I'm off to bed. As Mark Pack has pointed out via twitter 99.99% of people living in London are not involved in lifting high value items out of shop windows and claiming it's some sort of anti police protest.
It seems slightly wrong to be writing about the riots in London. After all, this is such a huge incident it seems that anything I write is trivial, but after reading much of what others have said I wanted to write my reaction. Oddly, I wasn't aware of any of the run-up to the rioting ...
No, this is not the Bonkers' Home for Well-Behaved Orphans: it is the Jackfield Tile Museum in the Ironbridge Gorge, where I have been today. What you see here is a just a small part of a huge complex that was derelict until recently but has now been restored as a museum. Better still, part of the site is now home to a commercial tile maker again. It is certainly worth a visit, maybe even above some of the better known attractions around Ironbridge. Many of the tiles on display are beautiful and there is also some fascinating social history. ...
What to say about the London riots..? I know: what a nasty, despicable oaf Ken Livingstone is. He is currently touring the BBC telling all and sundry that the cuts are responsible for the violence in London and that the riots reflect 'anger'. He has just said that the reason people are breaking into shops and stealing TVs is because fares are too high. Words fail me...or at least non-Anglo Saxon words. I am proud to say that I have always hated Livingstone, a disreputable, no-mark nothing and his latest statements reinforce this view of him with knobs on. The ...
This is going off the point for me but I feel very angry and I have a need to express how disgusted I am at the riots in Birmingham. I know Birmingham has a bad reputation amongst many but it is very much a city on the mend and the plans for it are transforming ...
My neighbours and I are keeping watch in case the rioters head our way. There's nothing so far in our area but the scale of the riots in London and how it is spreading is scaring us. There is no excuse for these riots. The cuts, disenfrachised youth and inequality are all being used as reasons for the riots. The coalition has been in power for just over one year. The cuts have not really taken place yet. The cuts cannot be blamed. Also, by blaming the cuts it implies that there was plenty of money before which made a ...
We know it's not protest. We know it's crime, theft, arson and violence. What follows is not in any sense justification. In a society where MPs cheated on their expenses, where bankers remain immune even rewarded for their catastrophic mistakes with other people's money, where powerful and rich companies and individuals avoid tax, where the press hack into people's phones and are untouched by
David Lammy, the Labour MP for Tottenham, wrote an article about the Tottenham riots in this morning's Guardian. In it he said: I was 15 years old last time there was violent unrest on the scale witnessed in Tottenham over this weekend.And: Before this violence Tottenham was a more hopeful place than it was in 1985.And: I remember the fear and confusion that surrounded the Broadwater Farm riots, but above all I recall the sense of a community that felt forgotten and abandoned when the television cameras moved out. All this, I am sure, is true. But what the article ...
I don't know what you are hearing about what might or might not be happening in Sutton tonight. So I want to provide you with some facts: * Despite rumours and facebook messages that ASDA, B&Q and M&S are on fire THIS IS NOT TRUE. * Sutton Station is also open and trains are running. * The police are out in large numbers in Sutton and are in control of the situation. I have just been out into Wallington too and apart from a few cars, it is quiet Further update 23:25 There are some youths in Sutton High Street ...
I'm currently listening to Iain Dale's LBC radio show after an hour of watching the violence unfold across London. It's scary & heartbreaking even watching from a comfy sofa 500 miles away. I feel for anybody living in the areas affected, terrified that the next building set alight might be theirs. That their lives might be at risk, the things they've worked for mindlessly and callously trashed. And all the families of police & other emergency services personnel must be out of their minds with worry. It scares me a bit to hear Simon Hughes of all people call for ...
It's been a bit hectic over the past seven years. Having returned to UK party politics after a number of years on the sidelines, I threw myself into the deep end and hoped that an inability to swim wouldn't be fatal. And now I know the result. Six years as a Regional Officer, three years as first consort to the candidate and then to the President, an election campaign of my own and all manner of stuff besides, left me seventy pounds heavier and vaguely annoyed that, despite the fact that I know that I'm making sense, people who should ...
The scenes tonight on BBC News 24 are horrific. It's heart-breaking. The scenes from Hackney and tonight, Croydon, were bad enough but now I'm hearing of looting in Clapham. I was in Clapham staying with friends only last month and I've already texted them to ask them to stay safe. Here is footage from earlier this evening already on Youtube showing the extent of the looting currently underway in Clapham. My thoughts go out to everyone suffering at the hands of a mindless minority tonight and over recent days.
