The dilemmas of liberalism
If you are interested in liberalism and how it can be put into action, this post on the Art of the Possible is worth a read. Friday 9th May 2008
11:48 pm
If you are interested in liberalism and how it can be put into action, this post on the Art of the Possible is worth a read. 
11:45 pm
For my own reference as much as anyone else's...
Peter Cushing lives in Whitstable; I have seen him on his bicycle; I have seen him buying vegetables... 11:41 pm
Good weather must put me in a good mood
I tend to use my blog to vent my spleen or generally whinge about the world. But today, I am short of anything to whinge about. Yes, the government in Burma are allowing thousands of their citizens to die by preventing aid getting to them. yes, the Labour party is at an all time low in the polls and yes, house repossessions are up. All these things are newsworthy and given another day, I'd probably have something to say. But hey, the weather is nice, I've had a lovely day and I am in a good mood. I'm sure I'll ... 11:40 pm
Quote of the day
From Jonathan Calder’s Lib Dem News column, Housepoints, which he kindly duplicates on his blog each week, thus helpfully removing the need to open the envelope with Lib Dem News in it: But Kenneth Horne was not without a puritan streak too. He once said: “I am all for censorship. If ever I see a double entendre I whip it out.” 11:25 pm
I'm a Dunwoody dontcha know!
Clicking onto the blog of Edward Timpson has become quite dull, although it was never that exciting to begin with so perhaps that sentence needs restructuring now that thought has entered my head. What exciting news there was has been already reported diligently by Mark Pack on Lib Dem Voice this afternoon. However, the website of Tamsin Dunwoody sure has some thrilling gems, particularly the graphic above which I thought was pure genius. Not so thrilling is the thought that Tamsin is 'one of us' and people should vote for her because, well, she's a Dunwoody...erm, can't quite get the ... 
11:05 pm
Moura Budberg documentary on BBC4
I was wondering why people have been landing on this blog over the past couple of days after searching for "Moura Budberg". The answer is that there was a documentary about her in BBC4's Storyville series. In it Dimitri Collingridge attempted to uncover the truth about her life. Moura is his great, great aunt, just as she is Nick Clegg's. You can watch the documentary via the BBC website for the next few days. It comes to much the same conclusion that I did in my New Statesman piece. While Moura undoubtedly had connections in the intelligence world, the idea ... 11:00 pm
Chavez and FARC
I little while ago I read an article likening Silvio Berlosconi to Hugo Chavez Whilst I agree both are unsavoury politicians and I think both should be stood up to, the comparison falls down. Firstly, Hugo Chavez first attempted to gain power through a coup, secondly Chavez’s links to the Communist terrorist group FARC. The article seeks to [...] 11:00 pm
McCain-onomics and its resolute failure
Have a read of Bradford DeLong's wonderful critique of McCain's new economic view and the Republican's political commitment not to bother with balancing the budget. 10:33 pm
Fairtrade Challenges
The highlight of today was a meeting of representatives of towns & cities across the North East at Durham to hear from George Alagiah, patron of the Fairtrade Foundation. He's probably better known for his day job as a news presenter and war correspondent on TV, but George is passionate about Fairtrade as a way out of conflict for the world. He pointed out that most conflict ultimately boils 10:20 pm
The perils of choosing a Lib Dem Voice poll
It's an odd experience, sometimes, editing Lib Dem Voice. Last night, we were chided - quite rightly - for keeping up on the site an out-of-date poll. So, today, as I cycled into work I resolved to stick up a new poll for readers pretty damn smart.The question was: what to ask? I toyed with 'How long has Gordon Brown got?', or 'Who do you think will succeed him as Labour leader?' But too many 10:17 pm
The wrong seat from National Excess
Well, here I am, sitting on the National Excess service to Newcastle and as usual, the seat I booked is not the one reserved for me. Quite why they bother with the section on their website that allows you to book a particular type of seat is beyond me. It never seems to work. And another thing. The journey time from Kings Cross to London has been increased by 20 min. Okay, rant over! The 10:00 pm
Bus Shelter Vandalism
Many residents have expressed concern about the vandalism of bus shelters across the city. The following news release was issued today and, as I said during an interview with Radio Tay today, I am pleased at the proactive approach of Tayside Police on the matter : Tayside Police is appealing to all Dundee residents to help them catch the vandals as they revealed that 18 bus shelters have been vandalised since the start of the year - all at the public's expense. The problem is not exclusive to any one part of the city and encouragingly those responsible for seven ... 9:56 pm
Nick Clegg drops in!
