Yesterday Lindsay and I went down to Avebury, where we stayed at The Lodge - owned by my grandfather when he saved the stone circle from destruction - and attended the auction today at Great Bedwyn where the monument to Uncle Eric was sold (see earlier posting for a photograph). We have acquired it, and now have to make arrangements for it to be transported to The Beeche Centre at High Elms, its final resting place I hope. Some time in the eighties the monuments in the family graveyard were moved into the graveyard at St Giles Church, Farnborough, but ...
Just off to Bournemouth for conference, am a bit worried by some of the musings of the leadership. Why should the public sector suffer for the private (banking) sector's ...
blockquote>"Their first album, Please Rut Me, was made in twenty minutes. Their second took even longer. Success was only a drum-beat away." – The Rutles Please Please Me is an album that I've only experienced in mono – apart from the title track, which I knew in stereo before I got my mono vinyl copy of ...
When the next election comes we need more dramatic change in this country than simply the pendulum swinging from one party to another. We need real change - the kind of change that will put more power into the hands of individuals. One step towards achieving that is a fairer voting system. We could adopt a system where a voter, with their ballot paper in front of them, not only gets the choice of which party to vote for, but a choice between candidates from the same party. That way, if your sitting MP has been a bit lazy - ...
Baroness Scotland, the Attorney General, has received strong support from Gordon Brown following the revelation that she has been employing an illegal immigrant as a cleaner at her family home. He insists that critics should wait for the outcome of an investigation. Perhaps he is hoping that she, as the government's chief legal adviser, will find a good loophole which will let her off the hook. However Baroness Scotland herself is the person who steered through "draconian" legislation on this very issue, imposing harsh penalties on anyone who employs illegal immigrants. Somehow I find myself hoping that she did such ...
The BBC is reporting that the party will drop its pledge to axe tuition fees. Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg says he may be forced to scrap the party's flagship policy of abolishing university tuition fees in England and Wales. Mr Clegg will tell his party's annual conference he has to be "realistic" about whether it is affordable given the country's mountain of debt. His analysis is backed up by the following quotes from Nick: "I believe tuition fees are wrong, I believe they need to be abolished, I want to do it as soon as possible," Mr Clegg will ...
[IMG: 026] I knew I had arrived when I saw the Bournemouth Balloon. Maybe I will actually go up this year. The first day of conference is always lots of fun - mostly meeting friends rather than getting things done. And so it was today. So many friends seem to be prospective parliamentary candidates this year - fingers crossed for all of us. Everyone seems in good spirits, and there's a positive vibe about. One of the great things that makes the Liberal Democrats different from Labour and the Conservatives is that our conference stills decides policy. ...
With great disappointed I looked for the latest news on the BBC website and I see that Nick Clegg is thinking of dropping our policy on tuition fees. Yes we do need to look at where we can make cuts from the public purse, but allowing our young to start off their working lives with tens of thousands of debt is not what we should be doing and is part of the problem that got us into this mess in
Ouch, Rick Sanchez doesn't pull any punches: No related posts.
At my first meeting of Harborough District Council we were discussing our response to the Thatcher government proposed poll tax. Like most ruling Tory groups around the country, ours thought it was a great idea and told Whitehall that it should be brought in at once, not phased in over 10 years as proposed. Like a good Liberal Alliance councillor I moved an amendment in favour of a local income tax. "It cannot be right," I said, "that the rich man in his castle pays the same as the poor man at his gate." At which Tim Brooks, Tory councillor ...
I've been following some of the Liberal Democrats' Conference on the BBC Parliament Channel (Freeview 81). I thought the discussion on how to campaign for and achieve measures to combat climate change was excellent. Simon Hughes facilitated the interesting and worthwhile discussion with people who really knew what they were talking about. Didn't think as much of the "Motherhood-and-Apple-Pie" debate that preceded it. Oh well, even the Lib Dems can't always be brilliant.
Currently busy with last minute preparations for Bournemouth tomorrow. Think I've got everything sorted now and just want to jump in my car and set off. Alas, my travelling companion on the way down wouldn't be too impressed with me turning up 13 hours too soon, so here I remain. Meanwhile, when I looked at Nick Clegg's Liberal Moment pamphlet I wondered (aloud) what Simon Goldie might make of it. For those who don't know, Simon is a communications guru (and lib dem blogger) and I wanted his professional opinion on it. His response is here, and as hoped it's ...
