I've just got back from an hour's stint on LBC talking about Yurp. Myself and fellow guest Hugo Brady from the Centre of European Reform were both under the impression we were there to discuss how the European Parliament works and the elections themselves. Instead we found ourselves being asked to mount a full frontal defence of the EU itself, covering everything from the CAP to auditing budgets. Not an easy task when you aren't prepared (and as a non-expert of the subject I probably wouldn't have gone on on that basis, but there you go). For the record, incidently, ...
Wed 3rd
23:54
New Spotify Playlist - Messiaen, Johnny Cash, Dennis Wilson, Zappa, Sister Rosetta Tharpe...
OK, so I lied when I said I wouldn't be posting for a while. It's very boring without Holly around... This week's playlist is unthemed, but just based on stuff I've been listening to recently. More instrumental stuff than I normally have – I don't know why that would be, except maybe that I've been a [...]
Fresh from upsetting Paul Walter, it was time for a nice stroll in the wolf, bear and wild boar infested Suffolk countryside. I'd been left on my own for a change and, needing to get to Needham Market for some delivering, I thought that I might use the local footpath network. So, taking my Suffolk street map, I set off for Creeting St Peter Church, using the old burial path before heading for Mill Lane. So far, so good. It was at this point that my difficulties started. I could see the sign, pointing over a wooden footbridge, but no ...
So I'm sitting in front of my laptop desperately trying to think of some new way to campaign that will complement shoving pieces of paper through letter boxes and isn't just having yet another website. I'm quite convinced, by the way, that only a limited percentage of even the best leaflets get read on their way to the recycling bin - and many local party websites only get visited by activists anyway. And then my mind goes back to the lecture I attended at City University by the bloke who did Obama's e-campaigning - and suddenly the brains clicked into ...
Neal Lawson reckons PR is the key to political transformation and renaissanceHopi Sen reckons today was "Rozencrantz" day in British politicsSkipper asks if the game is really up for Gordon BrownLetters From a Tory explains to us why Ed Balls is so dangerousAnd Andy Hinton gives us his worst canvassing experiences
In the last General election, it became a bit of a joke that Tony Blair featured more prominently in Conservative and Lib Dem leaflets than in Labour ones. And Ken Livingstone's election campaign for Mayor of London similarly ignored Gordon Brown. But for the Euro election campaign it's been different. Labour's election address has a picture [...]
After months and weeks of campaigning, Euro election day is upon us, and 24 hours from now it will all be over (although we don't get the results until Sunday). Volunteers from all parties will be busy, checking who has already voted, and cajoling potential supporters to come out and vote – and millions [...]
Sounds good, doesn't it? From today's Leicester Mercury: One of the most important hoards of Roman era coins ever unearthed is to be named after the village where it was found.More than 5,500 silver and gold coins and a ceremonial cavalry helmet found in 2003 will now be known as the Hallaton Treasure.Previously, experts were anxious to disguise the location of the find to stop trophy hunters plundering the area and damaging the site.However, museum authorities now believe the threat to the site is so small they have decided to rename the south Leicestershire hoard after the village near Market ...
Out again today in the constituency in the morning in Rowlands Gill. More hard slog getting our message across. A short lunch at the Golden Lion in Winlaton Mill (great food and lovely well kept real ale BTW!) then back onto the campaign trail. Off to Winlaton and Blackhall Mill. Blackhall Mill has a great community centre and it's a real shame that a ceramic mosaic in front has been vandalised some time ago. It was great to leaflet the terrace at the end of River View. Lots of community activists live there and I was pleased to see a ...
Commons Speaker Michael Martin is leading a review into the MPs expenses system. Here is a look at the pay and expenses and allowances MPs can claim – which amounted to an average of £135,600 per MP last year. SALARY AND PENSION MPs were paid £60,675 last year – their pay is increased each year by [...]
Last month a small group of us met to talk about setting up a Friends of Garston Park group. We have some ideas, including an event in the summer or early Autumn. we've got another meeting later this month and I'd really like to hear from other people interested in joining in (coming to a meeting doesn't commit you to things!) If you want to get involved, or just find out more, please drop me an e mail at paula.keaveney@liverpool.gov.uk or drop me a line at 75 Canterbury Street, Garston, Liverpool, L19 8LQ.
Earlier this evening I was at the public meeting organised by the South Liverpool Residents group as part of the campaign against plans for the waste plant at Garston Dock. There is still anger (as you'd expect) about what Jack Allen is trying to do. Local residents who were there took away letters to ask people to sign and volunteered for other tasks too. I have a couple of suggested letters that I can let you have if you want some suggestions to build on. I can e mail these or put them in the post. If you want these ...
Stephen Tall has tagged me in this week's LDV Weekend Meme, about canvassing experiences. Here goes: Most Angry I think that probably has to go to the woman I delivered a leaflet to in Thame, as part of the Henley by-election precipitated by Boris Johnson's quitting as an MP. It doesn't technically count as canvassing, but it's easily the angriest reaction I've had: Scarcely had I withdrawn my hand from the letterbox on the front door, when I heard an incensed, and nigh on incomprehensible, scream to the effect that they did not appreciate my being in their vicinity, swiftly ...