The ERS has the chance to become the catalyst for change in the future, but only if it is reformed itself.
Today, I attended the latest meeting of the Pennycook Court and Sinderins Court Residents' Association at which we discussed a number of local issues including refuse collection, local pavements condition, noise issues and sheltered housing TV concessionary licences. Later on, along with colleagues from Friends of Magdalen Green, I met with a City Council representative at the Roseangle playpark, regarding repainting the swings to a more appropriate colour, in keeping with the rest of the playpark. It was agreed that a re-paint in nice, primary colours will improve the playpark's look. And here's a photo (posted with her permission I ...
Voting is now open for this year's Total Politics Blog Award. Voting is open until midnight on 19th August. You need to vote for at least five blogs for your vote to count. You can vote for up to 10 blogs.
It's quite depressing seeing the spread of trouble around London and other places. My heart goes out to those directly affected. One of our friends works at Wood Green shopping centre (where we often used to shop when we lived in Tottenham) and he and many thousands of other people are very scared this evening. Hundreds of people will have lost their homes, jobs, their businesses. My guess is that many of the communities affected will lose quite a few local shops for ever. There is quite a debate going on about whether this is political, or just criminality. It ...
ConservativeHome's Tim Montgomerie had an article in yesterday's Sunday Telegraph that will, I'm sure, have made the paper's readership very happy, but which contains fundamental contradictions which I can't let pass without a mention. In his first paragraph, Tim said ... Continue reading →
The levels people, and by this I mean rioters, are going to avoid the consequences of their actions is really amazing. Twitter is reporting a flyer being handed out in London, moving accusations away from it being a Social Network Riot and more towards one that has all the coordination and preparation of dangerous organised crime.
Following the downgrading of the US credit rating by 1 company, who originally miscalculated by $2tn, we are stuck with financial turmoil in markets. While an inevitable consequence, it reveals a couple of strange features of the market system as a whole. Firstly, a downgrade makes it more expensive for the US to pay back
The link is to another case where the GMC have been involved in covering up problems.
There is something completely distasteful about Cameron's Tuscany behaviour. Photographed in The Metro today with the waitress he didn't tip, the story tells a rather different one from the headlines. Irrelevant of who Cameron is, he should not demand table service when table service is not provided. And if table service is not provided, especially when the waitress has told him to get his cappuccinos himself, there is no call for a tip. Alternatively, if table service is provided but the waitress refuses, of course he shouldn't tip her. I think what really revolts me is that Cameron, as Londoners ...
I was lucky enough to be in the audience for Nick Clegg's Q&A session on LBC Radio between 6 and 7pm tonight where he answered questions on the Merlin project, Tuition Fees, the AV Referendum, Pensions, Housing, Journalism Unions and more. The audience was passingly hostile to him, most of them not in the manner that they hated him but rather that they wanted firm answers. Though one or two did seem to hate him. I asked the question "Is cutting the 50p tax rate a priority for this Coalition?" so if you heard that, it was me. Incidentally, he ...
Two recent drugs related stories obviously caught my attention. Firstly there was the story that Louise Mensch may have taken drugs when she was in here twenties. Like Mark Thompson I was initially impressed with her 'so what' style response but then disappointed with her defence of prohibition. In my mind you can't knowingly break the law, get away with it and then subsequently think that others should be punished for doing the same thing. It can't be foolish if you do it and criminal if someone else does it, as Mark points out it's hard to view this as ...
What is so frightening about the violence? Unlike the student riots, and the cut demonstrations, these attacks are based purely on illegal gain. As Theresa May said, sheer criminality. The victims are the same as the perpetrators, there is no specific target. The Guardian live blog mentioned the misuse of the word 'mindless' in describing the 'yobs'. Loathe to do the same, I think the intention in using the word is an attempt to describe an anarchistic approach to targets, there is little forethought, as people are seemingly targetted at random, shops rich and poor, homes and restaurants. Even within ...
I hope that Alex Folkes doesn't mind my leaning on his insight into mentioning that the Total Politics annual blog awards nominations have opened this morning. As a new blogger on the scene over the past 12 months, I must admit that I have greatly enjoyed the opportunity to release my creative juices onto the wide world during this time. As keen readers will be aware, there are no limits to what I may write about. Be it about local issues here on the Council in Ceredigion, Welsh issues or national issues more widely, my musings as a Liberal Democrat ...
