Received my Euro election leaflet from the BNP today. Apart from being jingoistic and thinly veiled racism, I would like to point out that: "I LIVE IN YORKSHIRE {p1000046} I DO NOT LIVE IN THE WEST MIDLANDS!!!" Apologies for shouting but the idiocy of sending hundreds of thousands of leaflets with the wrong constituency on them cannot be overlooked. Coupled with the stupidity of using stockphotos to fake-up supporters and a Polish spitfire in it's anti-immigration campaign, I think the BNP have outdone themselves this time. Apologies for linking to The Sun and Daily Mail without appropriate warnings. {Share/Save/Bookmark}
scapegoat n. One that is made to bear the blame of others. So Michael Martin has resigned, a high-profile casualty of the MPs' expenses scandal. Like Fred Godwin, Martin doesn't quite fit the description of a scapegoat - he was, at least, partly to blame and, at most, representative of the whole awful mess. But I wonder if by falling on his sword, he has let Parliament escape a worse punishment and avoid desperately needed reforms. Martin stood in the way of reform, that much is true. But Parliament needs to change quite radically and the role of the MP ...
It's all been happening in Westminster lately and now we have calls for a fresh parliament and a general election. I have sympathy with these views but there is one major flaw - an immediate election is likely to result in a Conservative majority. And would a Cameron administration bring us the changes our parliament desperately needs? I think not. Let's have the reforms first - proportional representation, fixed term parliaments, a written constitution, greater powers for parliament to hold government to account, a bill of rights, moves towards an English parliament and setting up an elected second chamber, fewer ...
Recently I have been having trouble with content that I get from the BBC website. A video that I embedded to the blog carried on appearing on the top of the page when it felt like it. But after deleting it still appeared for a while and then vanished. The same has happened today with a screen print of their site. This has lead me to delete two blog posts that have content on them from the BBC, are the BBC and Blogger having a falling out that has lead to the troubles or are the BBC trying to control ...
Proper post (about music) coming up tonight, but two things of note: First, Aung Sang Suu Kyi could be facing five years in a prison well-known for torturing its prisoners. Write to Than Shwe and ask for her to be released. Secondly, for those near Manchester, Hope Not Hate are having an anti-fascist day of action on [...]
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The A66 used to go through the centre of Brough. Like many such towns it's a little strange to see a wide street with just the occasional car, or tractor. You may have seen Brough in the news recently when its Post Office closed. Luckily there is a well stocked shop next door. There's also two pubs and a chip shop, a cafe and a flower shop. And not to forget the famous "Brough Club".I'd find it difficult to live in a town without a good chip shop so here's a picture of it.
If Councillor Owen stands against Kitkat Blears what are is chances. Well i have got to say bloody good. He is passionate about Salford he as some rough edges but may be the house of Commons needs a shake up. what do you say readers? any comments . Go on be brave. [...]
Comment – Where next for dishonourable Hazel Blears <!–Last Updated – 13th May 2009 at 12:23 PM –> by Tom Rodgers After everything that's happened this week as regards the expenses scandal, Salford MP Hazel has not come out well. Despite paying back the £13332 Capital Gains Tax she already owed the taxman, she's insulted the [...]
Oranjepan says that MPs should be means tested Liberal Conspiracy asks if Nadine Dorries is an enemy of science. Just ask Dr Evan Harris or Dr Ben Goldacre I would suggest.Jennie Rigg thinks that this blogger has unfairly snubbed herGlenn Greenwald exposes the myth of the parasitical bloggerAnd Ken Ritchie of the Electoral Reform Society launches a new campaign to get an electoral reform referendum on the ballot paper for the next General Election. Go Ken!
Is here. Please join it. Alan would make a first class Speaker. He has just the right sort of reforming mind to help lead the Commons out of their current mess. He has a refreshing, no-nonsense approach, is highly experienced and is greatly respected around the House.
Tue 19th
20:23
Great film maker getting of his backside to get people to vote, i wonder what we have to do.
Love moores stuff, allways get that feeling you need to sit up and listen when he is on screen. Anyviews?
For all you who don't read Lib Dem Voice (including me) a blog post by the Noble Lord Greaves.
Now that Speaker Michael Martin has announced his resignation (and another tricky by-election for Gordon Brown!!), it seems appropriate to discuss who should be his successor. Various names have been bandied about, including Sir Ming Campbell, former Lib Dem leader, but who has also unfortunately been caught up in the row over MP's expenses. From my position way "oop north" in Newcastle is that the preferred candidate for Speaker, is Sir Alan Beith, the MP for Berwick upon Tweed, who is a man of decency and integrity, and is also someone who is well able to lead the reform not ...
Remember Gray Davis? He was the Governor of California who become very unpopular with a 33-34% approval rating because the power kept on going off. After an unprecedented campaign, he was then recalled and Arnie Schwarzenegger took over in a blaze of glory.One slight snag, though.Arnie's polling is now at about the same level as that for Davis in the "lights out" days.Oh dear.
Douglas Hogg - the MP who charged the taxpayer for cleaning out his moat - has announced today that he will not be standing at the next general election. Hogg is the son of Lord Hailsham, but his grandfather was a Conservative politician too - Sir Douglas Hogg. In his The Guardsmen: Harold Macmillan, Three Friends and the World They Made, Simon Ball records Macmillan's reminiscences of the formation of Bonar Law's government. Macmillan had called on a duke (not having the book in front of me, I cannot tell you which): I found Lord Derby in conference with him. ...
I want to overturn the decades of neglect and return pride to Irwell Riverside. I will fight for a fair deal from the council on local services. I pledge to make a positive difference to the local community. If elected I will continue to keep residents informed, hold regular surgeries, ensure continuing deliveries of the [...]
