It doesn't smell of pasties, except when near a Greggs. Likewise, it doesn't smell of fish. It has no bits of unspoiled natural beauty that are only viewable from the tops of enormous steep hills, which look exactly like the other bit of unspoiled natural beauty that you just saw on top of a different ...
As the bunting goes up and the sandwiches prepared for the weekend's street parties (at least round here) I thought this track 'Ready to go' seemed appropriate. So enjoy Republica from 1996...
Labour, says BBC News, is to force a Commons division on whether Jeremy Hunt broke the ministerial code. The Liberal Democrats, of course, should vote with Labour on this. If you want to know why, read Martin Bright on the Spectator Coffee House blog: Has there ever been such a woeful performance at a public inquiry as Jeremy Hunt's yesterday? There has rarely been a frontline politician as vain and primping as the Culture Secretary and it is hard to imagine one with so little self-knowledge.And: It is now beyond question that Jeremy Hunt was batting for the Murdochs. The ...
News in this afternoon, via a statement on their web site and an email to those that complained, is that Conway Hall have cancelled the booking for the controversial RadFem2012 conference. The statement is quite interesting, in that it includes the line "In addition, we are not satisfied it conforms with the Equality Act (2010)" and – this is the interesting bit – "We had sought assurances that the organisers would allow access to all". Note they don't say "transwomen", they say "all": it's as much about excluding men from a feminist conference being unlawful as it is transwomen, which ...
Much as I love Shropshire, sometimes it is safer to live in Leicestershire. Today, for instance, a small earthquake was felt around Ludlow and Church Stretton. It didn't compete with the Bishop's Castle earthquake of 1990, which I felt at work in Leicester, but it still Makes You Think. And then there is this, which Castle News broke today: Tankers have been transporting water into Bishop's Castle by road for the past two weeks after a contamination scare. Water has been tankered into town from Ludlow since a borehole was closed by Severn Trent water company two weeks ago. The ...
Every time I look at my beautiful daughter, I feel that rush of love that all parents feel for their children. Every time I see a news article about the dreadful massacre in Syria, my heart breaks for those mothers whose children were so brutally massacred in front of them. Surviving that must be the worst sort of living hell. The recent massacres are just examples of the incomprehensible cruelty we've seen in Syria in recent months. Save the Children have a petition and today is a day of action across social media to raise awareness of this and call ...
This isn't going to convince a republican. In fact I wouldn't try to convince a republican as, and I've said this before, I'm mostly convinced by the more rational republican arguments. My love of the monarchy is wholly irrational. But I wanted to say a little something about what I think is the best quality of Her Majesty; that is that she embodies our better qualities. In the world of Second Life, users create avatars for themselves based, usually, not on what they actually look or act like but as they would wish to be. They use these avatars as ...
Apologies for slight radio silence at the moment - just as I get more hours at the Lib Dem call centre, so I get extra hours at the pub (again). Work totals about 50 hours a week at the mo. On the one hand, YAY MONEY! On the other, boooo tired... Anyway, here are my recommendations for stuff on t'internet you should check out:Solo Blogger - McGillianaire - An eclectic mix of sport and culture from a guy who is about as multicultural as anyone I know. Group Blog - Full Fact (syndicated to DW as [IMG: [syndicated profile] ] ...
Two issues have come up in the last couple of week that starkly illustrate that the Liberal Democrats and the Tory right wing have very different views about how you treat the workforce. They are the issues of Regional Pay, ... Continue reading →
Last September I wrote about the 'problem' of obesity in the third world commenting that.... if current trends continue then problems with obesity will outstrip problems from starvation. Whist I personally find it wrong that people are still going hungry whilst there is a worldwide surplus of food, at some stage it will become inevitable that more people will die of complications from being overweight (a problem of affluence) than complications from malnutrition (a problem of poverty) Today, we have the follow up. Too many people in the developing world are having "Western lifestyles." Causing a surge in cancer rates, ...
I've not been over-enamoured with Nick Clegg's performances in recent months. There are times when he hits his targets; at others he's painfully infuriating. He makes excruciating viewing whenever he's discussing his pet project of social mobility as he simply doesn't convince on any level and however heartfelt and sensible his rhetoric he chooses to express it in language and terminology that will never, ever resonate with the public. Again, when it comes to Scottish issues, I feel embarrassed whenever he unwisely chooses to intervene. Then again, he's played some cards pretty well - not least on marriage equality. He's ...
