Got a phone call from the hospital earlier today. They have an appointment slot tomorrow afternoon - must have been a cancellation to be that fast, I reckon - so I am going to go see the specialist at about 2.30 tomorrow. Speculation is rife. My mum had fibroids at about my age - well, she'd had them for ages, but was diagnosed at my age - and has told me all about how awful they are. I have had messages from people telling me a bout other stuff too. Apparently the most likely option for a person my age ...
The official opening of the new jetty was postponed today after forecasts yesterday of gale force winds today. Actually I think the gales came early - certainly sounded like a gale in the early hours of the morning. This afternoon's wind was strong and bitingly cold so it wouldn't have been much fun standing around in the open, or taking a celebratory trip on the Teesside Princess either. The
From the shop's website: This is located in a building called The Round House (1959-60, listed Grade II, 1971) one of a pair of Baroque shops linked by an overhead walkway. ... In 1966 Patrick McGoohan used the Round House as Number Six's residence in The Prisoner. The interiors were filmed at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios, Borehamwood. The interior of No. 6's house was an exact replica of his London home which is seen in the first episode. The Round House is of course too small to accommodate a spacious lounge, bedroom, bathroom and kitchen and this can come as a surprise ...
Jeremy Browne, perhaps the MP with whom Liberal Vision has most sympathy on many issues, has not had a good week. An appearance on Question Time last week saw him attacked unfairly for an ill-judged attempt to mock arguments against military co-operation with France. The more serious error from the internal party perspective however concerned his attempt to add nuance to the party's opposition to Control Orders. Control Orders were introduced by the 2005 Prevention of Terrorism Act. They replaced Part IV of the 2001 Anti-terrorism, crime and security Act that allowed the Home Secretary to detain foreign nationals without ...
Quite frightening the number of young teenagers on bikes without lights tonight as I drove from ward surgery just after 7.00 p.m. I really am worried about how easy it could be to knock them off the bike. I know that times are tight, but if they or their family can afford a bike, they can afford lights. Anyone got any good ideas on how to get the message through to them before someone is...
Oh dear, looks like the BBC will be apologising again tomorrow. On Film 2010 on BBC1 tonight at the beginning of the first review, clearly someone didn't cut the sound from somewhere and we heard a female voice over the programme saying something like: "They ask if I have problems with fans, Well, I don't give a f***" Claudia Winkleman later apologised in case we had heard something we shouldn't have but not to worry if we didn't. Well we did! Not that I'm bothered and it was after the watershed but I'm sure someone will moan!
It is good news that Vince Cable has referred the BSkyB takeover bid by Rupert Murdoch for investigation. We already have too much concentration of ownership in the media without this further monopolisation.
A rather decent novelisation of four of the original Thunderbirds episodes, "The Uninvited" (with the archaeologists in the pyramid), "Brink of Disaster" (with the monorail and the collapsing bridge), "Sun Probe" (with the, er, Sun probe), and "Atlantic Inferno" (where the drilling rigs are exploding pockets of submarine gas and Jeff tries to take a holiday). The Tracy family are sadly indistinguishable in terms of character; Brains has a speech impediment, and Lady Penelope and Tin-Tin are girls (one posh, one Asian) so at least you know who they are; but Morris has injected a certain depth of context and ...
Harriet Harman is coming under attack from Labour backbenchers because Phil Woolas was suspended from the party following the election court's finding that he had knowingly lied about his Liberal Democrat opponent. So beleagured has she become today that her husband, the newly elected Labour MP and former trade union leader Jack Dromey, has felt obliged to tour the nation's television studios as a slightly improbable spokesman for truth and decency. But where is the Labour leader in all this? Is Ed Miliband silent because he too lacks authority over Labour MPs? After all, he was not their choice as ...
This evening, I firstly attended the Blackness Primary School Parent Council, where the Parent Council welcomed the pedestrian safety proposals for Hawkhill at Blackness Avenue and there was also an update on the excellent walking bus proposal for the school. Later on, I attended the West End Community Council monthly meeting at which a number of local matters were discussed, including the forthcoming West End Christmas Week.
At Cheadle Area Committee this evening we were given a full update on the flooding issues at Ladybrook Road in Cheadle Hulme and the junction of Wilmslow Road and Broadway in Cheadle. A good deal of work has been done on the ground so far. In Cheadle Hulme, all the grids have been checked, work is being done on re-levelling the pavement and remote cameras have been sent through the culvert. In Cheadle, a log was found in the culvert partially blocking it - this has now been removed. The complication is ownership and responsibility. These old culverted streams are ...
Part 29 of blogging my way through my first reading of Atlas Shrugged. You can find the first part here. Chapter 29: The Generator As civilisation continues to collapse in the absence of Richard Branson, Dr Stadler rushes to secure his own little dominion by laying claim to Project X, the ridiculous stationary weapon system ...
