Multiculturalism was the subject of tonight's inaugural session of a new series of gatherings at the Dialogue Society HQ in Islington, envisaged to emulate BBC World's HardTalk, in which a prominent journalist subjects a person — usually of some political importance — to an extended probing interview. The two men chosen for this initial bout were Tariq ...
I had previously made a passing reference to the "retirement" of Prof Les Ebdon from his post as Vice Chancellor of the University of Bedfordshire. If we were wondering what Les would do next it wasn't long before we found out. Business secretary Vince cable has chosen to appoint him as the new director of the Office for Fair Access, a watchdog designed to ensure that people from all backgrounds are able to benefit from higher education. There is no question that during his time at the University of Bedfordshire Prof Ebdon has been a highly effective and successful advocate ...
The Cambridgeshire Guided Busway was a long time a-coming and has been extremely controversial since its inception. But love it or hate it, its less contentious collateral has been a cycleway running alongside it. This is well used and provides a welcome safe route away from the road traffic for many cyclists and pedestrians. One flaw has been identified: most of the track has no lighting. And it has strange bollards along it, which can't be seen in the dark. Over the past week, I've heard of at least three people who have had accidents. Other people feel generally unsafe ...
In 1975. And with another 17 years of Labour government to come to do something about it... Rector Gordon Brown speaks The clip is from the wonderful National Library of Scotland's Scottish Screen Archive - whose only failure is not to allow embedding of videos.
Today, Business Green reports that several of the UK's leading green entrepreneurs have written to the new energy and climate change secretary, Ed Davey, setting out a policy wish list for clean technologies. Interestingly, they have also urged him to "stimulate green jobs and communicate a more compelling narrative that UK competitive advantage lies in creating a 'sustainable green economy'". One demand that caught my eye was a shift in the debate on green taxes. "We ask that you adopt the 'polluter pays principle' by incentivising clean purchasing behaviour with 'green incentives' while collecting 'pollution taxes'," the letter states. "The ...
I know we revere the NHS, and defend it against all slights and spending cuts. And yes, I revere it. But I have to admit that I spend more time than I should irritated with its little blind spots, by the little humiliations it distributes - but most of all by its boneheaded stupidy about chronic health problems. These are not marginal. Chronic ill-health - asthma, diabetes, drepression, back pain, you know the kind of thing - takes up 80 per cent of NHS time and a similar proportion of NHS resources. I feel particularly strongly about this because I ...
The Conservative leader of Leicestershire County Council is in trouble, judging by this tweet from BBC Leicester's Eleanor Garnier: Conservative Cabinet members @LeicsCountyHall call for Tory Leader to resign. Some threaten resignation if David Parsons doesn't step downYou can read the background to this row in the Leicester Mercury. Eleanor Garnier has also tweeted that Parsons has declined to make any comment this evening but has previously denied any wrongding.
Two magnificent headlines from the BBC website over the past 24 hours the peculiar - 'Sexual geography: Why is Hebden Bridge the lesbian capital of the UK' - and the almost perfect: 'Third failure in naked Atlantic pedalo crossing'.
Spotted at Norbiton Railway Station this morning.
As rail travel from Eaglescliffe station has grown in popularity the station car park has been increasingly filled by commuters' cars, with a reduction in the space available for people working in and visiting the businesses on Station Rd. A proposal from Stockton council for a residents parking permit scheme was rejected by residents who did not believe that there was a significant problem yet.
A report in tomorrow's Guardian says: It is ... expected that the influential Conservative Home website, seen as the voice of the party grassroots, will publish an editorial on Friday calling for the bill to be dropped altogether. It is understood that Conservative Home has been urged to make the call by three cabinet members who believe David Cameron is not listening on the issue. One source said: "We have almost been instructed to write this." It is extraordinary that cabinet members feel so frustrated at the political deadlock that they have resorted to urging Conservative Home to raise the ...
With a prolonged spell of very cold weather predicted, agencies across Cambridgeshire are working together to help people in the county stay safe, warm and well as the winter weather hits. Health services, road safety experts and care support services are sharing information, expertise and support to ensure that a comprehensive range of services is available to vulnerable residents, when they need it most. Gritting and treating a wide network of highways, footpaths and cycleways, working with district and parish councils to grit community areas such as paths outside shops, community centres and doctors surgeries and schemes designed to cut ...
With a prolonged spell of very cold weather predicted, agencies across Cambridgeshire are working together to help people in the county stay safe, warm and well as the winter weather hits. Health services, road safety experts and care support services are sharing information, expertise and support to ensure that a comprehensive range of services is available to vulnerable residents, when they need it most. Gritting and treating a wide network of highways, footpaths and cycleways, working with district and parish councils to grit community areas such as paths outside shops, community centres and doctors surgeries and schemes designed to cut ...
