How to solve a problem like Greece? Former queen of daytime chat Fern Britton was flummoxed on the BBC's Question Time on Thursday night. And like David Mitchell, I don't really know either. However, on the wider issue of the durability and endurance of the European Single Currency – and to evoke that quote widely attributed to Mark Twain – some obituaries are prematurely written. Even as early as the turn of the Millennium, the late Milton Friedman prophesied its demise. But claims of the Euro's death have been greatly exaggerated. The current membership may change slightly with the most ...
Nick Clegg has endorsed the idea, promoted by his fellow Lib Dem MP Stephen Williams, of giving the public shares in the banks that their taxes helped to rescue. Earlier this week Andrew Hill, writing on the FT Business blog, pointed out that a similar plan for shares in North Sea oil had been promoted in 1978 by Samuel Brittan and Barry Riley. Brittan was the liberal older brother of the Conservative home secretary Leon Brittan. Indeed a whole generation of commentators could not take Leon wholly seriously because they remembered him as Samuel ink-stained little brother. Andrew Hill reminds ...
The current issue of the London Review of Books carries a review by David Runciman of Scorecasting: The Hidden Influences behind How Sports Are Played and Games Are Won by Tobias Moskowitz and Jon Wertheim. The book, or at least the review, is concerned with the mystery of home advantage. Why do home teams do so much better in sports fixtures than away teams? Runciman says: Take any European football league in which all the teams play each other twice in a season, once at home and once away. Add up the total number of home victories and compare it ...
Is it just me, or have the Lib Dems had a better week? There is a sure-footedness about the party that suddenly seems to be more apparent, culminating in Nick Clegg's proposal that the government should distribute shares in the failed banks to every member of the public. Now, there has been some predictable moaning about this idea. It is true that it may get in the way of a radical division of the failed banks into their constituent parts, but there is no logical reason why that should be inevitable. The City is sceptical of course. But there have ...
This is one of the greatest musical creations ever. Sugarbabes eat your heart out...
His Columbo character was a work of his genius. My favourite bit was when he would go to leave a suspect, then turn round at the door and say amiably: "oh....just one more thing....". It always caught the suspect with their guard down....except in this clip.
I've been away for a few days at the WLGA conference in Swansea. On my return, I found to my consternation this BBC Wales website article in which Lembit Opik stuck his oar into the 'Lib Dem Assembly 2' debate. With the news yesterday that the police have found no reason to continue with their investigation, it is now hoped that AMs will vote on the issue of revoking Aled Roberts and John Dixon's expulsion from the Assembly next Wednesday. It has been a frought number of weeks for the party in Wales and undoubtedly so for Aled and John ...
We've all been enjoying Mark Pritchard's attack on David Cameron haven't we? Go on, you've all been looking up the video and sniggering in your sleeves, haven't you....(I know you have, I do have the stats...). But it would seem David Cameron is neither inclined to let it lie, nor indeed believes that revenge is a dish served cold. As this report from Cathy Neman at C4 News Fact Check makes clear. The even weirder thing is No. 10 are claiming that David Cameron isn't in any way interested in the actual issue of wild animals in circuses. 'The PM ...
As part of the County Councils plans for the Library Service our local library (Arbury Court) will be closed for a week to allow the installation of self-service machines (like the one pictured from the Central library) and to allow time for staff training. This investment in the local library is welcome. What is less than welcome is this Conservative Administrations' cuts to staffing and opening hours - a library is only useful to it's local community when it's open and people can only get the best use out of it when there are trained staff on-hand to help. You ...
Ben Rogers astutely comments in the Standard "Moving the poor out of town doesn't solve poverty". The social-cleansing process on London council tenants will be unlikely to save any council any money, either. The proposals to 'cap' rent in this way may be a clever way to raise money for all those desperately struggling landlords (ha!), but it does indeed indicate an enforced move for many tenants. This move will end up costing councils a fortune, not just in administration, but by shifting the budget to alternative departments. Crisis loans will be claimed to finance moving home, pupils will have ...
