I was surprised to see that Solution Focused Politics made it onto the shortlist for the 2011 LibDemVoice Blog of the Year Award along with 3 other blogs (Caron's Musings, The Ramblings of Neil Monnery, Nick Thornsby's Blog) but very pleased at the same time. It is a privilege to be selected and thank you ...
An afternoon wallpapering. looks good.
Liberal Democrats have a long and proud tradition of promoting peace and security abroad – and sticking our collective neck out when needed. More than anything, we stick up for international law. So what the hell is the current Government doing allowing the DSEi arms fair to take place, with the Defence Minister actively promoting this event which gives cover for the frequently corrupt and illegal activities of this particular industry? (It appears that cluster bombs were sold at DSEi, breaking UK law.) Rather than just making noise, I have for a long time campaigned on the issue and have ...
[IMG: Top 100 Lib Dem Blog] I was somewhat surprised, although very pleased, to learn today that this blog has been awarded 94th place in Total Politics magazine's list of the top 100 Lib Dem blogs 2011. While I occasionally have had posts chosen for Lib Dem Voice's Golden Dozen, this is the first time I've had an award like this. I get a snazzy badge as well. Thank you to the folks at Total Politics and those that voted etc. Should I aim for the top 50 next year?!
Heartbreaking scenes from South Wales, an echo from a grim industrial past. Like most Valleys boys of my age I have some coal dust in my being. In my home village of Abercynon you could see the pit head winding gear at the end of the road. From Mountain Ash Comprehensive School I could see ...
Tonight's Evening Telegraph highlights the issue of vandalism and includes my comments about the serious financial and emotional implications for local communities. As I indicated in the Evening Telegraph, our local police service takes the problem very seriously and significant effort is put in to dealing with the issue. It is important that residents continue to report anything that appears suspicious. The Tayside Police non-emergency number is 0300 111 2222.
Liberal England has come in as the no. 3 Liberal Democrat blog in the Total Politics poll this year. I think this is the highest position I have ever occupied in this poll (and its earlier equivalents), so many thanks to everyone who voted for me. Sometimes I wonder if all those photographs of churches are self-indulgent, but they do not seem to have put readers off. Maybe they give people who do not share my politics something to look at? Talking of polls, Liberal Democrat Voice has the nominations for its Blog of the Year awards this year. Congratulations ...
Julio Iglesias CD from 1986 found in my garage recently! (Absolutely true!)
I'm writing this post tonight wondering if I am about to have to make one of the most difficult decisions I will ever have to make. I have been asleep for most of the day with a chest infection type cold ...
[IMG: Clegg Speech 18] [IMG: Creative Commons License] photo credit: Liberal Democrats That is the front page headline in tomorrow's Independent: Nick Clegg has declared that he will veto George Osborne's plan To abolish the 50p top tax rate. He warned that cutting it could "destroy" public support for the entire tax system and provoke a taxpayer revolt. The Indie has extracted this from an interview with the Deputy Prime Minister.
I'm rather humbled today to find that this blog, despite me neglecting it for a while, made number 87 on the Total Politics top 100 Lib Dem Blogs for this year. Thank you everyone. I don't feel I deserve this, ... Continue reading →
I've penned this guest post for the New Statesman about Liberal Democrat conference: Anyone, especially a senior politician, speaking at a party conference is used to being torn between the pull of two different audiences: the internal party one and the external public one. What interests one often does not interest the other, and what appeals to one can put off the other. Throw in the way the media filters coverage seen by both the public and by party members around the country, via well established clichés (it's always a split, never a polite disagreement, and rebels are always vocal ...
[IMG: Helle Thorning-Schmidt] [IMG: Creative Commons License] photo credit: Håkan Dahlström It's Neil Kinnock's son, and he's married to the new Danish Prime Minister, Helle Thorning-Schmidt (pictured above)
The announcement has been made, in time I suspect for Lynne Featherstone's speech at conference tomorrow at 15:55, that David Cameron is 'emphatically' behind a consultation into 'how' not if to bring about equal civil marriage. Yup that is what he is emphatic about. It fails to acknowledge there there are LGB people of faith who want to have a religious ceremony and there are faith groups that want to provide it. It fails to expand civil partnership to heterosexual couples, something that Labour backed out of when they brought in civil partnerships in the first place and something that ...
It's that time of the year again, conference. It's the only good thing about the end of summer. I have been thinking about what the party ought to achieve from this conference. There's a good quote in The Times today in the article written by Philip Collins: "In 2010 no party was in the right place but the electorate brilliantly conceived a coalition as if to say "now, that's what we meant and try not to forget it"." I still don't feel as if the Lib Dems have worked out our position in Government. Ok, people must have voted for ...
