than just putting up a transcript, I can actually post it here, hooray!
Make a total Elf of yourself / John Madejski - a gentleman
The other night I attended a meeting at Westminster organised by Compass Youth. My mate Dan is their Secretary and we have become accustomed over the years to talking geekily about the finer points of the Israel/Arab conflict, William Jennings Bryan and the Wizard of Oz, and the legacy of the students uprisings in 1968. I hadn't had a chance to catch up with Dan in some time, so I agreed to go along to a debate on civil liberties and terrorism that Compass had organised. I am not sure what I was expecting exactly. I've always agreed on 95% ...
Analysing the responses on the Liberal Democrat Voice Prediction Competition it would seem Nick Clegg is destined to win by the proverbial mile. When I last checked, there had been 20 responses. Only one of which predicted a Chris Huhne victory. I can't help wondering if Martin Howes knows something we don't? What can we make of this snapshot on who will win the leadership contest. Well, we can look at it one of two ways. It's either; (a) Nick Clegg has more support overall and thats reflected by the comments. or (b) Chris Huhne supporters haven't bothered to make ...
Brighton and Hove UA, Regency Green 749 (41.6; +8.7), Con 397 (22.1; +2.1), Lab 376 (20.9; -0.6), LD Simon Doyle 148 (8.2; -9.1), Ind 130 (7.2; -1.1). Majority 352. Turnout 23.0%. Green hold. Last fought 2007. Harrow LBC, Canons Con 1208 (56.7; -11.1), Lab 389 (18.3; -0.1), LD Anne Diamond 296 (13.9; +0.1), Ind 182 (8.5; +8.5), BNP 56 (2.6; +2.6). Majority 819. Turnout 24.0%. Con hold. Last
Actually not quite as exciting as the paper’s teasing headline suggests (they didn’t come to blows): Earlier this month Huhne, the Liberal Democrat leadership candidate, asked the Durham force to look into how the Labour supporter won planning permission for a business park off the A1 at Bowburn, County Durham. Today he claimed today that a police [...]
Do you like the 'beautiful game'of football? Do you think people that have achieved something in the beautiful game should be recognised? If the answer to either of these questions is yes, can I draw your attention to a campaign thats underway in Darlington to erect a statue in honour of Britain's first black professional footballer. I am of course talking about Arthur Wharton. Originally from Africa's Gold Coast, now Ghana, Arthur Wharton came to Darlington in 1884 at the age of 19 to train as a Methodist preacher and was Darlington's goalkeeper from 1885 to 1888. Arthur was also ...
This weeks column by Jeremy Browne MP is on the subject of Scientific Research. Here’s what he has to say on the subject: 'People have always had mixed feelings about scientific research. Pioneering medical and technological experiments have transformed the way we live. The virtual eradication of many killer diseases has meant life expectancy in Britain has soared over the past century. And yet there is always a natural human fear of the unknown. Whether it is space travel or heart transplants, there is both excitement and trepidation about entering uncharted waters. I am not a scientist, but I think ...
One thing that has been slightly annoying me recently is people not understanding the difference between a voter and a supporter. On my way into the London hustings the other week I had to pass through a crowd of people handing out leaflets and stickers for the two candidates. I was offered a badge to wear by a member of Nick Clegg's campaign team. When I refused they pointed out to me that I
The moral, technical and political arguments over Trump-not-quite-a-gate (and despite the efforts of some bloggers, I’m in agreement with Josh Lyman that there’s no way this qualifies as a gate) have been thoroughly covered by our Scottish colleagues. What strikes me about the whole affair however is how nice it is, particularly from a Welsh perspective, to see that nationalists in power are 
Liberal Democrat Voice have started a leadership prediction competition today. I think that people's guesses are quite revealing. Most people seem to have Clegg winning by 5% or Huhne winning by 0.1%, but hardly anyone has Clegg winning by a fraction of a percentage point. My guess is that people are making their predictions based on which of the two "stories" they subscribe to. I suppose Nick Clegg scraping home wouldn't be a very romantic outcome for anyone! My own personal guess? Clegg 54.9%, Huhne 45.1%. I have faith!
