An unnamed ally of the Prime Minister has described the ForeignSecretary as having a "surprising lack of judgement and maturity".(See tinyurl.com/58rdmf ). This has left lobby hacks strugglingunsuccessfully to recall precedents for similar public backstabbingsat such a senior level. All this nonsense cannot go on. Something'sgot to give sooner or later in Labour land. To quote Scottie from
Oops!
While I have been away Melanie Phillips, a woman more likely to make me grimace than sit up and listen, has metaphorically thrown down a gauntlet for the Tories - "We want a new start, proper leadership, a fresh vision. We are unlikely to get these from yet another Labour leader. The big question, however, is: who will deliver them? " - but a gauntlet that could just as well have been thrown our way. Now, the problem she has identified is that the Tories are not picking up what she sees as the key issues - "What are the ...
Congratulations to the Serbian Government for sending Radovan Karadžić (a.k.a. Very Bad Santa) before The Hague yesterday. Here's hoping that Ratko Mladić, Goran Hadžić and the other fugitives at large join him shortly. Here is a link to photos of these individuals and what they are alleged to have done. I just wonder what bizarre disguises these guys are sporting and cover stories they are using. I suspect that they are probably also bizarre mystics living under everyone's noses. If you have anyone who claims that they studied YOGA in China that tends to be a MASSIVE GIVEAWAY! Congratulations to ...
So, in purple_pen's review of The Dark Knight, she mentioned in passing that she cannot believe it is wise for anyone to ride around on a big powerful motorcycle while wearing a long flowing cape. And, she is of course, entirely correct. I'd go further than this, though. I'd say it's not advisable to ride the Batpod at all. I mean, look at it: You have to lie on top of it, which is hardly ideal weight distribution. The twin engines are in the wheels, which is going to do all sorts of horrible things from the point of view ...
Wallington Day Fair This wonderful event was organised by the Friends of Wallington Library with the aim of celebrating Wallington and its library. The library and gardens truly feel that they are the 'hub' of Wallington, and with the popular farmer's market held monthly in the grounds it has become a focal point for the community. [...]
One of these people is Hector, which one is it? "Hector was renowned for being grumpy, arrogant and useless and no amount of reinvention could detract from the fellow dwellers that he was in fact just rubbish" In management speak there is a term "the Peter principle" it means whereby someone who was previously good at their job such as a builder were promoted to foreman for being a good builder. The only trouble is that the skill set to manage and lead perhaps a dozen "hairy" builders is different than laying a few bricks or digging a ditch. Organisations ...
Where's McGruder when you need her? Oh yes, I'm typing on her... James Graham tagged me to answer what three questions would you ask Alan Moore if you met him on a train? I reckon it would be: - is this seat free? - How's Glycon doing? - is that beard REAL? I am feeling a bit flippant tonight, clearly...
A few people have been asking for an update re the Dreyfus affair. Well, I have to confess I am reviewing my previous scepticism about whether or not he was working for the security services. This having chatted to someone for whom I have enormous respect and who has some professional insight. However, I have now spent almost a whole day with the Metropolitan Police, giving a statement and trailing through hours of CCTV/video, a key section missing. I also saw stills that I have to suspect have been tampered with. I don't think I can say any more about ...
The Welsh Liberal Democrats have yet to hand in their account to the Electoral Commission and according to the Electoral Commission "the resulting fine will depend on how late they are". As members of the Lib Dems we are consistently asked for cash to keep the party campaigning, but it must be a real disincentive to Welsh Lib Dems to know the Welsh Lib Dems accounting unit are so profligate with finds that they can afford the fines that will be imposed and seemingly have no great concern about handing in the details on time to the electoral authorities. Seemingly ...
Waste Consultation & Beddington & Wallington Local Committee Meeting The waste consultation was meant to be a drop-in, whereby residents have the opportunity to talk to councillors or waste officers individually, ask questions, and fill in a consultation document. However when I arrived there were about sixty residents in place, sat in a circle around a [...]
