Ed Davey's Lib Dem leadership campaign risks being too focused on not upsetting moderate Tory voters in seats in the South of England where we are in second place. But maybe he has found an issue that is dear to my heart. Powys's County Times reports that last month Ed raised concerns about the pollution of the River Wye in the county in the Commons. Though its report seems to refer to a written question from Ed, the paper quotes him at length:"Our natural environment is precious and there is none more precious than Wales' beautiful River Wye," Sir Ed ...
Fri 10th
19:39
Shrewsbury shopping centres plummet in value by two thirds - Shropshire Council shrugs off the loss
The devaluation of the Pride Hill, Darwin and now defunct Riverside shopping centres within the Shrewsbury Loop will be a surprise to no one. But the collapse in value from £51m to £17.5m- 66 per cent - over three years is bigger than expected. It is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, retail devaluation seen anywhere in England in such a short period. Shropshire Council has shrugged this off as an expected devaluation. Deputy Council leader Steve Charmley said: "We were aware of the possible downturn in the fortunes of the high street - an issue compounded by ...
The Folkestone Haven offers safe, inclusive and welcoming spaces for people who are struggling to cope with their mental health during the evening, weekends and bank holidays when other services may be closed. The Folkestone Haven is for adult residents (18+) of the Folkestone and Hythe District who are experiencing difficulties with their mental health and feel unable to cope. This includes people who may be anxious or worried about anything affecting their mental health but don't have support networks available to them. It is for people who use or have used mental health services and those who have never ...
For the record, I am not a huge fan of the Retro Hugos in general. It's striking that three of the 1945 Best Novel finalists are really from outside the sfnal subculture that existed at the time, indicating how few actual novels were being written by the sf pulp writers. Anyway, it's an interesting selection. The Golden Fleece aka Hercules, My Shipmate, by Robert Graves Second paragraph of third chapter:King Sthenelus, the new Achaean overlord of the Peloponnese, justified his seizure of the throne of Mycenae from the Henetian house of Pelops by denying that his predecessor had a valid ...
This sad story of rural crime, nominated by a reader of Liberal England, wins the Cotswold Journal our Headline of the Day Award.
I was recently sent an article by the American columnist Charles Davenport in which he warned of anti-American Marxist infiltration of Black Lives Matter. To be fair to Mr Davenport, he prefaced his criticism of BLM with a stiff condemnation of the death of George Floyd and racial discrimination in general. But then he goes on to quote their leaders out of context and describe Black Lives Matter as ... an anti-American, often violent, collection of Marxists. Their contempt for capitalism is brazen, as is their disdain for law and order. He is right and wrong. But more importantly, Mr ...
The story of recent attempts to reach a deal on devolution for the North East is not a happy one. Labour councils in the region split and went to war over plans for an elected mayor for the North East. Mick Henry, leader of Gateshead Council at the time, was one of the casualties. He was replaced by Martin Gannon, a staunch opponent of the mayoral system, though he is a supporter of devolution.
Responding to reports UK has opted out of the EU's coronavirus vaccines scheme, Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson Munira Wilson said:"When coronavirus is such a threat to people's lives and livelihoods, Ministers should leave no stone unturned in their bid to end the pandemic. "This Government's stubborn unwillingness to work with the European Union through the current crisis is unforgivable. "The crisis does not stop at any national border. It is about time the Prime Minister started showing leadership, including fully participating in all EU efforts to secure critical medical supplies and a vaccine."
Responding to ONS statistics released today that reveal 16 people who were homeless have died as a result of Covid-19, Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran said:"Every death is truly heart-breaking. With coronavirus putting the most vulnerable in our communities at risk, we must ensure no one is left behind. 16 homeless deaths is 16 too many."The Government must avoid more deaths by protecting emergency funding for local authorities to accommodate rough sleepers, particularly as many have underlying health conditions."This sad news should act as a wake up call to the Conservatives. Ministers must urgently produce a long-term plan to end ...
Liberal Democrat MPs Ed Davey and Layla Moran will be the two candidates contesting the latest Liberal Democrat leadership contest, the Party has confirmed.At the close of nominations yesterday both Ed Davey and Layla Moran secured the support required to appear on the ballot.Voting will open on the 30th July and close on the 26th August, after which the Party will announce the next leader.Liberal Democrat Party President Mark Pack said: "With two fantastic candidates, I am really excited for the contest for who will lead the Liberal Democrats and champion our vision for an outward-looking, caring country that celebrates ...
