Gosh, and to think tonight I was planning to favour you all with a fascinating post on recycling. On topic of the moment, Ed Davey’s ejection from the Commons and the ensuing Lib Dem walk-out, I find I am a cross between Linda Jack and Stephen Tall (now there’s a thought): part of me whoops for joy in a totally [...] 
Having argued that the Party Reform Commission should be the catalyst for an ongoing process of party reform and should concentrate its energies on ensuring that this heads in the right direction I should really back that up with some suggestions for how it should go about this. I am worried that we may end up with a number of, probably quite sensible, suggestions for minor reforms but that the
With the plans for 5000 new houses on the fringes of Yate and maybe Chipping Sodbury or elsewhere, we wondered what this many houses would look like. Turns out it's about 2/3 the size of Bradley Stoke. Just part of a total of FOUR more Bradley Stokes across South Glos. Steve Webb described the problems recently in the House of Commons: "We have a rather poor and expensive bus service, and a train service that is so poor and unreliable that people drive from Yate to the north fringe of Bristol, so the idea that that is the basis for ...
Just a reminder - don't miss the... Barnhill Quarry development exhibition (Waitrose supermarket and houses) - Wed 27 Feb and Thurs 28 Feb, 3.00 pm - 7.30 pm in Chipping Sodbury Town Hall. The developers are displaying their latest plans, modified after local people's feedback from the previous exhibition and consultation.
Last week, Lib Dem MEP Chris Davies sparked controversy by revealing the findings of an internal audit of the European Parliament which, according to Chris, is dynamite: Let’s be quite honest. I think the allegations within this report from our own auditors should lead to the imprisonment of a number of MEPs. I think it’s embezzlement [...] 
Over on Lib Dem Voice, Jo has accused me of changing my tune. I disagree, but I will happily admit to allowing a glimmer of optimism cross my mind over the course of this evening as the events of Ed Davey’s protest and the subsequent Lib Dem Commons walkout begin to percolate through my mind. Superficially, this doesn’t strike me as much more than a stunt. Flouncing out of the Commons only to meekly return to dutifully either back the government line or passively do so by abstaining (the result is the same) is not radicalism. It is empty posturing ...
This is very clever... I've watched it a few times now and I think I can see how half of its done but the other half just stumps me!!! See if you can work it out.
Having worked as a civil servant, and served time as a councillor, I’m not routinely cynical about every public sector job. However I do wish that the powers that be would do something about those daft or pretentious job descriptions that can make useful and valuable roles sound, for want of a better word, bureaucrazy. [...]
Just a few years after the last round of cuts saw the closure of the Post Office in Crystal Palace Road, the Government’s latest round of cuts has identfied the Melbourne Road Post Office for closure. Consultation on the closures started last week and will continue until April 2nd. You can help the campaign by signing [...]
If you're swept up in Obamamentum, as I am, then join this group. Blogging is interrupted by DIY, meetings, and the fact I'm sharing one ethernet cable with my girlfriend, who has to look for information on interesting psychiatric disorders on t'internet.
From where I sit Ed Davey has not always been top of my political heroes list. Not because I don't like him, I think he is a darling, but because we don't always see eye to eye politically. However.............he has now been elevated to LoozMuze Top Gun!!!!! Here is a man after my own heart, dissent.........don't we just love it! I did consider Nick's decision to move him to Foreign Affairs to be inspired, that has just been confirmed. Hey, walkout today, occupation tomorrow............where do I sign up Tomorrow some of us bloggernistas will have the privilege of interviewing him, ...
In the two hours since LDV posted Newsflash: Lib Dems walk out of House of Commons in protest at the Deputy Speakers refusal to allow a vote on the partys proposal there should be a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty - the debate has raged in the comments thread: did our MPs do us [...]
The Information Commissioner, Richard Thomas, has decreed that the minutes of two Cabinet meetings held in the days leading up to the 2003 Iraq invasion should be disclosed to help “transparency and public understanding of the relevant issues”. Nothing wrong with that of itself, of course - in any democracy there should be a presumption of [...]
Another interesting article from across the water by Kevin Martin: I must confess a dirty little secret - I dont care what presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama say they will do to end the U.S. occupation of Iraq if they become president next year. Thousands more Iraqis and hundreds more U.S. troops will be dead by then, and for what I want to know what Senators Clinton and Obama are willing to do to end the war this year. Surely Im not alone in this desire, am I While George Bush, aided and abetted by a supine Congress, ...
