There is something endearing about Antonió Horta-Osório's very public battle with insomnia. OK, he's a banker – indeed, he's head of Lloyds Banking Group. So, it's fashionable not to have a shred of sympathy for him and his like. But to stand down from his very high profile role for two months, due to exhaustion. And then to have to subject himself to multiple re-interviews for his own job...and then to tell us all about his struggle with insomnia... Well, it is a very humbling process. One feels a sneaking admiration for the man. He reminds us of the importance ...
Two pieces of related news reach L.o.w.a towers. One - that the public purse is to stump up another £270 million to feed the insatiable apetite of the security industry (and its private 'consultants') and - two - more than 13,000 military personnel and equipment are to be deployed to 'protect the Olympics' at unknown cost. The idea that people will be safer with a load of squaddies in Trafalgar Square or a naval launch in the River Lea is the sort of vain Bush/Blairite willy waving power show that promotes the country at its worst not its best. It ...
In a quip on tonight's 'Have I Got News For You', the Apprentice's Nick Hewer claimed he'd met Ed Miliband. He described him as, 'Tall, arrogant, weak handshake'. When a British institution describes you thus, it can only be a matter of time...
An intimate view of a lost city. The Lene Lovich soundtrack makes it positively spooky.
The winner is an unnamed "Labour source" quoted in the Leicester Mercury: "We've got more councillors than ever before so there's a large pool of talent to choose Ted and Manjula's successors from."
There is a thoughtful post on Liberal Conspiracy (now, now) by Don Paskini. Discussing David Cameron plans to spend hundreds of millions of pounds to turn around the lives of 120,000 "troubled families", he points out that colossal sums our already spent on just these families: The £9 billion which is spent on these 'problem/troubled' families is an average of £75,000 per family. Very little of this money actually goes to the families. Instead it goes on things like court appearances, eviction notices, arrears notices, police intervention, child protection orders and parenting orders, and the salaries of a whole range ...
This was always a favourite on Thursday night cheap drink nights in the Neil Lounge at Aberdeen University Students' Union when I was an undergraduate. And it has aged well (unlike my good self).
Tomorrow's Week in Westminster includes a discussion between The Guardian's Jackie Ashley, YouGov's Peter Kellner and myself talking about the Feltham & Heston by-election result. And just to prove that in times of cutbacks it isn't actually just Rory Bremner imitating us all*, here's the photographic proof: As you can see, the heating was not exactly at full blast. So some cutbacks, if not of the Rory Bremner kind.
I think we all know about the issue about the lack of quality housing for many groups of people in London. There needs to be more efforts to bring disused buildings back into life. On a related subject this week, Mike Tuffrey, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly housing spokesperson, challenged the Mayor over figures released in the latest version of the Mayor's revised Housing Strategy which show a planned increase in the number of affordable homes to be delivered between 2011 and 2015 of just 0.6% per annum. Over the same period, London's population is expected to increase by over ...
Here belatedly is my fifteenth monthly round-up of blog figures for anyone who is remotely interested in who reads my little blog. These stats for the month of November come courtesy of google analytics. Calming Down As with September and October, November has been a quiet month. Indeed, my output for the month of 18 blog posts is the lowest since this blog got going in earnest in September 2010. In November, I had a total of 4,159 absolute unique visitors to my blog (down marginally on my October total of 4,218 but substantially so on my May record of ...
Good news from the Shropshire Hills website: We are able to confirm that in 2012 we have the funding in place to operate a new linear Shuttle bus service between Much Wenlock, Acton Scott Historic Working Farm and Church Stretton. The new Shuttle route will be called the 'Wenlock Wanderer' and will travel along the famed limestone escarpment of Wenlock Edge, through ancient woodland and into the majestic folds of the Stretton hills and the Long Mynd. There are some great walking opportunities from this Shuttle bus, as well as fantastic views, welcoming country pubs and the chance to experience ...
As we tackle the process of objecting (or not) to the Boundary commission proposals, it's worth looking at what happens in states where the political classes can maddle unconstrained... This is the proposal for a Congressional District in Pennsylvania. The new 7th district.
