British Railways So the British railways* are to get investment of £8bn by the Coalition Government. Will there be further investment in the railway in Northern Ireland? Probably not. Hopefully, the Northern Ireland block grant will get some money given to it using the Barnett formula, but I suppose it will be up to us ...
The Crosby Herald front page records the sad failure of Les Byrom formerley of this parish (Dukes Ward Con) to gain election as a Labour candidate in the long time Liberal ward of Victoria in Crosby miles from his home in Southport. As the headlies says he was 'blasted' by local residents A POLITICIAN bidding for re-election in Crosby has been blasted by campaigners after claiming credit for much-needed improvements to Victoria Park. Cllr Les Byrom, who is standing in Victoria Ward in May, sent Labour Action Team pamphlets to hundreds of homes outlining how he had "led the campaign ...
Have been off work sick yesterday and today. This is not good. Saw the consultant yesterday; Gideon is a fibroid. He needs to be taken out, and I've been booked in for February (three months away FFS!), with the proviso that I can go in earlier if the surgeon gets a cancellation. My GP has given me some super extra strength painkillers to keep me going. I feel very down about the whole boiling. Podcast is all recorded, but there have been some hiccups with the editing. I may put up a rough cut, just to get episode one out ...
The Secretary of State for Transport Philip Hammond today announced massive investment in the country's rail network, including 2100 extra carriages across the country by 2019.
So, about-to-be Tory peer Howard Flight made an offensive remark about the poor, but he has now apologised and can have his peerage after all, so that's all right then? Well not quite! In general I'm not one who thinks politicians should be hung out to dry for a gaffe, faux pas or slip of the tongue. But in this case, he said it, clearly meant it and it can't be unsaid. There are of course occasions when people do say things they don't mean: perhaps when we've had too much to drink, or in a fit of anger or ...
Last Thursday I gave the speech at the dinner of Leicester Writers Club. I won't reproduce the whole thing here, but it leant heavily on some of my old House Points columns in Liberal Democrat News. It also included two of my favourite jokes: Two prawns talking: "I'm really worried about Mum and Dad. They went to a cocktail party last night and they haven't come home yet.And: My friend drinks brake fluid. But it's all right: he says he can stop any time he wants.I leaned heavily on Julian Critchley's no doubt greatly exaggerated anecdote about the Conservative MP ...
The always sensible Stumbling and Mumbling points out: For the second time in as many weeks, a Tory has had to apologize for saying something that contains a lot of truth. This time, it's Howard Flight, who said: "We're going to have a system where the middle classes are discouraged from breeding because it's jolly expensive. But for those on benefits, there is every incentive. Well, that's not very sensible."But the truth - of course - is that people do, at the margin, respond to incentives. If you raise the cost of having children, people will have fewer of them.Yet ...
Baroness Rendell, peer of the realm and peerless writer of mystery/murder stories was the guest speaker at the AGM of the Authors' Licensing and Collecting Society (ALCS) at the Clothmakers' Hall on the edge of the City this evening. Though the organisation now has over 80,000 members — allegedly making it the biggest writers' association ...
Thu 25th
22:03
Transport Secretary recalled by Petitions Committee to justify Laurencekirk Flyover decision
Supporters have expressed huge relief that Jill Campbell's petition for a flyover at Laurencekirk has not been closed. There were real concerns after Nigel Don MSP had twice suggested it be closed at previous meetings of the Scottish Parliament's Petitions Committee. Furthermore, supporters were delighted to learn that the Committee has asked Transport Minister, Stewart Stevenson to appear before them to explain his decision not to build a flyover at Laurencekirk. Safety figures, finally released by the Scottish Government, revealed that there have been no fatal accidents at three flyovers approved by the Minister, in comparison to four tragic fatalities ...
Rather improbably, since it was the paper that forced his resignation, a leader in today's Daily Telegraph calls for David Laws to make an early return to the political frontline. Liberal Burblings is happy with a reply he has received from Elwyn Watkins about his views on human rights. Paul Walter, who writes the blog, looks forward to returning to Oldham East and Saddleworth very soon to help Elwyn and his very capable team. Elwyn will be the Lib Dem candidate if there is a rerun election in the seat. Congratulations to Tim Farron for getting ministers to promise to ...
