Last month I reported that the RSPB was inviting questions for Nick Clegg and that the best 20 of them would be put to him after he returned from the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. The charity has now posted those questions and Nick's answers: Nick, what actions the coalition have taken to justify the PM's claim to be the greenest government ever? RSPB members should not be in any doubt of our commitment to being the greenest government ever. We have pledged to half greenhouse gas emissions by 2025 - the boldest target set, in law, by any ...
I have recently highlighted the concerns about the latest travellers' encampment at the Riverside Business Park. I was on Wave 102 news earlier today about latest developments - click 'play' below to listen:The encampment, following legal steps taken by the landowner at the Sheriff Court culminating earlier today, has moved on - but only to illegally occupy another site in South Road. The Riverside site is now properly secured but the fundamental issue is the slowness of the legal process. Furthermore, the City Council provides a properly serviced site for the travelling community at Balmuir Wood, Tealing.
Not quite a year after I read the first in this series, I've read the second, and have certainly worked up an appetite to read the rest now. Niccolò, the Flemish apprentice-turned-magnate of the first book, is sent on a mission of cut-throat mercantile competition to Trebizond, the only surviving point of the Byzantine Empire; but the year is 1461, and Trebizond's time is also running out. There's some very skeevy (though not at all explicit) underage sex in this book, though our hero nobly stands aside from it; there's also a lot of appropriately byzantine political conspiracy, with tendrils ...
So reports The Spectator: George Osborne told MPs in his Budget statement that there would need to be a further package of £10 billion cuts in welfare spending over the period of the next spending review, and the IMF has made similar noises, too. But I understand that this is not going to happen because the Liberal Democrats will not let it go through. Sources are emphatic that those at the top - Nick Clegg, Danny Alexander et al - have blocked the £10 billion of cuts for this parliament. 'It's just not going to happen,' says one senior party ...
Here's a girl group who sound like they ought to be scrapping outside a Scottish pub, but in fact have come up with a modern motown classic...
In November 2010, after Judge Jacqueline Davies confirmed Paul Chambers' conviction in the 'Twitter joke trial', I wrote this: Terrorism works by spreading fear among the population, forcing us to live diminished lives. The security precautions we have to undergo at airports and the screen that divides MPs from the public gallery at Westminster are both victories for the terrorists. They were handed another one by the confirmation of Paul Chambers' conviction in Doncaster today.So Chambers' win is a defeat for terrorism.
In response to my email complaint of yesterday – Hawes & Curtis have replied... Thank you for your email and apologise for the incorrect information being on our website. This was a mistake by our supplier and unfortunately was not checked internally. We will have the website changed as soon as possible and also ...
The first meeting of the Acocks Green Ward Committee for this municipal year took place this Wednesday (25th July) in Acocks Green Library. The unusually long gap since the last meeting (7 March 2012) – the planned meeting for May was cancelled by the Labour majority on the Committee – led to a long agenda and a struggle to complete the meeting by the scheduled close of 9pm. As the first meeting of the year, the Committee made appointments to outside bodies. Taking advantage of their new control of the Committee, the two Labour Councillors took both positions available, with ...
I am getting very excited today watching the build up to the opening ceremony of the London Olympics. I am really looking forward to the next few weeks — not only for the sport — but also for the experience of such a huge global event happening so nearby. That event is going to have some unique aspects. Some of which will be worth studying closely and learning from. One of these is the strong likelihood that these will be the first "social media Olympics". At the time of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Facebook was just over four years old ...
The consultation "window" for the WDC New Local Plan Preferred Options closes today, 27th July 2012. Set out below is the text of my response to the consultation. PO1: Preferred level of growth I support the preferred option based on an average 600 new homes per annum, as being realistic against current demographic trends and economic growth projections. However, should economic growth trends change in future years the council should seek to respond flexibly as required. PO2: Community Infrastructure Levy This new system of raising funding from new developments to support infrastructure developments offers important new opportunities but also presents ...
I've seen more exciting tables to be honest. Great we're 4th though.
If you can swallow the completely implausible geological setup for this story - a desert planet with an ice core (or at least a permafrost mantle) - it's rather a good tale of the politics of a citadel society under stress, as the monsters arise both from the icy depths and from the elders' own children; it's rather effective as a body-horror story in its own right, and there are some excellent character moments for Fitz (one of the greatest of Who companions), the Doctor and even Compassion. But I can't quite forgive the geology.
