It brightens up a tube journey! ------------------
A Welsh Noted translation of a Politics Cymru post reveals that Plaid Cymru Assembly Members are becoming more committed to the introduction of top-up fees for Welsh students despite their manifesto promises to the contrary. All is not sweetness and light within their group however: In a press conference yesterday Elin Jones confirmed that she and her fellow Plaid ministers at the Assembly are planning to back the Government's plans to introduce top-up fees. This is in spite of the fact that the party voted against such a move in Aberystwyth on Saturday. We also found out that two Plaid ...
Nick Perry, the Liberal Democrat parliamentary campaigner for Hastings & Rye, has written to the local Labour MP to check whether he supports the Government's veto on a Freedom of Information Act request for the minutes of Cabinet meetings which decided that the country would go to war in Iraq. Justice Secretary Jack Straw used the [...]
The last by-election in Southend West took place fifty years ago. It saw the Liberals leapfrog into second place - a position we have held for most elections since (we came third in 1966, 1970 and 2001. This morning we got together a number of Liberals from that period - all of whom are still active. In total, I think eighteen Liberal Democrats accounted for 680 years of membership and activism. The senior seven accounted for 380 years membership between them. There was a good collection of old photos and memorabilia on hand. You can find an election leaflet here. ...
I am not easily shocked, but really. The BBC reports: Sir Fred Goodwin, the former chief executive of Royal Bank of Scotland, is already drawing a pension of £650,000 a year, despite only being 50. The BBC has learned that the pot that generates his pension is worth £16m.An interesting point is that Goodwin recently told the Commons Treasury select committee that: "My pension is the same as everyone else in the bank who is in a defined benefit pension scheme. It is determined in the same way as anyone else." This appears not to be true. The BBC report ...
Chris Hall's campaign for bus improvements in various parts of our local area has been gathering momentum with many residents contacting Chris saying they support improvements to local bus services - including : · Improving the 21 service to Woodside so that passengers don't get on a bus that is already full. · Improvements needed to the 18 service. · Bringing back the 55 service link to Stobswell for Mains Loan, Mains Drive and Woodside. As reported previously, Chris has already been in touch with the Managing Director of Travel Dundee about who has said the bus company is "working ...
I shall be attending this year's Royal Society of Chemistry's Analytical Research Forum at Pfizer Global R+D Labs, Sandwich, Kent and the University of Kent, Canterbury. This year's keynote speakers include: Catching criminals and sports cheats - the role of the analytical scientist Professor David Cowan King's College London, UK Enzyme promiscuity and bioelectronics for biosensors Professor Lisa Hall University of Cambridge, UK Down to earth Dr Geraint Morgan Open University, UK Formula One fuel analysis: from Silverstone to Shanghai Dr Peter Tibbetts Federation Internationale De L'Automobile, UK I too have submitted an abstract for consideration, to present some of ...
Last week, I mentioned a Temporary Traffic Order in relation to work to improve the Riverside Avenue approach to the Swallow roundabout in Dundee. Click on headline to view more. The work gets under way on Monday March 9th. I was advised today that the City Engineers, who are responsible for this job, have advised that the works are programmed to last for 3 weeks, not 4 weeks stated in the Order. The fourth week is in case of bad weather or any unforeseen problems.
As a massive fan of a particular foreign (Greek) lager, I was delighted when I was recently approached by a representative of the company, asking if they could use a comment I had left about their beer in their advertising media. The beer, which has in fact only been available since 1997, was in 2001 awarded a prize by the INTERBEER International beer & whisky competition. I really don't know why I love it as much as I do, but I really do. But as for my comment that they want to use, it is, on reflection, very simple: Mythos ...
I don't make a point of quoting Guido Fawkes blog as I don't read it. I personally don't like the cult of the personality that seems to surround the blog or the fact that for so long he tried to hide his identity. I know its a very successful blog and congratulations should go to him for that. However, if ever justification was needed as to why you shouldn't beleive everything you read on blogs, particularly when reading comments to blogs, it comes from The Right Student who has been caught out by taking a quotation from a comment posted ...
More on the holes dug, and more. I'll start off with the good news. The contractors that hacked down the hedge on Darlington Lane in January have agreed to my request for them to put something back into the community and are contributing £50.00 for bulbs to be planted there. Thank you. However the people digging the trenches are doing so that the Vodaphone mobile phone mast can be...
Not the budget that makes headlines in the national press but one which matters to the people of Stockton - our council budget. Most of the work of course is done by council officers with much better heads for figures than I have, but the final decision is for elected members. We are elected to represent residents and we are the ones who sometimes have to make hard choices.This year we agreed
Some wonderful people to meet today. First of all women from Queen's Campus University at the launch of the "Midnight Walk" to raise funds for the Butterwick Hospice on July 11th. It is a ladies only event and sounds a good idea. I will publish more details when I have them, but why not put the date in your diary and find some friends to team up with ? Then back to the Town Hall to...
