LibDem Blogs - Archived!

I have found where the $25bn figure comes from. It is quoted somewhere by the OECD. Notwithstanding Bob Geldof's claim* that it is related to the Live8 concerts, actually it is a figure that has been cited for some time. ODA (Official Development Aid) is the net bilateral payment including money paid to international organisations. It is net of money loaned and money repaid. In otherwords if

Yesterday I read that 1,500 people had blogged about Thursday's terrorist attacks in London. I felt no desire to be the 1,501st. What can one say? One can add either to the emotion or to the facts. The former would be fatuous. In the highly unlikely event one is capable of the latter, one's first duty would be to call the police, not write a new blog posting. So I'll add nothing about the events

By nine in the morning I had arrived at the office unaware of what was happening on the underground system: a system that had just got me safely to work. In the next hour the reports of what had occurred began to come through via phone calls from friends and family and the web. At first it was said it was a power surge that was causing accidents, then the horrible truth arrived. In fact, it

Islington's Lib Dem Mayor Jonathan Dearth has called on all 48 councillors to wear the white wristbands throughout July in support of the campaign 'Make Poverty History'. Good on Jonathan for taking the initiative - It goes without saying I'd wear one after all my years in Africa distributing aid from Nigeria through to Cameroon, Niger, Chad and Sudan. Took me some time to find where they are being sold locally but eventually bought my band last week at Oxfam for £1 - if anybody else is looking for one, call in at your local Oxfam shop. ...

Friday 8th July 2005 - Another wonderful evening of musical talent at the Knowsley Summer Concert in the Huyton Suite where the Knowsley Youth Orchestra was joined by children from Knowsley Concert Band, St Margaret Mary junior band, St Thomas Beckett Steel Pan group and Y11 GSCE group and St Jospeh Primary and Sylvester Primary joint band. As usual everyone heard some great music and enjoyed a

London was remarkably 'normal' yesterday. Oxford Street crowded with shoppers, museums and galleries full of interested tourists and a general air of good humour. But all this against a background of news reports about the horror of Thursday's explosions and Evening Standard headlines about those still missing. We can only hope that we have had [...]

The House Committee had a tour of the new Assembly Chamber Building or Senedd last Wednesday evening. I have posted some pictures here and have attempted to remember where in the building they were taken but cannot guarantee complete accuracy. In the picture above the party of AMs, officials and foremen explore the corridor and offices at the rear of the new chamber. This is a very stark view from the space between the front of the Senedd and the harbour walls. As you can see the most distinct part ...

An interesting letter in today's Western Mail catches my eye. It is worth quoting in full: SIR - Writing about tuition fees on his new Rhondda blog on July 6, Labour Assembly Member Leighton Andrews said that "Eighty-five per cent of full-time Rhondda students study at Welsh institutions, so they will benefit from what is being proposed in respect of fees. Over half currently get the full public contribution to tuition fees, and 19% get partial contributions." This seems to be in stark contrast to his comments during the debate on top-up fees which saw his New ...

A list of the Gleneagles documents is available at the link. The question is what the Gleneagles event achieved apart from encouraging the reformation of Pink Floyd. On Debt the HIPC (see earlier) agreement continues. This was the agreement come to on 11th June. It basically means that the countries which cannot pay the debt won't have to as long as they behave. There is an interesting report

Islington's Lib Dem council are proposing a tram service from Archway to Angel (A1 route) to be completed before the 2012 Olympic games. It's a brilliant concept - will also help commuters to and from the new Arsenal football Stadium and link to the King's Cross international Terminal. If anyone's been to Manchester and travelled on the trams from the City to Altrincham, they'll know how quick and comfortable it is - no cars and no hold-up. They now have four routes. If Islington has one too and it's successful, maybe it will be extended in the future. It's certainly ...

I did not post on Thursday because I could not think of anything to say about the bombings that would not sound banal. I am glad that our family and friends in London are safe. Thursday's Grauniad had an ace supplement on the environmental cost of flying. A return flight from London to Miami produces, per person, 4830kg of CO². In comparison the average British home per month produces 500kg. A year's worth of driving your car produces 1061.8kg. London to Moscow return by train is 254.6kg. The supplement suggested that in order to meeet ...