It's not just Norfolk's least-used station: Berney Arms is Britain's least used station. As the Guardian reported last week: Britain's least used railway station has been revealed as Berney Arms in Norfolk, which served just 42 passengers last year. The station, a request stop consisting of one short platform, a name plate and a tiny wooden shelter, is 30 minutes along a single-track line from Norwich to Great Yarmouth, and named after a local pub that closed several years ago. Situated in protected marshland near the River Yare and some way from the nearest main road, it is normally only ...
Tue 8th
20:55
Talking Pictures TV to show Peter Brook's Lord of the Flies: Watch a cast reunion from 1996
On Saturday week (19 December) Talking Pictures TV is showing Peter Brook's 1963 film of William Golding's Lord of the Flies. I first saw this film at school because I was educated in an era when it was more or less compulsory to study Golding's novel for O level. In those days it was taught to us as a fable about human nature, but (as I once blogged) today it reads more like a study of the inevitable consequences of the barbarities of the 1950s English prep school. Anyway, this screening gives me a reason to post this video of ...
Visiting Julian Critchley's grave at Wistanstow in Shropshire, I quoted an interview he once gave to Naim Attallah: "I had two heroes in politics: Macmillan and Roy Jenkins. Macmillan, because he controlled to a very great extent Britain's decline in power and was responsible for our adjustment in straitened circumstances - something he managed despite a party of fools. "My admiration for Roy Jenkins was based on the fact that as a young Labour MP he would advocate the cause of Europe in cross-party meetings, and he advocated brilliantly." One way of seeing the whole Brexit episode is as the ...
Second paragraph of third chapter (Thursday Part I):A little while later, with nausea stirring stomach, he stood ., half-dressed at the window. It was another day without any sign of rain, another morning without birdsong; in the clear early light the garden below looked diminished and ordinary, the folly at the end a prop for an abandoned play and the glasshouse stained and shabby. The windows were thickly glazed in uneven panes that threw back a mottled reflection nothing like the neat-edged image in his own mirror every morning. The face he saw now was too pale and lean, the ...
As a rule I don't like it when journalists report events before they happen, rather than waiting for a few days when facts start to emerge. When The Economist reports on most elections across the world it usually does does so before polling day, and rarely bothers afterwards beyond a brief update in the weekly ... Continue reading Why there may be no Brexit deal
Today the first COVID jabs were given to predominantly elderly patients at hospitals across the United Kingdom, the very first being to a lady in Coventry who turns 91 next week. Over-80s will be first in line in many areas. The vaccine being used initially is the Pfizer Biontech version, invented by two Germans of [...]
Both Scottish and Federal Conferences will be taking place virtually in March. Often, pre-election conferences aren't so well attended as people prioritise their local campaigns. This time, it's easier for everyone to take part in at least some of it and not miss out on that all-important leaflet delivery and door-knocking. Here's how you can take part: Scotland (and members from all across the UK are welcome) Scottish Conference Convener Paul McGarry announced the Scottish event, from 5-6 March, in an email to members: Spring conference will be taking place on FRIDAY 5th and SATURDAY 6th MARCH 2021. Like our ...
The final gallop towards a Brexit deal is following the pattern many of us have been predicting for a couple of years or more. Those charged with the negotiations are at loggerheads. We are told that the fault lies with the EU who are intransigent and, indeed introduce last minute additional demands to frustrate the doughty British. Bold Johnson charges in at the eleventh hour to fix a deal. We can expect this to be announced within the next couple of weeks. Whatever it is will be hailed as a triumph. The Tory press will laud it to the skies, ...
It's been 27 years since the establishment of Kick It Out, English football's equality and inclusion organisation, which works with the football, education and community sectors to challenge discrimination and encourage inclusive practices. Sadly, racism, abuse and discrimination are still rife in society, but the very nature of chanting in football stadiums makes some believe it is a licence to hurl insults at team players. On Saturday 5 December 2020, at a Millwall home match against Derby County, some of the 2,000 fans booed players who "took the knee" before the start of the game. Although players, officials and staff ...
"Why should we have to move everywhere and everything because of him?" That question is on the front of Change, Justice, Fairness, a Scottish Women's Aid community research project into homelessness caused by domestic abuse in Fife. Too often, the trauma suffered by victims of domestic abuse is exacerbated when they are forced to leave their homes, often with their children. It is not acceptable that they should be forced into this situation. It is unlikely that the event that led to them seeking help was the first incident. Safe Lives suggest that someone will endure 50 incidents of abuse ...
It's been a pretty dreadful year in many ways, apart from when it comes to new albums. Whether that's perhaps a feature of lockdowns giving creatives extra time to create, or maybe a creative response to the state of the world or something I don't know, but I think 2020 has been an exceptional year for new music. This is probably partly why my usual annual list generation process has got a little out of hand, but more of that later. Firstly, I should add the usual disclaimer up front - this is just a list of the albums I ...