Some wonderful people to meet today. First of all women from Queen's Campus University at the launch of the "Midnight Walk" to raise funds for the Butterwick Hospice on July 11th. It is a ladies only event and sounds a good idea. I will publish more details when I have them, but why not put the date in your diary and find some friends to team up with ? Then back to the Town Hall to...
Dear XXXXX What did the post bring me on 24 February? It brought me your letter dated 20 February acknowledging my complaint about items of post for other addresses being delivered to me. In it you said you are looking into the matter, and I can hardly complain about the speed with which you did for the very same post also contained your letter dated 23 February with the results of your investigations. The impact of its contents (talking to a manager, talking to a delivery officer, and so on) was however somewhat blighted by the third item in my ...
As the Daily Telegraph reports: [In the latest donations report] The Conservatives have received more than £500,000 from a "front company" that allows donors to remain anonymous, it has emerged ... The payment of £530,000 from an organisation called Scottish Business Groups Focus on Scotland was the biggest single payment to the party in the last quarter of 2008, Electoral Commission records show ... Focus on Scotland is an "unincorporated association", a legal entity that does not have to publish accounts or other financial details. Since 2004, it has given £ 1,455,000 to the Conservatives. This arrangement is similar to ...
I'm a pale imitation of Dr Pack, I know. A friend of mine was recently the subject of a Nigerian scam. They guessed (or 'malwared') his Yahoo mail password, took over his account and sent out begging mails to all the contacts. The mail said he was stranded in Lagos....you know the rest - the text is below.Fortunately, I sat next to my friend in hundreds of (quite expensive) English lessons some
Ruaraidh Hobson has been sharing his experiences of vegetarian mock duck. This reminds me of a party I attended at the home of a Liberal friend down in Walthamstow many years ago. It was one of those sensible events that start in early afternoon so that families with young children can attend, and continue into the evening so that the adults can drink. (The rule is that any children present after 6 p.m. go on the barbecue.) I set off with the attention of having some time in central London and going on to the party afterwards. But the day ...
I can't imagine anything worse than losing a child. I can only guess at the agony David and Samantha Cameron must be going through at the sudden loss of their son, Ivan. How hard it must have been for them to explain to their other two children what had happened. My thoughts are with the whole family. I hope that they know that they have the country on their side right now. I was moved to tears by the simplicity and sincerity of Gordon Brown's words today in the House of Commons. You just know that he meant every single ...
Obvious really.
From the Australian website Cricket365: "I've had literally thousands (of messages of support), my blackberry has broken down and I've had over 9,000 e-mails saying 'Don't pay attention'."Liberal England says: Come off it.
I presented a Bill in the House of Commons today on the power to suspend driving instructors. The "Driving Instruction (Suspension And Exemption Powers) Bill" provides for - wait for it - "the suspension in certain circumstances of registration and licences relating to the provision of driving instruction; to make provision about exemptions from prohibitions concerning registration (including provision about suspension); to make provision about compensation in connection with suspension; and for connected purposes." It follows the case of Lesley Anne Steele whose driving instructor was allowed to operate for almost two months AFTER he was convicted of sexually assaulting ...
At a dramatic budget meeting yesterday, Labour resigned the leadership of Bristol City Council. The Liberal Democrats as the largest party are now in the process of forming an administration for the city. Labour's resignation followed a Liberal Democrat amendment to the budget, which removed the funding for the next stage of the bid for a mass-burn waste incinerator. Liberal Democrats have consistently opposed this, and we have fought this proposal at every stage in its passage through the Council. The Conservative group has now done a u-turn late in the day and voted with us, as did the one ...
A few weeks ago, before the whole debacle over their bonuses, the Royal Bank of Scotland had extended their sponsorship of the RBS Six Nations to 2013. After the fall out from that today's news that they are to scale back their sponsorship substantially. What it entails is the end of their sponsorship of the Williams Formula 1 team when the current contract expires in 2010. Also a reduction of the contribution to their sports ambassadors including Andy Murray, Zara Philips and Jack Nicholas as well as other lesser deals. The net effect is a 50% reduction of their tens ...
I knew it! I knew it! There's no room in any longlist for two overly verbose lib dem women in their early thirties. So, it's well done to Alix Mortimer, who squeezes into a list of über bloggers, newspaper bloggers and a few other lucky randoms. Those stupid judges seem to think quality of writing, tone and effective communication matters, the bastards! Still, there's always lib dem blog of the year, or maybe one of mrs dales awards. If that doesn't work I'll just have to try getting better at blogging. If I can avoid it though...
