The Lecture on Tuesday at the Bournemouth Natural Science Society is River Plate By John SmithTuesday 8th December 7.30 - http://www.bnss.fslife.co.uk/programme.htmlApologies for confusionLisa NorthoverTo unsubscribe from this newsletter, click here
The European Commission President, José Manuel Barroso, had some frank words for his host, President Victor Yushchenko, in Kiev today at an EU-Ukraine Summit that was dominated by fears over possible new disruption to European gas supplies via Ukraine, the former Soviet Republic's economic decline and its ongoing political turmoil. As Mr Barroso declared starkly, 'it ...
Been a little while since we've had a planning application in the ward, but this week's list includes an application for building an "additional storey to existing two storey building" at 19 Augustus Close. The application reference is 09/1072/FUL, and more details can be obtained from the planning department in the usual ways (see the development control webpage for more info). For the sake of openness I should probably observe that 19 Augustus Close is the address of our County Councillor Andy Pellew.
OK Mark Lazarowicz needn't worry too much the latest Lib Dem is Edinburgh North and Leith won't be able to vote for 18 (hopefully 16) years. Welcome to the world the 7lbs 10oz bundle of joy that is the new daughter and first child of Lib Dem PPC for Edinburgh North and Leith Kevin Lang and his wife Jenni. Considering the last time I saw that mother was Tuesday night when she had to drive up to Jamacia Street with the other car because the expectant father had forgotten that he's transferred the deliveries for the evening to the other ...
Something struck me about the following comment relating to Eric Pickles (reported on PoliticsHome) and his view on the recent politics 'class war': "Mr Pickles said that Labour were going "back to the future" on class by making it an issue and added that he believed that Britons are no longer interested in it." I think it ...
Mister Stephen managed to get the lovely Miss Caron to watch some of this year's Tour de France. It is a little cold outside to day so what better way to warm my paws up than to think of the sunny climes of France in July when the Grand Tour is almost exclusively within France itself. For Caron and others here is a preview of the route. Last year the race was decided on the climb of Mont Ventoux and even Miss Caron was enjoying the spectacle and acheivement as the top five in the General Classifiacation of last year ...
Based on the report from Liam Donaldson on the weekly swine flu figures, there are almost as many questions as answers given the government's dreadful response to swine flu. The government are apparently worried about the continued flow of under fives in to hospital because of their extreme reaction to swine flu. Interestingly though, under fives are equally prone to hospitalisation from normal seasonal flu, so it is a mystery why under fives are not routinely offered the seasonal flu vaccine. I know someone whose three year old has been admitted to hospital in each of the last two years ...
Dear Fraser, Governments have just a couple more days to agree real action on the environment. This is our last chance to act to cut carbon emissions and prevent catastrophic climate change. That's why I'm going to the demonstration in London - the Copenhagen Wave - tomorrow. Simon Hughes is going, hundreds of Liberal Democrats are signed up and Liberal Youth and the Green Liberal Democrats have done fantastic work organising support. Liberal Democrats have an unmatched record on the environment. In Parliament and in councils up and down the country, we've taken the lead on green energy, plans to ...
Question Time last night was an education. We must be most grateful to Private (Don't tell him) Pike Andrew Lansley and Kirstie Allsopp for reminding us, at great length, that we should not be prejudiced on the basis of class. As Krishnan Guru-Murphy tweeted @krishgm: "funny how its all the posh people who complain about class discrimination these days. hilarious!" Of course, the mansion tax is wrong because Kirstie Allsopp's in-laws live in a house worth more than £2 million and don't have much income. And if naughty Vince applies such a tax they will simply sell the house and ...
Fri 4th
20:15
Thoughts from the Train: is there a point where local democracy becomes an expensive vanity?
I am a democrat to my very fingertips. It was my fascination with enabling people to take an active role in determining those who should represent them that led me to take my first steps into the political arena, and I remain an enthusiastic supporter of campaigns to improve our democracy. And yet, I find myself wondering about what is an appropriate size for a democratic unit. As a Parish councillor, I am responsible for a precept of £4,000, 70% of which is spent on the salary and expenses of our Parish Clerk. In the case of Creeting St Peter, ...
Hardly a day has gone past over the past few months without more meaningless statements from Labour ministers about housing. As Lib Dem housing spokesperson on Reading Borough Council since 2006 I spent a lot of time on the doorstep, in the Council chamber and on this blog campaigning for action rather than empty promises on housing issues. Earlier today John Healey, Minister for Housing announced the publication of new guidleines to councils about how they should allocate council houses to people on the housing register. But as this BBC article points out the pledge itself amounts to nothing new: "the ...
Those of you who know Winnersh will know that when it rains hard a large puddle forms in the road by the station ticket office. When I say "a large puddle" I mean a mini-pond which stretches more than halfway across the road and is deep enough to lap over the kerb onto the pavement. It is of sufficient size for my fellow-Lib Dem ward councillor to have suggested we purchase a fishing gnome for it. And it has been much in evidence since the beginning of November, due to us having rather a lot of rain (don't tell me ...
When you need to judge whether an economic model works or not, try a 20 year view
Today's House Points column from Liberal Democrat News. Jo Gilberston had a piece about the British Waterways sell off on Lib Dem Voice yesterday. I also have an article about the Lib Dem bloggers unconference in this week's issue. I'll post it here sometime over the weekend. H2O heave-ho On Monday Robert Flello intervened on Linda Waltho. Observers at Westminster have been waiting for this as avidly as cricket fans once waited for Lillee to be caught Willey bowled Dilley. It took place during an adjournment debate Waltho had called about Britain's inland waterways. The restoration of Britain's canals has ...
