After a few near misses, today was my first appearance as an interviewee on Radio 4′s Today programme. You can listen to it here: (The polling being talked about in the interview was published this morning in the latest edition of my monthly email newsletter, which you can read here and sign up for future editions here.) What I said came up again in the later interview with Nick Clegg, which Caron Lindsay has blogged about here.
Thu 5th
23:00
January Books 5) Pawns of Peace: Evaluation of Norwegian peace efforts in Sri Lanka, 1997-2009
This is a fascinating and brutal report commissioned by the Norwegian government on the Norwegian contribution to the failure of the Sri Lanka peace process, in which the government of Norway was the sole mediator between the goverment of Sri Lanka and the LTTE Tamil rebels. I learned a lot from it about the brutality of both sides during the war (the forty-page narrative section is probably the best summary of events you will find anywhere) but more importantly it is also very thought-provoking in its wider conclusions on peace-making. One interesting conclusion is that to have one sole mediator, ...
[IMG: Katherine talks to previous sergeant Bob Stephenson] Our new Safer Neighbourhood Team sergeant Steve Whiting has hit the ground running with a series a consultation events planned across the ward this weekend. The team want to find out what local people think their policing priorities should be. They are encouraging residents to meet them at the following times and locations: Saturday 7th January 2012 3.30pm Stationers Park, Mayfield Road Street Briefing Saturday 7th January 2012 4pm Sunshine Café, Stroud Green Road Drop in Surgery Saturday 7th January 2012 7.30pm Lancaster Road Street Briefing Sunday 8th January 2012 10am Stationers ...
I'm not going to go into what a mare I have had the last couple of weeks, what with hospital visits and work and buggered ankle (again) and flu and various other things. What I do want to do is say a public thank you to Debi and Andrew and Holly for coming over on New Year's Day and making it the best New Year's Day I have had in ages. Sitting round playing daft card games and eating homemade pizza was really nice. Here's hoping 2012 is better than 2011, which (aside from notable highlights such as James moving ...
January's full Ward Police Tasking meeting took place at Lakey Lane Primary School yesterday evening (Wednesday 5th Jan). It was a well attended meeting, despite the rain and wind. The police officers in attendance were Sgt Dave Mirams, PC Matt Dartnell and PCSO Hayley Tierney. Once again Sgt Mirams had good news to report on crime figures – there was a big effort to reduce burglary over Christmas after a rise last year and so far it has been rewarded by a 73% fall from December 2010 to December 2011. Total crime in Acocks Green year on year is – ...
Republishing this post as Gareth Thomas has just entered the Celebrity Big Brother House [IMG: Featured on Liberal Democrat Voice] Maybe because It's because I'm getting older, maybe it's years of cynicism, maybe it's the fact that I just don't like Gareth Thomas that much, but every time I see him recently. he's being deified as the great gay hope. The man who can "normalise" LGBT behaviour and be the beacon of hope for all young gay men and sports stars, and that really annoys me. You see, truthfully, I have a decent amount of respect for Gareth Thomas, coming ...
Louise Mensch tells GQ that she would like to be a minister and says: I'm not even a PPS. It's kind of annoying. What do I have to do to get promoted over here? Am I being disloyal? I don't know...Every time there is a raft of PPS promotions and my name is not on them, I have to sit down and think 'What am I doing wrong? The answer comes from Clement Atlee (1883-1967): ...a period of silence on your part would be welcome. Image credit: Some rights reserved by Ko_An [IMG: Post to Twitter] Tweet This Post
Thu 5th
21:40
Are the folk at Lib Dem Voice sexist pigs or is it just the whole Lib Dem Party who are?
Now that it a title and a half *sits back and dreams of a job being a tabloid sub editor and returns to the situation of sitting in his PJ bottoms with a half eaten galaxy caramel on his desk* oh well we can all have a bit of escapism. Obviously the title is way over the top. I like to do that every so often but there is a real question to be had – and one that has been mused by arguably everyone's favourite blogger Caron Lindsay. Oh on a second the phones is going: Caller: Hi Neil, ...
This affair seems to have come down to a Mexican stand off. Roger Helmer won't resign from the European Parliament until it is confirmed that Rupert Matthews will replace him. And the Conservative Party says it will not consider the selection until he has resigned. Richard Gadsden, commenting on my most recent post on the subject, suggests that the most highly placed unelected candidate from the same political party as the retiring MEP does not automatically take the seat. It is up to the party. This provides yet another argument against the list system. But then, when faced with the ...
Cllr Shona Johnstone has recently reported back to all County Councillors that the Overview and Scrutiny Management Group has recently concluded it's review of public participation in the Overview and Scrutiny process and published a document regarding Public Speaking at Overview and Scrutiny meetings.There is a lot in this document that's good. It does tend (slightly) towards the overly bureaucratic - I have yet to attend an Overview and Scrutiny meeting where a member of the public raising their hand in the public gallery and being called by the Chair wouldn't have been a sufficient notification for public speaking but ...
