After the Chinese celebration we called on Victor Spinetti, an old friend of Bhante's who lives in Soho. He had an endless flow of reminiscences, of which the printable ones (and some unprintable ones as well) are in his book Up Front...: His Strictly Confidential Autobiography, which I couldn't resist ordering from Amazon.
Britain's Got Talent 2009 tonight - wasn't he really good - but I'm still voting for Susan Boyle!
Following recent meetings with Hastings & Rye fishermen, local Liberal Democrats have launched an online petition at their newly upgraded website. The text of the petition is as follows: "To: The Minister for Fisheries, Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs I, the undersigned, support the Hastings & Rye Liberal Democrats in demanding that the Minister for Fisheries [...]
Guess yes the one with the BODY GAURD and people vote for this?check out most pictures you will find this man there,,
In Sittingbourne we have a mystery. We've lost the Conservative party!! The county council candidates were announced this week. Yours truly is on there for Swale Central, and the three major parties have candidates in all of Sittingbourne's six wards. The BNP, UKIP and the Greens all have two and we even have a couple of loonies - Official Loonies, I should say. We have been out canvassing and leafleting and Labour have also been busy. But the Conservatives have completely vanished - we've seen no leaflets nor canvassing - and there's no mention at all on the Sittingbourne Conservatives ...
Last month disturbing evidence of Tory plans to clone an army of Boris Johnsons emerged. It seems they are progressing worryingly fast.
Once again, a trip to a senior relative allowed me to read the Telegraph today, without the indignity of having to pay good money for it.Having read the inside page article about Phil Woolas (who incidentally is confirmed as using hair dye because he had it on one of his receipts) I suspect that the Telegraph need not worry about a legal action from the "wog-bashing" minister. Their article seems
According to comments in the previous posting of the Irfan Ahmed Show a comment suggested that they was a ringing noise in the back ground. I thought I had mastered how to remove the sound but it seems to be that is not the case, so you will have to put up with the ringing noise. So here is yet another posting: P.S. The Irfan Ahmed's Show is the name of the shows that I will upload.
Jonathan Brown has a piece in the Independent today looking at MPs' expense claims. He visits Kirkby-in-Ashfield in Geoff Hoon's constituency and reports the experience of one constituent who had found it impossible to speak to him: She said she had sought Mr Hoon's help once over a problem but was not impressed. "It was like talking to a brick wall. In fact, I never actually got to speak to him, it was his secretary. They tell you 'Phone CAB, phone the local authority'. It was a waste of time."Brown goes on to say: Mr Hoon has had none of ...
Hysteria? Witch-hunt? Media feeding frenzy? Or all three? I think that just about sums up the current situation with regard to MPs' expenses. As ever, earlier on today the sage Mr Quist had some wise words to say about the expenses row. Like him, my experience of MPs is that on the whole they are dedicated individuals who work hard for their constituents and are not all in it to make money. And I agree with him that we shouldn't expect MPs to be out of pocket or living in penury when doing their jobs. Like it or not, if ...
On a happier note, this afternoon I attended the 2553rd birthday celebration of the Buddha, organised by the London Fo Guang Shan temple, in a specially erected marquee in Leicester Square. There was a procession through the streets of Soho, followed by the chanting of Sutras, and short speeches by the Deputy Lord Mayor od Westminster, Councillor Alexander Nicoll; the Ven Galayaye Piyadassi MBE of the Sri Saddhatissa Internatinal Buddhist Centre; the Ven Ajahn Khemadhammo Mahathera OBE of the Forest Hermitage (who had suggested that I attend, as I was delighted to do); Mr Jon Dai Din, director of the ...
The photograph below is of the discussion in my office at the House about the vicious attack on Thursday evening by three members of the secret police in Bahrain on Jaffar Kadhem, 32, from Demestan. Mr Kadhem was on his way to the house of my friend Mr Hassan Mushaime, Leader of the Haq movement house, when his car was intercepted by an unmarked car. The three occupants dragged him into the car and drove him to a remote corner of the Town of Jidhafs, where they attacked him with fists, batons and shoes all over his body. He was ...
