According to Mark Pack there's a lot of skullduggery going on to do with the Labour PPCship in Stalybridge & Hyde now that James Purnell is stepping down. What's even worse is that it all centres on one ward, Longdendale. Both Jonny Reynolds and Sean Parker-Perry are Longdendale Ward Cllrs (as is Roy Oldham, Leader of ...
A couple of weeks ago I wrote about the Kingdom Hall in Springfield Street, Market Harborough, and how it was about to be demolished. Here it is this weekend. Gone.
Fair play to the Observer. Last Tuesday, I went to Observer Towers with a member of my campaign team to discuss the paper's proposed coverage of the forthcoming elections, and was impressed with how carefully the paper has considered how it wants to operate, and the commitment to fairness that it has made in respect of ...
According to the Bangkok Post and the BBC trouble has brewing in Thailand again with somewhere around 100,000 protestors taking to the streets of Bangkok demanding that the Prime Minister resign and dissolve the House of Representatives setting in train a new set of elections. This is all part of the long running battle between the ...
I usually write one blog per day but I can't help adding a note as I watch David Cameron talking to Sir Trevor McDonald. He tells us that he was not airbrushed in the January posters. I can't take my eyes off what looks like a spot on his forehead. In the middle of his chin is what looks like a tiny strip of a goatee. I can tell you that neither of these are on his poster. I have nothing against spots/goatees but I do object to a lack of recognition of airbrushing. The best defence that I can ...
Britain's dimmest MP to appear on Have I Got News For You. No further comment necessary... To put you in the mood, here are the last two occasions that one of the swivel-eyed faction appeared on HIGNFY. Surreal television, heading towards car-crash country.
The newest Liberal Democrat recruit was interviewed with Nick Clegg for the Yorkshire and Lincolnshire editon of the BBC's The Politics Show. Go to the BBC iPlayer and start at about 00:50.
I've got a bit behind here, so bear with me whilst I catch up... Our second visit on Friday morning was undoubtedly an inspiring one. Not long ago, Perry Beeches School was a failing institution, with low academic achievement, low aspirations amongst its pupils, high levels of substitute teachers, in short, not somewhere you would send your children if you had a choice. Now, where once only 21% of pupils achieved 5 A*-C grades at GCSE, 64% are. Aspirations amongst the pupils are high, with some of the students aiming to be lawyers, forensic scientists, some hoping to run their ...
she said ... he tended to make a "terrible mess" and was not good at clearing up after himself. She added it can be "quite annoying" when he fiddles with his phone and Blackberry. "He's messy. He's noisy. He gets up at a terrible hour."Mothers thinking fondly of their sons - the lovable little scamps - who are away at Cub Scout camp? No, as you will have realised, this is Samantha Cameron and Sarah Brown talking about their husbands. Back in the nineties heyday of sleaze, my own mother used to make a pertinent observation. When the wives of ...
I have never published an explicit policy on comments, but I generally delete those that are spam, libelous or gratuitously offensive and leave the rest. Recently, I also started deleting comments from a Labour supporter who was leaving comments having a dig at me on wholly irrelevant posts. But where he makes some effort to make his comment, however critical, relevant to the original post then I am happy to let it stand. So what about the comment on this post? The post on his blog that it sends you to is certainly relevant to the debate, but he has ...
So the first race of the season is over. I can't say I'm displeased with a Ferrari 1-2, although I'd have been much happier if the order had been reversed and Felipe Massa had been on the top step of the podium. Mind you, from Intensive Care to second in a grand prix in 7 and a half months is a remarkable achievement. I feel so sorry for poor Sebastian Vettel. He had led from the start and had done absolutely everything he should have done. Just after a set of mind games by team radio (Ferrari telling Alonso he ...
Tameside Eye has the story about the fight to win the Labour selection in Stalybridge & Hyde, where James Purnell is standing down. It has both its serious and its farcical elements. The serious: a series of anonymous emails have been sent out making a wide number of personal attacks on Cllr Jonny Reynolds, one of those in the running to be Labour candidate. The emails have come from two IP address: one which has also been used by another Labour Councillor, Sean Perry-Parker, to send out emails and a second one which is a local council IP address (and ...
