LibDem Blogs - Archived! - Friday 18th April 2008

Ahmed Chalabi went to Sadr city

Now this is strange. Ahmed Chalabi, usually considered a Pentagon stooge, secularist, who encouraged the invasion of Iraq was allowed into Sadr city with foreign journalists and a TV crew to pay his respects at the funeral of a high ranking member of the Sadrist movement. How this is possible is completely up for speculation. How does Chalabi retain ties to the Sadrist movement so strong that he can waltz in with foreigners in toe and not fear for his or their security There's more to this man, still, than meets the eye. Read Hannah Allam's report by scrolling down ...

The minimum wage.

I’ve just had a thought. The minimum wage raises the cost of labour which makes investment in capital more attractive. This means that for the poorly skilled who this affects there are less jobs. This shifts power even further to the employer, enabling worse working conditions to be accepted (if you don’t like it then lose [...]

Resignation unlikely

I noticed this afternoon that Blaydon Labour MP David Anderson was saying on the BBC website that he was not resigning over the doubling of the 10p income tax rate. The headline seemed to give the opposite impression, suggesting the PPSs were considering packing in their unpaid position. Mr Anderson's resignation would, after all, be odd, given that he has voted for the budget resolutions that

The intra-Shia struggle continues in Iraq

I've written before (here and here) about Maliki's desire to defeat the Sadrists, who helped get him into power. The assault on Basra can be seen in this light. Maliki wants to crush Sadr, whilst he has US support and the chance to. Now he is politically trying to sideline Moqtada by meeting with all blocks, except the Sadrist one. Now the Cabinet is trying to ban political parties from running in October's regional elections if they maintain a militia. This seems all very well and good but this is gross hypocrisy. Maliki is not acting in the interests of ...

J Street the new Israel lobby on the block

J Street is here and it promises to sweep away the reactionaries. It hopes to bring, peace stability and hope. Its been far too long in coming. Check out their video below. Hat tip: Jeb Koolger

Ban the Pan

not a call for having a take-a-way, but Cleveland Fire Brigade's initiative in encouragng people to get rid of dangerous chip pans and replace with thermostatically controlled fryers instead. 30 people a year are killed in chip pan fires, so it is a worthwhile initiative, and well done that Cleveland thought of it first. The picture was taken when I was accompanying John as Mayor to Grangetown...

Five more junior ministers

Perhaps we should welcome the rapid u-tuning we highlighted earlier. It seems that knowing Angela Smith can have her cake and eat it too, by resigning and not resigning has prompted a further five junior ministers to speak out.

PM, I thought of it first!

I touched on a few days ago, about the need for international rapid reaction forces, using the example of Kenya. So when Gordon Brown is at the JFK Library on his speech of international cooperation and a global peace corps- i thought of it first. Well of course it's something that's been thought about for a long time. Obviously I'm not going to congratulate Gordon Brown on what he was talking about. The reform he talked about being needed in international structures (like the UN, World Bank, IMF) to deal with problems (like Climate Change, Economic Crisis es, and other ...

An Engineers Guide To Cats

It is election time and I feel some cat photos coming on. After all I have spent some time in the studio recording a campaign song. Hence it seems the photos of various cats are called for. However, this Youtube (USA I think) will have to do for the moment.

I'm told Ken & Boris need our 2nd preference votes...

Well that's what all the pundits are telling us. No candidate is going to get over 50% of the first preference votes, so apparently it will turn on the 2nd prefs. Brian Paddick, a few weeks ago was pilloried by Paxman and others for not having made his mind up as to where his second preference vote would go. And who can blame him I too haven't yet decided who will get my second preference vote. I like thousands of Liberal Democrats have a floating 2nd preference vote going. I'm told it should go to Livingstone to keep out Boris, ...

Arms flow target election aftermath

When Mugabe ordered 3mn rounds of ammunition from China in January (despite UN boycott on selling arms to Zimbabwe) he was obviously thinking about all the MDC supporters that might need 'controlling'. Well Mugabe has of course been giving a speech blaming everything on the British. Yes there are a lot of things you can blame on the British, but not the Zimbabwean economic crisis, that is all Mugabe. A South African trade union has got shipyard workers to refuse to let the Chinese Ship carrying the arms to dock in Zimbabwe. (Mugabe may the MDC is allied to the ...