The party of government in Turkey - the AK Party, has escaped a ban by the constitutional court, by just one vote. The court decided against a ban that would have seen the Prime Minister and the President facing a 5 year ban from holding public office. Turkey has been divided in the last few months whether a democratically elected government should be banned by the courts with the backing of the army and pro secularist parties. But Turkey is a country of contradictions. The AK party which has Islamic roots is pro- free market and joining the EU, whilst ...
Voluntary Action North East Lincolnshire have announced a new funding stream that is now available to support local Community and Groups within the NELC area which should benefit those groups who have not had access to large grants or donations in the past. As the name suggests, grassroots should help to grow and build sustainability in the future. For further information about Grassroots Funding please visit North East Lincolnshire Third Sector Hub Website: Where you will find further information about the grants and downloadable application forms - good luck with your funding bids!
After what seems like almost 2 years of hype and promises, Bibble Labs have released this very short video demonstration of their next generation RAW photography program, this is a big deal because Bibble is just about the only commerical software I've ever bought for Linux, and also the only fully cross-platform raw-photography processing system. Bibble 4 has a somewhat cranky interface, but is an exceptionally good program and is my current software of choice. The Bibble people assure me that anybody who buys Bibble 4 today is guaranteed a free upgrade to Bibble 5.
With less than 12 hours to go before I guest the contest is nearly over bar the shouting, and hopefully we can avoid that for calm discussion instead. I reckon that most votes in this byelection will be cast by post. So most people who are going to vote have already done so. We have 2200 postal votes out of an electorate of 7000. In May, about 1650 postal votes were cast. About 1200 were cast at
I was going to add this as an update to the other story, but hey I wouldn't like Tess Culnane to miss what her own election leaflet for Whitefoot said. From the NF website: Mixing head lice and racist politics again Tess.
It has been one of those evenings in which you have loads to do but things that normally don't go wrong end up doing precisely that. It started with the North East Democrat, the regional email newsletter I produce. This evening was the latest it could go out. It is after all the July edition and so recipients should have an expectation of receiving it in July. Tomorrow I can't do it, not with
For the first time in about a month we have a planning application in Twerton so this is taking rather longer to put together that it normally would. The application is for the erection of a two story side extension at 38 The Hollow Bath and was first registered on 28th July 2008 and has a decision date of 22nd September 2008. The application number is 08/02259/FUL...
The Telegraph's Jonathan Isaby had blogged about the LibDems' targeting Labour seats at the next General election. Unfortunately he can't get his facts right. He states that "some of the seats on this list, such as Watford [...are] three-way marginals where the Lib Dems are currently in third place and in all likelihood the second-placed Tories are better placed to to take the seat". Except that it is the LibDems who are in a clear second place and the Conservatives who have just lost their candidate. Sometimes it makes you wonder how keen the Tory press are to check their ...
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Bath & North East Somerset Liberal Democrats are asking why the decision on pricing for car parks in Bath has not yet been taken. The decision has been pending for a month. A draft of the decision to revise the parking charges in Bath (introducing a £1 flat fee after 6 p.m. in Avon and Charlotte Street car parks) was published on 20th June 2008. Liberal Democrats have been calling...
Well nit hating BNP/NF candidate Tess Culnane is upset by the piece I wrote about her with respect to the Haltemprice & Howden by-election. She has sent me the following email: I was made aware of your article in the Bexley Times recently regarding the Haltenprice and Howden by election. Perhaps you would like to print my reply on your blog. Whilst I realise my case against the Liberals is common
If God really did/does exist and if he created everything on earth, what possessed him to make wasps ? Having been to Banham Zoo today (a nice place to visit by the way), the only problem all day was whenever you stopped, where ever you went to have bite to eat or a sit down, wasps started buzzing round and annoying you. I get bees, I sort of understand flies, but wasps, a sort of frenetic angry bee with a nasty attitude make no sense what so ever.
Cameron blunder on children drinking safely ran the headline for a Melissa Kite-flying exercise in the Telegraph. I would normally pounce, vulture-like, on such a juicy morsel. Much as it grieves me, I have to duly declare that I agree with the Camshaft on this occasion. Accustomising youngsters to thimblefuls of weak alcohol in a responsible, adult setting can help to foster a mature approach
There's an interesting piece by Jonathan Isaby in the Daily Telegraph this week. He identifies Islington South & Finsbury as one of the top 5 Labour seats likely to fall to the Lib Dems at the next election. The Telegraph also shows Islington South going gold in its latest electoral map. And both the Evening [...]
