Masters
I could not resist adding this photo of Leila getting her Msc in Voluntary Sector Management at Southwark Cathedral last week. It was a great day and I was very proud of her. Monday 10th March 2008
11:39 pm
I could not resist adding this photo of Leila getting her Msc in Voluntary Sector Management at Southwark Cathedral last week. It was a great day and I was very proud of her. 
11:29 pm
Star Wars
Star wars seems to have hit my desk - I've only been away 3 days and piles of papers, books and e-mails have scattered around, so much for my good intention of writing about Conference. So just the first installment. The first debate I attended was on ballistic missiles - which were aptly described by a speaker as " Weapons of mass Destruction that you can see". I was horrified to... 10:45 pm
Nick's school report...
Beeb journo John Pienaar has written a very thoughtful article almost drooling with admiration for Nick Clegg. However, it looks like Nicks school report might have got soaked in his school bag due to a burst Capri-sun It was also encouraging for Mr Clegg to see his party so willing to be led, so hungry for a political recovery. That might account for the fact that the Spring Conference swallowed, with barely a murmur, the idea of giving the private sector a defined role in healthcare, where the NHS fails to deliver on time. Previous Lib Dem conferences would not ... 10:20 pm
Hans Blix on Law and Peace
I was meant to spend this afternoon at the Bank of England, with most of the senior Cabinet Ministers from Slovakia, so I could write a feature for ‘Diplomat’ magazine, but their flight to London was cancelled because of the storms. So instead, I returned to SOAS, to attend the 6th Ruth Steinkraus-Cohen International Law [...] 10:04 pm
Proof political journalists dont understand opinion polls, No. 94
Much scratching of heads tonight among some hacks confused by the latest Populus poll in The Times showing the Tory poll lead shrinking fast. Heres Sky Newss Jon Craig: Voting intentions, according to Populus, are now Conservatives 37 per cent (down three), Labour 34 (up three) and the Liberal Democrats 19 (up two, despite last week's Lisbon Treaty vote shambles). That's right, the same 
9:46 pm
Just say no
I spent most of the second half of last year dealing with the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill. We spent 56 hours dealing with it in the Lords, and much of that was government ministers trying to convince us that they are now committed localists and that the days of Whitehall knows best are over. The most visible face of this brave new world is to be the Local Area Agreement in which a cross section of dignitaries, sorry, stakeholders, sit down with civil servants and determine priorities, funding and the 35 targets in a local kind ... 9:40 pm
BritBlog Roundup 160
I am assured that this week's selection of the best in British blogging will appear on Amused Cynicism later this evening. 9:35 pm
Thoughts on public service - how a lack of confidence betrays us all
In amongst the big picture statements in Nick Cleggs speech to the Liberal Democrat conference yesterday, was a less high-profile but heartfelt plea that the system needs to be more mindful of the public it purports to serve. There is a certain irony here, in that I sense a desire, certainly in my corner of the public sector, to find ways to reach out to our customer base (sorry, but I 9:19 pm
Tough on crime Unless you are in a car
Watching Traffic Cops on BBC1 this evening, they opened with the statement "There are 1000 less traffic cops on the roads than there were ten years ago". I wonder if there is any link between this fact and the rise in recent years in drink driving problems Whilst it is easy to think that traffic police just stop people speeding, they do a valuable job in being seen, dealing with idiots on the road and stopping and dealing with drunk and dangerous drivers. Labour promised to be tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime. It appears that when ... 8:42 pm
105 High Street Twerton Blockbusters & Magic Wok
