I had to wait until today, with the final announcement of the top ten Lib Dems, when it was finally clear I had fallen short of Iain Dale's top-50 influential Lib Dems - despite having variously worked with or for several of those who are in the list. And yet my reach and my influence is significant. Last Friday, I coined a phrase "hashtag taxonomy" that was resoundly mocked in all sorts of places throughout conference until finally culminating in a name check on Radio 5Live when my new friend and celebrity talking head Helen Duffett managed to crowbar it ...
I still tend to the view that markets are good, even in the midst of a potential financial crash, the likes of which has not been seen since the 1930's. However, we have clearly begun to see the unravelling of a financial edifice which, it is now apparent, was reliant on people who were too clever by half. The financial markets have never been a zero sum game of relative values but are a theatre
Here is my final report back on "what I did in Bournemouth". Tuesday I spent most of Tuesday chatting to people around the conference centre and blogging. The result of which was 8 posts in a single day. Massively more than I have managed before. I did get in the main hall for some business. However, this was the report of the Federal Executive and the debate on the annual membership
My new phrase of the conference week is cognitive polyphasia, the ability to hold conflicting ideas about the same thing at the same time. This phrase was used in both the fringe events (reports here and here) that I went to that had public opinion data from IPSOS Mori that showed how people held mutually incompatible views about critical issues. It is particularly apparent when people believe
Some British politicians claimed that Britain's biggest mortgage lender HBOS PLC also fell victim to speculators. HBOS's share price plummeted Wednesday before it was snapped up by banking rival Lloyds TSB PLC. On Wednesday, opposition lawmaker Vince Cable accused hedge fund managers of "hunting in packs" to undermine the bank. Alex Salmond, the first minister of [...]
While thinking on the US election I can't help noticing the similarities between LAB/CON and McPalin. Thanks also to the 3 guides that have been blogged by `forceful & moderate`. Could we not start a narrative or even investigate one that posits the following narrative? 1. Thatcherism allowed itself to get distorted by Conservative voting City spivs and [...]
Tonight on Question Time Alan Duncan has repeatedly denied that the Conservatives were in favour of removing regulation from the mortgage market. So now might be a good time to remember the policy proposals John Redwood penned for the Conservative Party last year: We see no need to continue to regulate the provision of mortgage finance. Even at [...]
Nick Clegg's Keynote Speech to the Liberal Democrat Federal Conference.
Righty ho landlubbers. After decamping to Bournemouth for a week, we've ended up down in Devon as a) it's just down the road and b) my cousin's getting married Saturday. This is good, especially as it means I get to go see The Pyrates again. Yup, on International Talk like a Pirate day, my mates Tim and David have booked their band a gig (I last saw them just after I moved to London last year and enjoyed the night). So, SB and I are planning to travel up to Exeter tomorrow (partially as there's a co-op branch to pay ...
I'm continuing to catch up with blogging the events of this weeks conference and have reached the main event - the great debate on tax. Hang on? Why was the debate titled 'Make it Happen' in the agenda and what is all this other stuff in the motion? The fact is that this was supposed to be the debate on the new vision document, a chance to talk about an attempt at the Liberal Democrat narrative,
the Council's Environmental Services Department have once again left me reeling with their lies and broken promises. Following hot on the heels of the missing Butterstile Lane street sign (17 weeks and counting), and the shocking disregard for local people that is the cleaning rota display (we asked for cleaning reports, they stuck up a photocopied sheet of paper), and also this week's Ruskin Road gardens debacle (threatening letters sent to innocent residents), the Council's Environmental Services Department have now let down St Mary's residents for a fourth time. I have just been informed that the barriers promised by the ...
Reading Liberal Democrats have spent the past few days filling up the Bournemouth International Centre for the Party's autumn conference. Highlights of the week for the Lib Dem group were: Councillor Daisy Benson (Redlands) speaking on reducing crime and improving policing Councillor Warren Swaine (Katesgrove) speaking on the introducing of safe standing in football matches. The conference marked a major step for the Liberal Democrats nationally, with a major change in policy and direction. At conference, the Liberal Democrat Fairer Future economy recovery plan detailed a four step plan for a better economic future. Action to stop unjust repossessions New ...
