LibDem Blogs - Archived!

This is the time of year when brave souls make predictions for the year ahead. They usually come back to haunt the unfortunate would-be prophet, but hey... One things for sure, we're going to be talking a lot more about Cameron. He's either very naive or brilliantly clever. Within days of being elected, he seeks to convince the world that both he and his party have changed forever. Never forget that nice, caring, green Mr Cameron was the author of the 2005 Howard manifesto (are you thinking what we're thinking?). He has taken adverts in major newspapers setting out ...

One of the factors behind Mrs Thatcher's election victory was her act of abolishing free milk in schools. Some people hated her for it and dubbed her the "milk snatcher". But they didn't have to drink the stuff. The crates were not kept in a refrigerator, so on a hot day it was already halfway to going sour by the time mid-morning break came. The trick then was to avoid drinking the stuff. Yes, Mrs Thatcher was swept to power by a generation of grateful first-time voters who wanted to thank her for delivering them from the horrors of school ...

I cannot understand what Susan Kramer thinks would be achieved by Charles Kennedy subjecting himself to a new leadership ballot. She called on him to do so on the Today programme this morning. It is clear that Kennedy has lost the confidence of a significant portion of the parliamentary party, whether because of his failure to give his leadership clear strategic direction or for more personal reasons. It is equally clear that the wider membership still feels happy with him. Therefore it is entirely possible that Kennedy would win a new leadership election. Why should the parliamentary party feel any ...

"Oh yes,", I can hear you thinking, "the old buzzard has finally lost it. What does he know about Ibiza? And what is he on?" Good questions, both of them. My cousin Dylan tells me that the music in the club I've just got home from (it's 2 a.m. here in Mumbai) is similar to that at the Ministry of Sound in London, and who am I to disagree? I have to admit that the sensation of feeling your lungs

The great Mary Poppins vs Chitty Chitty Bang Bang debate continues. Meanwhile, here is an ironic story from the Daily Record: One of the stars of film classic Chitty Chitty Bang Bang appeared in court yesterday after being spotted driving erratically.Former child star Heather Ripley faces being banned from the road after she was caught behind the wheel while she had no driving licence.Ripley, 46, admitted driving without a proper licence on December 23, 2004, when she appeared in the dock at Perth Sheriff Court yesterday.

In an uncharacteristic display of good taste my Dad bought me the John Peel auto/biography for Christmas. It is one of those books that, once started, it was hard to put down. The first half of the book was written by Peel himself before he died, the second half written by his wife Sheila with help and support for their children. Peel's humour, humanity and wit shine throughout his chapters. There were several real laugh out loud moments and a lot of genuinly interesting stories as well. Sheila's half was equally compelling and brought a different perspective to Peel. ...

The Sheldon Pub is an odd pub because it specialises in pool and attracts a specialist and relatively rowdy clientele, but is based in a residential area. After the minor disturbance caused by the clientele at new year something is going to have to change. The owners "The Spirit Group" were drinking in the "last chance saloon" and now we need to call time.

Browsing through Tim Worstall's anthology of 2005 blog entries I came across this interesting piece of advice from the Never Trust a Hippy blog on improving public sector websites. It is universally acknowledged that the Assembly's website is dreadful. It is difficult to navigate and impossible to find much of anything of any use on it. In April or May the Welsh Assembly Government is launching its own website, effectively leaving the rump of the existing site to the Parliamentary side. The Assembly Parliamentary Service is intending to follow suit and launch its own website, but because of the ...

It has taken me a while to recover from the new year. Not due to over-indulgence but rather the Daily Express front page headline, glimpsed in a fellow shopper’s basket in Sainsbury’s, which read ‘It should have been Sir Bruce’. This was a reference to the entertainer Bruce Forsyth, who apparently received a CBE in the new year’s honours list. Someone in the Daily Express clearly believes this should have been a knighthood. I remember an article many years ago in the Spectator by Auberon Waugh about a woman who committed suicide partly in reaction to the news that Forsyth ...

Charles Kennedy came out fighting this morning on the Today programme. He was on sufficiently good form to make anyone wonder what the fuss is about. For those of us outside the bubble, it is hard to know what to make of it all. Clearly there are enough people at the top sufficiently exasperated with Charles for it all to have become an issue: this wouldn’t have blown up as it has if it was just a couple of would-be leaders getting impatient. On the other hand, I can’t help feeling that some people expect the Lib Dem leader ...

by Jabez Clegg David: Michael, I’m ripping up all the policies we wrote together and rubbishing the beliefs that underpinned them. Michael: Jolly well done!

