Nick Clegg launched the party's European manifesto at the Foreign Press Association in Westminster this morning, highlighting the central theme that we are stronger — and safer — together in Europe, but poorer apart. Though few members of the general public read party political manifestos, this is a document the LibDems can be proud of, [...]
The Telegraph has now published its Lib Dem MPs' expenses revelations. At first glance, my initial reaction is... phew: compared to the Labour and Tory abuses covered in previous days it looks like the Lib Dem expense claims are - relatively speaking - minor. Of course, I realise that's not entirely the point - to have ill-advisedly claimed even the most minor items brings the system and Parliament into disrepute, allowing the media and our opponents to say we're all the same. And as Hywel notes in an LDV comment thread below, '"Not as corrupt as other MPs" just isn't ...
Having previously provided such excellent financial advice, I was left a little confused when this month's Labour propaganda mouthpiece (Life in Salford) arrived on my doorstep. At least I received it this month, unlike in April when I had to call the Council and get them to send me a copy. Their answer? "It is available for you to download online" If I'm paying for it, then I insist on receiving a copy. Before I turned the page, I could see that there was obviously some kind of insert in between pages 2 and 3 - but I did not ...
After a week of dredging the Telegraph has dug up a corby trouser press, scatter cushions, a leather rocking chair and the tenuous claim against Andrew George who let his student daughter use his second home as an occasional 'bolt hole'. Does not look good for us but thankfully does not look too bad in comparison. By the way, what is a flipping portico??? {Share/Save/Bookmark}
So, the Lib Dem day of reckoning is here, and nobody seems quite sure how to react. Jeremy Paxman has just delivered himself of the opinion that some of it is "pretty small beer", Alix isn't happy, Mark Littlewood thinks it's all going to be OK, and we await Nick's reaction. What strikes me about the Telegraph story, though, is that they lead on Andrew George's daughter using his flat, when they claim to have accusations to make against Nick Clegg, surely the highest profile target. Tucked a few paragraphs into the article is the following: Nick Clegg, the party ...
more about "Nick Clegg Launches Liberal Democrat ...", posted with vodpod
The crazy thing is that due to being disabled my council tax is paid by the council so they have sent an arrears letter to them selves.. Comment well done to the person who decided to send this out. No wonder we are in such a mess. Role on the Elections One word springs [...]
Not long back from a lengthy but very useful West End Community Council meeting. Discussions included the West End schools issue, recycling and Fibrecity. A lengthy series of city council meetings last night too - particularly in respect of the schools issue. As I have an early start to go to Grangemouth with the 'day job' tomorrow, I'll be doing a detailed update later this week.
Let me see. The Telegraph fingers Andrew George, Nick Clegg, Menzies Campbell, Chris Huhne, Lembit Opik and Julia Goldsworthy. Lembit, it seems: charged taxpayers for a £40 court summons he received for the non-payment of his council tax. He will refund it.Bless.
So, some MP has put a feather duster on his expenses. Jesus, I was in business for 25 years and have put in some expenses claims... well anyway. Surely, on the day that it's announced that 220,000 people have lost their jobs in the last quarter is my biggest concern that some Tory has had his swimming pool cleaned at the taxpayer's expense? One of my councillors thinks that I should be attacking one of our local Tory MPs because he's been a naughty boy. But my heart's not in it. He's just been merely foolish and an attempt to ...
I've half been putting off reviewing Seaguy: Slaves Of Mickey Eye 2 because I know that when the Mindless Ones get round to their annocommentations there will be very little left to say, and then I can look very clever by just pointing out one or two things that they've not said. However, they're holding [...]
Coronation St fans will have noticed that their was a mention of a blog on the programme. No it wasn't Irfan Ahmed's Blog that was being talked about actually it was the blog of some Paul Taylor. Upon watching Coronation St it made me giggle about how they were scared of a blog but then it got me thinking I could list a few people who are scared of Irfan Ahmed's Blog and what might find its way on the site. The power of the blogosphere people the power of the blogosphere!
I knew, when I moved in with miss_s_b, that I was moving in with a massive SF geek. What I didn't realise at the time was the extent that I was moving in with two SF geeks, one of whom was 4 and will be 6 next month. Today, we took her to see her first film in the cinema. Given she's watched every single episode of TOS and has the Animated Series in her pile of favourite DVDs, the choice was obvious and we figured there was a good chance she'd enjoy it. We were slightly worried, as it's ...
{barbers} I spent a few hours on Saturday with members of South London Citizens, talking to businesses on Burnt Ash Hill about the City Safe project. South London Citizens have been working with Our Lady of Lourdes Church and local residents and businesses for almost a year, in response to the murder of Jimmy Mizen. The aim is to make people feel safe again, restore a sense of community and emphasis that young people aren't the problem, but are part of the solution. Almost all the businesses in Burnt Ash Hill are supporting the project - pledging to report all ...
Cinema Tickets for two adults and one child: £18 Popcorn: £2.50 Bottled water: Free (we brought it from home) amazing_holly's first trip to the cinema being such an amazing film? PRICELESS. So, yeah, we spent our lottery winnings on going to see the new Star Trek film. And at some bits Holly had to hold my hand. And at some bits we hugged. And at some bits we giggled. And when ( SPOILER! ) she said ( SPOILER! ) But best of all was at the end when ( SPOILER! ). Oh man, that was amazing. And as the credits ...
BREAKING NEWS Allegations against the Liberal Democrats seem - on early indications - to be very limited. They haven't been able to find any more than a refurbishment of Ming Campbell's property in London (which he rents and has a contractual obligation to keep in good order) and some very minor supposed infraction by Julia Goldsworthy. If there's not much more than this, Nick Clegg has license to go for the jugular of the political establishment. More to follow.... 10.20pm UPDATE: The Telegraph focuses its splash on Andrew George and whether his flat was effectively used by his daughter rather ...
