Hampstead local campaigner Linda Chung has won the Hampstead Town by-election today, gaining the seat from the Conservatives. So much for the Cameron steamroller! She was a brilliant candidate and the Camden LibDems have a formidable election team. For those who don't know (or have forgotten), they surged in the 2006 local elections to become [...]
Mr Cornell and Mr Guerrier draw my attention to this rather brilliant Doctor Who video by the extremely persistent Andrew Liddell. It speaks for itself, so here it is: Both Mr C and Mr G also feature in this nice article about writing Who.
Now I'm not going to bore you with the details on why I was at Cowley St. but for the first time ever I visited the Lib Dem HQ this week. Of course I've seen the outside many times. But have never stood on the steps where Simon Hughes announced Ming's departure just a year ago, or walked up the same stairs Charles Kennedy must have walked up as he went for his approval day. (yes apparently it was at Cowley st.) Afterwards we wondered down the short distance to the old Tory HQ, (remember Mrs Thatcher waving out the ...
From the Independent: Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne said cards were a "grotesque intrusion" on the liberty of the British people and would be regarded as a "laminated Poll Tax" if made compulsory.That's the stuff to give them. The paper also quotes the admirable Shami Chakrabarti from Liberty: It's going to take more than pastel colours and flowery design to persuade us to surrender our privacy and billions of pounds to boot."Picking on foreign nationals first is the nastiest politics; as costly to our race relations as to our purses."David Davis says: "There is no justification for requiring ...
Anyone who thought that the conflict in Darfur is a black-and-white case of good versus evil, black versus Arab, would have been quickly disabused had they attended a seminar put on by Okra Express at the Royal Overseas League in London this evening. Ostensibly, the event was a launch for the new, updated edition of [...]
The best thing about Question Time tonight was the way everyone listened in rapt, reverent attention to every syllable that fell from the twinkle-toed messiah's lips. The second best thing was Dimbledore's face when Blears urgently grabbed his arm. The third best thing was the start of the campaign to get Blears into number 10. Meanwhile, This Week is shaping up to be a classic already and we're only a couple of minutes in. Oh Andrew, you SHIPPER! Sadly, the rest of my thoughts on the matter will be relegated to twitter, because my laptop battery is nearly gone and ...
Compare and contrast two stories, bottom one published 16 minutes after the top one:
Having just watched the Glenrothes Labour and SNP candidates' utterly dire performances on STV's "Politics Now" - I make the obvious points: * Oh dear ... who was worse, less prepared? Well, the Labour candidate, but that's hardly to say that the SNP candidate did well ... really poor stuff. Colin Mackay summed it up - "They are not Jim Sillars, are they?" Correct. * Err ... where were the Tory and Liberal Democrat candidates? Unimpressive, STV, to exclude the other main party candidates. Harry Wills, the LibDem candidate, is so much more impressive. I would say that, wouldn't I? ...
Oh come on, it had to be done! First vid - watch how she looks vacant as she remembers her learnt `talking points` http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z75QSExE0jU More `talking points` - they must have taken hours to get the right spin on that `God's will` stuff http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=5782873 You know, on most of my problems, I'm not interested in what John McCain says but [...]
The morning started brightly with a very positive e-mail from a young person from whom I'd asked advice on behalf of one of our young residents. That was followed by an e-mail from a resident with some ideas for a solution to the parking problem for Headlam Terrace, which I've passed on to Stockton Council engineers to consider. It always makes me feel good when residents come up with positive
I spend a growing proportion of my life idly flicking through the Sky channels until bedtime or the warm embrace of death, whichever comes first. This evening I stumbled upon "The Virgin Daughters" on Channel 4. Assuming it would be something about Richard Branson and maybe even involve some attractive air hostesses, I flicked over. Unfortunately I discovered a mildly off-putting documentary about creepy mid-west American fathers who corral their daughters into "purity" and whose adherence to the Bible clearly doesn't extend to explaining that "Thou shalt not hold hands with a boy" isn't one of the ten commandments. All ...
BBC1, 10.35pm David Dimbleby is in Manchester tonight, asking the questions of Our Glorious Vince Cable with supporting cast of political midgets. Oh, all right, Community Sec'y of State Hazel Blears, Shadow Commons leader Theresa May, general secretary of Unite Derek Simpson and Spectator political editor Fraser Nelson. Dunno about the audience's questions (do they matter in [...]