Blackburn MP Jack Straw has had his constituency Hotmail account hacked and an email was sent to everyone on his mailing list including Blackburn Labour party asking them to help him as he was stranded in Nigeria. The email that was sent to 200 contacts out of the email address said "I misplaced my wallet on my way to the hotel where my money and other valuable things were kept", "I would like you to assist me with a soft loan urgently to settle my hotel bills and get myself back home". Personally I think this just shows that no ...
Last week, while flicking through Liberal Democrat News, on my return from NZ, I came across an article announcing the new Social Liberal Forum. My initial reaction was not positive. This is despite the fact that my responses to those on-line "what are your politics" questionnaires place always me in the "social liberal" category. Also, I was quite comfortable with a lot of the material in Reinventing the State (2007). This is the nearest thing that the party's "social liberals" have to a political tract and two of the book's co-editors were Dr Richard Grayson and David Howarth MP, who ...
The Electoral Commission has published the latest donation and borrowing figures for the political parties this week, and LDV's own Mark Pack has already blogged his success in getting the Commission to report the figures accurately. The Commission's website does allow us, though, to gain a picture of the Lib Dems' fundraising efforts over the years. Below is the full breakdown of cash and non-cash donations received by quarter since 2005, and annually between 2001 and 2004. Overall, the figures suggest that the party's efforts have stepped up a level during this time. For instance, rather astonishingly, in 2001 - ...
A storm is brewing in the Green Party over an article by Chris Goodall, their PPC in Oxford West and Abingdon, arguing that nuclear power will be necessary as part of the solution to climate change.He goes where Mark Lynas and Stephen Tindale have gone before. Many leading environmentalists now take the view that nuclear is just too useful a source of low-carbon energy to do without; that
When a working group was set up to look at the Selection Rules by which we choose Prospective Parliamentary candidates, I was abuzz with ideas, many gleaned from the experiences I had had, and the comments that my previous writings on the subject had attracted. However, I wasn't exactly confident that much would change, especially given how conservative English Candidates Committee can be.That
I've been saddened to hear the news of the death of Ivan Cameron at the age of six. Just thinking about my children dying young ties me up in knots inside. My sincere and heartfelt condolences to David and Samantha Cameron.
We had a look at the planned TFL docking bays for their cycle hire schemes for the Oval, Kennington and Vauxhall area at the consultation session at Lilian Baylis School on Kennington Lane last night. It looks like a great idea - getting more people to cycle and will help relieve pressure on public transport. We are concerned about the planned site on Windmill Row near Kennington Cross. We think that it will not be suitable due to a lack of space. While we always want to encourage alternatives to the car, this site would mean the loss of 3 ...
I have been told today that the Conservatives are going to announce a reprieve. This hasn't been confirmed by the officers of West Lindsey, so I wouldn't hold your breath, the grapevine is that it will be for a couple of years funding. I wonder if ACIS are funding GAPA too? They are pulling the funding of new changing rooms at Marshalls so have lost over £200,000 funding which they were
A couple of days ago I asked whether cancer screening does more harm than good. My conclusion was that the potential benefits of screening (especially cervical and breast cancer) are pushed hard to women but the downsides are barely mentioned, or acknowledged. Women should be given the facts, as best as we know them, rather than being badgered into having screening. Now JunkFoodScience has a more in-depth look at the evidence. As I mentioned in the last article, this isn't new: I was reading much the same information in a book published in 2002. But the latest research seems to ...
The Voice's very own Alix Mortimer has been longlisted for The Orwell Prize for her blog, The People's Republic of Mortimer. Congratulations Alix!
The news of the death of their son is very sad. My full condolences are with them. Losing a child must be terrible. They should be left alone to grieve until they are ready to face the world again. Having said that, on the slightly seperate issue of the cancellation of Prime Ministers Questions I'm finding myself having some truck with the views put forward by both Guido and Michael White (an unusual combination). Don't we have deputies for this? Michael White says "Ivan Cameron's death is a matter for private grief" and I think this is the point. Whilst ...
Why on earth did the someone not simply leave them on a train seat/back of a taxi/on a memory stick in the postal system somewhere, then everyone would have tut-tutted but believed that they had been irrecoverably lost... Besides, I know what I would do if I were a Cabinet Office typing pool member who happened to have the minutes on a disk somewhere - it is surely a greater duty to the rest of us to be sure that Blair and Co hang for their transgressions than to keep one's job in the centre of the Beast's lair. <!-- ...
The sad loss of Ivan, David and Samantha Cameron's eldest child, should act as a reminder that, regardless of what we might think of individual politicians, we should never forget that they are human beings.I have often commented as to the damage done to our politics by the sheer vileness of the abuse, especially that from some of the more right wing commentariat. I still firmly believe that such
Hmm - Labour have borrowed an enormous amount of money, but what interests me from looking at the Electoral Commission's figures is the proportion of that which doesn't accrue interest repayments until June 2010: 8 loans totalling £10.7 million. So Labour have sunk themselves (along with the rest of the country) knee-deep in debt, but it [...]