So I’m sitting at a desk in the Crewe and Nantwich by election office stuffing envelopes when a voice asks “How are you doing?”. I look up and there is Nick Clegg, the party leader, surrounded by a posse of TV camera crews and press photographers. I stood up, shook his hand and mumbled something about ’stuffing’ - and then he was gone to the next table! Which got me thinking that I must be getting old. I’ve now shaken the hand of five Libdem leaders - Paddy Ashdown, Charles Kennedy, Ming Campbell, Vince Cable (OK - he was only ... 9:55 pm
Not long to go now Guido...
Guido is getting himself worked up about something. Panting and drooling the man seems to be ready to pounce on Nick and wrestle him to the ground. In what can only be described as the biggest non-story of the day so far (although Iain Dale has also been reduced to exploiting his creative powers of manipulating the truth - must be a slow news day) Guido has...wait for it...nailed Nick on expenses! In the political blogging equivalent of getting bored in the office and clearing out your drawers, Guido has realised that it's 43 days since Nick made a comment ... 9:21 pm
Lebanon - a shock to my system
It seems very strange to me that just six weeks ago I was in Beirut and would have mocked anyone who said that the city (indeed, country) was about to descend into what appears to be civil war. I'm not going to pretend that I saw it coming or anything like that. When I was there (admittedly, only in a tiny patch of the city) I felt free to walk around anywhere I wanted to with no risk. The local economy seemed pretty good and the restaurants, casinos and nightclubs were full. We walked along the Corniche and came across ... 8:41 pm
The week after the eight years before
So this is what it feels like to be a normal person again... After eight years, I am no more; I have ceased to be; I am an ex-councillor. Chatting to two fellow councillors last week, I could sense a faint trace of pity in their looks, as if, by standing down, I was tossing away the holy grail. They asked why I was leaving, and consoled me that I could always (try and) get back on the Council 7:52 pm
Crewe neck-and-neck sweater?*
The usually very reliable Times political correspondent Sam Coates’ Red Box blog carried a rather bizarre posting yesterday, alleging the Lib Dems had more or less given up on Crewe. Party chief exec and by-election genius Lord Rennard soon put him right: Just come to our HQ in Crewe and see us there for proof of [...] 7:50 pm
10p Tax Rate "Temporary"?
Last night on Question Time James Purnell, Work and Pensions Secretary*, made a claim which caused me to scurry onto BBC News to search through their archives: "We were always clear [the 10p tax rate] was a short-term measure." Verification of this claim found I none, so it’s good to know Channel 4’s FactCheck blog has come [...] 7:50 pm
Fighting in Tripoli and what that means
There has been fighting in Tripoli, which is a majority Sunni, of Syrian extraction city. Hezbollah have been attempting to set up a security square in the city and this appears to have been rejected by the inhabitant. As Judah has just pointed out to me, this bodes very badly for the stability of the Syrian regime as the families of those fighting against the Syrian supported Hezbollah turn against the government that's fighting them. P.S. When Hezbollah stormed the offices of Sa'ad Hariri they hung a photo of Bashar al-Assad (click this link and watch the video to see ... 7:46 pm
Remember Labour's attack on Vince Cable over spending on bee research?
