The House met again this week after a 3.week break. Monday the main business was the Commons amendments to the Legal Aid Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill, which was sent back to the Commons for a send time, with some of our amendments reinstated, including the one that removed the deduction from awards made by the court to claimants suffering from mesothelioma of 'success fees' and After the Event Insurance. After that I attended the Baha'i annual reception but didn't stay very long because my legs hurt if I stand for any length of time. I've had diarrhoea all ...
I started the week thinking that maybe I ought to ponder on the passing of St. Georges Day, conscious of recent discussions concerning the moves by Scottish nationalists to trash the United Kingdom. The idea of celebrating the pettiness of nationalism in the context of one of the nations which currently makes up the UK seems trivial in the extreme, at this moment in time, when Scottish nationalists are plotting the end of the British State. This country (Britain) is as we know is involved in a pointless war in Afghanistan, few if any of us have the slightest idea ...
The biggest losers were the pollsters, who got it totally wrong Contrary to their predictions, the Tories got a safe majority, and Wildrose only got 17 seats, although that makes them the official opposition. One of the possible reasons for the pollsters cock-up is interesting. They rely on "robocalls". Personally, as soon as I hear ...
Details of the forthcoming Friends of Magdalen Green AGM:
From the Guardian website this evening: Lord Justice Leveson has rebuffed the government by making clear it was not his inquiry's role to rule if the culture secretary, Jeremy Hunt, has breached the ministerial code by his handling of the News Corp bid for BSkyB. The firm refusal from the Leveson inquiry is embarrassing to David Cameron, who claimed on Wednesday that the inquiry was the best forum to determine whether Hunt, as well as his special adviser Adam Smith, had handled the bid in a partisan manner. Instead, Hunt may now have to face a separate, and potentially more ...
Fri 27th
20:15
What I told BBC Radio 5′s Nicky Campbell about Simon Hughes's call for Jeremy Hunt to face inq...
As I blogged this morning Simon Hughes last night became the first senior Lib Dem to call for Jeremy Hunt to face an independent inquiry into whether his behaviour broke the ministerial code during NewsCorp's attempted takeover of BSkyB. I was asked for my response by Nicky Campbell on BBC Radio 5 Live this morning — here's what I said: [IMG: Listen to Stephen Tall interviewed by Nicky Campbell] Posts Related to What I told BBC Radio 5's Nicky Campbell about Simon Hughes's call for Jeremy Hunt to face inquirySimon Hughes calls for independent inquiry into Jeremy HuntAs the BBC ...
When Roger Helmer defected to UKIP he was obliged to stop using the East Midland Conservative MEPs' office in Market Harborough. He has now found himself new premises in the town. (To be accurate, they are outside the town at present, but the town will soon expand to reach them.) But the nature of those premises have caused some eyebrows to rise. Because Helmer has resurfaced at the town's new Innovation Centre, which the Tory-run Harborough District Council bills as " a hub for businesses to launch, innovate and grow". So much so that my old friend Simon Galton has ...
At the last Test Valley Council meeting, Leader, Ian Carr was asked whether he thought being Leader of the Council for 13 years was about 10 years too long. The question was posed by his Liberal Democrat opposite number, Mark Cooper. "Cllr Carr is exhibiting behaviour which suggests he is increasingly detached from his Council colleagues," says Cllr Cooper. "A recent excellent piece of work done by a Councillor Panel on improving Test Valley's recycling rates was summarily dismissed by Cllr Carr at a recent Cabinet meeting; he has recently granted himself significant extra powers without reference to either Cabinet ...
On Wednesday I went to an event in parliament to support Cystic Fibrosis Week, which runs from the 29th of April to the 5th of May. More information about Cystic Fibrosis Week, can be found at www.cfweek.org.uk The event was ... Continue reading →
Once upon a time, "PC" in Britain meant "Police Constable". It still does. However, now it may also mean "Personal Computer" or "politically correct", so you could have a PC PC with a PC. Interesting though police constables and personal computers are, I want to focus on those two devious words "politically correct". I believe the term originated in the U.S.A. as a reaction against tight social or organisational control on what people could say. While essentially the same issues of racism, sexism, disablism and so on exist in the U.S. and the U.K., together with the same approaches to ...
