Well, another year has been and gone (any amazing late-breaking developments notwithstanding), so it's time to look back at my success (or more likely otherwise) in predicting anything that was going to happen this year. Here, then, are the predictions I made: The coalition will survive through the year. Correct. 1 point. The "Yes" campaign ...
My 2011 books poll. Tick if you have read (for any value of 'read' which satisfies you). All books are written up on Livejournal and Librarything. View Poll: 2010 books
I've really enjoyed reading other people's predictions especially Andrew Page's over at Scottish Liberal. I thought I'd throw some of my own together. 1. All 3 UK party leaders will stay put as will all 4 Scottish party leaders. I doubt the Tories will chuck a PM, Labour don't get rid of their leaders and ...
We only got back from the US yesterday and I'm still jetlagged and shattered from a week with the in-laws, so don't have the brains for a proper post. However, since it's the end of a year, I thought I'd have a look and see what the most popular things I've posted this year are. ...
Total number of books for the year: 301 (counting the various Gibbon volumes as one). This is up from 278 in 2010 but below 2009's 346 and 2008's 374, thanks to watching old TV episodes (mostly Doctor Who) on my commute. 65/301 (22%) by women (23% in 2010, 20% in 2009) 15/301 (5%) by PoC (9% in 2010, 5% in 2009) 42/301 (14%) rereads (9% in 2010, 11% in 2009) Non-fiction Total 69 (23%; 24% in 2010, 26% in 2009) Best of category: The two slave narratives by Olaudah Equiano and Frederick Douglass. Though Gibbon is in a category of ...
So I've just been nibbling on ginger biscuits and chatting to [IMG: [personal profile] ] smescrater, about life and how it's totally awesome, and the way people are secretly great, and stuff. Today should be renamed Navel-gazing Day. And then someone shared Neil Gaiman's latest bit of New Year's wisdom, which made me smile just like Benediction did, and... well. "Make glorious, amazing mistakes. Make mistakes nobody's ever made before. Don't freeze, don't stop, don't worry..." ♥ Bring on 2012, it's going to be awesome. [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments
It's that time of year when I reflect on the last 12 months and wonder about the next 12. As I get older reflection seems to emphasise just how quickly the years pass. This year has of course had its ups and downs. Seeing the council seat which John Fletcher held for so many years slip away to another party was definitely a down. And there have been others as the dire financial situation in
Happy New Year! I thought I should say that and keep the Odanglesex Chronicles for tomorrow. Unfortunately it seems the Australians have jumped the gun and inaugurated 2012 before the fabric of being was ready and the Japanese retaliated. The whole world will never all be in the same year again (but was it ever?). It might seem that one of the best reasons for celebrating the end of 2011 and the start of 2012 is that 2011 (apologies to my most sensitive readers) has been a bit of a bummer. The world economy has lurched from crisis to crisis, ...
Non-fiction 10 (Total for year 70) Interpreting Irish History, edited by Ciaran Brady Elisabeth Sladen: The Autobiography Unrecognised States, by Nina Caspersen Gulistān, by Sheikh Muṣleḥ-ʾiddin Saʿdī Būstān, by Sheikh Muṣleḥ-ʾiddin Saʿdī The John Nathan-Turner Memoirs A Narrative of the Life of David Crockett, of the State of Tennessee The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire: Vol 3 by Edward Gibbon Vanished Kingdoms, by Norman Davies Fiction (non-SF) 2 (Total for year 48) The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest, by Stieg Larsson Het Boek Van Alle Dingen / The Book of Everything, by Guus Kuijer ...
This year I only posted 428 times on this blog. Well down on last year but we all know the reason for that. However, I decided to see if using the alphabet could I come up with a cross section of what I had written to sum it up. I warn you in advance some posts may require tissues other loose fitting shirts in case you split your sides with laughter. A is for Advent Calendar (well worth a browse through this little collection if you haven't already) B is for Blood Ban C is for Christina Taylor Green born ...