I'm really annoyed. Really, really annoyed. I've been trying really hard to play nice with others. I was willing to donate time and effort to what was supposed to be a very interesting and very much needed group blog but the development process has been such a complete nightmare* that I'm wishing I'd never got involved. Lessons I've learned: First, never, ever, try to build a website via mailing list. Never, ever get involved with a project where they're trying to build a website via mailing list. Thirdly, just because a project is sold to you as something you might ...
This was the week that... · Cabinet members came under fire as details of their expenses claims were revealed [more]. Outrageous expense claims included claiming for mock Tudor beams [more]; storm windows [more]; hanging baskets [more]; and plumbing to fix water that was 'too hot' [more] · A Labour peer was accused of abusing the expenses system by claiming expenses for an unoccupied flat [more] · A senior Cabinet minister attacked the "lamentable failure" of her own government [more] · The pressure was kept up on the government over the poor treatment of Gurkha veterans [more] · A Tory MEP ...
My love for the Ferrari formula 1 team knows no bounds in good times and in bad and that isn't about to change, despite Eddie Jordan saying that fans will be turned away from the team after another qualifying disaster. However, I did have to wonder if they had been taking advice from the UK Labour Party's strategy team today. I can live with the car being not that great - let's face it, the team is rebuilding after the departures of Todt, Schumacher and Brawn, but I find the stupidity of keeping Raikonnen in the garage in Q1 and ...
I've just started reading The Storm by Vince Cable. Need a dictionary but it's riveting all the same.
Dinner at Lahore 2 with Janmmu Kashmir Liberation Front leaders Zafar Sharif, Malik Latif, Mahmood Hussain, Mahmood Faiz, Sohail Sheikh, and Mohammad Sakhi, one of a series we have had over the years to discuss the situation in Kashmir and how to raise the profile here in the UK. There is a big Kashmiri community in several major towns and cities, and they would like to hear more discussion of Kashmir by mainstream politicians, though it is recognised that in New Delhi they are quick to react adversely to any statement they see as nteference by the former colonial power. ...
The day after the celebration for David Ward the memorial to Sharon Beshenivsky was unveiled in Bradford. A very sad ...
It is National Mills Weekend - a good excuse for showing this photograph of Arnesby Windmill in Leicestershire seen across the fields. The photograph comes from geograph and was found with the help of Windmill World.
Doing the paper review tomorrow morning on Sky. Am on with Andrew Neil - same as last time. So - no lie in for me!
You know, once you fall behind it's very hard to catch up... so welcome to the still-belated 115th of our weekly round-ups from the Lib Dem blogosphere, featuring the seven most popular stories according to click-throughs from the Aggregator (26th April - 2 May 2009), together with a hand-picked quintet, mostly courtesy of LibDig, you might otherwise have missed. As ever, let's start with the most popular post, and work our way down. 1. Will Lib Dem MPs be shamed in July's receipts apocalypse? by Richard Huzzey on Lib Dem Voice. Let's see what the next few days' Telegraphs bring... ...
The second Phoenix Community Festival was a great success today, with hundreds of local residents enjoying the live music, varied activities and sunny weather. Congratulations to Phoenix for organising the event and we hope to see you there next year!
In today's qualifying for the Spanish Formula 1 Grand Prix, Jenson Button left it extremely late (just 2 seconds from the end of the third and final qualifying session) to sequre pole position for tomorrow's race. The Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona is one of those places where drivers need to qualify in the top two rows of the grid in order to have even the remotest chance of winning. The last 8 victors having started the race on pole position, which bodes very well for Jenson. Next to Button on the grid, Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel who had a ...
Here are my seven reasons from the meme that was started by Stephen Tall. I didn't get a personal tagging from Stephen but as he tagged all Lib Dem Bloggers I think that does include me so here goes: The Liberal Democrats are the only main political party that spoke out against the illegal invasion of Iraq by the Conservative and Labour partiesLocally in Pendle the Lib Dems are the only party for the ordinary person like myself as Labour and the Tories are full of retards I don't want to be associated with dirty politics that are shown by ...