Sometime yesterday evening, Diane Abbott, in a twitter conversation with her constituent Bin Adewunmi, expressed a rather insensitive view: [IMG: Diane Abbot's insensitive tweet (screencap)] Once the tweet was spotted, there was no halting the row. Diane Abbott in thoughtless hyperbole shocker. As if she had never said something insensitive before! I think it was right that she was made to apologise: what she said was an unacceptable generalisation, and public figures say things like this at their peril. However, the fact that Diane Abbott was wrong doesn't make some of her critics any more right. I was amazed to ...
Early last year this blog was much concerned with the fate of Stiperstones primary school in my very favourite part of Shropshire. Now the BBC News pages for the county confirm that the school is to remain open after agreeing to enter a federation with another primary school. And a big Liberal England hello to Councillor Cecilia Motley, now the cabinet member responsible for schools in Shropshire. She is not quite Aggie Caesar-Homden, but she does confirm that you need a faintly exotic name to land this role at Shropshire Council.
Home Heat Helpline - Website Four thousand homes in Cambridge are entitled to help with their fuel bills and MP Julian Huppert is backing a campaign to make sure people apply for the grants available. Julian is urging people on low incomes to call the Home Heat Helpline - 0800 33 66 99 - to find out about grants which are worth an average of £250 per household. He said: "Families, couples and individuals living in around nine per cent of the homes in Cambridge can get help to stay warm this winter. No-one should be struggling to pay their ...
Sitting in Beirut watching Al Jazeera as Hosni Mubarak, Egypt's ousted President, was being wheeled into the Cairo courtroom today for the prosector's final statement raised mixed emotions inside me. Like many of my Egyptian friends, I am still in a half-daze of disbelief that the Revolution actually managed to get rid of the wretched ...
Come and join in the "Frolic in Botanic Gardens" on Sunday the 8th of January. You are invited to enjoy a guided walk around the Botanic Gardens and the historic village of Churchtown, led by Sefton Council's park rangers. Please meet at the cafe in the gardens at2pm. For more details, phone 0151 9342421 (office hours) or you can send an email.
Yes, it is true. I, of all people, did indeed recommend The Occupy Movement as the Liberal Voice of the Year. My health is perfectly fine and operating at sufficient capacity; but regular readers of my blog are fully aware of my support for these protesters. Overt Marxist language and anti-capitalists rhetoric is, of course, not very liberal but the ability to comprehend the true nature of corporate welfare and its relationship with government is something liberals should be aligning with. Free markets and capitalism are not the problem - corporatism is. Corporate monopolies deny competition and prevent new competitors ...
Thu 5th
18:18
Why does the Advertising Standards Authority regulate e-petition campaigns but not referendums?
It is great to see that the Advertising Standards Authority has cracked down on Paul Staines for misleading advertising as part of his campaign in support of his death penalty e-petition. It is not immediately clear however why the ASA feels it has a regulatory role here while it doesn't have a role in regulating referendum adverts, on the basis of "freedom of speech". Election advertising is at least covered by legislation and the courts, something to which Miranda Grell and Phil Woolas can testify. With referendums however, it is a total free for all. At least in the case ...
After my wife referred to something in this week's Wirral Globe I happened to notice this letter on the letters page this week. It reminded me of the question I put to Cllr Steve Foulkes on this topic a few weeks ago (my questions and his answers are in a Youtube video below). The advice ...
I love having a dog in the house again and Lilah cracks me up every day with her antics. I've taken to calling her a chav dog because she has no manners whatsoever. She burps, farts and digs holes in other peoples gardens as this video demonstrates. You know what though? I love her to pieces.
Thu 5th
18:06January Books 4) Dealing with a post-BRIC Russia, by Ben Judah, Jana Kobzova and Nicu Popescu
The European Council on Foreign Relations published this analysis of EU-Russia relations just before last year's Russian elections. I found it very informative on how Russia has managed to crash out of the BRIC category (the other three being the rising economies of Brazil, India and China) to the point where the Putin machine has become exhausted, unable to deliver due to rampant corruption and a captive, stagnant economy, with the glory days of the 2008 military victory over Georgia forgotten and the far east being surrendered economically to Chinese domination. It is a compelling picture of a state in ...
I am just back from my first visit to the Drumbrae Library Hub since the Council got the finished building and staff moved in. The place is looking really good. I understand that Day Care staff will be moving in over the next week or two and the library is being fitted out and today staff have felt confident enough to annoice that it will be open for business on the 31st of January, just over three weeks away. The staff are occupying their new offices and loving them . The new Ground Source Heat Pumps are very effective - ...