I'm quite excited about voting in my first election in the LibDems. At the moment I'm leaning towards voting for Ros Scott, however I won't make irrational decisions early. But will keep an open mind to the election and study the manifestos and debates that take place, including discussions on libdemblogs. I think that's the right way to go into an election. A President's role is in the organisation and running of the party, I think. That's my understanding of it. So we need someone who can motervate the party, but not who will try to lead the party, as ...
What was the logic in us doing this? No one likes automated calls. Could we have just lost a load of votes by doing this? Are we really that desperate to get noticed? Lets think of some better ways to get noticed. This is really quite embarrasing. I'm talking about the 250,000 automated calls sent to people in 50 marginal constituencies of course and how we're under fire for it now due to so many complaints.
Previously I told myself having Brown around was great because maybe he'll do so bad that he'd be able to take Labour into becoming the third party at the next General Election. But quite honestly we haven't improved in the poll rating to threaten the two party system. That's the truth and we know it. There's been a lot of talk in the Media about how Brown might be able to bounce back slightly due to the economic crisis and his handling. Of course he did nothing about our economy being built on dodgy debt and credit. Even so part ...
Watch this to learn all about Sarah Palin's foreign policy experience. It is frightening... Watch CBS Videos Online
The Electoral Reform Society alerts me to the news that one of the issues at stake in November's US election is a ballot on the proposition to switch to the use of STV for elections in the city of Cincinnati. Apparently many cities in the US historically used some form of PR but, in a backlash against the civil rights movement, vested interests got most of these places to turn to first past the
Wessex Connect will be increasing its 482 Chipping Sodbury to Cribbs Causeway service to give hourly buses from next January. This means that people in Cranleigh Court, which lost its First Bus service last month, will also now have an improved service to Yate Shopping Centre. This is particularly important because of the closure of their local post office. Well done, First, and congratulations to Steve Webb MP and local councillors who have been campaigning against local bus cuts. Cll Ian Blair, who led the campaign, commented "This is great news for people who need to get up to the ...
I received the following response from Ofcom this afternoon; I await further feedback with interest! "25 September 2008 Dear Councillor Macpherson Thank you for your email to Ofcom dated 24 September 2008. As part of its Universal Service Obligation to supply basic, fixed line, telecommunications services across the UK, BT (along with Kingston Communications in the Hull area) is obligated to provide Public Call Boxes. By way of some background, BT is required to ensure adequate coverage of public call boxes (PCB). During a review of Universal Service Obligations in 2005/06, Ofcom concluded that adequate coverage is best determined at ...
An excellent new website for the Yate area has just appeared - MyYate at www.myyate.co.uk. It's got local information and news, and welcomes event information from local organisations. They are also compiling a local map that will be free from Ordnance Survey copyright restrictions. Please check it out now - we're adding it to our "Local Links" in the sidebar.
South Gloucestershire Council are now consulting on plans for King Edmund School and The Ridings to become academies within the Federated Academy Pathfinder Programme (which will include the technical legal closure of the existing schools). You can read more about the consultation on the South Glos website.
Every so often one starts getting a bit complacent, thinking that one knows the way people work and what makes humanity tick. And then one spots something like this on one's f-list... Out of cheese error, redo from start. My brain just melted. What the hell could motivate a person to do that? Does. Not. Compute. Repeatedly running into oncoming traffic on the MOTORWAY? WHY??
An old colleague once told me the key to winning EU bids is not to show how much grant money you will spend in an area but how that money will multiply within the local economy. While its seems that our PM has learnt this lesson the chancellor most definitely has not. What do I mean by this curious statement well take their two big announcements. When the chancellor decided to give home buyers
Tory MEP for Yorkshire and the Humber, Timothy Kirkhope, has been in the news quite a bit recently as he comments on his near death experiences. Firstly, when the ceiling in the hemicycle in the European Parliament in Strasbourg collapsed over his seat in the room, he was inches several hundred miles away from it falling [...]
I recently had the opportunity to Interview Angela Burns A.M.. The Assembly Government Member for Carmarthen West/South Pembrokeshire. Angela Has recently been campaigning strongly against the Closure of rural Post Offices in Carmarthenshire. She spoke at a Public meeting at the Llanboidy Market Hall about the proposed closure of Llanboidy Post office. She will be meeting a high Post Office representative on the 9th October to try to save Llanboidy, Talog and Trelech Post Offices. Vital resources for local communities with sparse and infrequent public bus services. Angela shares Rhetoric's love of Scuba and modern fiction. Angela Burns, it is ...