More direct mail on the doormat, including another letter from an estate agent wanting to sell my flat for me. Thanks but no thanks. At least the letter, from Chestertons, was polite and friendly, apologising for the direct approach and setting out their stall in a pleasant, low-pressure way. Much better than those dodgy geezers at [...] 
Commenting on today's events in Parliament following the refusal of the Speaker to allow a vote on the Liberal Democrat amendment calling for an in-out referendum on the EU, Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg said:
This is a brief post to express my full approval for Ed Davey and the rest of the Parliamentary party for their response to the gagging of the proposed motion on European membership. To suggest that the motion to be tabled is not the subject under discussion is somewhat akin to saying the Labour Party is the most principled, honest political party in the western world and it is not pursuing a cynical agenda to avoid serious debate abetted by its sleazy, inept Speaker in any way. In other words it's complete b*llsh*t. The best news of all is surely ...
Dan Hardie has been campaigning for Iraqi ex-employees of the British Government to be given asylum here because they face such dangers at home. Back in October of last year it looked as though he had won. Gordon Brown announced "a new policy which more fully recognises the contribution made by our local Iraqi staff, who work for our armed forces and civilian missions in what we know are uniquely difficult circumstances." But what has really happened Dan writes: A small number of Iraqis - fewer than a dozen, according to people close to the operation who are in contact ...
As a relatively new father, but also someone who has to attend school discos on a regular basis as a teacher helped, I can assure you that THIS is my idea of what hell must be like. Don't get me wrong, I like discos and clubs, I still go once in a while (okay, perhaps twice a year), but if I am ever found in a "Baby loves Disco" club, rest assured, whether they work or not (and I can assure you they do), I will be taking THESE.
My second Dirty Dozen - a selection of daft and interesting posts made on Labour and Tory blogs in February - can be found at Liberal Democrat Voice.
There is little doubt that the Speaker's refusal to accept the Lib Dems amendment to the EU Treaty vote in parliament is a blatantly political act. To refuse to allow a party to submit it's own motion in the way Michael Martin has (and noticeably left Deputy Speaker Michael Lord to carry the can) on an important issue such as this shows an astonishing amount of political interference from the Speaker, and a real lack of unbiased an fair treatment for all sides. However, this political move from the speaker should be seen as an opportunity to light the touch ...
from two very different backgrounds, not to mention continents - one a prominant Labour MP and British Home Secretary, the other, an alcoholic mother of two living in an Australian township. The physical resemblance between Jacqui Smith and Irene Roberts is too uncanny to be a coincidence .......
It is important to remember that Jersey is not isolated from England's child care system. Children from the mainland have been placed in Jersey. The secrecy of the family courts makes it difficult to find what has happened to children who disappear or indeed to identify patterns. I am aware of allegations of abuse today in the English child care system where the threat of contempt of court
For those who have been watching for this, the government's response to the sham consultaiton it carried out late last year on drugs policy, in the form of its new Drugs Strategy, is out tomorrow. I can't do any better than to point you to Transform's pre-publication press release which just about covers all the things I am angry about this process, only in more measured language than I could muster! No doubt there will be more tomorrow.
I am just watching Jo Swinson lead for us in the Commons debate on Lisbon and she is doing a superlative job, in complete mastery of the facts and issues and communicating in a way that, I think, would speak to the general public far better than the average speech in the Commons. Look at BBC [...]
Carrying on with the theme of Sharon's birthday, here is a short story about Sharon, the Coma Patient by Ben Judah. P.S. Check out the rest of his series on revolutionary Russian artists (Eisenstein, Akhmatova, Mandelstam, and Platonov).
A month on from the publication of the Review of Electoral Systems, wheres the ongoing process that the Labour Westminster Government promised Where are the opportunities for public involvement Nothing has gone beyond the confines of Whitehall desks yet. No voter has yet been asked for their experience of elections. From "Make Votes Count": "The Government has tried to review how elections work from the comfort of their Whitehall desks, without ever actually going out and asking voters about their opinions or experiences. Democracy isn't deskbound. The public deserves a real say in the evaluation of different voting systems. "Together ...