After the success of the Part 1 blog post I would like to make it a regular thing and I hope that you do comment in the post otherwise I will just give up and just not give a toss about blogging. I only blog because I want to entertain readers and make them enjoy the read and make them informed of politics and the only way I can notice that this is working is if people use the comment section to rant or join into the discussion. Youtube is a site that many politicians are starting to use which ...
Just a quick heads up that it's the Lee Manor Society's AGM this Thursday, from 7.30pm in the Baring Room of the Manor House. Agenda here. After the AGM, Mark Pearce and David Shatwell from Buttress Fuller Alsop Williams, architects on the Manor House restoration, will give an illustrated talk entitled "The Refurbishment of the Manor House". Then on Saturday, it's the annual Lee Manor Society plant mart from 2pm until 4pm at 2-6 Micheldever Road. Raffles - Cream Teas - Tombola - Bric-à-Brac - Children's Games - Cakes, Jams and Preserves are promised. Also Saturday from 2-4pm is the ...
The meeting of Friends of Chorlton Green scheduled for Thursday has been cancelled by the Chair of the group. A new meeting will be scheduled for June.
...and a scant hour later than my doleful lament, I am spitting angry. Here's what the Telegraph has to say: Sir Menzies Campbell's expenses claims show that he brought in the designer to fit out his small flat in Dolphin Square, a few hundred yards from the House of Commons. He justified the claims by saying he had not used his full second home allowance in previous years. The refurbishment claim under the Additional Costs Allowance included Roman blinds worth £528.75, five cushions costing £176.25, four bedside shelves totalling £1,420, as well as tie hangers, bulbs, a laundry basket, and ...
The tide is turning. I've seen footage of others on Fox condemning the torture which was (and may still be being) carried out by the US.t A quibble - it does not matter if the torture was illegal under law, it is always wrong. No matter where or when or what the circumstances, no government has [...]
Dear Readers I think I need to bring this information to your attention, despite me thinking Blogger is the best thing since slice bread that's after the Liberal Democrats I have been playing around with Wordpress.com to see what it can give. Personally I have liked the templates on it and that's about it. The user management of the site isn't user friendly despite what people who use Wordpress might tell you and its a more pain in the as* then anything else. If Blogger offered pages which I don't really need as I just use blog posts and better ...
From the Daily Telegraph website this evening: Like MPs from all parties, Liberal Democrats have used their expenses to carry out lavish decorating work and refurbishment of their second homes, often putting the stamp duty and legal costs associated with buying their houses on their expenses.Expenses claims submitted by 12 Liberal Democrats, from senior spokesmen to a number of backbenchers, will be disclosed, with some of those involved having already volunteered to pay back some of the money.The Telegraph also says that "a number of senior figures in the party have volunteered to refund the taxpayer after being challenged over ...
The Liberal Democrat manifesto for the European elections on 4 June was published today, under the title Stronger Together, Poorer Apart.
No, not a comment on the latest revelations of MPs' expenses! It's my first crop from the allotment this year. A large quantity of rhubarb. That should make Cowley St happen. I use colleagues to market test my jam and they love rhubarb and ginger. Normally they can't get enough of the stuff. Well, supplies will soon be replenished!
... Michael Martin, for his obvious bias towards his former Labour colleagues during his time in office. ... Michael Martin, for unnecessarily spending money to seek a second opinion from lawyers when seeking to block details of MPs' travel expenses from being published under the Freedom of Information Act. ... Michael Martin, for his own extravagance in foreign trips and expenses. ... Michael Martin, for failing to seek a warrant from police wishing to search the office of Tory MP Damian Green. .... Michael Martin, for his utterly unjustified attack yesterday on two MPs (Kate Hoey and Norman Baker) who ...
Following the stunning success of Barack Obama with his message of 'Change' last year, opposition parties everywhere are itching to claim the change label in their own contests. In the UK, the Conservatives have been moving into this territory with extensive use of the not-so-subtle slogan 'Vote for Change'. This creates a challenge for the other main UK opposition party, the Lib Dems, who see themselves as a more radical option for change than the Conservatives. I am torn between 'Changier' and 'More Changely' as the strongest options for their campaign giving us hot slogans like - Vote Lib Dem ...
Tomorrow is "our" big day. I know Stephen has just posted on this, and I wouldn't like to suggest that Lib Dem Voice is anything other than a smooth, slick uni-messaging operation, but I'd just like to have my twopenny's worth before the revelations begin. You can do that when you have posting privileges. First of all, I say "our" day, but actually watching the expenses scandal unfold has been the first non party-political experience I've had of watching the news for some time. I'm self-employed, surviving on family hand-outs and on the dwindling work the recession brings me. That ...
The Press and Journal reports today that yet another SNP manifesto promise is unlikely to be fulfilled. The Gnats promised in their 2007 Holyrood election manifesto to double the number of school nurses. However, the P&J says that the number has gone up by just 17 overall, from 312 to 329. As Lib Dem health spokesman Ross Finnie notes, that's just a 5% increase, meaning it's highly unlikely the Gnats will manage to meet their pledge in the remaining two years before the next Holyrood election. Just another one to add to local income tax, 1,000 additional police officers and ...
I had an interesting discussion with a recently pregnant work colleague today about how she's going to handle the time when her as-yet-unborn child asks how babies are made. We agreed that the response depended on the age and circumstances when the question was asked. A four year old screaming the question out loud in the middle of Sainsbury's could probably be fobbed off (and silenced) with tales of storks and cabbage patches. A genuinely anxious 11 year old asking in the privacy of the family home may well get the whole story until it wished to God above that ...
I hadn't even heard of Carrie Gracie until Guido posted this earlier today. During a rather robust exchange with Lord Foulkes on the BBC News Channel she was challenged about what her salary is (he was trying to embarrass her) and she said that she earns £92,000 per year. Now fair play to her for coming straight out and saying it but that is almost 4 times the national average salary. For a newsreader that I would guess most people have never heard of on a digital TV channel. Is that not perhaps a bit high for a junior journalist ...