Fri 16th
18:22
Council (Wirral Council) 12/12/2011 Part 4 Agenda Item 3 (Petitions), Agenda Item 4 (Minutes), Agend...
Agenda Item 3 Petitions Cllr Leslie Rennie presented a petition of 92 residents of Wallasey who wanted improvements to road safety in reference to a primary school. Cllr Steve Williams presented a petition of 58 from Acker Road, Woodchurch. Cllr Harry Smith presented a petition of 600 from Pensby & Thingwall. He said this was ...
Agenda Item 2: Declarations of Interest Cllr Bill Davies asked a question of Bill Norman for advice on whether councillors had to declare trade union membership as an interest and if so what type. Bill Norman said in his opinion, it was a personal interest, (and therefore needed to be declared) unless it affected a ...
With thanks to @Andrewzcooper [IMG: Post to Twitter] Tweet This Post
All ALDC members will shortly receive a FREE booklet all about how to use Connect - the party's new data management system. The booklet will come with the next members mailing that will be arriving in the post next week. The booklet has been written by Tim Pollard and Austin Rathe from the party's Department of Elections and Skills who have been leading on the project. It includes: Ten ways Connect will help you win How to first start using the system How to search for information and use lists Tags, questions and scripts (or how to record different sorts ...
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 Europe: what Liberal Democrats have been saying today (101 comments) by Mark Pack Opinion: What Cameron should be doing in Brussels (59 comments) by Jonathan Fryer David Cameron's a hostage to his party and the right-wing press. Thank goodness for Nick Clegg (42 comments) by Stephen Tall Opinion: Danny Alexander is right (29 comments) by Zadok Day "An inept negotiating strategy placed in the hands of an inexperienced prime minister" - behind the scenes of Cameron's 'veto' ...
The council appear to be making moves to build thousands of house. It's another example who a lack of an opposition has led to too much power to the current Conservative group. You only have yourselves to blame because if the people of Bracknell, Crowthorne and Sandhurst continue to vote for the same councillors from the same party then this is the result. The council can push though whatever plans they want. If you wish to halt or even reduce the number of houses being planned in our area then perhaps you should join the Northern Arc Action Group http://www.narcag.co.uk/ ...
Why is Merkozy so jealous of the City of London? Isn't it obvious? It's because: 1. It is so focussed on short-term fluctuations that it corrodes the value of businesses that think ahead (a nasty continental habit). 2. It allows a handful of none-too-bright traders to spend £70,000 on an office Christmas lunch, using profits won from betting against their fellow countrymen (that's competition, right?) 3. It completely ignores the financial needs of the businesses of the future (why should we want hundreds of tiny banks investing in every community like the French and Germans - that's socialism, isn't it). ...
New album "under Brian Wilson's musical direction"! 50-date international tour! Line-up – Mike, Brian, Al, Bruce, David From the video (which I've only seen once and which rightly focuses on the band members), it looks like the other people at the session for the recording of Do It Again were Jeff Foskett, Scott Totten, Nick ...
Being a student, I am lucky enough to have very flexible working hours, and I've put these to good use this autumn helping with Brian Paddick's campaign to become the first Lib Dem Mayor of London. Something I've noticed with creeping inevitability about the campaign is the similarities between myself and the other people turning up on Fridays – the vast majority of whom are male and pale like me. This is symptomatic of a wider problem with volunteer organisations in general, and cuts to the heart of a political philosophical gulf between us and the tories: volunteers are people ...
I learn that Cumbria Tories and thinking about turning down Pickles grant and going for a rate rise. Cumbria Council, a joint Conservative/Labour administration is proposing to increase the Council Tax by 2.5%. Cllr Eddie Martin, the Council's Conservative leader said he "was inclined to go with the 2.5% increase next year" but had not yet got the agreement of his group.
