A very nice picture of the ISS in front of the Moon. (via Bad Astronomy)
Ideally I could have done without it but tomorrow morning I am going to Gateshead to train one constituency on doing email newsletters and to take photos. Otherwise I would have spent the time on the allotment. We have a greenhouse and a fruit cage to build. I guess I will get down there on Saturday afternoon, assuming there is no further snowfall.I do however, have to finish the next
Rt Hon Geoff Hoon MP Secretary of State for Transport, Great Minster House, 76 Marsham Street, London, SW1P 4DR Dear Rt Hon. Mr Hoon MP, On behalf of a great-full nation, thank you....thank you for making our normal working live impossible for the last five days. Why is it the Department of Transport, which during normal weather is semi competent at best, is able to cause the entire country to shut down in one demonstration of miss-action (I'm aware I have answered my own question, but let's keep going anyway) Why is it that your department is in capable of ...
...and one kills, so why not ban it, just like this: A 15-year-old boy may have battered a man to death because his personality was changed by an antidepressant drug, a specialist doctor has told a court. The boy killed Gary Belben, 59, with a hammer and attempted to kill his wife, Tanya, in Essex after being prescribed Prozac, Chelmsford Crown Court heard. [From BBC NEWS | England | Essex | Drug 'could have led boy to kill'] <!-- google_ad_client = "pub-8502734622986536"; /* 468x15 */ google_ad_slot = "9254756953"; google_ad_width = 468; google_ad_height = 15; //-->
The Brown bounce that arrived so unexpectedly in the autumn has gone. The partial recovery in the polls has turned again into a slump. Brown's standing is falling faster than the share value of a bank. Were Brown a financial services company, hedge funds would be selling him short.Labour MPs however are not selling up. They are sticking with Brown, and will continue to do so until after the
The first cold winter in Britain for a few years and the cry goes up that man-made climate change is just a myth. An MEP from the UK Independence Party was voicing the usual scepticism of his colleagues this week in the European Parliament. . But while we have been throwing snowballs at each other in Britain the fires have been burning in Australia, with people dying in record temperatures of 47 degrees that have given rise to both flash floods and forest fires. Wild extremes of weather are expected to become more and more common with global warming. Meanwhile, ...
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...by this (emphasis mine): Lesley-Anne Alexander, the RNIB's chief executive, said: "Mr Clarkson's description of Prime Minister Brown is offensive. Any suggestion that equates disability with incompetence is totally unacceptable. We would be happy to help Mr Clarkson understand the positive contribution people with sight loss make to society." [From Clarkson apologises for PM insults (From The Oxford Times)] I can only conclude that even they acknowledge that Clarkson's remark was at least two thirds true! <!-- google_ad_client = "pub-8502734622986536"; /* 468x15 */ google_ad_slot = "9254756953"; google_ad_width = 468; google_ad_height = 15; //-->
An exciting day yesterday as I spent my lunch hour welcoming party leader Nick Clegg and David Laws MP to Islington, to unveil the party's new schools policy. Council leader James Kempton chaired the group that produced the proposals, so it was great to have the launch in our borough. You can watch a section on [...]
A couple of weeks ago, LDV asked our readers the question, What's the liberal response to immigration? It sparked a fascinating comments thread, and our poll attracted over 500 votes. Here's what you told us: LDV asked: What do you think should be the basis of the UK's immigration policy? You told us: >> 23% (121) Open the borders, and impose no immigration restrictions >> 43% (225) Have managed immigration, eg through a points system >> 15% (79) Operate an annual cap on immigration, with work-permits strictly limited to 4-years >> 18% (95) Close the borders, and accept no more ...
I would never in a million years trust a Tory to defend any of our basic liberties, but I don't think Iain Dale is a racist. Nor would I, to be honest, trust a member of the Labour Party to respect individuality and the right to freedom of expression but I don't think Derek Draper is the spawn of the devil. The pair of them have been fighting all week about Iain's defence of Carol Thatcher's unfortunate turn of phrase. Now, I wouldn't have used that terminology, nor do I like it. Others may take a different view. It would ...
At the end of the BBC Sky Cops tv programme tonight the presenter told us what happened to those arrested during the program, and it pointed out the utter uselessness of the British legal system and tells us so much about why people have lost confidence in it. When referring to the "third man arrested" after an incident where they deliberately led the police helicopter in to the flightpath of Heathrow airport in an attempt to avoid arrest, the voice over said "the third man failed to turn up to court and charges against him were later dropped". What !!! ...