Yes it's true. Clint was 82 yesterday so here's his 1967 interview with an up and coming British interviewer called John Humphrys. Quite a treat h/t to @corrie_corfield
Cllr Stamp Broken pledge? As anyone with any interest in Politics within the Medway towns will know, there was a vicious split back in 2010 between the Liberal Democrats and their former PPC Andy Stamp who now leads the break away Independent group who represent Gillingham North ward. There has been no love lost between the two groups and despite the Executive committee of the Libdems best intentions there is a lot of bitter feeling between some individuals on both sides. I can say hand on heart that I have never met Cllr Stamp, saw him briefly at the count ...
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 Tim Farron MP writes... Exemptions to accreditation for Transgender colleagues (63 comments) by Tim Farron MP Desperately thin stuff - Observer fails to reveal Lib Dem ties with Murdoch (27 comments) by Stephen Tall PMQs: Wouldn't you also crack under this sort of pressure? (19 comments) by Paul Walter Opinion: You can't have 'growth' without 'austerity' (37 comments) by David Thorpe Clegg: Gay marriage vote not a matter of conscience (36 comments) by Paul Walter 5 sample ...
Initially there were two candidate cities for the 1984 Summer Games. There was the one from Los Angeles but also one from Tehran, Iran. But with growing political tension in Iran leading up to the decision in 1977 the bid from Tehran was withdrawn. Los Angelses was therefore the sole candidate up for selection. The last time that had happened with the exception of the post war Games was in 1932 when the host city was Los Angeles. Nations 140 (+60) Competitors 6829 (+1650) Sports 21 (NC) Events 221 (+18) 28 July to 12 August, 1984 hosted by Los Angeles, ...
Before I start this, a brief note — my opinions on Beach Boys records often change *drastically* in the year or so after I first hear them. This is not my definitive word on this album, and I'll revisit this when I write volume three of my Beach Boys book. This is just what I ...
Greenwich Council have gone for Gold in their purchase of Olympic tickets. Relative to other councils Greenwich has been very slow in revealing information about how many Olympic tickets they are buying and to whom they are being allocated and thus there have been a number of Freedom of Information requests, over the last few months, ...
Most googled descriptions of David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband
After a number of quieter Thursdays, May 31st gave us something to get our teeth into with five principal council by-elections and one town council contest taking place. Unfortunately, the increased quantity of elections didn't help boost our yield and it was a week that went without a win. The best result of the day was in the Fosseridge ward of Cotswold District Council, where 20-year-old campaigner Danny Loveridge took 26 per cent of the vote, an increase of five per cent on the last contest. In the second-safest of the Tories' wards on Cotswold, and with an Independent candidate ...
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"Explore Islam and Muslim Culture" Exhibition on at Cambridge Central Library - 2nd to 11th June
Muslim Education and Outreach Cambridge (MEOC) is delighted to announce its event of the year at the Cambridge Central Library. MP Dr Julian Huppert will be inaugurating the event on Saturday 2nd of June at 11.30am. This museum-style exhibition, will display many artefacts from various Islamic cultures, history, general information about Islam and Muslims, and will also host children's activities and a range of sweet and savoury treats. The theme of the event this year is 'Quran, The Healing & Mercy to Mankind'. In this free event, the organizers hope to enhance social cohesion in and around Cambridge, while educating ...
Belle Vue hosts Consett Rugby Club's Beer Festival all weekend from 7.00 p.m. tonight till 10.00 p.m. on Sunday:
Over on Liberal England there is a posting today charting the decline in Western Civilisation as it is reflected in railway advertising. Jonathan chooses as his example of the best in advertising the 1925(?) picture by Fortunino Matania of Southport. This is just one of a number of collaborations between London Midland and Scottish Railways and Southport Council to promote the town. When The Atkinson art gallery re-opens it's doors visitors will be able to see the original artworks again. Initially Matania was commissioned by Southport to produce six paintings of 'Sunny Southport' The same poster that Jonathan uses was ...
Cllr Michael Williamson (LD, Waterbeach) Ministry of Defence plans to move more than 900 Army personnel and their families from Waterbeach to a potentially radioactive air base in Scotland must be put on hold, a Liberal Democrat County Councillor has warned. The transfer of 39 Engineer Regiment to RAF Kinloss must not go-ahead until a major investigation has been carried out as a matter of urgency, said Cllr Michael Williamson who represents the village. "This ill-conceived relocation must be stopped until cast iron assurances are given by an independent enquiry that the area is safe," said Cllr Williamson. "These are ...
By Howard of Lib Dem News * Mary Reid is one of the Day Editors on Lib Dem Voice.
