We all know that David Cameron says the Conservatives have changed. Here's a chance to prove it. Nick Clegg `came out` with a set of proposals on LGBT rights that set the Lib Dems apart from the Conservatives and even Labour. This is timely considering the personal debacle of the Robinsons. I wonder if or when the ...
Liverpool (John William's team) 1, Reading (my wonderful Royals) 2. Get in!I was going to post about the dishonourable leaking from the very highest level within Darlington Council to the Labour Party's candidate in the General Election of the Health Trust's proposal to close the stroke unit in Darlington and the deliberate hiding of this information from the opposition parties until after the
The Liberal Democrat health spokesman, Norman Lamb, MP, was guest of honour at this evening's Hampstead Liberal Democrats' New Year Party at the home of Andreas and Claudia Utermann in Frognal. The man who easily saw off a challenge from Tory blogger and parliamentary hopeful Iain Dale in North Norfolk at the last election had ...
Though I love the snow, even I am beginning to tire of this weather. And with the Government asking the Council to cut down on the gritting of our roads, to preserve national grit stocks, we must hope the predicted thaw does indeed arrive this weekend. Despite some stories in the press, Birmingham still has a reasonable amount of grit; plenty for another week of bad weather at least. However with the national situation getting difficult, the Government has set up the 'Salt Cell' to co-ordinate use of remaining supplies across the country. The 'Salt Cell' is made up of ...
"Only one party leader seems to have grasped that, if you construct a system where unskilled people are worse off by taking a job than by staying on welfare, they remain trapped in poverty - and that is Nick Clegg.... "The two main parties are unwilling to bite on the bullet and commit themselves to raising the income tax threshold from £6,475 to something like £10,000 or £12,000. "It is madness to claim that people so poor that they need welfare payments are at the same time sufficiently well-off to pay income tax." So says Lord Tebbit on his Telegraph ...
The other day, Blaydons Labour MP commented on the need for support from the government for Manufacturing. He said "Because I have seen for myself just talking to people in Blaydon that things seem to be getting better, but we could so easily lose that growth if we do not act now to offer support to the manufacturing sector." The North East has been worst hit during this recession. A recession that has hit the UK hardest of western economies because of Labours support for the City over and above sectors such as manufacturing and retail. There is some evidence ...
Wed 13th
21:55
"Tory councillor expelled after rape remarks" - but why involve the standards committee?
The Press Association reports: A city councillor has been expelled from the Conservative Party after making offensive remarks about rape at a meeting. Eddie Wake, 56, a Tory councillor at Sunderland City Council, is alleged to have made the remarks at a meeting of the authority and left one woman in tears. Conservative party chiefs said comments by Washington South member Mr Wake, at the end of a meeting with police about a rape prevention campaign, were "totally unacceptable"... Group leader Lee Martin told the BBC: "When I ask anyone to go out and vote for a Conservative candidate, I've ...
I got the 1655 from Manchester Piccadilly. It left 9 minutes late and so missed the connection to St Albans at Watford Junction. £27 got me a taxi from Watford. I arrived home at 1930. My wife left the office in Waterloo at 1715. The first available train at St Pancras (there were no longer any through trains from Blackfriars and beyond) was at 1823. It was standing room only and she arrived home at 1938. First Capital Connect had yet again been cancelling trains all day, when other rail companies were coping with the snow. When is the Government ...
A certain "they're only in it for themselves" attitude seems to infuse many people's attitudes to politicians these days. A few months after being elected as a councillor, I went on a trip – at my own expense – to Hebden Bridge's twin town of Saint-Pol-sur-Ternoise. A friend's immediate reaction when I mentioned that I ...
[IMG: Town Hall Grit] Just back from a meeting at the Town Hall and was amazed at the amount of grit they've found to spread just outside the Civic Suite at Lewisham Town Hall. My colleague Cllr Phil Peake from Forest Hill Ward had also noticed, and posted the pic on the right via twitter earlier today. If anyone knows a better-gritted stretch of pavement in Lewisham, I'd be surprised!
It was a pleasant surprise to come home and find my bin emptied yesterday. Somehow the bin men had managed to get the truck up and down our road without skidding into any of the houses on it (well, not that I could see, anyway!) and the bin was duly emptied. I think that's pretty sterling work given the conditions. So thanks and well done to them. It's a bit warmer this week, but still not warm enough to melt the snow! I haven't seen the grass in my garden for 23 days now, although one of the advantages of ...
Just before Christmas I noted the story that David Ross, the owner of Nevill Holt, was to be questioned by police following allegations of an assault outside his Belgravia home. Out of fairness -and in my new role as chronicler of all things to do with Nevill Holt - I should record that Sniezana Kobeniak, the young lady involved, has now withdrawn her allegation. Writing on the Guardian website, Roy Gleenslade is scathing about the whole affair: It may not be the concluding episode in this odd saga, because the police are supposedly continuing with their inquiries (why?), but it ...
Missed PMQs? Here's the catch-up ... Nick Clegg pressed Gordon Brown to volunteer to appear before Sir John Chilcot's inquiry into the Iraq war this side of the general election "before people decide how to vote on his record in government?" The Prime Minister replied that it wasn't a matter for him. (Odd how when you become the most powerful person in Britain, you seem to lose the power to volunteer to do something inconvenient). So Nick asked again, telling the Prime Minister he "should insist on going to the inquiry now", and asking "What has he got to hide?" ...
The new First Minister took his first question session yesterday. It was a competent performance but lacking in serious substance. In fact at times I thought some of his answers were quite bland, at other times just bizarre. No doubt he will improve with time. One example was the way he dealt with questions about the Welsh Government-sponsored Ieuan Air service between Cardiff and Ynys Mon. Asked by Jenny Randerson whether he would review the service he gave an answer that was both banal and obscure: Jenny Randerson: First Minister, I begin by congratulating you on your appointment. With that, ...
