LibDem Blogs - Archived! - Wednesday 21st May 2008

on collecting and losing data

First it was the government, now its the turn of the Tories. The names, addresses, telephone numbers and voting intention of 8,000 voters in Crewe and Nantwich, as collected by the Tory canvassing team, were sent to Manx Radio by the Conservatives, who then forwarded it on to the local paper in Crewe. Interestingly, all recipients claim they deleted the email (perhaps even the copy in their deleted items folder). Yesterday, the government announced they were considering plans to hold a database of every telephone call made and every email sent in the UK. David Davis Saddo Home Secretary stated, ...

The Highs and Lows of Malcolm Bruce

In a fortnight’s time, Malcolm Bruce, MP, will be celebrating 25 years as the Member for Gordon, but earlier this evening, he was the guest speaker at the National Liberal Club’s annual Chairman’s Dinner. That in itself was something of an innovation, as often these dinners have just been an occasion for socialising after the [...]

Climate Change Festival - 31 May - 8 June 2008

The first Climate Change Festival is being held in Birmingham from 31 May to 8 May 2008. This is a national event, the first of its kind, and is jointly organised by Birmingham City Council and CABE (Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment). Over nine days, the festival will help people to see the city with new eyes. It features exhibitions, events, street theatre, art and fun

Tories break data protection laws in Crewe and Nantwich by-election

We all thought labour were incompetent when it came to protecting data, but the Tories showed today that they too have not got the first idea of how to keep peoples' personal data secure. It appears the Tories e-mailed details of 8,000 people and their voting intentions to a radio station, and in the process broke the law. Oh dear !

Frank Furedi on Labour's campaign in Crewe

From an article on Spiked: New Labour's 'anti-toff' crusade in Crewe and Nantwich is only a caricature of old-fashioned class politics. Traditional class politics was not simply about targeting the rich - it was also about providing an alternative vision of the world, where what your family did for a living need not determine your destiny. This class-based politics promoted and argued for a real and positive vision of the future. The current anti-toff campaign, by contrast, simply encourages resentment towards the better-off. It is actually about targeting those who are different or who are outsiders. So it is perhaps ...

Conservatives face legal investigation over by-election campaign

Oops indeed as the BBC reports: The Information Commissioner is launching an investigation after the Conservatives accidentally sent details of 8,000 people to a radio station. The e-mail sent contained the names, addresses, telephone numbers and intentions of voters in the Crewe and Nantwich by-election. Deputy Information Commissioner David Smith said the disclosure, to Manx Radio, raised “serious [...]

Abortion: a horrible dilemma for liberals

Last night, MPs rejected calls to reduce the 24 week limit on abortion. On most issues, I have no problem in determining my political and moral positions. My libertarian instincts point me in the direction that individuals should make their own moral choices and I despise the idea that the state should make moral choices for us. Of course, there are cases where the actions of one individual can infringe on the liberty of another and that is the reason we need the rule of law. But abortion is different. The key question is when do the rights of the ...

I've been to that stadium

I've just realised that I have seen the Moscow stadium where the football match is taking place before. I was iin Moscow in 1999 and we went up to the hill near the Moscow University which overlooked the city. There in front of us was the stadium - it was a bit of a tease to say I had been in it.That visit to Moscow was before my video camera days. But I did have a 35mm camera (it was before I

There appears to be a football match taking place

I have to confess that I don't follow football. At the moment however it is impossible to avoid the game. My colleage George Crozier was watching it in the office this evening and when I left, half time was just about on us and Chelsea had scored an equaliser.I met up with Richard and we are now in a pub on the way back to my house in London. The place is packed full of cheering Chelsea fans.

X factor bus bombshell petition

Lib Dem Councillor Sheila Mead and fellow councillors handed in a petition from residents affected by the proposed cuts to the bus services in Chipping Sodbury and Yate to the Executive member of S Glos Council. Sheila believes it's vital to make sure the Conservative Council listens to their concerns. Sheila Mead said, "Those people who've signed the petition really want their concerns taken seriously. We want the Council to make sure First Bus understands that these cuts are unacceptable without offering better alternatives. If streamlining one part of a service to make it better then leaves other people without ...