The CTB v Imogen Thomas case raises a number of constitutional concerns about the accountability and reliability of secret justice. On 20th May 2011 the Neuberger Committee reported on secret justice clarifying what should happen. These procedures were not followed (in this case) on a number of occasions. On 2nd November 2011 there was a hearing which was not even listed. On 11th November
An update on the two major development proposals for Tyseley. One, on Spring Road / Shaftmoor Lane is based around a Morrisons supermarket. The other, on Reddings Lane / Olton Boulevard West is based around an Asda supermarket. The Asda + development's Planning Application has been lodged with the Council. Its Application number is 2011/08182/PA you can view it by clicking on the number. If you wish to comment on it you need to do so by 30th December 2011. I understand that it is likely that this Application will be considered together with the Morrisons Application (2011/06776/PA) given their ...
There were five principal local council by-election held on Thursday 15th December. The Tories held three but lost one to an Independent and there was an Independent hold. There were no parish or town council by-election result reported to ALDC. [IMG: Simon Hughes (left) chatting with Kamala Kugan and Rupert Nichols our Coombe Vale candidates] Coombe Vale Ward in New Malden is part of the Lib Dem controlled London Borough of Kingston upon Thames. The balance on the council as a whole is LD 27 Con 21. We held three seats in the ward until 2002, when the Tories took ...
With almost 200,000 people expected to pile into Manchester for what most people are saying will be "Mad Friday" it is important to remember to stay safe this festive period. Road safety charity BRAKE is calling for a zero tolerance ... Continue reading →
The Conservative MP Guto Bebb secured a half-hour Parliamentary debate on Israel in Westminster Hall on Wednesday; it makes interesting reading if you want to know where the UK's Conservative/Liberal Democrat Coalition Government stands on the Israel/Palestine peace process, as a Foreign Office Minister (David Lidington) replied to Mr Bebb on behalf of the Government.
Yours truly has a post on the New Statesman rolling blog The Staggers, responding to Mehdi Hasan's rather provocative question, "What's the point of the Liberal Democrats?" Hasan pointed out five areas in which the Lib Dems had (in his view) "sacrificed their distinctive beliefs and principles and received little in return." I responded with my own 5 points, including: 1) Ask the nearly 1 million low-paid workers who have been lifted out of paying income tax altogether thanks to a Lib Dem manifesto commitment delivered in government. With the prospect of further significant reforms to come to make our ...
Liberal Democrat councillor, Darren Fower says he is pleased that after a long campaign by local residents, the cycle barriers on the path in Grassmere Gardens leading through to Bala Court have been removed. The barriers did not meet modern legal standards and some residents who use mobility scooters and wheelchairs had contacted the FOCUS team to complain that the barriers prevented them getting onto the path. Darren said: "I'm glad that people who previously were unable to use the path can now do so. But I am also keen to see a fresh set of barriers introduced that are ...
One of the elephant traps which is potentially enlarged by modern opportunities for instantaneous comment is that all too many people in public life engage their laptops, Blackberries, or iPhones before they have fully engaged their brains. I am struck by the number of people who commented within hours of the breakdown of last week's negotiations in Brussels. Some were howling with delight, others were howling with horror. Distinguished contributors to these pages were forecasting boom or doom for their respective political viewpoints. The champagne-fueled glee of some euro-sceptic MPs on Friday evening was clearly premature. In my view, the ...
Who killed the EU treaty? Was it pre-meditated murder or manslaughter? Some say David Cameron wielded the knife. It is suggested that he went to Brussels with every intention of wrecking the treaty. It was politically impossible for him to deliver his party, regardless of concessions. On this charge, the Prime Minister is either hero or villain, depending on which side you are on. For others, the crime is one of gross negligence. The list of failings is long and painful; the side-lining of diplomats in the Foreign Office in favour of Treasury officials, a 4am "take it or leave ...
I have yet to watch Meryl Streep's portrayal of Margaret Thatcher. I'm sure it will be fascinating, but I just fear that it might also be a bit too painful – I find it hard to divorce my views on the politics of that era from my memories of avoidable hardship experienced by the community I grew up in. Then again, perhaps I should try and get over my Thatcherphobia and view her record a bit more dispassionately. Where better to start than Mrs T's record on Europe? Sat behind me in Parliament, amongst the ranks of my valued coalition ...
