Augustus Carp, our man with the Local Government Chronicle and a slide rule, looks back on a year packed with defecting councillors. As a start to the New Year, here's a handy cut-out-'n-keep souvenir edition of all the defections by local government councillors we are aware of in 2024. The net changes are Conservatives -186Labour -192Lib Dems -69 Greens +8Nationalists -20Reform UK +58 The balancing figure consists of 401 Independents, broadly defined, as not all changes are directly from one party to another. I freely confess that when I started this exercise a couple of years ago I had no ...
In December 2023, I was an intern at Prospect Magazine in Westminster as my first semester at Queen Mary University of London drew to a close. It was here that I first flipped through the magazine's Minister for the Future report - produced with Nesta, a UK-based innovation agency focused on social good. It got me thinking. There is a disturbing lack of long termism in government. Now this isn't just solely down to election cycles, but, rather, to policymakers not looking at the bigger picture. Vision in the UK did get better last Friday, however, with Health Secretary Wes ...
We start the year with British politics in a state of hysteria thanks to a focus on a far right hobbyhorse – child sexual abuse – now amplified by bad faith actors around the world. We're witnessing a singularly low quality discourse in which there is far more heat than light, a lot of finger jabbing and name calling from people who only want to stir the pot, never offer any solutions. The far right is exploiting this as an issue because of a longstanding assumption that foreigners and ethnic minorities cause a disproportionately high percentage of crime. That's not ...
London Liberal Democrats are holding a Women's Hour London Phone Bank with Special Guest Councillor Rachel Bentley. They'll be calling members from around London to see how they can get more involved. All are welcome to be involved. It's fun and a chance to speak to our members and voters. Please RSVP here so they know how many people are coming and so that they can send you the Zoom link.
@libdemsPeople have had enough of Elon Musk interfering with our country's democracy when he clearly knows nothing about Britain. It's time to summon the US ambassador to ask why an incoming US official is suggesting the UK government should be overthrown. ♬ original sound - Liberal DemocratsWell said, Ed. There's also a party press release on this: Responding to Elon Musk's latest post on X in which he suggested that America should "liberate the people of Britain" and overthrow the government, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said: "People have had enough of Elon Musk interfering with our country's democracy when ...
For the second day in a row, the Guardian wins Headline of the Day.
Tue 7th
11:44
Ed Davey says US Ambassador should be summoned to explain Musk's "liberating Britain" comment
Responding to Elon Musk's latest post on X in which he suggested that America should "liberate the people of Britain" and overthrow the government, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said: People have had enough of Elon Musk interfering with our country's democracy when he clearly knows nothing about Britain. It's time to summon the US ambassador to ask why an incoming US official is suggesting the UK government should be overthrown. This dangerous and irresponsible rhetoric is further proof that the UK can't rely on the Trump administration, and it's in our national interest to rebuild trade and security ties ...
Fraser's weekly ward surgeries return later today after the school holidays and take place every Tuesday during school term time. They are as follows : Tuesdays at 5pm prompt - Blackness Library Tuesdays at 5.45pm prompt - Ancrum Road Primary School All residents welcome - no appointment necessary.
The Independent reports on one of the most predictable consequences of Brexit, the downgrading of the City of London as a major financial centre. The paper says that the last year saw the biggest outflow of companies from the London Stock Exchange since the global financial crisis. They add that according to accountants EY, eighty-eight companies including Paddy Power owner Flutter, travel group Tui and Just Eat abandoned the London market for US and European exchanges. This comes amid fears of the capital's shrinking relevance as a place to do business following Britain's exit from the European Union: Last month, ...