Conservatives leak voter data in Crewe and Nantwich

Gordon Brown has certainly had plenty of trouble when it comes to data leakages and the Conservatives were quick to capitalise however it is now their turn to be under the spotlight for the blundering release of information. The Information Commissioner is launching an investigation after the Conservatives accidentally sent an e-mail containing the names, addresses, telephone numbers and intentions of voters in Crewe and Nantwich. Manx radio station received the e-mail at lunchtime on Wednesday. It sent it on to the local newspaper in Crewe, although it is understood that both emails have now been deleted. Deputy Information Commissioner, ...

Tuesday 13th May 11am

CASEWORK MEETING I met with a resident and one of Tom Brake's senior caseworkers at the MP's constituency office to see how we could assist with the resident's housing situation. The resident had contacted both Tom & myself so it made sense for us to pool our efforts. � Tom's caseworker had in depth knowledge of the housing [...]

The myth of Donald Draper

In the penultimate episode of the first season of Mad Men, we discover the truth about Donald Draper. We already knew he was a creation, a myth, and now we know how it came about. We are not quite sure why: no doubt that is to come. As the show reveals a fraction of truth it also shows us Kennedy winning the US Presidential election. Kennedy also created a myth. Summed up by the word Camelot, Kennedy stood for something different in American politics - change, moral righteousness, youth. But the show has Draper's boss claiming that Nixon would have ...

Clegg: the heir of Gladstone?

The mood of the country is changing and so are the Lib Dems. At a speech to the Policy Exchange think tank on Tuesday, Nick Clegg set out the case for lower taxes. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7409664.stm) For years, the Lib Dems have (quite rightly) made the case for getting the state off our backs on personal freedom and civil liberty issues. Now there are signs that Clegg is rediscovering the traditional values of economic liberalism. Despite all the press criticism, Clegg is slowly beginning to set out his vision of Liberalism and exert his leadership, which is bringing benefits to the Party. ...

Will anti foreigner violence push South Africa to take Zimbabwe seriously ?

The world is utterly sick of the pathetic way most of Africa has dealt with Robert Mugabe. Southern Africa's sycophantic have fawned over Mugabe for years and despite ruining the best economy in Africa, despite letting thousands of his citizens starve to death, and despite deliberate pre-mediated government inspired violence, South Africa and its leaders insist there are no problems in Zimbabwe. Yet in the last few days South Africa has been hit by rioting and xenophobic violence by South Africans against foreign migrant workers, the largest group of which is Zimbabweans. Despite three million Zimbabwe citizens forced to flee ...

How Lib Dem MPs voted in the abortion debate

55 Lib Dem MPs took part in last night's crucial Commons vote on whether to reduce the current 24-week limit on abortions to 22 weeks (the closest vote of the night). In what was a free vote, a majority of the party's MPs voted against any change to the current law. Here's how they [...]

Premier League refs DO tend to favour certain teams

When football teams get a dreadful decision from an official commentators and FA officials tend to claim that luck evens itself out over a season. However one website proves this is not the case. The rather good Right Result website shows what the points totals for teams would be, throughout the season, based on a panel of experts viewing games and looking at the real decisions the referees should have made. for example, when free kicks are awarded instead of penalties, when penalties have not been awarded, where penalties have been awarded that shouldn't have been or where players have ...

Boris: "The more Deputy Mayors, the merrier!"

I was in the Chamber at City Hall in London this morning, for Boris Johnson's first Mayor's Question Time. (It was also Caroline Pidgeon's, and I have to say she had a lot more poise and grasp of the facts than BoJo did...) Boris was leaning forward on his desk, and dispensing all sorts of witticisms, as befits a panel show host. He even invented two new words in the course of the session, "factitious" (anyone got any idea?) and also said that he wants the River Thames to be "Oysterised" which I did not take to mean he wanted ...

Tories in climate change denial

� For those of us who have campaigned against Conservatives, locally and nationally, for years it is one of those certainties that the Tories sudden enthusiasm for green issues is political opportunism at its worst. We know this because if you sit and listen to what their elected representatives have to say the truth of what [...]

The Ladele case

Lilian Ladele's employment tribunal is currently in session. She's the Islington registrar who refused to carry out civil partnerships on religious grounds. I fully support employees’ freedom to express their faith provided it does not undermine their ability to do their job. Whether it's a Christian like Nadia Eweida wearing a cross on the checkin desk, [...]

Tony Blair "lead from the front" in by-elections? In WHAT universe Mr Cameron?

