It's not been a prolific year for as as far as writing is concerned. Let's be honest - the most productive days for this blog were in the aftermath of the 2011 General Election and during the independence referendum. But I still enjoy keeping it going and perhaps, if I can ever again find the time I used to be able to devote to writing, my output may increase in the future. Below are the most widely read posts of 2021. 6. What the Scottish Parliamentary told us - and what it didn't. May's elections certainly weren;t good for the ...
Whether it's something that was new out in 2021, or an oldie that you came across for the first time, what were your favourites this year?
On 5 May, a candidate was chosen for what looked, on paper at least, like an uphill struggle at best – Chesham and Amersham was a historically safe Conservative seat where, even in our best years, 30% of the vote reflected the high-tide mark. The next day, Amersham Town Council went from having no Liberal Democrat councillors to being Liberal Democrat controlled. But it was a genuine long shot, right? The notion of a Progressive Alliance became much talked about, and Peter Wrigley made a persuasive case for one. The problem, as is so often the case with such an ...
My slow progress through the list of works which won both Hugo and Nebula has now taken me to the awards made in 1984 for work of 1983; two winners, both of which are based on humanity's manipulation of genetics, but in very different ways. The second paragraph of the third section of "Blood Music" is:He explained with his characteristic circumlocutions. Listening was like trying to get to the meat of a newspaper article through a forest of sidebars and graphic embellishments.When I first read "Blood Music" in 2001, I wrote:A friend of mine gave me a copy of the ...
Conservatives 10% ahead in the polls, a set of English County elections in friendly territory for them, a disrupted campaign phase. It was going to end badly, right? But it didn't, as Liberal Democrat groups across the country demonstrated that, if you worked hard, had a clear strategy and took advantage of the resources available from ALDC, you could win seats from the Conservatives despite their air war advantage. Across the country, complacent Conservative administrations fell, and although the overall result was pretty much break even – a small net gain – it felt like a win. In fact, whilst ...
The Guardian reports that a British cheesemaker who predicted Brexit would cost him hundreds of thousands of pounds in exports has called the UK's departure from the EU single market a disaster, after losing his entire wholesale and retail business in the bloc over the past year: Simon Spurrell, the co-founder of the Cheshire Cheese Company, said personal advice from a government minister to pursue non-EU markets to compensate for his losses had proved to be "an expensive joke". "It turns out our greatest competitor on the planet is the UK government because every time they do a fantastic deal, ...
I will be going to two funerals of long-standing Lib Dems in the next couple of weeks. On 4th January it will the service at St Barnabas, Penny Lane, for Martin Hudson whose biggest claim, in my view, to distinction ... Continue reading →
Tue, 12:56: RT @FHeisbourg: May turn out to be a big misjudgment. Before this warning, there was no serious prospect of 🇫🇮 & 🇸🇪 joining NATO. For decad... Tue, 15:12: RT @k8_lister: Apparently, the average person has sex around 51 times a year. Not sure I'm ready for the next four days, tbh. Tue, 16:05: Mel Brooks on the Making of Spaceballs https://t.co/B7rd8LpuY2 Tue, 16:36: The Wonderful Doctor of Oz, by Jacqueline Rayner https://t.co/1hAKEscDSj Tue, 17:11: RT @itsjustira: Games Hugo discussion: Having an interesting chat with someone who helped administer the nuts and bolts of the Hugos about... Tue, 17:55: ...
Wed 29th
10:15
Housing, child poverty, employee privacy, nuclear weapons and energy on agenda for Scottish Spring C...
The Scottish Liberal Democrats have published the agenda for its hybrid Spring Conference to be held on 11-12 February. If this seems a bit premature for Spring, it's being deliberately set as far out from the Scottish Council elections as possible. Every council seat in Scotland is up for election in May. Members will gather in-person in Hamilton and those of us, probably including me, who are too worried about Covid to attend such a big gathering, will be able to join virtually. This will be an important test of how these events can work. In an email to members, ...
Well cripes, Kia it's so good of you helping us Tories stay in power. You're turning out to be as supportive as Jez Corbyn over Brexit and here was old BoJo worrying you'd get Labour to adopt a coherent even progressive Brexit stance! By the way, we'll have to get together soon and find a new incoherent unprogressive Brexit stance soon; think we're being found out....... was amused by your 'copycat' 3 word new 'Make Brexit Work' slogan Please keep on blocking that proportional representation lark. First past the post benefits we Tories massively, keeping Labour out of power three-quarters ...
There is nothing new about the fuel poverty issue. But this year, with retail prices and energy prices surging, and pop up energy suppliers failing, keeping people warm should be soaring up in the political agenda. But fuel poverty remains in the margins of Westminster thinking. Perhaps that will change today with a report from the Resolution Foundation warning that "2022 is set to be the 'year of the squeeze'". The failure of the UK's privatised and badly regulated energy market to anticipate and react to supply shocks including the surge in wholesale gas prices is shocking. The problem has ...
Residents have contacted me expressing concern at the speed with which some vehicles approach the roundabout at the bottom of Ninewells Avenue that links the street to Perth Road. Several have suggested that additional SLOW markings should be added at approaches to the roundabout. I highlighted this to the City Council and the Traffic and Road Safety Team Leader has responded helpfully as follows : "I will get one of my colleagues to have a look on site at this roundabout and see if installing a couple of SLOW markings down is appropriate. SLOW markings can be used to warn ...
