Yesterday, the world provided one of those rare coincidences that pretty much demand a blog post from me. The lead singers from two of my very favourite bands released new solo albums. More precisely still, the lead singers from two ... Continue reading →
The six-week delay in paying new Universal Credit claims will lead to evictions by private landlords, says Giles Peaker. "Demonizing homosexuality is, most obviously, a way for Putin to assert Russia's superiority over the West. The West's acceptance of homosexuality is given as proof of its moral and social collapse." Robert Cottrell reviews a study of how totalitarianism has reclaimed Russia. Joshua Smeltzer reviews Michael Ignatieff's new book The Ordinary Virtues: Moral Order in a Divided World, Jonathan Meades remembers Anthony Burgess: "In person he was very genial, generous, and, among other things which you wouldn't expect from him, a ...
I could not sleep the other night, so in the small hours I found myself looking at a discussion forum about the Jack the Ripper murders. Someone had posted a link to my post about Robert Lees, and that led me to the website devoted to him. (Lees was a Leicestershire spiritualist whose name crops up in some of the more creative conspiracy theories about the Ripper murders.) There I found this paragraph: Wharf Street, Leicester is a street with a rich history. This curious building (27a and 27b) served as the area's pawn shop under proprietor Harry Leif, and ...
Sat 18th
19:39
Council leader should apologise for using vulnerable refugee children to justify council's financial...
A rather unpleasant row has blown up over comments made by Shropshire Council leader Peter Nutting on BBC Radio Shropshire earlier in the week. Speaking on why the council is struggling to balance its budget, he said that ten child refugees had been taken into care, claiming they have cost the council £1 million. He identified the nationality of the children. This was careless talk that could turn public attitudes against supporting vulnerable young people. It was also dangerous talk that could threaten the youngsters themselves. The story was subsequently headlined in local papers, including front page splash in the ...
I think most of we British are at least vaguely aware, possibly from the Lawrence of Arabia film, or reading his book, that our government let down, or even double-crossed, the Arabs, after the First World War. As I understand it, and I'm no expert, Britain promised, or at least indicated to, the Arab peoples, that if they revolted against the Ottoman Empire which had for centuries ruled much of the Middle East and was our enemy in the First World War, then, when the Allied victory was achieved, their lands would be handed over (or back?) to the Arabs ...
Soft power has become an important concept in international relations since the end of the Second World War — namely, the way states use cultural diplomacy and other forms of non-military action to spread their influence. But recently a new phenomenon has been identified: "dark power" — the way some countries, especially Russia, use broadcasting [...]
Watching television programmes remembered from my childhood can sometimes be a dispiriting experience. ITV3's endless repeats of On the Buses is a reminder that terrible sitcoms were made long before Mrs Brown's Boys. Many 1970s drama serials really haven't stood the test of time either. The Persuaders is cringe-making, sexist tosh. The Professionals seems rather more amateurish than professional. Even ... The post Shoestring reloaded appeared first on ten pence piece.
Cavalcade won the Oscar for Outstanding Production in 1934 (the first year in which a printed publication, in this case Time, referred to the Academy Awards as the Oscars, though apparently Walt Disney was already talking about getting an Oscar in 1931). For once, I've actually heard of one of the other nominated films, 42nd Street. The others were A Farewell to Arms, I am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang, Lady for a Day, Little Women, The Private Life of Henry VIII, She Done Him Wrong, Smilin' Through, and State Fair. Cavalcade won two other Oscars, Best Director (Frank ...
Embed from Getty Images Liberal Democrat MP and former health minister Norman Lamb has organised a cross-party group of 90 MPs, including select committee chairs and former cabinet ministers, to write to the prime minister urging the government to establish an NHS and Care Convention to find a sustainable long-term settlement for these services. The call has been backed by a high-profile group of 15 committee chairs, 22 former ministers, six former secretaries of state, and several prominent ex-shadow ministers and select committee members. The Convention would work on a cross-party basis, engaging with the public and the health and ...
Former #UK Prime Minister #TonyBlair in #Gambia meeting new leader @BarrowPresident in The State House of the former British colony. pic.twitter.com/3pvhQ5kRKK — Sam Phatey™ (@SamPhatey) November 14, 2017 It seems that shortly after attending the Remembrance Sunday parade at London's Cenotaph, former Prime Minister Tony Blair hopped on a plane for The Gambia. On Tuesday, he popped up there to meet the country's President, Adama Barrow at his office (above) and then have dinner with him at the Coco Ocean Resort and Spa in Serrekunda. (A night in the Presidential suite there would set you back £1870). Globe-trotting Tony Blair ...
