LibDem Blogs - Archived! - Monday 28th January 2008

Rachel Allison selected to fight by-election

Although I couldn't attend the hustings (parliamentary debate and votes on the Lisbon Treaty), I am delighted to say that we have selected a fantastic candidate to fight the Highgate ward by-election. Rachel Allison is our choice to be the next councillor for Highgate and Archway. She is a worker, with a passion and a knowledge for the local area and the drive and determination to make a difference for local people on the council.Rachel is intimately involved with the life of Highgate and Archway. She has lived in Claremont Road, Highgate for twelve years - having first moved to ...

London Mayor election update

Evening Standard latest: Lee Jasper (aide to Ken Livingstone) admits £18,000 was improperly diverted. Police now investigating … … and as Lynne Featherstone points out, that makes five police investigations into allegations of financial misdeeds at City Hall and the London Development Agency (LDA). As Lynne says, once again there are also question marks over whether [...]

Buy Beckham, Sell Solari

I knew it wouldn't be long after recommending my mate Jim's blog that he'd post something that I would have to link to. Here's Jim discussing the diference between economics and finance by using the example of a baseball player who has sold shares in himself.

Nuclear dreams, dashed

We were discussing nuclear power in the pub after a group meeting - as you do - and an interesting point came up where I discovered I wasn’t alone in my youthful misconceptions, so what I’m wondering is how widespread this may have been. When I was growing up in the 70s - or before Chernobyl which may be important here - nuclear power was still something exciting, new and not really understood, so I’m sure I can’t be alone in having thought that they generated power from some semi-magical process, something on the lines of making uranium glow and ...

Jeremy Thorpe still has steam in his pipes

Today's Guardian has an interview with Jeremy Thorpe, who led the Liberal Party between 1967 and 1976. Speaking of the Parkinson's disease that now afflicts him, Thorpe says: "The saliva and shakes make me seem gaga" the 78-year-old says of his disease. "I'm not. I remember pretty much the lot."He rates his own contribution to the party highly: Thorpe sees himself as a guardian of the Liberal vote through difficult times. "It's now a three-party system and I think I built it up. I know it's an arrogant thing to say but, if it weren't for me, the party would ...

Separated at birth

Can you tell these two people apart James Whale cant!

Of absolutely no use whatsoever

Found via none other than the Adam Smith Institute blog, this is a good way to waste 20 minutes: {RSC album cover} Red Sindhi Cattle are available for weddings, birthdays and Bar Mitzvahs

Summerhill and Lord of the Flies

When Nick Clegg announced his new Free Schools policy he inspired Jo Anglezarke to write in praise of the "experimental" school Summerhill. Yesterday Dare to Know drew attention to a CBBC series on Summerhill and quoted this comment on William Golding's Lord of the Flies: "That single book did more than anything else to damage people's faith in the essential decency of children," says Jon East, head of drama at CBBC and director of Summerhill. If repressed public schoolboys who are used to being caned are suddenly left unrestricted on a desert island, it's not surprising that these terrible instincts ...

The PoliBlogs

Not on his/her blogroll, but s/he's clearly reading - again links to my Europe post. A useful roundup of others' political blogging though.

The Pub Philosopher

Don't know much about this person but he or she clearly thought my post about Europe interesting enough to link to it! Looks Tory, and so categorized, unless told otherwise!

The first Dirty Dozen

My first Dirty Dozen feature for Lib Dem Voice is in place. This looks at Labour and Tory blogging over the past month. If you see any postings during February that you think particularly interesting or particularly silly, please send me the link.

FFS Its Monday: The EU Reform Treaty

Listen to this article: Like an uncomfortable prostate examination the European Union has shot up our lubricated agenda and will dominate political discussion for the next few months. That is unless it’s discovered Hazel Blears or some other luckless minister accepted donations from Bob the Builder acting on behalf of Sergeant Bilko. This all started two and [...]

Creeping technocracy in the NHS

Yesterdays Sunday Telegraph had a story about how doctors believed old people shouldnt necessarily be treated on the NHS. On closer examination, only two thirds of them seemed to have agreed and to the highly ambiguous proposition not treated when it would not benefit them for long. Everyone could probably agree to aspects of that: we should not strive officiously to keep alive at least if we want people to die peacefully and in some control about when and where they do so. Even so, it's a worrying trend that even doctors are beginning to support the outrageous status quo, ...

