"He needed to understand that Daddy might not always be very popular, and that there might be people who don't like Daddy, or the things he has to say. He might even hear it at school, but he's not to worry about it." ~ George Osborne, Chancellor of the Exchequer. Oh! The terrible pain when a Father has to tell his eight year old son that he is about to make 490,000 public sector workers redundant... I will admit that because of the three reasons stated in the title above, I was considering trying to attempt to blissfully ignore the ...
Welcome to the Golden Dozen, and our 191st weekly round-up from the Lib Dem blogosphere ... Featuring the seven most popular stories beyond Lib Dem Voice according to click-throughs from the Aggregator (10th — 16th October, 2010), together with a hand-picked quintet, normally courtesy of LibDig, you might otherwise have missed. Don't forget: you can sign up to receive the Golden Dozen direct to your email inbox — just click here — ensuring you never miss out on the best of Lib Dem blogging. As ever, let's start with the most popular post, and work our way down: 1. Is ...
Trawling through the details of today's spending review, Liberal Democrat concerns for the environment look to have got a pretty strong showing, with overall a 21% increase in environmental spending in cash terms during the spending review period. That makes the environment one of the areas to benefit most from the limited amounts of extra spending, and the initiatives include: A Green Investment Bank – heavily trailed, but going ahead with a capitalisation of £1 billion plus money from asset sales. Carbon Capture and Storage – at least £1 billion will go on funding a demonstration project. Tackling fuel poverty ...
It's official – I've been shortlisted as a candidate for the Liberal Democrat London-wide list for the London Assembly. Now party members in London have their say, ranking each of the candidates to determine the final order on the list. Liberal Democrats have always got at least three members elected to the Assembly, but even ...
John Siddle in the Formby Times has an account of the deselection of well respected Tory Councillor Anne Ibbs Yet again Cllr Parry is quoted defending the axing of a Tory Councillor. The list is getting embarrassingly large: Wendy Jones, Eric Storey, David Pearson-good grief they are down to only 14 members. Then you have the suspension of Tom Glover and the defection of Les Byrom. And to what end? Year after year their numbers decline as weary electorate turns its back on a squabbling party. When will they ever learn. photo shows Anne Ibbs with Lib Dem Cabinet member ...
My petition, Lib Dems Against Tuition Fees, has hit an important milestone. Therefore, I have forwarded it to the first Lib Dem MP. I will post more details and the letter accompanying the petition later in the week, once the MP has had an opportunity to receive the letter. In the meantime please visit the petition and add your name to it.
Especially if you follow the link on this tweet I have just seen on Twitter. RT @KateGroucutt I just sent a message to the Government against unfair cuts. You can do the same. http://tl.gd/6it4pf Clicking on the link takes you to this page. Oops. Labour Fail. LibDig This! Filed under: Labour, Spidey Says
Dear Chris, The spending review has inevitably been a tough process. We have made the decision to take the hard road - but it is the right road to a more prosperous, fairer Britain. The unavoidable moment of truth came just as we entered government: Labour's deficit had to be tackled. I did not go into government to make cuts. But nor can I be in government and allow us to keep spending more than £100 million a day on servicing our debt - enough to build a primary school every single hour, or triple the number of doctors working ...
I'm waiting for a few people who know more about economics than I do, and whose views I trust, to post analyses of the Comprehensive Spending Review today. On many fronts, it's a damn sight better than I (and most people) had worried – cuts to science funding are minor – and some things that ...
In case you missed any of it, here are the headlines of the spending review from BBC News. Filed under: Coalition Government, Labour, LibDem, Tory
A couple of weeks ago Simon Hoggart wrote: Strange meeting with David Cameron during the Tory conference this week. I was at the Spectator party with Steve Bell, who, as you cannot have failed to notice, always draws the prime minister with a condom over his head. They have discussed this before, at a chance meeting during the election campaign, when Steve explained that it was because his skin appeared remarkably smooth and even taut, so it looked as if his head was encased in tight rubber.In a Liberal Democrat News House Points column from October 2005 I said of ...
We have covered Christine O'Donnel before. She is the 'scary witch' who would rather like to try be a politician. Like quite a few others I can think of she seems to think that she can spring ready made into the job with out any need to prepare herself and avoiding all the inconvenient hard work. She want to tell us what she feel not what she thinks. A truly spectacular load of nonsense was spouted by her illustrating the depth of her ignorance at a recent school meeting. The Guardian has the full story but here is a flavour: ...
Dear Lisa, The spending review has inevitably been a tough process. We have made the decision to take the hard road – but it is the right road to a more prosperous, fairer Britain. The unavoidable moment of truth came just as we entered government: Labour's deficit had to be tackled. I did not go ...
I still feel very uncomfortable watching Nick Clegg and Danny Alexander looking so comfortable with the Tories on the front benches of the Commons. I am still smarting from the unreasonable U Turn on tuition fees and disappointed that even though Nick Clegg emailed all party members to get their views, no response to those emails he has recieved ...
Just up the road from the derelict St Saviour's Church stands this distinctive building. Latterly known as the Imperial Hotel, it was built by Arthur Wakerley as a Temperance hotel for his model Leicester suburb North Evington. Today it seems to be in the hands of the YMCA, but looks empty. Arthur Wakerley was a Liberal, Leicester's youngest every mayor and an unsuccessful parliamentary candidate. Much more about him and North Evington will follow, I suspect, if only because I know his great granddaughter through Leicester Friends of the Earth.