We have had a lot of power cuts in the borough in the last year. Wallington and Carshalton have been most badly affected by these with some of these power cuts lasting for to 20 hours and some areas suffering from repeated cuts. I asked EDF Energy's Head of Customer Operations, Colin Barden to meet me to discuss what they are doing about this and I met with Mr Barden today. Mr Barden apologised to local people on behalf of EDF for the cuts and explained that they had been down to a mix of problems with their high voltage ...
You can find it on her campaign website: You are about to elect a new Party President. Our existing President, Simon Hughes, will end his term of office on December 31st - the election of his successor is a chance for you to decide who will be, in the words of the Constitution, "the principal public representative of the Party and Chair of the Federal Executive".Constitutionally it's a key role, but it's so much more than that. As the only person, other than the Leader, who is elected by the entire membership, the President should be someone who represents that ...
Network Rail are getting community criticism again. This time it's not the on-going frustration over access to Kings Cross; but the problem of trees alongside railway lines being cut back. The latest example, up the line from Finsbury Park in Winchmore Hill, has caused outrage. It's not simply pruning, but a slash and burn approach [...]
I highlighted a few months ago how the Gnat government in Edinburgh seemed hellbent on undermining local democracy after they called in plans for a new Asda supermarket in Inverness. I commented at the time that I couldn't see any conceivable national interest in whether Inverness had another supermarket or not. Well, they've done it again, this time for a proposed Sainsbury's store in Nairn. Why, for crying out loud? What the hell's it got to do with any other part of the country whether there's a new superstore there? Alex Salmond is playing a very dangerous game. If he ...
The Party have sent out a Email telling Party Members that the Presidential Election is soon. Two Candidates Ros and Lembit have sites that ACTUALLY WORK but the third Candidate Chandila Fernando has a broken site, Shame! Anyway All Party Members Should Vote!
Presidential candidate Ros Scott has today published her manifesto. What strikes me is that this is a programme to expand and develop the Party, from increasing members and enhancing their experience of the Party to making sure that the grassroots are represented properly at the highest levels. It is clear that this manifesto will take a huge amount of time to implement and that Ros is prepared to be a full time President. She has given up her front bench role in the Lords and is willing to devote herself, during her term of office, to making the Party bigger ...
People need to change their behaviours if we are to have any chance of addressing the climate crisis - the greatest challenge facing humankind. But if the British people are confused or ambivalent about climate change, they are less likely to change. It could be bad news for the Liberal Democrats too. Populus has found that climate change is our strongest issue with the voters. Some say that it should be a cornerstone of our European Parliament election campaign in 2009. Many of our key policy measures for climate change aim to persuade and incentivise people to change their behaviours. ...
Thu 25th
18:24
As the Global Economy goes 'Nuclear', Labour's fiscal plans for Nuclear Power look Ever More Irrespo...
As the Global Economy goes 'Nuclear', Labour's fiscal plans for Nuclear Power look Ever More Irresponsible... -A view on the £12bn takeover of British Energy and EDF's plans for a new generation of Nuclear Power stations. In a yet another fast paced news day, it may have passed people by that British Energy is on the verge of being bought out by French energy group EDF As the guardian article emphasises, this paves the way for EDF to oversee the development of a new generation of Nuclear power stations. The government are active cheerleaders for Nuclear Power, Gordon Brown ...
When I read that the Archbishops of Canterbury and York were criticising "short selling", I did wonder if they might rue the day they brought up the subject. The Church of England have a very large investment portfolio, which is carefully managed. Indeed, now Ekklesia have highlighted some interesting points: Ekklesia weighed into the debate on the ethics of financial investments and stock
Investment advice forwarded by a friend today: If you had purchased £1,000 of Northern Rock shares one year ago it would now be worth £4.95. With HBOS, earlier last week your £1,000 would have been worth £16.50. £1,000 invested in XL Leisure would now be worth less than £5. But if you bought £1,000 worth of beer [...]
Following today's Safer & Stronger Communities Overview & Scrutiny Panel which discussed the Bath Package, including the controversial BRT route, Bath MP Don Foster has criticised the resolution passed by the panel, which was forced through by the four Conservative Councillors. Don spoke at the meeting, calling for further research to be conducted into alternative routes. Don...
