LibDem Blogs - Archived! - Monday 7th July 2008

Stop wasting food......OK Gordy, whatever you say!

You know when you lie in the bath and you can hear what is going on outside but it is a little muffled, and anyway you are in your own little world. Or you sit on the tube and miss your stop because you are reading and the monotone voice barely pricks your consciousness as it says Kings Cross St Pancras.......? Oh....it's just me then! I had the same kind of sensation at the news today that Gordon Brown is urging us to stop wasting food. My ears didn't prick up, my conscience wasn't pricked..........it kind of washed over me ...

Foster backs new kitchens for MPs

Hastings and Rye MP Michael Foster has been named amongst the MPs voting to retain what has become known as the 'John Lewis List' - the allowance for furnishing MPs' second homes. On 3 July, MPs voted at Westminster on the details of their own expenses package. Serious criticism has been levelled at MPs for being able [...]

Remembering 7/7

7/7 - like 9/11 and for those of us of a certain age, the assassination of Kennedy, the shooting of John Lennon, will always remain scars on our memory. My daughter called this evening to ask if I was watching Channel 4. She was watching their programme on Islamophobia (an issue she is well informed on, her partner being a Muslim). She tried to describe a Tory who had been speaking, who she was less than impressed with given his attitude to women who wore the Niqab, who apparently did it because they were affiliated to Islamists. I am still ...

waste not, and communicate a lot

I wake up to hearing that Brown tells us that we should not throw as much food out. In this house we probably err on the side of eating things that are supposedly out of date, and it isn't that often we find something mouldy at the back of the fridge that has to go out. However there are 2 of us, so that makes it easier to shop. I do wish that there could be influence on supermarkets to sell...

Town Twinning Bike Ride to Mulheim: Day 3

Day three's ride took us through the heathland where our paras were famously dropped during Operation Market Garden in WW2, before their assault on the bridge at Arnhem: a bridge too far. A simple monument remains. Further along, the war cemetery for those who fell in the battle: many still in their teens. On a misty, damp morning, these were moving experiences. By lunchtime the sun was out

Traffic survey results

{Ziggy, Nicholas and the protesters} BathNES council insists that a zebra crossing for Bathwick Hill depends on the number of cars and people using the road and paths. We will only be given a zebra crossing if the road is 'busy' enough. A twelve hour traffic survey was undertaken last week, although I did point out that this was during the University holidays. I was sent a copy of the results today and discussed them with the BathNES traffic team leader this evening at a meeting about pedestrian and cycle safety. To our surprise, even during the holidays and before ...

My Howden days

The television news is reporting on the Church of England Synod, which is taking place at the University of York. The pictures are just as I remember the campus: all ducks, willow trees and a central hall that looks as though it has just landed from outer space. It seems it is still called the Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall, despite its late patron's spot of bother over Guinness and Distillers. Those pictures remind me that in the days (1978-81) when I was an undergraduate at York, the campus was in the Howden constituency. For reasons no one quite understood, ...

From a Roman convert to his Anglican cousins...

Congratulations. If any of the naysayers come across to Rome I may have to leave. One arrogant Messianic prick was nearly enough to make me leave.

Lib Dems: £1 for all Bath car parks after 6 p.m.

Liberal Democrats are calling for a flat fee of £1 for parking after 6 p.m. to apply in all car parks in Bath. The B&NES Cabinet member for customer services is considering a proposal to apply a flat fee of £1 for car parking from 6 p.m. to midnight, 7 days a week in Avon and Charlotte Street car parks. This proposal replaces his previous, unpopular decision to...

I agree with Brown

I have to confess that I agree with Gordon Brown on food waste. Britain is very wasteful with food and too much that is still usable ends up in landfill sites. Brown is a bit slow however in taking up this issue. Last year I worked on a small project for the Lib Dems that found that on average people were throwing away perfectly good food that was in weight, twice what basic wartime ratios were!

The phantom airships of 1909

The other day I reported the sighting of a UFO over Market Harborough. A little research turns up another fascinating sighting - this one from the Edwardian era. In 1909 Louis Bleriot made history by becoming the first pilot to cross the English Channel. As David Clarke writes:The year 1909 saw the realisation that the British Navy's world-wide supremacy was directly under threat, and for the first time in its history the island was vulnerable to invasion from the air. Bleriot may well have been the first to cross the Channel, but just two months before his flight newspapers had ...

st paul's carnival

I'm glad I made it this year. So colourful - I was jigging up and down, ice cream in hand watching the parade. The day was scorching although the heavens opened later into the afternoon. I bet that a lot of hard work went into it. Makes you proud you live in Bristol when you go to things like this. Family came over from out of town. They loved it - and the jerk chicken to!