I have just received and completed my ballot paper for the party's Presidential Elections and I am backing Susan Kramer 100%.We need someone out of the Westminster bubbleNow, more than any other time, we need someone who is not in the Westminster bubble who will listen to us 'ordinary' members and who we will be confident in knowing they will represent our views on the Federal Executive. We need
With so many Sefton Lib Dem blogs up and running I decided we should review their posting and every week highlight one of them. Last week Tony Robertson produced a most amazing quote and this week I thought Mike Booth brought us some excellent Kew news. After must trouble and strife it looks like we shall be getting some extra allotment plots at Town Lane, Well done to all involved. Mike at Town Lane with Derek one of the plot holders.
As a Liberal Democrat and former Conservative, today's spending review should be largely good news, you would think. But instead I am sitting here wondering whether the coalition has understood the implications of some of its changes. As a Councillor it may not surprise you to realise that I think a 26% cut in local Council funding is unrealistic. But I think the real problem with the budget is the cumulative and resonant impact of some of the cuts. A cut in housing benefits and a reduction in the benefits that can be received for out-of-work homes to the average ...
At the height of wartime austerity Farnborough Rd School had a temporary canteen built . It was a single brick building-no cavity or any form of insulation and had a 'tin roof'. In the time I have been a governor there -which is getting on for 20years- we have been striving to get it replaced. It was too small, in the wrong place(i.e. a detached building a good distance from the main building) and so far from ideal it is hard to explain. At last we had progress and this morning the Mayor Maureen Fearn opened the new building. It ...
Well, there we have it. The coalition has given it's detailed response to the financial predicament in which it, and the country finds itself in. I can't say that I'm happy with it in its entirety. Quite frankly, if you can find a single person who is happy with it in its entirety, then you will have found a mad man. That's the point. This isn't nice. This isn't pleasant. This isn't easy. But what it is, is necessary. Labour planned undetailed cuts of 20% (£48 billion). Today the Coalition announced cuts of 19% (£47 billion) with details on savings ...
I finally got to see my musical hero at the Roundhouse on Monday. As Steve Winwood had his first British number one (Keep on Running by the Spencer Davis Group) 45 years ago, I was afraid I would be the youngest member of the audience. The cheer that greeted Higher Love suggested I was not. What I got was very much what I expected from reading reviews of recent Winwood gigs. There were songs from every period of his career, and he was backed by a band that, with its bongo player and saxophonist, owed a lot to the Traffic ...
There'll be loads of spin about today's Comprehensive Spending Review. Here is a link to some of the factual information.
There will be much analysis of the Comprehensive Spending Review over the coming weeks. What is important economically is that the Coalition Government has begun the process of tackling the deficit bequeathed by Labour, and politically has done so in a way that is broadly pragmatic and fair. What this is not though is a mammoth cut in the size of the state. As the table below shows, public spending in 2015 will be higher than today. [IMG: total-public-spending-forecasts] 'Cuts' in some departments expenditure and capital are in no small part due to the rise in debt interest repayments from ...
We've been meeting with some of the campaigners against the waste plant in Garston to see if , even at this late stage, we can stop Jack Allen building this in our community. Last week, Richard, Peter and I wrote to the Council leader to ask the administration for two particular bits of help. The story about this letter is in today's Liverpool Echo here. There's actually a rather encouraging editorial on page 10 of the same newspaper (I can't find an electronic version of it but if I can I will post it here). The text of the letter ...
At Prime Minister's Questions last week Ed Miliband was light on his feet and David Cameron's inner Flashman began to surface. Labour MPs left with a spring in their step. They won't have been feeling so happy today. Cameron found the right tone this time, managing to patronise the Labour leader without sounding bullying. And Miliband's attempts to point to dissension within the cabinet (quoting Kenneth Clarke and Chris Huhne) were made to sound petty as a result. Then came the Comprehensive Spending Review. George Osborne's approach, as one commentator said, was pure Gordon Brown. He bombarded the House with ...
After the weeks and weeks of build up – today was the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR). The amount of work and effort that has gone into the thinking behind this CSR is huge – and it showed. Whilst definitely medicine in parts - all that thought and effort had produced something not only economically credible but a radical reforming agenda It wasn't just cuts – it was about a different way of doing things. And - outside of George Osborne's clever rabbit out of a hat finish in which all the coalition cuts (at 19%) still come out at less ...
Speaking as a professional greenie, the anguish from my fellow greenies over the undercapitalisation of the Green Investment Bank is puzzling. The argument appears to be that the enormous amounts of capital required to build our new low-carbon infrastructure cannot be sourced from traditional sources of investment – the figures given by Ernst and Young ...
All, On Monday Stratford District Council released its contact centre performance figures following Liberal Democrat questions. In September 15882 people tried to ring the Council's contact centre. 7305 gave up before they were answered - and those that were lucky enough to get through had to wait 3 1/2 minutes before the phone was picked up. This really isn't good enough - and Shipston on Stour residents are facing a harder time than many since theCouncil's Telegraph Street offices were closed down a year ago. The Councillor responsible admitted that of the two people recruited to improve the situation one ...
This is basically the local highways committee: Comments welcome.
My instant reaction. Overall, I'm relieved that it is not as bad as I feared. The measures for schools which show definite LD input are the most satisfactory. My two oldest friends are teachers in inner-city schools, who voted LD for the first time this year. I've been wondering if they are still speaking to me ever since, but I think they are going to be pleased by this. However, I'm very unhappy about the prioritisation of universal benefits over welfare. I fear that British society is going to increasingly look like Canada, with an underclass who are homeless and/or ...