Things are getting quite spiky at Westminster. The Telegraph The parliamentary clash follows public questioning of Mr Martin's position, and scrutiny of his own use of parliamentary expenses. Speaking to the Daily Telegraph as he left the Commons, a furious Mr Davey bitterly criticised the Speaker's office for refusing to accept the Lib Dem amendment. "This is an outrageous day. We have been gagged. This is a bad day for British democracy. The Speaker's office has refused to accept our amendment and is denying us the chance to honour our manifesto commitment." Publicly, Lib Dem MPs were careful not to ...
Tomorrow’s going to be interesting - along with a few other bloggers (and organised by the very kind Millennium Elephant), I’m going to meet Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrat’s Shadow Foreign Secretary for an hour-long interview. What’s made tomorrow’s meeting all the more exciting is that he’s just been ordered out of the House of [...]
well, to be honest, not very much, or at least not much that I could be find. The Tories on the other hand have managed something I don't think I for one thought would ever happen. They seem to have pleasantly surprised Lynne Miles over at the F-word with their report on women's issues. And if they can do that with a bunch of women who identify themselves as feminist, think what they can do with the average female floating voter! OK, so it's not a call to arms by the F-word to vote Tory, but she hasread it, analysed ...
I wanted to table an Early Day Motion - a Parliamentary device to raise an issue that other MPs can choose to support by adding their signatures about the closure of the digital broadcaster Planet R...
Just walked out from Commons alongside the other Liberal Democrat MPs. Follows disgraceful blocking by the Parliamentary authorities of our amendment calling for an in/out referendum on Europe. Weve bended over backwards to try to deal with every request from them on this issue and in the end, enough is enough if youre debating Europe, you should be able to vote on the central big issues on Europe. The idea from the Deputy Speaker that we should take this up "through the usual channels" is, well.... let's just say that's exactly what we've been doing endlessly and in the end ...
or just an expression of powerlessness in the face of authority and corporate business You decide! Click here.
Just wandering down Mill Lane and notice these little architectural gems along the way. I've always liked the row of shops along from the Alliance Pub and near West Hampstead Community Association. There's now a great cake shop there so it's more than worth while. Oh, and The Alliance is from Waterloo (1815) and the grand alliance between Wellington and Blucher against Napoleon.. though it has been a local Lib Dem haunt for a quite a while... Oh, and there is a great little plaque at number 54 to a real local person - more to follow on this, but ...
Is Rhondda Labour AM and Government Minister, Leighton Andrews about to do an about-turn and return to his Liberal roots. I only ask because the former Liberal PPC and Gillingham Town Football Club supporter is now advertising his blog on Liberal Democrat Voice. I am not sure how these things work but I believe that the owners of this site get a payment for every click. Please correct me if I am wrong. Nice of him to donate.
Ariel Sharon, still in his coma, has reached 80 today. I think this would be a useful time to reflect upon his withdrawal from Gaza, the future of the West Bank, and the possible demise of the party he created, Kadima. His party is now in its third year of government, has lost a coalition partner, is unpopular, and probably the last hope for a stable two state peace agreement this decade. The party needs to build a proper base, decide what it stands for and prepare for an election within the next 12 months. If they fail Israel faces ...
The Liberal Democrats’ Shadow Foreign Secretary, Edward Davey, has been thrown out of the House of Commons by Deputy Speaker Michael Lord. The rest of the Parliamentary Party have walked out in protest during the debate on the Lisbon Treaty. The party’s amendment calling for a in/out referendum was blocked by the parliamentary authorities. Ed Davey [...]
The system is a mess and the scandals have been a huge blow to people's faith in our democracy and our politicians. The problems have fueled the beliefs of how all politicians are as bad as each other, therefor voting is a waste of time. The current system seems to allow MPs to get away with all sorts of things, with it justified. Michael Martin has taken ridiculous expenses but it's perfectly within the rules. Nick Clegg has defended Michael Martin saying he's "fully committed" to reforming the system. I think we need to be taking a bold stance on ...
....Government webpage ever Check it out quickly before they put something sensible up!
Post Offices across the country are currently threatened with closure and the review has arrived in this area. One of the ones planned for closure here is at the local army base, where many of the troops are currently away, serving abroad. Any closure would thus have significant repercussions for the families remaining behind as they will have to travel into the local town to send their letters and packages abroad. Putting aside the sheer madness of this particular decision for a moment, I have a suggestion to make for more effective government. What Whitehall needs is someone - perhaps ...
This makes me think that could be the case. How often do you stop in the supermarket when you haven’t planned to I know I do fairly often, especially on my way home from work. In that case I don’t have my reusable bags with me (I don’t use those horrible supermarket ones either, although I [...]