I've been thinking about the kerfuffle over Liberal Vision's report. Frankly I think its obvious that many seats are vulnerable to the Tories. I thought Torbay was well known to be at risk so Sanders's reaction was way OTT (and being a good libertarian 100% wrong). As to the report. Well, I may agree that we should [...]
Lynne Featherstone, Lib Dem MP for Hornsey and Wood Green and the party's spokeswoman on youth and equality issues, is one of the panellists on tonight's Question Time (broadcast on BBC1 and online from 10.35 pm GMT), back for a new series tonight. The panel will also include the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party Harriet [...]
Apathy aside, it takes a lot to get me to miss the Leader's speech, especially when it's a leader I've so enthusiastically supported from the start making his first autumn speech. So there was an irony to my location yesterday afternoon; while Nick was before the faithful, I was with two of my Cardiff colleagues filming a quiz show (and in the first of many trailers, you can see the fruits of our
Is it just me or is this barking mad? From the Guardian: The proportion of five-year-olds who showed the expected levels of being motivated to learn, as well as knowing about their own culture and other peoples' beliefs rose 1%.
Friday: travel down to Bournemouth in the morning, on my own because djm4 is in the process of acquiring a sort-of-nephew ;-) Write my speech for the motion on deportation of LGBT asylum-seekers on the Tube, and some more of my dissertation on the train. Pleased to find the hotel is in easy walking distance of the station. Lunch on the seafront, where I see the Most Enormous Butterfly Ever, which I really must look up in djm4's book at some point. Get very wet in Most Enormous Thunderstorm Ever, though not as wet as I would have been if ...
If there is ever a need for scrutiny one will look little further than the Welsh Assembly Rural Affairs minister Elin Jones. In England it has been found that badger culling would make no meaningful contribution to Bovine TB control. Badger Trust Cymru have accused Elin Jones in a letter of establishing TB groups that exclude key stakeholders, meet in secret and do not publish there findings. A spokesman for the trust said 'This is not what we expect in a healthy democracy' . The Trust cannot even attend meetings on the future of Badgers because they are held in ...
To my absolute astonishment, I visited the Total Politics stand at the Lib Dem conference, and found this blog was 182nd in the top 500 UK political blogs. This is so peculiar and undeserved, especially since I haven't posted anything since going on holiday to Sweden, that I'm duty bound to get blogging again. Especially during this financial crisis, where I actually have something to say, and I will try to post every night. But before we talk about the end of the financial world, just one word on the current Liberal Revival. Nick Clegg's speech was delivered with enormous ...
It's not just Adrian "Boom Boom" Sanders he should worry about... Over at Dib Lemming, Steph Ashley puts the boot in: I picked up a copy of the 'Cameron Effect' report that had allegedly caused all the trouble. It doesn't make pretty reading. In fact, it amounts to forty pages of "ooh, you'd better be scared, the tories are coming", followed up with a rallying cry from Liberal Vision and the Taxpayers' Alliance (more swivel-eyed lunatics then) to the Lib Dems to not stop at tax cuts for those who need them, but give tax cuts to everyone.
From Steph Ashley: Bansturbation by the other two parties seems to increase all the time and I can only imagine the climax they're aiming for is some kind of classical dystopia, where any hope of a happy society and any sense of empowerment of people is crushed by illiberal law after illiberal law, and increase after increase in police power, until we all live in enough fear to behave ourselves exactly as our government wants us to. Bansturbation?! Wonderful.
Seriously, statistics 101. Just because two things have a relationship does not mean that one causes the other. There could easily be an independent thing that causes both, for example, or they could be caused by multiple factors. So, there is a correlation between American style not-very-Liberal liberalism and not being scared of stuff. This does not mean that if you are a scaredy cat this causes you to be republican. In fact, given the results of other studies, I would say that living in the republican hive mind is more likely to make you a scaredy cat. But either ...
I have to confess to being really bad; I have pretty much ignored conference up until today when I have started to wade through the reportage and reaction. Apparently Nick Clegg's speech was really good (although as I have made clear I don't like the 'Preparing for power' pretensions and remain undecided over tax cuts due to their viability in the current climate) and my overall impression of the conference is positive. Of course, you wouldn't expect Conservative Home to feel as such but I thought it's piece attacking Clegg for 'creationism' was rather surreal in some ways. Frankly, I ...
