Embed from Getty ImagesOn 13 October 1928 the night mail from Leeds to Bristol ran through a danger signal at Charfield in Gloucestershire. It collided with a goods train that was being shunted out of its way and then another that had halted on the neighbouring tracks. The night mail's passenger coaches were lit by gas, and this caught fire after the collision so that the wreckage burned fiercely for hours. If you read the official report on the accident it says there were 16 fatalities, though modern accounts seem to agree on a total of 15. There us a ...
The latest YouGov tracker data shows the most popular options for both the House of Commons and the House of Lords is reform.
Gone are the days when you could walk into a polling station, give your name and vote. For the first time from May, you will need to present some form of ID, usually digital, at a polling station. Examples include a passport, driving licence or old person's bus pass. The Conservatives have driven this through parliament because they think, in true Trump-like fashion, that there is widespread voter fraud in local and national elections. While there have been cases of voter fraud, there is no evidence that it is widespread. The real reason is crude politics. The Conservatives have less ...
The topic of freedom in politics is highly contested. For the Conservatives, in recent years, this has centred around economic freedom. Is this still really relevant today? Back in the 1980s, Margaret Thatcher's programme of economic liberalisation saw an explosion in economic freedom - more people were able to purchase their own council houses and stock market novices became rich overnight following the countless moves to privatise various public utilities. Despite regular musings by Conservative MPs that they remain the party of low taxes, personal freedom and individual responsibility, the facts tell a different story. A recent poll by Redfield ...
Perhaps we can help the people of Odessa forget their terrible cost of the Russian invasion of Ukraine when Liverpool host the Eurovision song contest of behalf of Odessa in May (photo from Odessa City Council) As I observed the ... Continue reading →
The Guardian reports that that high levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), known as forever chemicals, have been found at thousands of sites across the UK and Europe in a major mapping project. They say that the map shows drinking water sources in the UK have been contaminated with PFAS. Water companies say the pollutants do not make it into the final tap water because they are blended with another source to dilute the chemicals, or they undergo a specialised treatment process to be removed. But Caroline Lucas, the MP for Brighton Pavilion, is quoted as saying: "A cocktail ...
Fans of our foreign editor, Tom Arms, will be delighted to hear that he has started a weekly podcast, Transatlantic Rift. Happy Birthday Ukraine, the Russian people, Europe, America and all the rest of the world. The Ukraine War is one year old. An estimated 300,000 lives have been lost so far – and that is only the soldiers. More than 5.2 million refugees have fled the fighting, mainly women and children who have left fathers, sons and husbands behind. Those who remain in Ukraine live in daily fear of Russian missile attacks. Many are without water, electricity or heating. ...
As residents will be aware, the former Lauries Nurseries site is now something of a building site as the care home development has commenced. We had requests to ask the developer to ensure the Lauries of Dundee sign is saved and had the following helpful feedback from Wellwood Leslie Architects, the architects for developers Simply UK : "Simply UK and the landowner are in discussion with Dundee Civic Trust with regards to the removal and the donation of the existing signage to the trust."
I had been concerned recently that Gateshead Labour Councillor Angela Douglas had lost her voice. Angela is the Cabinet member whose portfolio covers leisure centres. She is therefore at the heart of the controversy about the proposed closures of Gateshead Leisure Centre and Birtley Swimming Centre. Strangely enough, she has been rather quiet about the proposals. Yes, she moved the original