At the moment of writing no decision has been made on this application but on looking at the Council Webb site it looks as if a decision will be made after 24th March as the expiry date of the notices but it could be as soon as 12th. Over 120 formal objections to planning permission have been submitted on this application and it is not too late to have your say on this matter but you... 8:41 pm
Gladstone's birthplace
We stayed on for another day in Liverpool to see at least some of the sights of the European Capital of Culture. Liverpool has an aura of grandeur, as befits what was a major city of empire. As is well-known, much of the city's economic power was built on the slave trade. Among those who profited from slavery was John Gladstone, father of Liberal prime minister William Gladstone. Gladstone pere was Liverpool merchant, who owned slaves on his plantations in the West Indies. Perhaps as a result of this, Gladstone always had something of a blind-spot about slavery, being less ... 8:16 pm
Tonight's Council Committees - and Old Dundee
At council committees tonight, the committee I chair, Planning & Transport, had very positive agenda items on the regeneration of Lochee and Stobswell, together with a tree preservation order being confirmed, to protect trees and screening of industrial units on Riverside Avenue. At Policy & Resources Committee, I spoke on a couple of items: Fairer Scotland Fund - to express concern at the £230 000 reduction in funding Dundee is receiving this year - funding that is targeted at the least affluent communities. Both I and Council Leader Kevin Keenan asked for all-party consensus to persuade Scottish Government to increase ... 8:07 pm
Diary of a Conference Jade (aged a great deal): Saturday Night and Sunday Morning
Following LVT fringe on Saturday I want nothing so much as a nice hot cup of tea and a sit down, but instead I slouch along ten minutes’ worth of regenerational dockland to the Crowne Plaza, where I gather with other bloggers to guzzle free wine and get congratulated in public by impressive people until I go all red and gruff [...] 8:04 pm
I've finally made it to celebrity status! (An appearance in Woman & Home must count for something)
Woman & Home magazine has a page and a half on the Rose Theatre this month. And I'm rather chuffed because it includes an interview with me, after one with the great Sir Peter Hall. (Unfortunately they haven't posted this piece on the magazine's website) But it is all rather odd, because the writer seems to be under the impression that the ORIGINAL Rose, the one that Shakespeare worked... 7:15 pm
How many times will Alistair Darling re-announce things from the 2007 budget on budget day this year
Much like most fly on the wall type documentaries like Wife Swap. Location Location Location and You Are What You Eat, the Labour Party do like to repeat the same point over and over again just in case you miss something, or in many cases to patronise. The lifestyle shows I mentioned always tell you what will happen, then before every break tell you what will happen next followed by a return after the break telling you what has already happened, before the whole process is repeated again, meaning that in any 30 minute programme, there is actually only about ... 
6:57 pm
Another podcast hotline punter
We’re very grateful to the caller who phoned on Saturday to inform us about Alan Beith’s impending milestone and celebratory ball. Apart from that only one other person has phoned the podcast hotline 020 7617 7221 and left us a message. I know that it’s a pranking LDV staffer, even though it sounds like an elderly confused [...] 6:51 pm
BBC Shows Its iPlayer Working
The BBC has education as one of its key objectives, and this goal is brilliantly achieved for me with this comprehensive explanation of the iPlayer on iPhone technology they have just launched. 6:50 pm
Man Convicted of Owning Book
In a severe defeat for the forces of satire, today a man was convicted of owning a book, or more accurately “a CD containing an al-Qaeda training manual”. Police found the disc during a raid on Khalid Khaliq’s home in July 2005, and he now faces a maximum custodial sentence of two years. From news reports, [...] 6:44 pm
Haberdasher Aske's foundation plaque...
