LibDem Blogs - Archived! - Sunday 20th July 2008

Read all about it!

Hooray! The People's Republic is back! My fears that there'd been some sort of bloody coup there are unfounded. To celebrate, I'm going to take up Alix's book meme. If you want to do it as well, just copy the list of books, bold those you have read and italicize those you intend to read. In my case, because I can't work out how to do underlines or strikethrough in Blogger, I'm going to put the books I love in red and the books I have no intention of ever reading in green. There aren't any books I really hated ...

Yarborough Forward

The next meeting of Yarborough Forward, your local neighbourhood forum will take place on Thursday 24th July at 6.00pm at the Yarrow Road Community Centre. Any resident of the Yarborough Ward who is interested in making the place a safer and better place to live is welcome to come along. Yarborough Forward is a place where residents and representatives of agencies working in the area can meet and discuss ways of working that influence the way that local services are provided in the area. Regularly attending meetings are representatives from the Police, Shoreline, Neighbourhood Wardens, local Councillors, and others. Many ...

Questions on the leadership election

I have not yet blogged much about the Scottish Lib Dem leadership, mainly becauseI'm yet to make up my mind who to vote for. To help me decide, I've emailed the three candidates with a list of questions and told them that I intend to post their answers here. The questions I've asked them are: 1) What is your vision for a liberal Scotland? 2) In what ways do we need to improve our campaigning, in particular for regional list and Scotland-wide elections? 3) Are we making enough use of new technology in our campaigning and how can this be ...

Tiggy-Winkle revisited

We've been in some grand places this weekend. We headed north on friday afternoon, up to Lancaster where we were picked up by Harold Ellotson, a former Tory MP who joined the Lib Dems a few years back, and whisked off to speak at an event organised by Wyre and Preston North Local Party. The next morning he drove us up to Kendal where we popped into an awayday for Cumbria councillors facilitated by the Lib Dems answer to Magnus Pyke (OK so you have to be of a certain age to remember him and his flailing arms) Richard Kemp. ...

Tough days and music

A friend of mine is having a really hard time at the moment, I won't bore you with the details but hole he's in has nothing to do with anything he did or said but never the less will have dire consequences on the next portion of his life. He called me yesterday and we talked through what he could say and do to improve things, for the moment it's nothing, he just has to wait. What's worse I also, can do nothing to take away the pain and anguish. I told him it was his turn on the edge ...

Labour's desperate scramble

Interesting piece on Times Online about the upcoming Glasgow East by-election. It reports how English Labour MP's are being 'drafted' to rally the faithful. Labour's desperation is clearly reaching fever pitch; especially if it is true that; 'Labour believes that it holds a lead over the SNP of between 1,000 and 1,500 votes, far less than the 13,507 majority that the party chalked up at the 2005 general election.' If Labour loses Glasgow East then it can clearly lose anywhere. Luke Akehurst feels that it could be a turning point which it may well be but of what kind?? If ...

That Nick Clegg - what a hoot!

Drawing to the parliamentary end of term, Nick Clegg has attracted a little criticism in some quarters for appearing not to have a sense of humour. He has dealt with PMQs extremely competently but with little of the dazzling humour employed by his stand in predecessor Vince Cable. Although it has to be said, I heard one parliamentarian the other day declaring that he thought Nick was our best leader in a generation when it came to dealing with PMQs. That said, I have to say I have been disappointed that Nick's sense of humour hasn't as yet really emerged, ...

The Lembit problem

I listened today to Nick Clegg being interviewed on Radio Five Live at lunchtime and was really rather depressed at the amount of time he had to speak about Lembit Opik. Now I know it was probably only two or three minutes, but this was a few minutes wasted when instead of taling about policies, the good things the Lib Dems are doing in local government or even reminding peopled how awful the government is, Nick has to answer questions about Lembit Opik's obsession with headlines and his celebrity lifelstyle. It would be easy to blame the interviewer, but she ...

Iain Dale's yearly guide to blogging - Vote early, vote often

Iain Dale is again doing is usual annual review of political blogging and had opened the Iain Dale polling station to allow you to vote for your top ten of political blogging. He has asked me (and no doubt a thousand others too) to explain that if you wish to nominate your top ten politics blogs you can do so by visiting THE LINK HERE.

