LibDem Blogs - Archived! - Saturday 29th March 2008

No Jobs for Midwives

No more than three days have passed since Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council were forced to admit that they could no longer afford the number of teachers currently employed by the Local Authority, we recieve yet another blow from New Labour. The number of nurses and midwives who are unemployed six months after qualifying has increased, nationally, by over 80% in the last three years. The figures, quoted by Lib Dem News and acquired by the Liberal Democrats Shadow Health Secretary Norman Lamb MP, show that six months after graduating: Almost three-quarters more nurses and midwives are now working ...

What a small world

I turn up at a place I have never been to before, Worksop, to the 50th birthday of someone I have not met before, in a room where the only person I know is David, and one of the first people I speak to is a Lib Dem councillor! Cllr Lindsley from Buckinghamshire County Council is mother of Louise Bloom, whose partner is Keith House who I do know. (Keith is Leader of Eastleigh and big knob in Chris

Calling human London politicians, calling human London politicians: haven't you missed something

All us dogs have been barking about it for days now, but you humans seem to have missed Boris Johnson's Campaign Manager, Dan Ritterband, being not wholly positive about his own candidate:Ritterband says he has little grasp of policyWhen even your Campaign Manager says that...! Alas poor Boris. Woof woof.

Brian Paddick on Any Qs

Brian Paddick has officially launched his campaign and has also done a stirling job on Any Questions today. He is particularly convincing when talking about dealing with some of the most disturbing elements of youth crime. But Brian, please stop saying you are not a politician. By virtue of your current role you are. Very few are born politicians (OK, maybe William Hague) some even do proper jobs before sliding into their safe seats..........but all, when they take on the mantle, take on the role.

Cambrian Drive Open Space

A final effort to save open space at Cambrian Drive from development happens this coming week at Poole Court, starting on Tuesday 1st April. Residents who have used the space will be giving evidence to convince an inspector this is a village green and therefore protected from development. Ranked against them will be a QC who specialises in this area - paid for by tax payers - whose job is to stop the residents. That hardly seems fair. The Gazette covers the story here.

£182,000 spent by Haringey Labour on PR firm

Sigh ... this is the story from the Ham & High:More than £182,000 of taxpayers' money has been spent on employing Lexington Communications since 2005 - money that critics say could be better employed combating the Palace's asbestos contamination. Lexington Communications, employed by the charitable trust which is administered by Labour-lead Haringey Council, also has Labour links. Founding partner Michael Craven has acted as chief media spokesman for the Labour Party. Mr Craven was accused of waging a "massive disinformation campaign" by the Corporate Europe Observatory website when managing director of the Market Access PR firm in 1998. Lexington Communications, ...

Is Terrorism diverting us from addressing other threats to our society

Terrorism is and will be for many years to come, a valid concern for our law makers. But I have heard a story this evening of someone who endured (and thankfully survived) a terrible and terrifying attack, someone who had foolishly got involved with a drug dealer. This has really made me question whether we have got things arse-backwards when it comes to identifying the real threats to our society. The impact of terrorism is enormous. As a commuter I know only too well the shock waves that reverberated from 7/7, intensified by 21/7. No one travelling on public transport ...

UK Government to escape EU renewable targets

The UK Government are trying to count investment in renewable energy overseas to try and inflate their renewable energy percentage to meet EU targets. It is a ridiculous cowardly way to get around the targets. The Labour Government have been placing their own targets to try and make them seem serous about Climate Change. But these targets are weak and they are still going to fail to meet them. Renewable energy currently only takes up 3% of our electricity. Shame on me for typing away on this laptop. However to be fair I have been doing this in science and ...

Oldest pub in Leeds, some books and more Doctor Who

Went to Leeds today, Jennie's off for a hen night in York this evening so split the journey up. Plan had been to have lunch in the excellent Scarbrough Hotel opposite the station, but it was packed full of Leeds fans and all the seating was taken by a hen party, so we went on into town and ended up lucking out with seating at Whitelocks. Considering that it's the oldest pub in Leeds, it's damn impressive. Went there before[2] but not actually had a meal. Um, yeah. Menu made it look a bit pricy. Really, it's not. It's really ...

New Holloway

Richard & I had a normal Saturday morning today (shock, horror) including food shopping, laundry, picking up Percy’s Frontline prescription and unblocking the vaccuum cleaner. We know how to have fun... Then with Rich heading off to catch the old firm game, I caught up with the campaign team for lunch. We had teams out [...]