Family Affairs

Fair play, the Tories have found a solution to student debt. Just one problem, it is only available to a small number of people and the loophole has just be closed off.

Introducing Top of the Blogs: The Dirty Dozen #1

When I agreed to write this monthly round up of Labour and Tory blogging I said I would aim to keep a balance between pointing to interesting postings that we Lib Dems may have missed and laughing at the folly of our opponents. So here goes. Labour blogs The Labour blogosphere is a strange place. Tory bloggers may [...]

Derek Conway

Apart from what’s been written on Duncan Borrowman’s blog - one has to wonder what world this man lives in. How can he claim to understand the problems of commuters when he uses taxpayers money to help opt out of that situation.

Why become a councillor

1. No wage. 2. Evening meetings where you may be heckled and/or abused quite possibly by your own political party as well as the one/s you're opposing. 3. One or two meetings after a full-time job some of which go on late into the night...sit on the planning committee and you may well be found draped in the committee room the following morning while the cleaner mops around you. 4. No real power. The real power will whack you over the head occasionally when you realise it's all dictated by westminster...which is quite possibly when you come face-to-face with the ...

BBC staff must go on training course - at McDonalds

I was glad to see this evening that my licence fee is being wasted on crappy tabloid journalism. Under the headline "McDonalds Serves Up Diplomas", the BBC are running a poll on "Should McDonalds serve up academic qualifications" As any fule kno - and hopefully this includes the people paid on my behalf to write headlines for the BBC - most people will read the headline, see the picture (and the 'vote' button), and then go and do something more interesting than read the news. Those elements also form the perceptual frame which anyone who actually reads the article uses ...

Lord Bonkers' Diary: Rutland in the snow

So ends another week (and year) for Rutland's favourite peer. Monday (Christmas Eve) And so Christmas comes again to Rutland. One of the peculiarities of the climate hereabouts is that one can always rely upon snow in the days before the holiday, with the result that it lies deep, crisp and, indeed, even in the village as carol singers with lanterns make their way from door to door. It could be a Christmas card, as a fellow traveller remarked to me as we took the stagecoach into Market Harborough for some last-minute shopping. Beneath the Christian festival, the older pagan ...

BritBlog Roundup 154

Thank you, Philobiblon.

Tories "so forgiving" of their own councillors

I noted a few months ago that a Tory Councillor who drove to a hospital whilst over the alcohol limit and then urinated in the grounds of the hospital, had resigned from the Conservative Group, but was , as the Tory leader of South Norfolk made clear, going to be allowed back in to the Tory group at the earliest opportunity. So in effect his "resignation" from the Tory group was a meaningless gesture. Well if the South Norfolk District Council website is to be believed, Cllr Tilcock has already been let back in to the Tory group. I wonder ...

Where is David Cameron's moral compass

James Graham has quite rightly contrasted the Alan Johnson donor furore with the case of Derek Conway. I also note that Duncan Borrowman has written to Scotland Yard to investigate the latter MP. Having worked tangentially with a series of parliamentary researchers, there is one thing that stands out. Parliamentary researchers send a lot of emails to a lot of people. They answer queries, draft

The James Whale Show

I once read 'You know you are in the presence of someone special when you look at the number of people James Whale has managed to offend over the years. Whether youre pushing 80 or still collecting My Little Pony, if you annoy Whale, hell soon let you know about it. The outspoken and self-righteous late night king has developed a cult following over the years with his confrontational style that would have Attila the Hun running for the hills. James loves nothing more than verbally assaulting callers on his late night phone-ins and it seems people on the other ...

Hackney social services accused of failing murdered children, and a cover up

Last year Antoine and Kenniece Ogunkoya, were murdered by their schizophrenic mother, after Hackney Social Services sanctioned unsupervised overnight visits against their fathers wishes. Now, as the Hackney Safeguarding Children's Board is due to publish its summary of the report into their deaths, the Council stands accused by their grieving father, Jimi Ogunkoya of trying to cover up the report. Mr Ogunkoya said: "My children's death is not the first in these circumstances, and sadly it won't be the last" He accuses the council of failing his children. Hackney Council said a "decision had not yet been made whether the ...

