Liberal England: David Wilshire MP in trouble over expense claims. Clearly it is not just the Wintertons who have failed to live up to the proper standards
Westminster Liberal Democrats may find it difficult to get anyone elected to public office — though they always put up a good fight, as in last week's West End ward by-election — but they do know how to put on great social events. Tonight, thanks to Mark Blackburn, PPC for Westminster North, they organised a ...
I wonder ? I go for the bus into Stockton and it nearly full, people telling me they have hada very long wait for it. however there were 3 free seats but the bus driver sped past 2 sets of people waiting at bus stops. Just how is that encouraging people to leave cars at home ? I have complained, but wonder if those left waiting at the bus stop are going to even bother to do so. If we don't it...
The Tory MP for Spelthorne may be in a little trouble. From tomorrow's Daily Telegraph: David Wilshire, a senior Conservative MP, used his House of Commons expenses to pay more than £100,000 of taxpayers' money to his own company, The Daily Telegraph can disclose. Mr Wilshire claimed for more than three years for office assistance provided by "Moorlands Research Services". Parliamentary expenses rules forbid MPs from entering into arrangements which "may give rise to an accusation" of profiting from public funds. But on Wednesday night, Mr Wilshire - the MP for Spelthorne in Surrey - admitted that he and his ...
The lives of children and young people in Reading have been much on my mind this week. I've just got in from an excellent meeting of the two Education and Housing scrutiny panels. The subject was health inequality and despite the gloomy picture we are facing in parts of Reading we were able to come up with some really positive ideas about how we might make more of an impact on this problem, as a Council. While I feel strongly that this Labour government has failed on it's promises to eradicate child poverty here in Reading it's important we do ...
A well put post on Town Hall Matters says, of engagement and the public sector: Satisfaction from participation comes from feeling that you have effected change on an issue about which you care. So perhaps what we need more than e-petitions, citizen juries and the like, is a shift in mindset in public institutions - a readiness to admit mistakes and to act on feedback; receptivity rather than engagement. This point is spot on: engagement has to be a two-way process between an institution and the public. Changing mindsets is a large challenge but it isn't the only one. The ...
[IMG: 101010.jpg] Today's Council meeting was the first opportunity for the full council to discuss the Frater Report on the Council's failings since its discussion by cabinet and there were no less than 3 motions on this important topic. It was also a key meeting for me as I had tabled my first motion asking the Council to sign up to the much publicised national 10:10 campaign which would commit the Council to reduce its carbon emissions by 10% in 2010. 27 councils have already formally committed to this initiative as have all the main party leaders and their cabinets, ...
MyConservatives.com crashed on its launch day - an embarrassing hiccup rather than something of long term significant. But in surely a sign of how tightly coordinated the vast right wing online conspiracy is, the new GOP.com has taken a leaf out of the MyConservative book and crashed on its first day too.
All, Liberal Democrats, including Cllr. Richard Cheney, recently asked the District Council to look again at plans to shut the Telegraph Street area office. Tonight the ruling Conservatives voted against Lib Dem proposals to assess the impact of the closure. The area office supports many of the services the District Council provides, and means that local residents don't have to travel to Stratford when they want to deal with the Council face to face. It is very well used, not just by residents of Shipston on Stour - but also people from nearby villages. This only goes to show how ...
Iain Dale has a uncharacteristically weak post today about the possibility of the Lib Dems taking the decision to have a manifesto commitment to withdraw troops from Afghanistan. In one sense he is right: the Lib Dems have, for the last few months, been challenging the way the Afghan operation is being carried out. And yes, ...
Transition Shipston asked for Shipston Town Council's support for a Green Fair in March - likely to be two Sundays before Easter. After a presentation by two of the organisers, the Town Council agreed to support the fair. Although it's very early days as far as planning goes, the day promises to be an exciting one, with information and stalls on various 'green' issues. Keep the date free, and I'll put more information on here when it becomes available. Philip
I was over in Glasgow North East again today, specifically I was in Springburn for the launch of the Lib Dem campaign with Eileen Baxendale, Robert Brown MSP and Tavish Scott. I was sat in Tesco having a coffee and then stood at the counter were two political anoraks as the picture below shows - it is true Labour are just a bunch of anoraks. Although I am taking the mickey it was very noticeable as they wandered around finding a seat. I have to admit I do have a range of different Liberal Democrats tee-shirts, but no ties, or ...
Another gem from Hansard. Here is John Baldock, the Tory MP for Harborough, speaking on 10 December 1953: On Saturday I went to see a train leave Market Harborough Station. It was larger than the customary trains which have been leaving on that line for a considerable time, and it was headed by a very ancient Midland engine. On the platform were a very large number of people to see this train, the last ordinary passenger train on this line to leave Market Harborough for Melton Mowbray. I understand that there was a considerable crowd at Melton Mowbray also to ...
With all the talk around Legg and MP's expenses, the other top news stories, such as Geert Wilders winning an appeal against his ban from the UK, have been sidelined. Whilst i do not agree with his extreme views, the government and Jacqui Smith really have to question why they banned him when we allow ...
It appears that Cornwall Council has decided that the blame for June's elections fiasco lies with the printers in Sussex and they are loudly telling this to the press. From what I have seen as Vice Chair of the Electoral Review Panel, there is certainly some blame to be borne by the printers in Sussex. But I am concerned both that the Council seems unwilling to acknowledge its own failings and that they are coming to this conclusion before an external report has finished. A few weeks ago, we agreed to ask John Turner, and outside expert, to review the ...
