LibDem Blogs - Aggregated

The brutal truth about Lib Dem candidate selections

I've had an anonymous comment, taking issue with the Lib Dem candidate selection in Crewe & Nantwich, and arguing against my own comments on Iain Dale's article. (It's actually posted off-topic under my David Icke thread - I haven't yet blogged about the by-elections myself - but I thought I'd reply by starting a new post. No point in having a discussion about the by-elections buried under a thread about lizard men taking over the world.) Anyway, this is what Anonymous thinks: With regard to your comment on Iain Dale. It is not standard practice to reopen selections after a ...

10p fallout continues

More fallout from the 10p tax rate disaster. When Gordon Brown announced the move last year, Emily Thornberry MP was among those who cheered him on: "I am proud to sit on the Government Back Benches when my Government do things like that”. Oh dear… But now it seems that the brightest Labour brains had [...]

Northampton North: Conservative candidate quits, then he doesn't

It’s not that unusual for a would-be Parliamentary candidate to be selected for a seat and then, after a period of time, to quit - perhaps because of a change in their personal circumstances, because they found being a candidate wasn’t really for them or because of an internal dispute. However, the case of Michael Ellis [...]

Poetic Injustice

I've been told by others that I write some pretty decent poems. Some examples of which have on occasion made it unto this blog. The problem is trying to get any earnings from the best of them. Now it appears I realy should write far worse prose as it looks like being more profitable. A set of 35 of William "the worst post in the world" McGonagall's poems are heading to auction and are expected

Update: Why Lindylooz Muse is great...even when it goes squiggly

Update: I have modified the language of this post as it appears it was open to an interpretation which I did not intend. I apologise to Linda for this unclarity. She is right to raise this issue and I am a great fan of her passionate and spontaneous blog. Rather like a dam bursting after a almighty rain storm, suddenly 12 comments have blurted out below Linda Jack's post entitled: Man Woman

Another Post About California Unbanning Gay Marriage

I am really glad that {[info]} strangefrontier recommended that I add {[info]} si_blog to my reading list, because this post on the situation in California made me want to cheer aloud:The California Supreme Court has just overturned the state's ban on same-gender marriage. People (gay AND straight) who support full civil rights for all Californians are celebrating; those who believe people forfeit their routine civil rights if they have same-gender sex are outraged. Memo to this latter group: I've read your denunciations of this court decision. When I look beyond the lies and distortions, I see your fear and anger. ...

Has the Daily Express got bi-polar disorder ?

Down one day... Up the next....

Something about nothing?

Anyone reading today's online edition of the Daily Mail may be excused for thinking their lead story, 'Revealed: Afghan plane hijacker now working as a cleaner at Heathrow' was an expose on terrorism. Having just read the story myself, I have to say, it appears to be nothing of the sort. Unless I am mistaken the whole story is something about nothing. Other than the fact that the person concerned was granted asylum following the hijack of a plane from Afghanistan, the story has very little to do with airport security and more to do with him "living in West ...

Thursday 8th May 7pm

UNDERSTANDING RELATIONSHIPS FOR HEALTH SCRUTINY MEMBERS DEVELOPMENT TRAINING This was an information sharing session which I had suggested with the support of the Health & Well Being Scrutiny chair. The aim was for members to learn more about the governance arrangements of our NHS partners and to develop our relationship with them. Often the scrutiny setting can appear combative and we wanted to meet with our health partners in a less formal setting to encourage them to see us more as critical friends. It also gave us a chance to explain the nature of the scrutiny committee's role as set ...

Expenses

Whilst we continue to be embroiled in the very artificial, one blog row over the regulation of publicly funded Assembly Member websites, a new factor has now appeared that may give some AMs more cause for thought. The Guardian reveals that the House of Commons Speaker, Michael Martin, has lost a high court battle to prevent the disclosure of the details of second-home expenses claimed by 14 prominent MPs. The Assembly Commission has already been preparing its own more detailed disclosure of AMs' expense claims but was awaiting on the outcome of this appeal before proceeding. It now seems likely ...

U-turns in Westminster

The Guardian indicates how the mood has changed in Westminster following the humbling of Gordon Brown over the doubling of the 10p tax rate. They tell us that the Prime Minister has sanctioned a last-ditch move to secure a deal over the proposed increase in the period of detention without charge to 42 days after deciding he would rather compromise with Labour's rebels than risk a further loss of authority by being defeated on the issue. Meanwhile, there is further controversy over the Government's ID cards programme. An official report has warned that the government's plans for ID cards may ...

Graham's blog Friday 16 May

I am increasingly optimistic about the extent to which the EU spirit is seeping into public life. While opposition to UK membership of the EU has hardened among those who have always opposed it, the numbers feeling more positive about the EU continue to rise. I see it regularly; among school pupils, university students, freelance professionals, people in local government and the business community. Particularly young professionals; partly because we've put 1.7 million students through the Erasmus university exchange scheme (and hope to have reached 3 million by 2012) and partly, I think, because they have more contact with continentals ...