Who told us that we are better than McDonalds workers

We've all heard the jokes about people who work in McDonald's. It is supposed to be harmless fun, but at the end of the day it is often a class thing, a smugness amongst the educated middle class against people who are lowly paid, often lacking qualifications and end up in what is seen as a dead end job. So it saddens me to see people being so demeaning of the opportunity given to McDonald's staff to earn a proper accredited qualification. Yes it is so easy for us to mock the "McJob", wearing their little badge emblazoned with stars ...

Worst Late Western

So, I hear today's rail fare strike by passengers in the South West has been a bit of a flop. Can't say I'm surprised. Last time around about 2000 people took part. Today fewer than 100 people refused to pay. What does that tell you It tells me, people have moved on. First time around it was novel, it attracted a lot of press interest and that in turn had the knock on effect of galvanising more people into doing something. This time round, people seem to have thought - been there, done that and largely stayed away. I'm not ...

Change

Both videos start with the Bowie about a minute in.

Studio flats proposed for corner of Twerton High Street

A developer has submitted a planning application to build 4 studio flats on the corner of Twerton High Street & Shophouse Road by 147 High Street. This section of land has fallen into disrepair over the last few years and needs to be cleared up. I am not sure if this is the right application for this site but would like to hear resident's views on this matter. ...

John Sheridan should be Leeds new manager

Posted by Chris: So farewell then Dennis Wise you have certainly made a mockery of the Beckford "What shirt am I wearing bruv" moral booster. In my opinion the man to manage the mighty whites now is former Leeds favourite John Sheridan. He is much more articulate than Wise and masterminded Oldham's demolition of Leeds at Elland Road recently. Dennis never really won the hearts of Leeds fans and the decline in the playing fortunes of the club since Gus Poyet left has been noticable.

Labour cuts to hit women and children first

Labours budget cuts will hit women and children first Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council. The Labour-run council is proposing to cut £50,000 from its grants to voluntary organisations budget managed by the Area Management Department. Much of this fund goes to organisations that provide support to children and vulnerable women. Among the organisations that could be worse off is the Playgroup Network, which provides advice and training for pre-school groups on Teesside. Another is EVA Womens Aid, which gives support to women and children whose lives have been affected by domestic violence in the South Tees area. Labour have found ...

Views wanted on Redcar Lane road safety plans

Redcar and Cleveland Council is inviting hundreds of Redcar residents to give their views on road safety proposals aimed at cutting the accident rate along the town's Redcar Lane. Letters are being sent to 600 homes around Redcar Lane outlining details of a planned £60,000 Casualty Reduction Scheme, which are on display in Redcar Central Library and Laburnum Road library from Monday, February 4 until Friday, February 22. Improvements would include vehicle-activated signs, urging motorists to slow down, safer crossing points away from junctions, a central pedestrian refuge outside Borough Park and narrowing the carriageway near the junctions of both ...

Police Authority privatised

Avon and Somerset Police Authority (ASPA) are set to become the first force in the country to privatise sections of its civilian workforce. Last Friday, 25th January, ASPA announced on their website that a decision had been taken to take the force into the final stages, before entering into a contractual agreement with IBM, Somerset County Council and Taunton Deane Borough Council. Whats that mean in plain english It means that in the event of the deal being formalised, an estimated 600 civilian employees will be transferred from ASPA to IBM in March 2008. After which date, IBM will take ...

Boycott Pret-a-Manger

I'm fully supporting Stephen Pollard's boycott of pret-a-manger for their mindless boycotting of farmers in the developing world and their pathetic ethical posturing over it. They, like everyone else, is free to buy British produce. However, the pretense that it makes you a better person somehow, even though you're cutting off one of the lifelines out of poverty for farmers of the developing world, is disgusting. So in response, I am boycotting Pret and invite you all to do the same. Breadless sandwiches and death to the Third world - - - - JUST SAY NO.