Having a pop at Gordon Brown for failing to show his face in Crewe and Nantwich is all fair and good, but why does David Cameron have to go and spoil everything by talking unmitigated bullshit like this? Mr Cameron taunted him by saying his predecessor as PM, Tony Blair, “led from the front” at by-elections. During the Blair years it was a standing joke, as it is now, that the Prime Minister never attended by-elections. Indeed, in the last general election, using a picture of Tony Blair (almost always with George Bush) on your literature was one of the ...

Khyra Ishaq

The rather tragic case of Khyra Ishaq has occurred (and her siblings). Obviously we should not jump to any conclusions. However, for a child of 7 - which is school age - to starve to death raises a large number of questions. After all it does not happen quickly. In a sense it is a test of the new post Laming framework. We now have a vastly larger number of references to Childrens Services

Wednesday

A busy day today - this afternoon, after a couple of site visits about traffic issues in the West End, I attended the first meeting of the Magdalen Green History Group which is meeting in Blackness Library on Wednesdays 1.30pm-3pm until 25th June. It was a good start and many useful ideas raised for future activities. The photo (right) shows some of the resources available today. Click on the headline above to read more. Earlier on, I was delighted - along with two of my fellow City Councillors, the Council's Chief Executive and others - to view the new Claypotts ...

PMQs: Nick tackles Gordon on Afghanistan

International affairs dominated Prime Minister's Questions today, with both Nick Clegg and David Cameron choosing to put their best statesmanlike foot forward. While the Tory leader led on the ongoing humanitarian disaster in Burma, Nick focused on that 'forgotten' theatre of war, Afghanistan, and attacked the 'cold war' priorities of defence spending. Judge for yourselves how [...]

Google Alphabet

The idea for this came when I was just minding my own business, surfing away as you do - in other words I was bored. It's premise is simple; to take some common words starting with letters of the alphabet and Google them. Irrelevant? Yes Pointless? Probably. A Aardvark Aardvark is one of those words that everybody knows but, if pressed, I suspect allot of people would find it difficult to describe what an aardvark actually looks like. However, maybe that is just me; type it into Google however and your screen is awash with the critters; three million, seven ...

Don't Place Your Bets

One of our meetings today was with the vitual world website Second Life. You can do just about eveything in this alternative world but gamble. Betting is not allowed and anyone - or s...

Scots Wha Hae

Stop me from generalising but, meet the average Scot, and you'll marvel at the sheer dourness that encircles them as they bewail their misery and misfortune. Even when nothing that bad has actually happened, there's normally an arsenal of enemies awaiting character assassination, or an assortment of seemingly miserable anecdotes, to regail onlookers with over a pint or two on a Friday evening People like to say this attitude is based on a Calvinist understanding of life that sees pleasure as sin - one that certainly resonated with my parents who seemed to approve of anything unpleasant on the basis ...

Boris unaware that he has delegated planning

The new Mayor of London Boris Johnson appeared today not to know who is making critically important decisions on his behalf. When asked if it was appropriate that he should delegate strategic planning decisions to an 'unelected, unaccountable' adviser, Mayor Johnson insisted he had not.Yet since he was appointed two weeks ago, Ian Clements - one of Boris Johnson's deputy mayors - has been writing

"snp are playing politics with pittenweem" - campbell

{Ming is East Neuk} Fisheries Minister Richard Lochhead MSP is playing politics with Pittenweem says Lib Dem MP for North East Fife Sir Menzies Campbell. Commenting on the launch of a consultation document on the Scottish fishing industry today, local MP Sir Menzies Campbell accused Fisheries Minister Richard Lochhead of playing politics with Pittenweem. Sir Menzies said, "I met with senior representatives of the FMA (Fisherman's Mutual Association) on the 17th April at Pittenweem and thereafter I wrote to Richard Lochhead on 23rd April drawing attention to the plight of fishermen at Pittenweem who could not afford to go to ...