That seems a pretty bold statement I know. But from reading some of the other Lib Dem blogs it seems as though loads of people from outside Wales were at the Welsh Liberal Democrat Conference in Llandudno this weekend. Some to do training, some to speak, but what they all seem to agree [...]
As the credit market continues to tighten, it is clear that major ramifications are already underway. Despite the fact that too many political figures insist that they can do a better job by regulating, in fact the market has a habit of being able to fix its own problems. Ferrovial, who bought BAA a year and a half ago, are now finding their large debt burden hitting their profits severely. However, there is a solution: they can simply sell assets. From the point of view of the consumer, this would be good news. The lack of competition has led to ...
CentreForum director Alasdair Murray has written an article for Open Democracy responding to the recent reports of a 'brain drain' of educated graduates from the UK.The money quote:...the reality is that this trend is neither new nor alarming. The surge in skilled emigration has as much to do with the recent strength of the British economy - and especially the housing market - as it does with any political failings. Rising affluence combined with EU freedom of movement rules and the voracious appetite of other growing economies for skilled labour have liberated more British people than ever to choose where ...
The best bargain in Dubai is the trip by abra or small motor launch from one side of the Creek to the other. For a mere 1 dirham (about 25 US cents), one gets a swift but atmospheric sweep of the waterfronts of both Deira and Bur Dubai, in the company of overwhelmingly Indian commuters. [...]
Brian Paddick is an outstanding candidate. Its difficult to imagine a better Liberal Democrat contender for Mayor of London a conviction Liberal, a former high-profile, high-ranking police officer, and a very nice bloke. If you want a Lib Dem with mass appeal and who could absolutely do the job, hes the one. But in a fiercely-fought race for the biggest directly-elected job in Britain, thats not enough. The media, Labour and the Tories, and sheer inertia all paint the fight as Ken vs Boris. To avoid that squeeze, Brian must get two messages across, one of which is particularly difficult. ...
No seems to be the answer: Despite Fairtrades moral halo, there are other, more ethical forms of coffee available. Most Fairtrade coffee on sale in UK supermarkets and on the high street is roasted and packaged in Europe, principally in Belgium and Germany. This is unnecessary and retards development. Farmers working for Costa Ricas Café Britt [...]
The sun is shining outside, it 11C and as usual St Neots is, forever England. So, it hardly seems the time to propagate a message of hatred. Now, lets be clear, it's not the individuals I hate (well, not all of them, anyway!), it's the hypocritical nature of their party and 'philosophy', their arrant and arrogant smugness and the appalling quality of their discourse. Well, that's not bad to be going on with is it As one local Tory Councillor once famously put it, "What we do we do very well, we just don't do very much". But read their ...
This week saw the first commercial aircraft (a Virgin Atlantic 747) powered partly by biofuel fly from Heathrow to Amsterdam. It used a 20% biofuel mix of coconut and babassu oil in one of its four main fuel tanks. Whilst this all sounds good the move was condemned by a number of environmental charities, I have long thought that biofuels may not be the answer - whilst they seem a good idea a hugh ammount of land is being given over to their production, either preventing other (food crops) from being produced or worse still ensure more logging takes place ...
That’s the headline in today’s Yorkshire Post on a piece by Nick Clegg: PENSIONERS sitting in coats, hats and scarves in their sitting rooms to keep warm. Others living the whole winter in their bedroom because they can only afford to heat a single room. Our senior citizens reduced to a choice between heating and eating. And [...]
I spent most of my weekend travelling to, or from, Llandudno, in order to attend the Welsh Liberal Democrats Spring Conference with Ros, and a very pleasant journey it was too, with the grandeur of Snowdonia, lambs gambolling in the fields and the rest of the North Wales experience. The event itself, at least what I saw of it, seemed to be going well, and I took the opportunity to compare notes
One of the many email lists I subscribe to is After Downing Street, an organisation set up in response to the leaking of the Downing Street Memos, a story broken by my pal Mick Smith. Today I received this email from David Swanson of After Downing Street which I thought merited wider circulation: On Wednesday, February 27th, from 8 to 9 p.m. ET I'll be interviewing live another female Halliburton employee who was subjected to an environment of constant sexual harassment in Iraq. Tracy Barker was sexually assaulted by Halliburton employees and - in one instance - by a U.S. ...