Britain back in recession, embarrassing emails about government links to Murdoch. These are gifts to the opposition. The most open of open goals at this week's Prime Minister's Questions. I liked Miliband's opening question: Today we had the catastrophic news that Britain is back in recession. I am sure that the Prime Minister has spent the past 24 hours thinking of an excuse as to why it is nothing to do with him, so what is his excuse this time? Interestingly, indeed unusually, David Cameron then managed to get through a fairly hefty paragraph without giving a single excuse. Indeed, ...
Apparently I've attended 64 training sessions since being elected to Durham County Council in 2008. Certainly the worst was literally hundreds of Powerpoint slides in a day when I know for a fact that I nodded off several times – because another councillor was staying awake by running a book on it and clocked me. The most challenging was one on Domestic Abuse. One of the biggest threats to society is people who close their minds – and their eyes – to uncomfortable things going on around them, and for those of us lucky enough to live broadly happy lives ...
The galaxy's greatest comic, 2000AD, has just turned thirty-five, and this week it's thirty years since I started reading it. So where better to start again than with this chunky 300+ page reprint volume, taking in the whole first year of the grim future law officer who's still 2000AD's star, Judge Dredd? Set in the huge Mega-City 1 of a century ahead, covering almost the whole of the former USA's Eastern seaboard, these stories are sometimes primitive, building Dredd's world, often funny, already with some remarkable artwork, and where everything from TV to family to the Olympics can kill you... ...
Working for a former Deputy Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police you quickly realise that reports need to be short, sharp and precise and that instructions need to be followed promptly and to the letter. I don't quite need to stand to attention every time Mayoral candidate Brian Paddick enters the campaign HQ but occasionally it feels like it might be a good idea. But it isn't just Brian's police training and experience that makes him such a strong candidate the job of Mayor of London, which for the first time includes the job of Police and Crime Commissioner. It's ...
[IMG: #valleyofdeath] The struggle for British researchers to capitalise on their discoveries came under increased scrutiny over the past two weeks as the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee hosted two evidence sessions on 'bridging the valley of death'. At the same time, in an address to the Institute of Directors, Lord Browne of Madingley argued that the valley of death was responsible for UK commercialisation of R&D lagging behind its competitors, despite a 'world-beating knowledge base'. The first evidence session took place at the House of Commons on 18 April, where the committee heard from representatives from British ...
It's Friday. It's five o'clock. Here's a fistful of lists that sum up the LDV week: 5 most-read stories on LDV this week I would have sacked Vince Cable for standing up to Murdoch – what Ed Miliband said 16 months ago (43 comments) by Stephen Tall Tim Farron: LibDems ready to sabotage a key plank of the coalition deal (31 comments) by NewsHound Nick Clegg on the double-dip recession: "our answers are the right ones to repair the damage done (43 comments) by Stephen Tall The past month shows this Government urgently needs a Coalition 2.0 Agreement (30 comments) ...
There's a fun interactive guide over on the Guardian website where you can answer a series of questions and they will tell you what your perfect 'mix' of Mayor is from the main candidates. They have then added up everyone's results, from which Brian's policies make him the most popular choice, closely followed by Jenny Jones. Interestingly, there's also a hint of Boris in the mix - but not a sniff of Ken.
In 1959 it took just one round of voting to decide to award the Olympics to Tokyo, they had come last in the first round of voting for the previous Games. With 34 votes the Japanese capital soared through the threshold it required over Detroit, USA 10, Vienna, Austria 9 and Brussels, Belgium 5. Nations 93 (+10) Competitors 5151 (-187) Sports 19 (+2) Events 163 (+13) 10 to 24 July hosted by Tokyo, Japan II Paralympics 3 to 12 November in same venues Nations 21(-2) Competitors 375 (-25) Sports 19 (+1) Events 144 (+89) The Japanese were the first Asian ...
The last full week of campaigning in the 2012 local elections saw four by-elections reported to ALDC. In the sole principal council contest, our Focus team in North Norfolk did sterling work defending the Waterside ward. A 9% drop in the second-placed Tory vote was of some assistance, although surprisingly UKIP do not appear to have been the beneficiary of the decline in Conservative support. A relatively busy slate for a local by-election also included a Green Party and Independent candidate standing for the first times, without making any real headway. Labour's 2% increase in vote-share is far from impressive ...