As many people will know I am not David Cameron's most natural fan however, credit should be given where it is due; he got it about right. If we look at the concrete measures then we see that he has got this right; MP's to publish all expenses online Quite right. A transparent system is one that is less likely to be abused almost be default; as long as the witch-hunting principle doesn't extend and the public are prepared to be reasonable about the fact that yes, they do have to provide certain things so an MP can do their ...
Well, it's Tuesday evening, five days after the Telegraph first started 'naming and shaming' Labour and Tory MPs who have deliberately taken advantage of their own system of MPs' expenses to make frequently indefensible claims ranging from the petty to the extravagant... And all Lib Dems are currently holding our breaths to see if tomorrow or Thursday will bring revelations of what our own MPs have been up to, if anything. Nick Clegg was on the BBC today making a staunch defence of the party's previous efforts to reform the system, blocked by Labour and the Tories: But his efforts ...
Tue 12th
19:16
Conservative candidate loses High Court battle to stop LibDem leaflet revealing meeting attendance u...
The Register has the full story. First Oxford Tory Christopher Quinton unsuccessfully sued the victorious Oxford LibDem councillor Robin Pierce for "publishing injurious falsehood" by revealing that this Tory candidate had attended certain planning meetings and then devining what his views are on certain planning issues. Then he went on to claim that since Mr. Pierce had published personal information about him that he had therefore breached the data protection act! The judge said: "I decline, however, to interpret the statute in a way which results in absurdity. Plainly, it cannot have been the intention of the legislature to require ...
The LDs have had it pretty good so far. Their popularity has leapt to 22% in one poll, but it seems unthinkable that this party will escape the Telegraph's - and the public's - wrath. Personally, I'm dreading it. We already have some clues about what to expect. Here's a name that's not especially well known outside of LD circles, but within he has practically messianic status as the mastermind of our entire approach to campaigning. I don't think we've heard the last of this. The Lib Dems have made a big point of demanding that those who live within ...
So more news breaking about politicians who have claimed expenses for things most of us could just dream of.Yes some MPs should have a second home, if they cannot return to their constituency home because of time constraints or lack of public transport. I personally believe it shouldn't be on distance from Westminster but on availability of public transport getting home. For instance, Epping
The Lib Dems did something today that the party hasn't explicitly done in a long time: it launched its campaign for the European elections focusing on the positive impact of British membership of the European Union. Non-Lib Dems might casually read that sentence and shrug bemusedly - the Lib Dems are a pro-European party, they'll say, of course the party's going to campaign on a positive pro-European platform. If only it were that simple. Too often in the past, the party has cowered behind its EU credentials, afraid our views will deter 'soft Tories' from casting their vote for us ...
There was a good story in the Independent on Sunday setting out our approach to the European Election Campaign on crime and Europe. It's certainly worth a read. The Tories have really got a lot of explaining to do on their isolationist approach. They seem so obsessed about distancing the UK from Europe that they are prepared to make our country less safe in the process. Dogma over safety.
Ring Ring! Ring Ring! Hello? Hello. Would you like to take part in a Government backed scheme... Click. Filed under '#ifyoudontknowmebynow'
Common sense from Sarah Teather, as usual. Elsewhere in Westminster, David Cameron has got all tough. Pity he couldn't have found his decisive streak when his MPs were voting against reform and to conceal their expenses. LibDig This!
So the day after I launched the "Pay It Back" campaign, David Cameron has done pretty much exactly what I suggested for his own MPs (upon pain of being banished from the party). Fair play to him. It will be interesting to see how the other parties respond to this and I fear there are still dubious claims to come out but if the other parties do follow suit then this could be one of the shortest campaigns ever! However, we are not there yet. Please help us keep up the pressure by signing the petition and tweeting about it ...
If any more proof were needed, budget day and the abuse of expenses by Cabinet Ministers suffice. We are witnessing the death throes of a Labour government after over a decade of self-serving centralisation, waste and intrusion. The Conservatives may be ahead in the polls, but it is hard to work out what answers they think they have. They are not advocating anything other than twiddling at the margins. They believe their strongest argument is that their leader is not Gordon Brown. This is pathetic. Cameron is terrified to offer a real alternative, while his party is tied to its ...
All, Nick Clegg, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, has been having a series of meetings with members of the public around the country for some time. Perhaps uniquely he does not know who'll actually turn up or what the questions will be in advance. Liberal Democrats want to answer real questions from real people, and although I can't really go to Nick's lengths - please feel free to contact me using my details on the right. If you'd like to see a video, please click below. Regards, Philip
I wish these boys would find a better way of solving their problems than the entirely predictable series of threats to quit Formula 1 by 40% of the current competing teams in the face of the imposition of a budget cap of £40 million which, as Edis has pointed out below, would give those who comply with it a more liberal technical regime and more testing. I guess it's like being asked to fight an election on tuppence ha'penny, but, hey, we Lib Dems have been doing that forever. I think a cap on the amount of money national parties ...
Bath & North East Somerset Council will debate whether to progress its plan for a casino in Bath. Councillors will decide whether to put in place the measures necessary to run a casino licence competition which would represent the next step of bringing a small casino to Bath. I will again try to stop the building of a casino in Bath as I am very much against a Casino that will only...
Now is it just me or does the BBC really need to start training their staff a little more so they can be a bit more like Paxman? Secondly Its good to know that a Journalist gets £92,000 which is more then an MP. So if you fail on becoming a Journalist is becoming an MP your only second option to get a nice wage in or is it that if you are a good Journalist you can become a good MP as you have a talent in speaking, writing or something even if it is drinking large amounts of ...