I'm fuming. I was half listening to radio 5live after the champions league matches on wednesday night when they went to a news. When talking about the cause of the latest unemployment figures a Labour MP (it was a woman, but I didn't catch her name) was quoted as saying something along the lines of "it is down to the coalition policy. They're trying to pay back to mortgage in four years"
It's Conference time again, my favourite time of the year. This year I'm actually attending various fringe events at the Conservative and Labour conferences as well, which will hopefully give me a more rounded view of political developments as they occur. Unlike last year, where I updated the world with conference news via my blog on a daily basis, I will not be doing so on this occasion. I don't think it's possible to get the most from conference, either socially or in terms of political revitalisation, if I'm chained to a laptop. However, I intend to indulge in some ...
[IMG: Conjuring a Fire Snake] [IMG: Creative Commons License] photo credit: itslegitx ...That is, the Liberal Democrat Blog of the Year Awards (BOTY – or "Botties" as I call them). Sincere congratulations and good luck to all who have been nominated. Having been nominated myself many years ago (and I have only just finished the ensuing necessary therapy) I know what hard work and time is needed to get onto the shortlist. Jonathan Calder first identified the Curse of the BOTY or Botties. (See also here) That is, that many of the blogs which have won the various categories are ...
So with the nominations out for the LibDem BOTY's this year, there are some interesting choices by the panel in the shortlists. Here are my tips for the winners this year. My favourite part of the whole affair, seeing if ...
Boundary road bridge, Newbury, tends to be a bit of nuisance for drivers. It has one of those white/red arrow priority systems. Unfortunately, due the camber in the road, northbound drivers can find it difficult to see southbound cars in time to give them priority. It's easy to start onto the bridge and then realise that there is a car coming southbound which you didn't see. So it ends up with cars competing with each other — trying to pass by on the bridge two abreast – which is a tight squeeze. This morning such a tight squeeze resulted in ...
Liberal Vision is pleased to announce that it will be co-hosting a fringe event at Lib Dem conference. In association with the Institute of Economic Affairs we are running the session: "Coalition and the Changing Liberal Democrats" Our discussion panel will consider how entering government has changed the Liberal Democrats. Has deficit reduction meant the party has embraced a new economic direction? Are the days of the LibDems making high public spending pledges over? Is the LibDem leadership now decisively "free market liberal"? Our speaker line up is as folows: Jeremy Browne MP David Laws MP Mark Littlewood (IEA) Peter ...
After my recent post on the proposed Bude and Bideford parliamentary seat, I was contacted by Angela Smith, who runs a superb website called "Robert Stephen Hawker, his life and writings". That website is well worth a visit for those interested in the great man. It has the full skinny on all things Hawker, including a facsimile of "Trelawny" in his own hand (which is actually called "The Song of Western Men"). But there are a couple of nuances here. Although Rev. Hawker wrote what is regarded by many as the unofficial Cornish national anthem, he was actually born (whisper ...
The Kings Hedges Community Action Day is tomorrow, Saturday 17th September 2011 between 9.30am - 3.30pm. Local churches are working together with the City Council & other agencies to offer help in the area. Housing Officers, City Rangers, Re-cycling Officers, Police & Fire Service will be attending. Rubbish skips will be located on The Ship car-park (Northfield Avenue) during the morning & help can be provided to collect items of bulky rubbish from people's homes. It may also be possible to offer assistance with gardening or small odd-jobs. There will be a 'Take it or Leave it' scheme for people ...
I approve of lifting the restrictions on pubs playing live music. Live music is an important part of both our culture and economy. On the other, I am grateful for every friend of mine who, after coming to see me play, has never made me face up to the awful truth.
In an every expense spared but otherwise unrivalled for glamour, gossip and unconfined debauchery awards ceremony tomorrow night, those lovely people at Liberal Democrat Voice will dispense the Oscars of the Liberal Democrat blogging world. Not since the days of the Erics on Multi Coloured Swap-Shop has something been coveted so much. The "Best Picture" equivalent is the Liberal Democrat Blog of the Year. This year is a difficult year to be nominated because it means that you've literally got to wrest the trophy from the arms of the cutest elephant in the history of time who won it last ...
One of our readers reports receiving phone calls from "Alternate Windows Tech Support" or "Microsoft Computer Support". We've had a call too, but cut them off. Our reader went along with one of the calls to see what would happen. The foreign-sounding caller asked them to carry out several "tests" on their PC, and when the PC brought up quite normal results, they said it was evidence that it was infested with viruses. Then they asked our reader to open up Remote Access so that they could control the PC and "cure" it (potentially downloading confidential data from the machine) ...
