The Court Room at Brown’s in St Martin’s Lane was the unusual venue for this evening’s Westminster LibDems’ annual dinner; in past years, it has tended to be in the House of Lords. In the dock, so to speak, was the party’s Deputy Leader and Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, Vince Cable, who gave an [...] 
A daytime event in Victoria Square on Thursday 6th March from 11am to 3pm will enable passers by and shoppers to sample for free some of the delicious fair trade food products now available in shops around the city. There will also be live music, games, fair trade market stalls and a fair trade bus. This event is one of a series of nation-wide events organised by the Fairtrade Foundation to
According to the MoD, Harry has been in Afghanistan for 10 weeks - which (according to my maths) means he went before Christmas). Now, I can't remember what the BBC and other news organisations said when covering the Royals going to church at Christmas, but I'd be interested to know what they said, if anything, about Harry not being there. As I understand it, the news organisations knew that he had gone but accepted the request not to report this. Fair enough to many people's minds. But I bet the public wouldn't be so understanding if they thought that had ...
With British earthquakes in the news again, I refer the interested reader to three earlier postings on this blog: Earthquakes in KentMore British earthquakesFatalities in British earthquakesA piece by Ian Sample in today's Guardian looks at the fault lines along which they may occur: The most famous fault line, the Great Glen fault, runs along the length of the Great Glen from south-west to north-east Scotland, cutting through Loch Ness. Another is the Church Stretton fault line in Shropshire.I must admit I was disappointed that the epicentre of this week's quake was not under the Stiperstones. A couple of recent ...
Tim Worstall reprints the text of a Commons Early Day Motion in praise of Fidel Castro and the list of its signatories. I had a glance at the list to see which Labour dinosaurs had signed it, only to find an unexpected name among them: Paul Holmes, the Lib Dem MP for Chesterfield. To be as fair as possible, the second half of the motion is unexceptionable. It welcomes the EU statement that constructive engagement with Cuba is the most responsible course of action. In fact, it was probably the US blockade that kept Castrol in power for so long. ...
The Evening Standards campaign for tap water in restaurants is being given good coverage at least in their own newspaper. Its a good cause as well. Why should we encourage the bottled water industry to jet the stuff all over the world, when we are also paying through our water rates to clean the stuff in the taps But then, wont those who sell bottled water be delighted by government plans to put fluoride in the water. Ill be buying a lot more bottled water myself just to avoid the governments compulsory medication.
Nicol Stephen, the Scottish Liberal Democrat leader, is one of the panellists on tonights Question Time (broadcast on BBC1 and online from 10.35 pm GMT). Hell be alongside the Deputy Scottish Labour leader Cathy Jamieson, the Scottish Conservative leader Annabel Goldie, the Deputy Leader of the Scottish National Party Nicola Sturgeon, and Respect MP for [...]
Tessa Jowell is accused in the Telegraph of hypocrisy because she is apparently supporting a camapign to stop the closure of the Gipsy Road post office. She was a member of the cabinet at the time that thepost office closure plan was agreed upon and remains a Government Minister. Tessa Jowell has form on this cynical approach to [...]
A rollercoaster day today! The day started with a series of lengthy phone conversations, all needed but none of them planned for so the plans for the day began to slip behind time. Then came a piece of unexpected good news - the appeal against the Planning committee's refusal to allow demolition and replacement of Wainstones in Leven Rd, Yarm was dismissed by the inspector. 3 cheers all round.
Whoever said that there is no passion in Welsh Assembly Plenary meetings was clearly wrong as Eleanor Burnham proved yesterday: There are issues to do with Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, and, in many respects, you may be right. Perhaps it should be blown up and started from scratch. [ASSEMBLY MEMBERS: Oh.] Sorry, I will rephrase thatperhaps it should be started from scratch, as was said earlier. I beg your pardon. I do not want to cause offence to anyone, so I apologise. I sometimes get quite passionate about what I am saying and perhaps I do not say the right thing. ...