Robert Reich hits against the spin

I have never read Robert Reich's blog before (and wouldn't have imagine he had one). But I clicked on it today because of he was said to be about to endorse Barack Obama (quite a surpising move from the man who was reckoned to the intellectual force behind the first Clinton administration). He has endorsed Obama - but I found his previous article more interesting. It is essentially a meditation on the way reporting on politics has turned into reporting on the spin. Here's what he says: Listen to this mornings Meet the Press ...Tim Russert, one of the smartest ...

This we I will mostly not be eating ...

at the following restaurant chains after revelations that they either fail to pay the minimum wage and use customer's tips to "top up" staff wages or that in some cases the companies keep the staff's tips. So incase you missed the story HERE, the companies named and shamed are listed below. Personally I'd prefer to go to over to the Australian system which involves no tips at all, after all, don't we deserve good service when we pay our bills at the end of a meal and don't the staff deserve a proper wage in the first place

On rats and bins and other things

A letter to the Andover Advertiser Mr Pains letter (11April) raised some very valid points about rubbish and the knock on effect of overflowing bins on the local environment. It is an over simplification to blame bird feeders for the increase in rat population. The rat population is increasing and it is regrettable that Test Valley Borough Council has not allowed sufficient funding to be able to continue to give a universal rat catching service. Mild winters, as a result of global warming, will lead to an increase in the rat population and we (TVBC and residents) must be prepared ...

Wolverhampton South West Labour MP arrested!

My local Labour MP Rob Marris has been arrested charged with criminal damage, the Express & Star can reveal. He is alleged to have clambered over the bonnet of a parked van to board a bus.

Alix, Gwyneth, and a slur against Brian Paddick

It was good to see Alix in Comment is Free yesterday, with a piece praising Brian Paddick for his display of spirit in a Time Out interview. There's no point in my trying to paraphrase Alix's elegant prose: here it is I can understand why Time Out's reporter was upset when the Liberal Democrat's mayoral candidate questioned the validity of one of their questions. The cheek! Paddick talks about extending the award-winning DLR's concession model to the tube. Journo responds: "But the experience of Metronet has been disastrous. Surely having more private companies running the tube will not be popular" ...

Something the Daily Mail can really blame on Europeans

If you read the Daily Scum/Daily Mail, you will be aware that everything in the world is the fault of either a) The Labour Party b) Immigrants c) Europe. And usually The Mail would have us believe that it is the fault of all three at the same time. So I wonder how the Daily Hate will report the "Euro-Whiff" that has apparently hit the South and East of England today (I say apparently as there is no evidence of the smell here in Norwich). Will they blame it on immigrants in Holland and Belgium deliberately spreading much on fields ...

Sustainability

Sustainability NowPlease visit the link to browse the March-April edition of Sustainability Now - the monthly bulletin from Sustainability South West (SSW), is from the SW RDA and is a good read with some good links and ideas. AND I have signed up for this:- Dear local Councillor The charity Sustainability South West will shortly be releasing a...

Gwyneth Dunwoody

When you see on teletext the note veteran MP dies that first though is often I hope it isn't one of ours (followed a microsecond later by how sad for the family). Todays news I have to say leaves me feeling that it is one of ours that Parliament has lost this week. At a time when too many politicians are little more than lobby fodder for the whips it is vital for our democracy that genuine

Do Labour MPs need reading lessons

Are some of our poor hard working labour MPs in need of a lesson on how to read legislation The reason I ask is they seem to have failed to understand the text of the budget measures they voted for last year with the 10p tax band.... ..or did they I can just imagine the discussions 12 months ago MP1: "Gordon I dont like this cut is sounds so unfair on the poor" GB: "keep quiet I'll be PM

Arizona bans anti-capitalism in schools

Now I'm no raving anti-capitalist revolutionary, however, I do like debate. This is what the Arizona state legislature is trying to do. Absurd. Actually retarded. The important clause is this: A public school in this state shall not include within the program of instruction any courses, classes or school sponsored activities that promote, assert as truth or feature as an exclusive focus any political, religious, ideological or cultural beliefs or values that denigrate, disparage or overtly ENCOURAGE dissent from the values of American democracy and western civilization, including democracy, capitalism, pluralism and religious toleration. What fucking balls. How ridiculous. Land ...

Chavez a dictator and consorter with terrorists

Even the left of centre der spiegel has turned against Chavez, swallowing the line that he has relations with the "terrorists" the FARC. Oli Harvey presents a rather good anti-demonising argument. Have a read.

