I am knackered. Beer festival was very busy, we had a visitor in the shape of [IMG: [info - personal] ] shishmish (who had a bit of a nightmare journey up here, but made it and had a fab Harley Quinn costume and everything), and there was much drinking of beer. This entry is therefore going to be a bit less thoughtful than I might have hoped (and it's taken me over two hours to type, despite being mostly content-free)... New Year is a traditional time to review what happened in the last year and express your hopes for the ...
I didn't clear all that by myself, I only arrived after lunch actually, I wish I could have got there earlier but children's meals are sacred, and I was the one doing the cooking. Anyway, for the hour or so I was there I had a brilliant time playing with proper gardening tools and picking ...
Okay, so it should now be clear and out in the open that my preferred society would not have a politically organized coercive state government of any kind. It should be equally clear that this is not because I don't care about the least well off in society, but precisely because I do. And because I believe, in a creed consistent with that of some of the great thinkers of the "individualist left" of the past two centuries, that the state actually makes things worse for the people whom, nowadays at least, it (and therefore most of those active in ...
It's odd when journalists actually stick up for Lib Dems. It's even weirder when they stick up for Lib Dems in error, too. The controversy around the Adventure Playgrounds - that story where parents were banned from hanging around watching their kids - first caught my attention when The Heresiarch sent me a link to the Mayor Dorothy Thornhill's comments. After contemplating suicide, I decided not to give it too much extra through. Life's too short, isn't it? But, while I wasn't paying attention, the story became huge and the Mayor's comments on this subject were deleted. Luckily the Heresiarch ...
Somewhere in the crowds at this year's spectacular Darlington Firework Spectacular, my fellow blogger Nick Wallis experienced the event through the small lens of his camera. This year's event was themed on space and the planets and featured Darlington's very own helium filled balloon bobbing around erractically. I thought this year's event was exceptionally good, with booming music from Holst to
It was lovely tonight to be at the Town Hall where the Manchester Paralympic and Olympic Cycling Teams were both honoured with the freedom of the City. Manchester can justly be proud of the two teams, which train together. Tonight, several of the cyclists came straight from winning yet more gold medals at the World Championshps at the Velodrome. They all deserve the honour and the work which they are doing with local young people looks likely to lead to more success in the future.
Heard the one about the Labour MP telling snide porkies about the Liberal Democrats and using homophobic innuendo against the Tories on the radio? Or the Tory candidate so steeped in dirty tricks that she's called herself a nasty name and blamed it on the Liberal Democrats? I know from back when I used to be a candidate that it can be frustrating when no-one's talking about you, but I never stooped to making up coverage. So, stand up in the last week Caroline Righton, Conservative Liar in Cornwall and, from The Westminster Hour, Denis MacShane, Labour Liar for Rotherham. ...
[IMG: Leslie accepts the award] Enham Alamein has won the Highly Commended award at the recent Hampshire Village of the Year Awards. The award was accepted by chair of the parish council Leslie Barry. Speaking afterwards Leslie said "I was really pleased and proud to accept the award as the judges said this is award is for a first time entrant and a village with a fairly new parish council that has achieved so much in a short time." I echo her sentiments. The villagers and parish council of Enham thoroughly deserve this award. The progress they have made in ...
Yes. It was amusing to hear Darrell O'Brien going on about this on Wossie. He said that basically Griffin is "no good on telly". And he also said that the best bit was Griffin, afterwards, saying "Boo hoo - they ganged up on me". Good point. The BNP, as led by Griffin, seem to have an infinite ability to twist any argument around to extract, what they think is, maximum advantage. This oftens leads them into the most perverse positions. And the "they ganged up on me" position is perhaps one of the most perverse and self-defeating of the lot. ...
Today's Observer gives an interesting glimpse into the sort of government that David Cameron may lead with speculation that billionaire Tory donor Lord Ashcroft may be given a top foreign policy role in a future Conservative government. The source of this sopeculation is that he has accompanied the shadow foreign secretary to key meetings overseas. The paper says that the peer, who pumps millions of pounds into marginal seats but refuses to say whether he pays tax in Britain, is flying William Hague around the world and went with him on his recent trip to the US, during which Hague ...
Alcohol is a recreational drug. Most people tolerate it well - they use it in moderation and suffer very little in the way of side effects. It should be a model of how reasonable, self interested adults are perfectly capable, when they know the facts, of using recreational drugs in a mostly beneficial way. We should be the kind of society where we can make informed, adult choices about these things. But informed, rational adults are not the target of the drug prohibition. It's children and the yahoos and the donkeys that behave like children that seem to 'demand' that ...