When by-elections occur there is a general expectancy for the party (or parties) in power to lose ground to their opponents. There is a general expectancy that the main opposition party will increase its vote and this tendency is strengthened if the by-election is in a constituency already held by that opposition party. So it was no surprise to see that Labour won the Feltham and Heston by-election yesterday with an increased majority. It was no surprise to see the number of votes go down for the Conservatives and for the Liberal Democrats. It was not a verdict, as Ed ...
Present (64): Cllr Moira McLaughlin Mayor Cllr Gerry Ellis Deputy Mayor Cllr Bob Wilkins Cllr Phil Gilchrist Cllr John Salter Cllr Tom Harney Cllr Mrs Kate Wood Cllr Sheila Clarke MBE Cllr Jim Crabtree Cllr George Davies Cllr Phil Davies Cllr Bill Davies Cllr Mrs Pat Williams Cllr David M Elderton Cllr Steve Foulkes Cllr ...
Last week I was able to combine my roles as Chair of the All Parliamentary Group on Child & Youth Crime and member of the Transport Select Committee to launch the Saving Lives Campaign; "Drive Safely Because i-Count". The campaign ... Continue reading →
On Thursday December 15 Bahraini human rights defender Zainab AlKhawaja was violently arrested while she was engaged in a peaceful protest. Bahraini security forces used tear gas and stun grenades to disperse hundreds of opposition supporters attempting to protest alongside a highway leading to the island kingdom's capital (more details: http://www.bahrainrights.org/en/node/4905) . Zainab Alkhawaja, 27, participated in this peaceful protest, staging a sit-in on a roundabout with several other women. The riot police responded with firing tear gas canisters at the women, forcing all except Zainab to abandon their protest. The police then fired a tear gas canister directly at ...
My friend and sometime PEP! contributor Debi Linton has written a children's book, a very sweet, funny short story about coping with anxiety. She's not yet got an illustrator for it, but has posted the text as a PDF on her blog, and is looking for someone to draw the pictures (unfortunately it won't be ...
After the UNHCR/PHRG meeting on statelessness on December 14, with two Kuwaiti Bidoon colleagues at the Peers' Entrance. The meeting was to mark the 50th Anniversary of the UN Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness and the publication of a joint study by the UNHCR and Asylum Aid of statelessness and the UK. The Representative of the UNHCR to the UK, Rudolf Schilling, attended and spoke, and among the other speakers was Vaderius Tang, a stateless Malaysian BOC stranded here in Britain with no support and no right to work. Also Mirna Adjami, Senior Legal Consultant, Statelessness Unit, UNHCR Geneva; ...
This video is a short film made by reason.tv and covers a measured, reasoned debate on why and how we should end the global war on drugs that took place at the libertarian Washington D.C think tank the Cato Institute: Ending the global drug war It's heartening to see such a clear-cut call for a more humane, evidence-based drugs policy as part of a widening debate on the matter. As we reported recently the government has taken positive steps towards reviewing the UK's stance on drugs, and this type of discussion will only bring forward the day when the failed ...
Its business section reports Consett as MacDonald's 3rd highest wi-fi hotspot.
The huge delay in providing adaptations to enable people to carry on living in their own homes was under discussion at the Communities Scrutiny meeting today. The delays are such that some people die before the changes are made to their home. It's not a simple issue and it has been a problem for Cornwall Council and its predecessors for many years. Over the past year performance has improved, but it's hard to see the amount of need disappearing any time in the near future. To give you an idea of waiting times, the time taken simply to get an ...
Sandy Walkington has written some notes about the meeting yesterday:
Here are the latest leaflets we're delivering in Cheadle and Gatley. Cheadle and Gatley Lib Dem leaflets, December 2011
Thursday: From Star Wars Lego Advent Calendar Day 15: LAAT/i - Low Altitude Assault Transport
Fri 16th
11:55Empty Shops Funding £17,500 available for Bidston & St. James/Claughton (and other areas)
There is £17,500 available from Wirral Council for empty shops funding. The application form can be downloaded from Wirral Council's website. There is also more detail on their website about the application process , the terms and conditions and further information here too. Applications can be emailed to neilmitchell@wirral.gov.uk, sent by post to Neil Mitchell, ...
