Sun 27th
23:19

The week

Monday received a large delegation of Bangladesh National Party UK members who presented a petition. I forwarded it to the Foreign Secretary asking if he would take up the human rights matters they raised with the Bangladesh government, Their three main concerns are extrajudicial executions, enforced disappearances and the conduct of the war crimes trials, all of which have been taken up by international NGOs and lawyers. At question time I had asked the Minister, David Howell, if we might suggest to the Bangladesh government that they issue an invitation to the UN Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances, ...

Posted by Eric Avebury on Eric Avebury
Sun 27th
22:59

Libertarian Optimism

We've all done a Kerry McCarth in our time (if not been as daft as to tweet it from the position of being a public servant!). It used to happen to me a lot. Yet it's something that simply doesn't happen ... Continue reading →

Posted by zadokday on A Song of Liberty

The Independent write At last, a politician fluent in European in which they offer some praise for Nick Clegg which is worth reading: But the Deputy Prime Minister had one of his finest hours when he went to Berlin to speak on Europe and then presented the same case - for the benefits of the European Union ...

Posted by Matthew Gibson on Solution Focused Politics

I don't remember the first time I saw the Eurovision song contest; I presume it was not long after I moved to Britain. I do recall being appalled: bad, tuneless song followed bad, tuneless song. Worse, the performers were often off key, as if they hadn't sufficiently rehearsed or were tone deaf. What on earth ...

Posted by CDF on Whirled Peas

Before Cadbury's inaugural hackday began there were a number of rumblings on the blogs about the extact nature of Cadbury's intentions. See Thayer Prime's and Emma Mulqueeny's thoughts on the subject. As it happens, after a bit of gentle poking, some of the terms were clarified. [IMG: Cadbury IP] The event itself went rather well, but I'd like to point out a few points where it didn't quite live up to the Hack Day Manifesto. Registration – due to some confusion with the registration form, some entrants were turned away.Checking for clashes – sadly NHS Hack Day was also on. ...

Posted by Terence Eden on Terence Eden has a Blog

During the week I blogged about five common mistakes Liberal Democrat campaigners make, one of which is failing to say thank you: Two weeks after polling day this month, around half of the local parties I helped out during the campaign had not (so far) said 'thank you' to me. I'll survive... but unless parties were specially picking me out to be excluded from thank you messages, that is a pretty grim picture of how we treat each other at times. Grim, but not surprising as overall as a party we're often rather poor at saying 'thank you'. There have ...

Posted by Mark Pack on Mark Pack

I don't often write about local issues on this blog but this one has really pissed me off. Our local council (Bracknell Forest) has just started charging £30 per year for collecting garden waste. They introduced a garden waste collection scheme back in 2006 where the options were to purchase a sturdy paper bag for 50p a pop each time or spend £30 on a plastic bin which we were promised would be a one-off payment entitling us to have our garden waste collected every fortnight. It turns out that these promises were worthless. According to the council's leaflet on ...

Posted by Mark Thompson on Mark Thompson

We have received this from the school It's now three months since we launched the Fundraising Campaign for The Enterprise Café and Shop with Handelsbanken and Don Foster MP. We are working hard to raise the £400,000 and hope to begin the build at Three Ways Special School in the next 18 months. We now have secured £100,000 from school funds and over £20,000 of other donations with

Posted by Odddown on Odd Down

Not easily, if you care for Margate, Thanet and East Kent, the Turner Contemporary like it or not is the establishments big chip in the regeneration game. A lot hangs on it. I think you should make your own mind up on this, suffice it to say I'd measure Tracy Emin's talent on the same scale as that of Damien Hirst. After seeing the exhibition I watched the Andrew Marr Show, noting that it seems Mr Marr has tired of politics and appears to be boosting his credentials as an art expert, hence a fairly substantial interview with Tracy Emin. ...

Posted by tony flaig bignews on BIGNEWS MARGATE
Sun 27th
20:08

A tie a day - day eleven

Filed under: Blogging

Posted by Michael Carchrie Campbell on Gyronny Herald
YouGov

It's not every day that you see a burning bush on your way home from church, but that is exactly what happened to Andrew and me this evening. Not for us any voice to take our shoes off as we were standing on holy ground, nor did this appear to be the Holy Spirit at ...

