"The decision every politician dreads is whether or not to send brave servicemen and women into military action in defence of our country" is how Tim Farron's email to Liberal Democrat members last night started and I truly understand that. And this war is perhaps the hardest of all. When the UK has gone to [...]
Hilary Benn's summing up for the opposition in the debate on Syria this evening was a triumph. Its defence of liberal civilisation and emphasis on international cooperation are precisely what have been missing from the debate this week. Many will see him as the Labour Party's king over the water and reason that only Jeremy Corbyn's vanity and three-pound Trots stand between them and a respectable result at the next election. So let me point out that Lord Bonkers advised them to turn to Benn back in 2006: A word of advice to the New Party: if you do succeed ...
A European neighbour asks for help in response to an attack on it.* That in itself should make clear why if you are an internationalist or a pro-European, and all the more so if you are both, the proposal should be given serious consideration. Of course, no neighbour has the power of writing a blank cheque, so serious consideration does not automatically mean support. For that, there are further hurdles to pass. Tim Farron speaks in Parliament, backing air strikes in SyriaRead the key points of Tim Farron's speech in Parliament backing air strikes in Syria. more One is the ...
Philip Peake writes We've been hearing a lot of concern about two particular issues at the moment: the Council's proposed parking restrictions and cuts to the library service. The Council has suggested that the library become a 'community library' along the lines of Sydenham or Crofton Park. This means it is essentially staffed and run by [...]
I marched against the invasion of Iraq and spoke against the illegality of that invasion. I believe that Chilcot will vindicate that view. The situation we now face is completely different. With huge parliamentary backing we have already taken part in a lawful armed intervention against Daesh in Iraq, it is absurd to argue that we cannot lawfully do the same in Syria in accordance with UN Resolution 2249 (2015) on Daesh. The resolution describes Daesh as a "global and unprecedented threat to international peace and security," it says that the Security Council is determined to combat, by all means, ...
It appears that the Liberal Democrats may not have a full set of MPs going through the Aye lobby tonight. The BBC's Norman Smith tweeted a while ago: I'm told two @LibDems MPs "struggling" to support @timfarron in opposing airstrikes #syriavote — norman smith (@BBCNormanS) December 2, 2015 Unfortunately, now that we can list our MPs in a single tweet, tracking down the two was not hard. Even if John Barrett, former Lib Dem MP for Edinburgh West hadn't left this comment: Norman Lamb was not at the meeting last night where our MPs agreed to support the Government (as ...
Cara Jenkinson (out-going chair, Haringey Lib Dems) and I have co-written the following statement, outlining our position on military intervention in Syria... There is no doubt in our minds that action should be taken against Daesh. Images and written reports of their horrendous crimes have reached the UK, and we fear there are more atrocities that we remain unaware of. The attacks in Paris reached the UK all the quicker, because of how close to home it was.
Last night one of the choirs I'm in led an Advent Carol Service. The first reading included Isaiah 2:4 . . . and they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. A later reading was a poem by John Morgan entitled "The Seven days of an Advent Calendar." I can't find it on Google but the conclusion was on the lines of "how many Advents do we need to get the message?" I would have liked to have he whole House ...
Willie Rennie has written for The National, Scotland's independence supporting newspaper about why Liberal Democrat MPs are supporting airstrikes in Syria. That view is not likely to find many supporters amongst the National's readers. We agree with those who say further diplomatic progress is needed. It is vital the UK Government uses all efforts to support the Vienna peace talks and any military action by the UK must be part of an international effort involving all those who have an interest in defeating Daesh. What we have seen in recent months is the emergence of a more coherent international approach ...
I actually read this seven years ago, and swisstone recommended this edition, with translation by Anne and Peter Wiseman (the latter lectured J.K. Rowling in classics and is rumoured to have been a model for Dumbledore) and lots more maps and photographs of archaeological remains. Reading the introduction, I was startled by the Wisemans' description of the Gauls as "primitive" and the Britons and Germans as even more so. The book was published in 1980 which seems rather late in the day for such strong colonialist language. Caesar himself is much clearer about the strengths of his opponents - the ...
Wed 2nd
17:13
Tim Farron speaks in Syria debate: We'll be learning wrong lessons from history if we don't stand wi...
Here is Tim Farron's speech in full from today's debate on Syria from Hansard: As has been mentioned already, the spectre of the 2003 Iraq war hangs over the debate in this House and in the whole country. In 2003, the late and very great Charles Kennedy led the opposition to the Iraq war and he did so proudly. That was a counterproductive and illegal war, and Daesh is a consequence of the foolish decision taken then. Charles Kennedy was also right, however, in calling, in the 1990s, for military intervention in Bosnia to end a genocide there. I am ...
