I treated myself to a rare night of this evening and another viewing of the Pedro Almodovar directed Oscar winning film Talk to Her. Great performances and direction all round including a great performance in fluent Spanish from Geraldine Chaplin. This was the film that introduced me to Caetano Veloso, the great Brazilian singer and exponent of Tropicalismo. Here is the song he sings in the film. This is beautiful and only equalled by the Puerto Rican standard Lamento Borincano below.
Impossible dreams are what drive humankind forward: we were given free will to think the unthinkable. Karl Popper used to talk about creative leaps of the imagination and although doubtless some people will think me pretentious for saying so, that is what came to my mind as I emerged from watching Lasse Holstrom's Salmon Fishing ...
Yesterday I posted a video from the group protesting against plans for the massive expansion of Lydd Airport in Kent - or London Ashford Airport, as the developers want it to become. Lydd Airport has an interesting history. British Aviation Services was set up in 1945 and used former RAF aircraft to transport passengers and freight. The company soon changed its name to Silver City Airways and was involved in the Berlin Airlift in 1948-9 to break the Soviet land blockade of the Western-controlled sectors of the city. The Silver City Association website tells the next part of the story: ...
Reblogged from Tristan Pithers: Every time I have ever seen the old opinion-poll question of 'If there was an election next week who would you vote for?' my answer has always been a split-second no-brainer; I would vote Labour. There is, however, an election next week and for the first time I do not know ... Read more
On Wednesday lunchtime, 2nd May, Simon Chadwick will be playing a launch concert for his new CD, "Old Gaelic Laments" in Dundee's Wighton Centre, upstairs in the Central Library. The event starts at 1.15pm and admission is free. Performed on the amazing decorated replica of the medieval Scottish "Queen Mary" harp, Simon's programme of ancient music ponders the many different faces of death, from morbidity through to celebrating and remembering the deceased, to consolation of loved ones. In the Old Gaelic World, death was always near at hand. Feared, celebrated or regretted, it was the central point of the complex ...
Following the latest down pours of rain, the footpath leading through from Helmsdale Gardens to Dukesmead Park, became almost impassable after significant flooding occurred! Local Lib Dem FOCUS Team ward councillor, Darren Fower, was one of the first on the scenes and recorded the state of the underpass. Commenting, Cllr Darren Fower, said: "It was hard enough for me on my mountain bike to make my way through the water, so if you are a resident with problems walking or use a mobility vehicle you'll be literally prevented from reaching local amenities etc!" Cllr Fower has now reported the issue ...
A livelier-than-usual set of local elections in Reading is reaching its climax, to a regrettable amount of indifference from all too many residents, and with the wettest campaign for many years, potentially a very low turnout. The early stages of the campaign were dominated rightly by the disgraceful dog-whistle pandering to racism of Reading's Labour Party in Church Ward, which they tried to fob off as being an attack staged by the Tories, but wasn't. Many people who understand the context of Labour's actions from all parties have been absolutely horrified, though Green Party bloggers either through ignorance or allegiance ...
It was horrendously wet today in Falmouth, but the pasty tax protest march went ahead nonetheless with between 500 and 1000 people marching from the Moor to Events Square in Falmouth. The event was organised and compered by the comedian Kernow King - huge thanks to him and everyone who helped him out, especially local police sergeant (and fellow twitterer) Gary Watts. I can't imagine how many people would have been there if it had been a fine day - certainly a couple of thousand. The march itself was led by the Falmouth Marine Band after a fine send off ...
This evening the FA released a statement informing the world that they have approached West Bromwich Albion for permission to speak with manager Roy Hogdson regarding the job of England Football Manager. The way they wrote and released the statement has made it relatively clear that they do not expect to be speaking to anyone else. David Bernstein of the FA said, "Roy is the only manager we have approached and we remain on course to make an appointment within the timescale we set-out soon after Fabio Capello's departure. "Further conversations will now take place with Roy and my Club ...
