Workers Rights should be enhanced - not removed I think Vince Cables reaction to a suggestion of reducing working rights was similar to most liberal democrats - that of absolute astonishment. Creating the image of small businesses having the ability to chop and change "lazy" employees will be the direction the conservative will try to take the argument they've choosen to stir, such an approach fails to properly analyse the social and financial impact of such a system upon the UK. I hope Beercroft remains as a recommendation and is not moved upon at any point in the history of ...
Via The Voice's Mark Pack: * Newshound sets the agenda, as you would expect from a Red Setter
The frustration of losing the Cup final to your closest rivals, and to lose in such a fashion, did not result in mass riots on the streets of Glasgow I am pleased to report. With more than 50000 fans from the east descending on Hampden that there were only 22 arrests speaks volumes for the nature of the occasion. The Edinburgh Derby is not the sweltering lump of gelignite that is any Old Firm match but there are still tribal tensions. Saturday was a high stakes game but both the police in Lothian and Borders and in Strathclyde are to ...
Just announced tonight is the news that the controversial accreditation arrangements – put in place for last autumn's Liberal Democrat conference – will also be going ahead for this year's gathering in Brighton. This seems a bit premature. For starters, no process has yet been announced for those whose identities require sensitive handling. (Any trans folk for example, or victims of domestic violence) Although I've submitted a Freedom of Information request to the police, I fear it will just confirm what I already expect: they have not yet bothered with any equalities impact assessment. But most worrying is the tone ...
So, despite Federal Conference – supposedly the decision-making body of the party – deciding it wanted nothing to do with it, you'll now have to get the approval of the police to be able to attend Liberal Democrat Conference. Apparently, it's all well and good for Conference to decide it wants to be liberal, but when it comes down to it, the alphabet soup of party committees will always be happy to trade liberty for a bit of security theatre. (See also these posts by Caron Lindsay and Gareth Epps on the issue) (Update: Also see Zoe O'Connell's post on ...
Chorlton MP John Leech has made a Parliamentary tribute to one of Manchester's musical sons, the Bee Gees star Robin Gibb CBE who passed away yesterday following a long battle with cancer. Robin Gibb, born on the Isle of Man spent his early childhood days with his brothers in Chorlton living on Keppel Road and attended Oswald Road Primary School. John said, "Manchester has a huge musical heritage and is brimming with talent and creativity; it is stars like Robin Gibb that fuelled the creativity. I think it is important to mark this sad passing by highlighting the true impact ...
As Treasurer of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, I am a member of FFAC. The Chairs of the Federal Executive, FFAC & Federal Conference Committee have explained on Liberal Democrat Voice that they gave decided to bow to Police demands that party members who register for Conference must go through Police accreditation. Last week FFAC held a special meeting to discuss the issue of accreditation. I am not going to give a blow by blow account of what was a serious, intelligent discussion. That would breach confidentiality & it would be wrong of me to do that. The minutes, however, say ...
The start of the day: The end of the day:
Disgracefully, three committees of the Liberal Democrats (though there is doubt whether one actually voted for it) have voted to end the ability of all members of the Liberal Democrats to attend its sovereign Federal Conference and take part in its decisions as voting reps, and to impose the unnecessary and discriminatory accreditation scheme in order to deliberately exclude certain Conference reps, in particularly transgender people. I will comment here, as the equally illiberal policies of Liberal Democrat Voice, the mouthpiece of the party leadership, preclude me doing so there. The decision was taken by the Federal Finance and Administration ...
Just a quick update to let you know about the two Mobile Library stops within the Bar Hill Division. The first is in Dry Drayton on Pettitts Lane between 12:20 and 12:50 on the 2nd and 4th Friday every month; Pettitts Lane, Dry Drayton The second is in Lolworth on The Green on the 4th Thursday of every month between 14:20 and 14:50; The Green, Lolworth More details are available on the My Cambridgeshire website. Both maps are courtesy of OpenStreetMap.org
We are writing to confirm the decision of FFAC, supported by FE, that there will be a system of police accreditation for members attending this year's Autumn Conference. This decision follows an extensive member consultation and debate by the Federal Conference Committee, Federal Finance and Administration Committee and the Federal Executive. As Liberal Democrats we would prefer it if accreditation were not something we had to consider. Many of us have concerns surrounding individual privacy and personal freedoms and none of us want to put any member who wishes to attend Conference in a difficult position. This view was clearly ...