Councillor Broadthwaite: "Ah, Kenneth. I want to talk to you about my visit to Scunthorpeshire. They have some absolutely amazing stuff there." Kenneth Spotlessnob: "Oh, right. What's that, councillor?" Cllr Broadthwaite: "Fantastic security-controlled car-park, for a start. But they've got a Statistical Unit that can do just amazing things - makes us look like cavemen. And cavewomen, of course." Kenneth Spotlessnob: "Oh, right. Like what?" Cllr Broadthwaite: "Councillor Butterfield, I suppose." Kenneth Spotlessnob: "No, excuse me, I was unclear. I meant to ask what statistical functions they could do." Cllr Broadthwaite: "Ah. Well, for a start, they showed me how ...
I'm going to wade into todays twitter storm with my two pence on Diane Abbott's tweet. The offending tweet said this: Twitter went into a storm about it being a "racist" remark. She went on media outlets to explain herself. Chuka Ummuna publicly told her off. The question is whether its racist or not? Dictionary.com ...
Thu 5th
17:06
I don't cause cancer, I'm not in a bikini and I've not come to tax your petrol. But I am in the Dail...
Here you go: [Nick Clegg's] view was backed by Mark Pack, co-editor of the blog Lib Dem Voice, who said the losses [in party support] were recoverable if the party continues to win policy successes, such as accelerating towards the £10,000 tax allowance. Speaking on the same programme earlier in the day, Mr Pack said: 'The Budget will be particularly important. 'We are not going to see a big giveaway Budget. 'But the influence of the Liberal Democrats is an open question. 'There have been more Liberal Democrat policies implemented in the last year than in my lifetime – and ...
I blogged earlier about how I would be going to the magistrates court on 17th January to represent the community at a hearing about a possible off licence. The Council had said no to the application (for the corner of Garston Old Road and Stormont Road) but there is a right of appeal and so when that happened the whole thing got passed to the magistrates. There has been a rather sad development. The gentleman making the application has passed away. This means there is no appeal and so no off licence. (There could only be an off licence in ...
We've got the date now for the licensing committee that'll decide on the licence for the planned Tescos on Holmefield Road . The date is 25th January at 10 am. The paperwork isn't available on-line yet but when it is you should be able to find it Anyone who has sent in an objection or representation by the deadline should get a letter or e mail from the Council about the hearing. I put in an objection to the alcohol sales based on evidence of problems caused on Aigburth Hall Avenue and nearby by alcohol sales at the location ...
Nick Clegg had a very good interview on Radio Four's Today this morning. He was pressed by Sarah Montague on Europe and the Cameron "veto". I know the following was known before Christmas, but one good thing which came out of the exchange was, for me, the fact that: Mr Clegg will also host a meeting of 25 liberal ministers from eight other European states in London on January 9 to get a 'head of steam' behind pro-growth ideas that Britain favours. It's great to see Nick taking this initiative. It's important that Britain is seen as a co-operative friend ...
As someone whose childhood was punctuated by visits to Mowbray Park, including obligatory 'rides' on the lions around the pond, I've always had a soft spot for this city centre gem. Browsing the Museum gift shop in search of Christmas presents a few weeks ago, I came across a contemporary postcard taken from almost exactly the same spot as one I already owned. Not sure of the date of the old one – I'm guessing 1970s/1980s: ... and here's the modern view, as the park is now – for non-Mackems, the large glass building is the superb Winter Gardens – ...
Now what on earth is Spidey talking about now? i hear you mutter into your early evening commute/coffee/tea break (delete as appropriate). Well it's simple really. I listened to Nick Clegg's interview on radio 4 this afternoon whilst I was cracking on with some work and apart from getting ever so slightly annoyed with the interviewer ...
A single person caused thousands of pounds worth of damage in Wallington Square on Tuesday evening. The windows of five shops were smashed in an isolated and unusual incident. Police were on the scene within minutes after being alerted by CCTV and were able to prevent the vandalism spreading to other shops in the square ...
Great article in today's Manchester Evening News about City's Nedum Onuoha supporting a Didsbury mum. Michelle White, who is a close friend of Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha, has survived four heart operations since she collapsed at work in at ... Continue reading →
Over the last few days a similar topic has come up during online and offline discussions with friends: does one's political world-view change as you get older? There seems to be some received wisdom that you get more 'right-wing' as you get older, and though this has been supported by some others had suggested the reverse has applied to them. I'm certainly aware that while I've always had personal views which could be considered to cover the entire gamut from broad-left to far-right on specific topics — I've never been a believer that single Political Parties, no matter how broad ...
Thu 5th
16:255 things you shouldn't miss: web designers let loose in a supermarket, social media compliance, emai...