I'm just reading David Batty's piece on the Guardian Online site on internet access for journalists who will be covering the Olympics in Beijing. Surprise, surprise, the internet is being blocked by the paranoid authorities as usual. Did anyone really ever expect the Chinese Government to keep any promises on human rights and press freedom? All the Chinese Communist Government has been interested in all along has been prestige and shoring up their "legitimacy" through an appeal to their domestic audience via the mechanism of the most prestigious international event going. They have once again put two fingers up to ...
Well Iain Dale has emailed me and has said he will not be using my post as he doesn't offer an advertisement service. Well What can i say...
You've probably seen the Liberal Democrat TV feed which appears on numerous sites (such as this one), carrying the latest YouTube films from the party. Now you can also get the films on your iPod, with the latest films automatically appearing as they are released. The feed to subscribe to is: http://feeds.libdems.org.uk/LDiTunes (In iTunes, go to the Advanced menu [...]
Nick Clegg's declaration that Liberal Democrats will target fifty Labour seats across the country has brought some useful news coverage to campaigners in the East of England. The Norwich Evening News features a picture of a glum Charles Clarke and a smiling Simon Wright. Simon gets a good quote too: "Norwich South is a marginal Labour seat, and is one of the top targets for the Liberal Democrats. Voters across the constituency are telling me that they've had enough of Labour and now its time for a change. People are turning their backs on Labour and switching to the Liberal ...
Welcome to the 75th of our weekly round-ups from the Lib Dem blogosphere, featuring the seven most popular stories according to click-throughs from the Aggregator (20-26th July), together with a hand-picked quintet you might otherwise have missed. Let's get straight down to it, in traditional descending order: (Lembit fans may care to avert their eyes). 1. [...]
Bath Liberal Democrats have given a cautious welcome to the Council's change of heart on the Lambridge Park and Ride. This follows the announcement that the preferred site for the east of Bath park and ride will be Mill Lane. However, they have urged the Council to use this proposed change to the Bath Transport Package to also reconsider the route of the Bus Rapid Transit scheme, until...
That's the unconventional conclusion from a thoughtful piece by Danny Finkelstein: When I worked for the last Conservative Prime Minister and then for the party leader in opposition, we were obsessed with the idea of media bias. I spent hours on memos, assembling evidence. I vaguely realised even then that it was a waste of time. Now [...]
Tuesday It is cook's evening off, so I send out for haddock and chips. I am saddened to learn from the wrappings - our national dish tastes so much better eaten from the paper, don't you think? - that poor Lembit has been given the bum's rush by those spirited Cheeky Girls. I always feared that their love was too urgent, too ardent, and might one day burn itself out. I am reminded of the Esquimaux couple I met while working as a fur trapper on Baffin Island: they made passionate love throughout the long Arctic night, but in the ...
This is the post i have emailed Iain Dale for his "Guest Blogs" So i can up my viewers on my blog by getting visitor's from his blog: "Oh gosh a Lib Dem posting for Iain Dale!" That's what a lot of people are going to be saying when they find out that I have written for this blog. But the main purpose for me writing for this blog is so that I can give people a link to my blog. The Post is about Youth and Politics Yes a lot of young people are not interested in Politics most ...
What is Nancy Pelosi's, Senate Majority Speaker, new bug bear? What's really getting her goat? Well, surprise, surprise its Starbucks. Now, bizarrely, she isn't railing against the strong market position of this multinational coffee giant. She, and the Democrats in Congress, are introducing a Bill to stop Starbucks from closing down their 600 unprofittable stores. That's right, they want to stop a company from becoming more effecient and exitting the market where they are relatively unwanted (don't make any money). How crazed is this? What's next? Nationalize the soaring heights of the coffee industry to maintain full employment? It is ...