A new photo-shopped version of Brian Paddick's election poster is doing the rounds but whoever produced it clearly didn't check their facts. A more likely scenario is that it's a deliberate attempt to unfairly smear the Lib Dem candidate in ... Continue reading →
I seem to be reading a lot less this year; not really sure why this is, perhaps a combination of minor changes to my usual routine along with presbyopia simply making reading less comfortable than it used to be (for example, I can barely read the small print of most articles in Doctor Who Monthly). As I did last year, I set myself about twenty reading lists in 2012, and whereas last year I could expect to cycle through at least one book on each of them in a two-month period, I've only now, at the end of April, reached ...
Welcome to the Golden Dozen, and our 271st 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 (22-28 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. No. 10 admits ...
Sun 29th
18:54
A 20-year old university student defects from the Tories to UKIP. Cue twitter meltdown!
Twitter is a strange beast. Many of us who use twitter often believe that the twitterverse is all important. However the twitterverse and reality and two very different beasts. This evening it emerged that someone on twitter has defected from the Tories to UKIP. However it wasn't an MP or an MEP or a councillor. It was an activist. Always interesting and personally I hope she has found her rightful home and enjoys life as a member of UKIP. I have no opinion on people moving from one party to another but is it really that big of a deal? ...
Tuesday: meeting chaired by Martin Horwood MP to launch Christian Aid's report The Scandal of Inequality in Latin America and the Caribbean, which has a chapter on Peru. Growth has been vigorous, but concentrated in the extractive industries, which don't create proportionate employment for the poor, or generate proportionate services that benefit the whole population. Wednesday, meeting with Peruvian visitors to discuss mainly the problems cause by extractive industries, reinforcing the Christian Aid message, Presidentb Humala came into office pledged to support the cause of the poor, and indigenous people in particular, and there is still hope that he will ...
I was speaking to the Safer Neighbourhood team in my area and they passed me some great tips on how to reduce being a victim of crime... As summer approaches, many of you may soon be planning to go off on a well earned holiday. The police would like all residents to head off on holiday in the knowledge that they have done all they can to secure their homes whilst away. Here are a few tips which the police team believe may help: If you are going away on holiday for a long period of time ask your neighbour ...
By far the largest numbers of journeys in London are made on foot. By developing better pedestrian schemes in our town centres and encouraging the growth of 'green walkways', we can make our town centres attractive places to shop, work and live. De-cluttering London's streets, by removing excess signs and street furniture will also help in improving the local environment. Brian Paddick will lead the way and will: Implement a bold plan to allow pedestrianisation of parts of central London from Trafalgar Square to Oxford Street.Develop a 'summer streets' scheme, similar to New York, temporarily pedestrianising streets so encouraging people ...
One of the less frequently used buzz-words in Northern Irish politics is "co-terminosity", which is shorthand for the fact that members of the Northern Ireland Assembly are elected from constituencies with the same boundaries as those used for Westminster elections. It seems to me that co-terminosity has had its day, and if the long-postponed local government reforms come in, it would make a lot of sense to shift to a system where Assembly members are elected from constituencies which are based on the new local council areas rather than the Westminster election boundaries. Co-terminosity goes back to 1921, when the ...
Sun 29th
17:15
In other news... Lib Dems close no libraries, Paddick pledges 360,000 homes, & Newby is new Lord...
Here's a round-up of stories we haven't had time to cover on the site this past few days... Tim Farron: No library closed under Lib Dem leadership (LibDems.org.uk) Last year, more than 40 libraries were closed by Conservative and Labour councils. In stark contrast, for the second year in a row, no Liberal Democrat-controlled council in England and Wales closed any library. Liberal Democrat-controlled Cardiff is opening five new libraries and Portsmouth and Bristol are also opening new libraries. Tim Farron said: "Cutting services like Labour and Tory councils are doing will do long-term damage. Liberal Democrats are doing the ...