So, Ros and I have seen in the New Year, to the sound of bhangra (you have no idea...). I have my flashing light stick as a souvenir, and Ros has an excitingly blue feather boa. But, of course, I'm out of synch for five and a half hours because whilst here it is 2012, I'm still Regional Secretary until 5.30 a.m. local time. At least I'll be asleep when the transition actually happens. So, let me wish you all a Happy New Year. May 2012 bring you all that you could reasonably hope for, and be a year less ...
There are changes coming in tomorrow (1st Jan) to the Blue Badge Scheme for disabled drivers. Its a national change (England and Scotland) . The main idea is to try to stamp out fraud (there is considerable fraud at the moment which causes problems for disabled and non disabled people) There is a story about the changes on the BBC news website here. The Government has said that Councils can charge up to £10 for a Blue Badge (if the application is successful). Liverpool City Council has decided to charge £10. The badge is valid for three years at a ...
Somehow I managed not to make any predictions for this year, but I thought I'd dust off the old crystal ball and see if it's still in good working order. Here are a dozen things that might happen in the year ahead. 1. The SNP will wimp out on full equal marriage, allowing it in civil ceremonies but not for religious. 2. Obama will win the presidential election against Romney, but it'll be a close run thing and our hearts will be in our mouths for most of the time between Labor Day and 6th November. 3. A Liberal Democrat ...
[IMG: 20111231-184523.jpg] I am extremely pleased to see that Maggie Appleton, the Chief Executive of Luton Culture and my good friend, was awarded an MBE in the New Year's Honours List yesterday. She was given the honour "For services to Museums and Heritage". This is a thoroughly deserved recognition of not only her leadership of Luton Culture over the last few years, but also her role in establishing the success of the Stockwood Discovery Centre, and her career working in the museums service in Luton and elsewhere. I am delighted for Maggie but I also hope this is seen as ...
Several residents on Cressington Heath have spoken to Richard and I over the last months about whether or not there'll be traffic calming on the estate. We've looked into this and the short answer is yes. Basically the estate is in different phases so the traffic calming will go in at different times but there is definitely some planned. It'll be paid for by the developers. I do have more detailed briefing material so if you would like me to forward that on to you , please email me at paula.keaveney@liverpool.gov.uk
OK - some rapid predictions for next year.... Boris Johnson will win the London Mayoral elections, with a reduced majorityEd Miliband will survive another indifferent year as Leader of the OppositionBarack Obama will beat Mitt Romney in the US Presidential ElectionsSouthampton will be promoted to the Premier LeagueFrancois Hollande will sneak the French Presidential electionsChris Huhne will resign from the Cabinet, to be replaced by David LawsWilliam and Kate will announce that she is to have a babyPresident Assad will be forced from power in SyriaEngland will be knocked out of Euro 2012 in the semi-finalsAndy Murray will win a ...
Earlier this week Sir Peter Soulsby told BBC Radio Leicester that the New Walk Centre, which houses the City Council's offices, is to be demolished. Today's Leicester Mercury quotes a demolition expert as saying that the roads surrounding the New Walk Centre could be partially shut for up to five months while the two towers are demolished. The New Walk Centre was a speculative office development of the early 1970s - I have seen footage of the National Front marching through the city in those days, and in the background you can see the hoardings around what was then a ...
We are creatures of light, "committed to partiality, irony, intimacy, and perversity". We are not cyborgs or pixels or cogs or numbers. We are not tidy or easily stacked or even easily categorised. But every year that goes by, the power of those who would like us to be - or who find it less trouble to process us by numbers - seems to grow. So here's the question. How can we claw back something of our humanity from them during the year ahead? Here are a few small suggestions: 1. Refuse to be processed by robots. Press 0 on ...
I was very glad to get this as a Christmas present, a book with fifteen chapters exploring the demise (and occasional revival) of European states. The first eleven chapters look at countries which once existed and appeared to be as permanent as any other, but have now disapeared; three of the last four look at countries which have (re)gained their independence (Montenegro, Ireland and Estonia); and we also explore the brief appearance of the Republic of Carpatho-Ukraine which lasted for less than a day in March 1939. It's all fascinating stuff. I felt most interested where Davies is most comfortable, ...