Just thought I would add that I ignored all advice today and drove to work fantastic journey no idiots at all. The old Saab loved the ice &snow and I got loads of work done Looking forward to weekend though
Ever since I stared writing about Westminster on a weekly basis for Liberal Democrat News, I have had it mind that Mrs Thatcher will die one day. And I have had a surprisingly magnanimous column to mark the occasion somewhere at the back of my mind. Although many people profess to hate her, I have been intending to argue, as time as gone on it has become clear that Thatcher's policies, or something very like them, were more or less inevitable. Whoever had been in power in the 1980s, we would have seen the demise of the post-war nationalised industries. ...
...is what I call "social services"! To the casual observer, Robert Holding seemed a kindly milkman who was attentive to his elderly customers as he delivered their daily pints. To the less casual observer - specifically, a surveillance team from Lancashire police - Holding, 72, turned out to be a drug dealer who was supplying cannabis from his milk float to an elderly clientele. His customers, who smoked the resin to relieve their aches and pains, would leave notes with their empty milk bottles to say how much of the drug they required. His reputation as a drug dealer spread ...
I mean, I'm sorry. I do try, I really do. My dad races 1960s sportscars. I feel a certain obligation to try to see the beauty in the combustion engine. But I just hate the bloody things. I hate how noisy they are, how smelly they are, how ugly they are - I sometimes think I've [...]
Tim Montgomerie has joint the Facebook group Thankful for President George W. Bush which is a little weird because I expected more from him. As a Tory once said that the Tories under Cameron are the "New Conservatives" but I don't think they are because people like Tim are still supportive of the man who went to Iraq and started an illegal war! Even David Cameron in the election for President of the USA in 2008 supported McCain but when team McCain lost started comparing himself with Obama. The Tories are the same conservatives they have always been and their ...
The Government is expected to admit that some online gambling sites advertising in the UK may be allowing children to gamble because of a failure to make adequate age checks. These problems were brought to ministers' attention by information revealed by the Liberal Democrats. Websites regulated overseas should only be allowed to advertise in the UK if...
Tim Montgomerie has really made me laugh with this video!
My second More or Bore column has appeared in the Evening Gazette tonight. Thank you to those who voted last week for more... CHRIS Abbott, chairman of the Yorkshire Ridings Society and a member of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, returns for a second week. I WAS born in Harrogate and as I reached my teenage years Don Revie's Leeds United team were just beginning to come good. By the time I attended my first match aged 14 they were the top side in Yorkshire. My grandad was a lifelong supporter of the club and that season they reached the ...
I have just found out that George Hargreaves a fundamentalist preacher has taken out adverts on buses proclaiming the existence of God. That's ok - it's his right as much as the athiests to do the same. What's funny is that this character called Green MSP Patrick Harvie a proud bisexual `a Gay fundamentalist` - I don't [...]
If anyone reading this knows their way around Facebook and is a tech at it then please do leave me a comment or drop me an email. I am having problems linking to my Facebook profile and every time I create a badge on Facebook it ends up not working when clicked to go to the profile! Can anyone help?
A colleague has just pointed out the excellent website http://www.theyworkforyou.com Using this site you can punch in your postcode and it helpfully brings up details about your local MP and how they have voted on key issues in the last few years. Here is Hazel Blears record (my local MP, in Salford) Has never voted on a transparent Parliament. Voted moderately for introducing a smoking ban. Voted strongly for introducing ID cards. Voted very strongly for introducing foundation hospitals. Voted strongly for introducing student top-up fees. Voted very strongly for Labour's anti-terrorism laws. Voted very strongly for the Iraq war. ...
The Great Liberal England Movie Dialogue Quiz is almost finished. There are just two more lines of dialogue to identify: Film 7 Vindaloo. Evil. It's a beast of a curry, yea, it's a real wicked bitch. Pilau rice, sweet rice, yellow rice. Rice is rice, and forever more shall be so. Potatoes with cabbage. Bombay sag potatoes. Have you ever had 'em? Beautiful. I promise you.Film 16 Ye can't feed a dog on the dole, and ye can't feed a family either.Copious clues can be found in the comments on the original posting. Please leave your best guess as to ...