I agree that fuel prices are too high at the moment which seriously affects rural dwellers who have to use a car, but the news that hauliers and farmers are to stage a fuel protest convoy on Saturday really gets my goat. Thank you for clogging up the M74, M8, M9 & A80 just 10 days before Christmas. Thank you for blockading Ineos plant at Grangemouth and scaring the hell out of people that fuel supplies may well be affected. If there's a petrol panic it will be these bullies to blame and not the Government. In effect these people ...
The newly published Thrasher & Rallings analysis of May’s local election results has some interesting figures on gender balance amongst candidates and councillors: 30% of Conservative candidates were female 31% of Labour candidates were female 34% of Liberal Democrat candidates were female 29% of Conservative councillors are female 31% of Labour councillors are female 34% of Liberal Democrats councillors are female
The controversy over Simon Hughes's endorsement of Nick Clegg has reached the Independent. Pandora quotes a sensible response from Ros Scott: "It is entirely a matter for the president but, personally, I wouldn't have done it," she tells me."The job of the president is to act as a mouthpiece for the members. If, for example, there was a problem with the election, the president would not be seen as independent."Thanks to Lib Dem Voice.
Over a week without a post, but it hasn't been for want of trying. Half a dozen half written sitting in Blogger or on the computer. So much to say and not a damn moment of spare time. Some of this weekend will have to be used to catch up before we have the announcement of the new leader next week and a whole other set of ideas for things to say. So what have I missed? The big debate on '
Says the Daily Telegraph. Perhaps someone should send him a kayak with a file in it?
Well done, Chloe. The Leicester Mercury reports: A Markfield moggie has found a purr-fect place to while away her days - in the village's new library.Chloe, the 12-year-old black and white cat, has been visiting the library for nine years.However, her trips were disrupted when the old wooden building closed, to enable a £385,000 replacement to be built.She would sit in the library grounds and watch work taking place from a safe distance.Six weeks after the new library opened in May last year, she plucked up the courage to slip in through the sliding doors - and now she's been ...
Unfortunately I only spotted this on my last day in San Francisco, so I didn't have chance to pop in and see how it was going. But good to see Ming is keeping busy since he stepped down as our Leader.
Nearly half of Christmas TV programmes shown this year will be repeats, according to research by the Liberal Democrats. The figures also show that 80% of programmes broadcast for young children over the Christmas period will be repeats. I suppose the only mitigation is that children won’t know they are repeats. I, for one, enjoyed Watership Down [...]
Last night at a packed meeting Westminster City Council rejected the controversial planning application by a PLC for permission to cut down a copse of trees and construct five-a-side football pitches with rubber crumb surfacing for private hire in Regent's Park. I blogged about this on 13th July. Apparently only one councillor (Labour, Church Street Ward) voted in favour. A convincing victory for a coalition of local opposition.
The New Zealand Parliament, actually. Thought I'd post a photo to prove I'm actually here - and to please the friends and family who have been annoyed that it's been sunny and warm in both San Francisco and New Zealand so far... as it was a little bit grey and drizzly this morning when this was taken. It's lovely and warm again now though. Had a great few days in San Francisco, just chilling out and enjoying the December sunshine, mostly. Ate some great food, drank some alright beer, spent time at the City Lights bookshop, walked around most of ...
Greater Manchester’s Yellow School Bus services are reducing congestion, improving pupil behaviour and boosting school attendance, according to the latest report heard by transport bosses. Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority (GMPTA), on which I sit and represent Bury MBC, now funds the services to 22 schools, providing safe and reliable journeys for more than 2000 pupils. Councillors heard that the Yellow School Buses have made a major impact on the school run, taking more than 265,000 car-miles off the road this school year. And antisocial behaviour on school buses has reduced by 75% at schools that have the yellow buses. ...