One event I was really sorry to miss while I was away were the celebrations to mark the transfer of Leybridge and Newstead Estates to new landlord Broomleigh. The transfer had been some time in the making, with residents working with the Council for over three years to get the right deal for their estates. As local councillors, we were strongly supportive of the transfer. We knew residents were fed up with years of poor maintenance of their estates, and wanted a real change. Residents worked extremely hard, first to find the right landlord for them, and then to make ...
I was very disappointed this week with the Conservative group in Conwy. In Principal scrutiny committee Wednesday 28th October, chaired by the conservative leader, they tabled a recommendation to cut the percentage of affordable housing in the corporate plan from 50% to 25% stating 50% is not achievable!!.I believe 50% is a challenging target but we all need targets and goals. I had a part in negotiations in Llandudno Junction in which we were successful in achieving 30% affordable housing on an application of 225 units just off Victoria Drive, giving the opportunity to 67 local families to afford or ...
The liberal democrats AGM for Epping Forest went really well this october 2009. This was my first attendance at the AGM but many of the other members informed me how they thought this was one of the best. Good public speaking by Janet and Jon White house and a nice closing speech from Ann Haigh our PPC. A sad farewell to Kathy the current chair who clearly done a great job and a welcome to the new chair Graham. It was also made clear from the speechs that we have a real fight on our hands to win district seats ...
A couple of photos from walking around Newbury this weekend. It's very good to see the new cinema ready for the off. Something tells me that the wide glass front to the lobby, which looks out onto the busy Market Street/Cheap Street junction, is likely to attract....well let's just say "exhibitionists". I'll leave it at that. It's great to see that the Monument pub has spruced itself up. Some years ago, the "Monument" title was drowned out by its owner's brand name. Now they seem rightly proud of this historic name, with its connections to the Great Fire of London. ...
[IMG: MHL noticeboard] I got back from NZ to find an email from Peter Richardson, Chair of the Friends and Users of Manor House Library. He wanted to share with me this photo of the unveiling of their new noticeboard at the Manor House, funded by last year's locality fund. It's taken a while, but thanks in no small part to Peter's persistence, the board's now been installed and hopefully more people will become aware of the Friends' work. The photo shows Claire from the library with Peter, Pat and Mary from the user group, and my colleague Cllr Paul ...
Word reaches us that some big names will be looking in on the first Lib Dem Bloggers Unconference in Edinburgh on 21 November. They include Tavish Scott, John Barrett, Mike Crockart (newly selected PPC for Edinburgh West) and Jo Swinson. We hope this will be the first of many informal get-togethers for Liberal Democrat bloggers. Further details on Liberal Democrat Voice.
[IMG: 073] Apologies for the interpution in service! I've been away for the last three weeks, enjoying what was probably the holiday of a lifetime in New Zealand. However, I'm now back in the UK and have (just about) recovered from my jet lag. There's been lots going on while I've been away though, and I'll post a couple of things just now. The photo shows me with one of the Moeraki Boulders, which are some very unusual spherical boulders which are (very distantly!) related to the 'cannonball' rock formations found in my native Sunderland. I'd always been told back ...
Appeal Hearing 52-62a Beddington Gardens All three Wallington South Ward Councillors: Colin Hall, Richard Bailey and myself attended at least part of this appeal hearing to enable our opposition to the application to be voiced. Tom Brake MP also attended the morning session and there were also a number of interested local residents. The Inspector addressed the ...
There is a fascinating letter in today's Wales on Sunday from Plaid Cymru rent-a-quote, Chris Franks in which he alleges that the Conservatives want to scrap the free bus pass scheme in Wales. But fear not, Deputy First Minister and Plaid Cymru leader, Ieuan Wyn Jones has flown to the rescue (though not on Ieuan-air for once). Apparently, he has offered his full protection to the scheme even though it was never under threat. How do we know it has never been under threat? Well because Ieuan Wyn Jones told us so when we debated it in Assembly Plenary. Quite ...