From TheyWorkForYou, here's the question I asked, and the answer too! Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green, Liberal Democrat) | Hansard sourceTo ask the Minister for the Olympics what existing sporting facilities in Haringey will be used for the London 2012 Olympic Games; and if she will make a statement.Tessa Jowell (Minister of State (the Olympics and Paymaster General), Cabinet Office; Dulwich & West Norwood, Labour) | Hansard sourceThere are two routes by which the existing sporting facilities in Haringey could be used for the London 2012 Olympic Games. Firstly as a Pre-Games Training Camp venue; Haringey has one designated ...
Iain Dale: So the Tories are backing the government's plans for the Post Office and Jack Straw's decision to block publication of the Iraq war cabinet minutes. It's probably just as well I have been too busy today to do much blogging. Dizzy Thinks: I thought I would just pass a quick comment on Jack Straw's decision to veto the Information Commissioner on the issue of Cabinet minutes on the decision to go to war in Iraq. Firstly, the Tories are bloody idiots to support the Government on this...
I'll be continuing my Cerebus posts sometime soon (tonight or tomorrow) but before I do, I thought everyone should go and read/re-read Andrew Rilstone's look at the last issue ,which says a lot of things I want to say myself. Especially this bit: And by the way, Dave. Damn right I am a liberal. I read [...]
I've been asked a few times about garden waste bags and what residents can do if their bags have worn out, blown away or somehow disappeared. The good news is that the City Council will replace these bags free of charge and on request. All you need to do is call the Customer Service Centre on Winchester 840222 and tell them that you need a replacement bag.
This morning's tragic news that David and Samantha Cameron's eldest son Ivan has died led to the suspension of this week's Prime Minister's Questions. Instead, party representatives offered condolences to the Camerons, with Vince Cable leading the Lib Dem sympathies while Nick Clegg is on paternity leave: Everybody in the house has experienced bereavement but there is something especially sad and shocking about the loss of a child and we recognise, I think all of us, this is something that especially difficult to cope with. This is a personal tragedy. It transcends all party barriers and I would simply want ...
Well, I ate it. And it's probably best described as an acquired taste. The texture's quite nice. Not as stringy or tough as actual meat (as far as I know, it's been about 4 years) but firm enough to be pleasant. Unfortunately, it tastes of... wheat. I didn't know wheat had such a distinctive and unavoidable taste, [...]
Westminster is a very subdued place this morning. There's something unbearably sad about the death of a small child and the suffering of the parents, and of course when they are known to you, it really hits you. Westmnster is a strange place because, alongside all the party political knockabout and sometimes downright unpleasant behaviour, the common strands of humanity bind all of us and, like all small communities, at times of hardship there is a real collegiate spirit at work. When my mum died in 2007, my colleagues were wonderfully supportive and I saw the same thing in action ...
Bury Council are putting together proposals which would see Radcliffe born director Danny Boyle, Bury based band Elbow and Paralympian Zoë Robinson are given the Freedom of the Borough to congratulate them on their individual successes over the past civic year. Guy Garvey, Mark Potter, Craig Potter, Richard Jupp and Pete Turner from, the Mercury Award and Brit Award winning band Elbow, formed at Bury College in the mid 1990s and all have roots in the town. Zoe Robinson, lives in the north of the borough and attends Boccia training sessions at Bury' Castle Leisure Centre on a regular basis. ...
Yes bollards. Alston Road is a narrow road and a bus route and a rat run for traffic avoiding the High Street and Stapylton Road. It has a nice York stone pavement which is constantly being damaged by vehicles mounting the kerb. The local residents association (SPACES) have been trying to get bollards installed for quite a while. There have been various meetings and false dawns. I decided to have a go at getting this sorted out. I met with the former head of highways on site and we agreed that bollards would be a good idea. Then there was ...
When the council re-laid the pavements in the Meadway (a road in my ward on a steep hill) they re-laid them at some points at a different and higher level. This caused particular problems outside one house where the change in level resulted in the householder bumping the silencer on his car every time he tried to use his drive. A number of phone calls to the Highways department later and said householder was left somewhat frustrated by the lack of responsiveness. The Highways department are usually very good at responding to me, but then I can go to the ...
I've blogged a few times about how the Electoral Commission has published figures for loans that aren't really loans: As is now traditional, the Electoral Commission is in fact misreporting its own figures... You will find that this is actually the total figure for borrowing plus unused credit facilities. It's as if I had an unused credit card with a £500 limit that's never come out of the envelope and never been used, but you said, "Ah ha! You are borrowing £500." Well good news - the latest figures are out today, and - after raising it at several meetings ...