ITV is being hammered for its coverage of the Liverpool vs Everton FA Cup match on Wednesday evening. In what appeared to be a rather dull game, ITV cut to adverts in the one moment something interesting happened - when Everton scored the winning goal in extra time. Blogs are full with anger. The ITV postbag has started receiving letters. A Facebook group has been established calling for the FA Cup to be returned to the BBC. Co-incidentally, US based Cable Channel KVOA-TV are being similarly criticised for leaving the Super Bowl final at a key moment in that match ...
Gordon Brown gets cheap insults from two eyed English idiots in the House of Commons every week, so I don't think another one emanating from Australia is going to bother him.
Yate's new community health centre is being built at the moment and should be ready by the autumn. It will provide outpatient appointments, hopefully a minor injuries service, X-rays and so forth, plus an integrated families' and children's advice and information centre. The project team want to hear from people who have been helped by particular services so they can find out how best to meet their needs. There will mock-ups of the building and workshops on specific services. Workshops will cover areas such as cardiology, diabetes, general surgery, audiology and respiratory conditions. The event will be held in Chipping ...
OK so this story has been in the national news already, but I love the way the Yorkshire Post phrased it. An airline passenger was caught trying to smuggle two pigeons into Australia stuffed down his trousers...They found the pigeons wrapped in padded envelopes and held to each of the man's legs with a pair of [...]
My House Points column from today's Liberal Democrat News. Frozen funds Britain shivered. Wolves and polar bears patrolled the frozen Thames while junior civil servants held snowball fights and the more conscientious MPs arrived on skis.Or so we were told. The newspapers always get overexcited when it snows on South-East England. Personally, I enjoyed an uneventful journey from Leicestershire to Manchester and back on Monday, but it sounds as though London fell to pieces. Inside the Palace of Westminster it was the Liberal Democrats' turn to decide the topics for two Commons debates. The first was on government capital expenditure ...
I am at a complete loss as to why Scottish MPs have become involved in the row regarding Jeremy Clarkson's comments about Gordon Brown. Personally I feel that Jeremy Clarkson was unnecessarily offensive, but not for the reasons that Scottish MPs got so upset. As I understand it Clarkson referred to Gordon Brown by describing him in three ways. 1) One eyed 2) Scottish 3) Idiot To refer to Gordon Browns eye problems was deeply offensive and is simply ridiculing a man who has done well to overcome a disability. For this Clarkson should apologise. Describing Gordon Brown as an ...
Yesterday LDV reported on Nick Clegg's announcement of the Lib Dems' radical new education policies to fix inequalities in Britain's 'class-based education system'. In today's Independent newspaper, there The Big Question feature has a very fair and balanced look at the issue, which you can read here - here's an excerpt: Why are we asking this now? Because the Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg has announced that, if elected, his party would dramatically reduce class sizes for children aged five to seven - to just 15. it would be part of a £2bn cash injection into education spending. Why is ...
At Lib Dem Voice.
2009 is Liverpool's Year of the Environment. Here's a link to the website - Our City Our Planet
Carol Thatcher made multiple references describing a French mixed-race tennis player as a "golliwog", "half-golliwog" and "golliwog Frog", sources say. Thatcher, dropped from BBC1's The One Show after the programme said she refused to adequately apologise for her comments in the programme green room, made multiple remarks in front of 12 people, including presenter Adrian Chiles, comedian Jo Brand
I now know when I will be appearing on Mastermind. It'll be the 27th February at 7 30 on BBC 2. This was recorded back in the Summer so all seems a long time ago now but it's nice to know it'll finally be shown. I am answering questions about Seinfeld.
White blanket - that's Aberdeen as I arrived earlier today, and then the heavens opened up and the snow started again, thick and heavy and in just a few minutes I was a walking snowman!I was up here to spend time with the Lib Dem Council Group - a good day.Then off to Aberdeen station to head back to Edinburgh, eventually the train was adverised - just 2 coaches though - come on Scotrail, what planet are you on? ------------------
After receiving an email from Twitter telling me Derek Draper was following me on Twitter I was sort of amused but left wondering that what game is Derek trying to play. Like I have said in the past, Derek has failed with his project Labourlist and the best thing he can do now is to stick with micro blogging which he is getting the hang off! Derek wanted to control the blogosphere and he has not been able to do that making his blog unpopular for many unlike John Prescott who really has succeeded as a blogger and I have ...
I have added an IP address blocker to the blog which will redirect nuisance readers away from the blog when they try and get on. I have added one reader who was getting a little irritating and hopefully I have blocked the right person. If I have blocked the wrong person then I should be receiving an email very soon if not I have succeeded in my mission to keep irritating people out. Personally I think its great to be able to go to this tool and use it to control people who are coming to the blog to pick ...
