[Originally posted at Bristol Running Resource, 03/09/12] If you've put your name down for this year's Bristol half marathon then you've probably just found an email from the organisers in your inbox. It's a reminder that there are four weeks to go before the race. Only four weeks! I hope you're on target to hit the mileage that you need ready for the big day. I feel like I've – finally – got back into half marathon territory for the first time in quite a long time. Yesterday I managed a slow run of over 10 miles. As a result, ...
Oscar Pistorius has made the headlines by claiming that he was beaten to a gold medal by someone who broke the rules. His outburst came immediately after the T44 200m final and he has since apologised. Well that's what the headlines say but he has only apologised for the timing of his criticism. It seems quite a technical complaint in that the blades have to be in proportion to the person wearing them and he feels that the gold medal winner, Alan Oliveira had an unfair advantage. I am watching the BBC 10 O' Clock news and again they say ...
I wasn't hugely impressed with Asylum Of The Daleks.
It turns out we're very good at taking the piss out of ourselves, and generally doing utterly crazy things that nobody will ever forget, from the Olympics opening ceremony, to the finale of the Tour of Britain's second stage: "The race then turns for a very fast run back toward the Safari Park, which first opened in 1971. Entering the grounds via the main gate with just over a kilometre of racing to go the race heads past the entrance to the Safari Drive for a very fast final kilometre, including a swooping final corner past the elephant enclosure. As ...
I have always been someone who liked to bake my own bread and even grow my own herbs, despite not having a garden. I heard about what appears to be a great day where people turn up and learn new skills that will be useful for everyone especially those with families. If I can bake bread that tastes okay then you can! Making bread is easier than it looks - give it a go The organisers, Ealing Transition, is pleased to announce their second Re-Skilling Day! The skills you could learn include in the FREE sessions are: How to KnitTalk ...
Email sent off this evening to the head of Highways Traffic. Today I observed traffic snarled up from the Bedford Road junction on the High Street, all the way down to the Sandringham Drive / Park Road North roundabout for the best part of the day. Temporary lights were in use at Bedford Rd/ High Street. I spoke with the temp light operator at 3.30pm while he was packing up, and he admitted himself that it took him half an hour to get back to the location this afternoon. I don't know the ins and outs of the timings of ...
It's not often that polling companies ask how alternative Lib Dem leaders would impact the party's popularity — in fact, I'm struggling to recall a single example — but ComRes has asked what difference Vince Cable leading the party would have on its fortunes. Here's the result: ComRes/Independent poll: party voting intentions by leader Current Voting Intention - name of party only Current Voting Intention - name of current leader and party Current Voting Intention - name of current leaders for Con / Lab, Vince Cable for Lib Dems Conservative 35 35 (n/c) 34 (-1) Labour 42 39 (-3) 38 ...
My edition of Collins' Concise Dictionary and Thesaurus has this as the first definition of the word "Hero": hero (ˈhɪərəʊ) n. 1. one greatly regarded for achievements or qualities This summer Britain has gained a fair few of those - and a number have seen their heroic status enhanced. Mo Farah, Jason Kenny, Jessica Ennis, Katherine Grainger, Greg Rutherford, Ben Ainslie were all Heroes of Team GB (&NI) whose achievements will live long in the memory... Likewise, Nicola Adams, Adam Gemili, Luke Campbell, Jade Jones, Gemma Gibbons, Alan Campbell, Charlotte Dujardin - the list is long, I could go on ...
Another day and more golds meaning more stamps for the Royal Mail to produce. The first two of the day were actually people claiming their second gold medals of these Games matching the achievement of Sarah Storey so far. First up back at Greenwich Park Natasha Baker won a second gold in the Grade II freestyle dressage. She was inspired to take up the sport after watching Lee Pearson in the 2000 Paralympics when she was just ten, she won today with a score of 82.8% over 5% more than her nearest rival. While her inspiration only took bronze for ...