Power to the People

Real grass roots politics is to be found in the Parish councils which exist in parts of the country. Egglescliffe and Eaglescliffe council covers the old Egglescliffe ward area and used to be known as Egglescliffe Parish Council. Although no-one stands for election to it on Party grounds, some are members of political parties, and I was a member of the Parish for years before being elected to

Labour Council Leader calls Labour councillors "liars"

Councillor Albert Nugent, leader of Durham County Council, doesn't seem to be having a good time at the moment. First he was slated by the Audit Commission which announced, "There are significant weaknesses in the political leadership provided by the Leader of Council and the Cabinet. The Commission then helpfully added, There is limited visible political leadership in key priority areas such

Psychic fraud crackdown - they didnt see that coming!

Finally, the government doing something sensible for a change. I wonder if the same law will apply to organised religions making unjustifiable claims as well Share This

Something for the weekend...

As it's Friday and there is a pint with my name on it waiting at the pub for me - no rant today. This picture did make me laugh though (ok, I know that I'm supposed to be a grown up but what're you going to do) :-) Now if you were a caption editor how would you label the picture posted above

Switch on to electrical recycling in Bath & North East Somerset

I am supporting the moves by Bath & North East Somerset Council to encourage everyone to remember that electrical items can be recycled. Each year around one million tonnes of unwanted TVs, cookers, hairdryers and other gadgets are generated within the UK. In fact, electrical and electronic equipment is the fastest growing category of waste across Europe. Bath & North...

Party Reform: A Baroness responds

Following on from from my post yesterday about the Party President, one of the declared candidates, Ros Scott, has written about her take on the issue on her blog 'Because Baronesses are people too'.

Over on Thousand objections to planning application

The decision on the planning application to build on land on the Hollow is expected to be taken under delegated powers by the planning officer by 7th May when all consultations would have had to be completed by. Campaigners on the Save our Hillside Campaign have now to endure a waiting game for the decision on the Somer planning application on the Hollow above Cotswold View it seems...

Boris' new campaign advert

ConHome have been given an advanced viewing of Boris' latest campaign advert. Its longer and snappier than the last one. I can't embed it so you'll have to click here to take a look. Watch out for a bit when he's saying goodbye to a bus driver halfway through.

Avoiding the B-word - or not

Last night, I heard of the sad death of Gwyneth Dunwoody not from our own site or Dale’s, who each had the news shortly before midnight, but from the BBC midnight news on Radio 4. I immediately shared it with my long suffering partner who is not terribly political at all, and his first [...]

House Points: Why Labour scrapped the 10p tax band

My House Points column from today's Liberal Democrat News. Taxing times David Blunkett has condemned the government'ss decision to scrap the 10 per cent income tax band and called on it to ease the impact on the low-paid. He has also accused the Treasury of getting its sums wrong when it told everyone that only a small number of people would be affected. Estimates now suggest that anything up to five million low-paid workers will be hit. So how has a Labour government - a Labour government got itself into this mess My researches suggest there are three reasons. The ...

What Ken's ads could look like

I agree with Sunny Hundal that this could work as a very effective ad for Ken. Innovative this youtube supporters aren't they Watch below.

Cable had a question ruled inappropriate but not to have a question at all takes the biscuit

Wendy Alexander, dismally failing leader of Labour in Scotland, sister of Dougie, the failed election organizer, beloved of our dear leader Gordon, and retard with accounts, reportedly failed to ask a third question at first ministers questions (the Scottish equivalent of PMQs). She reportedly asked two and when called for a third claimed she did not have one. And I thought the Tories have been a bad opposition.

West End Bus Matters ...

There have been quite a few bus related queries this week.Firstly, with regard to the roadworks at the roundabout at Blackness Road/Glamis Road/Glamis Drive (see right), residents had contacted me to complain that, although there was a temporary bus stop in location on the inbound route at the roadworks, no such facility exisited for outbound jorneys (ie to Ninewells Hospital, etc) leaving some residents a lengthy walk from either end of the roadworks after coming off the bus. I am pleased to say that, following my contacting the Planning & Transportation Department about this, an outbound temporary stop has now ...