Chris BATES Conservatives Steven Ian MIDDLETON... Liberal Democrats Rob MITCHELL Green Party Matt MOLD Labour Party Duran Benjamin O'DW... United Kingdom Independen ... Gary TUMULTY My Tip of the day, well i think it's going to go to the wire. And of course i think you should pick the best man, so without any bias it as to be, [...]
It is not only Sudbury in Sufflok that has a Hum. They have one in Church Stretton too, says the Shropshire Star.
Swinton South Lib Dem webpage comparing their Group Leader to Brian Potter from Phoenix Nights.Wth friends like that who needs enemies It's funny really Normans Norman but he is the sort of bloke who can take a Joke. Bit to open with is comments sometimes, which can get him in hot water, BUT This week [...]
Poor Michael Martin. Unloved, unwanted and acting as a big fleshy roadblock to reform of the House of Commons. The search is on for a new speaker, one who will bring Order and Dignity to this unruly bunch. It's time get get tough. It's time for discipline. It's time to show these politicians who's boss (that's us, by the way). It's time for the Top 10 Replacement Speakers list! #10: Emperor Palpatine {top10-palp} He turns up in all these lists. Worst this. Best that. He's a man who gets things done, and can shoot lightning from his hands. Not many ...
So Mark Reckons posted a couple of very interesting posts. I linked to him on my own blog, and then I linked to him on the LC netcast, because they WERE very good posts. {[info] - livejournal.com} andrewducker picked it up, and linked to it, and discussed it with his f-list... And thanked {[info] - personal} matgb for the link. I didn't bother saying anything to Andy because, well, Mat and I ARE practically the same person, and it doesn't really matter, and he must have figured that Mat would be the one to link to it, being the psephology ...
Four Norfolk MPs who clearly feel they have nothing to hide regarding their expenses have decided to print their additional costs allowances details for the last four years on their websites today. You can find the details at http://www.normanlamb.org.uk , http://www.richardbacon.org.uk , http://www.iangibsonmp.org.uk and http://www.charlesclarke.org.uk .
Tuesday: Mr Speaker of the Housemartin's resignation speech in full then: "Yer [badwords]! Ah'm off!" In a private remark to the Prime Monster, he added: "An' ye can tak tha' look of ye' face, ye great grinning ninny! Ye did nae support me, we'll I'll nae support ye's either! Ye can hae a by'elecshun, an' t'hell wi ye!" Well, ONE election will be a START. Meanwhile, and speaking of people letting their leadership dribble away, Mr Balloon was on the The Today Programme earlier this morning, and you could hear him getting more WEASELLY with every word that came out. ...
British people are Europeans. This is an economic fact, quite apart from also sharing a European culture. 2.3 million British people own property abroad equating to billions of pounds. A lot of it is in Spain where British (and proerty owners from other EU countries) have suffered from odd planning laws and insecure property rights. It is [...]
Conservative strategy at the moment seems to entirely revolve around calling for a General Election. Not entirely surprising or necessarily silly given the fact that polling in favour of one putssupport at the 60% mark. Tim Montgomerie writing on Conservative Home calls for Cameron to table a motion of no confidence in the government. To [...]
This is an excellent use of new media by Liberal Democrat MP, Jo Swinson on how Parliament should be using new media to engage with electors. A positive initiative shining out from the darkness and negativity around expenses and MPs' allowances.
Two blog posts in one day and neither of them (entirely) by me - however both are extremely relevant to the current campaign in Irwell Riverside and the upcoming European Elections. Over on Himmelgarten Cafe, the ever resourceful Costigan Quist (love that pen-name), has written an excellent piece about UKIP, which I shamelessly copy herein: Perhaps last time there was an excuse for supporting UKIP. This time there isn't. You want to cast a vote against corrupt politicians? If you vote UKIP, you've been conned. In 2004 the British people elected 12 UKIP MEPs. Have they worked tirelessly for our ...
Does anyone have reliable information about what was discussed (or decided) at the meeting of the Federal Executive yesterday? Did I miss an announcement?
Tue 19th
18:11
Moat claimer to stand down + has Esther sounded the political death knell for M Moran?
Douglas Hogg, the MP who claimed for, or rather, didn't positively exclude from a claim, the costs of clearing his moat has, announced that he won't be standing at the next election. Well, at least he caught the mood of the public - there have been thousands of guffaws about the moat clearing claim in the last week or so.Esther Rantzen has said it is 80% likely that she stand against Margaret
I'm studiously avoiding blogging about the demise of Speaker Martin: having nothing to add, most bloggers seem to be restating the news or indulging in wild speculation. Instead, let's talk about teenage pregnancy. Isn't that more fun? Back in February, journalists across the world had no doubt that Alfie Patten had become a dad at the age of 13. Young Alfie had sex with his girlfriend when he was just 12. Politicians were concerned about youngsters having sex and about teenage pregnancy. Writing in the Sun, journalist Jane Moore said "What a damning indictment on Britain's hugely expensive sex education ...
Salford's BNP contingent have made some outlandish claims during the Irwell Riverside by-election campaign, but I do find it impossible to believe they were "attacked by communists" at the weekend. Apparently 30/40 BNP activists were on Duchy Road campaigning - where? I was on Duchy Road myself on both Saturday and Sunday, along with other members of my team (at different times throughout the day) - we did not see the BNP, nor did we see any "communists" (although we didn't stop to ask anyone if they were communists). One has to ask, if coming under attack from balaclava-clad assailants, ...
Cometh the hour, cometh the man! Over at LibDem Voice, I have voted for Sir Alan Beith to be the next Speaker. He has the right no-nonsense eloquence and a thoroughly reforming mind. He also used to chair the Commons Administration commitee so has experience of cross-party co-operation in the House.A fortnight ago I would have voted for Sir Menzies Campbell. However, he has tainted himself,
Money is pouring on Alan Beith to succeed Michael Martin as next Speaker. Mike Smithson has the story.