Two years ago we were instrumental in pursuading teh Council and partners in the Local Strategic Partnership to try a new approach to some of the issues that were affecting the community of Whiteway. We brought in the ReGenerate trust to work with residents with their Listening Matters approach. Two years on the Changes group is growing in strength and the ReGenerate Trust is getting a national...
Former Liberal Democrat MP Alex Carlile is to step down as the government's Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation on 31 December. He will be succeeded by David Anderson QC, a specialist in EU and public law and human rights and a visiting professor of law at King's College, London. Lord Carlile will, however, provide expert, independent oversight of the official review of the government's strategy ("Prevent") for preventing violent extremism. Politics.co.uk reports mixed views from Liberal Democrats about how the party's backbench committees are working: "One co-chair charged with one of the biggest policy portfolios said the committees were a ...
Heavens, this coalition business is certainly tough on the blood pressure. Never before has it been quite so stressful turning on the news or opening a newspaper. It isn't even as if my over-reactions to almost everything were exactly simple. All of which is a way of providing a verdict on Ed Davey's announcement about the future of local post offices. In short, three cheers and one major thumbs-down. Cheer 1: the end of Labour's local post office closure programme is a major step forward. The New Economics Foundation worked out tht a local post office was worth about £300,000 ...
[IMG: why are we still paying] Most of us accept that housing benefit above a certain level is untenable however some air-head liberals have no qualms and consider there is no limit. Spotted in the Metro London's free daily paper was this story of a family put up in a £2.5 million home, according to the report although this accommodation was temporary the family could now return to their original home, but appear reluctant. I wonder why? why they don't return home and why I pay taxes to fund this sort of nonsense.
Here is a selection of issues making headlines during the past few weeks: Local News Slough Town Hall could become new school Recycling collection goes weekly - In wokingham. MP pledge to villager's - MP Phillip Lee lends his support to the campaign against 3,500 homes, Should be an interesting meeting for him with the Tory council. See my blog Crowthorne and Binfield housing rebels and Get Bracknell 'Plea to look again at housing plan rejected'. Taxi drivers fight for cap on licences - Personally I support them in this, there are a lot of drivers and it must be ...
"I'm no Tory; I'm a radical, authentic liberal," Jeremy Browne tells Lib Dem Voice. Personally, I worked out some time ago that not watching Question Time is one of the secrets of a happy life. Writing for Liberal Vision, Andy Mayer explains why it is the Liberal Democrats' "no tuition fees" policy, rather than tuition fees, that will eventually be scrapped. Duncan Borrowman has posted the most objectionable local newspaper front page you have ever seen. It is quite unbelievably bad. On the New Economics Foundation's nef blog, David Boyle is delighted to find a Conservative minister supporting small shops ...
Please note a change of time and place for the Police and Community Together (PACT) meeting on Wednesday November 10th. It will now be held in the coffee bar of The Empire Theatre at 5.30 p.m.
Last month the following issues and reports were dealt with by the Consett Beat Team for the Town Centre: Rowdy Nuisance 45 Street Drinking 0 Vehicle Nuisance 3 Theft 9 Burglary 1 Vehicle crime 0 Criminal Damage 2 vehicle damage 4 other Rowdy Nuisance: These calls relate to all manner of general incidents and complaints. No major area of concern have been raised from these incidents. A number of incidents are in relation to complaints from one local street and this matter is currently being dealt with by Consett Beat Team. Vehicle Nuisance: One call relates to reports of vehicles ...
I have succeeded in tabling a topical question for the House of Lords tomorrow: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, and if so how, they will raise concerns about the imprisonment of the Nobel Peace Prize Winner Liu Xiaobo during the Prime-Minister's visit to China. This follows me raising the issue on the World at One and in the Guardian because my view is that doing good business in not incompatible with publicly calling for respect for human rights and freedom of speech. Liu Xiaobo needs to know that people in Britain are appalled that he was sent to 11 ...
I am not tempted, but Liberal Conspiracy has the text of an extraordinary letter from a Labour councillor inviting you to do just that.
You'd need to have a heart of stone not to raise a smile at the current tribulations of the BNP. Private Eye has a the full low-down on their woes, much of which stem from Nick Griffin's pig-headed decision to use the Marmite logo in the general election campaign. To paraphrase an old saying, the party is short of a penny with which to scratch their prejudices: (BNP's money man, Jim Dowson) blames the (party's) deficit - estimated at £500,000 - on the recession and "hugely expensive politically motivated High Court actions by the Commission for Equalities [sic] and Human ...
It is good to know that British lives were saved because of "waterboarding". This is what George W Bush tells us. It's also good to know that we have the Americans as our allies. Makes you proud to be British, but it also led me to think of some related issues. I wonder if people would want to kill the British if we didn't have American "waterboarders" as allies. I also wonder if these evil people who wish to take British lives go away because of "waterboarding". Most of all I wonder if we could use other instruments of torture ...
