Liberal Democrat Councillors on Bath and North East Somerset Council have welcomed news of the replacement of the Cabinet member for Development and Major Projects: Councillor David Hawkins has stood down to be replaced by Councillor Terry Gazzard as of 1 November. {Councillor Andrew Furse at the new crossing point (photography: Jennifer Pack)} Cllr Furse campaigned for the new crossing, which the Council Cabinet needlessly delayed However questions are being raised over the creation of a new Cabinet post specifically to preserve Councillor Hawkins' place on the Bath Recreation Ground Trust Board.Councillor Andrew Furse (Liberal Democrat, Kingsmead) commented, "The Cabinet ...
Everybody may well have danced to Barack Obama's victory but it appears that it could cost England the chance to host the World Cup in 2018 (no doubt this will make some Obama supporters happier still). The Guardian reports that; "Barack Obama's election could derail England's bid to host the 2018 World Cup, according to a "high-placed" Fifa official. The unnamed source told Yahoo Sports that Obama's popularity will be "a huge factor" in deciding whether the USA is selected to host either the 2018 or 2022 tournaments." Never one to miss out on the opportunity to bask in some ...
Well I watched Parliamentary question time on the web this evening. Most of the debate centred around Baby P (sorry Nick, good questions wrong debate). Now actually I know a lot about child protection and as an independent Reviewing Officer have seen, first hand, many of the issues raised in the news today. Of course we don't know how services charged with the protection of our children failed this little boy and we mustn't forget that it was the adults who cared for baby P which, it would seem, actually killed this child. But even from afar it is clear ...
This is very very cool: (via) The lyrics and a dowload of the song are at the original performers site, Moosebutter. Those of you that aren't Star Wars fans should still watch this for the John Williams coolness. If you're not a John Williams fan? You're weird. Sorry, but it's true.
Ten wishes for christmas, blah-de-blah. I only have one. CAN EVERYONE JUST SHUT THE FUCK UP ABOUT CHRISTMAS ALREADY??? IT'S NOT EVEN DECEMBER!!! STOP IT!!!!! Gods, I hate Christmas so much. No, actually, fill your boots. Post all you want about bloody Christmas. I'll just cut my default reading list down a bit until January. Then none of us will be upsetting the others. And with that rantette out of the way, onto the linkspammery: steerpikelet is calling all people with experience in and around mental health issues. There's a bunch of you read this with depression, and a couple ...
The BBC reports: A Conservative MEP is being expelled from the party after the EU Parliament told him to repay £500,000 in expenses paid to his family for office work. Den Dover, a former chief whip who has denied any wrongdoing, was stripped of the party whip after an EU probe found him guilty of a conflict of interest.Thanks to Costigan Quist for alerting me to the opportunity to use this headline.
The morning started with the first meeting of a small group from the Western Area Partnership to discuss more detail of how we should spend our money from the Communities Fund. It's a new experience for us to have any money to spend so though it is only a small amount we want to be certain that it's spent in the best possible way to help people in our area. It's aimed at helping people into
The BBC is reporting that Densmore Dover, one of the Conservative's MEPs for the North West of England, is being expelled from the party. He has been told to repay half a million pounds in expenses wrongly paid to his family. Mr Dover denies any wrongdoing.
Gentle reader, I crave your indulgence. Last week, I forgot all about the Golden Dozen, ... something to do with an historic US election put it clean out of my mind. Fortunately, no-one yet seems to have noticed, and I think I may just have got away with it. So anyway... Welcome to the very [...]
Yesterday, I did finish reading autopope's Jennifer Morgue. It's a damn fine James Bond pastiche with casinos, yachts, a submersible car and Great Old Ones—I commend it to the housereadership. By random chance, It was revealed today that my good friend innerbrat, despite being a smart, educated Brit in her mid twenties, has never seen a Bond movie. Now, while I am tempted to complement her parents for managing to raise her and not once have ITV on on a bank holiday, I am completely and utterly amazed that she has managed to never see a Bond movie. Given that ...