Having an early morning debating slot usually means that the hall at conference is relatively empty, especially on the last morning as people have to check out of hotels, see to baggage etc. But not this morning when we debated an emergency motion calling for proper freedom on the internet. Child pornography and other serious crimes are already covered under other legislation but the Digital
Over at The Observer today, the Lib Dems' newest MEP Edward McMillan-Scott, former leader of the Tories in Europe, writes about why he had to leave David Cameron's party in protest at their extreme views. Here's an excerpt: It was chilling to hear [William Hague] say to one very senior spokesman at an EU meeting some years ago: "We can say what we like here, but it will be different when we are in government." I should have left then, instead of carrying on the pro-European fight from within. My decision to join the Liberal Democrats this weekend was made ...
Hat-tip Guido, who also does a robust job of defending the LibDem policy of raising the tax threshold to £10,000. I like and respect Tim Horton, and so don't want to dismiss too easily the Fabian piece of research that seems to rely heavily on the fact that this does not help those who, um, don't ...
The Crowthorne Parish Council have sent me a press release in answer to this story 'Parish council meeting disrupted by public unhappy with shelter plans'. Crowthorne Parish Council 2nd March 2010 Playbuilder Partnership Refurbishment Project - As Trustees of the Morgan Recreation Ground, Crowthorne Parish Councillors have a duty to provide recreational facilities on this site for the children and youth of Crowthorne Parish Council (CPC). CPC also has a duty to provide facilities for all the Parishioners of Crowthorne, and the fitness equipment and shelter is for the use of all generations. On 31st March 2009, a Working Group ...
I made the trip to Birmingham yesterday, getting up at some ungodly hour, for the Lib Dem Spring Conference. Unfortunately I could only stay for the one day, but what a great day it was. The highlight of the day was our policy paper on young people, entitled Free to be Young. This policy is overwhelmingly ...
Read Nicholas Timmins' reminder of what the NHS was like in the late 1990s: ............................ When Ian Weir died in June 1999, his death had an impact that was felt way beyond the circle of his family and colleagues . . . Weir was just 38 years old and a father of two. He was diabetic, and ...
The Liberal Democrat campaign team was out in force over the weekend in the West End and across other parts of the Dundee West constituency. The photo (above) is of John Barnett, LibDem candidate for Dundee West, pictured this afternoon campaigning in Dunmore Gardens in the West End. John said, "I am really delighted at the really positive response the Liberal Democrats are getting right across Dundee West. Nick Clegg is leading the way in showing why fairness should be at the heart of government and politics. It is clear that this is a positive message that is being well-received ...
During his speech to the Liberal Democrat conference today, Nick Clegg raised a highly salient point. Whilst I was unfortunately not able to attend conference, I did avidly watch his speech on the BBC 24 News Channel. That salient point was that if people are sick of the same old back and forth in government ...
I was speaking to someone about my conversation with Labour MP Tom Watson about computer games that we play, this was during a recent social media summit see posting below. They commented that Tom Watson MP was an 'Absolutely worthless waster' (i.e. for playing computer games). Is this not the kind of reaction that stops MP's being 'normal' and down to earth? It seams to me that many people expect their MP's to be both human and Unhuman. People want MP's to understand what it is like to be 'normal' and yet when an MP casually talks about playing computer ...
Dear Fraser, I'm not the kingmaker. 45 million voters are the kingmakers. Today I've used my keynote speech to our Spring Conference in Birmingham to make that one very simple, very important point. Some days the papers say our party is doing a deal with Labour. Some days the Conservatives. But they can't predict the future. I can't predict the future. Voters should give politicians their marching orders - not the other way around. We've made it clear how our Party will change Britain. Under the Liberal Democrats, no-one will pay tax on the first £10,000 they earn. That's the ...
If there is one person who I wish had never been born, it's Joseph Campbell. The concept of 'the Hero's Journey' has done more to ruin fiction and popular culture than any other concept I can think of. I'm not talking here about its role in 'the Men's movement', though it's hardly surprising that a narrative ...
Yesterday I posted the first part of my article marking the fact that I have been writing Lord Bonkers' Diary for Liberator for 20 years. This second part looks at the literary and historical influences that led to the creation of Rutland's favourite fictional peer. ****** It didn't happen quite like that, but as I have been writing Lord Bonkers' Diary for 20 years - a fact that shocks me if not its readers - I thought it might be worth describing where the old brute really comes from. Lord Bonkers has two kinds of roots: literary ones and historical ...
