There's plenty to beat the Lib Dems up over, but there's plenty of good coming out of the Coalition too, argues Neue Politik. "Paxman is typically aggressive, provocative and rude. Sometimes smugly and smilingly condescending. And he almost always falls back on a small repertoire of tricks, such as 'How can you say that when... [Report X has said something different]?', 'Oh come off it!', 'Do you agree with [ally Y] when he says...?', 'Which is it: Yes or no?'" Hoping for More than Slogans has had enough of Newsnight. And so have I. Writing for Reuters, Chris Vellacott looks ...
Foreign Office Minister Jeremy Browne has increased his empire recently, adding India to East Asia and Latin America. But as he told a meeting of London Liberal Youth and others which I chaired at SOAS this evening, there is logic to this, in that he is now broadly responsible for emerging economies (outside the former ...
Morgan Tsvangirai, Prime Minister of Zimbabwe, and Kate Hoey MP, Chair of the All-Party Zimbabwe Group, at the meeting of the Group this evening in the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Rooms. He was upbeat about the political and economic future of Zimbabwe, whilst acknowledging that some problems need to be solved with the aid of Presidents Zuma and Dos Santos through SADC.
Thanks to @dow4sellyoak for the news that Sainsburys' latest plans for the old Battery side between the Aston Webb Boulevard (Selly Oak New Road) and Bristol Road can now be seen online at www.sellyoak-regeneration.co.ukThe revised plans were submitted to Birmingham City Council for planning permission earlier this year.
The judges commended the Evening Standard for: Cage-fighting bus driver who saved girl from yob is honoured But there could be only one winner - the Northampton Chronicle & Echo: Doggers put off by trimmed bushes at sex lay-by For some reason that headline was later revised. But I saw it before it was...
We have seen the statue of Thomas Cook near Leicester station and the plaques to him in Market Harborough and Kibworth. Since then a reader has told me of another plaque in Barrowden in Rutland, and there is a significant building in Leicester with Cook connections that is under threat. I shall show you that one day soon. In the mean time, here is Thorncroft, the house in London Road, Leicester, where Thomas Cook lived with his wife Marianne towards the end of his life. It is now the headquarters of the county's Red Cross. There is a tragedy associated ...
I thought I'd do a quick roundup of what Liberal Democrat bloggers have been saying about today's Budget. I suspect there will be more tomorrow. Stephen Williams MP was probably always going to be supportive but he has an extra reason – and it's all to do with Wallace and Gromit: The Budget also had some good news for Bristol. You wouldn't expect Wallace and Gromit to feature in a budget. But the Chancellor mentioned them in his speech as he is proposing an extension of film tax credits to made for tv films. I met with Aardman Animations a ...
Wed 21st
21:21
Budget 2012: Changes to Pensions, Age Related Allowances, Royal Mail Pension Plan, State Retirement ...
As the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rt Hon George Osborne MP announced the 2012 Budget today, I thought I'd better write a blog post with the potted highlights, although obviously for more detail you can watch his long speech, check out what's published on the Treasury's website (and is the main source for what is ...
Given how little room for manoeuvre the state of the public finances allows the Coalition (and would have allowed any government that emerged from the last election), this has been a surprisingly radical budget. Increasing the personal allowance to £9,205 takes the Liberal Democrats close to their pledge of ensuring that no one pays tax on the first £10,000 they earn. Just the changes in today's Budget will mean a basic rate taxpayer will be paying £45 a month less in tax than they would have under Labour. I am pleased by this. One of the problems with Labour governments ...
SOUTH MANCHESTER ENVIRONMENTAL FORUM are hosting Chorlton Big Green Festival's 'WHAT NEXT 2012' on Thursday 29th March at St Clement's Church, Edge Lane in Chorlton, at 6.30pm Register at event-brite: http://smefchorlton.eventbrite.com Speakers and community leaders from South Manchester's most vibrant projects will explore the BIODIVERSITY theme 'Plants and Plans' Find out about 'The Local Nature Partnership for Manchester' from Partnership Chair, Paul Burroughs, Red Rose Forest Choose discussion and activities to get involved in: 'Wildlife is Everywhere- It's Even Here, Where You Live with Dave Bishop (Friends of Chorlton Meadows) 'Pop-up Farms schools project'with Matt Rowe (Transition Chorlton) EM and ...
