If you wonder where you've seen this picture before, it may have been on this website back in November 2009 when I was banging on about this as a priority, particularly for the more rural areas of the county. At the time an area in the South West had just extracted £700,000 from its Regional Development Agency – when such a thing existed. You can imagine, therefore, how pleased I was (if frustrated that its taken so long) that in June there is to be a seminar for all councillors on the county's "Digital Durham" bid to secure funding for ...
Big changes are afoot in the Liberal Democrat Campaigns Department. Firstly, the network of Campaigns Officers around the country, currently mostly funded by a mix of central and regional monies, is being moved over to a purely regionally-funded system. That will save the federal party money, but will also cede control over the network to regional (and Welsh/Scottish) parties. The previous joint funding arrangements often took up huge amounts of time to negotiate and also resulted in many tensions over what the people in post should be prioritising in their work (e.g. should a regional campaigns officer be sent to ...
'Before a picture becomes a view of something — a table and chair — it is an abstract assemblage of lines, tones, shapes and colours,' the artist Clive McCartney writes in the catalogue to his new exhibition, which opened at Catto Gallery in Hampstead this evening. 'That tension between depicting something real and the abstract ...
The suspension of David Laws MP for seven days, on top of paying back wrongly made claims and losing his ministerial position last year, is a reasonable and proportionate response to the findings of the Parliamentary Commissioner's review into seven years of his expense claims. We at Liberal Vision, or on many other matters, the David Laws Appreciation Society, hope this is a pause not the end of his career. We hope he will be back in Government at some point within a year. Where the Telegraph and some others believe Laws has to wait until after 2015 and the ...
Liberal Democrats are living in dangerous times. Having taken a battering in the local elections and having lost the AV vote in humiliating circumstances , I am sure that many headless chickens will be found clucking their way round the leader right now. And there is a danger that their squawking will both drown out the reasonable and distract the rational. The squawkers will be advising on a new plan , a change of direction, a more muscular liberalism. The rational know that this is categorically NOT the time to shift direction, to move from collaborative politics to confrontational, from ...
.... phew, elections over. Lib Dems in Wokinghan Borough lost 2 seats, neither by landslides. We also held Woodley town council (slightly reduced majority) and went from 5 to 6 seats on Earley town council. It's not brilliant, but given what has happened to the Lib Dems elsewhere, it's not a disaster either. Normal service on updating this website will now be resumed.
First it was Virginia. The state House passed a law in 2005 outlawing the wearing of low trousers which show underwear "in a lewd or indecent manner". There was an attendant $50 fine. Two days later the State Senate killed the bill. Then in 2007 it was made illegal to wear saggy trousers in Mansfield, Louisiana. That law, which carried a penalty of a $150 fine or 15 days imprisonment, was overturned by a court which declared it "unconstitutional". Now the Florida State legislature, fresh from banning sex (not) "has passed a bill (SB 228) that would require schools to ...
[IMG: Hackney Liberal Democrats Garden Party] My weekend visit to the Hackney Liberal Democrats Garden Party, lovingly hosted by Victoria Lubbock and featuring a fun stand-off between a dog and a cat, was cut short by a TV interview - so I missed the debate between Paul Burstow and Prateek Buch on the NHS. However, you can read Prateek's take on the event over on Liberal Democrat Voice and Jonathan Fryer has also blogged it.
should be facing a police investigation, as should any other person who defrauds the state of £40,000.
After a bit of feedback, I've done a touch of home decorating on the site. Hope everyone likes the new look. All fresh feedback gratefully received!
Think of all the nurses you've come across in your life. Think of all the nurses you know. They do all sorts of jobs. My sister is a nurse, as are many of my friends and I really think that anyone who comes into contact with any of them is lucky to have such compassionate and professional care. And then there's all the nurses who've helped us over the years. There's the one who works in the hospice, making sure people's last hours and days are as comfortable as possible. There's the one who works for NHS 24, taking calls ...
Well it's pretty much game over for the Greens. I didn't think they'd give the goods away this easily or this early but, if the quotes in the Chronicle are anything to go by, not demanding a cabinet position pretty much leaves them with only one option left and that is to back a Labour administration and find themselves responsible for defending their cuts and have no influence. Still that's their choice to make. The fun will start once Labour have reinstated the money to pay for their union friends and thanked Rajinder and Ejaz for their help campaigning in ...
Here's a third post on my Hugo nominations - I took advantage of my recent indisposition to watch the nominees for Best Dramatic Presentation (Long Form) from a recumbent position, and formed therefore the following scientific views. 6) Toy Story 3. I had somehow missed the first two Toy Story films, and based on this I don't feel especially deprived. The animation is cute but the plot risible. Woody's barely reciprocated loyalty to Andy is rather pathetic, and the rest of the characterisation is wafer-thin. You more or less know what will happen in the film from the first five ...