By-election meeting

Just had a meeting of the by-election team here in my house. General agreement that the letter distributed by Labour yesterday was desperately dull. No sign of anything at all from the Conservatives. They have delivered no leaflets in local elections in my ward for about 16 years but I thought that as this is a by-election, they may have made some sort of effort. With the postal votes hitting the

My new allotment blog

I set up this evening a blog about our allotment and out attempts to grow or forage for as much of our food as we can. This is a sort of a Good Life Gateshead style and I'm hoping to bring you all the successes and failures of trying to be self sufficient. The serious point about all this is that this is meant to be an attempt to cut our carbon footprint. The blog is: http://

Obama was of course right on Iraq and Afghanistan

Obama voted against the War in Iraq, because he knew their weren't terrorists there and wasn't convinced about the 'weapons of mass destruction'. He knew the real fight was Afghanistan. Al-qaeda wasn't in Iraq before the US (and coalition partners) invaded, now they are. But Obama has said it is time to start withdrawing from Iraq and focus on Afghanistan. Now even General David Petraeus has said that Al-qaeda is trying to move fighters from Iraq back to Afghanistan to fight. So looks like once again Obama was right. So how can the US public think John McCain would be ...

A novel European road sign - seen in Cyprus :-)

Digilab

This is me enjoying the Digilab at the Open University. And this is the monitor for the demo computer at the Digilab. Unfortunately the last user at the Digilab disconnected it and the tech support could not for the life of them figure out how to reconnect it. There were an awful lot of wires behind it. So much to the pleasure of my audience I gave an old fashioned face to face tutorial with no visual aids for half an hour. It seemed to go well.

Will our Government keep ignoring US torture?

The UK Government has ignored US torture for too long. It's great news that the foreign affairs select committee has recommended that the UK Government stop trusting what the US Government are saying and carry out 'exhaustive analysis of current US interrogation techniques.' There is of course the idea that our Government may be turning a blind eye to the US as it uses Britain for 'rendition' flights. The committee advised the Government to make sure they're not. The question is: will the Government take on these recommendations? There is certainly a difference between the values and perspective of the ...

Arab nations to protect President Bashir

The Arab League appear to be moving against the ICC's possibility to attempt to indict President Omar al-Bashir. They are doing this because they fear that action would could destabilise Sudan. Are they blind to Darfur? Was that not destabilised years ago since the genocide began. Of course they are thinking about the possibility of the peace process between the south and north destabilising. Even so the Arab League are turning a blind eye to Darfur. We should have intervened in Sudan years ago. The west put too much hope in negotiations and talks, but their are so many different ...

Making it Happen?

Having had one of my manic few days my only response so far to Making it Happen could have been interpreted as a negative one. In fact that is not the case at all, my concerns were predominantly about one aspect of it and the marketing of that aspect, namely cutting tax. So, what do I think of Making it Happen in the round? A few weeks ago we had a detailed look at the draft at an FPC awayday. I elicited some amusement by saying how excited I was about it as a document. But I was excited then ...

Baronesses and Mayors and Naturalists, oh my!

Have had something of a heady social whirl today, so in summary, here is a list of people who are Made of Awesome: Baroness Ros Scott, who came to reconnect with her Bradfordian roots and ended up giving {[info]} matgb lots of lovely statistical things to geek over. Jeanette Sutherland, who made the most amazing cream tea with homemade jam and everything. Also provided some unintentional entertainment for those of us who are not!Mat and found his mutterings about how Devon cream teas are better than Cornish-style ones (whilst gromphing down the scones anyway) and incidentally, pasties aren't Cornish either, ...

Fly tipping nuisance on Eldon Terrace

I have been reporting fly tipping on Eldon Terrace in a car park of one of the Kings Road office buildings to the Council and the Police since January this year. Highly frustrating then to visit the area twice in one week and find various items left there. Council officers complain that there is little that can be done because it occurs on private land. Letters have been sent to the managing agent, and so far the problem is continuing. In my view the problem is in part caused by the Labour Council's policy of charging for bulky items to ...

scooting along

Having done the 4 miles of the Mayor's Sponsored walk yesterday, I didn't think my joints would stand a second stint today. However I very much wanted to be able to see the lower parts of the river that I had only seen from the car on bridges. Help was at hand. Bon Campbell, Countryside Warden for the River Tees, who is also a trustee of Shopmobility, suggested I used one of the mobility...

Fly tipping nuisance on Eldon Terrace

I have been reporting fly tipping on Eldon Terrace in a car park of one of the Kings Road office buildings to the Council and the Police since January this year. Highly frustrating then to visit the area twice in one week and find various items left there. Council officers complain that there is little that can be done because it occurs on private land. Letters have been sent to the managing agent, and so far the problem is continuing. In my view the problem is in part caused by the Labour Council's policy of charging for bulky items to ...