Sat 19th
18:00
Day 3184: A Personal Commitment but no Apologies from the Leader - Nick Clegg meets Millennium Eleph...
Saturday: It's GREAT being back on the Blogger of the Year shortlist! I get to talk to Captain Clegg and no one says it's a FIX because Daddy does the muffins! Back in the Game [IMG: Posted by Picasa] So, straight down to business: TUITION FEES - the Liberal Democrats are COMMITTED to abolishing student fees; Captain Clegg is PERSONALLY COMMITTED to abolishing student fees. But, it would be illogical, maybe even dishonest, to say we need a FRESH START for Britain and everything must be reconsidered, and then NOT reconsider the HOW and WHEN of being able to abolish ...
After a great result this morning for my Under 14 lads against Summerseat (8-1 win!) I rushed home for a bite to eat and then dashed back out to the Swinton Civic Centre for the Mayor's Garden Party. It was no surprise to struggle for a parking space, as the place was packed out and I managed to catch a couple of live performances and a bit of the dog show before heading off inside for "The Big Ask" - an opportunity for anyone to ask those burning questions to Salford's leading Councillors. With Lib Dem leader Councillor Norman Owen ...
After Wednesday the Lord has placed... Thursday At the opera house in Oakham for a gala to celebrate England's Ashes victory. We are treated to an excerpt from Swann Lake, an opera about a promising young off spinner who overcomes his "bad boy" image and problems against short-pitched bowling to become a trusted member of the team - Carlos Acosta's Peter Siddle is particularly moving. Other items in the programme include a selection of Strauss waltzes and the international premiere of Bopara's Duck Quintet. Jimmy Anderson's "O Superman" (a tribute to Andrew Flintstone) is perhaps a little avant-garde for some ...
No related posts.
Sat 19th
17:16
Spotify Playlist - Jake Thackray, Arthur Alexander, Incredible String Band, Dudley Moore
This week's playlist doesn't have a theme as such, but is just some music I like. After an introductory snippet, we start with Anyone But You by The Mumps. The Mumps were a late 70s art-rock/punk band led by reality TV star Lance Loud (who takes lead on this) and musician Kristian Hoffman (who sings lead ...
Nick Clegg's interview in the Guardian this morning will be remembered for his "In some cases we will be quite bold, or even savage, on current spending". However severe the public sector deficit, I think that could have been better put. But what struck me more was Nick's floating of the idea of means testing child benefit. On the one hand, the paper says he is cautious of destroying "middle-class solidarity" with the welfare state. On the other: "I find it odd that people on multi-million pay packages from the city get child benefit. That's patently silly and patently unfair."I ...
Someone in the first policy debate of the Conference complained that the Real Women policy paper had in some way been sidelined by giving it such an early slot in the agenda. I don't think so. If the quality of the debate we saw this afternoon continues over the next five days, then we're in for a real treat. I was particularly impressed with the contributions of so many Scottish speakers too, but more of that in a moment. The Debate was about the Real Women policy paper which has attracted widespread media attention. Its design has attracted a bit ...
I'm at the Lib Dem Conference in Bournemouth and doing the usual first day thing of having snatched conversations with friends I haven't seen in a while. Across the room I spotted the Total Politics stand and a copy of Mark Oaten's new autobiography - Screwing Up. Knowing that I appear in it (see here for details), I went over and thumbed through it to find my name in the index. Nothing. Nada. But wait, there was an Alex Faulkes in the index. So I looked at pages 33-34 and found that I have indeed been included under a wrong ...
Well I arrived in Bournemouth for the conference first thing this morning and so far have really enjoyed it. This is just a quick post - will blog more fully later. This is my first #LDConf because although I signed up last year for the weekend I was ill and couldn't come. I had a course first thing on interview techniques. I thought it was best to get a bit of advice in this area as I do have a tendency to not smile very much which was picked up on. The chap said I looked very angry with him! ...
One of my favourite Tory blogs is Andrew Allison's "A Conservative View". As a resident of Hull North Andrew is heartily sick and tired of his rather useless Labour MP and has in recent weeks regularly highlighted the flaws in her arguments, her contradictions and ways in which public money is used to fund her campaigns. All of this is well observed and worthy of being pointed out. My only question, why is a Lib Dem not doing this sort of thing too ? Hull is a major Lib Dem target yet it takes a local Tory to tell us ...