Just came across two different newspaper polls which relate to public perceptions of the Tories. Thanks to Alex Folkes and Adrian Sanders for pointing out this one: Tory supporters have been encouraged to rig an online poll by the Western Morning News this week. The question posed was "Would a David Cameron Government be good or bad for the Westcountry?" An email was allegedly sent to 76 Tory constituency and councillor addresses across the West Country asking supporters to "push the percentage the right way." Also, Monday's Independent had another poll about the Tories. Now, as it was by ComRes ...
You couldn't make this up. Walk out of my office this afternoon having parked outside on High Street Hornsey for about half an hour - perfectly legitimately. The actual sign is the sort that says you can park between 10am and 4pm for up to one hour and no return within two hours. A ticket on my windscreen. I look at Ed (who is my Head of Office and with me at that moment) and say - why, how? We check the signs - they haven't changed. At that point a woman came up to me and said, 'Thank goodness ...
Tuesday was a celebration day - for the new community health centre on the site of the old Hornsey Central Hospital as was. I was in attendance to lay the topping out stone. It's a tradition in the building industry when the building reaches the top floor. There are now only about nine months to go before actual completion and handover. Yes - there has been lots of controversy about the new community health centre - but my own view is that given the undertaking that there will be no reduction in number of GPs in the borough, everyone will ...
Wave 102 5pm news tonight ...
Apart from the fact there is a Tory press officer with a surname one letter away from my own I thought the following in today's Western Morning News was very informative about the kind of Party the Co...
Back from a lovely holiday in Le Thoronet in Provence, just one hour from St Tropez, which I visited for the first time. Had a really wonderful time there with good food, markets, lovely villages, sunshine, laid back people, and of course the company of really good friends! I read no newspapers and had no access to the internet. On the train back from Avignon I caught up with the British newspapers - Lots of news! What happened to the silly season? Headline, Gordon Brown on his hols in the UK, still getting even more mangled by the media after ...
Well David Milliband is in full rabbit eyes in headlights mode. Following his article in this mornings Grauniad in which he talked about the future of the Labour Party without mentioning the Prime Minister in that future. Compare this from his article. "The odds are against us, no question. But I still believe we can win the next election. I agree with Jack Straw etc" With this when pressed:
The Booker Long List is out and damn them, I have only read one of them. Last year I did my own Booker Prize award...I read every book on the shortlist and put them in order of preference. My views of last years short list were: Didn't like: 'The Gathering' Anne Enright Liked: 'Mister Pip' Lloyd Jones, 'The Reluctant Fundamentalist' Mohsin Hamid Love: 'On Chesil Beach' Ian McEwan, 'Animal's People' Indra Sinha and 'Darkmans' Nicola Barker. I chose in the end, Animal's People by Indra Sinha but the other Booker Panel (the one consisting of the great and the good ...
All the increases in gas prices are not necessarily going to ensure that gas is available during winter. It will, of course, as usual, depend upon the weather. The design of the UK gas market is reliant on a relative abundance of supply. Obviously supply and demand will match, but only at the cost of destitute pensioners and "excess winter deaths".
dear oh dear, deary me. James Kelman's new book not longlisted for this years Booker prize The Independent's literary editor Boyd Tonkin is right on the mark 'No novelist in Britain - apart, that is, from Salman Rushdie - suffers more from snide and stupid caricatures of who he is and what he does than Kelman. Sadly, this oversight suggests that slanderous mud can stick even in strong minds. But maybe the spikily radical Scot was never going to make headway against a panel chaired by a Thatcher-era minister, Michael Portillo.' Spot on Boyd. There is no better read than ...
Centrica have just announced a thumping great 35% gas price rise - with more 'in the pipeline'. The rising cost of fuel for households on modest or fixed incomes is becoming a national scandal. With pensions and other benefits tied to the RPI which is currently under 5%, rises of this sort in the cost of key commodities will guarantee falling living standards for some of the most vulnerable people in society. And what is the Government's response? The winter fuel payment will rise for most pensioners by £50 this winter - but average fuel bills are set to rise ...
Starting with a Bang The long parliamentary recess has started - weeks without time being spent in the weekly grindingly boring train ride to London and back. Mind you its a hectic pace back at Southport but you can control your agenda better. Yesterday I found a little time for light exercise the odd game of table tennis and a workout with heavy weights. I've done the latter all my adult life and it has a slight addictive quality. If you don't do it for a while you actually feel muscle cramps only relieved by putting the old system under ...