Last Monday I was out and about in London town. Whereupon I was told that the fact I lived off take-away food and microwave meals wasn't very healthy. So whilst the rest of the Lib Dem blogosphere is worried about what is going down with the reshuffle I was busy as I have been challenged to actually cook a proper meal once a week. Well I'm not one to run away from a challenge...well in fact that is a huge lie as I always run away from challenges as I like my nice quiet simple life but still this one ...
I thought I'd dust off the old crystal ball and take some shots in the dark about what might happen in the Cabinet Reshuffle. I have absolutely no basis in fact, whispers or otherwise for what I'm about to say, but I thought it might be fun. Let's take the Liberal Democrat contingent first: Nick Clegg - He'll stay as Deputy PM with responsibility for political reform. Let's face it, he actually did deliver on the AV referendum. Sadly the Yes campaign was so pathetic that we didn't get any reform in place. And he tried on Lords reform but ...
Jo Swinson MP has today emailed party members to draw their attention to an interview Nick Clegg gave to The Times over the weekend. I'm not sure that many Liberal Democrat Voice readers will have a subscription to the heart of the Murdoch Empire, but, never fear, Liberal Democrat Voice will do its best to give you the general jist. Asked about his decision to go into Government with the Tories, Nick was clear that he was in the business of getting things done: I marvel at some people who think it's better to have completely clean but entirely useless ...
Yesterday I was drained, today it's a refill, last week a there was a fair bit of kerfuffle evident as the fragmentation of the Margate town team organisation took place, which had been signposted, some might feel, by government backed wonder guru Mary Portas who put it "You either let the cameras in with me, or I go back on the train and some other town gets it...." Well it seems Margate got it, as the TV wallahs rolled in and got involved in the regeneration Margate town centre, as we are all aware, Channel four documentary's report the facts ...
Whitehaven Beach, WhitSunday island, Queensland, Australia I should preface this with paying tribute to George Selby from Hornchurch who was drowned trying to save his son in rough seas off Majorca, as he started his first trip abroad, described as "the holiday of a lifetime". He couldn't swim, which makes him doubly brave. What a really courageous man and an awesome example to us all! We are now back home after travelling just 500 miles short of circum-navigating the globe on the equator, in a three week holiday which had no less than 17 journey legs. It certainly was a ...
Calling for Nick Clegg to go? Not me, Guv, says Lib Dem MP Adrian Sanders. On Liberty Now points out that Liberal Democrats are good at saying "No", but it is time for the public learnt what it is they say "Yes" to. "Can someone please tell me, with links to evidence, how the NHS is being 'abolished' or 'destroyed'?" asks Mark Thompson. "I have seen many people claim this, often Labour activists but I have never seen proof of it, or even a convincing prima facie case." "Political campaigns have always lied and stretched the truth, but when caught ...
BUILD founding executive committee left to right - Anuja Prashar (Chair), Mehul Thrivedi (Events Officer), Ishvinder Singh Matharu (Vice Chair), Avril Coelho (Membership Secretary), Rajinder Jhooti (Communications Officer), Vina Amin (Treasurer), Marisha Ray (Secretary) – not in photo. On 31st August 2012, British United Indian Liberal Democrats (BUILD) held its first founders' meeting. The seven founding members agreed to work together at grassroots level to help London local parties recruit and mentor people of Indian origin, in order to encourage them to stand for local council elections and to increase the Liberal Democrat vote share across the London region. Five ...
Up until now, the money to pay Council Tax benefit for people on low incomes has been handed over to councils from the government. If there are 500 people receiving the benefit, then the government gives the council enough money to cover all 500 of them. But from April next year, the government will no longer cover all the money. Councils have been told to expect about 10% less.. But the number of people on benefit won't reduce, and may even go up. So how will council's fill the hole in the finances? They have some freedom to choose. But ...
New advice will be sought from the original inspector at Consett's public inquiry after the High Court Judgement which quashed the county council decision to refuse Belle Vue Town or Village Green status. The Highways Committee at County Hall agreed unanimously this morning to seek a supplemtary report from Edwin Simpson as being the independent person with the best working knowledge of the site, having already listened to evidence about its use and other matters for four days in August 2010. They did so with my support. Having watched Mr Simpson at work I found him to be courteous, careful ...
