We are told that we live in a society dominated by concern for health and safety. Well, just consider these extracts from the coverage in today's Guardian of the report by Christopher Garnett and Claude Gressier on the break down of five trains in the Channel tunnel just before Christmas: On the Disneyland train, the air conditioning, ventilation and lights failed, leaving passengers in hot, dark conditions. "We are concerned that in those conditions nobody walked through the train to see how people were and explain what was happening," Garnett said. And: The report described the dreadful conditions on the ...
It is all well and good for Cameron to pledge to end the automatic Labour levy on union members, however, he can hardly talk when it comes to unfair party political funding. When the chance for the Tories and Labour to help back the Liberal Democrats' proposals for a £50, 000 donation cap on political ...
That could swing several seats in Surrey. The Sunday Telegraph has more.
A lot of my (mainly non-Twitter using) readers may be unaware of the controversy surrounding designer Hidden Eloise and greeting card giant Paperchase. In short, Hidden Eloise alleges that a design which Paperchase are using on a variety of products has lifted the central image of a girl from one of her own works ...
The day started in good style: a new supporter was waiting for me in the inbox on my computer. I didn't have too long to linger over this though. A team of us met up at 9.30 to talk to residents in Leigh. Leigh is a good ward for the Liberal Democrats, and we got a good response. There were some pretty harsh words for the Labour Party and for Southend West's current MP though. And a number of local issues came up too. We were finished in Leigh shortly after eleven, and moved on to a coffee morning in ...
This is getting to be a habit. Lib Dem blogger Spiderplant Land takes aim at Kerry McCarthy for her blocking of the Contaminated Blood Bill: "My twitter comments calling Ms McCarthy's act, pathetic and cruel was met with a couple of tweets from her informing me that i didn't know what i was talking about and subsequently blocking me from her twitter feed." Next Left asks is Conservative Home's Tim Montgomerie is the most dangerous man in the blogosphere. Well, he is certainly a danger to the Tories' attempts to appeal to the liberal-minded voters who have not supported the ...
Langworthy Labour Councillor and Lead Member for Childrens Services John Warmisham has hit the frontpage headlines this weekend (for all the wrong reasons!), courtesy of the Manchester Evening News. The story below is spread across pages 2 & 3 of today's edition. UPDATE: The full article is now available on-line at the Manchester Evening News website here. [IMG: Share/Bookmark]
I've been wondering for some time whether the 'bag for life' that you can buy from many retailers is, environmentally speaking, actually an improvement on the disposable bag. This would seem to depend on how they are actually used - as opposed to the intention that they will actually be used 'for life'. Rather than guesstimate away as usual, I thought I would be a little more scientific and try to gather some evidence. So please fill in my survey: 5 quick questions on your baggage habits.
One of the stories that has made me most angry this week has been the actions of the Labour party's junior whip and Twitter Czar, Kerry McCarthy who took it upon herself to declare a piece of legislation unworthy of debate in the House of Commons. My twitter comments calling Ms McCarthy's act, pathetic and ...
Some of these reviews can also be found on Amazon.In January 2010 I read the following books: 1. Marrow, by Robert Reed There's definitely a fantastic story in here, and for the first three quarters of the book, that's exactly what you expect to get. It's certainly imaginative, and zips along at a fair old pace while still having time for those human moments that make the characters into people. But then we get to the last quarter of the book, and, like so many other sci-fi works that could be outstanding, that lets it down. It's confusing, both in ...
The Government has once again proved that it is so far out of touch with reality, that it is putting ordinary people's standard of living at great risk. Their plans for home care for the elderly are irresponsible at best and vastly underfunded at worst. The issue was further compounded by the revelation that five ...
Less than a year ago a mini roundabout was completely resurfaced near where I live. This was several days work, caused a lot of disruption, but was accepted by local people in Thorpe Marrott as necessary in order to prevent the roundabout deteriorating. So what's the problem ? It already has a pothole ! Now I understand how pot holes happen. The BBC gave a helpful if slightly patronising explanation half way down THIS story, but for this to happen on a newly resurfaced and rebuilt piece of road smacks of some very bad workmanship. I have reported the pothole, ...