Against tough competition (Manchester Airport, Astra Zeneca and Kellogg's being the others considered for this award) Stockport Council's central Marketing and Communications team has been judged to be the very best in-house communications team in the North West by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations. These awards recognise and reward best communications practice in public relations in the public, private and voluntary sectors in the North West. The judging procedures for these were rigorous and are always carried out by independent judges. The Council's Marketing and Communications team also won two more Gold awards: for the Reporter, Stockport Council's staff ...
RIP Peter Finch – a fantastic actor. This below – from "Network" – was his finest hour – released just a year before he died. Looking back on it, it was chillingly prophetic visa vis the Tea Party. You know, just open the window and yell: "I'm as mad as hell and I'm not going to take this any more". Never mind piffling details like clarifying what you're mad about exactly, and never mind even contemplating for a second what you might do about whatever "it" is, just OPEN THE WINDOW AND YELL! Priceless genius from Peter Finch and Howard ...
Emma Pullman on DeSmogBlog details how Canadian and Albertan governments are using public funds to try to undermine US and EU climate change legislation.
I'm going to be tried for treason for saying this, but a royal wedding still makes idiots of us Britssays the standfirst on Tanya Gold's Guardian article today. This is, of course, nonsense. The only way to commit treason in a Guardian article would be to criticise Tony Benn or say you don't agree with comprehensive education. So far from being a rebel, Gold is being conservative. A column defending a constitutional monarchy would have been braver.
I recently wrote to Elwyn Watkins asking him about human rights. I'm delighted to say he has sent me a comprehensive response, which included this: As a Liberal Democrat, I am committed to fairness and justice at home and around the world. I find the last Labour Government's record on these issues nothing less than shameful. It was a disgrace that Labour knowingly allowed people to be handed over for torture. I don't condone murder or torture, and never will. I was appalled that former Immigration Minister Phil Woolas allowed the detention of children, and am delighted that the Lib ...
We're all used to the dubious articles in the Daily Express: new stealth taxes every week, immigrants eating all our food, new evidence in the Diana enquiry. So it's no surprise that they are now calling for the UK to leave the EU. What is rather strange, is that prominent Conservatives are backing this call. The Conservatives have had problems over Europe for many years. We all know that. But taking this position, now, is simply reckless. The UK's major trading partners are in Europe. The EU is a major player in the world because of it's economic muscle. Walking ...
Sometimes, messages from Lib Dem HQ have a timing that's ... unfortunate. For example, yesterday, I received an e-mail from Sarah Teather entitled 'Delivering a fair start for every child' at around the same time that I was reading tweets from Laurie Penny about the fair start the Met were giving to children in Whitehall. Today, I received an e-mail imploring me to come and help in the Oldham East and Saddleworth by-election: Dear David, This Christmas, you can give Parliament a new Liberal Democrat MP. Well, that does sound rather shiny, certainly, and I'm sure Parliament would appreciate a ...
I was pleased to discover today that Daphne Oxenford - as in "When the music stops, Daphne Oxenford will be hear to speak to you"; as in Listen With Mother - is still going strong at the age of 91. Here is a Theatre Archive Project interview with her from 2005. Take it away, girls...
Ok it was over a century ago but the artist collectively know as the Glasgow Boys started out painting realistic images of the things round about them and did so in a very 'natural' way. I first came across their work by chance when walking in Galloway as a student 40 years ago. I was staying in the 'Artist Town' of Kirkcudbright and came across a small exhibition of one of the Glasgow Boys, E.A. Hornel, whose work was preserved in his old studio by a local trust. Anyone who had read Dorothy L Sayers book 'Five Red Herrings' was ...
Some fraudsters have been phoning people in Liverpool and telling them they are due Council tax refunds. They've then been asking for bank details. So far the people who've reported this have not been conned but the Council is keen that as many people as possible know about the scam There are some details posted about it here on the Council's website
(Batman posts will come tomorrow, I had to say this now). I am, despite my unease with some (many) of the coalition's policies, still a member and supporter of the Liberal Democrats, and still want to see as many Lib Dems as possible elected. I also live relatively close to Oldham & Saddleworth. However, I ...
