I was pleased to have been able to move a proposal tonight about the proposed closure of sub-post offices, and delighted that all Councillors from all parties supported it. More below. Before full Council it was a hectic day, with the good and bad sides of our Health Service, so much so that there was just no time for me to use public transport to get to James Cook Hospital for my... 
I know sometimes there are things that make one doubt whether one is in the right party. My last occasion was, I think, the stabbing of Charles Kennedy and before that his sacking of Jenny Tonge (though her reaction to his alcoholism proved to me I made the right decision remaining in the party despite my misgivings about his treatment of her). But, for all the bleating and moaning appearing around the Lib Dem blogs and for all that the other parties are trying to put all the "blame" on the Lib Dems for on not having a referendum on ...
A quick note for residents of Highgate ward (which also includes the Archway area): tomorrow - Thursday 6 May - is polling day in our council by-election. Polls are open 7am - 10pm and you don't need your polling card to vote. If you're a postal voter - there is still time to return your vote as it can be handed in at any polling station in the ward. And of course - local resident and campaigner Rachel Allison is the best person to be voting for!
It could have all been so different........a free vote The outcome would have been the same. But, frankly it has been a bit of a cockup, however, a cockup that Nick Clegg can and will ride out. Primarily because none of us have all our eggs in the European basket and he has much to say about issues that impact upon our society far more than Europe. And secondly because this has demonstrated the maturity of our party. Both David Heath and Tim Farron did us proud this evening. This was a single issue on which they felt their loyalty ...
Listen to the show: In this week’s specially numbered edition of the Realpolitik podcast with Richard Holloway and myself: The EU Treaty referendum vote and Lib Dem resignations, with Iain Dale’s advice to Chris Huhne. Twitter talk. Mayor of London’s race advisor quits. The Proms and Hodge. Conservatives’ new ad campaign and a new kind of politics. The podcast was recorded on [...]
Bermondsey and Old Southwark Liberal Democrats held a celebration for Simon Hughes on Saturday, celebrating 25 years as Bermondsey's MP. Around 300 people were in attendance, just a small selection of the thousands who have either been involved in Simon's local campaigns or helped by his office. The event, which lasted well over 6 hours, was a fantastic piece of organisation so well done to Riverside's new Councillor Anood Al Samerai, Party Chair Sally Burnell and the team. It is fair to say a good time was had by all and a very high bar has been set for the ...
Tuesday was full Council and its was the meeting where the annual budget is agreed. The budget went through as expected but before that happened the Conservative group and the Labour group both moved emergency motions on the 8 post offices that are lined up to be closed in the borough of Barnet. The motions were similar and opposed (as I do) the proposed closures, including one post office in my ward (Potters Road). It must be quite difficult for the Labour group to oppose something so strongly that their party is responsible for. Since Labour came to power we ...
I was very impressed by Hillary Clinton's win in Texas/Ohio/Rhode Island. Her victory soundbite is one which I suspect be remembered for many years: for everyone who has stumbled but stood right back up, and for everyone... ... who works hard and never gives up, this one is for you. I am beginning to take a shine to the lady. A real bare knuckle fighter.... In retrospect, I revise my view of
Hansard has now updated to give details of the vote earlier today. Here are the 13 Lib Dem MPs who voted with the Tories in favour of a referendum Brooke, Annette Carmichael, Alistair Farron, Tim Gidley, Sandra George, Andrew Hancock, Mike Heath, David Hemming, John Holmes, Paul Horwood, Martin Mulholland, Greg Pugh, John Younger-Ross, Richard Those of us following Richard Gadsden on Twitter will now know this is not the [...]
I think we do best as a Party when we decide what we believe and stick to it. I agree entirely with Nick Clegg's analysis of the Lisbon Treaty - it's not the same as the EU constitution, it's less radical than Maastricht and we don't need a referendum. I would have felt a lot more comfortable had we either allowed a free vote, as we did on Maastrict, or gone with our professed policy, against the referendum. We would still have lost three good people from our front bench, but it would have all looked more coherent and consistent. ...