"There's been a murder, Sir." "No' again, Jardine. Where this time?" "Maryhill, Sir. Up near the canal, behind Firhill. It's a 28 year old male. Media's all over it like a rash." "Media.... Cause of death?" "Multiple cuts, Sir. Folks are blaming it on the English." "Why - I didn't think Alex Salmond was that young." "Naw, it's no' him. The body's no' that big. Apparently the victim just wasn't popular anymore. Something about not being original enough." "Did they try to revive him?" "A bit. They gave him a shot but apparently the damage was too bad. We've got ...
From the Nottingham Evening Post: Red-faced election officials declared the wrong member of a husband and wife team the winner at the ballot box. Bob Charlesworth should have been announced as a successful candidate in the Broxtowe Borough Council elections last week. But instead his wife Hazel Charlesworth - who was also running for office but polled 21 fewer votes - was elected to the seat in the Eastwood North and Greasley (Beauvale) ward. The couple say they can see the funny side of the situation - but the council will now have to go to court to rectify the ...
Well, it's Tax Freedom Day on the 30th May. Last year, Tax Freedom Day was tomorrow, according to L'Anglophone. According to research, 40.8% of the entire nations' salaries will go into the tax pot. What this means in practice is that 30th May is the first day of the year upon which we've paid our entire tax bill and actually begin working for ourselves. [IMG: The Tax Man] For the last 149 days, the whole country has been working flat-out just to pay the tax man. Here's a few tax freedom days from around the world, for comparison (some stats ...
Another three events today sadly showed again the brain dead bigoted idiots rife in certain parts of Scottish football. First, a Hearts fan is arrested and charged in connection with the assault of Celtic manager Neil Lennon at Tynecastle last night. Then, this morning, two men were arrested in connection with sending bombs to Lennon, Celtic's QC Paul McBride, and Trish Godman, a former MSP and Celtic fan. Finally, this afternoon, another suspicious package arrived at Celtic Park. I'm an Aberdeen fan. I have no love for either half of the Old Firm (or Hearts, for that matter.) But I ...
I had a great-great-great-great grandfather who had a grandson...whose name was Albert Einstein. My Mum remembers her grandmother, who had known Einstein well in childhood, flying off to visit him in America. I do not take this connection terribly seriously, as the only quality that I have 'inherited' from Albert Einstein would appear to be his hair...Anyway, I'm always interested to read new stories about him, including this one about the unearthing of the immigration documents from his arrival at Heathrow in 1933.
........believe me, I would be saying exactly the same as I am now. If you don't believe me, I am pretty soft hearted and my reaction to Gordon Brown's wee faux pas with Gillian Duffy was to want to give him a cup of tea and a cuddle. I do try to be fair to people and try to look at things from their perspective before casting judgement. I'm sure I don't always succeed, but I try. I think the 7 day suspension meted out to David Laws for breaches of the rules on expenses is incredibly harsh. Especially when ...
Thu 12th
18:08
"David Laws defrauds d system=mistake (7 days off work); benefit cheats defrauds d system=crime (pri...
Back off Labourites who are too stupid to look at the world through glasses made not of a rose tinted persuasion. The quote in the title is a tweet I saw retweeted this afternoon by another Labourite and my heart sank faster than when Jet from Gladiators told me see was a Middlesbrough fan (true story). First of all 'd system' what is all that about? There is a thing called the English language and I personally don't like to bastardise it too much in the written medium (although my broadcast style is different). It is not even like she ...
Andrew Lansley's proposed NHS reforms are a classic example of recognising that change is necessary, and then using that as an excuse to force through changes he wanted anyway. Unfortunately, much of the resistance has the exact same problem. The Bill must be changed, and yet people are using that as an excuse to resist reform altogether. The concern – and rightfully so – is privatisation by the back door. However, the best health care systems in the world such as in France and Sweden include some private provision. If you think that the nation's health is more important than ...
Last time I blogged about the plans for a waste plant at Stalbridge Dock in Garston (next to Cressington Heath) the Labour Council had decided that this should be the location for the "sub regional" waste site in Liverpool. We had opposed this, as had many, many residents. But Labour persisted. However it is not entirely over. Because the "sub regional" site is part of a broader Merseyside waste plan, there is now a "public consultation" on the whole thing. We were promised that there would be media publicity about this. I haven't spotted any yet. The deadline for responding ...