Hat tip: Cato
[IMG: YouTube film screenshot - Lynne Featherstone] Here's my latest Ham & High column: A few days ago I met the new CEO of First Capital Connect, the train company which services much of Haringey. I talked to Jim Morgan in particular about the issues arising from their cut backs to ticket office opening hours at Hornsey, Bowes Park, Alexandra Palace and Harringay stations. Although the previous campaigning by myself and residents helped reduce the extent of the cuts, the opening hours have still been severely reduced. A local resident contacted me about long queues at ticket machines when the ...
A fourth Egyptian has died from swine flu (H1N1 virus): a tragedy for the person's family, of course, to whom one can only extend sympathy. But it hardly adds up to an epidemic. Death tolls are far higher in parts of Asia, Europe and the Americas. So why the sense of panic and all the ...
This sensitive issue surfaced earlier in the year when MSPs expenses were revealed and it was obvious that some MSPs had claimed money back for poppy wreaths when they attended a Remembrance Sunday event. Now the body that governs Holyrood's expenses system has decided that politicians should be allowed to charge the taxpayer if they are representing the parliament at a wreath-laying ceremony. What a load of utter rubbish. Firstly, the MSP does not represent the Scottish Parliament for anything whatsoever, they represent their constituents. Secondly, the whole ethos behind the wreaths is to remember those who have given their ...
Sun 1st
16:59
Why Nick Cohen should worry less about twitchforks and more about the media Frankenstein
Dear Tony, Thank you so much for your interest in the position of European President, which was recently advertised in the national and international press. As you demonstrated, through your impressive Curriculum Vitae, you have both the experience and the ability to fulfil the role, and act as an internationally recognisable figure. So it may come as a ...
1973 and 1974 were the years when I obsessively followed the singles chart. Looking back, they were two very poor years for music - glam rock, Chinn-Chapman and all that. What followed was even worse, with several novelty records (Billy Connolly, Typically Tropical, Windsor Davies and Don Estelle) getting to number one while we waited impatiently for punk and new wave to be invented. But there were some good songs in 1975. This was Procul Harum's last single (it made no. 16) and I liked it at the time, suggesting that even then I recognised that the sixties bands were ...
No mists here for the start of November, just torrential rain. The torrents hitting the windows woke me early and they continued till lunch time. I'm not usually envious of people in sunnier climes but friends jetting off on Friday to Spain certainly had the better deal this morning. At least the water table has been topped up.It made us very glad our carport had been installed so that we
I was meant to be doing Lib Dem campaigning today, but a family emergency kept me from being able to (had to sit by the phone waiting for news of a hospitalised relative – nothing too serious, don't worry), so while I was sat round twiddling my thumbs, I decided to digitise a CD I'd ...
The latest round up from Jon Sopel of the best bits from today's TV political shows is now up on the BBC website, including this observation: If you think there's a dearth of senior Tories from Sopel on Sunday, that's because there is. Could it be that with the MPs' expenses scandal still raging, senior Conservatives had collectively decided it might be a good weekend to leave the microphones and make-up to politicians from other parties?
Posted in Photography Tagged: Photography
I have just written a short post on the subject for The Corridor.
I'm really hoping this is the last time I have to write anything about Cornish Tory Smear Queen, Caroline Righton. I absolutely have far better things to do on a Sunday than spend my time penning another rant about the struggling Tory PPC for St Austell and Newquay, but her steadfast refusal to apologise for ...
The need to make improvemets to Fox Hollies Park has been discussed at several recent Acocks Green Ward Committees. As a result I fixed up some meetings with the local Parks Manager and colleagues from the Environment Agency and the locla Wildlife Trust. One of the initial fears was that Westley Brook, which runs through the middle of the Park, is badly polluted by what are known as 'missed connections' upstream. These happen when people improve their homes but dont connect new pipes to the sewage system. However while there probably are a few missed connections there clearly arent many ...
Every man needs a hobby, and regular readers will know that mine is bureaucracy. I served as Regional Secretary in London for three years (2005 to 2007). And now I'm back (from outer space) but with a twist. And so, it is with great pleasure that, on 1 January, I will be taking up my new role as Regional Secretary for the East of England Liberal Democrats. A man should keep himself busy, after all...
Working in public affairs means I get to travel outside the tribe and visit other Party Conferences, if exhausting after 3-4 weeks, it's never a bad experience. In the main they are not dissimilar; set pieces in the conference halls, fringe meetings where the real debates happen, training sessions, social events with plenty of opportunity to end your career if you enjoy them too much, and halls full of exhibitors. Within those halls one of highlights is the opportunity to engage in a little shopping. We have Lib Dem Image, Labour have their Campaign Shop, the Conservatives have Shop for ...