The day after tomorrow, European leaders are due to sit down together at a hastily arranged informal summit, called by the EU president Herman Van Rompuy to discuss the question of the times: How do we create growth? One of ... Continue reading →
In a meeting lasting just under an hour, Cllr Phil Davies (Labour) was elected as the new Leader of Wirral Council. He announced the following Cabinet portfolios: Improvement and Governance/ Deputy Leader Cllr Ann McLachlan (Labour) Public Health & Social Care Cllr Anne McArdle (Labour) Housing and Community Safety Cllr George Davies (Labour) Children Services ...
Earlier today, I took part in the latest meeting of the Balgay Stakeholders' Group at which City Council Environment Department staff, Friends of Balgay and West End councillors discuss issues at Balgay Hill, Balgay Park and Victoria Park. Following on from the highly successful West End litter pick and graffiti clean-up last week, the Friends of Balgay are having their own litter pick in Balgay Park next Sunday (27th May) starting outside the Mills Observatory (pictured right) at 2pm - all volunteers very welcome!
Vince Cable called it correctly over the housing bubble that destroyed the boom of the early 21st Century; on Northern Rock and on Rupert Murdoch. Surely its therefore prudent to listen to him before it goes wrong rather than a long time afterwards. I refer of course, to his description of the Beecroft Report as complete nonsense. The challenge for the government is stimulating growth. Labour attempted to spend until they ran out of money. The Coalition government are trying another tack by austerity measures. But to stimulate growth, you need spending. If the government does not want to do ...
I have just returned from attending the Statutory Meeting of Dundee City Council. The SNP Administration has made a good choice in their nominee for Lord Provost. Bob Duncan is able, articulate and a very pleasant man. I have no doubt he will make an excellent job of being Dundee's new Lord Provost and I wish him well in his new and important role.
Cross Posted from Better Nation. So, you're on the Glasgow subway with some friends and one of them does something cute or funny or otherwise worth recording for posterity. You take out your phone to capture the moment..... What should happen next is....nothing. Life should go on as normal. However, if Strathclyde Partnership for Transport gets its way, new bye-laws could mean that you're on a slippery slope to a £1000 fine. The operator has put their new proposals out for consultation and they include the controversial clause 12.1:Passengers must not take photographs, or make video audio or visual recordings ...
Shock horror after making a few phone calls, Friday it has been confirmed that you can still, blog or tweet from the council chamber, restrictions on using phones refer to the distractions of receiving or making calls and of course filming, recording or taking photos is strictly forbidden, since some councillors believe as some other primitive cultures that you might capture their souls (I think). I have it on good authority that the Labour Alliance, did not dob me in for using of my phone last thursday at the AGM, however I now understand that even the most mild remark, ...
I simultaneously yawn, grimace and growl upon reading a BBC News story today that says that "the first President Bush (lost) the 1992 presidential race to Bill Clinton, who ran on the slogan: 'It's the Economy Stupid'". Of course, Clinton ran on no such slogan, having as he did a strange disinclination towards the idea of addressing the electors as "stupid". What actually happened, of course, is that Clinton's campaign staff had, in their War Room, which was obviously not a public place, a big sign that did indeed say: "It's the economy, stupid", the ironically-expressed idea being that if ...
Oh good: [IMG: Wedding rings] The Centre for Social Justice says a "tug of war" in the Coalition has meant ministers have so far failed to do enough to help prevent couples from separating... Before entering Downing Street, Mr Cameron said governments should be "celebrating and encouraging" marriage through the tax system. Many senior Conservatives, including Mr Duncan Smith, are believed to be keen for the Prime Minister to act on his promises and introduce tax relief for married couples. However, Liberal Democrats oppose the plan. Their leader Nick Clegg has dismissed the demands of traditionalist Conservatives, arguing that couples ...
Can activists become politicians? This might sound like a silly question when you consider how many former activists are in parliament. Famously Labour's Peter Hain campaigned against apartheid South Africa. The young feminist lawyer Harriet Harman fought for human rights. ... Continue reading →
Mon 21st
16:24
Liblink: Vince Cable - Complete nonsense to suggest reducing labour rights to beat the recession
In today's Sun (scroll down), Vince Cable tears into those who would reduce labour rights to try to beat the recession: Some people think that if labour rights were stripped down to the most basic minimum, employers would start hiring and the economy would soar again. This is complete nonsense. British workers are an asset, not just a cost for company bosses. That is why I am so opposed to the ideological zealots who want to encourage British firms to fire at will. Those who want to shake up the law need to realise that the days in the 70s ...
Just for a change the New Statesman have published me in the business blog today, banging on about the fact that Facebook probably isn't worth $108 billion. Reassuringly, it seems the US Stock Market agrees with me. Enjoy.
