The whole world seems to be conspiring to stress me out tonight. I have brain hurt. I'd go into details, but it barely seems worth it. Suffice to say there has been no backreading, so if I missed something important I am sorry. I'm going to go lie in the bath with Colin. Hope you guys are all less on the edge of going on a killing spree than I am. Love you all. [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments
Amongst my campaigning peregrinations today, I was delivering leaflets in Putney for John Munro in the Southfields by-election (Wandsworth) and then at a fundraiser for Barnet Liberal Democrats where Jane Gibson is fighting the East Finchley by-election. It is good to see how the local team in Wandsworth is putting the sudden glut of by-elections (two, which on the Wandsworth scale of things is a huge number) to good use, for example testing out using Connect for real in this contest. Over in Barnet I did fear I would be trapped in a never-ending raffle loop when a book of ...
I was very sad to hear the news today of the death of Jocky Wilson aged just 62. Jocky was truly one of the greatest characters in the world of darts and was a household name when darts became a sporting favourite in homes across the land in the 1980s. He was twice a World Champion in 1982, the year of my birth, and in 1989. Between him and the 'Crafty Cockney' Eric Bristow, they shared between them 7 world titles in that colourful decade for the sport. Indeed, such was his fame that he even made an unlikely appearance ...
What bastard stole my hour in bed this morning? I want it back! The Canadian entrant for Miss Universe has apparently been disqualified for being trans. Gail Simone links to a petition to get her reinstated. (I don't do online petitions myself, but you might). Leonard Pierce talks about racism in America today, with reference ...
This is part 1 of a promotional film made for the Locomotive and Allied Manufacturers' Association of Great Britain in 1959. As Tim Hall said when alerting us to this film on Twitter, most of the locomotives shown would be scrapped within a decade. The good news, if you enjoyed this film, is that you can view part 2 too.
The other day the wonderful Jennie Rigg left a comment welcoming me to the Lib Dem "Awkward Squad". I found myself saying this in a Lib Dem facebook group, in response to a response to my response (confused yet?) to someone who was saying that we had nothing to apologise for over breaking our tuition fees promise, and thought I'd post is as proof of my membership of the awkward squad ;) Forgive me for being principled and believing in integrity. And forgive me for believing the dozens of people, from the top of the party to the bottom, who ...
The Herald publishes the full text of the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission's report on the conviction for the Lockerbie bombing of Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al Megrahi. It concludes that there may have been a miscarriage of justice and referred the case to the High Court. A good article on the case is The Framing of al-Megrahi by Gareth Pierce from the London Review of Books in 2009.
Acocks Green's popular local Library has had its opening hours kept at the current level of 50 hours per week, following a decision taken at last Thursday's Yardley Constituency Committee. The Committee voted to allocate £12,139 of Acocks Green's 2012/13 Community Chest funding to pay for the 10 hours a week that had been put at risk following a central review of opening hours of libraries across the City. This keeps opening hours unchanged until October, by which time we will have carried out a full consultation of local residents and community groups to assess the optimum level of opening ...
A quick reminder of the process. The football club need a number of things to happen. Firstly, they need the land owner (in this case the council) to agree, in principle, that they would be prepared to lease the land to the club. (this is what thisaweeks meetings were about) Secondly, they will need to apply to the planning authority (in this case that's the same council) for permission.
Welcome to the Golden Dozen, and our 266th weekly round-up from the Lib Dem blogosphere ... Featuring the seven most popular stories beyond Lib Dem Voice according to click-throughs from the Aggregator (18-24 March, 2012), together with a hand-picked quintet, normally courtesy of LibDig, you might otherwise have missed. Don't forget: you can sign up to receive the Golden Dozen direct to your email inbox — just click here — ensuring you never miss out on the best of Lib Dem blogging. As ever, let's start with the most popular post, and work our way down: 1. Oh What A ...