Following the statement in the House of Commons from the Chancellor George Osborne on the Comprehensive Spending Review, North East Fife MP and former Liberal Democrat Leader Sir Menzies Campbell said: "This was a very polished performance by George Osborne, the Chancellor of the Exchequer. He acknowledged the depth of the economic crisis and had some painful decisions to announce. But it was significant that he emphasised the need for investment in apprenticeships, science, the Green Bank and transport infrastructure. He also made it clear that public expenditure on schools will increase in cash terms over the next four years ...
Excellent analysis from the FT's Chris Giles (free registration needed). I have bolded the passage where Giles conclusively shoots down Osborne's disingenuous comparison of the coalition's departmental cuts with Labour's: The concept of public sector net investment has disappeared from the documentation. It appears this is because changes to depreciation would make the figure look worse than in the June Budget and the Treasury does not want to show the fact this measure of capital is more than halving. Amusingly, the Treasury's fiscal mandate is dependent on an estimate of public sector net investment which has now been deleted. Gross ...
Cross-posted from Liberal Democrat Voice Unlike last week, when it took me several days to work it out, I could work out what Ed Miliband was trying to do at Prime Minister's Questions today. Though she is happily on the road to recovery in hospital, the Labour leader skilfully raised the political spectre of Maggie T. Miliband started by quoting the Justice Secretary, Ken Clarke, about the risk of a "double dip recession". He asked the PM if Clarke was right - "yes or no?" (which is rapidly turning into Miliband-E's catchphrase). Cameron very effectively batted that one away by ...
GUEST POST: Alex Deane of Big Brother Watch warns of the continuing IMP. Are the Tories burying news of this "surveillance state" mechanism? [IMG: telefon_odposlech] You may have seen that the appalling "Intercept Modernisation Programme" is to continue. Buried in the recently released Strategic Defence and Security Review, the Government plans to introduce a programme to preserve the ability of the security, intelligence and law enforcement agencies to obtain communication data and to intercept communications This comes despite the Conservative Party's recent pledge to reverse the rise of the surveillance state. If you can bear it, do please have a ...
In the heated pre election days when a Lib Dem and Tory Coalition seemed a remote possibility, there appeared to be few areas of ideological common ground between the parties. But one area where the parties seemed to agree, and not just the leadership of the parties, but all apparent wings contained within both the future coalition parties, was that there was a need to shrink the size of government. The recession has given this ideological standpoint a root in pragmatism, and as the Comprehensive Spending review announces cuts to everything from quangos to benefits and prisons, the question must ...
Community Services committee at Forest heath approved cuts of £100 000 in the grant to Anglia Community Leisure. This was seemingly done by noting a report which had buried within it that the grant would be cut by £100k. I would have thought that a pro active resolution would be needed and not a noting of a report where the recommendation has no inkling that it is massive cuts just a noting of a stuation that should be passed by council. I hope this isn't a forestaste of the openeeness of other cuts in services that Forest Heath will be ...
While George Osborne proposed his cuts package to the House of Commons, Euro-MPs were voting on the first round of the annual EU budget debate. The European Parliament called for a 5.9% increase. Are these MEPs living in the real world? They claim that the money is needed to meet extra tasks the EU is expected to undertake, and anyway "it's just a negotiating position." I think it is madness, absolutely barmy, and makes us look out of touch with reality. The majority approach is to contest virtually all cuts proposed by the European Council (the governments), even when money ...
As my readers will know I'm in favour of a slower payment of the debt. However even thought the spending review had plenty of bad news for many. I was pleased to see that there will be an increase of £2 billion in capital spending from Labours plans. As I blogged in Alan Johnson is right on capital spending. I was also pleased that the average departmental cuts is 19% rather than the 25% expected. Less than the 20% cuts that Labour planned. This will of course be used as political capital. It's worth bearing in mind that this is ...
Today's Comprehensive Spending Review includes the announcement that Crossrail will go ahead. Caroline Pidgeon, Leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, said: This is good news for London and Londoners. When difficult short term decisions are having to be made in so many areas it is excellent news that long term plans to improve transport in London have not been compromised. Crossrail is needed to provide improvements in London's transport capacity. It will play a critical role in helping London's economy to continue to grow and it will ensure that London remains attractive for international investment for many years ...
Conventional wisdom says that the deficit is all the fault of dodgy lending by the banks. But is it? If there had been no financial crisis, just a correction at the end of a credit bubble, would the deficit have disappeared? The recession has certainly caused a temporary deficit. We've seen a reduction in GDP of about six per cent, and unemployment up to two and a half million. The temporary effects of the recession, a higher spending on benefits and reduced tax revenue, account for around £50bn of the deficit. But this will disappear as the economy recovers. In ...
So the go-ahead has been given for the A11. I'm glad that it comes a step closer, as someone who has lived near the A11 for most of my life, it certainly has been a long time coming from Governments of all hues and as our new MP Matt Hancock said at the 'Public' Meeting that it was up to Lib Dem Minister Danny Alexander to decide, and appeared to imply that it would be his fault if it didn't go ahead, so the credit must go to him that it now does. Well done Danny! I hope that the ...
Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader,, Kirsty Williams has responded to the Comprehensive Spending Review statement. She said: "The Welsh people understand that we can't pretend that the pain can be stopped at the Severn Bridge. However, this settlement is better news for Wales than many were predicting. "The decisions being taken today are difficult but they are also necessary. The UK Government has to take action to cut the deficit because of the appalling legacy of debt that the last Labour government burdened us all with. Today, we will see crocodile tears from a Labour party that is in denial about ...
Some men get steamed up about Nigella in the kitchen. I get ever-so-slightly steamed up by Stephanie Flanders and her economic prognostications. Crikey, she's good. In her latest blog, produced within a few minutes of the Chancellor sitting down, she very cleverly spots that Osborne has set a time-bomb ticking on social housing: With the housing benefit cuts, the cuts in social investment, and the re-definition of "affordable" housing to include rent that is 80% of the going market rate, the government is surely ensuring a massive rise in the demand for social housing, and only a modest increase in ...
Part of Hills Road - the bit joining Hills Road and Brooklands Avenue - are to be closed to motor traffic at night-time in the first week of November. This part of road is being adapted as part of the Cambridge Gateway scheme (see previous post) and the County Council is putting down a new surface. They thoughtfully want to avoid tar on the cars, so they are closing the road from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. from 1st to 5th November. Motor traffic travelling north will have to go the long way round (Long Rd, Trumpington St, which I ...
Wed 20th
14:42
Parish Council finances from the nineteenth century to the twenty-first in a single bound...
I have to admit that, in my role as a parish councillor, I find financial matters the most frustrating. It is all so slow, and every payment is made by cheque. However, I have found out why and, at the same time, discovered that I might not have to worry about it any more. And the following announcement, courtesy of the Department for Communities and Local Government, explains why... Local Government Minister, Grant Shapps, has today unveiled plans to free England's 9,000 parish councils from archaic rules which prevent them from using modern banking methods and making fast and easy ...
On a day where cuts are the topic being talked about, I thought I would reflect on an issue which others have taken up - that of how the 'baby boomers' - those that were born in the 40s and 50s - have squandered the resources of the nation through the Thatcher-Major-Blair years - and as a result are probably the first generation to actually make life much more difficult for the next. This first came to mind when I was reading the memoirs of John Simpson, the BBC reporter. After leaving university in the mid-60s, he married his girlfriend, ...
Following on from yesterday's post, here's Alex Cole-Hamilton telling Scottish Liberal Democrat Conference last Saturday why we should vote down the amendment calling for a graduate tax. In his he recalls how proud he was of the Liberal Democrats for standing up to Labour on this issue and how the graduate endowment was simply to help poorer students. It was not spent on paying for tuition in any way. The clip is worth watching just for the images of Richard Baker producing draconian legislation in iambic pentameter.
I just watched the Chancellor deliver the Comprehensive Spending Review (yes, I watched the whole thing, as well as the Shadow Chancellor's response - I recommend everyone to hear or read all of George Osborne's statement, if they want to have a full understanding of it). I must say that I strongly endorse the approach that he has taken. Why would I not support a Spending Review that includes, among other good things: Structural deficit to be eliminated by 2015NHS budget protected; £2bn extra for social careSchools budget to rise every year until 2015£30bn capital spending on transport Permanent bank ...
Unlike last week, when it took me several days to work it out, I could work out what Ed Miliband was trying to do at Prime Minister's Questions today. Though she is happily on the road to recovery in hospital, the Labour leader skilfully raised the political spectre of Maggie T. Miliband started by quoting the Justice Secretary, Ken Clarke, about the risk of a "double dip recession". He asked the PM if Clarke was right - "yes or no?" (which is rapidly turning into Miliband-E's catchphrase). Cameron very effectively batted that one away by asking Miliband to read out ...
Today is a day that I'm wearing purple* it is a colour that may be being seen around the world on a lot of people. The reason being that today has been set aside as a day to highlight gay bullying and the recent spate of teen suicides that have been directly related to it. Many of you have said through various means how much my personal experience posted at start of the month moved you. If you haven't already take a look but be warned tissues are a pre-requisite for clicking that link (as indeed they are for me ...
So, as [IMG: [personal profile] ] matgb and I both predicted, it was bad, but not as bad as it was being spun. Could it be that all the doom-mongering was to make us terrified so we'd be grateful for small crumbs of comfort? You might think that, I couldn't possibly comment. Nor, given his ongoing performance at the moment, could Alan Johnson. I've never seen a man so far out of his depth, even with the crib notes from Balls. Glad to see science funding frozen, rather than cut (anyone else think that Vince ran this up the flagpole ...
On the day in which many announcements of cuts are being made and analysed, here's some very impressive news of the strong financial backing local people have given to the Consett Green Spaces Group's battle to protect the Belle Vue Fields. In a recent house to house collection over £1,800 was raised for their fighting fund. The people of Consett haven't given up. Nor have the Green Spaces Group who are currently exploring their legal options. If you missed the chance to make a donation they'll still be happy to get one now!
One reason why the Coalition's cuts are less than Labour proposed is that the Coalition is really committed to reducing the deficit quickly. That means simply that people will lend money to the UK at a lower interest rate. That means less interest and hence the cuts don't need to be as much.Simples.Remember that Labour's lax approach to public spending means that they have to cut more.
As part of the work to replace the road bridge in Hackbridge the main road will be closed this weekend. The A237 London Road will be shut from 11pm on Friday (22 October), until 6am on Monday (25 October) as part of the £4m scheme to replace the 150-year-old London Road bridge. Diversions will be put in place so drivers can avoid the area. This closure is needed to allow huge support beams to be swung into place. The project should be finished on time and to budget on 24 December.