It's easy to get hysterical over the "betrayal" of Nick Clegg and the Lib Dems who have "sold out" their voters and the poor for a moment in the limelight of Government. It's easy to lament over what might have been in a Rainbow Coalition or a quickly dissolved Tory minority Government. Tuition fees. Disability benefits. The NHS. There's plenty to beat the Lib Dems up over (if you disagree with the Coalition's positions that is, something I'm still not clear on myself). But there is plenty of good coming out of the Coalition too. Things that are changing our ...
There are elements of this budget we as social liberals, and of course Liberal Democrats, can be proud of, though the removal of the 50p rate of income tax is something we would clearly never endorse; those with the broadest ... Continue reading →
Just to show we're all friends really, the #budget includes a tax cut for Ken Livingstone.Not income tax, corporation tax.#BrianOrBust — Hackney Lib Dems (@HackneyLD) March 21, 2012
Riverside pitches Following concerns about the unplayable football pitches at Riverside after seven players sustained injuries because of stones hidden in the soil (as I reported earlier this month), at the West End Sports and Heritage Association (WESHA) committee meeting last night, I was pleased to indicate that, after extensive work by Dundee City Council's Environment Department to tackle the problem, the pitches will be back in action next weekend. As WESHA Secretary and along with Vice-Chair Steve McSwiggan, who is a leading member of the Riverside Saturday morning football league, we reported back to WESHA's committee following a meeting ...
There you have it. The front page of the Lib Dem manifesto from 2010. The very top priority, of raising the tax threshold to £10,000. By rights, if we were doing it in equal instalments, the tax threshold would have been raised to something like £8700 today. Lib Dem ministers, aware that people are struggling with increased costs, managed to successfully argue for a much bigger rise to £9205. In Scotland, that's 160,000 Scots out of Income Tax altogether and 2.1 million Scots getting a tax cut. Across It's good stuff. We were always going to take a beating for ...
Sad news from the Swindon Advertiser: A controversial plan for 900 homes on land neighbouring Coate Water has been given the green light by a Government inspector. The proposal by Persimmon Homes and Redrow Homes to develop land at Commonhead, off Marlborough Road, was rejected by Swindon Council's planning committee last year, and more than 50,000 people signed a petition resisting the outline application. But now the Planning Inspectorate has said the development, which includes 890 homes, a village centre and a primary school, can go ahead.You may say I am biased, because the area around Coate Water is the ...
I felt an air of sadness today as two valued colleagues retire - one a hugely respected chief officer, the other being my Liberal Democrat colleague on Dundee City Council (and sister-in-law!) Earlier today, along with the Lord Provost, the City Council's Chief Executive, previous Chief Executive, Legal Manager and other council group leaders, I attended a civic lunch to mark the impending retirement of the City Council's Depute Chief Executive (Support Services) - Patricia McIlquham - who, after over thirty years of service to the city, will retire from her post at the end of next week. Patricia is ...
The news that the UK's February borrowing figures were the worst on record did not exactly provide the Budget mood music the Chancellor was hoping for. Then again, the stark reminder that the UK is living well beyond its means serves to buttress his arguments about the need to control spending. There is no money to spend, and even with the current deficit-cutting fervour from Number 11 the UK remains at the whim of global bond markets. So how did George do? The stamp-duty increase on homes worth more than £2 million is eminently sensible, but must be accompanied by ...
I am pleased to note that various pothole repairs have now been undertaken in the south end of Osborne Place - see right - following my raising residents' concerns about the state of the roadway. I have, at the City Development Committee of the City Council, raised the need for the council to concentrate on permanent "rhino repair" patching, however, as simple tar filling of potholes simply does not last and is not cost-effective.
Wednesday: A letter arrives. It's from Captain Clegg! He seems unnaturally happy about Master Gideon's latest budget. I'd better check the POSTMARK - ah yes, he appears to be writing from CLOUD CUCKOO LAND...Dear Millennium,We can be proud that the biggest tax cuts in today's Budget go to millions of working families. Well, the most EXPENSIVE tax cuts, perhaps. 'Cos with only 330,000 people paying 50%, it costs LESS OVERALL to give them a bung. But anyone earning more than £155,000 has had a tax cut of more than £250, and that's MORE than the £220 a basic rate taxpayer ...