Lib Dem Liberalism @ ASI

The ASI blog gives Nick a good write up after yesterday’s speech on tax policy at Policy Exchange: “In a speech at Policy Exchange yesterday, Nick Clegg said: When Labour came to power in 1997, the Government took three hundred billion pounds a year in tax. This year the Government will take nearly double that. They take one thousand seven hundred million pounds of our money every single day of the year. That's more than £18,000 a second. Indeed - and isn’t that a great way to put it? The whole speech is pretty interesting actually, as it marks a ...

manifesto.libdems.org.uk broken

I just logged into my libdems account to see if there was any useful members information, like who to contact if you have questions about something (nope), or published information for party members (like local or national party budget, spending, ... Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Not quite "Bigoted question of the week" - but close to it

It is remarkable to witness the kaleidoscopic range of views expressed in the House of Commons. In yesterday's debate on IVF with respect to female couples and solos, I was rather shocked by a jarring intervention by Iris Robinson MP. Bear in mind that this intervention was delivered in something of a shout and accompanied by a very angry expression on the face of the Hon. member for Strangford (

Party HQ telephones to ask for cash (again)

Good god people! Think outside the box - do you really think the nation will notice if the lib dems blow an extra few hundred thousand splurging out on billboards, leaflets, focus groups and all that tosh. Seriously - only a few decades ago part... Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Highgate Choral Society

Sunday evening sees me at the South Bank for a concert by Highgate Choral Society - of which I am a patron. They are so brilliant and so professional that it was hard to believe that they are not professionals. A wonderful evening and congrats to all who took part in or helped organise such a fantastic concert.

Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill

Monday and Tuesday much of my time was taken up with the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill. I have been lobbied by all sides on the issues covered by the Bill -hybrid embryos, saviour siblings, IVF rules and abortion time limit reduction in particular. I know how very much these issues matter to those who have written to me and because everyone is to be respected for their view - here is why I supported the Bill and voted against the amendments. I cannot please all those who contacted me - as they were on opposing sides. I represented all ...

YMCA Crouch End Fun Run

{Lynne Featherstone with the TA} This weekend was the YMCA Crouch End Fun Run. Every year the YMCA organises this phenomenal local event for local people in Priory Park. Adult and children runs are separate - and there are loads and loads of categories - so that 40's, 50's and 60+ all have their prizes. Lots of local and community groups have stalls. The photo is of me with the local Territorials here to promote joining and inform people about their work. There is much for children and adults to do - as well as run! I am there to ...

Exposing the contradictions at the heart of the Welsh Tories

Betsan Powys started it off with her gentle reminder that the Conservative Spokesperson on Health might be out of line with the previous commitments of his Assembly Group Leader. By the time that this same spokesperson had arrived in the BBC Good Evening Wales radio studio last night his fate was sealed. As one comment on Betsan's blog stated "Thought Felicity (R.Wales) gave Jonathan ample chance to explain himself as a caring, sharing Tory, now tacking rightwards (look out David Davis!)...and then let him hang himself over the lack (of) any logic in his position. Firmly and Politely. He sounded ...

22 May election result

Labour come third in Parliamentary by-election

What is 'Social Liberalism'?

There seem to be two meanings: Social and personal freedom State provision of services as an end The first is fine, liberalism is founded upon individual freedom and freedom from arbitrary rule. The state has no place regulating personal relationships and the like. I strongly support it. The second seems to me to be opposed to the origins of [...]

A treat in store

More good news for Gordon. I’m sure the photographers are already gearing up to record the happy couple.

Google Health

Via Tim Worstall, I find that Google launched Google Health earlier this week. Currently only available in the U.S., it allows you to “build an online health profile”, adding information about conditions, medications, allergies and immunizations that you have/have had as well as having the possibility to import your medical records. Once this is done, you can then find a doctor in your area, and allow them to view your details. It also links with a number of online medical services allowing you to check you risk of heart attack, whether you have the correct immunizations to go on your ...

on saddo's

Is David Davis a saddo? Andrew Sparrow reports that the Tories are waffling again, "I love the NHS" and "They do not vote on exchange of insults". As someone pointed out in the Newsnight audience last night, the Tories running to their mums crying about negative campaiging is highly hypocritical... Demon Eyes? So awful it was banned... Labour Tax Bombshell? Anymore?Comment is (always) free....

Clinton and Obama win one each - has Obama now done it?

In yesterday's primaries Clinton won big (again) in Kentucky by 459,145 (65%) to Obama's 209,771 (30%). Obama also won big in Oregon. Exit polls suggested he would win by a margin of three to two, with 86% of precincts counted, Obama had won 322,461 (58%) to Clinton's 231,071 (42%).