On the New Statesman site Paul Evans reports: Glee Club is traditionally the time when spirits are raised, and songs such as fiscal reform classic 'The Land' are enjoyed by all. This year though, Lembit Opik's traditional harmonica bit was greeted by a chorus of boos from a section of the crowd - who began to chant "I'm for Ros!" - in reference to the Montgomryshire MP's rival for the post of party president, Baroness Scott.Perhaps the people booing were music critics?
Speaking as a local resident (and not, I want to be very clear, as a Palace Trustee or local councillor) I was really pleased to see the Labour Chair of the Ally Pally Board today moving towards saying there should be proper, independent trustees for the Alexandra Palace. Like me, he was speaking in the Ham & High exclusively as a local resident -something he makes 'very clear', too. The need for real, independent experts with the clout and vision to guide the Palace forward (and not just local councillors) has been key Lib Dem policy in Haringey for a ...
Okay so the title isn't that original but I just felt it was a great way to sum up the conference. So now after a decent night sleep and over 24 hours without alcohol I thought it would be good to reflect back on the conference week. Best debate - Easy "make it Happen" thank good ness they didn't call me there was some great speeches and I don't think I would have added to it. Best fringe to eat at- Err well that's a bit harder, normally it's the NUT Fish and Chips night for us lesser mortals, but ...
There's been some musing on the internet and in the press about how real the real people are that Nick Clegg talked about in his conference speech. Well today's Sheffield Star shows you just how real. I know some people don't like the references to real people, but I think they are great. It shows how [...]
After an extended sojourn in our outlying embassy at Lib Dem Voice, we make our triumphal return to the People's Republic with three of the finest artworks ever bought on the internet for $8.99+shipping. We would like to thank our agent, etc, and are truly feeling rather over-honoured and a bit stunned, although that could [...]
Earlier this week Vince Cable called for action on aggressive short-selling of bank shares ... and now Guido has spotted the news that the Financial Services Authority (FSA) is indeed banning short-selling in financial companies. Plaudits for Vince, but this drastic action is also a sobering reminder of just how deep the current financial crisis [...]
US Senator Chuck Hagel(R - Nebraska) has denounced Sarah Palin's nomination for the Vice Presidency saying that "'I think it's a stretch to, in any way, to say that she's got the experience to be president of the United States". Hagel, who has in the past openly criticized the Bush administration over its handling of the Iraq war, has been tipped as a possible Secretary of State of Defense, if Obama wins in November. His comments noted her lack of foreign policy experience specifically her lack of visits outside the US - she's only had a passport since last year ...
Before.......................After or perhaps?
I felt guilty in the run-up to Liberal Democrat Conference for writing nothing about the Democrat and Republican Conventions, despite watching way too many of their speeches - the good, the bad, and Tom Ridge. Hopefully you've kept up to date by reading Paul Walter's outstanding US elections coverage (832 posts in September alone). My impression's that the Democrats had a successful Convention but, hamstrung by having no idea how to tackle Sarah Palin, have faltered since. Now bad news may be good news for them as life continues to imitate art and, particularly, the climax of The West Wing. ...
Yet another sign that Vince Cable has more idea about the economy that the entire Government put together (although that's not THAT difficult). The FT carried an article yesterday commenting on Vince's proposals for tackling some of the causes of the current financial crisis: As shares in HBOS, the UK's biggest listed mortgage lender, plunged on [...]
Lib Dem Conference: On Lib Dem Voice: Reportage | LDV Events | Contribute On the official party website: Conference home | Vote-by-vote coverage Lib Dem Voice has devoted some space this week to our Media Moron Watch - so let's redress the balance and highlight a handful of articles which have attempted fair analyses of Nick Clegg's [...]
Look at these latest tracking poll results for Obama from Political Wire! : Diageo/Hotline: Obama 46%, McCain 42% Gallup: Obama 48%, McCain 44% Research 2000: Obama 49%, McCain 43% Rasmussen: Obama 48%, McCain 48%
Residents will by now know that the funfair planned for last weekend has been cancelled again. The main reason for the cancellation was the weather making the site too water logged for the fair to open. However, only a small fair could have moved on to the site because of ongoing works by Southern Water. This work also contributed to the condition of the grounds. It is hoped that the fair can be re-scheduled for October. Cllr Len Gates raised local concerns about Southern Water's access to the Smannell Road open space at Wednesday's council meeting. They have the power ...