To throw in my twopence-worth, I can't help thinking the Lib Dems have not only made a tactical mistake tonight, but also lost a strategic opportunity. For many years Britain's political class has been considerably more Europhile than the electorate appear to be, at least judging by opinion polls. Yet on the one occasion the electorate were called upon to vote about Europe they delivered an unexpectedly large pro-EEC (as it was then) majority. In recent times various referendum pledges have taken the sting out of the European issue at election time. But the gap between politicians and public on ...
It is some twenty years since the Thatcher administration introduced the concept of choice into the allocation of secondary school places. It is a reform that is here to stay. No politician would dare to suggest that local education authorities know better than parents on whats best for their child. Yet, figures released today show that nearly half the children in some local authorities have missed out on their first choice. The situation is worse in deprived, inner cities, which undermines the argument of some that choice is only a concern for the middle class living in the leafy suburbs. ...
I'm looking forward to the local elections in May. Well, at least I was until this evening. Once again, our ridiculous parliamentary party has let us down. Many of us have worked our guts out over more than 30 years to get a parliamentary party of 63 members. I can stand to be corrected, but I seem to remember we had 6 when I first joined. Frankly, I'm heartily sick to death of these clowns. My colleagues and I, here in Cambridgeshire have worked hard to get a strong and significant presence in local government and now, once again, this ...
In the parliamentary vote tonight, 13 of the Lib Dem MPs defied the three line whip to vote in favour of a referendum on the Lisbon treaty - rather than abstaining as they were asked to do. Three of them were frontbench spokespeople - Tim Farron, Alistair Carmichael and David Heath, all excellent MPs - who have consequently resigned from our shadow cabinet, as is the normal protocol in these cases. Now, I haven't read either this treaty or the EU constitution it replaced. Which I think makes me fairly normal within the population - and personally I wouldn't have ...
It looks like the Democratic race for the Presidential nomination could go to the wire. Obama continues to be the candidate of change: the yes we can generation, while Clinton offers a vision of getting it done. One charge that Hilary lays at Barack's door is that there is little substance underneath the inspirational speeches. Steve Johnson has reproduced part of an article that says Barack Obama wants to be the President that encourages what Johnson has called 'emergence'. In his book of that name, Johnson describes how people make individual decisions that lead to change for communities. He argues ...
Thirteen Liberal Democrat MPs have defied their Party Leader and voted for a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty and three frontbenchers have resigned. I suppose it is not as bad as the vote on the Boar War over a century ago when a third of the parliamentary Liberal Party walked into the Aye lobby, a third into the No and the rest abstained; which could have been the outcome this evening if there had been a free vote. How has this situation come about Particularly as the disagreements between Liberal Democrats are more one of nuance than principle. And how ...
This was always going to be a tricky Prime Minister’s Questions for Nick Clegg, given the delight both Labour and the Tories take in ganging up on the Lib Dems in Parliament. In fact, as in previous weeks, Nick easily withstood the yelling and abuse from the other benches, and was able to ask clear [...]
As a member of Britains third party, Im usually loathed to swallow a media narrative on any issue, as Ive seen how egregiously they can get it wrong. Yet I find myself having to do so on the issue of the American Democratic Presidential Primaries. Most reporters are billing Barack Obama as the young, optimistic candidate with little experience but a lot of hope; Hillary Clinton as the older, more seasoned firebrand with few pretty words but plenty of competence and experience, and a mastery of policy detail. The Economist likens it to the difference between poetry and prose, each ...
Looking at Lib Dem Blogs tonight it could almost be the leadership election in early December 2007. When I wrote 'Our new Leader' I was crossing my fingers that all members and officers alike would unite under Nick Clegg's leadership, even though I had spent quite a few weeks doing a bit of work for the Huhne campaign. I subsequently eliminated all personal feelings or preferences for either candidate and supported Nick wholeheartedly in his new role. Eight or nine weeks along, I'm not about to let those feelings slip like some members have tonight on Lib Dem Blogs and ...
