Before we start in earnest here, I want to say right off the bat that what follows is not a prediction. We live in completely bonkers times and I am not about to tell you what will happen at the next election because I really have no idea. In fact, all I'm going to do is lay out the hard evidence that exists about what the country currently thinks about the prime minister and his party, try and map it onto basic politics and in turn, political history, all in order to demonstrate that the Conservative party and a lot ...
Today it has been announced that the Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors and Campaigners (ALDC) has conferred Life Membership upon activist, election and by-election talisman Erlend Watson. This follows the announcement from Erlend that his health prognosis is poor following a sustained period in The Royal Papworth Hospital, Cambridge. ALDC President, Baroness Scott of Needham Market said: Behind every successful Lib Dem campaign there is a vast amount of behind of the scenes work. Erlend has given so much to campaigns all over the country for very many years doing the essential jobs which make a campaign. He doesn't just ...
Desmond Tutu did some of his theological training at King's College, London. He liked to tell how, if he was lost and needed directions he would asks a policeman, who not only didn't arrest him, nor even demand his papers, but actually called him "Sir!" He admitted that on occasions he and his African colleagues would sometimes ask a policeman for directions, even when they knew perfectly well where they were and where they were going going, just to enjoy the frisson of this, to them, unusual experience. We don't hear much of this aspect of the Metropolitan Police these ...
I'm going to try and be more diligent about writing up my Big Finish listening next year, but for today here are notes on five audios that I have recently enjoyed. First up is Tropical Beach Sounds and Other Seascapes #4, by Tim Foley, a Torchwood story recommended by my friend M. This is just glorious. It starts off like any other self-help tape narrated by Michael Palin, and gradually gets darker and darker, all told in the second person, present tense. It's really audacious to put one of England's best known actors on for an hour and eighteen minutes ...
Second paragraph of third chapter:Theodore hadn't stopped apologising for the last mile, even though Yaz kept insisting it was unnecessary - if she hadn't clicked that, outside the protection of the TARDIS, any update to K9's systems would overwrite the data, then he couldn't possibly be expected to know.A good Thirteenth Doctor novel by the experienced Jac Rayner, taking us into the world of L. Frank Baum's Oz, and neatly written on the assumption that the average reader will be half-familiar with the 1939 film but maybe less so with the 1900 book. K9 and a guest character, Theodore, bulk ...
Huge thanks to all my guests and listeners for Never Mind The Bar Charts through the last year. The three most popular episodes during 2021 were: How are political leaflets changing (and do they work)? – thank you to Caitlin Milazzo for her fascinating research into political leaflets Unleash the bar charts! Tactical voting and the next general election – Alan Wager shared his insights on tactical voting and the next general election What Chesham and Amersham tells us about the future for the Liberal Democrats – Paula Surridge gave an outside expert's perspective on how excited Liberal Democrats should ...
'Twas the month 'fore elections And all cross the land Were Liberal candidates With leaflet in hand A neutral observer might have warned against much in the way of optimism five weeks before polling day. A by-election in Hartlepool was unlikely to offer much cheer either, although Andy Hagon took up the gauntlet for the cause. And, of course, COVID still stalked the land. The Liberal Democrats took a stance against vaccine passports, which appeared to run counter to public opinion, but was at least consistent with the Party's long held views on ID cards. The debate was just another ...
Mon, 12:56: Yep. I've been saying this for years. https://t.co/OMSOo9jZXB Mon, 16:15: 2022 according to science fiction, in novels and films https://t.co/R7Mrr2Q6Np Mon, 18:35: 650 days of plague https://t.co/X77sRq7fQJ Mon, 20:48: RT @alranson: fascinating fact: JM Barrie who wrote Peter Pan also wrote a play called Quality Street, and that's where the name of Quality... Mon, 21:36: RT @RobKevlihan: Really interesting - the personal histories of many of the actors in #casablanca included flight from their home countries... Mon, 22:42: RT @MargueriteS_IE: Finally sat down and submitted suggestions for the @Glasgowin2024 Guest of Honour selection process. I'm sure I will ...
Tue 28th
09:43
Will the Tory Government resist the temptation to keep tax receipts and cut our fuel bills?
The title of this blogpost sums up precisely the dilemma facing the Chancellor of the Exchequer as we move towards the expiration of the current cap on fuel costs and the seemingly inevitable doubling of domestic bills in the new year. For, having incurred the largest post-war public debt fighting the pandemic, Rishi Sunak now has the tantalising prospect of a £3.1 billion windfall in VAT receipts charged against these energy bills. The Guardian reports that this windfall , built up since the October budget, would cover the projected £2.4bn cost of removing VAT from gas and electricity bills over ...
Well, where to start? OK, probably best to term this an apology rather than pretending to be upbeat. Labour has been in a mess for a long time now but we do like a good bit of internal warfare as it helps the Tories and frankly, they need all the help they can get presently. If you look back we've helped the Tories with Brexit by trying very hard not to oppose them whilst taking our place on the Brexit fence leaning both ways at the same time. I think we succeeded in that aim very well but that fence ...
Tue 28th
07:39
Desmond Tutu: 90 years of life - life to the full, despite many struggles and challenges
Desmond Tutu, a tiny giant as many people used to call him, passed away today. I always found him quite an interesting church and public figure. I've listened to a number of his interviews. He went through a lot, however he never lost a genuine desire to build "common good". He was funny, intelligent, always with a big smile on his face. In 1984, he received a Nobel Prize. He was a fighter with a big and open heart. However, above all Desmond Tutu was a Man of Peace and a Man of God. He was a teacher, priest, Bishop ...
Residents will have noticed that there were three street lights at the north end of South Tay Street have not been working, making that end of the street very dark. There was also a light out in the nearby council car park. I have had several complaints about this and reported this to the Street Lighting Partnership Manager. I have since had this update : "We are aware of these lights but unfortunately, we are having issues sourcing components to repair them. As we have been unable to source replacement parts for the lights, we have removed them and replaced ...
