I have to say it is a good week to be a Liberal Democrat. Firstly we had the leak of Ming's team looking for him to be more "spikey" - something I witnessed in Wyboston at the weekend. Bringing out the anti-establishment, reforming, pro human rights, anti poverty, anti ID, anti the Blairite/Cameronite illiberal gloss agenda Ming is good news. And the events of the last couple of days have done
I've just joined Jonny Wright's facebook Group (click here to join). Jonny is the blogger behind "hug a hoodie", always worth a read, and it appears he is in the final ten to get on Question Time as one of the "young voters" they have on annually. I wish him good luck and would urge people to join his Facebook group and vote for him HERE on the BBC website.
Christopher and Peter Hitchens on Question Time. Our cup runneth over. ..and Boris Johnson! The asylum door is left swinging open...
Fellow Lib Dem blogger Johnny Wright is one of the 10 young people to be shortlisted for the chance to be the voice of the 'yoof' of today, and needs every vote he can get, judging from his current position in the voting. If you think he talks a lot of sense, you'll no doubt want his sane, considered opinions on the Question Time panel. If you think he talks a lot of bollocks, you'll be able to watch him make an arse of himself on national television. I know which view i subscribe to*. Naturally, i would've ...
Thursday 21st June 2007 - You've all heard me moan about the monthly travelling circus to Strasbourg. Now, as I pack up my office and prepare for the seven hour journey (if I'm lucky) back to the North West, can I ask for your support to end this huge waste of time and money! Please sign this petition: http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/StopStrasbourg/ calling on the UK Prime Minister to exert pressure
Another funny for you all via YouTube. I thought this was genuine of the first 10 seconds and then ralised it was a joke.
In years to come, many books and theses will come to be written about the2008 US Presidential election, the most open in 80 years, since neither the serving President nor Vice-President is contesting the position. For those of us living through it, and especially for the political geeks among us who can enjoy watching an election without being directly involved, it’s a fascinating spectacle.
So, who did leak the story of Gordon Brown’s approach to the Lib Dems? Iain Dale reckons it was Paddy Ashdown who spilled the beans to Guardian editor Alan Rushbridger: The interesting thing here is that the whole thing is Paddy Ashdown's fault. If he hadn't leaked the offer to Alan Rusbridger on Tuesday evening, the whole sorry series of events might never have come to light.Fellow blogger (and
Novelist Fay Weldon was on Today on Monday. She spotted the "Go to work on an egg" slogan when she was a copy writing head and put it on a poster. She was talking about the advert's 50th anniversary. There was a "flashback" advert planned which would show the Tony Hancock original ad. However, it was banned for failing to promote a balanced diet! It all got me thinking of other famous people
We went to see the Counterfeit Stones at Newbury Corn Exchange last weekend. They really are a superb tribute band. Between us we've seen them five times now. They show some very funny videos when they are changing, and the lead singer is also very funny. Little one was picked out as their "youngest fan". Luckily, she had her "mouth with tongue hanging out" T-shirt on. 
I have previously argued that the so called offer of government posts to the Lib Dems by Brown was little more that an attempt to spin a story by some Brownites that their guy is a nice, cuddly, consensus politician wanting to rid the country of tribal politics. The events of today make me feel even more justified in making the claim. It also shows that Brown, like Blair, has little concern for
Every time the Liberal Democrats refuse to join a coalition they are criticised. The typical responses are things like “I thought you Lib Dems believed in coalitions?” or “How can you support proportional representation (PR) when you don’t want to join a coalition” or “What was the point of me voting Lib Dem if [...]
It seems there are no shortage of good Tory bloggers around. Like them or loathe them, Dizzy, Iain Dale, Ellee Seymour and numerous other established Conservative write varied and interesting blogs. Not only that bu they are swift to refer to Lib Dem bloggers, like me, in their own postings. With the notable exception of Bob Piper, Labour bloggers seem to keep to themselves and outside of Labour circles, nobody seems to know who they are. Where are the other top Labour Bloggers ? I desperately need some links, but the only other Labour bloggers tend to be ...
its just that they no how to run the brown peoples lives better than they do. This of course has nothing to do with the fact their is an election in the offing and John Howard is behind in the polls. Such a fine upstanding citizen would never stoop to stirring up xenophobia or racism to win an election. No he just needs to find a scapegoat.
