Anyone who has seen our recent hard copy Spotlight will know that there are lots of development proposals around at the moment.Wednesday night was the opportunity for Linden Homes and Wates Developments to unveil their latest proposals for Gondar Gardens. The previous, rejected plan. First, to recap - their first proposal has been turned down by Camden before it even got to go before the committee. Officers took the view that the scheme was a non-starter - mainly because the substantial impact the buildings would have had on the Site of Nature and Conservation Importance (SNCI). Its still possible that ...
THE LONG-AWAITED Croxley Rail Link in Watford is among several rail projects which are included in a new collection of 21 transport schemes worth £854 million, which was announced today by the Department for Transport. Most of the projects are for new roads or bus-based mass transit schemes, but as well as the Watford scheme there are also rail improvements for the West Midlands. The Croxley Rail Link project, which it is hoped will be completed by 2016, involves diverting the London Underground Metropolitan Line branch from Moor Park to Watford at Croxley and using a new bridge to connect ...
Debate on human rights in Saudi Arabia initiated by Lord Ahmed last Monday: http://bit.ly/ukn116
At last, the 62 members of the Mehdi Foundation International (MFI), have been freed. They had been detained in Tihar Jail, New Delhi, since April 23, 2007, after they staged a demonstration at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, burning the Pakistani flag, their passports and visa papers. The number had increased to 67, with births to detainees after they were arrested. I had confirmation from the UNHCR this morning that the detainees had been accepted as refugees by Canada and the US. These people's only crime was to follow a set of religious beliefs that were unacceptable in Pakistan, which is ...
It was great today to join people from First Capital Connect, Network Rail, WHIG, other local councillors and members of the local community to officially open the new Thameslink station.What was interesting was that despite the large crowd (I counted 60) we made very little impression on the huge public space that is the new station forecourt.My colleague Councillor Gillian Risso-Gill is already thinking how to use the space.There are reports of the event (including the actual ribbon cutting) you can read the First Capital Connect press release. The only worry I have is how often the tiles are going ...
On behalf of tenants in Polepark Road, I recently asked the Housing Department of the City Council to tidy up the very untidy areas to the back of the flats on the east side of the street. With thanks to the department, the area is now looking a lot better :
Too tired for a full post today, so have some links. Chris Dillow on the huge amount of uncertainty in macroeconomic statistics. TARDIS Eruditorum on the Hitch-Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy Tim at The Hurting writes about Lincoln by They Might Be Giants Millennium makes half a defence of David Cameron Why self-publishers should not ...
Last week Love and Liberty had a post pouring gentle scorn on the 1979 film Murder by Decree, in which Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson investigate the Jack the Ripper murders. It happens that I saw this film on television shortly after it was released and was immensely impressed by it. I can still recall the sinister closed coach thundering over the cobbles. It also happens that I have had a DVD of the film for some time but never got round to watching it. Piqued by Love and Liberty I sat down to watch it... and I have to ...
A few weeks ago, I was invited to become a contributor to an American website, http://members.beforeitsnews.com/. The editor of their self-sufficiency section was a reader of my allotment blog (www.self-sufficientinsuburbia.blogspot.com) and wanted to include the material on their website. I would also be able to write to material specifically for the site. So I agreed to their request.The
Fourteen Liberal Democrat peers, including the former party Chief Whip Archy Kirkwood and the former interim Chief Executive Ben Stoneham, joined a successful rebellion in the House of Lords today. The vote, on part of the Welfare Reform Bill, was over the proposal to cut housing benefit payments from people who have spare bedrooms in their property. The peers voted to restrict these cuts to people who have two or more spare bedrooms, excluding the controversial category of people with one spare bedroom – which, under the rules as proposed, might in fact not have been that spare. Concerns had ...
Perhaps I'm getting old, or perhaps I'm just becoming a better politician, but one of the things that bothers me is the tendency of some people, predominantly men, to do politics as though it is a contact sport, all aggression and playing the man if the ball isn't convenient. I've had an example today. A colleague, who shall remain nameless, but knows who he is, wrote an e-mail complaining about the behaviour of a third party. That complaint was made to an e-mail list including the person the person being complained against, in front of all of the people she ...
"The public were promised that they would be given the power to kick out bad MPs but now we find out that isn't really happening,"complains Matthew Sinclair from the TaxPayers' Alliance, discussing a draft bill to allow the recall of MPs found guilty of serious wrong-doing. Back in June I said that such a bill: would mean ... that in many seats defeated parties would spend their time collecting signatures in an attempt to have the result of the previous general election set aside. Zac Goldsmith's Recall of Elected Representatives Bill envisages that it would take 10 per cent of ...