The splendid new play park in Pinemartin Close will host play sessions led by the Play Rangers from the 12th June till the 4th September. Four till six pm in term time, two till four in the school holidays. The only date this won't happen is the 21st August. For more, contact Moira Herring at Groundwork London on 020 8762 0336 or moira.herrring@groundwork.org.uk The park is a wonderful resource and needs using. We – that's me, Javaid and Jack – also want to encourage residents to care for the new planting and keep the park looking great. Please contact one ...
Sun 29th
16:49
The Coalition - there's a narrative, but the right doesn't like it. Time for Lib Dems to make the ca...
Since the budget in March, the British Conservative-Lib Dem Coalition government has been having a rough ride in the media. This is showing up in its poll ratings, with Labour romping ahead. Mostly this is Westminster bubble nonsense, but Liberal Democrats, in particular, need to ponder what is happening – and do more to lift the government's PR performance. The list of issues that the government is said to have handled badly grows. It started with taxing pensioners, takeaway food, and charitable donations, which arose from the Budget. This week the issues have been queues at Immigration at airports, poor ...
One of the main things the Lib Dems have to do during the current coalition government is to prove that coalitions can work. The reason they need to do this is because one of their main long term reform policies is to change the electoral system to a more proportional one. This would likely result in more coalitions in the future. Ergo the Lib Dems have to prove that this is not necessarily a bad thing. The problem is that they have to do this whilst still under our old friend First Past the Post. The Lib Dems got 23% ...
We were out for a walk in the Kessel-Lo park near Leuven this afternoon, and the frogs were singing in full chorus. You can see them squabbling in this video I took: This is yer actual Marsh Frog, not really found much in the UK (and not at all in Ireland), and Aristophanes obviously used either its call or its close relative for the frogs' chorus in the play of the same name: κοὰξ κοάξ!" "Brekekekex koax koax!" Not quite Paul McCartney, let alone this fellow, but it's good to feel that springtime is here.
'And it was all yellow' – Why I'm considering defection to the Liberal Democrats.. Reading this makes me proud to be a Liberal Democrat. My involvement with politics will always be honest, and will always promote a free and fair society where people ... Continue reading →
Brent Police are appealing for witnesses after a distraction burglary in Balmoral Road, London NW2 on the 25th April 2012 at 12pm. Two suspects knocked on the victim's door claiming to be council contractors from the Water Board and needed to check the boiler. The victim allowed the suspects in and they checked various taps. Whilst in the property the suspects have managed to take a large amount of money. During the incident the suspect asked the victim to take off her rings as they could be contaminated. They told the victim to put the rings on the shelf but ...
Congratulations to the Sunday Times for headlining this issue on the front page of last Sunday's edition. This is a hidden abuse of young women that is coming under the spotlight as British doctors and midwives are beginning to speak out about the increase in cases they are seeing as a result of our increasing ...
On my way back into the village the other day, I noticed that a couple of traffic cones had been placed a little way off the grass verge opposite Peterhouse (a row of, presumably, former council houses) in the village. Ever the alert parish councillor, as I approached, I spotted the sign. It is perhaps an indicator of how my neighbours value the nature around them that someone should go to such trouble. "But why the sign?", I thought. And then I realised. The school bus is, for most children in the village, a full-sized coach, and on its way ...
The Liberal Democrats in government have made sure that the Coalition's budget is one for the many, not the few. The budget cuts the income tax bill for South Werrington and North Gunthorpe hard working local people and introduces new taxes on the richest to ensure they pay their fair share. Commenting on the budget FOCUS Editor, Julia Davidson said: "I'm proud that the Lib Dems have delivered the largest ever rise in the tax free personal allowance. That puts us on course to deliver a person allowance of £10,000 by 2014 – one year earlier than planned. "Locally here ...