Thursday: My word, they are ALL at it! No sooner had I published yesterday's diary this morning, than who should come on the telephone but MR BALLOON! He said to me: "What ho, Millennium, old sock! Look, I want to make some changes, new changes, changes for the better, new changes for a better kind of newness, a newness that brings real change…" And I said "GET TO THE POINT, YOU 'LOON[*]!" So he went on: "Basically, it's time I changed that idiot Mr Gideon Oboe, and I wondered if you'd be my Shadow Chancellor?" ...
The Norfolk Blogger has "tagged me" (well, it is better than being "poked" on Facebook, I suppose) to do "my five blogs that make me think": 1. The Norfolk Blogger. I never cease to be amazed at how this chap can "shot from the hip" and produce entertaining and impeccably well informed political blogs. He also blogs across a whole range of subjects such as football and TV. 2. Liberty Alone.
Whilst rumour, counter rumour and spin goes on over the attempt by Gordon Brown to get Lib Dem peers in to the cabinet, there is one thing all bloggers seem to agree on. That being that Peter Hain is obviously not top of the list to keep hi Northern Ireland job. . When The Thunder Dragon, Dizzy and Labour Watch all agree that it puts a large question mark over the future of Labour Deputy Leadership outsider Peter Hain. Perhaps it will give him more time to spend with his sunbed ? It might have been ...
I have been able to listen and view this evening's main news programmes regarding the Brown/Ashdown etc story: PM Radio Four - Top story - Olly Grender was remarkably clear and informative in explaining the background. She said that Gordon Brown had promised "Big Tent" politics but all he offered the LibDems was a "squalid sleeping bag". BBC1 Six O'Clock News - Top story - the video clip of
Met with OFCOM earlier today following my raising of the issue of pirate radio stations illegally broadcasting in my area and adversely affecting London Turkish Radio - which is in my constituency. I can't go into details about the specifics of what they will be doing to act on this particular issue - but am assured that act they will. I had a master-class in the issues around radio, bands, enforcement and so on. One issue that sticks up quite clearly is the complete nonsense of the difficulties of catching and raiding illegal stations and the costs involved ...
Story of Ming and Gordon's siren voice rumble on. I am called by Sky, BBC and Daily Politics to see if I will just have a chat - off the record if I like. Hmmmmmmm - never be fooled by journalists saying they want a chat off the record! And there's nothing more to say - Gordon wants us. We don't want him! PS If you want to know what I think Gordon will be like as Prime Minister - read this. 
An excellent article by Anatole Kaletsky in today's Times. I don't always agree with him, but he's bang-on-the-money in his critique of the current assault on Private Equity firms. A site for political analysis and opinion of an avowedly liberal view. It's all about freedom.
I see Boris lunched rather well before he did today's op-ed piece in the Telegraph. He works himself up into a terrible lather about the fact that Gordon Brown is unelected as Prime Minister- YAWN. Sorry Boris, two words why our constitution does not care about Gordon Brown becoming PM before he gets his own mandate, and why all your indignation is so much horse feathers: John Major
Communities and Local Government: Local Government: Standards Q:To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which local authorities, classified by Government office region, have public service agreement (PSA) targets which include adoption targets; what the target for adoption is in each case; and how much money each local authority will receive if it achieves all of its
The Bush administration is reported as laying the groundwork for an announcment of Tony Blair's appointment as a Special Envoy to the Miiddle East after he steps down as PM. I always suspe...
There'smuch to choose from today to follow the ups and downs of today's Paddy Ashdown story. (In case you missed it, he was offered a place in Gordon Brown's first cabinet - an offer Ashdown rejected.The BBC broke the Ashdown story. Nick Robinson gives a little of the background detail on his blog ('High Stakes') Nick Assinder stresses the problems such a Lib Dem cabinet member would create for Brown with his own backbenchers ('The fallout from Brown's job offer')The Telegraph sneers in its leader ('Brown already considers minority government') and fumes in Boris Johnson's piece ('Brown's looking for a ...
Well, how about that - Lib Dems headlining the news two days running, can't be bad! I have read with interest fellow bloggers' perspectives on this (see Stephen Tall, Nich Starling, Paul Walter et al) so I thought I would put my tenpenneth in. Give him his due, that Gordon Brown is a shrewd operator.......a clever wheeze, tie the hands of the only party with the integrity to really hold you to account and, done and dusted, a clear road through for all your unnecessary unwanted "reforms" of everything that moves - and mark my words that is what we ...