Fri 10th
12:12
PODCAST - Saving the party from disaster: lessons from Jo Grimond for the Liberal Democrats
I've tried something a little different for this episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts: taking a look at the career of a previous party leader to see the lessons for the current Liberal Democrats.
Responding to news that the BBC will ask over-75s to start paying for TV licences from 1 August, Liberal Democrat Digital, Culture, Media and Sport spokesperson Daisy Cooper said:"Many people over the age of 75 are worried about setting foot outside their homes due to the risk of COVID-19. For those who are isolated, television is a lifeline - especially right now. It is a travesty that many may now lose access to this vital service. "The Government has forced the BBC into a corner where it has to choose between further cuts to its programming or raising these fees. ...
Responding to the reports that two of the UK's largest high street retailers, John Lewis and Boots, have announced a combined cut of 5,300 jobs, Liberal Democrat Business Spokesperson Sarah Olney said:"The scale of today's layoffs show the true extent of the crisis facing British high streets. The Conservative Government had the chance to provide real relief for our high streets in yesterday's summer statement, but instead the Chancellor did nothing for the vast majority of businesses outside of hospitality."We cannot allow the Government to forget that behind each job loss statistic lies a household struggling to make ends meet. ...
Responding to confirmation that the House of Commons will be asked to approve membership of the intelligence and security committee on Monday, Liberal Democrat MP Wera Hobhouse said:"With the threat of coronavirus, people are rightly worried and need a Government they can trust. Boris Johnson has failed to do that with his conspicuous delay to reconvening the intelligence committee. "After months of pressure from Liberal Democrats and others, I am glad the committee is due to be restored. However, it should never have needed this fight. The Prime Minister has a lot to do to claw back public confidence. "At ...
Yesterday a friend and I went to the Spaghetti House in Holborn for lunch, the first time I have eaten in a restaurant since before coronavirus lockdown — that is well over three months. The restaurant only reopened this week, along with many others, though by no means all. Some will have gone to the [...]
As we slowly emerge from the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions there has been, understandably, a marked increase in road traffic. In particular, Britain's love affair with the car has largely created the congestion on our roads. Seldom is one able to complete a journey without delays due to accident, road works, or just sheer numbers of vehicles. To alleviate such congestion, we are encouraged to make more use of public transport. Using buses instead of private cars could significantly reduce the number of vehicles on the roads. But people are reluctant to give up their cars, Covid fears notwithstanding. It takes ...
Thu, 12:56: In defense of Belgium's coronavirus response https://t.co/YjIvdZcdoP Health minister @Maggie_deBlock hits back, especially against @TheEIU. Thu, 15:26: RT @Keir_Starmer: He had three chances. https://t.co/w3Y58DmlJH Thu, 16:05: Coronavirus: The inside story of how UK's 'chaotic' testing regime 'broke all the rules' https://t.co/8E9N2a1GNI Wow. Thu, 17:11: Doctor Who and the Communist: the work and politics of Malcolm Hulke (1924-1979) https://t.co/Np5V3DrDHX A welcome... https://t.co/7ILl2TS1v1 Thu, 18:17: Thursday reading https://t.co/J3mUU0f5cL Thu, 18:56: 2020 Hugo finalists for Best Related Work https://t.co/d9H4y7ymzI Thu, 19:33: RT @tconnellyRTE: Confirmed. Paschal Donohoe has won the contest to be next Eurogroup President Fri, 00:20: RT @theiaincameron: Pin-sharp visibility ...
Kent County Council Liberal Democrats bring the very welcome news of another Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) candidate being in place.
These are the final figures for the nominations for the next Leader of the Liberal Democrats – more details here. You can see both candidates in action at the many hustings meetings (all via Zoom or YouTube, of course). Some are regional in character, others focus on specific policy areas or strategy. Everyone who was a party member by yesterday will be able to vote in the election, which will run from 30th July to 26th August, with the results expected to be declared on 27th August.
i) births and deaths 10 July 1941: birth of Jackie Lane, who played companion Dodo Chaplet in early 1966. There is some fan lore that she was born in 1947, but this is clearly contradicted by Nicholas Briggs' Reeltime interview with her, as well as by the story that she was considered for the original part of Susan and lost out on A Taste of Honey to Rita Tushingham in 1961. There is also some confusion with a slightly older starlet, Jocelyn Lane, who married Prince Alfonso of Hohenlohe-Langenburg. Of all the living former companions, Jackie Lane has had by ...