[IMG: Poll piechart] For years I have been accumulating data about national voting intention opinion polls in the UK and have records of various sorts stretching back to 1943. I had previously held off sharing them as the data is not in a perfect state. However, given that perfection never arrives, I have decided to stop holding off and make the data available in case other people also find it useful. I intend to update the spreadsheet once a quarter, both adding in the new polls in the interim and also improving the older data, such as filling in gaps ...
So, that was the year that was. It started off moderately well for the Liberal Democrats with a reasonable outcome in the Oldham & Saddleworth by-election, with Tim Farron telling us all that the result showed how unwise it was to write off the Liberal Democrats as a spent electoral force. Unfortunately that was followed by some disastrous by-elections in Barnsley and Inverclyde and a collapse of stunning proportions in the Holyrood elections. And things haven't got a great deal better since, although there have been some indications of the party's willingness to assert itself in coalition on such issues ...
Samoa has lost a day. Yesterday to be exact, but the good news is that they planned it and they have now already celebrated the new year. There were images of this island on television yesterday and it made me think why the Samoans would wish to change their clocks, never mind the date. The reason, of course, is that Samoa is not just made up of sandy beaches and people on holiday but there is international trade going on. It just so happens that Australia and New Zealand were always a day out. I know the world is getting ...
TweetThere are two political/news reviews of the year on BBC television that merit comment. The first is Norman Smith's Political Review of the Year, the second is Charlie Brooker's News Wipe. Norman Smith's is the more dumbed down, family friendly and touchingly humorous version of 2011. However, he commences by summing up the year as ...
It seems tradition for millions in this country every year to make all kinds of commitments in a way to better ourselves. I myself would like to cut down on my smoking, lose a bit of weight and try and be a bit more positive in my outlook on life. I do not, however, think ...
Ok, nothing beats being there, but You Tube has a good selection of videos of the evening and they bring back some memories and some goosebumps. Here are some of the best I've found so far. Specifically for my friend Allan and fans of George Harrison and Ukelele playing - Ram On Here Today - including the Cilla Black story and booing Penny Lane The Word - All you need is love The pyrotechnical Live and Let Die Band on the Run The fabulously trashy Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da Wonderful Christmastime Mull of Kintyre Thanks to all the people with better recording ...
Sat 31st
15:35
LibLink: Tim Farron - Fighting for jobs and health care - and against second-home council tax perks
It is the turn today of Liberal Democrat President Tim Farron for a personal reflection on the year in The Guardian: In 2011 Westmorland and Lonsdale has had some of the lowest unemployment figures across the whole of the UK. On the surface this sounds like a fantastic statistic; however, it does not take into consideration the fact that we have among the highest rate of workers on minimum wage across the whole of Britain. The average salary in the South Lakes is just £24,928 while average house prices are over £250,000. We've gone someway to try and tackle this ...
Alcohol is an addictive drug, with 1.5 million dependent users in the UK. There is nothing liberal about drug addiction. A life enslaved to a chemical is not a life with liberty. Drinking is also a primary means of recreation and a national pastime. It is illiberal to restrict the recreational behaviour of adults when it is only themselves that may come to any harm. Inevitably, when the issue of alcohol minimum pricing is raised, liberal opinion is split. Ewan Hoyle has made the case in favour, while Mark Thompson has made a harm reduction-based arguments against. As much as ...
It's that time of year again. Not that anyone else cares, but I like to keep score... The AV referendum will pass Oh dear. Totally wrong. I just thought maybe for once we'd be able to have a reasonable debate – but in the end it was extraordinarily lop-sided – and there will never again ...
Lib Dem MP for Cheltenham Martin Horwood has stepped up calls by the party for a National Defence Medal to be available for all veterans who have served in the Armed Forces. Here's how the Press Association reports the story: Martin Horwood, co-chairman of the Parliamentary Party Committee on International Affairs, said a new body was needed which was recognised by veterans as "truly independent". Currently, any decision to award new medals is made by the Honours and Decorations Committee behind closed doors. But Mr Horwood believes it needs to be disbanded and reformed with a new independent chairman. It ...