I don't know my own strength

I was nearly up to punch number 5000 today when the hook holding the punchbag broke :-(

Labour's 35% problem: Is Brown psychologically subnormal?

The current Labour problems have i think three sources: 1 Iraq - this clearly played a part in them shedding votes from BME people and professional middle classes/lefty liberal crowd. This was most famously witnessed at Brent East and whomever set up the tv cameras to film a black family cheering Sarah's win needs a gold [...]

Pope backs Archbishop

'Pope rides to Rowan's rescue'. So says the Independent. I'm sure they're right. I'm also sure that his main reason for saying 'he does not support the defection of conservative Anglicans to the Roman Catholic Church' is that he doesn't want to have that bunch of trouble makers in his church. So he seems quite a sensible guy actually.

Government-Sponsored Religious Doctrine?

The government is to fund a board of Islamic scholars, to be hosted by the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, who will debate 'critical issues affecting Muslims in the UK'. I'm all for engagement and scholarly debate, and I'm sure that the members of the board will adopt a rigorous academic approach. More importantly, I despise incediary religious extremism in all its forms. Nevertheless, I remain uneasy about the consequences for freedom of religion if the government is seen to 'approve' particular interpretations of religious texts. I also think there's some truth in the MCB's allegation that the government views ...

The '100 Top Books' that I've Read - Sad Innit?

This has been copied off Peter Black's blog who apparently copied it off Alix Mortimer. Looking at the number of books that I've read on the list I think I need to get out more! I make it about 48 of the top 100 I've read. The Big Read reckons that the average adult has only read 6 of the top 100 books they've printed.1) Look at the list and bold those you have read.2) Italicize those you intend to read.3) Underline the books you love.4) Strike out the books you have no intention of ever reading, or were forced ...

Lib Dem/Tories neck and neck in Outeverywhere poll

A poll is being conducted on OutEverywhere (LGBT social networking site). The question is who would you vote for if an election was called tomorrow? Usually it's a three-way split now it's 33 a piece Lib Dem/Tory with Labour on 16. Usually Labour have more than 20% more 30%. I will let readers know what happens with [...]

My Big Reads

Saw this on Peter Black's blog and thought it would be interesting to show off how terribly well read I am (not really): The Big Read reckons that the average adult has only read 6 of the top 100 books they've printed. 1) Look at the list and bold those you have read. 2) Italicize those you intend to read. 3) Underline the books you love. 4) the books you have no intention of ever reading, or were forced to read at school and hated. 5) Reprint this list in your own blog so we can try and track down ...

Meeting Bob the Builder

{Lynne Featherstone with the 101 Play Group} 101 Play Group are celebrating with Bob the Builder - having got £5,000 squid as one of twelve winners of the 'Project: Renovate' competition this playgroup is the Greater London finalist. Their prize was to win an Eco-Makeover for the building. They have used the money on splendid new doors onto the outside play area, insulation and other eco-improvements. The children originally had to do a whole series of activities about eco-friendly improvements - so they learned loads. Then photos of the children doing the projects and a 200 word submission were sent ...

A homecoming queen, make that baroness

Yesterday was Kendal and Hebden Bridge, today saw the roadshow reach Bradford, where Jeanette Sunderland generously hosted a cream tea. Home made down to the jam, with some excellent tea and great company, it gave Ros an opportunity to meet some members in a less formal environment. In fact, Ros has a Bradford connection, in that her father's family came from Bradford, and she frequently visited

Photos from my trip to Petra in June

It's All Relative

All but one of Devon's five Conservative MPs has owned up to employing a relative. Although missing from the recent expense declarations, Totnes Tory Anthony Steen MP has previously claimed that ...

Ian Robertson for Glasgow East

I was lying in my bed on the first morning of my holiday when I received a text message from Andrew Reeves, the Party's director of Campaigns in Scotland, telling me that there was going to be a by-election in Glasgow East. I spoke to him later that day (whilst lying by the pool) about how to go about candidate selection as I had been in charge of the last few by-election selections. He certainly did a very good job, because in Ian Robertson, we have a fantastic candidate who is even managing to impress the media. I know Ian ...