Do you remember the Labour document "100 spending commitments the Liberal Democrats can't fund because their sums don't add up"? It was popular reading for Labour hacks in 2005. It was packed full of barrel bottom scraping ideas on how Labour could incorrectly paint the Lib Dems as having spending commitments but no explanation as to how we would pay for them. Number 94 was the one that got the 7:42 pm
All change on the buses - the slow way home?
First Bus are proposing major changes to bus routes and timetables between Bristol and Yate and Chipping Sodbury, affecting services to Frampton Cotterell, Coalpit Heath, Winterbourne and other communities on the route. Some places will get more frequent buses, but some will get fewer or none at all. The express "X" services will be withdrawn, and none of these buses will go down the M32, making journeys longer. Local Liberal Democrat councillors say that First's consultation is totally inadequate. There's not enough information - people need to know how much longer the new journey times will be. Current timetables show ... 7:34 pm
Revealed again: Burma's evil military government.
Burma (we don't call it Myanmar because that would show we excepted the legitimacy of the military government, which renamed the country Myanmar) enlists hundreds of thousands of child soldiers, commits ethnic cleansing against people from tribes that rebels come from, suppress political freedom and about every Human Right there is. Not long ago we saw the horror of the government's response to the Monks protests. Currently with about 100,000 dead from the cyclone and people so desperate for aid, the government is too suspicious of the west to let much aid in. It is horrific, they are once again ... 7:30 pm
All quiet at the FCO
David Milliband hasn't said anything yet on Lebanon. He must be too occupied working with Bernard Kouchner on the Burma cyclone. Maybe Kim Howells will step into the breach. Update: they have issued a travel warning but no comment unlike the Canadians and the Australians. 7:19 pm
Watch al Jazeera
Walid Jumblat, leader of the pro-government Druze, has been on al Jazeera effectively declaring the end of the state. Another March 14th member Mustafa Alouch has also been on claiming that Hezbollah have taken all of Beirut as the Christians have fled up the mountain. 7:15 pm
House Points: Round the Horne and Liberalism
Today's House Points column from Liberal Democrat News. I have written about the Hornes and the Paddicks before on this blog. Horney problems The Bank Holiday weekend gave Westminster time to reflect on last week's elections. Will Boris Johnson's victory in London prove a mixed blessing for David Cameron? Has the Tories' success in the North been overhyped? Once again they failed to win a single seat in Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle or Hull. And, closer to home... Why, when the Liberal Democrats are such strong supporters of proportional representation, do we do so badly whenever it is used? And why, ... 
7:13 pm
More on Lebanon
Read all of these: this, this, this, this (in French), this, and this. 6:57 pm
Predictions and background on Lebanon
Read Judah's two posts from nine month's ago. The Civil war has already started and Hizbollah: a state within a state. P.S. the photo is from the last civil war. 6:46 pm
Picture say a thousand words
A poster of Rafik Hariri burning. They are being taken down all over west Beirut. 6:44 pm
Unconfirmed Rumour
Siniora may resign. 6:42 pm
Today's Conservative councillor in trouble story, and it's odder than most
The headline summarises the full story quite neatly: Tory councillor forced to resign after he made up claims he suffered from testicular cancer UPDATE: The story has been widely covered in other media outlets, including the BBC, though only this local newspaper report really adds anything to the orginal report linked above. 6:28 pm
Hasan Nasrallah - this is war
