The entire National Liberal Club reverberated melodiously this evening, when the mezzo-soprano Henrietta Bewley (Chair of the Hammersmith and Fulham Liberal Democrats local party) gave a delightful performance of arias by Bizet, Verdi and Puccini as part of a cheese-and-wine fund-raising event for the London European election campaign. I had certainly never realised what brilliant [...]
As we trudge round in the snow, spare a thought for the people who help elderly and disabled folk get around - Community Transport. They have been out and about in the snow helping people who would otherwise have been stuck indoors - unable to go out, or just frightened of falling and breaking a bone. It's been hard enough driving a car at times lately, let alone a minibus. Well done Community Transport staff!
I've recently posted an article on my work with the Chernobyl children's charities and the possible threat to their work. Take a look on the Dunfermline Press website
I've got nothing against celebrity chefs. In fact, Matt Tebbut can come and cook for me anytime. But although I'm more of a Market Kitchen girl than a Ready Steady Cook fan, I've got nothing against Antony Worrall Thompson - except that he's an opponent of the smoking ban and once fancied himself as the [...]
One problem I've had with Final Crisis that no-one else seems to have had - or if they have, I've not seen them mention it - is the portrayal of women and the (lack of) portrayal of gay people. Now, don't get me wrong here - I'm not going to get all faux-outraged at the scenes [...]
Three years ago about now news was seeping through from the count at Queen Anne High School. Campaign Manager Paul Rainger and Agent Peter Barrett were keeping expectations under control but were starting to prepare for the shockwaves to come. I still remember every second of that night as if it were only yesterday. Tonight I celebrated in style. Champagne? No. Caviar? No. Surveying on the sub zero, dark streets of Crossford with party colleagues. Yes - I wouldn't have it any other way.
The fact that the head of Barclays Bank thinks bank bonuses are a good thing that should remain should come as no shock to anyone. It is like asking the head of Cadbury's if people should buy chocolate or a Premiership footballer if he thinks footballers are overpaid. But the argument she gives just do not hold water. The most often used argument from those who support bonuses for the fat cats in the city is that "if you don't pay them the going rate, these people will go elsewhere", but this argument holds no water at all now as ...
Benedict Brogan senses rumblings afoot and that Speaker Martin could be out by the summer. We can only hope!Andy Reed at LabourList urges Brown and Mandelson to action on bonuses rather than just threats. I couldn't agree more. Nick Robinson on Ed's Balls-up. Mr Eugenides seems to agree with me on Jacqui Smith's diatribe today.
Is chuffed to see the Power of Information taskforce report on the Huffington Post courtesy of Craig Newmark http://tinyurl.com/az3jr7
Madelaine Bunting had an article in the Guardian today arguing that David Cameron should embrace the "neglected tradition of English radical conservatism" if he wants to attract voters back to the Conservative Party. I think that Cameron sense this intellectually, even though he is by nature a narrow economic Tory in the Thatcherite mould. The thinkers Bunting elects to this "red Tory" tradition are William Cobbett, John Ruskin, G.K. Chesterton and Hilaire Belloc. Cobbett and Ruskin are fascinating figures who could - and should - be claimed by both left and right. Chesterton was a Liberal of sorts, as is ...
The link is a link to legal issues in New York about this important, but unpublicised issue.
The Red Tory debate, the subject of a forthcoming book by the Conservative theorist Phillip Blond, featured in a fascinating column by Madeleine Bunting in the Guardian today. I'm especially interested because I have been, in a small way, trying to suggest that a very similar mixture of small enterprise, localism, voluntaryism and anti-trust legislation against big business might be the way forward for political Liberalism. Yet here we are discussing it as the new direction for Cameron, backed by a whole range of Conservative luminaries. I'm not saying I agree with everything Blond says, and there are some ...
Islington-based charity the National Council for Voluntary Organisations is 90 years old. And they're celebrating in style by having Vince Cable to speak at their annual conference on Wednesday 18 February.