Shuttle bus to Winchester Hospital

{bus.jpg} A new shuttle bus service will be commencing in June for patients needing to get to Winchester Hospital from the Andover area. A pre-bookable shuttle bus (fully accessible and with capacity for 2 wheel chairs) will run four return journeys direct to the hospital. The bus will start from Andover hospital, stopping to collect patients from Andover Bus Station and Stockbridge (at Trafalgar Close, if pre-booked). The journeys will be free for this service. The scheme is being promoted by the Winchester & Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust and is supported by Test Valley Borough Council and Hampshire County Council. Leaflets ...

Residents' Parking Scheme Extension: Public Consultation

Councillors in the wards where the consultation on residents' parking is taking place have been updated by the transport consultants who are carrying out the work on behalf of the City Council. As residents' parking is an issue raised by many people in the West End, I have been taking a very close interest in driving forward this exercise and, as Planning & Transport Convener, I met with a representative of the consultants on 28th April to discuss the process. Here is part of their communication to councillors : "As you will be aware the council has been receiving a ...

The mystery of March to May

It was a disappointing end to the season for Spurs last Sunday - despite the sunny weather (as you can see from the photo). A 2-0 defeat, another insipid performance and the season was over. Well, the season was pretty much over after our brilliant Carling Cup win in February. That was evident in the season highlights compilation they showed on the big screen - didn't include anything after February. The players and the fans have pretty much just been waiting for next season to start since them, it seems. So it has been a disappointing season, despite the cup ...

Virtuous (re)cycle

I don't know about you, but recycling as much as I can makes me feel quite virtuous. So how do you increase recycling from 25% to 50% overall? Simple, you collect recycling every week and you recycle a wider range of materials. That's what happened in Berrylands when the Council tried out weekly recycling collections. The latest news is that...

Noise mapping

Rule number 1 of PR announcements: make sure the thing you are launching is ready. I got excited about a news item on the ‘Today’ programme this morning; the Government is publishing noise maps for large parts of the country, available on the DEFRA website. Except the DEFRA maps aren’t there yet! Frustratingly, London’s noise map [...]

Last night's LAP

Last night’s meeting of the Prestwich Local Area Partnership (LAP) was successful on a number of fronts. First, there were no recorded fatalities despite the meeting taking place in a room hotter than an angry volcano. If I’d have known what the temperature was going to be, I’d have brought along a couple of eggs to fry on the floor rather than waiting until I got home for tea. I would also have probably removed my tie, although I may not have gone quite as far as one member of the panel who decided to leave any semblance of respect ...

Prestwich Local Area Partnership

Last night was the first meeting of the Prestwich Local Area Partnership for the new municipal year. This is the body that brings together the nine local councillors in Prestwich (who are all Lib Dems now!), key partners like the police, NHS and fire service and community representatives from business, charities and local groups. The main item on the agenda last night was the URBED study into the Prestwich Village Centre, which I’ve already reported on below. Other than that the main issues were: - Local Grants - we’ve received applications for grants from the Prestwich (anti) Litter Campaign, to ...

Pure greed

An air of panic is definitely setting into the housing market. I've already heard of a couple who have been forced from their home and are now effectively homeless as their landlord panicked and wanted to sell. Rented property is that hard to find in Somerset. Or it was...I should imagine it's almost impossible to find anything appropriate in the current climate. I'm sure there must be hundreds and thousands of others in the same position. Where once there would have been the safety net of council housing to catch them, they are now shunted to one side as the ...

Anyone got a pin?

We've all been there. It's a week from polling day. Everyone's hyper and exhausted from canvassing. You haven't really been thinking too much about the opposition party candidate, just concentrating on getting your own candidate to the commons. You've met him/her by now and they know your name so you feel obliged. If things turn out right you really will have helped get an MP elected! Little old you...until you sit down with a mug of PG Tips* and a hobnob with a couple of seconds to think. Christ, what if the Tories/Lib Dems/Labour really have worked harder/talked to more ...

Government's strategy on data protection a shambles - Alexander

Commenting on reports that staff at the Department for Work and Pensions have been sending out highly sensitive data in packages that include the passwords, Liberal Democrat Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, Danny Alexander said: "The Government's strategy for protecting citizens' personal information is a shambles. "We've had mislaid CDs, lost laptops and now passwords are being circulated with the information they are supposed to protect. "Data protection is being undermined across Whitehall - the very idea that this Government could be responsible for an ID card database is a joke."

Eleven Conservative Shadow Ministers benefited from secret donations, including Grant Shapps

Hey ho, here’s the story from The Times: The scale of secret cash links between senior Conservatives and wealthy backers was revealed yesterday after George Osborne was told that he should have declared how his office was being funded. The Shadow Chancellor was the subject of a parliamentary investigation after it emerged that he failed to [...]