The Board of Deputies of British Jews is celebrating its 250th anniversary as the representative body of the Anglo-Jewish community. Amongst the celebrations was a special meeting on Sunday 21 November, with a speaker from each of the three main parties. The Liberal Democrats were represented by one of our Cabinet Ministers, Scottish Secretary Michael Moore, who gave the following well-received speech: Mr President, distinguished guests, it is a great pleasure to be here today on behalf of the Liberal Democrats on this very happy occasion. Before I talk about this momentous anniversary, I want to mention another reason why ...
[IMG: French flag] I recently came across an old saying that I had never heard before - "Tottenham shall turn French" - which, when it used to be used, seems to have meant "pigs will fly". There is though some controversy over its meaning because Francis Grose's A Provincial Glossary (1787), gives the phrase as "Tottenham is turned French". He gives its origin in immigration: "About the beginning of the reign of Henry VIII a vast number of French mechanics came over to England, filling not only the outskirts of the town, but also the neighbouring villages," with a slightly ...
Up to the Royal Victoria Hospital again this afternoon for my, now standard, weekly check up. First the results: Viral Load 5 October 2010 – 250 21 October 2010 – 1,100 11 November 2010 – 8300 CD4 count Don't have dates but it is 110 and 6% – so that is all much of a ...
Seeing the headline 'Lembit Öpik bitten by snake' on the Western Mail website I was immediately reminded of the old adage that still prevails in media circles. If it had said 'Snake bitten by Lembit Öpik' then it really would have been news.
Believe it or not tonight might well be a significant night for the future of Margate as the joint transportation board meet to hear a presentation entitled Margate Seafront Public Realm, basically since no one in Thanet is capable, once again outsiders in this case KCC and I guess the obligatory consultant firm have cobbled together a plan to improve Margate front which they will present to the committee tonight. The big question from me is should we be worried, what always sets alarm bells ringing for me are phrases like "public realm", "multidisciplinary client and designs team" and "stakeholder ...
Earlier this week I posted about the announcement of the first areas in Cornwall that would receive superfast broadband by March. I welcomed the progress with the project but queried why none of the eight pilot areas were in East Cornwall. I have now heard back from the officer in charge of the project who tells me: The purpose of the pilots is to provide valuable feedback at an early stage, for example in relation to different service providers offering services on the new network. The rollout is highly technical and the pilots were selected in areas that could be ...
Today is International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women – and the day that the coalition government published our cross-government plans to tackle violence against women and girls. The Home Secretary has allocated more than £28 million for specialist services to tackle violence against women and girls – running up to 2015. These specialist services which support victims of sexual and domestic violence will continue to receive central Home Office funding – including local domestic and sexual violence advisors, services for high risk domestic violence victims , national helplines and work to prevent forced marriage. This is my ...
Work in progress on Platform 1.Platform 11-12 on the Right are going to get a bridge at Xmas.Its a bit dark, but you have an example of a train supplying materials to platform 1.Stephenson Tower on the left and the Telephone Exchange on the right.The new Western Concourse taken from the Hill Street End (plus some people).
Commenting on the prospects of the electrification of the London to Swansea main line, Jenny Randerson AM, the Welsh Liberal Democrat Shadow Transport Minister said: "Gordon Brown announced the electrification project in 2009 and said work would start immediately but nothing happened. It is clear that not only did Labour fail to put aside any money to pay for the project, they had not carried out any of the detailed technical work needed before the project could even start. It is encouraging that the Government have signalled that they are still looking to progress this project and make an announcement ...
The following is an extract from this week's the front page of the Crosby Herald. I include it here because it concerns a Southport councillor from Dukes ward. He is a Dukes ward councillor but in May he is standing in Victoria ward, Crosby. I think you will agree with my comments included in the article. A POLITICIAN bidding for re-election in Crosby has been blasted by campaigners after claiming credit for much-needed improvements to Victoria Park.Cllr Les Byrom, who is standing in Victoria Ward in May, sent Labour Action Team pamphlets to hundreds of homes outlining how he had ...
You may remember, a couple of years back, Brian Coleman, Conservative Chair of the London Fire Authority, called Lynne Featherstone, "dizzy", "an airhead" and "an utter disgrace" for calling out the fire brigade when she thought her boiler was going to explode and take her house down. Her actions were backed up as the right thing to have done by the fire brigade. Well, amazingly, Brian is still chair of the Fire Authority and in Today's Hampstead and Highgate Express he's back to his old tricks. Amongst the other insults liberally flung around he says: "Lynne Featherstone is entirely light-weight. ...