A planning application has now been submitted by ASDA for the gasworks site in East Barnet. The details are; Details of Planning Application - B/00200/09 Application Type: Full Application Date Received: 14/01/2009 Registration Date: 16/02/2009 Consultation Start Date: 16/02/2009 Earliest Decision Date: 02/04/2009 Target Date for Decision: 18/05/2009 Location: EAST BARNET GAS WORKS, ALBERT ROAD, NEW BARNET Ward Name: East Barnet Conservation Area: No Listed Building Grade: No Environmental Assessment: Not available Target Recommendation Date: No date Expected Decision Level: Delegated Proposal: Demolition of existing buildings and erection of a mixed use development comprising 211 residential units, supermarket (10,526sqm gross ...
Lord Nazir Ahmed has been sentenced for 12 weeks according to the BBC for dangerous driving which is not enough if you ask me because the Labour Peer took a life with his driving. I think the 12 weeks inside will put him straight and he wont be driving recklessly again! Then again he is a member of the Labour party, so who knows... If you ask me I think he needs to be stripped of his Peerage because he has taken a life with his dangerous driving and a life can not come back with just 12 weeks inside. ...
Welcome to the twelfth edition of Lib Dig Pig, being a roundup of non-Lib Dem oriented gems on the internet, as voted by Lib Dem members using Lib Dig (if you aren't one, and are a Lib Dem member, sign up here: http://libdig.co.uk). You can now get twitter updates of stories which appear on libdig - simply "follow libdig" to sign up. We had an encouraging increase in both digs and diggers this week - honestly, it almost makes me compiling this list each week worthwhile. Not much of a pattern this week, so without further ado: 1. Brian Gould: ...
Hazel Blears' Planning Inspectorate has ridden roughshod over local views again. Last year it was the Old Street tower; now it's the redevelopment of the Mall at Camden Passage. Camden Passage is a unique mix of market stalls and permanent antiques shops. Over recent years it's become diluted with more fashion shops and eateries, but [...]
The news that David Cameron's son Ivon Cameron has died comes as a bit of a shock for many and without a doubt it will be a day of sadness for David Cameron and his wife. Personally I am saddened by this news because to hear about a life so short coming to an end is always not something you want to hear. My regards are with the Cameron family as they go through a tough time and this event will definitely shock David Cameron and change him as a person and as a Leader of the Conservative party!
The news of the death of David and Samantha Cameron's son Ivan aged only six is extremely sad. This tragic news reminds us that whatever political differences may exist in a democracy, we are united by common humanity. My deepest sympathies go to the Conservative leader and his family. What terrible symmetry it is that Gordon and Sarah Brown have also lost a child.
Dreadful news this morning that David Cameron's son Ivan has died. Quite properly, Prime Minister's Questions has been cancelled today and statements will simply be read out in the House of Commons. I'm sure everyone's heart will go out to David Cameron and his family. Not only will this be an awful time now, but the nature of his role is that he will continue to be in the public eye almost constantly over coming months and it will be very hard for him to find the space and time that he and his family will need to grieve. I ...
Yes, it's that time again for the Annual Parliamentary Pancake Race, where teams of Peers, MPs and journalists compete for charity in a pancake tossing race. And whilst I was unavoidably detained elsewhere, my colleagues, Rupert Redesdale, Navnit Dholakia and Dominic Addington were lining up to defend the honour of the Second Chamber. Clearly, Rupert's campaign to eradicate the grey squirrel has had an effect, as he appears to be proving the old adage, 'you are what you eat'. The grey squirrels he cooked and ate as part of a documentary programme appear to have given him an extra burst ...
David and Samantha Cameron's tragic loss of their son Ivan broke on the phone-in shows as I was coming into work this morning. On LBC the radio show host asked people to call in who had experienced the loss of a child - and the calls and the death of Ivan had me in tears. This loss is unimaginable and tragic - and all I want to say publicly is how sorry I am for their loss and wish them the strength to endure. We are, in the end, human beings first and politicians second.
Hansard's report on MPs' use of the internet was published yesterday and sponsored by Microsoft they held an evening for an invited cognoscenti and a panel of three blogging MPs - myself, Tom Harris and Douglas Carswell. The report basically found we (MPs) were 'normal' - not a description often used in preference to abusing us! But in this case, we replicate pretty closely the rest of the world in our use of the internet. I think all three of us bloggers were pretty clear that despite the dangers we believe it is important to say what we think. We ...
Wed 25th
11:29
Attempt by ruling Conservative Group to water down possible legal challenge to Middle Schools closur...
Forest Heath District council was informed that advice given to the district solicitor by a barrister was that it had a better than even chance of winning a challenge to the consultation process on closing the 5 Middle schools in Forest Heath. Lib Dem Cllr Tim Huggan seconded a resolution proposed by Cllr Andy Drummond for the council to write to the County Council saying it was minded to institute proceedings to force a judicial review on the flawed consultation carried out by Suffolk County Council on changes to the school system in Forest Heath. The ruling Conservative group proposed ...