Should Steve Webb BOGOF?

Steve Webb, the Lib Dem shadow environment secretary, issued a press release on Gordon Brown's call on families to throw away less food. It reads: 'The problem of food waste has been made worse by the Government's failure to get tough with supermarkets. Its cosy relationship with the big chains has stalled effective action. 'Supermarkets make it harder for householders to avoid food waste, while throwing away large quantities of edible food through poor stock management.'They refuse to stock small portions, which are essential for the growing number of one-person households, and offer too many buy-one-get-one-free deals on perishable goods.'If ...

Good news on the FAITH centre so far...

Straight back to Haringey after the school trip as Richard Wilson (Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Health on Haringey Council) and I have asked for a meeting with key officers to discuss the future of the FAITH centre. Since Richard and I went there to start the campaign with local people and residents - and called for Haringey Council to at least provide interim funding until new longer term arrangements could be found - the Council on Friday responded positively and came out with £125,000 which will fund the centre until March. George Meehan (Council Leader) seemed to be willing to ...

Memories of my days at school

Guest of Honour at my old school - South Hampstead High School - for a prize giving for years 7-10. I go first to the Head's (Ms Jenny Stephen) which is in the first classroom I was in - Upper III as I recall. That's why I've never really understood which is which year these days - even for my own children - as it is different from when I was a lass! About 400 girls, teachers and prize winners' parents are gathered in the Hall as we, the platform party (albeit there's no platform), walk in. The girls are ...

Funfair returns to Smannell Road

{Smannell Road Play Area} The funfair will return to Smannell Road in September. Residents will remember that the fair planned for April was cancelled at the last minute because water board contractors ploughed up the area to lay mains for the new development at East Anton. I have been in contact with the fair operators and Test Valley Leisure Department and confirmed the fair will be able to use the site on 11th to 13th September as originally planned. As reported previously on this website the operators have agreed (at my request) additional facilities for fairgoers and will be working ...

A complaint to the BBC

I have just e-mailed this complaint to the BBC via their website: I wish to complain that tonight's Panorama dedicated an entire 30 minute programme to the English NHS without making it clear that their comments applied only to England. The tone of the programme led viewers to believe that it applies to the whole of the UK when it does not. There was no attempt to draw any contrasts with how the NHS operates in other part of the UK, which actually might have underlined the point being made. This is completely contrary to the recommendations in the King ...

Wimbledon Men's Final Day

Sunday was my only trip to Wimbledon this year. I've been lucky over the years, getting allocated tickets through the LTA ballot most years, but also usually go and queue for a ground pass at least one or two days during the tournament. Wasn't able to manage even one day to get down there and queue this year unfortunately, so just had to rely on the tickets I had for No.1 Court for my Wimbledon fix. It hadn't looked very hopeful, with atrocious weather forecast all day. But in the end that wasn't much of a problem - although the ...

While talking Suffolk

I've just completed Baroness Scott of Needham Market's online members' survey

Lessons on how to piss off 50% of the electorate - From Cllr Warren Bradley, Lib Dem Leader of Liverpool City Council

If you want to know how to : a) Guarantee you will lose control of the council in 22 months time. b) Make you and your political party seem arrogant. c) Make it very difficult to win parliamentary seats in your city d) Annoy and put off 50% of the electorate. Take a lesson from Cllr Warren Bradley, who despite being an Everton fan, decided to give a short, rather miserable response to what seemed like some very reasonable questions from an Everton fansite. It's no wonder the Lib Dems lose seats in Liverpool. I have to say, given the ...

Government facing fines for delayed battery boxes

Battery collection boxes due for every home have been delayed by the Government, leaving Britain facing fines of millions of pounds. Britain signed up to the EU Batteries Directive in 2006 in a bid to boost recycling and halt the leaching of acid from old batteries into soil and water. The UK will have to collect a minimum of 7,500 tonnes of portable batteries for recycling by 2012 to meet its European targets - but last year collected just 600 tonnes. Britain recycles just three per cent of batteries, compared with 14 per cent in Spain and 59 per cent ...

