Gateshead's health scrutiny committee (I am a member) visited Marquisway Resource Centre this afternoon. It provides support for adults with special needs. It was a useful trip to see first hand the sort of facilities available in the borough.
"Such framings privilege the killer's narrative over the victim's. She's dead, she can't speak. But he still has a voice - the voice that says she made me do it, she was a nag, she was a cheat, she hurt me, she consented to the sex game gone wrong." Sian Norris analyses the widespread desire to pin the blame on women who are killed by men. Human Rights Watch talks to Clive Baldwin to mark the 50th anniversary of the final forced deportations of the inhabitants of the Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean so the US could establish military ...
I first met his lordship in the Bonkers' Arms: "I'll have a pint of Dahrendorf lag..." "Don't have that," came a commanding voice from the corner. "I tried it once and I was going off like a pop gun all night." I looked over to see a brisk, ruddy figure in tweeds. Something about him was familiar. Was it from that cavalry raid on the Conservative committee room? Got it! This was Lord Bonkers. "Give the chap a pint of Smithson & Greaves instead," he said, "and pull me another while you are at it, my dear." Wednesday Scandal has ...
On Monday, Shropshire Council's Licencing Sub-Committee met for two hours in public to discuss an application for Ludlow Rugby Club on Linney to hold events such as the Spring Food Festival. The public meeting was attended by around 16 residents, with six more listening online. The rugby club was present with its legal representative from Lanyon Bowlder. Also in attendance was the chairman of the food festivals. The police did not attend. After the public hearing, the committee comprised of Councillors Roy Aldcroft, Peter Broomhall and Edward Towers debated their conclusions in private. The decision notice was issued this morning. ...
I might disagree with Nicola Sturgeon on many things, but I have long liked her personally. She is one of the best political communicators we have had, someone who is very good at empathy and emotional connection. Her resignation speech today was dignified, sincere and candid about the pressures she has faced after eight years in the role. Sturgeon is standing down on her own terms at a time of her choosing. Her work ethic is pretty legendary and she feels that she doesn't have within her the capacity to continue working at this pace after 8 years in the ...
Important words of wisdom from the Lib Dem Podcast people. Indeed, my impression is that you get more respect from voters if you stand up for what you believe. Important rider: don't lecture people. This seems to me the most irritating tendency of the left, online at least,
Wed 15th
12:03
Boy from Thai cave rescue dies after being found unconscious at Market Harborough college
Duangpetch Promthep, one of the 12 boys rescued from a Thai cave in 2018, has died in hospital after being found unconscious at Brooke House College, Market Harborough. Aged 17, he was studying at the college after winning a scholarship to its football academy last year. BBC News says he died yesterday after being found unconscious 'in his dorm' on Sunday, but the college owns student accommodation spread across the town. The BBC report also says:It is not known how the teenager died, but Leicestershire Police said his death is not being treated as suspicious. Reports in Thailand said he ...
The Netflix series "The Crown" Series 4 Episode 5. The camera pans across what appear to be desolate tower blocks and an inner-city, high-rise wasteland with little hope. It's the home of Michael Fagan, the intruder who so famously gained entry to Buckingham Palace and sat on the Queen's bed. In the episode in question the Queen (Olivia Colman) gathers herself after the shock of the appearance of Fagan (Tom Brooke) in her bedroom. She rallies her famous small talk and asks: "and where do you live?" answer: "King's Cross." "Is it nice?" "Not really." But the setting is not ...
Edward Morello has been selected by the members of the West Dorset Liberal Democrats to be their candidate for Parliament at the next General Election.
In her Scotsman column this week, Christine Jardine highlights 3 major SNP Government failures and suggests Nicola Sturgeon's publication of her tax returns is merely a dead cat to distract from them. The first failing is the lack of dualling the main route to the north of Scotland, the A9. It was supposed to be one by 2025 but that is not going to happen and fatalities on this road are going up. Failure to make the promised improvements will impact the economy as well as the health and well-being of isolated communities with poor access to vital services. But ...
Having gone on to mess up the economy, it is no surprise that Liz Truss also made her mark on the finances of the Foreign Office, and not in a good way. The Guardian reports that the former Prime Minister oversaw a major jump in spending on government credit cards at the Foreign Office when she took over, with spending on restaurants, bars, leisure activities and hotels all rising sharply during her time in office. The paper says that Truss is already under pressure to explain a number of items of spending which she approved, including meals at high-end restaurants, ...
The Fuel Well scheme has already helped over 10 000 Dundee households with their energy costs and has now reopened to new applications. So far the third phase of Fuel Well Dundee has funded just under £1 million to support people on a low income or who are already experiencing fuel poverty with energy costs. It also provides a range of energy and debt advice, help with income maximisation and employability support. Now the scheme is opening up to additional households who have not received a Fuel Well grant in the past 12 months. Run by Dundee City Council, Scarf ...