Shit. Not good. Really bad. Hezbollah have stormed Sunni west Beirut including the offices of Saad Hariri, son of assassinated former Prime Minister and billionaire Rafik Hariri. They also took over the government's main television station Future. The army can't act for fear of being wrought in two. Siniora, the Prime Minister, is literally hiding in his bunker. The Government's only option if the fighting intensifies is to arm the militias. Michel Aoun's position is apparently being weakened dramatically. Hasan Nasrallah has called this "a declaration of war". This is dreadful news. This is 1975 all over again. More later. ... 6:23 pm
McCain's kitch but clever mother's day ad
This schmaltzy crap doesn't go down well with me but I think its clever politics. BigMac's mother is in her nineties and is clearly very sprightly, emphasizing that her boy won't die on the job. It undermines much of the attack that he's too old and makes it easier to relate to him as just a mumma's boy, like so many other people. Take a look below. 6:15 pm
The lack of posting
I'm aware that I've been somewhat lax with my posting the last couple of weeks. I was very busy campaigning for the local elections (the two wards I was most active in were gains) and had a rather heavy work load. I hope normal service shall be resumed shortly. 5:59 pm
Bloggers' interview with Clegg - the concise version
The latest bloggers' interview with Nick Clegg had quite a few new faces. In all, it was attended by "Fluffy" Millennium Elephant, Laurence Boyce, Alix Mortimer, Linda Jack, Jo Christie-Smith, Helen Duffett, Gavin Whenman and myself. It was great to meet and re-see all those bloggers. The interview was held in Committee Room 17 in the Houses of Parliament on Wednesday 7th May. The interview was 5:50 pm
Boris Johnson Resignation Watch Day 4: Not taken the Manor of Northstead just yet
Confirmation from the House of Commons via email that Boris Johnson has yet to take the Manor of Northstead (due to arcane Parliamentary rules, an MP can’t actually resign, instead they have to take a Crown office, and the Manor of Northstead is one of them): "We have not been notified of any application to the [...] 5:31 pm
Boris and Drugs
Since the Mayoral result has been announced, I've had to wait much longer for the 159 next to Portcullis House. I have had to resort to taking the much more frequent and quieter 3 and changing at Brixton. I hold Boris personally responsible for this and demand he makes the 159 run more than once every 15 minutes at peak times, i.e. whenever I happen to want one. I don't quite know what to make of banning drinking on public transport. It might be a good idea. However, most people who are drunk on public transport in London have already ... 5:19 pm
Europe Day in Leyton
Across Britain, school children (and some grown-ups) have been taking part in a Euro-quiz, to mark Europe Day, which is an annual event held on 9 May. Britain has rarely taken this seriously (and indeed Mrs Thatcher even went so far as to tell people not to fly the European flag!), but that situation is [...] 4:09 pm
Those Civil War trusts that are still going strong
The Hampstead Wells and Campden Trust is one of the longer serving features of the local landscape and it occurs in lots of forms in NW3 - street names, landmarks, geographical facets and of course good old plain history... The Trust in its present form dates only from 1971, origins were in 1698 when the Earl of Gainsborough gave six acres of land for the perpetual benefit of the poor of the Parish of Hampstead. This became known as the Wells Charity taking its name from the Chalybeate Well (still visible in Well Walk opposite Gainsborough Gardens) built by the ... 3:56 pm
Whizzgo comes to Winchester
{Whizzgo cars outside the Guildhall} I popped along to the launch of the new Whizzgo car-club scheme at the Guildhall this morning. As the Council’s press release says: Car Club members will have access to a brand new Citroen car, for less than £5 an hour - including petrol, mileage, road tax, insurance, servicing, breakdown, recovery, maintenance and cleaning. What’s more, independent research shows that Car Club members can cut their total transport bills by half. As well as cutting transport bills in half, separate studies have also demonstrated that the provision of Car Clubs results in a significant reduction ... 3:29 pm
Not left - not right - just Ken