Earlier today Iain Dale wrote on his blog: With every day that passes, I am convinced that the LibDems will enter the next election campaign with a promise to withdraw from Afghanistan. They daren't come out with it now, but as sure as eggs is eggs, that's the direction in which they are tiptoeing. If it was some principled stance, one could have a rational debate about it, but it's not. It's pure, calculated, naked political opportunism.I don't know if this is true, but it will not worry my if that is. I have long been asking what we are ...
And it couldn't happen to a more deserving couple of rip off merchants. Let us just recall what they did. They bought a London flat, gifted it to their children via a Trust and then charged to parliamentary expenses a high rent. On top of which their level of expenses would make your eyes boggle.So why am I so exercised about this rip off above others. It is simple . I spent a decade listening to the wretched couple moralise and parade their nasty form of politics all round Cheshire. I heard them telling their racist jokes and their attitude ...
Every year I get the Borough legal department to write to residents who let their trees and hedges overgrow the foot path causing hassle to pedestrians. I think they need to write to themselves.............
Questions about flu for the week 1) Why, when the swine flu vaccine was approved two weeks ago, the first 2 million doses delivered to the UK next week, are doctors not expecting to receive any vaccine until the end of next week, with the actual vaccination not starting until the week after ? Good job its not killing anyone ... oops ! 2) Why is the swine flu vaccine "safe" for children and being planned to be given to children but the season flu vaccine is not given to children even if parents want to pay for their children ...
This sign has been moved all of one meter at a cost of £3000. Allegedly this is because the engineers weren't clear whether the original posts would support the sign.....................
A local resident contact us about a faulty lamp in Burlington Rd. I popped round to have a look. They have replaced the traditional lamp post painted in the old Southport County Borough colours which a brand new one. I paused to wonder whether in these cashed strapped times it could not have been repair. I have since been informed that a minor repair was needed and that would have required ladders which present a H&S challenge. I'm checking it out. Sounds daft to me.
We have a long list of pavements where the tree roots have cuased havoc. Richard has been pushing for these repairs and it was good to see work going on today
I went off to see the Chief Exec of the Housing Association that has taken over the undeveloped site in Upper Aughton Rd today. We have a had a real problem getting this site built on. It has been vacant for years and given the number of unemployed building workers we have not to mention the waiting list of people in real housing need it does seem wrong. Anyway Richard hands and I went to the Leigh HQ of the people who have bought the site to find out what is going on. We had a good meeting and as ...
The By-Election in Handworth is tomorrow. I have been doing a bit of door knocking myself this week in Hanworth and Birth Hill. I think its going to be a very interesting election result. There has been very varied opinion on the door step I can't list them here. I would like to thank the people of Hanworth and Birth Hill for their politeness and for listening. I will report on the result tomorrow evening; Details of the candidates are; Mark Phillips of the Conservatives Larraine de Laune of the Liberal Democrats Janet Keene of the Labour Party Steven Martin ...
The ARCH Blog and The Register have picked up the story about plans by Manchester Airport plans to use scanners to produce naked images of passengers. When I read this I did not imagine for a moment that the airport planned to use the scanners on children. But it seems that the management there is not of the brightest and that is what they have in mind. Here is the airport's "head of customer experience" talking to BBC News: "The images are not erotic or pornographic and they cannot be stored or captured in any way."She had better save it ...
Police raided the Spice Room restaurant in Western Road last week and apparently found three Bangladeshi workers who do not have the right to be employed in this country. Whilst I do not condone illegal working, I do support the indian restaurant industry in their campaign over the lack of suitably qualified and trained chefs for indian restaurants. If we are to keep excellent restaurants like the Spice Room, the Government needs to make the system work properly so that they have the people to work in them. It is also interesting to note that the Spice Room might be ...
Stephen Gately's mother Margaret has shed a little more light on the issue of the Boyzone singer's sad and sudden demise last Saturday. It appears that there is a heart condition in the family that has claimed a number of members on his father's side. Indeed his mother said: "As soon as I heard he had died I knew it was a heart problem. It has lifted a huge burden off our family's shoulders." This initial response from Mrs Gately is borne out by the post mortem which revealed acute pulmonary oedema, a build-up of fluid on his lungs as ...
Oh look. Dear Mr Speaker. Dear Johnny Bercow says he tried to stop dear Tommy Legg and his retrospective elements. HELLO!!!!!!!!!!! EARTH CALLING COMMONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! JUST PAY UP OK?!!!!! HE'S INDEPENDENT. IF YOU AGREED WITH HIS RULINGS HE WOULDN'T BE INDEPENDENT. DO I HAVE TO DO THIS IN SEMAPHORE? And we had Radio Five Live wheeling out Sir General Mrs (Retired) Anthony Scrivener QC and Bar (mine's a treble) yesterday who said that MPs "barred from standing for parliament" could successfully legally challenge such a ruling. Kerching. LOOK! Noone is stopping them from standing for parliament, OK? Anyone can do it. ...
Cornwall Council is planning to close the primary schools at St Mabyn and St Tudy and to create a new school at a new location. The Liberal Democrats pledged in our manifesto in June that we would not close any school in Cornwall for at least four years. It appears that the new Conservative led administration has no such policy. If you support the campaign to save these schools, please join the Facebook group. (I applaud Conservative Councillor Scott Mann for being willing to oppose his administration's stance on this though)
Last night, I went to Thom's to record my second guest appearance on the thomyk podcast. I was standing in for Michael Reeve, who's gallivanting around Asia. We discussed such diverse issues as WeightWatchers, Boyzone, Trafigura, mints and the iPhone. You can listen on the embedded player here: Powered by Podbean.com You can also listen on the thomyk website or subscribe on iTunes. And if that wasn't enough podcasting, this week I'll be hosting The Pod Delusion – expect to see me plugging that on Friday!