Iain Dale's list continues in the Telegraph with numbers 1-10 appearing today. (The day after conference? Someone seems to have miscounted.)
Well I'm not sure famous is the right word, but if you watch a video from the Express & Star newspaper I am 30 seconds in smiling inanely behind the people shaking hands. What you see now is roughly take four of the hand-shaking, but it felt as though it took even longer. Apologies to Colin [...]
Lib Dem Conference: On Lib Dem Voice: Reportage | LDV Events | Contribute On the official party website: Conference home | Vote-by-vote coverage Tuesday lunchtime in Old Harry's Bar was packed to the rafters with delegates promised something better than food: a list. Don't we just love lists? Not this time the 10 most influential fluffy bloggers, [...]
A form of libertarianism for the masses. Mass Movement Libertarianism. Also known as liberalism but *shhush* don't tell anyone. That's how I'm describing what we are, to make a clear distinction between what has gone before, and what is coming in the future. It strikes me that there's something happening to the Liberal Democrats. The direction of travel is in a very clear direction, and that direction is towards the Liberal. We are kicking it old school and at the same time being innovative and distinct. This makes me happy. I read the business, politics and comment pages of all ...
Right do I dare find out how many people actually read this blog? *scoots off to find out* Alright, I'm not publishing that figure. Moving on then... I'm a little bit stressed at the moment. A bit angsty. The atmosphere at work is intense, and I feel somewhat overloaded with information. I come home and my workplace is all over the blogosphere, MSM and the television. I can't seem to just turn it off and ignore it. I am, as a result, very tired. I've not slept much for about two months now and it's starting to leave me physically ...
50) Richard Hammond (with Mindy Hammond), On the Edge: My Story (London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, ISBN 9780297853275). I read this in Bournemouth the night before the Lib Dem Conference, as djm4 unexpectedly couldn't join me until the following day. I mistakenly thought it would be quite a light read; actually, almost the entire book is about the aftermath of Richard's jet car crash and therefore both moving and somewhat emotionally draining. Once Mindy starts sharing her side, it becomes absolutely gripping.
Thanks to Jo Christie Smith for highlighting the issue from conference that had me most apoplectic. No, not the way the amendment to Make it Happen was misrepresented and thrown out (more about that later) tho that came a close second, it was the TOTAL misrepresentation of the diversity of the party in the debate. I am excluding the interventions since people self select, however, interesting that in self selection there were 3 BME members speaking and 2 women. I understand that 11 women and 56 men put in cards, ethnicity is not recorded but I know of at least ...
With the Economy in Total Breakdown, Banks buying other banks out the Economy in the USA and the UK is dieing. Brown says that his party will be the only people who will save this Country from the Economic Slaughter. Well you have to give Brown Credit for what he was good at, That definitely isn't running the Country actually its for the Genius he is that turned around the Countries Economy in the past 10 years. I don't think the Labour Party can hold on for much longer, the best advice for them at a time like this would ...
That Just says it all...!
Thu 18th
16:17
Shock: Ian Oakley does the right thing at last - but his Tory mates still have no shame!
Shamed former Conservative parliamentary candidate Ian Oakley has finally caved in to pressure and stepped down from his positions of responsibility (sic) on next door Hillingdon Council. Although Oakley pleaded guilty to 75 offences of harassment, criminal damage and intimidation last month, he still sits as an independent councillor for Northwood ward. The Conservative Party had refused to remove [...]
On Monday lunchtime I attended a fascinating fringe looking at the concept of "happiness" and its applicability to the political process. Julia Clark, IPSOS Mori Chaired by David Boyle, the fringe began with Julia Clark from IPSOS Mori outlining the conclusions they had gathered on this topic from their public opinion research. She pointed to how the concept of happiness is moving up the public
Is the Channel Tunnel the victim of unwise cost cutting as far as fire safety is concerned? Yes, says an interesting post on Eurotrib. Basically a train fire in a very long tunnel poses big problems for fire-fighters, as it takes a long time to get to the blaze. So the car transporter shuttles are designed as closed compartments, which means that if a fire breaks out the train can be driven out of the tunnel and the incident dealt with in the open air. But the HGV transporters are open-sided so in the event of a fire the train ...