In his 2008 conference speech, Nick Clegg promised the Liberal Democrats would soon spell out exactly how the party would fund its policy priorities - new spending on Lib Dem policies, including tax cuts for the vast majority of citizens: I want this to be the most progressive - most redistributive - tax plan ever put forward by a British political party. Using just a little of the money the government wastes every day. To help people in their everyday lives. That doesn't mean cutting help for the poorest, of course. It doesn't mean stopping vital investment in hospitals and ...
Another Poll out today puts Labour behind the Tories by 14%, which will add more doubt to the people who think Brown might win the next general election who I am among and it will kick the Labour party in the balls as they will lose all confidence leading up to the general election. The poll results are as followed: CONSERVATIVES 42% LABOUR 28% LIB DEMS 18% The poll is a Populus that will be published in the Times tomorrow and its interesting because it will massage the backs of any Tories who are still not celebrating early for a ...
Mon 9th
20:36
Finding the money to pay for the ambitious Lib Dem proposals for children and young people
Now here are some good ideas: Provide 20 hours of free child care for any family that needs it for children under the age of 18 months Reduce infant class sizes to 15Provide a Pupil Premium for up to 2.5 million disadvantaged children, each payable directly to the child's state school. This could be used by the school to pay for one-to-one tution, to attract high quality teachers, to...
Derek Draper is handing out bottles of Champagne for everything even if you fart he might give you a bottle of Champagne because the low life failed blogger has nothing better to do except hand out bottles of Champagne and tick the rest of the world off. Personally I am getting a little bored of Derek Draper and his childish games to try and get a Labour online appearance. John Prescott has come late to the world of blogging, but has he taken it by surprise. John has got me hooked upon reading his blog everyday something Draper has failed ...
Mon 9th
20:23
Local Government Review - Norfolk and Suffolk: County elections likely in June as Boundary Commissio...
We were expecting to hear the final proposals for Norfolk and Suffolk this month but, following a partly successful application for judicial review of the review process in Devon by East Devon District Council, the Boundary Commission will now report to Hazel Blears on 15 July. It appears that the Boundary Commission were of the view that they could only offer one proposal. Surely they haven't
Has Britannia been missing form your life? Last year, the Royal Mint removed the image of Britannia from the UK's coins, where her image has appeared since 1672. Now Lib Dem MP John Hemming has launched a new campaign to restore Britannia to her rightful place. I kid you not. The Birmingham Post reports: John Hemming (Lib Dem Yardley) wants Britannia to make a comeback and believes the £2 coin would be the perfect place for her return. The campaign has won the support from MPs of all parties after setting out his proposal in a House of Commons motion. ...
Taking a winter break from eco-evangelism in the Swiss ski resort of Zermatt, I was struck by how this beautiful mountain village in the shadow of the Matterhorn might hold the electric car keys to Hampstead's future. For Zermatt is a village without cars. Or, to be more precise, there are no fossil fuel-powered cars. The only motorised vehicles in Zermatt are electric and they can only be used by businesses and essential services. Even the police ride around in electric vans. Not many people know this but the first ever cars, back in the nineteenth century, were in fact ...
In response to the pledge to cut taxes and redistribute spending to priority issues today marked another step along that path. Cable said earlier today that he and Jeremy Browne would be carrying out a thorough and painstaking review of all central government spending. The end target is to highlight £20bn of public expenditure that can be reallocated to places it is needed more and better spent. The first of those priorities was also focused on today education. From providing 20 hours of free quality care and nursery education for every child from 18 months. To infant classes no larger ...
Le 29 janvier, une journée de grève a paralysé notre pays. Le sens de ces blocages reste inconnu de tous : à quoi rime la grève contre la crise ? Dans une période aussi sombre, ne serait-il pas logique de redoubler plutôt d'effort et de solidarité ? Ce n'est pas l'avis des bastions du service public, aux emplois protégés, qui ont nourri le gros des bataillons de ces manifestations, brandissant le sempiternel « Toujours plus ». 400 millions d'euros de coût pour notre pays, pour une seule journée de grand blocage, et des millions de vies perturbées, voire handicapées, ce ...
You can join the cause here. I'm the second member - Wow! It was started by Tim Maguire who is a Humanist Celebrant.