What do the electorate make of Labour MPs in "rebellion", as it was put by one reproter today, because they feel the Labour Party should have stood by Phil Woolas, the labour MP stripped of office for being found guilty in court of spreading lies about his opponent ? It's a ridiculous decision for Labour MPs to make that they feel the electorate want them to stand by someone found guilty in court.
The NewsShopper was once a respected local paper. But long ago it started to sink further and further into being a parody of tabloid journalism. Today the social networks have been full of a picture of the paper's front page this week, with this headline "Will Nursery Attract PAEDOS?" This is journalism of the lowest gutter type. What next? Run the headline when a new school is proposed? Or if a
I'm somewhat surprised at the reported reaction of Labour MPs over the Woolas affair. Perhaps I'm just too liberal to understand the internal workings of the New Labour party as certainly the internal machinations of the Conservatives leave me equally baffled at times. This is a party where it's considered quite reasonable for an MP to state publicly, on Twitter, "Any minister who puts civil liberties ahead of security should be in student politics, not government." Lets lock up the MPs. After all, they're all clearly guilty of fiddling their expenses and electoral malpractice. They won't be able to get ...
The full fund-raising letter from Councillor Battye is here and ought to be read alongside the full judgment here.
Jury Service has meant that I have to be in Manchester all this week and next. The good news is that I've been able to attend some evening events during the week in the Constituency, and last night I went along to see "There Goes the Bride", performed by the Burnage Garden Village Players. The play is ...
The next meeting of the Prestwich Local Area Partnership takes place on Thursday 11th November, 6.30pm at the Longfield Suite. 6.15pm - Meet councillors, Police and other LAP members The agenda includes: Sedgley Ball Zone proposal Future of partnership working Pharmaceutical services for Prestwich Updates from Police and Fire Service Public Question Time - 7.30pm where any issue or concern can be raised Everyone welcome Prestwich LAP is made up of community groups, elected local councillors and service providers. It deals with local issues and services. It meets 6 times a year and all meetings are public. For further information ...
Lib Dem MP Jeremy Browne's appearance on BBC1′s Question Time last week prompted critical comments for refusing to condfemn control orders, instead saying that the Coalition's decision on control orders will await the outcome of the government-commission anti-terrorism review of Lib Dem peer Lord (Ken) Macdonald. Here Jeremy responds to his critics... When I appeared on Question Time last week, I acknowledged that, confronted with a real terrorist threat from ideological zealots hostile to all of our liberal ideals, the government may sometimes, in its response, have to wrestle with the difficult tension between liberty and security. My goal is ...
This afternoon I had a meeting with Constable Stevie Wilson of York Road Neighbourhood Police team concerning the incident that happened on 20 October 2010 in North Queen Street. read more on Michael Carchrie Campbell Filed under: Blogging, LGBT, Northern Ireland, Police, PSNI Tagged: belfast, hate crime, North Queen Street, Police Service of Northern Ireland, ...
So was it worth spending 23 hours in planes, and 6 hours in cars, for two days of discussion? Well yes, I think it was. China clearly hasn't enjoyed being held up as the stage villain for gutting last year's Copenhagen climate change talks of any substance. The regime doesn't want to do anything that will curb the country's economic growth, but at the same time it recognises better than many governments that global warming is a genuine threat that will cause the country harm. There were no expressions of climate change denial at our meeting. A mixed bag of ...
Ainsdale Councillor Haydn Preece will be holding a surgery this Friday 12 November at Ainsdale Library. Doors open at 5.30pm and Haydn will be available until 7.30pm. No appointment is necessary
When direct elections to the European Parliament were first introduced in 1979, not a single British Liberal was returned, as the first-past-the-post electoral system was still in place and Liberal support was too concentrated in pockets. But Graham Watson and Robin Teverson defied sceptics by winning two Euro-seats in the West Country in 1994, and with ...
The tuition fees issue is a tough one for the Lib Dems and its not easy to decide what to do for best. I agreed to the pledge on opposing any increases in tuition fees during this Parliament as a candidate, a position I still fundamentally agree with. I remain convinced that tuition fees are unfair and that education should be free, although it is clear that this cannot be afforded without some way of paying for it. I liked the manifesto commitment to abolish fees over 6 years and I campaigned for this actively in Oxford East. If I ...
Here in Oxfordshire where the Tory county council is threatening cuts of around 1,000 staff with no real detail yet, our shiny electronic road signs continue to provide fantastic value for money. This morning opn the A40 I was advised that the evenings are getting darker and that I should consequently give more space to cyclists. Absolutely. I am a cyclist and I agree entirely with this thought. However, I'm still not sure it is worth the huge expense of rigging up and maintaining these ludicrous signs which only provide information which could not be done with posters about six ...