Further to my learned friend @chrisjenkinson's blog on phrases he loathes, I thought I'd add my own to an ever growing list. In tonight's Evening Standard, daily newspaper of the year non-the-less, they refer to Tory 'flagship policy' of elected police commissioners. Prior to the general election, I do not recall this being an integral part of the Tory manifesto. Big society yes, marriage tax
Note from the county council The man hole cover and frame has collapsed further in the centre of the junction of Alma Road and Victoria Street in St Albans, causing a safety hazard. It has been temporarily barriered only. The works team will be repairing this under temporary lights (turning off the permanent signals), tomorrow (fri) from 9.30am. The temporary lights will be place for 24 hours to allow the cement based materials used in the reinstatement to cure. Whilst on site I have asked the works team to repair the subsidence on the Iceland side of the junction also ...
Protesters gathered outside the UN in New York to show solidarity with the people of Syria in their uprising against the Syrian authorities. Copyright: Demotix This from Amnesty International this morning: Syria is becoming an ever more dangerous place for those daring to demand political reform. Over 540 people have died since protestors first took to the streets in March and hundreds more have been arbitrarily arrested, detained and tortured. One recently released detainee told us how he was stripped, beaten and then made to lick his own blood off the floor. And we have received accounts of government tanks ...
In Nick Clegg's "message to the party" on the first anniversary of the coalition he claims: "...it is important to be clear that the current government is a coalition of necessity. The driving force behind the formation of the coalition was the need to act together in the national interest to sort out Labour's toxic economic legacy." This is a gross distortion of the truth, and unworthy of a party which stands for and has promised more honest politics. As has been pointed out, in this blog, and elsewhere by economists and commentators including David Blanchflower, Martin Wolf, Joseph Stiglitz, ...
One of my most fundamental beliefs is that a person should be presumed innocent until found guilty. As such I was really pleased the news that The Sun and The Mirror are facing contempt of court proceedings over their reporting of the police investigation into the tragic murder of Joanna Yeates in Bristol last December. I remember following the coverage at the time (I must add not by reading The Sun or The Mirror) and being disgusted with the publicity surrounding Chris Jefferies arrest. I think it is bad enough when people's details are published when they have been charged, ...
Tonight we witness a piece of Coronation Street history as the cobbles welcomes home the return of Dennis Tanner after a 43 year absence. This really is something a little special. As I blogged here back in January when the announcement was made, Philip Lowrie will return as the son of Corrie legend Elsie Tanner - a full 43 years after leaving the Cobbles to live in Bristol with his new wife Jenny Sutton in 1968. Philip Lowe played Dennis 'The Menace' Tanner back in the first ever episode on December 9th 1960, alongside Ken Barlow who is the only ...
From the library: Emergency closure 12th May 2011 Due to perished joists in the foyer floor we have had to close Heald Green Library until further notice We are endeavouring to get this fixed by early next week and apologise for any inconvenience this may cause Any Loan items due back during this closure will not incur any fines. You can renew items by telephoning 0161 217 6009 or by visiting www.stockport.gov.uk/libraries Your closest Stockport libraries are: Cheadle Hulme Library - Mellor Road open until 8 pm today Cheadle Library - Ashfield Road open until 8 pm today
I have been recieving complaints and comments from Residents about the disappearing bus services through Freckenham and Worlington. Rumour has it that the 400/401 services are likely to be curtailed. These buses are a lifeline for many and as a result of recent cutbacks people working in Newmarket now have to wait for a bus back from town til well after six. I hear that people at Kennett/Kentford sometimes cant get on the bus because it is too full at certain times, now that the seervice is more infrequent. Messing about with bus services is just making it more difficult ...
Back in February, I was one of 80 people who slept out overnight at County Hall in protest at Cornwall Council's plans to cut the supporting people budget by 40%. The concern about these cuts is still huge and the Council does not yet appear to have been able to resolve the issue of how to get the same high level of service for only three fifths of the cost. Vital services such as Launceston Foyer still hang in the balance. And so another sleep out is being planned. This one is being organised by the Churches Homeless Unit and ...
I wish that the media concentrated more on the real issue with David Laws, that someone so capable and confident nonetheless wanted to conceal their sexuality. Some seem to think that it's perfectly OK to be homosexual these days, and therefore he has no excuse. Mindless drivel as far as I'm concerned. When someone provides me with a list of openly homosexual world leaders and chancellors, I'll concede the point. Until then, his story is not a surprise in our modern, tolerant society, but an important reminder that we're not all that. The real tragedy of David Laws is that ...
In embracing principles of The Big Society and Localism, have the Liberal Democrats being railroaded into an erosion of the public state, seemingly by accident? The initial premise of the Localism Bill appeals greatly to Liberal Democrat in the Conservative-led Coalition. What is there about bringing power to local communities that is not to be liked? It could be argued that the principles of the Localism Bill were in fact first proposed within the Coalition Agreement, where Page 11 states; We will promote the radical devolution of power and greater financial autonomy to local government and community groups. This will ...