Every year, another 340,000 children in the UK are tempted to try smoking. And evidence suggests that they are more likely to be attracted by designed tobacco packs, than by plain packs. I can see no reason therefore why anyone, smoker on non-smoker, should be against the campaign for cigarettes to be supplied in plain packs. Check it out for yourself and join me by signing up at the Support Plain Packs campaign.
Thu 9th
20:02
"We're going to be radical, we're going to take risks and we're going to be unashamedly Liberal Demo...
So said Brian Paddick at his campaign launch last night:
This evening I had the interesting pleasure of listening to Ed Miliband's inaugural speech to the Sheffield Political Economy Research Institute (SPERI). I had not rated Ed Miliband particularly. He seemed dull. He didn't make me feel anger, annoyance, inspired, optimistic – I just felt a general sense of apathy. Sure, he said some things that were good, ...
A recent article in the Evening Telegraph entitled "MPs slam Peterborough City Council for council tax increase" shows that the City's Tories are still very much divided, says Liberal Democrat city councillor, Darren Fower. The recent article claims: "Peterborough City Council's cabinet has come under fire for letting the adult social care bill spiral out of control, prompting a proposed 2.95 per cent tax rise in 2012/13, while refusing to accept a government grant to freeze the tax." Apparently Bob Neill MP, minister for local government and the Tory MP for Peterborough are calling for a freeze on Council Tax ...
All, Linfoot Homes met with the Town Council earlier in the week to discuss a potential development adjacent to Hornsby Close & Basket Hall. Although at an early stage the proposal is for 21 homes of various sizes, running round a 'village green' or play area. The proposals also include special drainage to reduce any risk of flooding and a footpath to the Rugby Club land allowing access to the Council run-play area. Although generally sympathetic to the scheme Councillors raised concerns about the proposed height of some of the houses (the scheme is on a hill) and the proposed ...
The unrecorded public footpath to Consett Rugby Club is due to be extinguished according to the county council map published in connection with the recently published Stopping Up order for Belle Vue. That's the conclusion of one eagle-eyed reader. Have a look at the map and see if you agree, though for the definitive map you'll have to go to Consett Library – and cough up £1.15 if you want one of your own.
Wow. Okay, I just got home from work, logged onto facebook and saw this: For those of you that don't know, Biggles is my nickname (Biggles being a fictional RAF pilot from the world wars and me being someone who apparently sounds like him: "tally ho" and all that, etc.). The picture is a truly brilliant piece of, out of the blue, photoshopping by one Paul Wild - a member of a Lib Dem facebook group that I'm also a member of, and a true master at the art of coming up with billboard designs, leaflet graphics and generally anything ...
Sometimes politics seems to be full of vitriol and anger. And sometimes politicians speak calmly and bare their soul. This is a quietly moving speech by Maureen Walsh, one of the two Republicans who voted for marriage equality in the Washington House of Representatives this week. Hat-tip: Andrew Sullivan
Everyone was present, so the Chair Cllr Mark Dowd started the meeting at 2.30pm by wishing everyone a very pleasant time. He asked for declarations of interest. Cllr Chris Blakeley declared an interest as a Fast Tag holder and an interest in item 5 as a recipient of allowances from Merseytravel. The Chair declared an ...
If the Party is still licking its wounds and reeling from the catastrophic loss of public support over student tuition fees and the kicking received in the May 2011 local elections, then please be in no doubt, that the punishment it will receive from the electorate for its perceived co-operation in, and reluctant endorsement of, the demise of a much loved and unified national health service, will be on another planet entirely! And that will be despite the valiant efforts and guerrilla warfare carried out by our Peers led notably by Shirley Williams and others. Essential to Cameron's election campaign ...
Fair play to Ed, he's been in the cabinet for less than a week and already he's written to everybody. And here's what he had to say... Dear Richard,Some things in politics are symbolic. For dyed-in-the-wool environmentalists like the Liberal Democrats, solar power is one of these things - indisputably clean, green and cutting edge technology. The sort of thing Liberal Democrats in a government that aims to be the greenest ever should be unequivocally behind. Our commitment to the environment was why I joined the party in the first place. That's why I want solar power to be as ...