Today's Budget confirms a tax cut for millions of people in two weeks time and looks forward to the biggest income tax cut in a generation in April 2013. As a Liberal Democrat in the Coalition I am delighted that our policy of £10,000 tax free pay is now within touching distance. The government ...
India is an explosion of colour. The food, the clothes, the temples. They all pulse like a rainbow. But not me. I'm white. Very white. More than that – I feel white and foreign. I feel out of place. The people I meet are friendly – but it's clear I don't really understand the culture, the way things work, or even how to cross the road. My first sight of a swastika shocked me. I know its origins, its special meaning here. But even daubed in multicolour paint on the side of a taxi was enough to make me feel ...
We can be proud that the biggest tax cuts in today's Budget go to millions of working families. As a result of this Budget, someone working a full week on minimum wage will see their income tax bill cut by over 50% compared to under Labour. Increasing the personal allowance to £9,205 takes us within touching distance of our number one manifesto pledge - ensuring no one pays any tax on the first £10,000 they earn. Thanks to our changes, a basic rate taxpayer will be paying £45 a month less in tax than they would have been under Labour. ...
A further selection of my postcard collection has been uploaded to the Blyth Town Council site Please have a look, at :- http://www.blythtowncouncil.org.uk/gallery.php?cat=Old Picture Postcards 2
This amazing new Bridal Shop opened on Beech Road in early February 2012 and the majority of Melanie's wedding gowns are her own label, totally unique and haute couture. Melanie also stocks bridal accessories, children celebration wear and prom/evening wear. You can visit the shop at 109 Beech Road, M21 9EQ. You can follow Melanie and the shop on Twitter @MelanieJamesB
The Daily Telegraph reports: Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrat Energy Secretary, said he would not scrap or water down the Climate Change Act, after a year-long review into reducing bureaucracy surrounding environmental laws. The Act underpins all of the Government's policies on reducing carbon dioxide emissions, from support for wind farms to higher road taxes for more polluting cars... Another illustration of how a significant chunk of what the Liberal Democrats are doing in government is stopping Steve Hilton doing things. Something that should at least be easier during his year off...
All outstanding appeals in connection with Moor End Road Bus Lane seem now to have been put on hold pending the decision on the two cases which were the subject of the 7th February hearing in public. I understand that the adjudicator's decision is likely to be published some time over the next two weeks.
Nearly everyone would, but only one in four of us in Northern Ireland have joined the Organ Donor Register. With 300 people waiting for transplants, more people in our community need to take action and sign up. UNISON and the Public Health Authority joined forces last April to take forward an initiative within workplaces to ...
Last weekend, in common with many Team London activists, I was out delivering literature for the upcoming mayoral election. In a recent Ipsos MORI poll, commissioned by BBC London, some 59% of respondents cited jobs; growth and the economy as the most important issues that Londoners say will help them decide who to vote for in the upcoming mayoral election. This chimes with my own experience of feedback on the doorstep. Tackling crime (49%), improving public transport (38%) and building cheap homes (37%) were the other top issues. During the 2008 election, our candidate Brian Paddick, polled a little less ...
Medway Council's investigation of Councillor Tristan Osbourne and Councillor Vince Maple has come to a swift close with a slapped wrist from Legal officer Perry Holmes and the issue of a Statement of retraction. According to an article in the Medway Messenger (19th March) the member of the Council who complained was none other than Councillor Jarrett - Deputy leader of the Conservative Group: I held the view that they had acted improperly and I think the decision has borne that out. In defence Councillor Maple said; We were clearly criticising the council in their ability to manage fraud. Councillor ...
Over 20 million working people will be better off next year after Liberal Democrats in the Coalition Government delivered the biggest ever increase in the income tax personal allowance in the Budget. The massive £3.5bn tax cut for working people delivers: The biggest ever single uplift in the tax threshold A personal allowance of £9,205 in April 2013 21 million working people getting an extra £220 tax cut Brings the total tax cut for basic rate tax payers to £550 Brings the total number of people lifted out of tax to 2 million. [IMG: A budget for the many not ...
There is worrying news for the predicted high-tech developments in the west of the county borough in that the business plan for Swansea University's second campus has not yet been presented.