While I have a soft spot for the BBC News entry: Fake sheep put behind bars to stop driver confusion the judges were unable to look beyond the Shropshire Star and: Curfew for farmer who stole 860 pairs of knickers
There's nothing that warms the cockles of most Liberal Democrat hearts quite like electoral reform. Those of us who attended Federal Conference found ourselves approached by very nice young people with clipboards who invited us to join a new organisation, Liberal Democrats for Electoral Reform. LDER styles itself as "the home for Liberal Democrats who want to see a fairer and more effective voting system." Today, their acting chair, Crispin Allard sent out an e-mail to all the supporters who'd signed up. It has been a while since we were in touch at Federal Conference, so I thought I should ...
Would you buy a strawberry juice or smoothie if you knew it consisted mainly of apples? Do you want to know which 'juice' contains additional sugar or sweeteners? How healthy is your fruity drink? Euro MPs today decided to put ... Continue reading →
Stansted Mountfitchet and surrounding area YOUR HEALTH CENTRE PUBLIC MEETING on Friday 20th Jan. 2012 At the hall behind the Free Church, Chapel Hill, at 7:30 pm Representatives from West Essex Primary Care Trust and Pelham Structures the developers will be present, our GP's and Parish Councils have also been invited. The purpose of the meeting is to give the community the opportunity to learn more about planning application UTT/2384/11/FUL and what you can do to support it. The application details the development proposed for the Castle Lotus garage site in Lower St. including a "State of the art" health ...
The Christmas holidays always bring some disruption to bin collections owing to the cluster of bank holidays. This year is no exception and collections usually scheduled between Boxing Day and January 6th are all moved back one day.This means if your bins are due to be collected on Thursdays, then they won't be collected on the 29th December and 5th January, but will instead be collected on Friday 30th and and Friday 6th January.Collections should be back to normal on the week starting Monday 9th January.On the subject of bins and Christmas, after the holidays real Christmas trees can be ...
Wed 14th
16:45
What Lib Dem members think of George Osborne's autumn statement (and the two measures they oppose)
Lib Dem Voice has polled our members-only forum to discover what Lib Dem members think of various political issues, the Coalition, and the performance of key party figures. Some 550 party members responded, and we're currently publishing the full results. Lib Dem members give thumbs-up (mostly) to Osborne's autumn statement Two weeks ago, the Chancellor George Osborne updated MPs on the state of the economy and the government's future plans in his Autumn Statement as the Office for Budget Responsibility published its latest growth and borrowing forecasts. LDV asked: Do you support or oppose the following policies announced by the ...
What is often branded as the 'national interest' is nothing but a justification for the pursuit of internal politics.The question of politics, the economy and democracy. Read article at Opendemocracy.
Cameron-having burnt his boats with the mainstream centre right parties in Europe-turned up to the Euro summit with no allies. In order to stop a Tobin/Robin Hood tax ( read the report from Stamp out poverty here)he has damaged Britain's long term interests.* My Lib Dem MEP has issued the following statement: David Cameron was this morning accused of relegating Britain to the second division of Europe.Liberal Democrat MEP Chris Davies claimed that by wrecking agreement between EU countries in Brussels the Prime Minister had ensured that a two speed Europe would develop.He said: "Far from keeping Britain strong, Cameron ...
Many Liberals and others on the progressive wing of politics have been interested in a transaction tax for financial services. Earlier this week I posted a link to a third world campaign Stamp Out Poverty advocating the tax and a variation of the proposal has been in the Lib Dem manifesto. Today a letter has appeared in Guardian from the Social Liberal Forum and Compass .................Everyone who cares about Britain's future at the heart of Europe needs to do two things. First, we must be committed to be part of the European debate, no matter how difficult that currently feels. ...
Ed Miliband's decision to oppose the recent public sector strike whilst trying to look as if he backed the unions appears to have won him no friends. A survey by Labour List has found his popularity (or lack of it) has plummeted since the day off taken by public sector workers. Only 26% rated him as excellent or good. Remember, this is a survey of genuine Labour anorak wearers so these are people
It's December which means for those who have them, it's time to get out those chocolate advent calendars! But for those of you who, like me, don't do such things anymore (and indeed for those of you who still do!), I thought I'd give my own unique little twist on this festive time of year with my Musical Advent Calendar countdown of my Top 25 favourite Christmas songs! I'm blogging a song a day, culminating with my favourite on Christmas Eve. So let's continue on our seasonal countdown... Cole's Musical Christmas Advent Calendar - Day 14! Today, I bring you ...