The rumour that is currently flying around twitter is that the government will announce that same-sex marriages will be legislated for, and this will be announced tomorrow, right smack bang on Lib Dem Conference. My View Firstly, what a way to distract the troops, to give the Lib Dems such a big win right before conference, i'm sure that this will be used as some sort of sop to try and calm people down and make them less rebellious. Secondly, I'm often clear for my desire that their remain two types of partnership open to all without a ban on ...
For the thousands of Liberal Democrats heading to Birmingham today or this weekend, there are many questions indeed. Is there, for example, a need for the party to have a vote over the current state of the NHS Bill, a bill on which not all that was promised has been delivered? The leadership and Federal Conference Committee think not. Many others disagree. In fact, this will be the first time for many years that the Conference organisers will come under close scrutiny and not a little criticism. This isn't just reflected in the ongoing row about the police accreditation process. ...
For those of you attending Liberal Democrat Conference, there's a great fringe meeting organised by the Community Security Trust (CST), on Preventing Extremism, at which 'former extremists' will explain how Liberal Democrats can help fight extremism. The speakers include Rashad Ali (a former member of Hizb ut-Tahrir) and Matthew Collins, a former member of the National Front. Lib Dem MP Tom Brake and journalist Martin Bright are also on the panel, with the CST's Dave Rich in the chair. It's in Hall 6b of the ICC, 13.00-14.00, Tuesday 20 September (the advert says that lunch will be provided). It's in ...
Thursday 16 September 2010 was the final day of the hearing in the case of Woolas -v- Watkins. The last bits of evidence had been submitted the previous day, and the Thursday consisted of legal submissions from both sides. Here's ... Continue reading →
It is inconceivable that such a relatively small community as the one of Pontardawe, north of Swansea could have experienced the double tragedy that it has this past week. The heartbreaking death of young 5 year old Harry Patterson was bad enough. Police are investigating reports that he was playing outside his house on Tuesday evening when he is believed to have released the handbrake of his parents' silver Seat car after climbing inside. As the Western Mail reports, he is thought to have leapt out in panic and hit his head as the car rolled back down a steep ...
Along with several fellow councillors and a few hundred schoolkids, I had the pleasure of attending the Screen Stockport Film Festival today – a special session ahead of the main festival running all day tomorrow (Saturday 17th). We watched Being Sold, a feature film shot over just two days, mostly in Marchbank Drive, Cheadle (as you come off the M60 slip road onto Kingsway, the houses of Marchbank Drive are immediately on your left). As well as being filmed locally, Being Sold features quite a few local people in among the more famous actors. The festival is the brainchild of ...
I'm not sure how to put this... So, I'll make it simple. I'm in a car, the satnav is set for B1 1HH, and I should be in Birmingham by about 9 p.m. I'm not sure if the arrangements have been made as I've been told they will be, but assuming they have, I'll see most of you in the ICC tomorrow. And may Cthulhu have mercy upon my soul... Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange
Thank you. Twice. Firstly many thanks for anyone and everyone who nominated me for the Lib Dem Voice 'New Blog of the Year' Award. Naturally I am thrilled, excited, delighted, and sad to say not the slightest bit embarrassed. I accept this is something of a character flaw. Secondly, thanks to everyone who voted for 'A View from Ham Common' in the Total Politics Awards. Thrilled to be in the top 25 of Lib Dem Blogs (and slightly surprised!!). Hats off to everyone in the top 100 and especially to the 20 blogs above me, and especially especially to LDV ...
It has literally just been confirmed from Sinn Féin that Martin McGuinness the Deputy First Minister in Northern Ireland is to go forward as their candidate for the Irish Presidency. His name will join that of Fine Gael's Gay Mitchell, Special Olympics boss Mary Davis, buisnessman Sean Gallagher and Labour's Michael D Higgins throwing his hate into the ring. The absence of a Fianna Fáil , for long seen as the natural party of government in Ireland until the elections earlier this year saw their vote and TDs reduced considerably, is noticeable as the other main parties will be fielding ...
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 Danny Alexander suggests £12,500 income tax threshold (25 comments) by NewsHound The 7 Lib Dem MPs unaffected by the Boundary Commission proposals (23 comments) by Stephen Tall MP conference fringe league table 2011: Vince is the new Simon, Simon is the new Vince (5 comments) by Mark Pack The most exciting part of the Parliamentary Boundary review proposals (14 comments) by Mark Pack Opinion: Time to face reality on conference security (51 comments) by Simon McGrath 5 ...
Foreword The need to curb global warming emissions is greater than ever but the political will of some is sapped by the reluctance of others. Although EU governments have repeatedly endorsed the scientific evidence, and have acknowledged that failure to ... Continue reading →
[IMG: The winning local team in Surbiton Hill - From left: Cllr Liz Green (Deputy Leader of the Council), Edward Davey MP, Cllr John Ayles, Cllr Derek Osbourne (Leader of the Council),] The winning team in Surbiton Hill - From left: Cllr Liz Green (Deputy Leader of the Council), Edward Davey MP, Cllr John Ayles, Cllr Derek Osbourne (Leader of the Council). What better start could we have had to Federal Conference than our first gain from Labour in a principal council by-election since the formation of the coalition. The Borough of Gedling covers a number of towns and villages ...