Many thank to Stephen Tall at Lib Dem Voice for drawing the latest Calder's Comfort Farm to his readers' attention. Unfortunately, he must have read it rather quickly: "Jonathan Calder looks at Bryan Ferry's position as a 'political prisoner'." It is not Bryan Ferry but his son Otis whom a Tory MP has claimed is a political prisoner. I would not like to see Bryan Ferry locked up. He and Roxy Music were two the very few good things about chart music after the demise of glam rock (which was not much good itself) and before the rise of punk ...
And nor is he Moses, but that hasn't stopped Lord Thomas of Macclesfield on the cover of his new book: Via the Total Politics blog.
The UN is a great structure. It is all about peace and it does so much good in our World. It is a shame to hear criticism of it, or when the media suggest things are the UN's fault. Things aren't the UN's fault, it's always the fault of the international community. In the Congo Monuc face an impossible task. A lack of funding, equipment and soldiers, has led to a lack of effectiveness. Romeo Dallaire's book 'Shake hands with the Devil' gives some insight to the difficulties faced by UN missions and the challenges of their commanders. (It's worth ...
From The Times website: The Times has also learnt that Haringey Council, sharply criticised after the death of Victoria Climbie eight years ago, hampered the investigation into the death of Baby P by not handing over all their information to murder squad detectives.It was only when the trial got to court and the judge requested that they provide all their evidence that police officers were able to see everything they had.A senior source involved in the inquiry said: "The council came in with pages and pages of stuff that we had no idea existed and had never seen before."Gordon Brown's ...
Conservative US blogger John Hinderaker thinks Bush's control of the English language has been misunderestimated. Obama thinks he is a good talker, but he is often undisciplined when he speaks. He needs to understand that as President, his words will be scrutinized and will have impact whether he intends it or not. In this regard, President [...]
You remember all those European laws on the size and shape of vegetables? And how we are always being told they are a myth put about by the Eurosceptics? The good news is that the EU is going to scrap them.
Thousands of paedophiles are to receive a special new year's gift from the Government: a "find a victim" service launching in January 2009. It appears that Government ministers are concerned the UK's paedophiles are finding it too time consuming to home in on their victims, so Labour have spent a few million pounds of our money to give them a helping hand. The new system, called ContactPoint, will give paedophiles details of every child's name, home address, school and legal guardians; helping them to both better identify their prey and plan strategies to ensnare them. Although the Government initially claimed ...
Meeting to Discuss Redford Avenue Cycle Scheme I had been called in as chair of the Beddington & Wallington Local Committee to mediate in a stalemate between council officers needing to go to consultation on a proposed cycle lane and the Beddington South Ward Councillors who were refusing to allow the scheme to go ahead. Back in [...]
Naughty people are so much more interesting than goody-goodies. And few well-bred ladies in the 20th Century were quite as naughty as Idina Sackville, five times married and five times divorced, painted by Sir William Orpen, part fictionalised by Nancy Mitford and Michael Arlen and now immortalised by her great-grand-daughter, Frances Osborne, in her [...]
Today's PMQs underlined to me how utterly hollow and rotten the institution really is. It's not just that it couldn't be more archaic if the protagonists were daubed with woad. It's how it makes them behave. The aspect being chiefly reported is a horrifically self-important tussle between Cameron and Brown over a dead baby. In case [...]
I spotted this article on assisted suicidewhilst I was having a browse through the Daily Telegraph website. Although I don't want to open up a can of worms here, I do think that those who are in favour of a law change, including our very own Evan Harris MP, do have a point. As a society we need to face up to the fact that we have an ageing population, and a prevalence of degenerative diseases. Much like we are now discovering that we need to completely re-vamp the pensions system to account for the much longer lives that people ...
In case you sometimes go across to Emersons Green, you might like to know that Sainsbury's will shortly be closed for a week because of the building work. It closes at 6 pm this Friday - 14th November - and reopens at 9 am on Friday 21st November. The petrol station will stay open as usual.
CNN are asking whether 2004 Vice Presidential Nominee, John Edwards can make a political comeback. You may remember that after having come third in the primaries to President-Elect Obama, and Hilary Clinton, allegations came out about his affair with a documentary maker. I genuinely do hope he can come back. I was a big supporter of Edwards in the past, and even during this Presidential Election, before he dropped out. However, I did feel let down by the news of his affair, and many others felt exactly the same way, particularly given his Wife's illness. I did feel, though, that, ...
