The timing of the South African President Jacob Zuma's state visit to Britain is particularly auspicious: it's the 20th anniversary of the release from prison of Nelson Mandela and today is exactly 100 days before the Republic hosts the FIFA World Cup. An interesting mix of London's diplomatic corps and the business world rubbed shoulders with ...
This is going to be brief because I'm just back from a biz trip to Scotland, it's late, i'm tired and that's when you do careless blogs. Well, I do. I'm very lucky that while I'm away there's superstars back in the constituency like John C and Sue B who are padding the streets and ...
Richard kindly pointed out that I had signed up for Amazon US instead of Amazon UK. So I've switched...
It's a fair question to ask: lots of complaints made over Jan Moir's piece on the death of Stephen Gately, none upheld. However, as Enemies of Reason points out, that isn't the only measure of success: But I would like to hope – hope against hope – that the storm the Daily Mail found itself in after Moir's ill-judged and venomous article made them, in some small way, feel they were a little more vulnerable to the outside world, and their own readers, than they were before. It's easy to dismiss the rantings of a few pointless troublemakers like me, ...
I was going to make the point that his investment in the Conservative Party has proved to be excellent value, but Paul Walter beat me to it. I can't do any better than to let him take it from here... By the way, nice layout, Paul...
It is good news for the electors and for democracy that Prime Ministerial debates have been agreed between the Lib Dems, Labour and the Conservatives with the BBC, Sky and ITV. However, I fail to understand why the SNP cannot accept why they will not be taking part. The SNP is not standing throughout the whole of the UK and their leader could never be Prime Minister. So for them to moan about not being involved is just plain stupid. I wrote a few months ago how the Cornish Nationalists could similarly moan about being excluded from the Prime Ministerial ...
Well one famous Doctor would be 106 today, admittedly not as old as the over 900 year old Doctor who is returning to our screens soon. However, there really is only one birthday dish one can serve up for Dr Seuss. Enjoy.
Not much where ive been today - nokked on 150 doors and could only unearth 2 labour supporters and these very soft. This is extremely encouraging but not unusual day. If only they knew... Anyhoo the Leaders' debates also announced today will seal the deal and break Punch and Judy's stranglehold and start the long march to real politics in England - starting with a voting system that makes us all count not a minority in all seats (and a tiny minority in the 'swing' seats that actually have always decided who grabs all the power) and ending up with ...
Dr Phillip Lee, Conservative PPC for Bracknell has started blogging again after he stopped when he won the primary. He will be blogging he campaign to win in Bracknell during the general election. (Thanks to a tweet from Steve Gabbs at Green Gabbles) Phillip Lee was asked by Conservative Party Chairman, Eric Pickles, to speak to the Hall about his experience of the selection process in Bracknell. You can read it hereThe Power of the People. The bit I like about this speech was the mention of this blog, Phillip Lee said 'AND FINALLY, IT WAS INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT ...
Chris White has a post on Liberal Democrat Voice attacking Conservative education plans. Apparently they take us: back to grant-maintained schools, introduced by Thatcher is her assault on the concept of society in favour of individualism.And they also mean that parents will: have to apply for several schools simultaneously (sometimes all the schools in a town if moving into an area) rather than simply asking the local authority to find a place.I am never going to agree with this. I find that I expressed my own views in an article on Comment is Free back in April 2006: If liberalism ...
The BBC Trust today admitted that the stories leaked last week – that 6 Music and Asian Network would be recommended for closure – were true. BBC 6 Music is the only radio station I've encountered that is focused solely on good (non-classical) music, with a particular emphasis on up-and-coming singers and groups. The entire station is essentially a ...
Heresy Corner asks if the BBC cutbacks are a threat to the plans for radio digital switchover.Guido thinks he has proof that the markets hate Labour.Ellee Seymour asks if The Yorkshire Ripper should ever be released.Danny The Fink has some words of warning about margins of error.Burkesworks develops a Gloria Swanson complex.
