It is a bit ironic, this one. But we actually have, in my view, the most formidable array of ex-leaders available to any party in the country. (I know - ha ha). Charlie-boy was particularly impressive on Question Time tonight. He gave a remarkably powerful and impassioned answer to the question: "What are the LibDems for?" His stature grows the more he emphasises that he is not standing for 
Well, probably not ... but I've got two articles out today about the Lib Dem leadership contest - over in the New Statesman and on Comment is Free. And I do like one response to the New Statesman one! I also raised a smile at some of the comments posted in response to the New Statesman poll - I think there are some Americans out there who don't realise that there's a world outside their borders :-)
It seems that you have to have gone to Westminster School if you want to lead the Liberal Democrats. So let's try a different approach. Wikipedia has a list of the school's former pupils. Therefore other possible candidates include: Louis TherouxRuth KellyHelena Bonham CarterImogen StubbsNigella LawsonShane McGowanNigel PlanerMartin AmisTony BennFlanders & SwannKim PhilbyJohn GielgudA.A. MilneSir Charles DilkeLord John RussellHenry PurcellJohn LockeNow that's what I call a short-list!
{Nick Clegg: Attractive Liberalism} Sorry about the pun. Watch out for many, many egg puns recycled before the Leadership contest is through. The weight of expectation is on Clegg’s shoulders at this point. I have had to slap myself to stay calm and wait patiently for his platform. My support is not unconditional. A charismatic leader that’s good with the media is not, in itself, enough. I have questions. Is Clegg actually a leader? It’s obvious he has undeniable leadership qualities and Huhne’s dig about the “Camelot” obsession could spectacularly backfire. Rather than provoke comparisons with Cameron or Blair, Huhne’s ...
It's looks as though John Hemming, our last hope, will not be able to enter the contest. Well, he didn't go to Westminster and he's not been an MEP.
Tomorrow, we expect Nick Clegg MP to declare his intention to stand for the leadership of the Liberal Democrats. Local Ormesby & Nunthorpe Councillors, Glyn and Irene Nightingale are backing Nick to be the new Leader of the Liberal Democrats. We have watched Nick's impresseive progress since he became an MEP and, then MP for Sheffield Hallam in 2005. We are confident that he will make a massive impact as Lib Dem Leader. He has an impressive record and successful career before entering politics. We feel sure that Lib Dems owe Menzies Campbell, who resigned as Leader on Monday, tremendous ...
On the day the BBC announced 1800 job losses, ITV took advice from New Labour and decided it would be a great day to bury bad news about how they conned £8 million from unsuspecting viewers. When all the media correspondents would be covering the BBC story in depth, stuck outside broadcasting house, a long way from ITV's offices, ITV decided it would release the news. The most shocking thing about the whole report that ITV have done is that the conning of its customers seems to be endemic across all ITV's flagship shows. From Ant and Dec to X ...
It is quite clear that I will not be a candidate in the Leadership Election. I will, however, not decide for now who I will support and I will announce that in the future when I have discussed matters with the other candidates and colleagues in Birmingham.
I was at a parents evening yesterday which was, on the whole, a really pleasant and rewarding activity. I speaking to a mum of a former pupil in one of the gaps between appointments she told me that her son, who used to be in my class, had broken his arm. When I asked her how this injury had occurred she told me he had fallen in a hole left by the council when they removed a tree. She had told the council on about four separate occasions that this hole was dangerous, but they said she would have to ...
And I hereby declare that John Hemming MP has been elected Leader of the Liberal Democrats. The above is a phrase that no returning officer will ever be called upon to say. You know it, I know it, everybody in the Lib Dems knows it. Hell, I suspect even John Hemming himself knows it. As a humble (?) backbencher, John would get only a tiny share of the vote. So why is he even considering standing in the current leadership election? There are two possible answers. It could be that he's simply on an ego trip, but, knowing John, I ...
I have noticed a worrying outbreak. Liberal Democrat bloggers have started to refer to themselves in the third person the way that egotistical sportsmen do. See what I mean? Theo Butt Philip pays tribute to Sir Menzies Campbell Chris and Glynis come out for Cleggy Jonathan Calder condemns new fashion. Later. And there's Glyn & Irene Nightingale Back Nick Clegg. I think I am on to something.