Liberal Democrat members of the Safer Stronger Communities Overview & Scrutiny Panel meeting have reacted with disappointment at the outcome of the Panel's consideration of the Bath Transport Package today. Following a long debate involving Council officers and dozens of members of the public, Councillor Roger Symonds (Liberal Democrat, Combe Down) proposed the...
Baroness Ros Scott has today revealed her manifesto for being President of us disparate lot commonly known as the Liberal Democrats. There are comprehensive sections on how she sees the role affection Members & Activists, Candidates, Councillors & Staff and the Structures of the party. A lot of this is what I heard from Ros on her summer tour of Scotland and the reasons that convinced me to endorse her as the best choice to take this role and take our party forward. Read more about her manifesto launch at her excellent blog or on her campaign website.
Is this the end of capitalism as we know it? Eamonn Butler, of all people, hopes that it is. Once he explained his reasoning, however, I could see his point. "Capitalism as we know it is a creature of the regulatory authorities, who've messed it up good and proper" he argues. But frankly, that's just the start of it. Our supposedly capitalist system often looks more like Corporate Statism than any free market that our liberal forebears in the C18th and C19th would have recognised or welcomed. Big businesses larded with subsidies; investors insured by the taxpayer against bad investment; ...
At 4.54pm today, I got an email from Chris Rennard - which presumably went out to all members - promoting the websites of the three candidates for Lib Dem Federal President. Chandila Fernando's website currently is short and to the point. {Screenshot for chandila.com} For goodness' sake. It isn't like the last leadership election where all the candidates were going from a standing start. These eejits have had two years to prepare their campaigns. Is it really to much to expect them to get the basics right, since they are all so keen on prevaricating on the need for the ...
From an email to party members: One of the most important features of our party is our "one member, one vote" democracy. Nominations closed yesterday for the position of Party President. All paid up party members will soon choose the person who is to take over from Simon Hughes for 2009 and 2010. The next [...]
Is our friend Pendle Truth a Conservative, well thats what his Ad's are showing?
Mister Pinkfish has arranged an bloggers' interview with our Viking Leader at the meeting of the hoarde in Dùn Èideann next month. Mister Stephen is going and promises if I am a good panthera leo I may be allowed to follow in the fluffy pacyderm footprints of my blogging hero to be the cuddling blogger of that event.Wonder if I'll get my own pass like the many on Mister Stephen's noticeboard? Anyhoo I'll have my best BBC Scotland voice on, Mister Chick or Mister Tam probably.
Recent events seem to have an almost Biblical quality about them. Let me explain. As a youngster I was quite well brought up in matters Biblical. This included an appreciation of the historical books of the Old Testament as being, in part at least, an account of how the Jewish people were gradually taught the right way to live. People being people, they periodically fell away from this right path in one way or another with inevitable and disastrous consequences - being carried off to captivity in Babylon, economic collapse, military defeat and so on. Whether you are a believer ...
According to the interesting Debate over at Guido's blog about Why Parliament was Evacuated. They are some interesting Comments being left like has Prescott farted? You can join the debate or read it HERE.
The new leader of the Scottish Lib Dems, Tavish Scott MSP, has agreed to take part in a bloggers' interview. This will take place at the Scottish Lib Dem conference in Edinburgh on Saturday October 11 between 3.25pm and 4pm. The interview is open to any Lib Dem blogger. All that is required is that you [...]
The Party made the calls only to learn that we have made a silly mistake and broke the law. The Party say that people answered the questions that the automated message asked but thats not how the ICO see it. The Party pointed the finger at the SNP in the Past and now the SNP got the finger up the Lib Dems Backside. The party can continue to say it did nothing wrong or it was "genuine market research purposes" but thats not how the officials are looking at it from. What a Stupid Idea! You can read the full ...
So how did the US Treasury come up with the figure of $700,000,000,000 as being the sum needed to buy up bad debts? Well according to the business journal Forbes a Treasury spokesperson admitted on Tuesday that: "It's not based on any particular data point. We just wanted to chose a really large number". Oh of course, get a mumble wad of cash and impose a really stringent audit check on it like this delimination of the powers of the Treasury Secretary under the plan: "Decisions by the Secretary pursuant to the authority of this Act are non-reviewable and committed ...
If you have seen the Email sign up on the side it is basically there so people who are not regular readers of the blog can get an email with the posts from that day. So Please use the Service!