I don't know how many editorials in The Times Clem Davies had devoted to his policies in his like time-not many would be my guess. I do recall reading somewhere that when Davies was deeply involved in the plotting and maneuvering around the removal Chamberlain as Prime Minister he had dinner with the editor of the Times. Davies managed to get agreement about Chamberlain, but like most of the establishment and the Tory party the editor wanted to have Halifax take over. Thank goodness that didn't happen. Well Davies made it this week in the Times editorial page when in ...
In a recent post on 'The Liberal Moment', Charlotte Gore wrote "I'd be interested to know what Neil Stockley and Simon Goldie make of it". Neil has yet to comment but no doubt will. For anyone who doesn't know, 'The Liberal Moment' is written by Nick Clegg and published by Demos. It is described as a pamphlet but is more like a short book. Its central argument is that the liberalism is relevant again and will replace the Labour movement as the 'progressive' force in British politics. Clegg defines progressive thought as: "The ideals of fairness, social mobility, sustainability, civil ...
Following on from yesterday's post, oh how I laughed when I saw who the Conservatives put forward to shout out their somewhat dubious credentials regarding jumping the "progressive politics" bandwagon. Now Eric Pickles is a chummy Oliver Hardy lookalike and fairly moderate as Tories go; always has been, in fact - but trust me, he'll happily cosy up to the hangin' floggin' headbangers in the party and knife good people in the back at the drop of a hat in order to advance his career. You see, I remember his life pre-Westminster. Back in the day, he wasn't known as ...
With my technological fingers crossed, here we go... [Several people in the hall are also tweeting through the debate. You can keep up with their and other conference tweets through this search link. The policy paper and motion are available to read here. And yes, it is International Talk Like A Pirate Day, hence this.] The votes: Amendment 1 (female representation): passed overwhelmingly Amendment 2 (air-brushing): overwhelmingly defeated Amendment 3 (sport): passed overwhelmingly Separate vote (on name blank employment): lines overwhelmingly retained Motion as a whole: passed overwhelmingly Lynne Featherstone (summating on the motion): concentrates on name-blank employment and on ...
I'm down in Bournemouth for the conference and have just spent the morning perfecting a speech in the Real Women Policy Debate this afternoon. It looks like it's going to be a debate over subscribed with speakers and there's at least 3 amendments and a separate vote! Here are links to the policy paper itself and conference extra which has the amendment 2 to I speaking against. I'm definitely in favour of the motion, and hoping to speak against Amendment 2 in particular - so here is my speech, just in case I don't get to give it!
Catch Mark Littlewood on BBC News Channel around 4.30pm this afternoon discussing expectations for this year's Lib Dem Conference and the outlook for the Party going forward.
Eric Pickles thinks we share values. No mate... all we share is a double chin, and I'll be trashing that this year. While a lot of our election efforts are being focused on bagging some weak Labour seats in the North, a great deal of marginal fights across the country (including my own constituency in Dorset) are between the LibDems and the biggest jokes in British politics. Pickles stated that the election is the most important in a generation as the next government had to address "huge debts, social problems, failing public services and a loss of faith in politics". ...
A sea of acid; faltering speeches; bizarre rules; glassy-eyed pretty young things; aggressive men in rubber; realising that designing utopia may not be such a good idea after all... But if you're not going to Liberal Democrat Conference in Bournemouth (or if you need to get away from it in your hotel room), Monday sees Doctor Who: The Keys of Marinus released on DVD. An early black and white tale starring top Doctor William Hartnell and the alien Voord, it's the only Who story with an actor from Citizen Kane. Just don't expect Citizen Kane (more very cheap Flash Gordon). ...
After yesterday's hot gossip (a sweaty, scantily clad senior MP burst into the Marriott bar, closely followed by a similarly attired young man - all entirely innocent, I'm assured), I was looking for some dirt to dish at the bloggers' interview with Nick Clegg. Into the room swept a deft politician; youthful, vigorous, smart, sexy. But enough about me. We swiftly dispensed with the news of a fellow blogger's cleavage control problem (apparently it keeps leaping unbidden into people's faces, though not mine, yet - there's still time). Then the man himself, the Cleggmeister, entered the room. After a brief ...
The week continues. Wednesday Enjoying a post-theatre drink at one of London's more select nightspots with a couple of popsies, whom should I come across but our own Lembit Öpik? He has with him the delightful Katie Green, whom I recognise from the billboards. It transpires that they are hard at work on a "Say No to Size Zero" campaign so that those jolly girls who show off the latest designs on the catwalk can have three square meals a day and still find work. I am able to tell them that the first Lady Bonkers fronted - and I ...