It Shouldn't Happen to a Muslim: It takes some balls

Planning to watch a Channel 4 documentary tonight, Dispatches: It Shouldn't Happen to a Muslim. The Radio Times synopsis reads: Three years after the July 7 bombings in London, Peter Oborne reports on whether the attacks, combined with fears of terrorism, have fuelled the rise of violence and intolerance towards the Muslim community in Britain. Oborne [...]

Tory Environment Spokeman who drives a sports car ?

How on earth can someone chosen to encourage us all to be more environmentally friendly drive a sports car ? That's the question Suffolk Tories should be asking after it was revealed that their spokesman on environmental matters drives a 3.5 litre sports car. It might not be so bad were it not for the fact that he claims he gets 30mpg from the car (I note from one website that the best he could expect from his car is actually 30.7 mpg (and that would mean he would be driving at a pretty constant 56mph the whole time). Coupled ...

What a bunch of prize pillocks at Norwich City Hall - The Unitary Authority option they least wanted is what they look likely to get

A few years ago now, a review of local government arrangements in Norfolk proposed no changes should be made. In general, everyone across the county was in agreement that this was the best thing. But not Norwich City Council. The Labour led authority decided with its influence with the government they could ask for the decision to be revisited, with the aim of Norwich City Council becoming a larger Unitary Authority, swallowing up chunks of neighbouring authorities and gaining, so they thought, control for the Labour Party over more of the County. However, it was not just the Labour Party ...

Ros Scott: can you spare 5 minutes for my online survey?

People often ask me how I got involved in politics. Putting down roots in Suffolk after many years of moving around, it was a revelation to me to see how a community really works. I became increasingly involved as a community activist and saw at first hand the great work done by my local Lib [...]

How To Save Donna

Millennium Elephant's review of Doctor Who's 'Journey's End' has imspired me to write this.... Because I really really like Donna. She's my favourite companion of all the ones I've seen - and I can just about remember Zoe as a new companion. Have a look back at Donna in say,Pompeii, and see how much enjoyed and appreciated all that she was experiencing. I thought the 'Time Boy' moment when the

local government in Suffolk - the uncertainty goes on

Having been a councillor in Suffolk for 14 years, I was pretty keen to hear today's announcement on the future shape of local government in my home county. I've come to the view that the district councils are simply too small to be cost effective and too small to provide the sort of high quality services the public deserve, so I'm pretty much in favour of unitary government for Suffolk. The proposed unitary Ipswich had already been thrown out by the Government, so today was about what else could work for the County. The preferred option of taking Lowestoft out ...

The BNP and the tide of history

'The Social Democrats haven't a hope of winning a general election, [because the unemployed and low-paid] make up 40-45 percent of the entire country's workforce. Certainly under the present electoral system, they will provide Labour with a solid 200-seat base.' Tony Blair, August 1982 And so Labour believed back then, even though the election of 1983 took them perilously close to undercutting that 200-seat base. This notion of a 'base' of support was what made the formation of New Labour possible - pragmatically, abandoning the interests of your core supporters in order to attract more support from other demographics would ...

Tories on their School Policy

It is uncomfortable to find myself agreeing with the Tories over the Labour party on education - but I nearly did when I started reading Michael Gove's post on Conservative Home. It seemed to be that much of what he was saying chimed with some of the policy suggestions I've put forward here. (Admittedly, I don't always agree with the policy prescriptions I put forward as the purpose of this blog isn't for me to sound off.) It was especially revealing given how much I disagreed with Polly Toynbee's article in The Guardian. Fortunately, it turns out to be the ...

July - Is it that time??

Hello folks - I'm back!!! I'm still around - unfortunate for some I know - but that's their worry!! Loads has happened since I last posted - elections - open warfare - romance and similar stuff but nothing worth troubling you fantastic people with. I received an application pack on Saturday for the Weakest Lin. Bit nervous about filling it in and sending it off - though I would love to go headin to head with Anne Robinson to give her a bit of her acid putdowns back!! Will have to see what happens on that one!!

'BOGOF' Might be going!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7492573.stm The Prime Minister at a world leader's conference has talked about how we really need to stop wasting food. The Media have picked up on this story and have posted in as the main headline on some news programme's. The Government and local authorities waste a lot of food. It was shown in a investigation by the BBC that more and more Local Council staff are drinking and using bottled water instead of standard tap water. That is just one example of the wasting that needs to be tackled. It is the supermarkets who are at the centre of ...