With all that stuff going on - swimming pools, moats and horse manure - you wouldn't know there was an election going on. In fact, the Conservatives have quietly been doing something that in the long term could be far more damaging to the country than the expenses scandals, serious as they are. Now when you elect Members of the European Parliament on 4th June, you would hope...
Residents in Bath and North East Somerset can find out now when their new waste collection day will be from the 8th June 2009. The Council has put information on its website about the new collection days through its new 'My House' information facility. By typing in their postcode, residents can find out what new day of the week all their waste collections will be and register for...
Gordon Brown's standing is as low as it was during the crisis days of last summer. Now one of the symbols of correct-thinking on the Left has given up hope on him. In today's Guardian Podcast, Polly Toynbee (who has in the past been willing to see the current prime minister as "good in a crash") adds substance to her call on Brown to quit. While she has never been an uncritical cheerleader for all things Brown - her calls for radical redistribution, no matter how politically and fiscally unrealistic, place her far to the left of him -her standing ...
Lord Tebbit who my friend Iain Dale likes to think of as a political hero is a man who is really trying to get outside the tent and pee in. The man is claiming that people should not vote the three main political parties and should vote other parties. First of all he is a Conservative Peer, someone needs to tell him that stop balling around and see sense you are meant to ask people to vote Tory not ask them to vote other political parties. Mind you he is promoting the UKIP and the Tories, UKIP and the BNP ...
Times are tough in Britain. The recession is hitting people and families hard: tens of thousands losing their jobs, businesses going to the wall, and every week hundreds losing their homes. Read the manifesto here Labour's recession is hurting people badly. Unemployment is rising every day People are worried their businesses could go under Every week people are...
Tue 12th
17:38
The true cost of "Tory Dogma" over common sense when it comes to privatising council services
The "big thing" for Tory councils at the moment is to try and make out that they are attempting to save money for tax payers by privatising and outsourcing services that most people would consider to be essential core council jobs. However, it is far from clear if this ever saves money, and in the long term it can cost council tax payers considerably more. Take for example Broadland District Council who privatised and farmed out their legal services jobs a few years ago ? Do they pay less now ? Do they hell. One Broadland Councillor told me that ...
Times are tough in Britain. The recession is hitting people and families hard: tens of thousands losing their jobs, businesses going to the wall, and every week hundreds losing their homes. Read the manifesto here Labour's recession is hurting people badly. Unemployment is rising every day People are worried their businesses could go under Every week people are...
Commenting on the Policy Exchange report on the need for a crime reduction strategy, Chris Huhne said: "This report rightly lays bare the Government's abject failure to tackle crime despite more spending than any other country in Europe." Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, went on to say; "Ministers have consistently favoured political posturing on what sounds tough over what...
Carers Partnership Board This board is made up of carers and ex-carers; Sutton local authority representatives from the Carers Development Unit; representatives from local NHS trusts; and voluntary sector representatives including our main partners in this area, the Sutton Carers Centre. This means that the board covers the spectrum of service providers, commissioners and users. I [...]
Its always exciting to get to the formal launch of a campaign, after all the months of planning and preparation. This morning Nick kicked off our campaign for the European Parliamentary elections by launching our manifesto "stronger together, poorer apart". He warned that Britain must lead within the EU to protect families from cross-border crime, climate change and the recession. All politics may be local, but our communities reflect what is going on elsewhere and we can't afford to isolate ourselves in the way in which the Tories and UKIP want. It's only by co-operation that we can tackle issues ...
{bath-tub-and-mostly-toast.jpg} The festival kicks off on Thursday with two musical options. St Clements have The Manchester Consort, an exciting ensemble who are staging a mini opera in honour of Henry Purcell's 350th birthday. He is not around to enjoy it, but you may be. St Clements, £6/£4. I am more intrigued by events at St Ninians. It may turn out to be an ordinary bands night, but I think we may be in store for something more off the wall than that. £4 entry, starts 7.30pm
Wednesday will be the AGM of the Council, or as it is often known the Mayor Making, when a new Lord Mayor is elected. For my first few years on the Council, this was a rather ill-tempered event, due to the refusal of the Ruling Group for many years to abide by the old tradition that the Lord Mayor is considered to be non-political during their year of office and are appointed from different political parties roughly in proportion to their numbers on the Council. Fortunately, the Lord Mayoralty in Manchester is now back (more or less) to this time-honoured ...
Former Conservative Party Chairman Lord (Norman) Tebbit has, in an interview with the Daily Mail, urged people to register a protest at MPs' expenses scandal by withholding their vote from the main parties in next month's European Elections. He said "Local elections, the great British public should treat just as normal but at the European elections, in my judgment they should send a very sharp message to the leaders of the three national parties by not voting for any of the national party candidates."
{david-cameron} It's payback, but no punishments - as far as Cameron is concerned. Cameron confirms that Tory Shadow Cabinet members will pay back some of their more extreme claims - Gove coughs up £7,000 for furniture, Letwin forks out two grand for the tennis court repairs himself, Lansley gets hit for about two and a half grand, Alan Duncan's £5,000 gardening bill is going to be paid back. Maude and Grayling will no longer claim for their second homes. Villiers will also follow suit "later this year". Cameron repays eight thousand for a "borderline" maintenace work claim. New Tory internal ...
Just about to put it out with the rubbish for recycling and i noticed on the top it says FREE. Question how much is it costing each individual tax payer IN SALFORD to produce? better dig out the batteries for the calculator
Iain Dale has hinted that David Cameron will make them apologise, pay the money back and might even sack front benchers from the front bench and personally I think he wont sack but will make them apologise. David Cameron doesn't have the balls to sack them because he is scared of his party and he isn't a leader with balls. Many leaders can do what ever they please e.g. Thatcher but sorry not Cameron as he is a coward who can't run a bath never mind a political party! Update: Cameron has highlighted his plans as Iain Dale has blogged ...
