This is a terrible moment for this post. But that's really the point. I want people to comment here if they have something nice to say about their MP or about British politicians or the political system. Like anyone, I have some very serious criticisms of the conduct of British politicians. In many ways I think our [...]
The last few days have felt a bit like coming out of a cinema into the daylight - bleary eyed, you stagger and squint for a few minutes until you finally readjust back to normality. The truly great films, the ones that make the most profound impression, tend to you leave you stunned and disorientated - it takes hours - sometimes days before a solid opinion about what you witnessed begins to form in your head. So Gordon Brown takes it upon himself to apologise on behalf of all politicians everywhere for the 'last few days,' and at last it ...
Latest Populus Poll puts Lib Dems at 22% (up 4%), Labour on 26% (down 4%) and Conservatives 39% (down 4%). The fieldwork for this poll was carried out in the intial fallout of the Telegraph expenses leaks. With no real Lib Dem appearance in the expenses furore as yet, we could yet benefit further from the greed of others. {Share/Save/Bookmark}
Great to meet the the Police ,Residents , PCSO'S and City WEST. Meeting was a great success Well done PC barrett and the team.
All Council services are tested to see if they give best value for local people. We aim to achieve this by continually reviewing our services to ensure that they: best meet people's needs are provided by the right people are of a standard that compares with the best elsewhere are provided at the lowest possible cost are always improving. Cross-party scrutiny [...]
Tuesday's Times has a new poll which puts the Tories below 40% and Labour down another 4%. Lib Dems are up and to within touching distance of Labour. This poll was taken before the Telegraph got round to the Tory Grandees mega expenses claims. I suspect that a Tory tumble in the polls will follow. The question is whether any Lib Dems have screwed up. If they have I suspect that Clegg must move against them decisively.
It's been a long day today. I've had a lot of casework to follow up on and two Parish Annual General Meetings to attend. The day started early, it finishes late and I have this feeling that another 12 hours still wouldn't see me done. Election time is upon us!! I spent the afternoon in Grantchester knocking on doors and talking to local residents about the possibility of a monthly mobile Post Office Service now that their regular one has closed, and a bus to take them to a local supermarket. Normally I love nothing more than being out on ...
Listening to "Mr Speaker", Michael Martin, during the commons debate on expense today was absolutely sickening. Mr Martin, a man not averse to taking full advantage of the expenses system and perhaps, in some eyes, being seen as just as bad as those MPs now caught out by The Telegraph, decided to launch a fierce verbal attack on Labour MP Kate Hoey and Lib Dem MP Norman Baker, both long time campaigners for greater exposure of MPs expenses. What made Mr Martin's responses to Ms Hoey and Mr Baker was the way he chose to lecture other MPs about their ...
I had thought I had heard it all about MP's expenses, but this week has plumbed new depths. Douglas Hogg, (who has his snout firmly in the trough) the former agriculture secretary, submitted a claim form for more than £2,000 for the moat around his country estate to be cleared. At tax payers expense. What has become the subject of office jokes this week has turned into a farce. People I have spoken to over the past few weeks are angry that OUR tax payers money is being embezzled in this way, when schools are struggling for funding and there ...
Tonight was annual council at West Lindsey.The Tories have decided that although they've already delayed the Market Rasen swimming pool by over 1 year, they now want to exclude all rational thought processes. They have taken full control of the Pool Board, which means yet more delays to their grandeous schemes.If the Liberal Democrats were still in control, Market Rasen and surrounding area
Commons speaker Michael Martin has once again shown that he is not competent to fulfill the role he holds. Not content with throwing away crucial rights and privileges of parliament by allowing the police, in an operation driven wholly by the wishes of the Labour Party, to search the offices of a Conservative MP, he now attacks MP's who have criticised their colleagues for having snouts in the trough. Does the man not realise that it is not the disclosures in the newspapers which damage Parliament but the fact that he and his team have allowed MP's to pursue such ...
I forgot to mention the following in my blog post this morning about Labour's mad attack on us in a safe seat they are defending in a byelection in Gateshead. A quick recap - Labour spent the weekend putting out leaflets attacking our candidate and foolishly (for Labour) focusing all their efforts on attempting to rebut our campaign. The result is that the entire campaign is now being fought on
A new group has been set up in the Party - the Liberal Democrat Friends of Poland - which was launched today in the House of Commons. The founder of the group is John Oakes from Islington, who got in touch a few weeks ago to ask if I'd attend the launch and make a short speech of welcome. Once I'd agreed, he went on to ask if I'd be the honorary president of the group, and I was glad to agree to that too. Hosted by John Barrett MP, the event was very well attended - perhaps the presence ...
A poll out today by Populus puts the Lib Dems 4 points up and the Labour and Conservative parties four points down. First of all I would like to make clear the fact that the Lib Dems have not been hit by the plague from the Telegraph and upon being hit the real public opinion will be portrayed. The result from the poll is: CONSERVATIVES 39(-4) LABOUR 26(-4) LIBERAL DEMOCRATS 22 (+4) Now personally I don't think the Lib Dem result will stick at 22 but who knows? Lets see what the next poll brings out and what scandals the ...