How odd. I've just discovered, from seeing a screengrab at Caron's blog, that I made the top 100 Lib Dem blogs this year in the Total Politics awards. This after for the last few years I specifically asked people not to vote for me, and this year didn't mention it at all. I don't like ...
TweetTo everyone who nominated me for Total Politics Lib Dem Voice
In today's Sun, David Laws has an op-ed urging Liberal Democrats to resist becoming an internal opposition, and instead maintain our role as "constructive front-seat drivers", tackling the country's economic and social problems. Here's a sample of what David has to say: In its first year, the Coalition focus was on unity — agreeing an economic plan and proving to a sceptical country that coalition could work. We have passed both tests. In its second year, the relationship between the parties has matured. We don't pretend that we agree on every dot and comma. There have been differences, including on ...
Total Politics have published their top 100 Lib Dem Blogs of 2011. I am thoroughly amazed and delighted to have come second behind the fabulous Liberal Democrat Voice. They are a small team, all of whom have day jobs who work incredibly hard to scratch every conceivable Liberal Democrat itch. For me, though, the most exciting thing is that, in the worst year for the party in a long time, Scottish Liberal Democrat bloggers make up half the top ten. There's me and Andrew Reeves at 4, Stephen (who might have escaped to Northern Ireland but is still a member ...
Alright, so I've been reduced from triplicate to just the one fuzzy bureaucrat. But I was puzzled about the impact of merging these figures, so I left a message on the Total Politics blog. And almost immediately, I got an answer by e-mail... Mark, In answer to your question, that is in principle what should happen. The 42/49 thing was a duplication when typing the list, rather than in the spreadsheet. The score from 92 (totalling 8) was added to the one from 42, but as there was a difference of more than 8 points between 41 and 42, it ...
The Conservative-controlled County Council, after announcing that they would be scrapping all bus subsidies across the County, have been forced to rethink their strategy and have now announced a "review". I hope this review is not just simply paying lip-service to listening to residents to avoid being subjected to a Judicial Review (I believe it was the pending Judicial Review that has prompted this new review rather than an real desire to assess what the people of Cambridgeshire want from their state-subsidied bus service). The full text from the review notification is below; "Cambridgeshire County Council wants to hear your ...
Matthew Wright's The Wright Stuff on channel 5 this morning had an interesting discussion on whether people should be forced to reveal their identity online in order to stop cyberbullying and hate crimes on the internet. Matthew Wright made the connection between ID cards, which he and most people opposed and this potential policy. Wright
Last week the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruled that a Phones4U advert featuring a winking Jesus and the headline 'miraculous deals' was 'mocking and belittling' Christianity. It is not the first time an advert with references or images related to Christianity have been banned for potentially causing 'serious or widespread offence'. In the past adverts featuring pregnant nuns eating ice cream and curling tongs symbolising a 'new religion for hair' have all come under fire. The blasphemy law was abandoned in the UK in March 2008. However, the UK is far from being truly secular. The BHA's support of the ...
TweetThere's part of an Eddie Izzard stand up show that covers genocide, albeit briefly. He talks of how the public don't know how to treat someone who has committed genocide, it is just too far out of human conception to be responsible for tens of thousands of deaths. All we can do is say 'Well done'. Or not. Obviously. I feel that way with Bankers. The line in the Standard; Adoboli turned himself in after his alleged £1.3 billion pound losses went undetected Is so far beyond my mental capacity for processing money on my mere tens of thousands salary ...
There are two meetings planned for next week. The Policy Working Group meets on Tuesday, 20th September at 6pm. This meeting is planned for Ebor House, but as there are 16 councillors on the Policy WG (the whole council ) and as the largest room at Ebor House will only comfotably seat 10 people, it may be necessary to move it. This meeting doesn't appear on the Council's website, as it is a Working Group. I don't know if the public are entitled to attend, it'll be interesting to see what happens if anyone turns up. The Planning and Development ...
Seeing as I'm speaking (briefly) in favour of intellectual property rights next week, I'm pleased to see Bob Stanley's excellent article in The Guardian that helps balance the argument. I support IP, but I also support its reform. The recent EU copyright extensions were unfortunate. Copyright should serve as a temporary incentive for any given work of art. When it serves as a permanent restriction or corporate lockdown, it then becomes an obstacle to culture, innovation and growth. The only artists who really benefit from these extensions are the Paul McCartneys and Cliff Richards, people long past the point of ...
So says Total Politics so it must be true...