Welcome to the latest in our monthly collection of five links that you shouldn't miss. What would happen if you let a website designer loose in a supermarket? http://bit.ly/v1HbPr A very funny film from Google on what buying a loaf of bread would be like if supermarkets were designed in the same way as some online stores. Make your fridge text, your door tweet and your cat send emails http://bit.ly/v6kmT4 Twine is a very simple way of getting objects in your life interacting with you, each other and the world via the internet. All rather clever. Unilever's corporate app for ...
Every West Wing fan will tell you that as sure as day follows night New Hampshire follows the Iowa Caucus. It is the touchstone of the US primaries and has levelled many a senior politician in the past. So following the narrowest of wins in Iowa for Mitt Romney over the surprising runner-up, Rick Santorum, Ron ...
I've been busy with blog posts, Alvin and the Chipmunks and children today, so the furore over Diane Abbott's tweet had kind of passed me by. I knew someone had said something but, frankly, I wasn't interested enough to look. I can't avoid it now, though, being that it's the top headline on the BBC website. Heavens above, unemployment and poverty are increasing, the House of Lords is about to discuss a big cut in benefits to the sick, the global economy is on the brink of a very large precipice and so on - and we're talking about an ...
with the cold front, walking has been a little thin on the ground this week. but here we are - the rains have stopped - so kay and i popped over the bridge, up to abergavenny and out around the skirrid. what a lovely little mountain it is. everything you want for a mountain but a little more pocket size. views across to deri and sugar loaf. footpaths that eat your feet in mud. then there's the howling wind that makes you wonder how you are actually standing up still. the winds were to high to take a view from ...
...but certain elements of the British public still are with a passion. I have groaned with abject despair at the behaviour of some people in the media and online over the last couple of days. Since the verdict on the Stephen Lawrence case was announced, the debate about racism in this country has jumped even more ...
In recent years the festive season seems more likely to bring a byelection than it does a white Christmas. With Christmas shopping, horrible weather, and the prospect of a few short days where politics stands still, Liberal Democrat activists could be forgiven for not prioritising a byelection in the safe Labour seat of Feltham and Heston. With the writ moved for before Christmas, and the Eurozone crisis boosting UKIP's support, the local party and campaign team, led by Dan Purchese, had a fight on their hands. In an election where we needed to at least retain our deposit, we needed ...
Clegg failed to impress this morning on the Today programme over controlling top pay.I regret that asking shareholders to be more active is simply not the answer. Shareholders want the maximum return on their investment. they are here today and gone tomorrow-and in the new electronic age sometimes they only stay a nano second. If we are to control top pay then we have to revert to the Liberal Party policy of giving employees at least the same rights as share holders. Personally I'd prefer our template to be closer to the Mondragon model which so impressed Jo Grimond,. So ...
(Days 3 and 4 involved interacting one-to-one with other fans, so although you didn't see a post here, I'm still up to date). Day 5 In your own space, share something non-fannish you are passionate about with your fannish friends. Leave a comment in this post saying you did it. Include a link to your post if you feel comfortable doing so. I'm passionate about quite a few things, so it took me a while to decide which one to write about for this challenge. Refugee law? I've written about it quite a bit here already. Politics? Likewise, plus the ...
FINAL PUSH TO HELP SAVE SOUTHPORT TOURISMLiberal Democrats in Southport are calling for local residents to help save the resort's tourism industry. As part of the drive to save £20 million next year, Sefton Council is looking at all its services to see if savings can be made. One proposal is to review the Council's Tourism function with the "possible outcome of ceasing to provide a Tourism service". The consultation process is shortly coming to an end. Councillor Lord Ronnie Fearn was Southport's MP for 9 years, during which time he was the Liberal Democrat parliamentary spokesman on Tourism. He ...
I just wonder sometimes what people, expect of their politicians, just before Christmas, Catherine Bearder Liberal Democrat, visited Ramsgate to meet with activist trying to stop the export of live animals through the port of Ramsgate.Katherine Bearder's meeting just prior to Christmas was attended by a variety of people opposed to live animal exports, coming, as they did with differing perspectives, politics and expectations, this is a tricky subject since transporting animals halfway across Europe for profit is just wrong and part of the reason why I`ve not rushed to comment, that and having other things going on during Christmas. ...
Ever wondered what sort of crime occurs in your road or street? Well now thanks to the local crime and policing website for England and Wales you can! The website provides you with helpful information about crime and policing in this area and all you need to do is enter your postcode or street into the search box, and you'll get instant access to street-level crime maps and data, as well as details of your local policing team and beat meetings.
NB Sent by phone. I will add links later. The nowtrage over Diane Abbott's twitter comment that "White people love playing 'divide & rule'" has been entirely predictable and lamentable, with people on both sides guilty of exaggerating their positions to the point of absurdity. I'm not remotely offended by Abbott's comment; it is simply too absurd a generalisation to take seriously. I find the rush by people to exclaim offence and outrage at the comments frankly embarrassing; especially since, as a rule, they have been quite transparently politically motivated. It is simply too soon after the sentencing of Norris ...