The dispute between the people of Tur Langton and Merton College, Oxford, over the future of the village's hall has made The Oxford Student. This is a weekly newspaper produced by and for members of the University of Oxford. And the students have managed to get a quote from the college authorities, which is more than the papers around here were able to do. John Gloag, the Merton College Land Agent and Estates Bursar, told them: "Merton College are in discussions with the Tur Langton Parish Council about the future of the village hall following the expiry of the lease ...
I'm a long-distance trail walker. I liked nature, especially birds, since my age was in single figures, and started doing long walks as a student, but only attempted my first recognised long-distance trail, the Pennine Way, at the age of 33 - and failed because I tried to do too much too quickly (not realising that what was manageable over two days was not manageable over a week or more) and wasn't ruthless enough about weight on my back. I learnt, went back, completed the Pennine Way and was hooked. I haven't done any trails outside the U.K. (perhaps because ...
This week's Sunday Sound was going to be this until I realised I'd blogged it before! Instead, I've chosen another bird - here's the song of the Nightingale to help you chill on (what is for me, at least) a lazy, sunny Sunday: You can see more of this, and other birds, here. Andrew
I woke up this morning (dadidahdidum) to the "Cash for Cameron" furore going around the Internet. Apparently Peter Cruddas, treasurer of the Conservative Party, has resigned after offering access to David Cameron for £250,000. My initial reaction, apparently shared by the Twitterati, is that this was wrong – but after hearing calls for a Parliamentary ...
Sun 25th
17:45
LDV Caption Competition: Cameron & Miliband "We're in this together" Funding Scandal Special Edi...
For once, there IS a prize at stake. Better than that, there are TWO prizes. The best two entries of this week's caption competition will each win a copy of former Labour MP Chris Mullin's diaries, A View from the Foothills. The hit book has now been adapted for the theatre as A Walk On Part: The Fall of New Labour. So make some extra witty noise for this week's competition... Here's David Cameron and Ed Miliband sharing a special moment together earlier this week. What do you think might be being said or thought by or about them? And ...
Sun 25th
17:28
Francesca Barritt - there are "not enough superlatives" for last night's violin concerto
There are not enough superlatives to describe Francesca Barritt's performance as soloist in Brahm's violin concerto last night in the Dean's Hall, Berkhamsted. Playing with the Dacorum Symphony Orchestra under their Musical Director, Thomas Loten, she held the audience rapt from her entrance in a grey-green dress of Grecian simplicity to the final note. Not a soul in that hall had the slightest doubt that they had witnessed a performance of incomparable brilliamce and virtuosity. It was profoundly moving to watch the self-assured mastery of her playing and listen to the cascade of fine music superbly played, singing out from ...
Commenting on the newly published review into allegations of electoral malpractice in the 2011 elections, the Electoral Commission had this to say: Over 39 million votes were cast during the [May 2011] election period, but only 224 cases of alleged electoral malpractice were reported to the police. Of these cases, 99 required no further police action and none have been shown to have affected the outcome of any election or referendum. Despite the relatively low level of allegations, 36% of people believe electoral fraud is a 'very big' or 'fairly big' problem. These people, however, were more likely to have ...
To read part 1 of Chris's note to his (as yet unknown) successor as chief executive of Centre Forum click here. Here's the second, concluding part. Yesterday I set out three areas of policy where there is a need for liberal thinking to be developed as a note to my successor as Chief Executive of CentreForum, the liberal think tank. Today I set out three further areas and a challenge. Early Years policy CentreForum has always placed a high priority on "early years policy" as an engine of social mobility. All the evidence points to the critical importance of years ...
My shelves are empty. The half-dozen Billy Bookcases I bought from Ikea are now little more than scrap. I have burned my books. A bonfire of ideas and ideals. My bookshelves used to burst at the seams. Every individual shelf bowed violently from the over-stuffed mass of paperbacks squeezed onto it. Shakespeare rubbed up with Straczinsky. A complete set of Terry Pratchett was enviously glowered at by a patchy Enid Blyton collection. Half-read oddities nestled with well worn volumes. A copy of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" which taught me how to read as a child occupying the same shelf ...