As residents will be aware, the City Council has announced the return of parking charges from next Monday - 13th July. However, I am pleased to say that my plea to officers to not to reintroduce these in the West End from 13th July has paid off. Car parks in the seven West End car parks that had charges intoduced for the first time in January of this year will continue to be free until the universities return in October. The City Council also advises : "The first phase of charging from July 13 applies to all on-street bays, as ...
The Guardian reports that police across England and Wales face an inquiry to establish whether they racially discriminate against ethnic minorities in their use of force and stop and search. They say that the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) intends to use its formal powers to investigate cases and then look if any pattern of racial discrimination exists. It has vowed it can "drive real change in policing practice": The review comes as forces are under pressure to justify their use of stop and search after a series of high-profile cases that have been caught on camera. The Met ...
The Liberal Democrats are calling on the Government to grant EU citizens the automatic right to stay in the UK, with the physical proof they need, as new Home Office figures reveal thousands are being refused and millions await a final decision.The latest EU Settlement Scheme statistics, published this morning, reveal 2,300 people have been refused Settled Status, 1.4 million have only been granted temporary 'Pre-Settled Status' and 250,000 are still waiting for a decision.Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Christine Jardine said:"EU citizens in the UK have been living under a cloud of uncertainty for far too long. They are ...
Settled Status figures show need for automatic right to stay Publishing Russia report top of the list for intelligence committee Lib Dems: Consequences of Chancellor ignoring our high streets already clear Govt must foot the bill to keep TV licences free for over 75s Ministers must act to ensure public can have confidence in NHS Test and Trace As the country opens up Test and Trace is more important than ever Settled Status figures show need for automatic right to stay The Liberal Democrats are calling on the Government to grant EU citizens the automatic right to stay in the ...
In this BBC documentary Simon Hollis explores the darker underside of the pastoral idyll and the traditions of Folk Horror being revived by a new generation of writers, musicians and filmmakers. Contributors include fantasy writer Alan Garner, musician and composer Sharron Kraus, writer and filmmaker Adam Scovell, author Ben Myers, field folklorist Jonathan Huet, occult historian Gary Parsons, Piers Haggard the director of The Blood on Satan's Claw, and Maxine Sanders "Queen of the Witches". There's even a snatch of Steve Winwood and Traffic.
What follows is a statement from the Clinical Commissioning Group for County Durham, lead organisation in the replacement project. It has been confirmed that the delays mentioned will result in the first spade in the ground being six months later than originally planned. "Everyone at NHS County Durham Clinical Commissioning Group (the CCG) hopes that you have been keeping safe and well during the recent weeks and months. We wanted to share an update on a particular project that so many local people helped contribute to last year, as well as let you know about what will be happening moving ...
The Financial Times is the most politically liberal national newspaper - sadly, read only by a fraction of those who get the Daily Mail. Martin Wolf's 'Big Read: the New Social Contract' in the FT of 6th July laid out very clearly the links between active citizenship, stable democracy, and limits to economic inequality: Citizenship...is the tie that binds people together in a shared endeavour... In today's world, citizenship needs to have three aspects: loyalty to democratic political and legal institutions and the values of open debate and tolerance that underpin them; concern for the ability of all fellow citizens ...
When the pandemic started to seriously intrude into our daily lives, in March, my view was the it might accelerate some changes, but it was being overplayed by some commentators as a society-changing event. My view is changing. And it is changing because the virus is proving so hard either to beat or to live ... Continue reading Deadly and contagious, this virus is reshaping our society
From the Liberal Democrat website: Party Awards recognise publicly those who have given the party outstanding service and commitment in the past year. They are presented at Autumn Conference (national conditions allowing) and each winner receives a trophy to keep and a special mention. Candidates must themselves be party members, and be nominated and seconded by two party members. More details about the individual awards and who is eligible can be found here. All nominations should be completed using this nomination portal. Before you get started, please make sure you have: Your membership number; The name, contact information and membership ...
Now that Hugo voting is finally available online, I'm going to post about a few categories over the next few days. I'm involved with the administration of the awards again this year, so I won't be revealing my exact rankings; back to my normal procedure next year. Of all of this year's categories, I am most excited about Best Related Work. This was the category hit hardest by the Puppies, being No Awarded in both 2015 and 2016 (which incidentally means that if all goes well in DC next year, it will be only the second time since 2013 that ...
Liberal Democrat MPs Ed Davey and Layla Moran will be the two candidates contesting the latest Liberal Democrat leadership contest, the party has confirmed.
