The twittersphere is up in arms. Tim Farron – who was formally the darling of all Lib Dems everywhere – believes openly in the power of prayer. Well good for him. However apparently that isn't good and him signing a letter asking for clarification for why a spiritual group cannot say that 'God can heal' any more after a ruling from the Advertising Standards Agency. Here is the letter is full for you to peruse: Rt Hon Lord Smith of Finsbury Chairman, Advertising Standards Agency 21st March 2012 We are writing on behalf of the all-party Christians in Parliament group ...

Posted by neilmonnery on The Rambles of Neil Monnery
Mon 26th
22:52

City Council meetings

Tonight, following my ward surgeries at the Mitchell Street Centre and at Harris Academy, I attended City Council meetings at which : I joined colleagues in thanking both Patricia McIlquham, the council's Depute Chief Executive, and Rory Malone of UNISON, both of whom are soon to retire.I spoke in a debate on Education Committee about Curriculum for Excellence. The committee report was detailed and well-written and we heard from two very experienced Head Teachers. The Labour Group put forward an amendment that I could not in all conscience support - the suggestion of offering Intermediate 1 and 2 examinations that ...

All strength to Sheri S. Tepper! She will turn 83 this summer (she was born seven months after Philip K. Dick, three months before Ursula Le Guin) and keeps on turning out works dancing on the borderline of fantasy and science fiction, with deathly earnest political purpose. Her works repeatedly test Clarke's Third Law to destruction, which is why it is appropriate enough that this latest novel has been nominated for this year's Arthur C. Clarke Award. I don't think it will win. There is a brilliant concept behind it all of the future of humanity in a world where ...

This the Baptist Chapel in Evington, a village long since absorbed into Leicester. It was built in 1837 and its Gothic style though fashionable for the period, is unusual in a place of Nonconformist worship. The Illustrated History of Leicester's Suburbs by Christine Jordan suggests that this style is accounted for by the fact that the Baptists formed a breakaway movement from the parish church but continued to use a similar form of worship. A neighbouring manse of the same date was lost to a road-widening scheme in the 1960s.

Posted by Jonathan on Liberal England

 

Mon 26th
22:23

Clarke Award shortlist

As Martin Lewis has mercilessly chronicled, I correctly predicted four of the six shortlisted novels for the Arthur C. Clarke Award. Just to update the table I posted then, with the 1 March figures in parentheses: Goodreads Librarything number average number average Embassytown, China Miéville 2819 (2539) 3.85 825 (787) 3.95 Rule 34, Charles Stross 1206 (1087) 3.56 354 (335) 3.75 Hull Zero Three, Greg Bear 849 (791) 3.23 299 (292) 3.35 The End Specialist (The Post-Mortal), Drew Magary 1072 (927) 3.83 171 (158) 3.74 The Testament of Jessie Lamb, Jane Rogers 139 (128) 2.96 84 (81) 3.17 The Waters ...

Welcome to the March edition of the Mental Health Carnival. This monthly round up of blog posts was devised by Carol from Dance Without Sleeping and his hosted by a different blogger each times. Already for this year, you can find the February edition on Mrs Shorties Mind and the January edition on In a Bun Dance. We begin a post that is as much about the net as it is about mental health. Just Another Manic Mummy shows us how social networking has helped her: You see a large part of my problem is social anxiety, an inability to ...

Posted by Jonathan on Liberal England

Via Storify, an account of tonight's CentreForum event "How to be an effective junior member of a coalition": Share " Use of photo of Russian dolls to advertise "How to be an effective junior member of a coalition" suitably ambiguous #CentreForum Mark Pack [IMG: markpack] Mon, Mar 26 2012 13:22:57 ReplyRetweet Share " Lord Rennard: Coalition is not for the squeamish #centreforum Shirin Homawala [IMG: London_Gal] Mon, Mar 26 2012 13:22:57 ReplyRetweet Share " Lab + Tories have retained c.6/10 voters from 2010; LDs just c.3/10 @BenIPSOSMori #centreforum Stephen Tall [IMG: stephentall] Mon, Mar 26 2012 13:27:46 ReplyRetweet Share " ...