Inverness - City or town

It seems that there's a bit of a to do up in Inversnecky (Inverness) about it's city status. Inverness was one of the towns given city status by the Queen during the Millennium celebrations, which really hacked off the good burghers of Perth (aka "The Fair City") who claim that their place is Scotland's true 5th city. Artist, Historian and former Inverness Councillor Hector MacDonald has claimed that her Maj used the name Elizabeth II on the charter and that as she is not Elizabeth II of Scotland, the whole damn think is kaput. Hector said "The official charter has ...

Incredible Album Covers

Check out these awesome album covers.

Flock Together now on Twitter

Just to let you know that Flock Together is now on Twitter. Find out more at http://twitter.com/flocktogether Any comments or suggestions as to how I might upgrade or improve the service most welcome!

A letter to new Scotland Yard

I have written to the police officer investigating Labour's donor problems asking him to investigate Derek Conway.

Tory blog aggregator - imitation is....

The Beta version of Tory Blogs is coming on here. It is very welcome. I used to use a thing called Right Wing blogs, which aggregated most of the Tory blogs. But it went belly up a year or so ago. It will be great to get all the Tory blogs in one place with a small bit of text. Google reader etc can be a bit of a pain.

Polish pub opens

A Polish pub (above) has been opened today on Reading's Oxford Road. The building used to be an Irish pub when it was the "Battle Inn". Now it is the "Gospoda". Good luck to Lucas Celmer and Margaret Majszak, the landlord and landlady! When it was an Irish pub, I remember going in once and trying to find a recognisable tune on the jukebox. It was difficult. The machine mostly had Irish folk

Council implements LibDem waste policies

The announcement that the Council will be moving towards same-day collections and food waste collections is being welcomed by the Liberal Democrats on the Council. Councillor Gerry Curran (Lib Dem, Twerton), who was the Executive member responsible for waste from 2005 to 2007 said: "The Liberal Democrats welcome the proposed introduction of food waste collection and the...

Kingswood School new Astroturf Pitch

On Sunday afternoon I attended the opening ceremony for the new Astroturf pitch at Kingswood School which was opened by Paul Barber a well known Hockey Player and it was good to meet Gary Best the head teacher of Kingswood School. Mayor pictured with Freddide Captain of boys Hockey team I enjoyed watching a game of Hockey in which two teams one from the School and one of...

When the saints go Marching In

I attended the winter festival songs of praise on Sunday morning at Oldfield Park Baptist Church one of the local churches in my ward where we were treated to the music of the Bath Spa Band. The local Scout leaders were also present and sang a variety of songs that were well sung. The Church was well attended and it was good to meet so many of my local residents who had attended. A...

A tale of two sleaze stories

Yesterday, the media got itself into a tizzy over a story about Alan Johnson that I’m pleased to see most Lib Dem bloggers seem entirely unimpressed by. Today, Derek Conway MP has been suspended from Parliament for two weeks for apparently defrauding the taxpayer out of £40,000 to pay his kid’s pocket money at university. That’s ignoring the £22,000 he claims for a second home despite his constituency being 12 miles from Westminster (hat tip: Duncan Borrowman). There does seem to be a certain level of hypocrisy at work here. Government ministers are being hounded, and in one case hounded ...

Ripplestone Review - TV Sundays...

Last night saw the first of a new series called 'Around the World in 80 Gardens' which follows Mony Don as he travels the world looking at gardens in a cultural context. Among the gardens visited were...

Dear Bill

{Blair / Bill} Bill Deedes would have been furious. As this photograph shows, Tony Blair is clearly turning in to the late editor.

A very bad day for Turkey

The sentencing of academic Attila Yayla for insulting Turkishness (Article 301) by a Turkish court marks a very dark day for the progress of an open society.

Is this just the start of what I warned against yesterday

Are the riots, army on the streets, torched cars and homes just the beginning Is this what the US embassy was warning against or is this the start to something much more bloody. Are we going to see 1975-1990 all over again, just with a few different actors Worrying, very.

Camden should back Heathrow protests

A number of local authorities have join the 2M protest against the third runway at Heathrow and against the way the consultation was launched. 2M stands for two million voices against Heathrow expansion - www.2MGroup.org.uk . I think Camden should join the protest. The third runway proposal would increase the number of flights in and out of Heathrow from the present limit of 480,000 to around 702,000 by 2030. This is equivalent to building a new airport the size of Gatwick. The Transport Department is not asking us if we want this expansion that decision was taken in the 2003 ...