Travelling back from Westminster today on the train I had one of those journeys that sums up so much that is wrong with our so-called 'public transport' system. I won't bore you with the late trains, the lack of information, the surly attitude of some of the 'information' staff, or even the decision of Worst Late Western to skip a few major stations just to get to their destination inside the penalty time to avoid having to pay compensation... What annoyed me most of all was the way two disabled passengers were treated. For some reason both people, who were ...
Compare and contrast this petition calling for no general election until 2010 (set up by a LabourHome activist) which currently has 7 signatures with this petition calling for a general election in 2007 and currently has 15,100 signatures. To say that Gordon Brown failed to capture the public mood when he declined to hold an election this year might be an understatement.
I don't suppose young Jonathan Matondo will make as much of a national stir in death as the even younger Rhys Jones a couple of months ago, but it appears the "thoroughly repugnant moralistic stance" on drugs prohibition to quote from Richard Brunstrom, Chief Constable of North Wales, last week, has claimed yet another innocent victim. Sheffield boy, 16, shot dead in play area - Times Online: Local resident Douglas Johnson, an advice worker, said everybody in the area thought the death was related to drug dealing. “This is what happens when drug dealing activity goes on. Kids get involved ...
While it is always good to read an article by the Padster, it would be nice to have a little more time for candidates to assemble themselves, and for a little quiet reflection, and a little more, perhaps, "brain in neutral" time before we start to get the great and good acting as railway guards to shepherd us down one particular railway line. So the party's next leader needs not only to be a 
Steve has written a post on his blog "The Webb Log" explaining the reasons why he didn't join in the Lib Dem Leadership race. Please read it for "straight for the horse's mouth" information (no offence meant, Steve!) and for his view of the forthcoming contest. Best wishes to Steve and family from all your many supporters.
When satire attacks and scapegoats react:
With Steve Webb announcing this morning that he is not to stand for the leadership, it looks as though we may be down to a Clegg vs Huhne contest. I think that is a great shame. I should have liked to see both David Laws and Steve Webb standing. That way we should have a lively contest with a range of opinion represented and a number of personable candidates. And there would have been much more chance of the Liberal Democrats recapturing the public imagination. What I fear now s that we shall have a repeat of the last leadership ...
The Shropshire Star kindly informs us that a crop of hallucinogenic fly agaric mushrooms can be found in the churchyard at Rodington, between Shrewsbury and Telford. There are more photographs on the newspaper's website.
In many ways the discovery by Leanne Wood that her government's legislative agenda is being dictated by UK ministers is no surprise. The Government of Wales Act was designed so as to effectively confer on the Secretary of State for Wales, the position of Viceroy. Still it is nice to see it out in the open. Perhaps Plaid Cymru now understand the sort of animal that Wales Labour is. They have made their bed and they must lie in it.
We have decided that we will be backing Nick Clegg to be the new Leader of the Liberal Democrats. Nick has impressed us during his short period as a Lib Dem MP. He has made is mark right from the start and is the obvious choice for us. We have become impressed with Chris Huhne, since the last leadership election, but as Glynis pointed out at that time, we knew little about him up until then. Apart from anything else it will be a massive boost for Yorkshire and the north as a whole to have a Lib Dem leader ...
Yesterday in delivering a statement on the funding of the Wales Millennium Centre, Plaid Cymru's Heritage Minister, Rhodri Glyn Thomas, delivered the sort of obstructive, tight-lipped performance that if he had been on the receiving end as an opposition member he would have torn to shreds. Everybody understood that negotiations were on-going and that Rhodri Glyn was not in a position to give us details of those but as David Melding said "it is extraordinary that a Minister comes to the Assembly Chamber to make an oral statement and then impugns those Members who are cheeky enough to hold him ...
Is this really going to be it? Another public execution of a Leader so we can have a contest between last times runner up and the guy that couldn't be bothered to stand last time? Is 6 weeks of two middle class white men parading the country basically agreeing with each other going to excite anyone? I'm deeply diasappointed that virtually every other credible alternative candidate has ruled them selves out. I can feel a streak of bloody mindedness comming on over this election so my view is this. If it really is going to be just Clegg vs Huhne ...
Damn Tories, coming up with a poster promoting an EU Referendum that's actually quite good.
The Guardian’s Comment is Free website today carries two articles by leading Lib Dems endorsing their favoured candidate. You can read Lynne Featherstone’s reasons for supporting Chris Huhne here. And here’s a flavourful fillet: We need someone brave, radical, clever, willing to be dangerous and different - someone who will really upset and challenge the vomit-worthy [...]