It is likely that David Cameron will announce a proper reshuffle of his Cabinet and Ministers tomorrow. Ever since the omnishambles of a budget the Coalition have lurched between crises, rows, and disasters. (Many, it must be said, triggered by ... Continue reading →
As I predicted, the Mid Term Review is peetering out into a Q&A session as the Liberal Democrat conference in Brighton. As the report from the party's Federal Policy Committee explains, glossing over a little how the plans have changed from the original ambitions: The Coalition Government has stated its intention to have a Mid Term Review of its programme, which will be published in Autumn 2012. However, this will not be a general re-opening of the Coalition Programme for Government. Instead, it will essentially be a progress assessment exercise to identify which of the goals set out in the ...
St Albans City and District Council has submitted its formal response to the government consultation on the future of the Thameslink franchise. The Department for Transport (DfT) is proposing to combine the Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern franchises. It has been consulting on the specification for the combined franchise which is due to start in September 2013 and run for a minimum of seven years. The franchise will be responsible for delivering rail services across Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Greater London, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Kent, Norfolk, Surrey and Sussex. The Council's response comments on the specification for the combined franchise in the following ...
There are at least three levels of rhetoric which one can use to justify a policy: the historical, the ideological, and the pragmatic. When it comes to markets versus central planning, the first is eminently preferable: as Timmy is fond of telling us, the 20th century can be viewed as a great experiment about the ...
Liz & I were booked into the Brambletye Hotel in Forest Row, Sussex, for the night of 1st September but regretfully had to cancel. I 'phoned the hotel at about 09.00 on the morning of 31st August to cancel & was told I still had to pay for the room as their cancellation policy was three days. I booked through Laterooms & indeed it does say that cancellation is 72hrs on Laterooms site. Serves me right for not checking. However I thought there was a good chance that they could let the room so I rang again on the morning ...
Mon 3rd
15:17
George Osbourne wants a third runway at Heathrow. Good for him but could we have another super-airpo...
So it seems that George Osbourne is a supporter of a third runway at Heathrow airport which isn't exactly the biggest shock in the world. It does shock me as to why this issue has become so big but who am I to argue with the media bandwagon? First of all Tim Yeo's position that the third runway is of such vital importance that he questioned whether the PM was a man or a mouse was exciting until it came out that he had a horse in this race that would mean that any third runway would probably be financially ...
In the last years of his life, Malcolm Muggeridge became rather a figure of fun. His appearances on television were easy to parody, and his censorious views on sex seemed increasingly ludicrous. In fact the more he went on about the subject the more I thought "bad luck, Mrs. Muggeridge". Yet, perhaps the much lampooned St. Mugg might have had a point after all. Fifty Shades of Grey, the latest literary "sensation" is a pretty terrible book. The dialogue is awful, the plot ludicrous, and -considering that this is the new genre of "mummy porn"- the sex scenes are laughable. ...
Like so many of us for whom the anti-apartheid struggle was a political awakening in the 1980s, I revere Bishop Desmond Tutu. A voice of humanity, moderation and forgiveness when there was every chance that South Africa's transition could have gone very differently, Tutu combines unsurpassed moral leadership with no political ambition. It was therefore with great interest I awoke on Sunday to Tutu's call for Tony Blair to face the International Criminal Court on charges for aggression resulting from the 2003 Iraq invasion. Tutu goes on to question why Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe should go to the ICC whilst Blair ...
This morning I got the following e-mail telling me that I had won a whopping million pounds – well when I say won I really mean I had been deemed to deserve compensation for scam e-mails. Brilliant I thought (well I didn't – I thought this was clever spam) but there are people that would actually fall for this. I must say that the e-mail address webxxxx01@12freeukisp.co.uk doesn't seem the most official and giving me options how I'd like my compensation (and the associated costs involved) doesn't really lead me to think this is legit. However DR. FRANCESCO VANNI D' ...
Here's what's probably my final reckoning of all the reshuffle speculation over the last few months (since May, when I started tracking it). To the best of my knowledge, here is the complete list of every name associated with every cabinet post as folk second guess the cabinet reshuffle. If your name's not on the list, no one thinks you're going to that post. If you're the incumbent and you're not on the list, then everyone thinks you're being sacked or moved. Probably one day left to see if anyone got anything right.... NB. Leader of the Commons Young), Universities ...