In the educational and plaque theme here is one of the most impressive and elaborate that I have come across in the local area... It's on Hampstead School on Westbere Road and is the original foundation stone from the school at Hoxton, east London: SERVE AND OBEY is the motto HABERDASHER ASKE'S BOYS SCHOOL ON THE FOUNDATION OF ROBERT ASKE. AD MDCXCII REMOVED FROM HOXTON AND ERECTED HERE MCMII So founded 1692 and the plaque (and the school) moved in 1902 http://www.habsboys.org.uk/ http://www.oldhabs.com/ I think it's slightly curious it wasn't moved when the school moved out in the 1960's. ... 6:23 pm
So whos in charge
As the governing group on Stockport Council if there was an ongoing increase of the equivalent (say £1m) we would be hammered by the opposition with cries of `who’s in charge` Nice to know Scrutineers are doing their job: `The Commons defence committee said operational costs for this financial year were now forecast to reach £3.297bn - a 94% increase on last year. This included [...] 6:20 pm
Winkworth Hall anyone
In the genre of plaques and inscriptions I snapped this pic. on Chevening Road (in fact visible from Salusbury Road). Winkworth Hall is the building on the corner of the junction current occupied by Hopscotch and The Avenue School in Queen's Park. I hadn't appreciated the name, nor the history or the set of previous occupants. Perhaps most of all the extent to which this was effectively the sixth form block for Brondesbury and Kilburn School had escaped me: http://www.bkreunion.co.uk/reunion_pics/ Are there any memories of the Hall out there E-mail ed.fordham@hampsteadandkilburn.org.uk 6:08 pm
The good, the bad and the downright ugly
Thats how I'd sum up this years Spring conference. The Good the arena itself, the debates, the exhibition stands, the scousers, meeting Linda Jack (and family), Meral Ece, Susan Gaszczak (you are right Susan we really must sit down and have that drink some time), the Lib Dem Friends of Palestine, the Crown Plaza Hotel & staff, the success of the Emergency Motion on Gaza, Q&A sessions and Nick Cleggs speech. The Bad The distance between the venue and Crown Plaza, the road and building works still going on between the venue and the hotel. The food and drink within ... 5:39 pm
More about yellow buses
I'm still going out and about looking at yellow school buses, although the evidence gathering part of the Yellow School Bus Commission is drawing to a close. The technical, operational and funding details of the schemes vary from place to place, but the fundamentals seem to be the same. Getting children to and from school still relies on a public transport model rooted in the 1950s and on a legislative framework which dates back to the 1944 Act, so it's not surprising that it's not really working. In some areas you can use normal service buses to get to school, ... 5:07 pm
Calling all men who don't like violence
Saturday was International Womens Day. I didnt get any flowers, or a cup of tea in bed or anything like that. Am I not an international woman And I didnt even get to go to the Million Women Rise March in London because I went up to the Liberal Democrat Conference for the weekend. I did though comfort myself with the Women Liberal Democrats (WLD) fringe session in celebration of the day. I would like to thank Cllr Bobbie Chettleburgh for bringing up the issue of domestic violence in the UK in the session; I had been preparing this blog ... 5:04 pm
Lib Dems turn to have Darling steal their policies
The great policy thief looks like he is about to strike again! Alistair Darling, Labour Chancellor and policy plagiarist, is rumoured to be about to unveil a host of new measures in his first budget on Wednesday aimed at cutting carbon emissions in what is to be billed as Labours greenest [budget] to date. Should we be surprised Of course not. In his first pre-Budget report, Darling ditched months of Labour plans in a naked attempt to out-Tory the Conservatives by offering an Inheritance Tax cut that Nick Clegg argues will help just 6 per cent of the population. Nick ... 5:03 pm
Recycling info needed
This afternoon I foolishly suggested that my Barristers’ Chambers ought to recycle paper and went on about how most modern offices have recycling bins, global warming will flood even our legal ivory towers, etc… As reward for my eco-awareness / self-righteousness, Queen’s Counsel has asked me to find a suitable company to supply bins and collect our recycling. Please [...] 3:18 pm
What a Compliment!