The new West Gate Centre has opened its doors to patients. Originally it was supposed to open before Xmas, but ther were problems with the ventilation system. Cllr Sheila Mead (Lib Dem, Chipping Sodbury) said: "It's light and airy and new and it's going to bring everything together - including the GP surgery, fracture clinics, X-rays, physiotherapy and a Sure Start centre" "I do have a few concerns - the most-used service, the doctors' surgery, is on the first floor and the lifts aren't very large. Also we had expected there to be room for a childminder development worker to ...
From the London Olympic Games when women's boxing is included in the Olympic programme only one sport will not have male and female competitors at either the Summer or Winter Olympiads. That event was the first to award medals today in Vancouver. While Switzerland's Simon Amman won the first gold of the Games apparently women can't jump, that is ski jump, at least not yet at these Games. There are 100 women* from 18 countries prepared to hurl themselves off the end of the ramp into the air at elite level, not one of them will be seen doing so ...
At a charity sale this morning I found a copy of Granny Made Me an Anarchist by Stuart Christie. Christie is an anarchist who was convicted in Spain of being involved in an attempt to assassinate General Franco and later acquitted in London of being involved with the Angry Brigade, a sort of Blue Square Premier British version of the Baader-Meinhof gang. What interested me is the affect that old British films had on the development of Christie's political views. Early on in the book he writes: I'll never forget the "Play for Today" production of Terence Rattigan's The Winslow ...
(From BBC News Wales, Sat 17th Oct 2009, available at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/8312145.stm) A code of conduct to ensure no Welsh Liberal Democrat politician profits from allowances has been passed. The new code will be signed by all current and prospective politicians at the Welsh Assembly, Westminster and European Parliaments. It states that none should profit in terms of allowances and there should be complete transparency in how allowances are spent. Leader Kirsty Williams said it was to give voters 100% confidence. The code was passed at the party's autumn conference in Wrexham. Ms Williams added that any Welsh Liberal Democrat MP, ...
The disappearing snow uncovered a great deal of litter and fly-tipping. South Glos has tackled some hotspots but it's a never-ending job. Why not get involved in The Big Spring Clean 2010 campaign, which runs from 1 Mar - 30 April? If your group organises a community event, the Council will collect the litter you pick up and you can have free gloves, refuse sacks and skips. Supplies are limited, so register your Big Spring Clean event and requests for equipment with the council by Friday 26 February 2010 at the latest. More information is available on the South Glos ...
South Glos Council has published the formal notice before bringing in parking restrictions near the new Badminton Road Council offices. They have made some changes based on responses to the last consultation. They are now proposing no waiting 9am-5pm Mon-Fri without a permit anywhere in South Avenue and there would be no waiting on Stover Road except for a short stretch outside the houses where there would be no waiting 9-5 Mon-Fri. Claire Young asked officers for more information on the permit scheme. The details are still being worked on, but officers suggest there will be two permits per household ...
Following residents' requests, I recently requested a grit bin for Pleasance Court. I am pleased to advise that the City Engineer has updated me as follows : "I can advise that following assessment against the Council's grit bin criteria, a grit bin will be placed on the north side of Pleasance Court near the junction with Lower Pleasance in due course." At West End Community Council last week, the issue of grit still lying on footpaths was raised. The City Engineer assures me that : "The grit will be gathered up and recycled in due course, however, at present we ...
This afternoon local campaigner Roy Haines and I went to meet to Tom Lendrum, Whitley resident and Chair of the South Whitley Neighbourhood Action Group. I know Tom through my role as Chair of the South Reading Safer Community Forum which deals with crime and anti-social behaviour issues. Tom wrote to me recently as he is totally fed up with the amount of dog mess in Whitley - on pavements and in green spaces. and he's also fed up with the apparent lack of action by Labour-run Reading Borough Council on this issue.And he's not the only person in Whitley ...
We are very lucky in Redlands to have some really dedicated Council officers working with us to improve the local environment. And Ashley Blackwood is one of them. He is the Neighbourhood Officer for Redlands which means he is the first point of contact for Council tenants. What's great about Ashley is that he doesn't just do what is in his job description - he goes the extra mile. We keep in close touch about things going on in the estate - in order to get the best for our residents. For example, Ashley wrote to us a few weeks ago to say ...
