LibDem Blogs - Archived! - Saturday 9th June 2007

Richard Rorty dead

The Telos website reports that the American liberal philosopher Richard Rorty died on Friday. I recommend Rorty's Contingency, Irony, and Solidarity as one of the best examinations of what it means to be a liberal in the modern world. It consists largely of discussions of writers such as Orwell and Nabokov. Rorty is normally seen as one of the trendier postmodern philosophers, questioning our notions of truth. But if I am honest I like this book because it represents a rather old-fashioned sort of literary criticism. Rorty still believed that good novels can tell us important things about ...

I like Bully's

In Cardiff yesterday, out in the evening to Llandaff for dinner at Bully's Restaurant with colleagues from the Welsh Lib Dems and Park Communications. Excellent food, very highly recommended. I am not alone in thinking it.

Four Jobs Bobo

Read in the South London Press "The Eye" column: "An email from the London Assembly's Conservative group said it had mis-attributed the quotes sent out about the new Olympics logo. They should have been credited to "Bob Neill", not "Bobo Blackman". We know assembly member Bob Blackman is... but Bobo? Senior press officer Clive Green, who sent the correction, can perhaps be forgiven for getting

Labour MP follows Lib Dem PPC in signing petition denouncing shortage of housing

Shelter have installed a "Wall of shame" in Norwich. The have asked members of the public to sign their wall of shame in order to support their criticism of the government's policy on housing. The charity is calling on the Government to fund and extra 20,000 social homes on top of existing plans to sort out this crisis. They have built a wall outside the Forum in Norwich, and are asking people to add their name to a brick to help get the Government’s attention. Interestingly, following Lib Dem candidate for Norwich South, Simon Wright, signing a brick on the ...

The Lembit effect

More from the blog that reads the Shropshire Star so you don't have to... You will be pleased to learn that: Award-winning caravan sales company Salop Leisure reported a 70 per cent increase in sales on last year at its annual Spring Holiday Home Show in Shrewsbury.Visitor numbers also rose by 20 per cent compared to 2006, as the show - held at the company’s multi-million-pound sales centre alongside Shrewsbury bypass at Emstrey Island - attracted customers from Scotland to London.But why is this so interesting? The answer, as we reported here earlier, is that: The ...

The problems with campaigning

It must be very difficult to fight an anti-establishment campaign from within the cabinet. Some might say that it is well-nigh impossible and that could well be why Peter Hain is making so little progress in his bid to become Deputy Leader. His problem is that the very left wing activists can often find it difficult to distinguish between his actions and comments and those of the cabinet. Please do not misinterpret what I am saying here. I happen to think that Peter Hain has had a good ten years as a Minister. Above all else he is ...

FOCUS, Unadopted Footpaths

Spent much of today (almost!) delvering my latest FOCUS newsletter ... I say 'almost' because I must have bumped into at least 15 people on the way and as a result of long chats with residents, the number delivered was not exactly huge! That said, grateful to all colleagues for their help today. Will upload a link to FOCUS soon. I am pleased to say the City Council's Policy and Resources Committee will on Monday be deciding on my proposal to increase capital funding for unadopted pavement upgrades from £200 000 to £500 000 each year. This will make ...

Day 2350: Have you found god? (Particle, NOT delusion!)

Friday: Excitement in the world of PHYSICS this week where it is rumoured that FERMILAB in America may have found the Higgs Boson. What you may very well ask is the Higgs Boson, and why are we looking for it, and who lost it in the first place? Well, the FUNDAMENTAL FORCES that hold the Universe together – namely gravity, glue, Blu-tack™ and magnets – are supposed to work by itty-bitty particles exchanging other itty-bitty particles called BOSONS. For example, the STRONG Nuclear force works by swapping GLUONS; and the WEAK Nuclear Force is controlled by ...

Bloody hell I agree with George Bush on one thing at least

The Girl and I had the pleasure of spending a week in Kosovo last month. We found a country that, although still bearing some scars of the 1999 war and the ethnic violence that both preceded and followed it, was both beautiful and welcoming. The mountains are simply breathtaking, and observing a mass at the 13th Century Visoki Decani Monastery was, even for this committed heathen, a spine

Taking Liberties

I've just been to see this very good and informative film at the Arts Picturehouse in Cambridge. It is the sort of film that everyone ought to see, and it really higlights the dangerous extent to which civil liberties in the United Kingdom have been systematically undermined in the name of terror prevention, in a Michael Moore-esque documentary style. Of course, not everyone wants to take to the streets in protest at government policy like those in the film. But the majority trying to get on with their daily lives can only afford not to care precisely ...

Tories are the nasty party: verdict of ex-Welsh chairman

Sir Eric Howells, formerly Chairman of the Welsh Conservatives and expelled from the Conservatives in a candidate selection dispute, has written that: The party chairman Theresa May, when addressing the party conference a few years ago, referred to the Conservative Party as the nasty party. My experience confirms that as a very true statement. Hat tip: Peter Black.