The Times Huhne and Clegg to go for Lib Dem leadershipFirst Lib Dem candidate happy to be underdogThe Independent Huhne: 'We must be radical but rational – you won't see me streaking down the street'The Iraq effect is far from over in British politicsThe GuardianPaddy Ashdown: My vote is for CleggThe TelegraphBetter Ming than some of the numptiesChris Huhne denies plotting against MingChris Huhne: From outsider to contender
I’m hoping to run a Podcast ‘diary of a floating voter’ during the leadership contest, so this is a test post to test the Podcast system - here’s an MP3 I found on my web server from the last contest, an interview with Lynne Featherstone and a (very deep voiced!) Ming Campbell talking about whether our former leader knifed our former leader once removed.
As I approached the Wendover CE Secondary School, I was greeted by three boys in the red toped school uniform. Five steps later three girls smiled at me and said welcome. It was clear the head master was intent on impressing us, “prospecting parents”. The short rout to the main hall was lined with more pupils. Later I learned that they were all prefects or something to that effect. After the Head made his introduction, teams of the children took small groups of the prospecting parents around the school. I was led around by three very enthusiastic girls. I could ...
Victor's catchphrase "I don't believe it!" issued from my mouth a wee while ago. I was popping outside for a ciggie and offered to take the rubbish down for collection. My colleague informed me that we are only allowed to do so at 09.30 hrs each day. It seems that the Fuhrer Bunker A.K.A Labour run Glasgow City Chambers have issued an edict that there is only one time slot each day for businesses to take the rubbish out. It used to be we could drop our sacks by the kerb at any time during business hours and there would ...
I’ve opened Wordpress several times in the last couple of days and started to write a blog post about who I think should be the leader of the Liberal Democrats (basically who will get my first choice). Every time I get to the first few words, click save and leave it for another day - today I intend to finish it but first I had to work out why I haven’t been able to finish the post. The only reason I can come up with is that I have no idea whether I want either of the two front runners ... 
Lynne Featherstone MP has an article on the Guardian’s Comment Is Free website explaining why she’s backing Chris for leader.
Not often that I find myself thanking a Tory for anything but the other Iain Dale has put a link on his blog to this humble effort under the Lib Dem Blogs list. There are only 17 on the list and one of them is by someone who was expelled from the party a while back. So, thank you Iain.
My friend, the geo-mutualist, makes a good argument for something more awe-inspiring than a two horse race for the leadership of our great party, and he calls on Cowley St to extend the timetable. Of course, what we want is an opportunity to showcase the talent and the intellectual vitality within the LibDems while the camera falls, briefly, on us. But if it does turn out that what we have on our hands is single combat between two former MEPs of, shall we say, similar pedigree, can't we just shorten the timetable for the whole thing and get it out ...
We’re into the last 24 hours of “I’m a Councillor… Get Me Out Of Here,” the competition organised as part of National Democracy Week to elect a Youth Champion for Bury. I have been up against five other Councillors in the past fortnight, answering questions from young people from across the Borough. And now there are just two of us left after four evictions. My colleague (and our Lib Dem Parliamentary Candidate) Cllr Vic D’Albert was unceremoniously booted off today, leaving just Cllr Cath Berry and me left. You can visit the site at www.bigvote.org.ukand read my manifesto. I don’t ...
The Oxford Union, the world-famous private debating society (not to be confused with the student union), has been courting controversy. The current President, Luke Tryl, has organised a forum for 26 November, on the subject "Even extremists should be entitled to free speech" - and he's invited two extremists along for the ride. Nick Griffin, leader of the openly racist British National Party, and David Irving, the discredited pseudo-historian and Holocaust denier, have been asked to speak. The event has caused a huge amount of controversy. The Oxford University Student Union (OUSU) and Oxford University Jewish Society (JSoc) are very ...
With great dismay, I have viewed the disappearance from the field of many possible leadership candidates. I cannot think of anything more appalling than two middle-aged, middle class, public school-educated white men going around the country as apparent examples of the best the LibDems have to offer. (And before anyone complains, I was public school-educated so I think I am entitled to complain
It seems Leadership elections are a bit like buses. Cllr Mark Harris Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group in Leeds has resigned effective 30/11/07. Under our power sharing agreement with the Conservatives this is the last day of his 6 month stint as Leader of Council. I wish him well in his retirement. However we now have an enormous possiblity for growth and renewal. Over the comming fortnight I will be doing a series on "What are the Leeds Liberal Democrats for?" with a view to kick starting some real debate about a more liberal Leeds. I hope the leadership ...