Fri, 12:56: Britain got its way in the EU when it mattered - I know, I was there https://t.co/N5kK6q2qiw Really good piece from John Gummer @lorddeben... Fri, 13:32: A productive lunch break blocking all my LinkedIn 2nd or 3rd rank contacts who work or have ever worked at... https://t.co/IfbEd3DLBa Fri, 13:42: Obviously that goes for @devereacuma as well. https://t.co/R9gF2CusQ3 Fri, 16:05: Glorious. https://t.co/sPjCJHTvnm Fri, 20:48: Why I campaigned for a feminist statue outside Parliament https://t.co/D6IwKzT8LZ There are more statues of men called John than there are... Fri, 21:01: Thread. https://t.co/IKvpjuAbNY Fri, 22:35: RT @duncanrobinson: British government not so big on ...
Just how difficult disengaging ourselves from the EU will be has come into stark contrast this week with Ireland's determination to block any deal that puts up physical or other barriers on their border with the North. As the Guardian records, Ireland's prime minister, Leo Varadkar,has said that he will not be prepared to back progress of the Brexit negotiations to trade talks at the summit in December without a formal written guarantee there will be no hard border in Ireland. Britain: Varadkar's warning was the most blunt, though the EU is likely to take the lead from Ireland when ...
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I hadn't heard this album in a very long while before yesterday. In fact, I hadn't really listened to the Police in some time. But I had "Wrapped Around My Finger" pop into my head from nowhere and this gave me a hankering to revisit the album; to see if I would find it stood the test of time or whether, like a lot of 80s music frankly, it seemed a little dated and gauche. When I think of 80s music, "Synchronicity" looms large. By "80s music" I should specify what I mean here: the music of the decade that ...
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05mw7rd The BBC has some innovative youth solutions on its web site – see link above I have not been one to watch the demise of local youth facilities without saying that we are headed in very much the wrong direction and that there are and will continue be negative consequences for the wider community and the young people left wandering on our streets. The closure of Maghull's innovative Youth Coffee Bar set up by local youngsters for local youngsters comes to mind. On the positive side though volunteers are working to set up a new youth facility which will ...
Following on from his two previous volumes (one, two), Martin Kyrle's The Liberals in Hampshire – a Part(l)y History: Part 3 Eastleigh 1972-81: the thorn in the flesh bursts into flower takes the story of the Liberal Party in his part of Hampshire through to some years of growing political success. Martin Kyrle's volumes add vital colour to the political historical record, featuring the sort of detail of politics at the grassroots that is vital for understanding how the overall political system really works but which is often not preserved in the historical record. The shift from politicians only doing ...
All four West of England councils have now agreed that the consultation on the Joint Spatial Plan (JSP) should go ahead so it will start on 22nd November. The JSP proposes: 1,800 new homes at Coalpit Heath2,000 homes plus employment land on the edge of Yate, between Engine Common and Nibley and down to Westerleigh, with at least 1,000 being built by 2036 1,200 at Charfield 3,000 at a new garden village at Buckover, with at least 1,500 of them being built by 2036 500 at Thornbury Some headlines have given the impression that the plan has already been approved ...
Sat 18th
08:36
Why we could all do with reading LGBT Youth Scotland's guidance on supporting transgender young peop...
This week, the excellent LGBT Scotland launched a guide offering advice to schools on supporting transgender young people. It's badly needed. Some young transgender people find that their schools support them very well. For others, the story is very different. They find that their school does the minimum that they can legally get away with and no more. They fail to recognise and protect young people from transphobic bullying. They make a massive issue about things like toilets and changing rooms. I know one transgender young person who was made to use the accessible toilet – not something that they ...
The Independent has the story on its web site – see link above Norman Lamb MP Quote from the article:- Liberal Democrat former care minister Norman Lamb said: "This Government is completely failing to address the social care crisis which has left over a million vulnerable older people without the support they need. "It is outrageous that they are now kicking the can further down the road, leaving the social care sector in a state of uncertainty." This vital issue affects every section of society as we will all potentially need social care when we are elderly. That means ...
Following residents' complaints to me about a series of potholes in Osborne Place, I brought this to the attention of the council's Roads Maintenance Partnership and have been updated as follows : "An order has ... been raised for potholes in Osborne Place with a timescale for repair of approximately one week."
The piece of land at the junction of Nedens Lane and Southport Road always looks good and has done ever since Lydiate Parish Council took over the maintenance of it from Sefton Council. Winter planting of the flower beds in this landscaped area has been completed recently by the Parish Council's grounds staff who are doing their bit to assist with the recently launched Lydiate in Flower volunteer group who will hopefully be starting work on other flower/environmental projects next spring.