[IMG: Flowchart - Should you vaccinate your child] Hat-tip: Scott Bateman via Flowing Data. As to why this all matters, Pakistan is a sobering example.
Following the news that the Liberal Democrats will be supporting the extension of British air strikes from Iraq to Syria, here is Tim Farron's contribution to the debate (courtesy of PolitcsHome): [IMG: Tim Farron on Syria] You can read more about Tim Farron's reasons for supporting the air strikes here. One other interesting point from the speeches so far: Dan Jarvis and Pat McFadden both emphasise that it is a French *Socialist* government requesting support. — George Eaton (@georgeeaton) December 2, 2015 UPDATE: The Guardian picked Tim Farron's as one of the five best in the debate. In a debate ...
Later today, Liberal Democrat MPs will vote to support the extension of airstrikes in Syria. Many people will disagree with this decision, as some others, who I respect, agree. Others will be upset. Some may even be on the point of resigning their party membership. I'm writing today to explain why I'm staying to fight for what I believe in, within the Liberal Democrats. I resigned from the party once before, over a series of events and ultimately the decision by Nick Clegg on tuition fees. The betrayal of trust I felt, rather than the actual policy was my final ...
If you kill people to stop them killing each other you haven't curbed the sum total of killings, you've merely become one of the killers. If I thought for a minute that we'd lesson the number of deaths as a result of firing Brimstone missiles into cities like Raqqa I might be persuaded, but the Air Wars Project, which is monitoring international airstrikes on Isis, estimates that there have been about 700 civilian deaths as a result - more than five times the number of people killed in Paris. Civilians in this desperate part of the world will still be ...
Looking at the complicated situation in Syria I can't for the life of me see how the RAF dropping more bombs on it will do any good. Indeed, it will probably do more harm as innocent people will die as a consequence. Sadly it seems that I am branded as a terrorist sympathiser (as is everyone else who opposes the bombing), by David Cameron, as I am highly sceptical of his plan and support those MP's who oppose him. He has probably succeeded in gravely insulting a third or more of the British people by his crass and child-like remark ...
Albums of the year In no particular order, the albums that I reckon have been the best releases this year. I have a top 10 of new releases, best reissues, live album, worthy mentionables and the utter cess pit. Starting at the bottom. As hamfisted, heavy-handed and utterly bereft of the subtlety of the originals it buggers belief as to make one wonder how it got made at all. This album reaches to the lowest depths of sewage, it is akin to swimming through heavy viscosity silage. It stinks like a year old kipper and has all the appeal of ...
Just when it looked like he had got his way on bombing Syria, David Cameron lost his way with a throwaway comment that diverted attention from his case and presented a lifeline to his opponents. Others have labelled it as a 'Flashman tendency', I prefer to just question his judgement. Whatever, the context the labelling of those who do not want to bomb Syria as a "bunch of terrorist sympathisers" was ill-judged, unjustified and inaccurate. As the Telegraph outlines, the backlash raised fears among Tory MPs that Mr Cameron's words had given Labour MPs another reason not to vote for ...
A question many people are asking after the rump of 8 Lib Dem MPs agreed they would all vote to prop up David Cameron's latest attempt to bomb Syria. As a Liberator Collective colleague put it.... ' I have no idea where to start - I fluctuate from anger to despair. Even if you put the arguments about Syria themselves to one side...'. And on the basis of the tests by which the Lib Dems said they would decide whether or not to back air strikes in Syria, they have absolutely not been met. In particular, there is no post-Daesh ...
Our Scottish Liberal Democrat MP Alistair Carmichael has issued the following statement ahead of the commons vote on airstrikes against Syria today: "You will have seen it reported in the press and media this morning that Liberal Democrat MPs will support the motion in the House of Commons today to extend to areas of Syria... More Carmicheal Makes His Case on Syria
We heard from Nick Clegg on Sky News last night and Tim Farron has written and talked about why he's decided to support Syrian airstrkes. Other MPs have been explaining their thinking. As we find them, we'll put them up on this post.It's going to be a bit of a marathon read, but worth having all the rationale in one place. Alistair Carmichael You will have seen it reported in the press and media this morning that Liberal Democrat MPs will support the motion in the House of Commons today to extend to areas of Syria our current military involvement ...
