It was a nice sunny day so I headed for the back streets of Northampton. Discoveries included The Old Grocery Espresso Bar (have the sausage roll if you go), Heyford Books (interesting stock at miraculous prices) and these two ghost signs.

Posted by Jonathan Calder on Liberal England

NHS repair costs rises to £13.8bn as Lib Dems call for comprehensive plan to end the backlog McArthur responds to dental deserts in Orkney and elsewhere NHS repair costs rises to £13.8bn as Lib Dems call for comprehensive plan to end the backlog Responding to the latest NHS figures showing that the cost of repairs to the NHS estate now stands at £13.8bn, up from £11.6bn last year Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Health and Social Care, Helen Morgan MP said: This comes as no surprise to anyone that works in the NHS. Crumbling hospital buildings, flooded wards, and rat infested ...

Posted by Mark Valladares on Liberal Democrat Voice

Liberal Democrat Voice has posted a tribute from Leicester Liberal Democrats to Roger Blackmore, who died on 6 September at the age of 82: Having moved to Leicester in 1963 when he became a student at Leicester University, joining the local party whose brief revival that year quickly faded. Roger managed to establish himself as the main voice for Liberalism in the city as well as contesting the Gainsborough constituency in Lincolnshire. He fought the seat four times, his campaigns being the stuff of legend. As this excellent tribute says, Roger went on to fight Jeremy Thorpe's old seat of ...

Posted by Jonathan Calder on Liberal England
Thu 17th
21:42

The Joy of Six 1278

Christine Jardine believes that dying people should be able to make their own choice about whether they want palliative care or to end their life: "I would want that choice to be mine. More importantly perhaps I feel I don't have the right to deny that choice to others. I believe the law as it stands does not offer those facing such circumstances the compassionate and humane options they deserve." Berna León reviews a study of how Britain's elite continues to reproduce itself through entrenched structures of privilege, despite the appearance of increased meritocracy and diversity. "It would introduce a ...

Posted by Jonathan Calder on Liberal England

Luke Taylor made his maiden speech last week in the debate on Farming and Food Security. Here is his speech in full: Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, for giving me this opportunity. It is a pleasure to follow the fine speeches from my hon. Friend the Member for Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe (David Chadwick), whose recollection of the three newspapers in his constituency is incredibly impressive—I encourage him to tell us all about his achievements in those pages over the next few years; from the hon. Member for Derbyshire Dales (John Whitby), who described Dovedale and Chatsworth House, which ...

Posted by The Voice on Liberal Democrat Voice

With changes at Facebook (groups becoming less prominent in people's feeds) and at Twitter (Elon Musk) in particular, social media is steadily become a less effective way to share, or find, news about the Liberal Democrats. Plus there are so many good reasons to want to reduce dependence on Elon Musk. Which is why I've started up a WhatsApp group for news about the Lib Dems. It's broadcast only and people in it get about three batches of messages a week with the latest news about the party, by-election results, and the like. It's a free service and all members ...

Posted by Mark Pack on Mark Pack

Much of the debate against assisted dying has focused on the sanctity of life, and the need to protect vulnerable people from being pressured into giving up their lives due to the burden of being caref for, and the effect this may have on those around them. I sympathise deeply with this perspective – it is the main logical objection I had to assisted dying for a long time: a desire to protect the vulnerable – alongside my own faith which felt like it provided a moral objection to assisted dying on principle. Yet over recent years, seeing some elderly ...

Posted by Chris Adams on Liberal Democrat Voice

Leicester Liberal Democrats have shared their tribute to former Lord Mayor and Council Leader, Roger Blackmore, who died last month. Roger was a lifelong Liberal and for many decades the pre-eminent Liberal personality in Leicester, respected and admired by many irrespective of party affiliation. Bernard Greaves recalls first coming across Roger in 1967 in a parliamentary by-election at Brierley Hill in the West Midlands. The Liberal Party had decided not to fight the seat, but the Young Liberals fielded their own candidate supported by hundreds of activists from around the country. They all ran around making a lot of noise ...

Posted by The Voice on Liberal Democrat Voice

Just a reminder that, with the schools closed for the October holidays, Michael's usual weekly ward surgeries do not recommence until after the school holidays, but return next week. However, we can still be contacted on any local issues or concerns - just e-mail westend@dundeelibdems.org.uk - many thanks!

Posted by Bailie Fraser Macpherson & Cllr Michael Crichton on Councillors Fraser Macpherson & Michael Crichton - working for the West End
Thu 17th
06:00

More Freebies

Just when you thought the Labour freebie scandal had died a death, the Guardian reports that ministers have continued to declare free tickets to Taylor Swift, football matches and loans of clothing, according to the latest register of MPs' interests, amid the controversy over Keir Starmer accepting hospitality. The paper says that Peter Kyle, the science secretary, revealed that he accepted two free tickets to a Taylor Swift concert in August worth more than £500, courtesy of the Football Association: Others to reveal hospitality include Ian Murray, the Scottish secretary, who accepted £320 of tickets to a Liverpool v Bournemouth ...

Posted by Peter Black on Peter Black
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