Gordon Brown-'on your own'

Gordon Brown was a national embarrassment and disgrace when he was the only EU leader to show up late at the signing of the Lisbon Treaty. Things look set to repeat in an opposite sort of way as he may end up on his own at the Olympics. EU leaders are deciding not to attend the Olympics, first Poland, then the Czech Republic, Germany and it looks like this will encourage France. Although of course plans for a united EU boycott were blocked by Britain. (David Milliband talked of how the EU should engage with China on Human Rights. Well ...

Budget protected the rich and abandoned the poor

Alistair Darling's first budget was a huge missed opportunity. Nick Clegg, Leader of the Liberal Democrats said "This is not a green budget. This is not a people's budget. This is a con trick budget that protects the rich and abandons the poor. The Government has bottled it on green taxes and failed to implement the necessary measures to cut child poverty."

Nick Clegg's Conference Speech

In his first Conference speech as Leader of the Liberal Democrats Nick Clegg demanded a shake-up of the whole political system. Speaking at the end of the Party's Spring Conference in Liverpool in March, Nick Clegg said: "The great political story of our time is the story of the vast and growing army of people who look at the two main parties and say 'no thanks'. People who, like me, like you, want something different."

Quote of the Week

This week's quote is from Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the Movement for Democratic Change. He said "I can tell you that we are absolutely confident that the outcome will be for the people." He said this as Presidential Elections started, the full quote is this: "I want to assure you that the people's victory is assured, in spite of the regime's attempt to subvert the people's will through other fraudulent activities that have been unearthed, a million votes in Marambapfungwe, 33 ghost polling stations in Mashona central, and others. In spite of all that, I can tell you that we ...

Lib Dem Spring Conference round-up

The Liberal Democrat Spring Conference held in Liverpool in March was a great success. Conference backed plans to radically transform the NHS into a 'people's health service' and supported measures to build 1.3 million new social homes over the next ten years. In his first speech to Conference as Leader, Nick Clegg demanded a shake-up of the whole political system. A running theme of his speech was the need for a new kind of politics.

Ming's diary is Private Eye'd

Ming Campbell's Diary gets the Craig Brown treatment in the latest issue of Private Eye. It's hilarious. You'll have to get hold of a copy to read it.

Brian Paddick officially nominated

Brian Paddick has now been officially nominated as LibDem candidate for Mayor of London. His web site is here.

West Midlands Moving Forward session

Today we had the second Moving Forward session this year in Birmingham. We went through the last homework including looking at the delivery audit and how to recruit more deliverers, we also looking at fund-raising and winning in the last four weeks.

Waste depot planned for edge of Twerton

I know that many of you will be concerned to hear that the Council are consulting about putting a new waste transfer station on the Lower Bristol Road near to the Turnpike. The plan so far is to introduce this depot after consultation to replace the current one at Midland Road once the development issues are resolved at Western Riverside. The plans are at an early stage but I am...

Shout out for new bloggers

I am always pleased to see new women entering the blogosphere and happened upon Helen Duffett's new blog this afternoon. But it is also really good to see others (for example Paul Walter's mini me Alasdair Wood - heavens how can you manage 86 posts in one month and no leadership election!) dipping their toes in the water, well in Alasdair's case jumping in at the deep end! The only problem is keeping up with all the newcomers, so I wondered Stephen Tall et al, whether it would be possible to have a little shout out for all the new ...

At Home With The Tories

When someone comes up to you in a Conservative Club, shakes your hand and says you have their support, you wonder if you might have been putting out the wrong message, or perhaps you misread the sign...

Realpolitik 19: Terminal Regulations

Listen to the show In this weeks Realpolitik podcast with myself and Richard Holloway: Hillary Clinton’s daring Bosnian mission. Carla Bruni and Prime Minister’s Questions rolled into one glorious, glamorous whole. The embryonic question rears its ugly, underdeveloped head. The Constitutional Renewal Bill could mean the death of Parliament. An alternative to the Alternative Vote. Ten per cent teachers and the army. If [...]

Bush still optimistic as Palestian Peace falls apart

Peace in Palestine has been falling apart. With the west bank belonging to Fatah and the Gaza strip to Hamas the Palestinian Authorities are split and the President has no power over Gaza. Hamas has been launching rockets into Israel and Israel has been fighting back unproportionately. While the President of the Palestinians rejects negotiations with Israel because of the attacks on Gaza. However Bush has still sent Condoleezza Rice to try and produce fresh peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians. I respect Bush for his optimism, but it seems more of a desperate attempt for him to leave ...

