It's that walrus again... Well, I managed to get myself re-elected to International Relations Committee, elected on the sixth count in third place, which was somewhat unexpected, given the quality of the opposition. Various people had been very supportive but, given the size of the electorate and my lack of 'celebrity', for want of a better word, one can never take anything for granted. So, thank you to all those of you who supported me, regardless of where you put me on the ballot paper. I'm already hard at work preparing for the new committee, so you'll hopefully see a ...
"We are entitled to understand the legal framework in which we are operating because on the basis of that framework decisions will be made which will affect people in this country for generations to come." Jolyon Maugham, the man behind a new Brexit legal challenge, talks to Business Insider. Nicola Hodgson, case officer for commons, greens and open spaces for the Open Spaces Society, gives us a snapshot of her work. Father Christmas and Santa Claus were once very different figures. David Castleton is our guide to the changing folklore about them. Alastair Cook is not a great England captain, ...
Yesterday there was a news item in the Northamptonshire Telegraph: Steam engine enthusiasts are being warned that a locomotive which was scheduled to pass over the Harringworth Viaduct tomorrow will now not do so. The Duchess of Sutherland steam engine is to depart from London on Saturday morning taking passengers to York, stopping at St Albans, Luton, Bedford and Kettering. It was then due to leave the Midland Main Line and pass through Corby train station and over the famous Harringworth Viaduct. But a spokesman for the Railway Touring Company, which is running the train, said for operational reasons the ...
My previous list went down well with readers, soliciting also lots of feedback. So here is an updated and expanded list. The Sleaford and North Hykeham by-election brought to an end a cluster of three Parliamentary by-elections, all of which so far has been of wider political impact. Further Parliamentary by-election success for the Liberal Democrats will be important for the party's recovery because, for all the value in council by-election successes, it is a run of Parliamentary by-election successes which have been an essential part of the mix in triggering previous Liberal Democrat recoveries. Whether that happens depends in ...
Today Liberal Democrat headquarters announced the results of the all-member ballots for elections to internal federal committees — the first since the Party moved to One Member One Vote (OMOV). Though the turnout was predictably low, the numbers who took part were considerably higher than in previous internal elections by local party federal conference representatives, [...]
Wow. Genuinely 1, stunned and 2, honoured to have been voted onto federal conference committee. I'll do my utmost to be the best rep my electorate could wish for. Seriously, guys, thank you. [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments
What's this about then? The other month, a group of MPs claimed the Tory government was being dishonest about their claim it was allocating an extra £10bn to the NHS in England over the next five years. Who said that then? Well it was members of the Health Select Committee and our very own health [...]
Today is a historic day for our Party - we have now completed the first ever set of internal elections for Party Committees under One Member One Vote, and with the most progressive set of diversity criteria used by any political party. I am proud to say that members overwhelmingly made choices in line with the diversity quotas passed at Conference, with more women than men elected to the Federal Board, for example. The full results can be found here. Many congratulations to all the successful candidates, and I sincerely hope that those who were unsuccessful will continue to contribute ...
Helpers, Margaret and Owen have been out putting leaflets and Christmas cards through people's doors in Consett. We're not naive enough not to realise that quite a few go straight into recycling – but this year it might be a mistake. One of my extremely kind deliverers found a £5 note on a doorstep as he was delivering, so he popped it into the envelope and pushed it though the door. This probably means either that someone got a bit of a surprise, or they have no idea and have put their own fiver into the recycling bin. So if ...
The results of the Liberal Democrat federal committee elections are now in, and super-thanks to everyone who voted for me, electing me to the Federal Board. Overall turnout was low, around the figure for the recent similar all member ballots in Momentum. But the number of votes cast was massively up on last time thanks to the move to letting all members vote in these elections. The Federal Executive / Board tally of votes was up from 1,204 in 2012 and 677 in 2014 to 7,347 this time, for example. Glad to see some really strong names in the lists ...
It's been a while since I went on a London Walk and this one has been on my to do list for a while, but as one that isn't a part of their regular programme it's all come down to whether I've been in London on the right weekend. I've always been intrigued by Fitzrovia. [...]
This English Council (EC) is later than usual as normally it would be held in November, but it was postponed due to the Witney by-election. The big change since the previous meeting is that the English Party has elected a new Chair for 2017 Liz Leffman who will take over from Steve Jarvis on 1st [...]
Don't forget, you only have until the end of Monday 19th December to have your say on plans to build thousands of homes in our area (See our previous post here) The West of England Joint Spatial Plan (JSP, or in plain English "What might be built where"!) proposes: 2,600 around Yate and Chipping Sodbury1,500 new homes at Coalpit Heath1,000 homes at Charfield 600 homes at Thornbury 2,200 homes at a new garden village at Buckover near ThornburyAlthough the final plan will only talk about broad locations, as part of the supporting evidence the West of England has produced a ...
If you want to make me wince and aren't into physical violence nor have an alligator to hand, ask me about cases I've come across of political campaigns or parties losing key data about voters.