I am impressed by the arguments in this article for the need for more attention to be paid to the numbers of people killed as a direct result of global climate change. I find it difficult to find fault with its conclusion: "Such an understanding is essential for two quite different reasons. First, it is a basic issue of justice. The dead should be remembered and their families and friends should
Today's Western Mail reports that rare newts are being parachuted onto controversial development sites far from their natural habitats in a bid to influence planning disputes: Millions of pounds have been spent providing alternative habitats for great crested newts and other protected species found on sites earmarked for construction. But experts last night said the small amphibians were now actively being used as weapons in bitter planning tussles. Scott Felton, a former water keeper of Colwyn Bay, helped a local residents association develop plans to turn the neglected Eirias Park lake into a fishery. However, stocking the lake with fish ...
I saw the film Black Gold last night, about the coffee trade, the exploitation of the third world farmers and how many of them turn to growing narcotics, because they make more money that way than growing coffee. The film was shown last night to launch Fairtrade Fortnight in Chelmsford and is on More4 tonight. The film was a fascinating and disturbing insight into the coffee trade. The
The information here comes from Dan Hardie, whose hard work needs support. Do you like reading fine words Here is the Prime Minister on the subject of Iraqi ex-employees of the British Government, speaking in the House of Commons on October 9th, 2007: 'I would also like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the work of our civilian and locally employed staff in Iraq, many of whom have worked in extremely difficult circumstances, exposing themselves and their families to danger. I am pleased therefore to announce today a new policy which more fully recognises the contribution made by ...
This is such a brilliant pic that I had to show it. On the left is Merlene Emerson, LibDem GLA candidate for West Central, and on the right is Brian Paddick, you ought to know who he is by now.
No, really. Look at what Rowan has written in the Grauniad this morning: One of the recurring challenges is to find a way of safeguarding young people’s space without policing it in an intrusive or humiliating way. Adults must think twice before assuming that every group of under-20s in a street or mall is likely to be a [...]
Why do teachers need so many training days and why do training days never coincide with all the schools in the area but are tagged on to various holidays regardless of what other schools may or may not be doing I've just finished a 12 day half term because the kids are in different schools and if you are a working parent childcare must be a huge headache! (I know I'm going to get it in the neck about how hard done by teachers are, the long hours they work, the kids they have to deal with, targets and assesments ...
After five years of Labour inaction, and three months of Lib Dem pressure aimed at the action-free Tory Council, the promised “Deep Clean” of Prestwich Village finally began on Sunday night. It is due to finish in the next day or two. Quite what they’ll unearth beneath the grime is a mystery to me. The Lost City of Atlantis may well be found under The Retreat. Rumours that Lord Lucan was spotted dusting himself down and heading into Hampson’s for a pie were unfounded. They thought they’d discovered an ancient Roman mosaic, but it was in fact the splintered remains ...
Bloody First Scotrail! back in December I emailed them to complain that it was 75p more expensive to buy a through return ticket from Irvine to Edinburgh than it was to buy a return from Irvine to Glasgow and one from Glasgow to Edinburgh. They eventually responded saying that "our Research and Pricing Manager is aware that there are anomalies in the system, such as these fare anomalies, which we have inherited. we are working to remove these, however this process takes time." So they admit they are aware of the anomaly. Today I forgot and bought a through return ...
The word “elections” seems to be cropping up more and more in my conversations these days, which is worrying. It only seems like five minutes ago that it was last time, and now it’s next time already. But, somehow, the world does not grind to a halt as the spectre of Bury’s local election’s begins to loom. And safe in that knowledge, I have once more been chasing up some casework today. I have been in contact with the Council’s Environmental Services Department once more, stressing the importance of the St Ann’s Road junction improvements that have been promised by the ...
Mark and I spent an enjoyable evening with the Chinese Liberal Democrats at their New Year celebratory banquet in China City Bloomsbury. It's a year since the Chinese Liberal Democrats were set up and they've already established themselves as a force to be reckoned within the Party and within the Chinese Community. Nick Clegg expressed his appreciation for the briefings he receives from the CLDs on a range of topics to do with China, whilst Chris Rennard, Simon Hughes and Sarah Ludford also spoke about the importance of improving dialogue within the Party with all ethnic groups. I was pleased ...