From the Leicester Mercury: County and borough councillor David Bill, 67, is to receive an MBE for services to local government. The founding member of Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council has been a councillor since the authority was established in 1973. He has also held a seat on Leicestershire County Council and Leicestershire Police Authority for more than 25 years. "It is all I know really," Coun Bill said. "And while I can't remember why I got into it, I stick with it because I enjoy inspiring and encouraging people to be involved in the community where they live."Thanks in ...
Somehow I didn't get around to publishing any predictions for 2011 so I don't have to report back on my annual abysmal performance. However, I'm up and ready for another go this year. Andy Murray will win in Australia in past years I have hedged my bets with Andy saying he will win a Grand Slam event either in Australia or the USA. This year after his Asian Autumn and the fact that Novak Djoković showed that Rafa and Fed can be beaten he will return after the injury at the end of season World Tour Finals he'll be back ...
Well done to the The Press from York: X-Factor CD among items flushed down toilet
Sat 31st
13:54
Sir Paul Ruddock, Tory donor and newly enobled knight of the realm, has a website. Check it out.
Hmm. So a multi millionnaire Tory donor who made a fortune short selling Northern Rock shares shortly before it crashed, has been given a knighthood for his philanathropic contribution to the arts. Having read the headlines, I thought it sounded a bit of classic cash-for-honours type scenario. But I thought I'd do the decent thing and find out just what Sir Paul had done. Helpfully, he has his own website, containing all his contributions in one place. This must have made it much easier for the honours committee to make their judgement. How thoughtful of him to provide it. Do ...
Long term readers of this blog will know that I am a bit of a fan of Bob Russell, our nearest Liberal Democrat MP. And the talk here in Mumbai is of nothing else but the exciting news that, at some point in the New Year, the Queen will say, "Arise, Sir Robert" and we'll have another Liberal Democrat knight. Bob is not 'fashionable' but he is a bloody good tribune for the people of Colchester, a patriot and a great campaigner over forty years for local residents. And for all of that, and the fact that he's a nice ...
A week is said to be a long time in politics so it's incredibly foolhardy to make predictions about politics in three to four years' time. However, I'm going to do it anyway. I predict that in the 2015 general election, the Lib Dems will get around 40 seats in parliament. This prediction comes from taking the results of the latest ICM poll, putting the results into the UK Polling Report swingometer and then making some adjustments. I chose ICM because they are the "gold standard" when it comes to polling. They got the vote shares in the 2010 general ...
Or you can read the written version here
Released from the role of First Husband, things were going to be a bit quieter, yes? Well, no, not really. Freed from her Presidential responsibilities, Ros ran through the gears as my campaign manager, as I sought to win Stowupland ward from the evil Tories.We'd been leafleting with increasing enthusiasm, and it was soon time to put a bureaucrat on the doorstep. And much to my surprise, I began to rather enjoy myself, uncovering a latent liberal vote dating back to the post-war years. The locals were (mostly) friendly, and I began to suspect that I might have an outside ...
This blog has taken an interest in Rupert Matthews ever since Roger Helmer announced that he would be resigning from the European Parliament today, 31 December 2011. That is because Matthews was the highest ranked Tory candidate for the East Midlands not to be elected in the last Euro elections. However, it has emerged that Conservative high command has concerns about Matthews and might prefer to see someone else as the new MEP for the East Midlands. Already the Derby Telegraph has reported that Helmer will be delaying his resignation until around 15 January because of the uncertainty over his ...
My friend Ewan Hoyle has posted a piece on Lib Dem Voice arguing that Cameron's minimum alcohol pricing idea could be the government's first evidence based drugs policy. His basic thesis is summed up in the final part: Once we demonstrate that the harms caused by legal drugs can be effectively diminished through evidence-based policy, we can then take the fight to the criminals and terrorists of Big Illegal Drugs. It is a fact the government urgently needs to confront that we can only ever win the "War on Drugs" if they are legal. Only then can the policies of ...
Dozens of people living in residential and care homes in County Durham, and others attending day centres, took up the challenge to make their own Christmas cards and decorations this year. Durham County Council's Arts and Activities Service (CREATE) set the challenge and will provide prizes and certificates for the four winners. Elsie Macleod, who attends Bede Day Centre in Barnard Castle, won first prize in the Christmas decoration section, while Marjorie Lister, from Crossways, Consett, was honoured for her festive version. Mark Parker and Joy Dunn, who both attend The Local Company centre, Consett, won the two Christmas card ...