There's an awful lot that we, as Liberal Democrats, should be proud of in this year's budget: the uplift in the personal allowance that takes almost 2million of the lowest earners out of income tax; the support for small businesses to help stimulate growth and create jobs; and measures to give a helping hand to aspiring home owners. But, there's one measure which I've been unable to accept. Not just because it's politically unpopular, but also because I believe Osborne has - on this occasion - got it wrong. I'm talking, of course, about the VAT extension to hot food ...
Sun 29th
13:17Chris Rennard writes: Dick Newby to be new Liberal Democrat Chief Whip in the House of Lords
Lord Newby (Dick Newby) has just been appointed as the new Liberal Democrat Chief Whip in the House of Lords. This appointment is made by Tom McNally (as our Leader in the House of Lords) and at the same time Nick Clegg has asked Dick to serve as Government Deputy Chief Whip in the House. Dick will take up his duties in time for the State Opening of Parliament on 9th May. Dick is a greatly respected and much liked figure amongst all those who have worked with him (and in roles in which it is sometimes difficult to be ...
Brent Police are warning people to be extra vigilant after police have received a number of reports of a lottery scam. The scam works by the first suspect approaching the victim who is elderly and of Asian origin and informs the victim that he is an illegal immigrant or foreign national who has a winning lottery ticket but cannot claim his money. The second suspect then joins them but the victim is completely unaware they are working as team. The second suspect will offer to withdraw money to give to first suspect for his lottery ticket. The two suspects and ...
BrentPolice are warning people to be extra vigilant after police have received a number of reports of a credit card telephone scam. The scam works by the victim receiving a telephone call from someone claiming to be from their bank. He or she will say their systems have spotted a fraudulent payment on the card or that the card is due to expire and needs replacing. The victim may be asked to ring back using the telephone number on the back of your card – which further convinces the victim that the call is genuine. However, the caller keeps the ...
We've had reports from a number of residents that the north end of Milton Road has had the footpath completely flooded. It seems that the grass verges are now blocking the drains, so I have written to the County Council to try and see what can be done to fix this issue. I'll let you know if I get any response! In addition, officers from the County have been and visited Nun's way to look at various footpath flooding there. It seems that there may be some drainage channels blocked, but they can't tell until the water dissipates. If the ...
After a High Court judge describing the Council's Conservative cabinet as irrational and their policies unlawful, followed by the suggestion from the Council leader that somehow this was not the cabinet's fault, I happened to stumble accross some old leaflets. They rather help in terms of working out whether the decision to exlude Manydown was based on the advice of Officers or a political one.
The pop-star career of David McWilliams ... was all but over by 1968said his Guardian obituary: Yet, by then, he had released one record, The Days Of Pearly Spencer, that was a domestic flop, a continental hit - and has been a cult record ever since. The Independent (in an obituary now to be found on a McWilliams fan site) explains why such a striking single was a flop in Brtiain: "The single that will blow your mind, the album that will change the course of music" trumpeted full-page adverts in the New Musical Express alongside enthusiastic quotes from journalists ...
The tone of political debate in the UK over the past twenty years or so has grown ever more shrill and rancorous. This bitterness is partly, I believe, the result of the growing recognition that far from being all powerful, our political leaders have in fact ever less control over "events". Political leaders, especially on the left, still put forward the view that they alone can provide detailed policy solutions to the economic and social problems of the day. The Liberal Democrats have been no less guilty of this hubris than any other party. However, there are two critical differences ...
The Telegraph reports that the BBC has launched an inquiry which could lead to a ban on MPs being paid to appear as guests on programmes. They say that politicians are regularly rewarded for their broadcasts, earning up to £200 plus expenses for a turn on Radio 4's Any Questions or more than £500 for BBC One's This Week: The BBC Trust, which represents licence payers, will rule this week on a dispute over payments to one MP. It is being seen as a test case which, if it goes against the parliamentarian, would result in a tightening of the ...