In March 2003, my college friends asked me if I was attending the student protests against the Iraq War. My reply was no, which silenced them into a trance. When prompted to explain my refusal to attend, I pointed out my support for the Iraq war; It was, in my mind, the moral duty of ...
The second series of the excellent puppet comedy, Mongrels, is coming to an end on BBC 3 next week. If you like your comedy sharp, challenging and a bit daft, and haven't already seen it then watch it on BBC iPlayer. In one sense, Mongrels is a standard sitcom with four characters trapped together hoping for something better. The fact that these characters are a fox, dog, cat and pigeon is the first hint that this is something a touch different. But what sets the show apart from formulaic comedy is its satire that has echoes of one of the ...
Genius. More infographic genius here. (But of course, in case the boss is reading this, none are quite as good at the one we've published at work today.)
The Transport Select Committee have published their review of the decision to award Siemens rather than Bombardier the contract for new Thameslink rolling stock. There would now appear to be few defenders of the previous Government's decision to exclude socio-economic criteria from the Thameslink procurement and we note that it would not have been possible for the terms of the contract to have been amended, following the change of Government in May 2010, without starting the procurement afresh with a new invitation to tender. The full report can be found here. It is worth remembering, the Transport Select Committee is ...
Fri 16th
10:20
Lords Rennard, Carlile, and Lester, with Lynne Featherstone, defend rules on religious civil partner...
The House of Lords yesterday dismissed fears surrounding new regulations allowing religious institutions to celebrate same-sex civil partnerships on their premises. Some campaigners hard argued that such rules could force them to do so against their will, an argument that was laid to rest by Peers. In doing so, they gave the green light to liberal religious organisations to allow same-sex couples to register their civil partnerships under their auspices. The Lords debated Conservative Peer Lady O'Cathain's motion to have new regulations on civil partnerships delayed because of fears that equality campaigners could use the Equality Act 2010 or the ...
Labour won the Feltham and Heston parliamentary by-election in Hounslow, Greater London, yesterday, which was hardly a surprise; it would have been astonishing if the result had been anything else than a comfortable hold in a traditionally safe Labour seat 18 months into a Con-LD Coalition government that is pursuing a policy of cuts. But ...
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 16! Today we have my ...
Well, I suppose that's one way to deal with a financial shortfall :-) story here
Further to the concerns expressed in the Evening Telegraph earlier this week about large stones bursting through the pitches on the south side of Riverside Drive and resulting in a number of accidents, I sought assurances from the Environment Department of the City Council that proper reinstatement of the pitches was in hand. I have received the following helpful response : "This is now in hand. When the area was cultivated as part of the grass seeding exercise, stones and other debris were brought to the surface. The surface was finished off with screen top soil and as part of ...
As I am away in London all day I thought this might keep you all amused.
Despite uncertainty over the statistics (don't worry, this isn't a post about p-values and standard deviations), we can say with some confidence (say, 95%) that the UK jobs market remains in a volatile state with many people out of work or underemployed. With public sector jobs being shed rapidly as a result of austerity measures, and the private sector unable or unwilling to create more jobs than it sheds due to falling demand (going against Chancellor George Osborne's expectations), the net result is a devastating lack of work for millions of people, particularly amongst the young. I'm hardly a fan ...
Darn, just had to turn down chance of debating Europe with @TimMontgomerie on Sky News tmrw [IMG: :(] #iblamexmas # Happy #ff to this week's RTers @RuralGurn @CllrMMills @saturngirl @NeilDotObrien @tonybalazs @matttcasey @jammyholt @adamcorlett # And extra special #ff to @gailbones, now on Twitter! # Bagehot on Cameron: "That's not wielding a veto, that's called losing." http://t.co/252z4mnc # Lib Dems, including @nick_clegg, respond to the Euro farrago: http://t.co/4NiAUj9X # Genius headline > RT @politicshomeuk Tomorrow Independent front page: "The EU leaves Britain" http://t.co/71BNpq3E # @lordbonkers surely that's cos we all have the app? Progress, no? in reply to lordbonkers # ...