Posted by Michael Carchrie Campbell on Gyronny Herald

Lots of people I know at least seem to think the state "could do better" at delivering services such as education. Many even think there is room for improvement in things like health care. Not a few "tut tut" at how many potholes or death trap pavements they stumble across. Some might even suggest that introducing a little "healthy competition", whether for profit or not (or even self-organised such as home schooling), might induce some improvement in the state provided equivalent services. But for me, that leaves an enormous elephant in the room that people dare not, in general, even ...

Posted by Jock on Jock's OXFr33? Blog
Sun 27th
19:04

The Purpose of Blogs II

The name blog comes from a contraction of the words web and log. It is a personal diary made public. So maybe the definition will adapt as more professional writers see blogs as an opportunity to promote other websites. However my public log for today should include a note about You Tube. I managed to upload my first video today, with a little help from my brother and it can be found at I am a member of two music groups. One is attached to More Music in Morecambe and we play traditional music which is similar to The ...

Posted by Michael Gradwell on Politics for Novices

Welcome to the Golden Dozen, and our 275th 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 (20-26 May, 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. Clegg has a ...

Posted by Helen Duffett on Liberal Democrat Voice

Greens, conservatives, drugs, proboscis monkeys and liquid democracy. How's that mix suit you? Don't vote Green until they drop the anti-science zealotry – Tom Chivers explains, yet again, why GM crops are not the horrible bogeyman that some like to portray them as. You don't have to be a leftie to think Beecroft is wrong – Flip Chart Fairy Tales explains how conservatism can support models of capitalism other than the most rapacious ones. Take it from an ex-addict, outlawing drugs does not work – "When society hates and fears you, criminal conviction means little." Declan Ganley and the need ...

Posted by Nick on What You Can Get Away With
Sun 27th
18:36

Gypsy Site consultation

On 9th May Cabinet approved the Preferred Options document for consultation. This document represents an important stage in preparing to allocate land for permanent and transit sites for Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople in Bath and North East Somerset. The Preferred Options document sets out six sites on which the Council is seeking the views of the public, parish and town councils

Posted by Odddown on Odd Down

Here's a round-up of stories we haven't had time to cover on the site this past few days... On day UKUncut protestors targeted Clegg family home, Tory MP Louise Mensch urges people to donate £5 to Lib Dem funds (ConHome) Louise Mensch, the Tory MP for Corby is recommending that her followers donate £5 to the Liberal Democrats for today only. She thinks it will show solidarity with the Cleggs who have been targeted by UNuncut protestors today. Hundreds gathered outside the Putney home of the Lib Dem leader, some chained themselves to railings and they held a noisy but ...

Posted by Stephen Tall on Liberal Democrat Voice

It's 25 years since Britain's "Obama moment" when four black MPs were elected, the first since the 1920′s. Operation Black Vote held a celebration at the Bernie Grant arts centre in Tottenham. Yet if anyone could articulate how far we ... Continue reading →

Posted by Lester Holloway on cllrlesterholloway

It's nearly a cliché, but it still resonates with me. People accuse each other of living in "bubbles" – and when they do so, the accusation usually has bight. But the people who make the accusation are merely living in different bubbles. We all are; and it helps us if we realise it. A bubble is a small, self-contained world which contains its own atmosphere, protected by a nearly invisible wall, which lets those inside see the wider world outside, and maybe pretend that they are fully part of it. And every so often the bubble hits an obstacle in ...

Posted by Matthew on thinking liberal
Sun 27th
16:12

In the Garden

[IMG: Posted by Picasa]

Posted by Eric Avebury on Eric Avebury
eUKhost

Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg appeared on the Andrew Marr Show this morning to say that those guilty of abusing human rights in Syria will be banned from entering the UK for the Olympics: (Video also available on the BBC website here.) * Stephen Tall is Co-Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice, and also writes at his own site, The Collected Stephen Tall.

Posted by Stephen Tall on Liberal Democrat Voice
Sun 27th
14:42

Pentecost and Shavuot

I have always been hazy as to the precise connection between the Jewish festival of Shavuot and the Christian festival of Pentecost, which often, if not always, occur on the same day - today. I know that it is Shavuot because I read the Jewish Chronicle, having also, in 2004, arranged for Simon Hughes and Charles Kennedy to visit Temple Fortune (that's a North London high street, not a Wild West frontier town) and (as is traditional at Shavuot) eat cheesecake, as part of Simon's London mayoral election campaign. Was Mr Kennedy there? I think he was, but I am ...