TweetTwo days ago I highlighted a tweet from notorious activist twat Jodie McIntyre who was trying to rabble rouse violence from his twitter account. Turns out he was sacked by the independent today. Serves him right. There can never ever be an excuse for inciting violence that leads to people being burned out of their homes, jobs and lives ruined, and he has suffered just punishment from the independent. Let's just hope the Metropolitan Police crack onto him now.
[IMG: Galeonkm] I hope the Office of Fair Trade will not just allow a monopoly to be created, Kent Messenger Group may well have served the county well but certainly not this part of East Kent and certainly not with the meagre offerings from the Thanet Extra of late. Still we shouldn't necessarily take a glib view on these things, just now Thanet Council and Tesco have had the plans for an incongruous superstore derailed by Arlington residents and good thing too, in just what crazy world, would you want Tesco's as the back drop to an afternoon at the ...
Just got back from visiting Tottenham where Nick Clegg, Deputy Prime Minister, was visiting the devastated high road, meeting traders, families made homeless, community leaders and local police. However much you see on the rolling 24 hour news – there is nothing as raw as seeing for yourself and meeting those whose lives have been so directly affected by the dreadful events in Tottenham and Wood Green. After walking down the High Road talking to traders and local people, Nick Clegg, myself, David Lammy (local MP) met with community leaders including the police, Claire Kober (Leader of the Council), Nims ...
The agenda for autumn conference has just been published online and the good news is that the ESA motion is to be debated at 4.15 on a Saturday - a great slot so hopefully there'll be a decent turnout to listen to the debate and vote on the motion. The bad news is that, despite my best efforts, the changes I hoped to get made to the motion have not been included. However, the president of Liberal Youth Scotland, Sophie Bridger, is currently helping me draft an amendment to the motion to include the changes. These changes are based on ...
Michael reminds people of the Total Politics 2011 Blog Awards.
What would you think of a government that engaged in this list of tyrannical activities: tortured children for lying; designed its prison specifically to suck all life and hope out of the inmates; placed citizens in that prison without a ... Continue reading →
Nick is touring the Regions holding a short Q & A session in each Region for members only. This event is a rare opportunity for members to come along and question / grill Nick on the experience of government - we know you have a lot of questions, now is your chance to ask them. Details on Flock Together.
Mon 8th
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Tune in to Iain Dale's Lib Dem night tonight on LBC, featuring Nick Clegg, Simon Hughes and others
Iain Dale returns to his evening show on London's LBC radio tonight with a Lib Dem special. First up is a live Q & A with deputy prime minister Nick Clegg, followed by interviews with a whole host of prominent Lib Dems, including three of the four London Mayoral hopefuls as well as deputy leader Simon Hughes. Here's the schedule in full from Iain's blog: 6-7pm Live Q & A with LibDem leader Nick Clegg 7-7.30pm Interview with Nick Clegg (tbc) 7.30-8pm Reaction to Clegg with Lord Oakeshott, Susan Kramer & Jo Phillips 8-9pm Meet the LibDem London Mayoral Candidates ...
Barnet Liberal Democrats had an enjoyable cream tea on Sunday. I was asked to lead an after-tea members' discussion about the general state of the party. I considered asking colleagues to close their eyes while imagining their ideal state of liberal democracy, and then running away before they'd opened their eyes again. Actually, it was great fun and a very good, constructive discussion. The consensus was that we are delivering some great things in the Coalition Government and could do well as a party if we get our message across about what has been achieved. Later on, I was carrying ...
TweetI shan't tell you who to vote for, but if you do wish to vote, click the button below [IMG: :)] [IMG: Click here to vote in the Total Politics Blog Awards 2011]
Collected links from around the web16 YEAROLD OLD GIRL ATTACKED BY TOTTENHAM RIOT POLICE! - horribly grainy and doesn't show start, but FFS Fucking hell this is wrong. You can make out the police, surrounding a person on the floor and beating her while she's down. (tags: Tottenham tottenham-riots metropolitan-police) Automatically posted from Delicious using [IMG: [personal profile] ] matgbs updated Delicious Glue script.