From The Economist: At the root of many of the island's problems is its halting democracy. Though politicians are elected, voters have no say in who forms a government, since assemblymen are voted into ministerial posts by their peers. That is true in Westminster too, of coursebut in Jersey almost all parliamentarians are independents, making it hard to know what sort of coalition will emerge from elections.Frank Walker, chosen as chief minister in 2005, had won fewer votes in the island-wide elections than Mr Syvret, who is now a backbencher. Voters are giving up: at the last election, in 2005, ...
I did a filmed interview for True Tube today - a sort of version of You Tube but with the emphasis on interactive debating. Today's interview was targeted at 15 - 25 year olds and was about women in politics and women in the work place. Did feminism still need to exist (In brief: yes). {London Lesbian and Gay Switchboard} Followed by a visit to the London Lesbian and Gay Switchboard. With my portfolio of Youth and Equalities I wanted to meet this voluntary (mainly) organisation that provides such a life line to the gay and lesbian population. They get ...
Iain Dale, 26 February 2008: Talking about Nick Clegg’s support for an in/out referendum on Europe: “I could never understand why Nick Clegg didn’t junk this ridiculous policy when he had the chance to.” Iain Dale, 23 November 2007: “I suggest that David Cameron looks to the Lib Dems to steal a policy.” Can you guess what policy that [...]
Just a thought, but how many British bloggers would have published the news about Harry serving in Afghanistan as Matt Drudge did We're not party to the agreement apparently concluded with the UK-based press not to publish until he returned from active service or the D-notice if there was one. So would we have held the line Clearly there will be different answers to that question for different bloggers. But for my part I have to confess it's a difficult one. I suppose I could cop out and say that it's not the sort of topic I cover and so ...
I received a letter two weeks ago from John Lyon, the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner, informing me that he has accepted that my evidence regarding the employment of Henry Conway is sufficient to commence an investigation. I had withdrawn my complaint against Mr Conway's wife, as it was clear that there was no case to be answered regarding her employment. I am bound by Parliamentary 
Who says the Tories have changed
I hate this fatuous Tory argument that immigration is making provision of public services difficult. This is absurd. The NHS couldn't function without immigration. This is another dog whistle call to the xenophobic right. Remember "are you thinking what we're thinking" Well I don't see much difference with "you can get it if you really want". Get what Get rid of all those nasty dirty foreigners Is that the insinuation we're meant to get because a lot of people will. If they want to limit immigration so that they can keep Britain for the white Britons then they should just ...
Tory Peer launches attack on nurses
Hagley Road to Ladywood has an interview with Norman Baker about his book The Strange Death of Dr Kelly: What triggered your interest in the Dr Kelly controversy to the point of writing a bookI think it was obviously a sensational death. Newspapers and tabloids were on about it all the time and it grabbed my attention like everyone else's. So I waited for Lord Hutton's inquiry to be completed. Rather naïvely of me, because when the report came out it became apparent it had completely failed to investigate his death, as it spent most of its time analysing the ...
So Prince Harry has been in Afghanistan all this time. How on earth did the establishment think that the arrangement they had come to with the British media would serve to keep a story this big under wraps for long In the 1930s my granny went to live in America, where stories about the Prince of Wales and Mrs Simpson were regular features in US newspapers, despite being taboo back home. She used to send the cuttings home to her family in Port Madoc where they were eagerly awaited. What took days two-thirds of a century ago now takes moments, ...
This afternoon I went to a service of celebration and thanksgiving for Tony Floyd at St Michael the Archangel Church, Galmington. As I mentioned in an earlier posting, 'We shall miss his wise counsel' Tony was many things, to many people, but I was really taken aback by just how many people had taken the time and made the effort to come along and pay their respects. By the time the service was due to start the church was so full some people found themselves having to stand and remained standing throughout the service. There were very moving tributes from ...
Duncan Borrowman has the story.
