All the great men are dead and I'm not feeling so well myself.
Back in the day, BBC Radio Scotland did a panel show that was a bit like Any Questions. Sadly, it fell victim to budget cuts about six years ago, but it was great. And part of the reason was it didn't just have people from inside the Holyrood or Westminster Bubbles on it. I did it several times over the years and really enjoyed the experience. LBC have a similar show, Cross Questions, that has the same approach with a good variety of guests Last night, former Lib Dem Councillor and friend of this site Mathew Hulbert was on the ...
As it's the Summer Solstice, here is an extract from the soundtrack of a lost folk horror classic.
Tortoise Media reports that Lib Dem Cabinet Office spokesperson Christine Jardine has written to the Forfeiture Committee to ask them to rescind Boris Johnson's entire Honours list. In a letter sent to the committee, seen by Tortoise, Jardine said Johnson had "launched deplorable attacks on the Committee and our Parliamentary democracy". She also raised doubts about the suitability of individuals on the list, including those "implicated in the partygate saga". Jardine wrote: "I am therefore urging you to open an investigation into the potential withdrawal of all of Boris Johnson's honours which fall under the scope of your Committee. Clearly, ...
As a Liberal Democrat, possibly the most fun you can have, apart from Federal Conference, is going and helping at a by-election. And there's plenty to choose from this mad Summer. Somerton and Frome, Mid Bedfordshire (when Nadine eventually gets round to resigning), Uxbridge and South Ruislip and Selby and Ainsty are all due to happen soon. There is something very pleasurable about going to a different part of the country and meeting other Lib Dems round every street corner. I have been to a fair few in my time. And getting in there early is particularly key. Not just ...
A Wales-on-line article from a few weeks ago, highlights just how difficult it is to turn around the current climate change crisis. They say that the Climate Change Committee (CCC), the UK's independent adviser on tackling climate change, believes that the Welsh Government is not on track to meet its emissions targets. The CCC warns that there has been insufficient progress on emissions reduction with the policy powers available. Their report argues that action should now be focused on those sectors where Welsh ministers have the greatest capacity to effect change. The site says that the Welsh Government has set ...
I note that Mark Pack is trying to persuade the party to run many more candidates in local elections. He's quite right. No-one, as far as I know, has suggested how you do this. In this article I offer my take on how to get candidates from scratch. So, what do you do to get candidates? Ideally, you would have started this process at least 6 months before the election, but the methodology is the same. September is also a good time to start because we often have a useful boost in interest because of the party conference. Forget the ...
We recently had complaints about postal deliveries in parts of the West End, particularly in Pitfour Street and surrounding area. We took this up with Royal Mail and have now been updated by its Senior Public Affairs Manager as follows : "Thank you for your communication regarding mail deliveries to Pitfour Street in your West End Ward. Delivering a reliable service is our top priority, and I am very sorry that your constituents have cause for concern. Royal Mail is continually adapting to the rapidly changing nature of the modern postbag, which now comprises more parcels and fewer letters. Since ...