I enjoyed the four plays in the fourth season of Big Finish's series about Victorian adventurers Jago and Litefoot, but felt that they were not quite as brilliant as previous series have been. In particular, the linking narrative between the four stories was weak and confusing; it might have been better to present them as four standalones, amusing incidents in the lives of our heroes and their friend Leela (and her friend Claudius Dark, played by Colin Baker, in the last story). The sinister duo of Kempston and Hardwick started off promisingly reminiscent of Angel's Wolfram and Hart, but ended ...
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 Opinion: Vince Cable's leadership comments are unwelcome (46 comments) by Paul Walter Sticking up for David Gauke and his tax-avoidance comments (40 comments) by Stephen Tall Fantasy leadership scenarios - the silly season has arrived (25 comments) by Paul Walter The graph which shows how many Tory, Labour and LibDem voters support House of Lords reform (18 comments) by Stephen Tall Clegg: 'I'd form a new coalition with Ed Miliband' (24 comments) by NewsHound 5 sample LDV ...
When I lived closer to it, I used to walk along the Stort Navigation on the Hertfordshire/Essex border fairly frequently, roughly between Harlow and Bishop's Stortford. Note for non-Brits especially: a "navigation" in this sense is a river converted to make it suitable for barges, straightened in places and given at least partly artificial banks. The Stort is the original river. The area is surprisingly rural, with woods, fielda and marshes. Since moving further away, I've become seriously interested in dragonflies and took the opportunity of recent sunny weather to revisit the Stort, reckoning it would be classic dragonfly habitat ...
Fresh on the heels of the Olympic Torch coming through Ham Common on Tuesday, the flame was back today - as a beacon on the Gloriana, as it made its way down river to the Park ahead of the opening ceremony today. Here's a couple of shots.
121134: Small rear extension, Sir Isaac's Walk. 121250: Insert door to existing shopfront, Queen Street 121290: Erection of hotel, St Peter's Street. 121292: Listed building consent for signage and fascia, High Street. 121335: Advertisement consent for sign, Culver Walk. Apologies for not including the St Peter's Street hotel one before – I work through the emails I receive from the planning service and it looks like I didn't get one for that. The final date for comments on it is 9th August. Please note that I am a member of the Council's Planning Committee for the next municipal year. This ...
I didn't vote for him. Not even second preference. I think he does a lot I don't agree with. I suspect he's not as quite as he appears. But you have to hand it to Boris. He does know how to make a speech... ...and how to stick it to Mitt Romney. Hats off Boris. Or as Jane Merrick tweeted this morning... and before I forget. Here's that video of Jeremy Hunt.
Well it didn't take long. Shortly after he said that if anything unexpected happened London would cope, something unexpected happen to the Culture and Olympic Secretary Jeremy Hunt. Don't worry World. London coped and has even made a disco remix
I am pleased that several Liberal Democrat MPs joined MPs from other parties to sign this Early Day Motion calling for an official minute's silence in memory of the eleven Israeli coaches and athletes murdered by terrorists at the Munich Olympics in 1972 (a terrorist being "someone who uses violent action, or threats of violent action, for political purposes"). In lieu of such an official minute's silence at the London Olympics, the Zionist Federation (ZF) and others organised a minute's silence at 11am today, including in Trafalgar Square. During this minute's silence (I was not myself in Trafalgar Square), I ...
Have you recently suffered an accident which wasn't your fault? Were you nonchalantly strolling past the Culture Secretary on HMS Belfast one sunny morning when you were abruptly hit on the head by a heavy brass bell? If so, please contact "Messrs Sue, Grabbit and Runne" as a matter of urgency.... Jeremy Hunt is 97. * Newshound sets the agenda, as you would expect from a Red Setter
Cringe-inducingly funny from BBC3. For the first time in history, someone important is at the Lib Dem conference:
There's been a lot of speculation over the last few weeks and months - since the bungled budget, #pastytax and all - about the future of George Osborne at No.11. It hasn't all been Lib Dems saying making it Vince. There are plenty of other names in the ring - Hague, Hammond, even Redwood, all put about by Tory sources and supporters. Yet in the last 24 hours or so I have seen three well connected and informed political commentators dismiss any notion of the Chancellor moving on. First Allegra Stratton on Newsnight on Wednesday described any notion that Cameron ...
The first monthly update email from BID Camborne popped into my inbox this morning. Our very own Business Improvement District has been up and running since April now. In response to feedback from local traders and residents, BID Camborne has teamed up with Camborne Regeneration Forum to offer free children's activities in Commercial Square. The fun will run from 11am-3pm every Friday during August – starting next week with Chloe the Clown's Magic Show, followed by Punch and Judy shows on the 10th. Friday 17th sees Mr Bamboozle and his balloon and circus tricks, on the 24th it's a surf ...