As promised earlier, here are June's Wikio rankings for all blogs. (I see that The Wardman Wire has already posted the new top 30 for the Politics category.) The big news is that Labourlist has broken into the top four (which has been unchanged for months), aided by a surprisingly large fall for ConservativeHome's ToryDiary. The other story is that political blogs continue to dominate this list to an extraordinary extent - so much so that I have only bothered adding the category of the blog below when it is not listed under Politics. Why is this? Sure, we political ...
So I've had a nice letter back from the Telegraph in response to my complaint about their treatment of Jo Swinson. They say it was written "with care and in a way that will (sic) be readily understood by our readers". Written with such care that both the BBC and the Guardian (mislaid the link) misunderstood it. They also say the facts are not in dispute. They end by saying that there was no breach of the PCC Code of Practice. In other words, they haven't done anything wrong and they haven't broken any rules. Does that sound familiar?
Liberal Democrats The Lib Dems want to help the economy and combat climate change by investing in green jobs, technology and public transport. The party wants the EU to get a grip on the behaviour of credit institutions. Britain should join the euro when the time is right, but not now. We should have a referendum on whether [...]
The expenses scandal and its repercussions rumble on. We could have a new PM by Tuesday and even a general election by the end of the month. But as this crisis continues, many other stories re being pushed off the front pages....the UK agreeing to committ huge resources to guard Iraqi offshore oil production – [...]
I'm writing this sitting on the bus having delivered a few eve of poll bundles in the tenements facing the Meadows in Edinburgh. My allusion to Herman's Hermits in the title of this blog is that despite being a political anorak, despite having my nose to the ground I, like many others in the political world, am not entirely sure what the vote tomorrow holds for the count on Sunday. Every political fibre in my body tells me that what I have been campaigning for and what the Lib Dems have stood for in these European Elections was good sound ...
Euro campaigning has been very low-key around here (what little I've done has been Hope Not Hate stuff rather than specifically Lib Dem) but I'll be spending as much of tomorrow as I can (given the weather, which is almost literally killing me at the moment) out and about door-knocking and leafletting, so the earliest [...]
Online retailer being annoying stop cancelled order stop went to brighton stop bought double bass in shop stop delivery on friday stop will perpetrate funk stop
When I saw that Martin Salter had denied existence of a "Please go Gordon" email circulating amongst Labour backbenchers, I suspected that was a sure sign that such an email existed. - Such is the reliability of the great Mr Salter. And now my suspicions are confirmed as Nick Robinson has been sent a copy of the email: The BBC's Nick Robinson has obtained a copy of the email being circulated amongst Labour MPs to test support for the prime minister. It is reported to consist of the following short message to Gordon Brown: "We are writing now because we ...
Thursday is election day in the European elections and the neighbouring Princes Ward by-election. We have been campaigning to support our colleague John Roberts who is standing in Princes (on the left of the photo) and Sarah Ludford MEP (2nd from left) and the Lib Dem team in the European Parliamentary race. Just a few more votes would see a see a Lib Dem London Euro MP, Jonathan Fryer, elected. For more details on Sarah's campaign, visit www.sarahludfordmep.org.uk Don't forget to vote - polling stations open at 7am and close at 10pm. You don't need your polling card to vote! ...
This week is election week. On Thursday, the people of Norfolk will be electing a new County Council and members of the European Parliament. We do so at a time when the integrity of politicians is under question by many, as a result of the ongoing MP's expenses scandal and also in the context of a continuing world-wide recession. Turnouts in these elections are often low and there is a temptation for people to reject all parties, stay at home and keep out of politics. This would be a mistake. I believe that Christians in particular are called to participate ...
I wonder what the likes of the past greats would say,i wonder if this is how they thought their party would end up. There were only ever two real choices Labour or the conservatives. a party for the working man and a party for the rich.Now it's hard to tell them apart. I think back [...]
I ought to get little credit for originality in using this as a title. People seem to be queuing up to point out the errors in Niall Ferguson's piece about the wrongness of Keynes and fiscal measures to combat recession. Matt Yglesias for one takes offence with the statement that "a deficit this size has not been seen in the US since the second world war". Martin Wolf more comprehensively takes apart the melodramatic implication that a rise in US yields to 3.6% indicates a 'quailing' bond market. And at least three letters to the FT take issue with his ...
For years the internal workings of the Liberal Democrat party have not been known to many party members. Thousands, in fact. I did think, stupidly as it now turns out, that the election of Ros Scott, who I supported as President and still support wholeheartedly, may make a little change to that. From my PC there seemed to be a chance that I would be able to start to understand what the heck the Federal Executive (FE) does and what the heck the President does. The ideal opportunity then came along. Our Chief Executive was accused of expenses irregularities. He ...
Whuch party costs you most in Council Tax? Well, according to the coming year's figures, it's Tory-run councils which are levying the biggest increases: a whopping 30 of the top 40 council tax rises have been imposed by the Conservatives. And one of the highest in the country was West Oxfordshire - where none other than David Cameron is the local MP! And on what, you may ask, are these Tory councils spending these council tax increases? Here are a few choice examples: · Conservatives on Leicestershire County Council spent £6,000 hooking up their fleet of lawn mowers to sat ...
