Sign the petition here We staged a demo outside Starbuck in Lord Street today. Tony Dawson designed the banner and we turned up outside a deserted Starbucks. We were a little taken aback when a member of the public came up to congratulate us. He was a small businessman who was in the catering trade. He was angry as he had been paying his tax and had to compete with the likes of Starbucks who had not. Bristol MP Stephen Williams has also taken up the campaign Boycott Starbucks and back local independent coffee shops After revelations that Starbucks has ...
'We in Britain are stuck in the narrative of June 1940,' (Lord) William Wallace declared at a meeting of Putney Liberal Democrats this evening. 'At the Remembrance Day celebrations, for example, there is a "we are in it alone" mentality.' Some on the right of the Conservative Party, including Daniel Hannan MEP, would like to see ...
I was glad to hear that Energy Secretary, Ed Davey, had distanced himself from David Cameron's idea that the government will legislate to force energy companies to put all their customers on the lowest tariff. The only result of this would be to raise the cost of the cheapest energy deals across the board. The fundamental problem in the energy sector is the fact that the big six companies act as a cartel - squeezing out any real competition, rigging prices and delivering super profits as a result. What the energy bill should contain instead is a statutory cap of ...
I was pleased to see from the Cllr Victor Chamberlain blog that the Liberal Democrat candidate in the Greater Manchester police and crime commissioner election, Matt Gallagher, is calling on the area's councils to tackle their "scandalous" road safety record by implementing a 20mph speed limit on all residential roads. Victor gives some of the reasons for Matt's call: Greater Manchester has the North West's highest rate of overall pedestrian casualties. Last year 744 people were needlessly killed or seriously injured on Greater Manchester's Roads and over 7000 people were hurt. Matt is calling for 20mph to become the speed ...
From Transport to Training, from Food to Furniture, from Learning to Earning – Community Action Dacorum (CAD) has something to help communities and individual across Dacorum and beyond. Last Tuesday's Annual General Meeting held in the Boxmoor Playhouse in St Johns Road, Hemel Hempstead on 16th October, 2012 was an opportunity to showcase projects and report on another year of successful action. Getting out and about can often be a problem for the elderly or disabled, but CAD can help through their Community Wheels project with their fleet of 10 minibuses (8 with wheelchair-friendly tail lifts and removable seats). And ...
Four times a year, the Launceston Community Network Panel meets to discuss issues of concern locally. Tonight we looked at the local health service and the changes in provision that are coming over the next 12 months. Thanks to all the town and parish councillors who came along, as well as the health service people who answered so many questions. One of the key questions was about the closure of a number of beds at Launceston Hospital. This has been put down to staff shortages and, I am told, the transfer of staff back to Stratton Hospital. Apparently Peninsula Community ...
The Boundary Commission has just published its latest proposals for changing parliamentary constituency boundaries - but is ignoring local people's requests to include Queen Edith's in the City of Cambridge constituency. Although we're represented by councillors on Cambridge City Council, we are not represented in Parliament by Julian Huppert like everyone else in Cambridge, but by Andrew Lansley. Party politics and individual merits aside, we have little in common with these villages. The Boundary Review is charged with culling MPs from 533 to 502, and arranging the numbers of electors so that every MP represents a similar number - between ...
I was delighted to take part in a studio debate about Black History Month on the Pan-African TV network Vox Africa. Please find the links below to watch the Hotseat show with presenter Akintayo. My ...
I'm leaving this blog post largely in the words of the various parties in their own words as to how they have responded to today's judicial review on adoption here in Northern Ireland. The DUP have nothing on their own website but speaking to the BBC the Health Minister Edwin Poots has said: "It is my intention to urgently appeal this judgment and I am taking this action with a heavy heart. "I have already publicly declared my intention to reform Northern Ireland adoption law because reform is much needed and long overdue. "This judicial review has already delayed plans ...
Over on the mindless ones Tagged: me elsewhere
Aw, Arrow, you started so well. Was is really necessary to use your second episode to uncritically showcase one of the worse flaws in the superhero genre? You'll have non-superhero fans thinking that this is how we do things over here. It's not! That's how! Note to Non-Comics Readers: It is usually acknowledged in the better superhero books that vigilantes work outside the law and while this gives them an advantage in some ways, it does mean that they get in the way of actual legal proceedings as often as not. If you're interested in stories about how vigilante justice ...
