Tonight Cowley Street staff and Parliamentary Office of the Liberal Democrats (POLD) staff had our annual Christmas drinks. We have been bad, so very bad... Santa has come for the past few years to say hello, and he has bought an elf with him. But neither of them showed up tonight - we must have misbehaved. It was however good to see that Chris Rennard was able to make it. It is a shame that
My previous posting about the Abel & Cole wine tasting solicited a lot of interest from them. Yesterday our delivery came, complete with a complimentary bottle of Olive Oil with a Thank you round the neck.. Our evening meal came completely from the delivery. I won't bore you readers with everything, but all was excellent - and our first Mince Pies of Christmas (sorry A&C, these were the least
I am obsessed with being obese. I am. Every channel you turn on there is a programme about obese people whether it is the Biggest Loser or Too Big to Walk. There are many people out there who want to break a habit of a life time and wants to lose weight. And good luck to them. I am big and in the new year I will be again rolling back to the gym and attempting not only to lose weight, but
Earlier in the week I enjoyed a Christmas visit to the Day Centre at Alfriston and today was the turn of Milaap. This is a rather special Day Centre in North Kingston that caters specifically for the needs of older Asian folk. Most of these are drawn from the Gujarati and Tamil communities. The food suits me perfectly, but before we sat down to lunch some of the members performed for...
Scoop! Israel has nuclear weapons! Olmert might not have meant it but his gaffe showed how ridiculous Israel's policy of 'nuclear ambiguity' is. They do themselves no favour by asking him to resign. On the positive side, the peace process might be back on track.
I had to begin with an apology - and a long quasi-medical description of my two root canal treatments which had prevented me from attending the 25th Anniversary celebrations of Kingston Probus last month. Once I had got that out of the way I was able to talk about my charity appeal to a hundred or so members of Probus and their partners. This was at the Christmas Lunch of the Probus...
Tuesday: Mr Mark Vernon used to be a vicar and used to be an atheist (probably not at the same time!) and he has written this article calling for a renewal of agnosticism. As a militant atheist baby elephant, I feel I have to stamp my fluffy foot firmly on this sort of thing! He says that too much CERTAINTY in the world is a BAD THING and I completely agree. Unfortunately, he also talks a whole load of dribble as well. Too much certainty IS bad, but keeping too open a mind means your brain falls out! ...
I have my doubts that changing the name of the Child Support Agency and offering it optional new powers will actually make much difference. The CSA was hopeless, inefficient and obsessed with trying to save the Department for Social Security money rather than actually trying to be fair. I don't know why the inland revenue are not made responsible for collecting the money owed by parents (note parents, I have a friend who is owed a lot of money from his wife who pays nothing towards her son's upkeep despite her massive income). The CSA has powers ...
Despite what the Eastern Daily Press might have said this week regarding North Norfolk supposedly backing Norwich City Council's bid for unitary status, North Norfolk councillors tonight overwhelmingly chose to oppose such plans and re-affirmed support for the current two tier status. I know that the reason this was brought up at the full council meeting tonight was purely procedural so that North Norfolk could actually express an opinion, unfortunately, the EDP thought that this meant that the motion was going to be passed. A few councillors told me after today's council meeting that they had been inclined ...
About a year ago I was booked to speak, well in advance, at a Mothers' Union meeting at my own church, St Paul's Hook. Originally they wanted me to chat about my work as a councillor. When I became Mayor they assumed I wouldn't be able to honour the commitment - how wrong they were, except I was now happy to come along officially, which I did yesterday. So I talked about my...
As we prepare to celebrate Christmas, it is right to spare a thought for Bethlehem and its inhabitants and pray for peace in 2007 and beyond. The so called "peace wall" in and around Bethlehem has reduced the district to its urban core. It severs the built-up areas from thousands of acres of agricultural land and water resources. There are 27 Israeli settlements in the Bethlehem district built on land confiscated from Bethlehem’s private owners. It is predicted that once the wall is complete Bethlehem will lose 70% of its territory altogether. A system of cement walls, ...
Over the pond, the race for the White House* has already started - two years before the general election vote itself. And the man that's got a lot of people over there all excited is one Senator Barack Obama and if you want to hear the intentions of the big man himself, you'd do no better than here. * Big place, very white (don't know how those 9/11 guys missed it) and it's where the U.S.
Here’s my first bona fide official party video on YouTube - I’ve spotted a few things to do differently next time, not least finding a nicer backdrop. Julia Goldsworthy MP is talking about the Sustainable Communities Bill, a private members bill recently published which aims to give local communities a greater say in their areas. You can [...]
Hat tip to Iain Dale for this . Chilling stuff about how certain people try to (successfully) obtain information illegally in the UK. As an economist interested in the economics of information this makes interesting but personally worrying reading.