The old smoothie Nigel Farage is suing the Sunday Times over its claims that he employs his son, Sam, using EU funds. His son is a politics student at my old university, Exeter - which is certainly one of the top five universities in Devon. A few months ago Iain Dale reported that young Sam has joined Exeter University Conservative Future, a fact which he hasn't denied, though he has re-affirmed his support for UKIP. The two are by no means mutually exclusive, as Exeter is a rather special CF branch: a source variously of infuriation and mirth to proper ...
Tuesday: You have probably heard this one already: Young Max, a talented young writer, was going on holiday, in order to have a GOOD time and meet LADIES. Unfortunately, the Grauniad decided that it would by JOLLY LARKS to give all the readers of their CommentIsFreePublicity a chance to HEAP extra-special helpings of CHOICE SCORN upon the be-Aviatored young head of the eager adventurer. For it turns out that Maxie hadn't so much written for Channel Four's drama "Skins" as written for their, er, WEBSITE; and that Maxie's dad hadn't so much not written for the Gruaniad as, er, HAD. ...
"Gambling promises the poor what property performs for the rich - something for nothing." George Bernard Shaw, playwright and roulette player. True or False
I've just received the latest newsletter from the local Police Safer Neighbourhoods team for Chessington, Hook and Malden Rushett. It's left me feeling very optimistic about crime levels in our community. In response to what people said at the last public meeting, the Police have been targetting anti-social drivers, with the clever use of speed guns and automatic number plate...
We are living through a period which is seeing some of the most momentous changes in human relations in the shortest time in history. Thirty odd years ago when we lived in Kenya and I was seven it was a big thing living abroad. Just the travel arrangements I remember seem like climbing Everest compared to today's era of mass international travel. Three stops, visas to everywhere, currency controls all over the place, expensive flights. Nowadays my father and stepmother seem to have few qualms about travelling to Durban for long weekends or shopping trips. We hear of people resident ...
Commenting on the reports that ministers and officials might have known for years that tens of thousands of householders were paying too much council tax, Liberal Democrat Shadow Communities Secretary, Julia Goldsworthy said: Many people are already struggling to pay for their council tax bills, and this comes as a bitter blow to those people whose homes have been placed in the wrong tax bands. If the situation were reversed, you could guarantee these people would have had the taxman breathing down their neck demanding the money to be repaid. The Lyons Review made it perfectly clear that the current ...
A resident of Chislehurst wanted to get in touch with their local MP/GLAM Bob Neill to ask him why he had left it so long to raise the issue of Queen Mary's (first raised by the Lib Dems in 2003). So they looked at the listing on the UK Parliament website for his email address. But there he is listed as "No email" I have taken a look since they contacted me, and see that you can find an email
I have been advised by the City Council of a proposed 1 day road closure in West Marketgait on either 6th or 13th April. West Marketgait is actually the ward boundary and the southbound lane by an inch or two is in the neighbouring ward, but as this is a road much used by all residents, I thought it worth advising via the blog. Here's the short duration traffic order:"THE DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL AS TRAFFIC AUTHORITY being satisfied that traffic on the road should be prohibited by reason of carriageway reconstruction works being carried out HEREBY PROHIBIT the driving of ...
Neville Farmer is the new Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Wyre Forest.
We might be the fifth largest economy in the world, but we’re also one of only three countries whose current account deficit is over $100 billion. We are spared the ignominy of having the largest current account deficit thanks only to the fiscal folly of Spain and the US. From the CIA World Factbook: Can anyone [...]
In Autumn conferences past, bloggers have met together for a special “Liberal Drinks” during the conference week. A few of us on the LDV team have been wondering whether to organise a get-together at Liverpool’s Spring conference. It is always a little trickier to manage at Spring because conference is shorter and so many events are [...]
Nick Clegg introduced our proposed motion in Parliament today on the European referendum with an excellent press statement. He's very good at clarity and the proposed motion is bang on but I worry that he's still too nice, a problem we often have as a party. That said, his performance has been as sure footed as a panther's so far so I imagine the former MEP has got all bases covered in this area. The press statement mentions several occasions when the Tories signed us up for more integration without any hint of a referendum, as they knew then what ...
City Council last night. I've blogged before on the change to our electoral cycle caused by the Unitary, which means that we won't have an election until 2013. Seems the Cornish MP's and some people on the Unitary have had second thoughts, and now want our elections to coincide with the Unitary next year. I don't really mind, having fought, and won, elections last year and the year before. I'm going to be at a bit of a loose end this May and will be ready for action next year. But it's the way they've gone about it that's annoying ...