Lots of liberals don't like their politics being placed on the traditional left-right axis. Most Liberal Democrat front-bench spokesperson reject the terms when asked where they are by journalists. How refreshing therefore to see a similar line being used by Ken Livingstone in today's Guardian:"Following May 1 some people are posing the choice as between moving "to the left" or "to the right". This is not the right question. Labour must place itself at the centre of a progressive alliance that can solve the problems facing the country." Yes, I lost. But still Labour must learn from LondonHis argument is ... 3:21 pm
Hip hip hooray, it's the return of my favourite Conservative election fairytale
Back last year when we had two Parliamentary by-elections going on at the same time, in Ealing Southall and Sedgefield, there was a concerted online campaign by Conservatives making comments around the web to claim that the Liberal Democrats were struggling in Ealing, had given up on winning and were instead concentrating on Sedgefield. My [...] 2:36 pm
Linkspam for 9-5-2008
drjon: After a short stay in America, David returned to Florence... Picture. Rather amusing (tags: Humour) Time Freezy HyperSlush(tm) picture. Also funny (tags: Humour) DS is 'toxic drug' that poisons children, claims Daily Mail DS news, Pocket Gamer Rosie Millard: worst parent ever to write an editorial? (tags: Rosie+Millard Nintendo+DS) Has the heaviest element been found? - New Scientist Space I think I even understand the science of this one; thanks pTerry! Could a superheavy element â" heavier than anything previously found in nature or made in the lab â" exist naturally in the rocks of Earth? (tags: science) baseballchica03: ... 2:34 pm
Developer appeals 46 Redlands Road flats plan
{Img_0430} We learned yesterday the depressing news that Hicks Developments have launched an appeal following the refusal of permission by RBC's Planning Applications Committee earlier in the year of its plan to demolish 46 Redlands Road and replace it with 14 flats. I led the campaign against this plan and supported the many local residents living nearby who felt that it would have a detrimental impact on the highly-attractive Redlands Road/Allcroft Road area. The Council's planning officers agreed and recommended refusal for a whole list of reasons. We have been instructed that the Written Representation proceedure will be used in ... 2:23 pm
Hillary may quit Presidential race
Terry McAuliffe, Chairman of Hillary Clinton's campaign, has said that Hillary may quit her quest to become Democrat Presidential nominee if she still trails Barack Obama in delegates at the beginning of June. he also said that both Hillary and Bill would then unite behind Barack and concentrate their fire on Republican nominee John McCain. Meanwhile the Obama camp has been today boosted by the announcement by two more Superdelegates that they are going to be backing him. It seems that one of these new supporters has transferred allegiance from Hillary. Obama currently has 1849 to Clinton's 1697. The winning ... 2:05 pm
Burmese Junta impounds UN food aid
In a move destined to win no friends the Burmese Junta has impounded the first shipment of aid which has been delivered to the devastated country from the World Food Programme (WFP). The WFP has announced that it has no option other than to suspend further shipments until the situation can be sorted. It is feared that up to 100 000 people may have died and up to 1 500 000 may have been affected by last week's Cyclone Nargis. The UK Government has pledged $10 million in aid whilst the UN has matched the UK figures, the USA a ... 1:40 pm
Vote Cameron, Get Brown!
Interesting to see Nigel Ashton’s blog - here in the NW we are awaiting the decision of another Council to hit the Tories/Labour with. 1:36 pm
[2008] EWHC 802 (Fam) LEEDS CITY COUNCIL v Mr & Mrs YX
As part of my collection of important cases this is the one in respect of Mr Justice Holman and Leeds. This relates to the quality of expert evidence in abuse cases. I wish only to stress, as that document does at paragraphs 1.2 and 1.13, the very great importance of including in any assessment every aspect of a case. Very important indeed is the account of the child, considered, of course, in 1:14 pm
Is Labour backing down over changing sexist rules?