Guido is back to his childish tricks by looking at all the bad luck that is linked with visits the Prime Minister takes around the country and one is most interesting out of the lot. Guido writes in the blog post: "Liverpool radio DJ Phil Easton dies after interviewing Gordon Source : Liverpool Echo" Now that is all interesting because I don't think that has anything to do with the Prime Minister and the bad luck he is bringing to the country, but then again what can you say? Guido is a really childish blogger and he even beats me ...
The Contractors for the developer of the East Anton Major Development Area will soon start highway improvement works on Smannell Road. This work includes the construction of roundabouts at the junctions of Smannell Road with Cricketers Way and Roman Way. In addition a new cycleway will be provided in the area. Following the roundabout completion the contractor will then start work to widen Smannell Road through the development site and on to Smannell. To carry these works out safely, the road will need to be closed to through traffic. Discussions are to take place shortly on a suitable diversion route. ...
Boris Johnson really is becoming quite a pastmaster at the language of......er.....snow. He's even at one point spoken to God or, at least, "the heavens", about the matter. Just a few days he said: There's no doubt about it, this is the right kind of snow, it's just the wrong kind of quantities. "My message to the heavens is: 'You've put on a fantastic display of snow power but that is probably
Last night Labour's last councillor in Haverstock ward in Camden resigned his membership of the party and defected to the Liberal Democrats. Councillor Syed Hoque cited the Labour government's response to the recent fighting in Gaza as central to his decision. He has also described his unhappiness with the Camden Labour group, in particular his belief that those in charge of Camden Labour are rude, arrogant and out of touch with local people. This takes the number of Camden Liberal Democrat councillors to 24, an all time high. The number of Liberal Democrat councillors in Holborn & St Pancras constituency ...
You may be interested in my question to the leader of the Opposition at Stockport's Full Council last night. Q: Is Cllr Scott aware that Stockport residents are disallowed the right to apply for Range 1-3 entry-level vacancies at Manchester City Council? A: Yes Q: Does he agree with me that given the tough economic times and the [...]
PROPOSALS from the Liberal Democrats for big improvements to schools and teaching will see around £11 million of extra cash for schools in Bury to boost the education and life chances of thousands of children say local party members. The plans were launched by Party Leader Nick Clegg and Shadow Secretary of State for Schools, David Laws MP. They call for raising standards in all local schools; closing the gap between children from rich and poor families and ending the era of Government meddling in education. Speaking about the proposals to a meeting of members and residents, Councillor Tim Pickstone, ...
Sorry for the temporary hiatus in Final Crisis Week yesterday - I discovered that the local IMAX was showing a double bill of both Batman films for nine quid, and so that was five hours of the day gone... I was going to make up for it this morning, but then realised I can't write [...]
Jeremy Clarkson has apologised for calling Gordon Brown "a one-eyed Scottish idiot". I think that's quite right. Well done Clarkson! It's OK calling Brown an "idiot" or accusing him of "lying". But dragging a disability into it is really not on. In his apology, Clarkson said: In the heat of the moment I made a remark about the Prime Minister's personal appearance for which, upon refection, I
My first few months as leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats have been hectic to say the least. I am pleased to say that I have been much in demand both by external groups and also with our members across Wales. It has been slightly frustrating that much of the media coverage has been dominated by the fact that I'm a woman rather than what I may offer as a politician, but that is a novelty that
Camden Liberal Democrats' apparently inexorable rise took another leap forward today with the defection to the party of Haverstock Ward Labour Councillor Syed Hoque. In a public statement, Cllr. Hoque declared, 'The Labour Party I joined 20 years ago has changed beyond recognitiion... Labour foreign policies have been a disaster. The decision to support George [...]
With thanks to Hansard... I am grateful to my noble friend Lord Bradshaw for giving us a chance in this brief debate to air some of the concerns that I am picking up from colleagues in local government around the country. I would imagine that they are fairly widespread concerns. When I first came to your Lordships' House, the first legislation that I participated in was the Transport Act 2000, which introduced concessionary fares. At the time, we on these Benches suggested that it would be a good idea to have a national scheme rather than one that was operated ...