Thu 25th
16:28
Is McCain preparing to throw the world economy down the toilet for electoral advantage?
It is a fascinating question. CQ Politics notes that John McCain refused to sign up to a simple set of principles last night: Why wouldn't McCain agree to a fairly innocuous, Mom and apple pie set of conditions for a bill? Democrats fear this morning that McCain is setting up a scenario in which he will vote against the bill, rally conservatives to his side and, most importantly, distance
Scottish Tory Boy and myself have been carrying on the terrace humour we experienced on Tuesday night's match over at Jeff's blog. So I guess his latest post (especially the title) regarding Nick Clegg's call is in essence some sort of continuation on the theme. (At least it was when I read the title hence mine to accentuate STB's point) Of course everything he says is highly factual regarding the decision by the Information Commissioner's Office. To continue the football analogy I'm ashamed as a call centre employee that having had a football club board who seemed to know little ...
Since I posted about John McCain's woes yesterday, things are continuing to look bad for him in the opinion polls. According to Electoral Vote, Obama has strengthened his position slightly, now on 286 to 252 for McCain. New Hampshire, which was listed as marginally for McCain yesterday, is now listed as leaning towards Obama. Obama's lead is especially encouraging given the situation for Kerry against Bush in 2004 at this stage of the race. There's also good news for Obama from some of the individual polls (although all single polls must obviously be taken with a health warning). He's apparently ...
Yesterday I wrote about some of the problems with strong communities. But what do we mean by a strong community anyway? Unless we know what it is, it's pretty difficult to come up with sensible policies to achieve it, especially if we want to steer clear of the pitfalls. I'll tell you what I think of when someone mentions community: a 1930s English village (think Mrs Marple with a slightly lower murder rate), or the Midsomer villages if they weren't slightly more dangerous to live in than Baghdad, or perhaps a plucky working class community celebrating VE Day. There are ...
Gordon Brown used to trumpet his success in banishing the 'stop-go' economy though he's been strangely quiet on this recently. Could it be that the difference between real fitness and pumping up with credit steroids is now painfully obvious to all? Actually, even in his glory years there was another story in the real economy, happening largely beneath the media radar and so mainly unseen. A friend is a robotic engineer. He used to be part of a world-beating team of decommissioning experts working for British Nuclear (or whatever it was called at that stage). His particular expertise was in ...
Choo-choo. Well, it looks like our universally loved and adored Home Secretary is confident enough in her job security to reveal the first stage of ID Cards to the public. £70 nets you a piece of plastic that proves that we have the glorious privelege to live in this fantastic country. The ID cards are supposed to be unfakeable, but it's brutally obvious that all the fancy gizmos intended to prevent illegal immigrants to enter or work in the UK will be utterly irrelevent considering the true circumstances of illegal immigrants in this country. They don't stop to have their ...
As speculated here on LDV last night, the Information Commissioner has now officially ruled that the Lib Dems must stop attempts to contact up to 250,000 voters in 50 marginal constituencies with an automated phone call featuring leader Nick Clegg. The BBC website has the full story here. Lib Dem chief executive Lord Rennard told [...]
The new leader of the Scottish Lib Dems, Tavish Scott MSP, has agreed to take part in a bloggers' interview. This will take place at the Scottish Lib Dem conference in Edinburgh on Saturday October 11 between 3.25pm and 4pm. The interview is open to any Lib Dem blogger. All that is required is that you write up the interview on your blog. If you don't have a blog of your own, you could write it up on Lib Dem Voice or another site of your choice. Anyone interested in taking part should contact me by email at bernardsalmon[at]cix[dot]co[dot]uk
Another cunning plan from Gordon Brown as he sells off British Energy to EDF for £12.4bn. Pierre Gadonneix is 'delighted' with the deal. I'll bet! (Readers may recall that in an earlier cunning plan Gordon Brown sold off 395 tonnes of our official gold reserves at an average of just $275.6 per oz between 1999 and 2002. As I write gold is $889.) The background to this is of course that he is increasingly desperate to find a way to keep the lights on after circa 2015 in the complete absence of an energy strategy. And of course the £4.3bn ...