The attempt to defend Lord Ashcroft does not just make Conservative politicians look undignified. It does strange things to Conservative bloggers too. Here is Iain Dale writing last night: I'll take note of Alan Johnson's comments when he has proved his own patriotism. I'm not even going to mention the ways in which his own government sells British interests at every available opportunity. That would be like kicking a kitten. No, Mr Johnson. When you've raised millions of pounds for CrimeStoppers, when you've donated your collection of VCs to the nation, when you've given huge amounts of money to Help ...
If you'd like to attend the launch of Camden's Biodiversity Action Plan it will be at Waterlow Park Centre, Dartmouth Park Hill (nearest tube Archway), at 6.30pm on Wednesday 17th March. The keynote speaker will be London's foremost expert on green roofs, Dusty Gedge, who advised us on the Camden Town Hall green roof (see photo). To book, please contact Camden's Biodiversity Manager, Richard Harris - richard.harris[at]camden.gov.uk.
The Channel 4 News site has a video interview with the creator of St Trinians and St Custards. Because Ronald Searle will be 90 tomorrow: Ronald Searle was standing in his sitting room - rose champagne bottle (his engine oil, he calls it) at the ready in his one good hand - his writing/drawing left hand. Monica Searle, in her 80s, greeted us warmly at the top of the stairs, freshly coiffured in tinted glasses. They've been a couple for over half a century (a second marriage for both of them) - "bliss," she tells me. There's a poignant mutual ...
Written because I get just as angry when Lib Dems act in illiberal and undemocratic ways as when anyone else does... I am writing, as a longtime member of the Liberal Democrats (and someone whose wife is employed by the party) to ask you to reconsider your amendment to the Digital Economy Bill. This bill, even as ...
Kristian Digby was a brilliant television presenter. I have seen bits of his programmes over the years. He was fun, energetic, bubbling over with enthusiasm, very knowledgeable about property and a natural broadcaster. He will be greatly missed as he shone as a star on daytime television. His passing is an enormous tragedy. It is difficult to believe that such a vibrant personality is so suddenly stilled and no longer with us. I express my deep sympathy to his family and friends. As a tribute to Kristian Digby, here is "his showreel" which demonstrates his enormous talent. WARNING: Might disturb ...
...Well it's only a quick calculation. The Times states (in a question) that: ...the Conservative Party accept(ed) more than £5 million from Lord Ashcroft after nominating him for a seat in the Lords while his overseas earnings stayed exempt from British tax... And the Daily Mirror states: Tory peer Lord Ashcroft has deprived the public of more than £127million in a 10-year-long tax dodge, it was claimed last night. While I'm at it, here's a quote from the Information Commissioner: Since Lord Ashcroft's ennoblement, the question of where he lives has continued to be raised, leading to speculation that Lord ...
As reported in tonight's "Evening Telegraph", I have welcomed news that the University of Dundee is proactively looking at a new site in the West End for "The Bridge" sculpture that used to be located in Hunter Street at the university campus but was removed at the time of construction of the Dalhousie Building. "The Bridge" was erected around the early 1980s in Hunter Street and was the creation of artist Ron Martin. It was based on the kind of bridge on a cello or double-bass. You can just make out the 4 notches along the top where the strings ...
At the end of January, I raised concerns about the future of local radio in the digital age. I wrote to Broadcasting Minister Sion Simon MP on the matter. I have now received the following response : "Dear Councillor Macpherson, Thank you for your email of 31 January to Sion Simon expressing the concerns of your constituents about the proposed switchover to DAB radio. I have been asked to reply. The Digital Britain White Paper sets out the Government's vision for a radio industry in a digital world and the mechanisms needed to deliver it. Evidence suggests that the digitisation ...
First he said he was able to spot paedophiles by sight. Now the omnipotent Tory Bear is able to diagnose from London just what is wrong with Steven Purcell* who stepped down as leader of Glasgow City Council today. If I wasn't hearing that he was hospitalised this evening at the same time that Tory Bear decided to be post his trash it probably wouldn't have got my attention. His claim that Purcell being "happy as larry on Friday morning yet mysteriously cleared his diary by the afternoon and went into crisis meetings before bringing out the "stress" press release ...