While the USA seems to be talking itself into all sorts of protectionist corners with its various brands of election rhetoric, a different tune seems to be coming up in the True North. The possibility of a comprehensive pact between Canada and the EU is in the air, with an economic summit planned for 17 October (three days after polling in the upcoming Canadian General Election). The proposed pact would far exceed the scope of older agreements such as NAFTA by encompassing not only unrestricted trade in goods, services and investment and the removal of tariffs, but also the free ...
On Tuesday evening I went to a fringe meeting on creating and using videos. I was inspired to create my own the very next day during Nick Clegg's closing speech to Conference. So here it is, my very first video.
Considering the precipice down which the Labour government is currently tumbling, Michael Connarty, MP for Linlithgow and Falkirk East, was remarkably chipper at the Association of European Journalists' lunch at the European Parliament office in London today, but he was there in his role as Chairman of the House of Commons European Scrutiny Committee, rather [...]
I'm back from Bournemouth, a little the worse for wear, and five days behind with my messages and the rest of my life. It is all coming back to me so slowly, and I've had so little sleep since last week... perhaps it's best if I just make another cup of tea, start from what I remember best and work from there. Mmm, tea. So, I suppose the most attention-grabbing thing for non Lib-Dems out of conference news coverage was that fight. Mild-mannered touchy-feely 'limp demics' as my dear rabidly tory cousin calls them, getting in *fights*? Can't be right! ...
Larry Sabato of Rasmussen Reports gives an excellent summary of the state of play in the US Presidential Election.
We have been informed that the Oval Cricket Ground has been announced as the venue for the Jean Charles de Menezes inquest. It is expected to start on September 22nd and to last for up to three months.
The Liberal Democrats have the opportunity to carve out a foreign policy that will meet the great challenges of our time, distinguish the party clearly and sharply from the positions of New Labour and the Tories, and be based on core liberal values. We call this approach progressive realism. It is founded on the realisation that climate change and the issues associated with it form the greatest challenge to the survival of our civilisation, and that all other policies must therefore be framed with this in mind. Read more of this article by Prof Anatol Lieven and Cllr Alexis Rowell ...
There was an interesting Radio 4 documentary this morning on the current financial market problems which finished without me learning anything new but which featured some interesting comments, not least from a director of Lehmann Brothers calling from his office as the business went tits up. His candour was very interesting. However, the best comment came from the plummy owner of one of those old institutions which have got us into this mess in the first place. His bank is over 300 years old and he recalled lamenting the market turmoil in the 1970s to an aged relative (who also ...
The Times reports that Ray Wilkins is to return to Chelsea as assistant coach following Steve Clarke's departure to West Ham. This looks a shrewd move that will help keep the club in touch with its roots: Wilkins made 198 appearances for Chelsea between 1973 and 1979, and became captain of the club when he was only 18. Those who remember him only as the bald bloke who passed the ball sideways to Bryan Robson for Manchester United and England will be surprised to learn what an exciting player he once was. In Chelsea days he took all the free ...
With credit being so difficult to come by what with so many banks going under or struggling to survive it is little wonder that people are turning to alternative sources of borrowing. This story in the Daily Post shows what can happen when things get out of hand. They tell us that Patrick Timothy Kiely exploited his customers by, charging annual percentage rates (APRs) of up to 149,000%. He lent money to more than 500 people in the Bangor, Caernarfon and Llangefni areas but broke regulations on a wholesale basis, charged 100% interest, and added illegal penalty charges for missed ...
Dear World - you have been made aware of my feelings on Obama's "jobs" policy, but now The Onion has more recent news. Have a butcher's... Obama Promises To Stop America�s Shitty Jobs From Going Overseas
Lib Dem Conference: On Lib Dem Voice: Reportage | LDV Events | Contribute On the official party website: Conference home | Vote-by-vote coverage I caught a fair chunk of the Transport Debate from Conference on Wednesday morning, and generally I found it impressive. But, there are two points I'd like to explore. First, at least two speakers appeared to [...]