With timing about as bad as it is possible to be, Cornwall Council has today sent redundancy notices to the staff employed at Camelford Leisure Centre and warned of the possible closure of the centre. So whilst the rest of the UK is looking forward to tonight's Olympic Opening Ceremony, these hard working sports staff are looking for new jobs. Cornwall Council announced a year ago that it was closing Camelford Leisure Centre. It is only thanks to some very hard and fast work by the local community that it hasn't been shut already. The hope is still that the ...
Fri 27th
14:55
LibLink: Matthew Oakeshott - The Treasury needs a new team to stop this slide back into recession
In The Guardian Matthew Oakeshott writes: Britain's economy after this week's grim GDP figures looks like an old steam train struggling up Shap Fell. George Osborne, the driver, is doing his best but there's just not enough coal in the firebox, the train's lost momentum, and it's slipping back down the hill. We need two massive growth locomotives, called housing and banking, with a new team on the footplate to stop the slide. That's why I've been saying we need a bold plan A+, making banks lend, especially RBS, the bank we own but disgracefully don't control, and a firm ...
Welcome to the latest of my monthly collections for the Engine Group of five links that you shouldn't miss. The bots that edit Wikipedia http://bbc.in/PtlLTJ Behind the scenes of the international encyclopedia which anyone can edit is a small army of automated programs that keep the site going. An app - to check for skin cancer http://on.mash.to/Ptmsfy Take a photo with your smartphone's camera and help stay healthy. Use a phone to talk to people? How very old school http://bit.ly/Pto2Oy The enormous new Ofcom survey is out, packed full of useful data - including that the number of phone calls ...
So the opening ceremony is tonight. And, entering into the spirit of things, I'd thought I'd do a little competition. On this blog, I want you to guess the UK's medal haul. Gold, Silver and Bronze. Closest wins a mystery prize ... Continue reading →
There's good news for Cheadle's Barnes Hospital – the sites got new owners who say they want to restore the hospital building – converting it into flats and building houses around it. Schemes have come and gone in the past, not least due to the problems with the economy and the credit crunch, so no-one's going to get too excited just yet, but the new owners have indicated that they're keen to get on with the job so we're hoping to see a planning application in the next few months. View Cheadle and Gatley in a larger map
It was good to see the UK Women win last night. Hopefully the Men can do the same tonight at Old Trafford. There are 9 games being held at Old Trafford from both the woman's and men's competitions. Games that ... Continue reading →
It wasn't quite what Mitt Romney had planned for his big overseas trip. First, he offended Ed Miliband by forgetting his name. Then everyone realised he had been rude about our Olympics, prompting David Cameron and Boris Johnson to have ... Continue reading →
By Howard of Lib Dem News
Tonight is the night. Ok the Games started on Wednesday with the women's football but today is the day that the eyes of the world turn to London for the Games of the 30th Olympiad. There is much discussion about the key component of the night, the person who will light the Olympic Cauldron. There is talk of 5 times gold medalist Sir Steven Redgrave, or double decathlon gold Daley Thompson, there has even been a cry for Bradley Wiggins to do so, but as he is competing the next day I don't think it will be. However, I'm going ...
Local company "Pampered Chef" is holding a charity event to raise money for Cancer Research UK. The event will be a bring-and-buy cake sale with additional stalls for books and jewellry. The event is taking place in the Octagon at 2:30pm on Tuesday the 7th August. Entry is only ONE POUND! Come along and help raise money for this worthwhile cause. If you have any questions please contact Sarah Adams at the number given in the poster.
Amid the razzmatazz of Jamaica's 50th independence anniversary celebrations one inconvenient issue appears to have been swept under the carpet. In Kingston, an MP is piloting a Bill through parliament calling for reparations for enslavement. Mike Henry (pictured above), MP for Central Clarendon, is ... Continue reading →
Fri 27th
12:14
Half an inkling of backdown as government asks rail bidders to price up current service
It looks like the Government has given a modicum of hope that rail services to London won't be cut by a third. This follows intervention by three of Cornwall's MPs and a visit to London by the head of Cornwall's LEP and the council leader. In tender documents sent out to potential bidders, the government had suggested that the current nine services each way each day between Penzance and London could be cut to just six. This at a time when huge investment is taking place to electrify large sections of track elsewhere in the UK. But three Cornish MPs ...