I live in the constituency of Ceredigion located on the western coast of Wales, and in 2005 we were one of the 16 Liberal Democrat gains that helped propel the Liberal Democrats to the best ever performance by the party in over 80 years. And yet the reason it was a gain was that in [...]
On the Political Betting website, Mike Smithson puts forward an interesting suggestion for the leadership contest - allowing the contenders for the leadership to show how they would do at Prime Minister’s Questions. In his view this would give the party membership and the public the chance to see how they would do in one of the most important roles of the party leader before we get to vote on them, rather than waiting to see how they do after they’re elected. Of course, there’s a question as to whether the rules of the House of Commons would allow for ...
Liberal Democrat Voice is, and always has been, a website run by and for all party members no matter where they place themselves on the spectrum of liberal opinion. In most party selection contests (eg, London mayoralty and European Parliament) LDV has voluntarily agreed to abide by party rules stating that endorsements of specific candidates, [...]
{brandenburg_gate.jpg} It’s nearly 20 years since I was last in Berlin, shortly after the Wall came down. I remember walking through the Brandenburg Gate in a semi-daze, along with scores of other people. Russian soldiers on the other side were flogging off their hats as souvenirs. But to young Berliners, all that is already ancient history, and the face of much of the old East Berlin has been transformed. I write this blog entry sitting in Friedrichstrasse at a spot where I watched rabbits running round last time I was in the DDR! I’ve taken a 36-hour break from campaigning in London ...
As I continue to relentlessly chronicle my political education without thought to my sleeping pattern, no!, nor to anyone else’s attention span, the wise words of the elephant, as so often, are a guiding light. Specifically, one of the many good points in the fluffy one’s leadership plan is as follows: …we have terrific strength right here in the Lib Dem blogosphere for forensic analysis, pithy comment and rapid response. Let’s really USE that resource. I have one or two embryonic ideas. They are mostly to do with using the blogs as a recruitment tool, and they mostly come from the perspective of a ...
These nasty pieces of work were one of the things I attacked in my conference speech on international development issues - and since then I've been plugging away further at the issue, witness the latest coverage in The Guardian.
If you can keep your hair when all about are losing theirs If you can shaft the Tories and the Reds If you can go to conference and be welcomed But not spend too long in the hotel bar If you can say in earnest you've an ipod And that your socks are from a high street chain If you can ask a question in the Chamber And ignore Dennis Skinner as he brays If you can travel everywhere and nowhere And glad-hand all the activists the same And make out that you welcome an election When Rennard tells you ...
Steven Webb’s decision not to stand is a crushing blow for Huhne. Made worse by Webb’s decision to support Nick Clegg is the proverbial insult following injury. This is me with my amateur psephology hat on by the way. It doesn’t happen very often, so don’t panic. Huhne would have been the likely recipient of the 2nd preference votes of any proper ‘liberal left’ candidate. With Webb likely to be eliminated in the first round, this could have been a huge boost for Chris. Advantage to the guy who’s not even declared yet…. {Nick Clegg: Attractive Liberalism}
In 2002, during the Labour-LibDem coalition, a consultation paper with the title above issued from Cardiff. So far as one can see, there has been no substantive result of this consultation. (The Assembly Government's web site is not the easiest to search, seemingly orientated to AMs and staff who know all the jargon and abbreviations, rather than to the general public; if an AM can point us to an authoritative document, I shall apologise gratefully.) This became topical yesterday, when Lee Waters of Sustrans presented a petition, under the new procedures, calling for the Assembly Government to create and maintain ...
Last night, as part of the councillors' training programme, I went on a visit to the CCTV control centre. Located in the bunker under the Town Hall, accessed by an anonymous door in the rear of the building, we entered a twilight world of flickering monitors arrayed around two sides of a room, controlled by three operators equipped with joysticks, buttons, microphones and a refreshingly
(argh! this post was meant to go out yesterday! why does Ming have to bloody resign during a heavy work week?) Question: if you write an article about the Lib Dem leadership contest specifically on the issue of diversity and the fact that Huhne and Clegg are both white, middle-class males, should you a) talk to the various groupings within the party concerned with diversity such as the Ethnic Minority Liberal Democrats, the Woman Liberal Democrats, the Campaign for Gender Balance and possibly even the party’s “diversity Tsar”? Or b) a couple of white, middle-class guys? If your answer is ...