So - at last - a question on the Order Paper in Parliament about the Single Equalities Act. I have, since becoming Equalities Spokesperson, been waiting to be able to raise the issue of how our rules about who gets to be monarch gives boys the advantage over girls. As readers of this blog will know, have been having some success with raising and pushing this issue. The Sunday Times - who covered it on their front page a couple of weeks ago - helped up the ante as when Marie Woolf (journalist) rang Vera Baird (Solicitor General) - and ... 1:13 pm
Baroness Michie of Gallanach
Sir David Steel wrote the Guardian obituary on Ray Michie and I reprint it here as it is som much more eloquent than my own words can be: Baroness Michie of Gallanach, Ray Michie, who has died aged 74 after a long illness, was the daughter of the renowned John M Bannerman (Baron Bannerman of Kildonan), who for many years held the record as the most capped member of the Scottish Rugby Union, and was a well-known broadcaster in Scotland, and long-term chairman of the Scottish Liberal party. The significance of her parentage - her mother was also a Liberal ... 12:56 pm
Catch me in the media
A busy burst of media coverage - did a pre-record with GMTV this morning for Sunday - talking about election results and also how to tackle crime amongst young people (6am on GMTV and then 7:25am on GMTV Digital). Doing LBC this evening at 6pm - so call in with your questions! On Sunday it's The Westminster Hour on Radio 4 at 10pm - and then next Friday, Any Questions, also on Radio 4. Fun, fun, fun! Also feature in The Times Parliamentary sketch today (in which Ann Treneman treated me with a light touch - for which I am ... 12:38 pm
Election Result: Thursday 8th May 2008
Medway UA, Rochester South and Horsted Con 1847 (48.7 + 7.2), Lab 819 (21.6 -5.0), LD Viv Parker 767 (20.2 + 3.6), BNP 257 (6.8 + 6.8), Green 104 (2.7 + 2.7), [Medway Ind (0.0 - 6.2)], [UKIP (0.0 - 9.2)]. Majority 1028. Turnout 41%. CON HOLD. Percentage change is since May 2007. 12:27 pm
Showdown at the P.O. Corral
WE WON! We won! Not the election of course, but rather the fight to save Essex Road Post Office from the ravages of a Labour Government bent on ruining anything of benefit to the poor & vulnerable. A concerted effort involving the local community, our PPC Bridget Fox and the Lib-Dem run Council had produced an agreement with Royal Mail Ltd. to allow a franchisee to take it over. This was a tremendous victory for Bridget. She’d campaigned for over a year to keep it open, and had gathered thousands of petition signatories and organised hundreds of people into protests. ... 12:10 pm
How close is Labour to going bankrupt?
Tribune thinks it’s pretty close: Labour chiefs have until the end of this month to plug a £4 million hole in the party's finances and avert the possibility of a formal declaration of bankruptcy. The financial crisis in the wake of the party's drubbing at the local and London polls comes as Gordon Brown faces another humiliation [...] 11:53 am
Lost for Words
The wonderful weather the last few days has encouraged us to get out to the garden and spend some family quality time preparing the garden for its opening on the 25th of May in aid of the Ian Rennie charity, see www.AcerCorner.com. However, for some the enjoyment of this wonderful spring has been tarnished. No, I am not talking about the Labour party. I am thinking about our Wendover Parish Council. Yesterday I was given a compliment (paraphrasing): "We have been checking your blog for a comment on the Parish Meeting last Monday. Why have you not written anything?" Well, ... 11:51 am
If you are a UK voter, I think you need to know about this
At work last week, this judgment crossed my desk. SK is an unsuccessful Zimbabwean asylum-seeker who was sent to prison for a sexual assault and then kept in detention at the end of his sentence with a view to deporting him. However, deportations to Zimbabwe are currently suspended in view of the political situation there, pending a test case in the Court of Appeal. This means SK has now been detained for over two years beyond the end of his sentence. By the time his case reached court, SK was entitled to have had his detention reviewed 22 times. The ... 11:09 am
Southport out in the cold as Con/Lab pact takes over Sefton Council
Conservative and Labour councillors have joined forces to oust the Liberal Democrats from leadership of Sefton Council. At last night's dramatic meeting, Conservative councillors voted with the Labour Party to destroy the proportional basis of power-sharing. This brought to an end 22 years of consensus politics that has seen Sefton Council awarded 4-star status. 11:05 am
Celebrate Europe day with a Euro Quiz