Southwark is seeking to clarify the law as regards school admissions policy. Bacon's City Technology College is to become an academy in September. Their historical admissions arrangements are very complex and often mean that local children who live very near the school can't gain a place. And even if one child in the family does get in, they do not have a sibling policy, which means the other children may well end up going to another school in a different part of the Borough. This makes it a lottery with families facing a battle every time they have a ...
The Telegraph reports some comments from Paddy Ashdown on the BBC which are impressive: In a statement to the BBC, Lord Ashdown said: "I told him that I could not conceivably consider such a position unless my leader told me that he thought it was a good idea and even if he did, I didn't."..."You do not build partnership government by seeking to add the Liberal Democrats as a bungalow annexe to a
It’s time for the Liberal Democrats to kill off any talk of co-operation with either Labour or the Tories. Otherwise speculation will carry on until the next election. Sir Ming and his Chief of Staff, Ed Davey, must be heartily sick of having to bat such stories off as they arise, and have made valiant efforts [...]
Sadako Ogata, President of the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) addressed a meeting put on by the Overseas Development Institute this lunchtime, in the Grimond Room at Portcullis House, Westminster, with Malcolm Bruce, MP, in the chair. Her theme was ‘Japan 2008′, as Japan will be presiding over the G8 next year and Tokyo will [...]
We all know that Labour gave up addressing the causes of crime some years ago. Last night on BBC Newsnight we learned that they are now giving up on recording, let alone attempting to solve, some crimes. In April the Home Office issued guidance to police stations not to even record cheque and credit card fraud any more; people should report it direct to their bank. The bank may (or more likely
The last 24 hours was crying out for Ming to come out and do a major interview. Lo and behold, on the news at one o'clock on BBC News24 there he was. Hurrah! Quite rightly Ming is capitalising on this to boost his profile and particularly emphasise that the LibDems are an independent party with things like principles. The headline announcement was "LibDems calls Brown behaviour 'dirty and
Fifteen Lib Dem bloggers have so far had their say on Gordon Brown’s move to ensnare some of the Lib Dems’ top talent inside his first cabinet. Here are the links (in reverse chronological order): Neil Fawcett, A Liberal Dose: ‘More Guardian Tripe’ Tristan Mills, Liberty Alone: ‘Pacts with Labour’ Jonathan Wallace: ‘Cabinet seats and spin’ [...]
Following my return from Albania, I have been focused upon completing a couple of investment transactions, in addition to trying to respond to some of the issues that were raised while I was in the "Land of the Eagle". There are several things that I will need to address- the challenges facing the New British PM, and the implications of his courting of Paddy Ashdown and Ming Campbell. The latest exit from Russia by investors- in this case Dixon's also raises several questions. Unfortunately I am now en route to Estonia, so I fear that my detailed thoughts ...
I've been very busy the last couple of days, preparing for meetings to do with both work and being a Councillor. There may not be any rest for the wicked, but that appears also to extend to those with community-minded pursuits like me! Tomorrow is the first meeting of the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority (GMPTA), to which I have been appointed along with Cllr Andrew Garner as
Well done to Ming for rejecting overtures from Labour to sit in their cabinet. Labour, as we all know, suffer from a dearth of talent in what is a vacuous front bench of yes men and new Labour cronies. They are desperate for people of quality, which the Lib Dems ave in abundance. What the whole Ashdown episode has shown is that Gordon Brown cannot be trusted. He was told clearly by Menzies Campbell that no Lib Dem would sit in his cabinet, yet Brown went behind Ming's back and approached Paddy Ashdown. This highlights what an untrustworthy ...
I have been asked to use this blog to highlight the plight of the Masih family. Sarah and Marcus and their 3 children (Matthew, Rose and Mary: aged from 5 to 11) have been living in the UK for approximately 3 years. They left their native Pakistan in fear of their lives because they are Christians. At present stories coming out of Pakistan indicate that Christians are being murdered and churches bombed. In their time in Swansea, the Masih family have become settled in the community of Port Tennant, in Swansea. The children go to St Illtyd's Roman Catholic ...
There are two whopping great big positives to be taken from the last 24 hours of Jobs-for-Lordsgate: 1. Unity of the party - despite the odd quibble in more rarefied sections of the media and the net, the party has been absolutely unified in rejecting Brown's ludicrous approach. There may have been the odd hesitant "err" in reply to Brown from Entertaining Archie and co. But basically we can be
So, you’re Gordon Brown, and you’re putting together your first government after winning a tightly fought leadership campaign (OK, so I made the last bit up). You have a pretty decent majority, and plenty of experience to choose from. So what do you do? You pick up the phone to the Lib Dem leader and [...]
