This evening saw the three County Councillors from Mid Suffolk gather to celebrate their re-election and to thank those who helped them to do so, at Julia and Tony Truelove's in Little Finborough. Julia (Bosmere), Penny Otten (Thedwastre South) and John Field (Gipping Valley) are all much liked, and it was a lovely evening with food and wine, whilst we played boules in the garden and took photographs of the Mid Suffolk team. What I find so enticing is that everyone is so nice to each other, and there is little of the intensity that urban politics has. Don't get ...
One more game 1-1, cumulative (since my last operation in April 2006) 116-113 to JW.
In a shocking turn of events, most of the blogs this week carry some form of analysis of each parties fortunes at the Euro elections, which I guess was the biggest story of the week, finally knocking expenses off that spot for the first time in a month. A fairly honest assessment ("dreadful result") of Labour's night is offered by Leighton Andrews AM, who shows that maybe he might just understand what Labour's problem is. Or at least you might think that until you read the post from two days before where he returns to the traditional Welsh Labour message ...
I have always said that Brown will not lead Labour into the general election as I believe Labour has more sense to allow that to happened that is why I now think the blog post by Mike Smithson with quotes from a Labour Blogger is something to take notice of. Labour will get rid of Brown most likely at the Labour party conference or just after that leading to Alan Johnson becoming the leader of the Labour party and leading Labour into a general election. And with him as leader Labour might not lose as badly as it would under ...
There were two phrases that are going out of fashion that used to be much more prevalent when I was young: `Don't know they're born` and `think the World owes them a living`. In some ways this is true of the Conservatives due to the FPTP system. They don't seem to understand that one of the [...]
"Sandy Will Walk It" was the crassly hubristic slogan of my first parliamentary election campaign in St Albans in 1983 - complete with a little walking stick man figure as the logo. I didn't then but I did today - the St Albans Half Marathon at least. I did the Walking Race which has the great advantage of starting in the relative cool of 8 am - see atmospheric early morning picture (right). The bizarrest moment was walking up Bedmond Lane and hearing a shrieking whistle ahead as a steam roller clanked, rattled and hissed past on its way to ...
Sun 14th
21:43
Sorry John i had a laugh when i read steve Kingston article. he is right at least you do stand up to...
Salford Council Leader John Merry Awarded CBE JOHN MERRY – GOING, GOING GONGED? Star date: June 13th 2009 Salford Council Leader, John Merry, has today been awarded the CBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List. The `honour' has been bestowed for `services to local government'. Does this mean Councillor Merry is about to quit? Salford Star would like [...]
People still complain about pot holes in Bedfordshire, but they are nothing compared to the mess that exists in Hertfordshire. I am furious about the lack of work on the potholes on the Leighton Buzzard Rd, route into Hemel Hempstead, especially between Braden Lane and Pedley Hill. You have to do some serious dodging to avoid some nasty potholes here. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that someone has done some serious damage to tyres, or worse, at this spot. Before June 4th Tory posters declared "Vote for Change" along this route. People voted for change and they somehow ended ...
I'm perhaps a week late in reporting the happy news that The Christie, formerly known as The Christie Hospital in Withington (Manchester) has been told by the government that the NHS will pay back the £6.5m lost in the Icelandic banking collapse. Without the support of 100,000 people who signed The Manchester Evening News petition I highlighted here last month, it is doubtful The Christie would have been successful. The return of the money now means that some important projects that could have been scrapped, can now go ahead - including a remote unit at Salford Royal Hospital. The Christie ...
I had pondered myself over the name of the man who (unfortunately) is my British National Party Member of the European Parliament, as to me it didn't sound terribly English for a politician who is anti-immigrant. Today, the Independent on Sunday brings the news that Andrew Brons' Great Grandfather was a German immigrant who never [...]
Observer Business: "Hotels hit by worst trading conditions for decades". Observer Cash: "Could this be the summer to open that dream B&B?" Despite their best efforts to persuade me otherwise, I think I'm going to say "no".
Hat-tip to Liberal Vision on this one; "Chris Davies MEP seems to be a regular topic of discussion on this blog as of late. He deserves three cheers for swiftly condemning UAF's bust-up of the BNP's abortive press conference last week. But he also merits a fourth cheer for contacting UAF last week, demanding to be removed from their list of supporters." I [...]