Oops, the Conservatives have been caught trying to rig a local Western Morning News online poll about David Cameron's leadership qualities. Sam Coates has the full story.
A very disappointing outcome indeed today to learn this morning from Post Office Limited that it is indeed going to close Lochee Road (pictured) and Nethergate Post Offices - and indeed close all four threatened Dundee Post Offices. I have already spoken on Wave 102 and Radio Tay today on the outcome and will be on North Tonight on STV at 6pm - my main point is that, in my opinion, the consultation process has been a complete sham. Here's the news release I issued to the media this afternoon : NEWS RELEASE : Councillor slams "sham consultation" over Dundee ...
Funky moves, urban beats and booming rhythms combine to create some of the most cutting edge and cool dance routines. Bring along a sense of adventure and be prepared to strut you stuff across the dance floor. The Street Dance Workshop takes place on Thursday 14th August for Ages 11+ at the Central Hall 2pm-4pmAdmission £1. Pre-booking is essential. Tel 01652 662057 for booking or 07743816276 for further information, or on the internet at: www.artsforumfestival.com
There will be a 2 day Rock School in the area on August 12th and 13th in which you can write and perform a new song and be a part of a band that will make that happen. Guitarists will need at least some experience and basic chord knowledge, but all other instruments can be beginners. Instruments will be provided but you are welcome to bring your own guitars, otherwise just bring your inspiration, enthusiasm and rhythm. Rock School is forAges 11+ and takes place at Western Youth Centre 10am-4pm, Admission £1. Pre-booking is essential Tel 01652 662057 to book, ...
From the BBC, the news that a drug has been developed which halts or slows the decline of Alzheimer's disease. I'm disappointed to note that larger trials won't start until at least next year, and the drug isn't expected to be ready for the market before 2012. Four years is a long time to anyone with Alzheimer's disease, or to any member of their family who is close to them. In four years, my own grandmother's dementia changed her from her sparkling, witty self into a sweet but confused old lady who didn't really know who I was. On the ...
The news today that the police are fighting a losing battle against drug crime cannot have come as a surprise to anyone who ever ventures outside their front door. Despite all the time and effort spent on drug crime, the report from the UK Drug Policy Commission says that seizures are having little impact on reducing supply or demand. The report concluded that despite the doubling of seizures of Class A drugs in the past decade, the market for such drugs had proved to be "extremely resilient". If their supply was disrupted, dealers maintained their profit margins simply by reducing ...
I've intentionally avoid the fevered and ultimately circular speculation on Labour leadership today in the blogosphere following Miliband's article. However I thought these comments from Rhodri Morgan on World at One (R4), worth highlighting: Gordon Brown should "to master this art of behaving in public the way he behaves in private where he is very charming, very communicative, and full of jokes and laughter and so on.""[Brown] has to learn of of the great Tony Blair and David Cameron trick of coming over to every mother in the land as their ideal prospective son-in-law."Funny, I thought that that Gordon could ...
Liberal Democrat MP and MSP for North East Fife, Sir Menzies Campbell MP and Iain Smith MSP have expressed their deep disappointment at the decision by the Royal Mail to go ahead with their proposals for closure in North East Fife and have branded the consultation period as nothing more than an exercise in futility. Commenting on today's news, North East Fife's MSP Iain Smith said, "This is an absolute disgrace. The Royal Mail has clearly ignored the views of the people in North East Fife. Gordon Brown and the Labour Government must take full responsibility as their instructions to ...
I've said it before and I'll say it again - fish is a difficult subject for anyone trying to "do the right thing". The photo is me in Hastings visiting their fishing fleet of 40 boats that's trying to be as sustainable as possible. They have three fish stocks in the Hastings Fisheries - herring, mackerel and Dover sole - that are Marine Stewardship Council accredited. That means that the fish stocks are in good health and are well managed. Individual boats that want to use the MSC logo have to adhere to strict rules on how to catch the ...