I was in the Vodafone shop on Kurfürstendamm, one of Berlin's major shopping streets, trying to buy some credit for my pay-as-you-go. The idiotic saleswoman kept me waiting for fifteen minutes, and then insisted on serving somebody else who'd arrived after I had. I got a little bit cross, and called her a dumme alte Fledermaus. She looked rather more confused than insulted. Apparently you can't just translate "stupid old bat" into German; it doesn't work as an insult! I'll get the PMQs Match Report up tomorrow morning, once Hansard comes out. If any of you watched it, you'll ... 
Sandra Gidley's full speech on sports in schools can be read in Hansard here. I have also quoted a chunk below. Her particular statement was: "I would ask that we try to get away from competitive sport in schools and think about increasing exercise and activity." I didn't realise that suggesting that "we try to get away" from competitive sport in order to increase exercise and activity amounts
Sports are good for character and good for self-esteem. Schoolkids could do with more of them, rather than less.
The Shepway Liberal Democrats have heard today that the local NHS trust is strongly considering selling off the main buildings of the Royal Victoria Hospital in Folkestone. My instant response on being told this news isn't printable but it was something along the lines of "they have to be joking!". It seems that the long term plan is to close the Royal Vic and transfer everything to the William Harvey in Ashford. Something very sensible from the point of view of a bureaucrat but not if you are living in Shepway and don't want to ...
Councillor Andy White, leader of West Dunbartonshire Council has announced he is to resign. According to BBC News online Cllr White could “no longer tolerate the behaviour of two of his fellow Labour councillors and some Dumbarton Labour Party members. Cllr White alleged he had been subject to vindictive and personal abuse by some politicians after investing [...]
It is the season of goodwill, though I suspect that it will not last much past the start of the budget debate. However, yesterday members were feeling so charitable that some even went above and beyond the call of duty and offered a hand of friendship where previously there had been none: Carl Sargeant: It is the time for goodwill to all men, including regional Members—[Interruption.]—and women. The Presiding Officer: Order. I believe the expression in the new translation of the New Testament is ‘goodwill to all people’. Carl Sargeant: Including regional Members. [Laughter.] The ...
The tragic events in Ipswich should force politicians - both local and national - to reconsider the issues surrounding prostitution. I appreciate the first priority is the catch the person(s) carrying out these murders, however many politicians will not be actively working with the police and can start thinking about the longer-term solutions.
Iain Dale is reporting that Sandra Gidley has called for competitive sports to be banned from schools. Apparently on the basis that someone must lose. This is absolute nonsense. We all engage in many things which we could lose at, we need to learn this and how to cope with losing (and winning). Rather than banning competitive sport, why not encourage children to do their best, praise them for
Sir Hayden Phillips’s second interim report on party funding has been leaked to the BBC, and it contains bad news for Labour. Sir Hayden appears to be leaning towards capping donations at £500,000, and reducing that cap over four years to just £50,000. This would be hard for the Labour Party, as it has less high income donors than the Conservatives, who have been calling for a £50,000 cap for this very reason. How it would leave the Liberal Democrats is known only to Cowley Street insiders. However, it is in the following section that Sir Hayden strikes ...
The latest Lib Dem MP to appear on YouTube is Julia Goldsworthy, who has done a piece about the Sustainable Communities Bill: You can read more about the topic in the piece on Julia’s website. julia goldsworthy sustainable communities bill
Blog etiquette is clearly a still-evolving concept, but I suppose it’s only fair to my readers (theoretical though you all are) to give some apology for my recent sabbatical; unfortunately I’ve been discovering that the old adage about moving house and stress is all too accurate. That’s not to say that I’ve been completely inactive party-wise, and it seems a fitting time (both from my current
The broadsheets are seeking to intellectualise the Ipswich serial killer story. Three commentators tackle prostitution head on in the opinion sections today.Alice Miles in The Times and Deborah Orr in The Independent have similar views. Rather than telling women to stay off the streets, Deborah Orr says: "It might have been kinder for the authorities to have told the women at risk that they could go to their doctor and get prescriptions for their heroin, which might also be a way of keeping them off the streets more permanently. One study found that 98 per cent of sex workers on ...
Yesterday’s debate on the Greater London Authority Bill highlighted the biggest failings of our Parliamentary process - the lack of any need of relevant experience to lead on a subject for any of the parties. Both the main opposition parties have an MP with direct experience of the London Assembly (Lynne Featherstone and Bob Neill) yet [...]