Scottish Lib Dem Leader Nicol Stephen played a blinder at yesterday's First Minister's Questions in the Scottish Parly. He suggested that the Scottish Government's involvement in trumpgate "smells of sleaze" and that " This is a serious situation for the first minister and his government. Every step of the way there is contradiction, concealment and cleverness from his government on this issue." He also called, justifiably, for an independent public inquiry into the issue. I honestly believe that this has been the best direct hit on Eck and his government since they took power back in May and helps to ...
That’s the question Jonathan Calder asked on his Liberal England blog, following Simon Hughes’s endorsement of Nick Clegg on Lib Dem Voice this week. His piece sparked a lively comments thread, and has even prompted a story in today’s Pandora column in The Independent: Simon Hughes has found himself on the receiving end of bitter cat-calls [...]
Friday: INHERITANCE has been much in the news ever since Master Gideon convinced the Press and the Labour that giving a bung to millionaires was a MASTERSTROKE. But is it REALLY right that you should be able to get huge pots of wealth and power just because of who your DAD is? Isn’t the idea of inherited wealth just CORRUPTING on its own? For instance, consider Mr Jammy Moredick, son of the Emperor of the Airwaves, Mr Roger Stavro Moredick, who is set to inherit the Evil Empire. With his recent admission that he DECIDES which Party his papers back, ...
The weekend ahead sees lots of Focus delivery, as well as other things to keep me busy. No chance of a Christmas wind-down, not with half a Sedgley and a whole St Mary’s leaflet to deliver before the end of the year. However, we are taking time out on Sunday to say a big “thank you” to our leafleters with a pre-Christmas party and celebration of all the hard work they have done for the Councillors and the party in the last twelve months. I wouldn’t have been elected without their help in delivering our leaflets, and they thoroughly deserve ...
I have been following up the issue of knotweed in the ward for a little while, after earlier reports that we’d got rid of it in Gardner Road turned out to be some way short of the truth. The Council had told me that, as a result of me following up resident concerns over the issue, they had removed the pesky weed from behind houses on Gardner Road a couple of months ago. I went down to have a look, and the plants had indeed been removed. Unfortunately it was only the visible bits that had been removed, rather ...
If, like me, some Aberdeenshire Councillors, SNH, RSPB Scotland etc., you believe that the proposed Donald Trump development should not go ahead in it's currently proposed form, then please go to http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/trumpoff/sign and sign up to the petition which is on the Downing Street website. I know that planning is reserved but it's a matter of showing solidarity.
Last night we had Inner North West Area Committee. (Is there any institution other than a Council that would call a community "Inner North West" ? ) Its the first time - for a few hours- that I have regretted standing down next year. Despite the bickering and powerlessness of Area Committees much good local government is done. As there was only one spending request on the agenda much of the meeting was spent in Cathartic moaning. Non existing reports from Street scene managers, Litter bins not installed 2 years after we paid for them, the councils continued failure to ...
When you are in the middle of a speech in the Council Chamber and you look up to see all around you looking confused, save for the 3 strong Green Group, who were bouncing up and down in enthusiastic agreement, you begin to wonder if something has gone wrong. But I ploughed on on Wednesday when we had a meeting of Full Council. It had an unusual format leading to unusually high quality of debates. We had to meet for 5 minutes before the end of the year to formally ratify the new Licensing Statement for the City. ( which ...
Peter Hain's plans to force single mothers, some with children as young as 7, back into work, reminded me of that other Peter: Tory minister Peter Lilley. Some of you may be old enough to remember his infamous speech at their party conference, at the height of Mrs Thatcher's grip on transforming the UK -' There is no such thing as society', into a self seeking, let the rich get richer, and let the rest eat cake generation. A policy that New Labour has successfully continued rolling out. Peter Lilley stood up and said he 'had a list of young ...