The Mail on Sunday reports: As a Labour candidate in a working class area of Liverpool, glamorous 28-year-old Londoner Luciana Berger has gone to great lengths to prove her down-to-earth credentials. The privately-educated friend of the Blairs' son Euan has spent months canvassing on jobs, schools and hospitals. And such is her devotion, the former management consultant has even ditched a car with a £5,000 personalised numberplate spelling out her name. You can read the full story here and catch up on the previous travails of Luciana Berger here.
Sometimes it feels like everything's beginning to come together. A beautiful spring day, my team wins, others drop vital points; but more importantly the Lib Dem conference gains coverage and respect (unlike the Tory one which had the unpleasant aroma of Cashcroft) and I'm getting the same feedback on the doorstep – people are ready ...
No, I am not re-running the Glasgow North East by-election stories about the the first and second candidates quitting and David Kerr being the SNPs third choice. This is about David Kerr quitting himself as the SNP candidate and now very happy to talk about the Opus Dei sect, something during the by-election he was not so keen to talk about. David Kerr is quitting politics (short time and not a good effort) to join the Catholic Church media office and will play a key role when Pope Benedict XVI comes to Scotland. According to the Scotland on Sunday; [SNP] ...
Just spotted on Dailymail.co.uk: Donna Simpson already weighs 43st, but she is determined to nearly double her size to become the world's fattest woman. The 42-year-old from New Jersey, U.S, is set on reaching the 1,000lb mark (71st) in just two years. Remarkably she insists she is healthy, despite now needing a mobility scooter when she goes shopping. Despite my instincts to the contrary, I personally fall down on the 'each to their own' side of the fence when it comes to this sorta thang. Then I read this: To fund the massive $750 weekly food shop, she runs a ...
According to the Sunday Telegraph and the BBC Labour might be about to announce that it would seek to abolish the House of Lords and replace it with a 300 member fully elected chamber. Apparently Jack Straw is consulting cabinet colleagues about plans that may be put forward before the election. This rather reminds me of Labours ...
The Liberal Democrat Conference Special House of Comments podcast features three of us from the Lib Dem Voice team: myself, Alex Foster and Sara Bedford. Listen or download it here.
Just what the world has been waiting for: a reworking of the Specials song in bossa nova rhythm with new Portugese lyrics discussing the social divide in Rio de Janeiro. Well it sounds great, and according to Crammed Discs has been given the enthusiastic backing of The Specials' Jerry Dammers. Of all the Sunday videos I have chosen, it is closest in spirit to the very first: Rachid Taha's Rock El Casbah. There is more about Zeep on their myspace page.
I always find it almost unfair that I not only get to be the mummy of a lovely, funny, quirky, confident, individual little girl, but that once a year I get presents for that too. While I really appreciate the chocolates, it's the hand made card above that is so special. And the text message she sent first thing this morning. I should also say that my husband is also deserving of praise for today. He's about to cook me a luscious steak. I'm so glad that he's been so concerned for my iron levels that he feels the need ...
Very pleased that the following motion was passed at our conference this morning regrading the Digital Economy Bill. There was an excellent debate and at the end I was with just about everyone else in the hall in voting for it: Conference notes with concern amendment 120a to the Digital Economy Bill which facilitates website-blocking for alleged copyright infringement and which was passed on 3 March 2010. Conference however welcomes the stand of Liberal Democrat MEPs against website-blocking and the secrecy of the international Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) negotiations, condemned by the European Data Protection Supervisor for endangering internet users' ...
Just back from the Liberal Democrat Spring Conference in Birmingham. I'll blog about that later. But a quick post to say good luck to an old school friend, Talan Skeels Piggins, who has been selected for the British Ski Team in the Paralympic Winter Games. You can see Talan in one of the official podcasts here.
