On Saturday the 5th May 2012 at 1pm the Nottingham City Liberal Democrats are proud to have as our guest Shirley Williams. An opportunity to see Baroness Williams in one of only a few appearances since her work on the ... Continue reading →
I recently studied a module entitled "Fictionalised Politics" based on the representation of politics and politicians in fiction. During one of the tasks, my team came first in the class, with a presentation on Dr. Who and the representation of Tony Blair in the form of the Master. It's hosted here on the University of ...
We've managed to get in the occasional powerful jab...whether it be raising the lower end tax rate or re-linking pensions to earnings...but we need to be very aware that one of our larger rivals may be ready to knock us out with a killer punch.
Sun 8th
23:24
Liberal Youth's Policy on Internships - Widening Participation [As featured in The Libertine]
For the first time ever, Liberal Youth has a policy on internships & work experience. And it's a robust one. Not only does it call for those on internships or work experience to be paid £2.60 per hour, but it also calls for politicians to be the first to clear up their act. We know ...
No, this is not a joke – I've deliberately not posted on April Fool's – but I've apparently shifted more economically leftist, but also more socially authoritarian *shudders*. Odd, as this is a month when I've been avidly defending civil liberties. Hmm... People are ultimately divided more by class than by nationality Disagree -> Agree Shifting ...
Today is Easter Sunday. As a Christian it should be the day that I am at my most joyful, even more so than Christmas. Today is the day that marks the day that Christ conquered death from when he died on the cross for us. Yet today I'm not joyful. Today I couldn't enjoy the service of praise that we had planned for this morning. The reason is the picture attached (I apologise for the quality it looked fine on my phone). However, what it is was a petition set up in support of the Coalition for Marriage including several ...
Back in November 2008 I wrote of the old inclined plane at Foxton: Over the years the remains have been cleaned up and interpreted half to death.That process now seems to have spread more widely: you can find this group on the towpath above the top lock.
When enemy combatants are captured during a war, they areimprisoned without trial until peace returns. Would it be possible for the UNto develop a n analogous legal regime under which Somali (or other) pirates capturedunder arms could be similarly held without trial in a designated territory untilthe piracy operations are declared at an end, or for ten years, whichever isthe less? See http://ind.pn/HnTO9B
Tall Tales from the Trees is written by Colin Salter, who turns out to be a distant relative of this blog's hero Charles Masterman. In a post yesterday he wrote about Masterman's role in British propaganda during World War I: One of his successes there was the introduction of the concept of the War Artist. In the last two years of the war he sent more than ninety artists to make a visual record of events in Europe. Although there were limitations on what they could exhibit during the war, they were given a fairly free hand in what and ...
This, a rare and seasonal excursion into the world of opera for my Sunday music video, is the Easter hymn - or "Ineggiamo" - from Pietro Mascagni's 1890 one-act opera Cavalleria Rusticana. Me Monk. Me Mander translates the words for us: Let us sing hymns, the Lord is not dead. Shining, He has unsealed the tomb, Let us sing hymns to the risen Lord— ascended today to the glory of Heaven.
Back in early March I posted about a little-known change in Council policy that directly penalises Chorlton. Yesterday, the Manchester Evening News blew the whistle on this discriminatory proposal, which has blocked applications for new play equipment for Beech Road Park amongst other things. The MEN article highlighted the impact this change will have on street cleaning in Chorlton. It could also have mentioned that the policy impacts on Council spending on Chorlton across the board. I am campaigning for the Council to drop this proposal, which is as batty as the 80% cut to the School Crossing Patrols that ...
I was on Wave 102 news today about concerns regarding the former garage in Benvie Road, following another fire there last week. Click 'play' below to listen:
Welcome to the Golden Dozen, and our 268th 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 (1-7 April, 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. Walking: it's time ...
As you probably all know, I'm running the marathon for Cancer Research UK, in memory of my Mom & godsister. It was important to me that I honor them, as well as making sure that I was identifiable as a CRUK runner. Cancer Research was sweet enough to send me a cotton t-shirt, but, if you know anything about running, you'll know that technical, wicking fabrics are the ONLY thing to run in! So, I decided that I would make my own shirt! I was fairly certain that I wanted to find a nice light teal shirt to match the ...
This is written in the form of a letter to my favorite film program/favorite podcast, Wittertainment (which is hilarious and snarky and everyone should listen to it): Dear Dr. Statler & Dr. Waldorf, After work, I went to see Hunger Games. Based on your analysis of the midnight-release crowd in Boston, I should have been in the near-prime demographic. I'm 28 and saw all of the Harry Potter films pre-release/at midnight/or day of release, went to almost all of the midnight book parties, have never seen or read Twilight, and really enjoyed reading the Hunger Games trilogy. But, I couldn't ...
The suggestion that politicians should make public their tax returns is a no-brainer, right? After all, the public have a right to know what public servants earn, don't they? Well, yes and no. The earnings from politics of every politician are publicly available, at all levels of government. Every year, politicians agonise over, or are forced to defend, levels of salaries and allowances publicly. So, obviously that transparency should remain. But there are those of us who believe that politicians should not have to deal with intrusion into their private lives. The widely held view that politicians have no right ...