The new LDV members' survey is now live - this one focuses exclusively on the hot topic of MPs' expenses. So if you are a registered member of the Liberal Democrat Voice forum - and any paid-up party member is welcome to join - then you now have the opportunity to make your views known. Questions we are asking your opinion on include: - your views on MPs in general and the Telegraph's reporting; - which party you think has been hardest hit by the allegations; - which Lib Dem MPs named by the Telegraph you think have questions to ...
So, Michael Martin has resigned as speaker, and is standing down as an MP too. I feel a poll coming on! ( click here to vote for who you think will be the next Speaker and who will win the bye-election for his seat ) Note: I haven't included Vince Cable because he has specifically ruled himself out at the time of typing. The list was compiled by combining both the BBC and LDV's lists of runners and riders, and deleting Vince. If you think it's going to be someone else, do tell in the comments. We'll see how accurate ...
The Speaker's gone - good. That's stage one. But it's 24 hours since the Liberal Democrat Federal Executive met, and we've heard nothing whatsoever of what they decided. My impatience is rising as the Lib Dem hierarchy apparently just doesn't get the need for speed and transparency in the current crisis. Though yesterday I suggested a set of questions they should ask Lib Dem Parliamentarians, tomorrow I'll be publishing a much more drastic proposal. Before then, can I ask readers for one simple piece of information? Which Liberal Democrat MPs have already said they're standing down at the next election? ...
There are many intriguing similarities between the styles and strategies of David Cameron and John Key, leader of New Zealand's National Party. [For my earlier blogs on this, click here and here] The Nats and their allies won NZ's 2008 general election and Key has now been prime minister for six months. The PM and his party are travelling very well in the opinion polls. The respected NZ political commentator, Colin James, has offered an interim assessment of the Key government's performance so far. Here's one of his more interesting comments: "Before the election National presented the differences as competence ...
It must have been one of the shortest statements ever. Basically, Speaker Martin said for the sake of the unity of the house he would step down on 21 June - allowing for a new speaker to be voted for on 22 June. And that was that. I though just as he got it wrong yesterday - he got it right today. I just wish he hadn't had the humiliation of yesterday. But politics is like that - sudden and often quite brutish in its endings. Speaker Martin's announcement today is just the start of a process that will hopefully ...
The purpose of this Code of Practice is to provide advice on how to meet the needs of your rabbit. It applies to all persons who have responsibility for rabbits kept as a companion animal. Nice to see that the Welsh Assembly Government are getting one thing right. Will we be having a consultation on the welfare of badgers next? Thanks to Heledd Fychan for drawing it to my attention.
Vince Cable has just ruled himself out as next Speaker. Pity, in my humble opinion.
{polling-station} I am suffering expenses fatigue. Nothing shocks me anymore. I am weary. My jaw cannot drop any further. We need to put these people out of their misery. We need a General Election. But wait !....enter David Cameron on his white horse. He will save us. I heard it yesterday amid all the other noise - he will turn the campaign for the European and local elections on June 4th into a call for a general election as soon after that as possible. Delete - or at least downgrade - the promise of a referendum on Europe and insert ...
By common consent there is now a great deal of unfinished business in the government arrangements of the United Kingdom. The reform of the House of Lords is but partial, and it remains as undemocratic as ever. The roles of the national parliament and assemblies in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland remain undefined and nebulous; the constitutional position of England unclear. The powers and role of the executive are concentrated and unaccountable under the Royal prerogative. The established churches retain idiosyncratic rights that have more to do with the sixteenth century than the twenty-first, including the right to 26 bishops ...
Producer: "Mr Prescott, would you like to do an interview for us on the departure of Mr Speaker?" Prescott: "Are you a journalist?" Producer: "Yes" Prescott: "F*ck off" Prescott doing what he does best! Hat Tip Paul Waugh Update: Prezza has blogged about how he said "Sod Off"!
The BNP like to style themselves as the party that tells the truth, which is why the tales of their fake photos and made-up statistics matter. Here's the latest BNP fakery: AN ex-Guardsman branded the BNP "scumbags" last night for using his photo and faked words on an election flyer. Former Scots Guards NCO Stuart Walker, 37, was shocked to see a picture of himself in uniform outside Buckingham Palace on a poll leaflet. He told The Sun: "I was completely outraged when I saw this leaflet. I think they got the photo off a website and the quote they've ...
Perhaps now that the scandal of troughing MPs has claimed what other than the government itself must be it's biggest possible scalp in the form of forcing Michael Martin from the Speakership, this can be seen as a moment of catharsis that will precipetate the rapid resignation of many other Dishonourable Members who have been involved. Those less dishonourable who, whilst not having had their fingers in the till themselves may have been aware of the culture of maximizing expenses amongst colleagues can really only rebuild their honour by persuading those colleagues to go. Perhaps they could refuse to sit ...
David Cameron was on radio 4 this morning, demanding a General Election, to sweep out the old, corrupt House of Commons and bring about a fresh start and a new dawn. What is wrong with this picture? Of course opposition leaders must call for a general election, every day during the lame duck 5th year of a parliament. That's textbook. Of course they must use any issue that comes up to justify this call. That's obvious. But this particular call is shabby and shameful. Firstly, it tries to identify in the public mind a cross-party scandal with the government. Yet ...
Douglas Carswell on the defenestration of Speaker Michael Martin: "You can't clean up a cesspit without doing some unpleasant things."
We've taken the slightly unusual step of inviting Tim Montgomerie of ConservativeHome to write this guest post as his latest internet venture is one on which there is much common ground. It's a great pleasure to write for Liberal Democrat Voice. I read it most days and learn a great deal from it. More than occasionally it gives me ideas for posts on ConservativeHome! We have many things in common as Conservatives and Liberal Democrats and many things that divide us. Perhaps the most important area of common ground is our belief in a Britain where every person - regardless ...