Remember last year we had the great big stooshie between FOTA, the Formula One Teams Association and the FIA then headed by Max Mosley, which almost led to a breakaway series? At the time, FOTA thanked fans for their support - it was kind of good to have our existence acknowledged. No point in holding our breath waiting for the FIA to take notice of us unless we particularly like cyanosis. They've now got together with the LG Products and F1 Racing magazine to do a survey for F1 fans to ask us about things important to us. The results ...
... from Jo Swinson MP
Out in Northgate ward this afternoon with our excellent local Focus team, bubbling with enthusiasm and working hard towards 2011. The recent ward survey showed many problems in what is one of the most deprived wards in the town. Our guys, who have lived all their lives in the ward, are already taking action on some of these issues.Years of Labour control over the Council and in Government and yet
As regular readers will know, I'm a great big jessie where snow is concerned. You would think, therefore, that I'd be hiding behind the sofa whenever things like the Winter Olympics, or Dancing on Ice come on the television. Not so. I love them and watch them avidly. From Robin Cousins' enchanting skating gold medal in 1980, to Torvill and Dean's dramatic Bolero in 1984, to their return in 1994 to today, I have been hooked. I, who won't set a foot outside the door if there's snow on the ground if I don't have to will quite happily watch ...
Andrew Reeves moved to Scotland almost 2 years ago to become our Director of Campaigns and Elections. And what a force of nature he is too. I've known lots of people in the Liberal Democrats who work hard, but he takes the biscuit. Before he'd even officially started, he facebook messaged me when he was barely off the train to ask where he could go campaigning the next day. He ended up coming out with us on a blistering hot day in Cowdenbeath. I suspect his annual leave sheet is pristine and untouched because I can't really remember him having ...
To be honest, given Jenny Tonge's form on the Israel/Palestine issue, it was only a matter of time before she got herself into trouble again. Whilst I'm firmly in the two state, negotiated resolution camp, and not exactly renown for being an apologist for Israel, I am astonished that the currently ignoble Baroness does not appear to have understood how she got into trouble in the first place. Yes, accusations have been made, and yes, one should carry out some investigations. However, those investigations should be to establish whether the accusations are based on any credible evidence. Only if there ...
I have read the original Jewish Chronicle article which led to Jenny Tonge's dismissal from the LibDem front bench in the Lords. I do think that Jenny Tonge was rather misguided to get involved in this issue (of allegations about the Israeli Defence Force in Haiti) at all. But she only called for an inquiry, while praising the IDF's work in Haiti. Such a mild statement, while perhaps justifying the quiet dropping of Baroness Tonge from the front bench, do not justify the rather over-the-top condemnatory remarks made by Nick Clegg. How on earth can it be "wrong, distasteful and ...
You may recall that I emailed Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe to strongly protest at his inappropriate intervention in the FA's decision-making about John Terry. I have received a reply, below, from Mr Sutcliffe's department. I am amused to see that the email says: "This is a matter for the Football Association and the England management to deal with and not the Government." Yes, that is the point I was making - it was wrong for the Sports Minister to get involved! Here is the full email: Dear Mr Harris Thank you for your e-mail of 1 February to the Sports ...
Last Tuesday evening I attended the Chiswick local area committee for the first time as an observer. As a Group Leader it is useful to maintain and develop an understanding of how local democracy is working across the borough. It was a meeting of the local planning committee and the possible Controlled Parking Zones (CPZs) in Grove Park and Strand on the Green were key items on the agenda. Committee chair Cllr Hearn provided a lively, frank and informative introduction to the item and the discussion that followed bore many parallels to our exploration of similar CPZ schemes on the ...
At the start of the week, Lib Dem Voice invited the members of our private discussion forum (open to all Lib Dem members) inviting them to take part in a survey, conducted via Liberty Research, asking a number of questions about the party and the current state of British politics. Many thanks to the 200 of you who completed it; we're publishing the results on LDV over the next few days. LDV asked: Do you think the Chilcot inquiry into the Iraq war will result in a 'whitewash'? You told us: 25% – Yes it will 19% – No it ...
Good old Liberal Democrat Voice have come up with the wizzo idea of promoting a bit of fundraising for five key LibDem candidates, in the run-up to the General Election. Good for LDV! They've started this week with an appeal for dosh to help Willie Rennie in Dunfermline. Willie is an excellent MP – a real hard worker, who has also done great work for the party over the years, most notably as agent for Paul Tyler when he was MP for North Cornwall. In fact, I remember bumping into Willie in the unlikely environs of Crackington Haven in Cornwall, ...