Whilst I was in town this morning, I was stopped by a gentleman who said he just wanted to thank me and congratulate me about this website! He told me that he looked at it everyday because in his words “I can learn more about what’s going on in town than I can from all the local papers put together.” Wow! What a criticism of our local newspapers! 3:18 pm
Extra Joe Elsewhere
I have a post up on Lib Dem Voice arguing that guarantees of choice and respect within schools for believers and non-believers alike is a good way to address the problems of faith schools, while recognising that many are good schools that people want to use. Feedback much appreciated. So, yes, I went to the Lib Dem conference in Liverpool. Met some marvellous people and elephants. If I had known 3:09 pm
New Lib Dem Party Political Broadcast featuring my pics
As seen before his speech to conference yesterday. All the stills are from various visits that Nick has done around the country that I've gone to. 3:09 pm
Assembly Quiz Part Three
A further 20 questions from the quiz put together by John Jenkins from the BMA. Parts one and two are here and here. There are 160 questions in all so this one will run and run. Answers are in the comments. 41. Who was described by the Western Mail: Has matured into more than the megaphone politician she used to be 42. Whilst out canvassing, which AM walked up a newly laid concrete drive which was still wet 43. When asked what would be the first law he would pass if he ran Wales said: Genetic breeding of parrots so ... 2:55 pm
Clegg speech - the press verdict(s)
The FreeThink blog has been rather distracted by goings off in the American sphere as of late. Nick Clegg's first conference speech as Lib Dem leader is therefore a welcome opportunity to return our gaze to the British political scene.Most of the papers' news coverage centres on Clegg's references to coalition deals - see "No power-sharing deals unless constitution is reformed, warns Clegg" in The Independent, "Clegg's terms for deal in hung parliament" in The Guardian and "Lib Dem leader vows to end politics as usual" in The Times. The Telegraph concentrates on proposals to control naughty MPs ("Nick Clegg ... 2:49 pm
Sustainable Red Herrings
Mark Price of Waitrose raises an important issue in the Guardian today - - that of the high carbon emissions associated with refrigeration in the food industry. What could be crazier in an era of concern about climate change than the supermarket practice of leaving freezers and fridges open and then heating the surrounding space to keep shoppers warm Another dirty word that is too often unspoken is shipping which transports 97% of the worlds trade. It could be virtually carbon-free through the use of solar and wind energy, but which governments are pushing for this Our government is ... 2:45 pm
Rock Follies
A part of Torquay's sea-front area was reclaimed from the sea in the middle of the last century and a number of paths were channelled across the rock face that has become known as Rock Walk. The stab... 2:38 pm
Staggering on
I am taking over the New Statesman's politics round-up blog - so blogging here is likely to be more sporadic, and yet more esoteric (gutted! I know). If you spot anything fun, interesting or zeitgeisty then drop me an email at pauldavidevans[at]gmail.com 1:53 pm
Opinion: The Budget - an opportunity for a new approach to fiscal policy
The economic debate of recent weeks has centred around the credit crunch and the changing times of Northern Rock. The Liberal Democrats have shown leadership with Vince Cable’s well-respected comments on the nationalisation issue. This week, the focus will shift to the Government’s plans for fiscal policy for the coming years. In Wednesdays Budget, the [...] 1:50 pm
Liverpool Conference
So it was to Liverpool for this year's Liberal Democrat spring conference. I am writing this while travelling back on the train, so I haven't caught up yet with the media coverage. But I bet they are all writing about how Conference was dominated by the fall out from last weeks rebellion on Europe. All the talk in the conference hotel bars was about this challenge to Nick Clegg's authority. 1:45 pm
Photovoltaic cells...and water tanks!
http://www.enviro-friendly.com/water-tanks-australia.shtml The above link shows a picture of the kind of metal water tanks used to collect rainwater off roofs in drought affected areas of the world (we should be using this kind of rain-water collecting technology for every new house built in the south-east as there is not going to be enough water in the resevoirs to cope with demand in the future if we get incresingly hot summers. Also good for areas prone to groundwater flooding where you might not want to drink the local supply! Either underground storage for groups of houses or individual tanks for single ... 1:41 pm
Socialist State of Salford
Interesting quote from Crain’s Manchester Business (which launched late last year): “Salford City Council leader John Merry was delighted to open the Salford Innovation Forum on Friday, although he was perturbed by the lofty position of the speakers’ plinth at the launch event. Looking down on the assembled invitees from the top of a first floor [...] 1:36 pm
Town mottos
I know a lot of people have commented on the inane nature of missions statements, mottos and the like, but two that I saw while I was in the North West amused me especially: The time is Knowsley and Oldham - We're in it together 12:39 pm
Blog Awards: Chuffed of Crystal Palace!
I am naturally quite a smiley person but I think on Saturday night I took grinning to new widths when I heard my name being announced as the winner of the Campaign for Gender Balance Best Blog Post and had the, unique in my life time, experience of being presented with a little trophy cup!! Other winners, as those who have been following these things know already, were Peoples Choice Best Lib Dem Blog winner, Lynne Featherstone, Judges Choice Best Lib Dem Blog Alix Mortimer and Best non Lib Dem blog Betsan Powys. Now, back to the cupI have never, ... 12:28 pm
Bluecoat Reopens!