This is one of those 'proud to be a Liberal Democrat' moments because both Lynne Featherstone and Nick Clegg have shown sensitivity and sense in dealing with this issue. I actually watched PMQ's and couldn't believe what David Cameron was doing; it is hard to avoid the charge that the Conservatives are indeed 'playing politics' with this issue. Writing on First Post, 'The Mole' says that Cameron picked the 'wrong fight'. Why?? We all know that Cameron and the Conservatives have been losing ground on the economy, that; "Gordon is showing world leadership on the economy. He's Mr Serious while ...
I said in this post that I would ask questions of the Government on the Dot Cym campaign for a Welsh top level domain. Accordingly I tabled a question to the Deputy First Minister and received this answer today: Peter Black (South Wales West): Will the Minister make a statement on the Welsh Assembly Government's support for the dotCym campaign. OAQ0728(ECT) Ieuan Wyn Jones: In August I announced £20,000 funding to help the dotCym campaign prepare a bid to secure a top level internet domain in line with the One Wales commitment. My officials are working with the dotCym campaigners ...
I've just added two handy links to this blog - available on the right. The first allows you to receive alerts about planning applicaitons near you, and the second to make Freedom of Information requests and track what others have been asking for. http://www.planningalerts.com/ http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/body/salford_city_council
I have permission from Eleanor Burnham to offer this as a caption competition so I expect some restraint from contributors.
The Communications Select committee met this morning, in private session, to begin the process of writing our next report, a follow up to the Phillis Review of Government Communications. The Phillis review took place in the aftermath of the Jo Moore/Martin Sixsmith "good day to bury bad news" affair on the day of the twin towers catastrophe. The central theme of the review was that there had been a three way breakdown of trust between politicians, the media, and the public and that various changes had to be made to the Government communications system. Our report will take the form ...
Like many others, I've been sickened and disgusted by the details of Baby P's neglect and abuse over many months. David Cameron's been criticised for raising this at PMQ's, - Brown called it 'cheap', and while he clearly was jumping on a bandwagon, but frankly, if MPs can discuss how Laura was kicked off the X Factor, then many people will think this shocking murder is a legitimate issue to debate. Whether PMQs is the correct forum for this, is another matter. What has shocked me as someone who was formerly Cabinet Member for Social Services, when the 'Every Child ...
The Labour MP Margaret Moran has said the following about political bloggers: She alleged all the bloggers were the same people that write letters to the local paper or fill her mailbag. That may or may not be true, but she seemed to want to ignore them, almost as if they didn't deserve a voice if they weren't victims of domestic violence. Extraordinary. She then said that these were the sort of people whose only interest was to comment on her "boobs and shoes". She was indeed wearing a very nice pair of shoes! This is a quote from a ...
Commenting on today's Bank of England prediction that inflation could fall below 1% next year, Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable said: "It's clear from the today's figures that we're heading for very high levels of unemployment with falling inflation. This could soon become negative inflation, with prices actually falling." Vince Cable went on to say: "The...
A deputation from Unesco visited Bath during the first week of November. They received presentations from, and listened to, many organisations who have an interest in the status of Bath as a World Heritage City, and visited many relevant locations. They were particularly interested in new city developments such as Southgate, Bath Western Riverside and the South Quays...
The Conservative-run Cabinet of Bath and North East Somerset Council is determined to railroad the Bus Rapid Transit through against the wishes of residents, according to Lib Dem Councillors who have tabled a last ditch motion to next week's full Council meeting hoping to ensure a proper debate takes place. It is understood that many residents who will be affected by the BRT and other...
Commenting on today's Bank of England prediction that inflation could fall below 1% next year, Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable said: "It's clear from the today's figures that we're heading for very high levels of unemployment with falling inflation. This could soon become negative inflation, with prices actually falling." Vince Cable went on to say: "The...
