It's a brave man (or woman) who risks publishing a book about an ongoing situation, as it can all too easily be overtaken by events. But Tariq Ramadan's The Arab Awakening (Allen Lane, £20) gives more than temporary relevance to his text by relating the events of the past 18 months to a reappraisal of ...
Isn't it time to rebalance food consumption and production globally?
On Saturday Blackhill Park is the place to be for Olympic celebrating frolics with More than Gold.
After nearly £60,000 investment from the Borough Council, an imaginative design and a lot of hard work over nearly a year, Tring Memorial Gardens have won a prestigious Green Flag Award. Well done Dacorum, well done Rob Cassidy and his team and well done the Friends of Tring Memorial Gardens! Some people were concerned when they heard that the plans involved some felling, but with the sensitive selection of the trees to be removed the gardens have been opened up – and brightened up. The result is once again a peaceful green space where people can enjoy nature and tranquility ...
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Despite the rather over the top articles in the media, Cornwall is not about to go down the route of having an elected mayor. And I'm disappointed that the Councils Comms Unit is pushing the idea. What Cornwall is doing is conducting a governance review. A panel of councillors (including me) is looking at the various different options for making decisions and engaging with residents. The Localism Act allows councils to consider a range of options including a change back to the committee system. We have always been able to consider the mayoral system and that is, technically, one of ...
Well, that got Lord Bonkers reading anyway... Eyelevel is being used as the end theme music for Alan Partidge's "Mid Morning Matters" on Sky One. That's Eye Level by the Simon Park Orchestra, and Simon Park was born in Market Harborough, by way of explanation for the title above. I'm really enjoying the Alan Partridge programmes on Sky One. Along with Billy Connolly and Monty Python, Alan Partridge is "me" or my sense of humour. Here's a snippet of the Partridge and that beautiful tune "Eye Level" (both "Top of the Pops" and studio versions): [IMG: Post to Twitter] Tweet ...
I thought citizenship was about moral fabric. Old fashioned ideals like wanting to do the best for your country and being an upstanding citizen of society in that country. The most sought after citizenship in the world has to be the American one. So what is the American dream? In the current political spat between Obama and Romney the currency of being a true American throws a spanner in the works. It is all about the free market vs small socialism. Obama says that Government must invest in infrastructure and education so that people can become successful. Romney says that ...
PC Harwood managed to avoid one disciplinary charge by resigning from the Met force on health grounds, then rejoining two days later as a civilian employee. (Sky) * Mark Pack has written 101 Ways To Win An Election and produces a monthly newsletter about the Liberal Democrats.
Shock Horror, having been too busy/bored to post just recently I thought I'd check through comments etc. only to find that my browser would not allow me to view Bignews Margate. My browser Chrome, warned me that a link on my webpage "contains content from www.souththanetlabour.org.uk, a site known to distribute malware. No doubt this is some sort of glitch and I have now removed the link from this site. Still I was considering a post not on malicious software but the malicious actions of the Public and Commercial Services Union who have selfishly called a strike to disrupt boarder ...
Dr Anonymous is a university lecturer on a short-term contract. The current consensus about university admissions, although rarely put in quite these terms, is that all middle class children should have a place, plus a generous selection of the Worthy Poor. (A subsidiary assumption is that the middle class will come straight from school, while the Worthy Poor will include mature students). Hence various attempts to score points from a drop in applications to universities this year. (No one contributing to this debate seems interested in intellectual life; all are motivated social and economic concerns.) But would it would be ...
The Home Office Group of the PCS has announced a one day strike just the day before the opening ceremony of the Olympics. The Home Office includes Identity and Passport Services, The Criminal Records Bureau and the UK Border Agency (UKBA). When a strike is called, there needs to be a clearly defined "win condition" - what it will take for the union to gain the concessions required to call off the strike and resolve the dispute and there needs to be sympathy from the public at large to show that the union are on the right side of the ...