I am a courier for a living. I would rather put my skills to better use, but in the current climate finding work relating to my knowledge of renewable energy is proving tougher than I would have hoped. One of the places I visit is the local further education college. In the stairwell is a [...]
It is just over a week since the Supreme Court Article 50 hearings finished and all the excitement that went with it. For those of you who were fighting a by-election, the case was not a rerun of the High Court hearings as interventions were heard from all parts of the United Kingdom. The decision could have fundamental ramifications on the relationship between Westminster and the devolved administrations on top of the decision on Article 50 and the extent of the Royal Prerogative. No one can realistically predict the result and I, as a non-lawyer, will not even try. But ...
The Independent reports on the shocking news that the UK Tory Government have killed over 10,000 badgers in the last three months in a dramatic expansion of the their misguided and unnecessary badger cull. They say that Defra figures show 10,886 badgers were put down in 10 zones across Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and Somerset, in the three months from September 2016. This is a significant expansion of previous culls, bringing the total death toll since the operation started in 2013 to 14,829. The latest round of killing took place between 29 August and 18 October and killed animals ...
Tory MP Philip Davies speaks for 90 minutes to stop carers getting free hospital parking | The Independent RT @joncstone: 1) Davies spoke for 90 minutes to stop carers getting free car parking at hospitals Landlord Tory MP Philip Davies says law requiring homes be fit for human habitation is an unnecessary burden | The Independent RT @joncstone: 2) He blocked a bill that would have required landlords to make homes 'fit for human habitation' (he's a landlord) Ban on wild animals in circus blocked by Tory backbenchers | The Independent RT @joncstone: 4) He was part of the group ...
Sat 17th
09:53
Trump's election highlighted what some have known for years - that America has a class system
I can't recall the number of conversations I've had over the years, usually semi-drunken ones, regarding whether or not America has a class system or not. Many Americans and non-Americans, left-wingers and right-wingers, have insisted during such arguments that America does not have a class system at all, and to think otherwise is to misunderstand what a class system actually is. Post-Trump, many of those I have chatted with on this subject are now starting to think I perhaps had a point. It's a shame it took the elevation of Donald Trump to leader of the free world for them ...
The following piece I penned for our weekly Digital Inspirational email at Blue Rubicon. Do sign up if you'd like such stories in your inbox every week. With computer hacking in the news again, now is a good time to think about checking any old accounts you have which are no longer being used. Whether it's a social media channel that has long been mothballed or a web service which is no longer used, leaving old accounts hanging around also means leaving sensitive data out there unnecessarily. What to do if one of your social media accounts is hackedThink you ...
Since the last general election – and even more so since the EU Referendum and the election of Donald Trump in the United States – there has been talk of a need for a "Progressive Alliance" between Labour, Lib Dems and Greens, in an effort to beat the Tories. Much of this talk has come from Green Party members, with Caroline Lucas being a prominent voice in favour, but there are those in Labour and the Lib Dems for whom this would seem to be a beguiling idea. Indeed, former leader Lord Ashdown has long hankered for a realignment of ...
"Kirby Muxloe Castle is a wholly unexpected pleasure." I wrote in July 2010.
The Liverpool Echo has the story about the snap closure of Sunningdale Nursing Home – see link above and quote below 'Sue McGuire, Lib Dem councillor for Cambridge Ward, said that she was 'absolutely appalled' by the closure and is demanding answers over how long bosses knew about the plan and how much notice residents were given.' How on earth can a situation like this come about? Surely the planning for closure of a facility like this would/should be over a long period of months not days? In my view elderly and vulnerable residents need time to adjust to ...
From the City Council : Do you know someone who could be Dundee's Citizen of the Year? The City Council welcomes nominations for the award and you can use the form to put forward the name of someone you think deserves the title. The Citizen of the Year award is likely to go to someone who has provided outstanding service to the community, normally on a voluntary basis. The judges will be looking in particular for selfless service to a voluntary body or the community or someone whose service brings distinction and quality to everyday life in Dundee. There is ...
[IMG: index] Like many people I read the high profile article in this week's Aintree and Maghull Champion newspaper and wondered why it contained little or no detail about this announcement. [IMG: Maghull Police Station in Westway, Maghull.] Maghull Police Station in Westway, Maghull. If the article had just said 'Maghull Police Station may move to Maghull Town Hall' and nothing else we would probably be just as well informed. [IMG: Maghull Town Hall] Prior to the article we all knew that Maghull Police Station was slated for closure and that it was likely that the Merseyside Police would in ...
EU Law Analysis: Brexit and the Future of Human Rights Law in the UK Not pretty. (tags: brexit eu ukpolitics humanrights ) The EU's Brexit negotiators prepare for disaster The Economist reports. (tags: ukpolitics eu brexit ) Learning Avar It's not easy. (Difficult language, few materials.) (tags: languages ) Most Mammals Take 21 Seconds to Pee Aren't you glad you know that now? (tags: biology ) Russia Today and the post-truth virus That "Canadian journalist" and Syria. (tags: russia syria internet )