82 year old with foot problems denied care on the NHS

{Lynne Featherstone with Mrs Kelly} Since 2007, when her local Fortis Green clinic closed, Mrs. Audrey Kelly, 82, who suffers from severe foot problems that often leave her unable to walk, has been refused treatment or referral to an NHS chiropodist by her GP.Mrs. Kelly, who is on income support, has been told that, as she is not considered a 'high risk' patient, the only way she can get foot care is to go private. It is outrageous and completely unreasonable that the NHS will not treat her foot problem. Mrs. Kelly is in such severe pain, and being unable ...

ID cards put poorer people at risk

This from the Guardian today.. yet another reason to abandon the ID cards scheme ************************************ An official report has warned that the government's plans for ID cards may put poorer people at greater risk of fraud, and that ministers are failing to coordinate implementation of the 10-year programme. In a blow to Downing Street, which insists that biometric technology will make ID cards safe, the report says people with a "rich biographical record" will have better protection when the cards are introduced by the target date of 2017. The warning, which prompted Tory calls to abandon the scheme, came in ...

What I've been up to by Text today

My daily digest of texts, tweets and status updates.12:33 is laughing at Jennie for ringing me and saying "hello, is that the council tax office" Chace'd be a fine thing--bloody bills. #Microblogging using LoudTwitter and Twitter. {[info]} matgb_twitter is there if you're mad enough.

A new definition of the school crossing - Salusbury Road and Winchester Avenue junction

It's interesting how things cluster - in China, for example, towns feel like they are organised by trades - all the butchers are in one street, all the tailors in another - so here in Queen's Park (an unlikely connection I grant you!) I noticed how Salusbury Road was quite a serious municipal heartland upon a time - now much much reduced (just a Police Station and a Library really)... But the junction of Winchester Avenue, Salusbury Road has maintained the education links it was built with at the start of the last century. College Mansions (1900) - on the ...

No Solid Crewe

The most amazing thing about the Crewe and Nantwich by-election is the sheer amount of column inches it has generated in the national press. As a by-election veteran (I confess, I haven’t gone to this one), I’m used to fighting the great fight in eminently winnable seats (which of course, we went on to win) and yet have the media completely oblivious to the fact right up until the day before polling day when they finally get around to sending a monkey up to see what is going on. Not that I’m complaining, mind. The more they ignore a by-election ...

The 10p debacle - why the bleeding won't stop

It's all become like passing the scene of an accident on a motorway. As people drive by, they can't help but slow down to look at the grisly sight of wreckage and perhaps the odd smear of blood. Voyeuristic, I know, but human nonetheless. Alastair Darling, having been given one of the worst 'hospital passes' of recent years, understandably concluded that silence was the best approach to dealing

Jonathan Meades: Magnetic North

If, like me, you were out tonight and had to miss the Meadster, do not despair. Magnetic North is available for the next six days on BBC iPlayer. And there is always Youtube.

on MP's expenses

Nick Clegg released his expenses on Wednesday, he's spent loads on his second home. My view on MP's expenses. They deserve it. MP's (the best ones) hold terrible hours, are hated by the public, are expected to be spotless, gaffe free, endure death threats and be superhuman. If they weren't MP's they would have amazing jobs, chief execs etc. with share options. Instead, for their pain, MP's are paid... �61,000 the salary of a Financial Controller or a bloody good recruitment consultant (and lest we forget they pay tax on it and don't have the option of hiring a good ...

on tax and inflation

On Monday we learnt of the Chancellor's plans to give basic rate taxpayers (that's over 20 million people) �120, by increasing the tax free allowance to �600. This is to compensate the 5 million people who lost out as a result of the scrapping of the 10p tax rate. Overkill? Consider this. Last month inflation achieved a 3% increase in prices compared to April 2007 or a 0.8% increase in prices compared to March 2008. Whenever the inflation rate hits 3% the Governor of the Bank of England has to write the Chancellor a letter telling him why, the only ...

on George Osborne and doing a Peter Hain

Why declare funding? If you are an MP and the public gives you �200k a year and you do what the public wants is that a bad conflict of interest? If you are a policeman and a criminal gives you �200k a year and you do what the criminal wants is that a bad conflict of interest? If you are a teacher and a student gives you �200k a year and you give him grades higher than he deserves, is that a bad conflict of interest? It has transpired, that members of the Shadow Cabinet, have been receiving donations from ...