Gee, after being selected by the Hertsmere Executive last week, I didn’t mean for this to get in the paper.
Terrible news for fans of The Full Monty on the front of today’s Sheffield Star with the news that Shiregreen Working Mens’ Club which had a starring role in the film may be demolished for housing. Although the owners of the club deny any plans to sell the building, they have nonetheless applied for planning [...]
The news has just broken that Sir Iain Blair is demanding to know why the Derek conway case has not been referred to the police. But of course, they have. And they received the letter. Yesterday I wrote to Scotland Yard: 26 February 2008 Acting Commander Nigel Mawer Economic and Specialist Crime Unit Metropolitan Police New Scotland Yard Broadway London SW1H OBG Dear Commander Mawer, On 28th 
Hat tip: Alan Wolfe
The Guardian is reporting that: Nick Clegg, the Lib Dem leader, met Martin this morning to seek advice on how he could arrange for the issue to be debated. Martin would not accept the amendment because he decided that a referendum on EU membership was not relevant to the bill being debated, which was about ratifying the EU's Lisbon treaty. Following Clegg's meeting with the Speaker this morning,
Listening to the radio this morning I heard the story about Network Rail being fined £14 million. My immediate thought was "how stupid". I don't usually republish lib Dem press releases here. But Norman Baker is spot on: NETWORK RAIL FINE BAD NEWS FOR PASSENGERS - BAKER Commenting on the news that Network Rail is to face a record fine following engineering work overruns at the beginning of the
I doubt many of you have had a look at EDM 982. Well its currently signed by 72 MPs. It says some sensible things such as: this house "welcomes the EU statement that constructive engagement with Cuba at this time is the most responsible course of action; and calls upon the Government to respect Cuba's right to self-determination". Fair play really. Constructive engagement is the way forward, and of course we recommend self-determination for Cuba's people, whose history is unfortunately overshadowed by varying forms of tyranny. Why then have only 72 MPs signed this EDM Well, as ever, the dangerous ...
They always accuse us of offering different policies depending on who we’re talking to, well according to The Guardian: “David Cameron has today unveiled a £500,000 advertising campaign, with pledges on immigration in the Daily Mail, on crime in the Sun and education in the Guardian. In a move that echoes the kind of tactics deployed in [...]
Via: EDM 982 FIDEL CASTRO 20.02.2008 Burgon, Colin That this House commends the achievements of Fidel Castro in securing first-class free healthcare and education provision for the people of Cuba despite the 44 year illegal US embargo of the Cuban economy; notes the great strides Cuba has taken during this period in many fields such as biotechnology and sport in [...]
The recent announcements that seven local post offices will be closing in the restructuring of Post Offices throughout the Capital will have a devastating impact on local communities. Those that affect Haringey include Highgate High Street, 100 Alexandra Park Road (N10), Ferme Park Road (N4), Salisbury Road (N22), 89 Weston Park (N8), Page Green (N15) and 434 West Green Road (N15). Post offices have long been at the centre of communities and their closure will be acutely felt by our vulnerable residents. Many of these vulnerable clients rely on welfare rights, including older people and the disabled. They see their ...
Bloomberg isn't running. Fuck. The appeal to independent minded voters of McCain and Obama must be just too much to give him the space to win. Damnation and bother. He would have been the most effective chief executive America could have hoped for. Unfortunately, it wasn't to be. Sigh. OK that's enough moaning.
Whilst some police officers continue to call for a national DNA database, a case has started in the European Court of Human Rights that may make such arguments academic. The Times reports that two Britons, who were cleared of crimes, brought a case to the court yesterday to have their DNA samples destroyed. I have a huge amount of sympathy with this position. I think that it is right that retaining such information casts suspicion on people who have been acquitted of crimes or who have their cases dropped. The paper tells us that the case comes just days after ...