Bus Timetable - Ninewells Avenue (West) - from 8th April

Click on headline to download

Bus Timetable - Ninewells Avenue (East) - from 8th April

Click on headline to download

on the political compass

What is Liberalism What does it mean to be a Liberal Democrat The preamble states: "The Liberal Democrats exist to build and safeguard a fair, free and open society, in which we seek to balance the fundamental values of liberty, equality and community, and in which no-one shall be enslaved by poverty, ignorance or conformity." Or put simply Mill's harm principle: the only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others. Take the political compass and comment with your results, it would be interesting ...

Unassailable

Why is it that whenver someone says on GMTV that the party is not doing well enough, it is interpreted not as the statement of the obvious that it is, but as a comment on the leadership And yes, I know that Ashley asked specifically about the leadership, but presumably as a response to Vince making this (crushingly banal to anyone with a smidge of perspective) observation that the party is not

Chris Dillow continues to excite

Chris Dillow, soon to be my favourite ex-Belsize Park blogger, has written two thought provoking and potentially controversial posts. The first sets out the case against Child Support from the State. The second argues that a housing crash is no big deal. Let me know what you think.

Why British TV is sooooo much better than American TV

In a link from another article I have just found out that Colm Meaney, the excellent Irish actor who played Jimmy Rabbits Elvis loving dad in The Commitments - still the most entertaining film I have ever seen - as well as appearing in Star Trek, is to play the Gene Hunt role in the US version of Life on Mars. The trouble is, hes just too nice. I suppose the Americans would have a collective coronary if the peerless Philip Glenister appeared on their screens in his magnificant portrayal of the most unreconstructed copper since Dirty Harry. Of course ...

Dunwoody political memories

The political life of Gwyneth Dunwoody shows how someone can make a mark on the world, and get a deserved memory, without actually climbing to the top of the proverbial greasy pole. It is to the discredit of the House of Commons that she was not elected to the Speakership at the last contest for that post. Who can doubt that she would have been a much better protector of the rights of ordinary MPs ( and the courtesies due to them) than the present incumbent. And as she said in 2005, Parliament is the last defender of the rights ...

Boris Johnson gets put in his place

Well - Brian put that Boris in his place! We all know Boris Johnson doesn't know what he is talking about when it comes to London - but on this clip - Boris agrees!

The world's most pressing concern: terrorism global warming the "credit crunch" No, no, and no. Its hunger and poverty , stupid

Its very sad that it takes people rioting in the streets across the world against high food prices and poverty for anyone to sit up and take notice. Well at least quite a few have now. We need to realise that this should be our most pressing global and moral concern. Which ever way you look at it: wasted human capital, global instability, death, starvation, reactionary extremism: we need to think about, and sustainably help the 950 million remaining people living on under a dollar a day and the billions facing hunger due to current food prices. Nothing, repeat nothing ...

Okay, so it's a cliche but...

How many Tories does it take to change a lightbulb The Tories have no proposals for changing the lightbulb but they will hold the government to account over the current crisis with the lightbulb and in particular Gordon Browns failure during his 11 years as chancellor to change the lightbulb, instead waiting for it to fail before he did anything.

Google ads cut to the market

This blog recently criticised Ken Livingstone's advocation in the Mirror of manditory prison sentences for young people caught in possession of knives in London. I just noticed my Google ads (right hand column) are now advertising cheap knives for sale. That's targeted marketing for you. Today Google announced that they are the largest recipient of advertising revenue in the UK.

Enough is Enough - SOKWANELE

What is happening in Zimbabwe is an outrage. Come on Thabo Mbeki - lead your country and region - and stand up to this man who has the blood of Zimbabweans on his hands and the destruction of a country on his conscience. Mugabe must go. At the least support your own workers and do not allow weapons to transit through South Africa to Zimbabwe. Watching the dignity of Morgan Tsvangirai...

Of Mice and Brown

Well the Big Cheese of a Tim'rous Beastie is still over and the US of A and tried to defend the abolition of the 10p tax rate in a press conference last night thus: "I am satisfied that once people understand the scale of the good things that we have been able to do in reforming the tax system, that we are tackling poverty by increasing tax credits for the poorest, then whatever questions people

Boriss 60-second U-turn

An email has zoomed around the world and popped into my inbox - which admittedly would be more impressive if it hadn’t been sent by the person sitting next to me. It links to a clip on YouTube featuring yesterday’s debate between London mayoral candidates Boris Johnson and Brian Paddick on the BBC Asian Network (pop fact: I went to primary school with one of the Asian Network’s presenters). Boris tries to label Brian (who has three decades’ experience in the police force) as soft on crime - only to have to eat his words once challenged. Here’s the clip: ...