[IMG: Calculator and notepad] A few weeks ago I was joshing with Lib Dem Party President Tim Farron and other party members on Twitter that the party should be talking about how it is for tax cuts for the millions, not for millionaires - highlighting the difference in Liberal Democrat enthusiasm for cutting taxes for those on the basic rate, compared to the Conservative enthusiasm for cutting taxes for the very richest. So it has indeed come to pass with an email today from Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, no less, using that same form of words and heralding the ...
More than 19,000 people in Cornwall will be taken out of the income tax system thanks to today's budget which took forward the Lib Dem policy of raising tax thresholds. Almost 170,000 more will have got a tax cut as a result of the changes. The biggest demand of the Lib Dems when we entered the coalition government was for a rise in the income tax threshold so that it reaches £10,000 by the time of the next general election. There have been two tranches in the two budgets to date and today the Chancellor announced a third. The rise ...
A lot has been said on the internet about Cllr Benjamin Dennehy and his blog. Certainly one way to increase visitors to your blog is to make a statement that many members of the online community have found offensive, racist or both. Sadly I think his motivation was not rooted in increasing website traffic but something else. The blog post was taken down and cached copies have also been removed so in one sense you are lucky not to have to read it. Cllr Benjamin Dennehy has been suspended pending some sort of internal investigation. I understand that he does ...
The Liberal Democrats have ensured that this is a Budget for many not the few. That's why the biggest move in this Budget is a tax cut for 23 million ordinary workers, going further and faster towards the Liberal Democrat goal ... Continue reading →
Deputy Prime Minister and Liberal Democrat party Leader e-mailed Party members this afternoon to tell them that today's Budget puts us within "touching distance" of our goal to raise the tax thre We can be proud that the biggest tax cuts in today's Budget go to millions of working families. As a result of this Budget, someone working a full week on minimum wage will see their income tax bill cut by over 50% compared to under Labour. Increasing the personal allowance to £9,205 takes us within touching distance of our number one manifesto pledge - ensuring no one pays ...
Frankly, I don't give a fart in a high wind about the top rate of tax. If they reckon they can get more out of rich folks by taxing them in other ways than income then they probaly know what they're doing, and I'm never going to be a top rate tax payer, so I don't really care. What I DO care about is how they've funded the various tax cuts, including, I notice, a nice big cut in corporation tax for all those big companies who donate to the Tory party:Duty on all tobacco products to rise by 5% ...
Thursday March 15th, Sarah Millican: "For the Queen Downton Abbey is like watching Big Brother." Wednesday March 21st, Ed Miliband: "the cabinet sees Downton Abbey not as a costume drama but a 'fly-on-the-wall documentary'."
I've just been watching the Budget and really welcome the Chancellor's announcement of the raising of the personal allowance tax threshold today. The Chancellor announced that the tax threshold will be raised to £9,205 from April 2013 meaning that millions of lower-income hard-working people will be taken out of tax altogether. Comparing the personal tax for 2010/11 of £6,475 to the announcement made today for 2013/2014 of £9,205 will mean that tax payers will be £45.50 better off each month. The increase of £1100 is worth £220 to 21 million working people –taking the total income tax cut for working ...
A £3.5bn tax cut for working people Biggest single ever uplift in the tax threshold 21 million working people getting an extra £220 tax cut Tycoon Tax raises FIVE times as much from the super-rich The Liberal Democrats have ensured this is a budget for the millions not for the millionaires, delivering a £3.5billion tax cut to average working people. That's why the biggest move in this Budget is a tax cut for ordinary workers, going further and faster towards the Liberal Democrat goal of making the first ten thousand pounds you earn tax-free. From the front page of our ...
Following questioning from South Manchester MP John Leech, Deputy PM Nick Clegg yesterday announced a package of measures that will mean an extra £35m for Greater Manchester Councils. According to AGMA, this deal will create 6,000 new apprenticeships, strengthen Greater Manchester's business growth hub, create 3,800 new jobs, and commit the government to funding a package of transport measures. The Chancellor has also announced details of further funding towards the Northern Hub. John Leech MP said today, "3,800 new jobs, 6,000 new apprenticeship and more funding for the Northern Hub. This is good news for Greater Manchester."
I've just received the following communication regarding how much the Income Tax threshold will effect each area throughout the United Kingdom. Being based here in Southend-on-Sea I shall talk about this area in this e-mail. If you want other areas then please either leave me a comment or get in touch. No doubt the excel file will be floating around the sphere of the internet sooner rather than later. So between 2010 and 2012 the Income Tax threshold has given 3,970 an Income Tax cut in the Southend region. In the tax year 2012-2013 that will increase to 5,870 but ...