Roll up, roll up and then carefully insert the filter tip into this, the third Carnival of Modern Liberty! (I don't know whether it's just mounting hysterical terror, but I find my puns getting steadily worse with each passing week as the government unleashes some fresh illiberal hell on us.) Anyway, should you need a bit of refresher scaring, today's BBC report on some recent recommendations of the Lords' committee for constitutional reform is as good a way as any to remind yourself of what is at stake here: Electronic surveillance and collection of personal data are "pervasive" in British ...
Due to adverse weather, the Quiz Evening has been postponed. A new date will be announced shortly.
I seem to be taking regular lattes at the Himmelgarten Cafe. Its author Costigan Quist (for it is he) made some salient points this morning about the furore over Jeremy Clarkson's remarks about Gordon Brown. I agree with CQ that Clarkson is very much an entertainer. He's made a living out of exaggerated language, basically. Ruby Wax once corrected an interviewer who was implying that she, the
Chichester DC, Plaistow date: 05/02/2009 Con 455 (57.1; -21.0) LD Ray Cooper 342 (42.9; +21.0) Majority 113 Turnout 21.3% Con hold Percentage change is since May 2007 Tameside MBC, Hyde Newton date: 05/02/2009 Lab 1379 (45.6; +9.0) BNP 889 (29.4; +1.9) Con 485 (16.0; -7.8) LD Peter S Ball-Foster 172 (5.7; -6.5) Green 69 (2.3; +2.3) UKIP 33 (1.1; +1.1) Majority 490 Turnout 32.0% Lab hold
Heath Town Ward in Wolverhampton City Centre had a by-election yesterday, the result was Labour held the seat, the Conservatives came second and the Liberal Democrats third, I haven't seen any of the literature and took no part in the election but below is some analysis.
Phillip Schofield will earn £45,000 for each appearance on the new series of ITV's Mr and Mrs. But here's the rub. His co-presenter Fern Britton, only gets paid £15,000 a programme! And here's the even bigger rub: This has just been revealed and the spokesman said that Fern Britton wouldn't have been aware of this until now! Methinks the frostiness outside will creep into the Green Room the
Tony Blair was the first British politician to meet Barack Obama but they has to be a meaning to the meeting and I think I know why. I don't like Blair mind you can you blame me but I think he is a better politician then Brown. Brown is a national humiliation something Tony Blair did not become. Tony made mistakes with making Brown his successor and by going to Iraq behind his master George Bush but he did not mess the whole state up financially something Brown did without trying. And that is a surprise! Barack Obama has made ...
Poor BBC! It seems that they simply can't get it right. After the Jonathan Ross affair and the Gaza appeal debacle, now it's the time of Christian Bale. The BBC aired the actor's abuse of a member of the crew before the watershed. They apologised. Why? I agree they needed to apologise for Jonathan Ross. I agree they should have broadcast the Gaza appeal, but it strikes me as ridiculous and
Over the last few weeks our newspapers have been filled with headlines about alleged corruption in the House of Lords. The accusations of peers amending laws in exchange for cash are deeply shocking, and this case points to the urgent need to reform our Parliament and revive British democracy. The truth is, it's high time we drag our political system into the 21st century. For millions of people across the UK our Parliament feels remote and out of touch and nowhere more so than the House of Lords, where power still rests on privilege. Labour has failed to live up ...
New Christian bus adverts? How fantastic. Now we can just claim things without ASA pulling us up on it. By the way, voting Liberal Democrat will increase your life expectancy by 10 years. I can do that now.
The President of the United States swears like a trooper.
This story is shocking. Absolutely shocking. "Some 79% thought their school was not safe for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people to be open about their sexuality." "66% of pupils believed their school is not safe for heterosexual students to support their LGBT friends, and 56% felt it was not safe for teachers and staff to be openly gay." It is high time the Welsh Assembly Government took this issue and worked to improve our schools for 79% of LGBT teenagers, who must dread every single day of their school life. It is not right that so many vulnerable ...
Question Time was most entertaining last night. Will Young - I thought he was very good and very refreshing. He could do with speeding up his speech though. He has a tendency shared by one of my relatives. He speaks, sometimes, with big gaps between his words, so you almost nod off while you're waiting for the next word. Shami was at her most effective. She really is a whirligig of passion. The
Cllrs Armand Edwards and Nicholas Coombes will be available on Saturday 7th at 10am in Bathwick St Mary's Church hall. There is no need to make an appointment to see your councillors. Sorry for the short notice on the website; this is in Focus.