I have decided to start posting a few more of the missives I get from across the pond. This is the latest from PDA (Progressive Democrats of America). We may moan about our health service, but: For several years now, the news media have identified healthcare and the war in Iraq as key issues in American politics. But very little of the reporting or the punditry goes beneath the buzz-word surfaces to the human realities that span from local hospitals to a faraway war. A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on ...
Nothing wrong with a bit of dissent, that's what I think - the political equivalent of having your ears syringed! So, whilst I think the party was misguided in the opposition to a referendum on Lisbon (which I have already banged on about at great length), I for one am not getting my knickers in a twist over the front bench resignations. Nick and some of his frontbenchers didn't agree, get over it. He will look the stronger for having stuck to his guns, they will look the stronger for having stuck to theirs. There was always an element of ...
Village Voice has an article by Scott Foundas on this 1947 Ealing Studios film. It was directed by Robert Hamer, who is best remembered for Kind Hearts and Coronets: But Foundas writes: Yet if Kind Hearts is an undeniable comic triumph, Hamer was ultimately better served by tragedy. It Always Rains on Sunday is a masterpiece of dead ends and might-have-beens, highly inventive in its use of flashbacks and multiple overlapping narratives, and brilliantly acted by Withers and McCallum. Compacted into a breathless 90 minutes, the entire film exists in a state of high anxietynot a frame is wasted. Finally, ...
I joined the Liberal Democrats back in April 1991, and from that first month became a canvasser, deliverer, and general dogsbody for the party across Norfolk and beyond. Back then, and until very recently, I always believe the lib Dems were a party that could bring about transformational change, they were a party that had fresh ideas, in short, I believed that the Lib Dems offered something different. Today has shown that this is not true. The Lib Dems are as prepared to tell lies in order to win votes as any other political party. I canvassed in 2005 telling ...
Having read this story a couple of times, I'm still not convinced by the police argument that they were justifed in using CS gas. To me it seems somewhat extreme. What do you think
The root of Nick Clegg's troubles is his failure to quietly drop Ming Campbell's policy of demanding a referendum on Britain's continuing membership of the European Union when he became leader. As I have often said, it is a policy calculated to prevent what is probably the majority view of the British people - supportive of European cooperation, sceptical of ever-closer union - being expressed. Nor has this week's argument that the majority of the British people support the policy been terribly edifying. Presumably, most of the people who want a referendum on membership of the EU want it so ... 
I think Nick Clegg has had a good day. He did well to face down lots of jeers in the Commons at PMQs. He has just made an excellent appearance on Channel 4 News. Good for him. [Dodges to miss well directed rotten tomatoes from numerous bloggers] I applaud the honourable actions of the three front benchers who disobeyed the three line whip. They were right to resign. They are entitled to their
Early reporting from the BBC says the vote on the Lisbon Treaty referendum was lost by 63 votes. 63 is of course the number of Liberal Democrat MPs. That is not to say that the Lib Dems caused the vote to be lost. 13 Lib Dems did vote for a referendum; it’s not known if all [...]
The MPs Tom Brake and Michael Moore, the party’s International Officer Clare Preece, Jochem de Groot from Liberal International and I met up with the Liberal Mayor of Chisinau, Dorin Chirtoaca, his colleague, the Chairman of that city’s Council, Mihai Ghimpu, and other Moldovan visitors at the House of Lords this afternoon. Having visited the tiny [...]
The fiasco over the Lib Dem stance on the Tories EU referendum motion today was so clearly signposted, so easily avoided, so obviously could have been dealt with and perhaps most importantly was so widely challenged from withing the party that you have to question the intelligence and integrity of the party for it's decision, and in particular Nick Clegg has so mortally wounded his own standing that he will always find it hard to escape the criticism of this folly. Sadly though, this policy was also supported during the leadership election so Chris Huhne would not have done anything ...