"An independent cafe has little in the way of clever ruses to dodge taxes. But multinational chains can siphon off profits via various company charges to head office for use of the brand name, loan interest or inflated prices for raw materials." Stephen Williams MP will not be buying his lattes from Starbucks for a while. A Lanson Boy describes his part in the downfall of Alec Robertson, Conservative leader of Cornwall council... ...and Computer Weekly gives the background to Robertson's demise. Where now for Public Service Broadcasting? Professor Peter Lunt, Head of the University of Leicester's Department of Media ...
This afternoon I received some sad and tragic news. Someone with whom I was once very close passed away this morning. I'm sorry to say that over recent years I have not seen very much of her or other extended family, and it just goes to show that you need to make full use of time to share with loved ones while you still have it. My heart goes out to her immediate family and mine, many of whom shared a very much closer bond with her than I. So I now want to take the opportunity, in the midst ...
We are delighted to advertise this event on behalf of the Botanic Gardens Community Association. Do come along and plant a daffodil bulb to help make Botanic Gardens look beautiful next spring. Proceeds to Marie Curie Cancer Care.
Tory MP Michael Fabricant has been tweeting up a storm recently, but just who is the blond bombshell?! Fabricant is the MP for Lichfield, a seat he has held since 1992. He is also currently a Vice Chair of the ... Continue reading →
The police report just one burglary in the south of the city between 13th and 20th September - in Cherry Hinton. There have been four cycle thefts, but none in Queen Edith's. There will be a police surgery in Cherry Hinton High Street on Saturday 3rd November between 10:00 and 13:00. Our local police team are: PCSO 7290 Sarah Finbow PS 0453 Jim Stevenson PC 0995 Phil Grime PC 1752 Matt Smith PCSO 7137 Chris Blewett PCSO 7023 Marie Bailey PCSO 7250 Laura Parkinson Lots more information on Cambridgeshire Constabulary's website.
It's that time again. Every autumn of an even-numbered year, Liberal Democrat conference representatives get sent an enormous bundle of manifesto information to elect over 50 places on party committees; the most important of which have a majority elected by the party through Conference reps. This leads to a real feast of democracy for those involved. This year, for the first time, many people will be voting electronically. Versions of my manifestos for the party's Federal Policy and Conference Committees can be accessed via the tabs above. These are important elections, and for all social Liberals I would point to ...
There is only one thing in my world that is more depressing than my private life and that is the very public farce that has become Portsmouth Football Club. The club that I have supported since I was knee high to a grasshopper has been dragged through the mill by a series of shall we say less than squeaky clean owners and that is probably the best thing I can say about them. Carisbrooke High School's best investigative journalist – or man with a bone attached to the dodgy ones and wouldn't let go of them Mike Hall has been ...
The Shropshire Star has the story of Robert Maund, an 80-year-old who now uses a little mechanical help to get around and look after his herd of cattle. It's headline? One farmer and his moo-bility scooter Read the report and you will also come across our Hamlet of the Day: Betton Strange near Shrewsbury.
Thanks to Kenneth Spotlessnob having momentarily sat on his multi-enabled phone, enabling a recording device, and then later his slight mistake in copying the recording to an ex-employee, we are able to eavesdrop on a conversation between men of power and standing. Councillor Broadthwaite: "Ah, Kenneth. I want to talk to you about my visit to Scunthorpeshire. They have some absolutely amazing stuff there." Kenneth Spotlessnob: "Oh, right. Excellent. What's that, councillor?" Cllr Broadthwaite: "Fantastic security-controlled car-park, for a start. But they've got a Statistical Unit that can do just amazing things - makes us look like cavemen. And cavewomen, ...
[IMG: Robert Bliss] Bliss: Amazed traders can blame parking for a change of turnover The Folkestone Herald reports this week that retailers in Folkestone Town Centre are reporting a huge drop in takings since new on-street parking charges were introduced last month. When that was put to Council Leader Robert Bliss, he is reported as saying: "I am amazed that they (traders) can blame parking for a change in turnover." Off. The. Planet. How could it not? I suppose Robert doesn't have a problem parking in the area. Double yellow lines have no pesky meters... Published and promoted by Tim ...