With just 11 hours of 2011to go, I thought I'd give you a flavour of my year. It's had huge highs and horrible, horrible painful lows. Now, we have enough notice of when the year's going to end. Maybe next year, I'll have the end of year post pretty much in the can by the beginning of December and not rush to complete it at the last minute. Yeah, sure that'll happen. Let's get the horrendous bits out of the way first. Heartbreak and Big Girls Do Cry written the day after the worst election night ever. And this is ...
As far as I'm concerned 2011 has been a rubbish year for me personally. It has been characterised by frustration, anxiety and a fair bit of melancholy. I often felt uncertain what my role was and what I was trying to achieve. I lost an election in circumstances I found very frustrating. I've been constantly dogged by financial worries and have had periods of gloom and lethargy. I also turned 40. Before this all sounds like too much of a whinge there has been some good stuff to. Not least my becoming an uncle again. I have learned some important ...
The Garston and District Historical Society has put some pictures of the Garston Park Tree Planting on the society's Flickr site. Here is a link to the Flickr stream showing the planting day
[IMG: funny pictures - What? Iz busy becomin' an antique] see more Lolcats and funny pictures, and check out our Socially Awkward Penguin lolz!
Archbishop Vincent Nichols, the leader of Roman Catholics in England and Wales, has replied to an email that I sent him about his Midnight Mass Homily. Both emails are below. In the homily (currently on the Archbishop's homepage at http://www.rcdow.org.uk/), the Archbishop said:"That shadow falls particularly heavily on the town of Bethlehem tonight. At this moment the people of the parish of Beit Jala prepare for their legal battle to protect their land and homes from further expropriation by Israel. Over 50 families face losing their land and their homes as action is taken to complete the separation/security wall across ...
Here are my most popular posts of the last 12 months... so if you don't like them, you've only yourselves to blame: 1. For your delectation: the Oxford comma, a cartoon, two strippers, JFK, and Stalin 2. Why do politicians talk such rubbish about Oxbridge? 3. My personal Lib Dem Top of the Blogs, Golden Half-Dozen 4. In defence of David Willetts (and against political oppositional opportunism) 5. How I narrowly avoided becoming a poster boy for Lib Dem misery 6. In praise of the Oxford comma, and of Ayn Rand 7. How I spectacularly failed to rig the Lib ...
In May, we were nearly wiped off from the Scottish Parliamentary map. I got it. I understood why that happened. But equally I am convinced that liberalism, not nationalism, will dominate Scottish political landscape in the years ahead. Our values are embedded in a rich seem of Scottish history and endure despite political setbacks. Our small team in the Scottish Parliament has shown over the last six months why we need strong liberal voices. On centralising of the police, places for college students, housing for those in need, the Supreme Court, equal marriage, riots, prison reform, sectarianism and so many ...
A kind friend has given me a subscription to the London Review of Books. The first edition to arrive by post includes a review by Jackson Lears of new biographies of Barak Obama's parents. The article (which is free on-line) has finally persuaded me that Kaps Komireddi may be right in at least some of his criticisms of Obama. Lears asserts that Obama has "retreated into politics as usual" and
City Council officers have contacted your local LIB DEM ward councillor, Darren Fower, as they have a handful of rubbish bins, branded by Coca Cola available, which private firm Enterprise, are willing to install, if locations can be suggested? Commenting, Cllr Darren Fower said: "According to the officers, Enterprise have a number of Coca Cola branded bins that they are fitting free of charge in the New Year. "They are quite large bins with two compartments, one for recyclable items and one for non recyclable items. Personally, I do not like the idea of offering such a company free advertising, ...
Problems of poor parking has been raised once more within the cul-de-sac that is Hythegate. Local LIB DEM ward councillor, Cllr Daren Fower tells us he has been contacted by a number of residents living in Hythegate, who say that due to one or two inconsiderate drivers, they are enduring access problems to their properties. Commenting, Cllr Fower said: "Hyethgate is a narrow stretch of road, this means that if certain sized vehicles park in a particular manner than other local residents are sometimes unable to manoeuvre past or delivery vehicles, for that matter. "Presently there are not any enforceable ...
