Day One: Ten things you want to say to ten different people right now. Day Two: Nine things about yourself. Day Three: Eight ways to win your heart. Day Four: Seven things that cross your mind a lot. Day Five: Six things you wish you'd never done. Day Six: Five people who mean a lot (in no order whatsoever) Day Seven: Four turn offs. Day Eight: Three turn ons. Day Nine: Two smileys that describe your life right now. Day Ten: One confession. Day Two: Nine things about yourself. It's really easy to get me interested in things because I ...
We've now had a few days to come to terms with the content of Local Decisions: a fairer future for social housing, the Coalition government's consultation paper (CP) on social housing reform. The response has varied from the broadly positive to the outright condemnatory. In prefacing his comments on the CP last week Dave over ...
My joy at the win for the Blues in the Carling Cup Quarter Final was quickly turned to anger at the behaviour of the fans at the end of the match. Knocking Villa out of the competition should be enough, but several hundred Blues fans decided that they wanted more and ran on to the pitch to celebrate. That was bad enough but then a large number of them ran up to taunt the Villa fans. While the stewards and rapidly emerging riot police did a good job in keeping the rival fans apart, they could not prevent several missiles, ...
Hat tip UK Libertarian blog
So Phil Woolas talked to the BBC today and said this. "I don't regret anything that has been said. My argument is that the way in which my election leaflet – and this was one leaflet over 15 years of ... Continue reading →
In this film, British soldiers stationed in North Africa are not welcomed by the innkeeper(Peter Ustinov} and they wonder why."What's up with him ?""He hasn't read the Beveridge Report"."Nor have I"What's the name of the film ?Bonus question: In which other film does Ustinov play a North African innkeeper ?
Today I am making the WordPress theme that I have developed for Liberal Democrat websites available for download for free to party members. I wrote the first version of this theme some time ago and have been using it without any real problems on the Luton Liberal Democrats website since before the General Election. One of the reasons blogging has been a bit light over the last few weeks has been that I have been revising and tidying up the code to make the theme ready to be released for other people to use. For more information about the theme ...
Good god, it's a mess in here. *kicks skeletons of former readers aside* I'm only picking my way back in through the cobwebs to ask, seriously now, what on earth the NUS/the Campaign for Nice Pixies Against Nasty Orcs/Labourlist/whoever thinks it's doing by gloating over the cancellation of the London Lib Dem conference? You total ...
Bunty just loves the snow ...
Over the past few days, I have highlighted with the winter maintenance team a very significant number of streets where residents have raised concerns about road/footpath condition - including Millhall Crescent, Hyndford Place, Shaftesbury Road (west end), Shaftesbury Park, Spinners Wynd, various streets in Pentland, Kelso Street, Kelso Place and the Kelso Steps, Corso Street ... and numerous others. Residents have been very understanding about the huge challenge facing the gritting operation and the City Engineer updated councillors earlier today as follows : "We are receiving an unprecedented amount of enquiries at the moment. Many of the enquiries relate to ...
I occasionally listen to Desmond Carrington on Radio Two. There's an admission. But, bless him, from an undisclosed location in deepest Perthshire, the endlessly cheerful Carrers presents an eccletic mix of music with some interesting insights, culled from a lifetime of musicology. Tonight he announced an astounding fact. Edmundo Ros is 100 on Tuesday. Goodness gracious. I didn't even realise he was still alive. There's a blast from the past – Edmundo Ros. For my reader under 99, Edmundo Ros was a band leader and singer. He did a lot of rumbas and sambas. Back in the day when I ...
Next Monday sees a great tram crash in Coronation Street. It sets the scene for a dramatic week of deaths, a wedding and a birth - just a normal week in suburban Manchester then! It will culminate with the soap celebrating its 50th birthday next Thursday, 9th December with a live 1 hour episode. To pay tribute to the world's longest current runnning soap, I'm blogging a quote a day from Corrie's past up until the big day. So, quote No.2... "Annie Walker'd attend her own funeral if God let 'er" - Albert Tatlock.
It would've been nice to have seen a Football World Cup in England I must admit. 44 years and waiting and it will be another generation until there's another opportunity. But, please....calm down! It really isn't the end of the world. The Universe hasn't come crumbling down on us. There are actually rather more important things that we need to get right, right now. We're told that a World Cup here would've brought hundreds of millions of pounds into the British economy. Well, that's as well as maybe but there was no guarantee that we'd got it in the first ...