The link is to today's story in The Times about adoptions reversing as children get older. There has already been some of this, but with the more aggressive approach to adoption there are many more wrongful adoptions.The story is behind a paywall. I will extract a few quotesThe two leading adoption charities are deeply concerned about the big increase in online unplanned contact, which flouts
Present Councillors Cllr Andrew Hodson (Chair) Cllr Simon Mountney (Vice-Chair) Cllr Patricia Glasman (Spokesperson) Cllr Ann Bridson (Spokesperson) Cllr Ron Abbey Cllr Chris Blakeley Cllr Pat Hackett Cllr Adam Sykes Cllr Jerry Williams Officers Mark Delap, Committee Clerk Surjit Tour, Head of Legal and Member Services Another Wirral Council officer Two members of the public. ...
Dallol - The World's Weirdest Volcanic Crater ~ Kuriositas Wow. (tags: ethiopia geography ) Putin and the Uses of History | The National Interest "I do not need to prove anything to anyone!" (tags: russia ) Dallas teen missing since 2010 was mistakenly deported | wfaa.com Dallas - Fort Worth No comment necessary. (tags: uspolitics humanrights waronterror migration ) Ashton on defensive over EU's diplomatic service Twelve member states criticise European External Action Service for being useless. (tags: eu ) Google+ Is Going To Mess Up The Internet Sums up the problems with it (entertaining to read the dissenting views ...
This is one of several pictures of flytipping and litter along the side of the railway line. I checked out some sites the other day including across from Hartington Road and Chapel Place. Anyway Network Rail is responsible for this particular patch so I've asked for it to be cleared.
The Saxon Shore The Saxon shore: theshingle clad beach shouts the sounds of the Sea.Here Cedd the sinner,storm tossed, lost, came to build on the stones of Othona.The Light lasting asKings and Caearls made Saxon swirlsTo break Romanrigidity in a fresh imagination.So Cedd brought thespark to shelter in St. Peter's name here, on the sibilant shore. The word, illuminatedin vellum volumesPreached to the marshdwellers by the Blackwater where the curlew calls.Cuthbert, Cedd, Chadchanting the rituals of the hours and the days.English then beingborn in the dark age, flaming into lightThe vibrant vitalityof intertwined imagery: riotous and rich. As Barbarians slowlylearning ...
Note from the county council Parents, carers, schools and community groups are being invited to have their say on Hertfordshire County Council's school admission arrangements for September 2013. The consultation on Hertfordshire school admissions arrangements for 2013/14 opens on 3 January 2012. The key proposal is to allow an increase in the number of school preferences from three to four. This means parents would be able to apply to four schools, rather than three as is current practice. Local authorities can allow parents to express preferences for between three and six schools. Most of Hertfordshire's neighbouring authorities allow more than ...
Thu 5th
13:58
Diane Abbott allowed me to follow her on Twitter for all of 15 minutes before she blocked me...
I must confess I have never really been that much of a follower of the great and the good on Twitter and have only really got vaguely into it recently – I am careering towards my 400th tweet after being on it for 2 years. However, I know a few mega-tweeters like fellow Electoral Reformer, ...
As they say, a fool and his money are soon parted. So, fool that I am, the day it came out at Amazon I went and bought a copy of Richard Murphy's "The Courageous State " (I wouldn't bother, but it's worth buying from Amazon if you do want it as it upsets him and some of his fans to have to do business via tax avoiders). At least it was a Kindle version so no trees died to sate my curiosity, though if they had I suppose it might have had its uses (appropriately enough for Murphy I seem ...
My old friend Charles Sale is back and this time he is reporting that James Allen is back on F1 commentary taking over from David Croft as the voice of the sport on BBC Radio 5live. Also when James Allen is unavailable then Jonathan Legard will take his place. It should be noted here that Charles Sale has got a lot wrong regarding F1 coverage within the past few months so take his comments with a pinch of salt. I know I do. However for the sake of this blog post I'm assuming that it is accurate. I was never ...
Tower Road Bridge (part of the Four Bridges) will be closed for maintenance on the A deck as Colas will be undertaking repairs on behalf of Wirral Council from Monday 9th January 2012. Repairs will take four to six weeks (depending on weather). The road will be closed between the bridge's junction with Dock Road ...
Thu 5th
13:04
Diane Abbott. You can't generalise about people's views according to their skin colour.
I quite like Diane Abbott - plain speaking and I think generally straightforward, you know what she thinks. I've found her a touch hypocritical on the subject of private vs. state education, but still... Which is why, when she's said stupid things on Twitter in the past, I've called on her to amend the tweet - but not to resign. However, this time, this tweet (now deleted from her time line) does seem to have gone too far. Firstly, you can't generalise about a persons views according to their skin colour. As Toby Young (Lordy, I'm agreeing with Toby Young ...