Protecting the fat cats

I realise Derek Conway, my opponent at the next General Election, used to be the Chief Executive of the Cats Protection League - but I didn't realise he wanted to continue protecting fat cats. More on his telling off by the House Standards and Priviliges Committee, and possible suspension from the House, on my Old Bexley & Sidcup website.

Claremont Road Resurfacing

The length of Claremont Road, Bath which extends from its junction with Dowding Road to its junction with St Saviours Road. Will be resurfaced at the end of February.

Tory MP faces suspension from Parliament (updated)

From the BBC: Tory MP Derek Conway faces a 10-day suspension from the Commons after its standards watchdog said he paid his son too much from parliamentary allowances… In its critical report, the committee ordered Mr Conway to repay “the overpaid bonus sums” of about £13,000 and pension contributions received by his son. UPDATE: Benedict Brogan has an [...]

American Ritual

With the actual State of the Union Address taking place tonight, Roger Johnson of Amiable Dunce has written a history of the event for the New Statesman online. Meanwhile, the ever-sharp Simon Radford asseses the primaries state of play at Kop Lob Pob a Job.

Lofts etc

Today I am back in work, after a busy weekend of furniture buying and general house planning. All very exciting. The delivery of the white good spassed with only moderate difficulties. Apparently we have plumbing “issues” which will mean the hiring of somebody who knows more about pipes than I do, to make the dishwasher work. As well as the house, I dealt with ward issues over the weekend. First off there was a sewage leak down Clifton Road, which I was alerted to on Friday night. This is a United Utilities issue rather than a Council issue, but I ...

Riverside Youth Centre

The youth centre held a successful reopening party on 6th December enjoyed by over 35 young people, and the celebrations included live performances by young singers, m.c.'s and d.j.'s, a 5-a-side football training session, caribbean food and refreshments. Our thanks go to Ryan Thomas and Pauline Swaby for preparing the buffet, to all at LRSHP for funding the buffet, to Versatile Media and Sound Knowledge for their help in publicising the event and supporting the young musicians, and to Mark Brown for organising the football session. We changed the youth club opening times a couple of weeks ago, current times ...

On hold..

Sorry things have been quiet here recently.I won't be blogging for the time being, but do please continue to contact me. If you click on 'More about me' you can send me an email. Thank You

Tory MP facing suspension over allowances

Derek Conway the Tory MP for Old Bexley & Sidcup is facing a 10 day suspension from the Commons over upheld allegations that he wrongly misused allowances to overpay his son who was working for him part-time. (Wonder if he knows who the allegators are - don't ask - this is a wonderful modern urban myth about an old Labour Councillor in Lanarkshire.) The Commons Standards & Priviledges Committee has ruled that he should repay The overpaid bonus sums" . Conway's son Freddie was paid at the full time equivalent of nearly £26 000 per annum but the Committee noted ...

Thorpes advice to Clegg: dont go into coalition

Theres an in-depth interview former Liberal party leader Jeremy Thorpe in todays Guardian focusing not on his past, but on the partys future. Heres the skinny: On the Lib Dems helping form a coalition government: I’d prefer Clegg not to go into coalition. He should keep the party a free agent, keep on opposing the government.” On [...]

School Closures - a massive blow for communities

Conservative lead Shirehall’s decision to close 22 primary schools, merge 16 more and indirectly threaten more with the same, has sent shock waves throughout Shropshire. Shock waves which are now being echoed in other parts of the country in Kent, Cheshire, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Worcestershire and Oxfordshire. We are not talking about small schools, we are [...]

Nuclear policy: where subsidies arent subsidies and safety is dangerous

Two stories to chew over for the nuclear debate: First is the revelation that the government not only accepts that the nuclear industry should not be required to clean up any nuclear accident, but was surreptitiously planning to change the law to specifically exempt the industry from paying any costs. But of course, we have nothing to worry about because nuclear is safe, right In Canada the head of their safety commission has been sacked for doing her job too well. Her insistence that a power plant should remain closed threatened the supply of medical isotopes and the government now ...