From afar I loved the Tories ripping out each others innards in the Maastricht Treaty battles of the 90s. The colourful suited eccentrics against the grey John Major characterised the trench warfare that was all consuming for the Conservatives.Thanks to Ken Clarke the Tories are heading straight back there. He let slip today that if Ireland says yes the Tories won't hold a referendum. What's changed is that the centre of gravity of the party is now firmly in the Euro sceptic camp. So I suspect Ken and his Euro sensible colleagues will have more of a difficulty in winning ...
Last Sunday night I sat at my computer and posted 'tweets' on my Twitter feed while watching the European election results come in. I wasn't alone. As well as posting comments, I sent messages to a blogger who writes for the Telegraph, a PR social media guru, a public affairs specialist and political activists. As well as chatting and commenting on the reports coming from the BBC, together we were developing our views about the results. Twitter may, in time, be seen as a passing fad but for now it is becoming increasingly important. It will certainly add another dimension ...
Today's Sunday Times is reporting that new Home Secretary Alan Johnson wants to have another look at the plans to introduce ID cards. If he cancels them it'll be in the nick of time as we already know that the government has already identified certain groups to act as the first card holders (including the airport staff at Manchester which led to a protest by BALPA). We all know that ID cards won't achieve what the government says they will, will change the relationship between citizen and the state and will cost money that could be spent better elsewhere. Fingers ...
A weekend with thankfully little to write politcially, but whilst having a wonderful time in a second hand bookshop looking for books around the "Brass Crosby era" around 1771, I came across this cartoon, titled as above. it shows Frederick, Duke of York, a son of George third. After failings not to be gone into here in his career, including being parodied as the "Grand Old Duke of York" in...
Costigan Quist writing on LDV has an excellent post advising on the 4 steps that the Lib Dems need to follow to replace LabourRene Kinzett thinks Ken Clarke was speaking sense today about the Lisbon TreatyTim Worstall answers the question "Can anyone seriously maintain that stopping mass murder is less important than violating that legal principle?" definitivelyPeter Black is hopeful that Alan Johnson will ditch ID cardsAnd on a sombre note, Cicero thinks that people who legitimately win elections by a huge margin do not normally need to arrest their opponents
There is a fascinating, guest, post by Anton Howes, leader of the Social Liberalist party, on Liberal Vision. In Of Markets and Morals, Anton discusses the recent Reith Lectures by Michael Sandel on the limits of markets. The piece explores where markets work best and where they appear not to.
Welcome to the 121st of our weekly round-ups from the Lib Dem blogosphere, featuring the seven most popular stories according to click-throughs from the Aggregator (7th-13th June 2009), together with a hand-picked quintet, mostly courtesy of LibDig, you might otherwise have missed. As ever, let's start with the most popular post, and work our way down. 1. European elections: rolling results news on Lib Dem Voice. Tracking last Sunday night's election fever. 2. Pipped at the Post on Jonathan Fryer's blog. One of the biggest disappointments of the European elections. 3. On the 2009 local election results – an update ...
The lovely people at Lib Dem Voice have published an article I've written: Replacing Labour in four easy Steps.
In the last few weeks a lot has been happening in British politics. Here are a few things to consider:Everyone agrees that Peter Mandelson has become a key figure in the Brown Cabinet. Some say he is, de facto, the deputy PM. It seems clear that he is now driving large chunks of policy and setting strategic directionMandelson will be essential to the general election campaign - again a givenThe latest date for a general election is June 2010. If Brown waits until next year, he is more likely to go in May as this is when some local elections ...
News reached me late - but fabulous news! My Liberal Democrat councillor colleague Fiyaz Mughal has been awarded an OBE. It is awarded to him for services to the voluntary sector, including his work as director of Faith Matters. Congratulations Fiyaz. Very well deserved!
I had hoped that the applicants for a lap dancing club in the middle of Crouch End would take the hint - that local people didn't want them there and that they would disappear forever with their tail between their legs. The message from the campaign was quite clear: lap off! But they haven't. They're back! So - the Lib Dems are pushing for there to be wide, wide consultation on this new application and for the views of residents to be heard loud and clear. Indeed, the original application was withdrawn in the spring after really fierce local opposition ...