PR Week reports: BSD launched its London operation at the start of the year with its sights set on reviving Labour's digital operation. It is an alliance that has not materialised, and Gensemer is only too happy to blame this on a lack of digital support from the party's upper echelons. 'So many people who have watched Labour struggle could have helped,' he says. 'They certainly would have been in a better position now.' This charge is refuted by Labour's new media strategist Mark Hanson. 'It's not right to say there's no senior buy-in, as both politicians at cabinet level ...
"President Obama's quest for Middle East peace", 20.00-21.15, Monday 21 September, Dorchester 2, Highcliff Marriott Hotel (the Conference Hotel). The speakers will include Greg Berry, Minister Counsellor for Political Affairs at the US Embassy in London, who has deep knowledge and experience of the Middle East. Talya Lador-Fresher, the Israeli Deputy Ambassador, is also speaking, and there will be questions from the floor after the speeches. Wine and light refreshments will be available; the meeting is organised by Liberal Democrat Friends of Israel and is open to everyone attending Lib Dem Conference - hope to see lots of you there. ...
He shook my hand. If I had scrofula, I'm sure it's been cured. And you'll all be relieved to hear that I wasn't horrible to him. Mainly because I was sat right next to him. [IMG: srs leader is srs] (Pic by the Duffettmeister) The Leader was very relaxed, cracking jokes and chewing sweets, and giving Linda Jack and I advice on crutch painting (apparently he was on crutches for 3 months once). The interview set-up was slightly different from usual, because there were two Not Yet Lib Dems there, who were members of a volunteering thing who had come ...
I can understand why the National Trust for Scotland are having a tough time if Culross is an example of how they manage their affairs. Almost from when I was first elected I have been urging the Trust to make available for rent the empty homes they own in the small village of Culross on the banks of the River Forth. Four properties have been left empty for years whilst many people languish on the housing list. They promised two years ago that it was being dealt with and said they were considering refurbishing them for holiday lets. Yet nothing, ...
This morning a group of 10 bloggers interviewed Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg. The questions ranged over a wide area and here are a few selected highlights: MPs' expenses: Nick eloquently made the link between safe seats and good behaviour by MPs: "if you want to keep MPs honest, don't give them safe seats for life ... safe seats corrupt public life". He said his one real regret over how he had handled the issue was not making the point more forcefully that whilst the party was not free of "blemishes", no Liberal Democrat MP had been involved in the ...
I recommend having a look at Frixo.com which provides live traffic reports. You just stick in the area or road you are interested in it brings up the trouble spots. You can get it on your mobile as well. They've even got a wonderful widget (below) which I have stuck in my sidebar. Widget by Frixo Travel Reports | Quick Report
... and complete this online survey. As the blurb says: This survey is designed to explore the views and activities of the users of four UK Party-related websites – LabourHome, Labour List, ConservativeHome and Lib Dem Voice. The overall goal of the project is to better understand how and why party members, supporters and voters in general are using the web and blogs to engage with politics and political organisations. The first section asks about your background and some general questions about your political activities and interests. The second section explores your views of the site and how you engage ...
Nick Clegg will open the Lib Dem conference with a stinging attack on David Cameron and the Tories for trying to con the electorate in thinking that Tories offer a change that will be break from the politics of the last 30 years. He also will also say the Tories arrogantly believe it is "their turn". The questions is, was it ever any different ? In 1997 I remember friends of mine who were not interested in politics get swept along in the religious fervour of New Labour and that things were going to change. Aide from the fact that ...
When I was out on a walk the other day (more details on Sunday), I noticed this sign: At first glance, I thought it was just another variant on the same sort of sign you see a lot of when you're walking – and it is, but note who it's from. Yes, the Homes and Communities Agency, which is an agency supposedly owned by the public, and out to serve the public, declaring that a large patch of open space is private land. Not restricted, private – normally used to state that the owner doesn't want plebs tramping over it. ...
Polly Toynbee is on her usual silly form today. I won't quote the whole article, just the bits I take issue with. The Lib Dems seem to have lost their old knack for snatching byelection seats; their share of the vote fell in both byelections this year I wish people would stop pointing to these byelections. The comparison between these byelections and the byelections we won in Brent, and such places, is a wrong comparison to draw. There will be other Brent Easts. The fact that the byelections have happened in places where circumstances are against us, does not mean ...