Posted by Matthew Harris on Matthew Harris

Liberal Democrats' ties with Murdoch aides revealed to Leveson inquiry shouts The Observer headline today followed by a breathlessly hyped claim: Nick Clegg's Liberal Democrats were sucked deeper into the controversy over News Corp's planned takeover of BSkyB on Saturday as evidence submitted to the Leveson inquiry revealed close party ties with Murdoch executives. I then read the story to try and find what amazing revelations backed-up the paper's confidence. Then I read it again. And again. I'm still none the wiser how "Nick Clegg's Liberal Democrats" have been "sucked deeper into the controversy". The Observer's attempt to implicate the ...

Posted by Stephen Tall on Liberal Democrat Voice

Yesterday, anti-cuts protesters held a peaceful protest out side the Deputy Prime Minister's house in the form of a street party. Bunting was laid out and even a samba band played for the masses of people come to protest about the Austerity moves made by the Government. A further 70 protested outside the Constituency office of Mr Clegg in Sheffield;David Kirkham stated;We're here celebrating and partying for some great British institutions, namely, the welfare state, our NHS and the public sector life blood - things that were achieved by our ancestors in the post-war periodAnother protester stated:Nick Clegg is one ...

Posted by Chris Sams on The Ginger Liberal from Medway

Thanks for all who attended our coffee morning at Rainbow Cottage. The weather was perfect as were the people who attended. We had a good mixture of: regular Liberal Democrats, neighbours, ex pupils & their mother, dog club member, family who drove up from Northampton and a Lord & Lady (Fearn). After spending the afternoon tidying up we spent the evening watching Eurovision with friends (which has become an annual event). Bunting and flags are staying up ready for next weekend. More photos (some courtesy of David).

Posted by Councillor Mike Booth on kew focus

Announced on the front page of the Gazette this week, news that the company, much associated with the late Jimmy Godden has now changed its name from the Margate Town Centre Regeneration Company to the equally in my opinion misleading name, DreamlandLive. Calling itself the Margate Town Centre Regeneration Company, always seemed rather insulting to the town given that its largest assets in Margate was surely the old Dreamland Amusement park, which as far as I know had been dismantled by Mr Godden and his associates and has lain in pretty much either derelict or run down state before and ...

Posted by tony flaig bignews on BIGNEWS MARGATE

Here in London, we've already started working towards the local and European elections in 2014. Last weekend it was great to see 52 activists attend a Regional Action Day in Sarah Teather's constituency in Brent, so soon after a disappointing set of results in the capital in May. Aside from giving a boost to our fantastic hard-working teams across the capital, Regional Action Days are designed to give activists the chance to exchange ideas and learn new skills. In Brent last weekend, Sarah Teather MP, Baroness Sue Garden and our newest London Assembly Member, Stephen Knight, were joined by a ...

Posted by Chris Butler on Liberal Democrat Voice

Another superb performance from Nick Clegg on Andrew Marr this morning. As befits someone who was there when the Euro was born, working for then EU Trade Commissioner Sir Leon Brittain, he showed that he really knows his stuff on the decisive reforms needed to sort the crisis out. I did for a moment think that I'd have liked him to say that we wouldn't put up with any stupid Tory ideas to curb immigration, but his take on this was to try to calm the "breathless hysteria" of the press. Picking a fight with Theresa May on live tv ...

Posted by Caron on Caron's Musings

Normally, I reserve Sunday Sounds for songs I like - this week's edition is, however, slightly different. Over on Twitter, fellow blogger Stephen took me to task over my observation late last night that from what I had heard of it, Britain's Eurovision entry was (and I didn't put too fine a point on this) shit. Here is the exchange we had: Now, Engelbert Humperdinck is an act whom I know little about. I need to be reminded of his biggest hits and find it hard to divorce him from his image as an ageing act catering to, how shall ...

Posted by Andrew Brown on the widow's world

Today is the final stage of the 2012 Giro d'Italia. It will feature an individual time trial over 30km of Milan's roads. Yesterday Joachin Rodriguez managed to take that all important 4th slot which put him 1 point ahead of Mark Cavendish in the points classification and more or less ensures that he wins the maglia rossa (red jersey). As at 30km the time trial is too long for Cav who has been known to surprise in shorter ones. The only thing that might work in the Manx mans favours is a drastic deterioration in the weather after he completes ...

Posted by Stephen Glenn on Stephen's Liberal Journal

As you all know, far too well I suspect, I've been moaning about and then campaigning for equal marriage for a number of years. You can't really call me partisan on the issue as I've been criticised in the past by Liberal Democrats for being "unfair" on the party when it still hadn't adopted marriage equality as policy and still when Lynne Featherstone announced what I considered (and still consider) to be inadequate plans for equal civil marriage. And I have in the past attempted to convince myself that I should be conciliatory towards those who have not been in ...