Oxford Business Improvement District rejected

It comes as little surprise to me personally that businesses in Oxford City Centre have voted not to pay an extra one per cent on their rates to create a "Business Improvement District": Oxford and Oxfordshire news, "Business bid is rejected" Traders have rejected plans to create a Business Improvement District in Oxford city centre. The move, by city centre management company OX1, would have meant businesses having to cough up an extra one per cent on top of their business rates in exchange for services such as deep cleaning of the streets and a patrol of street wardens. Out ...

Reasons to support gordon brown at all costs

Because it is reported that Harriet Harperson is campaigning to promote herself as a stand-in Prime Minister should he be forced out. Talk about 'the devil you know'...

Second most interesting tree hacked to pieces

I live next door to Headington Hill Park in Oxford, which I think is the nicest park in the city, laid out as it was a century and a half ago now by the Morrell family as part of the parkland setting for Headington Hill Hall, which is now occupied by my employers at Oxford Brookes University. The park was split from the hall grounds some decades ago before the Hall was rented to Robert Maxwell to house his family (the "best council house in Britain" he apparently used to say) and has been managed by the city council ever ...

Post Offices - it could have been a whole lot worse

The Post Office will announce which Post Offices will be closed in Cambridgeshire tomorrow. The news was already leaked to the Cambridge Evening News who printed it all on Saturday. And it wasn't me who leaked it. Because (of course) I didn't know. We seem to be getting off very lightly. I was expecting far worse. Here in Huntingdonshire the big news is that Great Stukeley Post Office will close. There are two things you need to understand. This small village somehow retained it's Post Office during the drastic cuts made by the last Tory Government. It is also (coincidentally) ...

Referendum shows many are unhappy with Council

Last week's rejection of an elected Mayor for Bury is welcome. The proposals were a waste of money, democratically damaging, and I am glad that local people did not fall for the lies and spin on the issue of congestion charging. However, the fact is that 10,000 people and 40% of those who voted indicated their desire to change the way Bury is run. I don't think we should ignore their dissatisfaction with local services, nor their indictment of the way the Council is run. They voted for a Mayor despite the compelling reasons not to. I bet that many ...

Sutton Guardian's 'Rubbish Plan'

The local paper is continuing its campaign against the £35 charge for green garden waste collection with its, admittedly clever headline. However, I wonder if anyone has stopped to ask themselves, "Why would the Lib Dem run council introduce what was obviously going to be such an unpopular measure?" Particularly when the council is under fierce [...]

Prepare for the Peasants revolt

Thought the Haltemprice and Howden bye election was just about Civil Liberties/DD's ego (delete as appropriate)? Well think again. Much more is at stake. Just see the election literature. One candidate is asking for people's votes so he can lead a peasants revolt against the EU to make Britain 'independent'. Wonder how he'll get on.

Europe off the Record

I was at a lunchtime briefing at the European Parliament Office in London today, organised by the UK Section of the Association of European Journalists (AEJ), addressed by the French Ambassador Maurice Gourdault-Montagne, to speak about the French presidency of the European Union. The session was 'off the record', which is disappointing in the sense [...]

Leamington Schools Political Conference.

I took part in a Political Conference for schools across Warwickshire in at the Spa centre in Leamington today. The subject for the morning dealt with the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and whether British troops should stay in these countries. I argued that the neglect of the international community to provide post conflict support in Afghanistan after the Russian War ended in 1989 allowed the country to be controlled by Warlords and the Taliban. Bin Laden moved to Afghanistan in 1996 and used it as a base to launch attacks against Taliban enemies and the West. Although success in ...

Robert Runs out of Paper, And Other Stories

'Agghh' exclaimed Robert 'there is no paper to clean up my shit'. This annoyed Robert very much. There was nothing more annoying than shitting everywhere only to discover that there was no paper to clean up the shit. 'Fucking Imperialist Tony Blair!' shouted Robert, eyes bulging as if he was a complete murderous idiot, 'Tony - he stole the paper to clean up the shit!'. Robert had been shitting all over his country for twenty eight years. No wonder he was so tired and irritable. The paper had kept him going. There was always more shit, but then there was ...

Cameron ditches 'hug a hoodie'

On November 2nd 2006 David Cameron famously said of youth offenders: We have to show a lot more love. Announcing a 'responsibility agenda' today he says: We as a society have been far too sensitive. It's always good when the Tories return to being Tories, isn't it?