The Council has received an application from JW Lees for the above. They have applied to vary the hours for the following: Performance of Live Music, Playing of Recorded Music, Provision of facilities for Making Music, Provision of facilities for Dancing, Late Night Refreshment. Monday to Sunday 12.00 until Midnight Public Holidays 12.00 until 1.00 am the following day The notice will be displayed on the premises from 1/11/2009, so the objection period will end on 29/11/2009 If you need any further assistance please contact a member of the licensing team on 0161 253 5208, or contact one of your ...
Just sometimes I stumble across a new blog that is so gripping, funny or interesting that I rapidly devour all the posts in the archives and then wish the next post would appear right away. But Gaby Hinsliff's new blog - on standing down as The Observer's political editor - is all three and more. Here's a taster of her lovely mix of warm style, provocative points and interesting content: Women doing deals from the kitchen with small child underfoot will usually try to hide the fact they're not in the office in case people think it's unprofessional. But doing ...
I've just been taken out for Sunday lunch by an old friend who knows exactly how independent I am and how far from my dotage. I'm glad of the help as, for the shortest time possible (believe me!) I am using sticks to keep the pressure off my knee and it's always nice to be taken out to lunch BUT..... I now fully understand the title of a radio programme aimed at disabled or older people: "Does he take sugar?" Even in a town where I am well known as something of an independent "so and so", I have been ...
Blink and you might have missed it: first details of a discussion about ways to cut the costs of running elections are leaked and then Jack Straw promptly disowns them and kills off the discussion. Given how weak the proposals were – and the relatively small sums involved – I think that was the right decision by Straw and, although he and Liberal Democrats are usually not the best of friends, I think there'll be widespread agreement in the Lib Dems with his comment, "Democracy has to be paid for". Ideas such as replacing the general election freepost leaflets with ...
It has just been reported that Dr Les King has resigned from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs in support of Professor David Nutt who was sacked by Alan Johnson on Friday. Dr King, who is well respected in this field and was previously head of the Drugs Intelligence Unit in the Forensic Science Service said: There is a very strong feeling among the council's members.I'm not going to say just how many I think might resign but there is an extremely angry feeling among most council members.Amongst the scientists, I think a number will resign. It doesn't ...
Launched this appeal Thursday. Saturday I received a telephone call from Tescos informing me that the trolley was full to overflowing. My thanks to all who have contributed and Saturday was only day 3. We have until the end of November for the collection of these goods and during this time we will expand this appeal to other local supermarkets.
MPs are currently paid £64,766. The current median average salary in the UK is £25,123. So MPs earn more than 2.5 times the average salary. I know that they are expected to live in and commute between two separate places but they are given an allowance to cover the cost of the second home (if they live far enough away from Westminster) and also given expenses to cover the cost of travel between the two places. I also know that there are likely to be some changes to the regime around this but I am sure that MPs will still ...
As I've said before, there are some real touches of class when it comes to the ways in which Vodafone messes up its customer service. The latest comes with my phone bills where - oh look - there's a wrong charge for an insurance policy that I didn't take out. That'd be a wrong charge arising from a visit to their main Oxford Street shop where the member of staff didn't follow Vodafone's documented procedures and the Assistant Manager subsequently didn't seem bothered about it until I pressed him on the point several times. So the shop makes me queue ...
Courtesy of the LibDems4Parliament website, here is the list of PPC selections closing this month: Ealing North – PPC (07 Nov 2009) Doncaster Central – PPC, Doncaster North – PPC, Don Valley – PPC (13 Nov 2009) Central Devon – PPC (13 Nov 2009) For further details on how you could become the Liberal Democrat prospective candidate in any of these constituencies see http://libdems4parliament.org.uk/events.
I recently attended a Liberal Democrat fridge event at the southern Regional conference on PVE (Prevent Violent Extremism) and its impact on the Muslim community. I learnt that local governments are being forced to take on the PVE agenda. I thought it would be a good idea to highlight this because I'm not sure that many people are aware of PVE outside of the Muslim community and government and its implications for all of us. PVE was developed by the government as a local government system to counter terrorism. This strategy is known as CONTEST. The aim is to Pursue ...