Clive Carter has written some comprehensive postings recently on his blog about the current state of affairs over Alexandra Palace - well worth a read.
Two things caught my eye the first time I saw my to-be secondary school. It had bars on the windows and it had a proper oval running track. I was more concerned that the school looked like a prison than to think about the other feature. I did not know much about what happened at this big sports field. The bars on the windows became invisible to me as the school suited me very well thank you very much. But that time slot in the schedule marked as PE was torture. The only time I was the head runner was ...
Im worrying about predictive texting. Dont get me wrong, Id not be without it imagine having to spell out every word when texting with cold fingers while also juggling a clipboard, leaflets etc But I am a bit disturbed at the way the mind behind predictive text works. Its obviously geared to [...]
The indefatigable Dan Hardie has an update on his blog on the shameful way our government has failed to stand by Iraqis who worked with our armed forces. For all Gordon Brown's fine words in October last year - Dan hasn't been able to find any Iraqis who have actually been evacuated from Iraq since then. As to why this matters - here's what one of the people fearing for their lives says: They (the militia) keep asking my relatives and my familys neighbors about me and they keep moving in my familys street and keep their eyes on our ...
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 Somebody help me yeah, Somebody help me now So sang the Spencer Davis [...]
It's Tuesday morning 8am and I've woken up to a bad stench of hypocrisy. Michael Martin, the speaker of the House of Commons, is lo and behold, being supported by quite a few MPs. Well, it is a matter of expenses, and we wouldn't want many MPs holding their heads up too high...they may be quickly lopped off into a basket.. One imagines the furore if an ordinary MP's wife squandered thousands of pounds on taxi fares...
At some point this week I may have a rant about Sandra Gidley’s extraordinary (and frankly ridiculous) co-option by LighterLife, a company which last month was caught out “conning” MPs (their words) by running a dummy charity (which has now, curiously, wound itself up). But first, it is my duty to inform you, dear reader, that another Lib Dem MP has been caught promoting a product. Ann Widdecombe’s pasta peddling has nothing on this. {Freedom Pass Advert} Yes, spotted at my local tube station, one Vince Cable can quite clearly be seen flogging unsuspecting old people Freedom Passes on a ...
{Charles Kennedy and Lynne Featherstone at the 15 Feb 2003 anti-war demo (credit: Lynne Featherstone)} A combination of Valentine’s Day, a business trip and subsequent workload conspired to prevent me from writing about my experiences of the 2003 anti-war demo, but I’m taking the trouble to do so now. This is partly to provide people to an archive of the old website I set up for the day, which five years on is something of an historical archive. But it is also because, missing the anniversary aside, I believe there is something to learn from the experience. Basically, I learnt ...
from Maria Bamford, whose Edinburgh Fringe show I saw in 2006. It was good.
...to find myself in agreement with Danny Finkelstein.
Yesterday marked the 25th anniversary of the Bermondsey by election and Simon Hughes' historic victory. Of course that by election has always been mired in controversy, a controversy re-kindled 2 years ago when Simon was "outed" during the leadership election. However, there has also been a lot of tosh chatted about what actually happened, the focus, perhaps because it was Simon who won, being on "The Straight Choice" leaflet (a phrase that still appears on election leaflets of all shades). What gets completely forgotten is the smear campaign conducted by the Labour Party. So I found this Time Out article ...
The consultation into the third runway at Heathrow closes on Wednesday. The anti-campaign has been mightily impressive but the Government still seem committed to pushing ahead with the growth plans. This week, campaigners are gearing up for a further push to mark the end of the consultation. On Monday, Greenpeace activists breached the airports security and climbed on top of an aeroplane while 3,000 people attended a protest meeting at the Methodist Central Hall in London. Any Londoner wanting to express his or her support for the plans in the forthcoming Mayoral election cant: all candidates are on the record ...
Monday: The elections have taken place in Pakistan and, in spite of the troublingly low turnout, they have passed off without major terrorism and it looks like President Mustbehavingalaugh has been DEFEATED. And in Cuba, the old rogue President Fidel Castrol GTX (Grey Thatch eXtreme) has bowed to the inevitable and admitted it is time that he retired to spend his remaining years with his remaining organs. These unrelated world events are linked by the brief flowering of HOPE that they might offer a chance of a better way, before the crushing boot of CYNICISM stamps down saying "get real"! ... | < | February 2008 | > | ||||
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