Wednesday morning, regular meeting of my EU Subcommittee F of the Lords' EU committee on Home Affairs. Unfortunately I can't accompany the Committee to Brussels next week because I have a 24-hour cardiac test at King's Lunchtime, a meeting to discuss the situation of the Hazara minority in Quetta city, Baluchistan. Terrorists have an almost free hand in the city, murdering and driving out the Hazara (who constitute 10% of the population) and other minorities, and anybody else who doesn't toe their line. The federal government does nothing to protect the peaceful citizens, and as elsewhere in Pakistan, the killers ...
Sleet showers are forecast for tonight - these are expected to turn to heavy rain which will clear by Saturday morning. So icy conditions will be around tonight and tomorrow. Then on Saturday it is likely to drizzle and temperatures will rise to about 4 degrees in the daytime. Sunday is set to be overcast and this should mean much of the snow will have thawed by Monday. Let's hope! As I hope you have discovered by now, Southern Railways are asking all passengers to commence their journeys by 7.30pm latest. They are operating a revised timetable but the two ...
I note from the publishing of parliamentary expenses that my local MP has charged to taxpayers £3167.67 in respect of his website. The money was paid to a company called ButterMountain who seem (from their website) to exclusively do websites for Conservatives. It strikes me that this is hellishly expensive, especially when compared to the rates Lib Dems can get from a company that offers a similar service to Lib Dem MPs and councillors. The interesting thing about the company "Butter Mountain" is that they are very difficult to get information about. They have a basic website that gives no ...
Common sense has broken out as Liberal Democrat Business Secretary Vince Cable has said that he will vote for the tuition fee proposals. He told his local paper that he would vote in favour next week. I think this means that the party has accepted the inevitable - that there will be a 3 way split on the vote next week. That, to me, is a good thing. There's no getting away from the fact that this is a tough time to be a Liberal Democrat MP and I know that many of them are going to struggle. Whatever happens ...
Genius H/T looking for a voice
That nice Tim Farron has been making videos again - talking about his plans for when he takes over as President. The thing that will surprise people most are his plans for 1st January. I will believe that if it happens. Our Tim is not known for his ability to sit still for more than 20 seconds at a time. Of particular interest is the conversation he had with a colleague from one of the Dutch Liberal Parties who said we should be proud we are getting 65% of our manifesto into practice. Normally when people vote for us our ...
Cornwall Council today passed the Tories' cuts budget and many services must now hope for the best that they will survive the ensuing uncertainty. Liberal Democrat amendments aimed at securing the future of libraries, leisure and adult care budgets were voted down. The meeting was a generally positive one with genuine debates on Cornwall's services. But, when it came to the vote, most members of the Tory and Independent groups lined up behind the proposals. Among the decisions were: - a call for a guarantee that extra funding received above the predicted government grant to be ring fenced for adult ...
Former Labour MP David Chaytor has pleaded guilty to three charges relating to his expenses claims. Chaytor, 61, the former MP for Bury North, was charged with false accounting totalling just over £20,000. He claimed rent for his own flat in London and rent for a house in Bury, which was owned by his mother. He decided to change his plea to guilty just before his trial was due to start next week. I understand he is due to be sentenced and could get up to 7 years. I know and understand that there is precious little sympathy out there ...
Make no mistake. If the Lib Dems don't vote NO to tuition fees (abstention is not enough) they will lose every youth vote at the next general election. They won't forget and they won't forgive. The state of the party if that happens cannot be underestimated, it will decimate us. And well it should. If we pledge to cut tuition fees to earn the youth vote and then don't vote against tuition fee rises when we have the opportunity we deserve to lose every seat we have. If this happens I see a bright future for the Greens. I actually ...
One planning application this week. Any comments or queries please contact us. Ward: Southdown App Ref: 10/04345/FULRegistered: 26th November 2010 Expiry Date: 21st January 2011Location: 119 Hillcrest Drive Southdown Bath Bath And North East Somerset BA2 1HFProposal: Erection of 1no 3 bedroom semi detached house following demolition of existing 2nogarages
I received the following email today from Ros Scott, President of the LibDems following the announcement that Phil Woolas has lost his high court appeal. Dear Lisa, Today the High Court upheld the decision to remove disgraced former Labour MP ... Continue reading →
From 13.00 to 14.00, a meeting with Equalities, a newly formed Government body to co-ordinate policy on women and gender equality issues in Government. I wanted to inquire whether they had considered Gypsy and Traveller inequality or would do so, and the answer is that Traveller organisations concerned with women's rights should submit evidence to them, and I'm drawing this to the attention of the UK Association of Gypsy Women. At 15.390, a one hour debate on Iran in which all except the mover and David Howell, the Minister who wound up, had a mere three minutes, see There's ...