Rapid u-turning is the new fashion in government

1. November 2007: Government minister Admiral Lord West says he isn’t convinced that the 28 day limit on detention without trial needs increasing. He talks to Gordon Brown. And lo, within hours of the original story, he changes his mind. 2. April 2008: Government minister Gerry Sutcliffe questions the Government’s policy on alcohol duties. Senior Government [...]

Cocaine Boris Gets Confused On Drugs

Cocaine-abuser and Conservative candidate Boris Johnson got himself into a stupor on drugs this week on the BBC Asian Network. Mr Johnson, who I assume is no longer a cocaine binger or aiding and abetting fraudsters to commit GBH, was spin-doctoring that he was the best person to stand up for law and order in London when he was asked whether a former police officer might be a better choice than a former criminal. So he attacked Brian Paddicks record but, er, instantly had to admit he was completely wrong. You can listen to him lying and then backtracking here. ...

Vince writes a letter to George

Politics Home reports: “Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable has today written to George Osborne attacking him for encouraging the Government to write blank cheques for the banks at the expense of the taxpayers.” Here’s an extract of Vince’s letter: I am pleased to see from your other pronouncements that you have now adopted the proposal which [...]

Results: Thursday 17th April 2008.

Didcot TC, Didcot Park Lab 378 (39.0), Con 334 (34.5), LD Tony Worgan 257 (26.5). Majority 44. Turnout 22%. Lab hold. Eden DC, Morland Ind 198 (52.1; +7.1), Con 108 (28.4; -26.6), LD John Turner 74 (19.5; +19.5). Majority 90. Turnout 38.1%. Ind gain from Con. (Percentage change since May 2007). Suffolk CC, Stowmarket North and Stowupland Con 834 (38.8; -0.7), LD Nicky Turner 781 (36.3; +18.1),

Karate Brown

I don't know about you but I find Gordon's erratic hand chopping really disturbing when he's just speaking, but its even more bizarre when he's walking. Here he is intimidating all the Presidential hopefulls. McCain looks annoyed. The best example was at the last Labour conference, walking down the promenade with Sarah Brown waving his hands all over the place, but I couldn't find that video. Does anyone have it

Care Charges - successful call-in

One of the facets of the Conservative budget has been to increase charges for home care. Their rationale - it only affects a few people!!! We have been leading a call-in on this aspect of the budget having opposed at the budget setting meeting as well. The Cabinet member gave advance notice in the press he was simply going to ignore any decision of the O&S panel anyway. So much for Conservative...

A new leader for the PDs

Given that only the other day I was bemoaning the fact that we don't pay enough attention to politics in the Republic of Ireland I thought I'd better highlight the fact that the Progressive Democrats, the Irish equivalent of the Liberal Democrats, have a new leader. Senator Ciaran Cannon was elected as leader yesterday. He takes over from Mary Harney, who is herself a former leader and currently

Global warming WORSE than estimated

Last Saturday I was in local shopping centres with fellow Lib Dems, asking for support for a "Fair Deal for Chelmsford" and for a "Greener Chelmsford". One person asked whether global warming really is as bad as some have said. "Aren't some scientists saying it's not true" he asked. "A few" I replied "but the vast majority are agreed that there is a really serious problem." And today is an

Smithsons view: Will there be more rubbish from the BBC on May 1st

Why is it that BBC’s election results programmes are so appalling Just look at the “Ming’s Bling” clip, above, from last year and ask yourself whether this is the product of a licence funded broadcasting system that takes it public service obligations seriously What really gets me is that the BBC results programmes seem to want [...]

Snakes alive! Nick Clegg in Hull and Grimsby

Nick Clegg was visiting the Humber area yesterday and went to both Grimsby and Hull. In the morning he was taken by Cllr Andrew DeFreitas, Lib Dem Leader of NE Lincs council, to see an area of Grimsby that is being completely redeveloped by the Council in co-operation with local residents. Large areas of sub-standard housing are beng replaced with modern homes. Nick met with residents to see how they had been involved in planning the scheme. Then it was on to a local youth project working with pupils who have been excluded from school as well as young people ...

Miscellany

Firstly, {[info]} caseytalk made this thoughtful post on the nature of online friendships. I have known Casey for more than six years. She was there for me (along with many others reading this) through my pregnancy and childbirth, soothing me and talking me through stuff that she had experience of and I didn't. She was one of the voices of reason who talked me through the pros and cons of leaving my ex, and helped me to see that I was strong enough to do it. She is a role model for me as a mother, and although we don't ...