So then. Prince William and Kate Middleton will marry on April 29th 2011 at Westminster Abbey. We'll even get a Bank Holiday in to boot. This will mean 2 consecutive 4 day weekends encompassing Easter the weekend before - not that us political types will have any time off the week before the Welsh Assembly elections! I am genuinely pleased for Kate and William. They looked happy, relaxed and in love with each other when they made the announcement of their engagement a week or so ago and after being with each other after 8 or so years, decided it ...
I'm very much of the view that selling off large amounts of council housing in the 1980's and failing to replace it, was a bad mistake. It has directly lead to the current situation where thousands of people on low incomes are in private rented accomodation with the inflated rent being picked up by housing benefit. Private landlords are the only winners in this situation. The coalition government has published a consultation document called "Local decisions: a fairer future for social housing". Consultation means they want your views. The document can be found here Here is Andrew Stunnell's introduction ...
Tonight I am attending a meeting of the Council's Homeless Strategy working group which, as the name suggests, is working on the Council's Homelessness Strategy. It's a spin-off from the Council's Scrutiny Committee, which I chair and which was presented with the Homelessness Strategy a couple of weeks ago. At the time we decided it warranted a bit more scrutiny and a bit more cross-party input, so that's what we're giving it tonight. This is an emotive topic, and at the meeting a couple of weeks back we had some very passionate speakers who have first hand experience of the ...
I have been away from the blog due to the birth of my son, Landon. I don't really have the time to blog at the moment and I'm not following the day to day news events. But I did want to highlight something that Sean Haffey (Conservative Councillor for Hart District Council) has blogged on. In his blog 'Save our Green fields' he has highlighted a small part of government policy which could have a big effect on our Green Fields. His blog is about Windfall sites and a campaign to call on the government to withdraw this part of ...
We have previously heard from several sources that the Conservative leadership at the County Council are aiming to reduce staff numbers to 500-700 in order to become an "enabling" council. Although the council hotly denies it, these figures were clearly in a presentation given to the Suffolk Learning Disability Partnership Board on 25th October 2010. The report can be accessed on the County Council's website (until they remove it) at: The report says: This means the Council will become smaller and will have a smaller group of core staff (between 500-700 staff instead of the 27,000 people it currently ...
On Monday I spent a bit longer at the station than I normally do. That was because I was looking at the development work. It is interesting seeing the redevelopment of the station progressing. This was a project I supported from its initiation.The first stage of the development is to build a new concourse on the West side of the station. This is the Navigation Street and Hill Street side. A
A classic clip below. Politics Home reports: Former US vice presidential candidate and Tea Party pin-up Sarah Palin managed a huge gaffe just moments after confirming she is considering a run for president in 2012. When asked on a radio show about North Korean aggression towards South Korea this week, Mrs Palin said: "Obviously we've got to stand with our North Korean allies, we're bound to by treaty."
In spite of the song and dance the Conservative run council is making about savings, the sums they are looking at are nothing new and far less than they are implying. Because the reductions in grant affect less than half of Suffolk County Council's total income the 26% reduction over four years equates to LESS THAN 11% savings over four years. That is less than 3% per year over the next four years. The council has routinely made such savings in the past under the "Gershon" targets. So why are they making such a fuss? They say they must save ...
If there's one exemplar of capitalism, it's Coca-Cola. The sheer pervading nature of this brand means that no matter where you go in the world, the inhabitants will always know at least two English words – also, perhaps, 'Hello!' if you're lucky. It's success is not in itself the reason for it being the poster ...
There still seems to be a lot of confusion about the issue of student tuition finance. There always will be a cost for tuition whether you call it fees or capitation. Somehow or other the costs of the lecture theatres, lecturers etc will have to be paid for.There are three potential sources for this. One is from general taxation, another is from individual students and/or their families and a
Gaffe-prone UKIP MEP Godfrey Bloom yelled out "Ein Volk, ein Reich, ein Führer," to insult the leader of the European socialists in the Strasbourg chamber. After being called upon to apologise he further added fuel to the fire by saying "The views of Herr Schulz make the case. He is an undemocratic fascist."