A pictorial delight. With a bonus David 'Gunslinger' moment as well. And yes, there's a whole website devoted to this stuff Enjoy!!
I have written to Bill Newton Dunn Lib Dem MEP for the East Midlands, to wish him the best on the important work he is about to carry out in India. Please following this link to see the original article on ... Continue reading →
I work on New Cavendish Street in central London and todays' hostage seize happened at the end of the road. Having popped down, I can tell you there was a small crowd, several roads closed and a bad traffic jam. And the Greggs on Goodge Street was full of policemen and ran out of sausage rolls. Draw your own conclusions. But panic? crisis? chaos? I think not. Yet look how ITV captioned this film - and then have a look at the film (click on the picture to go see the film - ITV wont let you embed) and see ...
You really must follow the link to the Guardian to see what Stephen Gilbert, MP for St Austell & Newquay, is eating. The pasty industry is rising up and marching, it seems. He writes: It's just over a month since George Osborne presented his budget to the House of Commons but the uproar over the proposed "pasty tax" hasn't subsided. The VAT extension on hot food, which would include the Cornish pasty, is not only politically unpopular, it's also unworkable, unfair and based on a flawed logic. ... Today, I'm joining hundreds of people from the pasty industry to demonstrate ...
The. Liberal Party......pledges itself to find immediate employment for those now out of work on works of national utility and development, many of these works, like electricity, telephones, housing, roads, and railways, being long overdue. It is surely better, instead of wasting our substance by spending £70,000,000 a year on 'doles' for which there is no return, to lay out this enormous expenditure in providing work on plans which will leave the nation richer and more efficient for its tasks. The details of these plans are set forth in the liberal pamphlet 'We Can Conquer Unemployment'.
There has been a lot of confusion lately regarding the changes Stagecoach is proposing to the Citi 5 from 10th June. This issue has been raised both on other articles on this blog (see here) and also at the annual meeting of Bar Hill Parish Council which took place last night at the Octagon. Given these uncertainties I contacted Stagecoach Managing Director Andy Campbell and received clarification on exactly what the changes to the Citi 5 will be. Here is the new timetable; Citi 5 Stagecoach Timetable (from 10th June 2012) The highlighted services (18:56 to 22:56) are the services ...
Britain back in recession, embarrassing emails about government links to Murdoch. These are gifts to the opposition. The most open of open goals at this week's Prime Minister's Questions. I liked Miliband's opening question: Today we had the catastrophic news that Britain is back in recession. I am sure that the Prime Minister has spent the past 24 hours thinking of an excuse as to why it is nothing to do with him, so what is his excuse this time? Interestingly, indeed unusually, David Cameron then managed to get through a fairly hefty paragraph without giving a single excuse. Indeed, ...
Are you involved in a community group that needs a few quid to put on an event, or requires a some new tools or items to continue your work? Well if the work you do benefits the community of South Werrington and North Gunthorpe, we WANT 2 HEAR from YOU! Commenting, local LIB DEM ward councillor, Darren Fower explained: "The purpose of the Community Leadership Fund is to enable elected members to seek support for projects that will have a positive impact on communities within their wards." Interestingly the City Councils own website states: "...this may relate to projects across ...
This lunchtime I saw a bit of a kerfuffle on twitter over a leaflet produced by the Labour Party in Nottingham and that leaflet being potentially racist. I thought I'd have a look and here is the leaflet itself: Nottingham Labour Leaflet Front Nottingham Labour Leaflet Back There is also a good piece about it on LabourList entitled "This is not what I expect from the Labour Party I joined". I am not sure it is racist per se but it is certainly absolutely awful and shows the depths some people will go to in election literature. It is possibly ...
A while back, the Liberal Democrats established a mentoring scheme to help develop promising potential young politicians, especially from black and minority ethnicities and it was good to see that in action today when the Business Secretary, Vince Cable, came to Primrose Hill in Camden to speak in support of a young man he has ...
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. 098820/FO/2012/S1 47 ...
York's The Press wins it with: Naked café boss 'under pressure'
Fri 27th
12:25
LibLink: Paddy Ashdown - I understand why many voters on the progressive wing of politics are strugg...
