We are planning on taking a Festive Break from now until 2 January, but don't be surprised if I have some opinions I feel moved to inflict on you during this period. We won't be publishing submissions before then but if you feel inspired to write something for us, please feel free to send it in. Also, if you would like to send some Christmas cheer our way, you can donate here. It's been quite the year for the Liberal Democrats. We've come through an election where nothing went wrong, our bubble didn't burst and we have more MPs than ...
Before I begin, I should say that what I've learned from this little exercise is that perhaps I ought to try to listen to a bit more current music rather than things released years, even decades ago. Maybe I'll start listening to Radio 6 or buying Mojo magazine or something. So the song I've played most this year is from 1993. In many ways Matthew Sweet should be one of my favourite artists - I love that jangly Byrds and Big Star influenced power pop sort of thing that he specialises in. He has also collaborated with the Jayhawks, one ...
"When He is King we will give him the Kings' gifts, Myrrh for its sweetness, and gold for a crown, Beautiful robes," said the young girl to Joseph, Fair with her first-born on Bethlehem Down. Bethlehem Down is full of the starlight Winds for the spices, and stars for the gold, Mary for sleep, and for lullaby music Songs of a shepherd by Bethlehem fold. When He is King they will clothe him in grave-sheets, Myrrh for embalming, and wood for a crown, He that lies now in the white arms of Mary, Sleeping so lightly on Bethlehem Down. Here ...
Here is Scottish Leader Alex Cole-Hamilton's Christmas message. Listen to his summary here. The full text is below: This Christmas, there's certainly a lot to look back on – what a marathon year it has been politically speaking. Just a few months ago we had a general election, a landmark result that saw people calling time on the twin failures of the Conservatives and the SNP. For the Liberal Democrats, however, the story was momentous for a different reason. We returned a record-breaking 72 MPs to Westminster, our best election result since the founding of our party. In huge ...
Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey's Christmas message celebrates the role of young carers: Scottish Leader Alex Cole-Hamilton has also sent out a Christmas message: This Christmas, there's certainly a lot to look back on – what a marathon year it has been politically speaking. Just a few months ago we had a general election, a landmark result that saw people calling time on the twin failures of the Conservatives and the SNP. For the Liberal Democrats, however, the story was momentous for a different reason. We returned a record-breaking 72 MPs to Westminster, our best election result since the founding ...
While a cautious Labour government is worrying about former Labour voters who moved to Reform UK at the General Election and Conservatives are split between those who see the Faragists as friends and those who see them as enemies., Liberal Democrats have a clear moral responsibility to fight them hard and defeat them. Much has been written about the exploitation of grievances fuelling far right advances on both sides of the Atlantic and within the EU. While we have to take seriously the hurts many are experiencing and the sense of lostness in the face of collapsing public services which ...
Members should have received an email last week regarding a new policy consultation which has just launched. All members should respond to it. I joined the party in 2016 – the evening after Brexit, in fact. I was not alone. That summer saw the biggest increase in Lib Dem membership in the post-merger era. Since that day, it has been a period of intense turmoil for UK society and politics. We have had six prime ministers, three general elections, a pandemic, and an ongoing cost of living crisis. For much of that time, the Liberal Democrats have been, in terms ...
Ed Davey has released a Christmas message which contains a clip of him performing "Twas the night before Christmas" with his "Love is Enough" partners, the Bath Philarmonia at a concert in Bath last month. His message celebrates young carers. You can watch it here. Ed said: On behalf of everyone at the Liberal Democrats, can I wish you and your family a very merry Christmas. I hope you are enjoying this wonderful time of year with your loved ones. The lights, the gifts, the songs. This year, I've had the chance to spend time with some amazing young carers. ...
The Guardian reports that Thames Water intentionally diverted millions of pounds pledged for environmental clean-ups towards other costs including bonuses and dividends. The paper says that the company, which serves more than 16 million customers, cut the funds after senior managers assessed the potential risks of such a move: Discussions - held in secret - considered the risk of a public and regulatory backlash if it emerged that cash set aside for work such as cutting river pollution had been spent elsewhere. This could be seen as a breach of the company's licence commitments and leave it vulnerable to accusations ...
With thanks to SJ Bogue and Dundee Memories, the watchnight service broadcast by the BBC from Dundee City Square on Christmas Eve back in 1991.