The Standard is going for a full-on Europe assault today, with a sprinkling of Tony Blair attacks for good measure. On page two we get "Cameron's anger at new £280m EU 'beer-belly' HQ" followed by "Britain stops Brussels bid to halt deportations". I don't believe a European Summit has ever been so reported on. EU Alleged Wastefulness The first story implies in the headline cash is being wasted by fatcats as Greece, Portugal and Ireland despair. But, the revelation comes that it has been planned since 2004, indicating that the money has been retained over a long period, and before ...
I love Wimbledon. There's something mildly therapeutic about the sound of a tennis ball being hit back and forth. And there's nowhere quite so full of tradition and English eccentricity and quaintness than the hallowed lawns of SW19. I've seen Today at Wimbledon right through from the days of Harry Carpenter to its current incarnation from the rooftop which seems designed to torture the poor Americans like Tracy Austin who has a special bottom warmer cos she's so cold up there. One of the best things about the whole thing is having John McEnroe as commentator. I hated him when ...
I was reflecting to a friend earlier today that being a political activist is in one sense like being an actor. Not that I have ever actually been an actor, although my Zebedee (in a production of Dougal and the Blue Cat) was once noted on the Edinburgh Fringe, but being a political activist is like being an actor in that one can easily become typecast. Although I have, on the whole, managed to shrug off Zebedee, I have become very agreeably typecast politically because, although I lead what is pretty much an entirely non-religious lifestyle, I often seem to ...
Welsh Local Government and Communities Minister, Carl Sargeant, this week told the Welsh Assembly that, In December 2010 I announced a decision to establish an independent review of the timetabling and quality issues associated with the electoral review programme by the Local Government Boundary Commission for Wales and to identify actions required to ensure the delivery of the reviews in good time for the 2016 elections ... I fully accept the findings of the report which contains lessons for all of us, including the Welsh Government, concerned with the process of electoral reviews. The most concerning finding, however, is the ...
The Independent reports: In a rare boost for Liberal Democrats Mark Pountney snatched the Cockington-with-Chelston seat vacated by Conservative Gordon Oliver after his election as Torbay mayor in May. The full details are: Torbay Borough – Cockington with Chelston: Lib Dem 1048, C 614, Lab 357, Ind 129, Ind 61, Green 55. (May 2011 – Three seats C 1563, 1276, 1257, Lib Dem 1157, 1011, 1007, Lab 641, Green 524, Ind 460). Lib Dem gain from C. Swing 13.4% C to Lib Dem
Since I was a kid, I've spotted blobs on the horizon off the coast North Cornwall and wondered what the blob was. What does that ship look like? Where's it from? What's it up to? So, as part of my excited "app grabbing" for my new (I'm sorry it's lost its novelty now I've mentioned so many times – so I won't mention it again) XXXX X, I got "Ship Finder". Then I found (surprise, surprise) that there's a better tool for free on the web called www.marinetraffic.com. Unbelievable. From the comfort of land-locked Newbury I can see all the ...
Well, perhaps not you specifically, but that person over there, and him by the bookshelf, oh – and her by the lamppost. Yes, those people are responsible for me feeling...just like they do. For years, the Liberal Democrats have been seen as beardy, sandle-wearing, indecisive wish-washy liberals. It's not 1973 anymore, get over it. Since my party entering government, I'm sick and tired of being accused of being a liar, a cheat, immoral, unprincipled, and oh the worst of all – a Tory. I'm not any of those. How dare you castigate me and other party members without even trying ...
Earlier this month, I mentioned the airport runway resurfacing works underway and a noise complaint I had received. With the authority of the airport manager, I give below an update he has now given me following his attending a project update meeting on Wednesday : · The contractor confirmed yesterday that they are approximately 65% complete on the project. · Unfortunately due to the recent bad weather spell and a few mechanical issues they have not completed as much as they had anticipated. · As it stands just now we probably have 3 nights surfacing left on the runway and ...
Mark Hunter and I visited the Flower Festival at St Mary's Church, Cheadle this afternoon. It's running to Sunday and I'd encourage anyone to go if you can – it's well worth the visit. The Festival celebrates the 400th anniversary of the translation of the King James Bible, and the different designs illustrates a message from that poetic Bible. Outside the Church, along with tea and cakes, a relay reading of much of the Bible is in progress. From St Marys Cheadle The smell of the flowers was what struck me most as I came into the church (through the ...