I have asked the City Council to relocate the neighbourhood recycling facility at High Mill a short distance away from its current location, following complaints from residents about the noise of bottles being dropped into the recycling units that are currently situated close to residents' homes. There's an obvious alternative site in the adjacent car park. I also asked for a new recycling point for the residents of Osborne Place, following residents' requests for this. I have had the following feedback this week from the City Council's Recycling Projects' Officer : "Fraser Further to our earlier discussions, I have a ...
Last year I got home too late to see much of the Christmas Market (and it was pouring with rain) so today I enjoyed both the dry weather and the time to look around the stalls. Sadly I still managed to miss the singing on the piazza. [IMG: Epping Christmas Market 2009] The Town Council does a good job of organising the event but it would be helpful to have a bit of information about what is due to happen when. (UPDATE: after the event I found a programme of events here [PDF]) The Christmas Tree Festival, which I look ...
I attended the latest meeting of the Acocks Green South Police Tasking Meeting on Wednesday evening at Lakey Lane Primary School. New priorities set were: 1) Anti Social Behaviour at the top of Edenbridge Road (by the top of Lakefield Close) 2) Congestion around Lakey Lane Primary School caused by parking at the end of the school day Anti Social Behaviour was reported to have declined in the priority areas set last month (Tibland Road, Thornfield Road and Northanger Road). Residents were pleased with the progress made by the neighbourhood policing team but agreed on the need to remain vigilant. ...
Renewal of Bridge over Railway Contractors are still confident that all the works will be finished by the due date for the road to be fully reopened on 19 December. Room Thermometers have been produced by the council to help keep you at the right temperature! Pick one up at the library! Fungi Cannot Hear John SmithTuesday 8th December 7.30 - http://www.bnss.fslife.co.uk/programme.html
What could be simpler: five categories, each with five links. And it's Friday. 5 most-read stories on LDV this week 1. Spelman drops Conservative pledges to abolish RDAs (6) by Mark Pack 2. Probably the most inappropriate Christmas card ever sent ... (1) by Stephen Tall 3. Liberal Democrat victory in St Austell Bay by-election (8) by Helen Duffett 4. Prime Minister removes all Christmas imagery from official Christmas cards (11) by Mark Pack 5. Zac Goldsmith's non-dom tax status: your LDV reader (15) by Stephen Tall 5 active LDV Members' Forum threads Chris on the Lords front bench Zac ...
Stockport residents are encouraged to get into the festive spirit by coming along to the Enchanted Christmas event at Hat Works. This magical family fun day is filled with Christmas delights for all ages and takes place on Sunday 6th December, from 1.00pm to 4.30pm. Throughout the event visitors will be able to enjoy seasonal craft activities, music and dance performances. The Liberty Bells barbershop choir and The Warren Wood School Brass Band promises to raise the rafters with their Christmas carols and the festive dance performances by the Arlette Muldoon School of Dance are sure to entertain with their ...
Last night I attended the members Christmas preview evening of the Busy Bee Toyshop on Wilbraham Road in Chorlton. I joined the Busy Bee co-op earlier this this year when the much loved shop was threatened with closure. After months of hard work by local people and refurbishing and updating the shop it reopened again in the Summer. I was so encouraged to see that the new shop is going from strength to strength. I really enjoyed talking to other members, the committee members and the shop's manager Claire. The homemade mince pies were delicious and the window display and ...
Last night I attended the members Christmas preview evening of the Busy Bee Toyshop on Wilbraham Road in Chorlton. I joined the Busy Bee co-op earlier this this year when the much loved shop was threatened with closure. After months of hard work by local people and refurbishing and updating the shop it reopened again in the Summer. I was so encouraged to see that the new shop is going from strength to strength. I really enjoyed talking to other members, the committee members and the shop's manager Claire. The homemade mince pies were delicious and the window display and ...
Bet that headline has shocked some of you. Yeah I know I can hear the Nats saying "Nick? Don't you mean Tavish?". I can hear certain Labourites going blah about time. I can also sense certain Lib Dems are working out how to do me in. But bear with me and let me tell you why. Nick has just sent an email to all the Lib Dem supporters asking "What are you doing tomorrow?". Well I have a very good answer, do you? He then goes on to invite me to join him and Simon Hughes. I'd love to, I ...
More success in Redcar There were two principal council by-elections held on the 3rd December. The Lib Dems held one seat and Labour took a seat off the Tories. In the only Parish and Town council election result reported to ALDC the Tories took a seat from Labour. In the Ormesby Ward of Redcar and Cleveland Unitary Authority we held the seat comfortably increasing our share of the vote in an already safe ward . The by-election was held due to the resignation of long serving Lib Dem Councillor Eric Empson and was the sixth in just over twelve months ...
What the hell is happening in the Scottish blogosphere? Recently there have been some blogs disappearing from amongst our midst, such as Advanced Media Watch, Wardog, Moridura, and even Jeff at SNP Tactical Voting is wondering what the end game for bloggers is. And now another day and another blog has shut down. Today it is the turn of Subrosa and to be honest this is all becoming strange and somewhat weird now. It appears someone has discovered Subrosa's identity and she wants to ensure her family is safe. I blogged on Sunday about Mike Russell MSPs former staffer Mark ...