Sustainable energy - without the hot air, by David JC MacKay (ISBN: 978-0954452933, web site) {Sustainable Energy - without the hot air, by David J C MacKay} In short: read this book. Now. Every so often, when considering 'green' issues, I'll find myself pondering a question like 'compared to a car engine, how much CO2 does a person cycling give off?' or 'surely even inefficient light bulbs give off heat, which means that I have to heat the room less, so how do those savings compare?' When Top Gear broke the story about bio-fuels to the masses back in 2003, ...
We are continuing to develop the site – please keep your feedback coming. We've added three new features we wanted to bring to your attention 1, A Subscribe function for all posts. Hit the Subscribe button at the top or fill in the form below. Your email: 2, The option to use Facebook connect to add comments. This means you can use your facebook profile to add comments – warning it also grabs your profile photo. 3, A link to the Lib Dem Voice Forum, a private place for Lib Dem Members to talk, in the sidebar. No related posts. ...
Many roads in the borough were damaged by the severe weather earlier in the year. Interestingly, the South of the Borough took a greater hit than the other Neighbourhoods - apparently temperatures tend to be a least a degree colder out here than further towards Kingston town. Ah, the joys of living in the outlying districts (as Chessington and Hook were once described, to my...
I know, how terribly patronising to the people of Latvia.
It's Sunday, sunny and the elections are over – so why not indulge in the latest LDV meme: what's your favourite political TV drama? Mine, in reverse order: 5. State of Play – tense and taut, journalism mixed with politics. Fab writer (Paul Abbott), wonderful cast (David Morrissey, John Simm, Kelly McDonald, Bill Nighy), great drama. 4. A Very British Coup – slightly dated, but still enjoyable, Chris Mullin's story of a socialist Labour government doing battle with the British establishment in the '80s is both funny and plausible. Sublime performance by Ray McAnally as Sheffield steel-worker Harry Perkins. 3. ...
{tim-farron-mp1} Tim Farron may not be a household name yet, but keep a close eye on the 39 year old MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale. Having ended nearly a century of Tory dominance at the last General Election with a majority of less than 500, you'd expect his seat to be categorised as "ultra-marginal". And no doubt Tim Farron is wisely treating it as such. But some of the psephological info emerging from the Lake District is so amazing that computer programs would probably reject it as being too ridiculous. On Tim's watch, the local election results in the area ...
During the BBC Question Time Live Chat on here on Thursday, I had a £10 bet with fellow blogger Constantly Furious (who always seems to be quite irked about something) that Gordon Brown will not be PM by the end of the year. I feel that the only reason he survived this time round is because of the fear that a General Election would have to be called in short order. However come the Autumn I reckon that a new PM could credibly announce upon accession that the General Election would be held in early spring which is almost when ...
As the first blogger to turn up in Norwich North, it gives me great pleasure to let you know that everything is set up for you to help out. The Riso is flat out, the walks are ready, there are leaflets in plenty. On a sunny day, Norwich is a lovely spot to be in, and delivery is quite easy. So, a bundle of leaflets was grabbed and off to Mile Cross to deliver them. I've picked up a fair bit of colour in recent weeks, so a hat was required, but the walk was pleasant enough, and it's always ...
Last week I gave you Millie, Chris Blackwell's first hit in Britain. That gives me the excuse to feature the next act he signed. Yes, it's Spencer Davis Group time again. "Keep on Running" reached number 1 in the British charts in January 1966, when the band's lead singer and guitarist (and Hammond organ player) Steve Winwood was 17.This is a live version from the following year, recorded just before the Spencer Davis Group split. Thanks to the subtitles, I can reveal that the Finnish for "keep on running" is senkun juokset.
{chris-davies} Chris Davies MEP seems to be a regular topic of discussion on this blog as of late. He deserves three cheers for swiftly condemning UAF's bust-up of the BNP's abortive press conference last week. But he also merits a fourth cheer for contacting UAF last week, demanding to be removed from their list of supporters. So far, I haven't had a reply from Alistair Carmichael or Mike Hancock, the two LibDem MPs claimed as supporters by Unite Against Fascism. You can email Alistair at carmichaela@parliament.uk and Mike at portsmouthldp@cix.co.uk . Please do so, and ask them to withdraw from ...