One of the more entertaining aspects of the current global financial meltdown is watching Guido Fawkes, aka hedge funder Paul Staines, transform from arch-cynic about all things political to dewy-eyed innocent about all things financial. It isn't that I'm a capitalist-hating trot who fervantly believes that this current crisis is going to lead to world socialism, but reading Guido you would think that the financiers have no culpability whatsoever. At Lib Dem conference on Tuesday I moved an amendment in the debate on the Housing and Mortgage Crisis. I think it was the poorest speech I have delivered in years ...
The Express and Star have a video report from Conference featuring Wolverhampton South West Chair Colin Ross and West Midlands MEP Liz Lynne at
Firstly let gets this out the way, in a comment my post on our new broadcast, anders defends it by saying that the people's stories are real. Look, I'm not suggesting they weren't real, that we don't have the best policies, that we aren't the only ones to have any, that we aren't different from other parties, that we wouldn't take positive action or that we wouldn't listen but... My (numerous!) points are purely presentational. Obviously we should be and are a listening party unlike the others. The problem is the "establishment parties" (great phrase that Nick has used and ...
A final round-up of speeches by Shadow Cabinet members from party conference in Bournemouth. First off, here's Shadow Chancellor and Deputy Leader Vince Cable: Simon Hughes gave an impassioned final conference speech as President of the Liberal Democrats: And finally, rounding off conference, Nick Clegg's barnstorming Leader's speech:
Take a picture of yourself right now. Don't change your clothes. Don't fix your hair. Just take a picture. Post that picture with no editing. (Except maybe to get the image size down to something reasonable. Don't go posting an eight megapixel image.) Include these instructions. Rough as a badger's arse, post conference, I am... For the record we are in Mat's Dad's study area in Devon, and no, I haven't got dressed yet.
Yesterday afternoon, from 3 to 6.30pm, I attended the consultation exercise held in the foyer of the old Rise Carr Social Club building. The owners plan to develop 20 flats and bedsits within the building, for rent. A representative from the architects' firm was there, together with a freelance planning consultant, Mike Cox, who used to be Chair of Housing on Middlesbrough Borough Council. Many
Arriving home in Suffolk for a brief connection with my cottage, I was reflecting on how often our conferences have co-incided with some kind of external crisis - Northern Rock last Autumn, sterling crashing out of the ERM when we were in Harrogate and two emergency recalls of Parliament to deal with Iraq. Recent events in the global financial markets have taken us into completely new territory. All over the world governments are intervening to offer protection from the fall-out from current market forces. Even the most laissez-faire regimes are being provoked into action as the social and economic consequences ...
Mike Smithson's analysis is usually excellent, but I think he's dropped a ball this morning. Cthulhu knows I am a big fangirl of the twinkle-toed messiah, but I truly, honestly think he does us more good as treasury spokesVince than he would as leader. For one thing, if the Tories cock up and DON'T get a Landslide next time and there is a hung parliament, they'll be fighting over us like rats in a sack just to get Vince in the treasury. For another, one of the (many) major mistakes Brown has made is to surround himself with talentless jokers ...
Nick Clegg's conference speech yesterday was quite simply one of the best I've heard from a Liberal Democrat Leader. Now I know I will have heard less than many party members, but having been to almost every conference since 1996, I've still manage to hear a fair few and had the benefit of seeing them [...]
Well that all seems over very quickly. The highs for me - Bournemouth (where everyone seems to have got their head around what's needed for a conference to work), the Observer fringe meeting interview with Vince Cable, the panel discussion on social mobility, the Leader's Speech, the weather! The lows (or niggles) - the tendency for fringe meetings to be in rooms which are FAR TOO SMALL, the balance between debates and presentations ( there are now too many Q and A and presentation sessions in my view... the opportunities to make a debate speech are fewer) Still, a good ...
A new course is starting next month at the Mitchell Street Centre for all interested in environmental and related issues. The course will cover global and environmental justice, with participants learning about important global issues, discussion about where these fit into the picture and what we can do to make a difference. The course will start on 22nd October and will be held on Wednesdays from 10am to 12 noon. For further information, please call Dorothy Potter on Dundee 435827.