Day 2688: Murder by Memoir

Sunday: I am beginning to think that Mr Frown's problem is a simple one: after ten years of spending his every waking moment devoted to undermining the Prime Monster, he has simply FORGOTTEN to stop doing it! Let's look at a first draft of Mr Frown's MEMOIRS... 5am: Morning: wake up; phone papers with leak against Prime Monster. 5.01am: Shower: remember that I AM Prime Monster. Kick self. 5.15am: Breakfast: phone Balls; instruct him on daily briefing against Prime Monster. 5.16am: Read papers: full of poisonous briefings against Prime Monster. Reminded that this is me. Bash head on breakfast table. ...

IF ONLY - and Keep the bus ticket if not!

Problem with the buses - keep your ticket! That is of course if you have been able to get on to a bus to get one. However this was the advice given by the bus operators who had come along to today's Disability Forum when faced with a number of complaints about bus drivers who had not been as helpful as they might to people trying to get on and off the buses. The ticket will be able to locate...

Oh Dear...

Has someone ever annoyed you so much on the internet that the mere sight of their name makes you fly into a frenzy of incoherent rage? Yeah, {[info]} theferrett posted again, and someone on my f-list linked to it, and I clicked the link... Mat tells me it's a good post, but I can't even read it without getting the stabbity rage. I expect this is because it's The Time of the Moth, eh, {[info]} theferrett? Still, the California Supreme Court have found a better way of celebrating Blog for Human Rights Day than me - they've unbanned gay marriage ...

Britain guilty of cluster bomb 'hypocrisy' - campaigners

Landmine Action director Simon Conway told In the News that; "It's terrible hypocrisy, on the one hand to say that these weapons cause unacceptable harm and ban them and on the other hand to give a sly nod to the US to continue using them," Moves to ban cluster bombs are due to be finalised at a conference in Dublin but the government continues to defend the retention of M85 submunitions and is seeking to exclude from prohibition its rocket-fired cluster munitions because they each contain less than 10 submunitions. Meanwhile, Amnesty International has published the results of a YouGov ...

BBC Question Time: open thread

‘Fraid there are no Lib Dem panellists on tonight's Question Time (broadcast on BBC1 and online from 10.35 pm GMT). The panel includes Health Secretary Alan Johnson, shadow business, enterprise and regulatory reform secretary Alan Duncan, Plaid Cymru’s spokesperson for health and social services in the Welsh Assembly Helen Mary Jones, broadcaster and journalist Lauren Booth [...]

Sometimes I love this job

You know, the whole job of councillor / local politician. Someone texted to ask me my availability in June, and my answer was: Sorry, 6th we’re giving freedom of city to to Alan Sillitoe and 7th I have public meeting with Lembit Öpik- have to pick him and Cheeky Girls up from airport. And the thing is - it’s almost entirely true! The Cheeky Girls almost certainly won’t be coming, but the rest is right.

We're on our way Wembley - two-goal Jonny Howson wins it for Leeds

Report to follow

Under 10s Football Team Launch

Currently the West End area does not have a youth football team for Under 10 boys. Thanks to the offer to establish and run one by a member of West End Community Council - Paul Johnston - and the kind assistance of the City Council's Leisure and Communities Department and the University of Dundee's Institute of Sports and Exercise, an "Open Day" for boys of the appropriate age (Primary 4 - going into Primary 5 in August) together with parents/guardians is being held this Saturday (17th May) from 10am to 12 noon at the University of Dundee's football facilities at ...

Making your mind up

Those clever folk at the PublicWhip website have produced a quick quiz to help you pick the political party closest to your views. It’s in the context of the Crewe & Nantwich by-election, but all the questions are on national issues - from post offices to fox hunting - so they apply wherever you are. [...]

Boris Johnson Resignation Watch Day 10: Three Jobs Boris

London Mayor Boris Johnson will retain his Daily Telegraph column (worth £250,000 a year) he revealed today, making him the lucky holder of a triplet of jobs: Mayor of London, MP for Henley and newspaper columnist. Is there no end to his talents? 1 week, 3 days, 20 hours, 50 minutes of Three Jobs Boris so [...]

We all are NOT Hezbollah now.

Read Dean Godson's assault on many of the Left's failure to respond to the Hezbollah's assault on its fellow countrymen and women. You don't have to be a neo-con or a fully paid up war on terror warrior to oppose the violent actions of a deeply unpleasant movement which contains large elements clerical fascism. The Hezbollah is not the "victim". Yes the Shias of Lebanon have deep seated grievances which need to be addressed. But the Syrian and Iranian backed militant violence is not the way to do it. Just say no.

More sad news

News reaches The Voice of the death of Peter Thurnham who was a Lib Dem MP for just a few months after his defection to the party in October 1996. You can read more about his career, and tributes from colleagues, in the Manchester Evening News

Iraq on the web

The disintegration of Iraq used to be big news but it has faded from the headlines of late as the worlds eye roves elsewhere. However, there is still the small matter of Iraq being an occupied country and ordinary Iraqis struggling to exist and get to grips with their countries future. The Internet is proving to be one of the main mediums through which ordinary Iraqis can make their voices heard. Hometown Baghdad is less a blog and more a 'Vlog'. The videos are short but informative; one shows Saif, a resident of Zayounal, attempting to barricade his house with ...