Yesterday, my copy of Iain Banks' latest book, Stonemouth, arrived. Banks is one of my favourite authors but it's fair to say that his recent works haven't reached the heights of earlier favourites such as The Wasp Factory, The Bridge and The Crow Road. His last novel, Transition, did mark something of a return to form - possibly as it bordered on the SciFi he writes as Iain M Banks. I'll be reviewing Stonemouth in due course, and have already made some notes on the first chapter, but this post is more of a mini-rant about the cover art of ...
This is a copy of an article that I have posted on Lib Dem Voice. It seems appropriate on Easter Day to report the findings of the report entitled Faithful Citizens by the think tank Demos. I have been embarrassed and saddened by the portrayal of "the church" as bigoted and homophobic recently, and this research helps to counterbalance that impression. Demos' report implies that people of faith are more likely to share Liberal Democrat values than to hold the conservative fundamentalist views often described in the media. 13% of citizens claim to belong to a church or other religious ...
It seems appropriate on Easter Day to report the findings of the report entitled Faithful Citizens by the think tank Demos. I have been embarrassed and saddened by the portrayal of "the church" as bigoted and homophobic recently, and this research helps to counterbalance that impression. Demos' report implies that people of faith are more likely to share Liberal Democrat values than to hold the conservative fundamentalist views often described in the media. 13% of citizens claim to belong to a church or other religious organisation, so these findings refer to believers across all the faiths in the UK, although ...
I don't particularly like sports in which the winner is decided in the first few minutes, e.g. motor racing, but I can appreciate that there are many who do not share this opinion. The boat race is fairly similar, in that the only action is in the first minute or two and then the race is over - except for yesterday. Why would Trenton Oldfield, or anyone else for that matter, decide to put themselves at risk and stop the race? Well Trenton tells us that he was protesting against elitism. I suppose there is something in that. I have ...
"Neither a borrower nor a lender be." So says Lord Polonius to his son Laertes in Shakespeare's Hamlet. Good advice for young people starting out in life, but the modern economy of the 21st century depends on the constant circulation of money and credit. We all need to borrow to buy a house, for University etc. Firms need to borrow for investment in equipment and working capital. Government needs to borrow to finance infrastructure. That's good borrowing. If, however, debt is being racked up to buy imported tack or fund boozy nights out, we would think of that as bad ...
The Information Tribunal delivered its decision last week on the release of the risk registers associated with the Health & Social Care Bill. The Information Tribunal concluded that the Information Commissioner was correct in the initial decision that the release of the transitional risk register (TRR) - but not the strategic risk register – was in the public interest. And the Government was wrong to refuse to release it. I'm surprised that this decision did not attract more attention. Perhaps there's a sense that the battle has already been lost. I understand the Department of Health is considering whether there ...
The Jenny Wren, on the corner of St Kilda's Avenue and Campkin Road has recently shut down. With the closure of the Grove, and a fairly high chance that it won't return as a pub, this would leave only the Ship and the Golden Hind as Kings Hedges pubs. I've commented before that I'm a member of the Campaign for Real Ale, and I agree that pubs can serve a very important part of a local community. April is also CAMRA's Community Pubs Month, so it's especially worrying to see another pub potentially close down for a final time. However, ...
If you've got just one idea please let us have it. At the Blackhill, Bridgehill, Benfieldside & Shotley Bridge Partnership on Thursday night a number of ideas were generated as to how we can make the most of the Olympic Torch running up Durham Road to Villa Real on June 16th. It may well be the only time it ever happens in our lifetime, so let's see how we can make the most of it and make it an event that children can look back on with pleasure. If you've got an idea please let me have it and I'll ...
Family coming for Lunch, looks like a little exercise will be needed Monday!!
Today's Independent on Sunday reports: Nick Clegg has "no objection in principle" to publishing his tax return, aides said yesterday, after senior politicians scrambled to respond to calls for greater US-style openness from public figures. After the four main candidates for London's mayoral elections revealed their personal tax affairs, the Chancellor, George Osborne, yesterday said he was "very happy" for his own details to be published. The disclosures from Boris Johnson, Ken Livingstone, Brian Paddick and Jenny Jones were seen as a turning point, with some warning that they were succumbing to the "Americanisation" of British politics. An aide to ...
Labour led Southwark council is introducing universal Free School Meals to all junior and infant schools. No research to show such meals reduce obesity and increase attainment. Some time ago I read an interesting article in The Observer "Good results and happier pupils for the cost of a bagel. But still breakfast clubs face axe".£1/child/day to provide a free breakfast club. Known real evidence from peer reviewed research shows how critical breakfasts are to pupils attainment. In fact plenty of evidence from industry finding greater productivity and fewer industrial accidents with a proper breakfast for adults so no surprise breakfasts ...