During party conference, Vince Cable set out his proposals for tackling some of the causes of the current financial crisis: Short-selling in UK bank stocks should be banned by the City watchdog to stop "aggressive" speculators "betting against the taxpayer", Vince Cable, Liberal Democrat deputy leader, said ... "The hedge funds are betting against the [...]
This is deplorable. Someone has hacked into Sarah Palin's Yahoo account, which she has been using for some Alaska governor's business. Political Wire reports on this. The moral of this story must surely be that if you are using an email account for official government business, it ought to be hack-proof. Her account name was apparently gov.sarah@yahoo.com, but this has now been closed.
I am now on the train to Newcastle, heading north for council this afternoon and then a bit of time at home. Our new councillor, John McClurey, who won the Whickham South and Sunniside byelection, will be introduced to the council. Since the last council meeting was in July, I have not been able to sample Labour views, opinions and state of mind in Gateshead for a few weeks. It will be
It looks like there could be some funding going begging! Posted below is a message from LCVS about the Big Lottery Fund not getting as many applications as it wanted. ********** The Big Lottery Fund are keen to promote two of their programmes. They have received fewer applications than expected, so far. You can find further details at www.biglotteryfund.org.uk then click Apply, then Current Programmes. Remember that if you are considering working on any lottery application, it is worthwhile asking the LCVS Funding Advisors, Ged or Ian, for some help or advice. We can increase your chances of receiving a ...
Elizabeth House Site Visit I visited the site of the Elizabeth House redevelopment together with the chair of the Health & Well Being Scrutiny Committee and Malcolm Barker, who is the lead officer for the project. The property is in a quiet corner in Cheam bordered by Cheam Park and within walking distance of the village [...]
Something that may have slipped past you in the last week is the launch of FOUR online televeision stations by the European Parliament, available at www.europarltv.europa.eu. This is a herculean programming effort, as there are four channels available 24/7 - all accessible in over 20 languages. And herculean efforts require equally mighty budgets. The four channels available are yourParliament, yourVoice, youngEurope, and parliamentLive (their syntax, not mine). I think this will either go one of two ways - either it will turn out to be another hideous waste of taxpayers money,or it will be one of the most important steps ...
Oliver James strikes again with this howler: we have many financial institutions that exist through lending borrowed money, rather than their own. Private banks are not the Government. They cannot print money. Therefore, they need to get it from somewhere else, namely people who lend them it. I'm also fascinated by the 2000 study he quotes, with its large sample size of 26 people. Did the
The BBC story is pretty self-explanatory, with a detailed explanation from Chris Rennard about what the party has been doing: Lord Rennard argued it was "quite different" to what the SNP and Labour had done previously. "In the same way as perhaps MORI or ICM or organisations such as that might ring people and ask them which [...]
Well, I can't think of any other adequate words to describe this. James Naughtie took it like a man, I thought.
I felt pretty downbeat when I arrived at Bournemouth - as my previous posts probably reveal. I came away much happier. The tax debate and the Leader's speech explain my change of mood. Clegg looked dynamic, and had some good gags, (and like Jonathan Calder I particularly liked the section on children). But the great merit of Clegg's speech was that it spent so long on the economy. Last year Ming made a speech that many of us loved - but which seemed, frankly, to have little resonance outside the hall. Ming kept within the Liberal Democrat comfort zone. We ...
The response to Who's Who in the Lib Dems Online at conference was great. It was a marvellous opportunity to reach those members who were neither in the 2006 book or have found out about it on the blogosphere. People seemed to genuinely get what a great resource it can be, as long as enough of us put our entries up. Of course, not many new entries got placed during conference but I am hopeful that with a bit more prodding and the number of people who took away leaflets, we will get it up to my target of a ...
Earlier today James Haddock asked me the question "Can a governemnt file for bankruptcy?" after I'd posted this. Well it appears I haven't been the only one asking the question. A games manufacturer founded in Salem, Massachusetts has this to say about Bankruptcy in the rules of a game you may be familiar with: "You are declared bankrupt if you owe more than you can pay either to another player or to the Bank. If your debt is to another player, you must turn over to that player all that you have of value and retire from the game.In making ...