Forest Heath Conservatives pushed through an inflation busting rise of 3.6% last night at special Council. An earlier Liberal Democrat amendment to hold Council tax at the rate set last year was defeated. Lib Dem leader Cllr Ian Radford, proposed the 0% increase which would have left front-line services unaffected. The Lib Dem measure involved cutting down the numbers of issues of Forest Heath news and trimming the huge war chest put aside for any possible leagal proceedings over the Council's future. Cllr Radford (Lib Dem) said 'For the second year running the Conservatives have broken their promise to keep ...
Our reference: OTP-CR-312/09The Hague, 24 February 2009Dear Sir, MadamThe Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court acknowledges receipt of your documents/letter.This communication has been duly entered in the Communications Register of the Office. We will give consideration to this communication, as appropriate, in accordance with the provisions of the Rome Statute of the
Parliamentary anoraks may well be a bit excited, after a Liberal Democrat Bill was successfully given its first First Reading yesterday afternoon. Susan Kramer rose at 4.31 p.m. to speak, moving a Motion for leave to introduce a Bill under Standing Order No.23. So far, so dull. Such speeches tend to have the success rate of the Charge of the Light Brigade.However, this one, seeking to amend the
We have one new planning application this week and that is an application to build a new garage at 30 Cameley green Twerton. The application was first registered on 16th February 2009 and has a decision date of 13th April 2009. The application reference number is 09/00359/FUL and you can view the application by following the link on the application number. ...
I have just turned on the tv to hear of the sad loss of Ivan Cameron. My sympathy to the family at this time.
After Labour dramatically quit at a budget meeting - all over an incinerator. The world of local councils, eh? This was all tweeted about as it happened by Councillor Jon Rogers - @Cllrjonrogers - last night.
The Office of Government Commerce has spent huge sums of taxpayers' money to help the Government avoid publishing reviews of ID card plans. A tribunal has ordered the reviews to be released under the Freedom of Information Act, but it is still not certain that this will happen. You can read the full story here.
The BBC brings us the sad news: Conservative leader David Cameron's eldest son Ivan has died in hospital. The six-year-old, who had cerebral palsy and epilepsy, became ill overnight and was taken to St Mary's hospital where he died early Wednesday. A Conservative spokesman said: "David and Samantha would ask that their privacy is respected at this terribly difficult time." Mr Cameron, who described Ivan as "wonderful", and wife Samantha have two younger children, Nancy and Arthur. A Conservative Party statement said: "It is with great sadness that David and Samantha Cameron must confirm the death of their six-year-old son ...
After mentioning the National Trust in the last blog, it seems a bit unfair to do it again so quickly but now term's started I've caught up with the first couple of episodes of Sissinghurst on BBC4. An interesting look at how to modernise public gardens to keep pace with society's trends, you can read about it here and here. Sissinghurst is a garden I've never visited despite being reasonably near as it always fell into the category of too pristine and formal for such a rowdy gaggle as we were when still with prams and yelling tots. I was ...
The awful news that David & Samantha Cameron's elder son Ivan has died has particularly poignancy happening in the week that Nick and Miriam Clegg celebrated the birth of their third son Miguel. Some things are just so far beyond politics and just serve to show us all how little it really matters in the real world. [...]
Two interesting articles today one in the Indy and one on Mike Smithson's Political Betting. The Indy points out that this is an issue splitting all the parties. Cameron has a dilemma, the best chance yet to see a Brown defeat and yet he is backing the idea that was an idea too far even for his great hero Margaret Thatcher. There is something totemic about "Royal" Mail in the psyche of our nation. Posties are universally loved (my brother is one so I understand why!), the idea of a universal service, that you can post a letter from anywhere ...
So there he was, sat in the House of Commons listening to Jack Straw announce his decision to veto the Information Tribunal's decision that the Cabinet minutes of the decision to go to war in Iraq should be released. Up he then got, and this is what Dominic Grieve said: The Secretary of State's decision to use his powers of veto in this case classically illustrates what has been wrong with the Government's approach to freedom of information. and The public have had their expectations about openness raised by Labour's spin and propaganda, only to be brought down to earth. ...
Jo Swinson brilliantly tweeted the unfolding disgrace in parliament yesterday.Quite frankly, we've come to expect the kind of outrageous stupidity of Labour over Freedom of information, as with Jack Straw's refusal to publish six year old cabinet minutes. It is ludicrous because the minutes, if Clare Short is to be believed, are more notable for the reporting a lack of debate, rather than the
I'd like to express my deep and sincere sympathy to David Cameron and his family on the death of their son Ivan, aged six. Monday was the anniversary of the death of our son, Toby, aged 16 months, a few years ago. So I have some inkling of the overwhelming pain and grief which the Cameron family will be feeling today and for years to come. My heart goes out to them.