[IMG: Lynne and winner Aylin] This year's winner of my Christmas card competition is Aylin Acarturk from Rhodes Avenue Primary School. Aylin is in year 4. I loved Aylin's use of quite subtle colour - and the brilliant idea of Santa Claus taking his ice skates in one hand and sack of presents in the other - and going off to Ally Pally to take to the ice! The theme this year was 'Santa Claus is Coming to our part of Town' - and will feature on thousands of Christmas cards that I send out to local people. I've had ...
in Borders to join other carrion feasting on carcase. Amazon still cheaper tho. Ah, that'd by why then. # @markpack ah, but you should've gone for b&w. Film noir 2.0. # @markpack btw, think I've fixed my Twitter new post url alert probs by signing up to bit.ly # off for lunch with PD James at the Bodleian. (With a few other people, it's true.) #
I have been in two minds about blogging this for a while as I thought this story was a tad unbelievable but the evidence does seem to be mounting up. I should warn people that this post will probably decent into a bit of a rant..... Parents who wish to educate their child at home should be subject to a CRB check say children and schools watchdog Ofsted. There is already a bill going through Parliament that backs the idea of a home-schooling registration scheme but the regulator (as ever) want to take it further. In a written report to ...
The team leaders ('coordinators') of the political groups on the European Parliament's environment committee gathered for one of our regular business planning meetings. The chairman, a German socialist who had perhaps been nobbled by one of his British Labour colleagues, started the session by referring to the fact that the Parliament's delegation to the Copenhagen conference would include a climate change 'denier' who would hardly represent the majority view in meetings with other parliamentarians. The arrangement is that every group gets representation in proportion to its size, but was there anything we should do? I spoke first. "I know who ...
Bury Conservatives conceded defeat again this week and agreed to scale down cuts to the Youth Service after opposition intervention. They agreed not simply to cut the Council's Youth Service and instead merge it with the Connexions service which provides help and support for 13-19 year olds. This climbdown came after two opposition scrutiny commissions recommended the merger option, which halves the amount of contact hours with young people lost each week. A £200,000 cut in the youth service was outlined in the last Tory budget. This was to be achieved by holding a service review, because quite how to ...
Redcar & Cleveland UA, OrmesbyLD Ann Wilson 1084 (73.5; +12.4)Lab 210 (14.2; -5.0)UKIP 103 (7.0; +7.0)Con 77 (5.2; -14.4)Majority 874Turnout 29.55%LD holdPercentage change is since May 2007.Thanet DC, Dane ValleyLab 318 (34.2; -3.9)LD Bill Furness 260 (28.0; +28.0)Con 222 (23.9; -19.7)Ind 130 (14.0; -4.4)Majority 58Turnout 17.0%Lab gain from ConPercentage change is since May 2007.Deal TC, North
Hurrah. Yeah it is that time on a Friday to down tools and enjoy your weekend. As has become a regular feature in recent weeks I'm going to help those of you with hair to let it down, for the rest of you like me who are hirsuitely challenged at least I hope to bring a smile to you face. First off here is that nice family picture from the front of a Christmas card from a nice family living in suburban Orlando, Florida. Some used to think he could walk on water. However, what really went on last weekend. ...
Fri 4th
16:45
Huhne on Goldsmith and Ashcroft: "the Tories see taxes as something that happens to other people"
Today's Daily Telegraph reports that top Tory Zac Goldsmith did not tell his local party about his 'non-dom' tax status when he was selected to fight the next election against the Lib Dems' Susan Kramer: Earlier this week announced that he [sic] planned to surrender his "non-dom" status from the current tax year to defuse the row. However yesterday it was disclosed that Mr Goldsmith had failed to tell his local Conservative party about his tax status when he was selected as prospective parliamentary candidate for Richmond Park in March 2007. Pamela Fleming, the association's chairman, said the matter was ...
67) Catherine Keller, Face of the Deep: A Theology of Becoming (New York: Taylor & Francis, 2007, Kindle edition). An extended meditation on the creation story from Genesis 1 (and on references to it in the Prophets and Job), taking a postmodern feminist approach. The results are mixed - the early chapters are probably the best example I've seen of a postmodern analysis of a scriptural text adding genuine depth to the interpretation, and the chapters on creation in Job and in the early Fathers are also very good (though I think some of her criticism of the doctrine of ...
There were two principal council by-elections held on the 3rd December. The Lib Dems held one seat and Labour took a seat off the Tories. In the only Parish and Town council election result reported to ALDC the Tories took a seat from Labour. In the Ormesby Ward of Redcar and Cleveland Unitary Authority we held the seat comfortably increasing our share of the vote in an already safe ward . The by-election was held due to the resignation of long serving Lib Dem Councillor Eric Empson and was the sixth in just over twelve months in Redcar constituency and ...
Was going to write up a bit on the husband and wife fighting it out for the held Labour seat of Pudsey in Leeds and getting well and truly trounced by the son of a Leeds Labour Councillor but Guido beat me to it.
Redcar and Cleveland Council here in the North East region has had 6 by-elections in the past 12 months, which must make it the by-election capital of the country. 4 of the contests have been won by the Lib Dems. Yesterday's by-election in Ormesby ward is one of the 4. It was a Lib Dem ward in the first place but there was a significant swing to us in an area that was already predominantly Lib
[IMG: Muswell Hill. Photo credit: markhillary, Flickr] Here's my latest column for the Muswell Hill Flyer and the Highgate Handbook: It must be horrible to have drunks vomit over your garden wall, throw estate agents signs into your front porch and to feel threatened if coming home in the dark alone. But that's the experience of those who live near the clubs at the top of Muswell Hill - and many other places where the alcohol fuelled version of the night-time economy blossoms. But what can actually be done about it? That really is the big question. It's one posed ...