Real Change for Park

At a recent Central Branch meeting I am glad to inform you that I was selected to stand as the Liberal Democrats representative in the upcoming Council elections. This will see us continuing our strong showing in a Ward where we have finished a close second in two of the past three years. The people of Reading are ready for a change, a change that is only possible with the Liberal Democrats. All over Reading people are turning to the Liberal Democrats as they seek to improve their area and where we have Councillors we have achieved results. I have ...

The VW Polo singing dog commercial

It is clear that this blog is surfing the Zeitgeist. No sooner do I develop an obsession with Steve Winwood and the Spencer Davis Group than their song "I'm a Man" is featured in the nation's most popular TV commercial. You can find the VW Polo advertisement here. But note that the version of "I'm a Man" used in it is not by the Spencer Davis Group. It is by a current-day singer called Charlie Winston. A particularly fine live performance by the Spencer Davis Group was one of my Sunday videos a few weeks ago. But not everyone is ...

How far should 'freedom' be aload

Far-right Dutch MP Geert Wilder has released his 15 minute film in which he criticises the Koran. No tv company would dare to agree to showing it, due to Islamic extremist threats they'd have put against them. Geert Wilder's film is discusting, there shouldn't be too much difficulty in Liberal Democrats agreeing on that. It's against someone's religion in horrible ways and the film doesn't really have any fact. Ban ki-Moon the UN Security General has criticised the film saying, "I condemn, in the strongest terms, the airing of Geert Wilders' offensively anti-Islamic film...The right of free expression is not ...

Alamein Environmental Group

Alamein Community Association is working to make the Alamein Ward an even nicer place to live. Are you interested in your local environment Would you like to help take action to make it even better Come and find out more at King Arthurs Hall on 10th April 2008 at 5:30pm. Refreshments will be available. Representatives of Test Valley, Testway Housing and Hampshire County Council will be there. Following this the next step will be a chance to get together and talk about what types of environmental issues you would like to tackle. This will be at King Arthurs Hall on ...

Earth Hour to raise Climate Change awareness

Major cities across the world are dimming the lights of famous landmarks when their time reaches 8.00pm. It's to help raise awareness of Climate Change. Earth Hour started in Sydney with the opera house and harbour bridge dimming lights. Approximately 2million residents took part cutting the electricity usage by 10%. Google is raising awareness with a darkened background (although this saves no electricity it's just to raise awareness).

Challenging Labour MP to public debate

Dave Anderson, Labour MP for Blaydon, the constituency in which my ward is located on Tyneside, voted with the government last week to continue closing post offices. Mr Anderson has signed reams of early day motions protesting about the impact of government policy on post offices, EDMs that have highlighted the importance of post offices to communities. Mr Anderson was selected on a platform of

Blogging and Stuff

Lynne Featherstone asks "Are we making the most of blogging"; specifically, are Lib Dems using blogs well enough to campaign I do from time to time highlight issues which I feel strongly about and which I think people reading might be interested in. More often than not it's a campaign by Amnesty International. However, I very rarely use my blog to campaign for the Party. That's mainly because most people who read my blog are Lib Dems and most of the remainder are people who've already made up their minds. The other two groups are my friends and family, and ...

I'm so lazy

Alixs earlier post on what a struggle post-university life is in terms of work and career made me think. My education was a struggle for me. I became ill during my GCSEs, gained two Bs in English Language and English Literature and had to re-take the rest at the age of 18. Irritatingly Im lumbered with the two Bs when I should have gained As, not that Im bitter you understand. I had no idea people would still look at my grades at this level even at the age of 27. I then took A Levels, completing these at the ...

Opinion: Divert resources away from fighting terrorism

By any measure, we’re beating terrorism in the UK. In the western world, the number of terrorist attacks has been falling since the end of the Soviet Union. In the UK there have been just a handful of attacks over the last few years. Across the whole world, with the exception of Israel, an individual’s [...]

Zimbabwean elections in progress

Thousands of Zimbabweans are queuing up in these defining elections. The future of Zimbabwe rests on these elections. Mugabe is trying to fraud the elections to stay in power, but if enough people vote against him there is a chance it could go into a second round of voting. Then people who voted Tsvangirai or Makoni would be likely to vote in order to get rid of Mugabe. I've shown previously the irregularities on posts labelled 'Zimbabwe', today there are reports of how voters are confused by the four different ballot papers and ballot boxes. One for each: President, Parliament, ...