Writing in the Evening Standard, former Liberal Democrat leader Paddy Ashdown says: I understand why many voters on the progressive wing of politics are struggling with voting for Ken Livingstone. His campaign has been sad, desperate and divisive. He has just one big idea — a seven per cent cut in Tube fares. It's a perfectly decent policy at a time when fares have risen for years on end but the problem is he can't do it and he knows it. Transport for London knows it too, having worked out that if it implemented such a cut, the money would ...
Cllr Iain Roberts has signed-off funding into a study to investigate how Cheadle Village centre can be improved over the next few years. The main part of the study will be working with local residents, traders and groups to identify what people perceive the problems to be and how they can best be tackled. We hope that this can make a real difference to Cheadle village, following on from the work in Gatley to replace the Church Road pavement and, now approved, to enhance the Gatley Green area. We look forward to working with the residents, traders and businesses of ...
Despite action being taken several times to tackle flooding at the bottom of Schools Hill, we are seeing problems again. The Lib Dems have raised the issue with the Council, and officers have been out on site to take a look. Despite being cleared just a few months ago, the gully has already silted up again, so the gully will now be cleared more regularly and extra capacity put in for future.
A Vote for the Welsh Liberal Democrats on May 3rd is a vote for; Low Council Tax: Historically, Labour have a terrible record with regards to asking people to fork out large amounts for Council Tax. Whilst Welsh Liberal Democrats in Swansea have every reason to be proud that we have frozen council tax. Labour's average ...
I've spent the last three days waiting for a delivery from Amazon that has no sign of showing up. Upon investigation I found out that my parcel has been sent via Yodel (part of the Home Delivery Network) and they have something of a reputation for being utterly useless. I now know why featured on ...
From the Norfolk Evening News: The Liberal Democrats have held on to the Waterside seat on North Norfolk District Council in a by-election caused by the resignation of former council leader Simon Partridge. His place is taken by Paul Williams, whose 494 votes edged out Conservative Paul Rice who polled 410 in a six-way fight that saw a turnout of 42pc in the ward which covers Catfield, Potter Heigham, Ludham and Hickling. Labour's Denise Burke was third with 246 just ahead of UKIP's Jeffrey Parkes with 233. Bringing up the rear were the Green Party's Anne Filgate with 73 and ...
So bad, I had to double-check that it wasn't a spoof (like this hilarious spoof), but no – it's real. Almost makes Ed Miliband look like a seasoned professional, doesn't it?
I've been reading through all the annual reports issues by the Interception of Communications Commissioner since the passage of Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000. He is meant to make sure that the powers granted to public bodies under RIPA to intercept our communications are being used correctly. The annual reports are not a pretty read, especially when set against a modicum of knowledge about the outside world during the years the reports cover. Consider the following. No scrutiny of the costs system First, under RIPA there is provision for the government to pay communication service providers costs for meeting ...
The division of Korea and the tense military stand-off on the peninsula – which alas sometimes involves aggressive action from the North — is the last remaining manifestation of the Cold War. As was said by one of the speakers at a Korea seminar at the Universal Peace Federation (UPF) in Lancaster Gate last night, this belongs in ...
Good news for international justice with the first conviction by an international court of a former head of state since the Nuremburg trials: International judges have found former Liberian leader Charles Taylor guilty of aiding and abetting war crimes during the Sierra Leone civil war. Taylor, 64, has been on trial in The Hague at the UN-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone for almost five years... Taylor was convicted on 11 counts including terror, murder and rape. (BBC) His original indictment set an important precedent as he was a current head of state at the time. His conviction now sets ...
That I was the question I was asked after taking part in an APPC/CIPR event earlier this week. Here is my answer:
1. The vindication of Vince Cable continues apace: a) the only government figure who, the Emails reveal, resisted overtures from the Murdoch empire, and b)applauded by Will Hutton in yesterday's Guardian for "(pleading) for some sense of economic vision and direction over and above deficit reduction." 2. Simon Hughes "breaking ranks" with coalition solidarity and calling for proper procedure to be implemented to sort out Jeremy Hunt's partiality with respect to the Murdoch empire. Ironically Hunt's responsibility for this was transferred to him from Cable after the latter was foolish enough to reveal his antagonism. Unfortunately that's the end of ...