Image from Political Betting.com The Tories have backed Jack Straw's decision not to make minutes from cabinet meetings at the time of Iraq public which is very interesting because of some factors. If the minutes were to become public what would they say about the Labour cabinet and about who actually made the decision of going to war in Iraq. Personally I supported the need to make the minutes public as people need to know who started this war once and for all, but why is Blackburn MP Jack Straw hiding this from the general public. Personally because he is ...
Some photos of Islington parks, among others in London, here. I particularly like the glimpse of the fernery at Astey's Row, part of the New River Walk. There are also pics of Bunhill Fields, Caledonian Park, Barnsbury Square, Gillespie Park, and Barnard Park. Also Canonbury Square just up the road from me, not only [...]
Surprise of the century - Posh (of Posh and Becks fame) has a simply enormous carbon footprint and the Guardian wants to tell her off. Nine flights, all first class, apparently means she emitted more CO2 in six weeks than an average person does in a year. And that's all the Guardian needs to indulge in its finger-wagging exercise. Naughty Posh. Except... What grounds are there really for criticising the lass from Hertfordshire? Is she damaging the environment? Not in any significant way. Add together the millions of people on all the flights from the UK across a whole year ...
The big Parliamentary news yesterday was the announcement by Jack Straw that he was over-ruling an Information Tribunal ruling and taking the unprecedented step of withholding information they had ordered should be released - the minutes of the Cabinet meetings which decided to go to war with Iraq. The move was opposed by the Liberal Democrats, with David Howarth leading the charge: The decision to go to war in Iraq was momentous, controversial and disastrous, especially for this country's reputation as an upholder of international law. There never has been a full and comprehensive public inquiry into the decision to ...
One way the EU can help us is to use its clout to get a better deal for consumers. For example, by forcing mobile phone companies to cap the excessive extra charges for roaming tariffs when you use your phone abroad.
Quality stuff: "A news report was wrong to say that Trevor Phillips had confirmed that he would like to stand against Boris Johnson in the next London mayoral contest. In fact, in an interview published the same day, he said in response to an initial question about standing in any election again: 'Not really...'"
Jack Straw won't let us see the minutes of the cabinet meeting where the decision to go to invade Iraq was decided. This despite the court order telling the Government that they must publish (publish and be damned?) The official reason is that it would be harmful to the running of the state. Crikey. How bad are the minutes that doing this will result in a better outcome than publishing? And what's with the Tory support for the hush-up? One would think they've got something to lose from publication too - presumably having Iraq on the news agenda again. They ...
If there was one point that struck a chord when the Presiding Officer was arguing for the control of S4C and its budget to pass to the Welsh Government it was his assertion that governance arrangements at the broadcaster need reforming.This is something that the BBC has already done and is an exemplar for other organisations. They have separated the day to day management of the organisation from
Wed 25th
08:36
Time to get cracking in Devon, Norfolk and Suffolk... Written Answer - Elections: County Councils
As promised, here is the answer from the Minister regarding the county elections scheduled to be held in Devon, Norfolk and Suffolk in June... Asked by Baroness Scott of Needham Market To ask Her Majesty's Government whether county council elections in Suffolk, Norfolk and Devon will be taking place in June on current boundaries. [HL1417] The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Baroness Andrews): Elections to the county councils in Devon, Norfolk and Suffolk will go ahead on 4 June 2009 as planned on existing boundaries. So it looks like elections are on, under the old ...
Deeply frustrated with flaky browser on Nokia E61... Considering surrender to iPhone
it might embarrass us too!Just as I was beginning to worry that the Conservatives might be able to fake a concern over our civil liberties long enough to fool enough of the people just once, Dominic Grieve kindly demonstrates that all they really want is to be in power so that they can use the cover of national security to keep key information nicely hidden, away from the public eye. In the midst
Is this interesting, photographic or just curious? It could be an entire project but as I mooched down the Kilburn High Road I was struck by the numbering of properties and the range of fonts and formats... So here is the outcome of that mooch and that thought. It's from the residential gate (275) before Brondesbury Medical practise up to Moran's the building merchants (293)... And before someone cries fowl on the numbers, there is no 291 - it's the passage to Drakes Courtyard. And the pictures immediately to the left on the residential gate I thought were different and ...
If you think this has dragged on, just wait until Lord B chooses his XV and reserves to tour Down Under this summer. Here is the full team: Len Hutton C.B. Fry David Steel Violent Bonham-Carter Mike Brearley L.T. Hobhouse Paul Keetch Nancy Seear Simon Hughes Phil Willis Dobbin And Lord Bonkers has asked me to add: So there you have it: Lord Bonkers' finest XI. Let us not, however, forget the contribution that many make from beyond the boundary rope.I think, in particular, of Meadowcroft's sterling work as groundsman, of Miss Fearn's delicious teas and of the Well-Behaved Orphans ...