Readers will be interested to learn that the head of Merseytravel is leaving. Sadly he is not taking the Chair of the organisation with him. As the Tory Leader on the authority asked? Why did he start looking for a new job? Was it that a wedge had been driven between him and Cllr Dowd over the issue of vertical intergration? (that is running the rail and the trains. The authority spent mega sums promoting this cause only to perform a handbrake U turn at the last minute without tabling any written advice to members ) Freedom of Information ...
"....... reducing the number of senior pitches and reconfiguring them as juniors." That single sentence in the Playing Pitch report for County Durham should strike fear, and anger, into the heart of adult footballers across the Derwent Valley. The Playing Pitch Strategy was passed by the County Council Cabinet today. I had gone to Crook to put in my twopennyworth but by the time a string of cabinet members had used each of the previous 15 items as an excuse for an attack on the coalition government, I had to leave before I could make my remarks and ask my ...
I've just watched the much talked about video of a young man being thrown off a train by a fellow passenger for not having a valid ticket and I have to say I'm horrified. There are no excuses for the way the young man behaved. Using the F word to someone in the course of their work is just not on. Nor is trying to take a train journey without paying the fare. However, for a fellow passenger to literally take the guy by the scruff of the neck and put him off the train in such a manner was ...
Here is an update of a meeting that went on longer than most do. The key points to note are as follows: I asked the Council Leader what proportion of the Priory Centre user groups have found replacement accomodation in Acton or the borough. He declined to answer the question so we have to assume that zero or almost none of the groups have found accommodation. Most priority must be given to help the groups. There was a petiton handed in relating to the possible (likely) closure of Ealing Hospital. Lib Dem Councillor excellently spoke up for patients and residents ...
Scotland recently held its internal elections to determine the make up of its Party Committees and Office Bearers. Only one office bearer post was contested, that of Vice Convener (Campaigns and Candidates). That election was won by Katy Gordon, former candidate for Glasgow North and the Glasgow Regional list and Convener of Scottish Women Liberal Democrats. Office bearers continuing in post are: Convener: Craig Harrow President: Malcolm Bruce MP Deputy Leader: Jo Swinson MP Vice Convener (Policy): John Edward Vice Convener (Conference): Shabnum Mustapha All committee elections except Conference Committee are conducted by all member ballot. Scotland allows all members ...
Cross-posted from Liberal Democrat Voice It was the last pre-Christmas Prime Minister's Questions today and we saw the return of Nick Clegg loyally sitting at the PM's right-hand side. Ed Miliband started on the economy, and the news that unemployment is up again. He quoted David Cameron's words when he came to office, saying that jobs would be "uppermost". "What's gone wrong?" asked the opposition leader. Cameron's main thrust during the 2010 election campaign was that new private sector jobs should lead the economic recovery and more than replace lost public sector jobs. Miliband did a good job of exposing ...
Today's Metro yielded a surprising story about Christmas and shows the terrifying side to culture in this country and greed (also in my opinion bad parenting.) Makeeda Austin wrote to Santa with a wish list including a Blackberry and the real life Justin Bieber. Awww... She's 13 and she knows Santa doesn't exist. I don't really believe in Santa anymore but I was angry because I thought I wasn't going to get all the presents I wanted this year. I want all these things and I don't see why I shouldn't get them. What? Maybe I'm old fashioned but I'd ...
Wed 14th
13:52
Fantastic News. 'The Protestor', personified by Mohammad Al Bouazizi is Time 'Person of the Year" We...
Of course its not all down to this blogs campaign - we'll have had a marginal effect - but the petition, the letters, the Facebook page and the endless Tweets all seem to have made a difference. Here's the full story. And here's an interview Mohammad's mother in Time and a review of his actions, again from Time Thank you to everyone who has helped, including MPs from all parties, friends and contacts from Twitter and Facebook, The New Statesman, Lib Dem Voice and even Michael Winner. It's fantastic news - a true tribute to the man who in 2011 ...