Is the collapse in the Lib Dem vote all my fault? Here is the case for:
Senior Liberal Democrat MP Sir Menzies Campbell has dismissed the latest bout of "speculation" about the future of RAF Leuchars in his North East Fife constituency and has been assured by Ministers that no decision is imminent. Sir Menzies said: "The debate about RAF Leuchars has been characterised too often by speculation which has subsequently proved to be totally without foundation. "I have spoken to Ministers in the relevant departments. I have been assured that no announcement is imminent and that when it is made the decision will be by Ministers alone and not officials in the Ministry of Defence ...
I've reported the broken 'Kensey Hill' street sign in the picture and the Council has promised to get it re-set (in concrete) in the next couple of days. If you know of any other signs which are damaged or defaced, please get in touch using the details on the right.
Look at what the teachers, from the rector (that's Scottish for head teacher) down, did as a surprise for leaving pupils at Bell Baxter High School in Cupar. Mind you, Anna already thinks high school is going to be somewhere in between Waterloo Road and Glee. I'm not sure this helps to make her perceptions more realistic.
Just a brief reminder that tonights meeting on the future of Bar Hill Library will start at 7pm in the Church. Details of Bar Hill libraries assessment are available from the County Council website (click here, PDF). Come along and lend your support!
Today the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner has officially released his verdict on David Laws, MP for Yeovil, who stood down as Chief Secretary to the Treasury after it broke in the Daily Telegraph that he had being paying rent to his partner in order to hide his sexuality. As a result of the findings Laws had to ...
Thu 12th
14:00
Day 3783: Police Action! aka Correcting Conservative Contradictions on Constitutional Change
Wednesday: Doesn't it seem EXTRAORDINARY that sections of the Conservatory Party are crowing about last week's rejection of AV while AT THE SAME TIME trying to implement a HUGELY BIGGER change to the way we elect our public servants than ANYTHING the Alliterative Vote might have done: namely replacing APPOINTED police authorities with ELECTED Wild West Marshalls, er, I mean Police Commissioners! I mean, our coalition partners couldn't be MONSTROUS HYPOCRITES could they. So they must mean that the "No2AV" vote is ONLY a rejection of a not-very-good electoral system and are keen as mustard for MORE FAR REACHING REFORM. ...
The view from a Somerset blogger: Thursday, May 12, 2011 The absurd suspension of David Laws The Parliamentary Commissioner has recommended that David Laws be suspended for a week. The Commissioner accepted that David Laws' motive was to protect his privacy not to make money and that his claims would have been "considerably more" if he had stuck to the rules, and he agreed that there was no loss to the taxpayer from the breaches. It is absurd and I share Olly Grender's view published by the New Statesman. I also share Frank Field's view: "Today's report vividly highlights how ...
Not just the usual suspects The defeat for the idea of elected police commissioner brought together some unexpected rebels. Before the spinning gets going this proposal was not in the Lib Dem Manifesto. The best report I can find so far is here Stephen Glenn points out: The Lib Dem manifesto last year had this to say on given the public a say over policing. Give local people a real say over their police force through the direct election of police authorities. Authorities would still be able to co-opt extra members to ensure diversity, experience and expertise. Give far more ...
For the past half century, the party has been growing steadily in influence and numbers. There have been electoral set-backs (1970, 1989, and now 2011). The question is: is this our nadir? And what will decide if this is really the low point, or if we are doomed to carry on sinking in the esteem of the public? Most commentators have talked this question in terms of short term issues, like how the party manages to play the coalition. But actually there is something far more fundamental that requires attention. It is whether we can be clear what the party ...
[IMG: David Laws] Some quick thoughts on the David Law ruling: a. He broke the rules and it's right that he is being censured for that. b. The level of punishment is much stricter than handed out in cases in the previous Parliament. It's a highly inconsistent form of justice - with a case such as that of Jacqui Smith having been treated mucy more leniently. If the new Standards and Privileges Committee decided that after the general election it is going to take a new approach to breaches of the rule, that would have got overwhelming support - but ...
It is astonishing that David Laws has been suspended: other MPs motivated by financial gain escaped real punishment. I first met David Laws aged 28. He had been working in the City on a top salary and had given it all up to work for the Liberal Democrats for £14,000 per year as an economics researcher. He was a total joy to work with: fantastically bright, horribly challenging and fanatically shy. He was always a loyal friend and colleague. He left the City because, in the end, making money wasn't fulfilling enough; he hungered for a political career and he ...