As promised here is the mammoth Euro quiz to celebrate Europe Day - 9th May. many thanks to the UK office of the European Parliament for the questions. An ALDE & EP goodie bag goes to the person who has most correct answers when entries close at 5pm on Monday the 12th May 2008 at 17.00. If you are feart of public humiliation or don't want to show the world how knowledgeable you are then you can email your answer to iaindale@yahoo.com Good luck! ROUND ONE 1. How many stars does the European flag have? 2. Name one of the ... 10:22 am
British Telecom surcharge
Last week I visited a pensioner in Truro who was fed-up that she had to pay extra on her phone bill unless she paid by Direct Debit. Â She likes, like many pensioners, to go up to the Post Office to pay her bills. Â BT don't really want her to do this - they want everyone to pay by direct debit. Â If you don't you get charged an extra £4.50 a quarter for their additional costs in 'processing' the cheque or cash. Â This is £18 a year that I am sure a single pensioner could put to better use. Â ... 10:18 am
Pseudoscience in an OU advice column
From the "Support Advice" page in the current issue of Sesame, the Open University's magazine for students, comes this recommendation by a "study skills expert": "The Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) are among the simplest and most powerful calming tools you can use to dispel your memories of failure [...] Pick one of your worst memories of failure. Now, dig around your left upper chest area with three fingers until you hit an area that feels quite tender. This is the 'sore spot', an area of lymphatic congestion. Massage it..." Various affirmations and breathing exercises follow, along with a warning that ... 10:15 am
Graham's blog Friday 9 May 2008
Parliament re-assembled in Brussels this week after a week's break. We marked the tenth anniversary of the decision to create the Euro, which is currently worth around 80p against 68p a year ago. Unfortunately for me, I am paid by the UK government in pounds which now buy fewer euros, though living in Langport my expenditure is still mainly in sterling. In ten days' time the European Commission and the Central Bank are likely to recommend that Slovakia joins the euro on 1 January next year, becoming the 16th country to join. Climate change is increasingly occupying our energies as ... 10:12 am
Myanmar/Burma Cyclone appeals - immediate humanitarian relief needed.
I hope the Burmese government immediately allows non-political humanitarian disaster relief agencies over it's borders to help with securing clean water, emergency food rations and medical aid to the flooded delta area. This immediate action would help to save lives, prevent outbreaks of devasting disease such as dysentry and typhoid and allow the government to continue to coordinate the huge amount of work that will be needed to start rebuilding the country's infrastructure. http://www.worldvision.org.uk/ 10:04 am
Up for the Cup
It's the non-league equivalent of the FA Cup and my little team Torquay United are playing the mighty Ebbsfleet United in the FA Trophy Final at Wembley Stadium in London tomorrow. I've got a ticket a... 9:44 am
Bury Lib Dems AGM
Last night was the Annual General Meeting of the Liberal Democrat Group on Bury Council. As we’re now up to 9 councillors, it was the largest AGM ever! The Councillors agreed a range of appointments and nominations to committees, working groups and outside bodies which will be proposed to the Annual Meeting of the Council which is next Wednesday. I had the honour of being re-elected as Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group in Bury, a position I’ve held for the last two years. Its a great privilege to be chosen by your fellow councillors to act as their Leader, ... 9:42 am
A scientific comparison of gender attitudes
(inspired by {[info]} purplehez) - anyone can vote, but nobody will see how you have voted. - if you want to see the bar charts without answering the questions, hit submit poll without selecting an answer - if you don't like beer you can read beer to mean the alcoholic beverage of your choice, even if you are insane and this is lager. View Poll: A scientific comparison of gender attitudes 9:19 am
The nation holds its breath
Sunday afternoon, 3pm, Pride Park: Reading start the most important game of their Premiership journey since last Saturday's game against Spurs. We need to do better in our game than Fulham do away against Pompey (c'mon 'arry!). Frankly, for most of this season we've been crap and don't deserve to stay up, but it's been fun going to Anfield, Old Trafford and Goodison and I'd prefer that next 8:56 am
NEW POLL: what will be the result of the next general election?