The Harborough Mail tells us that "A-lister Crowe" paid a low-key visit to George Halls Cycle Centre in Northampton Road last Friday afternoon: Neil Holman, owner of George Halls, told the Mail: "We repaired his bike. "He had just got a puncture. "His minder dropped it in during the morning and then in the afternoon Russell Crowe came in himself." While in the shop, the Australian actor spoke to a shop assistant and asked him for directions to the Brampton Valley Way and asked if there was a 'number six' that marked the route.Crowe is currently filming Les Miserables at ...
Cambridge MP Julian Huppert at Cambridge Station Giant train operator, Greater Anglia has agreed to redesign a cycle 'gutter' on the new island platform at Cambridge railway station following complaints from MP Julian Huppert and other cyclists. The company accepted that the current design is "not fit for purpose" and is working with Network Rail to find an alternative solution. Julian said: "I am delighted that Greater Anglia has recognised this problem and plans to take action to remedy it. "On the whole, I have been delighted by the commitment Greater Anglia and Abellio has shown towards improving cycling facilities ...
For those who us who grew up on cheesy American teen sitcoms and/or films we got that perception that the most popular kid in high school was all the quarterback on the football team. He got the girls and he had the looks. At high school that might be the case but once these young people moved on to university then everything changed. The most popular kid on campus is rarely the quarterback – it is the backup quarterback. Over in the states college sports are nearly as big as professional sports – certainly when it comes to football and ...
A CONFIDENTIAL number to report drink drivers and those driving under the influence of drugs launches today (Friday June 1,) to coincide with the force's summer campaign. The enforcement campaign runs until the end of June, while the confidential hotline will be piloted for three-months. Using the 0800 032 0845 number, which is available 24/7, people can get involved in the campaign by supplying police with information about drink and drug drivers. We know there are people out there who still feel it is acceptable to drive under the influence and there are also people who know who these offenders ...
At First Minister's Questions yesterday, Alex Salmond chose to make a couple of cheap gags at the Liberal Democrats' expense rather than actually answer the question that was put to him. He basically refused to guarantee that local police and fire emergency control rooms would not close as a result of the SNP's power grab to centralise both services. Here's the exchange in full. Willie Rennie: This week, the First Minister's bulldozer came charging back out of the garage. This time, it was the Justice Committee ramming through police centralisation and crushing amendment after amendment. What is next in the ...
Paddy Ashdown writes in the Times today about Syria. He was, of course, the international community's High Representative in Bosnia, so is ideally placed to comment on western diplomacy in the face of tyranny. Megaphone diplomacy has failed. The West must let Turkey lead a relief operation. The slaughter of the innocents in Syria is, of course, horrific, barbaric, shocking, terrifying medieval, bestial — choose your own adjective; they've all been used — some many times over. In our attempts to camouflage impotence we are now devaluing hyperbole. But it is not sufficient. With the West's moral force in tatters ...
I'm at home today, for a while at least, and so my morning is filled with the usual pottering about activities, catching up on e-mail, drinking tea. Actually, put like that, it sounds a bit like my office, but with a more relaxed dress code. However, there is one more, rather less enjoyable aspect to it, the regular calls from claims management companies. Today's was a bit more fun than usual though. The phone rings, and the usual breathless message telling me that various banks and financial institutions have missold PPI follows when I pick it up. I am invited ...
I just sent this note to friends and colleagues - please feel free to do so yourself, and spread the word.Dear Friend, I'm writing to ask for your support - wait, no money needs to change hands! - in getting our members of Parliament to take science more seriously. Former Times science correspondent Mark Henderson has written an excellent book called The Geek Manifesto, which outlines the ways in which science matters to politics - and how it matters to various other fields, such as journalism, the environmental movement and so on. The overriding message of the book is that, ...
So, I was live on Sky News yesterday lunchtime outside The Royal Courts of Justice, where Jeremy Hunt was being questioned in the Leveson inquiry and Adam Boulton asked me whether anything we had heard that morning really mattered? And actually I think it did. But less so for Jeremy Hunt and rather more so for David Cameron. Firstly, Hunt. Now don't get me wrong, I think he's in it up to his neck. But rather more because he may well have misled Parliament, than for the bias issue. He has told Parliament that he made... "absolutely no interventions seeking ...
For a number of years we've had legal minimum wage. Unfortunately statutory sick pay has not kept pace. In fact its never been in the same ball park. Statutory sick pay works out as £85.85pw with many organisations paying sick employees at this rate for up to 28 weeks. The minimum wage for 21year old is £6.08ph or £243.20pw for a 40hr week. So why the gap? Beats me and I think it needs to be closed. Have you ever received statutory sick pay and how did you cope financially?