I went with Richard Hands this morning to see the new wall painting in Bedford Park. The youngsters involved in the international visit of 2008 came up with this and it shows all the countries that were involved. Sadly, Richard's head is obscuring Spain
Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Nick Clegg, today wrote again to Sir Thomas Legg regarding his investigation in to MPs expenses.In the letter, written alongside an article in today's Daily Telegraph, he expresses his concerns about the oversight of the inquiry. He was particularly concerned about those MPs who have claimed for a non-existent mortgages or 'flipped' their second homes purely for personal gain. Nick Clegg's letter in full: I am writing to you with regard to your ongoing enquiries into MPs' expenses.I am, of course, glad that you are looking into cases where MPs have spent too much of ...
Wed 14th
18:10
Liberal Democrat Leader, Nick Clegg responds to Gordon Brown's statement on Afghanistan.
We on these benches have argued that we cannot continue to fight this war on half-horsepower with half-measures and half-baked thinking. Time is running out for the mission in Afghanistan and we need a radical change in direction. The PM has set out a number of conditions on which the deployment of extra British troops will depend. But isn't the ultimate condition that they should have a realistic chance of success? And that this requires above all a credible new strategy?The public is rightly cautious about a drip, drip accumulation of British forces in Afghanistan without any overarching strategy to ...
From the acres of speculation about the cause of Stephen Gately's death, here's one golden nugget from his mother, via her lawyer and the Mirror. It appears to make sense of the tragedy: Stephen Gately's shattered mum believes he died from a previously undetected heart condition that has plagued his family. Margaret Gately told the family's lawyer Gerald Kean: "As soon as I heard he had died I knew it was a heart problem. It has lifted a huge burden off our family's shoulders." A postmortem yesterday revealed Stephen died from natural causes due to acute pulmonary oedema, a build-up ...
The Government has announced that the magistrates court in Launceston is to close. The court has heard no cases since May when everything was moved to Bodmin. The court building might not be ideal at present, but it seems strange that, under the new arrangements we will have a police station with cells in the town but no court and in Bodmin and court but no cells. Just how much will be saved and how much extra spent on ferrying prisoners around? Once again it appears that Government facilities are being removed from Launceston. We have lost post offices, including ...
Just as with the Japanese Knotweed problem (see below), the briefing on a new redundancy scheme took place behind closed doors with opposition councillors, the press and public excluded. We were left to wonder where the figures that were being bandied about came from and how much the new schemes would save or cost the council. Unions are quite rightly concerned that the early redundancies (mainly the bosses) were being done on the old, higher, payouts whilst future cuts (mainly lower paid employees) would be based on new (lower) figures. Some councillors asked why there couldn't be a scheme to ...
At today's cabinet meeting, the Council agreed to apply for a licence to trial a new way of getting rid of Japanese Knotweed. It is in the form of a bug which, according to what we were told, will suck the sap of this plant but will affect nothing else. Knotweed, as many non-indiginous species, is a real problem. It takes over gardens and open spaces and can be impossible to get rid of. I therefore welcome a safe way of dealing with it. People will naturally be concerned that bringing in another foreign import to tackle it might simply ...
Well, the recession is nearly over just in time for the economy to become the BATTLEFIELD for the forthcoming General Election. So we've had the Party Conference season now, and we've seen the three large Westminster Parties draw up their battle-lines. What is INTERESTING is how each of the three has a very different DIAGNOSIS of the cause of the credit crunch, and that very much decides what their POLICIES are going to be. So, if I might rather dramatically summarise, what the three economic spokespersons had to say (presented in the order that they said it) was: Mr Dr ...
Quite unexpectedly (at least from my expectations), the Council's strategic planning committee last night voted to approve applications for new wind turbines at Davidstow and Otterham. It was a really packed meeting with lots of locals present who objected to the schemes. There were also a few people in favour but the majority of the audience were resolutely opposed. The Otterham scheme is another relatively small scale project which has a maximum capacity of just 2-3 megawatts of power. The Davidstow proposal, on the other hand, was for 20 turbines generating up to 50 megawatts of power - enough for ...
I've recently come across an organisation called Edge, who want to raise the status of practical and vocational education. That is something very close to my heart. I've always hated the academic/vocational divide in education, which is often an oblique restatement of old-fashioned class prejudice. You know the old put-down: "Some people are good with their brains but others are good with their hands". What is often overlooked is the fact that some of the highest status courses of study, such as medicine, law and engineering, are essentially vocational, in that they are tied to particular professions. On the other ...
I had an appointment to meet Mr Speaker today - John Bercow. I had requested this meeting as I wanted to suggest to him (gently) that Parliament still probably had a bit of a way to go to really engage with people using technology to make it more accessible. This is about opening it all up. Things have improved in the website now works better. But most of the best internet developments have come from outside the official Parliamentary structures, e.g. They Work for You and Write to Them both are more popular and have a wider range of functions ...