Grandchildren Daniel, Jessica and Charlotte
On Monday, I mentioned (see http://tinyurl.com/studentallotments or click on the headline above) that I had met with three University of Dundee students who are working on a project to encourage those who want to start growing their own fruit and vegetables in Dundee. I was very impressed with their enthusiasm and commitment and have asked the Leisure & Communities Department to assist this very worthwhile project. Over 50 students have already shown interest in it and the Botanic Garden has provided an area to provide a plot to get started, but the group is keen to identify other plots across ...
[IMG: Lynne Featherstone, Cllr Martin Newton and London Assembly Member, Caroline Pidgeon] Finally I managed to get Transport for London (TfL), Haringey PCT and me together in the same place to discuss the need for local people to be able to access services at the new Community Health Centre at Hornsey Hospital. We have this wonderful new facility - which we all hope is going to be filled with services that local people will access - making life much easier for all. Fly in the ointment is that despite this being raised as a key issue at every public meeting ...
The proposals coming out of the Treasury today that the big nationalised banks will be partly broken up raises the question of why on earth did Gordon Brown push through the very opposite last year with Lloyds and HBOS. This merger was very much the pet project of Brown. It has been a disaster for Lloyds. And it also created a vast banking organisation which a year later the Government wants to
Now that I've risen to the lofty heights of being a Town Council committee vice-chairman I wish to say that I have no wish to be a vice-chair or a vice-chairwoman or a vice-chairperson. I am a vice-chairman. Chairman and vice-chairman are the correct terms. "Man" in this sense is the Old English word meaning any human being who is being addressed - and it has meant that for about fourteen centuries. Later, influenced by German, the term "man" came to mean an adult male person. Not only is it an Old English term but the word "man" is still ...
... is 'Strange Magic'
The decision of the Scottish Liberal Democrat Conference yesterday to reject Salmond's independence referendum proposal (see http://tinyurl.com/referdumno) is a decision I greatly welcome. This effectively kills off the SNP referendum proposal this side of the 2011 election and judging by the latest polls (see http://tinyurl.com/snpdecline) that show the SNP firmly behind Labour in likely seats in the Scottish Parliament were an election to take place now for the Scottish Parliament, with Liberal Democrats, Tories and Greens gaining seats as the SNP slides, the likelihood of a referendum after 2011 also now looks unlikely. I have indicated in the past (see ...
According to the Telegraph, Tory plans for tax breaks for married couples would cost nearly £5bn/year and benefit richer couples most. The figures were obtained by us Lib Dems in a parliamentary written answer. They show that THREE out of FIVE couples would NOT benefit at all from the Tory proposal because both husband and wife work. Lord Oakeshott our Treasury spokesperson has quite rightly asked, "Why should mothers who go out to work and struggle to bring up a family pay more tax to support women who don't? The biggest tax break is going to the best off. Cameron ...
I went to the Faith Plant Centre (Faith Plant Centre, Palm House, Wolves Lane, Wood Green N22 5JD) - the one that together with local users we saved not that long ago when it was under threatened closure by withdrawal of funding. There is a most remarkable jungle area, desert area and rain forest area - as well as a garden centre - which provides training and work for volunteers with a variety of disabilities. They also run a restaurant and coffee shop - also staffed with volunteers with a range of disabilities. It is a truly fantastic place - ...
In October I had 9,650 Pageviews from 7,675 Visits and a total of 4,891 Absolute Unique Visitors. My top 5 blog posts were: 1) BBC Question Time Live Chat - 22nd October 2009 - #bbcqt (The infamous Nick Griffin one had nearly 3 times as many attendees to the chat as I normally get and lots of people watching it on replay)2) Has Bracknell sent a message about local candidates in primaries?3) Nadine Dorries did not get to parliament on the same basis as everyone else4) Is Paxman/Boris the new Frost/Nixon?5) Jan Moir and The Daily Mail vs Twitter and ...
I admit it. I've changed my mind. Having been quite taken with the description of "the teacup line" to explain London Underground's plans for the Circle Line, I must now admit that - having seen the publicity - it's actually becoming more of a monocle line.
As last month, thanks again to Stephen Glenn, I am going to continue a summary of my visitor stats according to google analytics for October 2009. I did this last month for the first time and it was quite interesting for me just to see, a couple of others said it was fun, bless them for that. The busiest day on my blog last month was Monday 26th October when the fury of the Caroline Righton smear story broke. Last month I had 2,549 absolute unique visitors up from 1,311 in September. They made 3,877 visits and 4,975 page views. ...
