In the latest edition of his Never Mind the Bar Charts podcast, Mark Pack talks to Duncan Brack about the lessons we can learn from the last time a Conservative government was defeated at a general election. Elisa Thomas explains how hostile government are using web-based conspiracy theories to spread disinformation cheaply and easily. As Pam Jarvis points out, Tory ministers excuse their own teenage and later wrongdoing as youthful indiscretion yet refuse to increase the age of criminal responsibility from 10. David Bather Woods suggests Schopenhauer can teach us to live through these dark times. "Class is a bigger ...
Labour's new leader Keir Starmer has gained a lot of publicity recently for stating that he will tackle Anti Semitism in his party but he has been silent so far on the existence of organised Trotskyist groups within the ranks of the party he now leads. Trotskyist entryism dates back to the 1930s when Leon Trotsky advised his supporters in France to join the Socialist Party with the aim of winning new adherents. Ever since then democratic socialist parties have been targets for entryism. In the 1950s British Trotskyists split over whether to infiltrate Labour, with Gerry Healy's faction going ...
For the first time, it is beginning to feel like we are nearer the end of this than the beginning. Although Belgium yesterday extended the current lockdown to 3 May, there's a strong sense that this may be the last or second-last such announcement. People are starting to talk about exit strategies, including particularly in neighbouring countries. (But things will not move as quickly in the US or the UK.) From our direct perspective, the government announced yesterday that residents of residential care centres and institutions for people with a handicap will be now able to receive visits from one ...
Current Oathbringer, by Brandon Sanderson Monstress, Volume 4: The Chosen, by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda Wiske, by Willy Vandersteen Last books finished (lots of short books over a long weekend) Muddy Lane, by Andrew Cheffings Gideon the Ninth, by Tamsin Muir A Woman in Space, by Sara Cavanagh Catfishing on Catnet, by Naomi Kritzer The Lady from the Black Lagoon: Hollywood Monsters and the Lost Legacy of Milicent Patrick, by Mallory O'Meara Mooncakes, by Wendy Xu and Suzanne Walker The European Parliament, by Francis Jacobs, Richard Corbett and Michael Shackleton The Deep, by Rivers Solomon, with Daveed Diggs, William ...
Many readers will have received the April Newsletter from the party. It begins promisingly: Our teams in Westminster, Holyrood, the Senedd and Council Chambers across Britain have been doing their best to help their communities through this crisis and to hold the Government to account. You can read more about their work in this newsletter. Except I can't – read, that is, about what our devolved assemblies and local councils are doing. We are given some news about the leadership election and the election review, followed by articles from four of our MPs – on the Labour leadership, NHS workers, ...
Thu 16th
15:18
The Project: how the Conservatives were beaten last time (Never Mind The Bar Charts S2/E11)
In the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts, I talk with Duncan Brack, the closest thing the party has to an official historian, about the lessons for the Liberal Democrats from the last time that a Conservative government was defeated. A key part of that was cross-party cooperation so we dive into what then party leader Paddy Ashdown's plans were, what worked, what didn't work and what lessons apply to this Parliament. Feedback as every very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it. Show notes Lessons from the Ashdown-Blair 'Project' – ...
As Charles Kennedy once said: Liberal Democrats are the traditional exponents of localism. Localism is inextricably linked to our core values. The belief in devolved power, strong local government, and a plurality of societal actors working together to enhance democratic accountability and maximising opportunity for innovation and experimentation lie at the heart of liberalism. The population of not just the United Kingdom, but the whole world seem to be confined to a particular location. We are unable to take flights across the globe, or even visit friends and relatives in nearby towns. Families, businesses, institutions, and society are pulling together ...
A lot of people have raised concerns about how care homes are coping during the current coronavirus crisis. The following information has been shared with Councillors in Bury and will hopefully let people know what is happening locally. Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you think there are points that we need to raise or take forwards: "The council has secured emergency PPE supplies from the national stock for homes to use in an emergency; set up a network of market traders to support homes struggling to source food, with the school meal service on standby to ...
What does a Liberal look like? That is not some test for choosing a leader. The beginnings of an answer are more likely to emerge at a local level. A reprint provoked the question in the current Liberator of a 1980s piece by Roger Cowe in which he argued: "I believe that the most important challenges to Liberals are firstly to live out their ideals, and secondly to convince others that they are right, and this is long term and somewhat nebulous". Lifestyle issues can be very sensitive, and you can spend a lifetime learning how to live like a ...