The Government's defeat in the House of Commons on the issue of allowing Gurkhas to reside in the UK was a victory for justice and democracy, and a huge embarrassment for Gordon Brown and his fellow Labour MPs. The public majority rightly support the Gurkhas' right to live in this country, having fought for it and put their lives at risk alongside our troops. Our local MP, Chris Ruane, was unsurprisingly not one of the 27 Labour rebel MPs who voted with their conscience in support of the Lib Dem motion to offer guarantees of residence to the Gurkhas. It's ...
From the Daily Telegraph website tonight: Senior Conservatives have claimed tens of thousands of pounds for work on their country estates, leaving taxpayers to subsidise lifestyles far beyond those experienced by most Britons.Some MPs claimed costs, including council tax and repair bills, associated with multiple properties on the same estates.The claims of eight senior Conservatives will be disclosed and the identity of one MP, who claimed more than £380 for horse manure, will also be published.Later. And here they are.
Derby left behind us, we headed for the final engagement of the trip, an informal dinner organised by the High Peak Local Party in Whaley Bridge. Our journey took us back through Chesterfield before connecting to the Hope Valley line for New Mills Central. It was a typical day for hiking, sunny in the morning, wet in the afternoon, as our train picked up some sodden, but clearly prescient, hikers at Edale. Fortunately, the rain had stopped by the time we reached New Mills, where we were picked up by our Group Leader on Derbyshire County Council, Barrie Taylor. He ...
Following today's embarrassing performance by Michael Martin, the Tory MP Douglas Carswell has put down a Commons motion calling on him to go. On his blog Carswell says that the Table Office has approved the text of a suitable motion.
You've got to hand it to the Tories. They certainly have a higher class of expense claim.Dear old Olly Letwin. £2145.55 for repairs to pipes under his tennis court. Bless him! And when pushed on this he blustered that the water company recommended the repairs. No word on whether the water company recommended he charge taxpayers for them.Then there's dear dear Johnny Gummer. Those blessed moles
I have just taken part in a conference call with Willie Rennie on the Liberal Democrat campaign for next month's Euro elections. I was cooking my supper at the same time. (You don't have to boil asparagus: try doing it in a hot oven with olive oil and sea salt.) Anyway, Willie is promising a very different Euro campaign from the ones the party has fought in the past. He said that the other day a Guardian journalist phoned him and said: "I've heard an outrageous rumour that the Lib Dems are going to fight the European elections on Europe." ...
You can see Margaret Moran defending her allowance claims here on BBC Politics Show East.She is saying that the "reality" of her life is that she has three homes.It is not clear why on earth the taxpayer should pay for these three homes.She needed a TV in her second home. It was £700. It was a nice TV. OK?
Lewisham Council's transport liaison committee is next meeting on June 9th. Entertainingly chaired by Labour's John Muldoon, the meeting gives us a chance to put questions to TfL, Network Rail and bus/rail operators. If anyone has any suggestions for public transport-related questions, do let me have them (either using the comments section or via email) by Monday 18th May.
A great day for Bury today, as the Borough celebrated some of its most successful citizens by bestowing the Freedom of the Borough on them. First up Zoe Robinson, Paralympic gold medallist, whose achievements in Beijing made front page news and whose sporting success has been a great credit to Bury. Next were the band "Elbow," who finally hit the commercial big-time this year with their album "The Seldom Seen Kid." After years of critical acclaim but slow-burning sales, they got their just rewards this time round with the Mercury Music Prize and now the Freedom of the Borough to ...
The Lay Scientist - whom you should all be reading anyway - on "colon cleansing" treatments for being overweight:If you're fat, it's not because your colon needs cleaning - colons are like the Daily Mail, they're supposed to be full of shit.Add him on Dreamwith at lay_scientist_feed or LJ at layscientist_fd or to the RSS reader of your choice here.
To go with the "Pay It Back" campaign I launched earlier today, I have now started a petition here. Please go and sign it if you agree that MPs should pay back any expenses that go beyond the spirit of the rules.
On a council or Westminster ballot paper candidates are listed in alphabetical order of surnames. On the Euro Parliament ballot paper, in alphabetical order of part names, exactly as entered in the nomination papers. This has had the following interesting result in the South-East Euro division where the Conservatives entered as Conservative (and appear alphabetically where you expect the letter 'C' and the LibDems entered as Liberal Democrats (and appear after the Js and before the Ns). Which leaves 'The Green Party' and 'The Labour Party' listed together, in that order, down alphabetically amongst the T's. I wonder if this ...
Well, I'm not the most typical Lib Dem. Regrettably, I'm actually a monarchist. I do have some sort of emotional attachment to the idea of a British Empire (no, that doesn't include support for the subjugation of free nations, so although I have an emotional attachment, I'm glad we no longer have that Empire, which was built on invasion and coercion). I also have incredible admiration for anyone willing to risk their lives in our armed forces. I don't really know how I came to those three viewpoints. I'm very sure my parents have very different views (not that I've ...