Daft Idea of the Week - Performance Bonuses for Surgeons

Of all the daft ideas I've heard this week - and there have been a few - this has to be the daftest. Complex surgery on human beings can't really be given the piecework approach. There's also an argument to say that senior surgeons are paid enough, if not more than enough anyway. Recovery from surgery of any kind is determined by a huge number of physical, environmental and psychological factors. The surgeon may do the fiddling about with your internal organs, but it's nurses who are responsible for your hour to hour care, auxiliaries and domestic staff who keep ...

' not everyone who wears the cloth's is Gandhi'

'Har thoti wala Gandhi nahi hotai' A phrase i heard which made me think. Many people in Nelson walk around with their 'Pakistani' cultural clothes on in nelson but a new trend has started to wear the cloth underneath instead of the other cultural trousers. This cloth that people are now tending to wear is something that was worn at the time of the Prophet of Islam Muhammad PBUH and was worn by a great freedom fighter 'Gandhi'. That is why the quoted text at the top says ' not everyone who wears the cloth's is Gandhi' so people shouldn't ...

Tory Hate campaign against Lib Dems

A Conservative Parliamentary Candidate has been arrested for a campaign he started to target the Liberal Democrats with. The Tory started a Hate campaign against the Lib Dems. Well that just shows you how coward the conservatives are that they start hate campaigns against the strong opposition that might destroy them so they start campaigns against them. I am not surprised that the conservatives haven't started doing this across the country.

Marvellous Article In The Indy

'If we end up with 20 years of Tory government, it'll be The Pigeon Detectives' fault.'

Iain Dale Wants Your Votes

Yes that's right folks it's that time of year again for Iain Dale to start to compile his Guide to Political Blogging 2008-9. This year he is looking for the people votes for their top ten blogs to form the top 100 Blogs. You can read about the details here. As Iain lays out what you need to do and how he will be compiling the top 100 as a result I won't go into details here. However, I will say

Book meme

I have borrowed this meme from Alix Mortimer because it looks like a bit of fun for a lazy Sunday afternoon (and I don't get many of those nowadays). The thing is I do not have much time for reading which is why my home is full of half-read and barely started books. I plan to do more but do not know when. The Big Read reckons that the average adult has only read 6 of the top 100 books they've printed. 1) Look at the list and bold those you have read. 2) Italicize those you intend to read. ...

More on Free Schools

An article in this weekend's FT criticises the current proposals for the so-called choice agenda in public services. Interestingly this doesn't seem to be a criticism from the left (i.e. from the perspective that there should be no "market" in public services) but from a more libertarian perspective. The criticism is that the choice isn't a real one. On this blog I've looked at both health care and education. I've sketched out in both some philosophical foundations of a vaguely Kantian approach to policy in both of these areas. In both cases, I've concluded that there should be an element ...

Dark Deeds in Watford

Today's 'Observer' has the story already highlighted by Mark Pack on Liberal Democrat Voice that the Conservative parliamentary candidate for Watford, Ian Oakley (who is a councillor for Northwood in the London Borough of Hilingdon), has resigned his candidature, following his arrest on Friday in connection with a prolonged campaign of harassment against Liberal Democrats [...]

Carbon Footprints - Tales from the East End III

As I alluded to earlier I spend the greater part of yesterday being serenaded by the various tannoy equipped cars of other parties. Sometimes these were even in part of a convoy of 2 or three vehicles. It got me to wondering just what sort of carbon footprint the other campaigns are having as a result of the campaign. From about 10am to at least 7pm I was getting a more or less a continuous

Charter of Educational Freedom

Article 1 - Freedom to Establish Schools All persons shall be free to establish and maintain, and to carry on or provide for the carrying on, of an independent school, to be known as a voluntary aided school. Article 2 - Equality of Funding Voluntary aided schools that satisfy the conditions laid down by Act of Parliament shall be financed from the public funds according to the same standards as maintained schools. A voluntary aided school will make no charge with regards to its activities that an Act of Parliament prohibits a state maintained school from making. Article 3 - ...

Cameron isn't showing what he can offer... I don't think it's a lot

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7516046.stm David Cameron couldn't do what Nick Clegg did last week. The Tory was asked if they would cut taxes and he said he couldn't but the Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg said that he could. The Conservatives again like i have said in the past are just hot air and they are going to die out by the next general election they don't have what it takes the back bone to run the country. So be wise and don't get your vote wasted on 'hot air' vote the Lib Dem's the only party who is laying its plans on ...