I was so sad to receive a call from Margaret Price to tell me her husband Eddie had passed away. Eddie had served as the Chair of the Friends of Corstorphine Hill since we set it up nearly twelve years ago. From day one Eddie took charge and over the years the group grew to become one of the largest and most respected conservation groups in the City boasting in excess of 1500 members. They had tapped into all sorts of grants with the result that for the first time in 70 years new saplings were planted in that remarkable ...
Twice a year we have the blunt reminder, that despite all that rhetoric from established politicians about democracy and equality(, often deployed to justify questionable foreign policy), that Briton is less of a democracy and more of feudal society than we are supposed to believe (yes we are talking about the "homours system" of establishment patronage). "What's that for? Doing his job? (Mrs Me) is a sentiment that will have been replicated in many millions of households this morning applicable to many of the new year's honours , as once the bulk, again appear in the main to go to ...
This has been the first full year for this blog. In early November I moved over from wordpress.com, which led to a bit of disruption. But we're now back to previous levels of traffic. I've put my best arithmetic hat on to work out which are the top ten posts across the two sites over the course of the year. So here are the ten posts which recorded the most hits: 1. Keen insight into the monetary economy (15th November) This post grew out of a comment on the Eurozone crisis made by Paul Mason on Newsnight. It takes the ...
One tweet sent 17 days ago, no reply received, so one local charity shop will benefit: Odd though that Amazon doesn't do Twitter for customer service (and the reason I went for Twitter is that I couldn't navigate my way round all the options about returning faulty or damaged goods to find something to fit this scenario on their website – again a digital medium you'd have thought they know a thing or two about getting spot on).
Thanks to the wonder of Google Analytics, I can tell you that my most popular blog posts of the year are.... 1. The sad, but happy for her, news that Claudia Winkleman would not be doing It Takes Two this year. 2. When Eamonn used Twitter to crow about Sky's supremacy over the BBC - without much respect to a young, dead girl and her family. 3. Simon Hughes, bless him, copped a rant from me for a crassly worded e-mail. He was so sorry that it didn't take long to forgive him, though. 4. Braehead shopping centre called the ...
Sat 31st
10:25
We walked round Washington growling at the WWII memorial saying the conflict was from 1941-45, imagi...
The attack on Pearl Harbor brought the United States into the Second World War – but when did it officially end? This isn't one of those mystery stories about a Japanese soldier stumbling out of the jungle in the late 1940s to discover that the war had been over for several years, nor a rehashed ...
Sat 31st
09:55
December Books 25) The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire Vols 5 and 6, by Edward Gibbon
I'll do a roundup post on the entire Decline and Fall later in the weekend, but for now I just want to log that I have reached the end. The last two volumes of the original publication deal with the later Byzantine Empire, the rise of Islam, the Crusades and the final fall; the chapters are: (Original Vol 5) Chapter XLVIII: Plan of last two volumes, and later Byzantine emperors Chapter XLIX: Iconoclasm, Charlemagne and the Holy Roman Empire Chapter L: Mahomet Chapter LI: the successors of Mahomet Chapter LII: The limits of the early caliphate Chapter LIII: The Byzantine ...
I was disappointed to have missed the Liberal Democrat History Group's fringe at the September conference this year as I was at the Love Luton fringe meeting instead. However, yesterday I was able to catch up on it thanks to the wonders of the internet. I'm glad I did. It is a bit special. A strong and well balanced panel gave a set of fascinating contributions to a discussion on the full sweep of the history of the Liberal Party to what came across as a rather high spirited audience. Julian Glover makes you wish all Guardian journalists were more ...
Here's your starter for ten in our weekend slot where we throw up an idea or thought for debate... Just in time to kill everyone's new year buzz David Cameron has announced government plans to introduce minimum alcohol pricing in England, similar to recent proposals by the Scottish government. The details are still to be confirmed but the proposed system could stop the sale of alcohol at below 40p to 50p a unit in shops and supermarkets and cost drinkers up to £700 million a year. Those in favour, point to the potential health benefits and recent figures suggest that ...