A chance to discuss the new recycling and waste collections

The new recycling and waste collections is being introduced from September onwards. You can come and hear the latest plans and ask questions at the South of the Borough Neighbourhood Committee this Wednesday. It will meet in Southborough School and the discussion on this item will begin at 7.30pm. Just to sum up, under the new system a large amount of materials will be...

First synagogue in the City

This morning I was at a ceremony to recognise the location of the first ever Jewish synagogue in the City. The building isn't there now so the plaque is as near as possible to the actual original site (if you want to see the plaque its in the Metquarter on the wall by Cafe Rouge) That the plaque was put up at all is almost entirely down to my colleague Cllr Peter Millea. He made a lovely speech this morning talking about how tracking down the location had become 'something of an obsession'. Anyway, many of the guests were clearly ...

No Surprise as Tavish Makes Three

Tavish Scott today was the least surprising entrant into the contest to succeed his close friend Nicol Stephen as leader of the Liberal Democrats. He said in Shetland today: 'The Nationalists have formed their first government - and have shown themselves to be as opportunistic in office as they always were in opposition.' 'Labour is sinking under the weight of its own internal strife - and

Updated Lib Dem Facebook Application

The Party has just released the new version of our "Facebook" application, which includes making it easier for people to find out about party events in your area - as long as someone has put them in to www.FlockTogether.org.uk Easier to find our events: * the "Lib Dem events" tab now not only lists major party events from Facebook but also gives you a postcode search to look up party events that are taking place near you. This pulls information from www.FlockTogether.org.uk - and so is another good reason to advertise your own events on FlockTogether as they are now getting to an even larger audience Easier ...

ICELE petition

Please sign the online petition to reconsider the withdrawal of funding from the ICELE.

The NHS and Philosophy (Part One) - Justifying

The NHS celebrated its 60th birthday on 5th July. And, to coincide, Professor Lord Darzi, Brown's special health minister, published a series of ambitious "next stage" plans. The NHS is often at the centre of political arguments between the right and the left. However, I'm not sure how much mainstream work has been done on the philosophical underpinnings of having a national health service. I'm going to attempt to write a series of posts on philosophy and the NHS and use these to arrive at some policy prescriptions. To begin, whilst there has been a big fanfare about polyclinics I ...

The Conservative reaction to the Ray Lewis affair

Credit where credit is due, the official Conservative Party reaction to the Ray Lewis affair appears to be rather more measured and sensible than that of some of the party's online cheerleaders: Former minister Francis Maude will chair talks with senior party officials and one of Boris Johnson's right hand men to learn lessons from the [...]

79 London Road licence application

Within weeks of the application by the Kings Tavern to extend it's opening hours later into the evening, residents living around London Road are reeling from a second late licence application, this time by the Impartation Network, 79 London Road, where the current Licensable activities are as follows: Performance of Plays - Indoor  Friday, Saturday & Sunday 13:00 until 23:00hrs Performance of Live Music - Indoor Friday, Saturday 13:00 until 23:00hrs and Sunday 1300hrs until 2000 Playing of Recorded Music - Indoor Friday, Saturday 13:00 until 23:00hrs and Sunday 1300hrs until 2000 Sale of Alcohol by Retail - On and Off ...

Yes, I really am this shallow!

Do you suppose inanimate objects have a sense of humour? I ask this for a very good reason. Last week I discovered I had lost my beautiful pink sandals. I had only worn them a couple of times so I was a bit miffed and retraced my steps mentally as to where they may be. I decided, through a process of elimination, that I must have left them on the 6.55 on my way back to Bedford. I called lost property - but no sign..............then, at the weekend I found them! They had crawled under a pile of washing waiting ...

Council Finances - Access to Information

If your Council has stopped you getting access to information - or if there's are details relating to a contract you have seen as a councillor and want to make political use of but can't as it was Part II business then you may be able to do something about that in the next few weeks.  Under s14 & 15 Audit Commission Act 1998 any local government elector can inspect as part of the audit process the statement of accounts and auditors reports and may also inspect "all books, deeds, contracts, bills, vouchers and receipts relating to them. On top ...

Eddy Grant

On Saturday I went to see Eddy Grant play at the Wulfrun Hall. Wolverhampton was one of the stops on Eddy's Road to Reparation tour, which included playing Glastonbury and Nelson Mandela's 90th Birthday concert.