Agents, let's face it, are not designed to be popular, that's the job of the candidate. It's the agent's job to make sure that an election campaign is delivered successfully. This takes a range of skills from enthusing, encouraging, negotiating, arguing, urging and at times telling. It was a long time ago, in the 1995 local council ...
Much has been made of Gordon Brown's comments that the Conservatives tax policies appear to have been 'dreamt up on the playing fields of Eton'. It featured heavily on last nights Question Time; Andrew Lansley complained vigorously on the Conservatives behalf saying that this showed the 'return of Old Labour'. Firstly, I think it is a bit ...
From Gav's View: The ruling Conservatives in Adur have been rocked by a second defection in a fortnight, as Southlands Councillor Carl English has followed colleague Gavin Ayling in choosing to cross the floor to the Liberal Democrats "Since my election in 2006, I have found it increasingly difficult to defend Tory policies, locally or nationally," said Councillor English. "On the doorstep, when people have attacked the Tories, I have found myself agreeing with them more and more that Adur is being let down by the Conservative administration. When you are asked to put party ahead of people; when you're ...
Just days ahead of Copenhagen, the Conservative PPC for Birmingham Ladywood has questioned the science behind the man-made climate change argument. As the City Council was passing the "Birmingham Declaration on Climate Change", Cllr Colin Hughes went on a libertarian rant accusing his Council colleagues of using climate change as an excuse to boss people around. Whilst I agree complex government "just for the sake of it" is unnecessary, solving issues such as climate change requires cross-party support and strong leadership at all levels of Government. This is exactly what Birmingham has done - something which should be celebrated, not ...
The very disappointing news came through this week that Cornwall has been rejected in its bid for £580 million of funding in the Building Schools for the Future scheme. The aim was to bring all of the county's 31 secondary and four special schools up to scratch. Instead, the Government have chosen 11 areas - predominantly Labour areas - which will get the cash instead. It's thoroughly frustrating and means that many Cornish pupils will have to be taught (and teachers have to teach) in outdated classrooms for many years to come. The bid originated under the Lib Dem run ...
Sita have formally submitted their planning application to move their waste and recycling site to Bangors Lane on the Pennygillam Industrial Estate. The plan is to move their existing facility - which is too small - and to create a much larger site which will continue to provide a range of recycling options for residents as well as to enable the transfer of household rubbish from the regular bin lorries into larger vehicles. Larger trucks will be able to carry more waste and so cut down on the number of journeys overall. I've had the benefit of seeing initial plans ...
No, this isn't another blog about Zac Goldsmith's personal fortune, but a really excited response to the big news this week in Kingston. £300million is the amount Kingston will be getting from the Building Schools for the Future programme. The first tranche of £100million will become available in 2012 when work can begin on a new secondary school in North Kingston. The rest of the funding will be used to rebuild or improve all the borough's secondary and special schools. Given the imaginative design of the new building for Chessington Community College we can expect some terrific projects over the ...
UB40 sang "I am the one in ten", but it appears that I am too. According to National Express East Anglia, they aim to respond to 90% of complaints within six working days. Well, today is day eight. I'm still waiting, ladies and gentlemen...
On Sunday the 6th December independent councilor Karen Scarrott will be organising a march to save Warwick Fire Station. Karen has kindly invited all of the Parliamentary Candidates for Warwick. During the public meeting we attended in September we were told our response to the consultation should be based on Fact rather than Emotion. Yet we left the meeting with many questions unanswered. That is why l have been working with my Lib-Dem colleagues across Warwickshire to dig out the facts using 'Freedom of Information Requests'. Below I have posted links to all of these documents - I hope you ...
On 6 June 1859, at Willis's Rooms in King Street, St James, London, three groups of MPs - Radicals, Whigs and Peelites - met to formalise their parliamentary coalition to oust the Conservative government of Lord Derby and bring in a new administration under Lord Palmerston. Thus was born the first Liberal government, and the meeting in Willis's Rooms marks the foundation of the Liberal Party. To mark this 150th anniversary of the formation of the Liberal Party, and to commemorate the Willis' Rooms meeting permanently, the Liberal Democrat History Group is arranging to erect a Westminster Council 'heritage plaque' ...
[IMG: Ladywood ward - city centre housing] Birmingham Liberal Democrats took a bold step this week proposing the "Birmingham Declaration On Climate Change", which was adopted at Tuesday's full Council meeting. Proposed by group leader Cllr Paul Tilsley and seconded by Ladywood's Parliamentary Candidate Cllr Ayoub Khan, the Declaration shows Birmingham's desire to lead the way out of this dual economic and environmental crisis we find ourselves in. The Declaration will mean the country's biggest local authority will use its purchasing power to stimulate the city's green economy, creating new jobs whilst reducing energy bills for the residents. I am ...
If so, Islington Council wants your views it the online survey here. Other than saying I'd like more trees (dog loves trees - there's a surprise) I also mentioned the increasing number of abandoned tree pits around the bits of the borough which I frequent. Where a tree on the pavement has been removed, it should either be replaced or - if that's not practical for reasons such as roots damaging utility pipes - then the tree pit should get paved over again. Instead, there are several pits that have been left empty around here - with the resulting litter ...