It's been a long time coming, but many EU regulations which imposed an unnatural uniformity on produce are to be scrapped. Lib Dem MEP for the South West and Gibraltar, Graham Watson summed up the move: "This is great news indeed; the Commission has at long last seen sense on this issue. Consumers obviously demand high quality produce that is clean and healthy. But quite why some countries, like France and Germany feel consumers are concerned on how wonky or knobbly fruit and veg appears is absurd. At a time of global food shortages and rising prices its good to ...
Wed 12th
15:20
Lib Dem tax policy: the media's starting to listen, so now will the public get to hear about it?
Earlier today, Lib Dem Voice published this extract from Nick Clegg's speech to the Royal Commonwealth Society summarising the Lib Dems' policy of tax cuts for low- and middle-income households: Real tax cuts - big, permanent and fair - for the people who need them. Funded by making the wealthy pay their fair share, ending the [...]
With Greater Manchester's transport referendum three weeks away, a new survey reveals one in three Bury households would pay the congestion charge regularly. Details of the congestion charge element of the Transport Innovation Fund (TIF) bid were explained to 500 Bury residents. They were then asked whether their household expected to pay regularly, and 33% said yes. The results directly challenge repeated advertising claims that nine out of ten people won't pay the charge. The survey was carried out for the Stop the Charge coalition of MPs, council leaders and 260 businesses by independent polling company Populus. Bury Lib Dem ...
There is no doubt that Linlithgow deserves the best health care facility possible, in that I agree with SNP councillor Martyn Day who has said: "The people of Linlithgow badly need and richly deserve improved health facilities in the town." Where I disagree with Cllr. Day is that these improvements can best be met by moving the town's health centre into the County Buildings, a proposal that NHS Lothian have now turned down. What Linlithgow deserves is a purpose built, modern facility not one shoehorned into an existing historic building. Whether that requires renovation and upgrade of the existing building ...
There I was scrolling through the blog of Howard Dawber, the Labour candidate for Bexleyheath & Crayford, on the hunt for some statistics I have lost which I thought he may have blogged, when I came across this: "But there are now three people selected for the seat - Rick Everitt, James Brokenshire and even the Lib Dem Duncan Borrowman - all of whom could do a much better job representing local
A bus Tuesday which - apart from a long day on 'day job' activity (I'm running a Conference this week!) - included: * A meeting with one of the Council's solicitors regarding finalisation of the City Council's Statement of Case in relation to a forthcoming planning inquiry (where I moved refusal of a planning application which was not in the interests of the West End). * I attended the Remembrance Day commemoration service in the City Square. * I attended a meeting of the Balgay Stakeholders' Group which includes Friends of Balgay, Leisure and Communities staff and West End councillors ...
My inner geek means this is too cool not to post: Via Engadget.
El Reg is reporting that police are demanding the names of all live music performers in order to vet them for "terror risk"! This is already having an impact: "UK Music chief Feargal Sharkey told a House of Commons select committee that the policy had already been used to pull the plug on an afternoon charity concert of school bands in a public park organised by a local councillor." Arrggghhh!
There was an unedifying spat at Prime Minister's Questions today between David Cameron and Gordon Brown, which seemed to turn the tragedy of Baby P into a political football. It was just awful to watch. I didn't think I'd get the chance to ask a question myself - but just before the end of PMQs, the Speaker called me. I made that point that when Leader of the Opposition on Haringey Council during the Climbie affair I was given all sorts of assurances about how lessons had been learnt, never again etc. So - whilst the national review Gordon Brown ...
I had been holding off blogging- partly because being located in two countries at once seriously limits your free time, but also because I had come to question the value of blogging. This blog is not a particularly widely read one- although when it is running regularly it attracts about 5000 people a month. The big blogs, such as Politicalbetting.com or Iain Dale or Guido Fawkes attract hundreds of times more readers. The problem is that many of these readers seem to leave their brains at home. Guido makes a point of stirring, so we can hardly be surprised at ...
From eclectech, soundtrack by Mushroom: a jolly database ditty about our stalker Government. Enjoy!
According to the BBC UKIP has "unanimously rejected" an offer from the British National Party for an electoral pact at next year's European elections.