No sooner do 53 Assembly Members vote to have a referendum on the legislative powers of the Welsh Assembly than people start gathering to knock the idea down. What makes it worse is that most of us are trying to get on with the UK General Election by talking about other issues such as the economy, education and health and haven't really got time for this debate at the moment. Maybe we can come back to them when it is all over and we have a new government. UKIP of course want to make the existence of the Assembly an ...
With the Mayor of Margate's conviction for animal cruelty, its the case that once again the reputation of local political institutions is called into question. Apparently at this point in time Conservative cllr.Ted Watt-Ruffell has resigned from the Tory group on Thanet council but retains his post as Mayor of Margate. I know little of the Charter Trustees and believe that the membership is made up of District councillors for Margate. You would think in the 21st century such nonsense as "Mayoralty" would have disappeared but clearly not, it would seem that Thanet and one presumes much of English politics, ...
This morning's Times has an exclusive in which they say that both Alistair Darling and George Osborne, the Shadow Chancellor, are considering raising VAT to the European average of 20 per cent from the current rate of 17.5 per cent. They say that this would raise an extra £13 billion a year at a time when financial markets are searching for signs that whoever takes power is serious about tackling Britain's £178 billion deficit: One City source close to the Tory tax team said: "There is a view across the Conservative Party that VAT is going to have to go ...
When I was a little girl, we used to play a game called the Minister's Cat, where each person adds an adjective to describe the Minister's Cat and you'd have to remember the whole list. It is a game guaranteed to keep Anna amused for ages. Today the focus is on the Speaker's Palace at Westminster which tomorrow welcomes a silver tabby to catch the mice that frighten the Speaker's Wife. This is getting more like a nursery rhyme every time I think about it. Sally Bercow has decided to name this poor unsuspecting animal by Twitter Poll. This is ...
[IMG: Sven Crown Estate] Sven and I were up on Millbank Way and Cambridge Drive this morning. The Crown Estate are proposing to sell-off their residential property estate, which includes properties in Lee Green, as well as others elsewhere in London. That's understandably caused a lot of concern to the tenants and leaseholders of Crown Estate properties in Lee Green. The Crown Estate have said that the proposal only affects the 'bricks and mortar' – e.g. tenancies would remain in place. However, they are exploring a variety of options – they say they want to sell to a 'focused housing ...
Out on the doorsteps again today and had trouble finding Labour supporters - maybe they are too embarrassed! I met plenty of former Labour voters however. One recounted how she had just had a letter telling her that her state pension had cone up by 34p. She was annoyed that the increase wasn't much more than the cost of posting the letter. Three residents also mentioned how they were worried about the lack of affordable housing and all p-laced the blame on the Tories sell off of council houses in the 1980s. People have long memories and don't forget it ...
At the start of the week, Lib Dem Voice invited the members of our private discussion forum (open to all Lib Dem members) inviting them to take part in a survey, conducted via Liberty Research, asking a number of questions about the party and the current state of British politics. Many thanks to the 200 of you who completed it; we're publishing the results on LDV over the next few days. We asked party members what their expectations of how the Lib Dems will perform at the coming general election: Thinking of the next general election, what do you think ...
I'm in London today, at least for the time being, as Ros is off to Bangladesh on a Parliamentary delegation. So, rather than go back to the building site that is the cottage, we thought that it might be nice to go to Borough Market. Curiously, although I lived in South London for sixteen years, I never actually ventured in. That's a pity, really, as it is a quite marvellous place to buy cheese, beer and pork (the three food groups of the Gods). We browsed the market, before buying something for lunch and, most important of all, sustenance for ...
This is quite possibly one of the best things I've heard come out of the EU in some time and yet has been woefully under-reported: The European parliament rejected an agreement on sharing banking data with the US yesterday, delivering a potential setback to long-running US efforts to track down terrorist financing. Citing concerns about European citizens' privacy, the parliament voted to scrap a deal that would have given the US continued access to data compiled by Swift, a co-operative that handles interbank money transfers. The move means that for the first time since the September 2001 attacks, the US ...