[IMG: 22951-3-menzies-campbell-mp] Senior Liberal Democrat MP Sir Menzies Campbell questioned Gordon Brown today during the Prime Minister's statement on Afghanistan and Pakistan in the House of Commons. Sir Menzies asked: "After eight years, what confidence can we have that the strategy announced today by the Prime Minister has any better chance of success than the strategies previously announced by this Government?" In his response the Prime Minister said that unless you have a strategy for Afghan people taking responsibility for their own affairs "you cannot see a way through this that doesn't involve British or other troops there for many, ...
Mark Hunter today questioned Gordon Brown over the Woodford BAE plant at Prime Minister's Question Time. To see Mark in action, go to http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8306561.stm and, on the video, go to 31:20. Mark's question: "The RAF have identified the need for three further aircraft to replace Nimrod R1 spyplanes. New Nimrods built in my constituency Woodford, which the Govt has already invested £3.6 billion in are ideal the task. Could he therefore explain why his Government has chosen instead to buy 40 year old American aircraft and how that ties in to his commitment to British jobs to british workers." Gordon ...
Look at da ickle pygmy hedeghogs. Altogether now, Aaahhh.
This is from my MySpace blog Just thought I'd write a quick explanation of why there's not been much activity here of late: I was burgled. Yep, basically computer/hard drive and therefore all the music I've recorded was stolen, along with all my home studio gear. Pretty sad, but it does mean this is a fresh start - and I do mean to create a whole new bunch of songs/articles when my new computer and rackmount gubbins arrives. So please stay tuned... In the meantime check out/download this song I wrote with YoungFLmusician (a.k.a. J Mogs): A J-Mogs Face: 'Cutting ...
An excellent event at Jospice to launch Sefton's new standard for consultation. Jayne Vincent (photo right) and all the team have worked really hard and brought together a wide range of people and interests to sign up to these new standard. Further information should be on the Council's website soon. The great and the good were out in force; the police, the fire authority, voluntary sector, young people, PCT etc.The day began with Sefton CEO, Margaret Carney, and the PCT CEO, Lee Griffin, endorsing the new standards. I have no hesitation in telling you that this is real progress in ...
[IMG: mc-speech] News that Territorial Army units such as the 71 Engineer Regiment at RAF Leuchars and the C Squadron Yeomanry based in Cupar will be forced to stop training as a result of cuts to this years Army budget is "profoundly significant" according to North East Fife MP Sir Menzies Campbell and "has implications not just for the Territorial Army but for the regular army as well". Sir Menzies said: "This announcement slipped out by the Government is profoundly significant, not only at a national level but also in my North East Fife constituency which has a long tradition ...
[IMG: 22951-1-menzies-campbell-mp] Commenting on the news that the basic state pension will rise by only £2.40 per week next April, North East Fife MP Sir Menzies Campbell said: "Next April the majority of pensioners in North East Fife will see their pensions rise by a paltry 34p per day. This dismal increase will do nothing to help them cope with unfair council tax bills and rising food and fuel costs. "We have a moral obligation to ensure those who have worked hard all their lives are rewarded with a respectable standard of living. There is an urgent need to restore ...
Quickly now, at your local supermarket which is better value - 4 rolls of paper towels for £2.79 or 6 for £4.29? Most people take some pride in being careful shoppers but it's not easy when you have to do sums like that in your head (especially if you have a fretful toddler in tow). These are what my wife, ...
Having spent a decade fighting a most unpleasant breed of Tory in Cheshire this caught my eye
There was one of the now-to-be-regular meetings last night where the police invite the community to inform everybody as to what is going on and to enable everybody to meet (and speak to) the local policing team. It was very impressive, as it is clear that all of the various agencies are really starting to work together effectively to get results. From gangs to arson, the impression was clear that although Gorton is still an area of high crime, compared with other parts of the Country this targeted approach has started to remove (usually into custody) some of the more ...
Looks like it's going to be a long one, even though there are only two main items to discuss – an open debate on future electoral arrangements, and then what promises to be a long debate over the school closures and whether the Council should release open space to Philip Morant School, so they can ...
I spent some time last month with the Presiding Officer and officials giving evidence to the Assembly's Finance Committee on the Commission's budget. This is the amount of money that is needed to run the Parliamentary side of the Assembly. The Finance Committee has produced its report together with a number of useful recommendations. However, when I looked at the list of witnesses on page six I am missing. This is despite speaking on a number of occasions as is evidenced by the record of proceedings. I have been airbrushed out of this particular piece of history :-(
The Welsh Liberal Democrats' autumn conference begins this weekend at Glyndwr University, Wrexham. Next year's spring conference will take place between the evening of Friday, 5th February and the afternoon of Sunday, 7th Febuary in the Grand Theatre, Swansea.
Apparently we only have another week to wait before the unedifying spectacle of Nick Griffin MEP, the BNP leader, appearing on BBC's Question Time. Provocatively the BBC has asked Bonnie Greer to appear against him. For years I have supported the Liberal Democrats policy, and that of other parties, of not sharing a platform with them. Having seen ...
The BBC reports on Gordon Brown's statement today to the House of Commons on the situation in Afghanistan: Gordon Brown has announced plans to send 500 more troops to Afghanistan – but only if key conditions are met. The troops will be sent as long as they have the necessary equipment, if other Nato allies boost their troop numbers and more Afghan soldiers are trained. ... There are currently about 9,000 UK troops stationed in Afghanistan. There are also 150 reserve troops in the country which the Ministry of Defence said would be available for further temporary deployments. Below is ...