Our first day was full of too polite exchanges ("After you, Claude. No, after YOU, Cecil," or whatever might be the Chinese equivalent). There was some substance, and enough of it to make the exchanges of value, but some things of significance were undoubtedly lost through the inadequacies of interpretation. I was nervous about my 'keynote' speech, not being entirely clear what might work and what might not. I had two objectives: first, to tell the Chinese that the consequences of their government's refusal at Copenhagen to accept any reference to mandatory CO2 reductions even for developed countries had sapped ...
I confess that I cringe a little inside when I hear politicians from one party claiming that their's is somehow more honest, more decent and better at keeping their promises than another. Lib Dem politicians have certainly fallen into the trap from time to time, but they're not alone: every party has its moments (with many Labour people being particularly convinced of their moral superiority at the moment, if some of the comments on this site are anything to go by). It's easy to see how people genuinely come to believe it's true. As I noted a few days ago, ...
An indication of how deeply old wounds run is provided in this morning's Independent, which reports that Gordon Brown has issued a thinly veiled swipe at Tony Blair as he hit out at politicians who fail to keep promises to step down from office after two terms. Mr Brown's fury at his predecessor's decision not to step down for him ahead of the 2005 general election has been documented in a number of high-profile Labour memoirs. And today he appeared to seize an unexpected chance to make clear his own view during a two-hour evidence session to the international development ...
The Yes to Fairer Votes website was launched on Guy Fawkes night - www.yestofairervotes.org . How apt - a yes vote would really put a rocket up the system for real change to make our democracy more democratic. The campaign is gaining momentum with 5o launch events held, regional organisers in place, and meetings to get the campaign held locally. Do you want a fairer voting system where everyone's votes count?
Tue 9th
15:30
Veronica German AM criticises First Minister over his failure to provide ambulance figures
The First Minister has failed to provide vital statistics that would show the amount of hours that are being lost at Accident and Emergency departments due to ambulance delays, Welsh Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson, Veronica German has said. Today in Plenary, she asked the First Minister if he would provide figures showing hours lost at Accident and Emergency departments over each of the past 6 months compared with the same period last year. She also asked if he would provide a list of the actions taken by his Government in that period to reduce the delays. The First Minister refused ...
This lunchtime I had a great meeting with two of the people behind Jericho's and Liberty House in Tower Street in Launceston. We were discussing the idea of a youth cafe for Launceston. A youth cafe would give young people a space to meet and to be themselves, doing whatever they want to do in a safe environment. The aim behind it is about generating a sense of community and helping young people to interact more with their peers and to make the best of themselves. It wouldn't involve structured activities - but would allow opportunities for young people to ...
Former US President George W Bush has claimed that British lives were saved by the process of Waterboarding. He claims that attacks on Canary Wharf and Heathrow were discovered using this method of interrogation. I have little doubt that information was indeed passed to the British authorities about these attacks by the US, but question why something I consider torture was used. For those who don't know what waterboarding is, take a look at the video in this here. It is basically taking a prisoner and tying them down. Next the face including the nose and mouth are covered, and ...
Mike Smithson from Political Betting on Labour's response to the Woolas case.
I have no natural will to oppose the party leadership – I am, above all, a Liberal Democrat because of our unique party structure and the balance of opinion that allows it through its democratic structure to express a comprehensive view through its representatives. I am one of us because I believe in our ability to hold these representatives to account. But even internal democracy is difficult to manage – occasionally we don't work our structure well, and in some recent moves our natural process of internal compromise/external compromise seems to have been reversed. While the technology exists to carry ...
Just saw Graham Stringer, another apologist for the `wham bam thank you m'aam` style of brutalist northern Labour politics on the BBC. Apparently Elwyn Watkins should have sued for defamation (probably takes years) not gone to an election court. According to him `marginal seats are not like `sunday school picnics` and you have to take ...
When I appeared as a "witness" on Radio 4's Moral Maze programme [/self plug], I found Melanie Phillips to be very articulate, persuasive and well-prepared. She may not be the most popular figure around these parts, and I disagreed with some of her angles on the issue in question, but she did earn my respect for her conduct. However, she's done herself no favours by linking to this video (below) through the Spectator blog. "Moronic" isn't the word for this animation. Well, actually, it is. Along with "strawman" and "bang your head against a wall repeatedly". I'm no America-basher, but ...
Following on from my post yesterday and Michael's post and his letter, which led to this response have now included Northern Ireland in its survey. In an email to my friend Michael Tris Reid-Smith said: "There's a further update. Having looked into it further, we have now been able to include Northern Ireland as an option in the Readers' Awards! Obviously anything you can do to get the word out to people and to get them to take part would be great! "I've filled mine in (if only the party internal elections were so quick to complete) and any offers ...