BBC Wales reports that more than 100 computer disks containing personal information about patients were lost at Glan Clwyd hospital in Denbighshire last month. The disks contained old data, from the period 1995 to 2005 and were to be destroyed. However, they are believed to have been disposed of "inadvertently" with other waste though nobody can say for certain. There are many questions that need to be answered about this incident. Why were the disks not encrypted or password protected? How much information is on these disks? Have the patients whose details have been lost been notified? This is yet ...
Test Valley Borough Council has now set its budget for 2009/2010 after a 2 ½ hour debate during which the Liberal Democrat opposition questioned many aspects of the proposals.Test Valley's council tax will rise by 4.5%, 23 vacant jobs have been deleted and a further 20 - 30 redundancies are expected. The Lib Dems argued that while the increase in council tax was inevitable it should be tempered by a freeze on increases in fees and charges, set to rise by 5%. Deferring increases in charges would cost the council £50,000. This could be more than met by savings in ...
Sad news that Mary the 53 year old wife of former Livingston manager Jim Leishman has passed away following a battle with cancer. Yesterday was the couple's 30th Wedding Anniversary and apparently Mary hung around long enough to wish her husband a happy anniversary before dying in the afternoon surrounded by her family. I no doubt express the sympathy of all the Livingston fans for who Jim was the iconic manager. Our thoughts and prayers go to Leish and their children Kate and Jamie.
Iain Dale holds a unique position in the Conservative blogosphere. He is not a "my-party-right-or-wrong" die hard, and yet neither does he embrace the futile posturing of the anti-Cameroons that form the bulk of Conservative Home postings. His politics are, I sense, to a great degree truly the "Liberal-Conservative" ideology that David Cameron positions himself as holding, and even though we may question the sincerity of Cameron, I certainly do see Iain as a fairly liberal figure within his party. As such, he quite often takes it upon himself to "love bomb" the Liberal Democrats, seeking to consolidate Conservative support ...
A couple of weeks ago Malc was all for rushing the Calman Commission into intensive care. If not to remove the Liberal Democrat life support. However, news that Labour's submission also calls for greater financial powers for the devolved Parliament would mean there is life in the Commission yet. Labour are now calling for borrowing powers for the Parliament which brings it in line with both the SNP and Liberal Democrats. They may have mocked when Tavish Scott got an agreement out of Alex Salmod to present to Calman on this, as one of the conditions for backing the budget. ...
The sad news that David & Samantha Cameron's son Ivan died this morning will have touched everyone. The death of a child is every parents' nightmare and the Cameron family will be absolutely devastat...
Jack Straw has decided not to appeal a decision and instead the Cabinet has voted, using the power allowed it by law the law, to prevent the release of documents, for the first time since the FOI Act was passed. Y'know what? I disagree with Jennie and most Lib Dems on this. He's right to do so. We can, and should, be attacking this, but not because Cabinet minutes aren't going to be released. Cabinet minutes should not be released, it's one of the basic principles of our Parliamentary democracy. Here's how it's supposed to work: The House of Commons ...
The next general election in Norwich South will be a close fight between Labour and Liberal Democrat Simon Wright who starts in close second place. Simon, who lives in the constituency, has built a reputation as a tireless campaigner on issues such as saving our post offices, tackling anti-social behaviour, and fighting for the environment. The Liberal Democrats are now the only party that can deliver social justice. The only choice for anyone who wants a fairer Britain. A party that will put money back in the pockets of ordinary families. A party that will build a stable, green economy ...
Bill Newton-Dunn's office has provided me with an interesting leaflet about what the EU does for young people: 1) The Socrates education programme - through its Erasmus and Lingua subsidiaries - offers language students and their teachers the opportunity to spend time in another EU country. Something called Comenius promotes multilateral partnerships - whatever they are - between schools throughout the member states. 2) The Leonardo scheme is very similar, except it is focused on apprentices - applications need to be made by colleges/school rather than individuals. 3) Something called the Youth programme helps young folk take part in voluntary ...
Charles Kennedy was the keynote speaker at a LibDem social event at the Shish restaurant in Old Street last night, where there was a notably good turnout of Turkish party sympathisers and community activists as the former party leader and the barrister Emma Edhem addressed such issues as European citizenship and negative trends in civil liberties [...]
Very funny talk this evening at Round Table, from Darren Couchman - an Essex man who survived testicular cancer and wants to use humour to stop others suffering. 1 in 3 people will be affected by cancer of some kind; 1,800 men are diagnosed with testicular cancer in the UK each year.Most men with testicular cancer can be cured. It's most likely to occur in young and middle-aged men. But most men
Tickets for the event in London on Saturday 28 February have nearly sold out, but there are seven parallel events happening across the UK which people can attend.