You may have noticed that there are still traffic lights on the bridge over the A329(M). I have asked why they are still there, and was told that there is still some work that needs to be done to the parapet and carriageway. This work should be finished in about 10 days. The lights are only supposed to be in operation between 9.30 am and 4 pm, to avoid peak hour traffic. This morning they were operating earlier than 9.30. I have now been assured that this will not happen again. If you see the lights operating in peak hours, ...
Wed 20th
13:01
The Big Society is growing into something else (but the Tories other plan will kill it)
Cameron's Big Society took a good idea and it was then grown into something very strange. It is now supposed to thread through all of the government's policies. However, what seems to have escaped his attention is that the 2 main themes of this government are incompatible and the other will undermine his Big Idea. ...
Today's newspapers are bulging with Rooney related speculation, leaving most people to try and read between the lines of half-truths and educated guesswork in the Sports press about the reason for the fairly shocking news that Wayne Rooney wants to ... Continue reading →
As I said previously, I am wearing purple today to remember those who have died as a result of homophobic bullying, and also to raise awareness of this issue. Last night, when I attended the LGBT sectoral consultation on the OFMDFM's draft Programme for Cohesion, Sharing and Integration, we learnt some horrendous statistics from The ...
I have decided to vote Tim Farron for President of the Liberal Democrats. I had been genuinely undecided and even nominated Susan Kramer for the post.
Following my question to the Rural Affairs Minister on her latest proposal to cull badgers reported here, I have now had a more detailed reply from her. in her letter she says: In my last Ministerial questions I said I would look into the questions you raised about the online response form for the Badger Control Order consultation. Vaccination One of the questions posed by the consultation relates to vaccination. In my view there is limited scientific evidence available on the effectiveness of the injectible badger vaccination on badgers and even less on its effect in reducing TB in cattle. ...
Speaking after the Prime Minister's statement in the House of Commons on the Strategic Defence Review, North East Fife MP and member of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee Sir Menzies Campbell said: "The Prime Minister's statement contained no specific details about bases but he emphasised the importance of the Typhoon fleet in Britain's air defence. In the light of the incidents in the last 24 hours which involved RAF Leuchars scrambling aircraft to intercept potential intruders into British airspace, he was right to do so. "Leuchars is essential to the defence of the realm and I fully expect it to ...
i) births and deaths 20 October 1941: birth of Anneke Wills, who played Polly Wright, companion of the First and Second Doctors, from 1966 to 1967 and has reprised the role a couple of times for Big Finish in 2009-10. 20 October 2008: death of John Ringham who played Tlotoxl in The Aztecs (1964), Josiah Blake in The Smugglers (1966), and Robert Ashe in Colony in Space (1971). 20 October 2009: death of Hubert Rees who played the Chief Engineer in Fury from the Deep (1968), Captain Ransom in The War Games (1969), and Stevenson in The Seeds of Doom ...
Housing is not an issue of Conservatism or Socialism. It is an issue of Humanity The Conservative Minister for Housing said that. In the 1950s. His name was Harold Macmillan, and he oversaw more than 300,000 homes built every year of that decade, two thirds of which were council homes. Those words were spoken in a time when there was a consensus that the state should step in where there had been a market failure, and to ensure that everybody who wanted a decent home could afford one. Fast forward fifty years and what has happened that concrete and brick ...
The role of football mum is becoming one I am switching to more and more often, as my daughter plays football for three teams with matches almost everyday - its just a good job she's the goalie - although washing the kit is becoming a bit of a chore. After one match this week, which I had supported rather enthusiastically from the sidelines, my daughter proudly announced that she was going to be on the school council. My ears pricked up and seeing an opening for an election edition of a FOCUS leaflet, I was keen for more details. So ...
As a non-economist, I found this piece by Stephanie Flanders very useful indeed. I heartly recommend it - read it and then keep it at the back of your mind as discussion rages about the impact of today's Comprehensive Spending Review, which the Chancellor will be delivering within the hour.
Recommended reading for Liberal Democrat councillors and local campaigners from the last week in the media. Please note this is all PRE-Comprehensive Spending Review material, no doubt next week's column will focus on the CSR and its impact. Prior to the CSR, the Independent reports on discussions in the "Star Chamber" on the spending review in One room, nine politicians, Britain's future on the table But aside form the CSR, stories around education and giving children a fair start in life dominated the political media. Here Nick Clegg writes to Lib Dem MPs over tuition fees. Here's the results of ...
I attended a very useful meeting last night alongside fellow Cardigan area County Councillors, with officers from the Council's Highways and Environmental Health departments to discuss the new refuge collection system which hits our streets on November 15th. We've had so many consultations of this new scheme, I feel as if I almost know it blindfolded as the saying goes, but it was worthwhile to see the new lorries in the flesh and to be reminded one last time of the big changes that are about to descend on us all. Recyling par-excellence Now, Ceredigion already has an excellent record ...
The Comprehansive Spending Review announced today is designed to bring public spending back to the same level in real terms that it was in 2006/2007. I am going to write that again. The Comprehansive Spending Review announced today is designed to bring public spending back to the same level in real terms that it was in 2006/2007. It is not radical. It is not nearly radical enough. The state sector is much.much too large in this country. We could have a much smaller public sector which at the same time was much more effective at wealth redistribution. 500,000 public sector ...