Posted by Mark Pack on Mark Pack

I have struggled over the past few days to write anything substantial. I just haven't been in the mood as it were. I may go into this more in another blog but something that I have noticed recently is the amount of people with opinions. The opinions who read on the internet are nearly always those who are unhappiest. They are the most dissatisfied. Those who are happy or those who are fine with things rarely kick up too much of a fuss but those who want to vent their spleen with do so more vigorously. I wrote a blog ...

Posted by neilmonnery on The Rambles of Neil Monnery

Liberal Democrats have been holding their own in recent council byelections in 2012 despite hovering around eight to 12 per cent in the polls. It suggests voters may be focussing more on 'local issues' than Westminster politics. If so, what ... Continue reading →

Posted by Lester Holloway on cllrlesterholloway
YouGov

I'm currently in Islamabad in Pakistan working for the British Council on an education advocacy project with a group of six young people from the UK and 20 young people from Pakistan who are the steering group for a project called IlmPossible. There was a recent update of the Pakistani constitution which added in Article 25a which guarantees the right to free state education for all children aged 5-16. The trouble is that the delivery of this is down to provincial governments and many people simply don't know that it is a right. Many others are discouraged from taking up ...

Posted by Alex Folkes on A Lanson Boy

I once said that I should like to hear Tim Farron make an unpopular speech. Well, judging by my Twitter stream this evening, he has at least signed an unpopular letter. Together with his fellow officers of the group Christians in Parliament, Tim has signed a letter to Lord Smith of Finsbury, the Chairman of the Advertising Standards Agency. It wants the Agency to overturn its ban on Christian groups trying to recruit new members by claiming that God can heal. The letter is reproduced in full by Total Politics and is toe-curlingly embarrassing. Here is the silliest part: You ...

Posted by Jonathan on Liberal England

As London's mayoral race enters its' final lap before polling day on 3rd May, how close are the Liberal Democrats to reflecting the capital's diversity and how does their assembly team compare to Labour's? While the mayoral campaign will inevitably ... Continue reading →

Posted by Lester Holloway on cllrlesterholloway

The Conservative Party's claims that big donors do not influence Government policy are highly entertaining, and would be highly amusing if it wasn't all so serious.But first, a declaration of interest. I do contribute to the Liberal Democrats, through my membership subscription, a generous £62 per annum, by giving of my time, gratis, to deliver the odd leaflet and more time to assist in the administration of my Local Party and of my County Co-ordinating Committee. If you asked me to put a monetary value on it all, I wouldn't have much of a clue. It does buy me influence, ...

Posted by Mark Valladares on The view from Creeting St Peter
Mon 26th
18:47

I'm just a Christian

Yup you hear me right. Im a Christian. I have a set of beliefs and ideologies that give me great strength and peace when times are tough. They also give me guidance on how to live my life in a way I would like to. Is that a bad thing? No. Does that make a me ...

Posted by Spidey on Spiderplantland

Well, my post budget piece for The New Statesman caused a right old Kerfuffle. Many thanks to all the Lib Dems who leapt to my aid in the comments section, really appreciate it. If you missed all the fun, here's the piece... I suspect George Eaton was right when he described the tax transparency proposals outlined in the Budget as a political masterstroke. But credit where it's due - and that credit isn't the Chancellor's. Nor, funnily enough, is it all the good work of Tory MP Ben Gummer, who Osborne credited in his Budget speech. For this policy was ...

Posted by Richard Morris on A VIEW FROM HAM COMMON

As I looked at today's Manchester Evening News, I couldn't believe what I was reading. Labour's Town Hall Bosses want to charge those who use A and E and are drunk. I have written about the problems of binge ... Continue reading →

Posted by John Leech MP on John Leech MP

When Tim Farron was first elected as Lib Dem President, there was a great deal of disquiet in the Lib Dem Twitter circles I frequent. This disquiet was especially strong with regards to his LGBT record. I didn't share this feeling, and I was quite happy to come to his defense. I even passed around this link from Stephen Gilbert to help allay fears about his history. I was confident he would be a good counterweight to the Orange Bookers in the leadership and would keep them honest. And on that point he's been moderately successful. Unfortunately on other matters ...