Having received queries from constituents about the change to the capital cost of the St Joseph's Primary and Park Place Nursery and Primary schools projects, the City Council's Director of Finance has responded to my enquiries as follows : "The original costs were a very first estimate. The revised costs are based on detailed designs and ground surveys. The main reasons why the project has moved from £10.3m to £11.5m are as follows: 1. Programme The Education Committee report 69-2009 was based on a site start of Q1 2010. The revised site start date of Jan 2011 is a full ...
Readers will recall that I posted the experiences of one of my constituents with Alpha Builders (contracted by the city council). At the time I was very unhappy with them as they'd left a family with a very cold house on a night and over a weekend with sub-zero temperatures after not turning up for ...
The dalek like call of Cornwall's Conservative led Council has been heard again... "Centralise, centralise, centralise..." This time, the One Stop Shops are to lose their ability to sell most parking permits. There will be a lot of unhappy motorists as a result. Previously, the former districts sold different parking permits in different One Stop Shops. Everybody understood the system and it worked very efficiently. If you wanted a new or replacement permit you filled in a form at the OSS, handed over your money and they gave you a parking permit. Simples. But the Conservative demand for centralisation means ...
A by-election in the Old Bracknell ward for the Town Council has been called due to the sad death of Lady Barbara Smith. The candidates standing are; Roy John Bailey for the Labour Party Adrain Micheal Haffegee for the Green Party Frances Moody for the Conservative Party Darren Antony Bridgman for the Liberal Democrats This means that I am standing in this ward for the Lib Dems. I will be following in the current tradition of Lib Dem Bloggers standing in local elections like the Norfolk Blogger and Mark Reckons. Wish me luck as I am really up against it ...
Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg is to speak first in the first debate, hosted by ITV, while Gordon Brown and David Cameron will do so in the subsequent debates, on Sky and the BBC. From the BBC: Three major broadcasters – the BBC, ITV and Sky – have agreed on the rules for hosting party leaders' debates in the run-up to the general election. The three 90-minute sessions will begin by focusing on domestic policies, international affairs and the economy. The studio audiences will then be able to ask direct questions on any subject, with viewers doing the same via ...
As far as confessions go, this one has been a long time coming. Hoard Lord Ashcroft has finally admitted he is "non domiciled" for tax purposes, in other words he has avoided paying as much tax as he can in this country. This is a man who has contributed millions to Tory campaigns over many years, ...
I accept that this is not necessarily the most obvious topic for a blog posting, but stick with me here, I'll get to the point soon... For Liberal Democrats, there is no obvious link to any Premier League team (unless you're conditioned to do what Sara Bedford tells you to do). And, given the uncanny ability of Ipswich Town to draw their games (draw number 17 of the season at the weekend), leading Liberal Democrat donor, Marcus Evans, who owns the club, is unlikely to be visiting the directors' box at the Emirates or Old Trafford for a league fixture ...
February was not a great month - we lost a family member and another is now in hospital. Sadly it sometimes takes a hard time to remind us all of where our priorities lie. This time last year I was so chuffed - my younger son had his place at Secondary school and life was getting easier with both sons growing up. A year on and I'm rapidly grinding teeth to a stump. Having brought 2 boys up on my own since they were 2 and 4 I thought I'd gone through the worst of it - the younger one ...
Ben Lyons had an interesting post on Lib Dem Voice recently where he argued that the minimum wage legislation should be amended to recognise interns as short-term employees. I have read numerous articles over the years about this issue (and indeed blogged about it myself in the past) and the more I read, the more unfair it seems. There are certain fields of work such as in the media or working as a parliamentary researcher where it is pretty standard for people to offer their services for free for a number of months. On the surface it might seem fair ...
From Michael White's blog on the youths in Cameron's team: By 1997 John Prescott had been an MP since 1970 and a prominent public figure since 1966, when Harold Wilson - then prime minister - almost named him as one of those communist-dominated militants behind the seamen's strike. In the nick of time they spotted he ...