Many of you will have heard about the fatal accident outside the Hook Centre on Wednesday afternoon. Sadly Mike Cowley of Woodgate Avenue died on the spot. Mike was a good man and a wonderful community-minded person. He was an officer of the local branch of the Labour Party for many years and regularly stood as a council candidate (albeit without success). But his...
I don't usually put much stock in this kind of point scoring but I thought Wednesdays meeting of Full Council extraordinary in one respect. First the Good news. Leeds City Council voted by 53 votes to 0 to reject Labours plans for compulsory ID cards. With 44 members Leeds must have one of the biggest Labour Council Groups is Britain. Yet not one of them wanted to go on record as supporting there own Government over this issue. Now in many ways "good on them". I'd much rather have mass abstentions and thus send a sort of message rather than ...
I know it's one of the great British conversation pieces - but blooming heck it was nippy last night. A pretty hectic round of events, AGMs, christmas drinks and meetings meant I was rushing from location to location. The new coat was warm but it didn;t cover my ears and I hadn't got gloves so I got the full benefit of the 'chill'. Just browsing through my computer files this morning, I noticed this (pic left) engraving from Robert Bloomfield's Farmer's Boy first edition (1801) of the winter scene - the attraction of the open fire and it's camaraderie that ...
The newly appointed Children's Commissioner, Keith Towler, has called for better role models for youngsters. Here is my nomination of Philip Jones Griffiths. I learnt about him a long time ago, when I was still a teenager from an Italian magazine. I've never come across anything else about him here in Wales or indeed Britain. It takes Italians to appreciate a good Welshman! :) Philip Jones
The Liberal Democrats have said that the Scottish government's involvement in Donald Trump's Aberdeenshire golf resort plan "smells of sleaze". The BBC report that the accusation was made at the same time as Aberdeenshire Council confirmed it had terminated a call with the government's chief planner, because Mr Trump's team was there: First Minister Alex Salmond said he had followed the rules "to the letter". The government decided to "call in" the plans for the Menie Estate the same day that its chief planner, Jim McKinnon, held talks with Mr Trump's team, to explain the role of Scottish ministers in ...
The ballot for the new Liberal Democrat Leader closes tomorrow: there’s still time to send your vote by special delivery or deliver it by hand if you’re in London. But if you’ve left it this late, then how to cast it? A vote for Chris Huhne is a vote for the Liberal Democrats to be noticed. My lovely Richard has said throughout this campaign that the candidates’ most often-used soundbites are the wrong way round. Nick calls for us to step outside our comfort zone; well, the Leader most likely to make us get up and get spiky is Chris. ...
The ballot for the new Liberal Democrat Leader closes tomorrow: there’s still time to send your vote by special delivery or deliver it by hand if you’re in London. But if you’ve left it this late, then how to cast it? A vote for Nick Clegg is a vote for someone with deeply Liberal instincts he can put across with passion and appeal. My lovely Richard has said throughout this campaign that the candidates’ most often-used soundbites are the wrong way round. Chris calls for us to elect a Leader who’ll be a risk; well, the riskiest option is Nick. ...
Gordon Brown's assertion that he will press ahead with his proposed Bill of Rights without agreeing it with the devolved administrations first is meaningless bravado. It was a piece of political theatre staged for jittery Labour Party members and the English press. I say that not because I believe that the Prime Minister is being insincere but because it is the case that any piece of new legislation must go through a period of consultation before it is published in its final form. That consultation will include the devolved administrations, who will be asked their views and in particular whether ...
...Another Airport... off to Munich. A day trip- I shudder at the carbon dioxide, but needs must. Hopefully the crisp winter air of the Bavarian capital will provide inspiration for some Christmas shopping.