This weeks headline figures:1925 absolute unique visitors since 14th May6545 visitsBusiest day: MondayReaders' favourite browser: still Firefox, although it's down to 54.01% ( more Google Analytics statporn under here ) Exciting stats not from Google Analytics:# of unread emails: 168# of websites requiring work: 4# of blog posts I am committed to write that I haven't written yet: 9# of logos/headers to design: 1 (for Sarah at Same Difference)# of Dreamwidth Invite Codes Available for handing out: 0# of people added to reading list this week: 1# of people removed from reading list this week: 0# of times I forgot ...
A few days ago, a dashing young Liberal Democrat leader suggested that Britain's third party could overtake Labour. Clegg (for it was he) affirmed his belief that "the Liberal Democrats can replace Labour as the progressive party in British politics". Nick talks of the Lib Dems as the dominant political party of urban Britain – debatable, but we'll give him the benefit of the doubt. He speaks of the Lib Dems winning the battle of ideas across a range of areas, something most Lib Dems at least are likely to concur with, even if our opponents might not be quite ...
Lord Robertson of Port Ellen once remarked that 'Devolution will kill the SNP stone dead' but 10 years on from Devolution, there is a minority SNP administration in the Scottish Parliament and a recent surge in their popularity, the European Election results as evidence of this. However, the question is whether those extra voters of the SNP are advocating Scottish Independence or are in fact voting as a protest against the current failings of Labour or at Westminster politics in general. It could be argued quite easily that the SNP have in fact gained popularity through their own merit. The ...
My experience of television is mostly from being in front of a rectangular screen, so spending an hour or so at BBC East's studio in Norwich, was an unexpected pleasure. There is still, I'm pleased to say, a regional element to 'The Politics Show', and I found myself in the green room at 'The Forum', a comparatively recent addition to the Norwich skyline, built after the main library caught fire and burned down. It's all glass and open plan, so you can, for example, peer into the BBC Radio Norfolk offices whilst you lunch at Pizza Express, or sip your ...
I would strongly recommend making it this superb analysis of events atop the New Labour project in the last few weeks from Andrew Rawnsley. He is particularly incisive on the relationship between Brown and Mandelson: "What's he up to?" one senior Tory exclaimed to me the other day, simply unable to comprehend why Peter Mandelson saved Gordon Brown, the man with whom he conducted such an epically gory feud for 14 years before he returned to the cabinet last autumn. "They hate each other!" Well, yes they did, but weirdly enough they have always loved each other too. It all ...
I have been accessing some blogs recently that haven't been updated for a while and are being neglected by the writers so I am going to write to points below on how blogs get neglected and how a writer can prevent that from happening. The type of blog posts that is boring or something that doesn't have a head and feet will most likely not get read by people and it will lead to the blog becoming unpopular. If its a blog post that poses a question that makes no sense on a new blog it could lead to the ...
It is in the nature of politics to be up one minute and down the next; especially recently things have been so fluid that I have stopped regarding opinion polls as even a static picture of public opinion though it has been possible to discern some trends. Interestingly, the last couple of opinion polls have [...]
I've had an acknowledgement from the Council following my letter to them about the traffic on Dutson Road. The road is heavily used carrying a mix of cars, pedestrians and heavy vehicles. Cars and lorries are often travelling at excess speed and, for large sections of the road, there are no pavements and pedestrians have to walk outside parked vehicles. I suspect that there is no quick fix to this problem and we will need to consult residents on the best way forward, but I am asking the Council to treat this as a matter of some urgency as there ...
I have received an acknowledgement from the Council following my letter about the state of the advertising hoardings on Western Road. These haven't been used properly since advertising the BBC show 'Britz' some 18 months ago and, despite being papered over, are in a poor state of repair. I have asked the Council to press the owners to either use the site properly or to remove the hoardings altogether. I write again as soon as I have any further news. In the meantime, if you want to comment on this or any other matter, please email alexfolkes@gmail.com or call 07984 ...