The defence by Margaret Moran of her expense claims is:"References to my second home as being a holiday, coastal or seaside home are wrong. It is a modest terraced house in the middle of Southampton where my partner of over 30 years lives and works, and whose costs I have shared over 20 years."All claims were made within parliamentary rules." Let me get that right. Her defence is that it is OK
Over at the Daily Mail, Lib Dem deputy leader Vince Cable examines the disconnect between the have-nots and the 'haves and have-yachts' in the sporting world, and asks if 'The Storm' will close the gap: First it was debt, then property. Now I sense another bubble waiting to burst. While some of Britain's key wealth-generating activities - construction, manufacturing, finance - are in terrible shape, one industry sails serenely on apparently oblivious to the recession: football's Premier League. Britain's leading banks may have bitten the dust but our top clubs dominate Europe and, arguably, the world. ... I can't see ...
{Vince Cable} All, I've uploaded a copy of the Liberal Democrat Economic Recovery Plan here. Unlike this discredited Labour Government, and the Conservatives who have no clear policies on what they would do with the British economy, Vince Cable has led the way during this recession. Our policies are clear, costed and supported by many independent observers - please read them if you'd like to know what our commitments are. Summary of the Plan 1. Massive investment programme to create jobs and help the environment 2. Cut taxes for struggling families so they have more money in their pockets 3. ...
Below is my latest letter to the Yorkshire Evening Post... Dear Sirs, Alan Slomson (Letters, May 11) asks if I would allow special car parking spaces to facilitate theft and the answer is of course I wouldn't but you cannot conflate the unlawful theft of private property with a discussion about how common property is used. Alan raises legitimate concerns but I have to say once again that this is the reason the special area is being proposed; to limit the damage that is done and make sure the Moor is preserved; residents concerns are addressed and people's freedoms are ...
These photos are probably illegal - hasn't the Labour Government forbidden taking photos of police officers doing their job? It was not good to see this today ... I was going up to Parliament for a meeting (with half a dozen members of the House of Lords, if you must know). I arrived just before 1pm, and the Tamil protesters had closed the street in front of, and...
My own view is that any Lib Dem Parliamentarian caught claiming expenses against the spirit of the regulations that can't be held up in the court of public opinion (ie dodgy second homes a la Moran and Cohen or `flipping`) should be given an amnesty from the charge of bringing the Party into disrepute in [...]
John Hemming MP is in a class of his own. This, I suspect, will not be news to many. The particular case to which I am referring today is that of expenses. John is claiming via a blog post last week to be a net contributor to the public purse even after you take into account his parliamentary salary. One of the interesting things to spot is firstly how many MPs earn more from outside parliament than from the tax payer. Then there is a question of how many MPs pay the taxpayer more than the taxpayer pays them. In ...
My colleague Peter Hough has launched a survey on Sefton's policy on phone masts. I have logged an on line version at: http://birkdalelibdems.org.uk/
I have compiled a list of MP's and Peers who have been brought out into the open for their dirt with allowances by the Telegraph and will keep updating it until all the dirt has come out and then will watch the list and the outcome it has at the next general election. Jack StrawLord MandelsonHazel BlearsDavid MilibandAlistair DarlingGeoff HoonAndy BurnhamGordon Brown (driver)Barbera FolletPhil WoolasBen BradshawPhil HopeGreg BarkerJames GrayKevin BrennanGerry AdamsMartin McGuinnessMichelle Gildernew Pat DohertyKitty UssherAllan DuncanMicheal GroveAndrew LansleyDavid WillettsOliver LetwinGeorge OsborneChris RennardCheryl GillanP.S. If you think I have missed someone from the list comment and I will update it. ...
Amid all the revelations that some MPs (it isn't clear how many) have flagrantly abused the expenses system, is a bizarre feeling amongst commentators that this bunch of MPs have somehow let the side down more than the ones we had in the past. One political commentator on the Today programme, for example, spoke of his belief in honourable members of parliament being damaged and Andrew Rawnsley in the Observer yesterday wrote of his slipping belief that most MPs were essentially decent and hard working. Those MPs deserve to face the verdict of the electorate, but let's not kid ourselves ...
MPs' expenses - where to begin? I haven't waded through the Telegraph's coverage over the past few days: glanced at parts, picked up many of the references via blogs, but couldn't bring myself to read it all. Why not? Simple: I don't trust the Telegraph to report the story with any degree of objectivity. All credit to the newspaper for obtaining the story: it was clearly a canny commercial investment (whether or not they paid £150,000 for the leaked document) and in the public interest, too - though as all these expenses were going to be released this summer in ...
We all remember when Labour started blaming the `globe` as the sole cause for our economic woes. Of course it didn't make sense as they puffed up New Labour when things were going `well`. There's also another big hole in their argument – let's just suppose Brown DID regulate the banks properly and DID regulate credit [...]
News just in that the party succesfully launched the Euro Election Campaign in Newport this lunchtime. The fact that Nick Clegg, joined Kirsty, Alan and others at the launch just goes to show how seriously the party is taking this election. Interestingly, the BBC suggested yesterday that Labour may well be on track to lose the fourth Euro seat in June. The Party Press Release has more: The Welsh Liberal Democrats have today launched their campaign to send a Welsh Lib Dem to the European Parliament in June. Visiting Coleg Gwent in Newport, Nick Clegg, leader of the Liberal Democrats ...