Posted on Neue Politik

That's one of the bizarre details revealed in the aftermath of the latest failures on the Jubilee Line: [IMG: Tube station corridor] Tube bosses were accused of "over-selling" a claimed improvement in service launched today with 30 trains an hour – up from 27 – during the morning and evening peak. Transport for London (TfL) said 30 trains per hour would operate "during the busiest hour" in the morning and evening – but would not reveal the exact times. The reason why they wouldn't? It may have something to do with this: The Lib Dem group of the London Assembly ...

Posted by Mark Pack on Mark Pack
Mon 26th
17:32

Sunday Times Hypocrisy?

Shock Horror from yesterday's Sunday Times, Prime Minister has meals with big sponsors, just a thought but has anyone spotted the big stink of hypocrisy, from the News International paper, having seen plenty of evidence of wrong doing by the News of the World and evidence that other papers like the Sun have been up to no good, and never having seen theses papers ever criticise Rupert Murdoch's access to Downing Street and indeed Leaders around the world, just what games are Murdoch's lackeys upto?? Even more worrying is how the media, is following the Murdoch press. Have we forgotten ...

Posted by tony flaig bignews on BIGNEWS MARGATE
eUKhost

Francis Maude has given a very good impression of a man sliding down the edge of an oversize razor blade today. Painful to watch. On Today this morning his performance was ludicrous in the extreme. In the Commons he says it's all Labour's fault – they have been "shameful" on this Cruddas affair he says. It's all quite ridiculous. It has been obvious all along that Cameron should reveal his dinner guests at the Number Ten flat, as he has now done for donors. We're told these are private affairs. Cameron pays for the dinners out of his own pocket. ...

Posted by Paul on Liberal Burblings

Last week witnessed a remarkable low when the leader of a coalition between a party claiming to oppose top down dictatorial government and another claiming to be liberal, announced his support for exactly the kind of mass social engineering that most of us hoped had died a death with the collapse of the Soviet Union. Sir Ian Gilmore As I pointed out in a previous post, minimum pricing adherents are not at all ashamed of the totalitarian nature of their plans and indeed have actively sought to persuade our elected representatives of the "rewards" to be gleaned from emulating Soviet ...

Posted by Guest on Liberal Vision

This article from the METRO newspaper has an excellent summary of how last week's budget will affect families. As you can see, it assesses this impact in terms of losses and gains, with most people set to gain. Click on the image to enlarge.

A North West England Euro-MP has called for state funding of political parties following claims that business interests are able to buy access to political leaders. Opinion polls suggest that a majority of the public are opposed to the principle of state ... Continue reading →

Posted by Richard Marbrow on Chris Davies MEP

If you turn up in A&E with alcohol issues in Manchester the local Labour party wants to charge you for going into A&E So, let me get this right. Last week from Labour it was save our NHS from the evil coalition because they really want an American style NHS where you pay for treatment, and this shows that they really want to eat your babies and leave you in the gutter if you can't pay for treatment This week from Labour it's if we don't like why you need treatment we will charge you for entrance into A&E. I ...

Posted by Carl Minns on Carl Minns - Thoughts from Hull

This story in today's times (Paywall) reveals:An accountant wrongly convicted of a fraud allegedly connected to the bribery of civil servants is demanding to see the secret evidence which saved him from a lengthy prison sentence.Tom Wilson, 52, says he cannot rebuild his life and career because of a court secrecy order which means he and his lawyers are forbidden to know why he was eventually

Posted by john on John Hemming's Web Log

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. 098847/AO/2012/S1 RBS, ...

The Campaign Corner series looks to give three tips about commonly asked campaign issues. Do get in touch if you have any questions you would like to suggest. Today's Campaign Corner question: A strange question perhaps, but we seem to spend all the time in my local party talking about campaigning and never about policy. Maybe that didn't matter in opposition, but it certainly matters in government! How can we get a better balance? A very good question! It's important both because in government knowing what our policies are and why is much more relevant day-to-day, and also because it ...