Wed 21st
13:56
Favourite Stories Starring Women: a Love Letter to the Ladies of BritComics (@2000ad @womenoncomics)
Most of the entries I have seen for this month's women in comics carnival have centred on USian comics. This is not surprising, given how UScentric the comics industry is in general. I want to highlight some of the female characters that have been central to my comics upbringing here in the UK. This list is by no means exhaustive, it's just a random gathering of some of my favourite girls. Venus Bluegenes (2000ad) Tough as nails soldier. Originally introduced as a supporting character in Rogue Trooper, but quickly got her own strip. Venus is powerful and strong, but she's ...
Peter Welch who stood as the Lib Dem Candidate for Southend West in 2010 has reacted to this afternoons budget. I'll be putting my thoughts together later on or tomorrow but this is what Peter thinks... "As the Prime Minister said at Prime Minister's Questions today this is a Kaleidoscope budget. Parts of it were in Lib Dem gold and I particularly welcome those parts of the Budget. "The most significant of these is the increase in tax threshold. It was a front-page commitment on the Liberal Democrat manifesto to raise the level at which people start paying tax to ...
Odanglesex fans - and there do seem to be some in the U.S., U.K. and France - I'll return to and finish "the Partnership" next time I'm on. Right now I want to write about something else. I'm a Quaker. Quakers are a worldwide movement and in some places - notably the U.S. - practices have gone a long way from the original. British Quakers have stayed close to the original in terms of practice and organisation - no clergy, meeting for worship centring on silent contemplation, a great shortage of DO's and DON'T's, just "advices and queries" - but ...
I didn't go to the meeting on Monday for mayoral candidates but my agent confirmed my worst fears. If Phil Redmond, the BNP and English Democrats all put up a candidate then all the 10 candidates will be white men ... Continue reading →
Wed 21st
13:35
Danny Alexander MP writes... Liberal Democrat budget victory for "further faster" tax campaign
Over 20 million working people will be better off next year after Liberal Democrats in the Coalition Government delivered the biggest ever increase in the income tax personal allowance in the Budget. The increase of £1,100 is worth £220 to 21 million working people - taking the total income tax cut for working people delivered over 3 years by the coalition to nearly £550 a year. Two million people will pay no income tax at all. By going 'further and faster' as Nick Clegg promised, we're getting real help to millions of hard-pressed people at a time when they need ...
Wed 21st
12:25
Guest Post: Ross Finnie's submission to Sir Menzies Campbell's Home and Community Rule Commission
Ross Finnie was Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP to the West of Scotland from 1999-2011 and Rural Affairs Minister in the Scottish Cabinet from 1999-2007. He's shared his submission to the Campbell Commission with me. I've put an extract on Liberal Democrat Voice but I thought you might like to see the whole thing in all its glory. Introduction In order to provide some context to my submission I begin by stating my position on Home Rule, what I have understood Home Rule to mean and the policy positions of the Party which I have supported. I have always supported Home ...
Budget Day. This morning's Guardian reports: Wealthy individuals are to face a rise in stamp duty on properties worth more than £2m, as George Osborne helps fund a demand from Nick Clegg to remove taxation altogether from 2 million of Britain's lowest paid workers over the course of this parliament. In a victory for the Liberal Democrats, who have reluctantly accepted abolition of the 50p top rate of tax, the chancellor will announce in the budget that stamp duty is to be raised from 5% to 7% on properties worth more than £2m. The rise will help the chancellor raise ...
This morning I had a meeting with Cornwall Council's Highways and Parking boss Cllr Graeme Hicks and a senior officer to discuss various delays and problems in the Launceston area. First up was a delay to a number of improvements to roads and parking around town. These changes range from new disabled bays to residents parking schemes in Western Road, Kensey Hill and Race Hill. These were originally meant to be put out for formal consultation in October last year but were then delayed (with no explanation) until March. Only at the beginning of this week were local councillors told ...
I have always supported Home Rule, involving a new constitutional settlement giving equal status to England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and thereafter each nation would promote what each considered to be the most appropriate governance arrangements within a federal state. For Scotland that meant not just the establishment of a Scottish Parliament but the transfer of the maximum amount of legislative, administrative and financial powers consonant with being a nation within a federal state. Like most Scottish Liberals, I supported the Party's policy position as set out in Jenny Robinson's 1976 pamphlet: Scottish Self-Government. I was one of the ...