I've just sent the following to the Secretary of State of Education, expressing concern about the education white paper and today's reports that the DfE will work with Stonewall on tackling bullying. (Dr Julian Huppert MP is CCed on this as he is my local MP as well as having had some involvement with successfully debating trans issues in the House of Commons over the ID Cards Bill) Now I've put that here, I'm sure people will point out some huge gaff I've made in the letter! Rt Hon Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State of Education By EMail 25th ...
Clearly he doesn't go far enough but at last the Pope has changed his stance on condoms. He has said the use of condoms use might be justified on a case by case basis to prevent the spread of HIV.
[IMG: Have your say] Ever thought you could run the Council better than the Councillors? Well here is your chance to have a go and make your views known at the same time. An online calculator has been launched by Surrey to let you adjust spending up or down in 20 different areas and then submit your ideas to the Council. However you are denied access to an important source of revenue as no Council tax increases are allowed, even if you think that would be preferable to more cuts. You can also make your views known in more detail ...
Read the rest of this entry.
It's cold this week, but at the beginning of the year it was even colder. Snow lay on the ground, temperatures chilled the bone but warmed the hearts of climate change sceptics. They were derisive about global warming. So maybe it will come as a surprise to learn that global temperatures during the first 6 months of 2010 were the warmest on record. There are a few weeks to go before we learn the results for the entire year, and as it's a time of low solar irradiance maybe the record for the year will not be broken, but NASA ...
VN has been getting increasingly excited about the new Adele album '21', which is coming out early next year. Here is the first single, 'Rolling In', which will be released next month and shows her fabulous voice at it's best. This is not official video, but shows some nice studio footage.
Sorry, thoughts of tuition fees, coalitions,Trident and the meaning of life have all given way to an attack of gout. This famously funny ailment just drives everything else out. From Wikipedia, I learn that only humans and apes get it because we have lost the ability of other animals to produce uricase which breaks down uric acid. However, the Tyrannosaurus rex specimen known as "Sue" is
Totally up to date with current affairs as ever, Sarah Palin yesterday decreed on the Glenn Beck radio show that the US 'must with our North Korean allies'.
News today that North East MP Ian Swales is breaking ranks with senior Lib Dems and has stated he will vote against the discussed tuition fees rise. Announcing this on his website, Ian said, I have met with Vince Cable to discuss the proposed changes, and believe that he has done a good job in improving on the Browne review's recommendations. This scheme is more progressive with 20% of students expected to be better off than they are now. However I can't support raising the fee cap up to £9,000 per year. Ians comments mirror those of Tim Farron, president ...
Ministers have pledged to look at proposals to make second home owners pay full council tax. The issue was raised by Lib Dem MP Tim Farron in the House of Commons this morning. Second home owners currently pay a maximum of 90% of the full rate of council tax - a discount which particularly affects areas with high numbers of second homes such as Cornwall. The first impact is obviously the financial loss. With around one in twenty properties in Cornwall being second homes, the 10% discount means that many millions of pounds of potential income is not helping to ...
... make sure he isn't similarly occupied! The news that a convicted rapist won a case in the ECHR elicited a predictably furious story in the Daily Mail. This prompted many people to post mis-placed anti-EU commentary, even though the EHCR is part of the Council of Europe and not the EU. Anyway, silly me, ...
Yesterday's claim by the Welsh Government that they have exceeded their target to increase the supply of affordable housing in Wales by 6,500 a year early has about as much credibility as George W Bush's declaration of 'Mission Accomplished' regarding the Iraq War. The fact is that they have massaged the figures and sought to redefine their target so as to create the illusion of success. The One Wales Agreement stated that the government would not just build 6,500 homes, but would increase the supply of affordable homes by this amount. Only counting what has been built but ignoring what ...
[IMG: coat-of-arms.jpg] Anyone who would like to win a copy of my more famous namesake's "Passing Through" album (see The Other Owen Temple link on the left hand side) should email me by the end of November to let me know whose coat of arms this is. As a tie-break please also name the figure standing in the centre of it. And if more than one of you gets both right I'll draw lots.