It takes a lot to get me to miss the Archers' Omnibus edition on a Sunday morning, but today was one of those days. It was the community litter pick. The Borough and Parish Council jointly organised Winnersh's event, which was one of many taking place this week. Lots of people came to help, all 4 Lib Dem parish councillors included (well done guys). Particular thanks need to go to the cubs and brownies, NAG members and local residents, who were all terrific. Rachelle and Imogen Shepherd-DuBey and I amassed a vast amount of rubbish from along King Street Lane, ...
I find myself in an unusual position. Well, actually not that unusual, in that I find myself in opposition to a bunch of conservatives who find social media 'a bit difficult'. So, where are these reactionaries? Here is an excerpt from the election rules for the organisation; "No candidate may pro-actively campaign for election online, or allow anyone else to campaign on their behalf. This includes - but is not limited to - setting up special Twitter accounts, "friending" or "following" people for the explicit purpose of campaigning, establishing a Facebook group or page, pro-actively "tagging" friends with status updates ...
A report quoted by the London Evening Standard identifies Sutton as one of the safest London boroughs for drivers. By identifying the number of traffic accidents in relation to the number of licensed vehicles on the road the study by insurers Staveley Head has produced a map of accident blackspots across the UK. At 4.0 accidents per ...
During the financial crisis and subsequent recession it was rare to go a weekend without Vince Cable making an appearance on our television screens to share his thoughts on the latest piece of economic news. Since entering government as the coalition's business secretary, though, he has kept his wider economic analysis more-or-less to himself, concentrating instead on the important task of running his department. However, yesterday Vince took part in a talk at the Guardian Open Weekend, in conversation with Observer columnist Will Hutton, where he shared his thoughts on the economic recovery, the future of the banking system and ...
Iain Dale is spot on today about party funding following the Sunday Times Peter Cruddas "Cash 4 Cameron" scandal expose. There is indeed a golden opportunity for a party leader to seize the initiative on party funding. Nick Clegg should be in prime position for this. The party already has a policy of capping political donations at £10,000. The problem has been getting agreement for this across the parties. Talks always founder mainly because the main two parties have deep vested interested in the status quo for various reasons. Clegg should announce immediately that the Lib Dems will not accept ...
I sent this off to Liberal Youth a while ago so that it could be posted on the LY Libertine blog. Given that it still hasn't gone up, however, I've decided to post it here anyway. That said, please go and check out the Libertine because it really is very good. When I was at Lib Dem spring conference in Gateshead the other weekend I was fortunate enough to be able to interview the Liberal Democrat party president, Tim Farron MP, as part of a session organised by Liberal Youth. Liberal Youth bloggers with Tim Farron - I'm the third ...
As the Boris Island debate rolls on between the Medway towns and London a Pro- Airport group is making it's voice heard within the towns, DRINK (Demand Regeneration In North Kent.). The group, formed of local business personalities argue that the airport would kick start regeneration and bring money and prosperity to the region. It is true that since the closure of the Dockyards in Gillingham and Chatham, money has slowly leached out of the area effecting wards like Gillingham North, Gillingham South and Chatham Central which have become severely run down. Gillingham High street, which I remember as a ...
George Osborne has received support from an unexpected source: the Labour leaning think tank, the IPPR. In an article entitled "Why Osborne's 'granny tax' makes sense", Senior Research Fellow at the IPPR, Kayte Lawton says: It is right for older people to contribute to deficit reduction... Older people have been relatively protected from the spending cuts imposed by the coalition. The young have taken the brunt of the pain... Asking older people to contribute to tackling the deficit and shoring up the country's tax base in the long-term is not unreasonable... Osborne's pleas of simplification have not played well, but ...
Personal Tax Allowance 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. This means that 21m basic rate taxpayers will get an extra £220 cut in their income tax bills and a further 840,000 of the lowest earners will be taken out of paying income tax altogether. Those on minimum wage will see their income tax bill halved. See attached for a spreadsheet showing what this will mean for the residents in your area. Tycoon Tax Measures HMRC, supported by the OBR, estimate the ...