Wed 3rd
19:05
This is the full text of Hazel Blears' resignation letter to the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, and o...
Dear Prime Minister, As you know, for some time I have been considering my future contribution to public life, and I have decided to resign from the Government. I am proud of my service to the Labour Government over the past eight years, and proud of what we together have achieved for the people of our country. [...]
Which way do you think we will go 20% at this time to me is still a worry but i live in hope!
<!–Last Updated – 2nd June 2009 at 10:48 PM –> The woman killed in a road traffic collision in Swinton today, Tuesday 2 June 2009, has been formally identified. Joan Heedy, aged 78, of East Lancashire Road, Swinton died after being in collision with a Chevrolet Matiz shortly before 9.10am. Police were called to East Lancashire [...]
Some things don't change.....
Following Hazel Blears spectacular resignation today, ministers like Peter Mandleson and Liam Byrne have been trying to imply on the media that the pressure was too much. As Iain Dale has said in the past don't underestimate a cornered chipmunk! They are playing a very dangerous game. What she had said so far can be spun that she was not being critical of the government but if she hardens her words she could make it impossible for this be portrayed as anything other than a huge slap in the face for Brown. Also, keep an eye on Caroline Flint a ...
It happens every where, its how you deal with it, lets hope it's quicker than Hazels departure.
Anders Hanson picks up a story in the Times covering some blogging covering the various parties positions on science related policy questions, and generally bemoaning the Greens' medieval denialist attitude to any science that doesn't support their agenda. Anders quotes Green MSP Patrick Harvey, and it is worth repeating I recognise that the Green movement has taken some time to develop from a single issue group, and perhaps in some areas we've some way to go yet... The best way of supporting our continued development is to subject us to parliamentary scrutiny, so that our policies can be tested alongside ...
Being meaning to blog about this for a little while, but elections keeping on getting in the way ... so here's the story from The Times Higher Education Supplement from a couple of weeks ago: MPs demand apology from Lammy as they learn there will be no new scrutiny of London Met crisis var pgtitle = "Promised London Met inquiry revealed to be Hefce exercise"; var byline = "Melanie Newman"; The "independent inquiry" announced by David Lammy into the crisis at London Metropolitan University is nothing more than an ongoing exercise commissioned by the Higher Education Funding Council for England, ...
Don't forget, tomorrow (June 4th) is Polling Day. Thousands of people will be using their vote to support the Liberal Democrats. You can too! Monday's Independent called the Lib Dems "the most consistently constructive British party on the European Union, a stance which has given their honest criticisms of Brussels ' shortcomings all the more credibility." "Some people are not in favour of...
I think this has been one of the most extraordinary days in politics I can remember; 4 Ministers have left government and the Labour Party is visibly at war with itself. The collapse of discipline in this government is something I have commented on before but today was the real day that the chickens came [...]
Wed 3rd
17:54Well i have been called every thing from Labour but this takes the biscuit. I thought they where New...
More from Cllr Warmishams Blog Vol 11 Getting concerned about the number of UFO sightings over Lib Dem wards in Salford. Always suspected there was something Alien about them!
The Liberal Democrats may, at last, be "getting" this narrative thing. Well, Nick Clegg is starting to tell people stories. The Lib Dems' first election broadcasts missed a number of opportunities in this regard. The latest broadcast, Change Politics for Good, sees Nick following Stephen Denning's three essential steps for leaders who are persuading people to embrace change. The first is to get peoples' attention. Nick uses two of Denning's methods. He emphases the magnitude of what is recognised as a major problem -- expensesgate ("there have been times when you have been so angry . . ." ) -- ...
I know of a few people who have moved into new flats in Bracknell both through the housing associations and for private rent. Some of them have had problems with their new homes for example with mould, fittings and central heating. In mid May 09 the BBC reported on this nationally here. To quote the opening paragraph 'Thousands of developers surplus new build homes in England are being rejected by housing associations as they are not of a high enough standard.' In addition to these problems it is also reported here that the UK's new homes are the smallest homes ...
Well can't see bugger all, all i can say is good riddance, when will she get Deselected surely that as to come next.Every one i have spoken to thinks she is a crook. I was hoping she would stay more chance for us?
Coming up on Liberal England just as soon as I have finished my delivering... The new Wikio rankings. I have the top 35 blogs (in all categories) for June to share with you. See you later this evening.
{sarah-brown} Back on 14th May I posted a suggestion that history might record of Gordon Brown that it was "the women that did for him" . With Jacqui Smith and Hazel Blears dealing him consecutive body blows over the past 24 hours, by jove I think I might actually be right - though I confess to not seeing all the twists and turns along the way. I was interested to learn over lunch today with an old mate who has something of an "in" with the Labour hierachy, that the ONE person that is likely to be able to persuade ...
Here are some key dates for people planning objection letters. The planning officers say the statutory consultation period will end on 24th June. (Letters received after then will still be taken into account but for maximum impact people should make sure they meet the 24th June deadline). If the plans then go to the planning committee it is possible that this will be 14th July but much more likely that it will be 4th August or later. Committee members are likely to want to visit the site, which could mean a visit followed by a meeting that day, or a ...