I did say that the Parliamentary Fees Office was going to be very vulnerable as a result of all of these leaks, although not in the way I had predicted. First, Andrew Walker, the head of the Office, has been condemned for not having an accountancy qualification. The merit of that argument has been shot down by my old colleague Sara Bedford, so I won't add anything to her comments, except to note that there are very few HMRC officials with an accountancy qualification, and we seem to administer the tax system pretty well in spite of that. However, what ...
The British National Party activists have been spamming my comment section on the Youtube podcasts that criticise them as a party and personally I am getting a little pissed but I will live don't worry about that BNP's. Maybe the stupid name that people call the BNP is what they need to be reminded of. The name being Britain's Numpties and Twat's is the right way to describe the bunch.
Hey diddle, diddle MP's in expenses fiddle? They've got clean away with the moon The public's aghast To see such sport An apology won't help them in June... (Gordon Brown's apology. )
{muckspreading.jpg} Mick spreader seems to have hung-up his (or her) keyboard and opted for early retirement, but has left us with an interesting final poll. My personal favourite post came after rumours had mounted that Cllr Chris Maskell was going to turn independent - But then after a moment of clarity he decided it was best to stay with Labour. Mick Spreaders take on the events, however, had me in stitches. Also, his take on Shredder-gate was particularly enlightening. I hear a 'best of' will be coming out soon, and may be even a book "Micks the ones"... Goodbye Mick, ...
The answers ? Well i am at loss, i have read today in First some ideas. Work with partners on reducing rates. Select a senior officer to champion the strategy Priortise sex education Provide training on sex education for partner organisations Provide well resourced youth centers Improve the economic emotional and health outcomes for teenage parents. Well lets look at [...]
Woodhouse Moor Online claims to go 'beneath the mask', 'exposing' me not as a local resident but as a Liberal Democrat activist (something that won't exactly surprise the regular readers of this blog). Unfortunately, the piece is flawed by a simple fact; I did include my address in my letter to the Yorkshire Evening Post but it was not printed. I have no intention of publishing my full address so publicly but I can reassure the writers of Woodhouse Moor Online that I am indeed a local resident as anybody who knows me well will vouch for; I note that ...
Tomorrow's Traffic and Highways Committee will be taking a decision about the plans for an alleygate on the alley that runs from Garfourth Close to Woolton Road. There have been calls for this for some time now and it took a while to get the evidence. It is not universally wanted however and there has been an objection. That's why the committee is meeting. My colleague Peter Millea usually chairs this meeting but he has asked someone else to take the chair so that he can represent our Cressington constituents. I have student assessments that morning so I can't be ...
Following up a request for a bus shelter on Dale View Road which came up as a result of the Town Council "shop" week.
My survey about The Delph Playground is going well. Got quite a few replies, some more to do. Then I have to wrestle with the second stage application form, not much time left to the deadline ...
After I co-ordinated a campaign by local people over Bradford Council taking away our flagstones from a snicket in Thwaites Brow last Tuesday they are being re-instated this morning. Got a photo, lost my camera lead. I'll post a picture as soon as I ...
Extra money to recruit and train social workers is a real success for the LGA and the first steps in tackling the difficulties councils face protecting children. A situation highlighted by the Liberal Democrats in our local budget proposals. Of course our comments where not taken on board by labour. This issue is raised in [...]
{bury-fc-badge.jpg} Yesterday afternoon I attended the League 2 play off 2nd Leg of Bury v. Shrewsbury. It was one of those games where you came away thinking we would never have scored, despite numerous chances. And the Shrews keeper played out of his skin as well. Then two minutes from the end of normal time Shrewsbury cancelled out the lead Bury had from the first leg and the rest is history. Hopefully lessons will be learned and next season the team will have more belief - knowing that they got this far this season. But there were so many distraught ...
I see that there is an attempt by the Bootle Labour Party to drag Sefton Council into the internecine warfare that is going on within in the Labour Party over the future of Royal Mail. The Left is trying to launch a campaign aimed at undermining their own governments approach to Royal Mail. Bootle Councillor John Fairclough has a motion down to this weeks cabinet. You know when a governing party is 'past it' when their backbench MP's boast about taking it on. Now let us be clear backbenchers should revolt if their government is way off track. My problem ...
That f**king idiot of a Prime Minister has patronisingly spoken for `all parties` – no he hasn't he's again acting politically and speaking for himself trying to defend some of his own colleagues. HOW DARE HE SPEAK FOR ME! I can't tell you how angry I am about this – it's not his place to speak [...]
I've just stumbled across a petition in Support of Scott Rennie it is in it's embryotic stages. So please sign and encourage your firneds to sign.
At a meeting this morning I did share the frustration of some elderly pensioners wanting to open a bank account for a small residents group. They had been to several banks and been turned away as they had no passports or driving licence to show. As they said, they have no need for either. Given the public money that has gone into banks, it is about time they sorted out a way for this type of...
Oval's Lib Dem councillors know that very often it is the small things we can do to help that make a real difference to people. A few of the more recent issues include getting action on the following issues: - dumped rubbish cleared away on Kennington Lane (pictured above) - ensuring the council took prompt action to help repair his home when a Harleyford Court resident was flooded by the flat above - A resident contacted us on Richborne Terrace after a year-long battle with Lambeth Council for a smaller wheelie bin outside their house, we ensured the council took ...