Yes, I do mean expenses - MP's expenses that is. In my working life, if someone is recruited to undertake a full scrutiny and to report back, their brief is carefully prepared so that all areas of concern are dealt with. Nick Clegg is right to point out that the main issue - "flipping" of homes to bamboozle the tax man - has not been dealt with. If the review has not been thorough then it must continue - the centre of Government must not be as difficult to clean up as the Augean stables of old. Senior Tory backbencher, ...
[IMG: torydog] Hot off the Macclesfield press, irrascible columnist (and professional dog trainer) Vic Barlow has sensationally blasted the Conservatives' selection policy–accusing Dave Cameron of favouring southern "nodding dogs." In a canine-heavy rant, the local bruiser lambasts George Osborne and a London-based barrister candidate, stating: "Our dog knows more about real life than these two" Crikey! He continues: "What Tory Central want are nodding dogs. Pedigrees mind you, not mongrels like us." Ouch. The article's worth a quick butcher's, largely for the sake of fun. Its class-warring, anti-London connotations (I suspect some of these candidates moved to the capital to ...
As reported elsewhere on this site the Welsh Economy and Transport Minister has been under some pressure recently. In particular he has had to explain away two reports that have heavily criticised the Welsh Assembly Government's overseas business promotion arm. One of these reports concluded that International Business Wales has significantly underperformed in the United States, Asia and some parts of Europe over the past five years. The Minister has also unveiled a new vision for the economy that involved investment in skills whilst at the same time supporting an Assembly budget that cut funding to Universities and further education ...
[IMG: http://www.wikio.co.uk] [IMG: Civic office] Ok, so I may have dissed twitter in the past- so I guess I need to eat some humble pie... The run down - as you probably missed it: Had written answers to 3 questions on street trees, fly tipping and a new comm police office (will put these up tomorrow) Housing strategy passes Gambling licensing principles - review - approved Cllr Lovelock is disappointed - Because we have questions about building a £70 million new Civic centre... Lib(sic)/con pact continues on the new civic - can't last for ever. This should read "Lab/con" - ...
Over at the Daily Telegraph, Nick Clegg urges Sir Thomas Legg – heading the Parliamentary inquiry into MPs' expenses – to go further than he has to date, and "take on the biggest abusers of the expenses regime". Here's an excerpt: 've instructed Liberal Democrat MPs to cooperate fully with Sir Thomas' investigations, and abide by any reasonable requests for repayments. But when the Legg process was first announced, I think most people expected the worst offences to come under the toughest scrutiny - MPs who avoided Capital Gains Tax, claimed cash for mortgages that didn't exist or 'flipped' their ...
As local residents, we thought you might like to know about the major resurfacing works that will be taking place on Chalk Farm Road and a part of Castlehaven Road for the next eight to nine weeks, beginning on 19th October and ending, hopefully, on the week beginning 14th December. Construction crews will be setting up ...
MP's are certainly worked up into a lather about Sir Thomas Legg and his insistence that they pay back some of their more lavish expenses claims. I can't help but see Legg's report as the natural conclusion of the punitive witch-hunting mood that built-up during the eye of the scandal storm. Legg knew he could make ...
The idea is to help folk whose 'business English' isn't up to managing the local accent. BBC Scotland has the details. Richard is not thinking of applying, he assures me. At least I think that's what he said....
I blogged yesterday about how Nick Clegg needs to improve the way in which he grabs the initiative on certain stories. Well today he has certainly done that. He has rightly called for Sir Thomas Legg to widen his audit into MPs' expenses to include the most serious breaches of the rules, namely the manipulation ...
From the BBC: A man on the run, wanted for fraud by US authorities, inadvertently revealed where he was hiding through a series of extravagant Facebook updates. Cameroon-born Maxi Sopo's messages made it clear he was living the high life in the Mexican resort of Cancun. It gets better: He also added a former US justice department official to his friend list who ended up helping to track him down. You can read the full story here.
I'll let Chris do the talking: Join the facebook group
Below is an edited e-mail I have just sent to someone organising the Demand Change campaign: http://www.demandchange.org.uk/ Their calls to criminalise paying for sex, while well-intentioned, would make life more dangerous for many prostitutes. Only by tackling supply of prostitutes by strictly regulating legal supply of heroin and cocaine - and removing the need to prostitute to fund a drug habit - can we produce an environment in which the most horrific instances of sexual exploitation can be effectively tackled. "Having read further on the issue of prostitution, I also have to say that I cannot support the Demand Change ...
Well, for an event ripe for satire, today's PMQs was a bit off-kilter. Mr Speaker Toad had clearly told everyone to be on their best behaviour and, incredibly, they were to a large extent. Gordon Brown started by reading out a list of all the service personnel killed in action in Afghanistan over the summer. This made for grim reading and it was rightly heard in respectful silence. Inevitably, after this, Members and Honourable Members made a point of associating themselves with the remarks and Gordon missed no opportunity to repeat his fulsome tribute. Unfortunately the more he repeated the ...
Time for a bit more probing underneath the figures about how big, amazing, awesome and must be copied the Obama 2008 Presidential campaign was. (See in particular my previous post about his fundraising.) New figures which have seeped out this month from a confidential report by Catalist, one of the big data and technology suppliers to Democrat campaigns, show that 49 million adults were contacted more than 127 million times. So far, so big. But let's put that in a UK money. Pro rata, it is equivalent to around 13,000 people per Westminster constituency being contacted an average of 2.5 ...