Here is the Red Cross's YouTube appeal for last night's Haiti Earthquake and its victims. Please watch and give what you can. The Disasters Emergency Committee will be launching their appeal on Friday across all the terrestrial channels.
Tommorow the Council's planning committee will make the decision on whether the development of Chorlton Meadows at Hardy Farm goes ahead. Please join me and other supporters of the Save Chorlton Meadows campaign at 10am on the meadow for the committee's site visit. The decision will be made in the afternoon at 2pm in the Council Chamber at the Town Hall. I hope to see you at one or both of these events.
Tommorow the Council's planning committee will make the decision on whether the development of Chorlton Meadows at Hardy Farm goes ahead. Please join me and other supporters of the Save Chorlton Meadows campaign at 10am on the meadow for the committee's site visit. The decision will be made in the afternoon at 2pm in the Council Chamber at the Town Hall. I hope to see you at one or both of these events.
As Paul Walter points out today Iris Robinson has been appointed Crown Steward and Bailiff of the three Chiltern Hundreds of Stoke, Desborough and Burnham in the County of Buckingham. At last she has a political appointment that her husband hasn't had before her. Though she is the second successive member for Strangford to hold the post. On the same day, 17 December 1985, that Peter was briefly Crown Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead, her predecessor John Taylor of the UUP also resigned, he was the fifth of eight Unionists to be appointed to the Chiltern Hundreds ...
Nick Clegg has taken the opportunity of an interview with The Independent's Johann Hari for Attitude magazine to lay out a comprehensive range of measures to promot gay equality – and has laid down the gauntlet to the Tory leader David Cameron to justify his 'liberal Conservatism' by followng suit. Here's how the paper summarises Nick's proposals: * Force all schools - including faith schools - to implement anti-homophobia bullying policies and teach that homosexuality is "normal and harmless". * Change the law to allow gay men and women the same marital rights as straight couples, including the symbolic right ...
Bury Council have arranged a Budget consultation event to be held at the Peel Room, Bury Town Hall on February 2nd, starting at 7pm. The event will outline the budget position facing the Council , to be finalised by a full meeting of Bury Council on February 24th (7pm). As part of the exercise officers will outline the options facing the council and provide an opportunity for residents to comment on possible council tax rises, spending priorities and savings options.
Try as I might, I haven't been able to identify these two fellows seen by the canal in Newbury today. Garganey? Teal? I tried the RSPB bird identifier but I think I might have confused it. Goosander? Wigeon?
Hurry over to Lib Dem Voice to download a free ebook on the subject.
The campaign to retain the Staffordshire Hoard in the West Midlands (and Mercia!) has taken a big leap forward. David Starkey has helped to launch the £3.3 million appeal by The Art Fund, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery and the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery in Stoke on Trent.The Art Fund has contributed an initial £300,000 to the campaign and Birmingham City Council and Stoke on Trent Council
For some reason known only to itself, Chromium has decided simultaneously to render the fonts in WordPress as about 40pt, and to open WP in a frame which takes up only a quarter of the actual browser space. This means I can only see approx. seven words at a time when writing – not good ...
The Chancellor of the Exchequer has this day appointed Iris Robinson to be Steward and Bailiff of the Three Hundreds of Chiltern. Appointment to the office of Crown Steward and Bailiff of the three Chiltern Hundreds of Stoke, Desborough and Burnham is a sinecure appointment which is used as a device allowing a Member of the United Kingdom Parliament (MP) to resign his or her seat.[1] The office is allocated in rotation with that of Steward of the Manor of Northstead. Strangford is a gorgeous place! Believe me! I've been there – see my little travelogue on YouTube below - ...
Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, Tavish Scott MSP, was in Dundee today to give his support for the city's campaign to see improvements made to Dundee Rail Station. You can hear his news interview on Wave 102 below and read the article in today's Evening Telegraph by going to http://tinyurl.com/tavishdundee. A former Minister of Transport for Scotland, Mr Scott believes that the city's rail station is badly in need of modernisation - it is in poor aesthetic condition and has poor facilities. Given the key improvements to Dundee Waterfront, with funding started by the LibDem/Labour Executive prior to 2007, ...
I watched last week as Pickles set about the Labour Party. It was good fun. A political striker gently passing the ball into an empty goal. How could he miss. Divided parties don't win elections he purred. Marvellous. Here in Southport we were all nodding enthusiastically. Nobody is more bloodily divided than our local Tories-and Pickles is right they can't win! I fully expect any day now for more of the infighting to break out in public again and the Tory leadership to wish Tom and Jackie Glover a long and happy retirement. (Well that is how they announced their ...
Sorry for sending out a second email today , I don't like doing this, but I felt this was important.The Sainsbury's application is to come to the planning committee on Wednesday at 2:00pm in the Brunswick Room, Guildhall, Bath, the officers recommend approval.You can still make representation development_control@bathnes.gov.uk until the same day of the meetingThe fill paper is at http://
Liberal Democrat councillors on the Safer Stronger Communities Overview and Scrutiny Pane have warned that the improvements in street cleansing promised for Bath may be impossible if the job cuts which have been threatened in the Council's Environmental services section actually happen. Bath City Liaison Forum delivered a very detailed report on improvements to cleansing services in the City of
Wed 13th
18:51
A sign that any media source is not to be trusted is if they get excited about the release of school...
BBC East tonight almost wet themselves with excitement talking about the "incredible" High School league tables produced today. Anyone who knows anything about education knows that league tables show only what is recordable, not what is important. The fact that BBC East, not noted for their fantastic journalism locally, reported this with such gusto and excitement rather underlines why I don't watch the BBC local news.
Luton News Business Monthly has reported my comments on carbon emissions. Read it online on page 3 http://snipurl.com/copenhagen
I was away from Leeds at the weekend so I missed the big snowball fight on the Moor. The picture from the Yorkshire Post looks quite fun though. Did anyone go? Was it good?