Mark Zuckerberg says that his $45 billion gift to a new charitable foundation [http://bbc.in/1lvqSqo] will be used to promote equality. UK income inequality is among the highest in the developed world and evidence shows that this is bad for almost everyone, see https://www.equalitytrust.org.uk/. It would be good if our philanthropists would follow the example of donors in the US and do more to combat inequality, but it should also be an explicit goal of our Government's policy
I have heard of people driving on the wrong side of the road before but until yesterday had never seen it for real. It's quite a dangerous eye opener when it happens to you. There's a section of Aintree Road that has a central reservation and the taxi, which was coming out of Timon Avenue, instead of turning left as was his only option (according to the Highway Code) decided to turn right down the wrong carriageway, straight at me, and then back onto the correct carriageway. Trouble is I had to slam on hard as he unexpectedly (as far ...
This template is designed for you to feedback in early January the work you did last year and highlight how hard our campaigners and Councillors really do work! We have produced a few different pages for you to include depending on the size of your local team and the issues you may wish to include. [...]
Tim Farron has made a video in which he explains how seeing the plight of the refugees this Summer has moved him to back the action against Daesh. I've made a short video, explaining the rationale behind my decision to back the Prime Minister's action on Syria, as part of a wider package of measures to bring stability and an end to the long running civil war in the country. Posted by Tim Farron on Wednesday, 2 December 2015 You can read his written explanation here. Comments on this post will be pre-moderated.
Today, Parliament will likely vote to start British air strikes in Syria. This is a mistake. Britain should not get entangled in yet another Middle East war without a long term plan. No-one knows how to actually defeat ISIS or end the Syrian Civil War. Do we have a timetable for a long term plan or for starting peace negotiations? No. Do we have an exit strategy? No. This war will take years, perhaps even decades to resolve. Bombing alone will not defeat ISIS, we need strong ground forces. Is there anything that British bombs will achieve that American, Russian ...
Last week, I read a blog post by legal expert Andrew Tickell which horrified me. That post, and the judgement of the Appeal Court to which it refers had me feeling sick and shaking, so be aware that it contains some horrible details of rape of adults and children and the sexual abuse of a child before you click on it. The judgement was for an appeal by the prosecution in a case of rape and sexual abuse which ultimately had the rapist's prison sentence raised from five to eight years. The judgement drew attention to remarks made by the ...
Below is my letter, written last night, to all Liberal Democrat MPs. I was going to hold off publication until after the vote that is seems that all of them are posting on social media, justifying mlitary intervention. There is therefore no reason to delay publication. Below is also published a reply by Alistair Carmichael, who very kindly took the trouble to address the issues I raised. Dear Gentlemen, Some of you will know me, some may have heard the name and others won't have a clue who I am. Thus a brief introduction is in order. I joined the ...
For me, the arguments for and against air strikes against Daesh in Syria are finely balanced, and there is no surprise that reasonable people have come to different views. I am stunned that with the SNP against, Labour split down the middle, and (the BBC predicts) 15 Conservative rebels, we might be the most hawkish party. I am very glad that Erbil was saved in August 2014 with help from US air strikes when Daesh were rampaging across northern Iraq. Had the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, population 1.5 million, fallen, the death toll and consequences for the region would have ...
[IMG: An old pocket watch ] James Gleick has the story of how Britain's Parliament defined time (who needs Doctor Who when you have MPs?), along with the legal conundrums that followed the Statutes (Definition of Time) Act 1880: The time in Great Britain [according to the Statutes (Definition of Time) Act 1880] is Greenwich mean time... Even this simple Act, however, failed in its hope of removing all doubts. A few years later — to be exact, on August 19, 1898, at 8:15 PM (Greenwich mean time) — a man named Gordon was nabbed, nicked, busted, and collared by ...
Wed 2nd
09:49Can we learn from the Pirates leading the polls in the home of the world's oldest parliament?
Postcard from Reykjavík The photo above shows the location of the world's first parliament, which was established here in Þingvellir, Iceland in 930. Interestingly, the Alþingi or Althing was held in the fissure (like a plain) between the edge of the European continental plate (on the right) and the end of the American continental plate, which is out of shot to the left. I visited this historic site on Monday and was inspired by the awesome setting and its parliamentary history. It's a place with much to offer those interested in geology and the history of democracy alike. The parliament ...
I was listening to the Ofsted chief yesterday evening castigating the standards of schools in Bradford, and it reminded me of the research I did on the origin of school league tables for my book Broke. In fact, I am finding myself looking back at the achievement of Lib Dems in office with some pride, these days - not just for what they achieved in the coalition government (apprentices, renewables, pupil premiums) - but for what they achieved in local government in the previous two decades. Because if Bradford's education is bad now, cast your mind back to what a ...