The brilliant Bluecoat Arts Centre, in the centre of Liverpool, is to have a grand re opening this weekend - after a considerable amount of building work. This(below) from the Centre's website. Opening programme revealed On Saturday 15 March 2008, after a £12.5m redevelopment, the Bluecoat will throw open its doors to the public for the first time since early 2005. A full programme of Visual Art, Live Art, Dance, Music, Literature, Family and Heritage events has now been announced with events from March - May, including the opening weekend available to view. As well as the huge celebratory opening ... 11:46 am
The plus points and minus points of rain
Its disturbing quite how large a role the weather will play in the election campaign. Last year I was very lucky in that it was sunny for the whole of April (apart from at night, obviously). So we could canvass, leaflet and campaign to our hearts content. And then some more. Apparently the government always does better when the General Election falls on a sunny day. I think in Bury, the richest party does better when it rains in the spring because they can just post their leaflets, whilst the poor ones forego the stamps and hand deliver them ... 11:29 am
Open Thread: your views on Liverpool
Conference Committee is very keen to hear from delegates what they thought about Liverpool as a conference venue. How was the arena Were your hotels OK How would you feel about holding an autumn conference there My view is that it’s pretty good already and will all be a lot better when the [...] 11:20 am
Is Binge Drinking, the most popular British recreation
Vince Cable got into hot water with the Weatherspoons pub chain, after claiming in his speech at the Spring Conference, that high street banks had become the equivalent of Weatherspoons, with 'binge banking' Binge drinking is very much a British phenomena. Over the weekend in Liverpool as with any other city in the UK, it was interesting to witness groups of young people, dressed in their glad rags, and hitting the pubs and clubs, to engage in this recreation. I know we've all done it, and its what all young people do, so why is it now seen as a ... 11:20 am
Obama wins again
Barack Obama won the Democratic caucus in Wyoming with 61% of the vote to Hillary Clinton's 38%. He gets 7 delegates to the DNC and she gets 4. 10:39 am
The book of nickers, chapter 4: on working with the other parties
And there was a dazzling light from the heavens and in it a host of angels who descended to the earth and sang, Alleluia, alleluia, a Lib Dem leader has for once been clear and unequivocal about any future power sharing deal. And the people around fell to their knees, weeping and praising their chosen deity for the Lib Dems would never seek to limit the belief options available crying out Thank [deity name or expletive here] for that, now perhaps the media will put the subject on ice until such time as it actually becomes an issue. And there ... 10:32 am
Photovoltaic cells...fab idea!
The above link is an article about research being done at Swansea University for coating steel with photo-voltaic cells to generate power! What a fab idea! 10:13 am
DLT: Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust Limited
Duncan Brack and Ed Randall, authors of the Dictionary of Liberal Thought, have kindly agreed to let us publish extracts on Lib Dem Voice. Last month, Community Politics; this month, the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust Limited. The entire book is available on Amazon here and can also be bought at the Westminster Bookshop. Established in 1904 [...] 10:09 am
PLANNING APPLICATIONS - Week ending 6 MARCH 2008
The following applications relate to properties within Stonefield and Christchurch ward. For further details contact the Planning Officer at Stafford Borough Council, 3rd Floor, Civic Centre, Riverside, Stafford ST16 3AQ or telephone 01785 619337 quoting the application number. Application Number: 08/09881/COU Type of Application: Change of Use Date registered: 5 March 2008 Applicant: Miss Stacey Davidson Location: 6 Radford Street, Stone Proposal: Change of use of the building from a category A1 retail unit to accommodate a nail and beauty salon. Case Officer: Ms T Brown 9:48 am
Conference over
A great speech from Nick Clegg at the end of the Lib Dem Spring conference yesterday. Actually it wasn't the end for quite a few delegates and MPs as they went out delivering leaflets in quite a few parts of the City for us. So big thanks to those who helped... and sorry to those who got rained on! It was interesting to see how the Convention Centre works. The staff were really helpful and we had a record attendance at this conference so they probably had more people to deal with than expected. In his end of conference thanks, ... 9:37 am
Markets in everything