Well, we can't pronounce on ALL the predictions yet, but young, white, cis-female, and conventionally attractive? I think we're there on those: The Doctor's new companion is revealed Who she's playing, how the Doctor meets her, and even where he finds her, are all part of one of the biggest mysteries the Time Lord ever encounters. Even by the Doctor's standards, this isn't your usual boy meets girl. - I suspect the biggest mystery the Doctor ever encounters might be overselling it a bit. And boy meets girl? REALLY? Eurgh. I'm sure I'll be able to put up with her ...
Cambridge City Council has made available, via the Area Committees, grants for local groups. Some examples of the type of things that can be fully or partially funded;Summer outing for elderly peopleProducing a newsletter for local residentsStreet party to celebrate the Diamond JubileeSports and arts activitiesCommunity events and festivalsEvents celebrating the OlympicsFull information (and contact details) are available here (Google Docs, PDF). There will be two rounds of funding in 2012-2013, the first closes on the 31st March and will be decided at the 17th May meeting of North Area Committee and the second closes on the 30th September for ...
Last week, I did an interview for Channel 4 News on something I have raised in the last two parliaments, the outsourcing of Translation and Interpretation Services. The interview will appear on the program sometime this week. Last October, I got ... Continue reading →
Willie Rennie in his speech to Scottish Conference talked about Liberal Democrats being "guarantors of change" when it comes to Home Rule or further devolution. What I fail to see from Rennie is a vision of how to achieve this? We have 5 seats in the Scottish Parliament, 11 Scottish seats in Westminster and are ...
Southwark issued some great news earlier this month about secondary school admissions - but it has proved wrong. Yesterday I finally found out how many secondary school applications did not receive any school allocation, 20, rather than the zero proclaimed. 20 families in total didn't receive a secondary school allocation. Shocking. A HUGE thank you to the Dulwich resident who highlighted their case to me. It meant I could get to the bottom of their case and after various assurances I was mad and that this was impossible council officials think they know what went wrong and then found 19 ...
- for Easter! Not quite Alice Cooper (who?) but the County's Easter Events programme for young people has been published and you can find it here.
Secretary of State for Scotland Michael Moore MP writes a weekly column for newspapers in his constituency. Here's the latest edition. The Economy The economy remains the most important concern for people in my constituency and last week's employment figures were a reminder of the challenging economic climate and that getting people into work is the UK Government's first priority for Scotland. We are doing all we can to get people working by laying the foundations for more sustainable growth and creating the conditions for businesses to invest in good quality jobs. By reducing corporation tax and making tough decisions ...
My regular column for the Prestwich advertiser: One of the top issues that you give to your local councilors is your concern about the speed of traffic on local residential roads. Prestwich is a busy place. Not only to all of us go about our business every day, but we're also at the junction of one of Europe's busiest motorways and two main routes into Manchester. Not surprisingly, many of our residential streets have become dangerous 'cut through's' to avoid busy main roads. 20mph zones are nothing new, we have lots of them already in Prestwich. We have so many ...
A year ago, I discovered, to my cost and horror, just how bad the out-of-hours doctors service is now in my area of Croydon. One look into the drab, miserable and hopeless waiting room to which I was directed with my little boy was enough to see the truth at a glance. These were the people who had opted for the GP service rather than go along to A&E, which was actually through a thin partition in the same building. They all looked ill - why else would you venture out in the middle of the night. They had also ...
This week, Mum and I were racking our brains trying to think of somewhere local, but a bit different to go to for Mothering Sunday lunch. After giving the matter some thought, I suddenly recalled that a friend from Barripper had mentioned that the pub there had been taken over by new management and had started doing food again. St Michael's Mount Inn (possibly a pun on the legendary Barripper Harbour, possibly just a reference to the Marazion landmark!) had a fab reputation for lovely food and the best desserts when I was at school and I remember enjoying many ...
As the country continues to struggle to fill the deficit and as austerity measures begin the bite at the already stretched middle and working classes eyes turn to those who have plenty and call for them to pay their share and to help their country in an almost patriotic call is put out divisions on how to do it begin to show at the Libdem Spring Conference. This all started with the 50p tax that the Conservatives desperately want to be rid of which was put in place as Super Income tax by Labour for anyone who earns £150k which ...