Gordon Brown has apologised on behalf of all politicians of all parties for the latest parliamentary expenses scandal, and you know what - I'm really bloody cross about it. How dare he tar me with the same brush as the money-grabbing venal Blears, or that Tory who claimed for having his moat cleaned? The cheek [...]
Can you be a Twitter-holic? Some seem to think I am? If you think I am or am not check out my twitter @irfanahmed.
{mmmbeer} Some people, strange folk, think Liberal Vision's all about fags and booze. Yes, we do like fags and booze, and yes, this post is about booze. So maybe they're onto something. T'other day I railed against Lord Avebury, as I'm prone to do, for his comments on alcohol tax. I am quite appalled at the level of tax on various alcoholic beverages in the UK, but as this story from over the pond shows, things could be worse: Oregon state to raise beer tax by 1,900% Yes, really. 1,900%. Of course this will absolutely hammer their micro-breweries, while the ...
We asked and we got Dorchester Road is now starting to take shape thanks guys for a job well done, the residents love it.
MARY BURNS – HAZEL BLEARS SOLVES POVERTY Superhazel is now going solve all our problems... Poor Hazel's digging a deeper hole every time she opens her gob. Today she's launching a new document "supporting those communities where the most severe poverty...persists." Obviously not her tv room then. Hazel Blears has today launched Transforming Places: Changing Lives – a "new [...]
Over the last few weeks I've been experimenting with doing YouTube films - partly driven by necessity (broken hand makes talking to camera much easier than typing!). If you've not seen the films previously, you can see them on YouTube here. So the question now is - should I carry on with them? I've been surprised at the viewership patterns. With blog posts, most of the traffic usually comes shortly after the post has gone up. With the films, the traffic is more slow and steady. There hasn't been that much of an initial burst, perhaps because people see a ...
This is a message from LCVS about grants for young people in Liverpool. The deadline is quite soon. ****************************************** The David Lewis Association has a small amount of funding available to help disadvantaged, individual young people aged 14 - 25 in Liverpool to have a life changing experience. Grants from £500 to £5,000 (perhaps more in exceptional circumstances) are available for disadvantaged young people, nominated by a local voluntary or community organisation (VCO), who must Show exceptional potential or be embarking on a personal challenge Live in Liverpool Demonstrate the need for financial assistance Grants may also be given to ...
There's no denying the fact that Keighley has traffic problems. One idea that Keighley Town Council and the Joint Keighley and Worth Valley Transport Group has been pursuing in partnership with Keighley and Worth Valley Railway is to run weekday commuter trains on the Worth Valley line, in addition to KWVR's vintage trains at weekends. I think this is an excellent idea. Lots of people have put a lot of work into it for quite a long time now. I really hope that spanners are not thrown into the works by the groups that have the power to give it ...
The expenses scandal, it seems, will be with us for some time yet - however now that my blog has recovered from the exceptionally high number of visitors it has received over the past week, I'm taking the opportunity to catch up. Back in July of last year, The Liberal Democrats led by Nick Clegg, tried to change the rules for MP expenses - including voting for the use of tougher independent audit of MP's expenses and a more accountable system. Introducing independent scrutiny of MP's expenses wasn't well received by the other parties and the vote was defeated by ...
The Guardian website is reporting that the Speaker of the House of Commons is facing a no confidence motion following his woeful and disgraceful performance yesterday. Michael Martin used his statement to censure a number of MPs who attempted to speak out against his handling of the row over parliamentary expenses and allowances: Martin initially advised in a statement MPs consider "the spirit of what is right" when claiming expenses.He then turned on Kate Hoey, Labour MP for Vauxhall, who questioned the decision of Commons authorities to call in the police to investigate leaking to the Daily Telegraph. Waving his ...
The Prestwich Local Area Partnership meeting takes place on Thursday, May 14 at Heaton Park Primary School, starting at 6.30pm. All local people are welcome to attend. At the LAP, residents will be given an update on the upcoming Oasis concerts in Heaton Park by the event organisers, an update on Prestwich Festival, a Change 4 Life presentation, plus reports from the Youth Inclusion Panel and Children's Services. A new feature of the LAP is "Meet and Greet", for any member of the public who would like to talk to a panel member before the meeting. More details here.
I was delighted to have been invited to address a meeting of Bury Branch of the Unite (formerly TGWU) Union yesterday. I used the opportunity to highlight my concerns about the impact the Councils potentially over zealous use of RIPA powers (the so-called snoopers charter). In particular the damage done to morale and the potential damge to public confidence. Specifically I outlined that I have written to the Chief Executive and Leader of the Council calling for a review of the powers used by Bury and for democratic accountability and independent checks to be introduced into the process. Members of ...
Today's launch of the Lib Dem European Election Campaign was feisty and upbeat. We set out the dangers of isolating Britain from our European neighbours. Nick Clegg, Andrew Duff and Sarah Ludford were on top form, confidently setting out why a Tory vote would be a wasted vote in the European Elections. Their decision to cut themselves off from the mainstream of European politics by leaving the EPP group means they will have little say in the future direction of Europe. The trio also set out why the Conservative isolation policies would make Britain a less safe place to live. ...
Welsh Liberal Democrat MP, Jenny Willott has published research using the recently released Households Below Average Income (HBAI) statistics which shows that the risk of children living poverty is greatest in Wales and has risen more than any other part of the UK. The figures reveal that: · Welsh children have a 27% chance of living in poverty, equalled only by the North East and well above the UK average of 22%. · This is 2 percentage points higher than the previous year's figures. This rise is equalled only by the North East and the East Midlands. · The overall ...