With rumour that a government minister had arrived at the college everything turned perfect people put their phones away and everyone tried to become good angles, but who was it really? I did only see his shadow from the door he was passing but no one not even College lecturers know who the heck he was! Was it someone from the Ministry of Education or was it a civil servant, does anyone know? I don't even think the Principal knows and is just showing the stranger around the college maybe we will read about it in a local paper next ...
Friday: Number of people DEAD as a result of the Jonathan Woss / Russell Brand-name telephone titter: NIL. (Daily Mail leads campaign AGAINST BBC) Number of people DEAD as a result of measles due to the fall in MMR vaccinations: NOT NIL. (Daily Mail leads campaign FOR measles) The Daily Hate Mail: we kill people to boost our profits; trust US over the BBC or your house price will fall!!!!!!!!! Fluffy Footnote: anyone at all familiar with where the Daily Mail's support lay in 1938 will know that accusing the BBC of using "informants" to oust Ms Thatch is IRONIC: ...
Labour do appear to have forgotten that slogan. I have to admit, I really like the new Education policy that the Lib Dem education people announced yesterday. For the uninitiated, in essence it promises to cut KS1 class sizes to 15ish, pump a vast amount of money into the school system, the creation of an independent standards authority, cutting the National Curriculum from 600 pages to 20 (hooray!) and give more powers to academies... Oh bugger. It was going so well too. Let me discuss the major problem with the Academy system in this country. It doesn't work - in ...
The last remaining trial at the US detention facility at Guantanamo Bay has been halted, marking the end of a chapter in the disgraceful saga of Camp Delta. There are still a reported 250 detainees in custody there and the Obama administration has warned that it might take a year to close the facility down, [...]
Fri 6th
10:41
school class size, redundancy payments, titanic boa, NY sniffs out the culprit, rant remix
I was delighted to read Nick Clegg's announcement on education policies, particularly on reducing class size for infant school age children. As a parent I would never dream of looking after twenty to thirty kids of that age on my own, so why would we expect teachers to do so? Reducing class size frees teachers up to teach rather than practise crowd control and gives them the classroom space to explore ways to make education fun and, at that age, a 'doing' thing. You can read here about how the government is looking into improving redundancy payments. I still think ...
Poor Michael Phelps. I hope tabloid photo-journalists won't mind losing their jobs one day after their coke-parties and drinking games have been uncovered. However, whilst it's not very nice being dumped, who would want to work for Kellogg anyway. This is a firm whose family founders were rather bonkers. Whilst it was his brother, W K Kellogg, that founded the company, the actual cornflake inventor (whose only creditworthiness seems to have been that he wanted his recipe to be "open source" rather than patented - which is where his brother and he parted company), was John Harvey Kellogg who, amongst ...
I left Bristol Airport at 0650 hrs Monday, escaping before the week's heavier snowfalls. I was in Strasbourg that afternoon to speak in the debate on the EU's second strategic energy review, devoting my speech almost entirely to the promotion of an EU renewable energy supergrid and to publicising a pamphlet I was to launch two days later "Making the green energy switch in a time of crisis" (available from my website www.grahamwatsonmep.org . At a time of economic depression, man-made climate change and over-reliance on foreign energy suppliers, a bold project like the supergrid would help on all three ...
All council-run schools in South Glos are now closed for Friday, a priority service is operating for community wheels, there will be no refuse collections and all Sort IT centres are closed. Check South Glos Council's website for more news.
The nurse who was suspended for offering to pray for an elderly patient has been re-instated. I am rather relieved by this. But I can't help but think that I have double standards. Why don't I want Carol Thatcher reinstated on the One Show? Oh gawd...not all that again. Himmelgarten Cafe has a very thoughtful, hopefully, final word on that latter episode. It's been an interesting week for moral
{Classroom} PROPOSALS from the Liberal Democrats for big improvements to schools and teaching will see around £11 million of extra cash for schools in Bury to boost the education and life chances of thousands of children say local party members. The plans were launched by Party Leader Nick Clegg and Shadow Secretary of State for Schools, David Laws MP. They call for raising standards in all local schools; closing the gap between children from rich and poor families and ending the era of Government meddling in education. Speaking about the proposals to a meeting of members and residents, Councillor Tim ...