Enjoy: Hat-tip: John Fraser via Twitter
Nigel Farage MEP is, again, the Leader of UKIP after winning the leadership contest with 60.5% (Professor Tim Congdon was second with 20.2%, then David Campbell Bannerman with 14% and finally Winston McKenzie with 5.3%.
With a week to go until the Welsh Government's budget is announced, the Welsh Liberal Democrats are calling on the Labour-Plaid Government to ensure that money allocated to government departments is put to the very best use. £3.5 million of Welsh Government money has been spent in the last three years on climate change awareness, rather than programmes that directly reduce carbon emissions. Grants include £20,000 over two years for an annual newspaper supplements on climate change and over £0.5 million a year to the Sustainable Development Commission and Cynnal Cymru. We estimated that this money could have paid for ...
Islington Council are currently asking the public for nominations for historical people, places or events to be commemorated with new Islington People's Plaques. Nominations can be submitted until 6 December 2010 online.
Apparently Labour MP's are furious with Harriet for hanging out Woolas to dry. Oh dear. Deputy Labour leader Harriet Harman has faced anger from Labour MPs after her decision to disown expelled MP Phil Woolas.It has provoked what Labour MPs and ex-ministers call a "mutiny" against the Labour leadership at Westminster
I was pleased that my Lib Dem colleague brought the recent case against Phil Woolas, the (now) evicted MP for OLdham East and Sadleworth for lying about him in election literature, and I was delighted that the presiding judge in the first such case for 99 years agreed that it was unnaceptable behaviour. I say that not because it was the Lib Dems who lost by 103 votes in the general election, but because its what politics and specifically elections, have needed for some time. Over the past few years that has been a growing trend amongst ALL main parties ...
With a week to go until the Welsh Government's budget is announced, the Welsh Liberal Democrats are calling on the Labour-Plaid Government to ensure that money allocated to government departments is put to the very best use. £3.5 million of Welsh Government money has been spent in the last three years on climate change awareness, rather than programmes that directly reduce carbon emissions. Grants include £20,000 over two years for an annual newspaper supplements on climate change and over £0.5 million a year to the Sustainable Development Commission and Cynnal Cymru. Welsh Liberal Democrats estimated that this money could have ...
The next meeting of the Prestwich Local Area Partnership (LAP) takes place on Thursday (11th November) at 6.30pm at the Longfield Suite. It's your chance to meet councillors, Police and other LAP members and discuss the issues of the day. The agenda this time includes the Sedgley Ball Zone proposal, a debate on the future of partnership working, and an item on pharmaceutical services for Prestwich. There will also be updates from the Police and Fire Service. Public Question Time will be at 7.30pm where any issue or concern can be raised (provided it's about local public services. Keep your ...
Labour Deputy Leader Harriet Harman is said to have faced "mutiny" over the decision to disown disgraced Phil Woolas, as she addressed the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) yesterday. After all the pleading with the public post leadership-yawnfest that were now going to be a united party, Labour seems to have slipped back into infighting as comfortably as they have slipped back into opposition. Tony and Gordon must be delighted that the party are standing by at least part of their legacy. Interestingly, there seems to have been more internal criticism of the decision to disown Woolas than the one to ...
Last week, I noted that the Public Bodies Bill, promoted by Francis Maude at the Cabinet Office, has turned out to be one of those Bills that displays the Conservative ambivalence towards democracy. And now, the Guardian's Law Blog has picked up on this same point (well caught up, Ms Hirsch!). I am led to believe that a delegation has met with Mr Maude, and told him in no uncertain terms that the Bill is unacceptable in its current form. And with its Second Reading scheduled to take place this evening, I think that we can be reasonably confident that ...
There's the Shropshire Star, then there's the rest: Escaped sheep closes A5 at Shrewsbury Later. The Evening Standard has applied for Judicial Review after this headline failed to win: Wild At Heart giraffe killed by lightning
I seem to have deleted all comments from the blog by accident - sorry. Feel free to comment, once approved I will post comments. Was trying to clear out some junk and hit delete by accident. BOLLARDS!
Following my complaint yesterday to Tris Reid-Smith, Editor of the Pink Paper, and following his response, I am pleased to say that as of today, the Pink Paper's Readers' Awards now include the option of saying you are from Northern Ireland. The email I received from Tris this morning says: There's a further update. Having ...
Philip Cowley and Mark Stuart, from the University of Nottingham, have been looking at how often backbench government MPs have been rebelling in this Parliament: Out of the first 110 divisions in the Commons since Parliament resumed, there have been rebellions by government MPs in 59. That is a rate of rebellion of 54%, simply without parallel in the post-war era... The Conservative rebellion rate of 35% ... is higher than the rate of rebellion by government MPs in all but four of the post-war sessions. The Lib Dem rate of 28% is higher than that seen by government MPs ...
A big well done to all involved in this year's Didsbury Beer Festival at St Catherine's. Arranged for the third time, this three day event is an important way of bringing together the local community in Didsbury. This is the 3rd time the Didsbury Beer Festival was arranged and the event has kept growing year ...