This is how the leaflet announces a public meeting to be held at South Beach Residents' Association on next Wednesday ( 24th October) at 6:30 pm This is a meeting of the Police and Community Forum, but because the leaflet was printed on yellow ( well, a rather nice shade of lemon ) paper people assume that it's a Lib Dem meeting. As it says " Forums give you the chance to have your say - and get the facts about what the police and police authority are doing to tackle crime in your area" It's not, it's a meeting ...
Here is the world facing the unborn in Northern Ireland in one day....today. The Marie Stopes clinic in Belfast opened, offering abortion under the tighter that the rest of the UK regulations on who qualifies, to protests (pictured). The High Court rules that same-sex couples being banned from adopting in Northern Ireland is unlawful. Despite there being insufficient suitable placements for those currently looking to be adopted the health minister has said that he will challenge that ruling. Now I suspect that many of those protesting and insisting that the women who wish to abort in Northern Ireland go full ...
Thu 18th
16:17
Video of Vince Cable at Southport-Green technology, apprenticeships and Higher Education
No, seriously vote once in each Liberal Democrat internal election and if you value our party's independence and internal democracy, please vote for me for FPC and FCC. If you want to know more about my views, there's more here: David Grace for FPC and FCC.
Firstly, sorry for the absence from the "Blogosphere" over the last couple of weeks, I've been way on holiday. As far as I'm aware there is only one Committee meeting at Blyth Town Council next week. The meeting of the Policy WG has been cancelled, for lack of business and due to lack of progress on business that is outstanding. The Events Committee will meet on Tuesday 23rd October , at Ebor House at 6:30 pm.
Long serving Liberal Councillor Brian Rimmer, who was first elected to the former Southport Borough Council, was introduced to Vince Cable during the Secretary of State's visit to Southport College today. Brian -who was an engineer with British Rail and who prides himself and his extensive knowledge of all things concerning bridges -is still a Governor of the College. I printed off a copy of this photo for Brian at a local photo shop. The lady picked it up and said: 'that's John Pugh my MP but who are the other two?
On Monday I joined with housing officers and Sutton Central ward councillors to look at the progress of Decent Homes works to Balaam House. The building is undergoing window replacements, external cladding, balcony enclosure and improvements to internal communal areas. The work has been going on since January and the scaffolding is gradually coming down, ...
There was near universal welcome for the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) when it was launched last March. Environmental groups moaned about details. Developers grumbled that they had expected a greater relaxation of rules. But planning is about solving spatial conflict in our very crowded country. The NPPF is not too bad at doing that. Lord Matthew Taylor has now been given an equally demanding task. The broad structure of planning is controlled by policy statements, but the devil is in the detail. That detail lies in the 6,000 pages of guidance that sit alongside the NPPF. Lord Taylor has ...
Originally posted on LGBT+ Lib Dems Northern Ireland Earlier this year we raised the issue of the discriminatory Northern Ireland policy preventing Lesbian and Gay couples from adopting. Today in the High Court in Belfast Mr Justice Treacy has deemed that the ban was unlawful. He said: "Excluding persons from the whole adoption process on ...
So, here's the thing. I'm a student at a good university. I'm studying Electronics with Satellite Engineering and have every chance of graduating with a 2:1 or better MEng. I'm able to do this because, well, I'm fairly smart and well educated. But the thing is, I know that my raw ability isn't that good compared to others. At best I can only claim to be average or slightly better than average. There are people far, far more talented than I am. And there are lots of people who work harder at their studies than I do. But, because I ...
David Cameron's pandering to UKIP & his right wing Europe haters by taking a shortsighted view of what is best for Britain - see previous post, obstructiveness, vetoes etc - has gained a convert. Angela Merkel scuppered the BAE/EADS deal because there wasn't enough in it for Germany. How unsporting of the Germans to follow the British example.