Politics does not 'smell of hope and generosity' as it should for Liberals. The coalition policies for sustainable growth are predicated on a financing model that was -in large part -the cause of the market collapse that we are suffering. No generation of Liberals in the last century would have left out of their plans the radical restructuring of the ownership and control in industry. It is a prerequisite for sustainable growth as well as a crucial policy in spreading wealth, democracy and power in society. As the resolution passed at the Liberal Joint Assembly of 1968 (reproduced below) asserts; ...
Thirteen blogs have recently joined my Liberal Democrat Blogs aggregator: Darren Fower – http://darrenfower.mycouncillor.org.uk/ Andrew Chamberlain – http://revolvingorange.blogspot.com/ Paul McGarry – http://www.paulmcgarry.org/ Rich Clare – http://abriefhistoryofliberty.tumblr.com/ David M Gibson – http://davethedystopian.blogspot.com/ Nigel Roberts – http://nigelroberts.blogspot.com/ WiLD Women – http://swld.org.uk/ Graeme Cowie – http://predictableparadox.blogspot.com/ Josh Goldenberg – http://starkrush.wordpress.com/ Conor McKenzie – http://conormckenzie.wordpress.com/ Gary Malcolm – http://garymalcolm.blogspot.com/ Greg Judge – http://gregjudge.blogspot.com/ Harry Matthews – http://yellowspectacles.wordpress.com/ Good luck to all the new bloggers, and why not take a moment to pop over to their blogs, take a read and post a comment? Do you know of a blog by a LibDem which isn't ...
Great news today. The Liverpool Echo has run a great story about our campaign for more fee free ATMs (cash machines) This is the link to the story. (There are several pages to it)
[IMG: meatfolkfest] Pretty good for me, I think, I didn't get out as much as I'd hoped but managed to nip over to Broadstairs on my bike and soak up the ambience of the Folk Fest, and a had a pleasant rare break from work. [IMG: sledgehammer] The festival always seems good natured and the people well behaved not sure why local business or the police feel it necessary to support a "Dispersal Zone" seems like a sledgehammer reaction to demonise teenagers. Yes kids are irritating and obnoxious but this anti social legislation wouldn't be out of place in any ...
I'm working with residents in two areas of Launceston who want to see residents only parking schemes in their area. People living on Western Terrace, part of Western Road, have parking in front of their homes, but it is limited to a maximum of a one hour stay and is mainly used by customers of the accountants and estate agents and by visitors to the centre of town (although you have to run there and back!) Residents of this area want to be able to park near their own home. The other application is for a part of Kensey Hill ...
It looks though the death penalty debate is having another run. I usually welcome debate, but you get to the point with some issues that debate is exhausted, the death penalty being one of them. Locally we have a housing shortage and no plan to address it. Nationally we have a mountain of debt, that we add to every day. Borrowing money to pay the interest on money we already owe.
The battle to reform Europe's common fisheries policy and end the practice of discarding unwanted fish will be tough and hard, an MEP deeply involved in the campaign has warned. TV Chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall highlights again today (Monday) in his ... Continue reading →
Bunds at Lakeside - starting to be installed After fears of traveller encampments on Cuckoos Hollow, via the cul-de-sac that is Lakeside, Peterborough City Council chiefs had been looking at introducing some sort of preventative measure to any such encampments. At a meeting as recent as last week, councillors from North Werrington, South Werrington, Walton and Paston had dicussed the issue, with local LIB DEM ward councillor for this area, Darren Fower explaining that as long as local residents had a chance to have their say, then he was not opposed to the idea of using bunds, a concept put ...
The last couple of evening riots in London, starting in Tottenham and working their way across the capital, seemingly sparing no town in its wake has left us in shock. People are being injured, the police and innocent bystanders as well as the rioters and looters. Again and again though, the question that people keep asking is "What's going on?" They are right to ask. Unfortunately, the riots have occurred while a high number of our leading politicians are out of the country. David Cameron, George Osborne, Boris Johnson, Nick Clegg, they all could have spoken with authority on the ...