Yesterday's defence review was always going to be difficult. Nowhere had Labour left a bigger mess than at the MOD with horrific overspends. There was some good in it, though - the fact that thousands of jobs in Rosyth and Govan are safe is a huge relief for those areas. And the there's the fact that there will be no decision on replacing Trident in this Parliament. That is better than I was hoping for and better than I thought we were going to get from the Coalition Agreement. I'd like to see us get rid of all nuclear weapons. ...
Regular users of Hesketh Park may have noticed something a little amiss with the lake this week, as work begins to repair the lower lake bank. The work will involve lowering the lake level (retaining sufficient for wildfowl) together with closing sections of the lakeside path. In addition the lake edge treatment will also be upgraded with some extra planting at the lake edge. The cost of this work is being met by the contractor who undertook the original work as part of the refurbishment of the park in 2008.
I'm the latest blogger to answer twenty questions for the Mars Hill blog, including my best and worst blogging experiences, the political figure who inspires me the most (a bit of a cheat of an answer, but you'll have to go read to find out) and the utter inevitability of me choosing "chocolate" in answer to "chocolate, vanilla or mint?". The twenty questions and answers are here.
Last night, I attended a committee meeting of Blackness Area Residents' Association. Issues discussed included the impending 'rents setting' consultation that Dundee Federation of Tenants' Associations will participate in with the City Council, on behalf of council tenants. I also updated the committee on refuse collection issues and West End Christmas Week.
The next 12 months will be crucial to the coalition's promise to reform party funding and 'take big money out of politics'. An inquiry, to be conducted under the auspices of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, is already underway and will report in spring 2011, to be followed by inter-party talks. It could be asked whether we need yet another review. Between 2005 and 2007, three separate reviews highlighted the need for reform, with the inter-party talks which followed the Hayden Phillips review in late 2007 coming close to securing agreement. Some, including Phillips himself, have argued that ...
Not merely just a bit thick, Wayne Rooney is actually a really nasty piece of work, and his personal milieu is one of gangsters in the literal, criminal sense of the word. It is five years since my friend John Sweeney told me this,and he this year published the well researched Rooney's Gold. Even after vetting by libel lawyers it is a horribly seedy tale. Much kudos to Iain Dale for publishing it, after libel lawyers scared off big publishers. I don't think any Manchester United fans will have bought it - they should now, and be happy the ugly ...
Dear Fraser, The spending review has inevitably been a tough process. We have made the decision to take the hard road - but it is the right road to a more prosperous, fairer Britain. The unavoidable moment of truth came just as we entered government: Labour's deficit had to be tackled. I did not go into government to make cuts. But nor can I be in government and allow us to keep spending more than £100 million a day on servicing our debt - enough to build a primary school every single hour, or triple the number of doctors working ...
The cuts that will be proposed today by the Coalition Government will not reduce the national debt. Over the next four years, the debt will continue to grow. After four years, if all goes according to plan, it will stop growing. By that time it will already be a lot higher than it is today. We, as a country, are currently adding £400 million a day to that national debt. That's £400 million that we, and our children, will need to cover the interest payments on until it's paid off. For every three pounds the Government raises in tax, it ...
Here is Nick Clegg's email to party members about today's spending review. What's notable about the content is the strong continuation of the 'love everything the coalition is doing in public' line – rather than talking up what is being done differently because Liberal Democrats disagreed with Conservatives. Notable also is the continuation of Nick's strong emphasis on the importance of early years education. It is an issue that he has consistently spoken passionately about being one of his priorities even though, as recent events have shown, the party more widely has often preferred to place a great emphasis on ...
Tuesday: So, the robotic and frankly emotionless Mr Vague announces that the biggest threat facing Great Britain today is CYBER-ATTACK! Meanwhile, deep inside Thames House... Ruth nervously enters Sir Harry's office. Hand trembling, she offers him a piece of paper, which he reads at a glance. Instantly a finger stabs the intercom. "Activate Section D," he barks, "we've received an e-mail from Mrs Ngumba of Nigeria saying her husband has $40,000,000 and he needs to get it out of the country..." PERSONALLY, though, I'd rather have the BBC than an aircraft carrier (even one WITHOUT any aircraft to, er, carry). ...
On November 7th some 550 cars, all built before 1905, will travel from London to Brighton to celebrate the raising of the speed limit to 12mph. With all the speed restrictions in force today it is worth noting that in 1935 with only 2.3 million vehicles on the roads some 7000 people died in road accidents. June 1st this year was the 75th anniversary of the introduction of a driving test in order to get a licence. Today, with well over 30million vehicles on the roads the number of deaths is about 3500. Whilst every death is a personal tragedy ...
Evan Harris, a veteran of spending announcements, warns the science community to be cautious before claiming salvation Remember the trick played by Labour in 1999 when it announced a three-year boost for the NHS of £21 billion which turned out to be an increase of £3.5bn each year for three years? By adding 3.5 + 7 + 10.5, the government was - for the first time ever - giving a cumulative figure. The true increase in spending was £10.5bn but through a sneaky double/triple count it was spun as twice the size. One major NHS player said that a £21bn ...
Welcome to another in my occasional series on useful, interesting or controversial findings from academic studies. Today's it is the question of speed cameras, for which a study of international evidence has recently been conducted: To evaluate the effectiveness of speed cameras, the authors examined all eligible studies, that is, studies that met pre-set standard criteria. We analysed the effect of speed cameras on speeding, road traffic crashes, injuries and deaths by comparing what was happening in road areas before the introduction of speed cameras and after their introduction, and also by analysing what was happening in comparable road areas ...