Manchester City Council can blame the fans, but what about holding their hands up to their own mistakes ?

There were some ugly scenes in Manchester last night when trouble erupted amongst Rangers fans and there was for a short time some serious public order offences and, for want of a better name, acts of hooliganism occurred. Nobody can be proud of what happened, least of all Rangers fans who were, according to radio reports I have heard to day, overwhelmingly well behaved and deeply apologetic about the behaviour of a minority of their own fans. Sadly they have a lot to be ashamed about with reports of sickening attacks on paramedics, police and police dogs. The question is ...

55th Congress of Liberal International opens in Belfast

The BBC reports that members of around 100 Liberal parties from across the world are gathering for the conference in Belfast. And it quotes Alliance leader David Ford: "Getting the chance to host this congress is a massive boost for Belfast. "This is the first time that Northern Ireland has ever hosted the prestigious Liberal International Congress. This gives us the chance of a lifetime to showcase Northern Ireland to powerbrokers from across the globe. "The Alliance Party's global links within Liberal International are extremely important, and I only wish all other parties in Northern Ireland took such a broad ...

Overblown Claim of the Week

The winner is Peter Dowd, leader of the Labour group on Sefton District Council. According to the Bootle Times, at last Thursday's full council meeting he: accused the Lib Dems of creating "apartheid" after one leaflet attacked a candidate for coming from Bootle.

Peter Thurnham RIP

The Manchester Evening News reports the death of a former Lib Dem MP: A colourful politician who defected from John Major's Conservative government to join the Liberal Democrats has died. Peter Thurnham represented the Bolton North East constituency from 1983 to 1997. He made headlines after leaving the Tories to join the Lib Dems in October 1996, towards the end of the Major government, over its refusal to hold inquiries into allegations of sleaze. He did not contest his Bolton seat at the 1997 general election and was succeeded by Labour's David Crausby, who remains the constituency's MP. Mr Thurnham ...

Unite for HR: Diego Garcia

{Bloggers Unite} Just blogging as part of the Amnesty International initiative today 'Bloggers Unite'. Really just a very quick observation, sorry it couldn't be more substantial. Remember recently when David Miliband admitted that the Government had become aware of the passage of rendition flights through Diego Garcia? Diego Garcia is British dependent territory but essentially an American/British military base (and intelligence hub) in the Indian Ocean. Well there are still unanswered questions about who amongst the Secret Intelligence Service and British Officials knew about the flight and when they became aware? In other words, did they refrain from telling their ...

David Howarth interviewed about his Fixed term parliaments bill

Here and below is David Howarth MP being interviewed by Iain Dale about his Fixed Term parliament bill which is coming before Parliament on Friday. The video is on a thing called Friction TV which sounds like something vaguely salacious.

Hillary Central are setting themselves up for a fall

Just been looking at the self-satisfied sanctimonious ramblings on www.theleftcoaster.com. This used to be a highly respected US Liberal blog - yet the way they’re responding to Edwards’ endorsement making Obama the unofficial presumptive nominee is churlish to say the least. This site has got to resemble one of the biggest intellectualised jokes on the blogosphere. Still, [...]

The end of the Iraq war in sight?

CNN reported today that Sen. John McCain envisions that by 2013, the Iraq War will be won but the threat from the Taliban in Afghanistan won’t yet be eliminated, even though Osama bin Laden will have been captured or killed. Perhaps a little risky, or just a pre-election campaign scheme, I can’t be sure. He assured spectators in Ohio, troop numbers will be reduced as the war in Iraq is won, and that by his “first term as president” he believes the war will be over and the United States will no longer need to be the predominant force for ...

Healthy Living Week 22nd-29th May

Are you taking part in healthy living week in the South West of Bath if not why not there is something for the whole family? Healthy living week has been running in the South west of Bath for a number of years now so why not take part this year and feel the effects of better health. I have attached a PDF of the Healthy living week brochure if you would like to see...

A new way to decide who to vote for

The folks from www.publicwhip.org.uk have just released a vote-match style website for the Crewe & Nantwich Parliamentary by-election. It serves up a number of different policy questions, and then tells you which party is the best fit for your answers. As their news release says: While activists are descending from all corners of the country to Crewe & [...]

Youth crime: 'Girl crime' soars

According to the papers, so-called ‘girl crime’, that is, crimes committed by girls, has soared by 25% this year - 59,000 offences in were committed by girls aged 10-17 in 2006-07 - up 12,000 on 2003-4. This still puts the figure much below that committed by boys in the same age category (236,000 crimes), but crimes by boys fell 2% from 240,000 in the same time period. The government and other commentators have suggested several reasons for the spike. They suggest it could be due to a rise in the total number of girls of that age as well as ...