[IMG: Bunting] Sandgate Business "The Sewing Space" are running a series of Bunting Days on Saturdays through April and May for local people and businesses to come and make bunting together for the summer! The plan is to decorate much of Sandgate High Street for the summer covering the Jubilee, Olympic Torch Visit and Sandgate Sea Festival with red white and blue bunting, alongside displays by local shops, colour-themed hanging baskets and lamp post flags. Angie from The Sewing Space says: "I'm sure many of you are planning some festivities of your own that would benefit from some of the ...
Cornwall Council has been told that it's performance in responding the Freedom of Information requests is not satisfactory and the authority must improve its performance. The Information Commissioner has criticised the performance of the council and five other public bodies. In a statement, the Information Commissioner, Christopher Graham, said: "Six authorities fell below the required standard and have been told to make changes or risk formal enforcement action." It's regrettable that Cornwall Council has fallen so far below the acceptable standard that they have to be named and shamed in this way, particularly as the Leader so often preaches about ...
At last night's Launceston Town Council there were a number of questions about the new recycling system that is being introduced from April 2nd across Cornwall. Q. Why is the system changing? A. Cornwall Council inherited the waste and recycling role from six different district councils all of which had their own contracts and ways of working. Combining into a single contract will save a lot of money for taxpayers. It's worth the pain of the reorganisation process. Q. Will the same range of materials be collected? A. Yes. There will be no cut in the range of recyclable materials ...
Until recently, Duncan Brack was Chris Huhne's Special Adviser in the Department of Energy and Climate Change. He has written for the Green Alliance blog about the challenges of putting green policies into practice. As well as insight into the practical realities of Government, he has some interesting points to make about the importance of policy making within political parties and how it might need to change in the future: The coalition agreement hammered out by Liberal Democrat and Conservative negotiators over five days of talks in May 2010 (with details added over the following two weeks) became, at least ...
Last week I wrote on Liberal Democrat Voice about my chat with Liberal Democrat MEP for Yorkshire and the Humber Edward McMillan-Scott. He told me how the EU human rights body he leads has been helping the rebels in Syria with communications equipment for a while. I was particularly impressed to read this week how he and fellow European Parliament Vice President Alexander Alvaro have written to President Obama to ask him to rescind the US policy of not allowing any US aid to go towards funding abortions, not even when women and girls have been raped in situations of ...
Following a recent post Tim Farron replied via Twitter and I had a brief twitter exchange in which he asked me to email him my ideas so here was what I sent: Hi Tim, Thanks for asking me to email you, it is a privilege. My ideas are my own and you may or may not find ...
Tax statements to be tailored to your idiotic, tribal prejudice (tags: funny ) Very Important: Doctor Speaks Out on Transvaginal Ultrasounds (tags: rape ) Sign up now and win a heart bypass! - Mark Steel "when a documentary exposes a ward in which old people were left for eight hours face down in a bowl of soup, the managing director can explain, "We are deeply ashamed at this dreadful waste of soup."" (tags: nhs funny ) Quaequam Blog! » Know your place (tags: ) Todd & The Book of Pure Evil This is a TV show I am currently really ...
Wed 21st
08:55Willie Rennie showcases Scottish Liberal Democrat Councillors' work on housing, jobs and schools
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie recently travelled round Scotland to showcase the achievements of Scottish Liberal Democrat Councillors. Says Willie: If you want someone to stand up for jobs and housing, schools and the environment and you want someone who will focus on your community, then the Liberal Democrats are for you. We get results. * Caron Lindsay is Wednesday editor at Lib Dem Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings
As suggested by Lord Rennard in his comment to the Baroness Jolly piece on Lib Dem Voice yesterday I went through every amendment to the Health & Social Care Bill yesterday. I have a huge amount of respect for Chris and so I felt it was important I did so. There was one change I hadn't properly recognised - I think it may have been changed on Monday night, maybe I just kept missing it. Ironically it's one of the earliest amendments. It does now seem clear to me that the total and final responsibility for Public Health and the ...