{cam-drive-sid} My colleague Cllr Sven Griesenbeck is working with residents on Cambridge Drive to tackle speeding traffic on their road. Cambridge Drive isn't part of the 2oMPH zone that covers much of Lee Green, and being a long, straight and relatively wide road, many drivers are passing along it at speed, with obvious dangers. We persuaded the Council to install the speed indicator devices shown in the photo. These light up when a driver exceeds the speed limit to remind him or her that the limit is 30. There was some question whether the indicators were working when they were ...
{pad-chorlton.jpg} Despite having two creative and enthusiastic children, I always miss out on pad's greeting card competition. It is part of the Arts Festival. No excuse this year as I am plugging it. http://www.padwebstore.co.uk/our-shop.asp has details of the competition, but basically a photo, painting or drawing that would make a good greeting card (no limit on the category if your idea is clearly Christmas, for instance). The deadline is 5pm on 23rd May.
I just had a thought when I woke up last night that some of my Towel Day tributes may inspire some intripid earthman/ape descendent/monkey man/carbon based lifeform that thinks digital watches are a pretty neat idea [Delete as applicable] to see the wonders of the Galaxy for less than 30 Altarian Dollars as day, they may want to know how to get started. I think the advice from Douglas Adams himself from the anthology of the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy in 1983 and in the same for the Trilogy in Four Parts in 1985 may be of assistance. I ...
Just been checking out facebook and I have noticed that my pal Faraz Bhatti a defected Councillor to the Tories from the Lib Dems has a blog. Yes the defecting Councillor has a blog (you are reading this right). His blog URL is www.cllrfarazbhatti.wordpress.com but I thought I would use this blog post to give Cllr Bhatti some pointers so he doesn't get on the wrong side of the law even though I would love to see a Tory getting screwed. Cllr Bhatti needs to make sure that he puts an imprint on the blog either pointing out the blog ...
Simple. But effective.
Well as it has been 8 years almost since Douglas Adams died. This is a fitting place to leave the last tribute to him on my blog. I hope regular readers will have enjoyed some writing by me in a different style, on different subjects. So where does that leave us. Douglas was proud that he was born in Cambridge in 1952 and joked that there were more than one important DNA discovery to come out of that university city that year. My favourite Douglas Adams, indeed one of my all time favourite quotes is this. "I like deadlines. "I ...
Having been tagged by Stephen from LDV with their latest meme, here are my 7 reasons I joined the Lib Dems. Well, they are more like a 7 steps to how I came to join but here goes anyway: 1) I have been fascinated by politics for years, ever since I studied British Government and Politics in the early 90's.2) I had resisted getting directly involved and had contented myself with watching from the sidelines, watching the political programmes and reading biographies and all the political comment but a couple of years ago I decided to get more directly involved.3) ...
One of my known bugbears is the lack of national content in local Focus leaflets....so, to illustrate what one could look like there is a mock-up below which didn't quite make it into the Hyde Park & Woodhouse edition, on the plus side my letter was published in the YEP.... 'Westminster Watch' Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg was at the forefront of winning Parliamentary recognition for the right of Gurkhas to settle in the UK. He challenged the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, on his 'shameful' abandonment of the Gurkhas at Prime Ministers Questions. He attacked a government which had 'lost ...
Ros and I are in Derbyshire this weekend, so I made my way up to Chesterfield where the Local Party were having a dinner with Ros as the guest speaker. I was picked up at the station by local MP Paul Holmes, whose car was notable for not being a gold-plated Maserati and the absence of security guards - don't all MPs have those, if the Telegraph is to be believed? We caught up with his wife Rae, the cats (Hendrix and Cashmere) and daughter Rhiannon over tea, before heading into town for the dinner. The dinner was great, and ...
Like the entry on Digital Watches that I re-published here earlier I tried to get in another quote from Douglas Adams unto H2G2. This one was however in the pre-BBC days but also failed to get in. But as I did earlier this is me, my blog, my editorial discretion so I'm just going to put it back in. Jodrell Bank, Cheshire, England, UK 'The huge yellow somethings went unnoticed at Goonhilly, they passed over Cape Canaveral without a blip, Woomer and Jodrell Bank looked straight through them - which was a pity because it was exactly the sort of ...