Sun 14th
18:15
Things can only get better for the Lib Dems, as D:Ream's Brian Cox defects from Labour
Time was when you were asked to name a Lib Dem celebrity backer you would have been hard-pressed to think beyond Barry Norman, Liz Kershaw and Barry Cryer (all of whom are stars, of course). Then came Sandi Toksvig, Floella Benjamin and Brian Eno; perhaps also Daniel Radcliffe. And last month, the Observer named Coldplay's Chris Martin, Colin Firth, Kate Winslet, Andrew Motion, Razorlight, and the Kooks. Suddenly, it's al looking a bit more A-list, a bit more contemporary. And now comes today's news from The Sunday Times, 'D:Ream is over as poster boy Brian Cox deserts Labour: a former ...
How can Theresa May say that she doesn't know what the Liberal Democrats stand for? The speech is here.
Congratulations to Friends of Fortune Green for organising another successful activity day the other weekend. Bird boxes were assembled, litter was picked, children learnt about the flora and fauna, and Russell made an attempt to sweep up some of the pine needles from where the Christmas Tree recycling area was (their acidity harms the grass, apparently). Also the Friends were active in seeking opinions on the proposals to improve Fortune Green Play Centre at the top of the green (See previous Spotlight entries). The council is running an ongoing consultation on the proposals at the moment. The most controversial aspect ...
A Message from Dave Bishop, Chair of the Friends of Chorlton Meadows: In the last few days a large area of Chorlton Ees has gone up in smoke. Vegetation has been destroyed and ground nesting birds killed or put at risk. This is becoming an annual problem and appears to be down to one man. A member of the local community, who uses the Ees regularly, has given the following useful description of this destructive and anti-social idiot: He is in his late 40s to early 50s (hence old enough to know better!) and is dressed in outdoor clothing and ...
Six years go this day fell on a Sunday. I know because of what I was doing that day. The M8 experienced two rush hours that day one heeading out to Glasgow the other heading back. Livingston were in their first major cup final. The club had entered administration just before the semi-final match but we won through and found ourselves at Hampden for the final. For the first 45 minutes we sang our hearts out but you wouldn't have known three quarters of Hampden was wearing the green and white of Hibernian. But then in two glorious minutes at ...
I prepared well for today's St Patrick's parade by getting the chords written down. Sadly when it came to the parade I had the chords in G and everyone else was playing in C. I had a bit of a rush because on Saturday evening I was doing the piano at the Lib Dem Conference in Birmingham at which I finished playing at 1.30am. I had to clear my equipment this morning as I was too tired (and "
Once or twice on this blog, I have asked what one should do if you want to get to a more liberal society. Should you join a political party that you think will move society that way or do things that don't rely on the State? Here are some things people can do if they want to do things that champion a non-statist, voluntary approach. They are in no particular order. Bank with the Co-opUse the Phone Co-opMake a point in using partnerships like John LewisJoin a political party that you think will push for policies that are non-statist or ...
In November 1912, the use of flogging with the cat was extended to those procuring prostitutes and for crimes against women and children. An anti-flogging amendment was rejected by 297 votes to 44. Some were opposed. George Greenwood (Liberal, Peterborough) called flogging "the methods of barbarism". Arthur Lynch (Nationalist, West Clare – this was before Irish independence), described the horrors of a flogging he had witnessed. "[The flogger] was an artist in it. He laid on the lash with such vigour that at every stroke the victim's whole frame quivered, his eyes rolled in, his muscles stood out as though ...
Nick Clegg has sent out an email to members and supporters, which I thought was worth reprinting in full, given the clamour about a possible hung Parliament. "I'm not the kingmaker. 45 million voters are the kingmakers. Today I've used my keynote speech to our Spring Conference in Birmingham to make that one very simple, very important point. Some days the papers say our party is doing a deal with Labour. Some days the Conservatives. But they can't predict the future. I can't predict the future. Voters should give politicians their marching orders - not the other way around. We've ...
A full ten megaton blast of nostalgia. First the 'Here come the Double Deckers' opening film and tune. I used to watch them on Saturday mornings. Then there's the Banana Splits – which I remember on the same show.
If Nick Clegg sounded a little hoarse from a sore throat throughout his leader's speech to the Birmingham spring conference then it's not surprising: he has been omnipresent in the media this week, winning the Lib Dems more coverage than I can remember outside of an election campaign. The first responsibility of any Lib Dem leader's speech is to forget that he is talking to the party faithful in the conference hall – they will vote for the party regardless – and to pitch directly to the wider public watching the speech live or on news bulletins. The second responsibility ...