In a previous article I started to discuss where local government will fit into a newly empowered Welsh Assembly, making laws within the ambit of the twenty fields of competence granted by the Government of Wales Act 2006. I argued that there is a wider debate as to what structures we need to deliver services to a nation of 3 million people and in particular whether 22 local councils and seven health boards are appropriate vehicles to spend the bulk of the Assembly's £15 billion budget. My view then (and now) was that we most probably need bigger and fewer ...
[IMG: gordon-brown-0011] So now its a real fight. Who do we choose? On my left I give you the bullying, bullshitting, bad tempered - bad man of politics - GORDON BROWN. He who wants to be judged on his moral compass yet surrounds himself with unpleasant characters who intimidate and smear his political opponents, from whatever party, at every turn. He who talked up "Prudence" whilst on the biggest spending binge ever, who raided pension funds, sold our gold at its lowest level for years and who invested more of his time and effort undermining the then Prime Minister, than ...
An e mail alerted me to the possible arrival of an answer from the Home Office. Sadly so far all they've sent is an acknowledgement but they say they'll answer by 10th March. I asked a Freedom of Information question about ID cards marketing. Let's face it you can't go anywhere in Liverpool without seeing an ad for this "voluntary" scheme. Bus shelters, billboards, the local press, local radio - the ads are everywhere. I have asked for the cost of all this spend. ID cards are an illiberal waste of time so why the government thinks its all right ...
A bit of a conundrum this one – LATVIA. It's a great ballad yet one wonders how Aisha was picked by the Latvians as her singing on the night was atrocious. The religious undertones could either help or hinder her if she goes through to the final. Her looks remind me of Agnetha Faltskog (of ABBA). Here ...
The Pastor at Long Lane Church has been in touch about plans for a festival day on Garston Park later this year. He wants to know if there are any other groups that want to join in. Already it looks as if there'll be some football, some play activities for children and some exhibitions. The Friends of Garston Park are also discussing what they might be able to do. If you are from a group that wants to know more or wants to join in, do please get in touch with Nick the Pastor at nick@longlane.org
The deadline for further comments or objections to be sent in about the terrible plans for a waste site on Garston Docks is nearly here. It's March 9th. The City Council turned down Jack Allen's plans for this site last year, but instead of going away and looking elsewhere, the company decided to appeal. There'll be a public enquiry starting on June 15th this year. I and the other Lib Dem Councillors are still fighting these plans and we know lots of local people are too.
This little clip is worth watching if only for the quotes from Gove at the beginning.
I was out delivering at the weekend and as usual I had my little portable radio with me. I came across a programme about the Confessions of a Witch. The women in question was Isobel Gowdie who came from the NE of Scotland around the town of Nairn. The trials of witches make good drama. Arthur Miller's play the Crucible is set in Salem, Massachusetts and is based on the Witch Trials of 1692. Isobel Gowdie predates the Salem trials by about 30years. She was burned to death after a series of improbable confessions. These confessions inspired the Scottish composer ...
Is Lord Ashcroft getting value for money? I found this interesting analysis on the election campaign in Belize, where Lord Ashcroft would really like to be domiciled. "The price of a vote varies country wide. But there are reports that in the Corozal South Division, a vote is worth a $1000? But in Corozal town a vote is only worth $300 and in Belize City a vote can be bought for $20 by the incumbents. Why the big difference in the price of vote buying, is not known? But obviously the port of Belize City voters are being treated as ...
Monday's Today Programme on Radio 4 majored on local government. It was the usual shambles. We were told that local authorities were expecting to make cuts in services – hardly news. One reporter told us that libraries were not used by many people - in fact had she spent ten minutes on research she would have discovered that libraries are visited by half the adult population each year. This makes libraries far more popular than any if not all of the sporting events on which the BBC lavishes time and our money each year. Another reporter told us that local ...
Peter Black AM regretfully advises that he has to cancel his advice surgery, due to take place in Port Talbot Central Library on Friday 5th March from 3pm to 4pm, because of a family bereavement. He has asked that anybody who was intending to see him either phone his office on 029 2089 8744 or e-mail him direct at peter.black@wales.gov.uk.