I received the following update from Andy Bryce, head of Lewes District Council's waste and recycling department, today:Almost all staff have turned up for work, with very few exceptionswhere people have not been able to get out of their local areas.Refuse collection: Hazardous conditions with snow on top of ice haveresulted in us calling off collections today. We lost a vehicleyesterday into a
I am truly humbled to read of the bravery of Dan Read, the bomb disposal expert from Newquay who has been killed in Afghanistan. Captain Read was injured in October last year, yet went back to Afghanistan as soon as his injuries healed in order to get back to his work defusing improvised explosive devices. He is, of course, the second Cornish bomb disposal expert to have been killed after the death of Olaf Schmid last year. We all owe Dan Read, Olaf Schmid and all those who serve on our behalf a great debt of honour. I am sure ...
[IMG: 22951-3-menzies-campbell-mp] Commenting on Tony Blair's former Director of Communication Alastair Campbell's evidence to the Iraq Inquiry, former Liberal Democrat Leader and member of the Foreign Affairs Committee Sir Menzies Campbell said: "Alastair Campbell's evidence to the Chilcot Inquiry was only the hors d'oeuvre, the main dish will be Tony Blair on Friday 29th January. "It is clear now what Mr Blair's line is going to be - there is nothing for which to apologise and military action against Saddam was the right thing to do! "The only thing wrong with that position is that it ignores the fact that ...
[IMG: Ming Campbell] Sir Menzies Campbell MP has expressed concern about reports that people with cancer are being threatened with benefit cuts if they do not attend back-to-work interviews. A report by two charities, Macmillan Cancer Support and Citizens Advice, has found the Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) process, which was introduced in October 2008 to encourage 'job ready' people to return to work, is failing seriously ill and disabled people. Commenting, Sir Menzies said: "It is unacceptable that people who are undergoing exhausting chemotherapy or radiotherapy or suffering terminal cancer should be expected to attend work-focused interviews to secure ...
A "safe snow" theme seems to be emerging today: Beware of the building site - this igloo warns "Unauthorised entry to this site is strictly prohibited... Safety helmets must be worn" And these safety-conscious young ladies have a snowman first-aider with his flourescent jacket. This clever group of snowmen always has two or three faces looking at you, whichever direction you approach it from.
Compare and contrast these two posts if you will. First up, here's James Graham's original observation on *that* Cameron photo posted on the 5th of January. Now here's Paul "Guido" Staines on the same, posted on the 11th of January. Guess which blogger is getting the credit in the papers? I wonder whether Staines is still running his "Plagiarist of the Year Awards"? What with this shameless lift from James, added to trying to claim the limelight for Richard Wilson's work in breaking the Trafigura/Carter-Ruck story last autumn, Staines is surely the front-runner for his own gong this time around. ...
Last night as I was going to bed, my husband excitedly invited me into the study to see something on his pc. I was possibly a bit grumpy with him at the time because I was, not to put too fine a point on it, knackered and feeling rubbish. However, I found myself, weirdly, being fascinated by it. Bob's music tastes and mine are as far apart as you can get. How we ended up together I have no idea, but it works! My music collection consists almost entirely of what he would consider to be trashy, cheesy pop mixed ...
I'm feeling very chuffed at the moment as I've been shortlisted for an award! Each year, the LGIU - one of the organisations that represents councils and councillors - organises awards in a number of categories and I've been shortlisted in the category of New Councillor of the Year. The criteria for this award says: The first term can be one of the most challenging for new councillors; getting to know their role, the council and communities. Elected for the first time in June 2009, this councillor will have got to grips with these things and made an immediate impact ...
The BBC reports: Commons Speaker John Bercow has granted MPs an emergency debate after one Member claimed he had been "intimidated" by a firm of solicitors. Liberal Democrat John Hemming, who represents Birmingham Yardley, complained about an e-mail he had received from Withers LLP. Mr Bercow said the MP believed it amounted to a "contempt of the House" and ordered a debate for Thursday. It was a matter "to which I should allow precedence", he told the Commons. Full story here.
A little while back I blogged about the BBC headline on their World service's Africa 'Have your Say' debate - where it seemed that they thought that gay executions was an appropriate subject to be debated. I received the following from their Public Affairs Coordinator after kicking up about this. Dear Ms Featherstone, Having noted your comments about BBC World Service's Africa Have Your Say debate, I thought you should be aware of an interview that was held with our Director, Peter Horrocks, on Newshour yesterday, in which he apologies for any offence caused. This, along with comments from Peter ...
Two days ago in the explicitly entitled blogpost Southeastern's response: let's crowdsource a reply! Bexcentric posted the reply to David Evennett MP's equiry with Southeastern about the recent disruption and an appeal: If you have something you would like me to say back to Southeastern in response to any of the paragraphs above, please comment on ...
Tavish Scott, Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, was interviewed by Wave 102, Radio Tay, STV, the Courier, the Evening Telegraph and the Press and Journal during his visit to Dundee today. You can hear his comments on Wave 102 news, supporting Dundee's campaign for an improved railway station, by clicking 'play' below.
The South Glos website is now running normally again, with the snow information all linked from the Severe Weather page.
Almost time to come home, and time for one last visit - to the home and presidential library of Franklin D Roosevelt. What a fascinating day! I could have spent twice as long looking around the Library and then another week researching FDR's life. One fact especially remains with me: A little known assasination attempt a few days before his inauguration. Chicago's mayor, with whom FDR was shaking hands, was killed. One is left to speculate about the possible consquences upon the history of the 20th Century..............? Parallels between 1933 and 2009 are very marked. The economy was shot and ...