Sat 9th
15:24
Well out again in Irwell Riverside and this is what i found at the top of one street 50 yards away f...
Well HAZEL your party have a by election in Irwell Riverside ,i hope you enjoy talking to the residents and listen to what we have had to take in today, and below.Just another snap of one of the Gardens. Why as nothing been done to rectify this. Some of the many residents we have [...]
Next week, 17th May 2009, I will be once more doing the Great Manchester Run (for a given value of the word "run"). As far as I know, I'm the only Councillor in Manchester who has "run" this race every year since it started. I can't confess to having done much training this time, but I am hoping to raise money for Cancer Research UK. My target is £400 and so far, the online and offline donations total over £100. The link to the left labelled "Great Manchester Run" should arrive at my fundraising site. All donations gratefully received.
The daily publication of excerpts from MPs expenses makes pretty depressing reading for anyone involved in politics. No mainstream party is going to escape from the general cynicism that these stories are generating, and I don't doubt for a minute that, come the European elections, the main winners will be the 'can't be bothered to vote' party and, more worryingly, the extremist parties who voters may be tempted to support to register a generalised protest. The only glimmer of light in all of this is that the leaks in the newspaper may bring forward the ludicrously slow timetable for publication ...
A £25,000 body guard, tampons and £37K on furniture for a home is what MP's have been up to according to a blog post by Tory Politico. These are more revelations to add to the Friday Fuckers, so a name for these sleazebags can be the "Saturday Scammers". Personally the next couple of weeks can only get interesting but with the Parliamentary Authorities wanting to catch out the whistle blower all I can say is I hope they don't and more sleaze comes out. It would be funny to find out that an MP had been charging his sex bills ...
I've already shared the 45 Words that I wrote in honour of the first anniversary of Douglas Adams death and the inaugural Towel Day. When the series reached it's 42 edtion on 10 February 2004 what else could I do but return to the Guide. For the next 6 in the series I focussed on the original radio cast. Here there are all together. Peter Jones 1920 - 2000 (The Book) Shropshire born actor, sacked five minutes into first job.Voice first broadcast in The CardWest End debut during war.For twenty-five years attempted speaking for Just a Minute without repetition, deviation ...
Wright Robinson Sports College are offering an aquatic holiday camp for kids aged 8 - 16. The dates and times are: Tuesday 26th May - Friday 29th May 10.00am - 11.00am 11.00am - 12.00noon 13.00pm - 14.00pm 14.30pm - 15.30pm Please contact the Aquatics Coordinator at WRSC on 0161 370 5121 for a form to book one of these sessions.
The BBC carry news that the airline airline Easyjet has asked council officials for permission for its pilots to marry couples on flights. OK, but who will be flying the plane?
First ticket I have bought in ages, at least a year! OK, so I only won £20, but still. I'VE WON THE LOTTERY!!! Woo-HOOO!!!
Here is another podcast that I have recorded but as many will agree this sounds much better then the previous one. I have based this on the BNP and their threat to politics in the North West of England. Do keep giving me feedback via the comment section as its the only way that I can get better at posting.
{portrait.jpg} I have been selected to represent Manchester on the Greater Manchester Fire Authority again. The LibDems run the Fire Authority in coalition with the Conservatives. I am currently the Chair Of The Equality & Diversity Committee although whether or not I continue in that post is confirmed in late June. Equality & Diversity had been identified as an area we were lagging behind in and it has been a great challenge to turn that around. It is important for a number of reasons, but the two reasons I hold onto are; my children are mixed race and I don't ...
As one of the most prolific researhers on H2G2 as well a big fan of the books I did try and get some of the items Douglas Adams mentioned in his writings The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. Even cheekily trying to get some Douglas quotes in the piece. They normally got removed on this occasion the reason given was that is was well researched and didn't need to hang on the opening quote. However this is my house so for the first time since this was published on 29 April 2003 here it is with the original opening. The ...