1. The commanding heights of the economy are taken into public ownership 2. Political opponents of the regime are subject to detention without trial 3. Ideological correctness and loyalty to the General Secretary are more important than competnence in determining who is promoted 4. The State rejects Darwin's theory of evolution and promotes bogus biology instead 5. You lose a war in Afghanistan 6
In 2006, we were lucky enough to have Lembit as our guest for the Wycombe Liberal Democrats Annual Dinner. It was one of the most memorable and enjoyable social occasions I have ever been involved with. Forget the tabloid image. Lembit is a serious politician right enough. He spoke movingly about the hardships he endured whilst campaigning to win his seat. He also spoke movingly of his passion for local healthcare provision, drawing on personal experiences. He also made us roar with laughter, but not in a bad way. He simply has a wonderful ability to effervesce and enthuse an ...
Thu 25th
13:47
Lembit leaves the Shadow Cabinet to concentrate on winning the Liberal Democrat Presidency
Lembit Opik has stood down as Liberal Democrat housing spokesman to concentrate on his campaign to win the Party Presidency.
My radio told me that Bush is a Communist!
Recent doom-laden reports of the stock market crisis in the media have reminded me of a couple of "Dad's Army" catch phrases. One is tempted to repeat Private Fraser's "We're all doomed!", or to run round like Corporal Jones shouting "Don't panic! Don't panic!". Many of the journalists covering the recent stock market crisis weren't adults during the last serious recession. A long period of
A couple of people have commented to me about how I moderately frequently make blog postings based on a Daily Mail story and linking through to their site for the full story (such as this one about Vince Cable calling for an investigation into Keith Vaz) - and querying why attention should be given to [...]
Ballot papers aren't printed yet, but quite a few people have questioned the lack of a manifesto from Ros. What has been Ros's response up to now? "All in good time boys and girls". She said it would be published now, and it has. But before reading it, I suggest you read her blog posting from today.
More people than ever feel alienated by the political process in Britain today. To many it doesn't seem to matter who runs the country - nothing ever changes. Gordon Brown has been a disaster. There is little enthusiasm for a return to Conservative rule. The best way to engage with people is to go and talk to them. That's why Nick Clegg is setting his party the challenge of knocking on...
Commenting on Alistair Darling's speech at the Labour conference, Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable said: "Talk about mood swings. We had a long period of complacency, followed by total despair a couple of weeks ago, only for the Chancellor to return to complacency in front of his party faithful." Vince Cable continued, saying: "The truth is that the British...
I've said it before and I'll say it again. Democracy simply doesn't work. - Kent Brockman, The Simpsons Why is it that the American government seems to be so good at self-paralysis at a time of panic? You hear all about how great American democracy is, and then when you see it in action in a crisis and it does, essencially, nothing. I think the problem here is threefold. 1) Bush only has about 43 days left in office. Not a helpful position to be in to extract influence on the USA. 2) Congress are currently in Election Fever (and ...
Please Remember to take Part in the Poll HERE
From the Blog of Iain Dale David Cameron about Harriet Harman: She's the kind of woman your mother used to warn you about.You know the kind of woman I'm talking about.She'll promise you the world. Promise to make all your dreams come true.But if she got her wicked way with - you in the ballot box - you'd never hear from her again. Harman about Cameron: He's the kind of woman your mother used to warn you about.You know the kind of man I'm talking about.He'll promise you the world. Promise to make all your dreams come true.But if he ...
What a time to be away! Labour in near meltdown. Ditto the World financial system. We certainly live in interesting times.
There's a good talk by Jonathan Haidt examining the differences in moral thinking between liberals and conservatives. This is American usage of course, but particularly focussing on social rather than economic issues, so it is not too inaccurate. Haidt identifies what he calls the 5 foundations of morality by which he means 5 traits in evolutionary psychology (touched on here), connected with
As regular readers of this blog will know I am a committed atheist and secularist so rarely find occasion to lavish praise on the clergy. However, I am going to make an exception to the rule for Dr Rowan Willams whose latest article in The Spectator is described by Matthew D' Acona as a "red rag to capitalist bulls". It is a generally excepted truth that the left will use any kind of economic crisis to hammer capitalism but this time we have seen the calls for greater regulation go well beyond the 'usual suspects' which is a direct testimony ...
Thursday: The Beardy-Weirdy of Canterbury and Mr Dr John Sent-to-Moo, the Archpillock of York have joined forces to attack MERCHANT BANKERS. Apparently the Bishops condemn people for investing faith in an INVISIBLE POWER that inexplicably acts for BENIGN reasons, and for selling a product that is of no MATERIAL benefit to anyone... ...hang on; this is a JOKE, isn't it?