Realistically the government are not going to have an election immediately. Hence following the speaker's announcement we need to work on fixing the problems in parliament.Parliament's role is as the voice of the people. Hence people should not be threatened for talking to MPs. Furthermore Ministers should answer questions. We need to look at how we can make the operation of parliament more
Well, I can't say I'm shocked. I thought it likely they may be another potential father in the wings at the time. I wonder if there was the involvement of a Max Clifford-like character in the original story?
At last, the Speaker has seen sense and announced his resignation. MPs must not imagine that his departure is the necessary reform of the Commons. So much more needs to be done. They would do well to look at the procedures of some other parliaments, perhaps not as old but then not as archaic nor hidebound by conventions that protect the executive from effective scrutiny. May I suggest
In THE shortest speach ever...the Speaker has announced that he will stand down on 21st June. Bit of an anti-climax.. but one more obstacle has been removed. This is an important step in the road to cleaning up Westminster. Now the focus will switch back to the MPs, the party leaders and of course, what the Met Police decide to do...
Two Houses at Vicarage The first application is for the erection of two 2 bed houses with associated gardens. This application is a resubmission of a previous application on land between the Old Vicarage and 24 Dominion Road. The application was first submitted on 13th May and has a decision date if 13th July 2009, The application reference number is 09/01528/FUL and you...
Michael Martin is on his feet at the moment announcing he is standing down. Perhaps the final nail in the coffin of Mr Martin is the news that the Met Police have decided not to investigate the leak of MPs expenses details to the Telegraph. Given that Mr Speaker Martin had given such emphasis to this 'crime', the Met's decision (which would have been communicated to him before being made public) would have holed him below the waterline. PS - George Foulkes is absolutely no relation!
At First Minister's questions this afternoon, Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader, Kirsty Williams, questioned whether Ieuan Wyn Jones is capable of running two busy and important government departments while being the Deputy First Minister during the worst economic downturn Wales has seen in decades. Welsh government statistics revealed in a Freedom of Information request show that the Deputy First Minister failed to reply to over a quarter (28%) of his correspondence while other Ministers receiving more and slightly less correspondence were answering over 90% in the target 17 working days. Edwina Hart received 1793 items of correspondence and replied to 93% ...
The Met Police has today announced that they will not investigate those responsible for the LEAKING of MP expenses to The Telegraph. So the Telegraph can rest a little easier.... MPs can't. The Met Police are still in discussions with the CPS concerning prosecutions of MPs who may have broken the law concerning expenses. How the tide has turned.
A article for The Mail suggests that Michael Martin might use the information that he has on the Prime Minister against him upon resigning and leaving the job of Speaker. To read the article follow the link. Personally I think the suggestion of the article could be something that Brown will consider when making his decision of what to do with Speaker Martin after he has resigned as the Speaker and what job to give him after. My personal opinion tells me that Martin should be sacked and sent to the back bench until the next general election and a ...
Jacqui Smith has been accused of diluting the latest law on prostitution Tuesday, 19, May 2009 10:36 Perhaps i should ask for a quote from the residents i represent who have to live next door to brothals,and not by choice. There are a lot of people making a lot of money out of this.. By politics.co.uk [...]
Looking at the Tory talking heads on the news this morning, it appears that, in an attempt to head off electoral reform at the pass, their response to the public wanting a way to chuck out their MP at the ballot box is.... open primaries, USA-style. Well, it'd be a start. The difference between that and multi-member STV, of course, is that is retains the idea of a party safe seat, but it does indeed allow the public to chuck out one particular person. It's not, actually, as bad an idea as AV+, which I think would just give electoral ...
Michael Martin is set to announce he will stand down "soon" as Speaker in a Commons statement to MPs at 1430 BST. The Full Story as carried by the BBC can be seen on the following Link. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8057203.stm
One of the big issues I am dealing with in my region currently is the impact of spending cuts on three of the four FE colleges in my region. In Bridgend the College is facing a £1 million shortfall and has been forced to axe all its A-Level courses from September, to cut back on part time courses and it will be losing approximately 16 lecturing staff. I was bemused to see the Assembly's Business Minister on the front page of the Glamorgan Gazette last week vowing to support A-level students in his Bridgend constituency when it is the decisions ...
Nick Clegg can feel today that he has played an important part in a real move forward for the House of Commons, with the departure of Michael Martin now forthcoming. However, listening to comments from the public on today's Daily Politics and yesterday's Five Live Drive, it's also clear to me that the public doesn't share the view of many in the commons that this is an important step. To those who follow politics, the case against Michael Martin requires no explanation. But I suspect that in their rush to do something to clean up the system, many of our ...
Seems that the new narrative for the Tories is the `open primary` and `recall` option to suggest a modern outlook. Goodness knows how that's going to work without the rebalancing of power between Parliament and our regions/Councils as well as the issue of PR.
Well, it's come to pass - Michael Martin is set this afternoon to resign as Speaker of the House of Commons after his botched handling of the row over MPs' expenses. The question on everyone's lips now is: who will replace him? We've set up a new poll asking just that question - here are the most-frequently touted candidates from whom to choose: Diane Abbott Sir Alan Haselhurst Frank Field Sir George Young Richard Taylor Vince Cable Sir Menzies Campbell Ken Clarke Sir Alan Beith David Davis Norman Baker Sir Patrick Cormack Tony Wright Other (please state in comments) More ...
Speaker Martin is set to announce his resignation this afternoon, but it will not be enough to restore confidence in politics.