Praise and comedy

Friday night was Press Night for Uncle Vanya at the Rose Theatre. Here are the reviews I've found so far - all very pleasing, although slightly grudging praise from the Evening Standard Guardian: Kingston's bright new theatre gets off to a sparkling start Telegraph: A perfect illusion of life itself . Financial Times: Evening of excellent...

Ripped off from the Herald's Diary

The (Glasgow) Herald's Diary column, penned by Ken Smith, Can usually be relied on to produce a smile even on the dreichest Scottish Monday morning. Today was no exception and I unreservedly pinch this joke from today's column: "The latest strategy by Democrat presidential hopeful Barack Obama to attract the Irish vote in New York - he's adding an apostrophe to his surname after the O."

Trying to do too much

The dramatic falls in global markets over the past couple of weeks have created a rather panicky mind set amongst many of the key players. However, whatever Ben Bernanke may hope, the global financial crisis is not going to come to an end because of emergency rate cuts by the Fed. The fact is that the credit binge now needs to unwind to a still greater degree before stability can be restored. This is not a situation that is likely to respond to the short term moves that policy makers primarily use to influence the markets. On the other hand, ...

What did Boris Johnson mean about the teacups

Don’t forget to place your guesses. Answer will be revealed on Wednesday…

Salmond piste off in new planning rumpus

It has emerged that Gnat FM Eck Salmond is embroiled in another planning stooshie. This one is to the tune of £30 000. He is accused of meddling to rescue plans to expand the MacDonald Highland Resort in Aviemore. The Chief Executive of the company which owns the resort is Donald MacDonald who, last year, donated £30 000 to the gnats. It seems that he spoke with Scotland's Chief Planner on the issue and also instructed Environment Minister Mike Russell to contact SEPA (Scottish Environmental Protection Agency) who had objections to the development which were holding up the planning process. ...

Super-Duper Tuesday

The Wall Street Journal has a decent overview of the states in play on February 5th. Obama has momentum, including today's endorsement by Ted Kennedy (joining John Kerry and Gov. Deval Patrick of Mass.) as well as Gov. Neapolitano of Arizona. The race is fluid, but does Hillary have too much of a cushion to overcome in a broader contest

Britblog Roundup

Thanks to Philobiblon for linking to my post on organ donation (part of the FFS It’s Monday series) in this week’s Britblog Roundup. I disagree, however, that "Gavin’s Gaily Gigest" is "taking alliteration just a little too far". I could’ve called this blog "Gorgeous Gavin’s Gaily Golitical Gigest".

Spectator on Clegg: The "love-in" continues

The stream of praise for Nick Clegg on the Spectator's Coffee House blog continues. Indeed, the author of these pieces, Fraser Nelson admits he has been accused of having a "love-in" with Nick Clegg: Nick Clegg continues to say the right things. This passage from Steve Richardss interview on GMTV Sunday Programme this morning: "We understand that the years of unprecedented increase in public

Paddy speaks out on vetoed Afghan role

Here’s the text of the statement Paddy Ashdown issued yesterday, following news that Afghanistan’s government and its President, Hamid Karzai, had rejected the idea the former Lib Dem leader should become the UN’s special envoy: Last night I informed the Secretary-General of the United Nations that I am withdrawing my name from consideration for the post [...]

New Books

I've been up for several hours already. I've done my news, opinions, and analysis trawl on my Netvibes and I really don't feel I have very much to write about. So I've been to the library and got myself some reading material (see "books I'm reading"). I'm going to spend most of the day lost in them, so don't expect too much from me until I've read for a few hours and recharged.

Why we need to reform the Electoral Commission and the Register of Member's Interests

Over the last few months we have seen a massive increase in the number of politicians who have not registered donations or other items with either the Electoral Commission or the Register of Member's Interests. I may be being generous but I don't believe all of those concerned are corrupt or deliberately not declaring things properly, so perhaps we need to reform the Electoral Commission and the Register of Member's Interests.