The MPs expenses stories keep coming and coming. It has reached the point now where politicians such as David Cameron and Gordon Brown see that they have to apologise for what has happened, although in both cases their statements seem to me to be a little bit hedged and equivocal. The political classes are in an absolute mess of their own making now. They can argue until they are blue in the face that it was "within the rules" but the rules clearly stink and are obviously going to be radically changed anyway. It is very dangerous for our political ...
`Flipping` – the process of having a second home in London and tarting it up then calling it the main home for tax purposes to sell on and move up the ladder is for the general public `legalised fraud`. I would advise any local Labour party to deselect that person now as they have brought your [...]
Voluntary and community groups in our area have five weeks from today to apply for grants for capital projects. More information on the Community Grants page of the South Glos website.
The late Sir Richard Wainwright used to tell a story about how one of his predecessors as the MP for Colne Valley used to visit his Constituency without fail every year. He would arrive by train, be carried on a chair by his party workers to the Constituency Headquarters where the annual dinner would be consumed, he would deliver a speech then be carried (presumably rather heavier on the way out than on the way in) back to the station, get on the train and depart. There is no doubt that times have changed and MPs are expected to be ...
Mental Health Trust Meeting with Carers & Users I attended this series of meetings with mental health service users and their carers as an interested observer. Ken Fish the chair of the Carers Action Group had invited me along. Mark Clenaghan the service director for Sutton & Merton ran the meeting and took questions. Mark gave [...]
A strategically hashtagged tweet brings an interesting new site to the attention of The Voice. It is being built by people with some connection to MySociety, who are responsible for the excellent non-partisan sites intended to improve how politics works, such as WriteToThem, PublicWhip and FixMyStreet. The new site is intended as a repository of the leaflets that are routinely delivered by local political activists day in, day out up and down the country. Whilst similar sites have tried to do this before - particularly for the bigger by-elections - no-one has really got a site together that works quite ...
24dash.comThe Local Government Association said its research revealed that three in five local authorities had made staff reductions since the end of last year and a similar number were planning to axe posts in the next 12 months. Cuts have been made across the board, with senior and middle management affected as well as frontline workers [...]
GANG violence erupted in Manchester last night when a 16-year-old boy was shot dead after being chased out of a pub. Guiseppe Gregory was hit in the head when shots were fired into the back of a VW Golf in the car park of the Robin Hood pub in Stretford. I thought we had broken [...]
Regular readers will know I have been calling for additional dog bins and rubbish bins in the ward. I am pleased to report the campaign is beginning to have an impact. In addition to the new bin previously reported on Hadrian Road. TVBC and Testway Housing have now installed extra bins on King Arthurs Way and Roman Way. {King Arthur's Way (north)} {Roman Way (bus stop)} {Roman Way (central path)} If there are other areas which need extra bins please let me know.
The Observer reported yesterday that a second PFI project is being bailed out by the Government, this one for a waste treatment plant in Wakefield. In case you missed it, the Private Finance Initiative (PFI) is a wheeze the Tories dreamed up in the '90s and embraced whole-heartedly by Gordon Brown back when he was at number 11. The idea is simple. Let's say you want to build a new hospital or school. The Government might not want to fund it from cash lying about in the Treasury (there's never enough). It could borrow, but lots of borrowing looks bad ...
{smannell-road-trees-before.jpg} I am pleased to report that trees overhanging and blocking the footpath on Smannell Road near the junction of Newbury Road have now been cut back. The trees were so overgrown that residents were forced to step in the road to get past. Many residents have spoken to me about this and I requested action. TVBC council contractors immediately cut back the trees including some which were not their responsibility. The path is now once again clear. {smannell-road-trees-after.jpg} If there are any other similar obstructions on footpaths in the area please let me know.
The Lib Dems' very own sleazebusting terrier Norman Baker (who daylights as our shadow transport secretary) has three - count 'em - articles on MPs' expenses in the papers. Excerpts as follows: Never in my 20 years in politics have I seen the public as angry as today (Daily Mail) Little did I know, when I submitted a Freedom of Information request back in 2005, what a Pandora's Box was opening up. That modest request, simply asking for a breakdown of MPs' travel costs by mode of transport, was fought tooth and nail by the senior MPs who comprise the ...
The Conservatives want to put forward a bill on Friday ending the minimum wage but Prezza the Cyber Worrier isn't having any of it and has launched a camping to kill the bill and personally I am supporting Prezza's campaign. I have never had a job as yet but when I do get a job I want to get paid the minimum wage and not what the boss thinks I should get paid. Company bosses and Tories would jump at the chance to pay people less and screw them out of work but Labour are not having it. Where is ...
Last week the Lib Dems quite rightly called upon the government to go further after the abandonment of Science SATs. Read the full story here. David Laws MP said: Ed Balls has ducked an opportunity to reform SATs. The existing tests don't work and the marking quality is often poor. The Government should slim down the tests and use more teacher assessment, with external checks to ensure the standard is high. I know this will be welcomed within the Scientific community and among teachers. The Tories, however, disagree... what a surprise!