"In the past few months I have noticed discourse within in the party from "the right" vs "the left". This may be fuelled by "difficult decisions" and "compromises" etc etc, yet it's completely damaging to us as a party from every side of the spectrum. Firstly, we can't achieve anything by acting like kids with passive aggressive internet bickering. Secondly, we have far more important things to get on with as a united membership." Good sense from Kavya Kaushik. Chris Richards has a video of the launch of the Liberal Democrat campaign for London at the Ministry of Sound yesterday. ...
I discussed yesterday on my blog, my thoughts on the Liberal Left group, not very complimentary in the main. Today this disdain was further extended by Linda Jack's piece in the Grauniad She makes some strange twists and turns and indeed a very strange citation to support their anti tory credentials; William Gladstone. You see even the quickest of wikipedia glances will tell you that when William Gladstone entered parliament he entered under the Conservative whip as MP for Newark. He then went onto serve as a minister under Sir Robert Peel, a Conservative Prime Minister. It wasn't until some ...
Coverage of Woman in Black looks to be following the pattern of Kick Ass, X-Men First Class and Stardust: Ooooooo look Jonathan Ross has turned up to the premiere because his friend is in the film! ... Nothing to do with his wife having written the fucking screenplay then? Bastards. It's at this point that I gives (limited) props to ITV for actually acknowledging her existence and having a brief interview with her, even if they did spend more time interviewing Ross first, and they probably only acknowledged her because every single one of the film's stars that they asked ...
Local police say that a drugs warrant was executed by officers on Saturday 4th February at an address in Gunthorpe and 2 males were arrested for possessing cannabis. According to the police: "Following information received at the address a search was made of an address in Paston and a quantity of cannabis plants were recovered. Both males are currently on police bail." If you need to contact the police for a non emergency event please ring 101. For an emergency where life or property is in danger the number remains 999.
It was 11.00pm, after a day at work and straight on to a committee meeting, I finally arrived home and there on the doorstep was every parents nightmare. A pair of school shoes. As anyone with young children knows the only reason a pair of childrens shoes is left outside is..........................dog pooh. When you're six, the world is an exciting place and with so much to see an learn
From the Leicester Mercury: A senior party source said: "When you're a member of a political party, there's a line that is taken on each issue, and if you don't like the line, then you're quite free to leave and sit as an independent.
Who, exactly, does Donald Trump think he is? We know from the Aberdeenshire golf course issue that he thinks all government entities should bend to his will. He doesn't take too kindly to people who have a different point of view, no matter who they are. He's had a right go at Alex Salmond - sending him a letter basically telling him that nobody will ever visit Scotland if he allows offshore wind farms to be built. The letter is as thuggish as you would expect from someone who is far too accustomed to deference from others:"I have authorized my ...
Thu 9th
17:17
LibLink: Brian Paddick - London is increasingly policed by force not consent - thanks to its mayors
Lib Dem London mayoral candidate Brian Paddick had a piece on the Guardian's Comment Is Free website yesterday on what is his undoubtedly his strongest issue – policing. Here's a sample of what Brian had to say: Crime will be far more of an issue in the election of the mayor of London on 3 May because the mayor is now the elected crime and police commissioner for London. He alone sets police priorities and the police budget and he alone will hold the Metropolitan police to account. Far from holding the police to account, to date both Ken Livingstone ...
Some things in politics are symbolic. For dyed-in-the-wool environmentalists like the Liberal Democrats, solar power is one of these things - indisputably clean, green and cutting edge technology. The sort of thing Liberal Democrats in a government that aims to be the greenest ever should be unequivocally behind. Our commitment to the environment was why I joined the party in the first place. So I understand why many of you were confused and disappointed when the Government appeared to scale back the Feed in Tariffs that allow people to install solar panels in their homes and businesses, not least when ...
BBC Radio Cornwall this morning led with the story that various Cornwall councillors receive pretty large sums of money for not much work. They highlighted the fact that the chairman of the Regulatory Committee receives £2385.82 per year despite the fact that the committee has met for just 8 minutes in the past 18 months. That's the equivalent of £17,893.65 per hour or more than £37 million pounds per year. Not even bankers get that! The fault in this case is not with the chair of that committee, or the chair of the Constitutional Reform Panel which hasn't met at ...
Last month Dr Phil Hammond wrote in his Private Eye column: When MD asked health secretary Andrew Lansley to reduce his unintelligible 358 page health bill to 140 characters or less, he wrote: "Putting patients and their doctors and nurses in charge, accountable for the results they achieve."Put like that, it sounds rather attractive to a Liberal, so how has the government got itself into such a mess over this bill? The first reason is that is has stirred up an issue that is inherently difficult for the Tories. Fairly or not, voters tend to see Labour as the party ...