Bloggers! Would you like to interview Jo Swinson MP?

Jo Swinson, Lib Dem MP for Dunbartonshire East, has agreed to be interviewed by a bunch of Lib Dem bloggers at Westminster on Monday, 21st July at 7 pm. Several mature, erudite interviewers (and their cuddly toys) have already signed up, but there are still a couple of free places in the playpen, oops, panel. It doesn't [...]

Warwickshire Political Conference Notes - Monday 7th July.

As promised I have included some useful links to various websites with some background material on the subjects we discussed at the Political Conference today. Please email me if you have any comments or questions on the issues discussed. Immigration. Council of Europe page on the issue of Human Trafficking. Liz Lynne - West Midlands MEP Website Poppy Project - Support for Women who are victims of Human Trafficking Destination UK - BBC website dealing with Immigration Information Centre about Asylum and Refugees. UK Border Agency Liberty - Page dealing with Asylum. Office of National Statistics - immigration and emigration ...

The Boris/Lewis train wreck - an American perspective

Dave Keating is an American journalist living in London who provides an American perspective on European matters on his blog Gulf Stream Blues. Today Dave writes an excellent summary of the Boris/Lewis affair describing it as a 'train wreck'. He is particularly scathing about how Boris dealt with the matter once Channel 4 informed him that they were investigating Lewis: What followed Channel 4'

Tuesday 1st July 5pm

Safer Neighbourhood Team Community Event I went along to this event organised by the four local Safer Neighbourhood Teams. Turnout to the event wasn't very good, which was a shame, but this could be interpreted that local people do not have major concerns about crime in the area! It also gave me the opportunity to have [...]

EAST ANGLIA NEWS: Massive shake up of Norfolk and Suffolk boundaries planned

The Boundary Committee for England have today announced their draft proposals for Norfolk and Suffolk - though the announcement page just heads it Norfolk.... What they are proposing is: • a Norfolk unitary authority comprising the existing county of Norfolk and the Lowestoft area of Suffolk. • an Ipswich & Felixstowe unitary authority and a Suffolk unitary authority comprising the rest of the

EAST ANGLIA NEWS: Nick Clegg wants coastal climate change compensation

People who faced losing their homes through the effects of climate change should be compensated, says Nick Clegg.

EAST ANGLIA NEWS: Suffolk Tory lectures on emissions, and drives everywhere in a muscle car

SUFFOLK'S Tory environment chief faced criticism today after splashing out on a gas guzzling 'muscle car' despite preaching about cutting emissions. The Evening Star has learnt that Eddy Alcock, responsible for environment at Suffolk County Council, has been driving a 3.5 litre Nissan 350Z Roadster to and from council functions since October. The two-seater convertible boasts a powerful V6

Mountaineer or photographer?

Had a completely non-political weekend, which was very nice. With a friend down visiting, went to the Estorick Collection in Islington on Saturday - a small gallery that I had no idea existed before. It houses a collection of Italian art, but the thing that had drawn us to it was a temporary exhibition of photos by Vittorio Sella. You can read a little more about his life and work via that link to the Estorick website, but essentially he was a mountaineer and photographer. We arrived at the gallery, a short walk down Canonbury Road from Highbury & Islington, ...

Jail knife carriers

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7492758.stm Cameron has said that any one found carrying a knife in Public without a good reason should be sent to jail. I am with him on that the number of people dieing no thanks to Knife crime is increasing and that is one way to tackle it. I'd like to highlight the one way bit as i believe that is not the only way the Government need to get more police officer's on the streets and they need to make sure that the youth don't go down that path in the first place by having community meeting's and events ...

Then There Were Two; Third Maybe Fourth Expected

Ross Finnie said he had received a 'very good measure of support' when he announced his intention to stand in the Scottish Liberal Democrat leadership election to succeed Nicol Stephen. He joins Mike Rumbles as those who have already thrown there hat into the ring. He set out his stall by saying: 'I think that far too many people that I see and speak to began to wonder 'what is the Liberal

Time to ban long pointed kitchen knives

Why are kitchen knives pointed? Goodness only knows. You don't need the point unless you are performing specialist butchery or fishmongery. (The Chinese use blunt cleavers for most of their cooking). But the point is the thing that tends to be the feature of the knife which causes serious injury or death. Bear in mind that an estimated 50% of stabbings involve kitchen knives. Alex Wilcock often

Caroline Spelman - sell all shares!

