I am one of that rare breed of people in Britain who never watched a single episode of the long-running cult TV series Downton Abbey, though I did sit in on a live interview with its creator, Julian Fellowes, some years ago. One day, I thought, they will make a film of it, which I shall [...]
This is the first of two interviews Bryan Magee gave to Andy O'Mahony from RTE in 1999. His ability to make philosophical ideas clear to the lay listener is well in evidence. Ignore the video's discouraging appearance: it will play.
The old boy celebrates the promotion of Douglas Jardine, the brains behind the Bodyline tour of Australia. I never had him down as a Liberal myself. Monday My old friend Jo Grimond proved a splendid leader of the Liberal Party, so I have great hopes of Jo Swinson. Already she has shown good judgement by appointing me to the Outer Space portfolio in her Shadow Cabinet and, and this morning I hurry up to Town for its first meeting. Looking around the table I am heartened by the faces that return my gaze. A fellow called Davey (I didn't catch ...
Two wriggly pheasants yesterday Yesteday she came second for the Liberal Democrats in a Rutland by-election, but now Beverley Wrigley-Pheasant has gone one better. Congratulations to the winner of our prestigious Name of the Day Award.
The Cribbs Patchway Metrobus Extension project tell us: "The three-way temporary traffic lights at the railway bridge on Gipsy Patch Lane are to remain in place for at least a further week. Contractors are currently installing crossings on Gipsy Patch Lane as part of preparation works for the bridge replacement next year. The extension to the temporary lights is needed to enable additional work to lower a utility cable. Safety is paramount and given the limited space around the railway bridge the temporary lights help protect workers and members of the public whilst this work is completed. This additional work ...
Because of my caring commitments I find it hard to get to Shropshire these days. And I am worried about what will happen next time I try to visit Bishop's Castle. I envisage finding a grassy hillside and a conversation with a passing shepherd something like this: Where's the town gone? Town? Yes, Bishop's Castle. Never heard of it.But it was here. The high street ran up this steep hill. There were two pubs that brewed their own beer and the best second-hand classical record shop I know. Oh and the Liberal Democrats got 71.4 per cent in a local ...
Second paragraph of third chapter: Cardboard boxes crowd the linoleum floor like little barges bristling with their cargo: pots and pans, Mason jars, oven mitts, steak knives, more stuff than Alice can imagine she ever needed. The mood she's in, she's ready to turn out the cookstove. She doubts Harland would notice if she stopped cooking altogether. When she met him he was heating up unopened cans of Campbell's soup in a big pot of water every night. It amazed her to see the cans rolling around like logs in the boiling water. "Don't they bust?" she asked him, and ...
Read the full post "Where to with globalisation?" on Radix Think Tank.
I have to admit that, in recent years, I've rather drifted through Party conferences. I don't really have a role, and I've not particularly sought one. This year is different though. This year, I'm organised, with a diary of things to go to or do, a speech I'm minded to give, and nominations to get (I'll say more about that another time...). I've even got a job, albeit one that I might have hoped was unnecessary. The journey down to Bournemouth has been pleasant enough, with some scenery to look at, and everything has run to schedule so far. Ros ...
If you want to see strange goings on in politics, go to Hartlepool. Famous for electing Peter Mandelson as MP and then the football team's mascot as Mayor, the town's new claim to fame is the appointment of the first Brexit Party local council administration. Or rather, a Brexit/Conservative administration. Apparently, ten independent councillors joined the Farage party last night. Today the old
The autumn issue of the Journal of Liberal History has just been published in time for conference. Its contents include: Vince Cable as leader. Interview with Vince Cable on his political beliefs, his career in the party, in particular his period as Business Secretary in the coalition government, and his two years as leader of the Liberal Democrats. When asked about what went wrong with the coalition, he responded: 'I think the simple answer is that we trusted the Conservatives, and we shouldn't have.' Read the interview to find out more about the challenges he faced in coalition and as ...
This week we've had two "exclusives" in the media about the Liberal Democrats which aren't quite exclusive... and indeed which readers of this site will have known about for weeks. First up, the news that Chuka Umunna was a Liberal Democrat member in his youth. The Politics Home "exclusive" as a couple of months off the pace at least: Ahem: not quite exclusive if you read my blog as I covered this over two months ago [IMG: 🙂] https://t.co/5Za2f0h5h8 https://t.co/cM1eVwUrNh — Mark Pack [IMG: 🔶] (@markpack) September 13, 2019 Second, the New Statesman story about Lib Dem education plans. Again ...
For as long as I can remember, the mantra has been that the Conservative Party is the party of the countryside. My question is, why? Have they done anything for rural areas or have they simply taken them for granted? It is time that we who live and work here in our communities and understand far more about rural issues than our opposition, took on that role. This year, on 2 May 2019, the public in many areas gave us their confidence and elected around 704 new councillors, many of them in rural and coastal areas. We are now in ...