A week ago, Ryan posted up a selection of films about Boris Johnson from YouTube and asked readers which was the most effective anti-Boris message. The winner, voted for by 43% of readers in the five-way field, was this: http://www.youtube.com/watchv=EJZ9hTS42sE
In the Bexley Mercury this week, Derek Conway says: "As a matter of accuracy I am no longer a Conservative MP therefore the Conservative Party has no influence over my position" Now I don't want to dwell on this, but the wording "I am no longer a Conservative MP" is interesting. My question is: "Is Derek Conway still a member of the Conservative Party" In the Lib Dems we suspend people for "
Commenting on the Governments 10-year drug strategy announced today, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said: The Government has already been through one ten-year drugs strategy and a failed drugs tsar, but drug addiction is still the most significant contributor to crimes against property with 35 per cent of those arrested testing positive for opiates such as heroin or cocaine, including crack. Cutting benefits for addicts is a gimmick that is more likely to increase crime than reduce it, and the police already have the powers to freeze the assets of anyone who is arrested for serious crime. This ...
Apparently, for the last 24 hours, it's been "energy saving day" in the UK. And compared to a normal day, they saved ... minus 0.9%. (as of 1.16pm) There's a flashy website with counters and dials, which measure the day's energy consumption and compare it with the "normal" baseline figure used by the National Grid. It's a good job they programmed it with the ability to display negative energy savings! Hat-tip: Jon Ayling
Gordon Brown boasted at Prime Minister's Questions this week of Labour's introduction of the Winter Fuel Payment. What he neglected to mention was how far its original value has been eroded by inflation and recent extreme price rises. In fact, it now it only just pays for a quarter of a pensioners fuel bills. The amount of the Winter Fuel Payment has been frozen at £200 for five years. Commenting, Liberal Democrat Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, Danny Alexander said: As fuel bills rise, thousands of older people wont be able to afford to heat their homes this winter. While ...
The Daily Mail today notes that MPs on the Commons Public Accounts Committee have produced a report which says that four out of ten unemployment benefit claimants who get jobs are back on the dole within six months. The Tories are naturally up in arms and have condemned the government's 'back to work' iniatives. Now, I'm no mathematician and I certainly balk at defending this government but ten minus four equals six, doesn't it That means that six out of ten unemployment benefit claimants who find work, er, stay in work which doesn't seem so bad. This doesn't let the ...
This morning, I met with the Head of Operations and the Operations Manager of Scottish and Southern Energy (Hydro Electric) following the incident last Friday that resulted in the tragic electrocution of a family pet dog. The Hydro Electric representatives had indicated that their technical examination was not yet complete but likely to be so very soon. They further indicated that the company was willing for the incident and its actions to be scrutinised by the independent Health & Safety Executive and would fully co-operate. This is something I welcome as it is extremely important that this terrible incident is ...
See what happens when people get together to talk about things. All the bitterness of days gone by can be laid to rest. Nick and hte current incumbant of the Speaker's Chair Michael Martin got together to talk about the spat that erupted in the House on Tuesday. Especially as the ammendment calling for a referendum had apparently been accepted by Commons clerks therefore making it eligible for
Breaking news http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7268903.stm Annan has said, "We have come to an agreement of a form of coalition government." 1,500 people have been killed because of the violence. The first death were related to the polls, but since then it turned into an ethnic rampage. The violence shocked the world, in an African country that was so peaceful. In Kenya bribary makes up a third of household income, it is a part of everyday life and it has been part of the police force. The police can be credited with doing some good work, in protecting threatened people, taking them to ...
These comments from so-called F1 World Champion Fernando Alonso are truly disgraceful. He tries to justify racial abuse against Lewis Hamilton, and to make excuses for the people who shouted racist slogans at the British driver. He should be kicked out of motor-racing immediately. I'm embarrassed to have him in our sport.
This article I've just spotted gives an unusual fact about Sunday's Carling Cup Final and particularly the goalscorers (both Tottenham and Chelsea). So if you're in a pub quiz with a smart alec quizmaster, look out for this one...