News regarding the possible redevelopment of Well Hall on Upper Redlands Road: the University of Reading has published more details and commented as follows on its website: 'The University is putting together proposals to redevelop the redundant Wells Hall site on Upper Redlands Road. The existing hall buildings would be demolished, while retaining many of the key tree specimens, and the site would be developed for mainly large family-sized residences with houses set back from Upper Redlands Road.' You can view the plans on the University's website here. Please let me know what you think about the proposals - you can email ...
I love Derby. Apart from the three years I spent at Warwick University I've lived here all of my life. So it really, really annoys me when this is the first impression that visitors to this great city of ours get as they walk out of the railway station. Dead plants. They did look really good before last winter's bad weather, but not any more. So come on East Midlands Trains / Network Rail or whoever is responsible for the front of the station. I calculate that it wouldn't even take a day's revenue from the station car parks (which ...
...informing me that I'd successfully passed my corrections on my thesis required to get a PhD. I squeaked out loud. This was to avoid screaming loud enough to wake my sleeping roommates.
At Bury Council this week I submitted a written question on the future of Farmers Markets. I know many people have been worried that the popular Prestwich Farmers Market might not continue now that the Bury's Labour-run Council has done away with the post of Prestwich Area Manager. Here's the written answer I got, which confirms the markets are safe until March 2012, with an announcement in the new year about after that. I know how much people value the market in Prestwich, so its something we'll continue to keep an eye on. The well established Farmers Markets are initiatives ...
This week the government has put three new changes to election law out for consultation: Ending the automatic postponement of parish and community council elections in England and Wales that currently occurs when they fall on the same day as ordinary local government elections and either a Parliamentary or European Parliamentary general election. Mandate 100% checking of the personal identifiers for postal votes at elections (comparing the signatures and date of birth given when a postal vote is cast against the originals on file from the postal vote application). Although 100% is often recommended and done, the law only requires ...
You can now read the latest edition of my email newsletter about the Liberal Democrats here, a special Birmingham Lib Dem conference preview. It features The Three Doctors: Owen, Harris and Who. The next will be a post-Nick Clegg conference speech edition, with the full text of his speech and post-speech analysis. If you would like to receive it direct by email for free just sign up here.
Total Politics have today released the list and here it is: Thanks to all of you lovely readers I've stormed in at number 24! Considering I've only had this blog for a few months, I'm as chuffed as a pigeon with a chip. It's an excellent blog list anyway, so if you're interested in Lib Dem bloggers, do give them a glance.
Whilst I mostly agree with what this Guardian article says, the suggested practice – if it can be called that – of leaving the Coalition and calling another election will help no-one. Labour are by a long shot not ready for another election, the Lib Dems would be in too deep to fight another election ...Read More
There is only one winner of this years LibDem Blog of the year and that has to be Caron Lindsay's outstanding blog, Caron's Musings. Unlike the other nominated blogs, Caron writes in a way that people, whatever their political knowledge, can ...
I watched the BBC news last night. Top story was the poor miners trapped in Wales. Fair enough. (And even since I first wrote this, this story has turned even sadder) Next up was Cameron and Sarkozy rather glorifying themselves in Libya. I didn't find it comfortable viewing. This was followed by a lengthy report on the Eurozone crisis. And then more than half way through the programme, in a report lasting 12 seconds (I've been back to check), it was announced that a British soldier had been killed on duty in Afghanistan. And I thought 'that's not right. Someone ...
I had wanted to include the phrase "growing pains" in the title of this post, but growing is not what is happening to the Lib Dems at the moment. Not in the sense of membership or votes, a small summer bounce in both notwithstanding. It is about becoming a more mature political party – and becoming more mature is always painful. I am going up to the party's conference in Birmingham tomorrow; I don't know what I'll find. Evidence of pain is everywhere. There was a moment in April 2010, after the first party leaders' debate when we dared to ...
As the Financial Times reported earlier this week (expanding on a point Stephen has made previously): The [Liberal Democrats] party said it had raised more than Labour from individual and corporate donors in five out of the past six quarters. In the second quarter of this year the party attracted £850,000 against £300,000 for Labour, which is now majority financed by money from the big unions. As far as I'm aware, this is the first time the Liberal Democrats have been raising more money from non-trade union sources than the Labour Party, which is a major change from the previous ...