FROM: Conor O'Connor, Director of Human Resources Development TO: All Directors Colleagues: In order to implement the next step change in our transformational journey to a lean, multicapablity business, the internal review of administrative support has concluded that OCC can save at least 250K by abolishing all admin posts except for those attached to Directors. As officers become more agile and adept at multi-tasking, the traditional admin support role is increasingly redundant, which is what we're making them. The step change footfall date is 31.3.2012. FROM: Brett West, Head of Modernisation and Business Practice TO: All Directors and Heads of ...
The Bahrain International Commission of Inquiry into the gross and syatematic human rights violations committed in Bahrain following the uprising of February 2011 recommended that the sentences passed on political prisoners after they had been detained incommunicado and tortured for weeks should be 'reviewed'. But the Commissioners made it clear that they intended the prisoners should be exonerated and released, and their records should be expunged of the charges, see http://bit.ly/ulUHbw Cherif Bassiouni, head of the BICI, is in Bahrain now, seeing what progress is being made on implementing his recommendations, all of which the hereditary dictator said he accepted. ...
This morning I made the case at a council scrutiny meeting that the planned move of Launceston's One Stop Shop to the library building must not be made at the expense of people being able to use it. The One Stop Shop is going to move as a money saving measure that has already seen the Tourist Information Centre taken over by the town council. I am concerned that the library building is inaccessible for many people with mobility problems as it is up a sharp slope, so if the OSS moves there then many people who can get to ...
Ghana Question Asked by Lord Avebury To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will have discussions with the Government of Ghana, the Economic Community of West African States and the African Union, on the monitoring of the Ghanaian elections in December 2012.[HL15226] The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Howell of Guildford): The UK maintains close contact with the Government of Ghana on a wide range of issues. This will include the monitoring of this year's elections there. In addition, we regularly engage with ECOWAS (the Economic Community of West African States) and the African Union about their ...
Education: Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Children Question Asked by Lord Avebury To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will place in the Library of the House a copy of the equality impact assessment with regard to the ending of the two specialist consultancy services provided to the Department for Education by Arthur Ivatts OBE and Margaret Wood, on the education of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller children.[HL15202] 7 Feb 2012 : Column WA37 The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools (Lord Hill of Oareford): The Department for Education advocates the use of equality impact assessments when developing new policies or making ...
The local newspapers of the Cornish and Devon Media group have started a campaign to get people to value their town centres more. As part of this, they have teamed up with Cornwall Council to offer a free parking day in towns across Cornwall on February 29th. Both the campaign and the free parking are very good things. But my understanding is that Cornwall Council's first reaction to the approach from the newspapers was to worry about the loss of revenue. This shows once again how they view town centre car parks as a cash cow rather than a service ...
The Peter Tatchell foundation have issued the following statement on Facebook regarding Ken Livingstone's 'riddled' comment about LGBT Tories. Embolding is mine for the purposes laid out below. Ken Livingstone is not homophobic. His use of the word 'riddled' has to be judged in context. It was clearly not used with any homophobic intent. All parties have lots of gay, bisexual MPs, as Ken noted. He is right to state that there were many gay MPs in the Tory party, from the backbenches to the cabinet. After Labour's victory in 1997 many gay Labour MPs came out, while gay Tories ...
The UK's deficit on seasonally adjusted trade in goods and services fell to £1.1bn in December. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said that should be compared with the deficit of £2.8bn in November. Britain's trade gap is now the smallest since April 2003, when the deficit in trade in goods and services then was £0.9bn. Meanwhile, industrial output recovered more than forecast in December, easing fears the UK is heading for more negative growth. Industrial production, which accounts for around 15% the economy, grew by 0.5% on the month, against forecasts for a 0.2% rise. Lee Hopley, chief economist ...
The Government are willing to pilot the use of court orders imposed on offenders who undertake to comply with them, requiring 24/7 sobriety, remotely monitored. Schemes based on this principle have worked in the US, cutting recidivism in half. See Column 90, http://bit.ly/x3YGhk
India Question Asked by Lord Avebury To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the debate on international development policy on 1 December 2011, what initiatives they have taken in connection with the Secretary of State for International Development's recent visit to India concerning the Dalit communities there, particularly with a view to ensuring that Dalit girls enter and remain in education.[HL15174] Baroness Northover: We are pressing ahead with the design of a stipend scheme benefiting over 200,000 tribal and Dalit girls in Orissa, conditional on their enrolment and regular attendance at secondary school. In addition we will continue to support ...