News reaches us in LDV Towers that Lib Dem MEP Chris Davies has had a change of heart and will be allowing his name to go forward for the Flying Golden Penis trophy for Politician of the Year at the Erotic Awards 2010. Last month, as we reported, Chris Davies wrote: It's an honour to be considered but it's not justified. I organised a fringe meeting to give sex workers a voice at last year's party conference, and more recently I put out a press release defending sex workers from prohibitionist government policies. But it's not enough Whether Chris has ...
I'm sorry Iain and Tom it's not as easy as Iain makes out. Indeed Tom's argument "let the little people have their vote*, then ignore what they say and start bartering away the very policies they voted for behind closed doors and without reference to them." seems to apply to some of the policies that over 60% who expressed a preference against in 2005 saw happen under first past the post. What Nick has laid out are four principles that will shine through no matter what decisions Liberal Democrats have to make after an election (even if that is in ...
Dear Ian, I'm not the kingmaker. 45 million voters are the kingmakers. Today I've used my keynote speech to our Spring Conference in Birmingham to make that one very simple, very important point. Some days the papers say our party is doing a deal with Labour. Some days the Conservatives. But they can't predict the future. I can't predict the future. Voters should give politicians their marching orders - not the other way around. We've made it clear how our Party will change Britain. Under the Liberal Democrats, no-one will pay tax on the first £10,000 they earn. That's the ...
Am on my third day off sick from work, and it's getting old now. My abdominal pain is less than it was, but still definitely there. I can't walk very far without making it massively worse - indeed, I haven't left the house since getting back from the doctor's on Friday, aside from a brief trip to my mum's to pick up my mother's day card from [IMG: [personal profile] ] amazing_holly, who is at her dad's for the weekend. I really, really REALLY wish I could have gone to conference. There are so many people I would have loved ...
I have been a bit quite on the blog over the past week or so because of a rather heavy workload. This post should have gone up on the blog just after the last full council in Gateshead but fell victim to the onslaught of videos demanded by candidates. As I am on the train and was hoping to get some kip but have been unable to fall asleep, I am using the moment to catch up with a few things on my
I have just come out of the conference hall when Nick Clegg made a great speech to conference. The media (and increasingly my Conservative opponent!) are desperate to engage us in discussions about who we would vote for if there was a hung parliament, if we were the third smallest party and if could swing a vote. Quite a few "ifs"! Nick is determined to put forward why people should vote for us. He has quite clearly stated that we are not going to play some kind of "king maker" role. The main thing is that the more people vote ...
So determined to defend Labour's narrow 405 vote majority in Edinburgh South less than three months ago one of their councillors was seeking the relative security of Livingston. Having failed to even make the short list to do a wonderful job he has returned tail between his legs to become the candidate in Edinburgh South. Now he is claiming to ride on the coat tails of the legacy of Nigel Griffiths. "I'm absolutely delighted to have won the selection. Nigel has left a significant legacy of fighting hard for the constituents of Edinburgh South." I notice he is also claiming ...
The few thousand Lib Dems in the conference hall today were buzzing after Nick Clegg's speech. He demonstrated with great clarity and force the ample leadership qualities he possesses. A leader has to demonstrate that not only do they have a vision for the change they want to see, they have to embody that change and ...
It was a storming speech from Nick Clegg today at conference and if he carries on like that he should perform well in the general election. His voice was going a bit yesterday when I was doing the photo ops for candidates with him. Today despite that, he spoke very well.I am now on the train having just left Birmingham so I won't be home for three hours or more. I have over 1000 photos to sort
Finally, Fred Mackintosh the Liberal Democrats champion for Edinburgh South has a Labour opponent. In the capital there are many Labour seats under threat, two from the Liberal Democrats. Edinburgh South and Edinburgh North & Leith. In Edinburgh South the Liberal Democrats are only 405 votes behind Labour with the Conservatives in a distant third place nearly 4,000 votes behind Labour (despite their wild claims). When Nigel Griffiths stood down there were many names in the hat to replace him but Labour have now selected Ian Murray a Councillor. Although, Edinburgh South was not Ian Murray's first choice, so we ...