BritBlog Roundup 179: The Stiperstones Inn edition

When I wrote the other day that I was heading for the hills, I forgot that I was due to do the BritBlog Roundup this weekend. Thanks to the good offices of The Stiperstones Inn and its free broadband access, this is not a problem. I am assured that Skittles is flourishing, but she has not put in an appearance yet. Probably because of the summer holiday season, there are fewer nominations than usual this time, so no clever categories. But as this Roundup is being completed earlier in the day than is usual, I shall check in a day ...

Pictures of Great North Air Ambulance Bikini Challenge Redcar Beach

Pictures by Colin Crawford.

Lib Dem humour

Was wondering at whether we should be using our own brand of humour to get our message across or at least help it so here goes: Labour guy: You guys say one thing to Labour people and one thing to Tories. Well at least we're saying something to someone. How many forms to central government does it [...]

Mamma Mia - US version!

Well, actually, Dancing Queen. http://www.crooksandliars.com/ July 19th SEIU

Facebook and New Blogs

I have had three random adders on Facebook this week. Nothing seems to connect them, and they are all refusing to answer 'Why have you added me?' messages. Why would you DO that? I don't get it. If you tell me WHY you added me, I might well add you back. If you don't tell me why you added me, if you refuse to interact, what's the point in me adding you back? Anyhoo, I have been reading a New-to-Me blog this morning, found via scouring Lib Dem Blogs for material for the netcast when {[info]} lcreadinglist didn't yield enough ...

Helicopter Training Flights Suspended

I've welcomed news that Dundee Airport has temporarily suspended helicopter training flights from the airport, pending a review by the Airport Manager and Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL), the owners of Dundee Airport. As residents are aware, in recent weeks I have raised numerous complaints from residents about noise caused by helicopter training flights and I am therefore pleased that a review is now taking place. The noise complaints have come particularly from people living in the areas to the north west and north of the airport - and am aware that my colleague on Fife Council, Cllr Tim ...

Mamma Mia - great film!

If you want a feel-good classy film with classy music go and see. It reminded me of just how much ABBA have contributed to the new European sensibility.

Fear and loathing on Walsworth Common

Of all the undignified ways to shuffle off this mortal coil, getting sucked into bottomless mud while clearing litter in your local park has got to rank right up there. Which makes my misadventure yesterday, when I found myself sinking fast into the bed of a misleadingly inoffensive stream that I've known since childhood, all the more embarrassing. {Litter picking in the Purwell} Litter picking in the Purwell Once a month, Beloved Other Half and I head down to the nearest large park to join a litter clear-up organised by one of our neighbours. Usually it's just a case of ...

Open day at St Ann's Police Station

{Lynne Featherstone at St Ann's Police Station} Saturday highlights: open day at St Ann's Police Station. This annual event seems to be getting more and more popular as the local community come in - mainly with their children - to unite police and the community it polices. Allowed to pet police dogs, sit on police motorbikes, sound the siren on the cars, have their fingerprints done and so on - the friendly and informative interaction is really an exemplar example of how it should be done. My personal highlight this year - having met the dogs and sat on the ...

Spotted out and About? - Tales of the East End II

Was out delivering in Glasgow East yesterday afternoon when came across an SNP canvasser trying to gain access to a stair. Was greet unusually by the question 'Stephen Glenn, right?'. Yes I'd stumbled across David Hutchinson one time host of North to Leith. Small world our political blogosphere even if a former blogger who has handed over the reigns crops up. Also out an about I drove past Fiona

A whole new way with memes

Don't like a meme you've been handed? Then substitute another! Pass it on, boys, pass it on... Millennium Elephant tagged us with this song meme during our relocation interregnum, and while we do, in general, listen to songs, we haven't actually bought or listened to anything new for some time. This is partly on account of my having come [...]

She's no longer an actress, she's just a very naughty Mayor

Unless the people of Aberystwyth have seen The Life of Brian on television or in a cinema outside their home town, they won't get the reference. There is a story about the film in The Independent on Sunday that caught my eye. The paper explains that the film was been banned in the town since 1979. Fast forward to 2008 and the actress who played Judith, Brian's girlfriend, Sue Jones-Davies is now Mayor of said town. She would like to get the ban lifted. Perhaps all of the Pythons should have adopted this course and stood for office across the ...

You could not make it up

The Sunday Times reports that the Government is thinking of reforming an age-old law: Ministers are preparing to allow people labelled "idiots" and "lunatics" by archaic laws to stand for parliament. Though it may come as a surprise to voters, laws dating back to Elizabethan times bar this category of people from becoming MPs. Idiots are defined as those "incapable of gaining reason" and lunatics as people only "capable of periods of lucidity". The rules ban lunatics from standing as MPs in "their non lucid intervals". They also ban anyone sectioned under the Mental Health Act from standing for parliament, ...