I asked yesterday whether there should be a night of the long knives at S4C but it seems that it is not necessary. The Board and its Chair effectively pressed the self-destruct button themselves. I believe that the technical term to describe the Authority now is 'basket case'. Whatever they think they are doing, they are not helping their own cause or that of Welsh Language Broadcasting. Is it little wonder that even their staunchest allies are in despair?
UN World Food Programme Samaritans UK Thanks James Filed under: Random
As I understand it the decision of the UK Government to put the electrification of the Great Western Main Line from London to Swansea on hold is actually not a bad result for Wales. Given the situation that the Coalition inherited from Labour it was inevitable that a huge amount of work needed to be done before any government could be in a position to announce this sort of investment. We should not forget that Gordon Brown announced the electrification project in 2009 and said work would start immediately but nothing happened. Not only did Labour fail to put aside ...
Despite being given extra time to submit the accounts, resulting in two extra meetings of the Audit Committee and an extension being granted by the external auditor, the Tories have still managed to get it wrong. Cllr Allan Siao Ming Witherick lambasted the Tory run County Council: "It's simply incredible. Just days before the meeting, with the final accounts signed off, the Tories have had to issue yet another addendum with further corrections. How can we have faith in any numbers the Tories present to us? "Is it any wonder the auditor issued a Section 11 report to demand the ...
Yesterdays vandalism and thuggery reported in the Telegraph this morning. Interesting that they chose not to contextualise the photo they used, which in other sources appears to show a group of schoolkids surrounding the van and shielding it, although given the damage whether that was a useful move or not is debatable. Pretty shoddy journalism, ...
Ted Kennedy is the 4th longest serving senator in US history and is considered to be one of the greatest senators in history. While he may have been helped by his family legacy this in itself is not what allowed him to be held is such high regard by almost everyone without ever becoming all ...
From PoliticsHome: Lib Dem ministers are considering abstaining from the vote on tuition fees in a bid to keep the parliamentary party together. Lib Dem sources have told PoliticsHome that it was one of several options being considered at a meeting of the parliamentary party on Tuesday afternoon, but nothing has yet been decided. This can be done, as I understand it, under the coalition agreement. But would it be the worst of all possible options? Not enough guts to stick with their promise, but not enough guts to break it either. Malcolm Bruce dsecribed the whole thing very well ...
A few months ago, I had a conversation on Twitter with Meral Hussein Ece where she talked about her daughters' new project - opening a cafe in North London which would feature coffee and tea, home baking and vintage clothes. A combination of things made in Heaven for many people. Well Cafe Vintage finally opened the other day It's not quite as olde worlde as it sounds because it has wi-fi, which has to be a good thing. It's the sort of place I'd frequent all the time if I lived nearby. I'd much rather support a local business than ...
I have to say, I do like the fact that the Department for Communities and Local Government are now flying county flags outside their HQ. This week is Durham's turn: Northumberland make a lot more of their county flag than Durham – it appears on bus stops, and you can buy small stickers for the back of your car, as you can in Cornwall and Devon. I think it's time for a bit of pride in County Durham – especially amongst those of us who are in Tyne and Wear against our will. So how about it, Durham County Council? ...
Most of us learned the hard way that cramming for an exam usually doesn't work. Except, it seems, teachers. Today's item of Royal Wedding related non-news is that teachers believe that the date of the nuptials will have a serious effect on the 2011 SATs tests and public examinations. The choice of date for the wedding means ...
[IMG: Thameslink - note that the Kings Cross stop has now been switched renamed St Pancras International, but I couldn't find a current map anywhere!] Thameslink - note that the Kings Cross stop has now been switched renamed St Pancras International, but I couldn't find a current map anywhere!With the country heading towards the earliest snowfalls for many years, it is not perhaps the right time to think about those 'wrong type of snow on the line' excuses. Which is why I'm hoping that the £8 billion improvements to the rail network announced today might actually ensure that our trains ...
Iain Sharpe makes a righteous defence of the use of the word "progressive". He says it distinguishes "those who, regardless of party, see their political outlook as being about championing the poor, the excluded and the disempowered against the established order." I don't deny for a moment this is what many people intend the word to mean. The problem is, if that is what it means, it can be paraphrased as "I care more than other people do." That makes for a dangerous word in political discourse. The other problem is that all Iain's references to its historical meaning go ...