Letter from haematology consultant Dr P to the GP: Diagnosis: FBC: MALTLymphoma, 2006 Surgical resection Peripheral vascular disease EVAR Barrett's oesophagus Anaemia of unknown aetiology Ischaemic heart disease C-MPL +ve Myeloproliferative/MDS FBC: Hb 9.8g/dl, WBC4.8x 10*9/1, platelets 794x I0A9/L, neutrophils 2.24x J0A9/L Current medication: Bisoprolol, Ramipril, Amlodipine, Frusemide, Atorvastatin, Aspirin 75 mg od, Omeprazole 20 mg od I reviewed Lord Avebury today in the clinic with his wife. His most recent bone marrow confirms that underlying haematological diagnosis is the cause of his thrombocytosis. He has a C-MPL mutation which is associated with myeloproliferative disorders and in view of his ...
This is a new blog that's only existed for a few weeks. I have however, enjoyed using it enormously. I've brought you a few laughs and a couple of pieces of overlooked news. I've featured in every week's 'Lib Dem Golden Dozen' on LDV since I began this blog. It would mean an enormous amount to me if I could weasel my way onto the 2011 top Blogs list :) [IMG: Featured on Liberal Democrat Voice] The link to vote is here: [IMG: ld] You must list at least five blogs to rank them, if you enter less than ...
Another day another cheesy song title! Well it had to be done seeing as that was our final destination today on day six of our road trip across America. But it was no ordinary day for today was Sarah's birthday and started with a card opening session before breakfast! It is of course rude to ask a lady her age so it would be equally rude of me to divulge here that Sarah was 50 on Sunday......oops too late I've said it now and suddenly can't find the delete button!! After a hearty breakfast we were back on the road ...
Here are the Liberal Democrat entries in the top 100 political blogs as ranked by Wikio: 1 (6) Liberal Democrat Voice No change 2 (13) Jack of Kent Up 22 3 (23) Caron's Musings Down 4 3 (32) Liberal England Down 5 5 (45) Mark Pack Down 4 6 (56) Liberal Vision Down 14 7 (59) Mark Thompson Down 9 8 (60) Craig Murray Up 33 9 (62) Paul Walter Down 3 10 (68) Miss S B Down 4 11 (74) Peter Black Up 16 12 (79) Lynne Featherstone Down 22 13 (82) Spiderplant Land up 6 14 (94) Liberal ...
With regard to the current fad for looting, Ken Livingstone said: "The economic stagnation and cuts being imposed by the Tory government inevitably create social division. As when Margaret Thatcher imposed such policies during her recessions this creates the threat of people losing control, acting in completely unacceptable ways that threaten everyone, and culminating in ...
Look Sarah that signs says Tulsa, I wonder how far it is? I don't know answers Sarah About 24 hours I would guess I replied - the old ones are the best!! Needless to say my humour was met with the usual groans from my trusted co-pilot as we headed south to Oklahoma City, the next stop on our Route 66 adventure. Now I could bore you with tales of road signs old gas stations, former motels now passed their heyday but you have to be here to get the true feeling of what it must have been like when ...
So, the riots have happened in London, the USA has lost its AAA credit rating, the EU is facing a massive soverign debt crisis and economists are increasingly joining consensus that we're facing a double-dip recession. Where is David Cameron? Well, he's on holiday. Couldn't be helped, right? Of course the PM is allowed to go on holiday, it is August after all. Except, well, this isn't the first time Dave's been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Here's a round up of some of Cameron's bad timing: Selling arms in Libya: Remember when the recent spate of ...
You! Yes you, sitting at your computer having clicked this link by mistake! I need your help! Total Politics Blog Awards for 2011 are now open and I need your votes! All you need to do is click this link and cast your vote for the Potter Blogger! You will also need to vote for nine other blogs so, if you're looking for ideas, I suggest you check my blog roll down on the left hand side. All of the people there are excellent bloggers so please have a look and give them some of your votes as well. I ...
So I've kept pretty quiet on these north London riots mainly due to the fact that I have been a bit out of the loop over the weekend. However can I just say that I really don't understand some people. Some people are truly nuts and/or they just don't think about what they are doing. Ok so you have a problem with the police and think they pick on you and are a bunch of arseholes. What do you do? Well you burn out Carpet Right – yea that's what you do – that'll learn them. What utter bullshit. I ...
So, I've decided to start doing an occasional piece where I'll name one of my personal Liberal Democrat heroes who is actually still alive and not some long dead figure such as Beveridge. The hero I'm talking about today is Sophie Bridger. Sophie Bridger is the current President of Liberal Youth Scotland (also known as "that girl with the placards") and recently stood as the Lib Dem candidate in the Inverclyde parliamentary by-election. The reason I consider Sophie Bridger to be a hero of mine is because she appears to be made up of 90% awesome and 10% real ale. ...