13:05 BBC News is announcing that the Speaker is to announce his retirement this afternoon. No doubt Peter Black who has for some time said that the Speaker should go will comment in due course. One thing (which I have commented elsewhere) needs saying: that the pressure on Michael Martin to go has been building up for some time, and the fact that he has defended the present system of MPs expenses is only the final straw. He must not be a scapegoat for that; the demand for reform of paying MPs continues. For me, the expenses issue in itself ...
I came into politics to do things not to be something. A good income (and these days a VERY good income) is a welcome change after years of debt and forsaken career opportunities, but it doesn't provide my motivation. I would do the job for half as much. I don't expect to be popular, except perhaps with party members; I've been hearing people say "you politicians are all the same, out for what you can get," for 35 years now. But I do like people thinking that the position I hold should be given a grudging degree of respect. Outright ...
Monday: ...and obscure Conservatory blogger recommends changing Cable. It seems that Mr Speaker of the Housemartin is to go after all. Presumably in his meeting with the Party Leaders Mr Clogg told him that the game was up, while Mr Frown and Mr Balloon looked at their feet and said "umm, probably." Well, it's not a surprise. His performance yesterday was, more than anything else, DEEPLY EMBARRASSING. If his claim to stay was based on competence in his job, he did a very good demonstration of why he should go; if his determination to hang on was based on him ...
Well, y'know, I'm personally convinced that Michael Martin must have been finally convinced to quit when he saw the overwhelming result of LDV's over-night poll showing 85% of readers thought he should quit now. So much more likely than that the Prime Minister instructed him to resign voluntarily. Here, for the record,is what you said in response to the question, "Do you think the Speaker of the House of Commons Michael Martin should resign over his handling of the MPs' expenses row?" >> 85% (137 votes) - The Speaker should resign now - reform cannot wait until the general election. ...
Yes, I know I am peculiar, but here I am gagging to know what happened in last night's LibDem Federal Executive meeting - after President Ros Scott told us all about the meeting.I have looked in all the normal haunts, but not a whisper came there as to what happened.Are the dealings of the Federal Executive a state secret?
The polls say that voters want to punish Westminster politicians for their abuse - or in some cases only apparent abuse - of expenses. So they may vote for UKIP, which want to give those same Westminster politicians more power than they have at present. Or they may vote for the BNP, which blames immigrants for all the country's problems. Or they may vote for any other anti-European party, even though I haven't heard anyone blaming the EU for the economic depression or the abuse of expenses at Westminster. But once elected representatives of all these parties will immediately claim ...
We don't get this opportunity very often, but let us go for it.. We need to go for further than tinkering with who is Speaker. Lets go for an elected House of Lords, the full Freedom of Information Act Labour denied us, a proper written Constitution which among other things limits the power of the Prime Minister, decentralises power away from Westminster/Whitehall and gives us fix term parliaments. Voting Reform need also to be on the agenda too but we need to be aware that those who have fiddled most appear to be from 'safe' seats. Some PR systems do ...
Tue 19th
12:35
"blown out of proportion and I would prefer not to comment it will only encourage feeding on what is...
"This has been blown out of proportion and I would prefer not to comment it will only encourage feeding on what is a load of alarm-rousing piffle." said Ann Winterton when challenged about her dodgy claim. The Daily Telegraph has the story. Judge for yourself. If I were in Congleton today I would have an online petition demanding that she pays back every penny.
Bracknell Blog has a thread where they are asking for questions that they will try to put to Andrew MacKay during the public meeting he has called for this Friday. If you cannot attend the meeting but have something you wish to put, please go to the blog and leave your question(s) or views in the comments there.
It looks like the Michael Martin's strategy of hiding behind the Prime Minister has failed. Over the weekend, Brown stated that the issue of the Speaker was a matter for the commons, not the Government. Yesterday Martin bounced the issue back to the Government, putting his fate firmly into Brown's hands. Today, after meeting with all the Party Leaders, Brown appears to have been put into a position where he knew he couldn't protect the speaker (by simply refusing to allow the debate to happen). Clegg had made it clear that the Lib Dems would use an opposition day debate, ...
Andrew MacKay who has been caught up in the scandal about MPs expenses primarily for him and his wife between them claiming for two second homes has called a public meeting in Bracknell this Friday 22nd May at 7:00pm at the Kerith Centre in Bracknell. It is a ticket only event and you need to call 01344 868286 or e-mail bracknellca@tory.org. The full details and map link are here. We are interested in knowing what questions people would like asked or views you would like expressed during this meeting. Some of us who post on Bracknell Blog are attending the ...
This last year has seen two very interesting bloggers bust onto the Lib Dem scene. First Costigan Quist who's made a name for himself by actually reading the details that journalists don't. If someone says that eating custard doughnuts makes you 103% more likely to develop exploding bowel syndrome, he's right there pointing out that what they really mean is that instead of 1 person every year, it's 4 people every three years. This is where he's making a real name for himself, and I hope he can keep it up. More recently, Mark Thompson (of the Mark Reckons blog) ...
I was sitting in the chamber yesterday awaiting the arrival of Speaker Martin - and thinking of history. I was remembering other 'rotten' Parliaments that I had yawned at in my school history lessons - bored and not understanding the import of history - that it was once reality. Ironic - really. And then Speaker Martin rose to make his statement. Whilst I had called for him to go last Sunday - as I sat there in the chamber I wondered - could he, would he? Was there a rabbit out of hat? As his first words left his mouth ...
Ah! the power of blogging ... from an interesting hypothesis to the Guardian in three days. A couple of days ago a fellow Lib Dem blogger asked an interesting question: Has our electoral system contributed to the MPs expenses scandal? Mark showed that there appeared to be a relationship between how safe a Parliamentary seat was and the likelihood that the MP had made...
