The Harcamlow Way is a figure-of-eight path through Cambridgeshire, Essex and Hertfordshire. This John Rogers walk follows it from Roydon station in Essex to Ware in Hertfordshire. We visit the mediaeval moat in Moat Wood and cross the River Ash, passing through what John calls "some of the most beautiful countryside I've seen on my walks".
Will the chancellor correct the imbalance of his November 2023 Autumn statement in Wednesday's budget? Or will it be more of the same? By cutting National Insurance from 12% to 10% the chancellor helped the better off to the detriment of the lowest paid on income support and pensioners both of whom were hardest hit by the cost-of-living crisis and do not pay national insurance and therefore saw no benefit. This will have disastrous consequences for the economy. Component level responses will not solve whole systems problems. Widening income inequality and increasing poverty are the great social evils of our ...
"His other election address, targeting a different demographic, tells another story. It trumpets Galloway's record of backing Brexit, opposing Scottish independence and supporting family values. A whole paragraph is dedicated to outlining his opposition to transgender rights and his conviction that 'God creates everything in pairs'. Michael Chessum writing off George Galloway ignores his dangerous appeal to both far left and right. Katharine Sacks-Jones on the need for urgent action to fix the system of public care for children. Harvey Morris says London risks shrinking its civic realm: "A short walk across Tower Bridge from the Tower of London, London's ...
Mon 4th
10:10
It's not just the economy the Tories are trashing: they are setting about our democracy too
Only a former Labour MP could come up with such a repressive measure. From the Guardian: Ministers are considering proposals to ban MPs and councillors from engaging with groups such as the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Extinction Rebellion and Just Stop Oil. The plans, put forward by the government's adviser on political violence, John Woodcock, say mainstream political leaders should tell their representatives to employ a 'zero-tolerance approach' to groups that use disruptive tactics or fail to stop 'hate' on marches. Rishi Sunak and James Cleverly, the home secretary, are due to discuss the proposals as part of a review conducted ...
Mon 4th
10:03
Council Cuts: Two out of five household recycling centres are to close - Craven Arms threatened
Shropshire Council is to close two of the five household recycling centres (HRCs) in the unitary area. It's not looking good for our local HRC on Stokewood Road, Craven Arms, which serves the smallest population of the five. However, the loss of the Craven Arms recycling and waste facility would be devastating for the area. Closure would reduce recycling rates, increase carbon emissions and lead to yet more fly-tipping. With Shrewsbury Battlefield HRC already ruled out for closure and Oswestry HRC unlikely to be selected for various reasons, the choice is likely to be between Craven Arms, Bridgnorth and Whitchurch. ...
Welsh Liberal Democrats held their Conference in Cardiff this weekend. You can read part one of the round-up here. Support for farmers Welsh farmers have been completely done over by both the UK Conservative Government and the Welsh Labour Government in many ways in recent years, not least post Brexit trade deals. Conference turned its attention to the post Brexit reform of payments to farmers. Conference called for a fairer and more workable farming payment scheme. Last Wednesday thousands of farmers held a protest in Cardiff against the Welsh Government's funding proposals, which included the controversial Sustainable Farming Scheme. In ...
There's been a lot of talk about the Rochdale by-election and what it means for our democracy. And much of it has come from Conservatives and been alarmist in tone. My view is that, in a chaotic by-election where the Labour and Green candidates were disowned, and the Conservative absent without trace, those Rochdale voters who bothered to turn up gave the major parties a good kicking. And whilst having George Galloway as their MP solves very few of Rochdale's real problems, he fought the most effective campaign in the by-election and won accordingly. Opportunistic? Certainly. Likely to change British ...
DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL - WEEKLY ROAD REPORT REPORT FOR THE WEST END WARD - WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY 4 MARCH 2024 Blinshall Street (Douglas Street to 50 metres south) - closed from 27 November 2023 for 6 months for road safety concerns. Douglas Street (Blinshall Street to Brown Street) - temporary traffic lights until June 2024 for construction works. Brown Street (south of Douglas Street) - closed until May 2024 for construction works. Seafield Road, Dundee - closed from its westmost end (in cul-de-sac) extending for a distance of no more than 20 metres in an easterly direction to facilitate a ...
Is there a cost of living crisis? Not according to this article in the Mirror. The paper reports that wealthy donors paid £25,000 for a cosy private dinner with Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, just days before he is due to deliver his Budget speech. They say that a Japanese meal with the chancellor and up to three guests was auctioned off at the Tories' Winter Party at Westminster's swanky Old War Office hotel, and a signed photo of the Cabinet is understood to have sold for around £115,000: The unnamed winning bidder also secured face time with the Prime Minister himself, ...