Strong feelings

I had a meeting with a headteacher from Neath Port Talbot this morning to discuss the funding of the Foundation Phase for 3 to 7 year olds. When the phone rang to say that my constituent had arrived my office was informed that she had brought another nine headteachers with her. Following a frantic phone call to arrange a suitably sized room the meeting was able to go ahead. It was most illuminating. Feelings on this issue are running very high. The heads told me that despite the extra five million pounds put into this scheme by the Education Minister ...

Now Configured for Mobiles

This blog is now set up for mobile browsing, thanks to this wonderful plug-in from Andy Moore. You can now read my random musings and pot-shots at anyone and everyone whilst on the go. Let joy be unconstrained!

The Independent View: Foreign intervention should be supported by liberals

Those former left-wing pioneers who founded the neoconservative movement in Washington should not be treated like war criminals or fathers of the 'new imperialism'. In fact the doctrine should be welcomed and supported by us liberals. We liberals believe in a society based on liberty, justice and a constitutional government, whether it is in are own [...]

By-elections in Winchester and Henley at same time ?!

I doubt it, but Conservative Home says: A rumour for you: There is gossip in the Westminster village that Mark Oaten may be about to quit his Winchester seat for a job in the USA. It's unconfirmed but a by-election in Hampshire would be very useful for our defence of Henley if the LibDems are forced to fight on two fronts. The LibDems are already mass surveying Henley. Boris is reportedly keen

Bollards to this

Occasionally the struggle to get little things achieved in my ward vastly outweighs the small-time reality of what it is I am trying to do. Today's successful installation of bollards on Kingswood / Dashwood Road is the perfect case in point. One night about six months ago I noticed the world's single largest HGV trying to do a three point turn down the residential side-street that is Dashwood Road. This monster truck was, seriously, about thrice the width of the road, resplendent with more bright light bulbs than the Blackpool Illuminations, and almost certainly possessing a horn of such magnitude ...

Day 2692: Relic Box of Einstein's Hairdo

Thursday: Four things that Professor E is famous for: Number 1: E = mc2 Number 2: Sock phobia Number 3: Turned down the presidency of Israel Number 4: "Mr God does not play dice" Except it turns out that that last quote ought to be: "Mr God does not play dice... because he's IMAGINARY!" Mr Albert often referred to Mr God POETICALLY, something that's been used as a sign of BELIEF. But, in this forgotten letter, he lays it out a bit more BLUNTLY: "The word god is for me nothing more than the expression and product of human weaknesses, ...

Anne Atkins and the art of bovine scatology

I can't make out how old Anne Atkins is. She complains (Radio 4's Thought for the day this morning) about testing at schools, saying how lovely and unpressurised it was in her day, but surely they had the 11-plus when she was at school, did they not? Most schools also had termly exams (certainly at the secondary level) or gradings. The pressure my child has been under for her Year 6 SATS has been

Child Protection damages Public Health - AIMS

The following is an AIMs press release sent out recently that I quote. The punitive way child "protection" is practised in the UK may be doing more harm than good. In their many cases on file, the Association for Improvements in the Maternity Services has numerous examples: Women with postnatal depression who are at risk of suicide conceal their illness - for fear of losing their children

Patrick Cormack flips his lid over fellow Tory MP, Ed Vaizey

I couldn't help but be surprised (and indeed entertained) by this monstering of Ed Vaizey (Conservative) by Sir Patrick Cormack (Conservative) in the House of Commons yesterday evening: Sir Patrick Cormack: ...We are talking about families—the Government have even elevated the word "families" into the title of one of the Departments of State. If we are intent on promoting the concept of the

Text of Evan Harris' speech on female couples/solos IVF/"need for a father"

I have reproduced below Evan Harris' speech on the Female couples and solo female IVF/"need for a father" amendment in the Commons last night- because I think it is brilliant: The Liberal Democrats have a party policy against unjustified discrimination, such as the inclusion of a provision in the Bill for the need for a father. I hope to show that the proposal is discriminatory and unjustified.

Cintra Avenue: third visit from travellers

A quick note to say that Kirsten, Glenn and I are pressing Reading Borough Council to protect Cintra Avenue as a top priority, following the third traveller incursion in the area so far this year. We are very frustrated by the lack of action from RBC. I checked my old emails today and found that I originally raised this issue back in March 2007! Cost has been a real issue in terms of securing the green space, but as a number of local people have pointed out, the cost to the taxpayer of court orders and clean ups could well ...

refusion has been reading the Daily Hate...