It appears that I'm not alone in being a multiple entry in the Total Politics 'Top 100 Lib Dem Blogs' list. The lovely, charming and cultured Stephen Glenn notes that Linda Jack is on twice, whilst the equally lovely, charming and cultured Caron Lindsay has brought to my attention the fact that Mark Cole (Ceredigion's finest), and Matthew Gibson (Solution Based Politics) are multiple entrants too. So, six more entrants in the top 100, and utter chaos at 'Total Politics'... Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange
Local architect and former mayor Mike Hibbs is bidding to win back his seat on Saffron Walden Town Council after losing it by 16 votes in May amid a clean sweep landslide victory for the Conservatives. The by-election was called after Conservative Jon Shatford resigned his seat just three months into his term, citing job and family responsibilities. The Conservatives have chosen another candidate who no-one has heard of, indicating they are really scraping the barrel. We had been expecting a district councillor without a town seat to stand and put up a serious challenge, but there was no interest. ...
The Total Bollocks Annual Willy Waving Contest (as the excellent Jennie Rigg refers to it), otherwise known as the Total Politics Blog Awards 2011, is currently in the process of slowly publishing the results in the various categories. Today they published the top 100 Liberal Democrat blogs and... The Potter Blogger came 11th! (jointly held with Peter Black AM) This is definitely a very nice 21st birthday present, coming as it does with a finely crafted button to put on my blog. They haven't made the button available for download yet but as soon as they do then I'll be ...
Evidence given by Admiral's Chief Operating Officer to the Welsh Affairs select Committee yesterday that Wales should attract young businesses instead of chasing big international firms is very much in line with what businesses in my region have been telling me for some time. Clearly, there is a need for work to be focused on attracting employment to Wales, but too often it seems that this is at the expense of supporting promising businesses already established here. Once more, this week I have been contacted by a local firm who have been trying to get help and support from the ...
There is quite a bit of misreporting over the situation with "X"/Unspecified markers on Australian passports that has recently been announced. To clear up the situation, there's a very good post here, on Global Comment. The short version is that there are two options: Transgender people can now get a gender-appropriate ("M"/"F") marker without having gone through surgery, as was previously the case. Hormones still seem to be required which still isn't perfect but it's very good news for Australians and removes "genital essentialism" – the erroneous link between genitals and gender. Intersex folk can get an "X"/Unspecified marker with ...
To help mark the celebration of Sutton Liberal Democrats running the local council for 25 (yes, 25) continuous years, a family history project between former council leader (Lord) Graham Tope and his son has been turned into a book of political and personal reminiscences. The book's subtitle "Conversations between father and son" captures its structure: an email exchange over several years as son Andrew sought to find out more from his father, with Graham sending long replies back tapped in on his Blackberry. That gives the questions and answers an immediate and personal touch, even if sometimes at the expense ...
I have awoken, to discover, Too Liberal has made the Top 50 Lib Dems blogs on the Total Politics Blog awards 2011. I am deeply honoured, especially since I never actively campaigned for my inclusion. This means quite a lot to me; I'm glad people enjoy reading my thoughts and opinions, I hope to continue ...
This release related to funding which will be used to add to the Edinburgh's Affordable Housing stock. More details below. MORE AFFORDABLE HOMES FOR EDINBURGH Edinburgh's housing leader has welcomed an announcement from the Scottish Government that will lead to 645 new affordable homes being built in the capital. Councillor Paul Edie was speaking as a package of measures was announced for more affordable homes in Scotland. The City of Edinburgh Council and housing associations will receive the cash boost from the Scottish Government's Innovation and Investment Fund which was announced today (September 15). Additional money from the fund will ...
Early on in your career you say yes to every offer, project or task because you are scared that it could be the one that transforms your life. After a couple of years, when things are hopefully going well, you still say yes to everything because you don't want to disappoint people by saying no. ...
My attention has been drawn to today's publication of the Total Politics 'Top 100 Lib Dem Blogs 2011', so I had a look, and discovered that 'Liberal Bureaucracy' is 42nd this year, down nine places. Not bad for someone whose blogging mojo has been a bit lacking of late. I was curious to see who else was in, so scanned the list further, only to discover that 'The View from Creeting St Peter' is 49th. "Hang on a minute,", I thought, "that's me too!" So I added a comment to the post, noting this. And then I wondered, is there ...
A while ago, someone commented to me that, in general, blokes tend to do better at anything that requires self-promotion, whereas women do better at collaborative tasks. This seemed to ring true to me at the time, as I'm certainly less confident at blatant self-promotion now than I was in the before time. Of course, that's hard to test but there are occasional sources where one might be able to test this. The Total Politics Blog Awards published their Liberal Democrat blog list this morning, based on votes. In comparison, we have the Wikio top Liberal Democrat bloggers list that ...
Bloomberg today has a pre-Liberal Democrats conference preview, including this: Party leaders will aim to emphasize how they've made their mark on government policy, overcoming a referendum defeat on their long-cherished goal of overhauling the electoral system in May on the same day they suffered local-election losses across Britain. They will look to build on a history of successful grassroots campaigning to reverse a drop in opinion-poll backing to below 10 percent of the electorate. "The coalition is a work in progress; we're learning and we've become more assertive," Norman Lamb, adviser to Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, told reporters... ...
