I have a faint memory of an International Cavaliers match on television that may predate it, but the first time I can remember being aware of cricket was England's 1967/8 of the West Indies. And even then the things that impressed me were the crowd riots and (look away now if you are squeamish) Fred Titmus losing several toes to a boat's propellor. Apparently, as long as you keep your big toe, you don't much miss them because your balance is not affected. Sure enough, Titmus was to play on for years. So the first test series I can remember ...
Welcome to my summary of the latest national voting intention polls for the next general election, along with party leadership ratings. If you'd like to find out more about how polls work, how reliable they are and how to make sense of them, check out my book, Polling UnPacked: the History, Uses and Abuses of Political Opinion Polls, or sign up for my weekly email, The Week in Polls: General election voting intention polls – indicates that party didn't feature in the polling questions separate from 'Others' or that the data is not yet available. Numbers in brackets show change ...
On September 4th The Independent ran a story on the problems that have beset the HS2 railway project to connect 'major cities' in England. It reported that the figure for total cost of the project, was something like 67 billion pounds, one new station at Birmingham alone costing half a billion, an extraordinary figure even if one accepts that it is spread over 15 years. But now let's take another figure, another one of half a billion, the Restoring your Railways Fund which for the same amount as that new station at Birmingham would help to breathe new life into ...
Next in our series of maiden speeches is the one given by Angus Macdonald on Thursday, in the debate on the Great British Energy Bill. This is what he said: Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. That was a very heartfelt speech from the hon. Member for St Austell and Newquay (Noah Law). Cornwall and the highlands of Scotland share our westerly reaches and Celtic background. I am very proud to have been elected to serve the people of the west highlands and Inverness in this Parliament. Following the Electoral Commission's mistaken decision to cut the number of highland constituencies from ...
Lib Dem peer Jim Wallace (Lord Wallace of Tankerness – not to be confused with our regular contributor from the Lords, William Wallace) has been presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Holyrood Garden Party & Political Awards. Jim served as the MP and also as the MSP for Orkney and Shetland. He was the Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats from 1992 – 2005 during which time he was also Deputy First Minister, and Acting First Minister for two periods. He was appointed to the House of Lords in 2007 and served for 4 years as the Leader ...
Shropshire Council's Liberal Democrat group is to have two leaders in the run up to next year's elections, reports the Shropshire Star before its paywall kicks in. The current group leader Roger Evans, the councillor for Longden, is to share the leadership with Heather Kidd, who represents Chirbury and Worthen. As well as scoring some remarkable local by-election victories in the last two years, the Lib Dems polled more votes across the county at the general election than any other party. This saw them hold Helen Morgan's seat in North Shropshire and come close to winning South Shropshire, where Matthew ...
Eight principal authority council by-elections this week, split over two different polling days. First up, one held unusually on a Tuesday, and a successful Lib Dem defence: Priory (Swale) Council By-Election Result: [IMG: 🔶] LDM: 42.5% (-12.1) [IMG: âž¡] RFM: 26.9% (New) [IMG: 🌳] CON: 20.6% (-3.5) [IMG: 🌹] LAB: 10.0% (-3.6)No GRN (-7.6) as previous.Liberal Democrat HOLD.Changes w/ 2023. — Election Maps UK (@electionmaps.uk) 2024-09-03T22:25:45.071Z
Continuing our series highlighting the maiden speeches of our new MPs, here is Caroline Voaden, speaking in the debate on Technology in Public Services on Monday. Here is her speech in full: Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, for giving me the opportunity to make my maiden speech. I congratulate all the other Members who have made their maiden speeches this evening, from the whiskey and sausages of Glasgow West to the pottery of Stoke-on-Trent South, the young people of Croydon East, and the beautiful tour of North East Hampshire, which I have driven through many times. I pay particular tribute ...
Come and explore the wonderful worlds of art and science in the Scrapantics Family Fun Day - exciting hands-on activities suitable for all. All welcome : + Free and drop in+ Saturday 7th September+ 11am - 3pm+ Scrapantics community space, top floor in the Wellgate Centre More details are available at www.facebook.com/events/491218323841459
With a binding vote scheduled for Tuesday on whether to axe the winter fuel allowance for all but the poorest pensioners, Ed Balls, a major Labour figure has now waded into the debate saying that he has major doubts about the decision. The Guardian reports that confirmation of the vote comes amid growing unease within the party about backing the plans. They say it will take place next Tuesday after the Conservatives submitted a motion to annul the government's change to regulations - a change that ordinarily would not be subject to a vote: Balls said on Thursday he thought ...