Alright, it is true that I said that I would write a motion to go to the London Region Conference on the question of how we select our Mayoral candidate for 2012. Why should I feel moved to do so? Well, I'm kind of unhappy about the way the debate is being steered at the moment, and rather less happy about the way that the decision has seemingly been made with the views of four people, one of
Nothing like starting a blog post with a Darth Vader quote, but needless to say I'm back on the internet! Turns out that you can plug someone else's Sky Broadband router into your own Sky Broadband enabled ADSL line and this works. Don't ask me why or how, but it does. Was it worth the hassle, and the shame of doing business with News International? Well, yes, basically: I downloaded a 1.1 gig file via Bittorrent in 10 minutes. This being an activity that, thanks to BT throttling, would take a whole day. This pleases me. I am pleased. Rupert ...
Participant A: "We must do X" Participant B: "You can't do that because X will happen." Participant A: "No it won't" or "I don't care" Repeat until strangulation occurs.
Of course, being the President of the Liberal Democrats is not without its difficulties. Naturally, I need to ensure my security at all times, so I've been auditioning some applicants... I think these two make me look shorter than I really am, so they'll have to go...
The Liberal Democrat proposals on schools would mean extra financing of between 9 and 10 million per annum in Southend. But the impact would probably be much more widely felt, as a useful piece in the Independent shows. Would the reduction make much difference? The most often cited research - the STAR (Student/Teacher Achievement Ratio) research in Tennessee, USA, showed that it was only when class size reduction was significant that there was an identifiable difference in pupil performance. The study compared classes of 13 to 17 pupils (specifically set up for the project) with classes of 22 to 26 ...
Fri 6th
08:30
Goldacre threatened with legal action over criticism of anti-MMR radio broadcast - UPDATED
Here we go again. Ben Goldacre, author of the badscience blog, recently posted a critical piece regarding a broadcast by LBC Radio's Jeni Barrnett that took a vehemently anti-MMR stance. I would happily link to that piece on Ben's blog, only I can't. Perhaps teh internets have got demons by pure coincidence, perhaps the badscience server's having problems - for whatever reason, I can't access
A logical deduction: Scenario A: Gordon Brown didn't know the Housing Market was a bubble. In this scenario, Brown is clearly a moron. House prices could never rise forever but this was the fundamental belief that turned property into the speculative investment of a lifetime. People in the know were hoping to make their money and get out before it all crashed. If I knew it was a Bubble, then our supposedly economically literate and 'highly intelligent' Prime Minister should have known, too. Therefore, if he didn't know it was a Bubble he's proven himself to be a moron. Scenario ...
On a lighter note proposals by the Conservatives will give greater powers to teachers including the ability to confiscate iPods and mobile phones from disruptive children. It is not clear whether this will apply in Wales but if so the Welsh Conservative Leader, Nick Bourne and his Local Government Spokesperson, Alun Cairns will need to behave in Plenary sessions lest the Presiding Officer uses the same sanction against them. N.B. It is a fact that whenever a mobile phone goes off in the Chamber it invariably belongs to a Conservative Assembly Member. This has not always been the case though. ...
Those who are concerned at the gradual erosion of our civil liberties under this Labour Government (and their Tory predecessors) will be interested in this report in today's Guardian. The paper tells us that a House of Lords report has concluded that the steady expansion of the "surveillance society" risks undermining fundamental freedoms including the right to privacy. They argue that Britain leads the world in the use of CCTV, with an estimated 4 million cameras, and in building a national DNA database, with more than 7% of the population already logged compared with 0.5% in the America. They warn ...
Last week I ended up sitting next to Alison Steadman on the tube - most recently seen in Gavin & Stacey but well known for an extensive career on tv and stage. She was presumably heading home to Highgate after starring in the Alan Bennett play Enjoy. Owen has already seen it and thought it was very good, I'm going to have to get around to seeing it myself. I had been sitting on the tube trying to figure out if it definitely was Alison Steadman when the person she was travelling with pointed out her interview in that day's ...
Liberal Democrats on Bury Council are "ashamed" of the treatment of Council staff in the recent Pay and Grading review, according to Liberal Democrat Group Leader Cllr Tim Pickstone. Cllr Pickstone, speaking at the meeting of Bury Council on February 4th, said "In all honesty, I was ashamed of the review. I was ashamed that that staff were sent letters saying that their salary would drop - only to be sent new letters a couple of months later saying that the rates would fall even more, and ashamed that staff were sent dismissal letters giving over the Christmas holidays, and ...