Conservative MP David Davies is giving a speech on the economy at the CPS Think Tank this morning. There a few backbench MPs that could deliver a speech that would be covered by major rolling news channels, and get rolling ... Continue reading →
Here's a scan of an article I wrote for the Manchester Evening News today for their Opinion column.
The story of UK banks is the one that just keeps on giving. While we may be shocked by the LIBOR scandal (even though - let's face it - we don't really understand whether we have lost out or benefitted by the bankers' manipulations) and stand aghast at various episodes of mis-selling and worse, what really matters to you and me is the service provided, well, to you and me. If I complain about a bank will anything actually happen? Is there actually anyone there to complain to? Or someone who actually gives a damn? All of us grumble to ...
Hold the frontpage, the Green Party have elected a new leader – journalist Natalie Bennett. While it's fair to say the Greens are not really of much consequence politically, it is interesting that once again they have elected a woman. ... Continue reading →
Reading the comments from the Alliance Party leader David Ford on the front page of today's Newsletter I'm a bit confused by this one. "It was made very clear that this would be party policy but on an issue of conscience such as this there will be no question of enforcement of the whip if someone cannot go along with it." I posted in praise of their motion on Saturday, but now I'm a little less enthusiastic about they are presenting and talking about it. I already had an issue with the wording "robust protections" for faith groups and religious ...
The chorus for Nick Clegg to step down in favour of Vince Cable grows daily. But would the business secretary really make a better party leader? There's a strong case for changing leader. Flat-lining in the polls at 11 percent ... Continue reading →
D66 the left Liberal Party from the Netherlands is being tipped to enter government. With the recovery of the Labour Party the possibility of a 'purple coalition' is growing. That was the coalition that ran the government between 1994 and 2002 and has always been seen as D66's preferred option. The coalition would consist of D66, the Labour Party and the right wing Liberals VVD. The election is on the 12th September Earlier this year D66 put out a statement on their position which can be found in full here and their website is here Forward Now Towards a prosperous, ...
Are you a 'people person'? Rock Road Library is advertising for a Community Library Assistant, to work for 14.5 hours a week. For details, see here. The postholder will be working with community groups, so customer services experience is sought, as well as a passion for libraries and what they can offer.
As many who read this blog know Liberal Youth recently launched the campaign Bears For Belarus, a reactionary campaign to the actions of Alexander Lukashenka, President of Belarus and often referred to as "Europe's Last Dictator". With press releases, blog posts for the Huffington Post and Lib Dem Voice being written I wish to take ...
101 Ways to Win an Election is the new book from Mark Pack and Edward Maxfield, which hit the shelves on July 19th. Throughout Federal Conference, signed copies of '101 Ways...' will be available to purchase from the ALDC exhibition stand. In addition, we are very happy to announce that Mark and Edward will be joining us for a personalised book signing event at the ALDC stand. It will take place on Saturday 22nd September at 3:15pm, at the ALDC stand in the Conference exhibition space. We look forward to seeing you there!
How to speak. That's a common topic in training for would-be candidates and a frequent chapter in books for would-be campaigners. How to write? Much less so. That's an omission I plead guilty to, for 101 Ways To Win An Election has a chapter called "Making speeches" with no accompanying "Writing words". Implicit in many of the other chapters are ideas that will help you to write effectively. Yet on reflection there should really have been explicit advice too. Short, sharp writing has always been important for leaflets and news releases. These days, with the opportunities for blogs, tweets, emails ...
Knocked Over: On Biology, Magical Thinking And Choice - The Rumpus.net An unexpected pregnancy at 44. (tags: sexandgenderandsexuality ) Chicks Dig the Uniform — Crooked Timber "My husband has been deployed to Afghanistan for six months." (tags: war )
As a 'thank you' for all his hard work the Liberal MP for Southport presented his agent with a handsomely engraved silver salver. I was John Pugh M.P.'s agent when he first won Southport but sadly it was not me who got given the 120 ounce silver salver. The MP was another John, J M Astbury KC, who fought and won the seat in 1906 and his agent was the legendary A. Keith Durham. Now I must make clear I do not hold a grudge against John Pugh for failing to give me such a lavish gift. When I fought ...