Cllr Geoff Heathcock (LD, Queen Edith's) Cambridgeshire County Councillor, Geoff Heathcock has received reassurance that transport provision will be reviewed when Papworth Hospital moves into Cambridge. Cllr Heathcock, who represents Queen Ediths, was concerned that the move onto the Addenbrooke's Hospital site would make bring transport problems for patients and visitors. He called for a meeting with the Director of Estates and Facilities Management at Addenbrooke's Hospital to discuss his concerns. "I was very encouraged to hear that future transport requirements are being actively reviewed," he said. "This is a major move which will bring extra traffic and more patients ...
There were a grand total of three by-elections reported to ALDC this week, two principal contests and one fight out in the towns. In Stoke, the defending Labour party lost the Springfields and Trent Vale ward to a City Independent, who took just short of thirty-five per cent of the vote on his first outing. It was a packed slate, with eight parties on the ballot, and a disappointing result for the local Lib Dem team who dropped just shy of ten per cent on their 2011 total. Elsewhere, the Tories held on to Breckland's Harling and Heathlands ward, despite ...
Over the past few days Channel Four has been highlighting mental health with its #4goesmad series of programmes. With the aim of debunking the myths and stigma surrounding mental health, they are well worth a watch. I watched both Ruby Wax and Jon Richardson programmes. Both told powerful and compelling stories of people coming to terms with their mental health and talking openly about it often for the first time. One such moment was when a successful chef told his restaurant staff that he had, quite recently, contemplated suicide. Getting this confession out into the open was a symbol of ...
As a general rule, I think people are too ready to knock politicians they don't agree with as stupid. It's particularly striking when someone whose best result is a distant sixth place in a council by-election seven years ago pontificates about how they are so much politically smarter than the Prime Minster. It also applies more widely and is one reason why Gordon Brown puzzled me for so many years during his time as Chancellor. Anyone who gets to be Chancellor, especially for as many years as he did, has some political talent lurking somewhere in his character. Yet all ...
The Aleppo Codex Mystery An extraordinary story. (tags: books bible ) The Kremlin and Georgia - collusion or illusion? | openDemocracy Georgia's politicians are hypersensitive to charges of collusion with Russia, the old imperial power. President Saakashvili denounces opposition figures for being tools of the Kremlin. But the record suggests that he might himself be vulnerable to the same charge (tags: russia georgia ) The Big Three in EU Foreign Policy Excellent analysis by the excellent Stefan Lehne of the roles of UK, France, Germany in the EU. (tags: eu ) Proposals for Ulster-Scots GCSE outright dangerous "Ulster Scots simply ...
A week ago, Cornwall Council's cabinet agreed the latest in a line of decisions to rationalise the number of office buildings used by the authority (and yes, that does mean cut). This is a largely sensible programme to save money. If the council can move staff into a smaller number of buildings and sell or give up the lease on others, we can be more efficient and save money. The two caveats to this welcome are: that we should not use this as an excuse to 'gold-plate' the remaining officesthat we want to keep a presence in towns across CornwallThe ...
Cambridge MP Julian Huppert MP Julian Huppert is to have a behind-the-scenes tour of a new community café launched in Cambridge to give disabled people training and work experience. Julian will visit the Cornerstone Café in Mill Road on Tuesday (July 31) ahead of its official launch in the autumn to coincide with the start of the new academic year. The café has been set up by Papworth Trust, a leading disability charity which supports over 20,000 people each year through a wide range of services. As well as providing a meeting place for the local community the café will ...
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You may have noticed my excitement as the book I wrote with Ed Maxfield finally appeared, started being shipped to buyers and even made it to bookshop shelves. Quite a few people have asked whether it would be available as an e-book, which was the plan but has taken a little while to sort. The good news is that first of the e-book versions is now out – for the Kindle. As with the paperback, it's packed full of tips on how to win an election (though we left out this novel approach to a tricky TV interview). Whether it's ...
Some more ideas for parents - checking out our local green spaces. Children love wildlife! Wapley Bushes Local Nature Reserve Woodland, meadows and lots to explore - you can get a leaflet from the Tourist Information Bureau or check out the Wapley blog. Wapley has recently won the Green Flag Community Award as an outstanding public space. Ridge Woods A lovely walk through historic woodland - see their MyYate page and the Ridge Wood website. Yate Common Grassland and woodland to explore - it's bigger than you think! Check them out here Kingsgate Park Our biggest local play area, with ...
