Our care workers deserve better than a 15-20 year wait to belongI write this not only as a Liberal Democrat, but as a frontline care provider responsible for multiple members of staff across Stockton and Hartlepool. Among them are seven remarkable care assistants from Zimbabwe, Nigeria, and Pakistan. They came here legally, at Britain's request, to fill the gaping holes in our NHS and social care system. Today, they keep the elderly and vulnerable safe, fed, clean, and dignified. They are the reason thousands of families sleep at night knowing their loved ones are cared for. And now, the Government is telling them they must wait 15 years, or even 20, ... (more) |
Lib Dems to force vote in Parliament on new customs union with EUA party press release brings the news: The Liberal Democrats are preparing to push a vote in Parliament on forging a new customs union with the EU, in a bid to put pressure on the Labour government to drop its red lines on Europe to boost growth instead of hiking taxes at the Budget. The Ten Minute Rule Bill, tabled by Liberal Democrat Europe Spokesperson Al Pinkerton, will propose that the UK launch negotiations over a new customs union with the EU. The bill is set to be voted on on the 9th December, just two weeks after the Budget. ... (more) |
Do mutations to mtDNA that change Potassium Ion handling drive aging and development?The principal mitochondrial K+ uniport is associated with respiratory complex I is an interesting preprint that has been withdrawn "due to disagreement with UCSF over data rights. This withdrawal decision is not related to the validity of the data presented in this study, and these authors understand that this work cannot be cited as reference for the project until the disagreement is resolved." (more) |
Getting things done - City Road and Tullideph Road #dundeewestendA resident recently wrote to us as follows : "I would much appreciate it if you could contact the roads department, if appropriate, re the traffic lights at the junction of City Road and Tullideph Road. For some time I have been concerned about the short length of time that the green man stays on for. It is impossible even for a fit healthy person to cross the road before the green man disappears and back to red. As you will be aware, lots of elderly and disabled people and those with limited mobility live in this area. I have ... (more) |
Trial by jury should remain a fundamental rightIn a democracy like the UK the right to trial by jury is a fundamental right, but under this Labour government all that is going to change. The Guardian reports that the courts minister has promised to enact radical changes to limit jury trials by the next election, because, she says that criminals are"gaming the system" by choosing trial by jury in order to increase the chances of proceedings collapsing. According to the paper, Sarah Sackman claims that drug dealers and career criminals are "laughing in the dock" knowing cases can take years to come to trial. She believes that ... (more) |
Reform UK councillor removed from Leicestershire cabinet amid complaints about "Islamophobic" emailsCharles Whitford has been removed from Reform UK's Leicestershire County Council cabinet following complaints from three members of the public. The Leicester Mercury says the complaints are believed to relate to emails Cllr Whitford sent to residents about flags being flown in his Markfield, Desford and Thornton ward:In the emails ... Cllr Whitford claimed the people raising the flags were doing so to "reject" the "destruction of British values" amid an alleged "influx of soon to be millions of mainly Muslim men of fighting age". One recipient described the councillor's response as "flat out Islamophobic". ... Cllr Whitford also claimed ... (more) |
If Labour speaks like Powell, then we must stand like JenkinsImmigration. For many, it's the issue that's lasted a lifetime. While some, like me, view it as an extension of internationalism and the support of human rights, others view it as an idea to be feared and loathed, where they feel their cultures are set to be torn apart by "others" who are too barbaric ever to understand or accept Western societal views. The fight for a respectful immigration policy is more prevalent than ever, with the current Labour Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, announcing her 'moral mission' to tackle illegal immigration. This mission, which she claims is 'tearing communities apart', ... (more) |
The Joy of Six 1438Callum Miller, the party's foreign affairs spokesperson, sets out a Liberal Democrat approach to foreign policy: "Our economy is stronger and our security greater when we work with other nations. As an open economy, the UK is a beneficiary when all nations work together and abide by shared rules." "Gibb's allies say he's trying to save the BBC from itself. To me, though, his behavior resembles less a tree surgeon trying to prune an oak for stronger growth than a lumberjack sizing it into planks of wood."Jem Bartholomew dissects the right-wing plan to bring down the BBC. An investigation by ... (more) |
Disturbing moment binman punches naked cyclist off bike during charity ride 'by mistake'The Daily Star wins our Headline of the Day Award. As the judges remark, it's come to something when a naked Englishman can't go for a bicycle ride without being punched by a mistaken binman. Thanks to a reader for alerting me to this story. (more) |
Lib Dem councillors win 2025 Cllr AwardsThe winners of the Cllr Awards for England and Wales were announced by the Local Government Information Unit (LGIU) at an event on Tuesday night. Of the five awards two were won by Liberal Democrats, while a third was awarded to a former Lib Dem. The Innovator of the Year award went to Cllr Alex Ehmann (centre of photo) of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. His citation says: Councillor Alexander Ehmann of the London Borough of Richmond Upon Thames has elevated transport and air quality agendas by focusing on residents' involvement in the design process. He is leading ... (more) |