Forty years ago today, in Northern Ireland, the phenomenon that is Stephen Glenn was born. He was raised in the beautiful seaside town of Bangor, home to some of my favourite relatives, but he doesn't seem to know any of them and made his mark in both athletics and then bowls over there. I first came across him in the run up to the 2003 Holyrood elections and started a trend that has been a bit of a recurring theme in our friendship - driving him to unfamiliar locations in the pouring rain and dumping him with a pile of ...
It's that time of year again, folks. Doesn't it come round quickly? And each year more glorious than the last. Yes it's: INTERNATIONAL TALK LIKE A PIRATE DAY! Arrr. This should make for some interesting speeches from the platform at Bournemouth. Mark and Alex have already started reporting direct from the Lib Dem Cupboard this morning, which is as luxurious as ever: [IMG: cupboard2] I, meanwhile, can't be in Bournemouth, so I will be your host on the home front, scanning the papers for coverage (with a telescope. Arrr), stealing gossip and jokes from people's twitterstreams and generally jumping up ...
I am not at Conference this week, this is the first Autumn Conference I have missed since I started going in 1994!
I just wonder if the Tories are going to turn out to be micro-criticisers of the BBC, just like the late Mary Whitehouse. Shadow culture secretary Jeremy Hunt: ...criticised the BBC's decision to pitch Strictly Come Dancing against ITV's The X Factor on the Saturday night peak time schedule. "It was an extraordinary decision to disappoint thousands of licence fee payers," he commented. "There will be thousands of viewers who are very angry at that decision." I am not comfortable with a shadow minister interfering in minor scheduling spats between the BBC and ITV. Had Jeremy Hunt considered that many ...
A second day with Rutland's most popular fictional peer. Tuesday Lunch at my club with my old friend Tinchy Stryder. Following his success in what my more hep acquaintances call "the hit parade", he has more than once sought my advice on the investment of his new-found riches. I have, for instance, been able to point him in the direction of a Good Thing in Rutland Railway Consols. Today he informs me that he is determined to invest in a Liberal Democrat MP, but cannot make up his mind which. Whom would I recommend? We run through the possibilities: Alan ...
Interesting opening salvo from Nickers calling Dave a 'conman' willing to say anything to win the next election. Well, quite and it is good to hear him going for the jugular. At the very worst this will require Dave to respond, thus raising Nickers' profile. At best the comments will chime with some people. Nickers has had his critics but he has worked hard since becoming leader to align us against the Tories and this seems increasingly sensible. We can allow Labour to destroy themselves, possibly with a late rally organised by Peter Mandelson but the key enemy next year ...
Last night was the 4th meeting of the Friends of Garston Park. I had a hand in setting this up by writing initially to local residents and organising a small meeting. Since then we have gradually picked up more interest and are busy contacting the organisations (sports for example) that actually use the park. Its great to see enthusiasm about the park. Last night we discussed plans for a "planting event" and perhaps some litter picking. We discussed working with local schools. We had a lively discussion about the merits of daffodils and bluebells! And, importantly, we elected a chair ...
Four decades and nine months ago my parents could not have known the inconvenience that their nocturnal activities that night would lead to their firstborn son. Now all these years later I have been on my way to, or back or at some venue on (usually) the Southern English coast more times than I can remember. This year I pass one of the milestones but the conference has laid on some treats. The leader is meeting me (OK and some of the other bloggers). There is a big reception for the occasion this evening (rumour has it that the codename ...
There seemed quite a buzz around Bournemouth bars last evening. The Bedford crowd were out tapping everyone they could find to help the excellent Dave Hodgson become Bedford's next mayor. A lot of people from all around the country were very upbeat about their local chances. And the polls saying tory voters prefer Cable to Osborne back up what we knew already. It is quite an amazing situation though. Just a few months before an election the Tories are widely expected to win, their Shadow Chancellor is just a shadow of ours. I often kjip Polly toynbee columns because I ...
Running rather against the modern trend of reorganising events to suit the media, this autumn's Liberal Democrat conference is starting and finishing a day earlier. With a Saturday start and a Wednesday finish, that means one weekday (better for media coverage) has been sacrificed for one extra weekend day (worse for media coverage, but more convenient for party members to attend). What to expect on this Saturday of conference then? Highlights are likely to include: The Real Women policy paper debate in the afternoon, which includes proposals related to the airbrushing of women in magazine photos and the like. That ...