Yesterday I got talking to a new facebook chum Paul Halsall who is also a blogger and after reading his blog I am amazed to what this man is capable of doing. He is a historian and has thought Islamic History and he really knows a lot about Islam so that was a good discussion. Secondly he is openly gay and writes about being gay and life in general on his blog I have added a link to him on my sidebar and personally I think his blog is well worth a read. Footnote to all those who have accused ...
Right, my task for monday is going to be to make myself a nice header bar for the new blog. There are many things I would want to reference, and I have some ideas as to style and content, but I wondered what images you guys would suggest I include? Please leave a comment with your suggestions for images that you think epitomise me.
One of the most unedifying aspects of the leaked information about the expense claims so far has been the way some MPs have badgered the fees office about expense claims and in some cases bludgeoned them into submission. Andy Burnham joked in a letter to them that if he did not get reimbursed for his flat moving costs (more than £16,000) then he "might be in line for divorce!". This betrays to me a sense of entitlement far beyond what should be expected. It is not the job of the tax payer to satisy Mr Burnham's wifes desires in this ...
Of course, nobody would accuse the Daily Mail of hypocrisy, sympathising with Andrew Sachs after the media horribly published photos of his granddaughter in a variety of lewd poses constantly. That damn media.
Just finished the selection meeting for Blaydon. We have chosen Neil Bradbury as our new candidate. He is currently one of our Euro candidates and is a councillor in Prudhoe in the neighbouring constituency.---Sent via BlackBerry
With Towel Day being a tribute to Douglas Adams and therefore of course The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. There are fans no matter how good a job Stephen Fry attempted to do in the film, or William Franklyn did when the final three books of the five book 'triology' was adapted for Radio as the Tertiary, Quandary and Quintessential Phases, there will only truely be one voice of 'The Guide'; Peter Jones. Jones Predeceased Douglas and indeed just before the first birthday of H2G2 in April 2000. This was the early days of the guide and looking at the ...
As Towel Day celebrates Douglas Adams and as I as Demon Drawer wrote for his earth bound guide H2G2 it is sad that Douglas himself researcher number 42 only has one edited entry in the guide. Arthur Dent fans will be pleased to know that the subject of that entry is tea. Therefore being such a prollific contributer I wanted to be able to interlink to the great man's only entry. This piece which was an edited entry in 19 February 2003 is not on my favourite tea Earl Grey as I'd been beaten to it but this is what ...
I knew there'd be consequences. Stephen Tall has 'tagged' me with a meme. I feel like I've been handed the Lib Dem Voice equivalent of an ASBO. To compensate for my crime, I must list 7 reasons why I joined the Lib Dems. This is almost certainly going to annoy my non-Lib Dem readers (hello!) so if this sort of thing is likely to make you irrationally angry I'd look away now. Sometimes, if you want to win Lib Dem Blogger of the Year, you've got to supplicate yourself to The Man every now and again. Of course, doesn't mean ...
Tavish Scott was in our neighbouring constituency in NE Fife last week, speaking with local businesses.
My Internet connection's frustratingly knackered this week, but while I'm actually online for a moment, spare that moment for poor Barbara Follett. One of many Labour ministers whose expenses have been exposed today through the Torygraph's backhanders to the criminal fraternity, she's a tragic case. Why, the Fees Office even churlishly refused to pay all the £528.75 for repairing her much-needed Chinese needlepoint rug (no word on how much we all paid for it in the first place, but worth every penny, surely), which must have been heartbreaking, and who can begrudge her £25,000 in public money for private security? ...
Apparently Nigel Farage, 'leader' of UKIP, says his 'party' of dissolute Daily Mail readers could bring down the government. Oh dear. No, Mr Farage. Now f*** off to those marginal Tory seats and do your worst but leave the rest of us alone.
{Gareth Epps} You will have seen in the local press, and on other blogs, that our current leader has stood down. I for one think he has served us well on the council, and in particular during the budget negotiations - in which we stuck to our guns and got our amendment through (several of the new spending initiatives are coming on-line now particularly the environmental ones). In doing so, Gareth can now put all his effort into fighting the Reading East Parliamentary elections (when ever Gordon Brown sees fit to call one) against the current lackluster Tory MP. Whilst ...