A month ago Lib Dem Voice's Alix Mortimer suggested it was high-time the Tories considered ditching their under-whelming shadow chancellor, George Osborne: My guess is that Cameron is wincing his way through the current crisis, burying his head in a cushion every time George goes on TV, and he's planning the reshuffle. He hasn't spent [...]
A couple of things caught my eye just surfing round the blogsphere. Politics Home turns its PH100 panel on a question that has occupied some space on this blog namely why our poll ratings are not looking that great. Two key reasons were given; Our message isn't getting across due to a combination of the media and our own efforts. The Conservatives/rightist members of the panel rather disparagingly say that we are 'not taken seriously;"The media is the culprit, according to roughly a third of our insiders and experts on the PHI100. Thirty four per cent of the panel reckon ...
Wed 12th
12:20Electoral registration reform: public backs rest of the world over Labour by more than two to one
New research shows that by a margin of more than two-to-one the public backs changes to the electoral registration system that would reduce the scope for fraud. The Liberal Democrats, Conservatives and Electoral Commission have all repeatedly called for the system of household registration, currently used in England, Scotland and Wales, to be abandoned in favour [...]
A letter from Nick Clegg: I'm just walking down to the House of Commons chamber to challenge Gordon Brown in this week's Prime Minister's Questions.I wanted you to know that I'll be demanding that hard working low and middle income earners get a tax cut right now and I would like your help to get the message out.People don't need vague promises and waffle. We need a straight forward tax cut that puts money in people's pockets.That is what we are promising. Closing tax loopholes enjoyed by the richest and taxing the worst polluters more. Simple. Costed. Urgently needed - ...
The post is a high-profile and challenging one suitable for someone at a senior level in the public or private sectors with proven leadership and administrative skills. The ability to work in a complex political environment, and experience in the area of security, are essential. So says the job ad in theguardian seeking a replacement for Sir Michael Willcocks, who retires next April. The job will be a scaled-down version of the current role, according to the Telegraph, retaining ceremonial duties - and, judging by the job ad, security responsibilities - but passing the running of the Lords to a ...
Wed 12th
12:00
Day 2883: Mr Balloon's Pledge - I'll Protect Your Jobs... By Making It Cheaper For The Corporations ...
Tuesday: Last week, the Leader of the Liberal Democrats, who is calling* for tax cuts for average earners, asked Mr Frown if we should follow the Leader of the Free World, who is calling for tax cuts for average earners, and try to rescue the economy by offering tax cuts for average earners. And, amazingly, Mr Frown is hinting that he might do just that! This leaves the Conservatories with a DILEMMA. Will Mr Balloon stick to his PRINCIPLED (if wrong) position that "The Cupboard is Bare", or will he jump on the passing bandwagon? Oh, what do YOU think? ...
The issue of the future of local Post Offices was in the news again yesterday, and particularly the future of Post Office Card accounts. Thousands of Bury residents could lose their card accounts and many more local Post Offices could close if Government plans to scrap the Post Office Card Account go ahead. Lib Dems in parliament have proposed an Early Day Motion calling for the government to increase the amount of government services accessible through Post Offices, and to award the new contract for providing the Post Office Card Account to the Post Office itself, rather than change the ...
The last few years have seen a extraordinary consolidation in the global banking sector. The rise of the global mega-banks has devolved global decisions onto a very small number of credit committees and a steadily smaller number of different lending policies. Many have argued that this has simply reflected the increasingly globalised economy, where corporations require a limited number of the banking relationships but still want to have access to large pools of credit and capital. The ecology of the global banking system has become increasingly a monoculture. The problem remains that the general view of what risk is is ...
I sent off another press release to the local paper this morning. I'm becoming quite an active activist LOL. This one is about saving our Town Hall. The Tory-run local council (based in Halifax) wants to flog off our heritage. Typically for our local council's cabinet, they've picked a property crash to do it in. I really do worry sometimes that they couldn't find their own backsides with a map, they're so shortsighted. Anyhoo, the editor of the local paper told Mat that he'd never had my last press release, so I'm hoping this one doesn't get caught in the ...