Most people, I suppose, think of a 'bonus' as something extra. A pay 'bonus' in this definition means something earned by 'defined exceptional circumstances' - not something paid over as routine. So good work, increasing efficiency, improved customer satisfaction - all the might earn a bonus. The 'Financial Sector' likes to claim that their 'bonuses' are just like this, a kind of posh term for 'payment by results' or 'piecework rates'. This may be the kind of hot air that suggests the collective noun 'a Wunch of Bankers'. The reality may be the 'Tournament System' so ably described for lay ...
The article by Rachel Banner of True Wales over on Wales Home underlines both how that organisation misunderstands the nature of representative democracy but also what an uphill struggle it will be to win the referendum on law-making powers for the Welsh Assembly when it comes. I am going to start this post with the assumption that True Wales' supposed agenda to secure real devolved power for Welsh people is a disingenuous distraction tactic. In truth that organisation specialises in such diversions. That can be seen in claims by various spokespeople that a 'yes' vote in the referendum would be ...
One item approved without too much fuss by Lewisham Council last week was a scheme of delegation so that officers can take decisions without Mayoral consent. (Documents here, item 11 and appendixes) This was presented as a way to make the Council efficient and as a formal recognition of the status quo that only updates on an ...
Headlines: - Clarence Road application granted (conditions were attached) - demolition of Fleetville Library refused - retrospective planning permission for 10 Upton Avenue refused For details click here.
Bury Conservatives conceded defeat again this week in their latest attempt at "cut first consult later". They agreed not to cut the Councils Youth Services and instead merge it with the connexions service which provides help and support for 13-19 year olds. OK admittedly not so much defeat as an ignominious retreat, but leaving many unswered questions that could still adversely affect the service. For those not in the know at the last Council budget the Conservatives voted through a massive cut in finances for the service, then agreed that the issue should be consulted on following protests. Then recently ...
Ed Balls was speaking in LUU today. I didn't go because all that would be spouted out is the same New Labour rubbish all over again. Despite the appearance of a Labour fightback over the last week the Tories shouldn't be under estimated. Cameron made a comment to Balls in PMQs on Wednesday that was quite interesting. He said something along the lines of Balls having to be careful in his marginal seat. Now for anyone who follows Leeds politics that would hardly be a surprise to them. The new seat of Morley and Outwood will be a tough one ...
After two months of poll fluctuations triggered by the ups-and-downs of party conference-dominated media coverage, November gives us an opportunity to look at the parties' popularity, as measured by the polls, for the first time since early September. Here, in chronological order, are the results of the 10 polls published in November: Tories 41.0, Labour 27.0, Lib Dems 17.0 (6 Nov, YouGov) Tories 38.0, Labour 24.0, Lib Dems 20.0 (6 Nov, Angus RS) Tories 39.0, Labour 29.0, Lib Dems 18.0 (10 Nov, Populus) Tories 39.0, Labour 25.0, Lib Dems 17.0 (15 Nov, ComRes) Tories 41.0, Labour 27.0, Lib Dems 18.0 ...
You may have heard the Spire FM report about the "almost 40,000" letters that the Salisbury Lib Dems have had to pull because of Robert's retirement - http://bit.ly/6rJ7y5 I can confirm this report. We've got just over 38,000 letters here in the Constituency Office. Because these letters refer to Robert Key as the Tory Candidate at the next election, they are no longer factually accurate. As such, we've made the decision that they shouldn't be delivered. There is no disguising that this is a set back - or a "hiccup" as Spire FM described it! Each letter has been individually ...
There has been some talk recently of a Tobin Tax, Gordon Brown suggested it at a G20 meeting and a yougov poll has shown 53% are in favour of a tax on city trading.
One of the more depressing aspects of the endless pandering to headlines engaged in by the political parties (all of them – I'm not just going to give the Tories a kicking for a change) is that we all end up having to suffer hopeless, counter-productive legislation which usually tends to do a lot more ...
Charges have been dropped against a man who allegedely homophobically abused the Leader of Glasgow city council. I think I know which version of events in this story I beleive...
I saw this 'tweet' from Peter Moore pointing out that Grimaldi Park has been turned into 'something resembling a bowl of porridge'. That doesn't sound good! So I looked into it. The current digging up – made messier by the rain – is in fact the first stage of transforming the park for the better. ...
[IMG: nightclub] The BBC reports that a troupe of MPs, led by the esteemed moral cruisader Keith Vaz, will be making their way to nightclubs in order to: look at what goes on during "student nights" The MPs are from the Commons committee on home affairs [or perhaps Drunken Kids Snogging on the Dancefloor] and are going to check out the "latest cocaine-detecting technology", having spent some time schmoozing with people who campaign against the right to decide what you consume or don't consume with your own body. Labour MP Gwyn Prosser said: "What struck me was that the young ...
Working in politics you get to work with a lot of interesting, influential and even exciting people. It's one of the reasons that lots of people are attracted to work for the Liberal Democrats and other political parties as interns. Over the years I have worked with many interns and many have found jobs in politics, ...
Yesterday I blogged about the bankers at RBS using the SNP tactic of not just taking the ball away, but themselves out of the game if their bonuses of £1.5 bn (25% of profits) are turned down by Government. Today I see that Martin McGuinness the Deputy First Minister in Northern Ireland is threatening, in coded language, that the same may happen in Northern Ireland over the timing of devolution and justice to Stormont. I say coded message so let me decipher, McGuinness says that the institutions are unsustainable without a date for devolution of policing by Christmas. You may ...