The news has just come through that the Speaker of the House of Commons is to step down. Just this weekend, I helped organise an open letter from over 50 Lib Dem candidates to Michael Martin; we were calling on him to publish all MPs expenses in full, accept the reform recommendations from Sir Christopher Kelly [...]
As one of that rare breed, a largely eurosceptic (but not little englander) left-leaning liberal who can I vote for in the 2009 EU elections ? I have never understood Lib Dem enthusiasm for the EU. It is a centralising, unaccountable, undemocratic institution which few people in the UK pledge any allegiance too. That unelected figures - previously discarded by the UK electorate - like Patten, Kinnock and Mandelson had more say than elected parliamentarians hardly endears the EU to me. The case for massive reform is unanswerable and you don't need to be a swivel-eyed right-winger to believe this. ...
Every now and again, Home Secretary Jacqui Smith surprises everyone by doing something vaguely sensible. You might remember a few months ago the Government proposed criminalising men who used the services of a prostitute when the sex worker was "controlled for gain". I wasn't impressed. "Controlled for gain" would have covered some poor Eastern European girl smuggled into the country and forced at knifepoint to go on the game, but it would also have included someone who's made a free choice to work as a prostitute and, for safety and security, chooses to work for a pimp or madam. Since ...
Since posting about the correlation I have discovered between the safeness of an MPs seat and the likelihood of them being caught up in the expenses scandal (here and here) I have had a lot of links from other blogs and also started to get some national media coverage which is really good because I think what the apparent correlation highlights is the fundamental problem with the existing electoral system and this deserves a wide audience. They are shaping up to be my most successful posts ever since I started seriously blogging last November. Here is a flavour of some ...
Lots of writers cramp is not doubt impacting upon LD (and Tory) bloggers over the future of Michael Martin as speaker of the House of Commons. Whilst he has hardly covered himself in glory, it is not him that is exercising people's minds, it is the grubby expenses claims of MP's. As ever this reflects, in my view, how out of touch with 'real people' most people politically active are. Frankly, I'm sure more local minds were on Torquay United's visit to Wembley than the chattering classes obsession with The Speaker of the House of Commons. Get real people, get ...
I want to abolish postal voting on demand, which was introduced in 2000 with the best of intentions. It has proved to be wide open to electoral fraud, corruption and fiddling, and is a thoroughly bad thing. Ministers have talked about the "convenience" of voting. This is the word the Government used in the Electoral Administration Bill in 2006, when I was ploughing the same furrow. They talked about convenience and increasing turnout. Unfortunately there are unintended consequences, many of which are unavoidable. The Electoral Commission report in August 2004, following the last European election - Delivering Democracy? The Future ...
The Speaker is to resign today as Sky News is reporting and personally I think it calls for a celebration. Martin should have taken the lead over the expenses and told the House that this sort of behaviour from elected politicians was not acceptable but did he? No! I think its the first bullet from the machine gun of action that has been fired and yet many, many more reforms are needed before Parliament becomes the public represented Palace and not a place full of corrupt men and women who want to scam the tax payer. I have said in ...
{martin} Rumours are arife that Michael Martin will quit his post this afternoon, with the BBC rather tentatively stating: "STV reported that he will make the announcement to MPs at 1430 BST - but the report has not been confirmed." More soon.
Michael Martin, the Speaker of the House of Commons is to resign this afternoon. Unsurprising news really after yesterday's performance. I hope the House of Commons can now select someone who can really reform it. Congratulations to Douglas Carswell for his successful campaign.
Anybody who reads this blog will know I am the furthest thing from being a Conservative possible. However, and I hate to say this, the crisis over expenses has shown David Cameron's political instincts to be finely tuned which is a handy thing if you are going to be a popularist I suppose. Let's look at [...]
Michael Connarty, MP for Linlithgow and Falkirk East, may only have been neighbourly when he sold his London flat and some of it's contents to neighbouring MP Livingston's Jim Divine. But he then went on the claim for replacing furniture at tax-payers expense in his new tax payers funded flat. Surely if the furntiture was in perfectly good nick to be sold on to another along with the property it would have got a reasonable price that should have been offset against it's replacement? Isn't that what ordinary folk do? Ironically just around the corner from Michael's Bathgate offices in ...
STV say that the Speaker will stand down. Sky also say that "sources" tell them this will happen!Commons Speaker Michael Martin will resign over the MPs' expenses scandal this afternoon, according to Sky sources.He is expected to make an announcement at 2:30pm.Mr Martin is due to meet party leaders to discuss reform of MPs' expenses at 4pm.Sky's political correspondent Joey Jones said: "I think
The Friends of Barnet Market suggested a while back that a sensible solution to the current accommodation problems that the market has would be for the old market site to be tarmacked and turned into a car park on non-market days. This would then provide a usable site for the market when it is in operation. Last week I took a group of Senior officers from Barnet around the ward and we discussed this option. I'm pleased to report that there are talks taking place between the owners of the market and the council with a view to implementing this ...
Sky News reports that Commons Speaker Michael Martin will resign this afternoon, over the MPs' expenses scandal. Martin is expected to make a statement to the House of Commons at 2:30pm today.
After the fiasco of yesterday's scenes in the House of Commons, it now seems more likely than not that Mr. Speaker Martin will announce his departure from office this afternoon after he has met with the leaders of the political parties at Westminster. Clearly there will need to be some scrutiny of the terms of his departure. It is imperative that Mr. Martin steps down without delay. Were he to attempt to continue in office until the general election, then this would now clearly be unacceptable. There is the possibility of his stepping down and remaining in the House, or ...