I've written today toTom Flanagan, the Council's Corporate Director for Environment, Planning and the Economy about Kensey Valley Meadow. Kensey Valley Meadow is a new(ish) development on the Tavistock Road down towards Polson. I say new(ish) because many people have been living there for more than four years. Unfortunately, the roads are still not adopted by the Council and so local people miss out on some local services. I am asking the Council what plans are in place to adopt the roads, what the developer (either the current one or a previous company) needs to do and what action can ...
{Appearing on Radio 4's The Westminster Hour with Carolyn Quinn} I'm on The Westminster Hour tonight (Sunday): Radio 4, 10pm. Don't yet know what will be up for discussion - but if you've got any views on the political events of the moment, let me know. If you miss the show you'll be able to listen again on their website.
Back on 2nd June, LDV launched our election prediction competition, inviting readers to put their reputations on the line and tell us what they thought would happen in the 4th June English local and European elections. Here are the questions with the actual results in bold: 1. Predict the Liberal Democrat share of the vote in the European elections. 14% 2. Predict the turnout in the European elections. 34.5% 3. Predict the Liberal Democrat lead over Labour in the local elections (if you think the results will be LD 25%, Lab 22%, your answer is +3%. If you think it will ...
Janet's cousin and her husband are across from their home in the Netherlands at the moment and my sister-in-law arranged a family BBQ yesterday (after the West End Fun Day!) Here's a couple of photos ...
{Featured on Liberal Democrat Voice} Fraser Nelson wrote an excellent and widely praised blog post on the Spectator blog on Thursday entitled "Why Brown will get caught out this time round". In it he argues that Brown's usual trick of completely misrepresenting his opponent's position and then hammering away at it until it seeps into the public conscience is going to be much more difficult to achieve with hundreds or thousands of citizen journalists in the form of bloggers pulling apart his terminological inexactitudes. An aspect of the future of politics and holding politicians to account though that Fraser did ...
Just back from two days on Lundy to recover from the election. It was a fantastic place and just the sort of relaxation I needed after four weeks of electioneering. For those who don't know, Lundy is about three miles long and half a mile wide. There are steep cliffs on all sides and a plateau on top with a small village and working farm. At both north and south points there are lighthouses. A ship sails to Lundy from either Bideford or Ilfracombe (depending on tides) up to four times a week and there are 23 different places to ...
Yesterday's West End Fun Day on Magdalen Green was a huge success, with a great turnout of local residents. Congratulations to Ancrum Road Primary School who won both the P3-4 and the P5-7 football competitions! Here's a few photos from yesterday's event : Above : Harry McGregor opens the Fun Day! Above : Beat the Goalie with Tony Bullock, Dundee FC goalkeeper! Above : Football tournament action! Above : Janet and Pat with Bunty! Above : A great turnout of local people! Above : Dundee Instrumental Band! Above : P3 & 4 football winners from Ancrum Road Primary School! Above ...
After the disputed election in Iran, where, despite a huge increase in turnout, the election is said to have brought no change, I can not help noticing one very important thing: People who win elections by the margin suggested by officials in Iran do not usually need to arrest their opponents. It therefore looks pretty clear that the populist Ahmadi-Nejad has stolen the election. The reaction in the clerical state is already violent and could become explosive. Not good in a state that is already quite close to gaining a nuclear bomb. It underlines the nature of the regime that ...
Within mintues of my blog entry the tone of the BBC reporting on the Conservative's shift in education policy has changed. Do they really listen to me?
This morning's Times suggests that the new Home Secretary, Alan Johnson is about to perform a spectacular u-turn on the government's flagship ID cards policy. They report that he has launched an urgent review of the £6 billion scheme: The home secretary told officials that he wanted a "first principles" rethink of the plan, which was launched by Tony Blair following the 9/11 attacks in 2001 and has since been championed by Brown as a way of fighting terrorism. "Alan is more sympathetic to the civil liberties arguments than previous home secretaries," said an insider. "He is genuinely open minded. ...
From The Telegraph: George Osborne, the shadow chancellor, is facing demands to "pay back" £55,000 in capital gains tax, which critics say he is morally obliged to pay after "flipping" his designated second property. The Liberal Democrats said they had calculated how much capital gains tax Mr Osborne avoided by the way he designated his London family home. They called on David Cameron to force him to pay it back. The Tory leader has clamped down heavily on backbench Tory MPs who have abused the expenses system, but he has yet to censure a senior member of his inner circle... ...