I have received notification from Woking Borough Council that this weeks refuse collections are cancelled because of the snow and adverse weather conditions. Those collections planned for this week will now be rescheduled as soon as collection providers can get to homes and houses ... Continue reading →
[IMG: Mark Pack letter in The Guardian] Here's the letter I wrote to The Guardian, a slightly shortened version of which appears in today's paper: Your editorial about the importance of gritting pavements (1st December) is a little unfair to the government. It is true that the White Paper on public health does not mention the issue, but the government has just issued advice reassuring people that the myths about how if you clear away snow you lay yourself open to being sued are just that, largely mythical. As a result, this year many councils are now encouraging people to ...
That's it. This time I have finally reached the end of my tether can can take no more. I am sick and tired of being treated this way and quite frankly, the behaviour over the past few years has been ... Continue reading →
No doubt you will have heard that High Court judges have dismissed the appeal by former Labour MP, Phil Woolas, against his conviction for illegal practices in the General Election. There will now be a by-election in Oldham East and Saddleworth with a likely polling day of January 13th. Make no mistake, this by-election will be one of the most important we have ever faced. We must send out a clear signal about the need to clean up politics. But we must also send a message to every newspaper and broadcaster that the Liberal Democrats remain a powerful electoral force ...
For the last nine months East Dulwich has had 14 car club cars based on our streets. Ten of those were funded by East Dulwoch councillors via Cleaner, Greener, Safer funding. So far they've been in use 39% of the time. Considering that night time is 33% of the time that's very good. In fact that's amazing. One car on the first day was taken out 8 times. That's 8 car journeys where people didn't need to own a car themselves but could share a car club car. You'll often see car club vans in use in the area. Importantly ...
It's Friday. It's five o'clock. Here's a fistful of lists that sum up the LDV week: 5 most-read stories on LDV this week 1. Nick Clegg writes to Aaron Porter on 'Right to Recall' and tuition fees (55 comments) by Helen Duffett 2. Tuition fees: will Lib Dem MPs split three ways? (84 comments) by Mark Pack 3. Dear John Reid... (71 comments) by Mark Pack 4. Opinion: On Broken Promises (43 comments) by David Parkes 5. Opinion: Cleggmania in reverse, or the right side of the revolt (47 comments) by David Boyle 5 sample LDV Members' Forum threads Net ...
Spidey tagged me in this meme on Facebook, so I thought I might as well do it here seeing as it's Friday and all that. Feel free to carry it on if you like. I'll see if I can tell you things you never knew before: Four Jobs I have had in my lifeYouth Hostel WardenNannyMedical SecretaryCaseworker Four places I have livedInvernessWickEdwinstowe, NottsLivingstonFour favourite drinksRed WineEarl Grey tea (with milk, I don't care about the teasing this will get me from snobs of this parish)Hendricks GinCoke ZeroFour Favourite ever TV showsStrictly Come DancingThe West WingFriendsPride & Prejudice (the one where ...
An update from Southeastern trains reports that they will be aiming to run the planned Saturday and timetable for this weekend, including all engineering work originally scheduled to take place.
Are you involved in a local group that would be interested in applying for a small grant from South Gloucestershire Council? The latest round of Small Revenue Grants opened for applications on Wednesday 1st December with a closing date of 4th January 2011. If you are are interested, you can find out more on the South Glos website.
Quite what low regard Cornwall Council's Tory/Independent administration has for its low paid employees was made clear at today's Council budget meeting. One part of an amendment being proposed by Mebyon Kernow's Dick Cole stated: "The potential impact on lower paid employees is actively considered during the negotiations." There was one honourable exception - Julian German. The proposed amendment was defeated by 51 votes to 50 in the closest vote of the day.
News is breaking that London Region Lib Dems have been obliged to postpone the London Region conference. Both the initial and the replacement venues asked the Lib Dems to cancel the event because they feared that it would result in violence. Demonstrators opposing university funding reform had pledged to target Saturday's event. The headmaster of the school originally planning to host the event asked London Region to move it; but the replacement venue also raised security fears. The concern of the venues is understandable considering the offensive and threatening language used by the ironically named "Free Education Campaign" (free for ...
The weather has dominated the week. Blizzard conditions have been the norm. I can't ever remember seeing so much snow and certainly not in November. I have been very impressed by the efforts of the general public but I am particularly impressed and proud of our council staff. I dropped in the Fords Road Care Home to learn how they were coping. Staff had largely managed to travel to work but the Manager had stayed over on Sunday night just to be sure that there was some one there in the morning. We have also started to deliver food parcels ...
Here is the latest video from Liberal Democrat Party President-Elect Tim Farron. Let's hope more of this kind of work, and regular updates, continues when team takes office. Tim takes office in the New Year, and succeeds Baroness Ros Scott.