Today and tomorrow will be difficult for public perception of the Liberal Democrats. While I sympathise with those who will vote for a referendum on Lisbon (I think there should be a referendum) they could have given serious consideration to abstaining. Abstaining could be considered as a reasonable compromise to balance those whose consciences drive them either towards or [...]
Just a quick one, as I make my way to my surgery at 7pm. The three of us in Fortis Green hold three surgeries a month - and it's always good to see residents in person as a starting point to helping them with their problems with the Council. It has been an action packed by-election campaign in Highgate & Archway and tomorrow local residents can cast their ballots in the traditional way to show their support for the hard work of Rachel Allison and the rest of the Lib Dem team. Postal ballots have already been sent in - ...
Well, it’s three according to the Telegraph’s Three Line Whip blog and The Times’s Red Box blog - they are: * Alistair Carmichael - Scotland and Northern Ireland spokesman and MP for Orkney and Shetland (majority: 6,627) * Tim Farron - Countryside spokesman and MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale (majority: 267) * David Heath - Justice spokesman and [...]
I see from Gavin Whenmans post; First Lib Dem Shadow Cabinet Resignation of the Clegg era Nick Clegg has already accepted one resignation from a front bench member over the issue of holding a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty. Can I just say that if this report turns out to be true I would like to say to David Heath - well done David! Probably the best outcome for everyone - David gets to sleep nights and it saves Nick Clegg the embarrassment of having to publicly sack him. My only hope now is that Susan Kramer, Families Spokesperson also ...
Well, it seems that Clegg’s managed to make the Lib Dems pretty high profile at the moment. But is the In/Out referendum idea a good one Frankly how it plays out in Westminster is neither here nor there. The bottom line is that the Tories have been offered the chance of an in/out referendum and turned their nose up at it. It forces them to discuss reform of the EU because, by refusing in/out they’ve effectively demonstrated that - as euro-sceptic as they wish to appear - there will be no withdrawal from it from it by the Tories, and ...
Europe needs a real constitution in my view: one that says defines (and thus restricts) its competences. The Constitutional Treaty was a failure (and those involved should acknowlege it) and the replacement is not greatly better. It is hardly a step towards a federal Europe though. Even the Treaty the French and the Dutch rejected was mostly a tidying up exercise after the useless Nice Treaty. It is hard to get excited about a Chairman of the Council serving for three years at a time. There is something to welcome in the extra role for national parliaments. Whether the increased ... 
A major reshuffle is now on the cards for Nick Clegg, after the resignation tonight of at least THREE Shadow Cabinet colleagues: Tim Farron (Countryside), David Heath (Justice) and Alistair Carmichael (Northern Ireland and Scotland). Who will be up and who will be down, and will Nick Clegg survive
The Gnat Convener of Holyrood's Rural Affairs & Environment Committee today turned into a censor by banning a legitimate line of questions which Lib Dem MSP Mike Rumbles was about to put to SEPA (Scottish Environment protection Agency) officials who were appearing before the Committee. Mike was trying to ask questions as to why SEPA officials had withdrawn their objection to proposals to make major alterations to the MacDonald Highland Resort in Aviemore when Gnat MSP Roseanna Cunningham ruled the line of questioning "Out of order", leading to Mike leaving the meeting in protest. The owner of the MacDonald Highland ...
This morning I thought I might blog a tribute to the late, lamented Gary Gygax. Then when I heard Nick Clegg on the Today Programme, I thought I should write about that. Now, thanks to the magic of Comment is Free, I have combined the two for your perusal. Share This
Amid all the tizzy surrounding the Euro vote tonight, one possibility hasn't gained much comment. It is that the amendment being proposed by Labour backbencher Ian Davidson will be called to the vote. This amendment calls for a referendum on both the Lisbon Treaty and on membership of the EU. If it is called, the Nick Clegg can safely whip all Lib Dem MPs to vote for it as it is the only way that our favoured position of an in/out referendum can still proceed. The Tories have indicated that they might withdraw their amendment to unify support around the ...
