I am a civil servant. Yes, I admit it, albeit perhaps not what some might expect. I serve the Government, whether or not I agree with its policies, because that is my function. I will deliver my designated role with as much enthusiasm and skill as I possess, as my job is to ensure compliance with the law of the land as far as is possible. I even argued in my younger days that, if Government wants to reduce the number of civil servants, it's not for us to argue - it's for the Government to justify what will probably ...
Ed Davey on Sunak speech: PM has lost control of his party and lost the trust of the country 10 things Rishi Sunak didn't mention in his conference speech Ed Davey on Sunak speech: PM has lost control of his party and lost the trust of the country Responding to Rishi Sunak's conference speech, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said: This chaotic conference shows Rishi Sunak has lost control of his party and lost the trust of the country. Every bungled announcement confirms that this shambles of a Conservative Party is not fit to govern. Sunak had no answers on ...
From the blurb on YouTube - note the hint of A Canterbury Tale:Our walk starts at Halling Station and proceeds through Upper Halling, over the Pilgrims Way and onto a chalk ridge and pick up the North Downs Way. We make our way to the lost village of Dode that was wiped out by the Black Death in 1349. All that remains now is the chapel that has stood on the site for over 900 years. From here we return to the North Downs Way and onwards to Coldrum Long Barrow that was built over 1000 years before Stonehenge and ...
Five times Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt praised HS2 and forgot to add 'but only as far as Birmingham'.
All the caveats about this only being one poll apply, of course. Though the sample sizes for the cross-tabs are very chunky.
In politics, we see a 'paradigm shift' occur generationally, which we are now seeing with the Conservatives in office, but not in power. Labour is a party heading for power, but not yet in office. Where do we as Liberal Democrats stand in this generational event, or could it be an event of a political realignment which usually happens once in a century? Antony Hook has started a serious debate about our long-term vision after the General Election. This article seeks to furtherer this debate, and will prove to be controversial to some readers. However, as Liberals we believe in ...
Following my earlier article about my thirty-second speech at the recent Autumn Conference, I wanted to share some thoughts on the conduct of our debates. On two occasions now I have submitted Speaker's Cards offering to speak for either thirty or sixty seconds and I was called on both occasions. However, a member of Federal Conference Committee informed me that other members have done likewise in the past but have then spoken for considerably longer - somewhat an abuse of the Chair's trust. I have only heard from one other party member who has spoken briefly after volunteering such, so ...
Computer Weekly has published a long and extraordinary story by Duncan Campbell, Bill Goodwin and Guy Taylor: One of the world's most prestigious general science journals, Nature, was the target of a two-year-long sustained and virulent secret attack by a conspiratorial group of extreme Brexit lobbyists with high-level political, commercial and intelligence connections, according to documents and correspondence examined by Computer Weekly and Byline Times. The group attempted to have Nature and its staff put under surveillance and investigated by MI5, MI6, the CIA, Mossad, and Japanese and Australian intelligence agencies. They met Cabinet minister Michael Gove and later asked ...
Looking forward to this weekend's lovely craft fair with a range of my seasonal art and craft: hand stitched paper bookmarks seasonal cards and coasters linocut print paper decorations
So much that is so... interesting about this bar chart of constitutions: Possibly the worst use of a bar graph I have ever seen pic.twitter.com/1dEuGUPbLl — Wynner (The Caretaker) (@EuroWynner) October 2, 2023
Where do we start with the ongoing car crash that is the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester? Do we highlight the endless lies and distortions they are putting out about 15 minute cities, Labour's meat tax and councils forcing people to have seven bins, or should we look to signs of a more fundamental shift to right wing authoritarianism with gay bashing and the racist rhetoric that would have made Enoch Powell blush, and by the daughter of immigrants at that? For me the most disturbing aspect so far is the way that the Tories are starting to mirror Trump ...
The West End Christmas Fortnight 2023 is taking great shape and will run from Thursday 23rd November with our Christmas market, concert and lights switch on - and end on Wednesday 6th December. The Christmas Committee is a group of volunteers and we meet again today at Blackness Library at 11am - all welcome! For further information please e-mail christmas2023@frasermacpherson.org.uk - many thanks.