Much talk in the Uk about health and safety, especially in regard to the clearing of snow of pavements. Here's a sport that would seem to make few concessions to the H&S lobby! Bull riding is just as you imagine it. It's basic, it's brutal and it's dangerous - oh, and the bull always wins! No-one stays on the bull. The aim is to stay on for 8 seconds and then to be bucked off as gracefully as possible. It was quite amazing to see this take place in Madison Square Gardens as New York City filled with men wearing ...
Steve Richards had an interesting opinion piece in The Independent yesterday where he asserted that Gordon Brown is now less powerful than when he was Chancellor of the Exchequer. Here's an excerpt: As a mighty Chancellor, Brown had a big say in who got what job and who did not. If he disapproved of a ministerial appointment he made sure that his or her space for manoeuvre was limited. When Blair elevated the likes of Mandelson and Alan Milburn in cabinet reshuffles Brown despaired. As one of his close allies told me, "Tony's reshuffles were highly charged affairs as far ...
Regular readers of the blog will know that last year I undertook a personal trip to the concentration camp of Bergen-Belsen - my grandfather had been in the Liberation forces in 1945. This morning I met with Social Affairs Minister Isaac Herzog in Jerusalem. Minister Herzog is a form of political Israeli royalty in that his father was Chaim Herzog (President of Israel 1983-1993), his grandfather was Rabbi Yitzhak HaLevi Herzog and his uncle was Abba Eban. Minister Herzog is one of the few rising stars of the Labor Party in Israel - Labor is in a tough place there ...
[IMG: Club 195 licence application notice. Click for full text.] Eagle eyed pedestrians using Cottis Lane will have spotted a small notice outside Club 195. It advertises the fact that the club is applying for a new licence and that 'Interested Parties' can comment on the application by writing to the district council. (Click on the photo to read the full text.) The district council revoked Club 195's licence in October because of concerns about crime and disorder. The closure seems to have led to a reduction in late night noise, litter and disorder in the middle of Epping and ...
The carrier is huge! Statistics blur into a sea of numbers but one stayed with me. The crew consisted of a total of 3,248 men. That's more than the adult population of Kirkby Stephen, Tebay and Brough combined! The Intrepid served in the second world war, in Vietnam and during the US space programme it was a recovery ship for two of the Gemini missions. My Uncle served on the Implacable, a slightly smaller British carrier built at the same time. It was moving to look at the second world war section and to realise that this is how he ...
Since everyone's lusting after him on OUTeverywhere (LGBT social networking site) I thought I might put his pic on my blog. Please bear in mind this is totally unconnected to the fact that ratings on this blog went through the roof when I posted about the same mag inviting Kirk Mcambley to be a Gay pin-up ...
Wed 13th
16:13
Liberal Youth: transitional arrangements, co-options, cuddly toys and bedside lamps...
So much to do, so little time. Co-options to fill the Vice Chair vacancies until York, the organisation of elections to fill casual vacancies for Vice Chairs and General Executive Members, and all this with the prospect of 'real' elections before much longer. So, let's see where we are; Shortly, a notice will go to all members via e-mail, inviting them to apply for the vacant Vice-Chair positions, and the remaining members of the LY Executive will vote on short-term co-options. After that, members will be invited to apply for co-option as General Executive Members, given the possibility that current ...
Spent a fascinating day aboard the USS Intrepid, which is moored in New York City. The picture shows a nuclear cruise missile aboard the submarine "Growler". This was a cold war deterrent from the late 50's - designed to be used when politics has failed and the world as we know it is about to end forever. It was a stark reminder that politics is not just about providing the basic services such as clearing the snow. Ultimately it will be our politicians who determine whether our planet will exit the 21st century as an inhabitable world. I fouind it ...
I received a reply to my complaint about the lack of representation of our Party on `Today` for the 7/1/2010. I am astounded by that reply. It says that they're sorry about the lack of a Lib Dem representative when dealing with the `snow coup` (my words) but direct me to Nick on `Hardtalk` instead. The BBC's ...
Researh by the Welsh Liberal Democrats Shadow Secretary of State for Wales, Roger Williams MP, has found that over 1,000 young people in Wales are living in temporary accommodation and a further 4,000 are living in housing considered "overcrowded". He has called for more homes to be brought back into use, and put forward policies to use innovative funding schemes to encourage housing associations to use long-term empty properties. He has also called for VAT on rebuild on repairs to be reduced to 5% to encourage developers to refurbish existing empty homes. Mr Williams said: "Local authorities are not getting ...
The Conservatives will probably take power in the UK this spring and their 'comeback' will mark a political change not only in the UK, but also throughout the continent. The Tories' lukewarm attitude to the European Union is well known and most of the present Conservatives are even more Eurosceptic than their predecessors under Thatcher and Major. At the same time, the global political and economic situation makes Britain more and more involved in the process of European integration. David Cameron will need to reconcile these two contradictions if he is to govern effectively. Is he skilful enough to do ...
The petition by Russ Bryant asking the Prime Minister to Intervene in the Underhanded Closure of Heatherwood Hospital has now closed. It was a very big response with 2,631 Signatures. Russ is now waiting on a response from numbers 10. He expects the health minister to ask the Health Trust about any potential closure of the hospital and then they will reply to the petition (the department for health details are here). I would like to give a personal thanks to Russ for setting up this petition and facebook campaign. Bracknell Standard and Green Gabbles who also covered this petition. ...
I took the opportunity to have a look at some of the snow clearing equipment here in the town of Fishkill. It's a small town of about 30,000 people, town meaning the equivalent of a district in the UK. The town has 200 miles of road which it keeps clear throughout the winter. It's an easier job than in the UK as the roads are straight and logically laid out. A far cry from the back roads of Penrith and The Border.
Well, the last couple of weeks seem to have been dominated by snow! I've spent a lot of time sorting out issues at home, caused by the UK's seeming inability to cope with anything more than a light flurry. In the end, it was an exceptional few weeks however the problems started right at the beginning of the "weather" and we really have to do better than this. The picture shows a typical scene here in New York, where it also snows, but everything doesn't grind to a halt.