I’ve just had an email demanding to know who the councillors I mentioned in my last post were, so I think it’s time to add some further thoughts to the story. In retrospect, I wish I hadn’t included the last sentence in my post, I’m not going to remove it though because what’s done is [...]
While not normally given over to ‘when I was an MP’ anecdotes, there are events that prompt a personal story, and the announcement that Ian Paisley is stepping down as First Minister of Northern Ireland is just such an occasion. As a callow youth of an MP in 1997, I found myself sitting in the chamber of the House of Commons when none other than the Revd Ian P arrived and belowed in my ear ‘were you at prayers’ I tried to leave the seat and run for the hills but he insisted I stay there to answer his (repeated) ...
I am absolutely delighted that both our locally renowned groups First Steps Bath and Southside Family Project along with the nationally renowned group Barnardos, have been awarded the new contract to provide family support services in our local area. The good work that both First steps and The Southside Family Project Centre started over two decades ago will now go from strength to...
It appears that the lackadasical start to Gordon Brown association with the Lisbon Treaty, being detained in London on the most whimsical of excuses while it was being signed are a thing of the past. He is now turning up the heat on the other parties. On one hand he accuses the Tories of appeasement to eurosceptics, while simultaneously refusing to uphold his election pledge to hold a referendum
Yep, thats me - all packed and ready to go! Just looked at what I have got to do whilst I'm up in Liverpool and it seems I may have bitten off more than I can chew. As well as trying to pack in as much as I can of the Conference, I've also got to play the dutiful son, cousin and nephew. No easy task I can tell you. I guess this is whats called a Catch 22 situation On the one hand I get to save on hotel accommodation but on the other, I loose out on all ...
The Lib Dems latest London-wide leaflet promoting Brian Paddicks campaign for the London mayoralty has just arrived. Want a sneak preview You can download a PDF version here.
On March 22nd Taiwan is braced for a Presidential election whose outcome could have significant repercussions for cross-strait relations and international security. After eight years in opposition, the pro-Beijing Kuomintang (KMT) is mounting a strong challenge to President Chen Shui-Bian's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the Chinese authorities are quietly confident that KMT candidate Ma Ying-Jeou can carry the day. Early signs show that the Blue Alliance, led by the Kuomintang, will replicate its landslide victory in January's legislative elections where it won 86 of 113 seats halving the DPP's representation in the Legislative Yuan and leaving it with less ...
Eleven years after finishing my degree, I have finally finished paying off my student loans 1994-1997. All I can say is thank god I went to university before Labour introduced the top-up-fees otherwise I would be still paying the little blighters off.
Dutch MEP Paul Van Buitenen has published the recent controversial report on MEP's expenses, which the Socialists and Conservatives on the European Parliament's Budget Control Committee voted to hush up. It certainly makes interesting reading and gives even stronger credibility to the ALDE calls for greater transparency in expenses and the introduction of an "Assistants Charter" for Parliamentary staff. The summary report can be found at: Hat tip to Consider This.
Aviemore 2008 was a good conference. From the opening session with Nick Cleggs first speech to conference as leader, through to Malcolm Bruces closing note, looking at Scotland through the prism of history, those attending the conference were upbeat and cheerful. It seems that opposition is really suiting us. It is on that last note, however, [...]
I've been following for the last nine months the splits, schisms, and competing elements within the Mahdi Army. Moqtada al Sadr was appearing to be losing control of some of the more violent and thuggish elements, hence the ceasefire. Yesterday he's expelled two commanders for being corrupt and disloyal, this is after a difficult three weeks for the Sadrist militia with other splits. I personally believe this is a strong contributing factor to the big rise in violence and killings in February (20 to 33 % depending on who's figures you take). The two commanders he has expelled (Ahmad al-Sharifi ...
Well, you learn something new everyday. Apparently, this is common knowledge. I, for one, had no idea. Then again, it's really not that surprising owing to the closeness of all regal elites that have blighted our history.