Posted on Neue Politik

Thou shalt not commit logical fallacies | poster Now available to download and print! (tags: ) The New York Bill that Would Ban Anonymous Online Speech | Techland | TIME.com (tags: ) SCEA patents advertising that interrupts gameplay | Joystiq Oh dear. (tags: ) Not Every Woman Gets Empowered: A Response To "In Defense of Slave Leia" « The Adventures of the Terminally Snarky (tags: ) The pseudo-science and pseudo-feminism of Women Don't Ask | fdiv.net "It's time for feminists — and I mean anyone, of any gender, who believes in gender equality — to stop plugging Women Don't Ask. ...

Without consulting local councillors, First Capital Connect has again decided to reduce the qulaity of life of local residents. A largely pointless automatic message has been installed in the bike sheds alongside Platform 4 warning users that they are under surveillance. This is triggered by movement. Inevitably no thought has been given to the fact that this is a residential area and the audible warnings, going off constantly on working days, can be heard clearly inside people's homes. A request was made to FCC to adjust the volume and promises have been given. But as ever nothing has been done ...

Posted by chriswhite on Chris White

The Liquidator is chosen as a tribute to the winners of the UEFA Champions League. It is a popular tune to play as football teams run out, and Wikipedia says that Chelsea, Wycombe Wanderers, Northampton Town West Bromwich Albion, Wolverhampton Wanderers and St. Johnstone all have claims to have been the first club to use it. But that same entry suggests that Chelsea's is the strongest claim, quoting the liner notes for Liquidator: The Best of the Harry J & The All Stars: "Way back in 1969, supporters of the Chelsea football team revered players such as Bonetti, Osgood and ...

Posted by Jonathan on Liberal England

During the forthcoming week commencing 28th May 2012 and possibly at various times in the following weeks a number of junction traffic counts will be undertaken throughout the lower part of central Bath, the A4 and the A36. These counts are required to enable an existing transportation model of the Rossiter road area to be expanded to enable the scenario testing for the Low Emission

Posted by Odddown on Odd Down

With the UK's double-dip recession biting harder than previously thought, growing unease at the economy's failure to recover appears to have elicited something of a change of emphasis at the heart of government. If Nick Clegg's Financial Times interview (£) signifies a genuine change of direction in economic policy, and it would be welcome if so, we should ask in which direction we're now facing. The Social Liberal Forum recently published Plan C, our approach to achieving a fair, sustainable economy, so it pays to benchmark Clegg's call to "shift up a gear" against the values and policies we set ...

Posted by Prateek Buch on Liberal Democrat Voice

This is another category that I don't think I have ever voted in before, but the Hugo Voters Package has enabled me to educate myself. I found this very difficult to choose; while I didn't much care for any of the Don Dos Santos pieces, each of the others had submitted at least one work that I found breathtaking, and I rearrange the order of my top four several times. In the end, my ranking is as follows:5) Don Dos Santos. Four sexy people looking more or less combative. My favourite was the slightly improbably dressed heroine of J.A. Pitts' ...

Last week, I mentioned that I had attended the launch of the eight news local community plans across the city. The West End's new local community plan was written following an extensive consultation exercise with the West End community, including: • 500 post cards distributed in prominent venues and shops across the area seeking views of local people about ways in which the quality of life could be improved • Young people involved with the Pupil Representative Council at Harris Academy were asked to confirm local priorities • Public events held in Dundee West Church, outside the supermarket on Perth ...

As the Olympic torch hits Wales, organisers predict that the games will initiate a fresh interest amongst youngsters in sport and exercise. Meanwhile, a debate gets underway about support for obese youngsters following the Georgia Davis case. The main sponsors of the Olympic games are Cadburys, McDonalds, Heineken and Coca Cola.

Posted by Peter Black on Peter Black

Yesterday's Courier highlighted the salaries and allowances claimed by Dundee City Councillors in 2011/12. Of the councillors who served in the 2007-12 term and who did not retire or failed to be re-elected, my claim was the lowest across the City Council* - because I refused the councillor salary increase in 2009 and have maintained this stance every year thereafter. Additionally, I never claim expenses - and have not done so throughout my 11 years on the City Council. I will continue throughout the next council term to refuse any increase in councillor salary, accepting pre-2009 salary levels, and, as ...