No, not that one! Those who knew that Cameron had spent several years working for Michael Green at Carlton, the television company, could be forgiven for being surprised. Someone who had been in business wouldn't be so crass, would they? Wrong. Cameron wasn't a businessman as such. He was a boardroom lackey, a combination of Green's bag carrier and a company spokesman, at a time when Carlton was making a monkey of itself by trying to take on Rupert Murdoch's Sky with Ondigital. In those days, Cameron's idea of a good time was when no journalist ...

Happy New Year everyone! As Stephen Pollard so helpfully pointed out amid his usual miserable pratter, the Christmas period is normally a festival of sport - and long may it remain so. The Premiership footballers may moan about playing four matches in eight days, but Christmas is the time of year when fans want to watch. And lest the players forget, they depend on a large interest in the game for their rather hefty pay packets. It's the market wot does it. Anyway, welcome to the fifth incarnation of the SportBlog roundup - all the best bits I've found from ...

by Peter "The skills gap, for example, is another concern of business. A shortage of properly trained workers holds back the development of industry and restricts innovation. This, in turn, can curb wealth creation. It's vital that we close the skills gap by investing NOW in both basic training and, where appropriate, more advanced training. A survey earlier this year by the British Chamber of Commerce revealed that 43% reported difficulties finding skilled workers, compared with 29% in 1994." (Norman Lamb). Politicians always say this - and are probably right to do so. But the ...

It’s true – I think of myself as flat chested because I always used to be. Robin told me that the Metro says today that Boots are going to be selling a fertility test for £80. I think that’s fab. I’m a bit of a control freak at times and also always highly impatient so I’d much rather know up front rather than try and not know why it’s not working. My colleague points out though that it would be bad if it gave you a negative result, you had a life trauma about being infertile and then discovered it ...

Charles Kennedy has come out his corner after the holidays speaking like a world champion fighter, promising direct and aggressive leadership of our party. However, Sarah Kramer, MP for Richmond and former Mayoral candidate, brought up a salient point. She said the party had 'lost control' of the leadership issue. And that the hostile press wanted the issue to run on, but she said that this could

No big news this, David Cameron is no Thatcherite. Why? Because unlike the Iron Lady he appears to enjoy taking u turns. Now he is backtracking on the patients passports proposal which he championed so well in May, indeed something my conservative opponent had well rehearshed for our hustings as well. My big concern is just how much can a leopard change its spots and still be considered a

In echos of Margaret Thatcher (the original Milk Snatcher) Blair and his Government are said to be considering ending milk subsidies for 1.2 million primary school children in England as they cost too much to administer. A report published today will recommend that the school milk subsidies paid to 15,000 schools and local education authorities in England be abandoned, saving £1.5m a year. The Government also plans to cut milk for children and pregnant mothers on benefit.

Wednesday 4th January 2006 - OK the holidays are over now, I am back from my jaunt down under, we have exchanged presents and broken most of the resolutions we set ourselves at midnight last Saturday so let's get back to work shall we!! There are two resolutions I am determined to crack this year though, 1 - regular updates to this blog including my views on some of the topical political stories

Lewisham Liberal Democrats invite you to a... Treasure Trail around Forest Hill and Sydenham! On Sunday 8th January, 11am start, £5 a person.   Meet outside the main entrance to the Horniman Museum and then follow the clues on foot to answer questions about local landmarks. No transport will be required for the trail, maps will be provided, and there's a prize for the first team or person to return!   Refreshments will be available to purchase from the Horniman Cafe. Remember to wrap up warmly!   The Horniman is an excellent free museum and is open until ...

Yet another example of devolution at work. Whilst England plans to end subsidised school milk for 1.2m Primary School children, Wales continues to offer free milk for all children under the age of seven, thanks to a Welsh Liberal Democrats initiative whilst we were in government. School children in Wales also benefit from free fruit and of course, the more controversial free school breakfasts. Independent consultants, London Economics, may consider this provision a waste of money but what are the odds that they employ highly-paid executives who can afford to ensure that their children are well-nourished? The Welsh agenda ...