The Ministry of Defence are implementing 8% cuts over four years. A strategic review has been ordered, and carried out, to draft a modern army; instead of preparing an invasion force to march on Moscow. Currently, we are engaged in two conflicts (Afghanistan and Libya) and on operational standby in the Falklands. In this climate ...
The drama of riots and social pillaging are a distraction to the real issues that face society. It's a bit like spending all your wages at once, instant gratification is far more news worthy than the sustainability of a global financial meltdown. Of course such a distraction is a relief for opposition politicians, keen to jump on a variety of band wagons simultaneously. As Spiderplant land observed yesterday, don't make Tottenham about the cuts. The amount of Labour supporters who have jumped straight into 'social unrest tells of underlying reasons' is amazing. Should we believe such nonsense, we would expect ...
Checking Twitter last Thursday when I was in London, I saw discussion of an "equal marriage" motion from John Mason MSP. That surprised me, knowing that his views on this are not within a million miles of my own lifelong enthusiastic support for the cause. Could he really have changed his mind? When I saw the text, it was clear he hadn't. That the Parliament notes the current discussion about same-sex marriages and the Scottish Government's forthcoming public consultation concerning equal marriage; further notes that, while some in society approve of same-sex sexual relationships, others do not agree with them; ...
Few commentators cling to the misguided notion that government spending on consumption stimulates the economy. No matter how many transfer payemtns (pensions; unemployment benefits; tax credits) the government makes, in aggregate they are merely robbing Peter to pay Paul. The economy is no bigger; there is no stimulus. The money is merely distributed differently. Indeed, there is compelling evidence that tranfer payments actually reduce economic efficiency, both because of the deadweight cost and inefficiency of government and because of the "dynamic effects" of increased taxation – of which, more below. The conventional wisdom nonetheless suggests that government spending can stimulate ...
This is the latest Focus newsletter which is being delivered to houses in Launceston Central. Rain permitting, delivery should be finished by the end of the week. Click on the image to view more Tweet
Tweet [IMG: Fundraising Thermometer] When I first started to have a political awakening one of the very first issues that made my blood boil was seeing that men who have sex with men are not able to give blood. To put it crudely, If i was to engage in getting a quick blowjob of a best friend as a bit of sexual experimentation at the age of 16 I'd be permanently excluded from ever giving blood (as now applies to a very good straight friend of mine) under what is prejudiced and outdated rules. However, if another friend was to ...
Magic Hour is just like Instagram in that you can add filter effects to your photos, except it's for Android (iPhone version available too) and doesn't come with another social media place for your files. [IMG: Tractor] [IMG: Blue Sky] [IMG: Dairy Made Ice Cream] [IMG: Goat] [IMG: Empty Bottle] [IMG: Empty Cup] [IMG: Empty Chair] [IMG: Empty Trampoline] [IMG: Empty Swing] [IMG: Empty Birdbox] [IMG: Sweaty Betty] [IMG: Cat fight] [IMG: Kitten in the garden] [IMG: Sleeping] [IMG: Prisoner on the loose] There are two versions, Free and $1.99. I suggest starting with Free, seeing if you like it ...
This is particularly noticeable during summer months – and is a fault which can be reported. If you see a problem click here.
Informatics Alumni Newsletter -- July 2011 Alumnus Profile: Archie Binnie BEng Software Engineering 2006, Manager, Newer Versions, Amazon Development Centre Scotland How did you get from your degree in Edinburgh to your current position? In my final year I attended a presentation given by the Managing Director of Amazon Development Centre Scotland and I thought it sounded like a really interesting place - a small development centre within a large corporation. I applied and happily got a job as a Software Development Engineer. Since then I've done everything from working on low-level performance critical code, launching new features and websites, ...
Liverpool Lib Dems took part in Liverpool Pride on Saturday. This is Paul setting up the stall shortly before it all started.
Today 397,000 Londoners are unemployed and looking for a job. As a region, we have the lowest level of skills in the workforce, based on NVQ Level 1 and above. And the problems are getting worse, as we fail to recover fast enough from the cardiac arrest that Labour's last years in office dealt to the national economy. Not a pretty picture for our great capital city, powerhouse (so we keep saying) of the whole UK economy. In fact, weren't the Olympics meant to help drive forward our economy? A couple of news stories from July sum up for me ...