Phil Woolas has angrily denied that he claimed for women's clothing, tampons, nappies etc on his MP's expenses, as claimed by the Telegraph this morning.He has explained that he submitted complete receipts from Tesco or wherever to the Commons Fees Office but only filled out a claim on the accompanying form for reimbursement on valid items such as food.In which case, have we been led up the
Joanna Lovely is doing a super job with her campaign for the gurkhas, isn't she? Her link with the regiment through her father is clear and she is obviously passionate about the issue of fair treatment for them. She's a super actress and (all together now) a national treasure. Gosh, I think she'd say. However, when I take away the Vaseline drenched lens for a second I can't help but find the class warrior in me leaping out with a 'Spanish Inquisition' flourish. May I put on record most firmly that I am no fan of any Labour minister and ...
So looking at the headline of this story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8037538.stm Does this mean the catholic church is out of business?
Everyone now knows that the rules concerning parliamentary expenses for MP were perverse, yet the constant flow of MPs claiming "I worked within the rules" seems totally at odds with everyone elses moral compass. We all know now that MPs were working withing the rules, but we are all concerned that so many MPs lacked the common sense and decency to see that their expenses claim were totally indefensible to the electorate. No wonder we have been told for many years that out MPs are the least corrupt in world because there was no need for overt corruption when there ...
Carrying out the position of the Government's independent reviewer of terrorism legislation is not an easy job for anybody and I do not envy Lord Carlile in having to discharge the duties associated with it.For a start it has meant that he has attracted abuse from within his own party over the years from some members who have questioned whether he should remain within it and others who have
Did you notice David Cameron's election pitch this week? He called for "a message of change," "a vote for change" and, just in case you missed the message, "it is time for change." And, for once, Mr Cameron is quite right. We should throw out the party in power at next month's elections - the ones who've let us down, who've not delivered, who are smug and arrogant and need sweeping away. That's the Conservative Party, who hold 19 of the 27 county councils up for election, and who are defending the largest number of MEPs going into the Euro-elections. ...
I've known many people who were happy, proud almost, to abuse expenses. I haven't (probably more fear of getting caught than some great moral goodness) but I've never had a problem claiming for things within the rules, even if it wasn't strictly necessary, nor can I say that I've never liberated company stationary from the office. So I'm in two minds about the current MPs' expenses debacle. It's just so easy to say they're all terrible, snouts in the trough. But is it right? Or is there more to it than that and is attacking all MPs perhaps just a ...
Ali Goldsworthy's exclusive about the top three Welsh Conservative European candidates all living in England made it to the Western Mail this morning as the page six and seven lead story.The Tories have of course scrabbled to justify this problem by arguing that the candidates in question have 'impeccable Welsh credentials'. That might be more believeable if they had not instituted internal
As I wrote an hour ago today is the day that Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy fans pay tribute to the late writer Douglas Adams. On the BBC's H2G2 site there is a weekly, now fortnightly newspaper called The Post. One of the Guide's most prolific researchers Demon Drawer was also one of the Post's most prolific contributers. One of his post popular columns was a series called 45 words. In the 10oth edition of the post someone worked out that the average number of words per researcher in the edited guide was 45. Demon Drawer decided that would be ...
Time for me to tackle the meme of the moment. You'll notice that I'm not conforming by waiting until Saturday to do it:-) The backdrop to my political DNA is found in the Preamble to the Party's Constitution - the rest of the document is as dull as ditchwater, as constitutions are to most people, but the Preamble sets out our core values as Lib Dems - fairness, community, decentralisation and respect for people as individuals. And the thing is, these aren't just words to us - we know what they mean and we try to live them out whenever ...
Many people over the last couple of days have spoken to me about MP expenses, whether on the doorstep or at work. The main concern is not that the MP receive expenses, I think that most people recognise that there must be some expenses, but what it is the scope of the expenses.One man asked me the other day whether it was true that none of the Liberal Democrat MPs in London claim or a second home
Sat 9th
10:14HCA unveils details of £635 million package to Kickstart Housing Delivery? is it enough..