Although Gordon Brown was on reasonable form today at Prime Minister's Questions he certainly had to be to cope with the storm that is raging around him.The Westminster village loves the chatter on who's up and who's down but the crisis in the cabinet and the crisis in the parliament on expenses has created a massive policy and leadership vacuum.Issues like GM motors, the ongoing failure of the banks to lend, the growing levels of unemployment and the many serious European issues have been left on the sidelines by the Government.The Government will be hamstrung by its internal disputes and ...
Polls in the European and County elections open at 7am on Thursday morning and are open until 10pm. It is even more important to vote in the European Elections this year to stop the BNP making any progress.
Polls in the European and County elections open at 7am on Thursday morning and are open until 10pm. It is even more important to vote in the European Elections this year to stop the BNP making any progress.
First of all apologies for the lack of blogging today but I had an exam and have been busy with the election campaigns and have had to sneak away to write this blog post so appreciate it dear readers, appreciate it! Rumour and news has been hitting my inbox for the last couple of days but I have kept a lid shut on it and now seems to be the best time to remove the lid. According to rumour the Conservatives have in certain parts of the Country called in migrants from Europe to deliver leaflets as the local activists ...
I am a big fan of Frank Skinner. He has made me laugh more than most other comedians over the years but in recent times he seems to have taken it upon himself to comment about politics. To give him his due, he was quite impressive on Question Time a few weeks ago but his column in The Times last week was in my opinion misguided. He called for anyone who is not fully versed in the political issues to not vote by launching a campaign called "If you don't know - don't vote". I completely disagree with this. Mr ...
From The Times: It's the sort of pratfall performed so entertainingly by John Prescott. But who would have expected that acme of prudence, Gordon Brown, to become embroiled in an embarrassing court action over his failure to declare expenses ... [He] has admitted in legal documents to the error - an offence under the Representation of the People Act carrying a maximum penalty of £5,000 or a prison sentence. However, the Scottish judge hearing the case is expected to take a lenient view of Brown's behaviour. (Oh ok, this story is from February 19, 2006. The judge was indeed lenient.) ...
Go Vote Lib Dem today in the European Elections and any local elections there may be in your area - May the force be with you to obtain quality representation and decision making at what ever level of...
A few months ago, the House of Commons voted on the mechanisms that would allow the Lloyds takeover of HBOS. One Scottish MP, the First Minister, despite his expressed view that this was not the best thing for the bank, couldn't find time in his diary to get his arse down to London to the vote. I believe that same week he did manage to find the time to visit his party's doomed campaign in the Glenrothes by-election. He also managed to get down to somewhere in deepest darkest Englandshire for Question Time. A few minutes ago, I saw a ...
{Winchester alien} Here at Liberal Vision, we're all in favour of a full and frank discussion of a wide range of diverse and offbeat views. And we try to keep a close watch on interesting developments in key marginal constituencies. But the latest revelations of LibDem Winchester City Councillor Adrian Hicks are a little unusual even for our tastes. He apparently saw an extraterrestial (pictured, left) wearing a white ballerina's outfit (as you do) meandering down Winchester High Street in early 2004. Fearing he might be subjected to ridicule by going pubic with this extraordinary piece of news (why would ...
Am I the only one who seeks a likeness between the bossy interfering Hazel Blears and the ever cheerful Delores Umbridge?
Details of a last minute Plaid Cymru leaflet in a small part of Penarth reaches Freedom Central in which they concentrate on the expenses record of their FOUR MPs! Aside from avoiding the issue of their MPs being forced to repay thousands of pounds of public money channelled into political campaigning, it seems very odd that such a glaring mistake would make it through the party's proofing systems. But then as the correct legal imprint is missing, perhaps the party's agent hasn't seen it after all. We will have to wait and see, but we're sure it will of course ...
I never thought there would be a Prime Minister worse than John Major. But to have four ministers resigning in the 48 hours before a major election! That didn't even happen in Major's days. At least they used to wait until after the polls had closed to do their most vigorous infighting.
Back on the Kilburn High Road we have the Sir Colin Campbell Pub. It has a rich social heritage as a pub and a real tradition as an old local boozer. There's a bit of bad feeling that there's no hanging sign outside and some attribute that to that fact that Sir Colin was an English soldier and not hanging it is a small anti-english gesture... I'm not sure either way and haven't had chance to ask. But I have only just stumbled on this http://www.channel4.com/film/reviews/film.jsp?id=171139 http://www.lovefilm.com/film/County-Kilburn/126536/ http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/619618 It's a film that essentially is based in and around the Campbell ...
Gordon Brown will continue as Labour leader until the general election. That is the prediction I have been making for the past year or so, ever since the rumblings of discontent began within Labour ranks about Brown. The resignation of Blears could well be the final nail in the coffin of that prediction. The Jacqui Smith announcement yesterday was something Brown could survive with a reshuffle.
To lose one minister is unfortunate. to lose two ministers in careless To lose three ministers in appalling. But now, to lose four ministers in the period of 24 hours is unprecedented. Anyone who thinks that the Gordon Brown's government is not falling completely apart is fooling themselves beyond measure. If Mr Brown really thinks that he has the support of the British public then he can prove it - call the election now. If the public support him they will vote him back in and his authority will be considerably strengthened. On the other hand ....