Seagulls grab a valuble point at Elland Road

An unchanged Leeds United team took on Brighton and Hove Albion at Elland Road. Albion started the game, at Elland Road, in seventh position, two points and one place ahead of United. Both teams are within touching distance of a play-off position. Dougie Freedman came close in the 13th minute with a shot from inside the penalty box that was cleared off the line. Another chance for Freedman went wide in the 21st minute. The Seagulls matched United for effort and the first half ended on equal terms but not before free-kicks and corners at both ends of the pitch ...

London Mayor - who's NOT standing

The necessity to get 330 nominators from the 32 London boroughs, plus 10 from the City of London seems to have stumped a few would be mayoral candidates. In addition there is a £10,000 deposit to be forfeited if you get less than 5% of first preference votes. The 10 signatures from residents of the City is in itself problematic as only 6300 electors live in the square mile and the short period of time available to collect signatures coincided with Easter. Damien Hockney, who was first elected to the GLA as UKIP, then joined Veritas and then formed the ...

Off to Worksop in the rain

We have just left the house and are heading to Worksop in the pouring rain. And for what reason I hear you not ask It is a 50th birthday celebration. Not mine! That is still many, many years away (well actually not that many actually!) The person in question is called Alison and was a student with David some decades ago at Newcastle Poly, since reborn as Northumbria University. I am heading

Is there a doctor in the house

I was at a party the other night, to celebrate the election of Lib Dem Councillor Rachel Allison in Highgate. Among the guests was Dr Mark Pack, Lib Dem electoral mastermind, with a PhD in 19th Century elections. You know how it is with doctors at parties: you know you really shouldn't, but before you know it, you're running symptoms by them, or asking them to have a quick look at this... But when Mark came over and said, "How's the election going, Helen What is it you're standing for" I couldn't resist it. In the scheme of things its ...

British Gas and Dreaming of Labour

I have just had a British Gas man come round to check our boiler, and he spent the entire time here on the phone to a variety of his friends. I only hope that he hasn’t inadvertently leaked copious quantities of carbon monoxide into my house whilst sorting out his social life. He told me that the boiler was fine, but I can’t honestly say that I believe he looked. I do though know where he’s going drinking later, so I may ask him again there. He just wandered into the utility room, made a few bashing noises whilst sorting out ...

The Case for Weekly Food Waste Collection

Winchester's Tory-run City Council has decided that weekly collection of food waste is too expensive. That's what they tell us whenever a Lib Dem has the temerity to raise the subject in Council and that's what they've been saying in their leaflets too. Strangely, we don't agree. Next door Lib Dem-run Eastleigh are in the process of rolling out weekly food waste collection following a successful

Wimberley site

Last July, the Evening Telegraph featured residents' concerns about the state of the site of the former Wimberley student housing (click on headline above to view). I had raised the concerns with the University of Dundee (who at that time still owned the site - it has since sold it) and the City Council as planning authority. In November, I attended a meeting of residents about the site - held at Menzieshill Parish Church . It had been arranged between the Chair of West End Community Council and the developer who had purchased the site (and their architects), prior to ...

The Column Purpose

Dedicated readers may have noticed some feathers being ruffled in the comments sections of my articles on the UK Column and Common Purpose. My favourite is a link to a video of a lecture given by Brian Gerrish. If you have two hours of your life going spare, check it out. My favourite part is his claim that he has had sight of a secret document on the Common Purpose website which is all about “how to take control of a city”. Damning stuff, but apparently he couldn’t download it because that would leave a “footprint”. In which case, if ...

On the stump for Brian

We really seem to have had four seasons in a week this last week, talk about campaigning in all weathers. But as the nominations close for the London elections on 1st May, there is also a change in the political climate towards Labour and Mayor Ken Livingstone. As a loyal Lib Dem, naturally I’m backing Brian [...]

What have Heathrow Airport and Zimbabwe got in common

A few days ago BAA and British Airways were falling over themselves to get in front of the TV cameras in order to publicise what a wonderful job they had done on Terminal 5 of Heathrow Airport. After the cock-ups on day one, they might have been forgiven for being less willing to face the cameras, but surely this was a first day mistake, a one off that would be put right No. On day two it was as bad and TV cameras were quick to highlight that the airport was taking very few passengers indeed which eased some of ...