Note: I originally wrote this article for Lib Dem Voice, where it was published on 29 January. Mark Pack asked this very question - What sort of recession is this anyway? - on Liberal Democrat Voice the other day. Yesterday, the IMF offered a top down view which is frankly frightening. My political activity began in the economic chaos of the early Thatcher years and I live in fear of a return to the levels of unemployment of the 1980s. How does it look from Southend? Immediately after selection as Liberal Democrat candidates for the two Southend consituencies, Graham Longley ...
From the Leicester Mercury: A shop owner has vowed to continue selling "golly" dolls, despite the controversy which surrounds the toys.David O'Neill and wife, Angela, of Ashby, have received numerous poisonous e-mails accusing them of being racists.Interest in the cuddly toys had been sparked by the national row involving Carol Thatcher.The broadcaster and journalist was axed from her role on the BBC's One Show for referring to a tennis player as a "golliwog" in a private conversation.Mr and Mrs O'Neill's business, Ashby Bears.com, based in Rushton's Yard, off Market Street, in Ashby, sells teddy bears and gollies to collectors across ...
On The Wardman Wire.
Sorry for the lack of posts, It's been a busy old few weeks. Last Tuesday I met officers to discuss progress on improving Hexham Estate, something the Lib Dems have long campaigned for in Redlands. Following the successful public consultation before Christmas, residents are being given the opportunity to say what areas they would like to see improved and in what order, on their estate. We will continue to give residents our 100% support and political backing to ensure their wishes are translated into concrete results and a better quality of life for all. Work to improve the look and feel of ...
I am very dismayed by Jacqui Smith's behaviour today in the Commons. She has made some disparaging remarks about Professor David Nutt's comment about the use of ecstacy. As I blogged about here on Saturday, Professor Nutt made some thought provoking comments about the number of deaths linked to ecstacy each year and how that compares with the number of people who die through horse riding. I despair sometimes of how any sort of rational debate about issues like drugs goes completely out of the window. I will take some of her comments as reported in the article linked at ...
It has been announced today that, following a ruling on an application for judicial review of the Local Government Review for Devon, the Boundary Commission will now report to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on 15 July, i.e. after the scheduled county elections. Originally, they were due to report on 13 February. I have tabled an urgent question to the Minister in the Lords, seeking clarification as to what this means in terms of elections in both Norfolk and Suffolk, and will publish the answer as soon as I get it...
This story is a really odd one. It is about a hospital not treating a child who was refusing to eat. What I find odd about the Health Stats is how we have such a large number of children who starve to death compared to other European Countries.
Greetings from a less-than-snowy Cardiff, where the lack of meteorological chaos has allowed the business of devolution to continue unabated. More's the pity...Power To The PoblThe big news is, of course, that the Welsh Language LCO is upon us. To the uninitiated (and, indeed, most of the initiated) it might seem strange that Welsh language powers aren't already devolved, but that would be to
It never ceases to amaze me that people would risk their lives to get to their destination a few seconds sooner. This video from Railtrack on BBC Online shows "near miss" level crossing incidents, including one in Camarthenshire. You can see from the last clip that a fellow gets so near to being run down by a fast train that one of his shoes is knocked off by it.
I have to admit that Friday night's Presidential visit was not necessarily ill-starred, but it felt like it at times. The original plan had been to drive from London, attend the dinner, and then drive to Suffolk. However, last Monday's snow put paid to that idea and, instead, we were forced to improvise. Continued snowfall on Friday had led to the early closure of the Revenue & Customs office
I am going to start a Label called the Speakers Corner which will allow others to be able to blog via this blog. All you have to do is send in your posts to me at irfanahmed91@gmail.com and if I think they are not too stupid, silly or childish I shall publish them. All press releases from Pendle Liberal Democrats will be published in the Speakers Corner! So if you want a crack at blogging get to it!
Inevitably the economic circumstances at the time of the next general election will play a large part in determining how, over what timescale, and at what cost, our commitment to giving every child the best chance in life will be delivered. Nonetheless, in the midst of the most severe economic crisis for half a century, we need to demonstrate that ambitious policies for our children's futures can be afforded. Further tax rises or borrowing are simply not credible sources of finance for current spending. Only with reallocation of funds from lower priority government spending can we be certain we can ...