A few weeks ago I did think that getting the whole parliamentary party to abstain on the Tuition Fees vote would be an excellent way out of our current muddle. Having thought it through, and read some stuff on it, I now think it would be an absolutely disastrous move which would make us a laughing stock for years to come. There is much to recommend the coalition government's proposals on student funding. I think most Liberal Democrat MPs, particularly the ministers, should proudly vote for the proposals. Certainly it would be insane if Nick Clegg, Vince Cable and indeed ...
The media coverage of the launch of the Equality Strategy and the announcement that we are going ahead with positive action and gender pay reporting is instructive. The right wing press says that we are introducing Harman's law. The left wing press says that we are scrapping Harman's law.
We have requested that the Grit Bins in Langdon Road and Elliston Drive are re-filled. There are regular weather alerts for our area on
Ok I had a little bit of an excursion because of World AIDS Day which carried over into the FIFA World Cup announcements yesterday. But just at this moment my employer* for the last 9 years, 1 month and 1 week is no longer my employer. I am now working full time on the Yes to Fairer Votes campaign. Therefore as one friend said to avoid me getting out my "Lib Dem thing" and waving it about while I am part of a campaign that is reaching across political divisions I am parking this blog once more. It will also ...
I look forward to the being able to watch the French film Of Gods and Men at Queen's Film Theatre, Belfast during the week beginning 31 December 2010 (according to Artificial Eye). Seven French Cistercian monks were kidnapped and then killed at Tibhirine in Algeria, amidst rising religious and factional violence. Their murderers were never ...
He's hurt, of course. He's lost his career, his income and his reputation. His name will be known for years to come as the MP who was disbarred for having "knowingly" lied about his opponent. It's hardly surprising that Phil Woolas wants to claim that it's all unfair. But his interpretation of events just doesn't stand up to scrutiny. He implies, just as he did in the hearings before judges, that what he did what just part of the run-of-the-mill of political knockabout, and that others have dealt with him in the same way over the years. "It is now ...
I am going to rather shamefacedly confess something to you. I have been known to buy the X Factor winner's Christmas single in the past. I know that will come as no surprise to those of you who know full well the extent of my trashiness, but there may be others who may be truly shocked. All I can suggest is a lie down and some smelling salts. I have no real defence - and in fact the year Alexandra Burke won, I bought two of them - one for my niece. No chance of that this year, though, on ...
Kent Highways are warning that roads are likely to become icy across Kent this evening and into the morning. Although gritters will treat primary routes, drivers and pedestrians should watch out for ice.
Readers may be interested in the statement on the Justin Campaign website regarding the FIFA decision on the World Cup in 2018 and 2022. Justin Campaign concern The Justin Campaign is deeply concerned by FIFA's decision to award the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar respectively. Both of these countries have extremely ...
Click here and then just click 'listen' to hear some beatbox by your Google translator. Nicely done!
LDV has had sight of this letter, written by a group on facebook, and sent to Lib Dem MPs. Dear Liberal Democrat MPs, We, the undersigned students, recognise the benefits of tuition fee reform and urge you to vote for it. We see that our annual loan repayments will fall due to the substantial rise in the loan repayment threshold, and that the grants system will become more generous. We see that part-time students will no longer be forced to pay up-front fees and that poorer graduates will benefit from a rise in the repayment threshold. We feel that the ...
I don't really like to admit to the fact that it's a whole quarter of a century since I arrived in Aberdeen as a wide eyed and innocent student. One of the first people I met was Dan Falchikov. He was unique, funny and generally fabulous. I was thrilled today to discover that he's hit the blogosphere at Living on Words Alone - I was surprised that someone with so many opinions as he does has left it so long. I confidently expect not to agree with him a great deal, but please bookmark him now, because he'll be good ...
The two men at the top are Mr. Vladimir Putin, leader of the Kleptocratic Russian Federation and Mr. Sepp Blatta a one time Swiss Bureaucrat who has destroyed the reputation of FIFA. The second picture is Blatta Orientalis, the Eastern Cockroach. I wonder if you can tell them all apart.
I can understand why Vladimir Putin is said to be "upset" that he and Dimitir Medmedev have been referred to as Batman and Robin. After all the Batman and Robin are the Good Guys! So, step forward please... The Riddler and The Joker.
[IMG: Celebrity play poster] Earlier this week I went to see Celebrity, a play by Christopher Fowler (he of the Bryant & May mysteries, as in my book review Seventy-Seven Clocks: James Bond crossed with Sherlock Holmes and Edgar Allan Poe). It's a comedy based around a London PR agent tending to acting stars. Full of biting one-liners and smart set changes, the play in a small, intimate venue manages the switch from humour to pathos deftly. And for those with long memories of daytime TV adverts there is a bonus - it features Barry Scott from Cillit Bang commercials ...