Bubble Universe (A Short Story) « Sci-Ence! Justice Leak! Very very good. (tags: fiction) tajasel | Tips for Punters: Redux Love this post. (tags: barmaiding) Kung Fu Panda 2 « Sci-Fi Bulletin I am glad it wasn't just me (and Holly) who loved this. (tags: film) Forty Shades Of Grey: I Will No Longer Have Anything To Do With The Pod Delusion I share Nat's disquiet on the use of the words "rape is sometimes OK" but I'm not sure what, if anything, to do about it. (tags: media) London's Burning: riots in Tottenham and Wood Green | Mat Bowles ...
Anthony Barnett (Our Kingdom), Sunny Hundal (Liberal Conspiracy), Mark Pack (Lib Dem Voice) & Will Straw (IPPR) write... July 2011 will be remembered as one of those rare moments where the nation came together in shared outrage and disgust. The hacking of Milly Dowler shocked the country and led to a series of unprecedented events which would have seemed inconceivable just weeks before. The drama culminated in the resignation and arrest of several News International executives and senior police officers; the termination of a 168-year old national newspaper; and the appearance of a humbled Rupert Murdoch before a public hearing. ...
This is a story that wasn't exactly high profile but is worrying. Scotland is trialing a new electronic vote counting system for local elections. On the face of it this might sound sensible speeding up counts by moving to a centralised electronic system at 32 centres across the country. Of course even with the best will in the world it isn't as simple as that. I start from the premise that elections are very important. It is also important that every candidate is able to track the progress of the count and be satisifed that it is fair. This is ...
For the Lib Dems to improve their situation they need to start attracting people – sympathisers, supporters, voters and members. The current difficulty is that people still seem to question what the Lib Dems stand for. We can only improve where we are now by firstly representing the values of the Party and then providing ...
It's blog awards season again with the Total Politics awards open for nomination. Last year, I was very pleased to be ranked pretty highly in the local councillor category, so I've got a lot to live up to. So if you would be so kind as to take five minutes and cast your vote... (The small print - you have to vote for at least five blogs in order of preference. Voting closes at midnight on August 19th) [IMG: Click here to vote in the Total Politics Blog Awards 2011] Tweet
The Voice is only a success because of the interest and support from our readers. For many people just lurking and reading the site is all they want to do – and that's fine, we're grateful for people taking the time to read the site. You can though help us continue to produce interesting content for a growing audience. Here are four simple ways: 1. Let us have your tips for stories. Perhaps there's something outrageous going on in your local council? Or you're an expert in a particular area and have spotted a story other people have missed? Or ...
The Police are asking for our views on their proposal to close the "public enquiry desks" at Prestwich, Radcliffe and Ramsbottom (ie leaving only Bury and Whitefield in operation). The Police proposals and consultation are; The current proposals for Bury indicate that: There will no longer be a Public Enquiry Counter facility at Ramsbottom, Radcliffe and Prestwich. We will however continue to base and deploy Police Officers and PCSOs from these stations which will still be operational and as such there will be no operational reduction in uniformed officers in your local area. The main enquiry counter facilities will be ...
Greater Manchester Police's Safe4Summer.com website has lots of ideas for things to do over the summer holidays (broken down by borough, so you can see what's happening in Stockport, for example), plus safety guidance and the chance to win a free iPod Touch, so why not take a look.
Last week my colleague Sasha Gillard-Loft and I met with the chair of the Council's parking panel as well as parking officers to discuss a whole range of parking issues. The most significant outcome was that we have asked them to urgently reconsider the 3 hour limit on parking in the town centre. Regrettably, the one thing we couldn't discuss is the amount being demanded by the Council in car park income overall. I've long argued that the authority's view of parking as a cash cow is completely wrong and local shops and businesses are really suffering as a result. ...
Just been reading the front page of Lib Dem News (5/8/11). Delighted to see that Simon Hughes, as Advocate for Access to Education, is championing more and earlier careers advice for young people. The previous government (aided by the Tories before 1997) systematically dismantled the careers guidance profession in England: first hiving it off into private companies, then forcing it to concentrate on those most in need but letting mainstream pupils fend for themselves, diluting the profession by making Careers Advisers become the jack of all trades Personal Advisers and finally starving it of funds to resources the service properly. ...