Well here's a turn up for the books. Having taken no interest in the US Presidential pre election elections which are currently taking place I now find that I am actually supporting Barack Obama. The reason for this is because the pointlessly controversial Trevor Phillips, the Chairman of our own Equality and Human Rights Commission has said Obama will worsen the US racial divide if he is elected. Trevor Phillips is the kind of person who could walk into Disneyland and see danger everywhere. His time as the senior race relations guru in this country has been marked by seemingly ...
As ridiculous as that may seem, it's true. A total of 1,888 extra years of life have been saved amongst Londons seven million residents. See Congestion charge boosts health.
CHARLES Kennedy, the Liberal Democrats’ former leader, was last night elected as rector for Glasgow University by a landslide majority. Mr Kennedy, who is a former president of Glasgow University Union, won the ballot by a margin of almost two to one over his nearest rival. Read more here.
This is the EDM that I have tabled in discussions with the Care Leavers Association. Their press release said: The Care Leavers Association, the only organisation in the UK that represents all adults who were in care as children, notes with anger and concern, but not surprise, the revelations of a death, and widespread abuse, in the Haut de la Garenne childrens home in Jersey. Many of our
Last night was the meeting of Bury Council’s Executive Committee. I am one of the two Opposition Party leaders that sits on this Committee. There were a number of interesting issues: Validation Requirements for Planning Applications This sets out an improved scheme so that it is clearer how Planning Applications are dealt with by the Council. Car Parking Fines The Council will now introduce a higher parking fine for “serious” parking offences. These will include: - Parked or loading/unloading in a restricted street where waiting and loading/unloading restrictions are in force - Parked in a residents parking place without ...
In the dim and distant past I was a manager with Marks and Spencer. I didn't get very high up in the chain of command before I moved on to work elsewhere, but it looks good on a CV! I was reminded of my past employers when I woke up to the news from GMTV (not my favourite programme but someone has to watch it!) M and S, it was announced, are to charge 5p per carrier bag in their stores. Putting
The council budget set last night included money to continue allocations to wards for the improvements identified as priorities by the residents there. At the same time we found out that, contrary to what we'd been told previously, we can carry forward the money we haven't spent this year. The reason for not spending the money was that when we identified certain projects we were told that they
Everywhere you look, housing, that most basic of necessities, is in crisis. Having a safe and stable home is crucial for a childs development and the welfare of any person, of any age. Yet in the worlds fourth largest economy, after 10 years of a Labour government, there are 95,000 homeless families and the number [...]
Once again, I am indebted to Millennium Dome for organising another bloggers’ interview with a senior Lib Dem politician. This time we got to interview Ed Davey, at quite a topical time as it turns out. Ed arrived about 40 minutes late, unavoidably so because Parliament had over-run due to a series of divisions as part of the Lisbon ratification debate. But he gave us a full hour; it has to be said that in some of the recent interviews we’ve done the interviewees have barely managed 30-40 mins. Given that Ed had promised his wife to get home early ...
Last night was a meeting of the officers of the local party Executive, which progressed nicely until the lights went out and for a brief few moments was conducted using the light from my computer’s monitor. Tonight I am out and about obtaining signatures from residents willing to sponsor our candidates to stand in the elections on May 1st. If a candidate wants to stand in a ward, ten people from that ward have got to sign saying that they sponsor the application. This isn’t a problem, but actually completing the form is proving challenging… I attempted it on Tuesday night, ...
At full Council on Tuesday a Conservative Portfolio Holder said, in the course of recommending a Cabinet decision on housing, that he sees nothing wrong with landowners in rural districts building a few houses for their immediate family. Wooly thinking that caused surprised looks amongst the members of the Planning Committee, who didn't know about this apparent change of policy! To be fair to the Tories, it was one of their more experienced members who got up and reminded the Portfolio Holder of the 1991 Chanel 4 documentary 'Concrete and Cream Teas', which gave Planners in Cornwall a good slapping ...