The report into the Parliamentary expenses claimed by David Laws, Liberal Democrat MP for Yeovil and former chief secretary to the Treasury – published today – is very clear: he broke the rules, but he did so not out of ... Continue reading →
In a vote this week the House of Lords decided to make it significantly easier for future Parliaments to change the rules for fixed-term Parliaments. The legislation going through Parliament to remove the power of the Prime Minister to fix election dates to their own convenience cannot make them fixed in perpetuity as no Parliament can bind future Parliaments in that way. So the question is how difficult is it for a future Parliament to change the rules – and hence how rigidly fixed the terms of Parliaments really are. The government's proposals would have required future Parliaments to pass ...
The Parliamentary Commissioner has recommended that David Laws be suspended for a week. The Commissioner accepted that David Laws' motive was to protect his privacy not to make money and that his claims would have been "considerably more" if he had stuck to the rules, and he agreed that there was no loss to the taxpayer from the breaches.It is absurd and I share Olly Grender's view published
Sure, that title is rather presumptuous given the hatred poured out on me after that time a post of mine was quoted in the Guardian insulting Simon Hughes. That was not a fun time. But I suspect, among my fellow Lib Dems, this post will be met with hostility, defensiveness and censure. Let me get the "Don't hate me too much" stuff out of the way first. I do not hate David Laws. I do not, in fact, have strong feelings in either direction regarding him. Despite my reading of his 1997 election leaflet here in Folkestone and Hythe being ...
If Plaid Cymru were fearful that former Presiding Officer, Dafydd Elis Thomas might now have a bit too much time on his hands to cause mischief due to standing down from the top job, then they were proved right this morning. The Western Mail reports that he has strongly criticised Plaid Cymru's Assembly election strategy, describing its focus on attacking former coalition mates Labour as "mindless". His remarks are worth quoting in full: "I thought there was a very simple message, which was 'this is what we did in government, this is what we did together, and this is what ...
Thu 12th
12:41The Sun and Daily Mirror face criminal contempt court battles over Jo Yeates murder case coverage
In no surprise to anyone with a working brain – both The Sun and the Daily Mirror face contempt of court cases over their coverage of the arrest of landlord Chris Jefferies in the Jo Yeates murder case. The 25 year-old was found dead by dog walkers on Christmas Day last year in a case that would dominate the news landscape for quite a while. A news case involving a suspicious death on Christmas Day *and* of a pretty white young female is always going to rank highly on the 'news-o-meter'. Anyway a few days after her body being discovered ...
It is a rather strange thing that as a result of an MP saving the taxpayer money that he should be suspended from the House for seven days. Of course the suspension of David Laws is not about the frugalness of his claims, it is because he claimed rent that was paid to his same-sex partner. That was a relationship that David wanted to keep private, but when the rule changesd came in in 2004 he didn't disclose that relationship. He chose instead to claim on the smaller value property he could have claimed his expenses on. He issued the ...
I'm mildly amused by yesterdays revelations that Number 10 use false names on letters. It's not unusual for this to happen for "security reasons" even outside of the civil service. I briefly worked for a car finance company and many of the collections/fraud staff used pseudonyms to avoid trouble. (The kind of person who can obtain or fake the documents required to get a car loan fraudulently isn't necessarily a Nice Person. Our staff telephone lists, with two names for some people, became quite sensitive documents!) This seemed to work very well, even as far as using that name in ...
I entirely approve of the defeat that was inflicted on the Government by the House of Lords yesterday, when peers voted through a Liberal Democrat amendment to reject plans for elected police commissioners by 188 votes to 176. The amendment to the Police and Social Responsibility Bill was tabled by Baroness Harris of Richmond, who warned that electing police chiefs could do "irreparable damage". If this amendment sticks then it will help resolve the UK Government's little difficulty with the Welsh Assembly. AMs also voted to reject the idea of police commissioners and refused to give the UK Government permission ...
PoliticsHome reports: A report by the Standards and Privileges committee into the former Chief Secretary to the Treasury's claims said: "Whatever his motives and subsequent behaviour, Mr Laws was guilty of a series of serious breaches of the rules over a considerable period of time". His suspension is expected to begin on June 7. A seven day Commons suspension for David Laws. Stern stuff. Perhaps a trifle harsh (why did the Wintertons and Jacqui Smiths of this world not get the same treatment?) The committee notes that his behaviour since May 2010 has been exemplary. And the Commissioner makes clear ...
Today I am holding my head in my hands about the state of Scottish football and the problem of sectarianism in this country. This season we have seen some absolutely dreadful actions and seen a pretty ugly atmosphere surrounding the game. It has also exposed a greater malaise in parts of Scottish society of violence, drinking and hatred.The situation and tensions in football are not entirely straightforward and not everything has to do with sectarianism.First, Neil Lennon has been on the receiving end of some disgraceful and shameful bigotry over the years! This is, and has always been, appalling - ...