TweetIt's a small question but one that is overlooked sometimes. Even when asked the answer is generally "fine" or "not too bad". A lot of people dismiss it as irrelevant. Someone didn't though. I got a text message yesterday asking ... Continue reading →
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 Opinion: Taxpayer foots £6.7m NO 2 AV leaflet bill (26 comments) by Stuart Bonar Thank you EARS, but the VAN is coming (52 comments) by Iain Roberts "It was a virtuoso performance" - Viscount Astor on Lord Ashdown on Lords reform (14 comments) by Helen Duffett LibLink | Danny Alexander: Make no mistake: we will reform public sector pensions (52 comments) by Helen Duffett What's the difference between Ryan Giggs and Ed Miliband? Nick Clegg tells all... ...
There is gin on my mind today. Some would say that gin is always on my mind. Anyway back to the subject at hand, my favourite gin is Scotland's own Hendrick's*.Well the following is a video of something they say they will be unleashing today as the Bristol Foodie Fest Of course bringing up gin leads me straight to the last gig I saw in Edinburgh before moving back to Northern Ireland. It was a solo Neil Hannon of The Divine Comedy. Of course on a night like that there was only one option of beverage for me that night. ...
Last Sunday, or actually early Monday morning all of Northern Ireland seemed to still be awake. The reason of course was a young 22-year-old from Holywood winning the US Open (you should see the signs all over Holywood). It will go down as one of those where were you moments in Northern Ireland's sporting history, indeed for many younger poeple it will be that when where you allowed to stay up late moments. Here are some highlights from that final round. Of course for my generation that stay up late moment came in 1985. Dennis Taylor completed the absolute greatest ...
Today I met with officers from Streetcare and Highways to discuss the thorny issue of missed bin collections in around Foxhill Road . The meeting was arranged by officers after I contacted them following a large number of complaints from residents. At the moment residents are not getting an adaquate explanation as to why collections are getting missed and many are feeling short-changed, as you might expect. My colleague Cllr Glenn Goodall has tabled a question to the next Council meeting on this to ensure the Labour Lead Councillor prioritises action. Many residents feels that a reliable bin collection service is the minimum ...
I learned yesterday that the origin of the dubious notion of issuing 45 million shares in the nationalised banks to electors originated with that arch Thacherite Lord Saachi. It is much the same approach as Boris Yelsin pursued in de-nationalising Russian businesses and we know where that unfortunate policy led. One of the key causes of the credit crunch and the crisis we are in is what Will Hutton described as the 'the oddest and most regressive constitution for private ownership anywhere in western capitalism'. 45 million share holders will be so dispersed and atomised as to play no effective ...
In a recent blog I reported that one of the main problems reported in a resident's survey of Shaftesbury was the amount of dog fouling on the streets. I have been in touch with the Council's Dog Control Officers with regards to this. Wandsworth has a 5 strong team of officers who patrol the borough 7 days a week. One of the many duties of the officers enforcing bye-laws relating to dogs against those breaking the laws. Mike Callis, the Dog Control Services Manager said, "We are aware of problems relating to dog fouling on the Shaftsbury estate, and this ...
Vince Cable has 'revisited' Mansion Tax, which has been coined the 'Lib Dem price' for the party to remain a 'willing coalition partner' by the media. The policy would mean that those who own properties worth £2 milion would have to pay tax on that property, which would also go hand in hand with a ...
As common sense prevails for the first hurdle in what has been a long, dark tunnel for the Welsh Lib Dems and the two disqualified AMs Aled Roberts and John Dixon, the CPS have reported that there will be no charges against the two. The CPS reported yesterday that there will be no charges against ...
Let us ignore the odd sensation that passed over me at breakfast this morning when I realised I was reading the same book as the Times columnist Danny Finkelstien. Unfinished Business is the title of Matt Cole's biography of the man for whom many Liberal activists had the utmost affection and respect -Richard Wainwright. I regret that once again Finkelstien is tone deaf when it comes to Liberals.He has previous for just not hearing the notes or catching the tune when it comes to us. He was after all an acolyte of David Owen whose dissonant atonal contribution served for ...