I have today launched my February 2009 update to West End Community Council. Issues covered include : • Taylor's Lane Graffiti • Planning Decisions • Lock Up Site - Thomson Street • Roseangle Play Park • Street Drains : Minto Place, Strawberrybank, Richmond Terrace • Bus Stops • New Schools Proposal The Community Council meets next Tuesday (10th February) at 7pm in Logie St John's (Cross) Church Hall. You can download a copy of the Update by clicking on the headline above.
The consultation period for the introduction of Haringey's first car club is to be extended for three more weeks, until, up until Thursday 26th February (see earlier post) It was due to end yesterday, but something went wrong with the publication of the official notice. This is clearly good news - if you haven't responded. pic: colleagues Lynne Feathertone, Rachel Allison and Martin Newton love car clubs! ...
I guess it didn't take long, but after a period when my local Sainsbury's took the plastic bags off of public display they have put them back. Considering how effective and determined they are about offers such 'as buy one, get one half price' etc I find it difficult and annoying that they don't apply the same level of effort to making the area plastic bag free. The reality is that shop assistants and staff, driven by a lack of managerial political will and a negative consideration of the environment are perpetuating the production and free distribution of plastic bags. ...
Perhaps this week was designated "Right-wingers employed by the BBC insult people week" and I just didn't notice. Just as the furore around Carol Thatcher and her comment about a tennis player started to die down, up steps the delightful Jeremy Clarkson to the wicket. Clarkson is, of course, no fan of liberals and their causes. His BBC Top Gear show isn't beyond a little re-organising of the facts when they don't quite fit the petrol-head agenda. Despite that, he's an entertaining and popular presenter and author. So when, in Australia, Clarkson referred to our very own Prime Minister Gordon ...
When I first moved to Scotland and indeed West Lothian the after a few month living with the then partners family I moved into my own wee flat, it was in the old Croftmalloch ward of Whitburn. While at the start of my time there I had my own little car but later on I didn't have my own transport. I had to get to work in Edinburgh and if I was on a early shift the only way I could guarantee getting there was to get on the X33 service (or it's equivalent then) to get into town. Even ...
There is a Star Trek: The Next Generation episode called "Who Watches the Watchers?" in which a group of anthropologists are uncovered when their disguised hide observing a pre-First Contact civilisation is compromised by a power failure of their holographic false front. That may be away in the future Stardate 43173.5 to be precise, to please the geeks and Trekees/Trekers amongst my readers, and is a fairly innocent issue of how to maintain the Prime Directive. Something we could well do with and the sooner the better. But let me take you a date far closer to today. Indeed only ...
It's not often I agree with Brian Souter, but the Stagecoach boss along hotelier Donald Macdonald and entrepreneur Sir Tom Farmer are heading off to see the First Minister to urge him to do more for the economy. The three all SNP benefactors apparently believe the executive hasn't done enough to remove the over dependence of Scotland on the public sector over the private; thinking that many of the government's MSPs as well as those at local authority level don't get just how severe the economic deterioration is. There is also concern as borne out by the Lib Dem budget ...
You may be interested in my question to the leader of the Opposition. No, not David Cameron but Cllr Peter Scott on Stockport Council (Lab) Q: Is Cllr Scott aware that Stockport residents are disallowed the right to apply for Range 1-3 entry-level vacancies at Manchester City Council? A: Yes Q: Does he agree with me that given the [...]
The last couple of days have made interesting reading on CarolThatchergate. But there's still a little more for me to say, as I don't think my previous post on the topic or the others that I've seen have quite got to the bottom of what's really going on. This is my attempt to do that. Having racist beliefs or thoughts is never a reason to ban or sack anyone Neither society nor the state should create thought crimes. If we sanction someone merely for having racist thoughts, that's exactly what we're doing. I might disapprove of that person's opinions. I ...
This is what those of you who didn't come missed:Mat trying to start a fight with the local branch of CAMRA (who had got our room by virtue of there being more of them)The gorgeous and Libertarian-esque Charlotte Gore turning up and being herselfA very exciting and interesting legal discussion between myself and Hywel which did not result in everyone else turning away and discussing other stuff at allThe local CAMRA leaving a large quantity of buffet (which they paid for and we ate)lots of lovely BEER... and a rather nice single maltEr... yes. I may have consumed a moderate ...
I blogged in the summer about how it was rubbish that immigrants were taking "our" jobs. There has been a big row again this last week involving foreign workers. This all suits the Labour government (and the Conservatives who invented most of the deregulation) - to divert attention from their central role in creating the problems we face. It is worth remembering that our collective national
