Three weekends ago, I had the privilege of leading the Liberal Democrat delegation to the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) Congress in Brussels — one of the most important international gatherings for liberal parties from across Europe. It was the culmination of months of preparation and a clear demonstration that the Liberal Democrats are once again stepping up as leaders within our wider liberal family. The response to our call for delegates was exceptional. We took 35 members to Brussels — one of our largest, most diverse delegations in recent memory. We were proud to include a ...
DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL - WEEKLY ROAD REPORT REPORT FOR THE WEST END WARD - WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY 17 NOVEMBER 2025 Milnbank Road (Bankmill Road to Forest Park Road) - closed from Friday 14 November for 5 working days for Scottish and Southern Energy Network work. Old Hawkhill - road closed from approximately 50m south of Hunter Street (building defect) from 9 October 2025 for approximately 3 - 6 months. Peddie Street - give and take traffic control for 5 weeks from 17 November 2025 for lighting works. Perth Road (Hawkhill to Taylor's Lane) - closed eastbound on Monday 17 November ...
I wrote a few days ago that Labour are poised to block amendments to their planning bill designed to protect English wildlife and its habitats from destruction. Their rationale apparently, is that protecting animals such as dormice, badgers, hedgehogs, otters and nightingales, and rare habitats such as wetlands and ancient woodlands from developers is harming growth. However, one House of Commons committee has carried out an inquiry that has come to a contrary conclusion. The Guardian reports that the inquiry has conccluded that nature is not a blocker to housing growth, a view in direct conflict with claims made by ...
Today was spent in Spennymoor, enjoying the delights of North East Lib Dems regional conference. There were 13 members from Gateshead, the biggest of any local party. (See photo above.) My thanks to Ron Beadle, Lib Dem Leader of the Opposition in Gateshead who gave a speech about why members should come to Gateshead to help us make gains in the local elections next year. Ron reminded the
NLive Radio reports news of Councillor Farzana Aldridge: A Northampton Labour councillor has defected to the Liberal Democrats after becoming "increasingly concerned" with the party's national leadership. West Northamptonshire Cllr Farzana Aldridge said she left Labour after feeling the party was moving away from "community-focused and forward-looking politics", adding that she is committed to serving the residents of her Kingsley and Semilong ward. Her defection means the Lib Dem group now hold seven seats on West Northants Council (WNC), just one behind the Labour group, which now has eight elected members. Reform UK is still in charge of the council ...
Yesterday, Saturday 15th November, 2025, saw yet another Lib Dem action day, this time in Birtley South. I'm not sure how many turned up to help as I was there early and left with two patches to do before helpers started turning up. Most of the ward was however delivered. Just a mopping up operation to complete the job.
The latest Defections Update from Augustus Carp provides a corrective to the view that Reform are falling apart in local government. Now it is autumn, and the falling fruit, And the long journey to oblivion.... D.H. Lawrence The Seer of Eastwood probably didn't have local government defections in mind when he wrote The Ship of Death, so it falls to us to consider these mysteries on his behalf. The toll continues, mercilessly. Since early September, a further 227 elected councillors have decided that they will be better able to serve their wards, or advance their careers, or sleep more easily ...
A Labour member of West Northamptonshire Council has crossed to the Liberal Democrats after becoming increasingly concerned"= with the party's national leadership, reports NLive Radio ("The station that loves Northampton): West Northamptonshire Cllr Farzana Aldridge said she left Labour after feeling the party was moving away from "community-focused and forward-looking politics", adding that she is committed to serving the residents of her Kingsley and Semilong ward. Her defection means the Lib Dem group now hold seven seats on West Northants Council (WNC), just one behind the Labour group, which now has eight elected members. Reform UK is still in charge ...
"One minister described the chaos as 'probably fatal'. It was, said another source, a 'tipping point' and 'the week that No 10 lost control'."Catherine Neilan and Rachel Sylvester listen to the insider voices suggesting Keir Starmer is on the way out. Michelle Pace says Britain should think twice before copying Denmark's asylum policies: "Refugees I've spoken with have told me how they often feel that integration is pointless if they might still be deported. Social isolation and limited rights for asylum seekers are the norm. Families face long waiting times for reunification despite few cases and refugees face temporary permits ...
The first time I featured Patience and Prudence here they led me to a record about Prudence's other half - Signed D.C. by Love. Patience also married a former member of Love, Johnny Fleck. He left Love after a fist fight with Albert Lee and later joined The Standells. Fleck is playing bass on Try It, which for a few seconds sounds like it's going to be like something by Lou Reed, but quickly settles into a tone that reminds us that the permissive society came some years before women's liberation. The song was banned from his stations by the ...
United States The Epstein Files story is reaching a climax. Emails released by the estate of paedophile and convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein have mentioned Donald Trump's name, but little more than that. However, the pathway to the more extensive FBI files on Epstein is now clear. Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva was sworn in this week and immediately cast the deciding vote in favour of releasing the Epstein files. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson now has seven legislative days to "ripen" the issue. He then has an additional two days to schedule the vote. The necessary legislation will have no ...
With thanks to SJ Bogue and Dundee Memories, a clippie taking fares on a Dundee bus back in January 1955.
The Independent reports that Downing Street has been blamed for forcing Rachel Reeves to reverse Budget plans to raise income tax in what was described as "a panic move" to save Sir Keir Starmer's premiership. The paper says that Labour MPs, ministers and the markets were left stunned by a Financial Times report that the chancellor has now abandoned the measure despite two weeks of clear hints in public speeches that she was poised to break the party's manifesto pledge: Downing Street was blamed on Friday for forcing Rachel Reeves to reverse Budget plans to raise income tax in what ...