Think staircases are just a burden to use when the lifts are broken? Think again as you look at these ten amazing staircases from around the world. One I would add to the list, though it isn't open to the public most of the year, is the Grand Shaft. It's a very clever triple spiral staircase built on the Western Heights in Dover that is really three staircases in one, letting troops rush down from the top of a cliff to the bottom in order to defend Dover at treble the rate a normal staircase would have allowed.
Reacting to the news of Corus closure, Ian Swales, Liberal Democrat prospective MP for Redcar said: "The news about the Corus closure is devastating for Teesside. Unfortunately it's not a great surprise as this is the end of a long process caused by lack of investment and world market conditions. It has also been clear that the Government had no intention of helping the Teesside plants survive. "I hope that the process of finding a new owner for the plant will continue and that "moth balling" is not just a device to avoid the massive environmental restoration that will be ...
Even bad weather didn't stop local residents giving decisive support to the Liberal Democrat candidate Ann Wilson in yesterday's by-election following the retirement of highly respected Lib Dem Councillor Eric Empson. The result confirmed that the local Liberal Democrats are on track as Labour's main challengers - Ann Wilson Liberal Democrat 1084 - an increased vote over 2007 of 13% Labour 210 - down 5% UKIP 103 Conservative 77 - down 15%. New Councillor Ann Wilson said after the result was announced, "I am delighted to have the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of such as highly espected Councillor ...
I see that Cornwall Council has spent a load of taxpayers' money on a new advice leaflet telling farmers how to drive on roads. I'm sure that most readers will have been frustrated to have been stuck behind a farmer on the road every so often. I know that most drivers have also come across roads caked in mud after a tractor has come out of a field. But what effect will this leaflet actually have? Farmers have a job to do. At certain times that means they have to take slow moving vehicles onto the roads. Often these vehicles ...
Morning Quickie. I just couldn't resist using this as the title of a post. Andy Serkis who brought Gollum to life in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy is to play Ian Dury back to life in his next role in musical bo-pic Sex, And Drugs and Rock and Roll.
An excellent point is made here by David Lawson on the LD proposal to increase the personal tax allowance for everyone to significantly improve the position of the lowest paid - and to benefit everyone earning an 'ordinary' salary. He makes the excellent point that the policy is being sidelined by the main commentators in favour of their usual trick of highlighting 'divisions', 'u-turns' and internal arguments rather than bothering with any of the detail. This is, therefore, simply a plug for the other blog piece which I recommend highly.
Redcar and Cleveland Liberal Democrats are celebrating their fourth by-election win in Redcar constituency in just over twelve months. Candidate Ann Wilson cruised to victory in the Ormesby Ward By-Election with a majority over Labour of 874. The result was as follows: Ann Wilson (Lib Dem)..1084 (73.5%; +12.4%) Steven Goldswain (Lab).210 (14.2%; -5.1%) Martin Bulmer (UKIP)...103 (7.0%; +7.0%) Colin Jones (Con).......77 (5.2%; -14.4%) Majority 874 Turnout 29.55% Lib Dem hold The by-election was held due to the resignation of long serving Lib Dem Councillor Eric Empson and was the sixth in just over twelve months in Redcar constituency. The Lib ...
As The Voice and others have covered this week, the Liberal Democrat policy on a Euro-referendum – or not – has been in the news. Understandably the media reports have caused some confusion over what the party's current policy is – and on this occasion I don't think the media is to blame. The party's policy has been that if there is to be a European referendum, it should be an in/out referendum. However, lurking behind the word "if" were two different points of view earlier this year. One group of people believed that an in/out referendum was a good ...
The British press have been raising the subject of the number of innocent people who have been taking photographs who have been questioned by Police. On the face of it, it is wholly appropriate for the Police to be vigilant against the threat of terrorism, however the framing of the anti-terror legislation has been sloppy and open ended. In fact this is the defining characteristic of Nu Labour legislation across the board. The determination to pass legislation with minimum scrutiny has led to a huge amount of badly drafted bills being signed into law, and has required repeated repair to ...
I am due to start a new job in January. I will be working in Oxford and to get there I will almost certainly use the toll bridge outside Eynsham which was sold for £1.08m yesterday. This means that every day I will have to give myself an extra half an hour to queue to cross the bridge. I will be able to watch in frustration as large lorries and other vehicles seeking to get from the A40 to the nearby Eynsham Business Park have to work their way across the queues of cars and I will be able to ...
Cross-posted from Reputation Online: The humble two and three pin electrical plugs and sockets are in many ways a mini-marvel of standardisation. Electricity generation and power distribution companies can change what they do and how they do it in all sorts of different ways, as can the manufacturers of devices which requiring plugging in. But as long as each keep the socket and the plug the same, their changes don't get in the way of the new systems and products continuing to happily work together. The common standard for the interface between electricity generation and consumption means people can make ...
Oh dear, oh dear, the Environment Minister, Ed Miliband, has been caught out by the increasingly Stalinist 'munsnet' chat group over his admission that he uses disposable nappies for his child. He cited the fatally flawed evidence - funded by disposable nappy makers - that disposables are no more damaging than reusables if you wash your reusables at 90%, tumble dry them and then iron them, which no one in their right mind would dream of doing unless they were a freak American celeb. What strikes me about this whole debate is how absolute it is. Its a little microcosm ...