Lewisham Council's Head of Environment wrote an extremely interesting guest post published today on Brockley Central. There he outlines the thinking behind Lewisham's waste strategy and also announces the just introduced and excellent mattresses recycling scheme: To use the service, residents can obtain a special sticker from any local Lewisham library or from Lewisham Council's Access Point ...
Durham County Council prevented further debate on an important topic today when the Chairman ruled that a vote would be taken without discussion on a new amendment from Liberal Democrat leader Nigel Martin. The amendment to an original motion by Willington councillor Becky Brunskill asked the council to get a committee to look at the school transport rules again. Fifteen years ago Durham County cut the distance it requires older children to walk to school before they get a bus pass to two miles. That is two thirds of the maximum legally allowed distance. The County made no reduction for ...
Conservative Home flags-up Andrew Lansley's latest attempt at a coherent policy. It is so ironic that for every attack on a 'big state' by Conservatives there is a countervailing proposal to increase the states power and control. You being to see how fundamentally dishonest and false the Conservative perspective is through this prism. For example, take the ...
And again it fell slowly and stealthily this time all night - but this time it seems its no good contacting the Council to ask for our grit bins to be filled as the Goverment has asked them not to!! So don't complain to me - get in touch with Gordon Brown - or Transport Minister Andrew Adonis! It looks as if we'll all just have to slide about until it goes away - whenever that may be! At least the cold weather will help to get rid of various garden pests and swine flu!
The Evening Standard and Liberal Vision have been patting Guido Fawkes on the back for observing the uncanny similarity between David Cameron's latest airbrushed photo and Lt Cmdr Data from Star Trek: The Next Generation. Only one slight problem with this: Guido actually got the idea from me as I tweeted this observation over a week ...
The telephone rings at work. "Hello, Mr Valladares, I'm calling from X (a financial institution). I'd like to talk to you about your account." "Right, fine, what do you want?" "First, Mr Valladares, we need to carry out a security check. Can you provide me with the first line of your address, your postcode and your date of birth?" "No." "Why not, Mr Valladares?" "Because you repeatedly tell me that I shouldn't give out that sort of information. So, why are you calling me?" "I'm sorry, Mr Valladares, but I can't give you that information until we complete the security ...
What do we want? Section 63 of the Metropolitan Paving Act 1817 to be restored. When do we want it? Before the next snow fall of course. Oh, you don't know what it says? Well, that's the bit of legislation which was in force between 1817 and 1891 requiring London householders to clear snow and ice from outside their doors. Turns out this clearing stuff away isn't silly foreign nonsense but a good Victorian tradition. So I'll see you out there with shovel, grit and Union Jack top [IMG: :-)] Historical pedants may wish to point out that one reason ...
Mark Reckons has the news that Greg Stone has resigned as a PPC in Newcastle. This is a shame. As much as I disagreed with Greg's comments that he made on the Guido Fawkes blog, he is a decent guy and did not deserve the reaction that he recieved. As Guido points out, he's the first real sclap of the 2010 election to come from the blogosphere. I can't help thinking that there are some far more deserving PPCs and MPs out there than Greg Stone.
[IMG: Bury Town Hall] Last night I attended Bury's Environment, Economy & Transport Scrutiny Commission. Unsurprisingly the recent weather and Bury's handling of the gritting of our roads (or not) dominated much of the meeting. I raised concerns that the Council appeared to have difficulties trying to cope with bad weather when it was affecting the whole Borough simultaneously and that their gritting strategy seemed to reflect this, this was denied by officers. I mentioned that we had been informed that due to the weather being so bad in Ramsbottom and surounding area that extra attention had to be given ...
[IMG: Emirates] I've just heard that I've been shortlisted for the LGIU/CCLA 'Online C'll'r of the Year' as part of the C'llr 2010 achivements awards. Thank you to everyone who nominated me - I'm mega chuffed. I am the only female councillor to be shortlisted in what looks to be a very high-powered list! The award details is as follows: "Social networking and online capacities for engagement are fast becoming a popular means for councillors to engage with communities, such as through the use of mechanisms like twitter, facebook, email and blogging. This councillor will have embraced new technologies and used them ...
Jonathan Wallace has alerted me to the lowest form of electoral smearing I've seen yet, coming from none other a personage than the Labour Chief Whip Nick Brown MP. Brown has said: "Leaving blank ballot papers and lists of those who haven't voted and the ballot boxes all together in the same place overnight is not a reassuring prospect. The scope for fraud is obvious." Well such accusations made this Northern Irish born lad laugh, then cry, then type the following If leaving ballot papers, boxes and lists of voters overnight were such an issue you'd have thought that for ...
Apologies to Jo if she did comment on it. But after all those mad cries for bans on airbrushing, I can't find a single comment from her on "that David Cameron" picture. [IMG: fake1] Is it terrible to fool a few silly women - but OK to deceive the whole electorate? It's all nonsense as far as I am concerned. But some consistency would be nice. Maybe it's just airbrushed WOMEN she objects to? (Hat tip to Guido (its his picture) who pointed out the glaring similarities between the over-airbrushed David Cameron and Data from Star Trek. UPDATE: As you ...
Isn't it funny how all of a sudden Google is pretending it has a conscience? Let's be honest here... they would not be pulling out of China if they hadn't discovered that some Google Mail accounts had been hacked, human rights or no human rights. For a company that has spent all its career cultivating a careful ...
For the first time ever in British politics, Labour have been in power for a whole decade, from 2000 to 2010, the noughties. So what were the Labour noughties like? This is the third post in the series. This post isn't meant to be particularly partisan (but I always find it hard to be totally neutral!). It is intended to be a list of the governments last 10 years of political successes and failures. Feel free to add any yourselves in the comments. 2003-2006 This was the period during which Labour's previously unshakable public popularity began to wane. The Iraq ...