Iain Dale now supports Barack Obama (for footballing reasons)

Following my post about Barack Obama absenting himself from a Wokingham pub after a stripper appeared, it now transpires that Obama is an avid West Ham fan. The Sun says that Obama is "forever blowing bubbles". Iain Dale, a keen Hammers fan himself, says on his special West Ham blog that he has now switching his allegiance from Rudy to Obama.

Labour donor asks to be left alone

I had a quick read of the front page of The Journal, our regional morning newspaper, before leaving the house this morning to catch the train to London. "Leave me alone" screamed the headline. And the poor victim of needless hassle from the world was...David Abrahams, not so secret donor to the Labour party and the person who kick started the Donorgate scandal. One of the proxies who was used to

The best TV show youve never seen

“There are two kinds of people in the world: those who love The Wire and those who haven’t seen it. Yet.” Shane Richmond (Telegraph) The third series of Baltimore-based drama The Wire is being re-run on FX (Sky channel 165) starting tonight at 10pm. I implore you to watch it. More about it here, here and here

Funders Fair in Liverpool

I've copied details of this Funders Fair below - it looks like a really good opportunity for voluntary groups in Liverpool to go along and find out more. There's an e mail contact right at the bottom! An invitation to Liverpool Funders Fair 7 March 2008 Come and meet a wide range of funders of the voluntary sector in Liverpool. Free and all under one roof ! Find out about latest funding programmes from Big Lottery Fund, Children in Need, Lloyds TSB Foundation, Arts Council and other well known local and national funders. Ask the questions you need answering Get ...

Compulsion

The Government's intentions with regards to ID cards were called into question yesterday when the Sunday People reported on a leaked document that young drivers are to be forced to have an ID card when they apply for their first licence: The secret document from the Identity and Passport Service is headed: "Options analysis - outcome." It says: "Various forms of coercion, such as designation of the application process for identity documents issued by UK ministers (eg passports) are an option to stimulate applications in a manageable way. "There are advantages to designation of documents associated with particular target groups, ...

Labour's laws were made for breaking...

Rumour has it that T Blair is looking for yet another lucrative job, this time with Zurich Insurance . Didn't they create the Proceeds of Crime Act to stop this sort of thing, and when is someone please going to invoke it against the grubby little sh*t Meanwhile, another rumour has it that John Prescott has had to settle for getting Pauline to call the numbers at the Hull East constituency Labour party bingo evenings to keep him in doughnuts.

Tory selection processes

And so, having linked, I may as well cite The Daily Pundit who writes about the number of NuTory candidates who were once NuLabour members. But it's not so much their political backgrounds that I want to take issue with - to me the interchangeability of such political favours merely highlights that both parties are really merely sibling subsidiaries of the post-Thatcher Managerial Clique. No, what I'm more interested in is how a serious political party, claiming to be democrats of some sort, and on the one hand with its leader wanting to hold "public primaries" for some of its ...

The Daily Pundit

I admit it, I'm a tart. I'm always pleased and flattered when I find someone linking to me, especially someone with whom I've never knowingly corresponded. The Daily Pundit is one such. I've seen the name mentioned countless times in others' blogrolls but have just too much to read to add more often so have never bothered. Now, thanks again to the Tory Blogs aggregator I find I've been reading his stuff for a few days and quite enjoy it. So making up for lost time I'm linking back. One question though - why have I found his blog on ...

Is there a point at which Liberal Democrats should want to leave the European Union

I used to take it more or less as an article of faith that the EU is good for us. Somehow. And that the Liberal Democrat position of being avowedly critical of some of the ways it operates was a good one - we were the first, I believe, in calling for CAP reform way back just after we joined, for example. Like so many lofty political projects it has or perhaps could have beneficial aims. I was even rather enthusiastic about the idea of a "United States of Europe", if only it could be constructed as a genuinely liberal ...

Get Set, Go!

This May there will be a further three Get Set, Go! day training courses for potential parliamentary candidates at Osmond House in Birmingham.

Monday 28th January 2008

Previous days:

Archives

Search for...

Adverts

Buttons

LibDem Blog Box

Contributors

Campaigns

From the BBC...

Backlinks...

From the LibDems...

From the Independent...

From Politics.co.uk...

From the Guardian...

Adverts