Here's a copy of the motion I have sent in for tomorrow night's Full Council meeting. This one has a high chance of being debated (my other on battery recycling is likely to go straight to a committee) LITTER OUTSIDE TAKEAWAYS BY COUNCILLORs PAULA KEAVENEY AND BERNI TURNER Council acknowledges that while there are some take away outlets that are responsible neighbours, litter outside fast food takeaways is often a matter of extreme annoyance to neighbours and passers by alike. Council recognises that while litter bins can be an answer to some of the problems, experience has shown that these ...
On Guy Fawkes Night, 5 November, we were six months away from the referendum that could change British politics forever. The Yes! To Fairer Votes Campaign is mobilising all across the country. Nick Perry, the Lib Dem parliamentary spokesperson for Hastings & Rye said, "Whilst the Lib Dems are key allies of the Yes! Campaign, ...
Following my complaint yesterday to Tris Reid-Smith, Editor of the Pink Paper, and following his response, I am pleased to say that as of today, the Pink Paper's Readers' Awards now include the option of saying you are from Northern Ireland. The email I received from Tris this morning says: There's a further update. Having ...
For months anybody who has had the misfortune to turn on the television or radio and hear a Labour politician speaking has probably heard them shouting obsessively about 'Lib Dem sellouts' and 'Lib Dems abandoning their principles'. Nonsense of course, as anyone who as has read the coalition agreement or seen any legislation passed in the last sixth months can testify. They also like to go on about 'manifesto commitments as if they are some iron clad immovable object whatever circumstances a government finds itself in. So, you would, assume, they will be sticking to all their manifesto commitments, by ...
The builder who won the controversial contract to refurbish Southport Market looks likely to go into administration. The Visiter has the story here. It seems that the Kew Meadow School extension is also caught up in the business failure.It is clear to me that because of the expanding population up at Kew the school does need to go ahead. But as to the market at a time when we are seeing cutbacks across the public sector which will impact on important services it has always seemed wrong to us to press ahead with this project. Southport is not short of ...
Much has been made of the tough choices Liberal Democrats have had to make since we entered government. But not enough has been made of the victories we've gained. Unlike the last Labour administration, this coalition is delivering on its promises to reform health and social care for the better. Let's start with social care. The funding of care and support is one of the most urgent of all social policy issues we face as a society. Make no mistake; the way we organise and pay for care for older and disabled people is a broken. That's why we're taking ...
Outside the doors of the enormous, 56-day old, conference hotel in Tianjin all I saw of this 'small' city (10 million people) that is 100km from Bejing was from the window of cars taking me from and to the airport: vast numbers of huge new buildings appearing through the yellow pollution haze of a still day; forests of tall cranes building new tower blocks; and too many cars. One of my colleagues told me that when he visited the city 30 years ago there wasn't a car to be seen. In terms of sheer numbers the bicycles are still in ...
During my daily stroll around the park this morning, I got to thinking about all the "green" things lib dems stand for. In the course of my deliberations I considered how we live life specifically "how green am I" so on the second circuit of the park I set myself (& family) a challenge - to go green. Now there are certain things that we won't be able to do - like install solar panels, put up a wind turbine or buy an electric car but apart from these there are areas of our lives which could be made more ...
Adrian Sanders, Liberal Democrat MP for Torbay, says: "Why the media lets Labour get away with it I really don't understand, and the hypocrisy of the Labour Party supporting NUS leader is astounding. Who introduced tuition fees? Who commissioned Lord Browne and gave him his remit to look at the future funding of higher education? Which Party opposes the abolition of tuition fees and is split over a Graduate Tax? It's Labour, Labour, Labour. "The Lib Dems still want to abolish tuition fees over the life time of a Parliament but can't until they get a majority of the seats ...
[The Independent: Bush says waterboarding saved UK lives] In an interview on NBC, to promote his memoirs, George W. Bush has admitted to the use of the torture technique known as waterboarding. He asserted that it was not actually torture because, in his words, "a lawyer said so". Well, Dubya, there are plenty of lawyers not on your payroll who would tell you it is torture and is illegal. Since Bush has now admitted to the use of torture, it's time for him and Blair to be taken to the Hague. It is time they stood trial for war crimes. ...
In 1883 Gladstone introduced the Corrupt and Illegal Practices Act (which clearly does not apply to internal party procedures) in order to put a stop to the widespread practice of 'treating' electors as an inducement to gain their vote. Almost every candidate knows that they cannot provide breakfast to electors and many a mean-fisted candidate has sought to suggest that they cannot even buy a round during an election for fear of falling foul of the Gladstonian Act. (Mind you it is really serious if they extend the prohibition on round buying after they have won) As the local newspapers ...