Why don't we have national celebrations at midsummer in the UK? In most countries in northern latitudes both the summer and winter solstices are celebrated in some way, often with a religious festival overlaying the earlier pagan event. The darkest part of the year is marked by fire and light; Christmas, of course, picks up on many of the midwinter themes, and we have also transferred many of...
I have to admit my first reaction to yesterday’s Guardian story - reporting that Gordon Brown and Ming Campbell had discussed Lib Dems taking up cabinet positions in Mr Brown’s first cabinet - was horror. Nor was I as convinced as fellow Lib Dem bloggers appeared to be that the story was nonsense peddled by shit-stirring Guardianistas. As further details have seeped out - like a stranded
Winchester MP Mark Oaten and his wife Belinda have joined forces with local Lib Dem councillors in the campaign to save the Tower Arts Centre. Tory controlled Hants County Council is negotiating with the centre's neighbouring King's School over a possible transfer of the popular Winchester venue, but its future is uncertain. HCC believe the Tower will become redundant as the new Discovery Centre
For the time being, I will be scaling back the political content of this blog. For better or worse, the current debate raging about Lib-Lab deals, and my day job as a press officer for an organisation campaigning for democratic reform have come into direct conflict. As such, I’m going to have to [...]
For Alan Johnston We pray our Father for Alan Johnston whose freedom has been taken away from him and now suffers abduction for the sake of his good and peaceable conscience. We pray for Alan and all whose vision of your world is seen in captivity, and in whose heart the lamp of hope burns low. God of mercy, give Alan help, according to his need, And bring him home in safety we pray. Hear our prayer for Jesus Christ’s sake Amen. O God ...
The last 24 hours have been bad news for the Lib Dems, we have looked at various rtimes shambolic, indecisive, divided, secretive and greedy and there is little point blaming either Gordon Brown or the Guardian. The truth is we have brought this on ourselves. The problem started with the ill advised passages in Ming last conference speech, when he set out his 5 Tests for Gordon Brown. As was warned at the time these were predictably, even inevitably seen as a coalition negotiating gambit and they effectively opened the door to endless press specultation on whether or ...
Bank of England supremo Merv King has told banks to stock more £5 notes as they are circulating for too long and beginning to look scruffy and unkept. This morning I obtained 4 spanking new sequential fivers from a Lloyds cash point, but its the only one I know that ever distributes them. Maybe its because its on the University campus?
Paddy Ashdown has done the right thing by not accepting what many of us will believe to be Brown's cynically motivated offer of a Cabinet post. And after all, he did accept a rather important job in Northern Ireland only a couple of weeks ago.
I suppose I should be pleased that the Lib Dems are making the headlines! It's ironic that when we have a big announcement on something that really matters to people like last week's plans for more affordable homes we hardly warrant a mention. But as soon as we hit the 'Westminster bubble' with personality issues, speculation about who said what to who etc. then the press is interested. It's hardly suprising people get turned off politics. On the substance of the issue, it's a crazy idea that a Government elected with a healthy working majority ...
I think it should be taken for granted that the BBC is biased, its bound to be, its virtually impossible not to be biased. I disagree with how many people say it is biased however. On Radio 4 the bias is that presenters are almost overwhelmingly socially liberal but statist. This is not necessarily a left-wing bias, [...]
Southwark Lib Dem Council Leader Nick Stanton has outlined plans for a world class sculpt ure park to be sited in the heart of the borough. He wants the attraction to be part of Southwark's contribution to the cultural Olympiad. Nick Stanton set out his vision as part of a major speech to Southwark's business and community leaders saying Southwark is a world class quarter of a world city. Many people have noted that the modern Olympics were created to be a celebration of both sporting and cultural prowess. Many boroughs are keen to promote themselves as the ...
The Liberal Democrats have started the process of selecting candidates for the 2009 European Parliamentary elections. At the last Euro elections in 2005 the Party elected 12 MEPs overall, with seats in every Region of England and in Scotland. Here in the North West we currently have two Lib Dem MEPs, Chris Davies and Saj Karim.
Lib Dem councillor Denise Capstick will be speaking next month at the prestigious LGA conference. Denise, who is Executive Member for Health and Adult Care, will be talking about how Southwark is developing an Older Person’s Strategy and using it to develop our commissioning and provision of Integrated Services for Older People. There is a recent Government Paper that outlines their Health and Well Being agenda based on Community Services and Choice. Southwark are well down this route and Denise will be sharing with delegates how we have achieved good practise in this area of service. Basically we ...