I spent three days last week in Iceland with the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) where their boat, The Song of the Whale, is currently stationed. IFAW is well-known for its work on animal welfare, particularly with elephants and ... Continue reading →
On 15 November, the Cleveland Force Area will be electing its first police and crime commissioner.This post will be responsible for setting the priorities and resources for Cleveland Police, as well as supporting broader community safety activities across the region. In addition, a police and crime panel will also be established to scrutinise the work of the Commissioner. The panel will consist of representatives from each of the four local authorities in the Force area and two independent co-opted members. The panel is looking for at least two committed people who either live or work in the Cleveland Force area ...
Unless we are admitting defeat or consider the electorate agog with admiration of the status-quo, we perhaps need to look beyond the seemingly compelling case for democratic legitimacy and begin developing some more imaginative ideas about what a reformed second chamber might do differently and explore its potential for transforming politics. Limiting the level of ambition for our shiny new democratic institution to the pursuit of the same old objectives of itself does not seem like a great leap forward. It also leaves us vulnerable to the tactics adopted by the Conservatives and their press allies, who assiduously sought to ...
Mark Thompson: An appeal for the NHS (tags: ) Checking Naomi Wolf's 8 big problems in the Assange case and coming up empty | Samtycke.nu in English (tags: ) Bloomberg: Motorola Will Release A Phone With No Bezel By The End Of The Year (tags: ) Apparently you have eleven lives Of course, this comic only works if you are priveleged enough to not have to worry about where your next meal is coming from... (tags: ) Why I am no longer a skeptic "We live in a world created by and ever-more dependent on science, technology and reason, in ...
The veteran Algerian diplomat Lakhdar Brahimi has taken over the poisoned chalice of trying to mediate a solution to the Syrian conflict. As he told the BBC, 'I know how difficult it is — how nearly impossible. I can't say impossible — nearly impossible.' Well I can say it and I do. If Kofi Annan ...
According to local residents the issue of problematic parking at the Cock Inn corner is STILL persisting! Do you live in and around the area? Do YOU see the inconsiderate parking people? What would YOU like to see done?? Commenting, local LIB DEM ward councillor, Darren Fower, said: "I'd love to hear from local residents as to what they would like to see done at this problematic corner? I know that the issues are time sensitive and that its ongoing, and undertaken by a handful of narrow minded drivers, but I also conscious that a serious accident could occur too?" ...
Cross posted from Liberal Democrat Voice "Doctors told to try and talk women out of epidurals to save NHS money" screamed yesterday's Daily Mail headline. I could understand women reading that and being outraged and terrified. Fortunately, this being the Mail, the truth is not as bad as the headline implies. Rather than being a miserly, deficit-busting ministerial directive, this is expert, evidence based guidance drawn up by the Royal Colleges of Midwives and Obstetricians with the help of the National Childbirth Trust. It aims to reduce the amount of medical intervention during childbirth because that's best for both mother ...
Teflon Tony they used to call him and with good reason. Nothing used to stick. A million people marched on the streets to stop him going into Iraq, the largest demonstration this country has ever seen. He ignored them and went in anyway. 2 years later he won another landslide general election. It's a rare and invaluable quality in a politician. Clinton had it too - that's why he called himself 'The Comeback Kid'. Nick doesn't have it. He has the opposite. He's a magnet for bad karma. Tuition fees: Nick Cleggs fault Apparently it's Nick Clegg who has killed ...
We are in extraordinary economic times, which have led to extraordinary measures from the Bank of England in its attempt to help steer us out of the storm. The Bank appears to be terrified at the prospect of deflation and the depressive effect it could have. Not only have base interest rates been pinned to a historical low of 0.5% for well over three years, the Bank has also used Quantitative Easing to pump £325 billion of newly created money into the economy. We now know more about the effect that QE is having and it should send shivers down ...