Current The Complete Secret Army: An Unofficial and Unauthorised Guide to the Classic TV Drama Series by Andy Priestner Our Mutual Friend, by Charles Dickens The Overstory, by Richard Powers The Ruin of Kings, by Jenn Lyons The Wicked + The Divine vol 9: "Okay", by Kieron Gillen etc Last books finished City of Lies, by Sam Hawke Tooth & Claw, by Jo Walton Gaze of the Medusa, by Gordon Rennie, Emma Beeby and Brian Williamson EU Lobbying Handbook, by Andreas Geiger The Wicked + The Divine vol 8: Old is the New New, by Kieron Gillen etc TOR: Assassin ...
Liberal Democrat MPs Ed Davey and Layla Moran will be the two candidates contesting the latest Liberal Democrat leadership contest, the Party has confirmed. At the close of nominations today both Ed Davey and Layla Moran secured the support required to appear on the ballot. Voting will open on the 30th July and close on the 26th August, after which the Party will announce the next leader. Liberal Democrat Party President Mark Pack said: With two fantastic candidates, I am really excited for the contest for who will lead the Liberal Democrats and champion our vision for an outward-looking, caring ...
Even with a seemingly bottomless purse it was probably impossible for our Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, in his summer splash out to keep the economy going beyond the pandemic, to please everybody.. One disgruntled group are the airline industries, who have received no extra help at all. I welcome this. In the short run, until the pandemic is firmly under control, it is clearly vital to keep travel, and particularly international travel, down to a minimum. In the longer run, given that air travel is both a major polluter and a major conduit for spreading disease (and there ...
Liberal Democrats stand for an open society receptive to new ideas, international trade, law-law rather than war-war, cooperation amongst nations, and universal human rights. Whilst proud to be British, we oppose isolationism, nationalism, protectionism and xenophobia for political gain. We recognise the difficulties of Britain's colonial past and support making amends. How do sentiments such as these translate into practice, internationally, and how can members become involved? It's a question which is often asked in all kinds of meetups. The coordination of international activity is undertaken by the Federal International Relations Committee, (FIRC) which is one of the party's governing, ...
As well as her guest post Around Tolworth in the footsteps of Richard Jefferies Lucy Furlong sent me one of the poems from her chapbook Sward. The poem's narrow column echoes the long thin strip of central reservation. Skin of the Earth Humans don't walk here. I seedrivers stare at me throughwindshields and wound downwindows as they pass by. Oneday a woman and a girl stop tolook at me as I kneel to take aphoto of red clover. They doubletake as I double take. A horseand trap careers across the dualcarriageway at the Jubilee Wayjunction - a time warp - ...
Partners for a New Economy (P4NE) have announced that they have appointed Jo Swinson as their new Director. P4NE is a philanthropic donor organisation that makes grants to projects that support new economic thinking. As they say: At P4NE, we fund innovative projects and build communities that bring new thinking and approaches to traditional economics. These "change catalysts" play a pivotal role in helping to repurpose our economic system, and together they're helping to build a movement for an economic system that's fit for the challenges of the 21st Century. Jo says: I'm excited to join Partners for a New ...
The vast Maghull East site seen from Poverty Lane presently used for growing crops but under Sefton Council's Local Plan it is to be covered with housing. The Liverpool Echo has the article on its website – see link below:- There's every danger that you'll be shouting back at me that I'm a broken record here especially if you agree with house building on Green Belt and on high grade agricultural land which feeds us. However, if you agree with me that building on such land is very wrong indeed then read on. During my time as a Maghull ...
A reminder that support is available for those experiencing food poverty. There is a food banks in Yate for emergencies. Visit the One You South Gloucestershire website food support page for more information. Anyone in financial difficulty because of reduced income should check the information for residents page.
Liverpool Lib Dems take action on two crucial issues for the City Liverpool's Opposition Group, the Liberal Democrats have initiated decisive action on two major issues which they believe need to be scrutinised. The have submitted a requisition for an ... Continue reading →
"It was very welcome to see a centre right chancellor acting like a centre left one." You can tell there are few things to get excited about when you begin to quote...yourself! This was something I said, and of course it was about Rishi Sunak, in my most recent article. And just when I thought that the operative word for me was acting, as in acting like, what does the chancellor do, he delivers millions to theatres! So the operative word, in fact, was also centre, as in centre left. This chancellor is the most left wing since Gordon Brown! ...
Back in March, at the very outset of the crisis, the chancellor Rishi Sunak said that: "Now more than at any time in our history, we will be judged by our capacity for compassion." That was true then and it is true now. Yet the mini-budget announced yesterday regrettably showed that the government has failed that test. At a time when millions of people across the country are facing the threat of poverty and unemployment, this plan fell far short. There were some important and welcome measures, in particular, the £1,000 incentive to persuade employers to keep on furloughed staff. ...