I've let all of you who didn't stay up to watch the opening ceremony live see the highlights. But not lets the games begin. First up here is a look at the venues from the official Vanoc highlight of their progress a couple of years back. Or a more relaxed look at the venues etc after looking through the sciencey bit above. Of course while the Olympics is all about taking part, but you do, if you take part, want to come home with one of these. Introducing Quatchi, Miga, Sumi and Mukmuk the mascots. So all that is left ...
A good team was out this morning and what a productive morning it was too. I was particularly pleased to be joined by some students who offered to help with my campaign after the Question Time debate in Llandrillo College. A great big thank you to all that helped this morning (not all pictured here, as three volunteers were camera shy!!) there was a "Buzz". Time out this afternoon, hope to catch the Welsh Rugby game.
What the fuck is it with Apple products? Do they put mind-altering drugs in them or something? Why do they cause such uncritical adoration in normally sane and rational people? It's eerily like religious fundamentalism, and it creeps me the fuck out. You know, I can understand that a person can like Apple products. I can understand the the UI is user friendly, and that iTunes is cleverly designed to cost you lots of money while making you feel good about it, and all that jazz. I can understand that. But why can't people who like Apple products accept that ...
According to the Sky News Blog, three Lib Dem MPs are among the most fanciable of the 2005-2010 Parliament. They are: Lynne Featherstone (1st place overall) Julia Goldsworthy (5th place overall) Nick Clegg (5th place overall) Congratulations (if that's the right word) to all three of them. But do you agree with Sky's choices? Who would you elevate or relegate? Feel free to discuss – but, please, keep it clean (ish). And chivalrous.
The right of a woman to have control over her own body is likely to come under attack once again in the event of a Conservative majority in the Commons, no matter how small, according to an article in this morning's FT. Intriguingly, the paper reports that the opposition of Tory MPs' and candidates to abortion ...
Back in September I boasted that I had lost a stone since getting my digital camera a few months before. It has been harder going since then, but my weight loss is now up to a stone and a half. Sadly, it is not enough to take photographs: you have to eat less too.
Last year I speculated that weekend voting may be the next trend in efforts to raise turnout: Weekend voting has been discussed for a long time. Back in 1991, for example, the all-party Hansard Society's report Agenda for Change discussed moving voting to a Sunday and highlighted that the Society of Local Authority Chief Exeuctives (SOLACE) backed this idea. Similarly, in 1997, the Home Affairs Select Committee recommended that weekend voting should be tested out. Partly as a result of this, the system of election pilots that was then put in motion by the 1999 Home Office Working Party on ...
Beatles post tonight, assuming this migraine dies down. Firstly, while I thought I had reason to be mildly annoyed at Google, at least it didn't decide I automatically wanted to be bestest friends with an abusive ex and a bunch of people who want to rape me, like it did with someone else... meanwhile Twitter has ...
No-one can say this website doesn't know how to get down to street level! Yesterday international calling, today feedback on a tour of dog poo and litter bins in Blackhill. I am indebted to the Environmental Focus Group of the Benfieldside, Blackhill, Bridgehill and Shotley Bridge Partnership (whose name is long enough to grace a Welsh railway station) who had surveyed their area and come up with suggestions for additional bins. Their chairperson and I joined two staff from the County Durham "Green and Clean" team, and together I believe we've achieved an outcome that will help to improve our ...
As usual, I am probably slightly slow on the uptake with this video and, indeed, the artist himself. But I think it's worth trotting it out as it really is a great, original video and a fantastic song. Paolo Nutini really is a quite extraordinary singer. Just 22 years old and from Paisley, Scotland, his voice is so mature, jazzy and Latinish that he sounds as though he ought to be from Puerto Rico, be about 55 years old, and have thirty years experience singing in smokey bars. When I first heard this song, I had the same reaction as ...
I have two policies with Aviva, formerly Norwich Union. When I moved to Canada in '06 I sent a change of address notice to Aviva, but they only changed my address on one of the policies. Last year I tried again, and found myself involved in a ridiculous exchange of correspondence with them. First, Aviva demanded I send them my passport to prove my identity. I wasn't going to do that because I don't trust them or Canada Post not to lose it. As Norwich Union they had a track record of not replying to my correspondence, and on one ...