According to Demos:Britain already has ...the least employment protection of any OECD nation [and] relatively low productivity. It strikes me as a difficult case to make that all that is required for growth is a further stripping away of employment protection - that fewer unfair dismissal tribunals will render Britain prosperous.Indeed. In fact, it strikes me that if there is a causative relationship between job insecurity and low productivity, it makes sense that it runs the other way - that if your job is made more insecure, that is likely to make you less productive because you're not going to ...
Stagecoach Guided Bus on the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway Cambridgeshire's highly rated park and ride service is introducing new stops at Cambridge Railway Station to help travellers take the strain out of catching the train. From June 10, new Green Route Park and Ride Service stops will be introduced at the railway station bus station - allowing rail passengers to reach the station without the need to drive into Cambridge or pay for parking at the station. The Green Route runs regular buses between Park and Ride sites at Milton and Babraham Road on the southern edge of Cambridge. The service ...
The Taxpayers Alliance and Institute of Directors have just produced a 417 page report on the British Tax System. Some parts are good, some are plain silly. Let's get the silliness out of the way first. The report says the tax to GDP ratio should be 33%, and marginal tax rates (including employers' national insurance) should be no higher than 30%. They believe this will spur growth. The reality - sadly for right-wingers - is that there is little evidence that even French tax rates preclude high levels of GDP per hour worked. Nor is there good evidence that individual ...
The agenda for our next Cheadle Area Committee meeting is out. The meeting will be at 6pm on Tuesday 29th May 2012 at Bolshaw Primary School, Heald Green (the new location for the next year). Items of note, in what looks like a busy meeting, include: Planning Application 48852 – change of use of 20 Old Rectory Gardens from Off Licence to Food & Drink Planning Application 49360 – replace detached garages with external studio at Tatton House Studio, Old Hall Road, Gatley Proposals for changes in traffic and parking regulations around Old Rectory Gardens, Gatley Road by Riversdale Road, ...
A while ago Alan W. Collins stated that only Liberal Democrats and those interested in Constitutional reform are still pushing for House of Lords reform. At the time I tried to think of a witty and clever response but fell silent as I realised that I fall into both of those categories. Then last week Clegg grimaced in the house as David Cameron said that All parties are divided when it comes to Lords reform. Surely Liberal Democrats wouldn't be opposed to Lords reform? erm... Well, I'm not opposed to Lords reform, in fact I think that it is important ...
We've been informed that Network Rail's contractors will be setting up a compound in the car park of William Scholes Fields, Gatley (by the pavilion) for the next four weeks. This will allow them to carry out essential works to the railway embankment. The contractor will be leafleting local resident to inform them of the action required hopefully this work will be carried out with the minimum of disturbance.
You know what I am really sick of? Small business leaders appearing as talking heads on news programmes saying that employment law is tooooo complicated and it's not fair and stamping their feet like Kevin the teenager. I have some proposals for nice simple easy to understand employment regulations:Minimum wage is a nice round ten pounds per hour Every worker who has a doctor's note proving they are ill is entitled to full pay until the doctor deems them fit to return to work. All workforces to be unionised, and any employers found employing non-union workers will be subject to ...
On Juncture, the website of the Institute of for Public Policy Research, psephologist Professor John Curtice provides some very interesting data which suggests Labour would do well to keep talking to the Liberal Democrats: ...the hung parliament brought about by the 2010 election was no accident. It was a consequence of long-term changes in pattern of party support that mean it is now persistently more difficult for either Labour or the Conservatives to win an overall majority. Meanwhile, although the current review of parliamentary boundaries will not deliver the Conservatives quite the bonus for which they were hoping, it will ...
(An attempt at satire. Contains spoilers for the first couple of novels in A Song Of Ice And Fire and the Game of Thrones TV series until the middle of series two) The politics of Westeros are currently dominated by the actions of the great noble Houses. On the surface, these Houses seem to have existed in their current form for hundreds of years, but closer examination reveals that they have all moved great distances from the lands they originally occupied, even if they have renamed places within their new lands with old names to present some form of continuity ...
It is a time of waiting. If the G8 and NATO summits over the weekend proved anything, it's that politics have gone into a deep freeze. At the G8 meeting, the Americans and French wanted to emphasise growth over austerity, the Germans and British, rhetoric aside, feel the opposite: this stalemate is nothing new. The ...
Dr L confirms that my disorder is primary myelofibrosis, see http://1.usa.gov/LapWPe
Following the fuss on Friday, and a message I sent Conway Hall, I've had a response via EMail – they've also said much the same on Twitter. My initial message was: I was somewhat surprised to see your response to inquiries about hosting the upcoming RadFem2012 conference, suggesting that (In likely contravention of the Equality Act 2010) your non-discrimination policy does not extend to Transgendered folk. I note that previously, you have acted against discrimination at events you host and seem happy to publicise this such as whan a radical Islamic group ran an event in 2009. Is your official ...