One for Labour: so if the 50p tax rate is so important, why did you only have it for 36* days out of 13 years in power and why won't you promise to reintroduce it? One for anyone who doesn't like the idea of the 5p rate going: if the 50p rate were kept but tax allowances for the richest increased, stamp duty on expensive properties cut and tax breaks for pension contributions from the most well off raised, would you say 'That's ok. After all, the only thing that really matters is the 50p rate'? If so, fair enough ...
MP Julian Huppert has called on Prime Minister, David Cameron to rethink a major shake-up of planning policy to protect the environment. Julian joined 44 other MPs in a letter to express their fears for the future of the countryside from the planning reform. "We realise there are some serious problems with the drafting that would make it difficult for the government to realise fully its ambitions for planning reform and to be the 'greenest ever'," the letter, which was leaked to the Daily Telegraph, said. "We all support a simpler system with more local control, but this should not ...
The low point of yesterday's statement on the control of bovine TB was undoubtedly the comments by former Rural Affairs Minister and Plaid Cymru Assembly Member, Elin Jones. There were in fact many low points in that discussion but suggesting that farmers might institute their own informal cull of this protected species wins by a country mile. According to the Western Mail, Elin Jones, who spent most of her time as a Minister warning people against criminal behaviour, suggested that she would not blame farmers for taking the law into their own hands. Such comments are reprehensible and irresponsible. She ...
There's a whole science dedicated to the universality of human expressions. Across vast continents and endless oceans, humans make the same face whether in a state of grief, joy, or disgust. More or less. The face of the Indian street vendor clearly said "Oh, FFS!" I had made the universal tourist mistake of paying for a cheap product with a ridiculously large bill. The bottle of mango juice I needed so desperately to cool down in the mad-dog sun came to 20 rupees. The smallest denomination I had was 500. This created somewhat of an impasse. Eventually, with much universal ...
MP Julian Huppert has called on Prime Minister, David Cameron to rethink a major shake-up of planning policy to protect the environment. Julian joined 44 other MPs in a letter to express their fears for the future of the countryside from the planning reform. "We realise there are some serious problems with the drafting that would make it difficult for the government to realise fully its ambitions for planning reform and to be the 'greenest ever'," the letter, which was leaked to the Daily Telegraph, said. "We all support a simpler system with more local control, but this should not ...
I wanted to post The Bluebells' Young at Heart this week but to tie it in with the Volkswagen commercial on which it featured. Unfortunately I couldn't find that, so The Bluebells will have to wait for another day... Other leading contenders were Ugly Kid Joe's Cat's in the Cradle or k d lang's Constant Craving but the artist I eventually chose is no stranger to these pages. It's the divine Ms Annie Lennox and the haunting Love Song for a Vampire: Andrew
Below are recently submitted Planning Applications in the Chorlton area. You can find out more information about any of the proposals on the City Council's Planning Portal at http://tinyurl.com/yv6lex or by contacting the South Area Planning Group Manager - Roger Hall; Tel: (0161) 234 4536; email: r.hall@manchester.gov.uk . You can also make a Planning representation (in support or opposition) to Mr Hall or the designated planning officer for each application. Please feel free to contact me on (07947383740; cllr.v.chamberlain@manchester.gov.uk) if you wish to discuss any application and please also send me a copy of any representation you make. 098559/FO/2012/S1 466 ...
In 1997, after a string of election defeats, Tony Blair led the Labour Party to a landslide victory. He did so by unashamedly stealing a raft of Tory policies and putting a New Labour spin on them. In 2010, after three election defeats, David Cameron led the Tories to victory. He did so by unashamedly stealing a raft of Labour Party policies and putting a Tory spin on them. Almost ALL of the current Tory policies originated from Labour. No wonder Labour are angry and confused. To have Cameron do to them what Blair did to the Tories must be ...
A1057 Hatfield Rd from Charlotte Close A1057 Hatfield Rd A4147 Catherine St A4147 Catherine St – Right Turn A5183 Verulam Rd to Oyster Fields
So apparently the BBC is going to announce who the new companion is going to be in Doctor Who tomorrow. Who'd like to play Septic Peg? View Poll: #9923 We'll find out tomorrow if the pie I shall be eating is a humble one or the sweet sweet pie of smugness... [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments
More than 2,411,000 people in North West England will have an extra £130 to spend next year and the Liberal Democrats are claiming the credit. Ahead of today's crucial budget, figures have emerged showing that 2.41 million people across the ... Continue reading →