The waters have muddied. When I sent in my motion to council calling for the withdrawal of the proposals which would cut teaching assistants pay, I had hoped that councillors would have a clear and straightforward debate on the rights and wrongs of the case. I expected that sending the motion in a full two weeks in advance of the final date allowed would mean it would be first to be debated. Unfortunately it isn't . It's second, and that matters. Under changes to the constitution made a couple of years ago, the time for debating motions was cut to ...
One of my more memorable experiences from this year's conference season was having a "friendly" chat with some high ranking representatives from the GMB regarding Britain and the European Union. They were none too pleased at the time down in Brighton, particularly about the line that Corbyn had taken around that subject. They felt like he'd climbed down from his soft-Euroscepticism into support for staying in the EU no matter what, thus giving what they thought was a "blank cheque" to David Cameron. Though I tried to fight my little pro-EU corner, I could fully see their reasoning. They exist ...
Go to war or don't go to war: it amounts to the same thing. Intervene, and the deaths will be collateral. Don't intervene, and the deaths might have been preventable. So long as ISIS and Assad are intent on having a war civilians are going to die. Conventional warfare normally looks like this: you cost the enemy so much that they have to come to the table, and accept terms they would otherwise reject because the threat of further losses is too great to risk. This strategy is not viable. The Caliphate seeks to create a state under a radical, ...
Following concerns from residents about a loose street sign in Blackness Avenue, hanging on-high from a tenement, I raised the matter with the City Council :I have been assured by the Roads Maintenance Partnership that this would be swiftly repaired.
Portaferry tells a sad tale as funding runs dry Peninsula fan quotes me. (tags: northernireland ) Dave Sim thought aloud to himself Tom Whiteley @janeanpatience on Sim after Cerebus. (tags: comics ) Significant Digits From The Paris Climate Talks @fivethirtyeight looks at the numbers. (tags: climatechange ) Computational Plate Tectonics and the Geological Record in the Continents @louismoresi explains. (tags: geology )
"Overweight Haters"? - this is not a perfect response, but it's a nice one. A welcome blow to the myth of distinct male and female brains (comment on the previously linked article) Scans prove there's no such thing as a 'male' or 'female' brain Transgender inmate found dead in Woodhill prison cell - how many more? A pill that stops HIV in its tracks, and should be available on the NHS 7 Year Old Flats To Be Demolished - for 15 Storey Tower This is one of the ugliest buildings I have ever seen. Mind you, the one it's replacing ...
Wed 2nd
06:08
Farron on Syria strikes: A decision I can respect, but there is a lot of work to be done
I have read through (twice) Tim Farron's email to members and his longer rationale for supporting UK air strikes in Syria. It is not a decision I agree with currently; but I look forward to seeing a lot of work done by Tim and the team in the coming months. I look forward to robust campaigning to ensure the "five tests" really are put into practice. – That there really is a plan for the peace and a plan to fill any political vacuums that are created by bombing. This is a brave decision reached, I trust, in a principled ...
Only the Welsh Liberal Democrats have a clear plan to solve the Welsh university funding crisis in a way that's fair to students. Universities Wales has launched their manifesto for the 2016 Assembly Election, saying that the current policy of subsidising the tuition fees of Welsh domiciled students introduced by the Labour/Plaid coalition is "unsustainable". The Welsh Lib Dems adopted policy in Autumn 2013 calling for the existing Tuition Fee Grant to be scrapped. Part of the money would fund a Student Living Support Grant worth between £2000 and £3000 for Welsh-domiciled students, with the rest going directly to fund ...
Wed 2nd
01:13
So, Syria. I'm not really decided what the BEST thing to do is, but from the lib dem partisan POV...
... I think we've just done the worst. I remain to be convinced that airstrikes will help to defeat Daesh, because you can't blow up an idea. I remain to be convinced that NOT blowing up bit of Syria would help either. I'm in a paralysis of indecision about the whole thing. One thing I am sure of, though, is that from the point of view of gaining an electoral advantage we've just done the worst possible thing. - Our glorious leader announces, after much handwringing, that we're going to whip our 8 MPs to support airstrikes, pissing off a ...
I was in Gateshead Civic Centre last night having a meeting with my colleague Cllr Frank Hindle. Along the corridor from the opposition office, where we were meeting, is the Bridges Room. It had been booked by Corbyn fanclub Momentum. At 6pm I walked past the Bridges Room, where the door was wide open and glimpsed inside to see, well, not very much. A handful of people were sat, awaiting in a