Posted by Mark Pack on Liberal Democrat Voice

Hampden Fields NW of Tring Tring is on the western boundary of Hertfordshire, but well within ten miles of the town in Aylesbury Vale there are major developments planned which are likely to affect the town and the surrounding villages. Round Aylesbury itself (and not counting the Arla development) there are 10 developments under active consideration of which 3 are employment areas and 7 are mainly residential. Of this total, the 3 employment areas and 4 of the mainly residential areas are likely to be built. 2 of these will affect Tring and impact on the A41. The first and ...

Posted by nickhollinghurst on Nick Hollinghurst

A group of 240 doctors recently threatened to stand against leading members of the government in the next election, in protest at the NHS Bill (Now the Health and Social Care Act). They are 'shocked at the failure of the democratic process and the facilitating role played by the Liberal Democrats in the passage of this bill'. They follow the example of Richard Taylor MP, a consultant physician who won his Wyre Forest seat from a junior health minister in 2001, campaigning against the closure of the A&E Department at Kidderminster Hospital. My immediate reaction to this news was essentially ...

Posted by Sid Cumberland on Liberal Democrat Voice
Mon 26th
15:17

Pocketful of Sunshine

[YouTube Link] This has been me for DAYS AND DAYS. I got Mitch Benn's latest album last week and instantly started learning I'm Proud of the BBC. Now I just can't stop singing it, and it's driving my roommates crazy. What song is stuck in your head?

Posted by Debi on Thagomizer.net

A conversation just occurred in this house: James: Oh for fuck's sake! Me: What?? James: "Soccer star Fabrice Muamba's recovery has sparked a group of Christian MPs to try and reverse an ad ban on saying that worship works. Three Christian MPs are trying to overturn an advertising ban on claiming that 'God can heal'." (Source) Me: Please tell me one of them's not Tim Farron James: "Gary Streeter (Con), Gavin Shuker (Lab) and Tim Farron (Lib Dem) say that they want the Advertising Standards Authority to produce "indisputable scientific evidence" to say that prayer does not work" Me: Oh ...

I've said I'm going to review every new book I get on Amazon. Just as a point of fact, I've got two books on the Kinks today, actually from Amazon, but I won't be reviewing them – they both would be in competition with the book I'm doing, and so I can't give a fair, ...

Posted by Andrew Hickey on Sci-Ence! Justice Leak!

Well today, myself and my election agent delivered my nomination papers to the Town Hall for the election of a councillor for the Bidston & St. James ward, with polling day held on 3rd May 2012. They were checked and found to be OK and my agent should get official notification through the post. I'll ...

As readers of my blog know well I am not always a great supporter of things that David Cameron says BUT I am 100% behind him on the need to put an end to the misery caused by senseless over ... Continue reading →

Posted by richardkemp on But what does Richard Kemp think?

For the record I have not been invited to supper at Dave and Sam Cam's in the private flat above Downing Street. But these latest Peter Cruddas revelations make it more urgent than ever that political donations are properly regulated. I am proud to belong to a party which is in the pocket of neither big business nor trade unions. The Liberal Democrats receive their funding from the party membership subscription and from individual small donors – getting more of those than does Labour which remains 90 percent dependent on trade union funding. It was interesting to hear Conservative Minister ...

Posted by sandy on Sandy 4 St Albans

It appears that Nadine Dorries has won more friends in the Liberal Democrats with her latest statement. As the Boundary commission looks at redrawing the map of British constituencies and politics some MPs are fighting losing wards and gaining others who tend to vote the other way and other MPs, like Nadine Dorries are fighting to keep their constituencies alive and themselves employed. As this battle rages MPs are turning to those on the ground, local Councillors, who represent the individual wards that are being moved and urging them to help, to convince voters that it is in their best ...

Posted by Chris Sams on The Ginger Liberal from Medway

"I've been in jail, I've been involved in gangs, I used to deal drugs" – that's not your ordinary pitch from a candidate, but then Pauline Pearce is no ordinary candidate. She shot to national attention after her impromptu speech attacking rioters was filmed and put on YouTube last summer, but already had an impressive record of turning her own life around and helping others to do the same. Despite approaches from other political parties, Pauline Pearce decided to join the Liberal Democrats, and is standing in the forthcoming Hackney Central by-election. I met Pauline at a local party fundraiser ...