Just a quick reminder that there will be an official conference twitter feed, available here: www.twitter.com/LibDemConf. Conference staffers and stewards will be updating the account with information as it happens at conference – who's speaking, when sessions start, and how Conference votes. If you're using twitter at conference yourself, don't forget to liberally sprinkle your updates with the hashtag #ldconf – this will help other people find the messages you send. And if you want to see those messages for yourself, whether or not you're a signed up twitter user – click here. Finally, there's also Ryan Cullen's Liberal Tweets ...
If you have been reading your papers for conference, you might have noticed something new. Tucked away at the back of the policy papers is a page headed 'Policy Equality Impact Assessment'. If you work in the public sector, you may already be familiar with these, as they have been compulsory in schools, hospitals and other public institutions for some time now. As a political party, we are not expected to complete such assessments as a matter of course, but have started to introduce them as a sign of our own commitment to the principles of diversity, equality and best ...
I'm on the train now, heading to Bournemouth for the Lib Dem conference. Yes, it's that time of year - the Lib Dem annual jamboree, complete with late nights, scans of the directory for events with "refreshments" and a week on adrenalin.I should arrive at 11am. My first activity is to photo Nick Clegg's arrival. In total I have lost count of the number of events and photo ops I need to photo. I
Please be warned, this post contains political "science" stuff that probably bores most people to tears. I'm sorry. It's just something I want to get down in writing for future reference. Parliaments wither. So do governments. As time goes by, they degrade and become less useful. Less vigorous. Less relevant. Why? In a liberal democratic system, it is ...
Since I heard Adam Price's announcement that he is to stand down to undertake a year-long Fulbright scholarship in the United States before returning to take up a seat in the Assembly and assume leadership of Plaid Cymru I have been puzzling about the timelines. Presumably he will be taking up his place as a student next month, will return a year later and then seek selection for an appropriate Assembly seat for the 2011 election. If this is the case who will be representing Carmarthen East and Dinefwr in Parliament between October and the next General Election?
Catch Mark Littlewood on Radio Five Live at 7.35 am this morning from Bournemouth Lib Dem Party Conference.
With the battle lines drawn around future public spending plans the start of the Liberal Democrat Conference sees Nick Clegg issue a brutal warning about the future. He tells the Guardian that bold and even "savage" cuts in government spending will be necessary to bring the public deficit down after the next election. He sets out plans that include a long-term freeze in the public sector pay bill, scaling back future public sector pensions, and withdrawing tax credits from the middle class. It is a direct challenge to the party's grass roots many of whom are prepared to give the ...
Over on Wales Home Duncan Higgitt interviews Jenny Willott four years after she successfully wrenched Cardiff Central off Labour with a 13% swing following 30 years of campaigning in the area by the party. Today the Welsh Liberal Democrats hold the Parliamentary, Assembly and every Council seat in the constituency. Since then, Willott - who lives in a terraced house in Adamsdown, in the heart of her constituency - has built a solid reputation in Parliament for tenacity, particularly following her work in the five-year fight to secure payouts for South Wales steelworkers who lost their pensions when ASW went ...
Having had complaints from residents about overgrown shrubbery in Pennycook Lane - and tree stumps causing some of the recycling bins being out of their original position - I asked the City Council if the shrubs could be trimmed and that tree stumps removed. I have just had this update from the City Council : 'Just a short update on the Pennycook Lane situation. I have spoken to my colleagues in Parks who will be undertaking the necessary work to remove the tree stumps & overhanging greenery & they have advised that they will do everything that they can to ...
........... 'nuff said! lol
The original Victorian Ladywell Baths building, built in 1885 and commonly known as the Playtower is one of the most interesting buildings of Lewisham Central. After its life as a swimming pool it became a gymnastic club, that was until a few years ago when the Ladywell Gymnastic Club relocated to modern facilities in Bellingham. At that ...
Just read a piece in today's Guardian about an interview with Nick Clegg where he is quoted as saying, "We will be quite bold or even savage on current spending, precisely to be able to retain spending where... the economy is weak in ...
Happy New Year to all my Jewish friends and Shana Tova Umetukah, today being Rosh Hashannah and the start of the year 5770. Have a great week-end and an even greater year ...