Over the next five weeks, Lib Dem Voice is going to be asking all our Lib Dem-supporting readers to consider making a donation to support five candidates standing for the party at the imminent general election. We know many of you will already be donating to the national party and/or your local party. We know not everyone will be able to afford to make a donation. But we hope that as many of you as are able will spare whatever spare cash you can to support the Lib Dem candidates we will be profiling in the coming weeks. Here is ...
Cafe Mondial (in the RUSU Building) 6pm – 7pm Pizza and drinks provided The Student's Union have called an emergency student voice to decide its stance on the planned future cuts at the university. Statements will be made from both the Universities & Colleges Union (staff equivalent of NUS) and the University of Reading regarding these cuts. After hearing the statements, a discussion will follow, ending in a vote on how RUSU should go forward with this issue. This issue is of course of great importance to the future of the University, job loses and student services. It would be ...
Was I the only one who was a little gobsmacked when I heard Bootle MP Joe Benton being called in aide by Alec Salmond when he was defending his deputy Nicola Sturgeon in the Scottish Parliament this week? The issue was that she had sent a letter to a court on behalf of a convicted fraudster. The official record shows (Col 23793) Salmond saying: 'What about Joe Benton, the Labour MP for Bootle, who wrote to Liverpool Crown Court in December 2008 on behalf of Christopher Brown, a constituent who was charged with firearm offences after selling guns online'
I've just seen the weather forecast live on BBC1. They make absolutely no mention of snow over Norfolk this morning. In fact, they state we will have some sleet and snow later this afternoon. The BBC website shows the weather forecast as being like this So my problem ? It's been snowing here for an hour and there seems little chance of respite. Yet, again, and I tire of saying this about the Met Office, if they are unable to accurately tell us what the weather is like now, then why should we be at all surprised that they are ...
The ticking time bomb of VAT appears to be rearing its head again and neither of the main parties appears to have a diffusion team looking at fair ways to avoid the explosion. Having just learnt myself of my annual pay review this news in The Times makes disheartening reading: Though Labour and the Tories have denied having any current plans to increase VAT, neither will rule it out and The Times understands a rise in the tax is being considered by both parties. The rate of 20% is bound to hit the lowest paid. My pay review justified the ...
It's a shame to once again be talking about the dangers facing the economic future of the planet again, but there is something extremely unsettling about what's going on at the moment. Recession has ended across the planet, thanks largely to unprecedented fiscal expansions across the globe. Deficit spending has saved us from serious meltdown; but ...
Today's Herald reports that Labour's plans for free hospital car parking for people visiting friends and relatives undergoing treatment may well push up charges for everyone else. You can read that report HERE. Looking at what Labour proposes, we could see blood donors having to pay more. Right now they qualify for discounted parking charges at Derriford, but not free parking. That strikes me as wrong and deeply unfair. These people generously donate their own blood to help others. They get nothing in return. They deserve to be able to park at Derriford when donating blood without having to pay ...
Ashfield DC, Hucknall CentralLab 675 (38.4; +17.9)Con 437 (24.9; -5.1)LD Kenneth Cotham 357 (20.3; +6.8)UKIP 158 (9.0; +9.0)BNP 131 (7.5; +7.5)[Others (0.0; -36.0)]Majority 238Turnout 32.29%Lab gain from ConPercentage change is since May 2007 Aylesbury Vale DC, Aylesbury Central LD Graham Webster 354 (50.6; -1.9)Con 213 (30.5; -5.9)Lab 67 (9.6; +9.6)UKIP 65 (9.3; -1.9)Majority 141Turnout 26.9%LD
This was a film I had been wanted to see for a long time because it is always described as an authentic noir shot in London in 1950. And it did not disappoint. Richard Widmark plays Harry Fabian, a small-time hustler who overreaches himself by trying to become a wrestling promoter. It is a vivid performance and Fabian's character is discussed in Paul Arthur's essay on the film: Harry, famously referred to by a romantic rival as "an artist without an art," is a figure of palpable instability, always in the midst of a surefire shady venture, some criminalized shortcut ...