Long live the union:-) LibDig This!
Over 17 years ago, a friend of Eluana Englaro died in an awful accident and was left in a vegetative state for a period of time. Then, his organs failed and he dies completely. We learn from Eluana's father that she was horrified and told family and friends that she wouldn't have wanted to be kept 'going', had something like this happened to her. It happened. She's been in a permanent coma for 17
After watching a video in which Yasmin Alibhai-Brown a writer for many newspapers and hater of blogs tells the story of how she wet herself when being interviewed by plain clothed police officers has got me thinking. In Britain currently Muslim's are the people who are getting the finger pointed at because of the behaviour of a minority among us. In the past it has been the Irish people and now its the Muslim's and personally I think we are being treated a way that if another community was treated things would have been much different. Putting that aside the ...
The Jacqui Smith "second home" farrago once again highlights the ludicrous mismanagement of MP's allowances (especially the second homes allowance), as did the revelations about the Wintertons some time ago. But I do wonder whether our learned friends might be currently poring over this article by Peter Oborne which includes the words: She is claiming tens of thousands of pounds to which she is
A hostile writer hiding behind a nom de plume attacks me in a local paper. Why am I not concentrating on my region? "Is Chris Davies the MEP for the North West or the MEP for the Middle East?" I could respond by saying that it's not my fault. I never intended to get involved in an issue which commands such attention or which I find so emotionally draining. Every MEP serves on one delegation that meets at least annually with legislators from a country or region outside the EU. In the last parliament I served on the Cyprus one, ...
Paul Jobbins, the Lib Dem Focus candidate in the Sodbury by-election, has already been responsible for the large amount of trees that have been planted on the Ridings. He recently wrote a report about getting the Commons around Sodbury to be less "sterile" and making them more attractive for walkers, cyclists and riders. Paul is a confirmed country lover who takes preserving the green space around Sodbury seriously and is committed to fighting any proposals to build large numbers of houses on the fields around our town. Steve Webb says . . . "Paul is great addition to our team. ...
Hurrah! Good news for Jacksons Lane Arts Centre. It has been under threat of closure since last year when Cllr Neil Williams and I went personally to beg the Arts Council to carry on with its grant - and got a one year reprieve. The year is up - and on Wednesday the Arts Council will decide its future. Haringey Council has been the absolute sticking point - unwilling to commit any extra money at all - which is the price the Arts Council has been demanding as they want to see council commitment if they are going to put ...
Back in the summer of 1987 I had a temporary Economics teacherat Regent House. At the time he was a Belfast City Councillor and press officer for the DUP. We would occasionally have our classed broken my his phone and early mobile going off in the the storeroom where it was inevitably on charge. We had a propaganda machine in our classroom. That early mobile would feed one sides argument to the BBC, UTV or the printed press. That propaganda machine's user is now the Northern Irish Environment Minister Sammy Wilson MP, MLA. Not everyone, certainly not the majorities, ideal ...
Carers Forum I attended this special December meeting of the Carers Forum. The main topic of discussion was about Christmas Shopping from a Carers Perspective. The Sutton Town Centre Manager Emily Fahey and Edwina McCarthy, Access Officer for Sutton Centre for Independent Living and Learning had been invited to talk about the work they had been [...]
After a year of reading about himself in the press, Lib Dem MP Lembit Opik has decided to open up to the Daily Mail about last year's annus horribilis by writing an exclusive two-part feature article. The first part focused on Lembit's relationship with Gabriela Irimia; the second part recounts their split-up, his unsuccessful bid for the party presidency, and how the year ended with Lembit beginning to discover himself - here's an excerpt: As 2008 passed into 2009, everything went quiet. Work returned to its weekly rhythm. The photos of lost loves faded from the pages of the Press ...
Wednesday night saw Ros and I in Brentford for the Brentford & Isleworth Quiz Night, fish and chip supper thrown in. Ros was there to give a speech and I was there... because I could be. Besides, I should be there to make sure that she gets home safely, right? After the speech, the quiz got started, and I have to say that the difficulty of the questions was notable. I normally fancy myself at a
Reports reach the Café of fun and games in Italy as Prime Minister and media magnate Berlusconi teams up with the Vatican to prevent a 38 year old woman, who's been in a persistent vegetative state for 17 years, from being allowed to die. Her father has been campaigning to let her die for 12 years and finally the top court in the land has ruled in his favour. You can read a good summary on New Humanist blog and a more in-depth report in the Observer. I can't be bothered to go over the bizarre contradictions in the Vatican's ...
