BBC News reports what is arguably the most extraordinary achievement in the history of British chess: An eight-year-old girl has been crowned best female player at the European blitz chess championships. Bodhana Sivanandan, from Harrow, north-west London, scored 8.5/13 at the event in Croatia, finishing ahead of seasoned professionals in the process. She defeated an international master and drew with a grandmaster, in a result described as "unbelievable". The chess prodigy, who began playing aged five, said she was "proud" of her performance over the weekend. Bodhana finsihed 73rd in the, ahead of several male grandmasters and other established players. ...
It is now more than two months since the Hamas attack in southern Israel, and the bombing and shelling of Palestinians in Gaza continues. Many of us have marched in support of a cease-fire, but the marches have achieved nothing, so it must be time for a rethink. The horrific, murderous the attack on October 7 had its roots in Palestinian resentment, and arguably the seeds were planted by British Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour's decision during the First World War to donate part of a foreign country we didn't own to a people who'd suffered abuse and discrimination in Europe ...
Augustus Carp on the emergence of a new lobbying group - just in time for the general election. Do you live in a listed building? And do you live in a marginal seat? If so, it looks like the next general election is the one for you! The Listed Property Owners Club (a buyer's club and lobbying group) has been campaigning for years for VAT to be waived or reduced for repairs to listed buildings. They also have doubts as to whether or not HMRC is implementing VAT on listed buildings in the way originally intended by parliament. Obviously, that's ...
Something completely different to the usual fare this time: I've picked my five favourite spy novels for the Spybrary podcast. Take a listen to what I picked, and why those in politics so often like spy stories: Anthony Price features, of course. As does (ssssh! former spy) Paddy Ashdown and US President Lyndon B Johnson, subject of perhaps the best non-fiction book and one with a brilliant narrator too. In coincidental related news, I discovered this week that the author of the standard book on the history of the early years of campaigning for proportional representation was a Communist, and ...
With disgraced MP Peter Bone now facing a by-election after a successful recall petition, it's worth recalling that the legislation to oust such MPs is one of the achievements of Liberal Democrats in Parliament. It was Lib Dems who at the front of the pack in calling for such legislation before 2010. Then it was Lib Dems who were central to getting the legislation passed in 2010-15. It's legislation that has turned out to be effective, and criticisms of it at the time – such as from the Green Party for it being a "sham" – have not exactly aged ...
Dean Sullivan, "Deano's", coffin is ready to lead the cortege through Liverpool to Springfield Crematorium the place where most of us will end our physical time on earth. Over the last two days I have represented the City of Liverpool ... Continue reading →
Yesterday's Scottish Budget hit the headlines because of the introduction of a new top tax rate for higher earners, and a rise in tax for the richest. But there were some real devils in the detail. The BBC's report states that: Plans to accelerate clean heating systems will receive £358m of funding. This might be fine, but the figure last year was £367.5 million. They have also cut the funding for fuel poverty and housing quality from £21.8 million to £1.7 million. And that is before you even start to mention the effective cut to Council budgets because of the ...
Perhaps it's a recognition of how risible the promise is, or a recognition that not only is the objective unattainable but also tokenistic and ineffectual, but it seems that when the prime minister is put on the spot and asked the direct question of when exactly the flow of small boats over the channel will be stopped, he cannot give an answer. The Independent reports that Rishi Sunak told a Parliamentary committee that he does not know when he will be able to "stop the boats", insisting there is no "firm date" on the promise he made: The PM made ...
Dundee-born artist Sydney Jordan is best known as the creator of Jeff Hawke, whose fantastic adventures appeared in the Daily Express from 1955-74. Popular in the UK as the first regular science-fiction comic series to appeal to adults, the strip was even more highly regarded in European countries, where it had a significant influence on the development of science fiction and fantasy comics. The exhibition currently taking place in the in the Tower Foyer Gallery at the University of Dundee features a feast of original art from Jeff Hawke and more, revealing Sydney Jordan's extraordinary skill and visual imagination. The ...
The views on this aggregator are a collections of views from various people's blogs.
LibDemBlogs and the Liberal Democrats accept no responsibility for the posts made.