Desperate Times? - Tales From the East End I

Had a wee chat with an amazing East End of Glasgae woman yesterday. She was telling us a little about the Labour telephone canvassing 'strategy' from the receiving end. Somebody with 'a toffy voice',to quote her, called her up to ask her if she knew there was a by election going on in Glasgow East. Did she know, it was the talk in the shops, the doctors, the hairdressers and the street. Plus she

parking zones

there has been a lot of hoo-haa about parking zones in Bristol recently. fortunately in the ward I represent parking issues only really kick in during football games at the Memorial ground. Apart from that there is the odd narrow road in the estates but they are on a waiting list. I think its being felt more in the Cotham and Clifton type areas where there's a real squeeze because of commuter parking. Apparently there has been an awful questionnaire sent out. Some say presumptuous. Some lam bast it for asking more questions about someones social background than the issues ...

St Neots - The Fence (3)

I can't believe it. Those who regularly follow my muse will know that we have a lovely market town here at St Neots. And a Lib Dem Town Council trying to make it even better. But we still have a Tory County Council - and there's the rub! We have this damn Fence, about 200 yards long on Cambridge Street which they simply will not replace but insist on coming along, almost on a weekly basis, and 'repairing' it. Frankly, I don't understand local government economics (does anyone?), but by now it could have been easily replaced many times over ...

Fun for all the family at the St Leonard's festival

Many thanks to all those who worked to make St Leonard's festival such a fun day out this year. Ruth, Zoe and I went along and loved the way that Kings Road and Warrior Square were buzzing with excitement and diversity. We were surprised that the event was alcohol-free, but actually this was really nice [...]

Ministers must implement Soham recommendations

Commenting on the news that recommendations made after the official inquiry into the Soham murders remain unimplemented, Liberal Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said: 'Serious crime can only be tackled by cooperating with our EU neighbours. 'Ministers continually trumpet their record on deporting foreign criminals but no one can be sure how many have slipped through the net because of their failure to implement basic safeguards. 'Four years is an awfully long time in which to have made no progress on a number of Bichard's recommendations, including a much needed common IT system.'

£14bn lost in tax credits

Almost £14bn has been lost though overpayments, fraud and error in tax credits since their introduction in 2003, analysis by the Liberal Democrats has revealed. Tax Credits fraud and error statistics released last week show that over £4bn was lost in the last two years, taking the total lost through overpayments, fraud and error to £14bn. Liberal Democrat Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, Jenny Willott, MP for Cardiff Central, said: 'The tax credits system is so complex that it is abused by fraudsters, misunderstood by claimants and mismanaged by officials. 'The amount lost through overpayments, fraud and error is now ...

The grand old country houses in NW6... now extinct?

There was time when the density of population on West End Lane and Kilburn High Road was very different - and not that long ago. Indeed most of both of these roads were lined by large almost county houses... Maps of the late 19th century show both West End Lane and Kilburn High Road with a series of large detatched houses in garden settings. So to find the remnants of this still highly visible last weekend was a real treat... If you're in Kilburn Grange Park looking towards the Kilburn High Road there is a stunning modernist house with a ...

Tall Ships

I went into the City Centre yesterday to have a look at the Tall Ships. It was fantastic. Huge crowds of people and lots going on. Pretty windy though so I did feel a bit sorry for the stilt walkers!

Garston embassy summer events

Summer activities for children (and some of us who are a bit older) will be on offer at (or from) the Garston embassy starting this coming week. There's also a meeting to get some ideas together. The embassy is on Wellington Street in Garston village - you can't miss it!

More Lembit news from the Screws

This kiss and tell is really a bit cheeky.

Visiting Petra in Jordan

As previously mentioned on this blog, I went to Petra last month whilst I was in Jordan. This is the video I shot.

Iain WHO, dear?

You know, I'm fairly new to all this blogging business so maybe I am missing something, but you know that Iain Dale? I really don't understand what it is that is so very special about him for people to keep quoting him like his views actually matter. I'm not sure what's worse really, the fact that his opinions are considered so valuable that he is given newspaper space and actual television airtime to espouse them like some kind of 21st Century politics guru, or the fact that every other Lib Dem blog I come across has a mention of him ...

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