Once again the so-called mother of parliaments reveals its essential weakness. Once it challenged kings. Now it lies at the beck and call of Prime Ministers. The House of Commons does NOT control its own timetable. That privilege resides with the government of the day, so it's up to Gordon Brown whether MPs get to debate no confidence in his old mucker, the Speaker. Look ourt of the window,
Last night I attended the policing pledge meeting at the Bull on Barnet High Street. It was a very good meeting. One issue that was repeatedly raised was that of Barnet police station and the fact that it is not open 24 hours a day. We were told at the meeting that a review is currently underway. I have previously campaigned for the station to be open and it was extensively re-furbished with this in mind, but it never materialised. Today I have written to the Borough Commander stating my view that we need a local 24 hour police presence. ...
The Courier (on Saturday and again yesterday) highlighted the lack of progress towards getting more civil service jobs into Dundee, despite SNP promises made in opposition to achieve this. The articles come in the wake of figures revealed in the answer to a parliamentary question made by Alison McInnes, Liberal Democrat MSP for North East Scotland, which show that just 1.17% of Scottish Government's core workforce is Dundee-based - just 95 posts compared to 4736 in Edinburgh and 1603 in Glasgow. Commenting on the figures she obtained from Finance Secretary John Swinney, Alison said, "Before the last election the SNP ...
{menzies-campbell-mp1} Member of Parliament for North East Fife Sir Menzies Campbell has welcomed the ruling by the Court of Appeal yesterday (Monday) that the Human Rights Act applies to British troops at all times, even when they are on patrol or in battle. The ruling means the Ministry of Defence has a legal duty to provide adequate equipment for British troops. Commenting on the landmark ruling, Sir Menzies said: "Many people will be shocked to realise members of our Armed Services are not protected by the Human Rights while on active service. "Our serving personnel understand and accept the fact ...
Remember the Rev. Snuggs who cut down a yew tree. Well here's more snuggery - schools are giving up on proper ties in favour of clip-ons. I suppose it will put the next generation of yobs on a level playing field (if it hasn't be sold off) with the police when they come up against each other.Actually, it's not a new story. Bramhall High in Stockport stopped using normal ties in 2007.
Last summer as pointed out by Mark Pack at Lib Dem Voice there actually was a vote to bring reforms to MP's expenses. Many Labour and Conservative members voting for an amendment that rejected the following changes to the system. Recommendation 1 was for a "robust new system of practice assurance involving regular financial health checks on records kept and processes used in Members' offices with outside professional teams covering about 25% of Members each year". This was substituted by a "rigorous internal system of audit". Recommendation 2 would have extended "the scope of the audit engagement so that it ...
Words cannot express how hard my jaw hit the table when I saw this trailer for Guy Richie's Holmes movie this morning. It's going to be horrendous. It's going to be awful. It's going to be disgustingly unfaithful to both the source and the definitive interpretation by Brett. It's got naked Robert Downey Junior in it. Shit. I'm going to have to go see it, aren't I? And then immerse myself in cleansing Brett!Holmes afterwards. ((for other views on this see {[info] - personal} lizbee, here, and {[info] - personal} moviegrrl, here.))
Cross-posted from The Wardman Wire: May 12th saw voting in the British Columbia elections. This Canadian provincial election saw Gordon Campbell's governing Liberals re-elected and also a few barbs thrown about internet polling. As in the UK, internet polling has both its fans and its detractors. So does the Canadian experience help shed any light on the UK polling debates? Perhaps the most striking fact about Canadian pollsters is that they haven't yet had a "1970″. In Britain, pollsters got the 1970 general election badly wrongly with much of the blame being placed on having fieldwork that ended too far ...
Could you help one of your local schools by volunteering to be a school governor? Click here to find out what's involved in this important role. For example, there's currently a vacancy for a governor at Wellesley Primary School. If you could be interested, please contact Kay Crowe on kay.crowe@southglos.gov.uk or phone her on 01454 317461.
Today, 19 May, is the last chance to register to vote in the European elections on 4th June. That also goes for EU citizens resident in the UK, who would like to vote here, rather than in their home country. If you haven't done so already, please make sure you register to vote today with [...]
Trevor Phillips gave a great talk today at the CentreForum - Bloomberg series on equality and the great crash of 2008. Phillips is an interesting figure because he is willing to take on the shibboleths of the left and right, challenging liberal ideas like multiculturalism as well as the Tory tendency to ignore the race, gender and class problem. But behind the campaigning is a sophisticated take on contemporary social change and what to do about it.Phillips has turned the Commission for Racial Equality into the Equality and Human Rights Commission, to include gender and class in its remit. This ...
Richard Graham a Conservative PPC had a midnight rant on his website that has been covered by Tom Harris and to read more about the rant follow the link to Tom's blog. This is the excuse that many use before becoming Bloggers as they are scared something they might say might get them into trouble. First of all as you might have noticed "might" is used a lot by people when making up their excuses and they need to put the fear on the back burner and use the Internet for voicing their opinion without the fear of what others ...
So in one of the less-surprising developments, Michael Martin is to step down as speaker. Who should replace him? Ming Campbell's liking for scatter cushions may have blown his otherwise excellent chances. It's probably time for a Tory. They have to be past their political peak, of generally respected integrity, and have a loud voice. Step forward, Anne Widdicombe. Let's hear no more talk of retirement. We need someone with a public profile, so George Young won't do. Update: Widders has strong feelings about expenses, and whether cats should be forced to mow lawns. She was also in the minority ...
Last summer an unholy alliance of Labour and Conservative MPs voted to block a series of major reforms to MP expenses, such as requiring receipts for all claims, having outside checks and major changes to the Additional Costs Allowance (ACA). I commented on Dawn Butler's role in this yesterday and on looking through the details of the vote it is good to see that all the Liberal Democrat MP voting went through the lobbies in favour of reform. Of course, the bulk of the blame for blocking the reforms must lie with the Labour Party as 146 of their MPs ...