Thirteen Lib Dem Lords rebelled yesterday in a vote to overturn the Conservative Party's plans to bring in elected police and crime commissioners. The election of commissioners would have led to an abolition of the police authorities that cuurently act as oversight on our police. The Lib Dem manifesto last year had this to say on given the public a say over policing. Give local people a real say over their police force through the direct election of police authorities. Authorities would still be able to co-opt extra members to ensure diversity, experience and expertise. Give far more power to ...
The BBC have re-loaded the work children did in 1985 and 1986 to make a record of their local area to the internet. Here are some highlights from Prestwich: Here's what people said in 1986 about the Longfield Centre, which was then a new shopping area. 26 years later we're unfortunately still waiting for a swimming pool...... A whole network of small cobbled streets was demolished to make way for the Longfield Shopping Centre. In a recent survey it was obvious that it attracted people from outside the immediate area, and that the "village" is no longer such. The people ...
It is not often the case that I take against Coalition policy, but I'm one of those who remain wholly unconvinced that elected Police Commissioners are a good thing. The idea of a partisan, politicised appointee flies in the face of neutral, needs based crime and justice policy, and so it was with great interest that I noted an amendment sponsored by Baroness Harris of Richmond, or Angie to her friends. Amendment 1 to the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill didn't mess about, it sought simply to remove Police and Crime Commissioners from the proposed legislation. I won't quote ...
Statement from David LawsDavid Laws, MP for Yeovil, today commented on the conclusion of the Inquiry by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, and the Standards and Privileges Committee.The Inquiry identified a number of breaches of rules, in particular it found that Mr. Laws was in breach of the partner rule, and should have designated his constituency home as his main home from 2004/05, on the basis of the nights spent test.However, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards accepted that Mr. Laws' motivation was privacy and not financial benefit, and both the Commissioner and the Committee accept that his claims would have ...
From a party news release: David Laws, MP for Yeovil, today commented on the conclusion of the Inquiry by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, and the Standards and Privileges Committee. The Inquiry identified a number of breaches of rules, in particular it found that Mr. Laws was in breach of the partner rule, and should have designated his constituency home as his main home from 2004/05, on the basis of the nights spent test. However, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards accepted that Mr. Laws' motivation was privacy and not financial benefit, and both the Commissioner and the Committee accept that ...
I'm a historian so forgive me my geekiness here, but as I mentioned in my blog here back in February, Queen Elizabeth II has continued to pass new milestones as her longevity and time on the British throne knows no bounds. Today sees her overtake the mark of her great-great-great-great grand-father King George III as the second longest reigning monarch in British history. The only monarch to have reigned for longer of course is Queen Victoria and she still has a 4+ year advantage over her great-great grand-daughter. Queen Elizabeth II would surpass that record if she were still to ...
New Statesman - The Laws and coming out Jacqui Smith rented a room from her sister, and designated it her "main home". That wasn't a desire to prevent her sororal habitation habit from being known: it was a desire to maximise her cash take. For that she was censored by, but not suspended from, the Commons.
[IMG: Thrill And Agony] [IMG: Creative Commons License] photo credit: emilio labrador Southern Fried Science alleges that imprecise drafting means that sex is illegal in Florida from 1st October 2011 unless the participants abide by "the accepted animal husbandry practices, conformation judging practices, or accepted veterinary medical practices". This is because a law to prevent bestiality and promote animal welfare refers to "animals" and humans are...er.... animals. However, if you read here, there is a more boring but probably more accurate interpretation – apparently the law makes clear somewhere else that humans are "persons", and are not included within the ...
With councillors starting new terms following the local election, now is a great opportunity to review how they communicate and get involved with people in their communities. This is actually quite a challenge. Would you be surprised to hear that over two thirds of voters are unable to identify any of their local government representatives? Worryingly, despite the hours of work and campaigning that councillors invest in their local areas, most people admit that they wouldn't be able to pick them in a line-up. That's what we found in our Connecting Communities Report, having surveyed over 2,000 UK adults through ...
VN gave you some of the key moments from Nick Clegg's impressive speech yesterday. Here now is the video of the whole speech:
I've been with PayPal for years, today I tried to withdraw £50 and realised that I still had my old bank details on it, so I went to add my new account details. Except PayPal told me that I couldn't as another PayPal account was already linked to this bank account. That would be my Wife as we have a joint account. So I searched a bit to see if there was anyway both of us could use our only bank account. The answer NOPE. A bank account can only ever be linked to one PayPal account. So maybe we ...