All good things must come to an end. I am talking of course about City's 15 league match unbeaten streak, which came to an end with our defeat to Chelsea on Monday. I could point out the blatant penalty not awarded ... Continue reading →
There was a time when travelling from Northern Ireland to London you could travel by sleeper from Stranraer Harbour to Euston – and indeed in the same manner in the opposite direction. Even as late as 1990 this was possible. ... Continue reading →
Lots of quotes from Nick last night at the Parliamentary meeting - including this notable one (which I've taken from the Telegraph): "The Deputy Prime Minister told a private meeting of more than 100 MPs and peers that he would not play "Russian roulette" with the Conservatives over David Cameron's rejection of a new European treaty. He said: "I don't want to be the last leader of the Liberal Democrats by provoking a general election today." His speech, which was applauded by the meeting, came as a poll put the Lib Dems on just 12 per cent, just ahead of ...
Local Liberal Democrat MP Dan Rogerson is urging people across Cornwall to see if they are eligible for help with gas and electricity bills this winter. New figures have revealed that around 6,200 households in North Cornwall - and over 33,000 across the Duchy - are entitled to some form of assistance with their fuel bills. That help is worth an average of £250 per household and a free helpline is available for more information. The Home Heat Helpline is a free service that provides independent advice to people on low incomes on how to get help with their gas ...
It was the last pre-Christmas Prime Minister's Questions today and we saw the return of Nick Clegg loyally sitting at the PM's right-hand side. Ed Miliband started on the economy, and the news that unemployment is up again. He quoted David Cameron's words when he came to office, saying that jobs would be "uppermost". "What's gone wrong?" asked the opposition leader. Cameron's main thrust during the 2010 election campaign was that new private sector jobs should lead the economic recovery and more than replace lost public sector jobs. Miliband did a good job of exposing that this bright idea has ...
I came across this plot of the summer riot offences on an outline map of Southwark. In East Dulwich It shows 4 offences in the main part of Lordship Lane and a couple nearer Dulwich library. Mostly these were the odd glass pane being smashed. One attempted looter was citizen arrested and anecdotally relieved when the Police rescued him from several angry locals detaining him at his displeasure. I wonder how many of these offences were related to the riots and how many would have occurred anyway. Overall crime was down. Probably people staying at home. But obviously the fear ...
Chris White appeared on ITV and Sky yesterday to sound a warning shot about the potential threat to traditional local markets from the proposals published by Mary Portas. Chris said: 'There are some sensible thoughts here but it is a pity that she did not think to talk to local government before publishing. One proposal is particularly threatening to the market in St Albans: "Make it easier for people to become market traders by removing unnecessary regulations so that anyone can trade on the high street unless there is a valid reason why not". 'It is all very well to ...
This is one of my series of lunchtime blogposts. The man who looks likely to be Obama's opponent in the 2012 US presidential elections is Newt Gingrich - the man who once closed down the federal government because President Clinton made him sit at the back of a plane. In an interview, Gingrich thought it would be a good idea to describe the Palestinians as "an invented Palestinian people who are in fact Arabs and who were historically part of the Arab community. And they had a chance to go many places, and for a variety of political reasons we ...
Wed 14th
12:30
ComRes shows Lib Dems getting most significant post-Summit boost, public narrowly support Clegg's cr...
First ComRes poll since the EU summit shows Con and Lab even and Liberal Democrats making a small improvement. It's noteworthy that there's no huge shift for any of the major parties, however YouGov last night had UKIP down to 4%, so presumably some Eurosceptics feel satiated by Cameron's veto. Also of note, YouGov asked its survey takers whether they thought Nick Clegg was right to criticise David Cameron in the way that he did following the veto and the results show a narrow backing by 45% to 44% in the general voters while both Lab and Lib voters comfortably ...
This post originally appeared on 13th December 2011 on the Huffington Post UK. At a Commons debate ahead of the European Council meeting, one Eurosceptic MP suggested that negotiating within the EU was like the deals that the British pre-war prime minister Neville Chamberlain did with Hitler. The comment was, I would guess, deliberately and wilfully offensive. Ironically it set my mind thinking and I have come to the conclusion that in fact it is the Eurosceptics themselves - not our EU partners - who have an unquenchable appetite for concessions. They will take Cameron's Khrushchev-like banging of his shoe ...
Tuesday: From Star Wars Lego Advent Calendar Day 13: R2-Q5 has a hidden agenda... can we trust him? (Clue: No!)
The ALDC Office will be open until 3.00pm on Friday 23 December 2011, and re-open at 9.30am on Tuesday 3 January 2012. Messages on the answerphone will be dealt with in the new year, so if there are any urgent advice queries please use the "Advice" facility on this website, which will be checked over the holiday period. If there are any urgent queries over the myCouncillor system, or any system problems, these should also be reported through the same link. Can we take the opportunity to wish all our members and friends a very Happy Christmas, and the very ...