Prestwich Local Area Partnership is supporting a range of Christmas festivities in the town with a grant of £1,500. Throughout the run up to Christmas local residents and visitors will be able to visit a Christmas farmers market at Longfield Shopping Centre on Sunday 22 November. The grant is also being used to support the Community Lights Switch On later that day as the finale to the day, as well as a community carol service at St Mary's Church on the evening of Monday 21 December. Continuing the Christmas theme, Church Lane Community Centre was awarded £3,000 from the Local ...
Last night I submitted my objection to the proposed development of the Springbank Road Timber Yard. Dear officer, I'm writing to object to the planning application DC/09/72316/X for the development of the Timber Yard site on Springbank Road into a residential develpment of 33 flats. My main concern is the nature of the proposed development that as purely ...
PR Week have a report on Trafigura Posted via email from Rob's posterous
As the last two days have shown, people power and the power of the internet can win campaigns, now it is time to go back to the olden days as it were and send Trafigura a thank you postcard for alerting us to their work in the Ivory Coast. The wording of the postcard is as below. Dear #Trafigura, Thanks for making sure the actions of your lawyers mean I got to hear about your record today, 13th October, 2009. Previously, I had heard almost nothing about the publication of the Minton report you commissioned on the alleged dumping of ...
Remember Wolfram Alpha, the search engine unveiled to a large amount of hype in the spring? Since then it's all gone rather quiet, as the graph of the volume of online discussion about Wolfram Alpha demonstrates: [IMG: Wolfram Alpha online buzz] Graph courtesy of Nielsen BlogPulse. Click on graph for larger version.
Writing in today's Scotsman* but repeated on his own website Lib Dem MEP George Lyon has outlined the Lib Dem objections to Tony Blair being named the first President of the EU under the terms of the Lisbon Treaty. In the same paper this morning families of Iraq soldiers killed in the Iraq conflict say that far from be elevated to President in Brussels he should go to the Hague to face charges of war crimes. George ponders how the man who was responsible for the illegal invasion of Iraq, ignored millions across Europe who opposed the war, rode roughshod ...
In today's Guardian, Lib Dem shadow chancellor Vince Cable asnwers five questions that outline the party's approach to implementing the spending cuts which will be necessary in the next few years while protecting frontline public services. Here are the filletted highlights: On restoring professional autonomy ... One key step to getting the NHS and education working better is to motivate those who work there. Top-down, command-and-control management has done great damage. Staff have much to contribute but are currently treated as a cost rather than as a resource. On cutting bureaucracy ... Bureaucratic overheads are too large and there is ...
Trafford Council have a consultation into the future of green spaces. It would also affect the Mersey Valley, on the other side of the river. Grounds maintenance there leaves a lot of be desired, to say the least. Please find some time between now and Friday to offer your opinions. Estimates state 45% of the parks sers are from Chorlton, but because of the vagaries of ward boundaries we have less say. Make you voice heard by clicking on the link.
This consultation ... which I've blogged about earlier... finished on Monday this week. I dont' know the results yet and I suspect the Licensing Committee will get them first. I still feel that it would be wrong for Liverpool to attempt to put 18 certificates on films that show smoking (without some negative message about smoking) and I hope the consultation has shown that people agree with that view. I have done a Freedom of Information Question to the PCT about the cost of the marketing during this consultation. I was pretty appalled to see a full page ad in ...
It's a little tongue in cheek, but there's some good messages in this short video from Chris Davies MEP. Quite rightly, he asks, why should Blair be a shoe-in for the EU presidency? With the countless millions that live in Europe, surely the shortlist could be opened up a bit more (diversity anyone?) [IMG: Share/Bookmark]
I've had, and my colleagues have had, enquiries from people in the ward about the vacant bit of land opposite the Greenhill pub and by the junction of Booker Avenue and Greenhill Road. We've been pursuing this and have written back to people to update them. I'm aware though that there will be people wondering or worrying but not necessarily getting in touch. So I'll use the blog to update as well. The current situation is that the Council is pursuing the owners of the land (we know who they are) to get them to clear up and get it ...
The saga with the Trafigura injunction and the guardian is an interesting one.There has been a tendency to have secret court orders recently. Part 1 of Article 6 of the ECHR states:In the determination of his civil rights and obligations or of any criminal charge against him, everyone is entitled to a fair and public hearing within a reasonable time by an independent and impartial tribunal
There has been a certain glee in the air about the return of the British parliamentary expenses scandal back on to the political agenda. Journalists, whose own misdemeanours in this field are proverbial, have delighted in the humiliations that have beset the political class. The reaction from the voters has been, to coin a phrase, "they're all in it together". Rarely have politicians been held in lower public esteem. The general conventional wisdom is that an MP is probably a greedy rogue who seeks to put their own interest first and country second, if at all. The time has come- ...
'No more coals to Newcastle, no more Hoares to Paris,' was how King George V welcomed Anthony Eden as the new Foreign Secretary following the news of Britain's rejection of the Hoare-Laval Pact, which had sanctioned Italy's annexation of Abyssinia, and effectively ended the authority of the League of Nations. Samuel Hoare would now appear to have ...
[IMG: alcohol] People in Bury are being urged to 'rethink your drink' during Alcohol Awareness Week, which begins on Monday 19 October. Events will be taking place throughout the week, but on in the Millgate Shopping Centre in Bury on Saturday 24 October, members of the public can get involved in an exercise bike challenge to find out exactly how much exercise they need to take to burn off the calories in an alcoholic drink. Read the rest of this entry.