I do like the Lambeth Labour party. Just when you think they've run out of ways to sabotage their own administration along they come with another ripping scheme to demonstrate to the good people of Southwark what sort of shambles we'd be in if Labour were in charge here. The latest wheeze is a proposal to scrap Lambeth's Community Wardens, something Southwark Labour have hinted at in the past with frequent attacks on a similar scheme here. Community Wardens are Council employees who like Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) don't have powers of arrest but can act as a ...
Few matters are more fundamental to Britain’s interests than our position within the European Union. But Britain’s relationship with Europe has always been marred by a degree of ambivalence, and continues to be so. It is absurd that when the EU celebrates its fiftieth birthday next year, the UK will have been a member for two thirds [...]
Yesterday was the second reading in Parliament of the GLA Bill. As London Spokesperson I sat in for the whole session trying to get called - and succeeded! [UPDATE: You can now read my speech on Hansard.] For me the key is the new planning powers given to the Mayor - for it takes away power from local people and local authorities who know the situation on the ground. Even without extra powers to 
After the murder of Litvinenko, perhaps we should not be surprised that Shell have decided to relinquish control of the Sakhalin-2 energy fields. As BP's deal with TNK now increasingly comes into the spotlight, it is salutary to see the campaign of harassment against the British Ambassador waged by Putin's thugs. The fact is that Russia has drifted into "capitalism in one country"- failing to acknowledge the necessity to trade in order to gain expertise. The only relationship they seem to understand is control and compulsion. This is Fascism.
With all the excitement of selecting a new PPC and the launch of the Trip to the Shops Campaign, it's important not to overlook the continuing hard work of our local MP Mark Oaten. Mark regularly updates his website with both Westminster and Winchester news and his latest newsletter can be found here. Mark's site also contains some excellent ideas on the new Silver Hill development:Following
Highly-skilled Migrant ProgrammeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people in the UK who qualify to work under the highly-skilled migrant programme scheme will fail to have their qualification renewed unless they find a job paying them more money. (John Hemming) A:Information of this kind is not available. In order to qualify for further leave to remain as a highly
Last night I attended a lecture hosted by Policy Exchange at which Alberto Alesina launched his new book, co-authored with Francesco Giavazzi. The English title is The Future of Europe: Reform or Decline but it’s more exciting Italian title is Goodbye Europa? In light of yesterday’s speech by Sir Menzies Campbell about Europe, and my own comments about the need for humbler, more liberal European Union, Professor Alesina’s comments were particularly germane. He began by noting that between 1945 and 1985 Europe’s economy outperformed that of the USA as it emulated American technology and methods, eventually averaging 75% ...
Historically the decline in reserves from any oil field have been in part concealed by activity such as oil companies buying each other. There always has been some "reserve growth" from a single field because people are frequently cautious to start out with and also technology enables better recovery rates. Those issues are stabilising. ASPO has now produced Newsletter 71. Within that the
...Told you it was propaganda! Not that there were any doubts, however Ahmadinejad forgot to “scientifically study the Holocaust and listen to both sides before reaching a conclusion" and went on to repeat his onslaught against Israel at his (?) conference. According to the Guardian, "the president, who has dismissed the murder of six million Jews by the Nazis as a myth told up to 70 visiting
Martin Shipton in this morning's Western Mail speculates that the likely budget deal between Rhodri Morgan and Ieuan Wyn Jones makes a Labour-Plaid coalition more likely after the next elections. I can already hear Assembly Members such as Leighton Andrews and Catherine Thomas proclaiming that such an alliance will happen over their dead body, but that sort of opposition has never stopped Rhodri Morgan before, as was evidenced by a recent letter to the Western Mail from former Labour Minister, Tom Middlehurst. What is clear from all of this is that the Conservatives have overplayed their hand. They ...
Monday: I have learned that there are two sides to every deal. You give up something in order to get something. Daddy gives up a sticky bun and he gets a hug. See. This is worth remembering when you consider the NUCLEAR NON-PROLIFERATION TREATY. (Not the NUCLEAR NON-PROFITEROLE TREATY which is about the banning of glowing chocolaty pastries.) The agreement goes something like this: everyone else in the world will NOT try to make atom bombs and in return the five six eight nine countries that have them will reduce the numbers of atom bombs that they have until ...
Todays link is here. It takes you to Santa Con UK. Apparently UK Santacon 2006 is on 16th December and the meeting place will be announced soon!
In an earlier career roughly 25 years ago, I was responsible for ordering 10 x RL02K-DD instead of 10 x RL02K-DC. Seems a minor matter, doesn't it? Sadly, RL02K-DD were sets of 100 RL02 computer disks (themselves as big as a microwave). What I meant to order was 10 single disks - RL02K-DC. So I ordered 1,000 disks instead of 10. The resultant convoy of trucks careering around Europe was | < | December 2006 | > | ||||
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