In the 17th Century the oldest Bank in what is now the UK, it was also the only surviving commercial enterprise created by the Parliament for the Kingdom of Scots to survive. However, yesterday when HBOS merged with Lloyds-TSB the name of the Bank of Scotland disappeared apart from the notes in your pockets. At least that is what early reports in the national media indicated that the name would be come Lloyds-Halifax, however it appears that only the TSB bit is being lost in what is now becoming Lloyds-HBOS. One reason for this may be the Bank Notes (Scotland) ...
Don't you know? OK, well how much is (the maximum) Housing Benefit, then? Council Tax benefit? Income Support? Come on, surely you must know one of these! OK, then, pick any benefit you like that you are not personally in receipt of, and tell me how much it is. No doubt a visitor or two to this site will be able to take up this challenge, and give an answer to one of these questions (and I'm aware that anyone with a rudimentary grasp of the internet should be able to find them all in seconds). But if more than ...
Rather than being scared by what's going on in the financial markets, it makes me angry that taxes paid by ordinary people in the US might be going to some trillionaire capitalist who has been speculating on the money markets, not caring whether the western economy goes to hell in a hand cart. Is this really a sane way to run our lives?
I don't know if you will have formed any opinion of how brave I am as a person by reading this blog, but I have to tell you that I am a State Registered Coward. I am pretty much scared of everything. My boss says that being in a car with me driving makes him want to murder people - apparently I should drive faster or overtake more, but why? I don't like the outside lane, I feel vulnerable, so why should I use it? The list of things I'm scared of includes, but is not limited to, snow, ice, ...
This came through at 23:02 this evening: Dear Valuable Customer, During our regular update and verification of the LloydsTSB Online Banking Service, we could not verify your current information. It's either your information has been changed or incomplete, as a result your access to use our services has been limited. To restore your online banking access, kindly update your information by following the link below. Click here to update your account Thank you for banking with Lloyds TSB Bank . Customer/Technical Services, Lloyds TSB Bank And I post this, Ian Hislop is suggesting Vince Cable as Chancellor on Question Time... ...
It's entirely understandable, given the shambles and chaos in the Labour Party, that Kezia Dugdale and Tom Harris have tried to make themselves feel better by having a wee pop at Tavish and Nick. Now, let's look at the comparative state of Labour and the Liberal Democrats to see why this is the pot calling the bone china black: The Lib Dems leave Bournemouth invigorated, united and motivated having come up with various radical strategies to help resolve the crises facing the country. They have Federal and Scottish leaders who are united and who are grown up enough to understand ...
I am doing a Survey to see what makes Defectors from the Liberal Democrats join the Conservatives. I believe that most likely it is from one of the above options. I am not sure as I haven't defected, but I ask the Defectors to take Part in the Poll and tell me why then Defected. I don't only want Defectors to Vote I rather have the General People Voting so I know what Wins them Over!
Whatever thoughts crossed my mind that weren't worth a whole post. 09:28 waking up, slowly. Sat at the reg desk wondering how long I can manage and planning a coffee run. #Microblogging using LoudTwitter and Twitter. matgb_twitter is there if you're mad enough.
Saturday In these days of Bakelite and the electric cinematograph, it is important for political leaders to appeal to the younger voter. As Cowley Street was rather undermanned over the holiday season, I naturally offered to lend a hand with the drafting of Nick Clegg's press releases. So when it transpired that a company called PA Consulting had lost an electronic-type computing memory stick (I am told that is the correct term), which contained personal details of all 84,000 prisoners in England and Wales (it must have been a very long stick), I naturally sprang into action and drafted the ...
A headline with the word "could" is probably nonsense. If the story had proper substance, no editor would qualify it in that way. This story says mindlessly speculates that Nick Clegg's calls tonight to listen to voters' views are illegal. But this has all the hallmarks of partisan journalism that does not like Liberal Democrats connecting with voters by a [...]
Now that by default the new Lloyds Halifax bank (i think that's what they'll call it as no-one really remembers the TSB) was granted rights over competition rules that other financial institutions do not enjoy how long will it be before Mr Williamson of Nationwide knocks on No 10/11 and says `what about me?` [...]
Well it's been a great week for us (despite a couple of hiccups). We voted, as did I, for Nick Clegg to be our leader and leading he is. What we need to do now is to get involved in that city reforms arguments we need to employ Vince and Nick to explain both why we [...]