On Thursday there were two Council by-elections on Telford and Wrekin Council, the Tories won both. The full results were:
Let's have another go at getting the format for this right. How about numbered bullet points, but with a line space between them? It takes a bit of fiddling, but dear old Blogger can do it. Nick Clegg has been launching the party's new Vibrant Local High Street policy in the Kilburn High Road with Ed Fordham, says the Hampstead & Kilburn Lib Dems site. Mark Reckons reports from the doorstep in his by-election campaigns in Bracknell. Disgruntled Radical argues that the current row over funding care for the elderly shows what is wrong with the British political system - ...
I recently received the latest edition of the Save Fortis Green Allotments Campaign newsletter. The campaign group is very well organised and doing a great job in fighting the threat to these allotments. They set up a trust to negotiate with Thames Water to buy the allotment land and have now agreed a price of £30,000 with them - so are now fundraising to get that money and secure the future of the allotments for good. The concerns for the future started with Thames Water touting around the land for sale - at a much higher price than £30,000. The ...
I like the Independent, but I have to disagree with their headline in yesterday's paper. Especially as in the top ten, we Lib Dems have Lynne Featherstone at No 1, Julia Goldsworthy at No 5, and Nick Clegg at No 6. So we are now officially the party of brains, brawn, and beauty!
On Thursday night Manchester Evening News held a Question Time-style debate with Tony Lloyd (Labour, Manchester Central), Graham Brady (Conservative, Altrincham and Sale West) and Mark Hunter (Lib Dem, Cheadle). You can view a report of the event (via Twitter feed) at the MEN site.
Today, we are launching our Petition to Save Newton Rigg. We really must make sure that this unique campus is not either downgraded or closed. There is so much there that is special and unique. More on this later, but for now - please sign our online petition to be found here Petition
Here's your starter for ten as we experiment with a new Saturday slot posing a view for debate: Belief in equality is, as the preamble to the Lib Dems' constitutions states, one of the fundamental values of the party. But, as with all values, equality can mean different things to different people. There has long been tension between liberals who believe the role of government is to aim for equality of opportunity for everyone, and liberals who believe government must promote equality of outcomes. The former will tend to stress the importance of education as the chief means by which ...
I don't ever recall during the 2008 London Mayoral election campaign Boris Johnson pledging police cuts, in fact if anything, completely the opposite and yet this week as the Met police budgets were set, Boris is slashing police numbers. Cameron's Conservative London Mayor, Boris John will slash 455 police officers across London and cut a massive £16million from the Metropolitan Police budget. Boris Johnson has also refused to guarantee the future size of the successful Safer Neighbourhood Policing Teams, which are dedicated to each neighbourhood in London Boroughs.Cameron's Conservative Mayor, Boris Johnson said: "I have no intention of imposing a ...
I haven't blogged so far this week, because I was down in London on a training course. The course, run by the Local Government Association (LGA) took me to a range of London Councils, from inner boroughs such as Southwark, through trendy Islington and Camden, and out to meet the leaders of suburban Kingston and Sutton. The political hacks amongst you will notice that these are all Lib Dem led Councils. The reason is that the LGA sensibly streams this training course, so that members of each party join seperate groups meeting Council's run by their own - who are ...
RIP Nodar Kumaritashvili 1988-2010 Competitors have said that the Bobsleigh track at Whistler for the Olympics is incredibly fast. In fact it has long had a reputation as the fastest track in the world. However, there have been a number of crashes in practise and as the Games prepare to officially open we are reminded of just how dangerous these sports can be. Georgian luge competitor Nodar Kumaritashvili lost control of his sled on his sixth and final practise run, crashed on the final turn, came off his sled at at 90mph (144.3km/h) and hit a unpadded pole near the ...
I have been campaigning for the last four years for the need for urgent action to bring the hundreds of empty private homes in Reading back into use. As a direct result of the campaign I have led as Lib Dem housing spokesperson Reading Borough Council now has an empty homes strategy and resources dedicated to tackling this problem.To find out more, you can listen to my recent interview with BBC Radio Berkshire which I recorded just before Christmas here: Despite our recent successes in getting progress on this issue I am not complacent about the scale of the problems ...
One of my favourite films is "Z" directed by Costa Gavras, starring Yves Montand, Jean-Louis Trintignant, and Irene Papas based on the book of the same name by Vassilis Vassilikos. It tells the story of the toppling of the democratic government in ...