Gordon Brown's Labour Party took a pounding in last week's local elections, and a new YouGov poll sees them trailing the Tories by 26% - so calling a general election is probably the last thing on the Prime Minister's mind this morning. He can, after all, delay going to the country for another two years. But [...] 8:40 am
Group AGM no substitute for sunshine
Last night’s Lib Dem Group AGM saw lots of interesting discussion about the election campaign just gone, and our plans to work successfully on the Council over the next 12 months. Obviously none of the discussions were anywhere near as interesting as frolicking in the sunshine outside, but unfortunately with the privilege of power comes the irritating burden of responsibility, so I had to put down my ice cold Vimto momentarily, exchange my flowing Hawaiian grass skirt for a suit, un-hand the hula girl, and go to the meeting. Congratulations to Councillors Tim Pickstone and Andrew Garner who were re-elected Group Leader and ... 8:27 am
Forever delayed
When the Assembly Government launched its health strategy, 'Designed for Life' in 2005 the Welsh Liberal Democrat press officer picked up on the long wait for a coherent approach to the NHS in Wales and the Manic Street Preacher theme by rechristening it, Forever Delayed. Judging by this report from the BBC his press release was not just referring to the tardiness of the Government at that time. It seems that any chance of meeting a number of key targets in the document are 'forever delayed' as well: BBC Wales' Dragon's Eye programme examined the targets set for the end ... 8:15 am
Is John Denham our next PM?
A member of the Labour Cabinet publicly criticising their leader in an attempt to gradually erode his reputation and trigger a leadership contest? Surely not. John Denham, the skills and innovation secretary, said Labour's reluctance to acknowledge failings has led to their voters losing faith. Peter Mandelson has already had a go with the knife by attacking him on the 10p tax rate, calling it a "very big mistake". I have only one concern...that these stories are going to become regular over the next 4 months and over the summer in the lead-up to the labour conference. I'm just not ... 7:56 am
The Court of Appeal [2008] EWCA Civ 462
The linked judgment is the one in which I was criticised by the Court of Appeal for two points. Bias and Apparent Bias Firstly I provided the court with evidence that local authorities and Nottingham in particular had been in receipt of hypothecated funding ringfenced towards adoption. This practise ceased from 1st April 2008. The second leg of Natural Justice requires Nemo Judex in Causa Sua. 7:12 am
Harnessing Solar Power Like Nature Intended
Consider the lilies. Well if it's good enough for the bible. Imagine the scene a pond in summer, the sun blazing down and the water lilies covering it are soaking up the sun's rays to provide the energy for them the grow and flourish. Well Glasgow based company ZM Architecture have used that imagination to take the step one stage further. They have observed this happening in nature and have 6:09 am
What I've been up to by Text today
My daily digest of texts, tweets and status updates.18:44 is drinking coffee mixed with tofee ice cream. Mmmmmmm # 21:58 is giggling at The Shrubplaying in the bath and wondering if she's learnt how to not fall in the beck again... #Microblogging using LoudTwitter and Twitter. {[info]} matgb_twitter is there if you're mad enough. 12:08 am
Diane Abbot and the latest Brownite delusion
Diane Abbot MP has just said on BBC 1 that Gordon Brown’s problems are caused by bitter ex-ministers from the Blair years. What utter rubbish. It was Gordon Brown who raised taxes for lowest paid workers. It was Gordon Brown who raised expectations of an general election then bottled it. It was Gordon Brown who dithered [...] 12:01 am
A surprise encounter
Highlight of another long day - I met Lech Walesa ! We had arrived at Durham University 5 minutes early and some people waiting outside told us they were waiting to see Lech Walesea (former Polish president, Trade Unionist, and Nobel Peace Prize winner) who was visiting the University that morning. Amongst those waiting were someone who described himself as (proper old Labour) who had been... 