Wed, 12:56: Inside the world of Rishi Sunak https://t.co/yV6pIKYKGC Fascinating profile of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Bor... https://t.co/ogfc6HYfnJ Wed, 16:03: RT @Keir_Starmer: The Prime Minister must apologise to care workers. #PMQs https://t.co/iRAWNybeVZ Wed, 16:05: RT @pmdfoster: 🔥🔥🏴 🥊 🏴 NEW: Edinburgh/SNP says it will fight London/Tories is they legislate to force Scotland to accept whatev... Wed, 18:07: The Master and Margarita, by Mikhail Bulgakov https://t.co/qh37yuc3el Wed, 22:00: RT @JonnyGeller: One of the most effective political ads I've ever seen. https://t.co/Frj4lFacDJ Thu, 04:31: RT @worldcon2021: Hugo voting for 2020 has just opened! Members of the 2020 Worldcon (CoNZealand) can access ...
Lib Dems: Yet more lies from PM as he tries to dodge blame for care homes crisis Davey: We must match the scale of the crisis with the courage to invest Lib Dems: Yet more lies from PM as he tries to dodge blame for care homes crisis Responding to Boris Johnson's comments during Prime Minister's Questions that "no one knew early on in the pandemic that the virus was being passed on asymptomatically", Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson Munira Wilson said: Yet again, we are seeing more lies from the Prime Minister. He and his Ministers knew about the asymptomatic ...
The passing on this great cricketer only days before the the West Indies and England met in a Test Match at Southampton (yesterday) led to a tribute by the players, in the form of a minutes silence and the wearing of black armbands. He was truly a great player and Wikipedia has a page which tells his life story very well:- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everton_Weekes I love the bit about how he gained the forename Everton and the amusing comment by Jim Laker about if his Dad had supported a different football team:- Weekes was named by his father after English football team ...
An email from Liz Truss to Rishi Sunak and Michael Gove outlining her concerns about what a no deal Brexit would entail has been leaked to the media. As expected, it was a big news story yesterday. Yet given all it reveals, it is amazing how relatively little attention it received. For it shines a light on just how unprepared it looks like Her Majesty's Government is for almost any Brexit scenario that is realistic at this stage. And when I say unprepared, I mean that they aren't even dealing with the most basic of basics. Truss points out in ...
i) births and deaths 9 July 1993: Death of Ron Jones, who directed the Fifth Doctor stories Black Orchid (1982), Time-Flight (1982), Arc of Infinity (1983) and Frontios (1984); and the Sixth Doctor stories Vengeance on Varos (1985) and the one most of us call Mindwarp (1986). 9 July 2007: Death of Peter Tuddenham, who was the voice of the computer in Ark in Space, the voice of the Mandragora Helix in The Masque of Mandragora, and the voice of the Brain in Time and the Rani. Blake's 7 fans remember him also as Orac, Zen and Slave. ii) broadcast ...
Further to my recent post with Jill's West End wild flowers, my many thanks to Ann for these lovely ones from Riverside!
There is an interesting article in Business Insider concerning a leaked letter from the UK's international trade secretary, Liz Truss that casts doubt on the legitimacy of the Prime Minister's post-Brexit border plans. The letter claims that the border plans could break international trading rules, risk the UK's international credibility, and lead to smuggling from the European Union. Although Britain is set to leave EU trading and customs rules at the end of the year, the government announced last month that full border controls would not be applied on goods until July 2021: Business Insider reported last week that the ...
Thu 9th
05:15Car park charges back in Ludlow from Tuesday but no plans to reinstate park and ride service
Without any consultation with councillors, Shropshire Council is to reintroduce car parking charges across the county on Tuesday 14 July. This could not be worse timed. Ludlow is beginning to recover from lockdown but it is a long haul ahead. Social distancing is a challenge everywhere but more so in a historic town with narrow streets and pleasantly ancient pubs, restaurants and cafes. Free parking in the Galdeford and Smithfield car parks should be part of Ludlow's offer over the summer. We councillors have been told that officers are "looking at how Park and Ride may support more fully and ...
This video shows a canal journey from Berkhamsted to Aylesbury in 1965. Note that steam locomotives were still working the West Coast main line that year. I used to think our first family canal holiday took place that year, but I have a clear memory of hearing Frank Sinatra's Strangers in the Night playing on a taxi radio at Oxford station at the end of the trip and that dates it to 1966.