Exclusive - Iain Dale to take on Norman Lamb again

After Iain Dale's first encounter with Norman Lamb, two local council by-election defeats in North Norfolk for the Tories followed by a 10,606 vote mauling at the General Election in the North Norfolk constituency, some might expect Iain to have learnt his lesson. But no, Iain is set to take on Norman lamb, Liberal Democrat MP for North Norfolk again. It is, not as first seems though as Iain will this time take Norman Lamb on in the confines of the 18 Doughty Street studio this Tuesday 12th June at 10pm. ...

Enough!

Thousands of people marched through central London this afternoon, to attend a rally in Trafalgar Square, marking the 40th anniversary of the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza. It was a good-humoured throng, bringing Muslims, Jews, Christians and secular groups of all kinds together in a collective call for an end to this unjust [...]

The twilight zone: a photo essay

Being an enthusiastic supporter of a two-state solution in the Holy Land, I took myself along to the rally for Palestine in Trafalgar Square this afternoon. These are some of the nutty characters I found. Islamists and Clerical Fascists Marxists The Communist Party of Great Britain – Marxist Leninist. In my view, the only party which can bring about a proletarian revolution in our country. Communist Party of Great Britain Provisional Central Committee – for ...

Last minute change of plan!!

Wednesday 6th June 2007 - A hectic morning preparing for a Group of Lib Dems from the North West that both Chris and I have invited to Brussels for a few days to soak up some of the sights and sounds of the European Parliament! As usual, best laid plans go awry at the last minute! I had invited my ALDE colleague from the Human Rights Committee, Marco Cappato, to come to speak to the group about

Are you a member of your local NHS foundation trusts - if not, why not?

The system of NHS foundation trusts is a completely head-over-heels approach to public engagement in the health service, but while it exists, I think it is close to a civic duty on all of us to sign up as ‘members’ of our local ones. I have written before about what an odd system I think [...]

The reason I'm supporting Obama for president

This speach should be seen by everyone, probably the best so far this century. I'm also rather uplifted by a recent opinion poll showing obama ahead of Clinton! Also does anybody know where the video of Nick Clegg giving his famous speech to conference can be found?atom.xml

Are the US democrats more like us than they are like Blair and Brown's Labour party and if so shouldn't Ming try to birng our parties closer?

I just can't help the feeling that when I watch people like Obama, Clinton and Gore speak that we have a lot in common with their party. Although I think to some extent they've been corrupted by the compromising methodology of third way politics and can some times take a softer line to us on issues like corruption and constitutional reform (although we do seem to want to make our governing system more like the US's). But still, surely we should be establishing greater links with their party? I can't stand it when people like Howard Dean make talks at ...

Pirate radio station update

Further to the story of Crimestoppers adverts appearing on a pirate radio station - Bizim FM - the offending advertisements look like having been downloaded from the web by the radio station and then broadcast. However they got there - you cannot have the Met's brand on an illegal radio station - and the Met are investigating. They say that they have had this type of problem before so we'll see what they decide to do this time! I have had a few emails saying that Bizim is better than London Turkish Radio (LTR). Not my focus - ...

What is the point of a "Baby On Board" sign ?

We were wandering around a shop full of baby things this morning buying yet more stuff ready for the eventual arrival of our son some time in August when we noticed that the shop was selling two different version of the "Baby on Board" sign. What is the point of these signs ? I know that some people argue that the signs are put up to explain why people are driving slowly. My response is that if they had bought a decent child seat they wouldn't have to drive at a snails pace. Less money spent ...

How planning shouldn't work

Earlier this week I chaired a public meeting in Charfield about plans to extend Wickwar quarry. Understandably, residents are concerned about an expanded quarry, longer operating hours etc. But what people were almost more angry about was the fact that the conditions attached to the existing planning permission for the quarry are being openly flouted. It appears to be accepted by everyone that the quarry is working faster, producing more lorries, operating over longer hours than it is allowed to. But Government guidelines tell the Council that because there is a pending application that ...

Why should it comes as a surprise that Peter Hain is a user of people, lacks principles and now appears to lack friends

Peter Hain, it appears, is not actually that well liked. He may well be Minister of State for Wales, and Northern Ireland, but with a Welsh Assembly and the Northern Ireland Legislative Assembly in place, being Minister for Wales and Northern Ireland are hardly the most onerous jobs in the world and really is more of titles that a jobs of work. This tells me much about Peter Hain already. Next we have the fact that he has enemies, with John Reid being one of them. The press and other bloggers have made much of the fact that Peter Hain ...

Skateboarding at the Olympics ? What about Darts ?

Apparently skateboarding is likely to be an event at the 2012 Olympics in London. I thought there used to be a rule that each host country could add an event of its own choice. I would therefore suggest darts (I know Lib Dem MP Bob Russell is a long term supporter of darts being recognised as a sport) or even Snooker. At least in Snooker we are 90% certain to win gold.