When I studied statistics for a little while, my tutor used to pour scorn on 'whoopee' graphs. Those are graphs which truncate the scale on the Y axis in order to accentuate the increase or decrease represented by the graph. In other words, if you had used the proper scale starting at zero, the graph wouldn't look particularly dramatic. Truncate the scale though, and the graph can be made to

Cameron on jailing knife carriers - empty pledge ?

David Cameron says that anyone found carrying a knife should go to jail. As my very good friend Sarah Kennedy said on BBC Radio Two this morning: 'Which jails would you send them to, Mr Cameron ?'

Cell phone masts

On 25th June, Liberal Democrat MP Andrew Stunell moved an amendment to the Planning Bill which, if passed, would have required full planning permission for the erection of phone masts up to 15 metres in height. The amendment was rejected by Labour and therefore defeated. The Conservatives have a manifesto commitment to introduce this planning requirement but despite this, they abstained. Safety fears have been scientifically debunked, but there is no doubt that phone masts are visually obtrusive. As such, they should be brought within the legislation. We condemn Labour intransigence and Tory hypocrisy over this issue.

Never under-estimate the Church of England's finest product

I have been amused by some of the media stories and blog postings about the Church of England debate about women bishops. There are the usual apopolyptic forecasts of thousands of priests leaving the church, renting of garments in front of Lambeth Palace etc etc. All these predictions under-estimate the strength of the Church of England's greatest product, which is pictured above.

A quiet 40th

Being 40 years and day old doesn't feel that much different to being 39 years and 364 days old. I did have a nice birthday though: Breakfast in bed cooked by the youngsters, some DVD sets as presents (The Sharpe Collection and the first series of Starsky & Hutch), a lovely curry at Abingdon's excellent Dil Raj for lunch, off to the pictures to see the new Narnia film, and then home for the final episode of Doctor Who. Life is good.

Up the Irons!

Iron Maiden were utterly fantastic at Twickenham on Saturday. Their only UK date on their 'Somewhere Back in Time' world tour played to a full house, and their biggest ever UK audience for a Maiden tour date. (Although I think they played to a bigger audience at one of the Monster's of Rock Festivals I saw them at.) Their setlist was picked from their eighties albums and included their epic take on 'The Rime of the Ancient mariner' amongst other tracks. Maiden seem to be more popular worldwide than ever and, along with Metallica, have the ability to sell out ...

Boris drops his hot potato

Boris Johnson has dropped the Narey inquiry into Ray Lewis. I can understand the argument that taxpayers money shouldn't be spent investigating someone who is no longer Deputy Mayor. It is worth noting, however, that this implicitly means that Boris has reversed the statement he made on Friday which was that he would reinstate Lewis as Deputy Mayor if he was proved to be innocent of the charges

What a Wimbledon!

Wow, so busy having a rant in my last blog I completely forget to mention the fanatastic final in the tennis yesterday. Can't wait for next year!

Jester Festival triumph

It's always great fun and this year the West Hampstead Jester Festival was no exception. The Festival takes places (every year since 1973) on Fortune Green - which is the green at the top of Fortune Green Road, by the cemetery and near the Greek Streets (Ulysses and Ajax etc) So much, as with all street festivals is weather dependent and this year we got away with it - just. There was some drizzle but there was more sunshine.The things that shone through for me were the acts - an amazing array of local talent - singers, guitarists, bass, ...

Thank you RTD

Some people really are very obsessed with Doctor Who. One is dear Lawrence Miles who writes very long and sometimes interesting things about the programme on his Doctor Who Blog. My take on the new Who is that that Russell T Davies (RTD) has done an absolutely fantastic job. My test for this is that my youngsters are just as excited about watching the show each Saturday as I was when i was their age. We went out for a curry for my birthday yesterday and Emma, my six year old, was telling me how she wanted her bedroom door ...

Parsimonious sauce with the peas please, sir!

Ah, food waste. Surely the call should be to food manufacturers and food suppliers to stop pre-packagaging and incentivising bulk food sales with short shelf lives? The stuff that ends up in the bin is not where the problem starts. What is it they say, prevention is better than cure? I'm sure, in light of the current economic climate, there will be plenty of belt-tightening and leftovers on the menu over the next few years in the UK. On the subject of waste though, how about cutting back on spending £285 million on hosting a summit for 8 leaders, have ...