The City Council has today advised councillors that Scotland Gas Networks has issued details of the forthcoming West Marketgait gas main replacement works, starting on Monday 18 May - the work will last for 10 weeks. Although there are no road closures planned, there will be one lane, out of two, closed in each direction or a contraflow system during the works. The Council advises that : "... delays are expected during peak times (possibly some at lunch time) especially for the first few days, after which some drivers usually adjust their travelling times or find alternative routes during peak ...
A new term has entered our vocabulary over the weekend. Flipping: the practice of switching the designation of 'second home' from one property to another in order to maximise second home allowances. It's one thing to share a cleaner with your brother (and I think Brown was unfairly criticised for this) and quite another to abuse the system in this way. Hazel Blears flipped...
One peculiar point to come out of the debate around the reform of MPs expenses is the outrage that MPs' claims are not being checked by qualified accountants. Being married to an accountant who has a senior post in industry, I am pretty sure that most accountants emerge from their training with a little more knowledge [...]
The recent revelations in the Daily Telegraph about the sort of things some MP's have been claiming expenses for drags the whole political system into the gutter. It is no use MP's demanding a police enquiry into who leaked, the focus should be on the greed and downright opportunism of so many MP's using the system to feather their own nests. Just because "it was within the rules" does not mean that it was morally right, or even morally acceptable. Claims for light bulbs, dog food and lawnmowers are wholly unacceptable. My preferred solution is that accomodation should be provided ...
... But will defend to the death your right to say it. This is one of those maxims I unswervingly advocate. It's a founding principle of my moral structure. It's why I detest and decry No Platform stances. I found it tested to the limit this morning when I heard Peter Hitchens on Start the Week referring to himself as reasonable, along with many other unsupported and unsupportable assertions which went completely unprobed by old Jug Ears Marr. ARGH KILL STAB HATE! I am therefore going to make a small amendment. I abhor what you are saying, but will defend ...
Chopwell and Rowlands Gill in Gateshead is arguably one of Labour's safest wards in the country. Chopwell itself has been represented by Labour since the end of the 1st World War without interruption. A by-election is taking place in the ward and the contest will be held on Thursday.The other two Labour councillors in the ward are John Hamilton and Mick McNestry. These are two individuals for
Lib Dem Parliamentary spokesman for Redcar Ian Swales is urging the Government to do everything it can to generate new jobs in the area following the Corus announcement. He said: "I really hope the closure of Corus can be stopped or delayed but the steel industry on Teesside has been in decline for many years. We need a more diversified economy to cope with changes. The Government could do a lot to improve prospects for local people. They have been promising for years to move well paid civil service jobs to the area "The need has never been greater than ...
A group of young people, who helped secure a £5million lottery win, are now turning their dream into a reality and drawing up final plans for the new beachside 'MyPlace' arts and media centre at Redcar. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council supported the 16-strong young people's steering group drawn from youth organisations across the Borough, giving them the responsibility to shape the new Coatham 'MyPlace' centre. The new centre - an iconic seashell design - will provide a large flexible arts and media space, a stage and music recording studio along with access to support services, including health advice and ...
Last week, Alix Mortimer suggested that we shouldn't sign the infamous petition calling for Gordon Brown to resign. Here Kalvis Jansons, the man behind the petition, explains why he created it and what he hopes it will do... I believe there are two questions, regarding this petition, that everyone in the UK should consider: (1) Should you sign the petition? (2) Should you tell others about the petition (whether or not you sign)? It might surprise many readers to know that, although I believe signing the petition was right for me, I do not have strong reasons in mind as ...
With the Welsh Liberal Democrats staging a debate on top-up fees in Wales on Wednesday, Shadow Education Minister, Jenny Randerson has revealed in today's Western Mail that some controversy surrounded the timing of the Government's announcement on the issue: Internal Assembly Government e-mails released to Jenny Randerson, the Liberal Democrats' education spokeswoman, show there was considerable e-mail correspondence between civil servants about the timing of the fees announcement earlier this year by Education Minister Jane Hutt. Some of the concern focused on the proximity of the announcement to Plaid Cymru's party conference, with one official writing an e-mail on February ...
I promised this highlight yesterday but because local campaigns took priority you will have to have it today and I apologise to anyone who was expecting it but didn't get the chance of reading it yesterday. The Conservatives in 2004 elected three MEP's and they got another MEP, Sajjad Karim when he defected in 2007 to the Tory party. Since then David Cameron has sacked Den Dover MEP from his party because of scandals that Dover was part of as will be highlighted below. David Sumberg is elected as an MEP in the North West of England yet lives in ...
As the pigs of Animal Farm finally proclaim, "ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL BUT SOME ANIMALS ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS". If MPs do not wish to be equated with these same pigs for exploiting their allowances in ways that would be forbidden or condemned in any other job, resisting the publication of their expense claims and then defending their behaviour because it was "within the rules" that they
Welcome to another podcast of the Irfan Ahmed's Show I hope you enjoy it like you have hopefully enjoyed the shows from the past.