Averaging out the opinion polling on voting intention from ICM for 2012 gives us the following: Con:36.4% Lab:38.1% LD:14.0% The most recent of these polls (24th June) has the figures: Con:34% Lab:39% LD:14% So, with the next election most likely to be just under three years off, let's look at some voting intention polling from previous parliaments. First, 2005-2010. The ICM poll of June 2007, a similar point in the election cycle to where we are now, with the 2010 election figures in brackets, gives the figures: Con:35%(36%) Lab:39%(29%) LD:18%(24%) The most striking difference is that Labour, the incumbent party, ...
Next Generation is a training and development programme to develop our 'future leaders' in local government. The programme is organised in three separate party-political programmes, the Liberal Democrat one is organised by ALDC. Next Generation is now in its seventh year. Each year we take a group of younger Liberal Democrat councillors and take them through a programme which includes: looking at existing Liberal Democrat success on the ground, both in opposition and control. developing participants' individual skills, including a 360 degree assessment of skills and access to mentoring. engagement with key people within the Party. All our recent cohorts ...
New Free Schools will not be able to teach Creationism as fact. That sums up precisely what the rest of this article is about. If you just wanted a firm answer as to whether free schools will be able to teach Creationism in science classes, then feel under no pressure to read on. I won't be offended. A debate has arisen on this subject following rumours that the new Exemplar Free School intends to teach its students that Creationism is scientific fact. I can confirm, however, that this is not the case. The 2013 Free Schools application process specifically says ...
A good news story has crept under the radar earlier this week. The Department for Transport has published its draft aviation policy framework. The aim is to create long-term and sustainable growth in the aviation industry through measures such as; ... Continue reading →
Some very disappointing news dropped into my inbox earlier today and confirmation has come that Cllr Ric Morgan has quit the party and has joined the Liberal Party. He will continue to serve as one of the three councillors for Prittlewell and whilst a member of the Liberal Party he will be serving as an independent. This means in terms of the make-up of the council the independents are now the main party of opposition although with one of their members effectively voting with the Tories on all issues and the Thorpe Bay three having a voting pact with the ...
The Highways Agency have updated their web page giving information on the works being done on the M60 J2-4 and J3 slip road (onto Kingsway). You can see the latest information on the Highways Agency website here, where you can also sign up to be notified by email whenever it's updated.
The fight for equal marriage is being fought right across the globe at the moment. Some people will know that I am happy to be associated with the Equal Marriage NI campaign, and have been helping via Tinsel Box in some related activity by Christians who want Equal Marriage. Always on the look out for ...
The first draft of the Woodford Garden Village SPD (Supplementary Planning Document) has been published by Stockport Council – all 388 pages of it! This SPD has not yet been approved by the Council and still has to go to Scrutiny and the Executive where it could be amended. In September, it it will go to public consultation and residents – particularly those in Woodford itself – will have the opportunity over several weeks to meet with Council officers, discuss the SPD and submit comments. The SPD is a Council document. Taking into account the development proposals on the table, ...
Wired reports: In the decade since 9/11, the U.S. government has used a wide variety of tactics against terrorists. It's invaded countries where they operated (and ones where they didn't). It's tried to win the backing of foreign populations in which the terrorists hide. And it's sent commandos and deadly flying robots to kill them one by one. One thing it hasn't done, until now: troll them... The program, called Viral Peace, seeks to occupy the virtual space that extremists fill, one thread or Twitter exchange at a time. Shahed Amanullah, a senior technology adviser to the State Department and ...
I know I shouldn't give Proctor and Gamble the publicity, but I do feel that it's also important to dissect adverts which display blatant sexism or other outdated social mores. This is their latest effort, for the Olympics. "It takes a lot of dishes and a lot of washing up, for Mum to build an athlete" reinforces the idea that women do the domestic chores in service to the males of the house. It's just wrong on so many levels. Maybe Proctor and Gamble aren't aware, but women are actually taking part in the Olympics now, you know. I have ...
The last Plenary day before summer recess is always busy but rarely as eventful as yesterday. There has been much comment and discussion about whether it was wise for the opposition to go for the nuclear option of a no confidence vote in the Health Minister, and no doubt opinion will be equally as divided as to who won the argument. What the debate and the previous scrutiny session established though, is that civil servants had an input into the drafting of the 'independent' report on which the government is making its case for reconfiguration,in terms of the provision of ...