Am I the only person noticing Italy's sharp turn to the (far) right in recent months? Since the return to power in April of Silvio Berlusconi, backed by his right-wing coalition built on the support of the far right Northern League, there's been a widespread discrimination of immigrants and the Roma ethnic group (see here also), [...]
Labour's National Policy Forum last weekend at Warwick agreed to Votes at 16 to be included in their next manifesto.
Drug prohibition is, surprise surprise to those of us who have always viewed it as wrong, not working. A totally accurate barometer of public opinion it may not be, but I think most would agree that something pretty fundamental is happening when over 80% of people commenting on a BBC News article about the failure of the 'war on drugs' and 'zero-tolerance' policies are advocating an end to prohibition. The evidence has been stacking up for a long time now, and the lower levels of drug use in other European countries with more tolerant drugs policies such as Holland, Spain ...
Here's a stream of consciousness... Doug Elghorn (Catterick South Central) asked the Deputy, er, Something if she had any plans to visit Catterick to see the massive improvements which the Labour government had made since coming to power in 1997. Harriet Harperson (for it was she) blanched at the notion of leaving London for more than a few hours and said she would rather clean Nicholas Soames' belly button fluff out. 'Fatty' Soames rose at this point to make a point of order, advising the house that his belly button had not been visible to the naked eye since 1971 ...
A letter in today's Guardian from Cllr Paul Bettison, Chair of the Local Government Association's environment board, is headlined: "Councils must take the lead on tackling energy costs." I agree. Councils can and must do more to help residents with rising energy and food prices. In Camden we have just passed a policy to insulate all council estates between now and 2010, and to provide a package of incentives for the private sector to do the same. This is the quickest, cheapest and easiest way to reduce our carbon emissions and to help those suffering from higher energy prices. We ...
The Unity within the Labour Party is breaking and the party is in itself getting corrupt day by day. David Miliband is openly challenging the Prime Minister to a leadership election and people like Jack Straw are still keeping quiet and supporting the Prime Minister. When Gordon Prentice come out into the open and asked for Brown to resign the seat that just caused trouble among the Labour Party people since then on are calling upon Brown they has been speculation about Harriet Harmon wanting to challenge the Prime Minister. After the media made the speculation Ms Harmon come back ...
I've lost count of the number times I have had to deal with Home Information Packs in Parliament. Debates, questions, statements and secondary legislation have all highlighted the mess that Government has made of what could have been a useful initiative arising from the most recent Housing Act. Having taken out all the useful stuff relating to the structural condition of the house, they piloted the scheme, but then rolled it out nationally before publishing the results of the pilot. When the results were published, they showed, surprise, surprise, that they had not speeded up home buying and that the ...
If you're a pagan or an atheist (or both, as the case may be)? Birmingham doesn't want you. (hat tip: cabalamat2, here)
Please excuse the geeky Stargate SG1 reference in the title. This post is in fact about DNA and in particular the report of the Human Genetics Commission published today. How nice to see an independent body reinforce my own prejudices. The Independent reports that a generation of young Britons is being criminalised for life by the relentless expansion of the national DNA database: Alarm and hostility over the massive scale of the collection of DNA has been uncovered by groundbreaking research funded by the Home Office among panels of members of the public. The Human Genetics Commission found there was ...
This popped up in my intray from Stratfor last night. Give it a read and let me know what you think. Something extraordinary is happening in China, and we are not talking about the Olympics. Rather, Chinese officials have been clamping down on visa applications and implementing bureaucratic impediments to new and renewed visa applications under the guise of pre-Olympic security. In some ways, Beijing's plan for a safe and secure Olympics appears based on the premise that if no one shows up, there can be no trouble. But placing restrictions on the movement of managers and employees of foreign ...
I am just back from a couple of days in Belfast, attending one of our training courses in Springfield Road. As always I enjoyed the opportunity to peruse the Belfast Telegraph and the Newsletter for an Irish take on the news. Big news is Peter Tatchell (who was over for an Amnesty International lecture) has really set the hares running by suggesting great hero of the Unionists, King Billy, had gay lovers. A DUP "spokesman" said "This is the kind of deliberately offensive and provocative comment and shock tactics that he has used in the past." Allied to this story ...