Having previously posted that the Soroptimists were depriving me of Catherine's company, I have to sadly report that they are at it again. They have their SIGBI Federation Conference in Harrogate from the 1st - 3rd November which means that I shall be denied her company that weekend. It's fortunate however that Scottish Conference Committee, of which I'm one of the Vice Conveners, are having their debrief meeting on the morning of the 3rd and that the Mighty Irvine Meadow XI FC are drawn away to Linlithgow Rose in the Scottish Junior Cup that afternoon. Just as Long as the ...
Well it looks like my post this morning was being written at the same time as Steve Webb was preparing to announce he would not in fact be standing in the leadership campaign. It looks like the campaign will now be shaping up into a two horse race unless something is stirring under the waters of which nobody has yet caught a sniff. Let us not forget that at one point the last leadership
Just what we Scots love - backs against the wall and having to win against all the odds! I believe firmly that we will hammer, thrash and monster Italy 1-0 at Hampden next month and qualify for next year's Euro tourney. We have a national characteristic that likes making things difficult for ourselves which is why I was not in the least surprised that we lost to Georgia last night. what did surprise me was the feckless way our lads went about it. How many shots on goal?????? At least we have our fate in our own hands, well at ...
Over the last few years I have come to know and, at different points, have collaborated together with both of the two main leadership contenders (as well as Steve Webb, who while I was writing this, seems to have withdrawn from the race!). But the one I will be voting for is Nick Clegg. I’ll be doing that because I believe he would bring to the leadership of our party many of the things which would give us the opportunity to break forward from the plateau that we have reached over the last few years, following rapid success through the ...
In any area of life, we inevitably rely on volunteers and enthusiasts to do things that we might hope the government could do, if only they had the money. Be it locally in Norfolk where a Charity has been set up to run the Cottage Hospital in Wells, or local history societies who do so much to raise the profile of towns and keep their history alive. So I take my hat of to the volunteers who have raised £6.5 million and given up so much time to fully restore an Avro Vulcan Bomber to full flying specification. I saw ...
An Exclusive - you heard it here first! The Evening Post today interviewed me based on one of my posts - that means somebody is reading this blog! But far more likely they picked it up because of my...
Well, following last night's posting about Steve Webb, it seems that he has followed reasoning quite similar to my own in making his announcement today that he won't be running, and indeed that he will instead be backing Nick Clegg. Also to be noted is the Guardian's report, which includes the following little snippet down the bottom: Ms Goldsworthy, the 29-year-old MP for Falmouth and Camborne,
Two years ago today I escorted a group of Scottish Lib Dems on a trip to visit the European Parliament in Brussels. I remember Elspeth (my employer) seeing who were all going to be in the group and saying words to the effect of "Quick, pass me the liver salts" Catherine and I had been getting on well for some time and spent a lot of time pounding the streets together during the Livingston by-election. That was when I convinced her to come along on the Brussels visit. Anyway the visit went well and we all went out for dinner ...
Still no Ballot Packs in Yorkshire & the Humber for the Liberal Democrats European Parliament candidate selection. Held back because of the possibility of a General Election they were supposed to go out at the end of last week. The first hustings take place on Saturday so even if they are delivered tomorrow, I would be amazed if anybody turns up at such short notice. What a farce! If we can’t run our internal elections efficiently why would anybody trust us to run the country? (Of course they don’t that is why we are at 11% in the polls!). It ...
Hello and welcome to ‘Honey of the Week’, a new weekly feature that will appear here every week. ‘Honey of the Week’ taps into the post-feminist enlightenment period, embodied by such inspirational figures as Posh Spice, Maggie Thatcher and Steve McClaren. ‘Honey of the Week’ may also be topical, and thus where better to start than with Almost Leadership Contender Julia Goldsworthy? Lurrrvely Julia has ruled herself out of the running for the Lib Dem leadership, breaking a thousand hearts in one fell swoop and leaving us with a somewhat less aesthetically-pleasing Clegg-Huhne dual. Julia has much in common with ...
If you had told me a week ago that I would even contemplate voting for Nick Clegg, I'd have cheekily retorted that I would rather take up rugby than do any such thing. Don't get me wrong, I like the guy and worked hard to get him selected at the top of the European list in the East Midlands for the 1998 elections. His excellent credentials are, however, blighted by his stance on economic affairs. I have a lot of affection for public services and social justice and I don't think the economic liberal model works for things like healthcare ...