According to the Sunday Times Forza AW Ltd a supplier of meat to supermarkets have placed adverts for new workers requiring that they speak Polish, this was later explained as a "breakdown in communications" by Max Hilliard mentioning the company had experienced a fire resulting in an urgent need to find 400 new staff. One can understand that in the circumstances of a company losing 40% of its production facilities, short cuts are necessary, but since adverts were placed by an East Anglian employment agency OSR, you would like to think they would be aware of the 1976 Race Relation ...
Welcome to the latest instalment of LDVideo, where we highlight some of the best, most interesting political videos avalable on the internet. Today we focus on the Lib Dem spring conference in Birmingham, which has concluded today ... Nick Clegg states, "I am not the kingmaker": Vince sets out how the Lib Dems will cut public spending – but not this year: Nick Clegg emphasises need to be honest with public about spending cuts, and only cut when the economy is strong enough: Vince Cable says spending cuts must not "be forced through too soon": Nick Clegg tells the Lib ...
This is the lenght of time the Landlord Accreditation Scheme has been suspended by Reading Borough Council. The scheme is STILL being used by the University Accomadation Office to supply the "University List" of accreditated properties. Students rely on this as a guarantee that their property and landlord meet the required standards. Despite large amounts of pressure from RUSU, RU Lib Dems and local Liberal Democrats including Daisy Benson who chaired the housing scrutiny panel there are few signs that the scheme will be immediately re-introduced. I was made aware that the council were researching proposals for the scheme to ...
The governing Council of the European Liberals Democrats (ELDR) met in Rome this weekend, against a backdrop of public sector strikes and a massive demonstration against the Italian Prime Minister and media mogul, Silvio Berlusconi. Few of the Council members present (with the exception, perhaps, of our Russian colleagues from Yabloko) could have envied he ...
[IMG: http://www.wikio.co.uk] Liberal Democrats launch green jobs manifesto pledge
A great speech by the Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg this afternoon. It looks like the stance Nick has taken on a possible 'hung parliament', which I have previously blogged on, has already had a bearing on the media. Teressa May has just been on the BBC News Channel putting the Conservative 'spin' on Nick's speech. The presenter turned the tables on the Conservatives asking Teressa
Today is the 48th anniversary of the Orpington by-election. I had been elected to the Orpington UDC the previous year for my home ward of Downe: The result of the Downe ward election for Orpington UDC, Saturday 13th May 1961:Lubbock, E.R. (Lib.) 361Foster, Wing-Commander M.G.L. (C.) 173Majority 188Lib. gain from Independent.Source: Orpington Times, Friday 19th May 1961, page 4.(With thanks to the Bromley Local Studies Library) The declaration of the result of the by-election can be seen at www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BV_S9C5zeg We had very high expectations of the Party's fortunes in the rest of that Parliament, but the only other victory was ...
Tax cuts for the millions... not tax cuts for the millionaires!
A hoarse-sounding Nick has just started adressing the Lib Dems' spring conference in Birimingham. Here's what he's saying ... Shall I tell you the one phrase that bothers me more than any other? It's this. "That's just the way things are". No. The way things are is not the way they have to be. We do not have to live in a country where the poorest pay the biggest chunk of their income in tax. We do not have to live in a country where politics is the plaything of wealthy donors and corrupt MPs. We do not have to ...
I don't want to be excessively partisan, but for the second time this weekend at conference, I'm getting a really good feeling about the Liberal Democrats. The first was when we heard that a senior, experienced MEP thought our party was the best way forward. But the second has been our response to the Digital Economy Bill and a huge online campaign from internet activists within the party and of no party. Yes, it's true that our team in the Lords invited the anger of the online activist fraternity. A lot of resentment has been brewing about the Digital Economy ...
Yesterday should have been a good day for Level 42 fans. News that the band were going over the pond to the states shoudl have been something that people were allowed to celebrate given that the band have not been there for over 20 years. Instead, a small section of a web based community took ...
That's the headline in today's leader column in the Independent on Sunday. Here are 4 things especially worth picking out ... 1. On Nick's task as Lib Dem leader: Nick Clegg has done a good job of preparing the Liberal Democrats for an election that suddenly looks likely to be the closest since 1992, and possibly since 1974. His task has not been an easy one. ... Mr Clegg has to fight to be heard in this restricted space, while leading a party that, perhaps even more than Labour, harbours a deep suspicion of its leaders. And yet, somehow, Mr ...
