Mon, 10:21: Hello, If you are planning to contact me to sell me investment or pensions advice, please don't bother. I have had half a dozen cold approaches in the last week, and I am not interested. Bye, Nicholas Mon, 10:45: RT @wednesdayaddams: More torture is coming. Lucky you. https://t.co/t11LptFk7e Mon, 19:15: Zink, by David Van Reybrouck https://t.co/BJKgJeEknd The story of Neutral Moresnet, a small territory run jointly by Prussia and NL, later Belgium and Germany, from 1815 until WWI, noted for its zinc mine, casino, distilleries and freedom from neighbouring jurisdictions.
Posting a clip of Norman Bowler in Softly Softly: Task Force the other day, I mentioned that his character's Wsst Country accent was probably the result of his having been happily evacuated to Wiltshire as a small boy during the war. And having found Bowler reading extracts from his elusive memoirs, I knew that it was the remote village to Chitterne, surrounded by Ministry of Defence Land and Salisbury Plain, to which he and an older brother were sent. So I thought I would see if the British Newspaper Archive had any record of him there. And, remarkably, he crops ...
Both Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, and Sir Keir Starmer, the Leader of the Opposition, have given us upbeat speeches to enliven our New Year. Mr Sunak has made five promises, to: Halve infaltion; Grow the economy; Reduce debt; Cut Health Service waiting lists; Stop small boats carrying asylum seekers and migrants across the Channel. Sir Keir Starmer is less specific, but is promising to allow local areas to "Take Back Control" (clever choice of slogan) by devolving power to them. Mr Sunak's list of promises is pretty vacuous. The rate of inflation, currently 10%, is predicted to halve anyway. ...
Many attempts at reforming the House of Lords have been made. Many attempts have failed. So what can would-be reformers learn from the failures of their predecessors to achieve more? Professor Meg Russell, director of the Constitution Unit at UCL, joined me to share her expertise on this in the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts. Listeners may wish to enjoy her correcting me on voting systems. Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it. Show notes Meg Russell on the podcast previously, talking about reforming the House of Commons. ...
CambsNews reports: A county and district councillor quit the Conservative Party blaming Liz Truss "for car crashing the economy: it was the last straw"... Cllr [Douglas] Dew represents the Hemingfords and Fenstanton on the county council and is one of two Conservatives representing Hemingford Grey and Houghton on Huntingdonshire District Council... Cllr Dew said he had always been "left of centre of the Conservative Party but it has moved so far in the other direction, I no longer recognise it". He said his disaffection began long before Liz Truss became Prime Minister, and he disagreed on many issues with Boris ...
Today I announced my retirement as Leader of the Liberal Democrat group and Leader of the Opposition on Gateshead Council. It will take effect from the end of the full council meeting on Thursday 26th January. The group will choose our new leader on Monday 23rd January. I have been leader for 8 years but following the deaths of my brother Andrew and my closest friend Richard, I have had to look
My great-grandmother, Nora Fitzpatrick, raised 6 children & ran a successful furniture business on Liffey St, Dublin. Travelled alone to Frongoch to secure the release of her son after 1916 rising. Recognising women's achievements not in the history books. Happy #NollaigNamBan pic.twitter.com/aagCwqdD4R — Niamh O'Reilly (@DrNiamhOReilly) January 6, 2023 This tweet popped up in my feed and I wondered what or where 'Frongoch' was. It sounded Welsh and, sure enough, Wikipedia explains: Frongoch internment camp at Frongoch in Merionethshire, Wales was a makeshift place of imprisonment during the First World War and the 1916 Easter Rising. [In] 1916 the camp ...
A party press release brings the news: New analysis reveals there are almost 500 less full time ambulance staff compared to 2015 North West loses hundreds of staff since 2018 despite rising emergency wait times South East and East Midlands loses the postcode lottery with fewest staff members per population New House of Commons Library research commissioned by the Liberal Democrats has revealed there are fewer full-time ambulance staff compared to 2015. The number of full time ambulance staff who are clinically registered in England has dropped by 467 since 2015. Three regions have seen a decline in full time ...
For those who believe that being an MP is a full-time job, the latest revelations in the Guardian must really sting. The paper says that Tory MPs have received £15.2m from second jobs since the last general election, dwarfing the combined income of politicians who represent other parties. The biggest recipient is former prime minister Theresa May, who took home £2.5m on top of her parliamentary salary, mainly from giving speeches to organisations in the US such as JP Morgan bank and the private equity firm Apax Partners. She draws a salary of £85,000 from this pot and says the ...
DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL - WEEKLY ROAD REPORT REPORT FOR THE WEST END WARD - WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY 9 JANUARY 2023 Glamis Drive - closed eastbound in 2 phases from Monday 9 January for 4 weeks for Scotland Gas Networks work. Phase 1: Hazel Avenue to Glamis Road. Phase 2: Invergowrie Drive to Hazel Avenue. Perth Road (at Pennycook Lane) - temporary traffic lights from Tuesday 10 January to Friday 13 January for bus shelter relocation. Perth Road/Nethergate (Roseangle to South Tay Street) - overnight (7.00pm to 6.00am) rolling temporary traffic lights from Tuesday 10 to Thursday 12 January for C-Plan ...