The link is to the judgments in respect of the judicial review of the election court.
Post updated§ The FIFA World Cup is not coming to England. No, it is going to Russia in 2018, and to Qatar in 2022? Is there much for me to celebrate in this? Let's look at Russia? ILGA-Europe's Annual Conference adopted a declaration against homophobic/transphobic attack in Russia Declaration of the 14th ILGA-Europe conference with ...
To make up for the fact that my blogpost on LDV about the AV bill (nothing as controversial as the post on Cornish boundaries earlier this week, thankfully!) went up at the same time as news was breaking about the ... Continue reading →
Filed under: Uncategorized
That is why I believe that Clegg is an honourable and strong politician, who has acquitted himself with shrewd judgment and considerable courage. His problem is that his kind of political courage does not fit easily with the British national narrative. This involves a man of principle standing alone against the crowd: Churchill against the ...
A press release from the Editors' Code of Practice Committee (the body that draws up the code with the Press Complaints Commission implements) brings the news: From next year, corrections involving the Press Complaints Commission – which oversees press self regulation in the UK – will be agreed with the PCC in advance, under new rules agreed by the Editors' Code Committee, which reviews the Code... Code Committee secretary Ian Beales said: "This amendment is designed to help kill the myth that newspapers and magazines routinely bury corrections. Research conducted by the PCC has shown this to be untrue – ...
1 December 2010 saw many Liberal Democrats, bloggers and others, marking World AIDS Day across the United Kingdom, including Stephen Gilbert MP, Tim Farron MP, Lynne Featherstone MP, Stephen Williams MP, Jenny Willott MP, Colin Ross, Stephen Glenn, Millennium Dome, Andrew Reeves, and myself. Let's have a quick look at what some of them said: ...
The Conservatives held in the Dunchurch and Knightlow Ward on Rugby Council.
Fuel Poverty is when someone needs to spend over 10% of their income after tax to keep warm. The point at which they have to start deciding whether to eat or keep warm. Clearly the Winter Fuel and Cold Weather payments help and will remain. In the last five years the proportion of homes in Fuel Poverty rose from 2.8million households in 2007 to 4.6million households in 2009. This is largely from energy price rises but also where home insulation has taken place its not sufficiently reached the most vulnerable. A few weeks ago the Green Deal was announced which ...
Let's face it - the tuition fees issue has been a disaster. We have handled this very badly. The only consolation is that our poll rating can't get much lower. Amongst students our poll rating has fallen from 45% at the election to 15% now - and even that's higher than we might expect. Unfortunately we are still digging .. and it's time to stop. I have great respect for Vince Cable. He has been a great Treasury spokesman over the last few years and is proving to be an astute Business Secretary. He did a brilliant speech at regional ...
Japan's Fifa executive committee member, Junji Ogura has claimed that England's World Cup bid humiliation was a result of a backlash against the British media. Fifa president Sepp Blatter spoke to members of the executive committee about the "evil of the media" just before the vote. I dont blame BBC's panorama or the british press. FIFA were never going to give this bid to England. FIFA want to spread the word of football. It's precisely because England already have the infrastructure that we were never going to win this bid, no matter how technically good it is. It's also right ...
You can read today's full and summary ruling about the Woolas case here. It looks fairly conclusive to my non-legal eyes. I am not sure how swollen or non-swollen the coffers of the "Save Phil Woolas for the nation" campaign fund are at the moment. But it would take someone of fairly tough nerves or deep pockets to throw any more coppers into it. Well done to the Saddleworth News for some excellent reporting on the Woolas case. Here's their explanation of today's ruling: The ex-Labour minister had his victory in May's general election declared void last month, because he ...
The BBC reports: Phil Woolas has lost his bid to overturn an election court's ruling that stripped him of his Commons seat and barred him from politics. He narrowly won his Oldham East and Saddleworth seat in May but the result was declared void by an election court over his conduct in the campaign. He argued that the election court's interpretation of the law was flawed. But three High Court judges upheld the election court's decision. If he does not appeal there will be a by-election. Lord Justice Thomas, Mr Justice Tugendhat and Mrs Justice Nicola Davies said that, although ...
Fuller posting here
Fri 3rd
12:22
Opinion: the forgotten deadline in the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill
With the Yes to AV campaign getting into full swing (and attempts by the No camp to do the same), it is perhaps unsurprising that the majority of the recent commentary on the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill has revolved around Part I of that Bill, which deals with the AV referendum (and the earlier post on LDV by Keith Sharp about the message of the pro-AV campaign is essential reading). But in the excitement, we seem to have allowed a very significant deadline to pass by - the deadline for the compilation of Electoral Rolls on which the ...