The memory of Redcar and Cleveland residents who have lost their lives at sea and the debt of gratitude to those who battle to save lives is being honoured at a special ceremony in Redcar cemetery on Sunday, May 24. A parade will leave Redcar Racecourse at 2pm for the cemetery, led by the Hartlepool Sea Cadets' bugles and drums, and include ex-servicemen, organised by parade marshall Eric Howden plus representatives from the sea cadets, the RAF, the Army, the Redcar lifeboat crew and the lifeboat itself. Then at the cemetery, there are plans for a 45-minute service and the ...
David Cameron is a remarkable politician. He has taken over his party, transformed its fortunes through a clever mix of presentation and manufactured showdowns and he has manoeuvred himself into the position of Prime Minister-in-waiting - and all without saying anything at all. He even tells us he's green. And I'm the Queen of Sheba. This morning this brilliant performer was on the Today programme at this key moment in our national political life. Parliament is in meltdown, politicians have been found out, the political system is cracking under the strain and the spotlight has been shone on Mr Speaker, ...
Perhaps last time there was an excuse for supporting UKIP. This time there isn't. You want to cast a vote against corrupt politicians? If you vote UKIP, you've been conned. In 2004 the British people elected 12 UKIP MEPs. Have they worked tirelessly for our interests? Have they buggery. Let's see what happened to that happy band, standing firm against the European Gravy Train and fraud. Tom Wise stole tens of thousands of pounds from taxpayers. He claimed nearly £40,000 was being paid to an assistant. In reality, it was going into his own bank account. Ashley Mote was sent ...
We're on Mill Lane in West Hampstead and it's the mural on the railway bridge across Mill Lane (near Wayne Kirkum Way). This is just one panel that has survived well and still smiles out at passers by. I'm a huge fan of community murals and am stunned just how long they have survived over the years. This one dates I think from the mid 1990's and is signed By Nakai Jirira, Age 10 1/2 (ten and a half). For some it has a personal resonance, so some it's just dead cute, for all it's a great illunimation in a ...
Minty-fresh new(ish) party member Mark Thompson asked this very question about Charlotte Gore a few days ago, oddly enough. But this morning he has a considerable claim to that position himself. Here's Polly Toynbee in the Guardian writing about – yes – the need for full constitutional reform: Here's interesting evidence: research by a political blogger about [...]
Asked By Baroness Scott of Needham Market To ask Her Majesty's Government what protection is available to tenants of private landlords subject to repossession proceedings. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Baroness Andrews): My Lords, I share the concern of the noble Baroness about the problem of tenants who are evicted at very short notice when, through no fault of their own, their landlord is repossessed. We announced on 13 May that we intend to legislate to provide additional protection for tenants caught in this situation and we will shortly be consulting on the details. ...
Bath & North East Somerset Council's libraries and children's centres will be marking the first ever National Family Week (May 25 - 31) by celebrating storytelling, books and reading. There will be a range of events across the area for children, including baby rhyme-times, story-times and sing and sign rhyme-times. Bath & North East Somerset Council has a commitment to improving the...
"An incompetent and unknown man forced into the Chair by a petty majority in the face of an election defeat known to be impending." Oh, perhaps I should add that this was Lord Salisbury 1895 about Speaker William Court Gully.
As Stuart Bell is popping up everywhere in support of the Speaker and the ancien regime in the Commons, this is a good moment to remind ourselves that he once published a pornographic novel called, ahem, Paris 69. This is a family blog, so I shall not repeat any of it here, but readers who like that sort of thing should scroll down to the bottom of this article by Francis Wheen.
What ever your political viewpoint it's not been helped by this weeks news. Moat cleaning , bookcases, handing back her ill gotten gains from Hazel even the Libdems had problems. We need to look into a system that is open to abuse. Morals it's obvious that the majority of the people we vote in to parliament [...]
Several centuries ago, momentous change swept Europe. Whether you date it from as far back as 1439 and Gutenberg's printing press, Luther's 95 Theses in 1517 or perhaps Henry VIII's Act of Supremacy in 1534 or Elizabeth I's in 1559, the Reformation changed the world forever. A central theological theme of protestant reformers was that we did not need corrupt, money grabbing, clerics who made up their own hocus pocus rules to control the minds and actions of the rest of the people and to intercede for us with God; that we could all be masters of our own spiritual ...
Tue 19th
06:42Posties refuse to deliver BNP leaflets, at last someone is seeing through the mask of the BNP
May 19, 2009 ROYAL Mail workers have refused to deliver British National Party election leaflets as their union accuses Royal Mail of breaking a 'conscience clause' allowing staff to refuse to deliver literature they find offensive. A number of the 160 delivery staff at a postal depot in Macclesfield told bosses they would not distribute the [...]
{[info] - livejournal.com} foc_u for more on today's blogswarm to stand up for people of colour in fandom.
So, my cynicism regarding the return of 'Liberal Vision' is renewed by the stance taken in another piece demanding that the Federal Executive do something about Lord Rennard. A piece containing two major inaccuracies designed to create a stir is published. It then mysteriously gets a prominent place in the blogs of the two leading Conservative commentators, neither of whom could be described as being entirely objective. Describing Liberal Democrat Voice as Cowley Street-backed and conflating Alix Mortimer's personal views with comments made by someone completely different does rather smack of an underhand attempt to force the agenda. And, given ...
Polly Toynbee (no, wait, keep reading!) wrote a mostly-right article yesterday contributing to the effort to examine the link between the electoral system and the sense of entitlement and corruption that has been revealed at Westminster in the last two weeks. She quotes, towards the end of it, the evidence which Mark has noted of a relationship between an MP appearing in the Telegraph for their misdemeanors and their having a larger than average majority (ie. a safer seat). Incidentally, I have done some number crunching for Mark, which he writes up here. One thing bothers me about Polly's article, ...