Paul Keetch, Liberal Democrat MP for Hereford, was the guest speaker at Wolverhampton South West Liberal Democrats' Annual Dinner at Made in Thai on Darlington Street. Paul spoke, along with Councillors Robin Lawrence and Claire Darke to local members, about the national political scene and also offered some words of advice to how to push forward the cause of Liberalism within Wolverhampton.
I was recently contacted by a resident of sheltered housing scheme in my ward. He had been told that it was very likely that there would be stringent cuts to supporting services for people living in sheltered housing including the withdrawal of emergency pull cord systems. What is actually happening is nothing less that the removal of any distinction between those living on their own and those living in sheltered accommodation with warden supervision. The budget for support services for sheltered housing is expected to be £1.3 million. Barnet's Tory administration is cutting this by 75% (a whopping £950.000). This ...
Loath as I am to engage in auntiepathy, I feel I have to blog about the BBC's revamped "Teens" website, which has been rebranded "slink". I got sent this as a tip for this morning's netcast. I didn't link to it, primarily because it contains a lot of unsupported assertions - no links, no screencaps - but I did think it was interesting. After something of a discussion with the tipster, I came to the conclusion that I had to write something about this. How does the BBC's section of the website which is aimed at teenagers help and support ...
Just a very quick one, today. How is it that if Barclays announce a loss in profit, we can say everything's in such a mess? Surely a loss in profit means that there is still profit being had? If our economy is really linked to the idea that at all times, we must maximize profit, no wonder the bubble has finally burst. I'm sure people will tell me that's what capitalism is about, maximizing profit. My mind just boggles sometimes. Post by Ol - opinions not neccessarily those of the student society
I was very shocked and saddened on Sunday to see evidence of a widespread graffiti attack across Prestwich which I guess must have happened on Saturday night. I am very angry that people think it's acceptable to vandalise public and private property, but clearly some of them do, and take delight in "tagging" everything from walls to street signs. The problem has been around for years, has been pretty serious in Prestwich for a while, and there was a blitz of it on Saturday. Local Councillors are getting the blame for not sorting this out, and I can understand the ...
Proposals from the Liberal Democrats for big improvements to schools and teaching will see around £18 million of extra cash for schools in East Sussex 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, [...]
The entire Lib Dem frontbench has now signed-up to co-owning land at Heathrow. So I am not alone in my west London smallholding; and you can join in too.
Rhodri Morgan gets to grips with the real issue affecting all Welsh citizens: First Minister Rhodri Morgan hailed yesterday's victory, but called for improvements in Wales' goal kicking - they missed 11 points - ahead of Saturday's clash with England.
For the past year, Duncan Brack and Ed Randall, authors of the Dictionary of Liberal Thought, have kindly agreed to let us publish extracts on Lib Dem Voice. Last month's instalment was John Maynard Keynes; this month, Keynesianism. You can read previous chapters on LDV here. The entire book is available on Amazon here and can also be bought at the Westminster Bookshop. Keynesianism A school of economic thought inspired by the work of John Maynard Keynes, especially his General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money. Keynes's challenge to the ideas underpinning classical and neo-classical economics, and in particular to ...
Greetings from a less-than-snowy Cardiff, where the lack of meteorological chaos has allowed the business of devolution to continue unabated. More's the pity... Power To The Pobl The big news is, of course, that the Welsh Language LCO is upon us. To the uninitiated (and, indeed, most of the initiated) it might seem strange that Welsh language powers aren't already devolved, but that would be to assume that the current devolution settlement was designed with ... well, anything really. Not that the LCO does anything like devolving Welsh language powers anyway. Instead, it spends three pages caveating its way around ...