It is with sadness that I can now confirm that the man pulled from a capsized dinghy off Chalkwell was 78 year-old local Lib Dem activist Michael Woolcott. Mr Woolcott died in hospital having failed to regain conciousness after being dragged from the sea by a passing jogger. The 78 year-old had been active on the local political scene for quite some time and had stood in numerous council elections as well as canvassing for other council candidates and parliamentary candidates. As someone new to the local Lib Dem scene I personally did not know him but e-mail I have ...
There were eleven principal local council by-elections held on Thursday 23rd June 2011. The Lib Dems gained one seat from the Tories but lost one seat to the SNP and one to an Independent. Independents gained two seats from the Tories, but lost one back the Tories and another to Plaid. The Tories held two seats and lost one to Labour . An independent took a seat off Plaid. There were four parish or town council by-election results reported to ALDC. Conservatives held one seat and gained one each from the Lib Dems and from an Independent. The Lib Dems ...
Dear Sir/Madam I write to you in utter frustration at your inability to properly manage the ticketing process for the London Olympics next year. I doubt very much if you will actually take the time to read this letter and I ...
That's "labour" at the beginning of a sentence not "Labour", the party which did nothing - that's right, absolutely zilch - to advance industrial democracy in 13 years in power. Birkdale Focus reviews "Unfinished Business", Matt Cole's biography of Richard Wainwright.Time for Liberals to remember what they are for and to tell everyone else. But who's going to tell Clegg and Alexander ? As
First there Phillip Blond and his Red Tory ideas. Next we heard about Blue Labour. What colour then for those Liberal Democrats trying to influence party policy and stand out from the crowd? Will we see the Social Liberal Forum re-brand as pink liberals or the classical liberal lot over at Liberal Vision calling themselves turquoise liberals? And what about those individual mutualists like Jock Coats? Given my hair colouring, I would humbly suggest ginger liberalism. As we red heads know that means you get pointed out, called names but in the end you are grudgingly accepted!
For once I am out of Brussels when the EU summit is on. However, that won't stop me listing the participants as I did six months ago and a year ago: Jean-Claude Juncker (born 1954), Prime Minister of Luxembourg since 20 January 1995 (EPP) José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero (born 1960) Prime Minister of Spain since 17 April 2004 (PES) Lawrence Gonzi (born 1953) Prime Minister of Malta since 1 May 2004 (EPP) José Manuel Barroso (Portuguese, born 1956) President of the European Commission since 23 November 2004 (EPP) Andrus Ansip (born 1956) Prime Minister of Estonia since 12 April 2005 ...
Consensus in politics is a rare thing. Unless it's a question of adjournment after a long day at the combined tyranny of the Whips and the Speaker, there's very little agreement. (Even in that case, there's the possibility for argument, when a parliamentarian deems it to appropriate to gerrymander.) The recent display by the Lords ...
The news that the ghastly King Street temporary toilets would be replaced with a proper, purpose built facility was warmly welcomed in East Grinstead. Despite the difficult economic conditions, the Lib Dem town council had struck a deal with Mid Sussex District Council to run the toilets after MSDC had built them. The deal was fully financed and everyone looked forward to the builders arriving. However, the new Conservative led town council have decided to renege on the deal and have gone back to MSDC to request more "modest" facilities (Finance and General Purposes Committee 23rd June). There can be ...
Last night I headed over to Enfield to hear Nick Harvey talked to a packed restaurant of Liberal Democrats about his experiences of a minister. It was an impressive turnout from one of our smaller local parties in London and an impressive speech from Nick, who cut his political teeth in the borough. One part was about how coalition government made for better government. Nick Harvey gave the example of how troops were deployed to Helmand Province in Afghanistan. As a defence minister learning about one of the most important issues facing him and colleagues, he had wanted to get ...
News reaches us today that the Government is to close the Central Office of Information, the government marketing agency that has been making propaganda films since 1946. As a Government Trading Fund, the CoI didn't receive direct taxpayer funds; it made its money by selling services to other government departments and to local and regional authorities. However, this created an extra level of bureaucracy that was unnecessary and costly. Frankly, I very much doubt that we need government to tell us not to play with teapots, that you can survive a 50 megatonne nuclear strike by turning off the gas ...