I find Christmas cards a bit impersonal. It's customary, but I get lots of them from lots of people, more as a matter of form. I prefer substance to form. I prefer people remembering my birthday. Above all, I don't understand why people who know me don't cross the word Christmas on the card and write Chanukah for a change!!! Anyway, here is the best Christmas card ever!!
Donald Trump does not make money from Golf Courses; He makes money from buildings. The plan for a new "World Class" Golf Resort at Balmedie, north of Aberdeen, is not about the new golf course, although in fact golf courses do have an environmental impact, it is about the fact that the new luxury hotels, house and apartments are essentially building a new small town on an extremely sensitive site. Aberdeenshire Council Planning committee were right to consider the implications of the project very carefully. The fact is that with oil at $100/bbl, there is not a problem for jobs ...
The time for spin is over; the time for slide rules has started. Yes, it’s time for the Liberal Democrat Voice leadership election prediction competition. To enter the competition, post a comment to this message by 8am on Tuesday 18th December giving your predictions for: Nick Clegg’s percentage share of the vote, to one decimal place Chris Huhne’s [...]
Many readers of this blog will know that I am not too hot on good quality grammar. But I do expect better from the BBC. In this article I noticed the following mistake: Speaking at London's Heathrow to greet fans she said: "I'm seeing David Beckhams doctor so I'm praying I'll be fine of course for Saturday."
Reporters Without Borders, an organisation that draws its inspiration from Article 19 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights; everyone has "the right to freedom of opinion and expression" and also the right to "seek, receive and impart" information and ideas "regardless of frontiers." has recently condemned Israeli raids on three West Bank news media organisations. On Wednesday morning Israeli troops forced their way into the three studios seizing broadcasting equipment, computers and files. Whilst the actual reason behind the raids may never be known, an employee at the Al-Afaq studio’s told the Palestinian news agency, Maan, “The Israeli ...
Anood Al Samerai has won the Riverside by-election, for Southwark Council, sensationally increasing the Liberal Democrat vote and majority in a contest that Labour ramped up as likely to be close. Full local coverage here. LD 1114 (49.6%) + 3.1% Anood Al Samerai (998 Paul Baichoo - 2006) Lab 691 (30.7%) +4.7% Cormac Hollingsworth (652) Con 260 (11.6%) -9.6% Rahoul Bhansali (488) Gre 122 (5.4%) -0.6% (only one out of 3 candidates in 2006) Amanda Penfold (399) UKIP 49 (2.2%) Fernando Grace +2.2% (-) Majority 423 (up 77) Ballots cast 2248 (12 rejected) Congratulations Councillor Al Samerai (pictured below with ...
This video takes us through the Evolution of Dance
Thursday: Much has already been said about the Home Secretary, Ms Jacqui Spliff's, inability to stop picking at the scab that is detention without charges, rather than listening to the CONSENSUS of opinion that 28 days is MORE THAN LONG ENOUGH! Many have suggested that she has picked the number "forty-two" from the pages of the book by Mr Douglas Adams about the "Hitch-hikers' Guide to the Galaxy". Actually, the BIGGER surprise is that she did not pick the number "one-thousand-nine-hundred and eighty-four" from the book by Mr Eric Blair about "New Labour Farm". PS: When organising a POLICE STATE, ...
A Labour leaflet circulating around Swansea West promoting Andrew Davies AM and their Prospective Parliamentary Candidate, Geraint Davies, offers much entertainment. One phrase stands out however, that the Liberal Democrat Council are allegedly 'Out of touch: refusing to act on anti-social behaviour and crime.' Could the Andrew Davies referred to in the leaflet possibly be related to the one, who in Assembly Plenary on Wednesday, said: "On a recent visit to Swansea, Vernon Coaker, the Home Office Minister, identified its community safety partnership as a model of good practice in terms of dealing with anti-social behaviour. The local authority, South ... | < | December 2007 | > | ||||
| S | M | T | W | T | F | S |
| 1 | ||||||
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
| 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 |
| 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 |
| 30 | 31 | |||||