Nominations for the Liberal Democrats' Blog of the Year Awards 2011 closed on 2 September. Since then, the judges Helen Duffett (that's me), Richard Flowers, Olly Grender, Katie Razzall, Stephen Tall and Martin Tod have been poring over the entries for the six categories. It's been a big task, and a fun one, to distil so many excellent examples of Lib Dem blogging and e-campaigning into lists of the five best. Congratulations if you've been shortlisted, but if you haven't: remember that the shortlists are based on the judges' subjective opinions. The awards are intended to be a fun way ...
Despite dire predictions of pouring rain, the Cheadle Muslim Funday last Saturday was packed and the weather held. The event sees the mosque in Heald Green opened to all. Cheadle Mosque is an old unitarian church so has an interesting character, but the main action was outside with food stalls, bouncy slide, games and more. The police and fire service both came along, allowing kids (and the occasional grown-up kid) to sit in the fire engine and have a look around the police van (in this case complete with riot shields and helmets). Mark Hunter, Lenny Grice, Paul Porgess, Pam ...
The Total Politics Top 100 Liberal Democrat blogs table is out, with the top five being: 1 Lib Dem Voice 2 Caron's Musings 3 Liberal England 4 Andrew Reeves' Running Blog 5 Stephen's Liberal Journal This blog then slips in at #6. It's fitting to see Andrew's contribution to Liberal Democrat blogging, both as a blogger and an encourager of others, recognised with his #4 slot. Congratulations Caron, Jonathan and Stephen - and thanks to everyone who helps Lib Dem Voice in one way or another.
Well, more results from the Total Politics Blog Awards - this time on the UK's best Lib Dem bloggers. I am, astonishingly, placed 7th in the top 100 - alongside Liberal Vision and one place behind the inspiring and insightful Mark Pack. I am personally delighted for some of my friends, not least Caron (at 2nd place confirming her status as best individual blogger) , Stephen (5th), Lisa (14th), Gavin (23rd), Gordon (76th - a strong first showing) and Douglas (89th). It is also appropriate to see Andrew Reeves at 4th place - I can only imagine what he would ...
Fri 16th
09:53
Friday quiz: Name 3 20th century UK party leaders who are buried on British islands other than Great...
A quick Friday quiz for you: Name three 20th century UK political party leaders who are buried on British islands (islands of the British Isles) other than the two main islands of Great Britain and Ireland. Answers will be given in another post at 4pm.
"David Laws should be put in charge of a government drive for growth" says Conservative Home today, pouncing on a piece David Laws writes in the Sun. His article is good to see in such a popular paper. But Conservative Home (or Paul Goodman in particular) get carried away and use the crosshead "The 50p tax rate should go" to paraphrase Laws' words. But, when you read what he actually writes, his words are actually much more nuanced and, I would say, perfectly in line with LibDem thinking anyway: Entrepreneurs will stay in Britain because they know that — unlike ...
As conference gets ready to open there are many things on the minds of the Lib Dem hierarchy and members who will be attending. However, we can often lose sight of the bigger picture when there are so many questions to answer and points to get across. Yet with articles accusing the Lib Dems of ...
My latest trip to the UK made me very sad and somewhat angry. Even on the Katia washed streets of Edinburgh there were young men begging for change. In Estonia the beggars are old and genuinely in need, in Edinburgh they were young and genuinely unemployable. The beggars are a symbol of something worse- the palpable sense that most people no longer feel in control of their destiny. So many have withdrawn into a squalid fantasy world of drugs, alcohol or video games. The misery is obvious and the determination to escape equally so- drunkenness is everywhere. The pallid obesity ...
@paulwaugh @TimMontgomerie the 'w***ers' ref was self-deprecating. But not the sticky pages: that slated GQ's readers. in reply to paulwaugh # @lordbonkers @sarabedford The two of you are alone [IMG: :)] #loveoutnumbered in reply to lordbonkers # @paulwaugh @TimMontgomerie Not that I've much time for GQ. But weirdly find myself agreeing with @holysmoke re Cam/Osborne's snootiness. in reply to paulwaugh # @sarabedford Perhaps it helps if you're *not* a parent [IMG: :)] in reply to sarabedford # RT @libdemvoice Update on #ldconf accreditation: 5,617 approved, 138 in progress, 150 pending. One person refused. http://t.co/MndAXmS # I don't know, you turn ...
I'm was very humbled this morning when I read the Total Politics Top 35 Lib Dem Blogs. Considering I parked my personal blogging (ok not very well but the output was down) from early November until May for the Yes! to Fairer Votes Campaign I didn't really blog hard hitting stuff the whole year. Therefore to find myself up two places on last year behind only Lib Dem Voice, Jonathan Calder (with Lord Bonkers) and Lindsay and Reevesey (deceased) is shocking and humbling all at the same time. I may have been reduced in output over the last year (423 ...