Day 2641: Millennium Elephant meets Ron the Dinosaur (oh, and Mr Danny Alexander and some other people)

Tuesday: This week we WERE going to be interviewing Mr Clogg to find out if he still wanted to be Liberal Leader after 100 days in the job. Unfortunately, when we got to the Leader's Office in Mrs the Queen's Palace of Westminster (yes, I FINALLY got my fluffy feet behind the Leader's Desk it felt very natural, actually) we got there only to discover that Mr Clogg had been KIDNAPPED by LIBERAL YOOF, the new paramilitary wing of the Girl Guides. Fortunately, Mr Clogg had left Mr Danny Alexander in charge and we were delighted to talk to him! ...

Scottish Parliament : Intervention squabbles ...

From parliamentary proceedings last Thursday, involving Labour member Frank McAveety and our local SNP MSP Joe FitzPatrick ... ho-hum ... Mr Frank McAveety: Will the member take an intervention Joe FitzPatrick: I would be pleased to take an intervention if the member will talk about Labour's revaluation policy. Mr McAveety: I would like to talk about Joe FitzPatrick: No, no, no. Mr McAveety: The member mentioned budgets Joe FitzPatrick: I am not going to The Deputy Presiding Officer (Trish Godman): Just one moment. I think that I am in charge herethe last time I looked, I was. Joe FitzPatrick: Sorry. ...

Guest Post Two of the Second Preference Bids - 'Why Lib Dems Should Vote for Ken'

This is the second of three guest articles in which supporters of Boris Johnson, Ken Livingstone and Siân Berry are invited to argue why Lib Dems should give 2nd preference to their candidate. Today's article is written by Jonathan Austin [not pictured]. Jonathan is a Labour activist, was a 2005 Parliamentary candidate and is frequently found on politicalbetting.com Through proportional representation, the mayoral elections will let voters escape the straightjacket of single party affiliation. Supporters of each party will have to think who else they could see as mayor. From a Labour point of view, Brian Paddick is definitely a ...

A reflection on mortality

I've just got back for a visit to my local vet. Not the usual call for flea treatment or something unpredictable but instead, given that I own five cats aged betwen fifteen and seventeen, the first of a series of visits that would eventually have to be made. Last year, Victoria, my black and white cat, contracted cancer and underwent fairly radical surgery, involving the removal of most of her

My year of living dangerously: a tale of liberty, pasta and harsh economic truths

Going up to Oxford in 1997 from my unremarkable state school (oh, god, it’s another freaking “My struggle at Oxbridge” post, when will you wingeing twats realise we’re just not interested and shut up, etc) there was this guy on my course. We both took Cicero for our Special Subject. I only ever had a couple of [...]

Glancing in the mirror

Having just read Lynnes post on how introspective the Lib Dem blogosphere is I thought, wisely or unwisely, that I would make some comments on the situation. There is a formula to this blogosphere. Ive included it below. It comes from the readers rather than the writers. I spotted it about two weeks into reading blogs last October. Some bloggers exploit this formula quite openly and therefore often zoom into the golden dozen. Others are more original and individual (such as Alix Mortimer, for example) who tend to rise above purely blogging and write quite independently of the blogosphere. Stephen ...

Lights Off to Google

In case you haven't visited Google today you will not have seen they have turned the lights out on their home page. Was a bit disconcerting as I banged in the G before finding my way to the search box. The reason for this is that they are supporting Earth Hour which is encouraging people to turn off their lights today between 8pm and 9pm today. It is to highlight the need for greater energy

Gordon Browns speeches are flat

I was fascinated to read today’s Independent, “Number 10 at war over claims that Brown’s speeches are ‘flat’ “. The paper reports on a story from PR Week quoting a “senior source” as saying: “It has been acknowledged that the Government’s messages are too cluttered and that Gordon needs to show a bit more personality, [...]

Brown to boycott Olympics

It seems Gordon may wonder why all the seats next to him at the Olympic opening ceremony are empty. We all know hes psychologically flawed and not exactly as smooth as Blair in social situations but even he may wonder why. While other EU states club together in friendship to oppose China, we could be left out in the cold if Brown isnt careful. Todays Guardian reports that Merkel, the German Chancellor, along with Polish and Czech Republic heads of state, wont be attending the opening ceremony of the Olympics in Beijing: The disclosure that Germany is to stay away ...