The Conservatives neither had a post-summit slump or surge. Labour had neither such a large nor such a slim margin of victory as to help or hinder Ed Miliband. UKIP didn't move up into third. The Liberal Democrats didn't lose their deposit or do a Barnsley-style sixth. And the public? Overwhelmingly they didn't vote. In other words, the result neither tells us anything new about the state of politics nor had a moment of drama sufficient to change that state.
Roger Crouch, the Liberal Democrat prospective MP for the Feltham and Heston by-election last night took third place with approximately 6% of the vote, narrowly beating UKIP and keeping his deposit. The by-election was won by Labour candidate Seema Malhotra who took an 8.56% swing from the Conservatives.
Cambridgeshire Trading Standards are warning people to beware after local people caught a cold by falling for a computer virus scam. Officers re-issued the warning because of continuing complaints about the scammers who contact people offering telephone support to deal with viruses on home computers. Last year the Police shut down 19 companies for scamming customers in this way, but Trading Standards Officers believe that copycat scams are still operating and the complaints received may be just the tip of the iceberg. Tracing those responsible for the con is difficult as many of the companies operate from call centres abroad. ...
Each day I will continue to bring you a Christmas Youtube treat on my advent calendar. Of course back on day two I did say I wish I could have included a certain song from a certain film. Well I'm not going to let that Cherry slip through my fingers.
In a written statement issued issued yesterday the Secretary of State for Health, Andrew Lansley, announced that he will "publish a consultation on tobacco products in Spring 2012". He also says that the Government has commissioned an "independent academic review of the existing evidence relevant to the effects of tobacco packaging" that will be made available at the same time. We can't help but scratch our heads over here and wonder if the government has not only discovered time travel – but has a Time Lord doing this evidence review. FANTASTIC! After all, the UK review of the evidence will ...
With school breaking up, the buildings at Moorside and Blackfyne will undergo some minor works over the Christmas Holidays before re-opening as Consett Academy North & South Campuses. Project Details Moorside Community Technology College Work to comprise of:- - New Signage - Repainting of Sports Hall Floor & reline court markings. Consett Community Sports College work to comprise of:- - New Signage. - Canopy construction & Decoration to Visitors Entrance. Pupil Site Entrance - Decoration of Galvanised Fencing & Hand Rails Pupil Building Entrances - Joinery, Iron Mongery & Decoration. 6th Form Entrance - Internal Decoration & Flooring External - ...
Christopher Hitchens has died. A brilliant polemicist, an extraordinary speaker, a thoughtful and determined contrarian. I did not agree with all he said, but the fact of his saying it was always interesting, challenging and valuable. He stoical attitude to the approach of painful illness and death marked him out as uncompromising and even- though he would have hated the word- courageous. He was a sparkling mind and a superb conversationalist and a determined seeker after truth, no matter what the implications of that truth. It seems pointless to say anything further to such a determined atheist, but his idiosyncratic ...
I have not stopped writing about Buddhism, I'm just in the middle of finals. In fact, it is about finals that I am posting about today. Specifically, one final, that I am very proud of. See, I went and wrote a book. It should be a picture book, and I wrote it with children in mind who struggle with anxiety, who get called "Crybaby" or whose emotions run out of control, are being constantly told to stop crying, but don't really have the toolkit to do as they're told. I wrote it to be a very basic self help guide ...
In an election they really should have lost, the Tories have held both their seats in Coombe Vale with much increased majorities. Con 1340 & 1308 Lib Dem 908 & 778 Lab 526 & 502 Green 122 & 108 CPA 94 & 76 UKIP 70 This breaks a 24 year duck for Kingston Conservatives who have failed to win any by-election in Kingston Borough since 1987. Hopefully it will shake the complacency of the local Lib Dems - particularly among the now long in the tooth council group whose presence on the doorstep in this and previous elections has apparently ...
Well, of course the British press will respond to the gale of nonsense being pushed around by the Sarkozyites. The noise of discredited British "journalists", however, is nothing serious. What this drivel from Paris means though, is that France under Sarkozy has indeed decided that the French national interest is best served by there being not a rival to France for the affections of Berlin. The problem is that the obviously conflicted nature of the British relationship with Europe is more attractive to Berlin than Sarkozy's obsessive lurve-fest for Germany. Germany does not want a Federal Europe. Germany has therefore ...
