Tanvir Ahmad selected to fight Arbroath and Broughty Ferry by-electionScottish Liberal Democrats have announced that Tanvir Ahmad has been selected as candidate for the Arbroath and Broughty Ferry by-election which was caused by the election of Stephen Gethins to Holyrood earlier this month. Tanvir brings over 20 years of experience leading major projects in the technology and telecoms sectors. He has a proven record of building partnerships with global organisations, bringing new innovations to market, and creating opportunities for growth both at home and abroad. Alongside his professional career, he is a Royal Navy Reservist, a grassroots community campaigner who has managed a youth centre for minority communities, and ... (more) |
Putin would be proudWith all the controversy over Reform's alleged links with Russia, with Nigel Farage saying he admires Vladmir Putin, and the party's opposition to the support offered by the Welsh Government to Ukrainian refugees, now is not the best time for the party's leader in Wales to reinforce people's perceptions about Reform's sympathy towards Putin over his invasion of Ukraine. And yet, as the BBC report, Dan Thomas has backed calls from one of his Senedd members for the Ukrainian flag outside the Welsh Parliament to be removed. For once the Welsh Tories are on the side of common sense, with ... (more) |
Jake Austin is our candidate in Makerfield[IMG: Portrait of Jake Austin] Jake Austin has been selected as the Liberal Democrat candidate for Makerfield in the upcoming by-election, pledging to champion local issues that matter most to residents. Jake is passionate about revitalising our high streets, improving public transport across the North West, and providing affordable homes for the next generation. Jake was born and raised in Hindley, and has lived in Greater Manchester his whole life. Hei is a Liberal Democrat Councillor and works in fundraising. In 2024, Jake was the Liberal Democrat candidate in the Greater Manchester Mayoralty election, increasing the Liberal Democrat vote share ... (more) |
Labour's internal power struggle could cost taxpayers more than £5 millionTaxpayers are facing a bill likely exceeding £5 million as Labour manoeuvres to bring Andy Burnham back into Westminster ahead of a possible leadership challenge to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. According to ITV News Granada, the combined cost of the Greater Manchester Mayoral Election and the forthcoming Makerfield by-election could "reach £5 million". The report cited official Greater Manchester Combined Authority figures showing the 2024 mayoral election cost £4,719,754, while the Makerfield by-election has an administrative budget of £226,208 before additional freepost and campaign-related public costs are included. However, that estimate did not include the earlier Gorton and Denton ... (more) |
Camden legend Flick Rea has diedWe are very sad to say that Camden Liberal Democrat legend Flick Rea has died just 4 days after her 88th birthday. She was incredibly loved by many in the party and will be very much missed. Flick was a Camden Councillor for the Fortune Green Ward from 1986 to 2021 and had two spells as Group Leader. She had started out as an actress, training alongside Glenda Jackson. In 2022, she was appointed an Honorary Alderman of the London Borough of Camden. You can watch her acceptance speech here. https://youtu.be/6_qK-voGIlg?si=7NB0j6h2e6AufKuH We will have a full obituary in due course. ... (more) |
Mel Sullivan selected for Aberdeen South by-election[IMG: Portrait of Mel Sullivan] I am absolutely thrilled to say that my friend Mel Sullivan has been selected to fight the Aberdeen South by-election for the Scottish Liberal Democrats. The by-election has been caused by the resignation of the former SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn's election to the Scottish Parliament earlier this month. Mel is a Councillor in Aberdeenshire and is so good at framing her arguments in a way that brings people together. She makes you think about things differently. She does so much for her local community above and beyond being a councillor. She puts her caring ... (more) |
Written Out: Trans people, the British press, and a debate conducted in their absenceBetween January 2020 and April 2025, four major British newspapers published 17,000 articles about trans people. That's an average of nine a day, every day, for five years. A rate, Amnesty International UK notes in its new report, entirely disproportionate to the size of the trans population, which represents around 0.5% of people in England and Wales. To understand who was shaping the coverage, Amnesty's researchers tracked which names appeared with enough consistency and regularity to be considered significant presences in the reporting. Not every passing mention, but sustained, repeated prominence across the five years. Of all the individuals who ... (more) |
Lord Bonkers' Diary: Drinking gin with MatronI may have got the idea that Matron is too fond of gin from Sheila Hancock, who played Miss Hannigan that way (to Stratford Johns' Daddy Warbucks) in the first London production of Annie. Wednesday I was sad to see my fellow hereditary peers expelled from the Lords. I am not affected by the recent change in the law because mine is a Rutland peerage and thus I am guaranteed lifelong membership of the House under the provisions of the Treaty of Oakham. I forget quite when it was signed or who signed it, but I have a copy - ... (more) |
The Shortest History of Ireland by James HawesThis review appears in the new Liberator - issue 435. You can download it free of charge from the magazine's website. The Shortest History of Ireland James Hawes Old Street, 2026, £15 Teachers tried to tell you many things when you weren't listening properly, but here's some history they really didn't teach you at school. James Hawes tells the story of Ireland from the earliest times to the present day in a way that is constantly surprising and enlightening. I shall first urge you to read this book and then share a few of its most startling insights. One of ... (more) |
Could Burnham do it?My previous comments on the Makerfield by-election were made public recently. It seemed that the by-election was a gift to Reform. They had won every ward in the constituency in the recent local elections. People don't take well to unnecessary by-elections. Reform were chucking everything at it. But after a week of campaigning, it is becoming less of a Reform certainty. Doubts have crept into my (more) |