The whole MTAS saga demonstrates the failure of the British Constitution. This particular governmental car crash has been obvious on the horizon. Hospitals are now having to plan cancellations of operations etc. It is all a bit surreal really.
The important thing for the Lib Dems about the shenanigans of the last few days is that it has exposed that all Liberal Democrats take the same view of Gordon Brown’s offer of ministerial jobs: no thanks, Gordon. What was perhaps an attempt to divide us has actually emphasised how united we are, and so strengthens [...]
On Monday I ate my dinner at Gordon Ramsey’s restaurant in Claridges, thanks to the largesse of a far-sighted art lover. After knocking back some pretty average champagne in the proctology-clinic atmosphere of Bellamys (who am I kidding? Might as well have been Irn Bru for all I can tell) we zipped round to Rambo’s for half seven. The service is consciously unstuffy, attentive and expert without being condescending. Though I should warn diners that a pretty straightforward request for “a light ale” did meet with some incredulity, and ultimately, outright resistance. Comfort is everything. Eating out is so often ...
This morning’s Today brings more news on the over-wrought “Lib Dems in cabinet” story we reported from the Guardian. Lord Ashdown has now said that - as the story about junior jobs was breaking on Wednesday - Brown offered him the post of Northern Ireland Secretary. His response? I told him that I could not conceivably consider [...]
He's having a laugh. Ricky Gervais' catchphrase has its day at last. The biggest laugh was when Nick Robinson, on Today, revealed the job which Brown offered Ashdown yesterday. Northern Ireland Secretary. Northern Ireland Secretary? Don't make me laugh. That is a non-job. With devolved government, it involves little more than arranging the nameplates for an occasional light discussion with
Rhodri Morgan's trip to London last night produced predictable results. The Labour MPs want him to talk to the Welsh Liberal Democrats. A number of commentators in the blogosphere in the last few days have demanded to know what business it is of Welsh Labour MPs how we arrange ourselves in the Assembly. Tempting as it is to say that the likes of Wayne David should keep their nose out the reality is that they are major stakeholders in this process. The reason for this lies in the flawed passages of the Government of Wales Act Mark II. ...
Today sees the Hednesford South by-election held over from May after the sad death of the Liberal Democrat candidate Stewart Reynolds.
I have been giving further thought to that logo – or brand – for the 2012 Olympics. Clearly the £400,000 design is a hideous mistake and will have to be ditched and replaced at some point within the next five years. My own view is that the organising committee ought to take a cheerful, jolly [...]
Wednesday: Yes, it was ME! Mr Frown phoned me up and said: "Uhh, Millennium, uhhh, all my uhhh colleagues in the uhhh Labour are useless uhhh beggers. You wouldn't uhhh consider being uhhh Home Secretary uhhh, would you?" And I said "No, Mr Frown! I will not!" Then he tried to bribe me with that seat in the House of Lords Club that I have always wanted, but no, not even to be called Lord Fluffyphant will I join the Labour! Imagine how SHOCKED and DISAPPOINTED I was to discover that he has been ...
Whilst, as a bureaucrat, I am naturally more comfortable working with ink and quill pen, I am forced to accept that technology enables the average faceless bureaucrat to reach new audiences and torment more people, more effectively, than ever before. Today, I have made an unexpected discovery in, of all places, the US Airways Club Lounge at La Guardia Airport, New York. My laptop is wi-fi
If you have been thinking about improving your house from an environmental point of view, but haven’t known where to start, now’s a good time to take action. It’s National Architecture Week and the theme is “How Green is our Space?” One of the features is that for a modest donation to the housing charity Shelter, you [...]
When we first moved in, one of our earliest thoughts about what to do to the house was to replace the tired lean-to with a new conservatory. About two months ago, in talking about what we wanted from a conservatory, we then started to think maybe what we actually wanted was an extension, and started to [...]
The Liberal Democrats have published the preliminary agenda for the Party's main Autumn Conference to be held in Brighton in September. Key issues to be debated include poverty, taxation, climate change, and local government. There will also be policy motions on a diverse range of subjects from prison to tourism.
Hmmm.... Reading my last couple of posts I am getting worried that as my 38th birthday fast approaches I am turning into a bit of a Victor Meldrew..... And I haven't even started talking about some of the nonsense written about me closer to home.... Then I discover what has happened to my old blogsite! Seems that it's been hijacked by some spammer or other. I DON'T BELIEVE IT! | < | June 2007 | > | ||||
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