Fri 13th
12:58
Latest UK general election opinion polls: big variation in Conservative lead between pollsters
Hello! I'm Mark Pack, author of 101 Ways To Win An Election, and the maintainer of the largest database of national voting intention polls in the UK, stretching back to 1943. Welcome to a round-up of the latest general election voting intention figures from each of the polling firms currently active in the UK. Below the table, you'll find the option to sign up to email updates about new polls and also a set of answers to frequently asked questions about political polling. The current topline is one of the Conservatives being consistently ahead by a good few points, but ...
I was amazed to be told that the Federal Board has decided to run the internal elections for the Presidency and Party committees this Autumn. Yes, I know that they are due BUT I also know that they will be ... Continue reading →
The Whig view of history is that we're on a path which inevitably leads to greater civilisation, liberty, constitutional government and enlightenment. That's the picture painted by most of our text books as we "advance" from Magna Carta (1215) through the Glorious Revolution and Bill of Rights (1688/9) the various (electoral) Reform Acts (1832, 1867, 1884), Votes for Women (1918, and 1928) right up to the Fixed Term Parliament Act of 2011 - whoopee, the prime minister can no longer call an election just when he or she thinks the governing party can win. Roll on Proportional Representation by Single ...
I was amazed to be told that the Federal Board has decided to run the internal elections for the Presidency and Party committees this Autumn. Yes, I know that they are due BUT I also know that they will be taking place when there are far more important things to do. There may just be some issues like stopping Brexit; welcoming new MPs to our Party and fighting a General Election that should take precedence. Had it been left to me I would have taken the opportunity to tell the Conference in Bournemouth that the Party would be postponing the ...
Thu, 12:56: The Story of Caroline Calloway & Her Ghostwriter Natalie https://t.co/4qDnq3v39H I have never heard of these people... https://t.co/pCQ1jnYDmV Thu, 16:05: Lost and found: the Beechey Island papers https://t.co/nygkcMjQYV Brilliant account by Alison Freebairn of how she... https://t.co/evG7G61a8G Thu, 16:20: Some quite big "ifs" in this thread. https://t.co/BT9krvTkpL Thu, 17:11: Who Actually Uses London's Least-Used Underground Station? https://t.co/JxamxtD1FF About a thousand people a day. Thu, 17:14: RT @AlbertoNardelli: Brexit status update. A short thread: - UK has not put forward any concrete proposal/text. A fundamental point that n... Thu, 17:22: RT @PadraigBelton: It's almost like someone's sending a coded ...
Several Tory rebels, from those 21 MPs who had the whip removed, have publicly stated that another EU referendum might be a way out of the current Brexit predicament. Behind closed doors, several are privately considering backing a referendum. This is what was always likely to happen when Johnson kicked them out of the Conservative party – freed from the group, they could contemplate what may be the only way to avoid the no deal they are willing to sacrifice their careers to halt. Johnson must have realised this on some level – is a referendum what he secretly wants? ...
Great day campaigning in Middleton Cheney with Alison Eastwood and Lizzy [IMG: 😊] @Conservatives pic.twitter.com/mNndrdYH4T — Andrea Leadsom MP (@andrealeadsom) August 26, 2019 * Paul Walter is a Liberal Democrat activist. He is one of the Liberal Democrat Voice team. He blogs at Liberal Burblings.
It has become a current cliché that the British constitution is at a crossroads verging on crisis. . The catalyst is Brexit. But the blind do or die pursuit of this goal has moved the debate beyond membership of the EU to endanger the values that underpin the foundations of British political life. The British constitutional rule book appears to be up for grabs from the rule of the law to the role of the monarch, the principle of parliamentary sovereignty and the integrity of ministers. The unwritten British constitution is a combination of legal precedents established by an independent ...
It seems that £100 million does not go as far as it used to if the Government's pro-Brexit campaign is any guide. As the Guardian reports, Boris Johnson has been accused of seriously misleading the public with the government's campaign to Get Ready for Brexit on 31 October. MPs and experts have urged civil service chief Sir Mark Sedwill to intervene to make clear the UK is highly unlikely to leave without a deal on that day: The £100m advertising campaign, which claims to set out what the public needs to do to get ready for a no-deal Brexit at ...
Fri 13th
08:27
Opinion: Who had the biggest impact? Neil Armstrong, Jimi Hendrix or the King of Sweden?
By any standards, 1969 was a momentous year. Neil Armstrong was the first person to walk on the moon, half a million people came to Woodstock to hear Jimi Hendrix, and the Stonewall riots kicked off the gay liberation movement. The same year, less well remembered, an event in Stockholm arguably shaped our world today even more. And not for the best. Fifty years ago this year, the King of Sweden presented with royal pomp the first ever Nobel medals in economics. The prize has been dogged by controversy ever since. Alfred Nobel the founder of the awards never wanted ...
Tomorrow - Saturday 14th September - from 10am-12.30pm - there will be a Herbal Workshop at Ninewells Community Garden. £5 suggested donation. Booking is essential so please contact - facilitator.ninewellsgarden@gmail.com
