From BBC News: Geoffrey Bond often imagines Lord Byron "looking down" as he sits in what was once the 19th Century poet's former bedroom. The 85-year-old has lived in Burgage Manor in Southwell, Nottinghamshire, for 33 years - where Byron stayed with his mother between 1803 and 1808, before rising to fame in 1812. While Newstead Abbey is more famously known as Byron's ancestral home, Mr Bond believes his beginnings in Southwell have been overlooked. Mr Bond has dedicated decades to his fascination and love for Byron and his work and now says he wants Byron's beginnings in the town ...
The Liberal Democrats have issued a briefing on what we are calling the 'Family Farm Tax'. I had not fully grasped before reading it that we are opposed to imposing Inheritance Tax (IHT) on any farmland, no matter how high the value of the estate. This means that the argument in the new Private Eye's farming column apply to the Lib Dems every bit as much as it does to the NFU: The NFU has labelled Reeves's measure as "the family farm tax", but this smacks of thinly disguised special pleading for all landowners regardless of scale. And what constitutes ...
Wed 4th
16:55
Pippa Heylings MP writes... We can, and we will, make Roz Savage's Climate and Nature Bill a reality
Last month, I had the privilege of attending COP29 in Baku and COP16 in Cali, where I took part in global negotiations on climate and nature. It's clear to see that the global response to climate change is, at best, underwhelming. Climate change is the greatest threat we face—not only to world economies—but also to nature, which is our greatest ally in limiting its impact. And yet, we are still not acting swiftly enough to reduce carbon emissions. For many, especially younger people, the process of COPs and their lack of concrete action gives a sense of anxiety. As it's ...
Anyone who has been active within the liberal family in the UK, Europe or internationally would know of and remember Robert Woodthorpe-Browne MBE As I write this blog from the 64th Congress of Liberal International in Santiago, Chile, I cannot help but think of him. Were he still with us today, he would most certainly be at Congress, networking in Spanish like a local (just as he was as fluent in French and German), knowledgeable, affable and quintessentially internationalist. The theme of this Congress was the Future of Freedom, apposite for this time in history, as we encounter the rise ...
As I stood up in Parliament to ask my first-ever question at Prime Minister's Questions, I couldn't stop thinking about Cody Fisher and his family. Cody was just 23 years old when he was stabbed to death on the dance floor of The Crane nightclub in Birmingham on Boxing Day 2022. What should have been a fun night out with friends ended in tragedy because of failings that could—and should—have been avoided. Cody's death has left an unimaginable hole in the lives of those who loved him. A talented young footballer, he had his whole future ahead of him. But ...
The margin of two votes has been significant several times in Lib Dem history – winning Winchester in May 1997, heartbreakingly not taking back North East Fife by two votes in 2017. Yesterday, we won a surprise vote in Parliament on the first stage of a Ten Minute Rule Bill on changing the electoral system for Westminster and English local government elections to Proportional Representation which was introduced by our Sarah Olney. Normally what happens with these Bills is that MPs hear the speech. The MP proposing the measure then does a carefully choreographed approach to the Speaker and hands ...
Excellent local artist John Stoa is putting on an art exhibition in his studio from Saturday 7th December to Sunday 15th December - open every day from 11am to 5pm. He will have 80 paintings on display - including these - and to add a bit of festive cheer - is offering a discount of £100 for every painting sold. He will have a preview on the first day of opening - Saturday 7th December. All welcome at : John Stoa - Original Art17a Menzieshill Road
Welsh Tory leader, Andrew R.T, Davies, a self-confessed political heavyweight who described himself as "19 stone of prime Welsh beef" and famously told the Tory party conference that Brexit means Breakfast has finally fallen foul of a breakfast cereal assassin. Nation Cymru reports that Davies has quit as Welsh Tory leader and has blasted a "muesli and croissant brigade" of Welsh Conservatives for destabilising the party. The site says that the leader of the Welsh Tories resigned on yesterday after narrowly winning a confidence vote 9-7 in his favour: He claimed a "substantial minority" of his party opposing his continued ...