Today's Daily Telegraph says that ministers have " signalled plans to make microchips compulsory in response to growing concern about dog attacks". The report goes on: Lord Taylor of Holbeach, an environment minister, yesterday promised an announcement soon."We are close to finalising a package of measures to tackle irresponsible dog owners," he told the Lords. "We see microchipping as part of the measures we can do to address an increasing problem."But if microchipping is going to work there is going to have to be a database of every dog owner in the country, they are going to have to tell ...
In thirteen years of authoritarian government, the Labour Party inflicted 4,400 new laws on the UK - more than any other government in British history. Though Labour is all over the place on almost every policy in Opposition - alternating between Tory and Trot - there's one thing in which they're consistent. Labour is still determined to be to the far right of the Libera-Tory Coalition on law and order, immigration, civil liberties... Basically, they'll say anything to please a Tory or a Trot, but the one thing that keeps them together is that they're never, ever Liberal.
The simple tweet "F*ck" at 10am with the reply "Agreed" last Friday was the only source and all the evidence I required to know that Chris Huhne had been charged. Two words tied emotion with cognition. I followed Nick Clegg's tax cut speech live through the medium of 140 character paraphrase: a sort of Focus-speak reduction I can only imagine would have the speech-writers crying. The utterance "Borgen – Danish West Wing" was all the persuasion necessary to watch it religiously. Twitter is free, fast and tragic. And if it wasn't powerful in facilitating the fall of dictators or mindless ...
We started yesterday with warm congraulations to Her Majesty on attaining the sixtieth anniversary of her accession to the throne. For the second week running at Prime Minister's Questions, Ed Miliband's inquiries were on health reform. He had one of his most successful sessions so far, during which we found out that David Cameron doesn't want Andrew Lansley to be taken out and shot. Miliband was on excellent form and, by golly by gosh, at one point he almost ascended to the John Smith "hotels fall into the sea" level of stinging wit, with this passage: Isn't this interesting? The ...
Brocklebank Lane, just off Mather Avenue, has lost three of its trees this week. I had a call from a lady worried about why the trees were suddenly being cut down. It seems that vandalism (in other words people setting fires at the base of the trees) has meant the trunk is not strong enough to support the tree properly in each case and so they've had to come down because they are dangerous. What a shame. I'm posting this here partly so that there is an explanation out as to why this is happening.
Far from being over - we are in for more delays! See below from Transport for London: Planned National Grid Gas (NGG) Works - Finchley Road Transport for London (TfL) is writing to make you aware of the upcoming traffic management changes to the ongoing NGG scheme taking place at Finchley Road at the junction with Hendon Way. Between Saturday 11 February 2012 and Sunday 19 February 2012 Finchley Road will be reduced to one lane southbound at Hendon Way. TfL has worked hard with NGG to look at ways of keeping two lanes open, however there is simply not ...
Last night at the Southfield ward forum myself and my two fellow ward Councillors discussed a number of proposals which the ward might fund. The main items were: Traffic Calming on The Vale and Larden RoadCunnington Street Road Safety studyCrossing on Southfield Road near to the Recreational GroundsLighting of paths on Southfield Recreational Ground A traffic speed study was comissioned by the ward forum to investigate the speed and frequency of the traffic at the junction of The Vale and Larden Road. The officers showed the speeds were not higher than average and so we agreed that no actions should ...
The Guadian reports: The first Liberal Democrat group openly opposed to the coalition is to be launched at the party's spring conference in Gateshead next month with a warning that the coalition has been a political disaster for the party, as well as a denial of its radical roots. Launching a website on Wednesday, the group Liberal Left said it hoped to become a rallying point for members opposed to the coalition and those who see the party as a centre-left organisation seeking common cause with Labour, Greens and others on the centre left. One of its founders, Richard Grayson, ...
There are lots of reasons why people become Councillors - some good, some less so. Some are in search of a stepping stone to a wider political career, some almost get elected by mistake and some of us just have an urge to communicate and be part of their immediate world. Not being personally a very tidy person one of my reasons was an urge to sort things out and where possible to make things easier and more comfortable. Therefore I was very happy when one of my earliest activities as a councillor for Fortune Green was to arrange for ...
We are closely considering the issue around the blocking access, whether to block access to websites that infringe copyright. We will have something to say about that shortly, but, as I would like to continue to have a positive working relationship with my ministerial colleagues in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, I shall ...
The Guardian write Liberal Democrats can again enjoy the reflection in the mirror in which there is a robust defence of the Lib Dems and a hopeful picture for the future. It highlights some strengths in the Party which are worth reading: Lib Dems, both in government and more widely, are a more resilient and coherent party ...