Astute readers may have noticed one or two mentions on the site yesterday concerning Trafigura, its lawyers Carter Ruck, and their attempts to impose a gagging junction on The Guardian preventing the reporting of Parliamentary proceedings. Not only was the issue promptly picked up by Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg, but two of the party's MPs, David Heath and Paul Burstow, were also quick off the mark in pledging to ask questions in the House of Commons – an action which, as Alix Mortimer has remarked, was perhaps decisive in forcing Trafigura to back down. So here for your delectation ...
The consultation event produced the inevitable conclusion that there are not enough bus services to key destinations from Ormesby Bank without needing to change buses. The services that remain after Arriva alterations all now travel down Cargo Fleet Lane. According to Council officials there were calls for: The re-introduction of the 66/67 circular service that previously gave direct access from the Nunthorpe area to Morrisons on Ormesby Road, James Cook Hospital on Marton Road, the One Life doctors' surgeries on Linthorpe Road into Middlesbrough. The extension of the route of Service 27 and other services that turn in the Overfields/ ...
On Monday when I wrote about the impending opening of letters in MP's offices Subrosa commented: "Your leader [Nick Clegg] angered me earlier with his 'I've paid back £900, a small amount...'. "It may be a small amount to Mr Clegg but it's two months income to me." While that is true I hope that she will agree with me and indeed Nick when what he means by small is that Legg's audit has missed the biggest expenses scam of them all. In today's Telegraph he writes "When the Legg process was first announced, I think most people expected the ...
The Tories seem to be taking the Bedford Mayor by-election fairly seriously - national Tory Party chair Pickes was canvassing yesterday. We know this as he canvassed a strong LD supporter and she promptly phoned in the Tory doorstep script to LD campaign HQ. Strangely, despite having a huge LD stakebard in her front garden Pickles seemed unaware of how she might be voting. Anyway, the Tory line is 'send Gordon Brown a message'. Bedford voters however might be sending the message that they want a competent and hard-working Mayor to handle the problems in the new Unitary Authority. Which ...
Yesterday, LDV began compiling a full list of the findings of Sir Thomas Legg's inquiries into MPs' expenses as they related to the Lib Dems' 63 MPs. We will be adding to this ist as information is received by us or published elsewhere: please leave a comment in the thread to update us, or alternatively email us at voice - voice.hat.libdemvoice.org.spam.com (this is spam bot hidden email address, replace .hat. with @ and remove .spam.com for the real one). As of Wednesday, we have information on almost one-half of the Parliamentary party, 29 MPs – here's the scores on the ...
Liberal Democrat Voice has started a web page, which is being updated on the fly, devoted to the response of each Liberal Democrat MP to the Legg letters. So far, the total is less than that which just one Conservative MP, Ken Clarke, is adjudged to have been overpaid. Speaking on Channel 4 news Nick Clegg called for a ban on MPs using public money in the property market. In interview with Jon Snow, he said: "I have been saying for months, well before the expenses scandal even hit the front pages of the Daily Telegraph that one of the ...
Earlier in the year, Brian Millard secured an automated traffic count for the South Park Road Estate - to be positioned near the underpass. Given that there are only 185 houses on the estate, proving just how much traffic comes on would give us good evidence to get the police to act on enforcement. Unfortunately, there was a delay (I don't know why, and Brian's sad death meant it wasn't followed up as quickly as it would normally have been). Now, I'm told, the count will soon be with us, so watch this space. Not having that count hasn't stopped ...
Choral Evensong, live on BBC Radio 3 at 4 o'clock this afternoon, is from Exeter Cathedral. It's specially interesting for me because the Director of Music there is godfather to one of my great nephews. Looking forward to that.
Now, if you're reading an article about X-ray scanning technology for use in airports which shows people 'naked' and it quotes someone as saying: The images are not erotic or pornographic and they cannot be stored or captured in any way. do you think the story will be: (a) Accompanied by no images from the scanning because, after all, they "cannot be stored or captured in any way", or (b) Accompanied by images from the scanning? I suspect you guessed correct. It was indeed a case of (b) in the Daily Mail report which, although generally giving a strong airing ...
Residents and local Councillors were surprised, and a little bit shocked, to be invited recently to an exhibition by a property developer setting out development plans for Pitt Manor. We'd understood from a City Council report back in March that the site had been put on the back-burner.The Pitt Manor site, in the south-west corner of Kilham Lane and Romsey Road is held in reserve in case there
Mark Hunter has had his letter from Sir Thomas Legg and has not been asked to pay anything back. Mark has published his expenses on his website for some time and will continue to do so.
Yesterday I updated www.dundeewestend.com about speeding concerns on the roads within the Ninewells Hospital grounds (see http://tinyurl.com/ninewellsspeed or click on the headline above to view). I received very prompt feedback yesterday from Brian Main, NHS Tayside's hospital site manager, about the concerns : "We have identified specific problem areas and are looking to introduce additional traffic calming measures to combat this. In addition we are continuing to discuss traffic management issues in general with colleagues at Dundee City Council (transport department) and Tayside Police (traffic division) who have both been helpful in the past. Be assured that we are aware ...
The film The Boys are Back opened last month in the USA. It is based on the book The Boys are Back in Town by Simon Carr, the Independent's parliamentary sketchwriter. In it Carr tells the story of bringing up his two sons from different marraiges after the death of his second wife. The Carr character is played in the film by Clive Owen. Carr is an engaging man - I have had dinner with him - but he is nothing like Clive Owen. Still, film-forward likes his performance:Clive Owen is perhaps the paramount reason to see the film. His ...