For that very small subset of people who read this blog but don't follow me on Facebook or Twitter, may I recommend the new Colchester Chronicle blog? It's a 'hyperlocal blog for Britain's oldest recorded town' run by Jason Cobb – who interviewed me last year – and looks like a good way to keep up with what's happening across the town and borough.
The Chief Scout, Bear Grylls, welcomes HRH The Duchess of Cambridge as a Royal volunteer to Scouting and tells how you can be involved as well.
This is one of my ongoing series of lunch time blogposts. I happen to know from a very good source (e.g. the author) that there is a report entitled "Responsible Reform" which is due to be published soon - I'm not allowed to disclose the publication date. The report will be about the government's plans to replace Disability Living Allowance with 'PIPs' (Personal Independence Payments). I don't know what it says but I highly doubt the evidence will be in the government's favour. There's not much more I can say about it at the moment but I'll have a lot ...
It looks as though North Cornwall is being ruled out as the possible venue for the new Council Archive and Record Office, despite pledges that all areas will be considered equally. The new building is needed because the existing archive and record space is overflowing. The records office is underneath Old County Hall in Truro and is bursting at the seams. Thousands of items are having to be stored off-site at cost to the Council. The proposal is also to accommodate the Cornish Studies library - currently in Redruth - in the new building. I have no preconceptions about where ...
It was a Liberal Prime Minister, Guy Verhofstadt (now the leader of the ALDE Group in the European Parliament) who ensured that legislation to permit medically assisted dying was brought forward in Belgium a decade ago. Publication of the report by the independent commission on assisted dying, chaired by Lord Falconer, should be a reminder to our Liberal Democrat leadership of our own very similar party policy on the subject. Medically assisted dying (the patient self-administering) or euthanasia (the doctor providing direct assistance) are very definitely liberal matters. They are about respect for individual wishes when the frailty or immobility ...
Some time ago I, and colleagues, started a petition about the two footpaths that run to Cressington Station. They were dark and overgrown and one was particularly difficult to walk on. We found some money to get some tarmac laid, which helped a bit, but the problems of light remained. Anyway, the petition, and some lobbying led to Network Rail agreeing to deal with the lighting problem on the path that runs from Eastern Drive to the Station (they cut back some growth as well). The lights are now in and they're working to get an electricity supply to them. ...
Chris Huhne and others explain, including how it will support at least 65,000 jobs:
There was a bit of national coverage earlier this week as the Government announced that they were considering making it illegal to sub-let a council house. The argument goes that this activity makes it more difficult for those on the housing register to get a property. I've been chasing up to find out what Cornwall Council does to ensure that this isn't a problem here. Today we got a lot of information from Jane Barlow, the Head of Housing, to whom I'm very grateful. Cornwall Council says that the last time they had a case of sub-letting was more than ...
Back in October, I was invited by the good folkski at the Russian Donors Forum to their annual conference to talk about Oxford Thinking: The Campaign for the University of Oxford — the hows, whys, wherefores and what-absolutely-not-to-dos of fundraising for higher education. To prove I visited Moscow here's a picture of me there: And to prove I gave a presentation, here it is: Stephen Tall – 'Oxford Thinking': The Campaign for the University of Oxford View more presentations from Stephen Tall And here's actual pictures of me delivering it: Posts Related to From Russia with love - my take ...
The South Wales Evening Post today reports that Neath Port Talbot Council "has lost an appeal over a ruling that it had incorrectly withheld information from a group opposed to the transfer of its housing stock". Cllr Keith Davies, leader of the Liberal Democrat group on the council, commented: "We said at the time that the decision to deny the information to the Defend Council Housing group was immoral and undemocratic, and now we know that it was unlawful as well."
Next Wednesday, 11th January, the House of Lords will be debating the Welfare Reform Bill. It's expected that the controversial clause time limiting contributory Employment and Support Allowance to one year for those in the Work Related Activity Group, those people who are judged to have a limited capacity to work. This change does not affect the sickest and most disabled people in the Support Group. At the moment, if you receive contributory ESA (based on your NI contributions), you get around £90 a week and are eligible for that until you reach State Pension age. Now, you will lose ...
[IMG: Phil Bennion] Dr Phil Bennion, MEP After the decision of Liberal Democrat MEP for the West Midlands, Liz Lynne, to step down, her post will be taken up by Aldes member Phil Bennion. Dr Bennion has broad expertise, holding a BSc in Agricultural Biology and a PhD in Agronomy, later returning to university to complete a BA in Economic and Social History. He also has 27 years of practical and business experience running an arable farm enterprise specialising in environmental stewardship and biomass crop cultivation. Before joining the European Parliament himself, Dr Bennion worked closely with MEPs on agriculture ...