A sad passing

Very sad to hear that Gwyneth Dunwoody has died. There were lots of things I disagreed with her about, but I had a great deal of respect for her fearless and outspoken nature and her strong personal integrity. Her passing is a great loss to the Labour Party and to her constituents. One thing [...]

Elections Bias from 2007

Followers of Birmingham Politics know that in some polling stations there have been presiding officers campaigning for the Labour Party. This is not common, the vast majority are OK, but it does happen and it is a criminal offence. For example for one of the presiding officers or voting clerks to put poll cards in the box photographed below (which is for Labour, but this is concealed) is a

on the end of Gordon Brown

In August 1991, Gorbachev, President of the Soviet Union, left Moscow to head to the Crimea for a bit of a holiday. Shortly afterwards tanks rolled into Moscow and the military declared that they were in control, placing Gorbachev under house arrest in the Crimea. Gordon Brown may be feeling much like Gorbachev right now, everything falling away from him. Yesterday the PPS to Yvette Cooper, Angela Smith decided to resign her position in protest of the abolition of the 10p tax rate, later we learned that following a conversation with Gordon Brown this has changed. What kind of conversation ...

Graham's blog Friday 18.04.08

Parliament has been in committee session in Brussels this week. My Group seized the opportunity to organise three extra events: a public hearing on the Natura2000 programme (protected conservation areas) in which we sought to examine how local business had been affected in these areas; a hearing on how to secure better protection aginst discrimination for LGBT (Lesbian, gay bisexual and transgender) people; and a conference which brought Asian, African and European MPs together to discuss world issues of mutual concern. We also pressed for and obtained agreement to a debate in our plenary session in Strasbourg next week on ...

The Remarkably Persuasive Gordon Brown

Gordon Brown’s powers of persuasion strike again. At the end of last year, he convinced Lord West to change his mind on extended detention without charge in the space of ninety minutes. Whether he used hypnosis or a Black & Decker knee-cap remover remains a mystery. Now he turns his talents to Angela Smith, Labour MP [...]

RIP Gwyneth Dunwoody

Today the news is full of the death of the Mother of the House, and justifiably so. Gwyneth Dunwoody was a true parliamentarian, a liberal leftie of the old school, and someone I admire very much. She commanded respect from all parties (except perhaps the leadership of her own), and from her electorate, and she will be sadly missed in these days of career (as opposed to vocational) politicians. She was that rare beast in the modern Labour party, an honest politician who stuck by her principles even in the face of a three line whip. Gywneth, this Lib Dem ...

Theyre not happy in Weston Labour Party

A letter, courtesy of Save the Labour Party website, from the Weston-super-Mare Constituency Labour Party to Gordon Brown: At the last GC meeting of Weston-super-Mare CLP on the 3rd April 2008 there was a general consensus amongst the attendees regarding the poor performance of the Labour Party in government and unfortunately much of this criticism centered [...]

Gwyneth Dunwoody

I'm sad to hear Gwyneth Dunwoody has died. She'll be sorely missed. Among other things, I think she will be remembered as one of the great Select Committee chairs. She was a politician with some answers.

Gwyneth Dunwoody dies

Crewe and Nantwich Labour MP Gwyneth Dunwoody has died aged 77. Dunwoody was one of the most independently-minded MPs around and she will be sorely missed.

Hoop Hoop Hooray...

Hula hoops have taken out all the additives, preservatives and MSG from their potato hoops..yummy! Link to the 'Terminal Five' song on You Tube... www.youtube.com/watchv=qqeGS9kPCWo

Gwyneth Dunwoody Death a Terrible Loss

Gwyneth Dunwoody was one of those parliamentarians who always asked the most probing questions and would put the rights and wrongs of any issue before party interest. She said what needed to be said when others would have protected ministers from embarrassment. We need more MPs like her and hopefully the people of Crewe will [...]

Hain fake emails - who started the smokescreen

Guido Fawkes gives the background and Peter Black comments.

Brown faces Labour rebellion over 10p Tax Rate

Gordon Brown was warned that he will face an unprecedented rebellion by Labour MPs if he does not do something to help the five million people who are losing out from the abolition of the 10p starting rate of tax. The Prime Minister last night managed to persuade Angela Smith, a parliamentary aide to the Treasury minister Yvette Cooper, to withdraw her threat to resign over the issue. Brown took time out of his US engagements to talk to Ms Smith personally on the phone.