The Conservatives and David Cameron in particular are under attack from the centre-right in Europe for leaving the his decision to leave the European People's party (EPP) and set up the European Conservatives
There are currently a number of jobs advertised on the party's jobs page, so if you're interested in paid employment with the Lib Dems, pop on over and see if your skill set matches what's needed. The job titles listed include: Liberal Democrat News DTP & Production Coordinator Project Support Officer Press Officer for B&ME, Specialist and Regional Media Press Officer Web & E-Communication Technology Manager Membership Development Officer (England) Information & Online Communications Officer
The UK (England and Wales) has been ranked the world's 5th electronic police state, by US internet privacy firm Cryptohippie. Their report, "The Electronic Police State" lists 52 states, with England and Wales only out-snooped by China, North Korea, Belarus and Russia: "The usual image of a "police state" includes secret police dragging people out of their homes at night, with scenes out of Nazi Germany or Stalin's USSR. The problem with these images is that they are horribly outdated. That's how things worked during your grandfather's war - that is not how things work now. An electronic police state ...
It must be difficult being in the Welsh Green Party, with no councillors, no chance of getting an MEP or AM in the list elections and thus zero influence. Still, undeterred by the hopelessness of it all they've been rather adventurous and put out a full-colour tabloid (in certain bits of Cardiff West, at any rate). Mind you, they should probably be thankful they haven't been able to deliver it more widely, because there are a couple of places that would be less than impressed with the treatment they receive; For the uninitiated, Conwy hasn't had the a for years ...
The saintly Norman Baker writes on the New Statesman website:Worse, however, has been the appalling attitude of the Speaker, who on Monday reacted with fury to probing and perfectly proper questions from the Labour MP Kate Hoey and myself.To be frank, there's long been widespread unhappiness with Speaker Martin, right across the House, but MPs have naturally been reluctant to attack the Chair (and of course risk not being called to speak).But if the Speaker is going to take off his umpire's hat and put on his player's one to shut up MPs and attack them from the Chair, then ...
Header is now sorted to my satisfaction. For those of you who have an interest in such things, the people and things represented are ( below the cut ) I have also buggered about with the CSS a bit in order to get rid of the HUGE gap between entries, and make it a more pleasingly svelte gap The problem now is that the text of entries/comments doesn't wrap around the icon. Mat's proposed solution to this was increasing the size of the entry header, which would push the entry text down below the icon, so we tried it, but ...
Well here we go – the day before Christmas eve is here – and breathe. `John you've got to learn to breathe` I tell myself! We've had the posses, the parties, the bitching on the blogs about `my favourite is better than your favourite` now it's the real thing. I have put * next to [...]
Hullo there you excitable young crumbs! Welcome to our new blog. Is it not lovely? Yes, it is. Now listen here. We have a policy on this blog. A blog policy. This is how it goes: The Liberal Vision blog exists to stimulate debate. We therefore invite everyone to post comments, and have a liberal policy of allowing these to go up unmonitored and unconditionally. However, we ask you to keep to a spirit of mutual respect and, in times of disagreement, to try playing the ball, rather than the man (or woman). We do not wish to remove any ...
I would be shocked by the news that National Express is to charge £2.50 each way for a seat reservation if it wasn't the kind of thing I've come to expect. I am appalled though! This is effectively a mandatory charge as I can't imagine anyone in their right mind these days (except in a really off-peak time) booking a National Express East Coast ticket without a reservation. Unless there are going to reduce the cost of the ticket accordingly? Are they B*ll****! National Express said "We find that people are often reserving multiple seats as they're not sure which ...
Sarah Teather, MP for Brent East, writes passionately in today's Guardian on the lack of reform in MPs' expenses: Every time I hear an MP found out for "flipping", tax avoidance or profiteering argue they were just following the rules and that the rules now need to change I find myself yelling at the television: "Where were you when we had a chance to change the rules last summer? You were voting in the other lobby!" The rules were (and still are) so vague that all manner of personal wealth creation on the public purse was perfectly possible. Believe it ...
{screen} So the word should be starting to trickle out: Liberal Vision have remade their website into a blog. and seem determined to engage in debate with Lib Dems directly. I should confess, I've known about this for some time - I actually built this blog for them and have been giving them advise on how to avoid falling into some Draper-eque traps. Now I did this for a number of reasons. First, and most selfishly, I wanted an excuse to build a blog for someone else as a showcase for my ridiculously expensive boutique blog building service - if ...
With more then 30 MP's currently been brought to task over the expenses business by the Telegraph I like many agree that its time for Brown to dissolve Parliament and call a general election. On the 5th of May Lord Greaves of Pendle argued in his column that he believed a general election would take place November 2009 and the I think he might just be right. All these expenses scandals are causing trouble for Cameron and Brown, they both are trying like mad men to try and sort themselves out and to make out to be the angels but ...
It seems you can't move on the blogosphere without tripping, stubbing your toe and cursing over posts ranting at the current MP expense debacle. And rightly so. All manner of opinion has been expressed on it, from every edge of the political spectrum. In a local context I have the following points to make: It has been missed by a lot of journalists and bloggers alike that in July last year there was a vote in the Commons on tightening the rules on MP's expenses. 150 Labour MPs, supported by a group of Tories, voted to exclude some of the ...
Tue 12th
11:13
Nick Clegg on BBB Breakfast ...Why Europe matters more than ever... autism and asperger syndrome pet...
Nick Clegg being questioned over MPs expenses on BBC Breakfast this morning. The Lib Dem manifesto for Europe. Please sign this petition for 10 Downing Street to show your support for Gary McKinnon, a man with Asperger Syndrome facing extradition for allegedly hacking into US Defense systems.
Reacting to the announcement that Health Secretary Alan Johnson has given the green light to close the A&E, in-patient paediatric and Maternity Services (excluding the Midwifery led unit) at Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup. Local Liberal Democrat campaigner Duncan Borrowman said:"This has been caused by decades of successive Conservative and Labour governments throwing all their money at Private
On BBC Radio Wales this morning a ten year child from Swansea was being interviewed. He has been invited to a party at the Senedd today to mark the Assembly's own tenth anniversary celebrations as he was born on 12 May 1999, the day of our first meeting. When asked what he was hoping to get for his birthday he said an ipod. Ouch! In this morning's Western Mail, David Williamson reports on Rhodri Morgan's speech last night at his own party to commemorate the tenth anniversary of our inaugural meeting. He told the assembled audience that a Tory Government ...