Posted by Mark Pack on Mark Pack

This year, there's a lot of concern about public service cuts and rises in taxes for certain groups. This, to me, indicates the problem facing anyone in government - the British public wants better public services and lower taxes. I fully believe that the electorate is not stupid. But, right now, it's somebody else's problem - how to square the circle between wanting good public services and as much cash as is needed to achieve this, and paying as little tax as possible. These aims are mutually exclusive in the main, and certainly as exercised by New Labour and Tory. ...

Posted by Louise Shaw on Liberal Democrat Voice

Note from Hertfordshire County Council The work due to start on Monday 26 March on Verulam Road, St Albans is being postponed to a later date due to a problem with the availability of the machinery required to complete the works. The advance warning boards at the site are being updated and we will confirm a new start date as soon as possible.

Posted by chriswhite on Chris White

Monday: What's the difference between the Prime Monster, Mr Balloon, and the man behind that big boat movie (currently being remade for telly as ITV's Drownton Abbey)? Answer: they're both FISHY stories, but we've yet to hit fluffy bottom in Mr Balloon's latest cash for access scandal. And, like the big boat in question, Mr Balloon's denials don't cut much ice. When he says "this is not the way the Conservatories raise money", it stretches credulity un peux since Tory Treasury Mr John "Judge Dredd bad word" Crudd has resigned because you can see him on video doing exactly that. ...

Last Autumn I raised concerns about the tactile paving which helps visually impaired pedestrians to safely cross Keppel Road. The paving had been laid in such a way as to direct pedestrians into the middle of the busy junction with Brantingham Road. Last October the Council admitted the paving had been incorrectly laid over six years before and promised to rectify the problem within 30 days. Six Months on the Council has still not fixed the problem. I am very concerned that someone who is visually impaired could suffer serious injury if they believe this paving is helping them to ...

Posted by Matt Gallagher on Matt Gallagher

St Albans City and District Council has appointed two design teams to project manage the construction of a tennis centre and clubhouses for the bowls and golf clubs at the Batchwood Golf and Tennis Centre, St Albans. These will replace the tennis centre and the bowls clubhouse which were destroyed by a fire in August last year. Cambridge-based Saunders Boston will be responsible for project managing the pre-contract and construction phases for the new bowls and golf clubhouses. The development is set to be completed by Autumn 2012. The Council has already completed re-turfing of the bowls green and repair ...

Posted by chriswhite on Chris White

I have received this note from the county council which is now managing the project. We have given your specification to our contractors to price and give potential dates for works to commence. These should be with us just after Easter. We have been reminded that scheduling the work will need to be mindful of the nesting season (early March to late August) as even hedge pruning and clearing of vegetation can be deemed inappropriate in some instances. We will do everything we can to get the works started as soon as possible but experiences elsewhere in the borough tell ...

Posted by chriswhite on Chris White

One of the themes in the loosely constructed narrative the Liberal Democrats have deployed in recent months has been industrial democracy – in catchphrase terms the promotion of the John Lewis economy. This presents a radical, if embryonic, approach to the private sphere and a unique contribution to the debate on how to rescue capitalism. Looking at how to adopt the themes of this approach to the public sector should be the next logical step. First, though, we have to resolve the question of where liberal reform of public services should go. Governments always hold public service reform as a ...

Posted by Tom Smith on Liberal Democrat Voice

Responding to the report in the Western Mail that families struggling to make ends meet will be hit by a sharp rise in child bus fares next week, Eluned Parrott AM, Liberal Democrat shadow transport minister, said the Welsh Labour Government should evaluate access to public transport. Its transport priorities were "completely skewed". She added: "We are now reaching the point where it will be cheaper for a family to get a taxi to the local shops, rather than get a bus. It is a scandal the Welsh Government is happy to subsidise North-South flights to the tune of £1.6m ...