1. The case has not set any significant legal precedent - there have been no important new definitions, clarifications or qualifications of the law relating to candidates making false statements. The law now is still the same as the law looked to be before this case started. 2. Unless an MP was elected in 2010 (or by-election shortly before), any MP criticising the law under which Woolas was convicted is also an MP who had opportunities to change the law previously - and never suggested doing so in Parliament. 3. The Labour government introduced far more stringent rules to apply ...
I was initially quite impressed by Ed Miliband's first moves as the new Labour leader. He was right to quickly to dispatch Nick Brown from the job of Chief Whip and his "I know thee not, New Labour" conference speech was mostly in the right direction. But since then it seems to have gone downhill for Ed. The view that Ed has got time and so he shouldn't be in a hurry has some merit. Opposition politics, particularly at this early stage in the parliament, is a marathon not a sprint. So calm reflection and careful consideration of the next ...
Yesterday the Electoral Commission published information about the campaign spending by UK political parties during the 2010 general election. Buried near the end of the release was this news: Two third parties - 'UNISON – The Public Service Union' and 'Searchlight Information Services Ltd' - failed to submit their spending return on time. The Commission has issued Searchlight Information Services with a fine. The Commission will issue UNISON - The Public Service Union with a fine when they submit their return. The overall figures showed spending down from its heights of 2005, with 43 parties spending just under £32m for ...
It's been a good week for the liberal cause in Ceredigion as I've reported today in a guest blog post on the Welsh Lib Dem blogging site Freedom Central. First of all, we chose our Welsh Assembly candidate for the May election last weekend. We have very wisely chosen Cllr Elizabeth Evans from Aberaeron - head and shoulders the best candidate for the job. For the past 5 years she has worked as the Senior Caseworker for our local Welsh Lib Dem MP Mark Williams. She has grasped the cases that have come through his door with a professionalism but ...
Wikileaks still running wikileaks is now available through: http://www.wikileaks.ch/ and a list of mirrors is available here: http://wikileaks.info/ One may also use the underlying IP address: http://88.80.13.160/ Do share... Filed under: Wikileaks Tagged: Wikileaks
Kent County Council have issued a short video advising on how to safely clear snow from pavements. This video, and more advice and links to the Government's Snow Code and Kent's own advice on their work on clearing snow can now been seen at www.prater.org.uk/snowcode/
It seems that yesterday, the Wikileaks domain name was pulled by their hosting company due to denial of service attacks. (And probably pressure from US authorities, although I suspect the hosts will not want to admit that) As I predicted, it's back online with a new domain name: wikileaks.ch. OK, so it wasn't Wikileaks I was talking about but rather FITwatch but the same principle holds. Your domain name can be a weak spot and if you're doing something unpopular and you'd better make sure you have multiple domains people know about. Interestingly, the new Wikileaks site is a Swiss ...
(nb this is my own view of last night's events, no more, no less) Last night Westminster's planning committee met to discuss among other matters two applications relating to QK School. First there was an outline application relating to the redevelopment of the main secondary school (QK) and then a detailed application relating to George ...
Post updated here Filed under: Football, gay, Human Rights, LGBT, news Tagged: Cymdeithas Bel-droed Cymru, FIFA, Football Association, Football Association of Wales, Irish Football Association, lgbt, Qatar, Russia, Scottish Football Association, World Cup
Constituents and other Families that have been helped by John Hemming MP have spoken out in support of the MP's indirect use of Additional Costs Allowance to support casework and constituency work.Fran Lyon was a resident in Yardley for a short period before she emigrated to Sweden to escape false and legally unchallengeable allegations that she caused her own illness and threats to remove her
As Chris Wales acknowledges, the "equality" question is so broad and deep that it deserves several posts rather than a few comments. After all, R H Tawney wrote a whole book about it. So here are a few rejoinders to the detailed and thoughtful comment Chris has made to the previous post 1. Is promoting equality designed to save the rich for themselves of to save society form the rich? Both really. As Wilkinson and Pickett show, the rich themselves are happier in more equal societies. I think this probably arises from "all being in it together" (and having to ...
It was always going to be hard to follow last week's Paddy and Ken show, but on last night's Question Time there was a particularly pathetic piece of coalition bashing. It wasn't even from Ken Livngstone. No, one member of the audience, during the inevitable, dull discussion on the snow, got a microphone and piped up with the fantastic line: "In terms of what Ken Livingstone mentioned [that should have been the warning-Ed] about these extreme weather conditions being more regular across the globe, is it fair to say that the coalition have lost the plot, if there ever was ...