The SNP claimed last August that they were being perfectly open and above board about their dealings with the Murdoch Empire when they released details, supposedly, of all their administration's meetings with all media. At the time, Stewart Hosie said: "The SNP is leading the way in transparency over meetings with the media. The SNP Government has published the most transparent list of meetings between ministers and the media and is the only Government to publish our correspondence with News Corporation. All of it shows that everything was perfectly proper and reasonable, and about promoting Scotland." The remainder of that ...
Via the BBC: Barbara Janke said she would stand down as council leader and as leader of the Liberal Democrat group. Ms Janke announced her decision to the Lib Dem-controlled authority's cabinet earlier. She said she made the decision as she approached her 65th birthday. She said it had been an "enormous privilege" to serve as council leader in 2003-2004, 2005-2007 and from 2009 to the present. She will remain leader of the Lib Dem group until the group's annual meeting on 8 May, when a new leader will be chosen. * Mark Pack is Co-Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice ...
On Monday 23rd March 2012 the Cabinet of Hertfordshire County Council decided: not to challenge the Traffic Penalty Chief Adjudicator's decisions, not to fight any appeal made to the Adjudicator, to cancel all Penalty Charge Notices issued and unpaid, to send a letter in respect of each penalty charge that has been paid stating that the Council will refund the charge provided an Application is received no later than the deadline given in the letter to pay any penalty charges that are unclaimed or claimed after the notified deadline to charity to give the person who paid the penalty charge ...
Michelle Alexander on Mass Incarceration and The New Jim Crow The United States imprisons a larger percentage of its black population than South Africa did at the height of apartheid, (tags: usa race ) Sun-Like Star May Have More Planets Than Our Solar System 127 light years away, and only planet in habitable zone is gas giant. (tags: astronomy ) Paris, by Hope Mirrlees The lost great modernist poem. (tags: poetry ) Cerebus Introduction to a series of posts about the classic comic by a flawed creator. (tags: comics )
FCC has issued the response below to all those who replied to the call for comments on Accreditation at Conference.. My summary - they have listened (good). Its difficult (I concur). There is more work to do (agreed). In short - I think FCC are doing their best. But we're not there yet. Many thanks for responding to the consultation by FCC. Apologies for the 'standard' response but as you will appreciate we had a lot of replies and I wanted to advise everyone that responded of where we have got to. Federal Conference Committee met on Monday to consider ...
Sun 29th
09:55
Conservative council leader uses chauffeur driven official car for private wedding trip
This week the Leicester Mercury reported: County council leader David Parsons used the authority's chauffeur-driven Daimler to go to his daughter's wedding. The Tory politician was driven from his home in Kirby Muxloe to the service at Leicester Cathedral, then on to Beaumanor Hall and Quorn for events afterwards. No payment was made to the council for the use of the car. Details of the trip, in August 2007, have just come to light. It follows the disclosure that Coun Parsons and his office cost taxpayers £1 million over the past five years, including £210,000 on chauffeur-driven travel. Hat-tip: Jonathan ...
From a party news release: Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader, Simon Hughes, joined Liberal Democrat councillors in Sheffield to highlight more than £4m of wasteful spending by Labour locally. The figures were revealed while Labour Deputy Leader, Harriet Harman, visited the city, attempting to defend Labour's waste on Sheffield City Council. Local Liberal Democrat councillors are campaigning to save Sheffield's weekly bin collections, vital recycling services and local dementia homes, placed under threat of closure by Labour councillors. Senior Sheffield Labour councillors have argued that no money is available, but there has been a staggering £4.2m of wasteful spending. In the ...
Rather a good Seventh Doctor romp, with Benny and Ace involved with an attempted alien invasion coinciding with the start of the Space Race in late 1957. It felt from the start rather like The Claws of Axos, only done much better, a feeling intensified by a plot twist about halfway through; it also has the general frenetic pace of a televised New Who story, to the point that I could see it as the basis for a decent script. Good fun.