Aside from the debate at Liberal Democrat conference on Lords reform, there's another important opportunity to have your say on Lords reform at the moment. The official public consultation from the Joint Committee of the Draft House of Lords Reform Bill runs until 12 October and Unlock Democracy have put together a very simple to use website that steps you through responding to the consultation quickly and effectively. So do make a visit to and make sure your views go in before 12 October.
TweetOf course I was outraged by Topman t-shirts purporting to support domestic violence and objectification of women. The furore with which the matter was retweeted, blogged about and campaigned against was powerful and just. However, it was the medium of campaigning that caught my eye, again. Social media, for all it's detrimental properties, has been moulded relentlessly by centre-left activists, journalists and public figures. It is redefining moral outrage and truly demonstrating a power for change. Twitter is the key component, the so-called micro-blogging that allows a matrix of interaction in modernity that is readdressing a public balance. The Metro ...
Amongst all the heat and remarkaby little light accompanying the publication of the draft proposals from the Bounday Commission, a common theme has been that our glorious leader is in dreadful trouble, as Dorries-like, his seat is being abolished. In fact, it isn't. It's been renamed but remains largely intact. Even when the press is adopting a slightly more measured approach, it's reporting is rather misleading. Take this from The Daily Telegraph for example... Obviously, Nick Clegg's in trouble: Clegg's seat, Sheffield Hallam, has been abolished and replaced with a new seat, Sheffield West and Penistone, which will now include ...
Just when you think Leicester politics cannot get any crazier, along comes a story like this: A city councillor has been cleared of breaking data protection laws after a seven-month investigation. Aylestone councillor Nigel Porter was reported to Leicester City Council's standards board in February, weeks after passing on council spending documents to the Mercury. The documents listed all monthly payments over £500 made by the council - something the coalition Government had ordered all councils to do. Despite the papers being marked "for publication", senior officers at the authority flagged up the issue with his Tory group leader, Councillor ...
OK, that last post was a bit of a rant. To restore balance, this is a lovely animation of a little boat. Treat yourself, watch it full screen and coffee in hand: Little Boat from nelson boles on Vimeo.
Here's one Lib Dem politician's view on the Health and Social Care Bill 2011: "We need to .. replace the National Illness Service that we currently have" You can read my many other posts and note that I don't quickly resort to expletives and such. But that kind of comment deserves a blunt response: Piss off, Mr Kemp, you sanctimonious prick. No wonder the public doesn't trust politicians with the NHS. The UK has an efficient health care system that largely delivers high quality outcomes, considered by the World Health Organisation to superior to such countries as Ireland, Switzerland, Belgium, ...
George Potter has made his mark on the Liberal Democrat blogosphere this past year with some excellent posts highlighting Liberal Democrat achievements and predicting the collapse of Scotland into anarchy. It's on the issue of the changes to the Employment and Support Allowance where he's made his mark on this year's Conference. Cutting benefits to sick and disabled people is something which every Liberal Democrat should oppose and he's given us the chance to do that by being the driving force behind the motion on Saturday. Liberal Youth's motion, strengthened by the amendment from Glasgow North and others highlights the ...
Tom Baker is back, with another series of five Fourth Doctor audios by Paul Magrs: the new Serpent's Crest audios follow the Hornet's Nest and Demon Quest sequences of 2009 and 2010. The first story has some promising elements: rather than narration by one of the main characters with occasional interjections from others, as in the previous audios, we have a proper full cast drama; and Richard Franklin's Mike Yates is dropped from the story in the first scene, leaving us with the much more interesting Susan Jameson as the Doctor's companion, Mrs Wibbsey. The story takes us to a ...
Result: LD 997 Con 895 Lab 349 CPA 171 Green 81 Ind 21
In December 2011, Moorside Community Technology College will close its doors to students and staff for the last time with The Consett Academy opening in January, a merger between Moorside and Consett Community Sports College. Moorside Secondary Modern School opened its doors in 1959 to new students, under the headship of Mr W Ellison. Through the years the school has remained on its current site, on Dunelm Road in Moorside, Consett - although it has been a Comprehensive School, Community School and Community Technology College since those early days. The school is planning a celebration of its history, the students ...
Fri 16th
00:52
The indications of a significant decline in the number of 16 - 18 year olds enrolling on courses sug...
Recently FE Week published survey results detailing that the number of 16 - 18 year olds enrolling at over 100 FE colleges and sixth forms had dropped severely by 20,319 compared with target figures. Such a large drop in enrolment figures for the 2011/12 academic year compared with target figures doesn't happen very often, so ...