What is important about the motion about contempt of parliament is the underlying issue.This is a picture of Bakeman House in which there is a sheltered scheme for elderly residents. For many months it has been in the middle of a building site. An attempt has been made to gag me from speaking out about this issue.That is the subject of the motion which I will be proposing to the House tomorrow
At PMQ's today Nick Clegg questions were focused onthe Chilcot inquiry. Is this another sign that Nick is moving towards a demand for a full withdrawal from Afghanistan?
In his blog post in today's Daily Telegraph Lord Tebbit asks, "Why won't the two main parties do anything about the madness of taxing the poor?'. "And I hate to say it, but only one party leader seems to have grasped that, if you construct a system where unskilled people are worse off by taking a job than by staying on welfare, they remain trapped in poverty - and that is Nick Clegg. "It is madness to claim that people so poor that they need welfare payments are at the same time sufficiently well-off to pay income tax. The effect ...
You and I own most of Britain's banks. Our employees have done an appallingly bad job and we've had to help them out with our money. Far from being ashamed they now seem to think they are entitled to millions of pounds worth of bonuses. I don't agree!!!!! Do you?
Both Labour and the Liberal Democrats are at the stage of formulating their manifesto. Nick Clegg has promised the Liberal Democrat one will put 'fairness' at its centre meanwhile, Labour is promising its most radical manifesto 'ever'. Both will include the usual pot-pourri of promises. However, I believe they should encompass one central theme. Sunder Katwala ...
Here are the main points that Lib Dems will be campaigning on at the next general election: 1 Fair taxes for all 2 A fair start for children 3 Fair and transparent politics 4 A fair and sustainable economy, including local enterprise, ...
Today we have been told that Prof Les Iversen has replaced Prof David Nutt as the chairman of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) on an interim basis (12 month contract). This is the same Prof Iversen who was quoted back in 2003 as saying... "...There have been no deaths to date caused by the use of cannabis....Cannabis should be legalised not just decriminalised because it is comparatively less dangerous than legal drugs alcohol and tobacco" In the wake of Professor Nutt's sacking, (and five members of the panel resigning in protest at the sacking) Alan Johnson ...
Ollie Cromwell has an interesting post over on the Red Rag regarding Clegg's recent comments on homosexuality in faith schools. Nick Clegg lists Seinfeld as one of his two favourite TV shows. However he seems to be adopting one of the shows famous episodes for his script on Gay rights, by making the case that faith schools should be legally obliged to teach that homosexuality is "normal and harmless", and gay civil partnerships should be replaced by true marriage. He is proposing to force all schools - including faith schools - to implement anti-homophobia bullying policies and teach that homosexuality ...
PRESS RELEASE ISSUED 13 JANUARY 2010 TWO PAGES Special refuse collection this week A SPECIAL refuse collection service will take place in Hinckley & Bosworth this week for all those residents whose black bins were not emptied last Thursday and Friday because of the bad weather. The additional collections will take place on Thursday (14) and Friday (15), with affected householders requested to present their black bins on whichever day their collection normally takes place. So anyone whose bin was missed last Thursday should present their bin this Thursday. On this occasion, the crews will also collect additional bags of ...
[IMG: slcomputer.jpg] Some good news for residents fed up with lights that never get fixed. Reigate and Banstead will have all streetlights replaced in the first phase of the PFI. Work should start in March 2010 and take a year to complete. The new system should allow repairs to be addressed much more quickly. Under the contract, Skanska will have to repair equipment faults within 6 days and will be subject to strict penalties for non performance. Not so good for Mole Valley though; they don't get their new system until 2015!
[IMG: http://www.wikio.co.uk] [IMG: torystrike.jpg] So, Cameron was meant to have come to Reading last week (7 January 2010) but decided it was too snowy to make the 25 minute journey from London. Meanwhile, Liberal Democrat leader, Nick Cleg managed to make it to all the way the Bath to have a one of his open town hall meetings in the same week (8 January 2010). Apparently, Cameron has now rescheduled for this Thursday. Nick Clegg also came to Reading last year (October 2008) and it's quite interesting to compare the two meetings in there set-up. Nick's October Meeting: Traditional public ...
From the Liberal Democrat History Group email list: Now available for free download is Journal of Liberal History 45 (winter 2004-05), with articles including an analysis of the careers of the Liberals and social reformers Joseph and Seebohm Rowntree; 'The flawed strategy of the SDP'; 'Richard Cobden and British imperialism'; an appreciation of the life of Conrad Russell; the impact of the Bradlaugh case on the Berwick-upon-Tweed by-elections of 1880 and 1881; an interview with Tony Greaves; and more. Journal 45 is available at
Dear Khalid Mahmood,
I haven't commented on this until now (mostly due to having a load of uni work) but here are a few of my thoughts on the resignation of Elaine Bagshaw as chair of Liberal Youth and the subsequent events. It's quite clear that Elaine was pushed. This is a shame. Elaine was a good chair of Liberal Youth and was very good at supporting branch chairs like myself when we needed her. I hope those who participated in the so called 'coup' think long and hard about what they have done. Did she really deserve this after leading the best ...
Stockport Council has around £38 million of investments and, on Tuesday, around a quarter of the councillors attended a training session from Stockport's Treasury team - the people who manage all those investments. Across the country, all local authorities make investments of this type. It isn't money sitting around doing nothing. Part of it is money the Council knows it's going to have to spend, but it doesn't need to do so yet. For example, it knows its insurance premiums will be payable at the end of the year but, until they're due, the money should be earning a return. ...
A very occasional series highlighting a previous post that (a) I still think was actually pretty good, but (b) the server stats say not many people came and read. Just in case you, dear reader, may have been wrong in overlooking this post here it is for your enjoyment once more: The 1906 election Imagine you are Prime Minster, with a majority of 130 (and in practice a majority of more like 350 on most issues given how small the main opposition party was). You call a general election on a point of principle, and end up not merely without ...