As commuters across the country are being squeezed by increasing fees absurd bonuses are being handed out to Railtrack bosses. Sir David Higgins was due to get £336,000's as a performance bonus this May which is 60% of his current wage of £560,000 PA! This is a staggering percentage when commuters across the country are paying up to a third of their annual income on train travel. Since the figures came to light however Sir David and the other directors have said they will not take the money instead they will put the money into greater Health and Safety measures ...
Thus spake Miss Jean Brodie, talking about the Girl Guides (6 minutes 25 seconds in). For me, it's soccer. There is of course one thing more boring than soccer and that is people talking about soccer endlessly. Today has been particularly bad. I turned off Radio 4 at 7.30 when the sports news was on, but found that they were still on about football at 8 o'clock. By 9 o'clock David Cameron
More than 60 Lib Dem peers have rebelled against the Coalition government's plans during this Parliament. Here Baroness (Susan) Kramer talks about how she and her colleagues attempt always to be constructive in their dissent. * Warning: the following video contains scenes with Quentin Letts, which some viewers may find distressing. (Available on the BBC website here.) * Stephen Tall is Co-Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice, and also writes at his own site, The Collected Stephen Tall.
Thu 9th
12:32
Bidston & St. James/Claughton Area Forum 8/2/2012 Quote of the evening: Cllr Steve Foulkes
The quote of the evening goes to Cllr Foulkes who stated:- "I get the blame for everything else these days so I may as well accept the blame." in regards to his Cabinet's decision to transfer of the River Streets Community Centre to Wallasey Gymnastic Club at a 99 year peppercorn rent and its partial ...
Thu 9th
12:20
BBC News can't even spell Fabio Capello. Is Harry Redknapp in charge of their strap-lines?
[IMG: Fabio Capello Fail] Oh BBC... [IMG: Share on Tumblr] [IMG: Submit to StumbleUpon] [IMG: Save on Delicious] [IMG: Digg This] [IMG: Submit to reddit] [IMG: Share on Myspace] [IMG: Share via email] Tweet
Some bloggers, have a sunday ramble, a weekly ramble and possibly a daily ramble, with time to burn yesterday, rather than sit and fester at Flaig Mansions, I thought I've two choices Mrs Me has requested that I tidy up the study/library (spare room with lots of stuff old papers, brochures, magazines, books, tools and work gear) or I could get some fresh air. I have until the end of the week to tidy up, or else and not having had much fresh air I decided to get out, anyhow although Mrs Me doesn't appreciate these things but I have ...
Apparently Peter Robinson's moves to attend GAA games are to woo liberal unionists according to today's Belfast Telegraph. If the DUP really want to woo liberals, why don't they start to send a representative to the discussion panels that form part of the Pride weeks around Northern Ireland. Until they are seen to be listening to everyone they cannot be seen as 'liberal'.
Some time ago the Council started letting people know about an application by Veolia to increase the processing of solvents at its plant on King Street in Garston. I've now heard that the planning committee will be considering this and making a decision on 21st February. The agenda and paperwork isn't published yet, but when it is you can find it
Yesterday, the Great Chocoholic wrote a blog post about shoe grips which help you to walk on the ice - a very helpful seeing as it's supposed to be very Wintry this weekend. But I think there's more to it than that. What he said: This winter I've finally got round to trying out slip-on snow grips for my shoes, and these work a wonder. They are rather fiddly to put on (and I would certainly recommend erring on the order of buying a larger rather than smaller size), but once on my trainers they turned slipping and sliding into ...
As the title suggests, the long gap between blogging was a result of my computer choosing to no longer compute. A blue screen telling me to restart in a different mode, identical to the one I'd just tried that had taken me to the same blue screen. Although I purchased a new computer quite soon, It has only stopped demanding that I install updates I'm not sure I want or select options I really
The Minister for Equalities has announced that the Government report on AWEMA, will not be published until 4pm today, after all Assembly Committees have finished their meetings for the recess. The next meeting of Plenary, where AMs might wish to scrutinise the Government on this report will take place on Tuesday 21 February, 12 days from now. That is very convenient for the Government. As yet we do not know what the report will say but the questions are stacking up, not least due to the discovery by a Welsh Liberal Democrat researcher of the 2004 report into AWEMA, in ...
Today is the official opening of Stanley Park High School on its new site at Orchard Hill. The original site was due to be sold to help fund the building of the new school and local residents have been consulted on a Planning Brief for the site to include residential properties but retaining the ASD ...