Oldest and Fatherless: The Terrible Secret of Tom Bombadil Brilliant speculation! (tags: sf tolkien ) What Are The Hardest Languages To Learn? [INFOGRAPHIC] | Voxy Blog I am surprised by some of these - the South-East Asian languages in the 'Medium' rather than 'Hard' category, and Arabic categorised differently from Hebrew. Also absence of German a bit puzzling. (tags: languages ) The fish fingers that weren't fish fingers. Coconut? Yuck! (tags: doctorwho ) A very reluctant Yes on the Fiscal Stability Referendum By the time this appears in linkspam we will probably know how the referendum went. (tags: euro eu ...
Cornwall Council's complaints about the likely impact of budget cuts on road safety would be taken a lot more seriously if the same authority hadn't postponed important road safety works because its own parking budget didn't add up. Tweet
I was intrigued by Nick Clegg's response to accusations from the Labour Party (and others) of a series of U-turns - 32, according to Labour. His suggestion that people might appreciate a Government that listens to concerns and responds with compromise appears to have been found to be a weak and ineffectual sounding one.Which is odd really, because it implies that Governments should just do things and see whether they work or not, rather than listen to alternate views. Or, perhaps, Labour don't want to waste time coming up with suggestions of their own.And I admit that the Coalition has ...
'... today George Osbourne admitted cutting the 50p top rate of tax was a mistake and agreed to continue with it until economic conditions were suitable for tax cuts.' If he did however, he might start to restore some of his recently (deservedly) shredded reputation for economic competence. It might also help the Conservatives deal with the issue that they are perceived as a bunch of out of touch rich boys.
Body image and children - its the government stupid! My boss made a blog post, and it's a good one. (tags: ) The Rt Hon Trouble - My views on sexuality - My views on sexuality 3 young liberals are ace. (tags: ) Range of Tinned Fear - Hoxton Street Monster Supplies I love this shop. (tags: ) Czerwik's Fine Wine and Cheeses My favourite shop now has a website offering delivery and free click and collect options. I foresee this being very expensive indeed if I'm not careful. Note to anyone likely to look: I recommend the Fifty Pound ...
I am sitting at a desk in a hall taking a three hour exam, with over an hour to go. I glance up at the clock and realise to my horror that I have misjudged the time and there are only 10 minutes left. Then I wake up in a cold sweat. I always had intense anxiety dreams like that before exams, and I still have similar ones occasionally before important events in my life. Sometimes it involves being late, or saying the wrong thing, or wearing inappropriate (or no) clothes. Last week I lived through a real-life version of ...
This week Parliament agreed the following motion, confirming the plans to have a joint committee scrutinise a draft Communications Data Bill (aka online snooping powers): That it is expedient that a joint committee of Lords and Commons be appointed to consider and report on any draft Communications Data Bill presented to both Houses in the course of this Session and that the committee should report on any draft Bill by 30 November. The last Parliamentary session saw a similar process for the proposals to introduce individual electoral registration. That process worked well, with the detailed scrutiny throwing up lots of ...
I'm proud to be in a party that values freedom and democracy above all else. We passionately campaign for equality of opportunity, and a world in which success is based on a person's own merits rather than privilege and nepotism. We want to reform the outdated electoral system, and object to an unelected House of Lords, described by Nick Clegg as "an affront to the principles of openness which underpin a modern democracy". That is why I, like many other Liberal Democrats, cannot support a system of monarchy whereby power is inherited and all but one family is excluded from ...
I imagine that's the point of a new premises licence application submitted to DCC. The following application has been received/accepted by Durham County Council Application Type – Application for a New Premises Licence (sale of alcohol for consumption off the premises) Applicant: – WM Morrison Supermarkets Plc Premises – Morrisons, Hermiston Retail Park, front Street, Consett Date of Application – 23 May 2012 Last date for representations - 20 June 2012 Since the existing Morrisons premises must have a licence, I imagine this is for the new store rising on the the old Focus site. I understand it's planned to ...
Yesterday the MP for Solihull and the first female Chair of the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Party, Lorely Burt, joined Twitter. This brings to 37 the number of Liberal Democrat MPs now on Twitter. She is @LorelyBurt and you can follow all the Lib Dem MPs on Twitter via this list.
1925 . 2012
Are the tories unfit to be in government? That's a question I've been asking myself lately and I've come to the conclusion that the answer is yes. And I should empahsises that the question isn't about the tories' policies - even though I find their policies and ideologies abhorrent that doesn't necessarily mean they're unfit for government. After all, democracy is all about the fact that, even if you find a group's views abhorrent, they are still entitled to a fair share of power if enough people vote for them. So when I say that the tories are unfit to ...