This is my letter to the Hastings Observer published on Friday: Dear Editor, It's sometimes more important to say when you agree with a political opponent than when you don't. So for this reason I hope you will publish this letter in support of the remarks made by Cllr Birch at the recent Budget debate ...
People park their cars on their front gardens for a variety of reasons in East Dulwich. Some to ensure they can park outside their home, others for security. Every crossover adds an extra place for pedestrians to be injured – they're mini junctions. One very simple idea some residents have proposed is that when new crossovers are proposed is to ensure that they are safe under section 184(5) of the highways Act 1980 to require a mini speed hump at the edge of the pavement with the private land. Sections 184(3) & (4) and (1b) of the same act allows ...
Sun 25th
11:53Another big money political scandal: can Lib Dems force Tories & Labour to take it seriously thi...
Let's remember the words of David Cameron two years ago: ... there is another big issue that we can no longer ignore. It is the next big scandal waiting to happen. It's an issue that crosses party lines and has tainted our politics for too long, an issue that exposes the far-too-cosy relationship between politics, government, business and money. I'm talking about lobbying - and we all know how it works. The lunches, the hospitality, the quiet word in your ear, the ex-ministers and ex-advisors for hire, helping big business find the right way to get its way. In this ...
I attended the Town Council Management meeting in Houghton Regis this week. Based on the premise that a Market Charter exists for Dunstable, and that precludes any other market from taking place within six and three quarter miles, we apparently cannot have a market in Houghton Regis. But what we can have is a maximum of four stalls. If we continue thinking like this, some poor soul in many years to come will still be trying to change the rules and looking for a starting point. First off, Dunstable's alleged Market Charter goes back to the days when populations were ...
Airport ConsultationsI'm beginning to think that it's an urban myth that Cllr Richard Stay is a right wing Tory. Angered that Luton airport consultations did not extend to his patch he's been actively promoting his own meetings for residents that have been "well attended". On his blog he writes "An empty chair was placed at the front because the airport's owners had refused to attend. Very shabby behaviour." In the same circumstances I'd probably have done the same.
Writing for Public Service, Lord (Chris) Rennard has focused on just how unusual the House of Lords is: In one of the many debates in the House of Lords about its future, I recently explained how, "like many noble lords, I take great pleasure in occasionally being able to show visitors around this place. Sometimes they are parliamentarians from other countries. Often they ask 'How do you become a Lord?' When you begin by explaining that perhaps your ancestors fought with the King in battle hundreds of years ago, or perhaps that they were what have been called 'special friends' ...
When Batman met the Muppets Poor Batman (tags: comics ) Edinburgh Pirate Party - Say No to Minimum Alcohol Prices If I was ever to leave the Lib Dems it'd be Piratewards I would go. (tags: politics ) Improbable Research » The World's Most Prolific Author Note to Andrew Hickey: come on lad, catch up! (tags: books ) So, Mr Lansley, what would you like to do to my uterus today? Milena tackles the continued sneaky assaults on abortion rights by the right wing press and their colluders in government: "when the Health Secretary is shocked and outraged that doctors ...
I have lost count of the number of times I have written on this blog about the need to reform party funding. It gives me no pleasure therefore in the light of the latest scandal involving Tory party fundraiser, Peter Cruddas, to say that I told you so. No doubt Labour will be making hay with this but they should not forget their own dubious past practices in this field. Reform is urgently needed and Nick Clegg needs to get on with it, consensus or not.
I am grateful to the Wales on Sunday Spin Doctor column for drawing my attention to the comments of the Labour Assembly Member for Cardiff Central, Jenny Rathbone as part of her contribution to a debate on Wednesday about more transparency and accountability in local government. Ms. Rathbone stood up to oppose Councils publishing details of every item of expenditure over £500 because she was afraid that voters would not have the capacity to understand it: Jenny Rathbone: I think that there is confusion in the Conservatives' minds as to whether transparency and accountability are the same thing; they are ...