After an excellent debate at Liberal Democrat conference this morning, the motion on 'Freedom, creativity and the internet' was passed. You can read the full text here, but key points included: Conference supports a)the principle of net neutrality, through which all content, sites and platforms are treated equally by user access networks participating in the Internet b)the rights of creators and performers to be rewarded for their work in a way that is fair, proportionate and appropriate to the medium Conference therefore opposes excessive regulatory attempts to monitor, control and limit internet access or internet publication, whether at local, national, ...
I always seem to start my podcasts with an apology. In the hurry to bring this recording to you so you can share in the debate the Lib Dems had this morning, I have not yet processed my sound file. It could do with a bit of amplification for sure. And I'm afraid I missed the vital first few moments of Bridget Fox's speech. And after that, the speeches will be punctuated by the sounds of the hall slowly filling up as the debate progressed, and the frustration of many of the delegates that what looked like prime empty seats ...
You want proof that the media is male-dominated? Look no further for your proof than the ludicrous level of attention given to the news that Anna Arrowsmith (or to give her her industry name, Anna Span, the UK's first female porn director) is standing for the Liberal Democrats in Gravesend at the next general election. Anna has an article on today's Guardian Comment is Free website explaining her decision to stand for Parliament – here's an excerpt: Since news of my selection broke on Thursday, many people have asked me why I want to be an MP. The answer is: ...
My cousin's daughter was in her school production of 'Hairspray' last week and, apart form being one of my favourite shows, I went along to watch it. Now it was my first time seeing a show at the Roding Valley High School, but being a performing arts college I knew they took their productions seriously. But I wasn't expecting the standard that I saw, it was FANTASTIC.The programme said over 350
We believe an effective way to tackly the financial crisis and preserve our environment is by going green, thereby strengthening the economy, creating new jobs through investing in new green energy industries and improving the quality of people's lives. We will roll out energy efficient smart meters to all households within five years and insulate all of Britain's homes to a decent standard within 10 years. We will immediately raise the requirements of Building Regulations to ensure that all new homes are energy efficient and use 'Green Loans' to encourage people to invest in home energy efficiency and micro-renewables. Both ...
From a posting on Liberal England made five years ago today. I think it stands up tolerably well: "Destroy our way of life?" Think about it. Can you imagine Tony Blair going on the BBC and saying something like "The terrorist outrages of recent days leave me no alternative but to declare Britain a fundamentalist Muslim state"? Of course not. Terrorists kill people, which is why they must be stopped. They do not threaten our way of life. The slaughter of 9/11 did not begin to undermine Americans' confidence in the rightness of their system of government. In fact it ...
So Jack Straw is wanting us to believe him when he says that Labour will replace the House of Lords with a full elected chamber. Let's look at what Labour promised as far as some of the reform pledged in 1997, bear in mind they have had a clear majority to do all of this since then (my notes in red). A modern House of Lords The House of Lords must be reformed. As an initial, self-contained reform, not dependent on further reform in the future, the right of hereditary peers to sit and vote in the House of Lords ...
What is it with Labour? They've had thirteen years in which to reform the House of Lords. Robin Cook slaved away for years to try to achieve it, against a disinterested Tony Blair. Now, with just a few weeks to go before they are slaughtered at the polls, they suddenly come up with a plan for the reform they should have implemented thirteen years ago! It is utterly exasperating. Oh well, better late than never. The government's reform blueprint would have all members directly elected, ending the tradition of party patronage. A proportional representation system would be used to select ...
Members of the branch and I have conducted extensive doorstep surveys over recent weeks across the Vale of Clwyd targeting traditional Labour areas. Results are far more positive than even I had expected. We simply asked people how they are considering voting in the forthcoming election without attempting to influence their choice. Sadly many people are completely disillusioned with politicians after events of the last few years (expenses principally) and said they weren't intending to vote at all. Of those who expressed a preference 70% of people (many of whom were former labour supporters) said they would vote for us, ...