The Andy Burnham Zombie. Strangely the world's prettiest brain eater. {Andy Burnham, Minister for Make Up as a zombie}
The Liverpool Daily Post has a story this morning following up on the death of 'baby a' in Sefton. For those not up to date with this story start here. Lib Dems have been calling for protocols to set out the duty to report and review such incidents. We are very unhappy with the situation which surrounded 'baby a' which seemed to us to be far too secretive and prevented us holding the council to account and ensuring that the appropriate lessons were learnt and the necessary changes enacted. You simply cannot perform your duty if you are kept in ...
Last Saturday Vince 'the sage of the credit crunch' Cable came to Chepstow to promote his book The Storm*. The Local Party in Monmouthshire decided to make the most of the visit by promoting it to members. Cllr Jacqui Sullivan writes "Around 300 people had turned up on what was the hottest day of the year so far; Phil Hobson PPC for Monmouthshire, Town and County Councillors from Chepstow, Monmouth, Abergavenny and Newport, Lib Dem members from Monmouthshire, Bristol and Cardiff and many, many people just keen to hear what he had to say. He walked in to a round ...
Have just watched Prime Minister's Questions live for the first time in a very long time. I was underwhelmed by Nick Clegg's questions and cringed when he said: "Isn't it true that the real choice for the electorate is between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats?" I always think those statements are a bit embarrassing and have unfortunate echoes of "prepare for government". Just who are they for? The electorate? If so, they can surely see through them? I see the BBC 1 O'Clock news cut that bit off thankfully. I guess we had to go on the rudderless Labour ...
If Brown falls and the Labour Party fixes it for Alan Johnson to be ushered in as the unity candidate without a meaningful challenge-by which I mean someone other than Dr Gibson -what will the public think? Two 'unelected' Prime Ministers in a row chosen without reference to the electorate. I know we are meant to have a parliamentary democracy -but the truth is the only real role of the House of Commons is to be an electoral college to elect a Prime Minister. Frankly they might as well go home after that and not bother with a second home ...
Wednesday: The rats are no longer even forming an orderly queue to get off as the doomed ship Gordtanic steams headlong towards the electoral iceberg. First the Second-Home Secretary, Ms Jacquie Spliff, left to spend more time with her family and their video collection; now the insanely perky Secretary of State for Communists and Illogical Government, Ms Hazel Smears, is getting back to her roots. On top of that, it looks increasingly like Mr Frown will lose ALL of the holders of the "great offices of state". Chancellor Sooty looks certain to go - he's the man who does the ...
Well, I did tweet just before PMQs began that I was worried it might be cruel and unusual punishment to put Gordon Brown through it, what with Ministers resigning right, left and centre. Mitch Benn had tweeted that the events of the morning reminded him of the last five minutes of Blake's Seven. You do have to hand it to Gordon, though. He came out under that immense pressure and didn't crumble. In fact, if anybody looked weak, it was Cameron. He had an open goal but the ball wasn't particularly well aimed and landed rather limply on the wrong ...
Parliament was packed to watch the condemned mans last words. Government in Britain has simply ceased to be and the resignation of Hazel Blears, Jacqui Smith and persistent rumours that there are letters of no confidence circulating expressing no confidence in Alistair Darling and Gordon Brown all point one way; Brown will not go willingly [...]
Cllr David Walker and his adorable late wife Julie just before a Civic Parade in 2006. I have neglected my website whilst I have been out fighting the local elections. sorry about that lol Anyway... Thank you Tomorrow when I put myself before the electorate, I am doing it for my late wife Julie, bless her. I have [...]
I am currently walking to Lobley Hill from my village in Sunniside to deliver 500 focuses. It also gives me the chance to check out some casework issues and check on wild food sources on the way! Then I have to get back home to write my final focus for this election campaign. Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device
In her resignation statement she said (amongst other stuff): "Most of all I want to help the Labour Party to reconnect with the British people, to remind them that our values are their values, that their hopes and dreams are ours too." Sorry! I'm just picking myself off the floor after that bit about values. In Livingston that means it don't matter if the dodgy geezer in the pub offers to do work for you, turns up in an unmarked white van and gets paid cash in hand. Or you know the landlord is an ex-joiner you can charge for ...
I will be voting for the Liberal Democrat list in the European elections tomorrow. Well, you would expect me to say that! But the most important message is that everyone who cares about international issues should make sure they vote. The Westminster expenses scandals have seriously overshadowed the attempts by all the parties to explain their aspirations for the European...
{blair}
We have finally completed the mammoth task of collating all the responses to our roads and pavements surveys which was delivered earlier this year to over 36,000 households in St Albans and the surrounding villages. Nearly 2,500 households completed and returned the two-page questionnaire. Responses came from all areas and from across the political spectrum. It was a collective cry of rage at the dangerous condition of so many roads and footways and at the visual pollution caused by shoddy patching where any repairs are carried out. 86 percent of respondents are dissatisfied with the condition of the local roads, ...