With the BNP playing party broadcasts on TV many people are upset with the media for giving the fascists a voice in the media according to a blog post by Iain Dale and personally I agree with Iain that we should give the BNP airtime on TV and a media voice. The BNP are a political party they have a large number of members and personally they are fighting elections so they should be given the chance to explain themselves to the general public. Most people know what the BNP are in reality, people know they are a bunch of ...
"The international cocaine market is "in retreat" after a year of successful operations around the world, the Serious Organised Crime Agency claims."So says the BBC. Is the war on drugs finally being won? Thanks, it's claimed to more successful operations across the world, the wholesale price of top quality cocaine has increased from £35,000 a kilo to £45,000 a kilo. But luckily the price on the street hasn't increased - yay for consumer power. "The data, collected by the Forensic Science Service, reveals how drug gangs are using increasing amounts of chemicals - so-called cutting agents - to dilute cocaine ...
The first poll since the Telegraph began reporting the details of MPs expenses suggests the public are taking a plague on all your houses approach (or at least, a plague on both your houses, since the Liberal Democrats haven't suffered). The topline figures, with changes from Populus's last poll, are CON 39%(-4), LAB 26%(-4), LDEM 22%(+4). [...]
The Derby Evening Telegraph were good enough to report on my visit here...
Senior Conservatives have subsidised their country estates at taxpayers' expense, with the upkeep of swimming pools, clearance of moats and even the salaries of domestic staff, all claimed on parliamentary expenses. Well i need my drains doing by dyno rod. What do you think should i ask.
Nick Clegg has this morning launched the Liberal Democrat manifesto for the European elections on June 4. The message is about Europe, how we are stronger together in a number of areas but the isolationism being preached by the Conservatives, SNP and UKIP in key areas of co-operation will weaken Britain in areas of justice, environment and financial integrity. One of the lessons on recent times must surely be the interconnectiveness of all of us. This stretches beyond national boundaries the arbitrary lines in the sand drawn up and redrawn as the result of wars down the centuries. But The ...
That nice James Allen has posted his account of the trip home from the Spanish Grand Prix. Apparently, on the Easyjet flight, along with loads of British formula one fans, were members of the F1 team of the moment, Brawn GP, including team owner and technical guru Ross Brawn who was not only there but ended up talking to the fans and having his photo taken with them. F1 in general is not known for being particularly frugal even at the worst of times and its high heed yins are not renowned for their accessibility to the masses. Certainly Brawn ...
I know he is strutting around desperate to seem in control of events and issuing dire threats against Tory MP's with dodgy expenses claims, but wait the man has 'previous'. Remember Den Dover, the man from Southport elected as a Tory MEP who took £700,000+ in expenses paid to a family firm. Cameron huffed and puffed and demanded he pay it back. Has he?? Compare and contrast these two videos as Chris Davis (the Norman Baker of the Euro parliament) tries to hold the Southport man to account.
Despite having every opportunity to win their play off tie against Gateshead Southport were unable to score the elusive goal even tho they had the giants share of possession for long periods. Gateshead have been promoted for the second successive year. Ah well, at least at the Conference level we do not have the scale of problems that Vince Cable outlines in his article in today's Daily Mail. It is certainly worth reading
Welcome to what's intended to be a daily feature here on LDV: an early preview of the two big news stories of the day, and a click-though to two of the must-read Lib Dem blog posts just published. Each day a member of the LDV collective will take their turn to bagpipe fact into news*. 2 Big Stories MPs' expenses: paying bills for Tory grandees The Telegraph has the most enjoyable schadenfreude story of the day, with the latest set of MPs' expenses revelations this time focusing on the 'estate-ocracy' of Tory MPs. Particular faves include: Douglas Hogg (aka 3rd ...
Yet another planning application for a hot food shop in Langworthy. I'm sick of it, why won't somebody look at opening a greengrocers! Well you have my support and also my fellow members. we believe that obesity is a problem and we are excited that you have taken up this challenge. We must be role [...]
Chorlton Civic Society meet tonight at Chorlton Library, starting at 7.30pm. It is an illuminating way of finding out more about the issues in Chorlton. Membership is £4 (£2), but they are unlikely to hassle you for money on your first visit.
Tomorrow the Telegraph will splash all the sordid LibDem MP expense details over its front page. I hope the details aren't sordid but I am bracing myself for the worst.Any LibDem MPs who have broken the spirit of the rules and claimed for frivolous or luxurious items should PAY THE MONEY BACK! If they don't do this immediately they should have the whip withdrawn from them. Any particularly
"The membership is politically balanced, which means the number ofplaces given to a political group is proportionate to the number ofCouncillors the group has on the Council." Any one reading this blog today can i ask you a question. Do you believe it is a safe practice for the ruling group of any council to try to stack [...]
The Government has created a `system` that is in need of smashing – whether it's Moran/Cohen/Follett and their `legalised fraud` or the centralisation of our ailing democracy with its consultants and hangers 0n. I always remember as a Cllr at a seminar about the latest `white paper` on local democracy asking `If local government has star [...]
More scandals in today's Telegraph and you can read the news article by following the link. I am not even going to write about them or criticise them I will leave that to the rest of the bloggers but I will be adding them to the list of gravy train passengers.
Camden Council will be holding a public meeting on Thursday 14th May 2009 at 6.30pm at Swiss Cottage School (please note this has changed from Belsize Library). The purpose of this vitally important meeting is to discuss ways forward in the provision of primary schools in the area, notably Belsize and Swiss Cottage both these wards do not currently have an LEA Community school. From what I have been able to find out there would appear to be around 130+ "Camden" parents who have not so far been able to obtain a School offer. The waiting list for nearby schools ...