I've just had this from Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg entitled Spending Review with Liberal Democrat values: Dear Caron, The spending review has inevitably been a tough process. We have made the decision to take the hard road - but it is the right road to a more prosperous, fairer Britain. The unavoidable moment of truth came just as we entered government: Labour's deficit had to be tackled. I did not go into government to make cuts. But nor can I be in government and allow us to keep spending more than £100 million a day on servicing our debt ...
The Health Commissioner, John Dalli, came hotfoot yesterday evening from a meeting of the College of Commissioners to tell us (the political team leaders on the Public Health Committee) that a 5-year moratorium will be introduced on the sale of meat from cloned animals. No evidence of any food safety problems have been identified, he said, and there appears to be no difference between the meat of cloned animals and of others. However, there are some animal welfare concerns: cloned animals have higher mortality rates than others, and surrogate animals can experience problems giving birth to cloned offspring. Cloning will ...
From Stockport Council: Are you a resident of Offerton Park Parish? Stockport Council is urging residents to give their views on the future governance of Offerton Park Parish Council before the consultation ends on Wednesday 20th October. Stockport Council's Community Governance Review of Offerton Park Parish Council is about looking at how decisions are made in the area and how residents are represented. In order to make sure the final decision is right for the community Stockport Council needs your views. Residents are being asked to give their views by returning their consultation response form and stating their preference from ...
The full council meeting had a large part of it taken up with petitions and motions about the catchment area for Maiden Erlegh school. It is interesting that for such a "non-political" cause that a strategy of confrontation and legal threats seemed to be the prefered course of action with any idea that negotiation had any place in the resolution process dismissed. Also it was presumably a complete co-incidence that a large number of known Labour supporters were in attendance. One thing that I learned about politics is to understand why you are doing it. Throwing the toys out of ...
I was delighted to be asked to open the Cramond Older Peoples day this morning. The event brought together various groups to promote older peoples services in the area. The day had everything from sumo suits and salsa dancing to indoor curling. It was very well attended and I was particularly pleased to see staff from Health and Social Care in attendance as were some of our telecare team. Various other groups such as the Centre for Health and Well Being and Care and Repair also had stands. Praise has to go to Cramond Community Council who put in a ...
When I was 14 I saw a boy who changed my life. He was a beautiful 18 year old sixth former at school and the moment I laid eyes upon him was the moment I finally admitted to myself that I was gay. There'd been a suspicion in my heart for a long time, but as a newly committed Christian (mainly in rebellion at my family's rather long history of non-belief) I'd denied it for as long as I could. But it's hard work hiding something from yourself and finally admitting that I was gay, just to myself, was a ...
A German TV show, Tatort Internet modelled on a Texan show, To Catch a Predator plumbs new depths in reality TV. Actors posing as underage children attempt to entrap Peadophiles in internet chat rooms and are then filmed confronted with the TV presenter posing as an angry mother. This Jeremy Beadle style trial by television witch hunt is wrong on so many levels not least because reducing child abuse to subject of reality TV entertainment denegrates the seriousness of the issue; and not to mention that trial by media follows no due process short circuiting the legal process to protect ...
Commenting on the news that the BBC is to take over the cost of the World Service, currently funded by the Foreign Office, Sir Menzies Campbell MP said: "When the BBC takes on financial responsibility for the World Service it has also to assume responsibility for ensuring that the unique characteristics of the Service are preserved. "The World Service is renowned for its impartiality and independence and has its own particular style and culture. Dilution of these features would rob us of something special." Share this: [IMG: Digg] [IMG: del.icio.us] [IMG: Facebook] [IMG: Furl]
Work on the Youth Venue and Cafe is well under way. It will offer a 7 day a week informal cafe, a disco / music venue and cinema facilities. A £1.3 million complex is now being built between the Leisure Centre and the roundabout. Young people have been involved at all stages of the design. You can win a year's free entry by helping name the new building - download the competition entry form here! The closing date is the end of October. You can find out more about the new building by visiting Yate Town Council's website andSouth Gloucestershire ...
Amendments 265 and 266 to the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill may not have grabbed any headlines but they mark a very welcome change in policy – for under them the fees paid to referendum counting officers will only be paid in full if they meet an adequate standard of performance. Poor performance will now mean less pay. At the general election, the returning officers in Sheffield and Hackney voluntarily decided to forgo their fees following the major organisational failures in the elections there. However, this was purely a voluntary act as there was no system for judging performance ...
The Tin Hat Regeneration Partnership PRESS RELEASE ISSUED 20 OCTOBER 2010 Major 'anchor' tenants announced for town centre scheme SAINSBURY'S and Cineworld have been announced as the major 'anchor' tenants for 'The Crescent', Hinckley town centre's £80 million bus station redevelopment scheme. The announcement follows the exchange of agreements between The Tin Hat Regeneration Partnership, which is a joint venture between Wilson Bowden Developments Ltd and Centenary Ashcroft, and Sainsbury's and Cineworld. Sainsbury's, who currently trade from a small store on the site, will be operating a major new food store, while Cineworld will be providing Hinckley with a long-awaited, ...