Recent statistics in a Joseph Rowntree Foundation report that show that nearly half of unemployed people in Wales are aged under 25 are disturbing enough. However, the Welsh Government's response that tackling the social impact of the recession is a priority does not stand up to scrutiny. Claiming that 45% of people unemployed in Wales were under 25, the report also said poverty was rising before the recession and warns of a new jobless generation lacking "experience, qualifications and self-belief". The study looked at unemployment and found the sharp rise in unemployment only really started in the latter half of ...
Listening to the news. Jacqui Smith gone. Hazel Blears gone. To live through and witness the end of the old order is a sombre experience - a necessary experience - but a sombre and sobering one. As the government of this country goes into free fall - the shameful secrets of the establishment unmasked - the flawed character of a Prime Minister who doesn't understand leadership in a modern age - the calculated death by a thousand knives as they plunge into Gordon Brown today - each one landing another death blow - as cabinet ministers murder the man who ...
Everyone in the UK who is registered to vote has a chance to vote Liberal Democrat tomorrow. I'll be voting for Yorkshire's Liberal Democrat team of candidates for the European Parliament. Diana Wallis MEP has worked really hard for great causes and been a leader in many campaigns at the European Parliament. I hope she keeps her seat to continue her good work on the environment, child safety, human rights, flood protection and many other issues; and that we win more seats for Liberal Democrats in Yorkshire. If you have a county council you can also vote Lib Dem in ...
The Guardian revealed its real agenda this morning when it called on Gordon Brown to stand down as Prime Minister. Up until now I had thought that they had just been going out of their way to be nice about the Liberal Democrats, but it seems that it was part of a longer narrative plan in which they revert to type as soon as Brown has been replaced. I am not so sure that they are going to get their way however. It is true that both Jacqui Smith and Hazel Blears have announced that they are leaving the cabinet, ...
The "Please go" petition on the No 10 website is now past 64,000 signatures. After a period of slower growth in the last two weeks (presumably due to the distraction of the expenses scandal) it seems to have gone back to growing much more quickly. I think this is because people are starting to realise across the country that Gordon Brown has to go now. The man is deluding himself if he thinks he can recover from this. He is supposed to be battling the recession but I suspect much of his energies are being put into desperately trying to ...
Country singer legend Dolly Parton is famed for a larger-than-average part of her body. I refer, of course, to her heart which is so big she wants to help the whole world to read - a laudable aim if ever there was one. So she launched Dolly's Imagination Library with the simple aim of giving every pre-school child a library of books. The USA loves it. Canada is going for it too. But her first UK foray - to Rotherham - looks set to end in abject failure and a hefty bill for the taxpayer. As the Daily Express reported ...
{hazel} There's only two reasons a Labour Cabinet minister ever resigns. Either the Government declares an illegal war somewhere and they can't cope with the collective responsibility, or it's to distance themselves from an unpopular leader and make themselves available for a cushy spot under a new regime. Lot of them standing down just now. Let's go through the checklist: Invaded a country recently? No. Unpopular Leader? Ah. Yes. There it is. Of course, knowing that the Hyacinth Bucket of the cabinet is jumping, rather than being being pushed demonstrates she's in battling mood. Brown may well be about to ...
Hazel Blears has resigned from cabinet - no doubt before she was pushed out in the forthcoming reshuffle. Trying to save a little face no doubt, but it also seems likely that this is a further attempt from her to put the knife in Brown. Rumours are rife that she'll take part in calling for [...]
{blears} BBC NOW, BBC NOW! MELTDOWN! MELTDOWN! DISSOLVE PARLIAMENT! DISSOLVE PARLIAMENT! Update: Mike Smithson is asking - was this resignation timed for PMQs? Was Blears, who recently criticised YouTube Gordo, using this as a deliberate attempt to further destabilise the PM?
Peter Welch, Liberal Democrat prospective candidate for Southend West has written to David Amess MP, urging him to resign his seat in Parliament. Peter Welch made the following comment: "We are in a time of unprecedented crisis. The Labour government is falling apart in office - and the Conservative Party seems to be about to fall apart in opposition. Yesterday saw the news that Jacqui Smith will quit as Home Secretary, following her overclaims for expenses. It also saw the Conservative Deputy Leader fail to explain the tax status of one of their biggest and most influential donors on Newsnight. ...
It has to be one of the strangest reasons for voting for a political party – vote for us because if we win we are more likely to change our poorly thought out policies than if we remain unelected. But that essentially is what Patrick Harvie MSP says in a comment responding to an article [...]
This morning's Western Mail lifts the curtain on what the Conservatives really think about devolution after a decade of posturing. It seems that the prospect of power has brought back those centralising tendencies we all knew were there really but which had been suppressed so that they could campaign for Assembly seats with some credibility. The paper tells us that the Conservative Party is plotting to take powers over Welsh universities away from the National Assembly and send them back to Westminster. They say that Shadow Welsh Secretary Cheryl Gillan astonished vice-chancellors at a private breakfast by asking them: "Would ...
OK so nobody should take opinion polls as gospel. But this site which tries to analyse how the Euro-Election results will pan out across Europe has some interesting insights. In our UK Parish it suggests we are up to gain one seat (presumably in London) which matches our more realistically optimistic thoughts. Lest hope we can beat teh predictions though! Elsewhere ALDE parties face a bit of a white water ride, some delegations (as in Germany) projected to increase, others to be wiped out entirely. In Poland for example the ALDE party in the last Parliament seems simply not to ...