I am not quite sure what most irritates me about Harridan Harperson. Her anti-Liberal special pleading perhaps? That no one should achieve success by their own efforts, but should also match some Harman defined template for what is acceptable- this I find both patronising and insulting. A feminist that does not believe simply in the equality of women, but rather that women should be given extra "help" in order to make up for some Harman-defined long term "injustice against women". Several highly successful women friends of mine would regard this as humiliation and not a triumph. Her tone is such ...
Atlantic Monthly reflects on how the internet is changing our brains. We seem to be lacking the necessary concentration to read a book or even a lengthy article. We seem to be drawn to quick answers rather than depths. The article reports that in a recent research study at UCL "scholars examined computer logs documenting the behavior of visitors to two popular research sites, one operated by the
Don't faint! The Liberal Democrats are starting to frame our policies and messages in ways that will encourage people to vote for us. What's framing? Framing is about giving people a way to think about political issues. This is usually done by using a model or structure or question. A strong frame enables you to push your best issues to the fore and help people to see the political choices in your terms. This way, it should help you to deliver a compelling narrative. (For more details, see here.) It's something the Liberal Democrats have been slow to latch on ...
Wed 30th
09:20
The PPC Files (3): What do your family and friends think about your decision to run for Parliament?
Imagine what it's like to be a Liberal Democrat prospective parliamentary candidate - tasked with leading and motivating a group of diverse volunteers against all the odds, and organising foot-slogging campaigns on a shoe-string budget that will get you and the party noticed. Lib Dem Voice contacted a dozen PPCs to find out what they really [...]
Yet another expert independent report proves that drugs prohibition is a complete waste of police time. Independent reports on Pope's denominational leanings and ursine arboreal defecatory locations to follow. In other news, even a Government-selected panel has recommended that innocent people shouldn't be treated as criminals by having intimate body samples held by the police (or distributed on free CDs with the Hate Mail on Sunday thanks to the latest Home Office clerical error). The Labour Government responds to the Citizens' Inquiry: 'We know where you live'.
I'm saddened but not surprised to hear that the Geneva talks on World Trade have ended without an agreement. Europe and the USA simply refuse to acknowledge that our subsidies to farmers produce agricultural products at a price with which poor farmers in developing countries can't compete. All that China, India and other developing economies ask is Fair trade on a level playing field. They
Is it just me or has the much beloved Ideas of Civilisation's skin update resulted in a horrible loss of body?
Gordon Brown may be taking a vacation but everyone seems out to get him just now. First David Milliband calls on his colleagues in an article in the Grauniad to offer the electorate real change. Many in the Main Stream Media see it as the opening salvo in a leadership bid from the one many see as Brown's likely successor. He talks about the need for change, "a new phase", that the summer
I've been watching Jonathan Ross' In Search of Steve Ditko this evening and as I do sometimes it got me thinking. If Alan Moore sat down on a train opposite me, what would I say? Simply not talking to him wouldn't be an option - this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to receive wisdom directly from the Great Man after all. But by the same token, asking for his autograph or asking obvious, overtly fannish questions would be out of the question as well. So my question to you dear reader, is what three questions would you ask Alan Moore if ...
It's a bit of a hot topic at the moment, isn't it? I've made fairly clear that I vehemently disapprove of it on several occasions, but I don't think I have ever really, clearly, set out why. Some people think that it is odd that I, as a self-proclaimed feminist, am so against it. stephashley_fd asked me to start a debate on this earlier (see comments here). So here goes: 1, The argument from individuality. PD treats all women and all men (or all whites and all blacks, or whatever) as representatives of their group first, and individuals second. You ...
Sunday: Adopting the SECRET IDENTITY of a BILLIONAIRE PLAY-ELEPHANT, I managed to sneak both of my daddies into a crowded screening of the new Batman movie: The Dark Knight. Holy Brilliant Movies, Batman; it was GREAT! Some people have complained that the movie is too long or that the other performances do not live up to that of the late Mr Heath Ledger. They are WRONG. The only thing wrong with this movie is that they blow up the BAT CAR and replace it with a BICYCLE! ...mind you, it IS pretty cool what he does to the Joker's TRUCK. ...