Female Rock/Metal Bands (Outside Riot Grrrl) to Check Out - Feminist Rocker I would add McQueen. Although they only did one album it's bloody awesome. (tags: ) Have you been dealt with by ATOS? Link to give evidence to the enquiry is in this article The article itself is well worth a read too. (tags: ) BBC News - Does sunshine make us happier? Nope. (tags: ) Why DC and Marvel will never truly target female readers (tags: ) [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments
Let me be about upfront about this. I have never believed that there exists a 'special relationship' with America. I know many American people, have visited their country on several occasions and have American friends. But one can only question ... Continue reading →
Ed Davey's announced this week that he'd secured an important concession from the Chancellor over wind farm subsidies - but at what cost? Although there was understandable relief over the certainty this move gave to investors in clean British energy it seems the victory may have come with a hefty price tag: an agreement to burden our electricity system with dirty and increasingly expensive gas for decades to come – despite the enormous damage this could cause to both the economy and planet. Ed Davey's success in securing a 10 per cent cut in wind farm subsidies – to reflect ...
When I was confirmed by Bishop Poyntz back in December 1991, we were instructed that we ought to pray daily. Taking a few minutes to be with God is important to allow us to listen to Him and to praise, thank, and worship Him as well. On Sunday 29 July 2012, there will begin a ...
While I know this is pretty much impossible due to David Cameron probably not having the political courage necessary to sack his best friend as chancellor and replace him with a man who is hated by his backbenchers, I'd still like to present the following list of reasons why Vince Cable should take over as chancellor: 1. Vince knows what he's doing Specifically, he predicted the financial crisis years in advance and warned of the dangers of deregulation at the same time that Osborne was calling for even more deregulation - in addition to which, Cable's been leading the call ...
If you have seen the front page of this week's South Manchester Reporter (pictured below) you will know that I am leading a campaign to get Chorlton Library Listed. This week I submitted an application for Listed Building status to English Heritage. The City Council are planning to vacate the current building and build a new joint Library and Leisure Centre. As part of this plan the Council will give the current Library building away to property developers to help cover the costs. Whilst there is not currently any specific threat to the building its future is uncertain once it ...
Richard Reeves, Mill's biographer and until recently special adviser to Nick Clegg, gives a clear account of John Stuart Mill's Liberalism in this interview with David Edmonds and Nigel Warburton. You can watch a longer lecture about Mill by Reeves elsewhere on this blog. And there are many more podcasts on Philosophy Bites.
Yesterday's train disruptions have been sharply criticised by the Liberal Democrats after dozens of trains were cancelled without notice and passengers experienced delays, discomfort and personal danger. Chris White, Liberal Democrat County Councillor for central St Albans, said: 'The excuse was cable theft in Bedford during the night. This we understand. But it does not explain why: - trains were still being cancelled without notice in the evening - why four coach trains were dangerously being run during the rush hour - the absence of announcements - the inaudibility of announcements - the absence of staff - the rudeness of ...
Don't forget Faith, Pride, and Chat, our informal social evening, is taking place this evening, on Friday, 27 July at 7 p.m in St George's Church on High Street. More detail....
In the latest cabinet reshuffle speculation, I see it's being touted that Baroness Warsi may be moved from Chairman of the Conservative Party into the International Development role. And it's inspired me to keep track of who is being touted for which post in the cabinet. So going forward I will publish this occasional list of names I have seen in frames in the mainstream press and TV (and on the more credible blogs) for cabinet jobs. I have gone back to March. If I have heard the current incumbent is safe I will also add their name, together with ...
The decision to form a GB Football Team has been hugely controversial in Wales, where there have been concerns that it will lead to the Welsh football team losing its right to play in international tournaments. Twelve years of devolution has raised national awareness here and that has underlined those concerns. Many people, who would have described themselves as British before, now think of themselves as Welsh first and British second. There has been little understanding of these issues amongst Olympic and UK Football officials. There has been even less understanding in the UK media. So you will have to ...
Me - outside the Corso Street Sheltered Lounge Yesterday afternoon, I had the pleasure of chairing a really well-attended meeting of residents from Abbotsford Place, Corso Street and Abbotsford Street that took place in the Corso Street sheltered lounge. We had a good discussion on a whole host of issues - from seagulls to controlled entry systems - and dog fouling to communal grass maintenance. I was also able to update residents on a number of West End projects, including the new primary/nursery schools project on the former Logie Secondary site on Blackness Road, changes to disabled parking legislation, residents' ...
Kids for Kids UK won the prestigious international audience award at the Busan International Kids Film Festival in South Korea for their film "Jurassic Park and Golf". They were presented with the award at the closing ceremony yesterday, accepted by Sam Ward-Hardy and James Shepherd on behalf of the young filmmakers from Consett. You can view the film on the Kids for Kids Vimeo Channel at: http://vimeo.com/album/1922523/video/41352635
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