Polling day is tomorrow, and I have to say that this is the stangest election that I've fought. Never have the voters been so aware of an impending election and so ready to tell canvassers what they think about politics. I've never known it so fluid, as to voters intentions. This election (not just Kirkby Stephen) won't be decided until 10pm tomorrow night. The message from the doorsteps is quite clear. The status quo simply will not do. The voters want change and they want more say in what happens in their communities. The message is: Vote Liberal Democrat Signing ...
If there's one thing which worries most party bosses before an election, it is how they manage media expectations of the results. For it is how the media reports this Thursday's election results which will by and large determine whether the voting public believes the parties have achieved or failed. Yesterday, PoliticsHome published its Phi100 Panel results of what a select group of politicians, journalists, think-tanks and bloggers think will happen on 4th June. You can see their findings here. I highlight it because it set some alarm bells ringing in my mind that the Lib Dems are being set ...
As measles once more becomes a real threat in Britain, calls to make MMR vaccinations compulsory are to come before the BMA for debate. Liberals I am sure will be instinctively wary of such a move, which would be backed by sanctions such as exclusion from school for unvaccinated children and possibly loss of benefits for parents. We do need to tackle the problems of assuring 'herd immunity' in a society of individuals. I suspect we will be unhappy at the compulsion approach though. There is a history to this kind of move. For example, when I went up to ...
In his Mirror article, Kevin Maguire says: "A Labour MP hoping to be promoted told me Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg has played a blinder. Clegg got rid of the Speaker and his 100-day plan could deliver electoral reform at this 11th hour. Brown could do worse than sign up to Clegg's agenda." We all know that Maguire is er...close to the Labour inner circle (some may go as far to use the word "mouthpiece"!). I wonder what this all means...
While Westminster seems hell bent on implosion, I can't help wondering if they've remembered the people on the street that they represent. My post bag is full of issues relating to affordable housing, people worried about services their elderly relatives need to access - dwindling rural bus services, roads, pavements, council tax demands - things that the average person is truly concerned about. Knocking on doors I've met a significant number of people who have lost their jobs or think they're about to. I'm beyond frustrated with the back and forth verbal fisticuffs at Westminster - particularly as people's readiness ...
That's the verdict of Mark Henderson in The Times, after taking a look at their attitude towards science: Two examples stand out. It wants to ban all experiments on embryos, including those designed to improve fertility treatment as well as embryonic stem cell work. And its policies on alternative medicine are the height of naivety. The Greens' spokesman told Robbins and Swain: "We want the gradual inclusion of complementary therapies within NHS provision so that patients have access to all available and appropriate treatments. Complementary therapies can often prevent the situation worsening and thus save resources." There was no mention ...
{gordo-2} Awaking from one's beauty sleep, I heard the wireless inform me of the Guardian's editorial. "The truth is that there is no vision from him, no plan, no argument for the future" narrated some well-spoken woman. "Hmmm" thought I, "sounds remarkably familiar." "Remember Brown's Vision?" Ms Gore had rhetorically asked around about the time the (really very long) editorial was likely being composed. He has no vision, she had stated along with many a chorus, no plan, no argument for the future (and so on). Amid twilight zone, I was impressed enough to consider texting this to the titular ...
Tavish Scott MSP, George Lyon and the Scottish Liberal Democrats are working hard to make Scotland a better place to live and work in. Many people across Scotland are using the elections on 4th June to send the Labour and SNP governments a message that their handling of the economy is not good enough. Only the Scottish Liberal Democrats are offering a stronger team for Scotland, real change for Scotland in Europe, wanting to work alongside other countries to boost trade, creating new jobs as well as getting stronger action on international crime and climate change. We need to be ...
Gordon Brown may lose this Thursday, but Labour will still win regardless of the outcome. This is thanks to David Cameron. If elections were truly European, this Thursday you would be voting for either the Party of European Socialists, the Movement for European Reform, the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe or one of the other party groups in the European Parliament. Even though we aren't, secretly, we are. As I mentioned in my previous blog post, the European Parliament is keen to make its presence felt, as a result an interesting state of affairs could develop this Thursday. ...
Last night, I attended the monthly committee meeting of Logie Residents' Association. The association represents all residents in the Logie Estate. It is holding its AGM in the Lime Street Sheltered Lounge on Tuesday 7th July at 7pm, and all residents of the Logie area are invited to attend.
Don't forget, tomorrow (June 4th) is Polling Day. Thousands of people will be using their vote to support the Liberal Democrats. You can too! Monday's Independent called the Lib Dems "the most consistently constructive British party on the European Union, a stance which has given their honest criticisms of Brussels ' shortcomings all the more credibility." "Some people are not in favour of...
Issue 250 of Fortean Times carries the story of Adrian Hicks, a Liberal Democrat councillor from Winchester who claims to have seen an alien in the city's High Street one Saturday afternoon in late January or early February 2004. The Southern Daily Echo quotes him as saying: "I was near The Works bookshop when I saw this strange woman, a humanoid walking with a penguin-like gait. She had very large prominent eyes and was twirling her hands in a circular motion."She seemed friendly and totally at ease with us. She wasn't scared, she was smiling, and seemed to be enjoying ...