On both shortlists: Dramatic Presentation (4/7 N, 3/5 + 1/5 H) Captain America: The First Avenger Hugo Source Code Doctor Who: The Doctor's Wife Short Story (3/7 N, 3/5 H) "The Cartographer Wasps and the Anarchist Bees", by E. Lily Yu "Movement", by Nancy Fulda "The Paper Menagerie", Ken Liu Novelette (4/7 N, 4/5 H) "Fields of Gold", by Rachel Swirsky "Ray of Light", by Brad R. Torgersen "Six Months, Three Days", by Charlie Jane Anders "What We Found", by Geoff Ryman Novella (5/6 N, 5/6 H) "The Ice Owl", by Carolyn Ives Gilman "Kiss Me Twice", by Mary Robinette ...
I blogged yesterday about how flawed RIPA, the regulatory structure for official snooping on our communications, is. What's the view of Lynne Featherstone, the Liberal Democrat minister in the Home Office, about all this? Well, this is what she posted up on her Facebook wall during the week: My view – support for any new security measures dependent on us getting more privacy not less. Also a potential opportunity to revisit and roll back on some of the privacy removed by Labour!
Four days ago I wrote that the 'Charity Tax' — the Coalition's limiting of tax-relief on large philanthropic donations — "has not attracted mainstream media attention". I'm glad to say that has now changed, with The Observer dedicating its front page lead to the story: ... [hundreds of groups] across the charity, aid, arts, health, university and church sectors ... are reacting with unprecedented anger to George Osborne's "charity tax" - a cap on tax relief for wealthy donors. A survey of wealthy philanthropists by the Charities Aid Foundation has suggested that eight out of 10 will rethink their charitable ...
This photo of the floral display at Martletwy Church was taken by my father, Lance Cole, back at Easter 1962. It is taken from the collection of his photographic slides dated 1961-1976 that we are transferring to modern media. Martletwy is a small village in south Pembrokeshire near the Cleddau Estuary. Many of my relatives are buried in the graveyard there and I as a child, attended Sunday School at the nearby Baptist Chapel. Dad would've been 25 when he took this photo in 1962.
Magic: The Gathering Tournament Participants Not Immune To Sexism | The Mary Sue (tags: ) BBC - Doctor Who - Doctor Who Things to Make ZOMG when did the official site get so much crafty stuff on it! I mean, colour in your own Madam Vastra? COME ON! (tags: awesome DoctorWho ) Let Me Tell You About the Birds and the Bees: Gender and the Fallout Over Christopher Priest Another post about the difference in treatment women and men get for blogging. (tags: Feminism ) Jim C. Hines » You'll Probably Ignore Me Because I'm An Evil Straight White Dude, ...
On Monday I arrived back in the United Kingdom after a visit to Georgia – a beautiful country, but one with an authoritarian government. Imagine my surprise when I picked up a newspaper at Heathrow and read claims that the government was proposing to monitor and store all internet communications in the country. We have since attempted to play down the scale of this proposal, but I am incredibly concerned that it would be far wider than is generally believed – and this is because of the technical difficulties of interception. A key distinction that has been put forward is ...
Over on his blog the former Secretary of State for Wales, John Redwood makes a compelling case as to why the idea of candidates for public office compulsorily publishing their tax returns is the thin end of a very short wedge: There are three main arguments against requiring publication of tax returns. The first is it would reinforce the tendency of elections to be about individuals and their personal lives rather than about public policy and what they will do for the electors. The media fasciantion with the exchanges between Boris and Ken over personal tax and income is crowding ...
Congratulations to Edinburgh Rugby on their Heineken Cup Quarter Final win against the giants of Toulouse in front of a record crowd. A terrific performance and a very well deserved win. The city now has 3 teams in the semi finals of 2 cup contests in 2 different sports and both have their finals on the 19th of May though the rugby starts at 5 pm! Choices choices!
Ken Livingstone has been a constant friend to the movement for LGBT rights. He fought against Section 28, he brought in the London partnership register (which earned him a great deal of respect from me!) and he's been there by our side when the going has gotten tough. No one can take that away from him. But like many people in Labour, he suffers under a major delusion. Because of his past unblemished record he thinks that he is immune to doing something wrong. Ben Bradshaw fell into that trap this weekend, and now Ken Livingstone has clearly shown his ...
The furore surrounding poem about Israel's nuclear capability being a threat to worlds peace by Nobel Prize author Gunter Grass was disappointing if not predictable. He is simply stating the obvious and if Iran or North Korea acquired WMD they would be a bigger threat to world peace than they are now. It is not anti -Semitic to criticise Israeli defence policy. Let's face it India and Pakistan both have nuclear weapons and the world is much less safe place because of it! Are people not allowed to comment on that? Click here to see an interesting article from this ...
Last Sunday, during research for a future NOW! That's What I Call a Tune! post, one of the candidates was today's Sunday Sound. Although it was pipped on the finish line for the blogpost in question, it was too good a song to pass over altogether. Here is Lisa Loeb (minus the Nine Stories) with an acoustic performance of Stay (I Missed You): Andrew