... whose readers are, apparently, not happy bout last night's outbreak of sense and reason in the House of Commons. One of the things she says resonated loudly with me:If the woman has access to the birth pill, why do so many fall pregnant? They should be made to carry the baby, then perhaps that would curb their appetite for unsafe sex. This viewpoint I find most curious of all. Why exactly do people, who cannot trust a woman to take the birth control pill, think that the same woman can be entrusted with a child? And why on earth ...

Moving On...

Life is a process of becoming, a combination of states we have to go through. Where people fail is that they wish to elect a state and remain in it. This is a kind of death. Anais Nin Before I left York for Brussels my flatmate offered me a piece of advice: never go back. She was right. In the year since I moved back to Brussels I've been totally unable to recreate the sense of exploration and excitement that kept me motivated here first time round. Despite the champagne and the shopping I've been unhappy, resentful, and running to ...

The wait is over...

Following my post last week about the delayed installation of bottle banks in Redlands, I am pleased to report that the new banks will be installed next week (26 May). We will continue to press for more local recycling facilities (particularly for the Kings Road/London Road end of the ward) and for kerbside collection of glass. Sign our petition here.

Reform Parliament and the Libel Laws

Bloggerheads (UK) - UK Libel Law, the Demon Almost-Precedent and the Bastard Duke of Brunswick Tim kicks off the libel law campaign. Linked for reference as much as anything else, need to get back to it. (tags: libel law reform) Nick Clegg: Democracy? What a great idea... - UK Politics, UK - The Independent Haven't actually been able to read most of this, my brain isn't working. But it looks to make some sense, so saving to get back to—feel free to tell me what you see wrong in the meantime. (tags: democracy Parliament politics)

Friends of Magdalen Green

A well attended public meeting last night at Dundee West Church Hall, and a very interesting and entertaining talk by Andrew Gray on his participation in last year's Special Olympics in China. The winners of the Friends of Magdalen Green Photography Competition were announced (more details about this are on the Friends' website - click on the headline above to view). The winning photographs will for the 2009 Magdalen Green calendar in due course! There was a good discussion about other matters affecting the Green, including parking, litter and community wardens.

Cameron - bad parents are 'villans'

It is the contention of this blog that little has changed about the Conservative Party and there has been a slew of evidence of that in recent weeks. David Cameron provided more evidence of that yesterday branding bad parents 'villains'. In remarks reported in the Daily Mail he compared Margaret Thatcher's confrontation with the trade unions to his commitment to put family at the centre of Conservative policy; "The problems now are not so much the over-mighty trade unions so much as irresponsible parenting, family breakdown and anti-social behaviour." "These are the great villains and problems today." So, it's back-to-basics ...

Liberal International - impressions from the 55th Congress

My chief impression of Liberal International as I came away from its 55th Congress is of health and growth. The delegates comprised not only LI stalwarts from Europe and Canada, but also newer participants from Asia, South America, sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa, Egypt and the Middle East, including Israel - over 50 countries were represented, and they included French-speaking nations as well as British. We heard a speech in French from a liberal President of an African country: Senegal. We heard a speech in Chinese from a liberal President of Taiwan. There were thoughtful workshops on issues going beyond the ...

The reaction to Nick Clegg's speech on taxation

In a speech to the Policy Exchange yesterday lunchtime, Nick Clegg set out the party’s tax policy and indicated that a Liberal Democrat government would look at reducing the overall level of taxation as a percentage of GDP. These are two different things, as James Graham points out. The bare bones of the tax policy “announced” [...]

Scrutinising Hook

Scrutiny is a peculiar activity, but one that is essential in a modern democracy. It is the process of chewing over policy decisions that have been, or are about to be, taken by the Council. The Lib Dems in Kingston believe that formal scrutiny should be undertaken by the Opposition, so, with the agreement of the Conservatives, we always ensure that they have a majority on the...

How grown up are Labour?

Last Wednesday, it was the Wolverhampton Annual Council, I am told that as the Conservatives were being voted in Labour booed. This is just too typical of Wolverhampton Labour Councillors and perhaps one of the reasons the electorate gave them such a kicking on May 1st.