Gatley Carrs will be receiving their Green Flag award from Cllr Kevin Hogg on Wednesday, 25 July at 2.00 pm. Meet on the Car Park, everyone's welcome to come along. A Green Flag Award provides national recognition for the achievements of all those whose hard work and dedication has helped to create these fantastic places for all to enjoy.
Labour clears the way. So says the century-old Labour campaign poster depicting working men smashing down the door to the House of Lords. Oh dear. Given the opportunity earlier this month to live up to that proud boast they sided instead with rebel, anti-reform Conservatives and together succeeded in forcing the Government to abandon a vote on its proposed timetable for the bill. Without the timetable, those who, for whatever bizarre reason, don't believe that the governed should elect those who govern them could talk until the cows come home, ensuring the reform bill is killed off. Labour could easily ...
The Southfield Police Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT) are holding a cycle marking event between 11am and 3pm on Sat 28th July on Acton Green Common. If you have a bike they will mark it so that if it is ever stolen then it will be registered and then if recovered the police can get it back to you. This is done using a marking system that is invisible to the eye. My bike has a similar DNA type of marking so if nicked then the criminals can be more easily arrested and charged with theft. Go along, even if just ...
Looks like someone in No. 10 needs a holiday. Just been asked by govt press officer: "Sorry, who is Owen Paterson?" — Ross Hawkins (@rosschawkins) July 19, 2012 Oh dear. Paterson is Northern Ireland Secretary and Tory MP for North ... Continue reading →
Equality campaigners across Scotland were quietly confident on Tuesday. It had been widely expected that the SNP Government would at least allow equality in civil marriage if not religious. After all, the measure had already secured the support of a majority of MSPs and the Equality and Human Rights Commission report suggest sthat it has the support of over 60% of Scots. The Government's plans have, however, attracted vocal opposition from some religious organisations. However, the Government announced that it was delaying the decision and setting up a Cabinet Committee to "further examine some particular issues of detail". A final ...
Equality campaigners across Scotland were quietly confident on Tuesday. It had been widely expected that the SNP Government would at least allow equality in civil marriage if not religious. After all, the measure had already secured the support of a majority of MSPs and the Equality and Human Rights Commission report suggest sthat it has the support of over 60% of Scots. The Government's plans have, however, attracted vocal opposition from some religious organisations. However, the Government announced that it was delaying the decision and setting up a Cabinet Committee to "further examine some particular issues of detail". A final ...
Southwark Council has 19,000 people on its housing waiting list. At the start of the year I asked Southwark Council internal audit management whether could use commercial data matchers to fight fraud. So I'm delighted this technique originally brought to work on illegal claims for Council Tax Single Persons Discount is now being applied to council properties and the housing waiting list. Initially 2,000 properties out of the 45,000 have been highlighted as being good leads for further investigation. Of the 2,000, 900 have really good data matches. So many matches that a new team has been created to chase ...
I've just seen this on the BBC website: I don't mean to be pedant* - and I'm sure the eagle-eyed will have noted a number of typos on these pages over the years - but, really, "to loose"? As grammatical errors go, though, that is one of the ones that jars the most - at least for me! Andrew *of course I do, I love being pedantic!
Last week the Liberal Democrats on Manchester City Council put forward an important motion to improve the council's green credentials and the environment. Labour refused to pass the motion without serious amendments which watered down the proposal to the point ... Continue reading →
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Tory MP's summer resolution: "I am going to learn to love the coalition" (But he'll still block Lord...
There's an interestingly conciliatory post on ConservativeHome from Tory MP Gary Streeter — introduced as 'one of the 81 rebels on an EU referendum and one of last week's 91 rebels on an elected Lords' — re-committing himself to supporting the Coalition. ... we need a steady hand on the tiller at this time of global crisis. We need stability in government. We need to be able to look ahead for more than just a few months. We need to survive until 2015 and thereafter might even be in coalition again for a further period. We are fortunate to have ...
