Well, that's been a lively enough day. And here are some thoughts at the end of it... Firstly, we have a comments policy. I do wish that some people would read it before trying to pick a fight with me. Admittedly, it does make moderation so much easier if I just reject those comments challenging our moderation decisions, but it's such a waste of everyone's time. Let me repeat, do not use the comments sections to challenge moderation decisions – it detracts from the discussion at hand and tends to make the complainant look rather churlish. Second, if someone believes ...
Mon 27th
17:31
Wake: The Hidden History of Women-Led Slave Revolts, by Rebecca Hall and Hugo Martínez
Second frame of third chapter: One of my impulse purchases at Shakespeare and Company in July, this is a graphic story presentation of Rebecca Hall's research into a particularly obscure bit of American and British history: the role of women in leading revolts of enslaved Africans, in the 18th century. The first part of the book looks at New York, not usually remembered as the hotbed of the slave trade that it actually was at one time, where enslaved women have been more or less erased from the narrative even when they were the instigators of local (usually very local) ...
And so the Government have announced a temporary visa scheme for lorry drivers, intended to avert an emerging crisis in the run-up to Christmas. It's probably a bit late for Fireworks Night, but will it have any significant impact in the now less than three months until Christmas? That's going to depend on a number of factors; Cost – are these visas going to be free? Because, if there is a shortage of drivers across Europe and beyond, the market will determine whether or not an individual driver will choose to work here rather than in, say, Germany. The cost ...
The madness continues. Some politicians, including my own MP, Grant Shapps, said that Brexit is not to blame for the lorry driver crisis. Moreover, Mr Shapps said that Brexit helped to "provide a solution" to the crisis. Am I crazy or is he living on a different planet? In the last couple of days, the Road Haulage Association said that what our Transport Minister perceives as a "success" is in actual fact quite the opposite, "illogical". I would go further that that; it is incomprehensible. Is Mr Shapps living in some sort of denial? The Office for National Statistics claims ...
The Tory Government is in a catastrophic mess, their incompetence, callousness and obsessive Brexit all responsible for such food and fuel shortages that they're temporarily retreating even on their one core 'hating foreigners' policy. Instead of Labour calling for practical solutions - rejoin the Single Market - the Labour Conference turns its fire on itself to fight its next Leadership election, while Labour MPs boast of the "hard truth" that they were happiest when losing their worst election since 1935. Well, of course. Labour is never happier than when the Tories are in power: Labour need make no decisions, take ...
Apart from an ingrained belief that "their sort" are born to rule and thus have the right to rule, and that periods of rule by anyone else are a aberration, the Tory Party are traditionally "policy lite." Polices current at any given time are easily abandoned if the then state of democracy signals (these days via Focus groups?) that their right to rule may be endangered. The circumstances generated by Brexit and the COVID pandemic have brutally exposed the inadequacies of the beliefs that have dominated the Tories since the Thatcher days, namely: the activities of the state in the ...
There has been some controversy on the pages of Liberal Democrat Voice over the past few weeks about articles on gender and sexuality issues, and especially in terms of how comments have been, or not as the case may be, moderated. It would be fair to say that our decisions have not met with universal approval. And, from the perspective of a member of the Editorial Team from a rural community somewhat lacking in diversity, such debates offer up a real challenge. Yes, judgements are pretty simple where the comments policy is obviously breached – there are some of our ...
In late July, the new Chair of the Party's Federal International Relations Committee, Dr Phil Bennion, wrote in these pages of the Party's renewed commitment to internationalism. It isn't just words, as there's now a video which outlines some of the work being done at home and abroad to promote our internationalist agenda, and here it is... You may notice your friendly neighbourhood Day Editor at about 1:27 in... * Mark Valladares is a directly elected member of Federal International Relations Committee and part of the Party's delegation to the ALDE Party Council.
Sun, 12:56: RT @AmbLindnerIndia: Why not start this Saturday with a big smile? Here a nice read (and incredible dpa pic!) by Danielle Cohen of New York... Sun, 14:48: RT @SamJamesMorgan: 🌱 THREAD on the cartoon/comic world's climate change progress. 1. Tintin. Massive carbon footprint. Constantly travell... Sun, 15:28: Dune, part 1 https://t.co/9bdprINWsE Sun, 16:05: RT @blissfulfiction: Phil McCann is now in this very specific & rare hall of fame https://t.co/vs09B83il1 Sun, 18:04: RT @tconnellyRTE: BREAKING: according to ZDF exit poll the Social Democrats have won the greater number of votes in the German election SP... Sun, 18:20: The Massacre, ...
We are still digesting the outcome of the decision to approve 1,075 homes with infrastructure on the former Ironbridge power station site at Buildwas. The vote in being challenged on more than one ground. The four councillors who voted against the scheme had objected to one of those voting in favour doing so despite being about of the room for part of the discussion of the application. That complaint has now been rejected, with the chief monitoring officer on the grounds that a court would not judge the decision irrational (Wednesbury unreasonable). It is a thoughtful response to our complaint ...
As people queue for petrol the Government intends to reverse another of the consequences of Brexit by making it easier to recruit drivers from Europe. The promised trades deals have not materialised, and far from getting Brexit done, a solution has yet to be found for the Irish Border. A radical reform of our governance, in which elections are won or lost on a few marginal seats and MPs speak to themselves in parliament, at great public cost, with Government seemingly taking little notice, is long overdue. The system promotes quick fix component level solutions to whole system problems thereby ...
Good morning from Suffolk's Gipping Valley where, in exciting news, I'm preparing to go to the office to work for the first time since last March. It's going to be an odd sensation, as I've become a touch reclusive, but needs must, as they say. Results from Germany indicate progress for our sister party in Germany, the Free Democrats, with the prospects of lengthy negotiations over the formation of a new administration. Will it be "Jamaica" – CDU/CSU, Greens and FDP – or "traffic light" – SPD, FDP and Greens – or is there another combination that can get across ...
DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL - WEEKLY ROAD REPORT REPORT FOR WEST END WARD - WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY 27 SEPTEMBER 2021 A90 Kingsway (at Invergowrie roundabout) - lane closures for 2 weeks for third party works. South Tay Street - temporary traffic lights for 1 week for footway works. Lochee Road (at Balgayview Gardens) - temporary traffic lights from Friday 24 September for one week for SGN work. Nethergate (West Marketgait to South Tay Street) - closed on Tuesday 21 and Tuesday 28 September for Scottish Water investigation work. Ancrum Road - temporary traffic lights from Wednesday 29 September for 4 days ...
I welcome guest posts on Liberal England and am happy to publish ones on subjects far beyond the Liberal Democrats and British politics. In fact I could do with some guest posts. I am now a full-time carer, which means I am struggling to find the time to come up with longer posts. If you would like to write for this blog, please send me an email so we can discuss your idea or DM me on Twitter. Here are the 10 most recent guest posts on Liberal England: Time for the Lib Dems to learn from social democracy - ...