WowI I've just had a look at how I predicted things in response to Malc's challenge regarding Obama's chances in the electoral college. Malc thought when I posted that I may regret painting "Colorado, Michigan, Ohio... maybe even Penn!" Blue so early in the prediction game. Boy! Back then were we both too conservative! I didn't dream of Florida, Indiana or Nevada thinking they may just stay red. North Carolina and West Virginia would have been crazy talk, yet both went Blue.
MPs today have a free on whether to hold a Speakers Conference into whether MPs are a 'narrow, self serving elite'. A whole year to work that out! Surely not? Blimey I could give them something pretty substantial in just 24 hours and my daily fee is far less than a bunch of MPs!! Only just though ;-) Seriously thought it is good to see that the Speakers Conference I first got wind of in July looks to be coming to something. So much talk on diversity and equalities in parliament (you know that bit with the power) is just ...
On OUTeverywhere - LGBT social networking site - the question was put `Which party would you vote for if there were a General Election tomorrow?`. So far: Lib Dems - 46 Lab - 40 Con - 20 Greens - 11 UKIP - 2 Other - 1 On this highly scientific poll i'll keep readers posted!
Interesting report by Iain Dale on a meeting he attended last night. His comments on the Lib Dems ran thus; "Willie Rennie was the victor of the 2006 Dunfermline by-election. He is also the head of the LibDems Parliamentary Campaigns team (or so it said on the programme). LibDems are normally very switched in with regard to campaigning. Generally, they "get" what technology can contribute to campaigns. Not Willie Rennie, though. His entire web strategy was to have collected 1,500 email addresses from constituents within two years, to whom he sends a monthly email. He doesn't even post the email ...
Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon on why Heathrow urgently needs a third runway: "If I had to highlight one statistic that underlines Heathrow's importance to the United Kingdom's economy, it would be the statistic that more than 70 per cent. of foreign companies moving to the United Kingdom for the first time choose a location within an [...]
I don't know who Jacqui Smith talks to in the course of her work. But you might have seen last week that she is under the impression that everyone is gagging for ID cards. I don't think I've met a single person who wants one myself - but then we probably move in very different circles. As usual, The Daily Mash had a good take on the story - this article sums up what a lot of people will have been thinking when they read Jacqui's comments. Be warned, there's plenty of fairly colourful language on The Daily Mash website, ...
So, now the Tories have three distinctive tax promise, all of which are batty. Their longest standing policy is their dog whistle tax incentives for marriage, proving their commitment to 19th century values when marriage was all about money and women were chattel. And, incidentally, neglecting their focus on the whole "two unmarried spinsters who live together" [...]
With Greater Manchester's transport referendum three weeks away, a new survey reveals one in three Bury households would pay the congestion charge regularly. Details of the congestion charge element of the Transport Innovation Fund (TIF) bid were explained to 500 Bury residents, they were then asked whether their household expected to pay regularly, 33% said yes. The results directly challenge repeated advertising claims that nine out of ten people won't pay the charge. The survey was carried out for the Stop the Charge coalition of MPs, council leaders and 260 businesses by independent polling company Populus. Bury Lib Dem Leader ...
Haringey Lib Dems are hosting "An Evening With Vince Cable" in two weeks time. Tickets are half-price for Lib Dem members, meaning if you join the party as you buy your ticket you save a tenner on your evening with Vince - bargain! The details: Date: 26th November Time: 8pm - 10pm Venue: Christ Church C of E Church Hall, Waldeck Road, N15 3EP Cost: £10 members / £20 non membersNumbers are limited so you do need to purchase a ticket in advance. The person to get in touch with is Cllr Monica Whyte - contact her at this e-mail ...
I have just come out of a briefing with Somer Housing with regards to potential redevelopment or refurbishment of the Newton Road, Day Crescent and Pennyquick View area. It must be stated that many homes in Day Crescent will be refurbished and not redeveloped. Somer are looking to redevelop or refurbish the PRC properties that they own in this area. So...