[IMG: Appearing on Radio 4's The Westminster Hour with Carolyn Quinn] I'm back on The Westminster Hour tonight (Sunday) - tune in to Radio 4 from 10pm. If you miss the show you'll be able to listen again on their website.
I like numbers beginning with Four! 440 signatures on the petition calling for Gordon Brown to instigate a review of the decision to build Consett's Academy on Belle Vue. 4102 individual visits to this website last month, a new record. Mind you I like numbers that begin with Five even better! 500 signatures so that Gordon Brown will reply to our call. You can make it happen by clicking here and signing the petition online. Clearly if every visitor to this site signed up we'd be there in no time. 5,000 visitors in a month. I reckon that will take ...
A deluded tribute to a drugged-up man-child; or loving testament to a still-great entertainer? This Is It – the film of the rehearsals of the stage show for Michael Jackson's never-to-be 50-concert series – falls between these two stools, and many others: part homage, part DVD extra, part documentary. As a film it never quite works out what it wants to be. This will matter less to Jackson fans* than it will to the Jackson-curious. The film consists of a medley of Jackon numbers spliced together from the various rehearsals between March and June. With no chronology it's impossible to ...
The Voice is only a success because of the interest and support from our readers. For many people just lurking and reading the site is all they want to do – and that's fine, we're grateful for people taking the time to read the site. You can though help us continue to produce interesting content for a growing audience. Here are three simple ways: 1. Let us have your tips for stories. Perhaps there's something outrageous going on in your local council? Or you're an expert in a particular area and have spotted a story other people have missed? Or ...
I'm running a series of posts to summarise over 400 pages of documents in way that helps those who live and work in Stockport Borough understand the issues we're facing, the options we have and the Council proposals in how the Borough develops over the next 17 years. This is the third post. You can read my overview plus my piece on the Accessibility Appraisal paper. This one covers the Core Strategy DPD Preferred Options Consultation, which you can read in full, and comment on, here. This time I'm trying to condense 140 pages into a few hundred words - ...
[IMG: diary.JPG] 2nd - Bury Liberal Democrats Annual General Meeting 3rd - Area Partnership Chairs Meeting, Bury Town Hall 3rd - Joint Scrutiny Climate Change Working Group 4th - Meeting with Longfield Precinct businesses 5th - PUBLIC MEETING: Save the Longfield Suite campaign. 7pm at the Longfield suite with the leader of Bury Council. All welcome, 6th - Bury Liberal Democrats Annual Dinner 8th - Remembrance Sunday - Prestwich Service at Heaton Park Congregational Church followed by parade and wreath laying ceremony at Prestwich Cenotaph on Rectory Lane. 10th - St.Michaels RC Primary School, Whitefield, Governors Meeting 12th - Prestwich ...
The SNP released a press release last night. It quotes MSP Dr Alasdair Allan who said: "All parties must endorse the right of the people of Scotland to have their say on Scotland's constitutional future." So here's a question why don't the SNP want the people of Scotland to have their say? They want to ask a question of the people which says: "I agree that the Scottish Government should negotiate a settlement with the Government of the United Kingdom so that Scotland becomes an independent state." Look at that carefully. They are going to let the UK Parliament have ...
My adviser on football tells me that the referee who allowed the infamous "beach ball goal" against Liverpool has been disciplined: (this report is dated October 19th) Mike Jones, the referee who incorrectly awarded Darren Bent's goal for Sunderland against Liverpool on Saturday, will not officiate in the Premier League this weekend. Bent's shot struck a beach ball thrown from the visiting section at the Stadium of Light and deflected past the Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina. Fifa's laws of the game state "the referee should stop, suspend or abandon the match because of outside interference of any kind", meaning the ...
So I climbed into the top 50 of the Wikio Political blogs at the start of month alpha as a nearly blog, will my elevenses and 101 in the Total Politics Polls. Even Andrew Reeves said 'don't encourage' me. So does that climb make be less of a nearly blog? Well there are still 46 blogs ahead of me. Last month I had 2,516 absolute unique visitors up from 2,326 in September. They made 3,863 visits and 4,671 page views. So a 10% boost for the nearly blog's confidence. My busiest day was the 17th October the day of Stephen ...
Oh dear! the deselection of Liz Truss by Norfolk Conservatives is something of a challenge for the so-called modernisers around David Cameron. To most people these days, the deselection of someone because they had an extra-marital affair several years ago looks pretty absurd. These days the majority of the population are understanding about the pressures that can cause marriages to fail, and know that the idea of blaming someone is often wide of the mark. Nevertheless it is only to be expected that Conservatives would be more concerned about the issue of marriage and morality. Social Conservatives pay a great ...