Ian Swales MP writes: 12 CUTS Labour don't talk about The Labour party think they can win the economic argument by just wailing about cuts on behalf of their public sector union paymasters. They give no credible alternatives for what they would do about Britain's economic crisis. What they also like to ignore is some of the changes that are being made towards making this country fairer. Here is a list of cuts WE should be talking about because they are mostly happening through Lib Dem action and pressure. The CUT from £250,000 to £50,000 in the maximum annual pension ...
Earlier today I posted a blog regarding Diane Abbott's 'insensitive' tweeting, she has now tweeted a general response: Now, to me this doesn't look totally like an apology, it's basically "I didn't say anything wrong, you're just looking at it wrong". The original tweet again if you missed it: She is not talking about 19th century colonialism, she is talking about current white people - there is no past tense in her tweet and implying that current attitudes/tactics/games are as old as colonialism. I would be very surprised if this response could make the storm brewing around this disappear! Update ...
Just did a BUPA online health screen (via work), which tells me that I have a 96% of living to 70, 66% chance of living to over 90 and 25% chance of living to over 100; that there is nothing more I can do to reduce my risk of heart disease, cancer or indeed death; and that by losing 15 lbs I could reduce my diabetes risk by a grand total of 5%. That'll be a no, then. (It's actually not a bad report, mind, as these things go; the notes have actual citations to actual peer-reviewed papers, and it ...
Watching the first episode of the new series of Sherlock on New year's Day I did note with surprise that we saw a nude dominatrix before the watershed of 9 pm. The excitement has proved too much for the Daily Mail whose classic prudery was displayed in an article attacking the BBC accompanied by pictures of the nude Ms Pulver (see above) playing Irene Adler. Strangely the series co-creator
There are lots of ways for Party members to communicate with our leader. We can send him an e-mail. We can ask him questions at Conference or at his meetings with members around the country. Our Mark Pack, though, chose a novel approach. The points he made in an interview just before 7 this morning were put to Nick Clegg at 8:10. Now, I am moderately rubbish in that I wasn't up early enough to listen to Mark and I was trying to tweet something else when Nick was being asked about what Mark said, so I'm really only giving ...
Events and the political calendar are likely to keep UKIP as one of the most prominent 'other' political parties in the UK over the next few years, making this newly revised and expanded autobiography of its most high-profile and flamboyant personality, Nigel Farage, timely not only for the party's own fans but for anyone else interested in British politics. It is a well written, lively book, full of the sort of pugnacious language that has helped give Farage his high popularity. It is also rather kinder to some of his opponents that you might expect if you had only come ...
Southwark Council generates a lot of hot air at its Tooley Street HQ. Sadly much of it escapes through the front doors as many don't use the revolving doors – revolving doors minimise the amount of hor air escaping and save a lot of energy. I recently had the pleasure of visiting Centrica offices in Windsor. I took a photo of their entrance where they very positively encourage people to use the revolving doors via big signs on the adjacent doors stating "Help us save energy – please use the revolving doors". Such a simple and effective measure. I witnessed ...
Last year I made a post about a Tweet Diane Abbott made in bad taste around the News International saga. Then on Armistice Day her staff apparently tweeted the latest polling figures during the two minutes silence. Now she's had another tweet that's offended: Comments like this are intentionally divisive, it is remarkable that anyone in public office can make such a sweeping generalisation about people based on the colour of their skin. Imagine this was a Conservative minister who made a sweeping generalisation about a minority. They would be off the front bench before anyone had a chance to ...
Welsh Labour spokespeople are starting to get predictable now, in the vehemence of their attacks on the UK Coalition Government, their failure to provide an alternative and, in the case of Peter Hain, the very personal nature of his remarks about the Secretary of State for Wales. This morning's Western Mail piece is a case in point. In the first instance we have Professor Mark Drakeford, Assembly Member for Cardiff West and a former Government Special Advisor, whose comments indicate that some of that academic rigour he once applied in his former profession may have worn off. He trots out ...
Thu 5th
09:20
Have we all been complicit in collective naiveté? Lib Dems have underestimated Tory politicki...
As 2012 starts, the Lib Dems start on the defensive! Nick Clegg gives a defensive speech as if to get in their first, but looking at what he has said lays some fundamental miscalculations by all in the Lib Dem party. We need to get wise and we need to do it fast. The political ...
Imagine if a white MP had said something like this: "Black people love playing 'divide & rule'. We should not play their game" There would quite rightly be outrage and calls for apologies for this sort of racist comment. If the MP had a front-bench or ministerial position there would doubtless be calls for resignation or sacking. Well that didn't happen yesterday. This however did: In the middle of a discussion on Twitter, Diane Abbott tweeted that. She made a broad generalisation about a group of people in society based on the colour of their skin. That is racism. As ...