Off to Queen Elizabeth 6th Form College this morning for a Question Time event for their Politics students. Almost 100 were in the audience, not bad for a 9am start! Allison Carling from Democratic Services kicked things off with a presentation about the structure of the Council and, somewhat disconcertingly, a slide show of mug shots of the Cabinet Members and Scrutiny Chairs. Then myself, Barry
Just on quick lunchbreak, after busy evening yesterday working on the Highgate by-election. My own ward surgery tonight after work, but I'll try to do a bit of blogging later on. Noticed yesterday that the inquest into Princess Diana's death seems to be going on forever, will be keeping the Daily Express in front pages for years to come, no doubt. It seems that people are determined to draw out the tragedy for as long as possible - ignoring the fact that it was a terrible accident and a sad loss of life. For an alternative news report from the ...
McCain secured the Republican nomination for President last night after winning in Texas, Ohio, Vermont and Rhode Island.
I am pleased at the outcome of discussions between the City Council and a developer over traffic and pedestrian safety on Riverside Drive at the former Homebase site where around 200 apartment flats are under construction. There has been considerable disquiet from residents about a number of aspects of the traffic and pedestrian arrangements during the construction phase. I contacted the City Council about these last week and a Planning & Transport Officer met a representative of the developer earlier today onsite to look at these. There has been agreement on a number of safety improvements which, when implemented, will ...
So Hillary Clinton is now in the race for a while longer after what can only be considered a very good night for her. Very strong in Ohio, huge in Rhode Island, and winning the popular vote in Texas. Vermont was never going to go her way and she didn't bother with it. By my calculations Clinton should have made up around 20 (it depends on the Texas Caucus results) delegates. This leaves her still with a lot to do. In fact, she'll have to, on average, win all 12 remaining primaries by 61 - 39 to catch up with ...
In an amazing contest, Hillary Clinton won three of the vote contests yesterday taking Texas, Ohio and Rhode Island - Barack Obama won in Vermont, it is possible Obama could still win more delegate in Texas than Clinton due to a hybrid system of a Primary and a Caucus. Neither Clinton or Obama are anywhere near having enough delegates to be sure of victory nest.
A very early start today with an 8am Fairtrade Breakfast at the City Chambers to mark this year's Fairtrade Fortnight, hosted by Lord Provost John Letford. The speaker at the breakfast was Julius Ethang'atha, a Kenyan Tea Grower, who described the positive benefits of Fairtrade. You can read more about Fairtrade Fortnight by clicking on the headline above.
At least, according to Michael Crick. No name yet, but as it’s over the issue of holding a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, odds-on it’s David Heath, Shadow Secretary for Constitutional Affairs.
Dutch MEP Paul van Buitenen has defied the Parliamentary Authorities and published an executive summary of the controversial report highlighting abuses of MEP expenses on his personal website. This clearly states that the current system of staff payments, which can take numerous different contractual forms which alter depending on the MEP's nationality, is far too complicated for the Directorate General for Finance "to monitor effectively the legality, regularlity, and sound financial management of the Members' contractual arrangements". It goes on to cite a variety of abuses, including payments of the 186000 euro staff allowance to service providers who have registered ...
The following is, quite simply, brilliant. How I wish I could claim it as my own. A Message from John Cleese To the citizens of the United States of America : In light of your failure to nominate competent candidates for President of the USA and thus to govern yourselves, we hereby give notice of the revocation of your independence, effective immediately. Her Sovereign Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will resume monarchical duties over all states, commonwealths, and territories (except Kansas , which she does not fancy). Your new prime minister, Gordon Brown, will appoint a governor for America without the ...
A rather clever friend of mine (she is an academic) asked me the following this morning: 'I heard your Leader on Radio 4 this morning trying to explain why the Lib Dems are planning to abstain at tonight's vote on the Europe referendum. Completely baffling! This means that the Government will probably get its way after all, so that there will be no public debate about Europe except in the Eurosceptic media. Is this what the LDs really, really want......... 'As a pro-European I am actually in favour of the Lisbon Treaty (as in, 'far from perfect but better than ...