Gordon Brown in Madame Tussauds: The nation has decided

The results of Madame Tussauds’ Gordon Brown in or out poll have been released: With a face like this: Who can blame them?

David Howarth on fixed term Parliaments

Friction.TV has done an interview with David Howarth MP ahead of tomorrow’s debate in Parliament on his bill to introduce fixed term Parliaments. I won’t spoil the fun by telling you who the presenter is…

What did you do during the war Daddy Bush?

President George W Bush on the sacrifice he made for the Iraq War effort: "I didn’t want some mum whose son may have recently died to see the commander-in-chief playing golf. "I feel I owe it to the families to be in solidarity as best as I can with them. And I think playing golf during a [...]

Linkspam for 15-5-2008

Tactical Voting: Myths and reality - Voting TaKtiX I wrote this 18 months ago, but I've linked to it increasingly recently to explain points, so I'm bringing it to the top. The electoral system encourages broad church coalitions and two main parties. Every vote is thus, in some way, tactical. (tags: politics voter+behaviour) The Fermi Paradox revisited - Charles Stross Charlie goes back over Fermi's classic 'if they exist, why aren't they here' paradox with a bunch of possible explanations. (tags: science space charles+stross) Vatican says aliens could exist | BBC NEWS Follow up from Fermi - Father Gabriel Funes, ...

Guido keeps his head, and his liberty

well, most of his liberty. After being caught drink driving with no insurance last month the magistrate has given Paul: A 3-month curfew order, applicable between the hours of 9pm-6am An electronic tag An 18-month supervision order, and A 3-year driving ban So, early nights and a bit more exercise for ol’ Guido. Might do him some good. (HT: Chicken Yoghurt and the Ministry)

Obama only needs 139 more after John Edwards endorsement

News announced today is that former US Democratic Presidential contender John Edwards has endorsed Barack Obama for President. Despite Hillary Clinton's big win in West Virginia this Super-super Delegate endorsement will undoubtedly harm her chances of gaining the Democrat Presidential nomination, as will the other two Super Delegate announcements for Obama today. Speaking at a rally in Michigan with Obama, Edwards said: "The Democratic voters in America have made their choice and so have I, There is one man who knows and understands that this is a time for bold leadership...there is one man who knows in his heart that ...

Women oppose 'men only' lists

The expression, 'cake and eat it', springs to mind ..

What the heck????

Has someone slipped some hallucinogenic substance into my coffee or are there really 8 pantomime horses racing round a track, which has four hurdles, on George Square today? Wish I had my camera with me to prove it to you all!

Dear Prudence, Brown in Buck Passing Mode

Well as the Chancellor he once littered his budget speeches with prudence, or some other word derived from that stem is passing the buck regarding all things economic. However, as is the way of the Tim'rous Beatie as things are going wrong the Prime Minister instead of taking the plaudits once thrown at him for a stable economy, he's papering over the cracks as subsidence sets in, not even a year

Why is it all going wrong for Gordon?

Anatole Kaletsky does a good job summing up the Government's current difficulties in his piece in The Times today ("It all looks like Enron Government")In it he not only gives reasons why Gordon Brown is in the position that he is - but also suggests that things are likely to get worse rather than better:"...if Mr Brown's fiscal rules could be ignored so easily this year to accommodate a �2.7 billion tax cut... why shouldn't they also be ignored to satisfy fuel-tax protesters and pensioners and underpaid public sector workers and bankers demanding bailouts and homeowners struggling with their mortgages ...

Blogging and things

Of recent I have not been blogging much, the odd paragraph here and there - the reason is twofold.

Tories in sensational new ideas shock

The news today is full of Tory 'initiatives' such as 'cutting red tape for police officers', 'giving head teachers powers to smarten up teachers', opposing a 'bin tax'. What is telling from all these ideas is firstly that they are about as novel as the gramophone, secondly that they demonstrate a shocking absence of a 'big picture' for the Tories. Hasn't every Tory Home Secretary since the Ark said they would 'cut red tape for police officers'? Didn't crime rise exponentially under the Tories between 1979 and 1997? Hasn't every Tory Education Secretary wanted to smarten up teachers, go back ...

Lembit Opik Caption Contest

What on earth is going through Lembit Opik's mind? A pint of beer for the best answer!

The impact of Edwards

My bold prediction that Hillary Clinton would be gone by the weekend proved sadly incorrect. She continues to fight on despite the impossible odds she now faces - at least until Kentucky and Oregon next tuesday. Despite Hillary's overwhelming and entirely predictable win in West Virginia, John Edwards' endorsement of Barack Obama is dominating the current news cycle. And rightly so - although the impact and leverage of an Edwards endorsement has been reduced by holding out for so long, it is still important in a few key ways.1) It moves the news away from West Virginia and gives Obama ...