Lewisham Central Localities Fund: £10,000 for our area

Just received the following from Lewisham Council about the £10,000 available for each ward to be spent by local councillors in their area, after consulting local residents:"One of the main concerns that was expressed last year was the amount of time that was available for consultation with local residents. This year we are beginning the process much earlier to ensure that this experience is not repeated. I plan to send out updated supporting information next week but as there are no changes to the criteria or the amount available (£10,000), please feel free to begin consulting whenever you ...

No more Marks and Spencer e-mails please about M&S vouchers - It's a scam !

I've had three e-mails in the past 24 hours that look like this: Subject: M&S vouchers Hi all, Marks & Spencers, in conjunction with Persimmon Homes, are giving away free vouchers. Marks & Spencers are trying word-of-mouth advertising to introduce its products and the reward you receive for advertising for them is free non-refundable vouchers to be used in any M&S s to re. To receive your free vouchers by e-mail all you have to do is to send This email out to 8 people (for £100 of free vouchers) or 20 people (for £500 of free vouchers). Within ...

Goldsmith must answer questions

Ming Campbell has called on the Attorney General, Lord Goldsmith, to answer the allegations made by The Guardian about payments to a Saudi Arabian prince being covered up: If it is true that information about payments made to Prince Bandar was not given to the OECD, then that is an allegation of the utmost seriousness. It [...]

Ming Campbell calls on Attorney General to come clean

Following the reports in The Guardian about the Attorney General (Lord Goldsmith) and the failure to disclose secret payments to a Saudi prince to an OECD anti-corruption probe, Liberal Democrat Ming Campbell has called on Lord Goldsmith to explain what has really happened: If it is true that information about payments made to Prince Bandar was [...]

Hither Green Urban Development Strategy

For people who have been wondering what happened to the Hither Green Urban Development strategy, the next open meeting to report back to residents, etc on progress is on 5th July. Details to follow.

VOTE: Was the SFO right to drop the BAE corruption inquiry?

I think you can guess my answer! But there's an online poll running over at Daily Referendum - do go and vote!

Deadline approaching to apply for £1,500

Grants up of to £1,500 are available to local groups to help mark the 200th anniversary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act. The deadline for applications is 21st June. Let me know if you'd like an application form or you can contact Haringey Council - 020 8489 2583.

My Week

Just a quick resume of my week.Seems to have been a long series of meeting, both during the daytime for work, and in the evenings as a councillor. Sometimes you get weeks like that, when you crave time just to stop and think about what's going on. Other weeks, you think too much On Tuesday evening, I went to a meeting of the Mercator Community Association. Things seem to have quitened considerably since when I was first elected and started attending meetings there, with really serious problems of vandalism and anti-social behaviour. It's by no means ...

Polling day approaches in vital vote

Election fever mounts. Across the world anxious groups of concerned citizens huddle together consulting the entrails as the last opinion polls spew forth, The world’s press and TV and bloggerdom pours forth streams of comment and analysis. Yes, Sunday 10th June is polling day in the Belgian General Election. For LibDems maybe even more of interest as the outgoing Belgian Federal Government is headed by one of our European ELDR colleagues who has been in office since 1999. The prognosis is not good – winners this time are expected to be the opposition Christian Democrats. Belgian ...

Tacky To Goo

If you spend a bit of time thinking about the matter, it becomes apparent that human ingenuity has created a myriad of pastes. At one end of the spectrum are thick pastes, tacky to the touch, and at the other are pastes so runny that they are akin to goo. There are other ways of [...]

Ten Songs

Here is one of those occasional Hooting Yard music playlists. All these pieces come recommended by the bloated janitor. He may be an unapologetic Blunkettite, but he knows his musical onions, apparently. Hammond Song, The Roches Two-Headed Boy, Neutral Milk Hotel Manolete, Weather [...]

The 'nasty party'

The former Welsh Conservative Chairman, Sir Eric Howells, goes into print this morning to hit back at his former party for their lack of gratitude. Sir Eric was thrown out of the Tories for two years after he complained that his local association had been “gatecrashed” by anti-hunt protesters and suggested in a TV interview that an Independent Conservative candidate could stand and would receive widespread backing: In a letter to the Western Mail, Sir Eric said, “[There was] no ‘thank you very much’ for what I had done for the party over the years. The only reference ...

American Presidential campaigns scramble to catch up with us

They might not be aware of it, but all the fuss in the US about candidates using RSS feeds to let people know about forthcoming events looks rather old hat from over this side of the Atlantic. It’s the sort of thing that Flock Together has been doing for really quite a long time now [...]

Sue Reid on the Baby Snatchers

The link is to a Daily Mail article about the baby snatchers. Where the growth in babies being taken into care is most dramatic is the newborn babies adopted last year of whom 920 were under 1 week when taken into care. In 1995 the figure was 370. Remembering that some are taken into care because they are abandoned (possibly about 250) this is a massive increase in terms of babies taken into

The Rennard BBQ video and a few more pics

Seems as though you can't get enough of the Rennard BBQ with the blog having had an unusually large number of visits over the past couple of days to view the photos. So why not view the video as well: Chris Rennard BBQ And how about a few more photos? Enjoy!

Saturday 9th June 2007

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