Bridge delays as problems found

The Bridge at the bottom of Fielding road ahs been closed for 18 weeks now when the original contract was for 13 weeks. Major corrosion has been found in metal work under the bridge and buried in the concrete that has just been exposed. It is a matter of fact that local Liberal Democrats told them that is what they would find when a repair was first proposed and that is why we pressed...

May Bank Holiday Collections Reminder 2008

Please remember that refuse, recycling and composting collections all continue as normal over the Bank Holiday weekend so please put out your recycling and rubbish as normal next week. From last year, all collections operate as normal for all Bank Holidays except those over the Christmas New Year period so for the rest of the year there is no longer any need to put your refuse out a...

Government postponing bad news on tax credits?

HM Revenue and Customs were scheduled to release Tax Credits 'Finalised Awards' and 'Supplements of Payments' for 2006-07 yesterday [Tuesday 20th May]. They should have been available here. LibDem analysts expect the statistics on tax credits overpayments to show that the Tax Credits system has wasted over £10bn in four years. The figures are expected to reveal that 1.25m families received over £1bn in overpayments in 2006-7, meaning that in just four years the money lost through fraud, error and overpayments would amount to over £10bn. Commenting, Liberal Democrat Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, Danny Alexander said: "The expected loss ...

The liberal democrat approach to taxation

It is good to see that Liberal Democrat Leader, Nick Clegg has called for tax cuts for low and middle-income earners after a decade of tax hikes and unprecedented public spending rises. During a speech to the Policy Exchange think-tank, Nick Clegg said: "We are not ready to accept the Government's proposed overall level of taxation, and will look in depth at whether it can,...

Milburn V Brown?

Yesterday, three different people told me that Alan Milburn, MP for Darlington and Pepsico, would be challenging Gordon Brown for the Labour leadership after the expected meltdown in Crewe and Nantwich. Now, what came first, the rumours in Darlington or the rumour on Political Betting? Maybe there'll be something in this morning's papers. Co-incidentally, AM has launched a new website, showing

Where does the river flow?

It's not the most obvious shot of a river but that's exactly what it is - the location of the river in Kilburn. I remains slightly unclear as to the definition of river versus tributary and whether it is the Kilbourne river, the Westbourne or a feeder from or to the Fleet. What I do know however, if that if you stand above this set of drains at the bottom of West End Lane but the old Bird in Hand Pub you can hear the river flowing beneath you. I'm told that this is the river that feeds the Serpentine ...

Save Far Headingley Post Office

No one will be surprised to see that Far Headingley Post Office is under real threat of Closure. Without going into the national picture re Post Offices I really object to this for three reasons. Firstly Far Headingley is the anchor of a varied but fragile parade of shops which serves a distinct community in the St Chads area. Its all very well to Say people can walk the extra ten minutes in central Headingley but for a lot of small shops people won't bother. Secondly the Headingley Arndale PO is already over run. I try to practice what I ...

How often does the House of Commons get it right?

The vote on the limit on abortion tonight has disturbed me: I'm so used to thinking that the House of Commons will make a bad decision, even when the right one is obvious, that this has left me stunned. MPs show sense and an appreciation of fellow human beings? Surely not. But so they have by rejecting the moves to turn back the clock on this human right. Interesting, though, that the Tory leader voted to reduce the limit by two weeks. Amazing how he calls other parties indecisive, when he himself acts in such a spineless manner: for goodness' ...

The Daily Twits

Whatever thoughts crossed my mind that weren't worth a whole post.13:43 Is wondering why we're both ill on my parents first visit. No sleep, utterly exhausted, back to bed for me. #Microblogging using LoudTwitter and Twitter. {[info]} matgb_twitter is there if you're mad enough.

Edward Kennedy has a brain tumour

Bad news from the US. Senator Edward Kennedy has terminal cancer and might have only a limited time to live.

Day 2695: Butterbees and Bumbleflies

Sunday: And speaking of insects... Our planet Earth is very BEAUTIFUL, but also very FRAGILE. And you don't need one of THESE to cause the End of the World. We have come to think of the countryside as permanent and unchanging, and shortage of food, famine even, as a thing that only happened in the DARK AGES, but this could all go rather horribly wrong because some of our most VITAL workers are under THREAT... and we don't even really know why! No, it's not schoolteachers, it is the humble, industrious Honey Bee and the soft and gentle Butterflies! Bees ...

Wednesday 21st May 2008

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