The weekend was split between securing my future food supply and taking photos for the Lib Dems! Saturday morning was the Lib Dem training session at Gateshead Civic Centre and I went down to Gateshead Quays with our three Euro candidates to take photos. My other Lib Dem bits over the weekend included work on a Focus and the next Parliamentary Campaigner (due out today, Monday). We also built a
We know that feeling... One of a selection of feminist quotes here.
Jacqui Smith has claimed £116,000 for a "second home", which is actually her family home, whilst her "first home" is her sister's house where she stays in London. What a wonderful way to pocket a six-figure sum.
Despite the weathermen and women predicting heavy snow for Edinburgh and the Lothians we have escaped their predictions.Until last night, it wasn't expected as previous weeks but finally I got snow. ------------------
The poll has now closed and results are below, please view the results and bare a few aspects into mind when looking at the results. Firstly my blog has more Lib Dem readers then any other party making this poll a little supportive of the Lib Dems. Secondly the Tories are more powerful and representative online so they have enough voters in my polls but aren't gonna get this much support actually. And Thirdly my Labour readership is dead with about two people so they are misrepresented on this blog. This is the first of a series of polls that ...
More bad science on the BBC today, with the report that "those who smoked it regularly, or had smoked from an early age, had twice the risk compared to those who had never smoked it."Reporting relative risk (such as "twice the risk", "100% more risk" or "double the risk") is totally meaningless unless you also know the baseline chance. Buying ten lottery tickets increases your chance of winning the jackpot by a whopping 900%. Should we all invest in ten tickets and book that luxury holiday now? No, because the original chance of winning the lottery is so tiny that, ...
There is a belief amongst many Labour MPs that burning coal is somehow a green activity - in other words damage to the environment and carbon emissions can be avoided by burning coal. Labour's claim however is deeply flawed.Basically, Labour MPs simply add the word "clean" to the words "coal technology" whenever they possibly can presumably in the hope that people will think burning coal is some
In the excitement following our various Olympic triumphs, the Government decided that we should encourage swimming as a means to improve the health of the nation. Free swimming for the under-16's and over-65's, that was the plan. And now, surprise, surprise, we discover that the funding is only guaranteed for two years and is so paltry that 143 local authorities have decided that they cannot
After publishing a press release for the Pendle Liberal Democrats I thought I would just give my two pence piece into the whole resignation. Personally I think these by elections will come at an interesting time just months before the June County Council elections. The party that wins the Bradley seat that was held by Councillor Donna Caley will be a very interesting seat for a by election in because the winning party will set a tone in Brierfield and Nelson North that they can win the County Council seat. All news about the Nelson Town Council seat which is ...
There is no on-line link to today's article in the Western Mail as to why catching the bus in Wales is more taxing in Wales than it is in England, however this article from last week gives a flavour of the piece. The Welsh Assembly Government argue that the Bus Service Operators' Grant is paid on the basis of miles travelled, and does not reward or penalise the performance of bus operators, nor
Pendle Lib Dems press release: Two members of Nelson Town Council have stepped down due to personal circumstances. Town Councillors David Foster and Donna Caley have both sent their letters of resignation to the clerk to the council. David Foster has resigned due to ill health which has overtaken him in the past six months. In his letter he writes: "Due to my on going ill health with very little prospects of returning to full health in the future I feel that I am unable to carry on as a Town Councillor representing the Clover-Hill Ward in Nelson. I had ...
An inquiry is to be held into why London's public transport network was brought to a virtual standstill by last week's snow. The London Assembly Transport Committee will meet Transport for London representatives this Thursday (12th February) to examine whether lessons can be learned from the events of the last few days. Caroline Pidgeon, Liberal Democrat Assembly Member, is the vice chair of the committee, and has already raised questions about the transport problems experienced by Londoners as a result of the weather: "Basic questions need to be asked, such as why some underground lines were able to stay open, ...
There's something quite romantic about a Bugatti sitting unused in a garage and then fetching £3m at auction. Even if it does seem like a lot of money, however good the car looks and - for the purchaser, hopefully - sounds when the ignition is turned. But even £3m is fairly small fry when it comes to Haringey Labour wasting our money - remember the Tech Refresh fiasco and the Icelandic bank deposits fiasco and the (stalled) new civic centre fiasco? And they're just some of the ones that topped £3m, the smaller amounts all add up too. Tonight is ...