European Commission President Barroso yesterday used uncharacteristically tough language to condemn the current political turmoil in Romania. Calling for "urgent action" by the country to win back the confidence of its EU partners, Barroso talked about the "exceptional events" which have been "a major source of concern to the EU" and "shaken our trust." Barroso also announced that the EU was extending a special system of checks on Romania's respect for the rule of law and judicial independence, instigated after the country joined the EU five years ago. The unprecedented language from the EU follows a political crisis which has ...
I've blogged before about my campaigning for more fee free cash machines (ATMs that don't charge you to get your own money) in Liverpool (and elsewhere for that matter) Back in May, as a result I suspect of some of the media coverage, the people from LINK came up to Liverpool to discuss things but also to have a look around the various areas which were local cash deserts. There were quite a few of these and many were in areas of deprivation, making the problem not just annoying but a real tax on poverty. Anyway, the good news is ...
Anna was really keen that I should read this book by New York Times bestselling author John Green. She had it the day it was published and has re-read it several times since, almost like the character Hazel does with her favourite book which provides a pivotal part of the plot. TFioS is an extremely well written assault on the emotions. Unlike other young adult bestsellers, there's not a sparkly vampire or a fight-to-the-death Olympic style event for children in sight.This is all about the relationships that form in a support group for teenagers with Cancer. There is no potential ...
After the great news about season ticket prices coming down, last night the Launceston Community Network Panel had a discussion about the hourly rates for pay and display tickets. We start off at a disadvantage in that Cornwall Council is still insisting on raising a certain amount from each car park and uses a spreadsheet to judge whether income from a proposed change would be acceptable or not. In essence, they do not agree that lower prices might attract substantially more drivers to park in our car parks - enough to actually see an increase in income despite the lower ...
Homosexuality Explained To My Mother A Moroccan writes. (tags: morocco sexandgenderandsexuality ) Dumping Facebook: Why More People Are Leaving The slide begins to accelerate... (tags: facebook ) Rejoice Gods of Georgian Democracy! "Last year, the government of Georgia held a session of the cabinet in a grotto named after the mythical martyr of humanity, Prometheus." (tags: georgia ) Carne Ross: Participatory Democracy Opens Political Process "we cannot expect government to produce equality. We have to work for it ourselves" (tags: politics uspolitics us carneross )
Just four stages to go, and is it all over bar the shouting? There was a lot of expectation about yesterday's stage, with predictions of explosive attacks, big changes in the general classification and some dramatic riding from individuals. We did get all those, but mostly from Thomas Voeckler who's now moved up to 23rd place in the overall standings as well as leading the King of the Mountains. In the race for the yellow jersey – or what we saw of it, given that French TV were rather preoccupied with Voeckler and Feillu alone at the front of the ...
In an article that will bring succour to hard-pressed press officers everywhere, Zoe Williams has declared: "Straight talking is one thing, but when you're straight repeating work that has already been done, but sloppily, with less sophistication, drawing egregious conclusions, isn't that a waste of time?" Of course, she's talking about policy advisers, not journalists, ...
Liberal Democrats don't like free schools do they? After all they undermine local authorities and are bad for the democratic accountability of our state school system. They introduce demand as opposed to need for the creation of new schools. Certainly there is some truth in these objections, but the reality is not black and white. In my ward in LB Camden the Labour administration has refused to take action to meet the shortage of primary school places. They have fudged the issue with figures that show that they are adhering to statutory requirements. I was elected in 2009 and every ...
The Police seize illegal off-road bikes, which are an ongoing problem in the area. When they're seized, they get crushed so they don't find there way onto causing a problem for someone else. And the crushing's done in public. So if you'd like to see a whole bunch of illegal off-road bikes being mangled and destroyed, come along to the Tesco Tiviot Way car park in Stockport on Saturday 21st July 2012 from 1pm to 3pm. Off-Road Bike Crush
The following is a Press Release put out by the Department of Transport in relation to the A14 upgrade proposals (with my highlighting of sections of particular relevance to local residents);"The Government today announced proposals for major investment along the A14 corridor in Cambridgeshire.A major new road scheme involving tolling will be added to the Department for Transport's programme of major projects. Subject to agreement with interested local authorities on a funding package and decisions at the next Spending Review construction work could begin by 2018.The plans are designed to address congestion and long term capacity issues on and around ...