At a recent wedding reception a guest I had not met before said that I had already been described to her in suitably Wodehousian terms. I took this as a compliment, but on subsequent reflection over the eggs and b, I began to have doubts. She may not have been referring to Jeeves' superlative grey matter but to the young master himself or to Bingo Little, known to have frequented the National
Well see what happens when you take a holiday Jonathan Calder no less links you in the 20 first meme. I've only just noticed as I went through the backlog of my email address over the weekend. First Job: As a paper boy for a pipe smoking newsagent in Bangor. I covered for a friend for a week at the end of which I was offered a spot that had opened up. I ended up working there for 3 years and also about 2 weeks in had the responsibility of putting out the correct amount of papers for each route ...
Everywhere you look today all that can be seen are articles on MPs' expenses. The Daily Telegraph has turned its attention to the Tories with revelations that the Shadow Secretary of State for Wales claimed for dog food, Oliver Letwin claimed £2,000 for repairs to his tennis court, whilst David Willetts billed the taxpayer £115 plus VAT for workmen to replace 25 light bulbs at his second home in west London. With the Tories implicated in this scandal too (and who knows there may be revelations about the Liberal Democrats and assorted Nationalists next), it must be difficult for the ...
Today is the Tory turn to be under the spot light leading to tomorrow probably being the Lib Dems turn but because its the Tory turn I am relaxed and I will be slagging the Tories of as much as I can! Hay, all's fair in love and war! The following Tories are at it scamming us the tax payer: Micheal GroveAndrew LansleyAllan DuncanDavid WillettsOliver LetwinCheryl Gillanand George Osborne paying a chauffeur with his office allowance.If you would like to read the news story by the Telegraph on the above listed then follow the link. Is it just me or ...
I took time out from Euro-campaigning the other day to attend a day-conference in Leicester on the Black Sea, hosted by the Department of Politcs and International Relations at the university there, with the support of a couple of European academic groupings and the British Embassy in Bratislava. The Black Sea is one of the [...]
So after years of trying, have Labour MPs finally found a way to exempt their outrageous expenses claims from the disinfectant of sunlight? Yesterday's newsthat an independent audit unit would be set up to scrutinise claims may hold a clue. Stuart Bell, the senior Labour MP who has become MP Defender-in-Chief let slip a privatising the checking [...]
Senior members of David Cameron's shadow cabinet have been implicated in the parliamentary expenses scandal. By Robert Winnett, Deputy Political Editor From the TelegraphLast Updated: 7:56AM BST 11 May 2The Daily Telegraph can disclose that Michael Gove and Andrew Lansley "flipped" properties designated as their second homes to claim allowances for multiple properties at taxpayers' [...]
To which the answer is none. They get someone in to do it for them and then charge it to the taxpayer. And talking of tax, all those Labour demands that there should be a clampdown on tax avoidance by the rich seem rather hollow now. Leather clad Hilary Blears, dressed for the part of Meatloaf's Eddie in the Rocky Horror Picture Show yesterday may have oozed sympathy for the voters who :"hate"
Following the drip-drip thump-thump of revelations from the Telegraph's cottage industry of revealing expense claims, it is now time to call the use and/or abuse of the ACA (Additional Costs Allowance) what it is. It's corruption. To get paid for non-essential items and carry out systematic renovations and resales for personal profit, often without capital gains tax coming into play, is
None. He gets a load of workmen to do it and charges it to the ACA.
A fantastic game yesterday where the Gunners got stuffed 4-1 (sorry Oz).Although I'm sick of Drogba's diving - give it a rest you lightweight!So, Chelsea are guaranteed a top a 3 finish, realistically 3rd which will please the Good Lord and Sarah Morris.We could have done better I think but given the chopping and changing of managers we've done okay.I don't really want Man Utd to win but they probably will, so here's looking forward to next season.Come on the Blues! ------------------
The FT - generously - published another letter from another critic of their suggestion to raise the cap on tuition fees. The author Tim Curtin tries to invoke JS Mill, who argued for state-financed schooling in 1848, in favour of the idea that education should be free for all students all the way up the educational hierarchy. He goes on to suggest that since graduates pay higher taxes as a result of higher earnings then they have already paid their way under the existing system. This is clearly stretching a comparison too far. We tried to get an answer published, ...
As the BBC notes in a story today: "Too many backbenchers see the best chance of saving their seats is to distance themselves from the government."It's true. When your backbenchers believe rebellion and showing disloyalty is the best chance they have of avoiding the jobseeking experience after the next election, the best you can do is manage your decline gracefully (and there's little sign of Brown managing even that). Jury Team take note: you guys think our country would be better governed if the Commons was filled with unwhipped independents, but this would be the normal state of affairs if ...
There has rightly been outrage at MPs, such as Margaret Moran who appear to have allegedly used expenses/allowances to fund a holiday home. I have indeed criticised her. I therefore cannot do anything but condemn the alleged behaviour of Lord Rennard. Like Moran, everything he has done is within the rules. He has checked everything at every stage with the authorities (as did Moran). But it is
If any one Labour, Conservative ,BNP, Green ,or Monster raving loony party wish to post please do. BUT please argue your case, or if i put forward a view and you disagree please say so in a polite manner. I will post anything, but today i have removed some post that where offensive. Salford Labour run [...]
When you're tagged by Stephen, you are duty bound to respond, so here goes... My mother. Whilst my father was a Labour supporter, my mother was apolitical. Well, not exactly... she had, and still has, a strangely liberal streak. She believes that with rights come responsibilities, that people should be given an even break, and is tolerant of anyone but idiots. She would never have described herself as liberal, but that's how I was influenced.My junior school teacher, Mrs Moore. Mrs Moore encouraged me to think for myself and left me with a phrase that I have never forgotten. "Mark,", ...