The Independent today reports how the Queen's household is appealing to the government for more cash as it cannot afford to manage with the £15m it is paid by British taxpayers...Apparently they need around £32m to maintain the various properties around the country. Now I'm a rare thing among Lib Dems, a supporter of the monarchy as they are good business in terms of heritage tourism. Also, as long as the Royal Family exists, President Blair will be but a pipe dream. However, this appeal doeas rather stick in the craw. After all, Her Majesty could quite easily sell off ...
Stumbled across this quick tour of the Rothko exhibition on the BBC website: Exhibition info at:
It is easy, in the comforting surroundings of the blogosphere or the warm blanket of conference, to believe that Ros has the presidential campaign in the bag. Seeing hundreds of people in I'm 4 Ros badges every day helps one to feel that (in the words of someone who passed me on the steps of the Marriot at conference) Everyone's for bloody Ros! The thing is, the comments on these threads make it plain that it's not all as clear cut as that. People who are not party members seem to be very prone to the Lembit's a nice guy ...
Wednesday On the tube over to West London, I wonder how Ukraine and Slovakia have managed to have their national celebrations on the same day, and both at lunchtime. Fortunately the two embassies are close to each other, and predictably there is a lot of toing-and-froing between. I decide to do Ukraine first, having recently [...]
We were concerned to see that the fountain in Vauxhall Park has been turned off by the council, and on enquiring further, we were told that the Labour administration at the Town Hall have decided to switch off all fountains across Lambeth as a cost-cutting measure, without consulting either local councillors or the Friends of Vauxhall Park.We think this is a false economy as these kind of features help to make our parks and green spaces pleasant for all local residents, whatever your age.It is especially upsetting in Vauxhall Park as the fountain was brought back into working order through ...
Yesterday afternoon a member of the Council's legal team travelled up to the High Court to issue the challenge to the Planning Inspector's decision on 28-32 Somerset Ave (follow the link in this entry to track back and read the full story) About 60 people from the Somerset Ave area turned up at Neighbourhood yesterday evening, anxious that this should happen, and they all applauded...
As I promised some ago, now that nominations have closed in the Party Presidential elections, I have published a detailed manifesto, which is now up on the website. I'm setting out how I think the role should be carried out, and my proposals for action. Our Party Constitution states that the President is "the principal public representative of the Party and Chair of the Federal Executive" So I see the role of the President as three-fold;to represent the members and activists to the Leadershipto chair the Federal Executive and lead the Party's internal managementto act as an ambassador for the ...
It was an interesting Assembly election last year. Plaid Cymru came up with a host of gimmicks such as free laptops for children and a £5,000 grant to help first time buyers get on the housing ladder and all the other parties condemned them for it. So what happened to these gimmicks now that they are in government? The truth is that in the case of the first time house buyer grant they have fudged it. It seems that the reality of government has struck home and Plaid Ministers have realised that the idea was unaffordable, undeliverable, would distort the ...
Yesterday, I issued a news release regarding the fact that British Telecom has decided to remove two telephone boxes in the West End without actually bothering to consult anyone first - something I consider bad practice - whatever the merits or demerits of removing the boxes. I print the news release below. In response, BT has said to the Courier that it wrote to the City Council about removing boxes back in April. A case of spin over substance, I'm afraid, because the City Council's Head of Planning had advised "... we were consulted on the removal of kiosks at ...
Last night was the regular meeting of the Executive Committee. This is the Committee that brings together all nine of the Executive members from the ruling (Conservative) group. Myself and the leader of the Labour group attend as observers. TIF Bid Referendum The main item was probably the agreement to proceed with a referendum on the TIF (Transport Innovation Fund) Bid for Greater Manchester (the congestion charge). The ten authorities of Greater Manchester have agreed to hold a referendum across the county. This will be by postal ballot, of everyone on the electoral register. Ballot papers must be returned by ...
I have suggested before that Plaid Cymru have not yet made the adjustment to a party comfortable with power however recent news items have caused me to revise that judgement. I am now convinced that they are not even trying. Instead the nationalist party are trying to redefine the role of a government party by having their cake and eating it. This approach involves divorcing their backbench Assembly Members and MPs from their Ministers so as to enable each to pursue their own path. The moment that any inconsistencies are rumbled and Ministers put on the spot they run for ...