Brian Paddick the Liberal Democrats candidate for mayor of London in 2008, is set to take to the jungle and become a celebrity. The retired police officer and candidate is going on the the ITV programme 'I'm a Celebrity get me out of here' to try and show people he is a normal person despite him being a senior police officer and mayor of London candidate. Now that would be interesting having Brian in the Jungle. You Can read more over at Guido's blog by following the link.
The LibDems launched their plan to cut the basic rate of income tax by 4p in the pound in July 2007. We now see both Labour and the Tories clamouring to get on board this agenda. Although for different reasons, both of the old failed parties' ideas fall well short of the mark. The economy [...]
Yesterday Yousuf criticised the Lib Dems based on how things have gone before. The fact is we all overstretched and overreached globally. Brown is determined to spend, spend, spend his way out of this without learning the lessons that brought us here in the first place. Yesterday Nick Clegg outlined the details of a new way to provide fiscal stimulus when he addressed the Commonwealth Society. Calling for a multi-lateral global response to the current crisis he said: "We need a cultural change. But I believe that change can be driven to a large extent by institutional and regulatory reform. ...
Monday night was the Annual General Meeting of Bury Liberal Democrats, and also our candidate selection for the Bury North Constituency for the next General Election. Members considered the success of the party at a local level in the last year, and elected new Officers for 2009. In 2008 I've been chair of the Local Party, a great job, but one that I was very happy to pass on to our new chair for 2009 Nissa Finney. I'm sure Nissa and new team of officers will do an excellent job taking the local party forward in the coming year. {Richards ...
In many ways it is not the age of our school buildings that is the issue but whether they are fit for purpose. It is possible to get by in a 100 year old school building that has been modernised and can accommodate the curriculum, though it is also true to say that many schools do not meet that criteria and either need to be replaced or updated at significant cost. Having said that the Tory Shadow Education Minister is absolutely right to highlight the fact that the Assembly Government have not been addressing this issue adequately. I am pleased ...
The full text of his speech to the Royal Commonwealth Society on Liberal Democrat tax policy and also the party's approach to global cooperation is now up on his website: This is a time of crisis for Britain, and for the world. The banking collapse will lead to a global recession; that much is now certain. [...]
Nick Clegg made a speech to the Commonwealth Society last night. You can read the full text on the Politics Home website: Global cooperation is the best - I believe the only - answer to these problems. The only way to dig our world back out of recession. The only way to create the growth, trade, and international rules we need for a fairer, greener, safer planet.There is also some comment on the Spectator site.
Few people can fail to have been moved by the sad and tragic story of "Baby P", neglected, hurt and finally killed by the very people who should have been caring for him. In years gone past this sort of story was commonplace, but today our standards are higher and we as a society believe we should and can do better. But we're also aware that those at the front line will feel they can't win. When a tragedy like this occurs, the story is that they should have done more; should have removed the child from the family; should ...
The Bank of China's bid to take over HBOS has been called off. The reason that China's second biggest bank walked away was apparently because of a cold shoulder from the Treasury who seem to be the only people still keen on the original, now stalled, Lloyds-TSB deal. Even the Lloyds-TSB board aren't as keen as the Treasury regarding their intitial proposal. The Treasury have denied this saying: "We wouldn't stand in the way of a serious alternative bid if one came forward and we certainly haven't put anybody off. "We just want a stability package and that is what ...
The best footwear for walking in London's wet and dismal winter is a pair of £235 satin ballet pumps. With them, wear trousers with pavement-skimming hems. Sounds ridiculous? Yep? I vote the Times Fashion and Style team onto the naughty step for this utterly useless and impractical advice. There, they will be joining the Guardian style team who, if you remember, suggested readers avoided the
Over at the New Statesman's blog, Jonathan Calder looks at Bryan Otis Ferry's position as a 'political prisoner', while looking at Lembit's long-term ambitions: Will we see more of him? I hope so. Lembit has a Westminster seat to defend and could no doubt return to the Lib Dem front bench if he chose. Besides, the alternative [...]
I found this entry titled Comparison between U.S. states and countries nominal GDP on Wikipedia which is based on figures from the International Monetary Fund list on List of countries by GDP (nominal) for world GDP and the List of U.S. states by GDP (nominal) figures.