My collegue James Jennings just alerted me of this news item: Apparently micro wind turbines could now be one of the many tools that will be used by local councils that are getting into the energy business. Apparently this news comes as Local Councils will be allowed to start generating and selling back electricity to generate ...
Last week, Scotland's First Minister, Alex Salmond, launched the Referendum (Scotland) Bill consultation. The SNP has few aspirations, beyond independence for its own sake. I can't help but think of them as someone courting a reluctant bride. They keep asking, and keep cajoling, hoping that eventually the electorate will say yes, and let them take them up the aisle. On Friday, Nicola Sturgeon, who faced parliament about her own troubles earlier in the week, said "this isn't about what the SNP wants, it's about what the people of Scotland want". Well, she's wrong. This consultation actually is about what the ...
Lord Ashcroft is estimated to have saved more than £127m in British tax since he became a member of the House of Lords, according to Liberal Democrat research.
Well thats what the Daily Mail (Fail) would have you believe with article yesterday entitled "Single mother Britain: Three women explain why their babies don't need a father". The insinuation was that children who grew up with their mothers alone in a single mother environment were more likely to be criminals, badly educated and generally ...
As Chair of Reading Borough Council's main health overview & scrutiny committee - the Housing, Health and Community Care Scrutiny Panel since 2008 I have taken a keen interest in improving public access to good quality health services. Poor health in Reading is closely linked to real poverty and sadly many people lack health facilities on their doorstep and families find it difficult to get appointments to see GPs etc at times that suit them without going a long distance. I have been campaigning for a couple of years now on the need to get action taken to reduce health ...
Five blogs have recently joined Ryan's Liberal Democrat Blogs aggregator: Aberystwyth University Liberal Democrats - http://aulibdems.wordpress.com – old logo, new site Harry Armistead - http://harryarmistead.lancasterlibdems.org – nicely integrated with various social networks, including ACT Ian Lindley - http://www.ianlindley.co.uk – interesting use of Tumblr, and comes with a campaign song Lee Chalmers - http://www.leechalmers.com – though there seems to be a site missing from the blog roll, ahem [IMG: :-)] Lorna Spenceley - http://lornaspenceley.blogspot.com – majoring on her local campaigning in Cambridgeshire Good luck to all the new bloggers, and why not take a moment to pop over to their blogs, ...
Great day in Appleby on Saturday. Wonderful support for the petition which now has over 2000 signatures! Spent the day with Andy Connell a local history teacher who has written several booklets about the history of Liberalism in the area. We were talking about Leif Jones who was elected in 1906 with a majority of 3. Fascinating stories and the day flew by. We then did some canvassing, again with a very positive response.
With the majority of polls forecasting a hung parliament at the next General Election it's interesting to see what the real money is showing. Betting Press predicts a hung parliament Punters and pollsters seem to agree then - a hung parliament is likely. This is good for anyone who does not trust any particular group of politicians with too much power. That'd be most people then.
And why not? It gets a good clap from the sort of core Tories that go to Spring Conference. Die hard miserabilists. But as Philip Collins fisks, not necessarily a good idea: The trouble with "broken Britain" rhetorically is that it gives real fire to speeches now and ruins every speech three years into government. ...
Of all the aspects of the Lord Ashcroft revelations regarding his now admitted non-dom status, the one that stands out the most for me is the suggestion that he will only sort this out and become domiciled for tax purposes if the Tories win the election. As highlighted in this story in the Mail today: Lord Ashcroft suggested yesterday that he would change his status and remain in the Lords if the Tories win the election and press ahead with a planned change in the law forcing all MPs and peers to pay tax on their worldwide income. So even ...
Oops.. Conservative PPC for SE Cornwall Sheryll Murray is busy tweeting to ask for votes to save weekly bin collections. Perhaps she should check with her Conservative colleagues on Cornwall Council who voted to scrap weekly bin collections as part of their budget. No doubt she will also be campaigning on a pledge to freeze council tax for two years even though her council colleagues have said they will raise it by more than 2% a year.
