First there was a story that Dominic Raab had confirmed that the government is exploring ways of processing asylum seekers abroad, with ministers thinking of flying migrants to processing centres within seven days of arriving in the UK. There was a rumour, hotly-denied by the Albanian government, that people would be held in their country. Then there was news of the Home Office covering up its own report on why migrants come to the UK because the actual evidence didn't fit with a government narrative about there being a "pull factor" bringing people particularly to the UK. Then 27 people ...
Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey has said the crucial North Shropshire by-election tomorrow (Thursday 16 December) is now a "coin toss" between the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives. The once ultra-safe Conservative seat is now under serious threat, amid local anger about ambulance waiting times, farmers being let down and rural communities feeling taken for granted by Boris Johnson's Conservatives. The Liberal Democrats knocked on over 23,000 doors last weekend with over 1,000 volunteers on the ground during the final week. On eve of the poll today, Liberal Democrat candidate Helen Morgan was joined on the campaign trail by five of ...
I've not long finished hosting the eve of poll Maraphone for Helen Morgan in North Shropshire. It was a busy night – breakout rooms and everything. And it took Eastbourne PPC Josh Babarinde a whole hour to find anyone who would admit to voting Conservative tomorrow. [IMG: ✨] Something special is happening in #NorthShropshire [IMG: ⏰] It took me AN HOUR of calling in this eve's @LibDems phone drive before I found someone who was voting Tory. [IMG: 🔵] [IMG: 🪑] Safe Tory seat? No chance. [IMG: 🔵] [IMG: ➡] [IMG: 🔶] Traditional Tories are switching to @helenhalcrow.#ThePartyIsOverBoris pic.twitter.com/gclgv4ga3F — ...
A press release from Cotswold Liberal Democrats brings the news: A former Conservative Leader of Cotswold District Council has been kicked off of the authority. Mark Annett, who represented the Campden & Vale Ward in the North Cotswolds, failed to attend a single council meeting for sixth months. Section 85 of the Local Government Act 1972 states that if a councillor fails to attend a council meeting within a consecutive 6 month period they cease to be a member of the authority. A by-election will now be held to choose a new District Councillor at a cost of thousands of ...
Luton Today reports on a councillor switching* to the Liberal Democrats: The Conservatives in Luton have suffered a setback with the defection of experienced councillor Jeff Petts to the Liberal Democrats. Icknield ward councillor Petts joined the main Lib Dem opposition group this week. He was first elected to the local authority in May 2015... "It's great to have Jeff on board," said Liberal Democrat leader and Barnfield councillor David Franks. "We've worked well with him on a number of committees and are sure he'll feel very comfortable as a member of the main opposition team." Welcome, Jeff. * Rule ...
Second paragraph of third chapter:(Three months ago, even if she'd somehow reached this exalted position in the Ministry, complete with her own tiny office with a tiny window only one floor down from the Minister herself, Three Seagrass would have been asleep in her house, and missed the message entirely. There: she'd justified clinical-grade insomnia as a meritorious action, one which would enable her to deal with a problem before anyone else awoke; that was half her work done for the day, surely.)Sequel to last year's Hugo winner A Memory Called Empire, which I greatly enjoyed, but did not write ...
Caron Morton GP at Station Drive Surgery says that some shop workers, who are working flat out in the build up to Christmas, are finding it difficult to get to vaccination clinics. To help retail workers, Dr Morton says: "We are running drop-in clinics in Ludlow next Tuesday, 21 December and the following Wednesday 29 December. These will be open from 5pm to 8pm at Station Drive Surgery and there is no need to book. The sessions are timed to allow workers to come after work. But I would advise people to come early and be prepared for a short ...
Our illiberal Government is trying to strengthen its ability to deprive people of British citizenship. We must take action to worsen a two-tier system of citizenship for those who have been born British citizens. How did this mess begin? Originally, the Home Secretary could only deprive naturalised citizens of citizenship, and not if it would make someone stateless. This power wasn't used until 2002. Then, Labour expanded the power to cover British-born citizens. We were the only major party to oppose. In 2006, Labour expanded the power once again, and again we were the only major party to oppose. Unfortunately, ...
Time to return to another piece of educative entertainment from Tom Scott, this time about tactile paving and the importance of getting details right.
Yesterday "Google" changed its "signing-in" system from a "user-name plus password" to what they call a "two stage" system which involves confirming having received a telephone call. I received warning about this a few days ago and didn't worry about it as I'm used to similar system with my bank: I sign in to my on-line account with my user name and password, they telephone me, I pick up the receiver, input a four figure code which has appeared on my screen and, hey pesto, I'm in. It's a nuisance but I'm pleased they're being careful to prevent ill-behaved people ...
Tue, 12:56: Weak defenses made cyberattack on Irish hospitals easy, experts find https://t.co/j9PcI0dJkp A cautionary tale. Tue, 14:51: RT @ChairmanYaffle: "HSE's failure to have any official in charge of cybersecurity" and to not even have properly deployed or updated anti-... Tue, 18:36: Le dernier Atlas, tome 3, by Fabien Vehlmann, Gwen De Bonneval, Herv� Tanquerelle and Fred Blanchard https://t.co/yq5QrNFQlt Tue, 19:30: RT @EURACTIV: The new #Bulgarian government will propose a "very fast" new process that should help Sofia lift its veto and unlock the star... Wed, 10:45: RT @BrusselsTimes: The book's print is so small it is said to have ...
Since we began, the world has changed for little people – like us – figuring what stories we can tell, to justify our days; imagining our agency, or – laugh out loud – control: "If only we could stand up high enough to see, to see, to live, to have, things somehow differently..." Perhaps we've [...]
I used to look forward to a visit to the ice cream after school. "99", I would cry out. Now 99 has a new meaning. It is the number of Conservative that rebelled against the prime minister on his Plan B yesterday evening. That vote has weakened his authority in his party, by which I mean the political party. A threat to his leadership now looks credible. The North Shropshire by-election is tomorrow. It is neck and neck between Helen Morgan standing for us Lib Dems and Neil Shastri-Hurst for the Conservatives. If the Conservatives lose the seat, then surely ...
The Guardian reports that the statutory body set up to protect the post-Brexit rights of EU citizens settled in the UK has taken the dramatic step of launching legal action against the Home Office, accusing it of breaching their basic rights. The paper says that the Independent Monitoring Authority has launched judicial review proceedings on the grounds that 2.5 million EU citizens who have been granted pre-settled status have been put at automatic risk of losing rights to live, work or rent, or being deported by the Home Office: EU nationals and their families who have been in the UK ...
Residents contacted me to advise that the security fencing in front of the empty property at 2 Roseangle had moved and was blocking much of the pavement. I contacted the City Council about this and am grateful to the Buildings Safety team who have put the fencing back in place.