I am deeply honoured to have been given an opportunity to contribute to THE IDEALOGUE. My article is in relation to the Tea Party movement; a commentary of the movement and whether it bares any analogy to the original Boston ... Continue reading →
Work. New job is lots of fun. I get on well with all my coworkers, and the customers all seem to like me. Also I am Getting Things Done which is very satisfying. Finances are still up the swannee for various reasons, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. Hoping it isn't a flamethrower. I am doing long shifts on Monday, Tuesday and Saturday, a short shift on Wednesday and a floating short shift where I do maintenance stuff and sort the cellar out and things, currently on a Friday. Do feel free to pop in and ...
As a political organiser, I've seen the highs and now the lows that come with the territory. In Rochdale in 2005 and Manchester Withington in 2010 – the results made all the effort and long hours worth it. In Manchester last week, I presided over losing every single seat. Yes, every single one! It wasn't through lack of effort. Take for example Simon Ashley, the former group leader. Simon has delivered close to 200,000 leaflets since May, good quality leaflets focusing on crucial issues like the closure of his local swimming baths (where his 2000 plus petition helped force Labour ...
David "Two Brains" Willetts suggested yesterday that wealthy parents should be able to buy extra places at universities for their offspring at the price £28,000 before Cable and Cameron jumped on him and managed to stop the gaffe turning into a PR disaster. You'd think that he might have learned from this but he hasn't. Today he's suggesting that universities should be able to cut their fees during clearing in order to fill all their places. Unfortunately, as the Independent points out: It raises the prospect of students holding off from accepting places and a mad scramble for the cheapest ...
You'd think so, reading today's Scotsman,who says that Lib Dems in Scotland are plotting to oust Secretary of State for Scotland Michael Moore. It says that Liberal Democrat sources have told the Scotsman that they want to push forward our plans for greater devolution of power. Well, of course we should. We'll be facing an independence referendum shortly - you won't find many Liberal Democrats who think we shouldn't advance the ideas in the Steel Commission. We need to make them a bit less academic and a bit more relevant but to me they are the best of all worlds ...
Thu 12th
09:08
Do Lib Dem members think the Coalition will collapse early? And what the public thinks about Nick Cl...
Channel 4 News has conducted an interesting YouGov poll surveying former and current Lib Dem members about their views on the Coalition. Their political editor Gary Gibbon gives the skinny on his blog: We have a YouGov poll, taken from 396 Lib Dem members and 118 former members, on the programme tonight. It found that 52% of (396) members sampled thought the coalition wouldn't run the full five years, though 63% thought it should. The poll suggests 35% think Nick Clegg shouldn't lead the party into the next election (against 45% saying he should) - worth remembering he only won ...
Lib Dem MP for Devon, Adrian Sanders, wrote a piece on Lib Dem Voice that asks an interesting question about coalition government: Can coalition Government ever work under a first past the post electoral system? It's not a question I've heard debated before, but where national coalitions are successful they are without exception where members are elected under more proportionate systems than FPTP. I'm the same – I've never heard the question debated, and actually I've never thought about it. Coincidentally, however, last weekend I'd produced a couple of related graphs. I was planning to use them in a piece ...
A fascinating edition of The Apprentice last night. I thought the lads' regional accent app was by far the best. The girls' one seemed completely naff and something you could google quite easily: "Pig grunt wav", for example. But how wrong I was. The girls' app flew off overnight – presumably due to hits in the US, and presumably, I suspect, predominantly in New York City. And apps tend to go to the young. So the girls won because kids in New York City liked embarrassing sounds to cheese off their friends. And they don't like UK regional accents. Well, ...
My best reads this week. Or possibly not as I forgot to make any notes as I went along but all this has stuck somewhere... 1. 'Ian Tomlinson verdict: the people defer no more' Great stuff. Show's how much - and inded how little - Britain has changed in 30 years. 2. 'What the Liberal Democrats should do next'by David Allen Green in The New Statesman. Thought provoking, and unlike the Matthew Parris piece in The Times, it's not behind a paywall 3. 'The story of the AV campaign' by Tim Montgomerie on Conservativehome. Detailed, troubling, a bit of a ...
Cross-posted from Liberal Democrat Voice One of the things which Ed Miliband does right at Prime Minister's Questions, is to start with short, straight-forward questions. He's obviously realized this is a good ploy, as he does it invariably. Today's shorty was: "A year into his Government, how would the Prime Minister rate his handling of the NHS?" It's taken a while for David Cameron to work out how best to answer these shorties. He started by waffling like billy-o, tying himself up in knots. Then he tried a short reply and came a cropper there as well. So now he ...