Jennie Rigg - better known as The Yorksher Gob - has an article on Liberal Conspiracy about the Lib Dem Presidential race. The second comment begins: I'd like to hear someone make a case for the Lib Dems full-stop. Seriously - what are their socialist credentials?
Lest people accuse us of a vendetta against Labour in drawing attention to their misuse of their parliamentary positions, (see posting about Keith Vaz and Bridget Prentice), we should point out that Conservatives are at it too.
[Nick's letter to the Labour MP] Dear Michael, It is unpleasantly ironic that in your recent column for the Observer - 'A Fairer Britain' - you are dishonest and deeply unfair about proposed Liberal Democrat tax cuts for low and middle income families. You are either deliberately misrepresenting our policies, or you have not understood them. Let me explain. The [...]
Thu 25th
07:45
LDV post-conference members' survey (3): who you will vote for in the Lib Dem presidential race
Over the weekend, Lib Dem Voice emailed the members of our private forum (open to all Lib Dem members) inviting them to take part in a survey, conducted via Liberty Research, asking a number of questions arising from last week's party conference in Bournemouth. Many thanks to the 187 of you who completed it; we're [...]
If I pick up the phone to a pre-recorded call, it's back on its cradle within nanoseconds. If my evening is going to be disturbed by a marketing call, then I want another human being on the end of the line who I can tell to get me of their list asap. I recognise, however, that I'm a bit of a traditionalist about these things and we have to keep up with the times. Way back in the nineties I saw good Councillors not being re-elected because they refused to telephone canvass - and Labour did everybody in the ward, ...
The Prime Minister the Clown has been cracking some more crap jokes. From the Blog of Tom Harris MP I have read some of the Stupid Jokes the Prime Minister Cracked. "Nick Clegg (he referred to him only as "the leader of the Liberal Party") and the number 30" Is the Prime Minister Stupid the Liberal Party have joint with the Social Democrats a long time ago Even before I was Born, so the PM needs to grow up and stop calling us Liberals. Then he called Nick Clegg the number 30 what is funny about that PM, its stupid ...
There are proposals to remove the bar on Catholics from succeeding to the throne. A first-born daughter would also be allowed to succeed in preference to a second-born male, among other things. Even as a republican (note the small "r"), I welcome these proposals. But there's one slightly delicate matter that would have to be resolved: what would happen to the position of the monarch as Head of the Church of England if a Catholic did succeed to the Crown?
As long ago as at least 2001 the who banking policy of the SNP was set in stone. I don't think I've heard a dramatic change in it yet. Basically the Governor of the Bank of England would continue to oversee banking in Scotland until the time was right for an independent Scotland to enter into the Euro. Now neither the Bank of England nor the European Central Bank would have responded directly to the First Minister of Scotland calling for a £100m fund to save the Bank of Scotland. Indeed with several European banks currently setting up their own ...
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4476649n#ccmm Oh my - I don't know who's the VP candidate here!
No matter who you vote for in an election it is important to vote. The results are indicative and people/commentators don;t just look at who won, but who lost and how and by how much. So voting is important because I want the British National Party to be beaten out of sight. I am copying here some of the cards they have been delivering across Hampstead Town over recent weeks. I am optimistic that Hampstead Town, comprised of one of the most internationalist communities, will reject the BNP, but I am just hopeful that it is resounding. For the record ...
A few weeks ago I posted about concerns I was hearing from local residents that Hexham Road estate was not getting sufficient attention from RBC. Historically, the Labour-run Council has shamefully neglected this area and allowed it to become run-down. Residents have repaid Reading's Labour bosses by electing three hardworking Lib Dem councillors. Over the past couple of years we've spent a lot of time highlighting issues of concern to the Council brought to our attention by local residents living on the estate, including problems with alley gate security; mini-motos around the estate, flytipping and graffiti vandalism. I'm pleased to ...
Thu 25th
00:00
Day 2823: "...and here is my husband who's going to talk about not using his family as props"*
Tuesday: *Yes, this is the cartoon in Wednesday's Metro, but it doesn't half sum up Mr Frown's self-serving double-talk. Mr Frown has made his speech to the Labour Conference, and people are describing it as "the speech of his life". Which just goes to show how many BAD speeches Mr Frown has made. He starts with an apology... no, sorry, I've actually READ the speech now, rather than just heard the SPIN. He DOESN'T start with an apology: he starts by blaming everyone else for hurting his feelings over that thing where he put poor people's taxes up by 100%. ...