Sat 31st
09:10For 2012, I'd like Lib Dem backbenchers to start using some new words. Like 'Lickspittle'.
Over the last year, the Parliamentary Party has understood better that if we are to stand any chance electorally going forward, we have to be seen as principled, distinctive - and liberal. Hence we have moved away from the idea of coalition government meaning ourselves and the Tories speaking as one on all issues - which was always a nonsense. We have adopted a new approach - with a modicum of success, at least in Tory eyes - of being seen as a break on the worst excesses of the Tories. And it is now rumoured that we will go ...
"In May, we were nearly wiped off from the Scottish Parliamentary map. I got it. I understood why that happened. "But equally I am convinced that liberalism, not nationalism, will dominate Scottish political landscape in the years ahead. Our values are embedded in a rich seem of Scottish history and endure despite political setbacks. "Our small team in the Scottish Parliament has shown over the last six months why we need strong liberal voices. "On centralising of the police, places for college students, housing for those in need, the Supreme Court, equal marriage, riots, prison reform, sectarianism and so many ...
My column published in the Ham & High this last week: It's been quite a year - both in government and in the constituency. And there is no real separation between those two. The constituency is where legislation and the economy hit the street. The people who come to my advice surgery and the letters, emails and phone calls that come in from local residents at the rate of between two and four hundred per day are my reliable barometer of local peoples' lives. Sadly, the stand out of the local year has to be the riots, which kicked off ...
Two Lib Dem ministers made it into the top 10 of most-mentioned politicians in the national print media in 2011. Not surprisingly, one was Nick Clegg, the Deputy PM; the other was Chris Huhne, energy and climate change secretary. Here's the graphic which shows them placed 4th and 10th respectively: Two Lib Dems also made it into the list of top 10 backbenchers who appeared in the national print media in 2011. Ming Campbell and David Laws popped up at 9th and 10th respectively (42nd and 43rd overall): Here's the full list of Lib Dem MPs who made it into ...
From Dundee City Council : Remember to recycle this Festive Season Christmas is a time when we generate more waste than at any other time in the year, but not everything left over from Christmas is unwanted. Your Christmas cards, wrapping paper and cardboard, glass bottles and jars and even your real Christmas tree are all wanted at your local Recycling Centres and Points and at the kerbside. So this year, please reduce your waste and recycle all those leftovers from the festive season! For more information:www.dundeecity.gov.uk/environment/festive/Phone 432777
It's Hogmanay, so it's time to look back on 2011. So in the tradition of all good topical TV and radio programmes (and cos it's cheap and requires little creative input), here's my review of 2011. In January I had lunch with Cicero and we discussed Estonia's flat tax and what it might mean if introduced in the UK. The post recieved more comments than any other during the year. In February some misguided Lib Dems decided to work with Labour - here was my response In March I suggested an alternative to Lembit Opik as Lib Dem candidate for ...
Latest Doctor Who book from the prolific Abnett, this one with a bit of a Christmassy theme (the chapter titles, like the title of the novel, are all lines from carols), but bringing back the Ice Warriors (who as far as I can tell haven't been in a Who novel since 1998) interfering with a generations-long terraforming project, whose human crew have lost most of the details of their assignment over the centuries. Lots of references both to Who continuity and to the classic generation starship stories of Harry Harrison and Brian Aldiss, with perhaps a nod to Riddley Walker ...
There was an interesting article in yesterday's Telegraph in which David Willetts, the Universities Minister, attacked Labour proposals for a shake-up of higher education finance, claiming that it will lead to a dramatic drop in grants and bursaries for the most deprived undergraduates. Mr. Willetts' comments are a response to the announcement by Ed Miliband that he will cut student tuition fees by a third. From 2012, undergraduates in England can be charged up to £9,000. But earlier this year Mr Miliband said students would only be charged £6,000 under a Labour government. The move would be partially funded by ...
Every year, at about this time, I read the list of people upon whom HM The Queen has been pleased to bestow honours. For many years, I have hoped to see the name of one particular person among them. This morning, that hope of mine has been realised. Jeffrey Edward Anthony DUDGEON. For services to ...