The independent arbitration against the Football League's imposition of a 15-point penalty on Leeds United will be heard during the week commencing April 14. The points penalty has been hotly disputed by Leeds who claim they had followed the League's rules in paying off football debts first. This was challenged by Inland Revenue and it prevented United from coming out of administration with an approved Company Voluntary Arrangement, as required by League rules, though the threat of legal action by Inland Revenue was eventually dropped. It is grossly unfair for United to have been deducted 15-points this season for something ...
As a fellow Lib Dem blogger has observed, last night’s Newsnight interview of Nick Clegg was not good for the Liberal Democrats. At several points he sounded more like a Vulcan than a party leader, constantly falling back on the refrain that to support a Lisbon Treaty referendum now would be “just not logical”. However, [...]
Just watched last night's Newsnight, in which Nick Clegg was given a good sneering at by Paxman. Nick did OK, I thought, though he would have done well to get in the point that the constitution was an amalgamtion of Maastricht, Nice, Lisbon, etc., and not just Lisbon. Paxman becomes ever more impossible on subjects where he clearly thinks his subjective judgments on things are facts. But what
Following our earlier discussion with Colin Eldridge, the answer to our drinks question was an unequivocal vote for Rigbys, Therefore, our Liberal Drinks in Liverpool will be after the conference rally, which finishes at 7.30pm, in Rigby’s, 23-25 Dale Street, Liverpool L2 2EZ. The meeting may well be curtailed early as people decamp to the LGA Lib [...]
Genewatch UK have published their rebuttal to ten myths, which they say have grown up around a National DNA database. In the e-mail they send to me they explain that "In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, but not in Scotland, people's DNA, fingerprints and police records are now kept permanently, even if they are never convicted of an offence. DNA is taken on arrest for any recordable offence, without consent, from the age of ten. Recent high profile cases, and new figures on the numbers of prosecutions resulting from DNA matches on the Database, have been used to argue that ...
Ken Livingstone's adviser, Lee Jasper has now been fired resigned. I wrote something about the background to this story a couple of weeks ago. According to the Guardian, Jasper was sacked resigned when it emerged that he had written 'flirtatious emails' to a woman who headed up two organisations that had received grants from the Mayor. In his defence, Jasper stated that although he...
Another breakfast-spluttering moment today. The Government says it wants police, NHS and councils more locally accountable. Yes, they should be and the Lib Dems have been calling for this for years. So why ON EARTH have they spent the last 10 years (and the Tories did the same in the previous 18) taking powers AWAY from local councils Talk about stating the bleedin' obvious........ We need a
There seems to me to be no worse way to promote equality of treatment for a minority than to claim that any criticism of a member of said minority is driven by discrimination. Lee Jasper’s claim that the media campaign against him is racist falls squarely into that category. Rather than admit that there are questions [...]
LibDemVoice kicks off our conference coverage with an interview with Colin Eldridge, Liverpool councillor and PPC for Liverpool Wavertree.
URBED, the urban regeneration specialists currently undertaking a study into the future of Prestwich, gave a presentation at last night’s Local Area Partnership (LAP). It was great to see so many members of the public there, and the presentation went down very well. I think URBED and local people want much the same thing - a revitalised retail sector, some relief of the traffic problems, and an improved environment. It was great that URBED presented possible solutions to all of the problems that we face. None of them are insurmountable. There are some concerns at this early stage, and rightly ...
According, at any rate, to the Daily Mail’s Ben Brogan: My colleague Jane Merrick has learned that Susan Kramer walked out of a “shadow cabinet” meeting this morning in a symbolic show of frustration over the leader’s confused position on an EU referendum. She was followed by David Heath. Bizarrely, Ms Kramer will abstain with Mr [...]
Last night’s meeting of Prestwich Local Area Partnership (LAP) was the final meeting of the municipal year, and contained some great news for local organisations to whom we were able to award thousands of pounds in grants. The LAP controls a number of grant funds and can allocate them to local groups throughout the year. Already this year for instance, we have allocated £10,000 to the Rainsough community centre, with more to follow for Children’s Centre outreach both there and in Carr Clough. Last night the following awards were made: - Prestwich Carnival were awarded £2,125, which will ensure the ...