As you know, I've written at length about my opposition to any sort of accreditation system for party members at our Federal Conference as I believe it represents an illiberal intrusion into private life by the Police which will not make any one person safer. In fact, it's even worse than last year, because we have to put in our past addresses too, which I don't remember having to do last year. What information will they be wanting next year? Details of all our families and friends? I submitted my views to the Federal Conference Committee consultation and this is ...
Don't get me wrong. This isn't a post I really wanted to write. But I don't think Jeremy Hunt should resign over the Murdoch affair. Lord, I hate myself. Anyway, 'why so?', you're all bellowing at the screen. Let me explain As of now, Jeremy Hunt has not been shown to have done anything wrong, and he maintains he has been whiter than white. The blame has been laid firmly at the door of his SpAd, Adam Smith, who has dutifully fallen his sword. Innocent until proven guilty and all that, so no reason for Hunt to go as yet. ...
After reading this article in today's Independent, I would venture to suggest that the words "Hunt" and "deep doo doo" sit comfortably and appropriately in the same sentence with the addition of the preposition "in" and the verb "is". [IMG: Post to Twitter] Tweet This Post
They're not happy. The Tory Right are on manoeuvres. And the Lib Dems are in their sights. It seems that the grumbling and the finger-pointing are getting, well, a bit more pointed. In yesterday's Express Paul O'Flynn's column argues: "not only is the Lib Dem presence in the Government damaging the country, it is now also doing potentially lethal damage to Conservative electoral prospects". He goes so far as to conclude that it is time to end it all: "[t]he coalition is damaging Britain and damaging the Tories too. As the political leader of both, David Cameron cannot evade his ...
According to The Observer a majority of doctors want to bully people into doing what they are told under threat of not receiving treatment. Fatlads and smokers are top of the list but I'm sure this will extend to other people they don't approve of eventually I have one simple question. Whatever happened to Primum non nocere? (first do no harm) Words can not describe the contempt I hold these doctors in so I will leave a more rational response to Dr Clare Gerada, chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners who said "It's the deserving and undeserving sick ...
Cllr Neil McGovern (LD, King's Hedges - Cambridge City) Cambridge City Councillor, Neil McGovern discovered a dog's bite is certainly worse than its bark while out election canvassing last night (Wednesday, April 25). He was bitten on the hand as he tried to put a note through a door in the city's Atkins Close to let the homeowners know he had called while they were out. Suddenly, the dog leapt at the letterbox and took a bite out of Cllr McGovern, who is standing for re-election in the King's Hedges ward. Cllr McGovern abandoned his canvassing and went to the ...
No MindlessWho today as The Beast Must Die has a post up on Mindless Ones for today already. I'll try to get it up on Monday (this is why I give myself some free days in the new schedule). Incidentally, my slightly lowered price on my Kindle books seems to have boosted sales to the ...
Another story from this morning's Independent: Jeremy Hunt today stands accused of misleading Parliament over his dealings with the Murdoch empire, an offence which would trigger the Culture Secretary's immediate resignation. As the Prime Minister battled to save his minister, an Independent on Sunday investigation has established that Mr Hunt appears to have misled the Commons on three occasions in his handling of News Corp's takeover bid of BSkyB. In what could turn out to be the final blow to the under-fire Culture Secretary, a letter written by his permanent secretary, Jonathan Stephens, seen by this newspaper, challenges Mr Hunt's ...
The Independent on Sunday reports that Dick Newby is to become the new Lib Dem chief whip in the House of Lords. This appointment follows the retirement of David Shutt. Following this, the paper goes in for all sorts of interesting, but contradictory and lightly sourced, gossip: Senior party figures are discussing a possible challenge to Mr Clegg's authority. One party grandee called for a "stated change of direction" from the Liberal Democrat leader after 3 May, to placate party members upset by the NHS reforms and Mr Clegg's continuing closeness to David Cameron. Another senior Liberal Democrat said there ...