It appears Labour are right about the Tory-led government embracing Thatcher's legacy. As loathe as I am to say it. Proposals on Employment Law will do severe damage to the genuinely good work the Labour Government acheived in Employment Law in the last decade. As a previous Union Rep, I'm very aware of the necessity of redundancy legislation, dismissal and equality. When you are faced with
I'm a great admirer of David Laws. This makes my opinion subjective. The suspension of him seems unfair. However, I know if it were a Tory or Labour MP then I would be more vociferous in my opinion. If an MP makes claims illegitimately for expenses it does not just hurt the MP, it hurts the whole parliamentary reputation. Rather like the legal defence of duress, only threat of death or GBH is
The link is to David Allen Green's piece on the New Statesman website about Wikileaks and their aggressive approach to staff secrecy.
Bored? Then it's time for some linkage: Colonel Albert Bachmann – Telegraph obituary of a Swiss spy, whose life resembled something from a black comedy about the Cold War. The Lib Dem Leadership Don't Get It – But I Do – Jennie explains the elephant in the room that the party leadership aren't acknowledging. TPA – Pretence of Authority – Tim Fenton notes that the Taxpayers Alliance's policies only seem to be for a very small number of taxpayers. Some Advice to New Councillors – Useful advice from Richard Kemp. Thirty Books from Interrupted Worlds – Lawrence Miles provides some ...
Broadly speaking, the party's local government base is now back to where it was in 1993. As I put it: For those who joined the Liberal Democrats in the last 18 months, and may not yet even have been in school in 1993, that may well seem a long time away and a big step back; for those who have seen the party's ups and downs in the '70s, '80s, '90s and '00s, 1993 looks rather better - and nothing like as bad as the dog days of having a party leader on trial for conspiracy to murder (late 1970s) ...
Display at Nisa yesterday As part of the community consultation on the development of the updated West End Local Community Plan, there was a display outside Nisa on Perth Road yesterday afternoon, with the Communities Officer for the West End and one of our local community police officers on hand to speak with local residents. I was also pleased to attend. The team will be back tonight between 4pm and 6pm, so please call along to hear more about the issues affecting the West End and please give them your views. You can also meet the team at the Dundee ...
i) births and deaths 12 May 1968: birth of Catherine Tate, who played Donna Noble in New Who from 2006 to 2010. 12 May 2001: death of Norman Kay, who composed the incidental music for An Unearthly Child (1963), The Keys of Marinus (1964) and The Sensorites (1964). ii) broadcast anniversaries 12 May 1973: broadcast of sixth episode of Planet of the Daleks. The Doctor, Jo and the Thals trap the Daleks in the ice volcano. 12 May 1996: first broadcast of Doctor Who: The Movie on a local cable channel in Edmonton, Canada. 12 May 2007: no Doctor Who ...
The epic AV Referendum post-mortem blog: Evil triumphs when the good are led by incompetent halfwits « Paperback Rioter How the Yes campaign lost. (tags: avreferendum)
Quick fly-by post before I go to bed; the new blog I was discussing in a recent post has come to fruitition! It was named by Kitty Stryker, who got a chocolate brownie for her efforts, in the end - and it's called One Hot Crumpet :) The strapline is Musings on sexual politics, kink and identity, with the odd smattering of events and toys for "grown-ups". - as you might imagine, it's a bit NSFW. Links: [IMG: [syndicated profile] ] onehotcrumpet_feed on DreamwidthRSS feed of entriesRSS feed of comments
Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg gave an speech today at the Liberal Club celebrating the first anniversary of the coalition government. It's a reminder of why he's Leader. This analysis in particular is absolutely spot on. "In terms of our own identity, I have always thought it a mistake to allow ourselves to be defined in relation to the other parties, or to use and adapt their labels. We are not an anti-Conservative party or an anti-Labour party. Or at least only to the extent that we are different to them both. We are a liberal, democratic party - and ...
It is hard to see how David Cameron can be right in saying that Liberal Democrats do not moderate government policy, otherwise what is the purpose of coalition government? Nick Clegg said that the Liberal Democrats are "clearly influencing" government policy. He asked "do you think the reforms we are going to introduce in banking would have happened without Lib Dems in government?"and went on to ask a few more rhetorical questions. I think they were rhetorical and not answered because of his responsibilties as a member of the cabinet but rhetorical or not they were still questions and we ...
The council's annual meeting is not my favourite, not least because it emphasises the undemocratic way our council is run. I sat through it again yesterday. Readers of this blog know that the power at County Hall lies in the hands of the 10 person Executive or Cabinet. What they probably don't know is that the "check and balance" to this power is the "Scrutiny" structure, a series of committees through which the 116 other councillors are intended to keep a watchful eye on the Executive. The term "critical friend" is much used to describe the function. It's only true ...