An "update" from Ofcom landed in my Inbox yesterday that has me a little worried, as it's pushing a report by "ParentPort", of which they're a member as well as other media organisations such as the BBC. The headline is "Revealed: How parents control children's access to adult media" with the lead-in stating "of those parents surveyed whose children watch films at home, 40% had allowed their children to watch a film classified above their age" and that this "reveals the challenges and pressures parents face when it comes to keeping the media their children see age-appropriate." Shock horror! Near ...
Thu 9th
11:28Clegg signals new approach to individual voter registration in evidence to Parliamentary committee
Last Wednesday saw Nick Clegg return for his annual appearance before the House of Lords Constitution Committee. As one might expect, a whole range of political reform and constitutional issues were covered in the 90 minute evidence session. One interesting answer by the Deputy Prime Minister which caught my attention was on the topic of individual voter registration. Asked by Liberal Democrat peer Lord (Chris) Rennard whether there would be changes to the government approach as set out in the earlier White Paper when we see legislation on the issue soon, Clegg had the following to say: The short answer ...
We've been sent some computer generated pictures of the finished development on Maygrove Road. Its not far off being finished now - but these images give you an idea of what it will look like when fully complete and scrubbed up. I think these images are particularly helpful in trying to imagine what the road will look like when both this building and the proposed scheme at the next door Handrail House (the office building trimmed in green) are both finished. If the Handrail House development goes ahead as currently envisaged that side of Maygrove will be much taller than ...
I was dismayed to see that the Labour led Southwark Council have decided to rip-off car clubs in Southwark. Each car club car typically replaces 25 private vehicles. So a great way to help manage residential parking on our parking pressured streets. Southwark Council started its support of car clubs by providing specially reserved car and van parking on public highways. To pay for the set-up costs Southwark has been charging £450 per parking space. This always felt astronomic but they're now planning to increase these fees by 44% to £650! What a rip-off. This will kill any car club ...
Not a view I wholly agree with, but an interesting one: I have always held the view that there are two competing strands in Liberalism. The first is social liberalism, which understands the importance of what we hold in common, seeks to heal the divisions in society and is dedicated to setting people free from the intrusions of a overweening state. The second is economic liberalism, which understands the importance of individual liberty, the free market and free trade. The two are often in conflict, so the essence of the liberal debate is to find the appropriate balance between the ...
I had a really good meeting this week with the guys from the South Liverpool Campaign for a Skatepark (and BMX track). They are a group of (mainly) teenagers and I sat down with six of them to work out how I can help them. They've done quite a bit of research already and have some impressive people on their side. Their aim is to create somewhere in the Garston area, or nearby, where people can skateboard or ride BMX bikes that's designed for that purpose. There's support from people who want to skate.. but also from those who complain ...
For those not following on Twitter, a Transcript of Helen Belcher's oral evidence to the Leveson Inquiry yesterday on behalf of Trans Media Watch is now online (PDF Link) and worth a read. Her evidence begins on page 10 of the PDF, page 37 in Leveson's own numbering, and there is also a plain text version available. The written submission is also available (PDF Link) but Helen's responses to the oral questions make a more accessible and quick-to-read summary of the situation. Edited to add: Trans Media Watch noted that only part of the written submission is available. Large amounts ...
A slightly insidious campaign is going on, largely in the pages of the Financial Times, to persuade us that high streets must be allowed to die. This is dangerous nonsense:
The first sign that man is moving from the reckless abandon of late youth to the windswept comfort of early maturity can be found in his reaction to the sight of falling snow. Where once it would have been an excuse to declare the days schedule defunct, this year it signalled only the onset of boredom. Consequently I dusted down my new year's resolution to 'laugh a lot more' and began thinking about Labour's attitude to economics. I propose to look at the Labour leadership's deeper economic instincts to provide a guide as to how they might actually run the ...
Thu 9th
08:48
An original way to make a point - but chilling Oklahoma Personhood Bill clears first stage
The arguments around abortion are well rehearsed and highly emotive. I was therefore impressed to see pro choice Oklahoma State Senator Constance Johnson taking a novel approach during a hearing on a Personhood Bill there. The pro-choice senator filed an amendment, purely to make a point, stating that it would be illegal for ejaculation to take place anywhere other than inside a woman. It was original and should be food for thought. Although I do have a feeling that there are some on the religious right in the States who might take it seriously. Senator Johnson withdrew the amendment voluntarily, ...
For those of you who don't know, Attitude Magazine, is one of the leading Gay Mens' magazines in Britain today, a magazine i've long been subscribed too. After tonight's shameful performance on twitter I shall be cancelling my subscription, as I no longer wish to subscribe to a magazine that is such a shill for the Labour Party. I've made my feelings clear on Ken Livingstone's comments already once on my blog, I don't believe he is fit to hold public office, and generally my suspicion is that his support of gay rights has always been a stick with which ...