From @libdemvoice > LibLink: Sarah Teather Special needs children deserve more http://t.co/wdxrPdWW # From @libdemvoice > PMQs: Wouldn't you also crack under this sort of pressure? http://t.co/wJrJfFNh # From @libdemvoice > Local liberal heroes: Peter Truesdale – A while back, I penned a series of posts profiling forgo... http://t.co/2MYBnwys # From @libdemvoice > Do you think News International could be done for stalking? http://t.co/B8fXX4kV # A definite #ff to @CommonsHansard. My Twitter timeline is now complete. # Well worth a read » RT @rickmuir1 Great blog from @IPPR_NickP on what the Lib Dems and Labour can take from Jo Grimond ...
So said Willie Rennie in the debate on Scotland's future yesterday. The Holyrood Parliament was discussing the following motion: That the Parliament agrees that Scotland should be an independent country; sees it as the responsibility of this generation to hand over a better country to the next generation than the one inherited, and believes that it is vital for the people of Scotland to take full responsibility for the decisions about the future of Scotland.It will come as no surprise to learn that the Holyrood Parliament, with an SNP overall majority, passed this motion. It strikes me as strange that ...
If you're looking for something to do on Bank Holiday Monday, you should try visiting Ashington Country Park, for WhATFEST WhATFEST will take place at Woodhorn Museum, Ashington on Monday 4 June from 10am until 4pm. To quote from the Sustrans EMail :- "There will be a series of 45 minute fun rides throughout the day. The route sets off from Woodhorn Museum and explores the Queen Elizabeth II Country Park. The rides will set off at 10.30, 11.15, 12.00, 12.45, 1.30, 2.15 and 3.00, [and] they are ideal for people of all ages and abilities. To participate in a ...
This post does exactly what it says on the tin. It provides you with Photos. Of Bristol. Sunset, Victoria Park Sunset, Victoria Park Sunset, Victoria Park Public Art - detail Cabot Tower Andrew
Kurt Vonnegut to weasels in five easy steps. 'I Was There': On Kurt Vonnegut – A long piece in The Nation looks back over Vonnegut's novels from Player Piano to Breakfast of Champions. 10 Pilots With Light Turbulence – The Fan Can looks at the very early stages of some TV classics. The Unbearable Stasis of "Accelerating Change" – Dale Carrico looks at how little futurology has changed, despite the fact we're now living in the future. (via) Oh Happy Days: A Personal Recollection Of Working With Jeremy Hunt – Interesting background on the (at the time of writing) Culture ...
Roman Way residents are celebrating after Test Valley's Northern Area Planning committee rejected proposals to build 50 homes at Shepherds Spring School. The committee listened to representations from Cllr Barbara Long, of Andover town council, and from me, acting as spokesman for local residents. We both condemned the proposals as unsafe and unacceptable. The plan would have seen a new access road for fifty homes pushed through between the Andover Education centre and the Spring Meadow children's centre onto the already busy Smannell Road. We argued this access road would be unsafe for residents and users of the children's centre ...
I recently mentioned that, at a meeting I had with the City Council's Environment Director about recycling in the West End, I raised the need to offer plastics recycling at Tesco Riverside and aluminium cans recycling at the Roseangle Car Park recycling facility - and was promised that this would be considered. I have now had a very positive response from the department as follows: "The site at Roseangle now has provision for both alu-cans & plastics (the alu-can container had been under repair). We have also spoken to Tesco and they have agreed to placing two containers for plastics. ...
The creative force behind the new exhibition of drawing and painting in the Vine is a group know as the Magdalen Artists. Consisting of five artists (pictured right), they return to the beautiful setting of the Vine to show their work in an exhibition aptly themed "Summertime", to fit in with WestFest. Having exhibited their work together on a previous occasion, in the Vine, the exhibition has an overall cohesion with its fusion of styles and subjects. This is not to say that the artists work in a similar style but that the styles complement and interlace to create an ...
It is a rainy bank holiday weekend so it must be the Hay Literary Festival. Half of middle England will be descending on the Mid-Wales town, yet despite this the major mobile companies have failed to provide adequate phone coverage. It could be a few days before I post here again.
Anxiety about personal appearance is on the rise, with consequences damaging for health. Many women feel they must have a perfect, thin figure. Crash diets, smoking, eating disorders and depression are often the result. Men sometimes follow the same path in pursuit of the six pack belly but many also want to bulk up ...