Schools deny girls cervical cancer jabs on religious grounds | Society | guardian.co.uk Since when does a virus know whether you're married or not? (tags: ) BBC News - Naked rambler walks free from Perth Prison YAY! (tags: ) How to tell if a woman loves you. My reaction to this: man, I love a lot of people. Of both genders. And quite a few of them are relatives. I'm lucky, aren't I? (tags: ) Another tale of the way women are treated at some cons ... and reinforcing my reluctance to go to them. Jim Hines has wonderful comments ...
[IMG: David Cameron] I only ask because: Unemployment down (good news) Inflation down (seen as good news even if some may differ) New railway investment plans published Big move to boost infrastructure spending from the autumn onwards All sounds for the making of a week of good economic news. So what does David Cameron do? He gives a media interview full of economic doom and gloom. Very strange timing.
Following a hastily arranged meeting in the Pot & Glass side room last week the inaugural meeting of EARA was held on Monday in the Parish Hall. A committee was formed from among the hundred or more who packed into the room, and agreement was reached that although the priority at the moment is to fight the proposals for development in the green wedge next to the village there will be a wider
If you missed it, it's worth listening to yesterday's PM from Radio Four. It includes an interview with Vince Cable over lunch (stuffed aubergine and jelly for afters, since you asked). In the discussion, Vince says that his reputation has been improved in the long run by his "I've declared war on Rupert Murdoch" comment, caught on tape by under-cover Telegraph reporters. He also says that you need to avoid using irony in government. The interview is available on BBC iPlayer here under the "18/7/2012" edition. BBC online have a news story about Vince's comments here: Vince Cable has said ...
Thursday Experienced Liberal activists will need no introduction to my many inventions - I think particularly of the steam-powered shuttleworth press and the Bonkers Patent Exploding Focus (for use in marginal wards). So they will not be surprised that I am enthused by the Dragons' Den programme on the moving television. After pondering which of my new ideas to set before them, I have lit upon the 'George Formby Grill'. This will cook meat in the modern healthy way while playing comic songs with a ukulele accompaniment - the standard model will include 'Leaning on a Lamppost,' 'My Grandad's Flannelette ...
Nibali being pulled back by the last two men from the peleton. Hear ye, hear ye. The King is dead long live the new King. Cadel Evans (BMC) was dropped once against yesterday and this time there was no truce and no limiting of losses, nor was Tejay van Garderen required to hang back with the rest of the team to help the team leader. But who is the new King. It should be Bradley Wiggins. But if some misfortune overcomes the Maillot Jaune today Sky still have the fall back of Chris Froome. Vincenzo Nibali (LIQ) tried again yesterday ...
"Kinder eggs are prohibited just like narcotics are prohibited," he said. "Our officers, if they encounter prohibited stuff, they're subject to seizure." Checking for date...not 1st April. So where are Kinder Eggs banned and could lead to a sticky situation with the border patrol?Read the story and be amazed *the title for the post is shamelessly stolen from @neilhimself Neil Gaiman's Twitter feed
I have today criticised vandals responsible for damaging the bus shelter in Apollo Way in the Technology Park. As you can see from the photo - right - a glass panel has been smashed. I have been in touch with the City Council to ensure the shelter is repaired.
I have expressed concern at yet another travellers' encampment springing up yesterday, this time at the former Scottish Water site at the Riverside BusinessPark immediately west of Dundee Airport. This site was previously occupied in August 2010 and there are concerns that another encampment will lead to the sort of mess left then - when a considerable mess was strewn and there were concerns about it blowing over the airport runway. It appears that, although the site was secured with a barrier after the last occupation, this has been forced open. The airport management is aware of the situation and ...