It seems, with the election close at hand, everyone is looking for a slice of poll action. The polling firms are no doubt delighted. And, do you know what, it made me think it might just be time to increase the pace of Monster's Poll calibrations! So here, for your delectation and delight, is what we're ...
This Newsnight clip is taken from Political Scrapbook's brilliant dissection of Michael Gove's 2000 Times Leader on Michael Ashcroft. You can read the full post here.
All freshly primped and suited and sporting a neat new haircut in readiness for my filming this afternoon; Lord only knows how the folks at Cowley Street got hold of my name and thought that I'd be someone who could put the message of Liberalism and indeed Democracy on camera in an articulate manner, much less in a photogenic one, but clearly somebody must have done and they can rest assured I won't let them, and Bradford, down. If they're looking for a few pithy soundbites I'm hoping there'll be a few economic questions. Now while I expect the Telegraph ...
Welcome to another Tuesday here at LDV Towers. Today we say 'Happy Birthday' to Lembit Öpik, who is 45 today. Estonia's, Northern Ireland's, Montgomeryshire's finest shares his special day with comedian Dave Gorman, who is 39 today and cricketer Andrew Strauss, who is 33. On this day 40 years ago, Ian Smith declared Rhodesia a republic, cutting the country's last link with the British Crown five years after he unilaterally declared independence. Ten years ago today, 2000 former Chilean dictator General Augusto Pinochet headed home to Chile, after being told the UK would not extradite him on torture charges. 2 ...
My favourite phrase of yesterday's was Chris Huhne likening the Tories to a Banana Republic. A definition I liked is a "small country, esp. in Central America, that is politically unstable and has an economy dominated by foreign interest, usually dependent on one export, such as bananas". Spooky isn't it? The term was originally coined for Honduras in the last century which by happy co-incidence is neighbour to Belize (formerly British Honduras), where Lord Cashcroft resides. Belize's largest employer? Bananas! The serious point, however, is how much all this money sloshing about in Tory coffers distorts and damages our political ...
Campaign '08: A Turning Point For Digital Media is a slim volume by Kate Kaye, senior news editor at ClickZ, taking an in-depth look at the online advertising used in the 2008 Presidential contest for the primaries and then the general election. Though the book touches on other aspects of internet campaigning, what makes it stand out from the crowd of competing volumes is its focus on advertising. It starts with a reminder that there is only one John McCain: the McCain mocked in 2008 for not getting online campaigning is the same McCain who was feted in 2000 for ...
the change in Ashcroft's pockets
According to yesterdays Guardian voters are still unsure about the Tories. Well I guess given the opinion polls that is not surprising. The Tories seem a little light on policy and detail for instance precisely how they propose to cut the budget deficit. Where they do have policies they struggle to communicate them (witness Cameron's ...
It is funny how an impending General Election concentrates the minds of Government Ministers. Today's Guardian reports that Gordon Brown has ordered the restoration of a 101 national non-emergency phone number to report crime and antisocial behaviour ‑ three years after the scheme pledged in Labour's 2005 general election manifesto was axed. This number proved such a success in South Wales that when the Home Office withdrew funding, South Wales Police and Cardiff Council moved heaven and earth to keep it going albeit in a different form. I sat in a couple of times and observed its usefulness in dealing ...
Lord Justice Thomas, originally from Ystradgynlais, and one of Britain's most senior judges told an audience gathered by the Wales Governance Centre yesterday that Wales currently has the most complicated system of government of any part of the UK. He urged that a simplified system of governance should be based on clear principles. Speaking in Cardiff Bay's Pierhead building, which was reopened yesterday following months of restoration, he said: "I do not advocate and cannot advocate what powers the Assembly should have - whether it should have greater powers or not. That is not a matter for me. "But it ...
I may have mentioned that I have signed up for this Amazon thing. Finally, I have a chance to use it, although it does seem to be designed for an American market. So, here it is, a collection of essays on liberty and allied stuff, with a contribution from the always entertaining and ever thoughtful Brian Eno, brought together by my 'Unlock Democracy' colleague, Rosemary Bechler. If you can persuade Amazon to sell it to you in pounds sterling, it will make a good, if occasionally depressing, read.
