Scottish Liberal Democrats set out stall ahead of BudgetSpeaking ahead of the Scottish Budget, Scottish Liberal Democrat economy and finance spokesperson Jamie Greene MSP said: The Scottish Liberal Democrats get stuff done, so we will always act responsibly and pragmatically in a parliament of minorities. We have been absolutely clear with the SNP about what we want to see in this year's budget if they're after cross-party support for it. We've highlighted in our discussions with ministers the perilous state of Scotland's colleges, councils being forced to cut services that people rely on, the barriers facing people with ADHD and autism, the cost of childcare preventing mums and ... (more) |
Powell and Pressburger's most bizarre momentsThe British Film Institute's blurb on YouTube says: In this video essay director Will Webb highlights scenes from Powell and Pressburger films - including The Red Shoes, A Matter of Life and Death, I Know Where I'm Going and Black Narcissus - that tilt us off-balance, shaking what we thought we knew about the world's that one of cinema's greatest filmmaking partnerships created. Don't worry. It also includes something from A Canterbury Tale - the first shot of the glue man here is really a boy, to make him look further away on the studio set. We also see Jennifer ... (more) |
Mathew on Monday: why X must be held to account over GrokI was on GB News early this morning, setting out why I agree with Ed Davey that X should be suspended, pending an investigation into Grok. Some readers may not relish the idea of me appearing on GB News. It is a channel many liberals feel uncomfortable with, and not without reason, but liberal voices simply cannot afford to be absent from platforms we find awkward, or from debates where the loudest contributions too often go unchallenged. If we genuinely believe in open argument, democratic accountability, and the contest of ideas, which I hope we do, then we have to ... (more) |
The Uprating Asymmetry: a case for consistent protectionLast week, I opined in these pages that intergenerational fairness should be a liberal priority. A commenter rightly challenged my suggestion that pensions be linked to CPI: poverty is measured relative to median earnings, not inflation. CPI-linking would let pensioners fall below the poverty line even as their purchasing power held steady — precisely what happened after 1980. The correction clarified my thinking. If relative poverty matters — and it does — then benefits should track earnings, not just prices. The triple lock gets this right for pensioners. We should extend the same logic to everyone else. * * * ... (more) |
Urgent provision of UK housing is now requiredWe will be fighting for the young people of our country if we demand that the government declare this year a national emergency to provide thousands of new houses, especially affordable homes, before the next General Election. The house price-to-earnings ratio shows that in 2024-25 a home cost roughly 8 to 9 times the average individual wage to buy, compared to about 5 to 6 times twenty years ago. With private rents additionally being so high now, it is small wonder that, even if they are working full-time, many young people in Britain are these days remaining in their parental ... (more) |
In praise of destabilising tyrannyAs we speak, for the 15th consecutive day, Iranians are protesting the Islamic Republic and its tyrannical leader, Ayatollah Khamenei. Iran was once a society that embraced egalitarianism, was open to working with the West, and boasted natural resources that made countries like Japan reliant on partnerships to secure national energy security. The Pahlavi dynasty, albeit an absolute monarchy, oversaw this modernisation against a backdrop of press repression and the use of secret police to suppress opposition against its rule. While some claimed victory over the Monarchy following the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the reality of what this theocratic regime has ... (more) |
The Joy of Six 1460"Governments and taxpayers fund universities not because they are efficient 'businesses', but because they are essential public institutions. They generate research that underpins economic growth and cultural life. They educate professionals on whom society depends. They are meant to be spaces where difficult questions can be asked and discussed. They are fundamental institutions in a democratic society." Monica Franco-Santos fears that in trying to 'fix' universities, we are quietly unmaking them. Emma John reminds us that England has ruthlessly privatised cricket, while Australia still embraces it with constant public displays of affection: "In the parks and pubs, cricket remains the ... (more) |
Hurdy-gurdy player unveils plans to restore Norfolk's former whaling HQThe Eastern Daily Press wins our prestigious Headline of the Day Award. I have been asked by the judges to emphasise that they are sure the hurdy-gurdy player in question is nothing the like the vengeful ghost of a Gypsy child. While I'm at it, the headline comes via Yahoo! because the Press has changed it to something more prosaic since the story went up. And the music in the video, which is the very recording used in Lost Hearts, is not of a hurdy-gurdy at all. It's a variety of zither from the Vosges region of France. Reader's voice: ... (more) |
Labour MPs step up campaign to ban cryptocurrency political donationsFollowing on from my previous posts about political parties being funded through cryptocurrencies, the Guardian reports that Downing Street has been urged to ban such donations by seven senior Labour MPs who chair parliamentary committees. The paper says that the committee chairs - Liam Byrne, Emily Thornberry, Tan Dhesi, Florence Eshalomi, Andy Slaughter, Chi Onwurah and Matt Western - called on the government to introduce a full ban in the forthcoming elections bill amid concern that cryptocurrency could be used by foreign states to influence politics: Government sources told the Guardian last year that ministers are looking at ways to ... (more) |