Figures released by the Electoral Commission this week reveal that while the Conservative Party outspent all the other parties put together in General Election 2010, it was the Liberal Democrats who got the best value for money. The Liberal Democrats spent 70p for each vote gained; the Labour Party, 93p and the Conservatives, £1.54. From the Independent: The biggest change from the previous election was the dramatic depletion of the Labour campaign's war chest. It spent just over £8m on the three month campaign, less than half the £16.7m spent by the Tories. The figure for the Liberal Democrats was ...
All local schools are closed (further afield Sutton Grammar & Dorchester Primary are open). All expected to be open on Monday. Sutton libraries and leisure centres are open. Waste collection has restarted. Main roads are clear for vehicles and traffic is light. Pavements in shopping centres have been gritted but side roads still have snow. ...
Deep in the Westminster Bubble, I can imagine that there is a place where trying to get all the Liberal Democrat MPs voting the same way on the landmark tuition fees votes next week sounds quite sensible. Can I suggest that if they want to be cured of that misapprehension, they should watch Danny Alexander trying to rationalise it on Question Time last night? Now, Danny overall did splendidly on the programme. He had by far the most difficult job and having Nadine Dorries as his coalition wing man was a bit like being chucked into the Thames with a ...
A press release from the Community Centre: Cambridge's Arbury Community Centre is going from strength to strength with a record number of visitors in the last year. A new board of 10 trustees has also been formed with the number representing a significant increase on the previous year. Newly elected Chair of the Association, Jo Richards said, "It's a tribute to the hard work that has been put in over the past year that at a time when companies and individuals have been cutting back, we have attracted a record 51,500 visitors." Newly elected Vice Chair Cllr Mike Pitt added, ...
Sandgate's Chichester Hall have purchased a table tennis table, and are keen to hear from anyone who would like to organise sessions, particularly for Sandgate's young people, to use the table - maybe setting up a club or drop-in event.
George Monbiot reminds us that weather is NOT climate. Did you know that 2010 is likely to be one of the three warmest years on record ?(the map is from NASA)
Compassion has not been a mainstream activity of politics, partly because it has been monopolised by religion. However, there is a growing voice for a secular view of compassion not least from the Dalai Lama but also from many other areas of public life. The TED talks have been influential to many and an idea ...
Note from the District Council: The Council has been made aware that some members of the public have been playing and ice skating on the ice. The Council's advice to members of the public is not to go onto the frozen surface of the lakes, or for that matter any body of water. The ice is very unstable and could break at any time without warning. A number of warning signs have been placed on the park notice boards.
That's The Guardian's headline on this story: Nick Clegg is seeking cabinet approval for his plans to secure an end to the practice of detaining children in immigration removal centres, with government sources suggesting he wants to see no children in detention by the spring... Clegg will promise a timetable before Christmas for ending the practice, but he will say he is unable to announce a final deadline as the policy is wending its way through the cabinet home affairs committee. He is also said to be limited by the pace of working out humane alternatives to locking up families ...
Fab quote from Finkler Question. http://amzn.com/k/WELK3H7FE2B1 #Kindle # Share this on Facebook Email this via Gmail Email this via Hotmail Email this to a friend? Send this page to Print Friendly Tweet This! Email this via Yahoo! Mail
The winds of real change blow through the new Government Equality Strategy that I launched yesterday. This is no longer focused on 'strands' – and whilst there is certainly much to do on improving particular issues for each 'strand' – be that sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, ethnicity, disability, etc (if you read this blog then you will see how much is going on in terms of these issues on a daily basis) – the new strategy is about equal treatment and equal opportunity – for every individual. It is about tearing down barriers across the field – in every ...
I'm still gluing my sides together after a fiercely funny evening at the Wyndham Theatre, courtesy of the surreal comedic mind that is Bill Bailey. Last year, we went to see 'Tinselworm' which was pretty damned funny, but this year we were expecting something special. We weren't let down, as the bearded one did everything from an excerpt from 'Last Christmas' in the style of Kraftwerk, to a Lady Gaga tribute in the style of the Wurzels, via a series of Dutch gags. It was clearly all too much for one woman in the audience, whose raucous and uncontrolled laughter ...
i) births and deaths 3 December 1928: birth of Gerald Blake, director of The Abominable Snowmen (1967) and The Invasion of Time (1978). 3 December 2006: death of Craig Hinton, author of several Who novels and a Big Finish Who audio, and inventor of the work 'fanwank'. ii) broadcast anniversaries 3 December 1966: broadcast of fifth episode of The Power of the Daleks. Lesterson realises what the Daleks are up to; the rebels kill the governor; and the Daleks "CON-QUER AND DE-STROY"! 3 December 1977: broadcast of second episode of The Sun Makers. Leela and K9 attempt to rescue the ...