Only on Sunday David, trust me, Cameron was telling his Party conference that it was his patriotic duty to save the country from a Labour Government and that the new Tory slogan was 'Vote for Change'. Two days later - his 'patriotism' has been blown out of the water as it clearly doesn't extend very far - so long as the Tory coffers are filling. And as for 'change' - protecting Tory friends in the City or elsewhere has long been stock in trade for the Tories. In fact - if the City is jittery - it's not a hung ...
There is much coverage this morning of the market dip yesterday which seems to be being attributed to the possibility of a hung parliament. The first thing I want to say is that my suspicion is that the markets are really dipping on the possibility of Labour being the largest single party (and hence in minority or coalition government) following the 2% Tory lead YouGov poll at the weekend. There being a hung parliament has been a distinct possibility for quite a while but a 2% Tory lead on a uniform national swing would make Labour the largest party. I ...
Last night Camden Friends of the Earth brought a deputation to Full Council calling on us to commit to 40% cuts in our carbon emissions by 2020. That's a tough target, the more so since they want us to slash emissions throughout Camden not just on the Council's estate. But twelve UK councils have already signed up so it's perfectly possible. It's too close to the election to commit the next administration, but I was delighted that the Leader of the Council, Cllr Keith Moffitt, was able to announce that "40% by 2020" would be in the Camden Liberal Democrat ...
The first politician I met in the flesh was the Rev. Dr. Ian Paisley. It was in downtown Bangor in the lead up to the 1986 By Election following the mass resignation of the Unionists. He was shaking hands and got to me in the crowd and asked "Can Jim (Kilfedder) count on your vote?", I actually replied firmly "Even if I were old enough my answer would be no, because I disagree with you over rejecting all links with the Republic." My late Grandmother I've learnt had a similar experience and response with him on her doorstep in Londonderry. ...
Some might say we get more than enough genuine charity bags through the door, but at least anything we donate is going to a good cause. A label came through my door - and others in the area too - that gives every appearance of being a complete scam. [IMG: Fake charity sticker] This claims to be from "ASTHMA charity". There's no such organisation as far as I know, there's no address, website or charity number. The email address is from gmail - anyone could have set it up. The label claims it has authorisation from the local council - ...
Local councillors and campaigners are flabbergasted after Conservative-run Cornwall Council decided to prevent Nick Clegg from visiting a key regeneration site in the county. The Lib Dem leader had been due to visit the Heartlands Project, part of a rundown old mining area which is due to be transformed using a multi-million pound Lottery grant. Local Lib Dem councillor Kim Willoughby said that she couldn't understand why the council had blocked the visit. She told This is Cornwall: Nick Clegg was excited about coming. It was going to be a fantastic opportunity for the project but, pretty much as soon ...
[IMG: Lynne Featherstone, Robert Gorrie and others protesting against proposals to end A+E at the Whittington] Sitting right near the border between Haringey and Islington, the Whittington Hospital performs a vital service for both. Its A+E services are under threat of closure and Hornsey & Wood Green MP Lynne Featherstone has organised a public meeting for this Thursday (4 March) where the health chiefs can explain their plans and then hear what people think about them. Given the importance of showing the strength of public feeling when it comes to swaying their minds, a good turnout at the meeting is ...
And so, the Right Honourable Baron Ashcroft of Belize has finally clarified his tax status and the sport begins. As usual, that sport is playing the man and not the ball. What do I think? Let's break it down into what I believe are the key issues... The Residency promise When the press release was issued notifying the media of the list of new Peers, there was a 'Note for Editors', and this is what it said; In order to meet the requirements for a Working Peer, Mr Michael Ashcroft has given his clear and unequivocal assurance that he will ...
