Today is Bisexual Visibility Day, a day to celebrate bisexual people and raise awareness of the particular problems that they face. In an article on Pink News today, Lois Shearing highlights the effects of the discrimination that bi people face – and this can come from within the LGBT+ community: Despite the prevalence of biphobia, it's common to read or hear comments about bisexual people having privilege or not facing any real oppression. But this is provably false: it is well documented that bi people face higher rates of mental illness, due in part to biphobia and double discrimination. Bi+ ...
Steve Charmley (Whittington) stepped down from Shropshire Council's cabinet today. He had been in the cabinet since the unitary council was founded and deputy leader for six years. Steve has withdrawn for health reasons but will remain councillor for Whittington. We wish him well. Ed Potter (Loton) replaces Charmley, taking with him his portfolio for economic growth, regeneration and planning. Dean Carrol (Battlefield) picks up Charmley's infrastructure portfolio, that's mostly roads. He will be challenged on sustainable transport and active travel which have fared badly in council meetings this week. Simon Jones (Shawbury) gets the portfolio for Adult Social Care ...
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. As previously noted, I started the month in Berlin, but flew immediately to London for a Worldcon planning weekend. No sooner ...
Earlier this year, Jonathon Seed stood for the Conservative Party and was elected Police and Crime Commissioner in Wiltshire. However, he did not take up his seat following the revelation that a driving conviction meant he was banned from holding the post. As I wrote at the time: There's ... a question for the police, as the law may have been broken over Seed's nomination papers. They required him to sign that he was not disqualified from holding office. From some media reports, it sounds like his defence would be 'but a Conservative official told me it was ok'. In ...
Orkney MSP Liam McArthur has today launched a consultation on his proposal for a Members' Bill which would enable assisted dying for terminally ill people in Scotland. His Bill would have safeguards, including: Two doctors independently confirm the person is terminally ill, establish that the person has the mental capacity to request assisted dying, assess that the person is making an informed decision without pressure or coercion Two doctors ensure the person has been fully informed of palliative, hospice, and other care options. The person signs a written declaration of their request, this is followed by a period of reflection ...
As a member of the Policy Working Group chaired by John Shipley, delivering the motion F21 A Framework for England in a Federal UK, I volunteered to write this follow-up to Sunday's Conference debate. This is my consolation prize for disconnecting my audio and embarrassingly failing to speak in the debate myself - somewhat riling, given my work on regionalism and federalism since 2015. It seems, however, that I need not have worried about the result from a personal perspective. After a clear, explanatory opening speech by Prue Bray, many contributors spoke in favour of a strong tier of English ...
Wed, 12:56: The Australian submarines : the perfect storm of failed diplomacy https://t.co/ugWAfmcfcb Good plague-on-all-their-houses comment from Georges Ugueux: it "can only be described as a debacle for all parties involved." Wed, 13:49: Interested to see that Amanda Sloat @A_Sloat of National Security Council attended Biden/Johnson meeting. She lived in Belfast for 3 years, and certainly knows Northern Ireland better than any current UK government minister. Wed, 14:40: RT @henryfarrell: https://t.co/UPTMtFV1Ju @a_sloat Congressional testimony in 2019 on the Good Friday agreement. I was there too but NB tha... Wed, 16:03: On CGTN in 15 mins: https://t.co/WsvGqhI0kl Wed, 16:58: Must stop ...
Yesterday we had a debate in Council about the so-called 'City Plan'. This appears to be a plan which was signed off by Joe Anderson's Cabinet but was never taken to Council and is now being enthusiastically supported by Joanne ... Continue reading →
I don't suppose that it matters to Priti Patel if her UK Nationality and Borders Bill is considered to be inhumane and illegal, but it should matter to anybody who cares about those fleeing starvation, torture and oppression and in need of our help. The Independent reports on the view of the UN Refugee Agency that the Home Secretary's new asylum plan stigmatises those seeking asylum in the UK as "unworthy and unwelcome" and creates a two-tier system that would be in violation of international law: The bill, which was published in July and is currently going through parliament, would ...
As residents may recall, some time ago, I discussed with officers in environment management at the City Council measures to improve safety on the roadway at Balgay Hill going up to the observatory. This included better signage of the 10 mph speed limit and better traffic management to protect pedestrians. Progress with this has been delayed due to the COVID-19 health emergency but I recently asked for an update on the matter and have been given the following helpful feedback from the Service Manager - Environment at the City Council : "I appreciate your understanding throughout the covid 19 emergency ...
This is more like it! The old boy has clearly stumbled upon the Chesham and Amersham by-election and staged a decisive intervention. It's a pity about that faux pas with Ed Davey, but at least we know who to thank for that much-demolished representation of the Blue Wall. Mounted elves and vegans Naturally, I took command of the nearest committee room and rallied the troops. I had no cavalry at my command, but was able to commandeer some bicycles and routed the Conservatives - I shall employ mounted elves and vegans at every by-election in future whatever the ALDC says. ...