"Knocking" on the doorsteps over this last week people have quite rightly been very vocal about their distaste over sums claimed by MPs - and I have had to defend the position of local Councillors who do not have their noses in the trough. For the record we get £7610 a year as a Councillor's allowance on which we pay tax and N.I. We can claim £10 a month for use of our home broadband, and we can claim mileage of 40p per mile for meetings that we attend. But not all meetings! If we go to one that we ...
At a special training meeting of Camden Council's Planning Committee last Thursday [7 May] councillors heard from a top planning lawyer two things which disturbed me greatly: "Basement extensions," said the lawyer, "are not a planning matter. It is up to residents to seek private redress. You have bigger fish to fry." He went on to say that if we tried to prevent builders and developers from using inefficient trucks which spew out poisonous diesel fumes and which are sending us all to an early grave, then "we wouldn't win a planning appeal." The law is an ass! Belsize is ...
...who has placed all her expenses details online at her website. This is something Nick Clegg should be telling all our MP's to do later today; in the current climate we should not be letting the media dictate the agenda.
The recent revelations about MPs' expenses have focused on government ministers and senior Conservative politicians. But it now emerges that Gosport's own MP, Peter Viggers, is claiming £24,000 a year on a "second home" and, according to local press reports, was involved in claiming £18,000 from the taxpayer in order to redecorate local Conservative Party offices in Gosport. Viggers' Conservative colleagues go so far as to boast of "taking advantage" of this rotten system. Norman Baker, the Liberal Democrat MP for Lewes, has succinctly summarised the rights and wrongs of the current debacle - rights and wrongs it seems so ...
Bloggers know that Catchup is made from only 7 natural ingredients! And it's been a slightly quiet week at t'Voice as our various contributors have been abroad or busy at work. It was the week in which the party launched its new Party Election Broadcast, the Mirror tried to find ways in which supporting the Gurkhas is bad news for the Lib Dems and Mark Pack found fault with the timeless design classic that is the polling card. My second entry into the Golden Dozen brought news (mainly good) from Sheffield and (not so good) Ashfield. Alix decided that blogs ...
Away from the torrid world of Westminster politics which has been dominating the news agenda over the past week, I've spent some time dealing with the thorny issue of parking in the ward, although not for the first time it has to be said. This is because the Council, in it's wisdom has just published it's proposed changes to waiting restrictions in the Borough. Barely a week goes by without me or one of my colleagues receiving an email or phone call from a resident about parking problems in their area. In a densely populated ward like Redlands, parking is always ...
Dave Thompson the SNP list MSP for the Highlands and Islands region has made his position clear on the Scott Rennie position says in the Sunday Herald: "I have no problem with people who have different beliefs or a different lifestyle. "I do believe, however, that once someone declares himself as a Christian that they should comply with the teaching of the Bible and that active homosexuality is incompatible with that teaching." As Bernard Salmon points out on his blog: "Well, if we're talking about textual purity, I'm interested to see how Mr Thompson squares his beliefs with the following ...
Part one in an occasional series. He's a feminist. He's a geek. He made Never Mind The Buzzcocks watchable even with the spotty teenager presenting it (especially when paired with Rock Wankman, another Awesome Person With a Beard). He's done an amazing guide to the Orchestra which will surely rival the boring old Benjamin Britten or the stuffy BBC website. He loves his beard so much he has given it a name (Lionel). He's made me unable to think anything else but HUMAN SLAVES! IN AN INSECT NATION! (ah-aaaaah-ahhh-aaah-aaaahhh) for the best part of an hour now. Yup, Bill Bailey is pretty awesome. Coming soon ...
I don't like the evisceration of Parliament by cynical and irresponsible journalists like Ben Brogan. I am sceptical of and afraid of the desperation of those who stole information to fuel a Parliamentary story that is surely a bonfire of the vanities, but may also be, conceivably, the bonfire of our democracy. In the face of the "shaming of our Parliament" I am struggling to feel positive about my country. As I leave the UK once more, and as the plane taxies out to the runway, I am trying to think of the ten things that I love about Britain. ...
In the light of Ms. Blears' 'flipping' of properties to make the most of the second home expenses and avoiding capital gains tax on the sale of one of these properties, I think we have found our first Labour scapegoat. Unless overshadowed by more serious accusations of fiddling and dodging, Hazel's tax alleged tax dodging moves go well beyond the "it's within the rules" defence. A sacking or two might help Brown regain some of the great expanse of ground lost over the expenses issue. {Share/Save/Bookmark}
Because DW allows me to use Google Analytics, I now have proper statporn! * sticks two fingers up at LJToys and goes a-delving * This week, then, my stats are as follows:1365 absolute unique vistors since 27th April (not including Mat and me, because I've stripped out our IP) - 27th April was when I activated Google Analytics on here. This will become monthly once I have been going for a month. 3618 visits (again, not including Mat and me) 60% or so of visits from people using Firefox (Hurrah! Take that IE!)Presumably, none of this includes people reading on ...
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