Last night I watched some of the debate on reconstructing Gaza on TV's Parliament Channel (Channel 80) David was one of a recent UK parliamentary delegation to Gaza and in parliament last night he spoke about the dire condition of the sewerage system in Gaza. He described the situation graphically and said that sewage needs to be treated properly before it goes into the sea saying this would improve life in Gaza immensely, as well as protecting the marine environment of the Mediterranean better.
For those who don't know - this is how Waterboarding was (is?) carried out by the CIA. That is by the United States. On our behalf allegedly. There is an official manual for the process: Interrogators were instructed to start pouring water right after a detainee exhaled, to ensure he inhaled water, not air, in his next breath. They could use their hands to "dam the runoff" and prevent water from spilling out of a detainee's mouth. They were allowed six separate 40-second "applications" of liquid in each two-hour session - and could dump water over a detainee's nose and ...
We had news yesterday that a former Lib Dem parliamentary candidate has announced his defection to the Labour Party. So I think it only fair to provide a bit of balance: I joined the Lib Dems last week because I believe they offer the best opportunity for providing fair government. I believe in democracy and I feel that the Lib Dems are the most democratic of the three major parties. The Lib Dem base is, by and large, ordinary people who want their voices heard, not big business and not the unions both of whom want their own agendas on ...
What is the most valuable trait in a politician? What makes people feel proud to vote for one? Back in 1997 people spoke of voting for Tony Blair with passion and belief. It was not just the Tories losing the election. David Cameron and George Osborne now refer to Tony Blair as "The Master" and ...
A number of residents have contacted the Focus Team to report an increase in youths congregating around the shops on Churchcill Avenue. The incidents have been reported to the police and I have spoken to Inspector Tony Jones and the Community Support Officers regarding this issue. Both ask for residents to contact the Police Control Room on 0151 709 6010 directly so that all incidents can be logged and the police can take the necessary action to get the situation resolved. All calls can be made anonymously We have also been in contact with the Council to see if an ...
Just a reminder about Rachael's photo exhibition this Saturday 13th Nov between 6 and 9pm at Astanga Yoga Space (above the Martial Arts shop) on Barlow Moor Road (near the 4 banks). Rachael will be donating a percentage of sales on Saturday to Astanga however, the purpose of this event is to raise awareness of the Save Chorlton Meadows campaign. Rachael will be selling a selection of her photos at a future Village Green fundraiser (to be advised) and a percentage of any sales at that second event will be donated to the campaign. Please check out the website for ...
"Appalled and embarrassed" – that is how Liberal Democrat peer and Constitutional Affairs Spokesperson Paul Tyler described his reaction to the attitude and behaviour of some members of the House of Lords: I have been appalled and embarrassed by the number of Peers, even including a few former Cabinet Ministers, who use the place as a convenient private club, with good parking and subsidised catering. They never speak or even ask a question, let alone contribute to a debate. His comments were made when discussing the publication of the Consultation on Members Leaving the House, which looked as the views ...
One of the big problems in Reading is the lack of parking which is often compounded by inconsiderate parking. A great deal of my time has recently been taken up with problems over missed bin collections. In some part this has been caused by people parking on pavements whilst in other parts of Katesgrove grass verges have been turned to mud as cars off-road to avoid blocking the road itself. In some cases though it just has to be put down to inconsiderate drivers. A clampdown on inappropriate pavement parking is welcomed by many. Missed bin collections cost the council ...
I am not going to have a lot of spare time this week, so blogging will be very light. I can't, however, ignore the fact that I'm waking up this morning to a former US President, who in my opinion did so much to make the world a more dangerous place, justifiying the use of torture. He comes from a party who spent an enormous amount of time and energy poring through civil law suits until they found a piece of ammunition in Bill Clinton's private life to use against him. I remember watching with bemused horror as I watched ...
I'm starting to think that some of the folks over at The Register are permanantly wearing tin foil hats, based on yesterday's latest post on the Interception Modernisation Programme. They tell us that "Government measures to massively increase surveillance of the internet will be in place within five years" and quote quite selectively from a Home Office document, specifically "key proposals [will be] implemented for the storage and acquisition of internet and e-mail records". They link to the Home Office business plan, but I'm guessing they didn't expect people to actually read the source. Here's the bit they quoted from ...
As many of my twitterati know, I am not a massive fan of Strictly come Dancing like the lovely Caron Lindsay, but i do watch from time to time when in need of some light entertainment. I am not a fan of reality TV shows either such as Big Brother or the X Factor though I have been guilty of watching them from time to time. My issue with them as talent shows, is that they try so hard to portray it as the 'best person will win' when i reality its more about entertainment than it is about talent. ...