News in Brief

Only a brief post today, because I am struggling to breath under the weight of work I keep putting off to do Council things… Yesterday’s Annual Council was a remarkably dull affair. The whoops, screams, and general childishness I expected from the ruling group on their assumption of overall control for the first time in Bury sine 1986 didn’t emerge. So credit to them for that. It beats their various displays in Council over the last twelve months. Instead, the historic moment passed in a grumbled “aye” when the motion to let the Conservatives form the Executive was put to ...

The Royal Free is in Hampstead - isn't it?

It's said that you learn something every day and that's the great thing about this history malarky - you actually do... So I was dashing through Holborn and glanced up and there it was a plaque to the Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine (University of London). I knew about the Eastman, off Gray's Inn Road, and of course the Royal Free Hospital itself of the 1972 construction up in Pond Street, Hampstead... but, of the School of Medicine. In short the School of Medicine was established in 1874 by an "Act of Faith" and by 1898 was in a ...

Europe Day quiz answers

As promised, here are the answers to my Europe Day quiz. many thanks to those who puzzled over it and it's a familiar name who wins the ALDE goodie bag. Take a bow Stephen Glenn! ROUND ONE 1. How many stars does the European flag have? Twelve 2. Name one of the two top wine producing countries in the world? France (1st) & Italy (2nd) 3. What is the name of the Festival which takes place in Munich every Autumn? Oktoberfest 4. Which country has borders with Belarus, Lithuania, Estonia and Russia? Latvia 5. How many countries are currently part ...

Our growing local government strength in Wales

Peter Black has the details of how our good results in this year’s Welsh local government elections are translating into increasing amounts of power and influence across Welsh councils.

RIP Tommy Burns

The sad news of the all too early death of Celtic legend Tommy Burns was announced today. Tommy died from the recurrence of skin cancer for which he was first treated in 2006. This is very sad news for all fans of football up here in Scotland. A full tribute can be fond on the BBC News website.

Brown: credit where credit is due

Call me a fuzzy-headed old numpty if you will, but I was reasonably impressed by the tone and seriousness of Gordon Brown's appearance on Today this morning. (Mind you, after 10 minutes I thought I'd better get into work, so perhaps if self-combusted after that...I know not.) He's had a lot of derision fired at him, but I find it very difficult to imagine that Cameron could do any better in

Blockages

'Process Guy' has been rather quiet of late. This is not because there has been any shortage of things to write about. Far from it. I've been getting exercised at varying levels of intensity about a wide range of topics. Yet, while not exactly writers block, a number of things have been getting in the way. In part it has been a curious mixture of when I have had the inclination to put together a

Bloggers Unite for Human Rights

{[info]} pickwick: Reproductive Freedom is something we tend to take for granted in the UK. We have free contraception, and we have abortion available to us, even if it is only available through the arcane and byzantine systems put in place by the 67 Act (yes, we DO still need to obtain the permission of two doctors before we are allowed an abortion; the only other thing which needs two doctors is being sectioned under the Mental Health Act. Oh the irony). Therefore when nutters like Dorries and Cardinal Cormac O'Murphy want abortion restricted, there is a tendency for those ...

PM's big plans...New coastal footpath ?!?

Hurrah...now we will all be able to take a nice long stroll around the island we can no longer afford to live on...

David Howarth's Fixed Term Parliaments Bill

I’ve been highlighting this as part of my day job but haven’t said anything about it here. Anyway, David Howarth’s Fixed Term Parliaments Bill is being debated in the Commons tomorrow and you need to do something about it. Write to your MP about it and ask them to sign EDM 1528 - Fixed Term Parliaments. More details here and here. Meanwhile, here is David talking to that nice Mr Dale: Share This

Crewe by election

Spent yesterday in Crewe helping with the by election campaign. Another day of great weather - to the extent that the HQ was offering sun tan lotion before we went out. A very efficient operation - hardly any waiting, jobs given out straight away.

Shouldn't we have equal rights for all, not just the select few?

From the outset, I think it's important to say that, in principle, I throughly support the governments plans to extend Flexible working rights to all parents with children under the age of 16. However, speaking as a married man in his late 40s, whose children grew up and flew the nest years ago, I do feel a little discriminated against. Why should I, someone who is, in effect, childless, not be afforded the same flexible working rights as people whose children still live at home? Having worked all my adult life I too would like the 'right' to work flexible ...

Local LibDem AM claims victory as WAG pledge to boost youth opportunities

Peter Black has welcomed a government commitment to improve youth services - but warned that the new guidance may not be enough. Peter's attempt to use the Assembly's legislative powers to improve youth services were voted down by the Labour/Plaid government. But children ' s Minister Jane Hutt has pledged to toughen up guidance to local authorities to achieve the same aim. She said the new guidance would be issued "as a result" of Peter Black's work. Peter said: "I am delighted that the Minister has expressed her support for the principle of this Measure. "From talking to her, I ...