Parents will find out today ( (hursday 16 April) what primary school their young children will be joining in the autumn. National Offer Day is when school places for reception classes starting in September are confirmed. All parents who applied for a place online will receive an email confirming their offer of a place on Thursday. Due to the restrictions imposed by Covid-19, it will not be possible to post offer letters to those who did not apply online. Parents who do not receive an email should contact the school admissions team by email at admissions@bury.gov.uk or call 0161 253 ...
The Low Fell Focus Team have now produced their 4th eFocus dealing with the Coronavirus pandemic. Issues covered include: Gateshead Lib Dem Councillors produce video about coronavirus - watch below Local Heroes Focus Team phone hundreds of local residents to check on their welfare Garden waste collection suspended A warning from the police Supporting businesses who don't pay rates Ron joins
Wed, 12:56: RT @jaemmanouilidis: Postponing #CoFoE right thing to do - now more pressing things to do at #EU level. HOWEVER: the need to have debate ab... Wed, 13:28: RT @bbcdoctorwho: "The Shadow Passes" A new short story by @Paul_Cornell is live on the website. https://t.co/nvMoMH00C2 #DoctorWho https:/... Wed, 17:27: RT @DaveKeating: BREAKING: Belgium will extend its #lockdown to 3 May. No surprise there. The big question is whether Belgium's regions ca... Wed, 18:05: RT @tconnellyRTE: Breaking: EU and UK propose just three more negotiating rounds on the future relationship before the June rendezvous when... Wed, 18:53: I've been getting ...
I think it is fair to say that the announcement by the English Health Secretary that he is to 'rebrand' the caring profession by providing a lapel pin with the word "CARE" on it has been met with incredulity by much of the British public. As the Independent reports, Hancock claimed that: "This badge will be a badge of honour in a very real sense, allowing social care staff proudly and publicly to identify themselves, just like NHS staff do with that famous blue and white logo. I know that many businesses will want to offer the same recognition and ...
Thank you to Brimsham Green School who are making visors for care workers - so far they have gone to local district nurses, care homes and the eye hospital. Mr Marsh is co-ordinating this. jmarsh@brimsham.com.
Thu 16th
10:33
Here's why Keir Starmer will never be accepted by the far left and what that means for Labour's imme...
Starmer ran on a platform of uniting all factions of the Labour Party. This was an admirable one in many respects – that it was also the most politically advantageous strategy to have adopted, we will leave to one side for now. Yet as soon as he was leader, the backstabbing by the far left began almost immediately. They weren't going to let a national crisis stop them from leaking and then shouting as loudly as possible about a report that put all of the blame for the internal anti-Semitism issues down to Blairites trying to smear Corbyn. This was ...
Thu 16th
10:05
Don't get caught in the COVID-19 app trap: we can both preserve liberty and save lives
It's great to see comment from our MPs scrutinising the exchange of civil liberties for security from COVID-19. It seems we're in a classic situation where Liberals have to give ground – against their instincts – for the greater good. But this is a trap, and with a careful reassessment of the entirety of the issue, we can propose solutions that satisfy everyone (well, everyone that wasn't using it as cover to infringe on civil liberties in the first place). What if I told you that we could build an App that protected us from COVID-19 without any personal data ...
St Helens Church – Sefton Village in model form – Crosby Library I took the photo above during a visit to Crosby Library a few months back. It's of the historic Church of Saint Helen in Sefton Village where once this old atheist was a choir boy. It really is a beautiful scale model of the Grade 1 listed building. Here's a link to previous posting of mine about the church:- This note was on display with the model Note on the base of the model stand.
2 big stories Alright, we're locked down. But the question is, how do you return to normal? The German government thinks it has plotted a route, as the Washington Post reports. Buty don't get too optimistic, these are relative baby steps we're talking about, capable of being halted without significant difficulty. On the other hand, it's more of a plan than the British Government have thus far... There's still not much sign of Government support reaching businesses, and whilst the news that the Oasis and Warehouse fashion chains have entered into administration will be the headline story, the low takeup ...
Dundee Carers Centre has developed an electronic shopping card for young carers who have responsibilities for shopping and/or picking up medication for family members. The card entitles young carers to access supermarkets and pharmacies during protected times. The launch, the first of its kind for young carers in Scotland, has already attracted interested from other carer organisations, with some hoping to create their own versions. So far, we have issued 20 e-cards to young carers and continue to take referrals. If you are a young carer and have a responsibility for shopping and/or collecting medication on behalf of someone you ...