Nick Clegg has sent me an email saying: You may have seen what The Observer said on Sunday: "So the status of flagship pro-European party falls to the Liberal Democrats... "That is currently a lonely position, but the Lib Dems have a decent record ...
The headlines for Brown today are absolutely dreadful. Mike Smithson (not a man to bandy odd about lightly) now gives him a 50% chance of survival and as we all know things can deteriorate fast once colleagues and opponents smell blood. As Charlotte Gore posted about recently, it is now clear despite what he claimed in Autumn 2007 that there was never any vision. just a grim determination to hold onto power at any cost and to smear and denigrate anyonw who threatened that. But what is the point of holding on when the result is what we now see? ...
Somewhat busy at the moment with electioneering;Tories - too busy cleaning their own moats and chandaliers now.Labour - too busy checking mortgage statements and latest resignations.SNP - too busy breaking more election promises!Liberal Democrats - campaigning for every vote, putting forward arguments in Europe and standing up to Europe while working with them.Vote Liberal Democrats tomorrow, polls open at 7am and will close at 10pm. ------------------
I wouldn't like to be Gordon Brown this morning. Not on the day when the Labour supporting Guardian calls for his head in no uncertain terms. I do feel a bit sorry for Gordon Brown - he is actually a good man. Politically he has done things that I totally disagree with, but as a human being I'd pick him over his predecessor any day. The person who did most of the damage to politics left Downing Street 2 years ago. In many ways he left a legacy that it was almost impossible for Brown to recover from - and ...
2 big stories "It's not the wheels falling off the government." With these (deliberate?) words on Radio 4's PM yesterday afternoon, Harriet Harman defined today's big story. No, the PM's reshuffle plans have in no way leaked throughout a thoroughly angry and demoralised cabinet, and they are not at all about to resign en masse. The government is not in the slightest on a course to imminent implosion and Gordon Brown is not reduced to kissing babies on the news and saying nice things about Susan Boyle in a farcically doomed attempt to court popularity. Honest. Covered with varying degrees ...
BBC Wales' Week In Week Out programme once more raised the issue of the inadequate funding of Welsh schools last night. Professor David Reynolds repeated his claim that spending on each child in Wales is around £500 a year less than across the border. He maintains standards are being affected whilst the programme said that many schools are struggling to maintain crumbling buildings. Both Wales and England have been spending more on education over the last decade, but Professor Reynolds says Wales is currently spending 10% less than the government in England. At the same time, he warns, standards are ...
The economic news has seen brighter of late- the dramatic interventions by the central banks are said to have brought a return to stability in the banking system. It is true that the financial system no longer seems to be evaporating before our very eyes. However the impact on the real economy of the wrenching shock to the banks is only now becoming plain. In fact, international banking system, through a combination of renegotiation and tight liquidity, is seeking to recapitalise itself as rapidly as possible- and several money centre banks such as Barclays and Goldman Sachs are repaying their ...
And... relax. That's the last of the election leaflets done, with help from Beloved Other Half. Back is a bit of a wreck but rest will cure. # Just been watching nesting blackbirds in the creeper on the garage wall. Very sweet. # I love a dual-monitor set-up: work on one monitor, live stream and scorecard from Roland-Garros on the other. # Am loving the 'literal video version' meme: here's the best pop video of the 80s, with new lyrics that match the action. http://bit.ly/JadCi # http://twitpic.com/6gofl - Another tortoise invasion, as Madam explores. No lavatorial issues this time, though. ...
Adobe, the irreplaceable source of graphics software (in this writer's humble opinion, anyway) have always had a serious imbalance between the GBP price charged by resellers or the channel here, and the effective GBP price when you convert the USD price charged to users in North America. At times this has been the proverbial £1 per $1. Now, they are at it again, and making it even worse! Whilst US prices are slightly dropping, and euro prices likewise, the Photoshop—Illustrator—Flash company is actually raising UK prices by a further 10% or so. Over their already-inflated prices. I have bought Adobe ...
I can't begin to imagine the pressure on a party leader over the last three weeks. Rather like being the hapless 3 coconuts on a coconut shy - the challenge is to be the last man (and of course they are all men!) standing! So, what kind of coconuts do we have? We have the old, beleaguered specimen - slightly calcified, attempting to appear heavyweight to avoid attack - Mr Brown. Then we have the fresher looking specimen - untouched, perky, but lightweight - the fact that the inner coconut "water" has dried up or has never even been there, ...
If Brown goes next week it would surely necessitate a General Election? First, there would be a time when Government is rudderless with an election (of just the Labour MPs or the whole of Labour) for a new leader all taking place with a backdrop of a constitutional crisis and a dishevelled economy. It would seem [...]
Wed 3rd
00:02
We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to change the Freedom of Information Act so that the ...
Recently I came across this petition from Graham Smith of Republic asking the Prime Minister to change the Freedom of Information Act so that the royal house hold and communications between the household and government are no longer exempt.