Here's an update from John MacNeil, Assistant National Manager - STV North, Digital UK received yesterday regarding the digital TV switchover and the Help Scheme : "More than 190,000 older and disabled people in the STV North region will be entitled to practical help to switch over to digital. The Switchover Help Scheme is run by the BBC through an agreement with the Government to help eligible older and disabled people to make the switch to digital on one of their TV sets. The Help Scheme has launched a television and print advertising campaign to raise awareness of the help ...
Today's Times reports that Hammersmith and Fulham Council have written to Mark Thompson, the BBC Director-General asking him to move Question Time from Television Centre, in White City, West London, over fears that thousands of protesters will picket the building because of the appearance of BNP Leader, Nick Griffin. The programme takes place on Thursday 22 October and will feature Baroness Warsi, the Tory spokeswoman for community cohesion and social action, Bonnie Greer, the black writer and broadcaster, Jack Straw, the Justice Secretary, and Chris Huhne, the Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman. The paper says that Unite Against Fascism, which ...
Everyone had fun yesterday watching the previously low profile Trafigura score a spectacular own goal as relatively obscure claims about dumping toxic waste on the Ivory Coast became common knowledge to millions around the world. But that's had enough coverage on LDV, so let's look at something else. Two big stories Nick Clegg won't be winning too many friends around Westminster as he calls for another look to be taken at MPs who indulged in flipping second homes and claiming for sometimes non-existent mortgages. If we're going to retrospectively re-write the rules for gardening and cleaning, Clegg's argument goes, let's ...
There is some moaning and whining from Members of Parliament over having to pay back some of their expenses. While all three of the main party leaders are asking their members to pay up. Here are some of the most ridiculous soundbites I have gathered this morning. Colin Challen, Labour MP for Morley and Rothwell is quoted in the Times as saying: "If Parliament can sweep away with the principle of justice for MPs, then the people should watch out — this Parliament could do away with the principles of justice in other areas too." Whoops rather poor choice of ...
On Saturday, I did a blog posting for Lib Dem Voice titled Muslims won't play with the gays, talking about two amateur football teams, Creteil Bebel and Paris Foot Gay who were due to play each other last weekend. The two teams are Creteil Bebel, a Muslim team and Paris Foot Gay are a gay friendly team set up to combat homophobia in the suburbs of Paris. Well, there appears to be an update now, Creteil Bebel director Zahir Belgharbi said there had been "a misunderstanding" and said his team were now ready to play against Paris Foot Gay. The ...
Welsh Liberal Democrats are calling on the Welsh Government to urgently clarify its position on inward investment, following a week of conflicting and confusing messages from Senior Government ministers to the business sector. Kirsty Williams, Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats said: "In a highly competitive global market Wales cannot afford to send mixed messages to investors. To announce there will be no more grants for inward investors is reckless in the extreme. There may well be no more grants, or far less but it's not a message we should be screaming from the rooftops. If the alternative 'offer' was ...
Rank these events in order of importance!!! 1066 - Norman Conquest: Battle of Hastings wherein the forces of William the Conqueror defeat the English army and kill Harold II of England. 1322 - Robert the Bruce defeats Edward II of England at Byland, forcing him to accept Scotland's independence. 1926 - Winnie-the-Pooh published. I think it'd have to be the last one :)
Chris Huhne, Lib Dem Shadow Home Secretary, has found that Police officers in England and Wales fired Tasers at children 18 times in the 12 months to March 2009, and a further 82 children were 'exposed to the use of Taser'. Given the serious ...
Local people have until 27th November to comment on the future of rail services in the area. Network Rail have published a draft "Route Utilisation Strategy" for Great Western services, including mainline services through Bristol and local services such as those from Yate. The document suggests that there could be an hourly service between Yate and Weston-super-Mare and also an hourly service from Portishead to Gloucester, stopping at Yate. If these proposals came into force there would then be two trains an hour between Yate and Bristol, although investment of more than £2 million would be required at Yate station ...
[IMG: http://www.wikio.co.uk] [IMG: 1010.jpg] The 10:10 campaign has involved several scientists, campaigners, celebrities, organisations and councils who have pledged to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions by 10 % during 2010. Nationally, the Liberal Democrats have supported this campaign from its very beginnings. At conference, our party set out to put climate change at the "heart" of all its councils policies. Commenting, Simon Hughes said: We are staring into the abyss - the tipping point for climate change catastrophe is dangerously close. Copenhagen is the best chance for governments to secure a tough deal which prevents global temperatures from rising by ...
I was especially proud of our team earlier this evening: each one stood up for what is important - protecting the vulnerable, looking after the environment, helping to overcome disadvantage while insisting on value for money. More will follow on that later! For now to mention that a key highlight was all party support for our motion on child protection and safeguarding. The JAR (Joint Area Review) report at the end of last year indicated major problems in Reading. Since then, we have been working through Scrutiny and with senior officers and councillors from other parties to make sure those ...
MPs are angry and some are considering legal action because Sir Thomas Legg has applied retrospective limits on the amounts that MPs can claim for their second home. The problem is that the MPs had no limits and it was their scheme. They have to take responsibility for an inadequate method of dealing with allowances. It must have seemed strange to MPs who were new to allowances. "So I can buy a new sink? Any sink? At any price?" Who checked on the need for a new sink in the first place? Without limits there is no reason why any ...