Nick Clegg strikes a blow for transparency and accountability this morning with his demand that any new inquiry into the Iraq war should be open, wide in its remit and should report speedily. He was speaking in the light of indications that the Prime Minister is going to announce the inquiry on Tuesday and that its structure would be "similar but not identical" to the Franks inquiry into the 1982 Falklands war, which was held behind closed doors. It is reported that the Tories are broadly happy with a Franks-style investigation: Last night, as families of the dead said they ...
The Internet political tech guru that is Mark Pack wrote a blog post on his blog about an American Mayor candidate who was using Facebook connect on his campaign website and I have been checking it out and personally I sort of like it but have a better idea for anyone who can't do a lot of coding and business to make their site work with Facebook Connect. People like Mark would find it a doddle to connect their site up with Facebook Connect but not all of us can do that so the best way to combat that problem ...
There's a nice letter from Sarah Ludford in the Tribune, thanking Islington voters for helping re-elect her as London's Lib Dem MEP. So far Sarah seems to be the only local MEP to actually bother to thank the voters for electing her!
I was worried about writing this blog entry. How does a Liberal Democrat write in support of a Conservative policy shift whilst still holding his liberal ideals? Well thankfully when I looked closer at their proposed policy, I decided it was safe to rattle away.I have written many time before about the need to scrap the testing for all primary pupils. Simply having the tests means that it is
.....that far right US swivelheads are attracted to this site by my posting `Liberal Democrats tough on crime` Wrapped up as they are in their own little fear-ridden psychosis they might actually find it food for thought.
The latest YouGov has the following results: CON 40 (+3) LAB 24(+2) LD 18 (-1) If this was to portrait in the elections as the result then we would be screwed with a Tory government but I don't think its going to be that easy. The Conservatives might feel winners at the moment but I have a feeling that by the Autumn Labour will either pick a leader from this list or they will have Brown and the polls will be Labour supportive. You do need to bare in mind that if the economy grows as it did last week ...
Many Liberal Democrats were concerned to hear last week that our Party's resident superhero Vince Cable had been rushed to hospital with appendicitis. Thankfully, he is well on the way to recovery and in good enough shape to write this account for the Mail on Sunday. We've all become aware in recent years of Vince's penchant for prescient observation, so I hope this article is on the desk of anyone involved in the strategic management of the NHS, in all parts of the UK, including Government Ministers. To sum up - the emergency care and assessment and treatment he said ...
A final posting from my recent visit to East Langton and Church Langton. A few years ago, approaching East Langton across the fields from Market Harborough, I came across this pillar. When I got home I did some Googling and discovered why it is there. The Thoroughbred Heritage website (scroll down as the horse we are interested in is the son of the other Lottery that the page is mostly about) tells the story of Lottery: In 1839 Lottery won the Grand National (Grand Liverpool), then a race for even weights. In 1840, within the span of a month, he ...
Do you feel safe going out at night What do think of the roads? Who do you blame for the lack of jobs Do you think your child's school offers a good standard of education Do you think this government and Council have lost the plot? Do you think we are suffering through economic migration. Do you think we should pull [...]
Fiyaz Mughal, Haringey councillor, former contender to stand as Liberal Democrat candidate for mayor of London, and occasional blogger was yesterday named an officer of the Order of the British Empire in HM The Queen's birthday honours list in recognition of his services to the voluntary sector.
On "Have I Got News For You" this week they mocked the fact that the Labour party have appointed the almost anonymous Bob Ainsworth as Minister of Defence. From my experience, they are right to joke about him. I lived for three years, in Coventry and was a council candidate during that time in Bob Ainsworth's constituency. In that time, he was virtually anonymous. As a politically active and politically aware student, you might have expected the local politicians to be of immediate interest to me, and in the run up to the 1997 I expected to see lots of ...
The article linked is another in the Sunday Times. Interestingly this is not via myself, but another route. It makes it clear, however, that there is a systematic problem.
Thanks for all the hits,just hope we are getting the message across,and don't forget what ever message you wish to put over you have a forum. What ever your politics, i would like to engage some Labour and Conservatives in debate you wish to sell your party or just wish to kick off go for [...]