There is a set of well known slights aimed at the Liberal Democrats. First, no one knows what they stand for. Or maybe they stand for lots of things but too complex and subtle for anyone to bother with. Secondly, they are just somewhere in between Tories and Labour. And that means you don't need to listen to what they say because you can just take a bit off the edges of Tory and Labour. Sell it right and this week's tax policy is the sort of thing that will at least chip away at those preconceptions. Conveniently it may ...
This week's Pod Delusion podcast is out and is well worth a listen as usual. I appear as part of an ensemble in the final item.... Contents: My Gay Straight Wedding (0:37) by Salim Fadhley50 for 10: Support The Guardian (7:19) by Jon TreadwayDrugs and Steroids (14:40) by Owen DuffySimon Singh: The Movie (22:14) by Crispian Jago and the Pod Delusion Players
David Cameron announced with a huge fanfare at PMQs last week how the government was funding a school with trustees from Hizb ut-Tahrir with money that was meant to combat Muslim extremism. It now turns out that he was wrong on a number of points. Well done to Cameron for setting the record straight but this does raise a more serious point. It hardly inspires confidence in a possible future Prime Minister that he can get such a simple fact as this wrong. Politicians can't get away with getting things wrong now thanks to the fast paced world of internet ...
Below I have put the copies of the responses that we have received since calling on the Government to step in to help the Dairy Farmers in West Lindsey since the collapse of the Dairy Farmers of Great Britain. The original motion said: The motion was wholeheartedly supported by all the members of the council and the council wrote to the Government to express our wishes. The Government has
A newsletter arrives from the Benefits and Work website, which is a useful resource for all elected politicians. Even though these matters are not devolved I get a fair few queries and make quite good use of the various MPs' hotlines that are available to try and resolve them. One of the issues that has come my way recently is plans by the Government to cut Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance for over 65s together with a number of other reforms that seem better designed to save money rather than help those who are dependent on these benefits for ...
There is a festering wound at the heart of British political discourse these days, and it all stems from one thing: the banking bail out. The banks – all of them – appear not to accept the reality of the situation, that without the enormous levels of support from the taxpayer, and without the unprecedented levels ...
The National Audit Office ought to be reporting: "Tiny investment reaps massive reward for government bailout".
Here's a column I've written for Liberal Democrat News: The Channel 4 fly-on-the wall series, The Family, is about an Indian family - the Grewels. The wife of one of the sons hasn't spoken to her own mother for over five years because her mother did not approve of her choice of husband. The Grewels believe that their daughter-in-law was rejected by her mother because their son was not from a high enough caste - that rigid system of social groups determined by birth or occupation. Whilst we might well disapprove of this situation, we would think it inappropriate for ...
Fri 4th
09:00
Toronto's laudable efforts to reduce CO2 do not make up for the destruction caused by Alberta and th...
I'm delighted to hear from the Mayor of Toronto that his city is making significant cuts in its emissions and is fully participating in the C40 group of cities working to combat climate change. However the fact remains that the destruction being caused by Alberta and the Canadian national government far outweighs anything being done by Canadians as individuals or cities and is in danger of destroying Canada's longstanding reputation as a bastion of progressive values. Canada is the centre of the oil tar sands industry (see photo below) which is converting natural gas and fresh water into oil and ...
Gosh it's cold out! It's only ten minutes to work, I've been in the office ten minutes and I'm still freezing. I'm reading Bad Science at the moment. It's a great book, and everyone should read and understand it.
I have just listened to John Prescott and Eric Pickles dukeing it out on the radio regarding Labour's attacks on "pubic school toffs." As a person who grew up on a council estate and went to the school at the bottom of Stockton LEAs league table (Last A*-C results 8%) I don't care. I don't care where you were born, schooled or grew up. If you are going into public life I do care about your policies and what you are going to do if you win power. Leaving aside the sheer hypocrisy of Labour politicians who went to public ...
Well, Barroso caught people on the hop last Friday lunchtime - as he did early in August 2004 - by announcing much earlier than expected the portfolios he wishes each Commissioner to hold. British sniping at Frenchman Michel Barnier getting the internal market and financial services brief ('ruling the City of London' in the words of the tabloids) and French carping at the relatively inexperienced Catherine Ashton being put in charge of foreign and security policy simply go to show how little we have progressed since Agincourt. They also betray a fundamental misunderstanding of how collegiality in the European Commission ...
It's December 4th, and 210 years since the day William Pitt the Younger introduced income tax to help pay for the Napoleonic Wars. By that time, The Observer (the world's first Sunday newspaper) was already celebrating its ninth birthday. 2 Must-Read Blog Posts What are other Liberal Democrat bloggers saying? Here are two posts that have caught the eye from the Liberal Democrat Blogs aggregator: Sally Bercow is only human like the rest of us Mark Thompson speaks up for the Speaker's wife's right to speak up. There Have Been Too Many Goodbyes.... Stephen Glenn speaks up for anonymous blogs, ...
Well I've gone and done it! Read my first Dickens – Great Expectations to be precise. Though the vernacular is hard work – what a ripping good yarn it is. Let' s discuss it!
The finale of the Gorton 100 year will take place on Sunday 6th December at the Monastery from 2 - 4:30. This will be followed by a lantern parade and fireworks in Gorton Park. It's been a great year of celebrating 100 years of Gorton's heritage. Do come along and enjoy. And don't forget this Saturday there is a drop-in session at Gorton Market, 12 - 1. All welcome. We'll be in the seated area.