Before I start this post properly, I know politicians can't really win. If they take regular holidays they are swanning off leaving the country in the lurch and if they don't they're workaholics out of touch with ordinary people. However that aside I was a little surprised to hear on the news on Friday that David Cameron, Nick Clegg and George Osborne were all on holiday at the same time. Apparently William Hague was the most senior cabinet minister still in the country and he was taking charge of the initial response to the current turmoil in the financial markets. ...
One of the very first things Willie Rennie did when he was elected to the Westminster Parliament in 2006 was to campaign for those in receipt of Bereavement Allowance, the payment made in the year following widowhood, to be able to keep their Carers' Allowance after an approach by a constituent. It seemed very cruel to take it off her when she'd just lost her husband and was shouldering the burden of caring for her child alone. Over the years he continually supported carers facing struggles with issues like respite care, withdrawal of physiotherapy and problems with school placements. He ...
As a follow-up to my factsheet for London Liberal Democrat activists "Getting the most out of your Mayor hustings", I have done another one with Pete Dollimore about producing a residents' survey. Pete has added to it an example survey in both pdf and PagePlus formats which you can adapt for local use. All the files are over on the London Liberal Democrats website. I hope you find them useful. Next up will be a factsheet about making the most of local party AGMs.
"A financial system in which the face value flow of funds was vastly greater than the face value flow of goods traded is a bubble. The "bailout", or payment of vast sums of ordinary people's money to bankers to keep this crazed system going, could never make it sane.Allowing bad banks to go to the wall was not just possible, it was essential. Instead the poor are in deep hock simply to maintain
What should happen to a policeman known to have committed a crime severe enough to warrant imprisonment? Or a sanctimonious priest known to be living in cardinal sin? What sentence would you recommend for a high court judge found guilty of a crime for which they had themselves harshly condemned others? Well, what if it was a law-maker themselves? Shouldn't it be all the worse? Apparently not, given the absence over a stir from Louise Mensch MP's admittance of past drug abuse . The BBC website placed the story seventh in its UK Politics section on a fairly slow news ...
... that I took these photographs of my office at PAFEC Limited. The company has long since gone (although the name lives on in the finite element analysis software that the organisation took its name from), but it gave me a start in the computer software business. For that, I'm eternally grateful.
Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrats have sought and received an assurance from Cambridgeshire PCT that the local NHS will stick to the 18 week target for operations and treatment in the county. Shadow Cabinet member for health, Cllr Geoff Heathcock, asked for an assurance from Cambridgeshire PCT after it emerged that some PCTs were ignoring the 18 week target in order to make savings. Cllr Geoff Heathcock added: "It's a relief to know that patients will not be kept waiting longer. To wait at all when you are in pain can be very distressing."
Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrats have sought and received an assurance from Cambridgeshire PCT that the local NHS will stick to the 18 week target for operations and treatment in the county. Shadow Cabinet member for health, Cllr Geoff Heathcock, asked for an assurance from Cambridgeshire PCT after it emerged that some PCTs were ignoring the 18 week target in order to make savings. Cllr Geoff Heathcock added: "It's a relief to know that patients will not be kept waiting longer. To wait at all when you are in pain can be very distressing."
Thanks to JC Decaux for replacing Westfield Lane's street sign. It was inadvertently removed during the installation of a new advertising sign on Perth Road. Following residents contacting me about it, I took up the matter with the advertising company, who have promptly replaced the sign (see right).
Flower beds in Victoria Park, looking lovely!
peterbirks: Why it isn't just a matter of confidence Pete speculates about the crisis. (tags: eu economics) touchdownpossum: Doctor Who: Black & White Monsters fanvid of monsters from the black and white era of Doctor Who. (tags: video doctorwho) 31 Essential Google+ Resources Maybe not all 31 are genuinely essential, but one or two look useful. (tags: internet)
Nick's quite the happy bunny.
As of this evening, I have almost completely1 moved out of [IMG: [personal profile] ] alextiefling and [IMG: [personal profile] ] nanaya's house in south-east London, and now live in Stratford temporarily whilst I sort out the whole housing co-op thing. New address here, for those of you on the appropriate filter. I've pretty much been on the go since July 22nd, with San Francisco and the beer festival and everything else - some R&R is needed. Tomorrow (today) I'm going to Earl's Court to hand in my accommodation key from the last week and wave my father back off ...