Exclusive survey for LDV readers what should Nick Clegg do next

The new Politics Home website is conducting a survey this morning, asking what Nick Clegg should do about a range of issues: in the event of a hung Parliament, in establishing the partys brand, and the Lib Dems strategic options. Politics Home is giving Liberal Democrat Voice readers the opportunity to take part. The survey [...]

Banks must not have their losses nationalised

Commenting on yesterdays announcement that lenders will be able to swap mortgages for government bonds, Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable said: It is obviously necessary for urgent action to be taken to unblock the mortgage market and to break the crippling effects of the credit crunch. However, we cannot have a situation where the banks are able to privatise their profits and nationalise their losses. Since the mortgages from the banks are of inferior quality and higher risk than the Government bonds which they are replacing, the implication must be that taxpayers are shouldering the risks and losses of ...

Politicians arent all bad

I was disappointed this morning to hear an exchange on Radio Five Live about the decision of Angela Smith not to resign after all over the 10p tax rate cut. A listener texted in explaining that in his view the decision to stay in post came about as a result of Gordon Brown reminding Ms Smith about the “extra money, £180k mortgage expenses, and perks” of her job as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Chief Secretary to the Treasury. The listener is entitled to his view, but Nicky Capbell (the presenter) didn’t challenge the complete factual inaccuracy of the text, and ...

Gwyneth Dunwoody

Sad news this morning that Gwyneth Dunwoody, long-serving Labour MP for Crewe and Nantwich, has passed away. Well respected for her independence and persistence, there is no doubt that she will be a great loss for Parliament - both as a personality and as a legislator.

Myth exposed: how many crimes in London are really carried out by foreigners

The Daily Mail and the Telegraph would have us believe that one in five of London’s crimes are committed by foreigners. However, the Five Chinese Crackers blog has done an excellent demolition job on the ‘evidence’ used for this claim, concluding: To sum up - these figures are meaningless. They don’t measure foreign nationals or immigrants [...]

Postal Votes Ward Counts Birmingham

ACOCKS GREEN Count 1248 ASTON Count 1881 BARTLEY GREEN Count 1471 BILLESLEY Count 1314 BORDESLEY GREEN Count 1970 BOURNVILLE Count 1460 BRANDWOOD Count 1471 EDGBASTON Count 1527 ERDINGTON Count 1163 HALL GREEN Count 1310 HANDSWORTH WOOD Count 941 HARBORNE Count 1530 HODGE HILL Count 1288 KINGS NORTON Count 1353 KINGSTANDING Count

Labour backbenchers are like spineless jellies

Well, she didn't resign after all. Angela Smith MP is staying in place. She is so like all those Labour backbenchers, spineless jellies who make a great deal of noise about how dreadful the government is yet when it comes to doing anything that will really change what the government is doing, they bottle it. Take for example, all those Labour MPs signing EDMs opposing the doubling of the 10p

US Army leads UK government on peak oil

The link is to a US Army report from 2005 in which on page 8 it says: The oil market will remain fairly stable in the very near term, but with steadily increasing prices as world production approaches its peak. The doubling of oil prices from 2003-2005 is not an anomaly, but a picture of the future. Oil production is approaching its peak; low growth in availability can be expected for the next 5

Personal interests and disappointments

I find myself in the very awkward position of having to agree with comments made by Ed Balls in an interview with the Times. Like Mr Balls, I advocate that we (Lib Dems) should be intolerant of anyone who was seen to put personal interests and disappointments before the party and the country. As was the case with David Heath MP, who you may recall, for personal interest reasons, said he would be voting for a referendum on the EU Lisbon treaty. Quite rightly Mr Heath resigned. However, had he not done so, I was of the opinion that he ...

Golden hello

Oh, dear! Just when you thought that the previous Welsh Labour Government's policy of paying older Councillors to stand down in 2004 could not lose any more credibility, somebody comes along to prove us wrong. The Western Mail reports that Eunydd Thomas, who left his Carmarthenshire County Council ward after receiving a so-called golden goodbye of at least £16,000 from the Welsh Assembly Government in 2004, is now canvassing for re-election, claiming great demand for him to return to the post. The Welsh Government have admitted there is no legal reason he can not do so, despite saying four years ...

