Reacting to the revelation that COP26 President Alok Sharma has been allowed to travel to "red list" countries without quarantining, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Transport Sarah Olney MP said: "As usual with this Government, it's one rule for them and another for everybody else. While Alok Sharma flies to Red List countries with abandon, hard-working families can hardly see loved-ones or plan holidays as the Government changes travel rules on the hoof. "People are sick of the Government giving themselves get-out-of-jail free passes while the rest of us stick to the rules. "The Conservatives have fallen completely out of touch ...
Following the news that the energy price cap will increase by up to £139 a year, Liberal Democrat Housing Spokesperson Tim Farron MP said: "This price cap increase will plunge thousands of low income households across the country into more uncertainty. At a time where Covid-19 has already done so much damage, for the government not to delay this is outrageous. "If the Tories actually cared about keeping the costs of energy low they would not have scrapped their home insulation programme earlier this year. Their failure to upgrade homes has left those on low incomes at the mercy of ...
The science seems clear – the answer is yes. The reason for the question mark is that there is so little evidence of emergency action. Our Parish Council, like many others, has declared a climate emergency, and we are doing what we can, but it isn't much. In the UK the big decisions rest with Boris Johnson. Johnson's trade deals mean that we are importing more and more food and consumer goods from countries that do not respect the environment. We are building new houses on green fields. Our roads get busier and our government is building more. The Tories ...
This is the latest post in a series I started in late 2019, anticipating the twentieth anniversary of my bookblogging which will fall in 2023. Every six-ish days, I've been revisiting a month from my recent past, noting work and family developments as well as the books I read in that month. I've found it a pleasantly cathartic process, especially in recent circumstances. If you want to look back at previous entries, they are all tagged under bookblog nostalgia. Early in the month, I visited the Hague overnight for work - I cannot now remember why - and unusually we ...
Current Fish Tails, by Sheri S. Tepper Strange Bedfellows: An Anthology of Political Science Fiction, ed. Hayden Trenholm Thirteen, by Steve Cavanagh The HAVOC Files 2, ed. Shaun Russell Last books finished The Life and Adventures of Mrs. Christian Davies, Commonly Called Mother Ross by Daniel Defoe The Beast of Stalingrad, by Iain McLaughlin The Secret of Kit Cavenaugh, by Anne Holland Contact, by Carl Sagan Next books The Place of the Lion, by Charles Williams The Mists of Avalon, by Marion Zimmer Bradley
The concept of scrutiny in Councils isn't something that sets the adrenalin flowing. However recent events in Liverpool have shown that for all councillors outside the Cabinet or committee chairs it is the most important thing that they can do. That's why I'm pleased that my Lib Dem colleague, , Kris Brown, become Chair of the new independent Audit Committee Labour and Lib Dem Parties should be a sign that the scrutiny process will become more important in in all the work of the City Council. I find that immensely satisfying. Over the past decade I have raised issue after ...
Only one principal authority council by-election this week, a Labour defence in Scotland. As ever, when looking at the figures it's worth bearing in mind that Scottish council elections are fought under STV but by-elections when one seat is up use AV (the alternative vote). East Livingston and East Calder (West Lothian) By-Election, First Preferences: SNP ~ 1890 (42.5%, +1.7) Conservative ~ 1085 (24.4%, +2.4) Labour ~ 969 (21.8%, -9.1) Green ~ 336 (7.6%, +4.0) Lib Dem ~ 118 (2.7%, nc) ISP ~ 47 (1.1%, +1.1) SNP elected stage 5. pic.twitter.com/HSP5p2gnQ8 — Ballot Box Scotland (@BallotBoxScot) August 6, 2021
Thu, 12:34: I know this intellectually but it's dramatic to watch in real life. Arrived at a restaurant on Place de Londres at 1225, and only one other table on the terrasse was occupied. Ten minutes later, and it's full up! Thu, 12:56: Majority of British voters feel little connection with the people of Northern Ireland https://t.co/3F4zuMvRYB No big surprise. Thu, 16:05: Religion in Europe https://t.co/dKJdmia8qm Poorly written but interesting from @Esri; who knew that Norway and Portugal are the most Buddhist countries in Europe? Thu, 16:53: RT @BadWolfArchives: Seeing rumours of Sally Wainwright (Gentleman Jack, Happy Valley, Last Tango ...
Fri 6th
10:31
Application to stabilise bank at Fishmore Quarry must ensure Castle View Terrace meadow is protected...
Castle View Terrace meadow is protected from damage A second application has been lodged to stabilise the rock face at Fishmore Quarry. The first was approved yesterday and will involve construction of a green wall with a grass and wildflower slope above. This second application is more difficult. Part of the rock face will be secured with rock nails. The less stable soil above will be secured with soil nails and meshing. The controversial part of the proposal will involve regrading the slope along the south west edge of Castle View Terrace meadow. This will remove about 11% of the ...
Nobody would ever describe Boris Johnson as 'Mr Sensitivity', but his latest faux pas has hit a new low, even for him. As the Independent explains, the prime minister was reported to have chuckled as he said Britain owed its escape from reliance on coal energy to Margaret Thatcher's closure of the mines in the 1980s: Speaking during a visit to a wind-farm off the coast of Scotland, Mr Johnson said that the UK's dependence on coal for its electricity had fallen from 70-80 per cent in his childhood to less than one per cent now largely "thanks to" Lady ...
This is a subject I've blogged about quite a few times previously. It's one where progress is being made yet some confusion seems to surround it (as well as some significant gaps) so I've taken up a number of queries with Sefton Council once again. Here's the current situation as I understand it to be:- Starting at Switch Island the cycle path/track has been upgraded over almost all of the stretch to the traffic-lighted junction with Liverpool Road South (Alt Junction) yet odd things have clearly not been done. There's a stretch of maybe 100 yards over the River Alt ...
A resident recently highlighted to me that the foliage on the roundabout at Riverside Avenue/Drive near the Riverside Inn is so overgrown, a pedestrian trying to cross cannot see on-coming traffic. I have therefore asked the City Council's Roads Maintenance Partnership to attend to this ASAP and have been promised this will take place this weekend.
Geoff Mulgan looks at the Spectator's grip on the Conservative Party - its weakness over wokeness and overreliance on wordsmiths. "The decline of the high street has been hollowing out British town centres in recent years. When pubs, community centres, libraries and banks close, it adds to a sense of local decline. In my recently published research, I found that local decline contributes to a rise in support for radical-right political parties - and that the loss of local pubs plays a surprisingly important role in the shift." Diane Bolet explores the links between pub closures and the rise of ...