HCA unveils details of £635 million package to Kickstart Housing Delivery The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) has today published on-line guidance of how developers and local authorities can bid for two elements of the additional £635 million housing funding package announced in April's Budget. A total of £400 million of the package has been put in [...]
The recycling rate in the borough has gone up from 25% to 47% under the new collection scheme. When the new scheme was introduced last Autumn it was greeted with scepticism by some, and downright opposition by the Conservatives. But it has worked. There were teething problems, of course, and the Council always expected there to be a settling in period. It's...
On the epolitix site yesterday was less controversial news about Parliament than is currently dominating every newspaper and media outlet, namely their reluctance to engage with on-line democracy. The site says that a report of the Commons procedure committee has accused Ministers of lacking the will to implement an e-petitions system on the Parliament website. They have called on the government to think again about its failure to take the project forward: The cross-party committee expressed regret that the government had not approved funding to support the development of an effective system for online engagement with the public. The report ...
I think this isn't needed to be brought up but with a new editor at LabourList I think it only makes sense if we discuss their future by looking at donations the site received under Derek Draper. According to a comment by Chris Paul a Labour blogger Draper received £100,000 from UNITE the Union as a budget to set up the website. First of all I think UNITE's boss defiantly must have known about the Red Rag otherwise why would he give £100,000 for a blog to be set up. LabourList does have that cr** Content Management Service but I ...
Lordy, lordy. It's difficult to know where to begin with the revelations about MPs that are now coming thick and fast from The Telegraph. There is lots of comment elsewhere but I wanted to focus firstly on this particular vignette: Barbara Follett, the multi-millionaire Tourism Minister, claimed for private security patrols outside her London home costing more than £25,000. The parliamentary fees office, which is supposed to monitor claims, warned Mrs Follett that her claims may appear "excessive" if made public, but she was not deterred, saying she felt unsafe in Soho after being mugged. WTF!? She got mugged so ...
On 11 May 2001 the world lost Douglas Noel Adams the writer of The Hitchikers Guide to Galaxy, on the following year on the nearest Saturday and every year since the Scottish Researchers Group of H2G2 have net in Douglas' honour. H2G2 itself turned 10 in the 28th April. The site was a precurser of Wikipedia and was Douglas' vision to become a living embodiment of the electronic guide of his magnus opus through users contributions. Several writers have contributed over 100 items which are entirely their own work the first two were an Nothern Irish researcher called Demon Drawer ...
Sat 9th
09:30
Opinion: Postal Ballot - to save the Post Office we need to revisit the cooperative movement
Saving the local Post Office from closure, and the Royal Mail from privatisation, has long been a serious issue on the campaign trail for traditionalists and progressives alike. At this time - when private banks have ceased lending to sound customers and many urban and rural areas are excluded altogether from essential public utility services - these causes take on a more acute tone. At the risk of schadenfreude at Labour's calamitous handling of these essential institutions, let's examine just how the government's proposals for the postal service fail to deliver (apologies, I couldn't help it!). Hardly anyone would deny ...
The Author of the Salford South Lib Dem Blog does not have the Guts to sign his comments. I presume you will be having a word with him Joe! As for dirty tricks I too am expecting them but judging by past form they are likely to come from the Lib Dems. Lets just go [...]
I was watching Preston North-End v Sheffield United on Sky One last night - as you do. Unfortunately, I found it very difficult to concentrate on the match because there was one player who didn't compute. Step forward Jon Parkin. Look at him. He's a rugby player. What's he doing on a football pitch? I just couldn't handle it.
A new blog has recently been launched in my local area (Bracknell in Berkshire) that I am involved with which is aiming to focus primarily on local issues. If you live in Bracknell, Sandhurst, Crowthorne or and of the surrounding areas you might want to get involved: http://bracknellblog.blogspot.com/
It's time for us to ask whether Follett and Moran will be questioned by their own local parties – whether there will be reselections and if not why can't they find suitable Labour people to take up the challenges?