Posted by Aberavon & Neath Liberal Democrats on Aberavon & Neath Liberal Democrats

All those of us who believe that worker ownership is an important ingredient in the reform of our busted capitalist system can take a little comfort from the budget announcement that progress is being made. Of course words are easy, but the fact that Norman Lamb is the Minister who is leading the review makes me believe that this could turn out to be a worthwhile initiative. The Government will conduct an internal review to examine the role of employee ownership in supporting growth and to consider ways in which barriers, including tax barriers, to its wider take-up could be ...

Posted on birkdale focus
Mon 26th
11:51

Dulwich Sculpture Award

I wish I was announcing the biannual Dulwich Sculture Aware. With the recent theft of the Barbara Hepworth public sculpture from Dulwich Park the insurance is likely to pay out in the region of £500,000. The council appears minded to find a piece of public art to replace the one stolen and currently deciding how to choose a piece. But what a great opportunity to use the money to create and endow a biannual sculpture award. Hopefully Tate Modern or the Dulwich Picture Gallery would be willing to run it. We could then display all entrants in Dulwich Park for ...

Posted by James Barber on James Barber

As you may already be aware, there will be changes to rubbish and recycling collections in Cornwall from 2nd April and in many cases this will involve different collection days and different containers for recycling. To find out how the changes will affect you follow this link and to find out your new collection day ...

Posted by Jeremy Rowe on Jeremy Rowe
Mon 26th
11:30

Side Links

Regular readers of this blog might notice that the side links have changed. This is to reflect my use of blog news and opinion. While still reading a daily paper, I get much of my political commentary, opinion and other news from bloggers. Previously, I listed political sites from the major parties as well as a comedy section. Many have now gone because of this change. It is not that these writers aren't interesting. It is that I don't read all of them because I don't have the time. It is also becoming difficult to keep track of all the ...

Posted by Simon Goldie on Simon Goldie
Mon 26th
11:19

Remembering Jocky Wilson

The sad news that Jocky Wilson has died aged just 62 has meant that darts (and Kirkcaldy) has lost one of its most infectious personalities. Wilson was one of the big personalities of the 1980s era of darts - when rooms were smoke-filled and players were drink fuelled. Wilson not only partaked in both - his predeliction for sweet things meant he lost most of his teeth before he was 30. But his gummy grin graced the darts stage and the terrestrial TV channels of the 1980s. He won two world titles and probably could/should have won more. But his ...

Posted by Dan Falchikov on Living on words alone

How an independent Scotland would work in the EU much more mundane than anyone wants to admit. (tags: scotland eu )

London faces a severe housing crisis. This problem will only get worse as our population continues to grow. One million more people are expected to be living in London by 2030. Everywhere I go, people tell me they are concerned about housing - whether it is the long housing waiting lists, unaffordably high private rents or rogue landlords who rip you off. We have young people unable to make their first steps on the property ladder; or under threat from unscrupulous landlords and too many families living in overcrowded housing. For the average Londoner it will take 13 years of ...

Posted by Bridget Fox on Liberal Democrat Voice

Yesterday, Saarland went to the polls. Saarland elects by a proportional list system, with the state split into three areas, any party gaining over 5% gets a share of the 51 seats. As the opinion polls predicted the FDP Liberal party were wiped out, losing all five of their seats and going down from 9% of ...

Posted by rankersbo on Standing above the fog

DC Universe in Lego [Pic] (tags: toys ) [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments

I remember Peter Cruddas, co-treasurer of the No2AV campaign and the No campaign's single biggest donor. Without him they never could have afforded those sick baby billboards. Shortly afterwards in June 2011 he was rewarded with a prestigious position as co-treasurer of the Conservative party. Now he lies at the centre of yet another donor scandal, this one leading right to the Prime Minister's door and is potentially as serious as the cash for peerages scandal under Tony Blair. The Lib Dems have suffered from the unjust and often corrupt party funding regime for many years. In the 2010 election ...