Last year I wrote about the stained glass windows designed by Marc Chagall at All Saints, Tudeley, in Kent. Mascalls Gallery announces: Powerful images of the crucifixion by 22 of the most important artists of the 20th and 21st century go on display at Mascalls Gallery, Paddock Wood this spring. Cross Purposes; shock and contemplation in images of the crucifixion includes, for the first time in the UK, drawings by Marc Chagall for his stained glass windows at Tudeley Church.The exhibition runs from 5 March to 29 May 2010. You can download a brochure from the Tudeley Church website.
By far the best comment so far on Lord Ashcroft's admission that he is non-domiciled for tax purposes, comes from Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne: "The Conservatives' biggest donor is a tax-dodger from Belize who has not paid a penny of British tax on the vast bulk of his estimated £1.1bn fortune held offshore. "This raises extraordinary questions about the judgement of successive Tory leaders - William Hague, Michael Howard and David Cameron - whose view seems to be that only little people should pay tax. "The Tory party has been bought like a banana republic." Presumably, he ...
Andrew Rawnsley's book was released yesterday and shows no sign of letting up in terms of the trouble that it is causing. Now that it is in the hand of the electorate who will no doubt gobble it up, it will be interesting to see what the voters make of it all. The latest pre release ...
I was very pleased to be invited to a public meeting called by my Lib Dem colleague, parliamentary candidate for Folkestone & Hythe, Lynne Beaumont at the RSPB Visitor Centre at Dungeness yesterday. Lynne is also the Leader of the Lib Dem Group on Shepway District Council, and the public meeting was to take soundings about ...
I have no idea where the time goes (although a lot of it seems to be spent on trains) but with February behind us, here are the figures for last month... 2228 visits, up from 2210 last month (a 0.8% improvement on last month, although given the number of days in each month, it equates on a per day basis to an 11.6% improvement) but down from 2273 in February 2009 (a 2% fall) £1.20 of advertising revenue, up from £0.73 last month (a 64.4% improvement!) and up from £1.03 in February 2009 (a 16.5% improvement). I'm now expecting to ...
Dominic Carman, son of the late George Carman QC, and biographer of BNP leader Nick Griffin, is to stand as the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Barking, East London. From The Times: He intends to use information from his research into the biography to attack his opponent. It was never released because publishers were unwilling to associate their brand with the BNP leader. "I will put it to good use in exposing Griffin beyond what's already been in the public domain," he said. "It's very important to fight a strong campaign and it will be critical to challenge Nick Griffin ...
"I think it time to pass a law that says that if you want to be in the Houses of Parliament, if you want to be a legislator, you need to be or be treated as a full UK taxpayer." "There are members of the House of Lords whose tax status is unclear. If you want to sit in the House of Lords or Commons you have to be a fully resident UK taxpayer. "We would pass that law if we get elected. We would pass it straight away, we would bring it into force as rapidly as we could. ...
As any big named celebrity, politician and member of the Royal family will tell you, don't believe everything you read in the newspapers, so is this morning's exclusive in The Herald spot on or way out? The headline screams - Exclusive: 'Stressed' city leader Purcell to stand down. It is of course talking about the leader of Glasgow City Council, Labour Councillor Steven Purcell. A statement issued to The Herald last night said those around him had become "deeply concerned about the stress levels he had been displaying" recently.Now, if he is genuinely standing down for personal reasons, ie his ...
The response from the Project Engineer. "We would not start any resurfacing works with rain forecast. Also a scheme would not be started if there was good weather forecast for the odd night followed by poor weather, as this could potentially mean that a temporary road surface was left open, following planing out, for a prolonged period of time. The reason for not working in the rain is that there are guidelines within which surfacing materials can / cannot be laid. There are three main weather conditions which would affect our ability to lay materials: 1. Moisture - Rain and ...
I wrote about Neil Warnock's rant on Tuesday 16th February and how this attitude affected not only the respect shown to referees but was also related to the way that fans treat each other. When I was recently in Edinburgh I took this photo of a pub in which rugby fans could watch a match side by side with fans from the opposite team. I saw other pubs with similar signs. Compare this with pubs near football grounds. They are either for the home or the away fans. I wouldn't dare to say that victory on a football pitch is ...