Who said this and in which newspaper? The evidence is that there is a positive link between women in leadership and business performance, so if we fail to unlock the potential of women in the labour market, we're not only failing those individuals, we're failing our whole economy. . . . . . . A Conservative, David Cameron, and in the Daily Mail of all places. (He's right, by the way.) Normal service is however resumed with the top comment under the piece at the time of writing: What nonsense. I know this won't be popular with the feminists, but ...
A new Premise application has been received for Pagoda, 38 Bury Old Road, Whitefield. They have applied for Late Night refreshment & Sale of Alcohol for the following times: Late night refreshment Monday to Saturday from 11.00am until 00.30am the following day Sunday from 12.00 until Midnight. Sale of Alcohol Monday to Saturday from 11.00am until Midnight Sunday from 12.00 until 23.30pm The objection period ends on 6th March 2012. If you need any further information regarding this matter please contact a member of the Licensing team on 0161 253 5208.
Bury Park Ranger Service have a number of excellent events this half term: On Monday 13th February; Big Up Bees 10am -12pm Hoyles Park, East Bury 1.30pm – 3.30pm Bolton Rd Park, Radcliffe Join the rangers making bee homes and bee crafts and learn a bit more about the humble bumble buzzing bee. No booking required. Tuesday 14th February; Animal Magic 9.45am – 11.15am Burrs activity centre Drop in for 10 minutes or stay half an hour and join in crafty fun making all kinds of animal magic. All children must be accompanied by an adult. No booking required. Celebrate ...
A legally challenged Tory decision to cut millions of pounds from bus services across the county has resulted in Cambridgeshire losing a £5 million government transport grant. Cambridgeshire County Council has been told that its latest bid to the Local Sustainable Transport Fund, to help schemes such as Cambridge Dial a Ride, could not be justified in light of the decision to cut bus subsidies. "This fund would have injected badly needed cash into community transport schemes which ironically were identified by the Tory administration to fill the gaps resulting from bus subsidy cuts," said Lib Dem Shadow Cabinet Member ...
A legally challenged Tory decision to cut millions of pounds from bus services across the county has resulted in Cambridgeshire losing a £5 million government transport grant. Cambridgeshire County Council has been told that its latest bid to the Local Sustainable Transport Fund, to help schemes such as Cambridge Dial a Ride, could not be justified in light of the decision to cut bus subsidies. "This fund would have injected badly needed cash into community transport schemes which ironically were identified by the Tory administration to fill the gaps resulting from bus subsidy cuts," said Lib Dem Shadow Cabinet Member ...
Over in The Guardian, Martin Kettle writes: Public opinion may be converging around a fusion of economic competence and social justice - in Lib Dem eyes, their natural territory. The current Lib Dem positioning of themselves as more economically competent than Labour but more socially just than the Tories is classic centre-ground politics. The Lib Dem experience of government is undoubtedly traumatic. But it is a widely underestimated achievement, especially in such tough times. The result is that the Lib Dems are not just battle scarred but battle hardened. They have been through the fire - and survived. Now they ...
Lib Dem Voice has polled our members-only forum to discover what Lib Dem members think of various political issues, the Coalition, and the performance of key party figures. Some 570 party members responded, and we're publishing the full results. LDV asked: The Health and Social Care Bill which will implement radical reforms to the NHS was passed by MPs last September. From what you have seen or heard about the Coalition's plans for the NHS, do you support or oppose them? 25% – Support 49% – Oppose 26% – Don't know / No opinion So, by a two-to-one margin, Lib ...
It is incredible how the Tory spin doctors and their allies in the right-wing press have succeeded and continue to succeed in turning truth upside down. The nonsense that our current financial difficulties are the result of Gordon Brown's profligacy and ineptitude rather than the failure of the international financial system is now taken as read. Even the Labour party itself has been convinced that Britain's public debt is at so dangerously high a level, which it isn't, that failure to give its reduction the highest priority will lead to a loss of international confidence and put us in a ...
The Little ThingsNaomi Breeze Production A story about the people who care and how little things make the biggest difference 22nd February 2012, 1.30 pmSt. Peter's Free Church, St Peter StreetFREE OF CHARGE Have you ever heard people say: "Don't get involved!"or asked yourself: "Is this my business or is it their private matter?"or told yourself: "It's probably nothing, I don't need to worry about them". Come and see what Mary from Dundee does and who to call if you decide to "get involved" after all. Age limit 15 years or over. Download the full flyer here!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-y4eS9nldE
The view from my front door last Saturday evening...