There's lots on in Prestwich and for Prestwich people that you can take part in, particularly over the next few weeks. There's everything from your chance to meet the new Police Chief Constable, to another Farmer's Market, to boxercise classes during which you can get fit imagining inflicting immense physical pain on others. There are also volunteering and adult learning opportunities aplenty. Here's a flavour of what you can enjoy... Prestwich "Get Online" Week Event Thursday 21st October 9.30am to 3pm Prestwich Library FREE short information session son using internet plus refreshments Booking required - phone 0161 253 6870 Garage ...
Look sharp, the Moomins are coming to town. I can't quite believe I am typing the word "Moomin" repeatedly, but it appears that I am, and for the very good reason that on this quite serious day it's probably wise to remember that no matter what George Osborne gets up and announces later, the world won't end and interesting things will keep happening. One such interesting thing starts this weekend in Bury, when the hitherto unconnected pairing of the Mayor of Bury and the Finnish Ambassador come together to open an exhibition at Bury Art Gallery dedicated to the Moomins. ...
The emergence of the "Tea Party" protest movement in the United States was both natural and even desirable. The positive side of things is that new people have become engaged with the political process in a way that they were not before, and indeed the break down of the American financial system has left many Americans with a lot to protest about. Yet, the initial spur to the foundation of the movement- a resentment of bloated government expenditure at the Federal level and a determination to impose stricter limits on Federal government power has become so confused with the social ...
Wed 20th
08:40
Maybe now, maybe this deep, maybe no alternative. But please don't call the cuts fair.
It's rained more or less non-stop for the last 24 hours, in a reflection of the nation's mood so unsubtle that it's the meteorological equivalent of a brick through a window. Today's Comprehensive Spending Review will be a bleak day indeed for lots and lots of people, and it makes me so sad to think that many people are going to be worse off in so many ways tonight than they were this morning. Debates have raged for months about the timing, scale, and alternatives to the cuts announced today. They'll continue to rage. Nobody knows for sure who's right. ...
Part 27i of blogging my way through my first reading of Atlas Shrugged. You can find the first part here. Chapter 27: 'This is John Galt Speaking' Breaking this chapter up for analysis as it's Rand giving all of her philosophy in one handy little package. Rand begins to develop a form of virtue ethics ...
I have asked council officers again about the failed anti-skid surfacing on Dutson Road. The surfacing was installed by a contractor but is filing to stick to the road and is coming away in large sheets. Officers accept that the surfacing has failed and they have asked the contractor to take action but so far this hasn't happened because of wet weather. I understand that the contractor has now been told that they won't be getting any more work from the council until they deal with this problem.
Residents in Western Road have approached the Council to ask about introducing a residents parking scheme in their area. The current parking arrangements only allow drivers to park for a maximum of an hour during the daytime with no return within 3 hours. The proposal is for a system of permits which would allow local residents and their visitors to park in the area at any time. Non-residents would continue to be able to park for up to an hour. Council officers are currently looking at the request.
A busy day at Farnborough Rd Schools today. This morning the Mayor opened the new Canteen and Children's Centre and this afternoon Liverpool footballer Steven Gerrard opened the new all weather sports pitch. As you can guess the afternoon generated far more excitement especially amongst the staff. After the opening ceremony Gerrard met hundreds of the children packed into the new building to answer questions. He revealed he wanted to be a manager and intended to take all his training qualifications when he stopped playing in five or six years time. He identified Wayne Rooney as the best player from ...
Blogging has been light and may well continue to be so over the next few days. This is purely because it's the school holidays and I'm having some Mummy and Anna time. I also seem to be having a lot of sneezing time this morning, much to my annoyance. I won't be able to avoid some comments on the Spending Review, and I'm thrilled that we've kicked the replacement of Trident into the long grass - a big Lib Dem win for the coalition - but I'll be quieter than usual. However, just in time for the Presidential Election ballot ...
Recently ASDA were advertising Kenco coffee on their bags for life, specifically highlighting the Kenco coffee eco refill bags, supposedly saving the environment. When ASDA have these Kenco eco refill bags in stock they work out more expensive to purchase than the jar next to it, that doesn't make sense! Yes, seriously. The prices were a jar with 300g of coffee for £3 or a 150g eco refill bag for £2.50. However, during the promotion period my local ASDA at Leith, Edinburgh never had the shelf space for more than 3 of the eco refill bags so there were never ...
The First Minister was yesterday forced to reveal the cost of the controversial McKinsey report when challenged by the Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, Kirsty Williams. Research by the Welsh Liberal Democrats revealed that £760,000 was spent by the Health Minister's Department on external consultants. Under pressure from Kirsty Williams, the First Minister was forced to reveal the £500,000 shocking cost of McKinsey. The Welsh Assembly Government has been refusing to reveal the cost of the McKinsey report stating that 'As the cost is commercial in confidence it would be inappropriate for me to provide you with figures.' Over ...
Ken Loach: Western Sahara and the Tide of History ...In 1991 a ceasefire was declared, and under the terms of a UN agreement a referendum for self-determination was promised. Nineteen years later, the native Saharawi are still awaiting that referendum. (tags: westernsahara)
Occasionally I receive anonymous comments. Most get published and one comment that was published recently criticised my blog because of the small number of followers. This number does not bother me. For me these blogs are a method of letting anyone know my thoughts on any subject that takes my fancy. It is good to see some comments as I treat them like a conversationa and that is how ideas develop. There is one follower who sent me a very nice email about a year ago and I became a follower of his blog. He now has 3047 followers as ...
Reports today indicate that the Government will postpone a decision on the renewal of the Trident nuclear missile system until a further five years time.