More uncosted promises

Beset with their own problems amid allegations of some of their MPs and MEPs being mired in sleaze and poor judgement on the part of the London Mayor, the Tories moved yesterday to distract us with an eye-catching promise to slash fuel taxes by 5p per litre. In making this promise of course the Conservative Leader and Shadow Chancellor have abandoned all pretence at adopting the green agenda. This will not stop them continuing to use slogans pretending that they are a green party but the reality is very different. I doubt whether David Cameron will be losing any sleep ...

How to bore a five year old

Shakespeare has both great stories and fantastic writing. And if you see some of the best actors performing it, either on the stage or film, then it is truly magical.* I was lucky enough to have a superb English teacher for O level called Watson Weeks who was also a Shakespearean actor. He brought the plays alive for me as never before. I also had a number of truly dreadful English teachers who bored me rigid and almost killed off any liking for literature and drama. That's why I'm hugely sceptical about the Government plans for teaching original language Shakespeare ...

The Beeb's news values

According to the BBC News website, and to Radio Five Live, the most important thing happening in the world at the moment is Gordon Brown telling people to stop wasting food. More important, apparently, than a suicide bombing outside the Indian embassy in Kabul which has killed at least 28 people. That whirring noise you can hear is the sound of Lord Reith spinning in his grave.

The West Lothian Question. Is it time for an English Parliament?

Ken Clarke last week came up with his answer, and possibly the Conservatives answer to the West Lothian question. I am fairly sure Ken has got it wrong - his quite complex answer (below) doesn't actually stop Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish MP's from voting on English only legislation, so it is time for an English Parliament? I think so.

The folly of biofuels

{Grain for biofuel} As a chemist working in the food industry for the past 35 years I have always had doubts about the viability and morality of biofuels. To devote vast acreages of land to the generation of plants solely for the production of fuels for cars when millions do not have enough food to eat is both selfish and irresponsible. It was interesting to read therefore on Friday that a World Bank report study has shown that biofuel production has forced world food prices up by 75%. The figure contradicts US government claims that biofuels contribute less than 3% ...

Kings Cross access: update

A few weeks ago I blogged about keeping east-side access to Kings Cross station. I've always seen the redevelopment of Kings Cross as a way to improve what's on offer to Islington residents; but by closing off access, Network Rail's plans mean the station will be literally turning its back on our borough. Access [...]

Three Quarters Right

Well it looks like when I wrote this I was three quarters right. Later today it is widely expected that Tavish Scott and Ross Finnie will both announce that they will be contesting the election for the leadership of the Scottish Liberal Democrats. They will join Mike Rumbles on the ballot paper for the STV one member one vote election which closes on 26 August.

Wake Up Scotsman!

The following Scotsman headline obviously grabbed my attention this morning. Inside Holyrood: Lib Dems go down the unpredictable route Obviously I was wondering what on earth has happened now. Imagine my shock when basically the unpredictable route of the headline was very predictable. It starting out by talking about the fact that the election of our new leader will be one member one vote by

Peace, plans and peaches

On Saturday, I spent most of the day in Highgate, at the Mennonite Centre on Shepherds Hill. The Mennonites are an Anabaptist sect, largely based in north America, with an admirable tradition of peace-making. So an inspired choice of venue for St Mary's PCC awayday... You might expect that the church's council would be looking [...]

Petition Britain

I've blogged before about Sophie Talbot's campaign to get Network Rail to retain proper east-west access to Kings Cross station. And also about the petition for a discounted TV licence for Deaf people. What I hadn't realised then was how many petitions there are on the Downing Street site, and on what a range of [...]

BritBlog Roundup 177

This week with added Amused Cynicism.

Day 2743: DOCTOR WHO: I Can, I Caan't

Saturday: What a BRILLIANT episode of Doctor Who! Dr David regenerating into Dr Ewan; Donna using the magic Christmas energy to make a new Dr David; Davros's reality bomb CREATING the rift in the Medusa Cascade; The 'Most Faithful Companion' being the TARDIS, sacrificing herself to seal the Daleks into the rift! Davros escaping in his black saucer; Rose going to the other universe with Dr Ewan, leaving Dr David alone AGAIN! And that surprise ending where he fell through time to a Victorian Christmas... Still, that is what happened in PARALLEL EARTH - how was YOUR Doctor Who? Ooh, ...

Monday 7th July 2008

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