Recently the Battersea Lib Dem's took part in a public consultation regarding the Nine Elms Development presented by new leader of Wandsworth Council Ravi Govinda. The consultation was well attended by members of the local community, local action groups and even visitors from across the river in Kensington and Chelsea. A full update of the plan can be found in the leaflet here. I will give a brief summary of the proposals so far, although again for detailed plans as they currently exist it is best to visit the Wandsworth Council website. There are three strategic partners in the Nine ...
It looks as though Launceston College will be closed next Thursday 30th June. There are a number of public sector strikes planned for the day and a number of schools in Cornwall are affected. The College is on the current list of school closures on that day. Tweet
It appears Baroness D'Souza has a rival in the competition for the most implausibly anti-democratic statement by a member of the House of Lords seeking to argue against them having to win any votes in order to rule over us. Her rival is Conservative peer Baroness Hooper not only said that the 1999 reforms, which including removing several hundred hereditary peers from the Lords, had not improved the Lords but also that she wished we could return to the having hundreds of hereditaries: As far as I am concerned, the post-1999 House of Lords is no better, no more democratic ...
Well the inevitable has happened and the AMT, NUT and PCS will more than likely be out on strike on June 30th over increased pension contributions and a raise of the retirement age to 66 years old for men and women. As a member of the civil service and an ex member of the PCS I can completely understand the grievances of the membership. When the media use the term "Civil Servant" it conjures up images in the public's consciousness of Sir Humphrey-esq mandarins who secretly control government with their reams of red tape and earn ridiculous salaries.What they don't ...
Since the Dominion of Ceylon became independent from the British Empire in 1948, it has struggled to achieve stability between its majority Sinhala speaking people and minority Tamil speaking people. Although the first decade of so of freedom was generally a good time for the country, after the election of Soloman Bandaranaike in 1956, the country took a major wrong turning. The policies of radical Socialism and Sinhala nationalism that Mr. Bandaranaike and -after his assassination in 1959- his widow Sirimavo, adopted began to undermine national unity. The generally higher level of education of the Tamils meant that they were ...
At roughly the same time as Shadow Secretary of State for Wales, Peter Hain announces that Labour must abandon the "control freakery" which dogged the Blair and Brown governments, Ed Miliband proposes that he wants to change his party's rules so that he can choose who he wants to sit in the shadow cabinet. The Labour leader has decided his party's MPs should lose the right they currently have to elect the party's top team every two years because he believes that shadow cabinet elections distract Labour from holding the government to account and preparing the party for power. Of ...
This time next week we will know who the new MP for Inveclyde is. The by-election brought about by the tragic and untimely death of Labour's David Cairns, is to being held next Thursday. Fighting the seat for the Lib Dems is Sophie Bridger, the 20 year old President of Liberal Youth Scotland. Sophie is ...
Few things are more likely to generate a round of applause at a public meeting than condemning the so-called postcode lottery. And of course random unfairness in the quality of a service – the 'lottery' aspect – is a bad thing, especially if people are paying the same but getting worse outcomes. But what about difference – where one part of the country or one neighbourhood does things differently compared to another? What if it's not a lottery but a choice? And if people have freedom to do things differently and better, can we accept the risk they'll not succeed ...
I was saddened to discover that Labour councillor Barrie Hargrove has decided Southwark Council should ignore the 9month food waste pilot they initiated. This pilot has involved over 10,400 homes and largely been a success and we're all working on fixing the issues. It involved collecting food waste, metals, plastics, glass and paper recycling every week and everything else fortnightly. This difference between 1 week for recycling and fortnightly for everything else encouraged people to maximise their recycling to get stuff taken away. In the pilot area some week 53% has been recycled. But the pilot has been ignored. The ...
The news is rife with Miliband's obscure and futile proposition to change how his shadow cabinet is elected. With BBC Radio 4 Today's Naughtie speculating with Norman Smith about the ominous implications of Miliband's struggle for authority, they compared him to Kinnock. Even the Guardian picks up the line that Miliband's review of democratic elected shadow ministers is a big deal. Or is it? No it bloody isn't. It's a measley piece of boring news about a party with a leader with no authority what so ever. Here is a man who only just pipped leadership through Union wooing, but ...