For the past couple of days right wing hate rag and home of Melanie Phillips, The Daily Mail, have been running a "Banish the Bag" campaign with this lovely picture on their front page: And fair play to them for doing so, but if newspapers keep going against type, what’s going to be next A [...]
Having missed Tuesdays edition of Masterchef I have just watched it on my BBCi player. Having done so I have to say I seriously question the BBCs commitment to reducing their carbon footprint. For some spurious reason, the BBC decided it was necessary to fly all three contestants; Emily, James and Jonny, the two presenters/judges; John Torode and Gregg Wallace and a full BBC production team hundreds of miles just so the contestants could be filmed cooking for some British soldiers in the jungle. Why It just seems so unnecessary. Whoever wins the competition (my money is on James) isnt ...
No sadly Nick Clegg has not persuaded him to take up a front bench role in the Commons. In 1982 a young Highlander graduated from Glasgow University. He also served as President of the Union. Befroe going on to be President then Leader of the Liberal Democrats. Well last night Charles Kennedy won the vote to become the new Rector of Glasgow University. Here's hoping the new rector of Glasgow
The news yesterday that people from Plane Stupid protesting against Heathrow Expansion made it on to the roof of the House of Commons didn't particularly surprise me. Everyone always talks about the daunting levels of security at Parliament, but in my experience it has always seemed a worryingly easy target. I worked in Parliament for 18 months, including being inside there as the planes struck the World Trade Center on 911. While security then increased, and anyone going through the main visitor's entrance at St Stephen's gets what's called 'airport style security checks', some of the other entrances into the ...
Its just been announced that the number of people now being treated for dog bites at hospitals in England has risen by more than 40% to nearly 3,800 a year. In response Lib Dem Health spokesman, Norman Lamb MP, has called for stricter legal duties to be laid on dog owners; conditions imposed on dog ownership and in severe cases irresponsible owners disqualified. Fine words Norman. But as we all know, "fine words butter no parsnips". I'd like to see initiatives with more 'bite' and less 'bark' All this talk of making people aware of the risks of irresponsible dog ...
Rivers running red, environmental collapse, human rights abuses, links to the Sudanese Government, are all among problems that China must skillfully manage (in reality and in terms of PR) over this Olympic year. However, far more important than all of these, probably combined, for the CCP is its economy. It must continue to boom. I believe and have said so for a while now, that China is headed for a major crash at some point in the not too distant future (I can't place a time frame on it) due to its terrible debt, poor structures, and lack of transparency. ...
A great post on the economist Europe blog. Gates is paying more than most EU countries pay into the budget. Why doesn't he just buy a small country and get the voting rights.
He is reportedly outspending her 4 to 1 in Ohio and between 2 and 3 to 1 in Texas. Well, it helps when you've had over a million donors. Its looking increasingly like BHO's going to hammer HRC. Now we have to really grapple with what his potential Presidency will look like. I'm less than enthused. I'd love to be caught up in all the rhetoric but it all seems a little empty. At least his behaviorist links are interesting.
I believe strongly in the role of opposition in a democracy. Which is why I applaud the actions of Edward Davey in holding his ground during the debate on the European Treaty. When the Speaker refused to allow the House of Commons to debate the Liberal Democrat amendment, Ed protested vehemently and was asked to leave. You can see the BBC article on this here, and Ed's own account of...
Wednesday: Unrepentant about yesterday; committed to Europe; pragmatic about peace; optimistic about America; even-handed on the Middle East; enthusiastic for Turkey to earn membership of the EU; keen to connect the international agenda to the local doorstep campaign these are just some of the impressions of an evening my fluffy friends and I spent in the Houses of Parliament with Mr Ed Davey, Liberal Democrat Shadow Foreign Secretary, a man who describes himself as "a natural radical, not a natural rebel". I'll tell you all about it soon, but Daddy appears to be unconscious now, so here is a picture ... | < | February 2008 | > | ||||
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