Wed 14th
11:55Exclusive: 62% of Lib Dem members back Coalition's deficit policy & 60% back post-2015 cuts to e...
Lib Dem Voice has polled our members-only forum to discover what Lib Dem members think of various political issues, the Coalition, and the performance of key party figures. Some 550 party members responded, and we'll be publishing the full results here over the next few days. 62% back Coalition's deficit policy LDV asked: Thinking about the government's economic policies, which of the following best reflects your view? 62% – Borrowing more at a time when we already owe so much will simply make matters worse, as the country will have to pay back even more money in the longer term. ...
The archived webcast of yesterday's meeting of the Corporate Resource Overview and Scrutiny Committee is now available on the Cornwall Council website. Don't be put off by the name of the committee – it was actually quite an interesting meeting. Kevin Lavery, Chief Executive of the Council, and the Leader Alec Robertson came along to ...
The latest report by the Electoral Commission on the number of un-registered voters makes sobering reading. It also highlights why we desperately need to retain the annual canvass system and beef up the work done to ensure that everyone entitled to does register to vote. According to the elections watchdog, there are as many as 6 million people allowed to register but who have not done so. Among the worst affected groups are 19-24 year olds (of whom 44% are not registered) and those who have moved house recently (of whom just 14% are registered). The switch to individual registration ...
The Government has announced today their plans to allow for a 'recall' system for MPs found guilty of serious wrong doing. But the system has been strongly criticised as putting the power in the hands of MPs rather than voters. The basic premise is that if 10% of constituents sign a petition for recall then an MP would face a by-election. But the government has inserted caveats that mean that the final decision will rest with MPs themselves in cases where the MP is not sent to jail (an MP sent to jail for more than a year is automatically ...
Wed 14th
10:34
Featured in Lib Dem Voice: Individuality on EU is the start of the Liberal Democrat recovery
Lib Dems would have winced when the news broke about Cameron's EU veto, but it's the biggest chance yet to express our party's individuality. Since the tuition fee rise and EMA's abolition, I haven't liked Nick Clegg. Although I agreed with the coalition being formed, I didn't agree with the coalition negotiation team he chose. ...
Charles with the Caledonian Sleeper The Caledonian sleeper services are a Scottish institution, a symbol of the comfort and style which was once the hallmark of the railways. They are invaluable for connecting the more remote parts of the Highlands to the UK Capital, allowing Scottish people to reach morning meetings in England and Londoners to catch the Deerstalker Express straight to the most beautiful places in the world. I've lost count of the number of individuals & businesses who have been in touch over the years to tell me just how important the sleeper is to them. However, like ...
I wrote sometime ago that Nick Clegg needed to stop being so reasonable with the Tories and considering what has happened I think I need to revisit this idea. The reasonable man adapts himself to the world. The unreasonable man persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the ...
Having been a civil servant for 16 years before becoming an Assembly Member, I am very familiar with the concept of regional pay and have been opposed to it for as long. If it were to be introduced then it would entrench Wales as a low-pay economy, both in the public and private sectors. More to the point it would mean men and women doing the same job at different ends of the country for different rates of pay. I think the concept of being paid the rate for the job is an important principle in the public sector. But ...
The Greater Bristol Bus Network project has been trying to encourage more people to use buses by improving bus shelters and other infrastructure on key routes. As part of this, South Glos is going to install some additional raised kerbs on the Bristol-Yate corridor and change some of the existing bus stop clearway markings so the buses can line up properly with the raised kerbs. You can see what's planned and make any comments you may have on the South Glos website - the closing date is 23rd December. Subject to comments, the work is expected to be carried out ...
Lib Dems would have winced when the news broke about Cameron's EU veto, but it's the biggest chance yet to express our party's individuality. Since the tuition fee rise and EMA's abolition, I haven't liked Nick Clegg. Although I agreed with the coalition being formed, I didn't agree with the coalition negotiation team he chose. I haven't agreed with a lot of what he's done as leader. And I've sat grumbling about it for months. But over the past few days my respect for Nick has significantly improved. Why? Well I'm starting to see something different from Nick and our ...