The gremlins have been at work this morning if this item on the Sunday Times website is anything to go by. Reporting on the latest opinion poll the paper has turned the Conservative Leader and his Shadow Chancellor into market gardeners: Even so, 33% of people named Cameron and George Osborne, the shadow chancellor, as the politicians they trusted most to raise their and their family's standard of fingers in the earth and nothing tastes better than a strawberry or tomato you have just picked. Almost reminds me of that famous Spitting Image sketch where Thatcher is ordering food for ...
It was bad eggs all round on Tuesday when anti fascist protesters pelted the Bad News Party Leader Nick Griffin and his Nazi supporting colleague Andrew Brons MEP. The problem with such stunts is that...
Sun 14th
09:08On a Serious Note i will be asking Councillor Owen to offer views in the coming months on his views ...
Many of you would have read about myself and Cllr Owen, we are both of the same mould, it always worries me that we always spark off each other,but it adds to the fun of politics. What do i think of the mans chances to take Hazel Blears seat, to be honest with the right [...]
Interesting news from the New York Times on Mike Bloomberg's use of Facebook Connect: Supporters can join the mayor's social network "Mike Bloomberg NYC Community" with their Facebook user name and password and choose to broadcast their activities there back to their friends on the social network. Mr. Bloomberg, who is running for a third term as New York City mayor, is not the first politician to link his campaign site to Facebook. Last year, the Obama campaign added Facebook Connect to its social network, MyBarackObama.com, in the final weeks of the presidential campaign. Facebook Connect could ultimately give political ...
Sun 14th
08:51Had a post yesterday from an N. Owen ? asking me to take down the petition to get rid of Hazel
Well i have to say Mr Owen who ever you are, you are Bloody right. I hope Hazel is selected, so Salford Labour do us all a Big favour. VOTE FOR HAZEL BLEARS
Losing a child is probably the worst thing that can happen to a family. This month sees the anniversary of Ben Kinsella's murder, so the conviction of his killers last week was timely. Innocent Ben's death touched so many people, so did the dignity of his family. The response from young people in Islington was amazing, [...]
Sun 14th
08:44OH! my god a little bird tells me Hazel is going to attend a community meeting in her ward.
Hoiw the mighty have fallen from some one who can't take the time to answer constituants letters,turning up at a community meeting. Well Hazel i have got a Pact meeting with the police and residents fancy joining me. Don't think so do you.
Americans are not known for being backward at coming forward so it's highly amusing that files released under Freedom of Information and obtained by the Sunday Herald reveal that US consular officials thought him "flippant, brash and (an even worse insult in US terms than being called a liberal) a self confessed socialist." To be fair to Salmond, they also described him as a dazzling debater, charismatic and the SNP's best electoral asset, none of which even his most implacable opponents could put up much of an argument against. Salmond's spin doctor's response to this was to claim that if ...
Welcome to the Sunday outing for The Voice's Daily View series. As it's a Sunday, today it comes with a bonus complaint and the easiest quiz question of the week. 2 Big Stories Could Alan Johnson scrap ID cards? Gordon Brown's weakness means there is a set of senior Cabinet members who are now unsackable. If any of them were to take it upon themselves to indulge in a very un-Brownian desire to do something dramatic and decisive, it would be extremely hard for Gordon Brown to stop them. Step forward then possibly, perhaps, just maybe Alan Johnson. (He is, ...
Despite forgetting all about it, managed to grab http://www.facebook.com/andydarley. Clearly there is not much competition for this very fine name. # Brilliant steampunky b&w advert showing how the world might have been if the web had come first and newspapers followed: http://bit.ly/GfjzG # Is really enjoying having a non-working day. Done some gardening, played some Civ4, watched a bit of Le Mans, now listening to Twenty20 WCup #
I spent most of yesterday at Compass' annual conference in London. It was really interesting with a broad spectrum of progressive speakers attending; Lib Dems, Nationalists and Greens with the biggest slice being Labour. There are moves to get the organisation doing more in Wales – definitely a good thing. For once at a national event Wales wasn't forgotten about either. There were a number of sessions on devolution including one attended by the Director of the Institute of Welsh Affairs, John Osmond. He, of course, came close to winning Preseli for Plaid at the last election and is one ...