We're on Haverstock Hill for this one with the early form of Sat Nav The old milestone just down from the Sir Richard Steele It marks the spot "4 miles from the post office ____north" I think that this is the Post Office in St Martin le Grand (Street's of Belsize 1991). It's incredibly charming and i think important as historical feature. Interesting is the lack of net wear considering that this is prob mid/late Victorian (I would guess it's c. 1860/1870) and climate change has seen more erosion in the last ten years than over the previous hundred! ...
Elmer Fudd may have been spot on in his intent, if not in his execution, if you'll pardon the pun. Yes, we're back in Suffolk. To celebrate, we decided to have a nice home-cooked meal, and went to our local farm shop for something to eat. Unexpectedly, they had some wild rabbit, so it was agreed that a stew was what was called for. Whilst Ros chopped vegetables (including carrots, of course), I
Nineteen of the 20 of the lines in The Great Liberal England Movie Dialogue Quiz have now been correctly identified (there is some discussion on the comments to a later post too). But one defeated everybody: 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.These lines come from Last Resort. Made in 2000, it is simply the best British film I have seen ...
The Financial Times reports a Vince Cable anecdote that in the early 18th century, after the bursting of the South Sea bubble, a parliamentary resolution proposed that bankers be tied up in sacks filled with snakes and thrown into the Thames. Even the Liberal Democrats would not advocate such a drastic measure as a solution to excessive bonuses. There is no doubt that something must be done. It does not help though if the Treasury's own team are also getting big bonuses. The Times takes up the story: UK Financial Investments Ltd (UKFI), the Treasury-run body created by Alistair Darling ...
My good friend of some 30 years - Elsa Dwyer - passed away at the weekend. Elsa was a stalwart of the Liberal cause in Dundee, and a lovely, warm person besides. She will be so sadly missed.
They've finally put the Phyton's into an institution. Well all right then only one. Yeah, yeah the one who did all the artwork. Last night Terry Gilliam was awarded the Fellowhip of the Academy at the BAFTA awards. He did the customary thanks to his family in a typically different way "I'm amazed to be humbled by a piece of metal. I'm worried that Bafta will take it away when they realise I'm not who they think I am. Maggie, Holly, Amy and Harry, thank you for letting me make your life a living hell when I'm working. And even ...
...that our representatives are involved in some great conspiracy to create an environment in which we are all monitored from birth to death; in which our identities are only what the state declares them to be; in which we cannot "reinvent" ourselves when necessary as we go through our "seven ages" and perhaps regret or just resile from what we used to be, used to do; in which, if the state somehow thinks there's something suspicious about us, our innocent friends and family will be monitored just because they know us; in which hundreds of thousands of state functionaries will ...
Okay - three people now have tagged me with this "25 things nobody knew about you" meme. Somewhat reluctantly, I will give it a go. I'm not sure I can follow the instructions to do it on Facebook though and I myself loathe getting these funny "notes" on there so refuse to tag anyone else! But feel free to pretend you've been tagged by me if you haven't been tagged by anyone else and give it a go yourself! Was conceived in Warrington - a fact I usually keep quiet - and was born in Hull - even quieter about ...
So we have ACPO, a private limited company that, and I quote, "leads and coordinates the direction and development of the police service in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In times of national need ACPO, on behalf of all chief officers, coordinates the strategic policing response." Because it's a private limited company it is exempt from Judicial oversight and crucially exempt from Freedom of Information Requests. They're also the 'police' in the 'the police want us to increase detention without charge to three months and who are we to argue?' So that's them. Then there's the new National Public Order ...
... and you can too! (via The Ridiculant) The inaugural use of this word will be in the following paragraph! The Honourable Lady Mark Valladares is clearly no snollygoster, hatching as he has this marvellous scheme to turn the database state on it's head:This Government, and all of its elected officials, believe that we should be monitored. All right then, two can play at that game. Therefore, you are courteously requested to take part in an exercise. If you see a Labour MP, MEP, MSP, AM or councillor, use your blog, or Facebook, or Twitter, or whatever, to publish the ...