So, we're back from holiday. Very nice, thanks for asking. And I'm faced with a quandary. Do I blog first on the Cabinet Reshuffle. So much to say. So little time. Apparently it's ON tomorrow. Meantime, there's a badly organised media driven putsch against Nick Clegg swirling around. OH LORD. Kid in a sweet shop time. I feel sick...
A reminder that I welcome guest posts on Liberal England. So far 29 (count 'em) have appeared. I am chiefly interested in political posts, but as you can see from the list below, this blog has a wide range of interests. If you would like to write a guest post yourself, please send me an email so we can discuss your idea. In praise of slow government - Simon BeardChildren and the surveillance state: Will the Coalition keep its word? - Terri DowtyStandards matter in higher education, not just participation rates - AnonymousA Woking class hero is something to be ...
Last week Simon Jenkins wrote a article in which he derided the call for a third runway at Heathrow as "big-willy" politics and called for more consumption rather than investment to stimulate the economy. Whilst agreeing with Jenkins's view on the third runway (and I should include HS2 as well, not to mention the renewal of Trident) I believe, having taught the Keynesian multiplier effect ad nausium throughout most of my teaching career, that his preference for consumption over investment is mistaken. Hence: Letters to the Editor, The Guardian. Dear Sir, While I sympathise with Simon Jenkins's hint (Big willy ...
I am on Tay AM news this morning about the Royal Mail post re-deliveries to Perth Road Post Office. Click 'play' below to listen:
From Friends of Wighton: Singer Sheena Wellington will perform the first Friends of Wighton Lunchtime Recital of the autumn. The Lunchtime Recital, which takes place in Dundee Central Library's Wighton Heritage Centre, starts at 1.15pm. Admission is free, although donations to the work of the Friends are welcomed. Sheena Wellington is one of Scotland's most renowned traditional singers whose art has taken her around the world. She is currently teaching Scottish songs to children in several Dundee primary schools as part of the Youth Music Initiative.
This is the fourth in a series of reviews of Welsh blog posts that have caught my eye over the last month. The Institute for Welsh Affairs blog 'Click on Wales' is always thought provoking and original. This post by Meic Stephens about Dafydd Jenkin, the major authority on the laws of the tenth Century Hywel Dda, is no exception. Mr. Stephens looks at Dafydd Jenkins' work in putting together a composite text of the Law of Hywel Dda as well as his involvement with Plaid Cymru during the time of Saunders Lewis and his role in seeking official status ...
I have today slammed Royal Mail's position on mail re-deliveries in the West End. It follows a request made by myself and West End Community Council to allow residents who have a DD2 postcode to have their undelivered mail and parcels to be picked up at the Perth Road Post Office should they wish. I have previously criticised Royal Mail for closing its well-used and very accessible Collection Office in Crichton Street. Mail and parcels that are undelivered are now redirected to the Edward Street Sorting Office for DD1 customers and Baird Avenue for DD2 and DD3 customers. As Baird ...
Statistics are here. Was slow to notice this, but three out of four fiction winners had also won the Nebula earlier this year. Best Novel: Among Others was 100 votes ahead on the first count, and final transfers from Deadline took it even further ahead of Embassytown, which came second. Leviathan Wakes, despite being last on first prefs, came third overall; then Deadline; then despite the HBO hype A Dance With Dragons came last. The Quantum Thief missed nomination here by one vote, and Rule 34 by two. Best Novella: In the closest result for any of the awards, "The ...
I got three out of four in the fiction categories, and also voted for the winners in both Dramatic Presentation categories, and Best Related and Best Graphic, so that's a good Hugo awards ceremony for me. And a much better evening for Jo Walton, John Cluite, Graham Sleight, and the Who crowd. Congratulations to all the winners. Best Novel: Among Others by Jo Walton (Tor) - Good heavens! Amazing! Best Novella: "The Man Who Bridged the Mist" by Kij Johnson (Asimov's, September/October 2011) - Yay again! Best Novelette: "Six Months, Three Days" by Charlie Jane Anders (Tor.com) - Hooray! Another ...