Standing to be a candidate for the Lib Dems in the upcoming European elections, she made a brief appearance at last night's Liberal Drinks. Now what can I say, except, what a name. Just a shame I can't vote for her as she's not in my region.
I am currently in Berlin at the ELDR (European Liberal Democrats) Party Congress - A Liberal Europe for a Free World. This morning we had the ELDR Council of which I am one of the 8 directly elected UK Liberal Democrat members, we finalised the arrangements for the Congress itself.
I've just had an email from Steve Webb saying that he is not standing for the leadership, and this is reported by the BBC, and now on his blog. That is a shame, and reduces the contest to two serious contenders, Chris Huhne and Nick Clegg. Actually Liberal Democrats are blessed with a very talented cohort, and either of these would make an excellent leader. I'm just not at...
I’m quite disappointed to see that Steve Webb has decided not to stand for the leadership. He would’ve brought different ideas to the debates and in my mind could’ve done what Chris Huhne did in 2006 and been a real contender. It’s also a disappointment for the local party here in Sandwell. Steve grew up in Great Barr and his parents still live there to this day. I’m glad to see he’s thrown his weight behind Nick Clegg, but will Steve’s supporters follow his lead?
A number of my friends have started a Facebook group calling for me to be installed leader of the Lib Dems. This was a nice surprise… There are five members so far. Unfortunately none of them are MPs, so can’t count towards the 7 required. Also, I am not an MP, which also throws somewhat of a spanner in the works. So I don’t think Messrs Huhne, Clegg etc are losing sleep over it. Yet. Today I have a couple of meetings. First up this afternoon there is a meeting of the Alternative Service Delivery Models sub-group, where we get ...
On Tuesday night the Council agreed my ideas on cracking down on underage drinking in Bristol and amended the Licensing policy to reflect this. Thanks to all who voted for it. If you wish to see the v...
Nick Robinson asks if the LibDem leadership contest will be "A bloody and bitter battle?" To be fair, this is how he is summarising the prediction of "leading LibDems". (Ah, those "leading LibDems" again, they get everywhere). It is unclear to what extent the rest of Robinson's post is supposed to answer the title question. He goes on to describe how Chris Huhne said that Ming had fallen "
It is reported that Gordon Brown will go to Lisbon today to tell fellow European heads of state that they should end the long debate about EU institutions and start addressing issues such as job creation and climate change which matter to ‘ordinary people’. This is great news. It must mean that the new treaty, to be agreed tonight, has set out rules on discussions in the Council of Ministers being held in public, on the ability of the elected European Parliament to veto new proposals from the European Commission – and the individual members of the commission themselves. It ...
Many Conservatives were saying to me over the past few months that with a different leader they could see the Liberal Democrats returning to contention in British politics. Indeed many of said that they could easily support the Lib Dems, "if only you had a X as leader instead". Several have mentioned Nick Clegg or Chris Huhne as being potentially a far greater threat to Cameron than Ming Campbell. Of course they did not think that Ming would leave the leadership so soon- any more than I did. The media has led a pretty unpleasant campaign to denigrate Ming Campbell ...
I go off campaigning in Harrogate for a couple of days and the party Leader resigns. This first came to my notice when sitting talking to a man in Starbeck in his front room when his wife rushes breathlessly into the room saying that Ming is about to make a statement. So we gather round the TV and there it is - he’s resigned. My views? Well, it was a surprise but not a shock. Having seen at first hand the relentless attack on Ming because of his age through the cartoonists and the sketch writers it was going to ...
Here’s what the media had to say about Chris launching his campaign yesterday: The Guardian has a report on the launch as well as an interview with Chris, where he discusses how his economic expertise will allow him to take on Gordon Brown effectively. The Times reports on the launch, and has a comment/sketch from Sam Coates which focuses on Martin Horwood’s comment that Chris is happy to be an underdog. The Telegraph covers the launch, but spends most of the article talking about Ming’s resignation. Meanwhile, the Independent find one quote where Chris said he wouldn’t be ’streaking down ...
After a lot of heart-searching and consulting friends, colleagues and - not least - family, I've finally decided not to stand for election as next leader of the Liberal Democrats. There are a number of reasons for my decision, but one of the most positive is that I think we already have in the field an excellent potential leader of the party in the shape of Nick Clegg who I will now be backing. I've known Nick for several years and have always been impressed by his sharp mind, his strong presentational skills, his strategic political judgment and also his ...
The Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust has been named as the worst performing Hospital Trust in the country. The line coming out of the Hospital today is that the new management, that came in at the beginning of the year, are making improvements. But Nurses tell me that although the new management started out with a 'sleeves rolled up out in the wards' sort of approach, that's gone and management are locked away in their ivory tower, same as the last lot. Normally, at this stage, I would show you an amusing video from the Hospital staff, but they've locked it ...
Last night's council meeting started with a series of award presentations. We try to do these at full council in recognition of the fact that the whole Borough celebrates the achievements, even though sometimes people have already had the presentation somewhere else. First up was St Michael's RC school from Billingham. Yet again they won the Youth Parliament Debate award. For this they have to
That’s what it’s looking like with the news that Steve Webb will not be entering the contest to become the next leader of the Liberal Democrats, but instead backing Nick Clegg. (Although John Hemming has also declared, currently it looks unlikely he will reach the required seven nominations by MPs.) From what I understand, the following [...]
At the last leadership election, anecdotal evidence suggests that most people returned their ballots as soon as they receive them - so the contest may be decided much sooner than the official timetable indicates. Of course, before the ballots were sent out in our last leadership election, things got pretty spectacular. So here are the odds for just some of the interesting things that may happen between now and the ballots going out: 8/1 Elspeth Campbell is unveiled as Nick Clegg’s campaign manager saying “ha ha you fools! It was my master plan all along!” 10/1 It transpires that Nick Clegg was ...
6am today - Out to deliver some lovely old-style "Good Morning" leaflets (the lovely ones folded lengthwise with "Good Morning" in cheerful lettering on both sides - happy days!). The stars looked absolutely beautiful at that time of the morning. There was a frost over much of the south, although Jack Frost left my locality alone, so no scraping required on the windscreen. Just think, Gordon
Steve Webb has just told the BBC that he will not be putting himself forward for the job, but will be supporting Nick Clegg. Full BBC story here.
With the setting of the sun on what I had vaguely thought might be the bureaucratic equivalent of the thousand-year Reich, I had been forced to give some thought to what I might do next. With the new responsibilities of my relationship and impending marriage to Ros, I needed something less day-to-day and more outcome focused. So what is a faceless bureaucrat to do when the secretariat loses its
Iain Dale has commented good-naturedly on the posting I wrote yesterday entitled "EXCLUSIVE: Iain Dale will choose the next LibDem leader". It would be a shame for his comment to be buried in the comments field, so here it is: Now now, I thought I had written quite a thoughtful piece! I meant that the new leader shouldn't try to copy Cameron in style. Whoever it is will need to develop their own
Much as I like both Nick Clegg and Chris Huhne I think they are much of a muchness as a choice for party leader, they are from similar groupings within our diverse party. As my dear friend Caron puts it the current choice is like picking between Red Leicester and Cheddar. So where is the Gorgonzola or Brie? Simon Hughes was to some extent that the last time around but he has already ruled
It looks as if Steve Webb has decided against becoming a candidate for Lib Dem leader. What a shame. He's the candidate /potential candidate I wanted to support.
Facebook now has 3 groups supporting babies to be Liberal Democrat leader - Magnus Dundas, Noah Maxfield and Donald Kennedy. It's all a bit of harmless fun and a good way to celebrate how lucky we are to have these lovely children in our midst. Maybe in 30 years time these three boys will be in the Lib Dem cabinet, with my Anna as Prime Minister:-)
Rumours reach my ears that the leadership contest may only be between Chris Huhne and Nick Clegg. Neither of these would be my first choice and I don't relish the prospect of choosing between them. This isn't to say that I don't like them - both could do the job, but it's a bit like having to choose between cheddar and double gloucester - we need some gorgonzola, or some brie in there. I think it cheats the members to prevent them having a full debate about the future direction of the Party. I don't know where people get the ...
Improvements are being made to Lewisham station to make it more accessible. Network Rail will be installing four new lifts that will provide a link from the platforms to the subways and station entrance. They will include closed circuit television (CCTV) and communication links. At the same time the staircases and station entrance will also be improved. The contractor, Geoffrey Osborne Limited, is currently on site conducting preparation work but construction work will start in the coming weeks. While this work takes place, an area just outside the station entrance will be closed to road vehicles, although pedestrian access will ...