I've just had confirmation of my place in the Great North Swim 2010. A close colleague at work has cancer (she's only in her mid-20's) and so this year I will be swimming in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support. At least this year I have a bit more time to train!
Earlier this week David Cameron made what looked like an ad hoc adjustment to his income tax marriage person's allowance announcement when he added in civil partnerships. After the slap dash 50 minutes in which he took to clarify his position when he first announced those plans, this addendum looked like an add on from policy wonks to answer some, though not all of the inequality questions his proposal raised. Nick Clegg this morning talking in The Independent goes further than any other leader ever has to knock out the last few areas of inequality for the gay community. He's ...
Political coverage and blogging in the UK has a rather odd love-hate relationship with electoral numbers. On the one hand, the latest opinion poll figures get reported, re-reported and mis-reported at length, with the mere fact that a change in ratings is well within the margin of error not being reason enough to stop a cavalcade of comment. Yet despite this love of talking electoral numbers, those that are talked about come from a fairly narrow range of sources. So here instead are three other numbers - all simple in concept, but interesting in implication. First, since 1970 49% of ...
There's been a lot of debate over the last few months about the merits, or otherwise, of holding General Election counts on the Friday instead of counting through the night on polling day. But no-one has seriously suggested it might be an opportunity for politicians of any party to break into ballot boxes and fix the election. After all, such a claim would be the cheapest of smears, based on zero evidence. Step forward Labour Minister and MP for Newcastle East and Wallsend, Nick Brown. Criticising Newcastle's plans for a Friday count, Brown said The reason the votes are counted ...
Capping public sector pensions. We will cap public sector pensions at £50,000 per year. Ah yes, time for some grandstanding. Now it has to be said that there are very few retired public sector employees who are fortunate to receive a pension in excess of £50,000. The standard civil service pension traditionally allowed for one-fortieth of the best of your last three years worth of salary for each year of service, capped at forty years, i.e. to receive £50,000, your final salary would need to be £100,000, or its equivalent at the time of retirement. There have never been very ...
More snow fell over night in Reading and continues to fall. This is making the lives of many local people very difficult. I continue to be very concerned about the welfare of elderly and vulnerable people. I spoke to RBC's Head of Housing last night and was reassured to hear that staff are working round the clock to get food and other help to vulnerable residents. Housing staff are doing spot check in sheltered accomodation to ensure that heating is working etc. Staff are also keeping in telephone contact with families who are struggling to afford to heat their homes. Age ...
Luton's gritting teams hard work appreciated, but could do better with more support from ruling Councillors. Many pavements were left seriously dangerous, some bus routes and important local roads were not gritted at all - a week later some areas still have inches of snow on their roads! We have to ask whether five gritting lorries are really enough. It isn't fair that hard working Council staff get the blame when the fault actually lies with Labour Councillors who will not put enough resources behind the snow clearing operations. Following a blizzard of phone calls and emails from constituents I ...
Due to very heavy demand access to the South Glos website has been reduced, so some of our previous links don't work. Schools closures are now on the main South Glos web page
Six months after a promise, the Register of Councillors' Business and Financial Interests and expense claim figures have still not been published on the Council's web site. Fellow Liberal Democrat Councillors and myself want the Labour Leader of the Council to do what was promised last summer but the Council's web site still does not give access to the vital register, which shows the business and financial interests of Councillors nor the details of expenses claims. It is surely not acceptable in the 21st Century that the only way people can see the Register of Councillors Business & Financial interests ...
One of the brightest stars in the Lib Dem firmament is Newcastle Council. It spells out that we can be excellent in Local Government, can control one of Britain's biggest cities, compete with Labour and eventually it will have to happen that we win one of the Parliamentary seats. It's a toxic brew for Labour – ...
An appeal has been launched with the aim of raising £3.3m to buy the Staffordshire Hoard which was discovered in July 2009.
Earlier this week Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg made a major speech setting out the priorities that will be at the heart of the Party's election manifesto. He said the value that connects everything the party wants to achieve is fairness.You can read the full speech at http://bit.ly/7ZMsQA It all sounds good but Nick has managed to ditch, either completely or by delaying, most of the Liberal Democrats most popular policies.
LIBERAL DEMOCRATS SELECT PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATE Keith Nevols, a local government manager from Milton Regis, has been selected as the Liberal Democrat candidate to fight the seat of Sittingbourne and Sheppey at the next general election. 'I am delighted to be given the opportunity to campaign in my local constituency', he said. 'Only the Liberal Democrats will provide the reforms our political system so desperately needs, and only the Liberal Democrats will cut taxes to stimulate the local and national economy. We stand for an open and transparent society, where the people rule the politicians, instead of the other way round. ...
Labour Chief Whip, Nick Brown MP, has now stooped to the lowest of the low with outrageous and "vile" allegations of electoral fraud and cheating against Lib Dem run Newcastle City Council. The row involves the decision of Newcastle Council, supported incidentally by a majority of Labour councillors on the authority's constitutional committee, to hold general election counts on the day after
Nick Clegg has laid out five key changes the Liberal Democrats would make to ensure that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people were treated equally under the law. In an interview with Attitude, reported in the Independent, he says that we would: 1 Make sure that children in all schools are taught that homosexuality is "normal and harmless" so that they grow up learning to accept everybody. Schools would also have to address homophobic as well as racist and sexist bullyng. There is no justification for allowing prejudice against people being who they are. My daughter's only 10, but kids ...
What's happening with Wood Green police station? As my film shows, it's not all good news... (Also on YouTube here.)