Another busy day so once more blogging will be light, but I felt it was important to note the outrageous decision to renew the highly subsidised air link between Cardiff and Anglesey at a cost of £1.2 million a year to the public purse. That is a 50% increase in the subsidy at a time of severe public service cuts, including the transport budget itself. This Welsh Government-subsidised link is dubbed "Ieuan Air" because it serves the Ynys Môn constituency of Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones. Manx Air will provide the North-South connection for the next four years. The ...
The day after WikLeaks confirms the fact that Russia is so corrupt that it is impossible to separate the State from Organized Crime, the FIFA executive awards the criminal state the right to hold the World Cup in 2018. At the same time it gives the right to hold the 2022 Cup to Qatar- a state which has temperatures of over 50 degrees Celsius in the Summer months, when the tournament is played. Frankly It seems to me that of all the great countries that could have held the tournament: Spain/Portugal or England in 2018, the US or Australia in ...
EDINBURGH CAPITALS 8 v 3 BRAEHEAD CLAN Despite the snow and icy conditions on Sunday evening, the Braehead Clan team and their fans had brought two coach loads along the M8 to Murrayfield Ice Rink for their second Scottish derby this season in the Elite Ice Hockey League. Who would win between the Weegies and the Burghers? Although there was a noticeable lack of supporters compared to normal, those who had braved the elements to be there sure made their voices heard for their respective teams. It was the first of a run of five home games for the Edinburgh ...
It's been a good week for the liberal cause in Ceredigion. First of all, we chose our Welsh Assembly candidate for the May election last weekend. We have very wisely chosen Cllr Elizabeth Evans from Aberaeron - head and shoulders the best candidate for the job. For the past 5 years she has worked as the Senior Caseworker for our local Welsh Lib Dem MP Mark Williams. She has grasped the cases that have come through his door with a professionalism but also with a empathetic ear that is crucial in the job. She was also elected to Ceredigion County ...
No, I have not gone soppy, okay no more than usual, but I want to bring this video, charity and plight to your attention especially as we count down the days to Christmas, a time for children. There was a young girl called Gamu Nhengu, who entered X-Factor, sang, everyone loved her, then she was threatened with deportation and the love for her grew stronger, then she was no longer in X-Factor. The end. No, not on this occasion. Then Gamu Nhengu found the amazing Scottish children's charity, Aberlour. Aberlour is the largest, solely Scottish, children's charity and we provide ...
Having a discussion on twitter with Neil Monnery about whether Doctor Who or cricket is more quintessentially English. My view on this is strictly rationalist:Doctor Who can contain cricket http://fwd4.me/r21 Cricket cannot contain Doctor Who. Therefore Who more English QEDBut there are other things which are quintessentially English. So which of them would you pick? View Poll: Quintessentially English [IMG: Dreamwidth] [IMG: Livejournal] [IMG: Blogger] [IMG: Facebook] [IMG: Tweet this] [IMG: Delicious] [IMG: Flattr this] [IMG: LibDig] [IMG: Bit/ly] [IMG: StumbleUpon]
If a group of international financiers got together and set up a competition to host their four yearly contest between rival national teams of currency traders you might get something of an approximation to the wealth and power of FIFA, without the glamour of the World Cup. We would find it quite odd should the Prime Minister, heir apparent, and his gym instructor cancel their appointments to lobby the governing body, particularly if several members were facing serious fraud allegations. We would be entirely aghast to learn further that for the privilege of hosting this contest various national laws would ...
I must admit that, on discovering that the rather more talented, and certainly more prolific, blogger, Jonathan Calder has steered his readers towards me whilst he takes a break, my heart sank a little. Don't get me wrong, I'm flattered beyond measure, but, if truth be told, the force hasn't been with me much for a week or so. Fortunately, life has become a little more thought provoking all of a sudden, so there might actually be something here to read after all. So, sit back with a glass of something you enjoy, as a bureaucrat writes...
So England has lost out in its bid to host the 2018 World Cup. Fifa president Sepp Blatter described England's final presentation as "excellent and remarkable", but the results suggest that he needs to reassess this description after we won only one non-English vote. Both Russia and Qatar had high risk technical assessments but both beat us and the World Cup will be played in these countries in 2018 and 2022 respectively. In fact everyone beat us even though it seems that we had the best technical and commercial bids. Let's presume that the English hype is correct. We may ...
I'm writing something for the next Liberator (see www.liberator.org.uk) which will look at how the Coalition agreement got Nick Clegg and Vince Cable in the situation they are now in, and vice-versa. I'll make sure some detail (think they call it a 'spoiler') gets posted before Thursday.