The continuing practice of locking up children in immigration removal centres is now not likely to be stopped until March next year (nearly a year after the announcement that they would be stopped). Whilst it's great that Labour's disgusting policy is being overturned eventually, it's completely and utterly unacceptable that it be allowed to continue for even one day more. We must loudly and clearly make it heard that we will not put up with bureaucratic delays on issues of basic human dignity. Cruelty against children should not be allowed to continue based on a timetable! I'm writing to my ...
There is a very good piece by Mark Pack on Liberal Democrat Voice about poor Andy Burnham MP who happens to the be the Labour Party's campaign coordinator. Burnham has said: "It would be a recipe for chaos and confusion if Labour candidates were also supporting AV in their literature." Yet Pack points out that there was no chaos or confusion across London when a referendum called by a Labour government on the same day as other elections. On the subject of the Alternative Vote and Labour's stance Will Straw on Left Foot Forward is calling for Labour to campaign ...
Tue 9th
08:05
If #ScienceIsVital, then despite all the caveats, so is (carefully regulated) animal research
An edited version of this post is cross-posted at The Vibe Online, an excellent political internet magazine. To many, science and politics just don't mix - oil and water, polar opposites, as the classic primary school experiment holds. Looking at the sacking of drugs adviser Prof. David Nutt, the continued public provision of magical empty placebo pills, and the apparent relegation of clinical evidence in deciding which drugs to provide to patients, recent evidence would hardly suggest otherwise. And yet science is very much at the heart of the political discourse, thanks in no small part to the efforts of ...
I've recently released a couple of audio widgets. Inspired by the Instant Rimshot and Sad Trombone sites, these are "single serving" widget. For the "Family Fortunes" buzzer widget, you click the icon and you'll hear the famous "EURGH-ERRRR" noise. I'm also selling a "Dramatic Sound Effect" Widget – download it by scanning this code. Go on, it's a mere 50p! [IMG: Dramatic Widget QR Code] This is a quick tutorial showing how to build a sound playing widget in Android. It assumes you've already set up Eclipse and know how to create your own projects. The Source CodeHere's the main ...
To be fair, readers of my little blog know I do not have a lot of time for John Lamont MSP at the best of times, but even he has slipped to a new low this week. There are some issues you do not, as they say "go there" and using the poppy and veterans to attack your political opponents is one of them, fairly close to the top of that list. In the Southern Reporter, John Lamont MSP has fired off a press release attacking all MSPs but specifically the other MSPs covering the Borders and the South of ...
At the moment parts of the Liberal Democrat party are in various early stages of the grieving process over the likely decision by most MPs to vote through some version of a policy that will see student tuition fees in England rise. Some are in denial. A world recession, government spending vastly exceeding revenues, and most other targets for restraint being more deserving than helping the children of the well avoid affordable debt, has not convinced this group that tuition fees cannot be scrapped. It is the world that must change, not the Liberal Democrat party. Some are angry. The ...
i) births and deaths None that grabbed me. ii) broadcast anniversaries 9 November 1968: broadcast of second episode of The Invasion. First appearance of UNIT and Benton, and return of the (newly promoted) Brigadier. The Doctor and Jamie are taken to UNIT, and then go in search of Zoe and Isobel; everyone is captured by IE. 9 November 1987: broadcast of second episode of Delta and the Bannermen. The Bannermen pursue Delta, the Doctor and Mel try to help, and the two Americans wonder what they are doing there. 9 November 1988: broadcast of second episode of The Happiness Patrol. ...
The government's proposal to introduce workfare for those unemployed for over a year and, in the view of officials, not trying hard enough to get another job, has received a muted response, even from the Labour Party. Only the Archbishop of Canterbury is reported as having spoken out against. My own view is that if there is work to be done in cleaning and tidying up our environment than we should pay people the going rate to do it. The only exceptions should be willing volunteers, such as the Ramblers' Association, who organise working parties to keep footpaths clear, and ...
That's what George Bush actually said in his memoirs which are being serialised in the times. He claims this saved the lives of British citizens and thwarted attacks at Canary Wharf and Heathrow Airport. I despair of this man and his desperate attempts at Foreign Policy which were really attempts to appease a father who thought little of him. Throughout his presidency, Bush Jnr took the US to new lows of perception on the world stage. The rest of the world could only sit back and watch as he caused more damage to their reputation than any other president in ...
Norwich South MP Simon Wright is challenging the new Chief Executive of Network Rail, David Higgins, to address the performance of the great eastern mainline between Norwich and London.
I have two calendars. One is semi-public and shows social stuff, meetings and other inflexible appointment-like things, visible by select friends for the purpose of easily working out a mutually agreeable date/time to catch up. On a separate calendar, not shared with anyone, I schedule things like OU study time and going to the gym. I'm looking at both calendars for the next six days at once right now, and whilst I've somehow squeezed in both work and play, and managed to avoid needing a time machine, it would be fair to say that I have THE FEAR.
Pohl: Great Subject, Really Lousy Book Calling out shoddy research - when you are its subject. (tags: sf)