Test Valley Liberal Democrat leader Len Gates and local Smannell Lib Dem campaigner and transport consultant Nigel Gooding (pictured at Little London CANGO bus stop) have launched a campaign to provide a greener, safer, reliable bus service to Andover Railway Station from Smannell, Little London and Enham Alemein. Nigel Gooding, who in a former life was responsible for establishing the award winning National Rail Enquiry Service has undertaken a survey of public transport in the villages of Smannell, Little London and Enham. His comprehensive findings found that despite daytime CANGO Hampshire County Council time services to Andover, no bus service ...
As some of you may have noticed, there has been a great deal of fuss and some debate on the subject of the Lib Dem Blogs, the perception being that some bloggers were getting preferential treatment when it came to events such as Blogger Interviews etc. See Nich Starling Alex Wilcock Mark Valladares Jo Anglezarke Jonny Wright and yours truly. Well, having given the matter some careful thought I am starting to wonder whether it could be that some of us are jealous I think thats true in my case. Why When I read of blogger events and whose gone ...
It’s become commonplace for people writing about the loss of our leader last autumn to refer casually to “the Lib Dems ditching Ming Campbell as Leader because he was too old”. This is fast becoming accepted as the official history of what happened at the start of October 2007. But in fact this is not what happened. Yes, Ming was forced into a position where he felt he had to resign because there was a perception that he was too old. But who was it who made this into an issue (more…)
Nick Clegg has just been interviewed on Today, you can listen again here. In response to an interview with Sandra Gidley, who will be voting in favour of a referendum because that is what her constituents expect, Nick said "Not a single Lib Dem MP committed to a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, it was on the Constitution" his view was that since the Constitution gathered together all pre existing treaties if it was rejected there would be nothing to cling to. The Lisbon Treaty however is just a series of amendments and the referendum would not deal with the ...
Ever wondered why I got involved in Politics What my best and worst blogging experiences have been Who my political heroes may be Well, fellow blogger Paul Burgin has just interviewed me for his 20 Questions series here. You may be surprised, shocked, delighted........or terribly disappointed!
Well the news for anyone with connections to Northern Ireland today is that the Rev. Dr. Ian Kyle Paisley MP, MLA and one time MEP is to step down from front line politics in the province. What that means is that the 81 year old will step aside as First Minister after a year in that office in May and leader of the party he has led for 40 years the Democratic Unionist Party. The old man of
It’s official. It’s been far too long since I managed to finish writing a blog post. I never really had a plan for what this blog would evolve into after the leadership election and, what with being extremely busy of late I’ve had to put this site to one side, but I’ve never been able to abandon it completely. I was spoilt for plenty of material to write about when I first started the blog and now I’ve got to work for my posts, just when I no longer have the time to do things properly. No excuses though, I’m ...
Wednesday, once again Even with all the excitement of meeting Mr Ed in the Houses of Parliament, I had not forgotten Torchwood was on, and I gave Daddy Alex careful instructions in how to work the DVD recorder to make sure we could watch it. This episode forms part two of a sort of mid-season trilogy that you might call the "Miss Martha Trilogy" or maybe the "Owen of the Dead" Trilogy. Anyway, here's what Daddy Richard thought This was Torchwood's Buffy-est opening so far (yes, even more than the "Spike comes to town" teaser for "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang"). ...
Welcome to all Clarion readers and those that have been adding their names and support to our campaign to stop the closures of post offices in North Somerset. It now looks as if the Post Offices in Clevedon are safe, but keep filling in the post card survey when you receive it as we are building a solid case to keep all the post offices open wherever they are, specifically Nailsea Kingshill and Barrow Gurney Post Offices, that now have been told they have 6 weeks to appeal against closure. So far we have had over 250 letters of support, and ... | < | March 2008 | > | ||||
| 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 | |||||