Cllr Darren Fower, local LIB DEM ward councillor for the South Werrington and North Gunthorpe area, has been contacted by several residents, regarding an overgrown bush situated between the Village Post Office on The Green and the Bluebell Pub. One resident said that they had nearly "had their eye out" as they passed by and now, Darren has now requested the local authority takes action to trim the hedge back. Commenting, Darren explained: "The plan here is to trim this bush back before it gets further overgrown. At the end of the day pedestrian have rights and dangerous and pointy ...
The Mirror gives quite a lot of detail of a gathering at the Ministry of Sound (where else?) on Monday night: DEPUTY PM Nick Clegg has stuck the boot into David Cameron at his party's boozy Christmas do. Lib Dems cheered and hooted with laughter as Mr Clegg taunted their Tory partners and the Prime Minister over his vetoing of the euro rescue plan. The Lib Dem leader said he had been told to avoid political gags "but I will mention Europe". And he could not resist playing to the crowd at the nightclub. He said: "It is very unfamiliar ...
I've spoken before about the need for more houses in Prudhoe for people on the housing list to be able to rent at affordable levels. The situation is far, far worse in Prudhoe West (my ward) where a lot of the houses have Most of the houses in the main sites in the town are spoken for and we have reached the edge of the greenbelt, so what to do? Well maybe get empty homes into action. No dice. As I discovered at the area committee last night, Prudhoe West has the second lowest levels of empty homes in the ...
A new service designed to take away some of the stress of notifying Government departments and local councils of a birth or death will be launched in Cambridgeshire tomorrow, December 1. The national Tell Us Once scheme will be rolled out in Cambridgeshire as part of local public services commitment to work together and cut through red tape. The scheme has been launched by Cambridgeshire County Council as well as district and city councils across the county, and is backed by the Government. Our video shows the benefits of Tell Us Once and what can be expected when you come ...
Carrying onwards ever onwards towards the sound of sleigh bells one does wonder what all the good boys and girls are wanting for Christmas. A few years ago an antipodean songstress added her twist to this classic Eartha Kitt number. Christmas now just wouldn't be Christmas without Kylie
Over on the Spectator website, Peter Hoskin neatly summarises the latest warming in the Labour Party's official attitude towards the Liberal Democrats: Remember when MiliE described them as a 'disgrace to the traditions of liberalism'? Since then he has said that, actually, he'd work with the Lib Dems so long as they ditched Clegg; that he'd work with them even if they kept Clegg; that ... oh, you get the picture. And now this [a piece by Douglas Alexander]: the closest that Labour have come, in spirit at least, to matching the 'big, open, comprehensive offer' that Cameron made at ...
Alisher Usmanov is a pretty "controversial figure". In fact the Russo-Uzbek tycoon initially made his money through acquiring control of large parts of the Russian metal industry at a time when that industry was one of the most murderous in the gangster world of 1990s Russia. He has gone on to acquire a very diverse set of holdings in Russia and increasingly outside Russia. In the UK he recently acquired Sutton Place, the former home of JP Getty. He has also acquired a large stake in Arsenal football club. Usmanov has been extremely close to the regime of Vladimir Putin, ...
You will notice a distinct lack of Christmas music on these pages, for which I make absolutely no apology. This week's featured NOW! album - which incidentally was the first to be released as a Double CD (the previous albums had had an edited down single CD release) - does have The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl's Fairytale of New York which is often regarded by compilers of festive hits as a Christmas Song. It's not, of course, but to avoid any confusion I've not selected it anyway. ABC, M/A/R/R/S, Wet Wet Wet, Bananarama and Billy Idol were all in the ...
I like to keep political leaflets that come through my door and look back at how all political parties act on the promises that they made before an election. One party in Morecambe, the Independent Party, aka Morecambe Bay Independents and by all accounts aka lots of other things, have been in the news recently because of the number of names that they possess. One of their taglines in their leaflets asks you if you are sick of party politics with the presumption that you will vote for their party if you don't like other parties. Did you spot the ...
Tuesday: "Mush, my huskies, mush," cries Mr Balloon into the biting arctic winds, "I must hugs you later, for the wolfpack of Deadwood, Desperate-Dan-Hannan and Cash-in-the-Attic are snapping close at my heels and their foetid breath is warm on my plump Etonian behind..." There's no getting away it: our Prime Monster has behaved VERY BADLY. Throwing RED MEAT to the slathering Europhobes will only make them pursue him more closely, hungry for a get-out-of-Europe referendum. And getting into a WILLY-WAVING contest with the most PRIAPIC PRESIDENT on the face of the PLANET was never going to end well. But still... ...