It's sounding increasingly likely that there will be only two or maybe three candidates for the Lib Dem leadership election. The Guardian is reporting that despite having secured verbal support from enough MPs to allow him to stand, Steve Webb is likely later today to rule himself out. This leaves, at the last count, just Chris Huhne, Nick Clegg and probably John Hemming prepared to join battle. Now, it's not because my loyalty to Chris is in question, but I do believe this is bad for party democracy and was a big part of the questioning of the leadership of ...
Various siren media voices are busy offering us advice on our future. Today, the Grauniad saw Jonathan Freedland making a typical stab: For too long, there has been a benign fog where the Lib Dems' ideological clarity should be. To the left of Labour in the north, Eurosceptic in the south-west, this muddle helped the Lib Dems bag seats. But it is surely not sustainable indefinitely.There's no
I had known for a couple of days that conversations with Ming were brewing, but I had no idea that he planned to resign. Kudos to him for taking decisive action and pre-empting weeks of will-he-won’t-he speculation. We were in Full Council on Monday when we heard. I leave my phone on, but on silent. At some point, a friend who follows politics closely texted to ask me my views. Obviously, I didn’t have an opinion before I knew it had happened, so I slipped out of the chamber to go and check the BBC News website to get confirmation. ...
Alistair Marsden of the Tower Arts Campaign and Bob Dylan have just produced the following awesome video about the Tower meeting at the Guildhall on November 1st:
The cult of celebrity permeated British politics long ago. Principally driven by the 24 hour media circus, each and every election campaign becomes more ‘Presidential’ in nature. There is a fascination surrounding the personalities at the top of British politics that often detracts from having an open and informed policy debate. I am hopeful that a similar fate does not befall the Liberal Democrat leadership contest. Whilst accepting that a candidates’ leadership skills (speechmaking, media presentation etc) will be of importance to prospective voters, it will be the individual with the most impressive policy suggestions that will capture my 1st ...
Well there you have it no elections for 2 years then three come along at once. Lembits decision on Saturday was a bolt from the blue, but Mikes plans to stay on were the worst kept secret in Aberystwyth. So where does that leave us here in Wales. Certainly there are those who are disappointed that Mike didn't step down with immediate effect and I include myself in them, but in many ways he has
Do you know what the four values of Robin Hood are? I’ve asked a few people, and they tend to come up with robbing the rich to pay the poor, and then struggle a bit. According to Robinhood.co.uk, they are championing the community; promoting sustainable living; capturing myths and magic and respecting the past to influence and inspire the future. Urgh. I can only guess robbing the rich falls under “championing the community.”
Sunday: If people are going to sue the NHS for not offering them the treatments that they want, why does no one sue the CHURCH for not offering RESURRECTION on DEMAND? It is there in ALL of their brochures, along with a SURE and CERTAIN promise of LIFE ETERNAL. Don't people complain that it seems you have to live in the Galilee area to get this valuable service?
Saturday: Everything has gotten MUDDLED UP this week, thanks to the big shock on Monday. So I have stuck Daddy's weekly Doctor Who nonsense up here. Daddy Richard and Daddy Alex were ACTUALLY out on the town tonight – Happy Birthday to Mr David! – doing the dosie-doe and putting the lives of other dancers at risk! Amazingly they avoided tripping over any of the small children and so incurred NO time penalties. I stayed safe sat at the side reading this book, but I will let Daddy Richard tell you about it… I have, in the past, expressed some ...
Last night I was invited to support Bloggers 4 Steve. My initial reaction is yes, I could well be persuaded. So persuade me. Specifically, my reservation is this: I think this leadership election is not really about policy. I think the party's policy machinery stand it in good stead to reign in the excesses of any one leader, and I think that most important for the party right now is to select
Friday: So it turns out that Mr Al Bore has won the Nobel Peace Prize for his film "An Inconvenient Truth". Which is nice. I am sure it will make a useful matching bookend to his Oscar. (Factoid courtesy of Mr Jon Snomail of the Channel Four News: the only OTHER person to win both was Mr George Bernard Shaw, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature and the Oscar Prize for the screenplay of the film Pygmalion. Coo!) The "Inconvenient Truth" is that I have not seen the DVD yet, so I cannot comment on the alleged nine factual ... | < | October 2007 | > | ||||
| S | M | T | W | T | F | S |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
| 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
| 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 |
| 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |||