Andrew Marr is questioning Danny Alexander about the effects of the budget. Danny tells us that the rich are going to be taxed more and Andrew comes back saying there is no way that Danny could know that, and how much the rich pay will depend on the skills of the accountants. Danny counters that the figures have been independently verified. If Andrew had asked about the revenue from an income tax rise then he may feel that such a raise produces a definite amount of Government revenue. However it could also be the case that an increase in taxation ...
As today is my birthday - all 23 hours of it - I am allowed to choose a Spencer Davis Group track as my Sunday music video. This comes from the superlative concert the band recorded for Finnish TV in 1967, shortly before the Winwood brothers left. I find I have already chosen four other tracks from that concert on previous Sundays: Dust My BluesI'm a ManGeorgia On My MindKeep On RunningHere, as with Georgia On My Mind, you wonder how a skinny, middle-class teenager from Birmingham came to sing like this. It is almost more of a Ray Charles ...
I'm not quite sure what makes it the world championship, but apparently it is on today near Oxford. For those of us who don't remember the rules have been codified... Mike Ridley, owner of 'Pooh Corner' in Hartfield, wrote a very nice booklet about this game, including these rules below. This booklet 'The official Pooh ...
The Sunday Express has a story and Christopher Booker in the Sunday Telegraph has another piece.I know of two others which are in the writing at the moment.
We hope to see some on the 14 and 17 routes 8 new low carbon buses for Bath Today Liberal Democrat Minister for Transport, Norman Baker has announced that Bath is to welcome 8 new low carbon buses as part of the Coalition Government's Green Bus Fund. A grant totalling £650, 442 has been provided to First Somerset & Avon for the new fleet of green buses that will emit one third
There is a new planning application for empty land at Clarks Ward: Odd DownParish: App Ref:Registered: 12/00524/OUTLocation: N/AGrid Ref: 7th March 2012Proposal: Expiry Date: 6th June 2012Officer: Crescent Office Park Clarks Way Odd Down Bath Bath And North East SomersetApplicant: (E)373178 - (N)162650LB Grade: N/AErection of a residential care home with associated car parking and
The yellow box safety markings at the City Road/Logie Street junction are very worn and I raised this some time ago with the City Council. I have now received an update from the Roads Maintenance Partnership as follows: "An order to re-paint the yellow box markings at this junction was raised some time ago. However due to a combination of weather, other lining commitments, a back-log with lining works and the traffic management necessary in order to be able to carry out the works at this junction, there has been a delay in this work being done. In addition, the ...
Face To Face is very much a transitional album for the Kinks. It was the first album to consist entirely of songs written by Ray Davies (though Dave Davies has claimed in the past to have written the opener, Party Line) and the band's line-up was in transition. Pete Quaife had left the band between ...
Tonight I attended a fun event where we had a meal and placed bets on fictitious horses (a Race Night) to raise money for three of charities that the Mayor of Ealing is supporting this year. The three charities are the Chiswick Lifeboat Station, Epilepsy Action and CAPE (an independent outreach and day service for individuals who experience Mental Health Problems some of whom are considered 'hard to engage'). The event raised just short of £2000 and all those attending the event in Hanger Hill, Ealing had a great time. This was an event where people from all political parties ...
The Sunday Times tomorrow will be formally 'breaking' their story tomorrow about the allegations (well, concrete proof) regarding Peter Cruddas, Conservative Party co-treasurer. The Sunday Times undercover reporters question Mr Cruddas about what a donation to the party would mean for them and their business. Cruddas spoke how "Two hundred grand to 250 is Premier ...
It seems some things will never change within the Tory party no matter how much David Cameron tries to rebrand them. Peter Cruddas the party's co-treasurer has tonight resigned after being caught in an undercover sting in which he offered two reporters posing as donors, time with Prime Minister David Cameron. Sums talked about as 'Premier ...