To mark sixty years since the closure of Frog Lane pit, the last Coalpit Heath coalmine, there will be an exhibition at Yate and District Heritage Centre from 14 May to 4 July. Those interested in the mining history of our area might also want to look at the latest newsletter for the Friends of Ram Hill Colliery.
This review of The Liberal Democrats, edited by Don Maciver (1996) was published in 1996. The book is still a significant and interesting source of information for people wanting to know more about the history of the party. This book is the first major book-length study of the Liberal Democrats, comprising eleven chapters written by "a group of professional political scientists" at "British universities" (though one contributor - Duncan Brack - is actually neither). Some of the chapters have a familiar ring to them - the local elections expert duo of Thrasher and Rallings on LibDem election results, Michael Steed ...
Transport for London didn't want to replace the Countdown display on a damaged bus shelter on Priory Road (Muswell Hill): (You can also watch this on the YouTube website.)
Bah, have been tagged by the fine, upstanding Stephen Tall to give the seven reasons why I joined the Lib Dems. Can I really stretch "I was drunk, I thought I was signing up to a subscription for Hustler, boy was I in for a disappointment." out that much? I can't remember why I joined the Lib Dems and doubt any of the reasons were very good (I was young and foolish), so I'll tweak the meme and give seven reasons why I became an activist where I am now. It's slightly more recent and much worthier. 1. I like ...
(Updated at 11.09am)The Telegraph today alleges that Phil Woolas claimed for a ladies blouse, tampons and nappies on his MPs expenses. However, Phil Woolas has denied such claims. The Guardian reports:Woolas said that the Telegraph had made a mistake in the allegations it had put to him. He said that the paper wrongly assumed that receipts submitted by him were his expenses claim. In fact he
Liberal Democrat members of Redcar & Cleveland Council's Audit Committee are concerned that the Labour Council is failing to address the serious issues raised by their investment of £4 millions in Icelandic banks last October. Public money was deposited in an Iceland bank ignoring warnings about its poor financial standing. The Council's claimed investigation was far from independent. It was merely a report from a finance officer to the Audit Committee. Until a more independent enquiry takes place, the only judgment that can be seen as impartial is that of the Audit Commission. It was only Labour members of the ...
Stop Climate Chaos Cymru has organised a hustings event next week. From their Web pages: Stop Climate Chaos Cymru invites you to a question and answer session with some of the candidates for the European Union Parliament elections. Tuesday 12 May at 7.30pm The Environment Centre, Pier Street, Swansea (near the Marina) Speakers: Evan Price (Conservative)Lisa Stevens (Labour)Alan Butt Philip (Lib-Dem)Jill Evans, MEP (Plaid Cymru) Chair: Phil McDonnell, former Environment Centre Manager and now independent environment consultant. All are welcome, tea and coffee will be available. Organiser: Peter K Jones 02920 353 013 (peter.jones@rspb.org.uk)
Tonight was the Greetland and Stainland branch quiz night. ( click here for fascinating Lib Demmery ) Other stuff:There was an amusing bit of advice for Jobseekers in the local rag today. It said that 9/10 jobs are now advertised online, and if you don't have access to the internet you can get free access at your local UK Online centre. To find your local UK online centre, log on to www.ukonlinecentres.co.uk The Geeka Chicas poll is on Trek captains this month. Look to the right sidebar of the linked page and VOTE JANEWAY! Stephen Tall wants me to do ...
A few weeks ago I posted about how Luton South Labour MP Margaret Moran costs taxpayers 10 times what an MP living in the same street does for her second homes allowance.Well the Daily Telegraph now has further revelations about Ms Moran and her multiple homes and claims:Margaret Moran, the Labour MP for Luton, spent £22,500 of taxpayers' money treating dry rot at her and her husband's seaside
Today, 9 May, is Europe Day, but one person who will certainly not be celebrating is David Cameron, who has received a very public slap in the face from one of his outgoing MEPs, Christopher Beazley. Mr Beazley got a standing ovation in the European Parliament this week by declaring that the Conservative leader 'thinks that by [...]