Look at the wonderful nostalgia pervading the government's expected announcement of the break-up of the government controlled banks. You can smell it. We'll see the return of the dear old Trustees Savings Bank! How wonderful and quaint! I remember we had a little branch in Bude in Landsdown Road back in the sixties. Marvellous. And even more wonderful and obscure - we'll see the return of the Williams & Glyn's bank! Am I dreaming this? It's all redolant of those old leather bound blotters, pens on chains, polished wood and managers in three piece suits who wrote you stern letters ...
Lord Heseltine has been the latest political figure to talk seriously about the distinct possibility of a hung Parliament (BBC Hard Talk). He may believe it. He may be attempting to guard against complacency from within his own party. Either way we can all see that the question of a hung parliament , far from going away, is getting increasing airtime. Given that the Lib Dems have singularly failed to deliver a convincing narrative around which to hang its policies perhaps a different tack is required. One that harnesses the media's growing fascination with the prospect of a hung parliament ...
There was an interesting call to Any Answers? yesterday from a former Chief Investigations Officer with the customs service, who was in that career for 40 years and has followed and attended the deliberations of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs. He said that it should be borne in mind that, apart from Professor Nutt, another Professor on the Council was and is advising in the opposite direction - i.e its reclassification to its present Class B status. That was Professor Lewis Appleby, the government's Director Mental Health. So, the situation does not seem as clear-cut as has ...
[IMG: http://www.wikio.co.uk] Ok, may be not... "I'll buy anything if its shiny and made by apple" How very true!
It's Sunday. It's 7am. And we've got the definitive musical proof that Australian Premier Kevin Rudd is not US President Barack Obama. But first, the news. 2 Big Stories Government to set up bank chains Done well, this could be rather good news. A bit more competition in the banking sector could improve service, reduce costs and – by undermining some of the basis for massive bank profits – indirectly help deal with massive bonus payments: Three new High Street banking chains are to be created by the government by 2015 as part of a major overhaul. They will be ...
Today (and tomorrow, curiously) is the Day of the Dead. It's a festival I've always rather liked the idea of, not too mawkish, but rather colourful, varied, and personal. The idea is that it's the one day of the year when the dead can come back and visit the living, and people are therefore encouraged to ...
Hardly surprising I see that SNP Tactical Voting is getting all Steamie about what has been reported about yesterday's end of day consultation session at the Lib Dem conference. I see the BBC, along with other media is giving only part of the story on the debate that went on earlier today. I guess it is easy journalistic shorthand to simply write that the Lib Dems are opposed to a referendum on the subject of independence. Actually what came out of yesterday was that that the party was opposed to this particular referendum. Let's look at the specifics. The SNP ...
Sun 1st
04:29
Why do Caroline Righton and David Cameron's Tories remain silent about the smear campaign?
Over a week ago Caroline Righton made a desperate, but untrue smear attack on the Liberal Democrats candidate for the new St. Austell & Newquay seat in Cornwall, Stephen Gilbert. Last Sunday I blogged, "Caroline Righton and Tories in dirty campaign tricks - shame" this is all about a twitter comment from Stephen Gilbert: "was at meeting about regeneration of major town (declined by Tory PPC; Tory PPC at a publicity stunt (declined by me)" The Conservative candidate, Caroline Righton then shared this on her email but alleging that Steve had actually sent this out with this next piece added ...
Well, there were shocks and strange decisions yesterday at the Scottish Liberal Democrats conference in Dunfermline. According to the media, we were holding it behind closed doors to keep the splits private, erm wrong, it was behind closed doors because only Party Members can vote on amending our Constitution, why would we let anyone else in on that? The decision for this conference to be a Members only event was taken around 6 or 7 months ago, long before the decision to discuss Independence was taken. The SNP are obviously unhappy today as they assumed we would split, splinter and ...
Can you remember any of President Obama's policies that got him elected? Well there was something about health and I remember that he doesn't want to follow the British system. But wasn't that after the election? I also remember a lot of hostility to change, presumably from the powerful private health care lobby. The point is that image is often more important than policy. It was time for change in America and they got change. So what sort of image is David Cameron portraying, in particular what are his party's views on Europe? Well they aren't mainstream. He hasn't aligned ...