Are we making the most of blogging

That's the question I posed to fellow Liberal Democrats over on Lib Dem Voice yesterday:So why is it that it is so rare for my stories to be picked up and spread online, even when they are newsworthy enough for mainstream journalists to be picking them up and running with them Perhaps you think its because of something I dont get right with my blog - but the same question applies to all the Liberal Democrat blogs Ive seen. Despite the impressive and growing range of Liberal Democrat blogs - it seems very rare for a story to be picked ...

Football Stadia Tour 8: Firhill

Between 26th January and 4th March this year one clash appeared on the schedules 4 times that was the Jags from Firhill, Partick Thistle, against the team who were once the Jags from Edinburgh, Livingston, formerly of course Meadowbank Thistle. The first clash scheduled for Firhill was in the league and was called off, according to an official statement from Partick Thistle, due to one of the

Hardly a suprise

Lehman brothers, the US financial institution, reckon there is a one in three chance of the UK going in to recession. And apparently in another chocker they also reckon there is a one in three chance that bears shit in the woods and that there are similar chances that the Pope is a Catholic.

Terminal 5 Testing

The chaos unfolding at Heathrow’s new Terminal 5 this week brought to mind reports that I studied into problems with the deployment of the Government’s Tax Credits system back in 2003. Like the baggage handling system at T5, the Tax Credits system had been thoroughly tested. But the testing had focussed on the technical aspects of the system. These worked fine so all was thought good to go. But a system is only as fast as the speed of the slowest component. Where there is a bottleneck anywhere then this can bring the whole thing down. Fast conveyor belts and ...

Day off

I am having a day off today so as to go to the Laugharne Weekend where I have tickets for Richard James and Roger McGough. Blogging will be light.

Mislaid in Britain

Cutting headline in the New York Times on Thursday. Referring to the farce currently running at Heathrow's new terminal building and to the Prime Minister's failure to show up to the beginning of the Queens royal banquet on Wednesday night, the paper trumpeted: 'Mislaid in Britain: Luggage and the Prime Minister'. Sounds like a good election slogan for one of the opposition parties.

Wyre Forest EARS Training

I was over in Kidderminster last night to help train Wyre Forest Liberal Democrats on EARS - the Liberal Democrat Computer programme.

Official: Vote Green, Get Brown

Ken Livingstone was a busy beaver last week. On Wednesday 19 March he held a joint press conference with Sian Berry to announce the formation of a Labour-Green coalition. The next day, on the anniversary of the Iraq invasion, he stood shoulder to shoulder with the man who signed all the cheques, Gordon Brown. So [...]

North Norfolk Coast Earth Day

Exhibition of environmental technologies and advice Deepdale Backpackers and Camping, Deepdale Farm, Burnham Deepdale, north Norfolk coast www.deepdalefarm.co.uk/earthday Tuesday 22nd April 10am to 4pm FREE to attend Deepdale Backpackers and Camping, at Deepdale Farm on the beautiful north Norfolk coast, is an eco friendly backpackers hostel and campsite. On Earth Day 2008, 22nd April, Deepdale Backpackers and Camping will be hosting a whole range of eco friendly organisations for an Earth Day exhibition about the environment, including environmental technology installers, advisors, pressure groups and other related organisations. Whether you are looking for solar panels, wood chip boiler, LED lights, ground ...

Is the tide turning

I note today’s Telegraph headline - `feel-good factor down to its lowest level ever`. I have a theory that the difference between Labour winning and losing is the performance of the Economy and how that pudding for years. I often sat back and thought `this doesn’t seem real - al a bit lop-sided`. Yet a Labour Government stopped houses from being built stopping the British dream. willing to ignore [...]

Mosquito Alert!

Insect repellent is flying off the shelves of supermarkets across the state of Ceará. There’s been an alarming rise in the number of cases of dengue fever here, now more than four thousand. The fact that this potentially fatal mosquito-borne virus has already claimed victims down in Rio de Janeiro has made the international news. But few abroad [...]

Whats happened to the Conservative candidate for Lambeth & Southwark

As discussed on Political Betting and UK Polling Report, the official list of candidates for the London Assembly appears to be missing Shirley Houghton, the expected Conservative candidate for Lambeth & Southwark. Here in Liberal Democrat Voice Towers we don’t have a clue as to whether this is (a) a mistake in the official list, and [...]

Saturday 29th March 2008

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