As regular readers will know I'm a big Livingston Football Club fan, indeed one of the things I find hard about being back here in Northern Ireland is not getting along to games and hearing the Drum Beat Mafia lift the Amber and Black army. Although even when I was supporting Livi at Almondvale I always smiled when I saw a St. Patrick's flag next to a player whether home or away in the match day programme Roar. Of course the Green and White Army when they turn out for international duty at Windsor Park also have their drummers. There ...
Interesting news via The Times over the weekend [£]: Britain's only listed accountancy firm is to close its specialist tax division in a move that will be regarded as another victory for Revenue & Customs against tax avoidance by the rich. RSM Tenon said yesterday that it would stop offering products through its Premier Strategies division because recent moves by the Government to clamp down on what it perceives as aggressive tax avoidance had made the tax planning business too difficult and risky. Chris Merry, Tenon's chief executive, said: "The market for specialist tax has changed dramatically over the past ...
Not sure this will go down well with the locals but heck facts are facts. Holding on to the three defending seats at the locals was solid albeit our thanks must be given to the UK Independence Party for fielding candidates in Blenheim Park and Prittlewell wards. That is not what this blog post is about. A week later the council had to vote for a new leader after Cllr Holdcroft resigned following the Tories losing control of the chamber. He always knew he would win re-election due to the two facts of a Lib Dem Councillor being absent from ...
There's a bit of a spat in Westminster between right-wing Tories - who are demanding that the government introduce the ability for firms to fire staff at will - and Lib Dem Vince Cable who has said the idea is "complete nonsense". And here in Cornwall, the Lib Dems are opposing the idea of regional pay bargaining which would see lower pay for public sector workers despite higher living costs. The Conservative Leader of Cornwall Council said he supported the concept. At the same time, many council jobs are being transferrd to the private sector and workers are seeing their ...
I give up Jon Worth decides that he cannot bear the prospect of running for the European Parliament as a Labour candidate in the UK. (tags: ukpolitics eu ) Blue Peter is Who I Am The difference one TV programme can make. (tags: autism television children )
Last week, I found myself at Letchworth station in the rain. Today I found George Orwell's comments on Letchworth and socialism: "The first thing that must strike any outside observer is that Socialism in its developed form is a theory confined entirely to the middle classes. The typical Socialist is not, as tremulous old ladies imagine, a ferocious-looking working man with greasy
On Saturday, I went along with a group of friends to First Coast restaurant on Dalry Road in Edinburgh for lunch. Bearing in mind that fifteen of us landed on them with very little warning, and some of us had to get away by a specific time to catch trains etc, they coped very well. I'd eaten in there once before and had enjoyed my meal. We virtually all had the lunch and early evening menu. I'd never heard of Ling before, but decided to be adventurous and try it. It's a member of the cod family, apparently and it ...
In the last two months, the government has been presented with four major problems: 1. The Economy – It's not growing, despite good signs in manufacturing and a recent drop in unemployment, we're back in recession and could even face another almighty shock if the Euro crisis deepens. 2. Ministers mucking things up – May, Hunt and Osborne have provided the government with a fatal combination of not getting the basics right (Abu Qatada and airport queues), the smell of sleaze (Murdoch) and the fallout from cutting taxes for the wealthy whilst raising them for pasty eaters, grannies and Churches. 3. Labour sky ...
Mark Thompson: Cameron and Fruit Ninja-gate (tags: ) Women Win Nebulas! | Geek Feminism Blog (tags: ) gominokouhai | Let me see if I've got this right This. With bells on. (tags: ) Workfare: You're putting your customers off, Mr Manager (tags: ) On equal marriage | girlonthenet This is a fabulous entry, and I love the adult content warning too. (tags: ) Introduce the Single Transferable Vote (STV) form of Proportional Representation for local elections in England. - e-petitions Government e-petition worth signing. (tags: ) Could Angry Birds lead to mass murder? | by Martin Robbins @mjrobbins | Science ...
Since late March, SITA have been distributing bags for cardboard recycling to all those on the waiting list. If you asked for one and haven't got it or would like to ask for one for the first time, please ring 01454 868000 or request one online. Residents raised a number of concerns when we carried out surveys earlier this year. Officers have investigated complaints of boxes and bags not being put back properly and have answered some of your recycling questions: All food waste can be accepted except larged uncooked bones, as these don't break down well in the anaerobic ...