Posted by Andy May on Liberal Democrat Voice

What is Nick Clegg good at? He had certain attributes which were suited to getting to the top of the political pile. Cameron has some of these attributes and Gordon Brown didn't really have them. But when it comes to staying on top, the necessary attributes can be very different and Cameron has shown he ...

Posted by Matthew Gibson on Solution Focused Politics

We've been here before: many times, under many different governments. The latest addition to the lexicon of big money politics scandals is Peter Cruddas's crude cash-for-access fundraising, with influence on government policy touted for £250,000 a pop. Under Labour, we witnessed the Bernie Ecclestone affair, as well as the cash-for-honours scandal. To date this shared complicity — the "all parties are as bad as each other" mentality — has served only the interests of senior politicians in justifying the continuing scandal of how big money talks in British politics. But enough is enough. We have already had a full, independent ...

Posted by Stephen Tall on Liberal Democrat Voice

Following on from yesterday's mildly intemperate comments about the rules for electing the new Council of Unlock Democracy, I have been asked to point out that all decisions on the content of those rules are made by the Council of Unlock Democracy, a body of which I am currently a member. And, being a civilised soul at heart, I am happy to issue such a correction. This raises an interesting question, in terms of collective responsibility. Regardless of the internal debate within Council, I am technically bound by collective responsibility for its decisions. Now, when it is a question of ...

Posted by Mark Valladares on The view from Creeting St Peter

I am looking forward to today's meeting of the Economic Development Advisory Group as it has some exciting agenda items. First we are discussing Sutton's response to the Portas Review and agreeing a number of actions and initiatives to take forward as a result of the additional insight this has given us. We will also ...

Posted by jaynemccoy on Diary of a Sutton Councillor

When Chris Huhne resigned as energy and climate change secretary last month, he didn't just create a vacancy in the cabinet — his departure also triggered some musical chairs elsewhere. The same day Ed Davey was appointed Chris Huhne's sucessor, Duncan Brack and Joel Kenrick departed as Chris's special advisors. You can read Duncan's take on his time in the job here, Liblink: Duncan Brack on how to get green policies implemented in Government. These two vacancies have now been filled by Katie Waring (who moves from being Vince Cable's special advisor at BIS, where she and Ed Davey worked ...

Posted by Stephen Tall on Liberal Democrat Voice

As the row over cash for access to David Cameron rumbles on this morning, the Daily Telegraph highlights the fact that Labour too, benefits from huge amounts of private sector cash. They say that Chris Leslie, the shadow treasury spokesman, has become the latest in a growing list of Labour MPs to receive financial support from PwC, the accountancy giant that helps its clients avoid millions of pounds in tax. Leslie received the services of a senior manager at PwC for 30 days, which was worth almost £47,000. This brings the total given to Labour by PwC since the last ...

Posted by Peter Black on Peter Black

Around 80 per cent of public transport in Cambridgeshire is run commercially with the remaining 20 per cent being subsidised by the County Council, at a cost of around £2.7 million per year. Work is already underway with operators to see if changes to routes and timetables could make some marginal subsidised journeys commercially viable and therefore reduce this financial commitment. The Council has also reviewed the way subsidies are currently paid and has started a phased three year change programme. Over the next three years the Council will be transforming how these subsidised services are delivered, resulting in an ...

Posted by Andy Pellew on Focus on Bar Hill

It was interesting to read this Seventh Doctor novel at the same time as the new Fourth Doctor audio The Renaissance Man, in that both involved Victorian-ish settings which turn out to be in some way representations of an inner space. This was apparently Messingham's first book, but it's a good combination of insect horror, worlds within worlds, and a new figure from the Doctor's Gallifreyan past which casts a new light on his motivations. Ghost Light with mind projections, perhaps. One of the more memorable ones.

On Wednesday 16th May, there will be a great clean-up of litter and clean-off of graffiti right across the West End. Building on an initiative by the University of Dundee as part of Keep Scotland Tidy's National Spring Clean (see below), I have now secured support from the staff at a major West End business, numerous local residents (thanks folks!) and the Community Payback Scheme. The West End Community Council and Community Spirit Action Group have signed up, as has one of the local churches. It will be a huge effort right across the West End to remove graffiti and ...