LibDems most influential party in Welsh local government

This was the import of a Radio Wales news bulletin this morning. Welsh Liberal Democrats emerged from the 1st May elections, and the resulting negotiations, as the major power in Welsh local government. It appears also that there is a possibility that Labour will no longer control the Welsh Local Government Association.

Express bombshell

"NEW BIN TAX BOMBSHELL" screams the Daily Express headline this morning. Sometimes I wonder how Express readers make it to elevenses without having a nervous breakdown...

Calling all depts: Environment cash up for grabs!

As if it wasn't fairly obvious to sceptics among us, the revenue gained by the Government from the auctioning of emissions allowances in future phases of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) appears to have been laid open for clandestine departmental bids by Treasury Minister Angela Eagle. In a response to a question by Mark Lazarowicz yesterday over where the money would go she replied: "Any revenue raised through the use of auctioning would be considered part of general revenue streams, and the spending review process ensures that resources are allocated efficiently to deliver Government objectives."So much for earmarking. Oh ...

Green power for our Winchester office

We’ve decided to switch our office to using electricity from Ecotricity - so the press turned up yesterday to take some pictures in the back garden of our office. Reassuringly, it doesn’t cost any more than the standard tariff from a non-green supplier. We’ve had pictures of Mark and I waving low energy lightbulbs around before when we switched all the bulbs in our office. Here’s one of the rare pictures from yesterday where we’re not all waving light-bulbs around - only one of us is: {Lib Dems switch office to ecotricity} On a more substantive note, the head of ...

Nottingham Lib Dems vote for a congestion charge

Three days ago at Full Council, my Lib Dem group on Nottingham City Council voted to support the introduction of a Workplace Parking Levy in our city. The scheme charges large employers with more than 10 parking spaces for every space they have. The fee begins in 2010 at around �15 per month per space - [...]

Brown uses GMTV to promote Crewe candidate - but what does she think of him?

Gordon Brown was on GMTV this morning doing his "I feel your pain" and "Believe me I am human, not a robot" turns. The usual unconvincing performance. No matter how much he tried to smile rather than snarl, he just does not convince anyone. But what caught my attention was the discussion about the Crewe by-election. To give Brown his due, it was Penny the interviewer who raised the by-election

Carrick Sports and Recreation Centre

Down to the Carrick Sports Hall for a committee meeting last night. Like many committees in Cornwall it's composed of a number of very dedicated, but elderly people. Without their efforts the Sports Hall, or Hendra Hall as some call it, would have fallen into disrepair long ago. They spend most of their energy fundraising and applying for grants to keep the building going. Carrick send two Councillors along, myself and John Dyer to assist. Mr Dyer, having been there a lot longer than me has done a great deal for them, over the years. But what will happen with ...

Silly Petition: Facebook (Cornwall)

I'm rather torn over posting this because I like Julia Goldsworthy and I completely agree with the sentiments expressed in her petition presented in Parliament yesterday. On the other hand every petition costs a fair whack to you and I, and I'm not sure imploring the DCMS minister to ask Facebook to recognise Cornwall as a region is really the best use of taxpayers' money. More importantly, its difficult to argue against evasive or equivocal Government answers to written questions in Parliament on grounds of wasting taxpayers money if we put forward indulgent petitions - even if there are many ...

Student accommodation for Lower Bristol application deferred.

The planning application to build a new student block on the Lower Bristol Road to house 333 students next to the current block was deferred by the development control committee of Bath & North East Somerset Council last night. The reasons for deferral were for a 106 legal agreement to be put together that would include the installation of an off road lay by for buses to pull off at...

Updated: Who said a leopard can't change its spots?

Because they are wrong. I am living prove that they can. However, before I go on and explain, I understand that it is normal practice to issue an advance warning when you are about to say or show something controversial. For example; "This commercial for Jodie Marsh dolls contains scenes of extreme violence and has nudity from the very beginning. Viewers of a nervous disposition are asked to look away... now." I feel what I am about to say now could well be considered one of those moments. As some of you may already know, had you read his blog, ...

Creating Virtually Zero Carbon Victorian Houses

I went to see 17 St Augustine's Road yesterday. This is a Victorian house in a conservation area that is owned by the Council and is being refurbished with an additional �140,000 of sustainability investment (ie over and above what we would have spent on refurbishment anyway). That includes huge amounts of insulation, replica double glazed sash windows, heat exchangers (which expel stale air but retain the heat to warm incoming fresh air), solar thermal (hot water), solar photovoltaics (electricity) etc. It is expected to reduce carbon emissions compared to pre-refurbishment by 80%. It will remain as social housing with ...

Friday 16th May 2008

Thursday 15th May 2008