A story of indecisiveness

The Prime Minister's very own brand of indecisiveness is spreading to the rest of his government. A perfect example is Angela Smith, the Labour MP for Sheffield Hillsborough and Private Parliamentary Secretary to Yvette Cooper. Ms. Smith sat through Gordon Brown's last budget in March 2007 and even praised it publicly, describing it as "good for Sheffield, good for the country and good for ordinary working families. She then deliberated for a year on the most controversial measure in that budget, the abolition of the 10p tax rate, before voting for it in the budget resolutions last month. In fact ...

From Drive Time Hero Back to Zero

Yesterday morning very few people knew much about Angela Smith. The MP for Sheffield Hillsborough is the PPS for Yvette Cooper, the Chief Secretary of the Treasury. However, yesterday at the end of most people's working day this MP with ties to the Treasury was threathening to resign over the abolition of the 10p tax rate which has already affected the poorest tax payers. However, the

What should the Party President do

In a post published yesterday, Andy Strange returned to the question of the role of the President, a topic to which I have given some considerable thought! Linda Jack has expressed the hope that the potential candidates for the post will talk about their vision for the role. As is often the case with constitutional debates at conference, the floor was not exactly packed when we discussed the motion put forward by Federal Executive, and moved by Lembit Opik, to split the role of the President so that the person elected by the membership is the figurehead, and that the ...

What I've been up to by Text today

My daily digest of texts, tweets and status updates.12:24 is trying to summon the energy and inclination to write a proper blog post. Bloggers block is a horrible thing. # 14:57 has finished the first draft styling of his tweet imports and wonders if anyone wants a how-to eg: matgb.livejournal.com/296525.html # 22:45 is arguing over pavement cracks, bears and Milne. theyorkshergob.livejournal.com/65620.html # 00:36 is watching the first episode of Trek series 3. Not seen it since I was a kid, and am told it's the worst ever. So it's REALLY bad, yes #Microblogging by SMS, using LoudTwitter and Twitter.

We Need A Campaign to Explain the London Mayor Voting System

Watching from the sidelines up here in Cambridge, I, and I'm sure many other Lib Dems, and indeed supporters of anyone other than Ken or Boris, am asking myself one question whenever I see polls coming out of London: Why, in one of the few places in England where voters are not completely wedded to tactical voting, is the vote for parties other than the biggest two not larger I know it's what

Angela Smith - rat

No really. What did she think she was doing. First she let's it be know than she is going to resign over the 10p tax rate (despite having known about it for over a year AND voting for the budget that included these changes). Clearly, she also let it be known in such a way (possibly an embargoed interview) that she could not later claim never to have considered the subject. Now she says that she has chatted to Gordon and everything is alright. Clearly she is a rat who forgot her waterwings and so is too petrified to jump ...

Brazilianism

The Palestinian-American literary theorist, Edward Said, wrote extensively on the subject of Orientalism — the way that the British and the French, in particular, interpreted North Africa and the Middle East in a way which made them appear both exotic and backward. This was useful to the European Orientalists in order to justify colonial occupation, [...]

LibDem councillor achieves a first in Cardiff

LibDem councillor for Coedffranc North in Neath Port Talbot, Keith Davies, handed in a petition on unadopted roads to AM Peter Black on Wednesday. Although these are a problem in many parts of Wales, this is the first petition on the subject to be presented to the Welsh Assembly Government. The petition calls for part of the block grant to be earmarked as seed money for schemes to bring these roads up to local highway authority standards.

can you believe what you see and read

Teeth problems sent me for an urgent appointment with my dentist, and I am not pleased with the result - the need for a new crown. However when calling in at the local shop on the way home I saw a headline in the Daily Mail (the first and probably the last time it will get mentioned in this blog!) proclaiming that half the population has had no treatment from a dentist and cannot get an NHS...

Day 2601: Gideon Goes for Gordon

Monday: Mr Frown announces that he is NOT having a "Crisis Summit" with a Wunch of Bankers it's just some sort of "Unexpected Apogee" I suppose. According to young Master Gideon Oboe, though, Mr Frown's reputation in is tatters. It's all very well to spot that the Prime Monster is ROADKILL, and only six months behind the rest of us with the news as usual, but shouldn't he REALLY be answering the question: "is there anything Master Oboe would do to make the economy better" Or even: "Wouldn't we all be better off with Mr Vince "the Power" Cable, anyway" ...

Friday 18th April 2008

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