Tim Worstall at the ASI on John Lewis and markets in ownership models. He points out that free markets are not capitalism, capitalism is a system of ownership. John Lewis is an example of a cooperative, a different form of ownership and this example is doing very well. He echos my sentiments, people should be free to [...] 9:37 am
The Monday morning train blog
I was rather surprised by the number of people at conference who told me they read my blog and one of the more popular posts is the one I do from the train on Monday mornings on the way to London. As I came down to London yesterday, straight from Liverpool conference, this post is being written as I wait for the delayed train to Victoria - which I can now see approaching! Temporary interruption 9:07 am
Weekly Catchup 3rd - 9th March
Your handy weekly guide to all that’s good on LDV. Well, what a week. Europe dominated the early part of the week. We had inconsistent Tories, inconsistency from IWantAReferendum, inconsistency from the Lib Dem parliamentary party, (well, 13 of them) - but at least the sure and certain knowledge that Britain is behind us. [...] 8:57 am
Last Enemy last night
The Last Enemy is all getting rather bloody. An experiment to create the ulitimate ID tag - in people’s blood - is killing them. Those excluded from the ID card state are selling their blood to survive. A disillusioned official blows his brains out in a gallery full of paintings done in the artist’s blood. [...] 8:45 am
Community Council Update
I have today launched my March 2008 update to West End Community Council. Issues covered include : * Bridge at Riverside Drive - flooding and potholes* Wheelie Bins - update* Footpath and kerbing repairs - Perth Road, Glamis Road and Park Place* Magdalen View - pedestrian access You can read a copy of the update by clicking the headline above. 7:45 am
Opinion: The issue is not faith schools but freedom of conscience
There has been a lot of comment on Lib Dem blogs lately attacking the faith school system and religion in education. I want to use this opinion piece to offer a different and more liberal perspective on secularism. Secularism to me means that the state has no business deciding on matters of religious truth, and [...] 7:38 am
Our terms for Government
Unlike Jonny Wright I did not read Nick Clegg's speech as a rejection of coalition government. As the Guardian report makes clear, what Nick was doing was defining our terms and for once it will not be small policy gains that determine our future but a fundamental restructuring of the process of government itself. As it happens I do not accept the premise that because we are in favour of proportional representation then we must automatically be ready to enter any coalition going. Our overriding priority must be what is good for the Country and if we cannot get a ... 1:46 am
Nigel Kneale: Do We Owe Him That Much
Loz Miles has posted this interesting piece challenging the received wisdom on Nigel Kneale. OK, I know, not obviously Lib Dem, but there is undeniably a Doctor Who fan audience to be found here! Quote from the article: The Quatermass serials have left us with a vague sense of superiority, without prompting us to question their meaning. And it's a poor sort of television that only inspires 12:35 am
I make a little progress
I am back from the Lib Dem Conference in Liverpool, pleased that on Friday the Federal Policy Committee approved my draft resolution on the global population crisis for submission by the UK Liberal Democrats to the Liberal International Congress in May. Lindsay Northover, who speaks on international development in the Lords, has been an enormous help in drafting it. Did you know the world's human population has more than doubled since 1960 and is increasing at a rate of 1.5 million per week More on the resolution anon. 12:29 am
Clegg ditches Lib Dem commitment to PR
Yesterday, on the quiet, Nick Clegg scrapped the Liberal Democrats' long-standing commitment to reform Britain's electoral system. So it appears, anyway, from his speech to the party's spring conference in Liverpool. He may not have meant to do it, but the following paragraph, buried in the middle of a 50-minute note-free oration, destroys the long-held liberal hope of a fairer voting system: The day before I was elected leader, Mr Cameron suggested we join them, he talked about a progressive alliance. This talk of alliances comes up a lot, doesnt it Everyone wants to be in our gang. So I ... 12:14 am
Clegg's Speech: My Reaction
So, now that I have shaped my thoughts by reorganising the speech itself, what do I make of it Well, the delivery (which you can see here) was interesting. It showed great promise, but I suspect that the audience didn't get as fired up as it might have done owing to what sounds to me like a rather acoustically cavernous hall (picture here: ). Occasionally Nick seemed to expect the audience to 