After careful consideration, Lib Dem MEPs have decided to reject the controversial Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) in the European Parliament. There is now a majority in the Parliament that will reject the ratification of this plurilateral treaty originally designed to establish international standards for intellectual property rights. So why do we reject ACTA? In principle, Lib Dems support the protection of intellectual property rights (IPR) and the fight against counterfeiting – in particular when it comes to dangerous counterfeit medicines, electronics and toys. But we are also champions of fundamental rights and freedoms and we must weigh up carefully between ...
It is hard to believe now that, a year ago, I was deep in the heart of my District Council campaign. The sun had beat down relentlessly, making canvassing and delivery easy, the bank holidays were timed so as to minimise the need to take annual leave - a campaigner's dream scenario, really. Of course, the Party wasn't wildly popular, and the AV referendum caused Conservatives voters who don't generally come out for local elections to turn out, but I'd given it my best shot. Heavens, my Conservative opponent came out to canvass my village, which was nice given that ...
As the BBC News reports here, Lib Dem deputy leader Simon Hughes last night called for the independent advisor on the ministerial code to investigate whether the allegations that Conservative culture secretary Jeremy Hunt was too friendly to the Murdochs are accurate: Deputy leader Simon Hughes has become the first senior Liberal Democrat to join calls for an inquiry into whether Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt breached the ministerial code of conduct. Downing Street says there are no plans to investigate the contact between News Corp and Mr Hunt's ex-special adviser. Mr Hughes said he could not understand why the issue ...
Sarkozy looks set to lose to Hollande. As I said last yr, elections not about left/right just now, but incumbent or not http://t.co/dxzm2RJ6 # .@ryancps @MattChorley Was a referendum pushed by Tories/Labour in either 2003 or 2007 when Parliament last voted on Lords reform? in reply to RyanCPS # Here's that post @nickhillman > The Coalition and Tuition Fees: history may well be kinder http://t.co/CoA34h8e # Have given my blog a makeover, went live with it today here http://t.co/Qw70DAI0 Work in progress, feedback welcome. Esp positive feedback. # .@markpack Thank you for the #ff In return – everyone follow @markpack. ...
In what must surely amount to a last hooray for the super-injunction the Telegraph reports that a review of Parliamentary privilege by the Government has concluded that MPs will not be barred from using Parliamentary privilege to breach super-injunctions: Last year Liberal Democrat MP John Hemming was reprimanded by the Commons Speaker John Bercow for naming Ryan Giggs as the footballer at the centre of a gagging and "flouting" parliamentary privilege. Lord Judge, the Lord Chief Justice also questioned "whether it's a very good idea for our law makers to be flouting a court order just because they disagree with ...
We have a council meeting sorry. If you hav any issue contact details on his blog
As part of a request from Liberal Democrat County Councillor Sarah Whitebread a statement will be released to the West Central Area Committee shortly detailing the plans for spending the 1.7m allocated to the Cambridge City for bus improvements in Cambridge City. The original statement is available here (via Google Docs). The text is below; "Written Statement for the West Central Area Committee meeting on 26.04.12 regarding the Better Bus Area Fund (BBAF) Cambridgeshire County Council has been asked to prepare a statement for the West Central Area Committee for 26th April regarding the Better Bus Area Fund (or BBAF), ...
As part of a request from Liberal Democrat County Councillor Sarah Whitebread a statement will be released to the West Central Area Committee shortly detailing the plans for spending the 1.7m allocated to the Cambridge City for bus improvements in Cambridge City. The original statement is available here (via Google Docs). The text is below; "Written Statement for the West Central Area Committee meeting on 26.04.12 regarding the Better Bus Area Fund (BBAF) Cambridgeshire County Council has been asked to prepare a statement for the West Central Area Committee for 26th April regarding the Better Bus Area Fund (or BBAF), ...
Conservative-run St Albans District Council has again been criticised for its lack of concern about cleaning up Verulamium Lake and protecting St Albans residents. The Conservatives have failed to comment or act on their own report into the Lake, commissioned at taxpayers' expense, which raises several concerns about the condition of Lake and, by it own admission, is incomplete. In response to the continuing lack of action from the Conservatives, St Albans Liberal Democrats have launched a petition to show public support for a cleaner Lake together with local campaigner Jon Humphrey. Cllr Geoff Churchard, the Lib Dem District Council ...