People tell me that I am just anti-Labour. This is not strictly accurate. If Labour want to propose a bill – or an amendment to a bill – that is good then I will verbally back it with a blog. This has happened as Labour co-operative MP for Waltamstow Stella Creasy has proposed a bill that would see an end to legal loan sharking aka pay day loans. Whilst I'm a free market guy I think it is very clear that these loans prey on the vunerable. I was brought up on a council estate and I know of people ...
Yes. Catholicism. as it seems to be the one true way. Ask me anything Filed under: Blogging
Andrew explores the relevance of the Law of Moses to the Christians of today.
Fri 24th
09:30
Ed Miliband utterly illiberal and wrong and why we shouldn't touch him with a 10ft bargepole.
TweetEd Miliband at question time this week was seemingly wearing some sort of mask, either that or Ed Balls had taken his place with some serious plastic surgery, because I remember an Ed Miliband that said `My generation recognises too that government can itself become a vested interest when it comes to civil liberties. I believe too in a society where individual freedom and liberty matter and should never be given away lightly. The first job of government is the protection of its citizens. As Prime Minister I would never forget that.' It's just a shame as opposition leader at ...
Who pays for the news media? < and why? # RT @CASEAdvance Full list of 2011 Circle of Excellence award winners. http://t.co/Ovs9bIq < Congrats to @oxford_thinking for Bronze medal. # Just bought Bob Marshall-Andrews' Off Message http://t.co/2xahoAM having read @johnkampfner's review http://t.co/NIPvU01 # @mjturner1975 True, but if economy not recovering by 2015 safe to say Coalition, Conservatives and Clegg all dead in the water! in reply to mjturner1975 # Two rounds of golf in a week: this is almost getting to be a hobby. http://lockerz.com/s/112178175 # No idea how we started our opium production unit in the front garden, ...
"I think it probably is fairer than a minority Tory Government." So said Inverclyde Conservative candidate David Wilson in response to close questioning from Liberal Democrat candidate Sophie Bridger on last night's STV debate. David Cameron had already said this week the benefit reforms weren't as severe because of the Liberal Democrats. When I was 18, I made my first speech at an SDP Conference, in Paisley, in 1986. It was a reasonable effort, about drugs. However, later that weekend someone from STV shoved a tv camera in my face and I was like a rabbit caught in the headlights. ...
The public blame Political Parties for mistakes made by Governments and in many cases they are absolutely right. However, dig a little deeper and you find a much sadder tale of how governments are run which end up producing some of the bigger catastrophes. This needs urgent reform or in the very least the ...
My spouse commented this morning as BBC Radio 4 played choice cuts from parliament, that circus animals was a very strange debate to feature so heavily on the morning news. My observation was it had very little to do with circus animals at all. Mark Pritchard MP, member of the 1922 Committee of the Tory Party and nose-out-of-joint-backbencher, has been featuring in the news almost as much as key cabinet members due to his ardent right wing views on the coalition, the Lib Dems and Cameron's perceived liberal agenda. Certainly the Circus Animal debate gave him a centre stage appearance ...
Honestly, this blog gets more like a tabloid every day... Anyway, follow this link (or if your device supports it, the video below) to see Conservative MP Mark Pritchard laying into David Cameron and the whips office on the floor of The House yesterday. Extraordinary stuff. If you follow the link you might also enjoy the comments section below the video. As a Lib Dem, they made me giggle. There has obviously been a lot of internal muttering within the Parliamentary Conservative Party about David Cameron for a while now. I predicted last week we'd see more and more of ...
At the recent Social Liberal Forum conference, I took part in the panel on the Big Society and community politics. Regular readers won't be surprised about the views I expressed on either of them (see for example here and here), but one point that I've not talked about for a while came out in discussion following a very pertinent question from Hackney's Mark Smulian. Mark rightly pointed out that the concept of community in the area where he lives, with a large transient population, was very different from what worked when community politics was first being created. Mark if anything ...
Over at Liberal Vision I suggested that it was time for Nick Clegg to change the conversation. The nest day he suggested that the public should be given shares in RBS and Lloyds. Sadly, I cannot claim that he was influenced by my proposal for a big headline grabbing story. Stephen Williams MP has been developing this idea for some time. Many have seen the proposal as populist and difficult to administer. But as Jock Coats points out what underpins the policy is something quite radical. It has echoes of land value tax and a negative income tax. The idea ...