The last morning of conference has a traditional feel to it. Sore-headed delegates drag themselves wearily out of bed, stagger to the nearest coffee emporium, point themselves in the general direction of the conference venue and start walking, hopeful that some residual memory of that first, non-hungover, visit will get them there. The venue opened at 8.30am and by 9 o'clock the small trickle of Lib Dem activists has turned into a slightly larger trickle. Whether through abstinence and early night or impressive force of will, some travellers seem a little less weary. Julian Huppert, one of the driving forces ...
When the Lib Dems first rolled out the four pledges on fair taxes, a fair start for children, a green economy and cleaner politics; I was a tad sceptical.I was always taught that people remember rules...
The Liberal Democrats are holding our Spring conference in Birmingham, to widespread critical acclaim. Sadly, family life and an appointment at Oxford United meant that I was unable to get there but I have been encouraged to read and listen to the positive coverage the conference has received. Unfortunately the tired issue of a hung Parliament has been raised and is being flogged to within an inch of its life by the media. I have for many years been concerned whenever hung Parliaments and coalitions have been raised as this is considered by most media commentators to be the height ...
Sun 14th
09:00Daily View 2×2: 14 March - featuring exciting bollards and Mandelson saying "Vote Lib Dem"
It's Sunday. It's 9am. It's time for photographs of bollards, but first the news. 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: The Mood at Lib Dem Conference: Nick Thornsby takes the pulse The Saturday List: Lib Dem Constituency Songs: Will Howells does politics. Will Howells does music. This time he does politics and music at the same time. Spotted any other great posts in the last day from blogs that aren't on the aggregator? Do post up a comment sharing them ...
An FT article titled in jocose fashion something like "beware of the beardies", drew attention towards those elements in the LibDem Constitution designed to prevent any radical changes to the party's relationship with other parties. A series of obscure rules buried in the Lib Dem "constitutions" (184 pages) and "business motions" give the party's left-leaning activists ...
There is no doubt that this weekend's Liberal Democrat Conference has been dominated by the very timely defection of Edward McMillan-Scott to the Liberal Democrats. Not only has his decision to join the party focussed attention onto our party but it has also exposed once more the fundamental splits in the Conservatives over Europe and the fragile hold that David Cameron has on his own party. No party on the verge of power should be suffering the loss of so senior a member in this way. In this morning's Observer Mr. McMillan-Scott outlines the reasons why he left the Tories ...
Vince Cable has accused the Tories of "playing fast and loose" with the economy as they try to frighten voters into electing a Conservative government. The Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor said David Cameron and George Osborne were being irresponsible with their warnings about the risk to sterling in the event of a hung parliament. In his keynote speech to the Lib Dems' spring conference in Birmingham Vince said: "We must and will be fiscally responsible. Unlike the Tories and their cronies who want to create a financial panic and run on sterling to frighten people into voting for them on ...
My political readers will baulk and run a mile at this post but hell, its not only politics that floats my boat as many of my friends will tell you. I also have a penchant for a small 4 piece band who orginally hail from the Isle of Wight and who were masters of the ...
Like many Lib Dems, and indeed people across Keighley and Ilkley, and in fact up and down the country I agree wholeheartedly with Claire Rayner's comments above. Far be it for me to rebuke my leader for his comments earlier this week in the Spectator ...
According to the Sunday Times, the Conservative leader's great-grandmother was Enid Bagnold, the author of National Velvet.
Watch Nick Clegg's Q&A session from the Spring Conference in Birmingham today. The questions were taken after submissions from people ho could not attend conference via Facebook and Twitter. Filed under: General, General Rantings, Liberal Democrats Tagged: libdem conference birmingham, liberal democrat spring conference, nick clegg q&a
I grew up in Manchester. There are some parks but apart from that there are not many green bits. I could recognise some wildlife but pigeon was the main type of bird. The road names gave away the type of area that I lived in. Forge Lane, Pit Street, Tanhouse Road, Brick Street, Gas Street. After twenty years I moved to east Lancashire and I found some natural green bits there. After another twenty years I moved to Morecambe. There are less green bits here but it is more than compensated for by the views over Morecambe Bay. My primary ...
No, not the original Hannibal Lecter. I mean the physics professor and former keyboard player with D:Ream. According to the Sunday Times: Last week Brian Cox, who has pursued an academic career since the band split up, attacked Labour's record on science funding and indicated he would vote Liberal Democrat at the coming election.