Spotted all over the London Underground in the last few days, these QR enabled adverts from Eastpak for their I Am The Bag campaign. [IMG: Eastpak QR Campaign] Close Up of the QR Code [IMG: Close up of QR Code] YouTube VideoThe code immediately directs the user to YouTube to watch a video. [IMG: Eastpak YouTube] Two Ways To Make The Campaign BetterUse a smaller URL to create an easier to scan QR Code. Eastpak currently use http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1fBMmR103Q – they could drop the www to make it slightly smaller, or use "m." so people know they're going to a mobile ...
broadcast and webcast anniversaries 25 November 1967: broadcast of third episode of The Ice Warriors. The Ice Warriors injure Jamie and capture Victoria. 25 November 1978: broadcast of first episode of The Androids of Tara. Romana finds the fourth segment of the Key to Time, but she and the Doctor get enmeshed in the local dynastic struggle. 25 November 1983: UK first broadcast of The Five Doctors. 25 November 2009: webcast of fifth episode of Dreamland.
Following a concern raised in Shepherd's Loan that the last brown bin collection of garden waste did not appear to have happened, the Waste Management Department advises : "All bins that were presented to to pavement were emptied by the crews. The problem I suspect is that because the compost routes are lighter due to seasonal changes, the crew has arrived earlier than normal. This being the case it is important that the residents put out their bins for 7.30am as per calendars. At present the compost collection is not operating, - it starts back on the routes beginning 6th ...
Liberal Democrats believe that a quality education is the biggest opportunity to improve people's lives. Nothing is more important than giving every child a fair start in life. Today the coalition government published its white paper on schools - "The Importance of Teaching". It sets out our ambitious reform programme to raise standards for all children while narrowing the gap between rich and poor. Read the rest of this entry.
For this entry in my Great Buildings series, I stay with religious buildings and return to Orkney in order to feature the Italian Chapel at Lambholm: The church was actually built for and by Italian prisoners of war who had been transported to Orkney from North Africa during World War II. While there, they constructed the Churchill Barrier - a series of causeways linking the Orkney mainland to South Ronaldsay. As well as proving to be a long lasting infrastructure link, these causeways closed potential routes for German U-boats seeking to enter Scapa Flow from the East. Lambholm is indicated ...
Research by the Welsh Liberal Democrats has revealed that administration and audit regulations imposed by the Labour-Plaid Government are costing Local Authorities in excess of £35 million a year. Currently nearly £750 million a year is given to local government through grants where the money is ring fenced for particular initiatives. This method of funding has been estimated to cost Local Government in excess of 5 per cent of this figure on administration costs. These grants are used by Welsh Assembly Government to ensure local authorities are obliged to implement WAG's policy. Thanks to bureaucratic red tape necessitated by the ...
This is a neat and slim little volume, containing the seventeen letters written by Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn in the 1520s which somehow mysteriously found their way to the Vatican archives, where they still remain. None of Anne's letters to Henry during their courtship survive; but the collection includes a letter she wrote to her father as a child, two letters from her to Cardinal Wolsey, and finally a letter of disputed authenticity from Anne to Henry a few days before her execution, pleading for mercy and a fair trial (she got neither). Finally, we get a surviving love ...
To the students in Oxford whose education has clearly been too narrow in scope -- the next line is Like a tree that's standing by the watersideWe shall not be moved.
It's not often the council treats its councillors to a diet of sex, alcohol, gambling and (whisper this one - a sandwich lunch) in the space of just six hours, but that's what happened today. When I was handed the bundle of 282 Powerpoint slides at the start of the licensing committee's training session I feared the worst, but I have to say the QC doing the training was very good and I came away with some interesting new insights. For instance - which of us knew anything about one of the previous government's wheezes "Alcohol Disorder Zones". Not many ...
There were protests across the country yesterday and I happened to be in Lancaster. You can look at my photography blog to see my comments on this photo at http://photographyfornovices.blogspot.com/ but here I will discuss the politics of the scene. I guess that Wednesday was chosen as universities often give over this afternoon to sports or other interests. So a Wednesday protest would seem reasonable but in this case most of the protesters should have been at school. I even met a local headteacher who was keeping an eye on proceedings. He gave his pupils the option of protesting at ...