This morning finds me on a plane courtesy of the travel to interview scheme for JSA claimants. Unfortunately my interview isn't until tomorrow but there were no morning flights available for the location I needed to fly to available at the time I was told I was being interviewed (too many people maybe returning home at the end of a long holiday possibly). Therefore blogging is liable to be light until tomorrow evening when I return to Northern Ireland post interview.
To mark the start of 2012, we're running a series of posts over consecutive days on the main challenges for the Liberal Democrats in 2012. I've already written about the four priorities for the party's new Chief Executive, Tim Gordon, but as the Liberal Democrats are more than just the one man whilst he has four, this series sets out six for the party. Despite my comments about how risky the predictions business is, regular readers would hardly have been taking much of a gamble expecting me to return to the issue of treating people as active participants rather than ...
[Originally posted at Dale&Co., 03/01/12] The new year has opened with a couple of important housing stories. The first was another attempted crackdown on illegal subletting in council housing. The second, which attracted significant media attention, is the reform of the local housing allowance (LHA) – the housing benefit which assists low income private renters. A tranche of rule changes came into force with the New Year. The media coverage was sparked by the publication of a Chartered Institute of Housing report arguing that the rule changes render 800,000 properties no longer affordable to low income renters. A range of ...
Just a quick update, courtesy of the folks at 10:10, on the Solar Schools project I brought you news of a few months back; "On the 8th December sometime in the afternoon, one Simon Beaufoy stopped by the10:10 Solar Schools website and bought a row of tiles on E.P. Collier Primary School's virtual solar roof, taking them over the £10,000 target they needed to get the real panels up and running - a full three months ahead of schedule! Simon may have pushed them over the line, but this was a real community effort. On the way to £10k, E.P. ...
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. 564 party members responded, and we've been publishing the full results here. We asked the question: "The Liberal Democrats have just appointed a new chief executive, Tim Gordon, to take over from Chris Fox. What do you think should be Tim's top priorities as party chief executive?" Here's a wordle of the 394 responses received: You can read in full all the responses in our members-only discussion forum here. And you can ...
There has been a debate in the LibDems since we entered coalition and in particular since the tuition fees debacle of how to go about regaining the electorate's trust that we have evidently lost. Many think that in order to start re-building the damage, Nick has to say "sorry". Richard Morris from A View from Ham ...
The TSA have come under fire for many things. Most recently, Fred Trotter has called them out for using a "dummy" QR code which leads to a page the TSA don't control. An astonishingly lax approach to QR use. Last year, I noticed this QR code as I passed through San Francisco Airport. [IMG: TSA QR Poster] The code goes to a TSA site (albeit non-mobile), which is odd, as the TSA do have a capable mobile site. What I find most curious is that the TSA are using the Goo.gl URL shortener. This is a bad idea for two ...
Dundee bus services operated by National Express Dundee see fares increases from Sunday (8th January) and I have been in contact with the Managing Director of National Express Dundee about this. Specifically, in the new fares structure, although the cost of weekly tickets (both adult and child) has been frozen, and student fares will not increase during the current academic year, which is welcome, the cost of 4-weekly and annual passes increases, including the cheapest method - direct debit - does increase, along with single fare charges. So, for example, a 4-weekly direct debit pass increases in cost from £37 ...
I don't pretend to be an expert on the highly complex welfare system, but it seems to me that, in his Guardian article, "Beveridge for this century" Liam Byrne wants the Labour Party to revert to making a distinction between the "deserving" and "undeserving"poor. Byrne, shadow Work and Pensions secretary, claims that state help should be based on "something for something" and should reward "those who are desperately trying to do the right thing." He quotes Ed Miliband: "..we (Labour) are on the side of people who work hard and do the right thing." Well, of course they are, and ...
Ronald Searle was both a brilliant cartoonist and very brave man. Without his satirical cartoons there would have been no Scarfe or Steve Bell. But he is probably better known for creating the St Trinian's series of quintissental English havoc reeking private school girls. However, St Trinian's is Scottish. In 1922, in Edinburgh, Miss C Fraser Lee opened St Trinnean's school at 10 Palmerston Road - just round the corner from James Gillespie's High School for Girls. An institution otherwise known as Muriel Spark's Marsha Blaine's School for Girls. It is now a listed building - partly because of the ...
Image (C) Benetton and United Colors Corporation 1995 Diane Abbott has a habit of putting her foot in it in terms of race rows. This was something tweeted yesterday. Well I'm sorry, not all of us do. I'm of the ... Continue reading →
The usually reliable Lallands Peat Warrior has got his knickers in a twist (or possibly a fankle) over the powers the Scottish Secretary - the usually invisible Michael Moore - has to determine the constitutionality of an independence plebisite. It is quite clear - any referendum that says yes to Scottish independence - regardless of who organises it will be final. No Westminster based politician is going to block a democratic vote by the Scottish people. The SNP and their online supporters should stop worrying about the minutiae of the existing constitutional arrangements and the upcoming Scotland Bill - what ...