Here below is the full unedited version of Jon Stewart's interview with Chris Wallace on Fox News, in two parts. It is fascinating. Both of the "combattants" come out looking like reasonable guys. Bottom line: Chris Wallace does not understand what being a comedian involves. It was amusing that they had to dredge up a 14 month clip to try to prove that the mainstream TV channels are biased. I am not convinced that Jon Stewart didn't think he was being poisoned via the water in his mug. The whole interview is a fascinating meeting of two very different cultures, ...
Mike Perry is Head of Information and Communication for the Plunkett Foundation. As Jonathan has mentioned in a previous blog village shops closing or having been converted into housing is an increasingly common site across rural Britain. It is estimated that around 400 village shops have closed each year for the past three years. Most of these will be the last shop in a community. Increasingly rural communities are fighting back by setting up community-owned village shops. This is real and has not only happened on The Archers. There are now 259 community-owned shops across the UK and the number ...
[IMG: Former Tory council leader Lord Hanningfield could serve at least a year in jail for expenses fraud] Former Tory council leader Lord Hanningfield could serve at least a year in jail for expenses fraud Essex County Council Liberal Democrats have called for a thorough investigation into improper use of council resources following the recent trial of Lord Hanningfield. In a motion put down today, to be debated at full Council on 12th July, the Liberal Democrat Group is calling on the Council to establish: when it was aware of possible improper and / or unlawful use of Council resources; ...
One of the greatest problems of the UK economy is short termism: that our investors are far more concerned with making a quick profit in the City than with long term investment in enterprises that will create a stream of income in the future, along with employment, innovation and general prosperity. As Harold Wilson put it, it is easier in this economy to make money rather than to earn it. In half a century nothing much has changed. The same short termism exists in our politics. After less than a year as Labour leader Ed Miliband is being battered from ...
When I first heard the idea of giving everyone a share in the stake in the banks our previous government graciously spent our future earnings on rescuing I did think it was a political gimmick. But on a second look, whilst there are likely massive issues to be overcome before it is a viable suggestion, it does rather look to me as if it could be quite a good theoretical way of transferring state ownership of assets and services to the people who really own them - all of us. For instance, I'm a bit dubious about whether the electoral ...
I am beginning to wonder... Having received denada from the first round we were up at 5.30am to try in the second chance madness. But then it started queuing and now it's logged us out so we're having to log back in. And that's to try to get tickets to see the heats of the synchronised swimming for an hour. Really, I am beginning to think that Seb Coe can stuff his tickets up his Saville Row suit. UPDATE: After three hours of messing about on the website, we have been able to apply for tickets for two volleyball sessions. ...
i) births and deaths 24 June 1985: death of Valentine Dyall, who played the Black Guardian in The Armageddon Factor (1979), Mawdryn Undead, Terminus, and Enlightenment (all 1982). ii) broadcast anniversaries 24 June 1967: broadcast of sixth episode of The Evil of the Daleks. Everyone is brought to Skaro, where the Emperor Dalek instructs the Doctor to transform humanity into Daleks. 24 June 1972: broadcast of sixth episode of The Time Monster, ending Season 9 of Old Who. The Doctor defeats the Master, but persuades Kronos to spare his life; Atlantis is destroyed. 24 June 2006: broadcast of Fear Her. ...
A couple of days ago I wrote a small wee post on ASH . I thought it might be of interest to those who read our blog and care about personal freedom and the nannying (and now "nudge") state in which we live. I was somewhat taken aback by the response (positive and negative). When Big ASH piles into the comments you know you have touched a nerve. Anybody who thought that the debate on smoking was over, must surely think again. Some of the comments were so astonishing that I was going to write a whole new post about ...
This evening we had tickets for Question Time in Huddersfield. We arrived and got security checked and all that jazz, and were full of joy and hope. What we hadn't realised was the way they make sure that the audience is always full. They do it by allocating more tickets than they have seats. We were last on the list and didn't get a seat. To be perfectly fair to the production team (who were all really lovely), they had a problem with one of the cameras taking up more space than they thought it would have done, so there ...