I've spent time over the last couple of days working with Council officers to get all the Christmas lights up and working in Gatley. The street-lighting people have been out fixing stars down Church Road and (from my check last night) all of them seem to be working - let me know if not. The christmas tree by the bowling green on Altrincham Road is all set up, of course. The one on Gatley Green is still in its netting. It hasn't been forgotten! It just takes time to get round all the trees in the Borough and it'll be ...
Your browser does not support iframes. Click on the picture to go the British Pathe site and a 1950 interview with the Liberal Leader.
Occasionally, we here at 'Liberal Bureaucracy' like to help those in need of some good advice, and it has been brought to our attention that Zac Goldsmith is in need of some just at the moment. So, here are our first thoughts... Shut up. Every time you talk about your personal tax affairs, you provide more ammunition for those campaigning against you. If £10,000 is a marginal amount for you, it isn't for most people. There are more of them than there are of you, and they have votes.Check your Constituency Association's website to make sure that it doesn't cause ...
It's the time of year when London kids enjoy a pantomime, including that old favourite, 'Puss in Boots'. Famously, Dick Whittington is told to 'turn again', to give the story a happy ending. But our local Whittington Hospital faces a very unhappy future under government-backed NHS plans. We are told there are four choices for reorganising ...
RT @Amelia_Torode: The brilliantly brilliant & colourfully-suited WCRS Robin Wight is new to Twitter, pls follow & say hi @robinwightuk # RT @freenuts Top 10 Websites to Convert Images to Favicons Online for Free http://bit.ly/6wLjri # @marshallmanson For an online outfit, they've been surprisingly slow to respond as story spread online in reply to marshallmanson # RT @DaveGorman: Sometimes I think what the world really needs is an animated gif of a bunny eating an ice cream: http://bit.ly/8uF9X2 # Testing out the new Google search interface and rather chuffed to discover a namesake has writtne this: http://bit.ly/8XeW7g # Irony corner: ...
As a councillor I get complaints most days about council services in Reading, I'm sorry to say. This is not to say all Council services are poor - some are, some aren't. But if people have a gripe about an RBC service I am usually one of the first people who gets to hear about it. This has occured in part because I am someone who has earned a reputation for getting things done. Kirsten gets a lot of communication from residents with planning queries and Glenn is getting a strong reputation as something of a guru when it comes to advice ...
Earlier this year I was in the happy position of voting through a proposal to ensure Camden signed up to the 10:10 campaign - aimed at cutting carbon emissions by 10% in the year 2010. Time Out have just run a feature (How climate friendly is the capital?) about what London Boroughs are signed up. It is very interesting to note the political colours of those that have signed up... 10:10 isn't just aimed at organisations though. Individuals, businesses, schools and all kinds of other organisations are encouraged to make the commitment too. Find out more by going to www.1010uk.org ...
As many of my readers know there are generally three things in life that keep me posting - politics, obviously, LGBT issues and animal rights. Today, it is animal rights I want your help with. One of the many charities I actively support and help is the Hillside Animal Sanctuary which mainly operates from Frettenham near Norwich. They don't put the animals down unless they really have to or it is better for the animals welfare. So, last year Hillside took on a family of Highland Cattle from an elderly owner who began to struggle to look after them, there ...
On 5 September 2007 Alex Salmond told Holyrood categorically that the SNPs key election pledge of cutting class sizes for all children in Primaries 1,2 and 3 to 18 or less by the end of this Parliament. However, it appears he may already have been in receipt of information for one of the education department's senior civil servants that stated that this worthy goal could not have been achieved for 8 to 10 years. That meeting had occurred over two months earlier on 2 July 2007 according to the minute that Labour's Iain Gray produced in yesterday's First Minister's Questions. ...
A consequence of doing the job that I do is that you come across the names of lots of different councillors or candidates of all parties. It might be cruel and it might be unfair, but it is a fact that some of these names are amusing. As someone with an unusual name myself, I ...
What an awful advert for both the Tories and Labour this Question Time turned out to be with Vince there. Many people wonder why there are often two Tories on the panel – well, Vince called Kirstie out on it (`I thought you were on the A-list`) and from then on people would have known which ...
Two blogs today! I have to mention Margaret Beckett who reminded me of my blog on 21st November about misguided conviction. She had the final word on the mansion tax on yesterday's Question Time. She said "as is so often the case, the Liberal Democrat figures just don't add up". This was from the woman who a few sentences earlier thought that there were only 86 houses valued over £2 million when the figure is 86 000. The Liberal Democrats go to great lengths to have their figures audited but Margaret mustn't have paid attention again. The next question was ...
Have you ever told a teacher that they get long summer holidays? It doesn't go down very well. Another bad idea is to suggest to a police officer that they use their siren when they are late for their dinner. This doesn't get a laugh. It doesn't even get a smile. It is a bit like telling an MP that they get good expenses or a city banker that they don't deserve their bonus. Much worse than any of this is to ask a nurse anything while they are giving out drugs. They need to concentrate and errors may be ...
This evening at CCEA Scrutiny Panel we discussed the Council's anti-poverty strategy and the Thriving Neighbourhood Programme - a really important attempt by the Council to improve the quality of life for residents in some of Reading's most deprived communities. 12 years of a Labour government and even longer of a Labour council here in Reading has failed to tackle poverty. Need evidence? 15% of employed people in Reading earn less than £7 per hour 10,960 people (11% working age adults) are currently claiming unemployment benefit 18.2% of children live in these families (an issue I have been pursuing through the children's ...
Last week a well deserved boost for Yorkshire business was announced by Lord Mandelson. Welcome news!