It's a big Well Done this morning to Vince Cable and other Lib Dems for standing up to the agenda talked up by the Tory donor Adrian Beecroft and calling it (in politer terms than I might) what it is: bonkers. This particular agenda is not based on any evidence, just pure ideology and playing to the gallery of the downmarket press who will swallow posturing rather than serious attempts to make the economy grow. And it has a rather sinister 'old politics' edge. I understand that even the more superficially tempting of these proposed measures – all with the ...
Kent Trading Standards are alerting members of the public to a product recall issued by B&Q relating to Verve 42cm & Verve 52cm Heated propagators. The company have issued the recall due to a risk that these products may overheat which is a potential fire risk. Trading Standards are advising anyone who has purchased one of these propagators to stop using it immediately and return the product to your local B&Q store where a full refund of the purchase price will be given. Further information is available from the B&Q Customer Services helpline on 0800 3890419 or on www.diy.com Published ...
Business Secretary, Vince Cable strikes a blow for commonsense this morning by blasting suggestions that Government should cut employment red tape by stripping down labour rights and making it easier for firms to sack under-performing staff as complete nonsense. The Telegraph reports Vince as saying that he is opposed to the "ideological zealots who want to encourage British firms to fire at will": Writing in The Sun, Mr Cable said: "Some people think that if labour rights were stripped down to the most basic minimum, employers would start hiring and the economy would soar again. "This is complete nonsense." He ...
Much is made of the polls and in many ways they are important as they are a barometer to how the public are feeling about the party at the time. We can dismiss them as irrelevant or inaccurate but the reality is that if they were higher we would be using them as evidence we ...
I've written often enough before about the problems with the "bonus" payments that Returning Officers receive for doing their job at election time. One problem is that they receive the bonuses in full even if they have messed up dreadfully, though that is now changing. The other is that the grounds for having the bonuses in the first place are pretty thin: The role of being Returning Officer goes with having a job - typically council chief executive - that is usually well paid to begin with (often six figure salaries) and where anyone taking on the job knows that ...
The medics said he had less than 3 months to live. In the event, Abdelbaset Al Megrahi, the only man convicted of the Lockerbie Bombing, died yesterday exactly 33 months after he was released by Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill. I am not, to say the very least, an admirer of MacAskill's. Anyone who has presided so lackadaisically over the appalling conditions at Cornton Vale Women's Prison while prioritising attacks on the UK Supreme Court deserves every bit of opprobrium they get. On Megrahi, though, he got it right in the decision to release him, if not in the process. I ...
Whilst his advisors were calling the Tory plans to cut workers' rights "bonkers", Vince Cable was penning a piece for today's Sun in which he says: [IMG: Vince Cable] Britain has a great workforce: hard working, flexible and loyal. They are the ones, as well as entrepreneurs and small businesses, who will get the country moving again... Some people think that if labour rights were stripped down to the most basic minimum, employers would start hiring and the economy would soar again. This is complete nonsense. British workers are an asset, not just a cost for company bosses. That is ...
Last week saw the (welcome) news that the government had decided to terminate the "welfare-to-work" contract of A4e due to the on-going investigation into possible (read: almost certain) fraud at A4e whereby (allegedly) staff claimed and received money from the taxpayer from putting people into jobs which didn't exist. Of course, A4e still has other contracts worth millions of pounds a year with the government. Labour has demanded that the government publish the details of these contracts, though, given that Labour signed those contracts in the first place, they should already know the details. Now, the former boss of A4e, ...
Residents have recently commented to me about the new footpath being constructed round the building site at the old Homebase in Riverside Drive, where flats are to be constructed. It is correctly being built at the 'road' side to avoid the public safety concerns about the old claustrophobic pathway that previously ran at the 'railway' side, but residents have raised concerns that the new footpath at the road side is both narrow and has been built right against the (extremely busy) road edge. There is already a little bit of existing footpath at the road edge just past (east) the ...
Favourite disco hit of 1979! Loved it ... And it was stolen 20 years later by Alcazar (and rather well ...)
Sorry for the lack of recent posts — I've been incredibly busy the last few days (in fact for the last few weeks — I'm more than a month behind with my comics reading). I normally try to get a MindlessWho post up on a Saturday night, but I spent Friday night at the theatre ...
We have been "trailing" this parking review for ages - ever since it was promised before Xmas! At last we have received this message from the Cabinet member for Sustainability: Dear colleagues As part of the Parking Policy Review (PPR), and as agreed at Cabinet on 7th December 2011, a public engagement exercise will take place for a period of four weeks starting from today, to gauge opinion on issues relating to the size, days and hours of control of Controlled Parking Zones (CPZs), as well as on the maximum stay in pay and display bays. I would welcome your ...