It's funny the more information you have relating to any issue gives you the chance to make the best informed decision. But what if some one holds back that information. You could make the wrong choice easy as that.How easy then is it for someone to do that. I suppose very easy, something i will [...]
In these heady days that will be mentioned in the history books we've had two remarkable things happen already today and it's not even past breakfast. Tebbit has said `don't vote for the main parties at the Euros`. Astonishing for an ex-Party chairman. Meanwhile, at a radio studio near you a Labour dinosaur goes head to head [...]
The "Pay it back" campaign petition has gathered a few signatures since yesterday. There is no sign that these expenses stories are drying up yet. the Telegraph has more revelations today about Tory grandees. A grand gesture is needed by MPs and paying back what goes against the spirit of the rules is the way to do this. Please sign the petition if you agree with me. Also, follow the campaign on Twitter (#Payitback). (I am here: @MarkJThompson). There have been a number of tweets from various people already.
Sunday's Observer quotes Lib Dem MP Tom Brake as pointing a finger at two plain clothes policemen he believes were acting as agents provacateurs at the G20 protests last month. Tom Brake was, as readers will recall, acting as an observer during the protests, and is set to give evidence at a committee on human rights today. "When I was in the middle of the crowd, two people came over to me and said, 'There are people over there who we believe are policemen and who have been encouraging the crowd to throw things at the police,'" Brake said. But ...
I'm getting increasingly frustrated as a I try to get a grip on the MPs expenses debacle. So far I've been sticking up for MPs, as far as I reasonably can. The reality is that most MPs are decent, hardworking people. I firmly believe that MPs are not some lower life form, nor are they (or should they be) better than the rest of us. Put 650 random people in the situation of MPs and I think you'd come out with something similar. I don't know what proportion of MPs in each party have really been playing the system. I ...
Tue 12th
08:34
We must start to see the seeds of open and transparent government grow Localy and Nationally
The events of the past week in relation to MP's expenses have torn this country apart. We are in the midst of a recession,jobs are being lost. and people are losing their homes. And the digracefull events that are unfolding in London are a shameful example of the worst in politics. I feel that the [...]
We've already touched on the Welsh Tories struggle to find people who live in Wales to stand for them. This seems especially odd as they have several very talented and widely respected AM's. Now, Norman Tebbit has just come out and advised people to vote against the party of which he is a member. Conservative Home has the story, and details of a follow up interview on Today. Astonishing. The comments suggest there are a few non-too pleased Tories...
Sheesh, it was never meant to be like this. I was supposed to be carried to power on a wave of acclamation with an adoring team of Obama-esque acolytes attending to my every whim. Instead I am stuffing and delivering all my own mailings, which I wrote myself, and looking forward to more of the same for the rest of the week - and indeed for weeks to come. My feet feel like they have been assailed by a madman with a razor blade and my family are a distant memory. So, after a full day of shoving bits of ...
Tonight, my fellow Councillors and I have a meeting with Eastlands Homes, who have now been in charge of the former council housing for my Ward for over a month. Local tenants are very much looking forwards to the promised improvements, but obviously at the moment the priority is to ensure that the change is as smooth as possible and that Eastlands can start making a positive difference. There've been a few glitches so far with Eastlands sending out rent arrears notices to people whose standing orders haven't transferred across yet, but I'm hoping that nobody gets threatened with eviction ...
At Amused Cynicism.
I am just loving all these expense claims revelations from Tory Grandees.Cleaning a moat for Douglas Hogg! Classic! Oh, and tuning his piano and fixing his stable lights! And the "mole man" and bee removal! And £93.41 for tongs. And £200 a year for Aga maintenance.Dear Michael Spicer! He needed his chandelier to be cleaned. So obviously, the taxpayer had to foot the bill.But my favourite is
Polly says the PM must go in this morning's Guardian. It would give us all a break if Polly Toynbee resigned too.
I first met Nick Clegg 11 years ago when he came to Lib Dem Regional Office in Leicester to be interviewed to be a Lib Dem candidate for the East Midlands. As Region Team Leader at the time I was on the interviewing panel. I guess it was like some political version of the X Factor, except none of the four of us "judges" behind the table were in any way rich or had the prospect of becoming so. Like Cowell, Walsh et al, we knew a good thing when we saw it, though. I'm not about to divulge too ...
Have done much tidying up and playing. I am happy now. Sorry nannyo though. I feel a bit guilty for pinching YOUR picture of Nanny Ogg... I also did a meme, with oddly appropriate results, given the centre image: Which Discworld Character are you? Gytha (Nanny) Ogg 100% The Librarian 88% Commander Sir Samuel Vimes 81% Lord Havelock Vetinari 81% Carrot Ironfounderson 81% Esmerelda (Granny) Weatherwax 63% Cohen The Barbarian 56% Rincewind 56% Greebo 38% Death 25% I did, and now I am happy. YAY!
Funnily enough we were just talking about polls and leaders at our campaign meeting. Last week a voter told me that she thought Cameron should win the General Election: nothing strange about this - except that she was the first person to tell me so and I have knocked on a lot of doors this year. Cameron does not cast the spell on the electorate that Blair did in the 1990s. Clegg's name has been coming up with increasing frequency - and you can imagine that Cable's name comes up too. And people have been very positive. I didn't want ...
It is a real worry that the BNP appear to make sense in there leaflets. A few weeks ago in Bracknell town, the BNP were out in force with their stall and leaflets and looking quite professional in there suits. Their leaflet reads like a list of headlines. Most people would naturally agree with headlines listed here; 'Housing British People First' As you can see here from the council meetings in Barking and Dagenham where the BNP have 12 councillors. The BNP proposed the creation of what appears to be caravans and fabricated homes to house families, which could create ...