Google has announced that they have uncovered a systematic attack on their systems in China, targeting pro-democracy activists. They have therefore renounced their policy of self censorship, the so-called "Chinese firewall", that prevents a Google search showing results that the Chinese Communist Party does not approve of. From the point of view of most users of the web, this will be welcome news, and Google has sustained some withering criticism for its willingness to accommodate the authoritarian regime in Beijing. As for Google itself, they have seen falling market share in China, and although there is a growth opportunity forgone, ...
From the museum's website: "A Journey Out of Darkness" is a stunning exhibition of over 100 artworks, which explores the development of Leicester's German Expressionist Art Collection. The collection, which began in 1944 amidst the darkness of war with paintings saved from destruction in Nazi Germany, now numbers over 350 artworks, the first and largest of its kind in the UK. The exhibition will now run until 3 May 2010. This etching, the extraordinary "Death and Woman" by Kathe Kollwitz, forms part of it.
As if to prove there's little new in the world, the recent spat between Nick Clegg and childcare expert Gina Ford reminds me of this 1899 poem by Harry Graham. Father heard the children scream, So he threw them in the stream, Saying, as he drowned the third, "Children should be seen, not heard! Firm but fair. 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: Liberal Youth's returning officer sets out the details for the election of a new Chair, following the ...
A couple of days ago I pointed you to a posting where David Boyle wrote about the concern with health and safety. He suggested that it had the effect of making us less safe and was a good example of how big government can be self-defeating. In a comment on that post "James" pointed us to a link that showed that what the Mail on Sunday and the Sunday Telegraph had described as Institution of Occupational Safety and Health guidance was in fact the opinion of an individual contributor to the Institute's magazine. James concluded: "David may have a point ...
[IMG: http://www.wikio.co.uk] Well, I was so wrong about twitter at first - shame on me! Clearly it has been used to great effect by my Lib Dem colleges, especially during the snowy period. Daisy and Kirsten posted updates from the council and investigated the issues posted on twitter, Warren fed the live updates from Reading buses (route suspensions and diversions), and I updated resident on the bin collection status. This proved to be a popular and useful service, and was noticed my Ann Diamond. Check out this interview on BBC Radio Berkshire:
There's an article in today's Independent where Lib Dem No. 1 Nick Clegg lays out his stall on gay rights, and bolsters his impeccable liberal credentials, unlike that fair-weather phoney David Cameron. I'm proud to say that one of the main reasons I joined the Liberal party as was in the 1970s was its attitudes and policies towards personal politics and especially gay rights. Just as heartening to hear my beloved leader backing so many of my postings on this blog over the past nine months. * Change the law to allow gay men and women the same marital ...
Google has made a stand against the censorship imposed on its Chinese service. They are to stop the self censorship of its search engine results. The news comes as a result of a serious cyber attack from within China on Google and 20 other global brands, stealing part of their intellectual property. It has discovered that the Gmail accounts of dozens of US-, China- and Europe-based users who are advocates of human rights in China appeared to have been routinely accessed by third parties. As part of these malicious attacks only personal account information appears to have been targeted. They ...
The Times carries a serialisation of Race of a Lifetime, a new book by John Heilemann and Mark Halperin which offers an insight into how fortunate we were not to find John McCain and Sarah Palin in the White House this time last year. The book reveals that advisers to John McCain were taken aback by how little Mrs Palin knew about politics and history when she was confirmed as Mr McCain's Republican running mate after a cursory, 12-hour selection process: Heilemann and Halperin write: "Palin couldn't explain why North Korea and South Korea were separate nations. She didn't know ...
Jack Pickard: Alibhai-Brown: A Dangerous Moderate? shows how seemingly moderate proposals are damaging to civil liberty. David Keen: UK Border Agency: Invasion of the Baby-Snatchers on another terrifying case of sinister, inhumane behaviour by the UKBA. End Child Detention Now: Persecution Begins at Home shows how the UK now has a more authoritarian regime towards immigration than Silvio Berlusconi's Italy. Mark Wadworth: Trees points out how local councils can act against the interests of residents. ...and finally Robert Popper has found evidence that white people can play reggae:
[IMG: Stuck bus on Bathwick Hill] This evening's snow made Bathwick Hill impassible for many drivers including the 18 bus. The road is normally gritted but the afternoon snowfall resulted in a wet and slippery surface, worst uphill of Cleveland Walk. Many drivers parked where they could and walked home as fellow motorists slid in the slush. First were also compelled to leave their bus parked on the hill as it could not drive up safely. Passengers had to walk the rest of the journey as the snow continued falling. The bus was rescued an hour later, being gently slid ...
Today and tomorrow I am going to combine my two main blogs, politics and photography. This billboard is outside Morecambe Football Club and has been displaying the heavily manipulated photograph of David Cameron for about a week. The weather has taken its toll on the advert but there are principles of photography that I want to discuss. The first photograph is the original. The second is simply a 6"x4" crop. I used flash which means there is slighly more contrast than a photo taken without flash. I could have taken the photo directly in front of the billboard. There are ...
The Liberal Democrats have today issued a cautious welcome for the Decision by the Conservatives to opt for a zero council tax increase. Liberal Democrat Leader Chris White said: 'This was one of the key pledges of our "Six to Fix" manifesto in 2009 - which secured considerable support across the county. In last year's budget we outlined a number of ways in which this challenging target was set, only to be ridiculed and smeared by the smug Tory leadership. 'This year they acknowledge that the public expect at most a zero council tax increase. But we need to make ...
You may remember I blogged on Christmas Eve Reading Borough Council's ill-thought out attempt to 'consult' Council tenants about plans to amend tenancies to enable the Council to introduce service charges. The Labour administration of Reading Borough Council plans to introduce charges for lighting in RBC flat blocks, followed by charges for cleaning services. These charges will be levied on top of Council rents and we are worried they will hit some of the poorest people in Reading hard during this recession. Tenants from Hexham Road got in touch with me before Christmas to complain about the impact that these charges could have on ...