Mon, 12:56: RT @SpaJw: An Irish passport holder in the UK has more freedom than a UK passport holder in the UK. That's quite a thing for the UK governm... Mon, 13:22: Blew all my Turkish Airlines air miles on pans. https://t.co/ugZyWMK2TE Mon, 13:58: RT @EuropeanUni: Prof Simon Hix will be joining the EUI in September 2021 from @LSEnews. He will take up the position of Stein Rokkan Cha... Mon, 14:45: This Was Not Our War: Bosnian Women Reclaiming the Peace, by Swanee Hunt Interviews with 26 Bosnian women: perceptions of history, actual wartime experience, the chance of reconciliation. Moving ...
Instead of pushing a button as a pedestrian, to get the lights to change, you move your hand under the button unit. Like touch free toilet flushing. The gadget detects the movement. A simple way to avoid the button that is never cleaned and so many people touch so often - which is a COVID risk (and other infections)The cost? £100 per pushbutton. So you could do every pedestrian controlled light in Yate for under £2000. So we suggested South Glos used some of the money it had been given for highways works resulting from COVID to do this. They ...
Having been sold the idea of leaving the EU on the basis that we will be able to cut the red tape of an out-of-touch and unaccountable Brussels bureaucracy, those who voted for this nonsense may be shocked to discover that any post-Brexit deal with the EU will subject us to rules and regulations we will have no say over, and that no matter what deal is struck (or even if no deal is agreed), UK businesses will become overwhelmed with additional red tape. As the Independent reports, the man in charge of Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs has warned ...
I've been catching up with some of the candidates in next year's key elections to find out about their campaigns, what brought them into politics and how you can help them. We head north h first to speak to the brilliant Molly Nolan, the Scottish Parliament candidate for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross. You can follow Molly on Twitter, Facebook and on her website. * Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings
Chartered accountant Jenny Wilkinson has been selected by the Liberal Democrats for the West Midlands Mayor election in May 2021.
Tue 8th
08:30
Whoniversaries 8 December: Jennie Linden, Nightmare of Eden #3, Enemy of the Bane #2, Unicorn & ...
i) births and deaths 8 December 1939: birth of Jennie Linden, who played Barbara in Doctor Who and the Daleks (1965) ii) broadcast anniversaries 8 December 1979: broadcast of third episode of Nightmare of Eden. The Doctor realises that vraxoin comes from roast Mandrel. 8 December 2009: broadcast of second episode of Enemy of the Bane, concluding the second series of Sarah Jane Adventures. Sarah, Luke and the Brigadier force Mrs Wormwood and the Sontaran into a portal concealed in a stone circle. Last ever appearance (sob!) of the Brigadier. iii) date specified in-universe 8 December 1926: Setting of The ...
From the Curator of Museum Services at the University of Dundee : Speaking Volumes - a Miscellany of Artists' Books is a free online event featuring live talks and discussion with four artists represented in abcD (artists' book collection Dundee) taking place on Wednesday 9th December at 2.30pm. The University of Dundee holds one of Scotland's leading collections of artists' books, housed in Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design. In this special live event, museum curator Matthew Jarron will introduce abcD and then four artists whose books are included in the collection will speak about their work and ...
Please see below planning applications that have been received in the last month. Please let us know if you have any queries or points you would like us to raise. Two storey side extension and single storey rear extension 93 Heywood Old Road, Rochdale, Manchester, M24 4QSRef. No: 66221 | Received: Mon 23 Nov 2020 | Validated: Mon 23 Nov 2020 | Status: RegisteredLoft conversion incorporating rear dormer and rooflights to front elevation 24 Ferndene Road, Prestwich, Manchester, M25 2RBRef. No: 66164 | Received: Mon 09 Nov 2020 | Validated: Fri 13 Nov 2020 | Status: Registered
A coalition of public service organisations, charities and older people's groups is this week launching a new information campaign to support older people to keep well this winter. The 'Keeping Well This Winter' booklet contains tips and advice on keeping physically well and maintaining good mental health, and is being provided to tens of thousands of older people across Greater Manchester. It is aimed particularly at reaching people who are not online and it follows the success of a similar publication during the first wave of Covid-19, which was praised by the World Health Organization for keeping residents informed at ...
Our nominations are being requested for the Greater Manchester High Sheriff Young Citizen's Award. Young people play a huge role in making local communities safer and better places to live and it is extremely important that we recognise and celebrate their achievements. The exceptional young people of Greater Manchester have demonstrated their commitment to social action, community engagement and philanthropy across the entirety of Greater Manchester. The High Sheriff Awards for Young Citizen 2020 seek to celebrate these achievements and recognise the contributions that young people play in all our lives – fundraising, helping, or caring for people, or being ...
Local people's views are being sought on the future of North Manchester General Hosptial (Crumpsall). Manchester Universities Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs the hospital, is seeking our views on its proposals to redevelop the site. The plans include: Healthcare - a replacement acute hospital and modern mental health hospital Wellbeing - delivery of modern, integrated community health, care and wellbeing services, with a single building for mixed service provision, meeting spaces and a café Education - centre to provide staff training for employees of the hospital Residential-led component providing key worker accommodation, social housing and a Village Green. More information ...