At Ealing Council's most important meeting for discussing issues there were a number of topics that were discussed: Official - the streets in Southfield are the worstEaling Council wastes £40,000 on a magazine that was not neededThe legacy of the Olympics and the ParalympicsWhy the Lib Dems are the only party truly against Heathrow expansion Southfield: 23rd out of 23 wards! Myself, Councillors Andrew Steed and Harvey Rose and many hundreds of residents have wondered why their streets have been left dirty, litter filled and in need of some TLC. The answer is that the combination of Ealing Council's management ...
It's been a busy couple of days... Much has already been written about Tuesday's dramatic events at Cornwall Council (you can read the perspectives of Alex Folkes, Jude Robinson and Andrew Wallis and there is more from 'thisiscornwall' here). From my perspective it was the most extraordinary day I have seen in local government. Not only ...
Lib Dem Minister Jo Swinson at the Despatch Box taking questions on Women and Equalities today. Good to see that the Government has taken steps to ensure that refuges won't lose funding and that there will be powers to split payments between partners when there is domestic violence when they Universal Credit comes in. Good also to see Jo say that 60% of those who benefit from the Government's raising of the tax threshold are women and to hear her talk about extra help for childcare for those in part time employment. I'm just very proud to see someone I ...
Cornwall is still one of the safest places to live in the UK, but our police area has nevertheless seen an increase in recorded (ie serious) crime of 7% in the past year. I'm disappointed, therefore, that the out-going Police Authority has decided to spend £55,000 recruiting a new press officer for the incoming Police Commissioner. There needs to be a competent back up team for the new person, but I question whether a £55k spin doctor is the right use of resources. I'm one of five Cornwall Councillors who sits on the scrutiny panel over-seeing the work of the ...
The last few days have been rather good, actually. Excluding the whole freshers' flu now being at its worst, near the end of week 2. But I oughtn't let such trivial things get me down. Starting from most important, work has gone rather well as of late. I had issue with some logic questions, but
At the inaugural Attitude Awards, former Liberal Democrat Equalities Minister and current Minister for International Development, Lynne Featherstone received the Politician of the Year Award for her work to secure equal marriage for same-sex couples. From the Attitude website: As much of the debate over the issue has descended into hysterical farce, we salute Lynne Featherstone for her clear and concise defence of the reforms. The minister has refused to be sidetracked, stating in March: 'The essential question is not whether we are going to introduce same-sex civil marriage, but how.' At a time when faith in the government (and ...
Oh dear: MPs are trying to block publication of material which could show they are renting their taxpayer-funded homes to each other, it is claimed. Expenses watchdog The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) is considering an Freedom of Information request to release the details. But Commons Speaker John Bercow said publication would be a "security risk". One Labour MP said it risked a "return to the bad old days" of secrecy. Saying that home addresses must be kept secret for security reasons was of course one of the reasons given previously for keeping secret the sort of expenses details which ...
The fact that one of the bidders for Cornwall Council's proposed privatisation has pulled out might be seen as another nail in the coffin of a dead proposal. But it also makes it much more difficult for anyone who wants to take the proposal forward to hope to get a value for money outcome. I'll put my cards on the table. Whilst I think there are areas of joint working (and even working with a private sector partner) that could be taken forward, I'm wholly opposed to certain aspects of the current proposal and think it should be dropped at ...
When David Cameron said this at PMQs yesterday... 'We have encouraged people to switch, which is one of the best ways to get energy bills down. I can announce, which I am sure the honourable gentleman will welcome, that we will be legislating so that energy companies have to give the lowest tariff to their customers - something that Labour did not do in 13 years, even though the Leader of the Labour party could have done it because he had the job.' ...he seems to have taken everyone by surprise, not least the Department in Charge of Energy Policy, ...
The long-awaited Wales Audit Office report (pdf here) into the AWEMA scandal has concluded that the "management and coordination of grant funding to AWEMA ... has often been weak". Its criticism is milder than that of an earlier report, but it provides useful background information including a timeline. This may not be the end of the matter. BBC Wales states that a file is with the Crown Prosecution Service. Peter Black AM has responded: "The negligence that has been exposed in this report highlights something that most of us knew already - that Labour can't be trusted to act responsibly ...
Some more evidence today of rip-off Britain. Amazing what you can learn from the daily tabling of Early Day Motions (EDMs) by MPs. EDM 583 on razor blades, tabled by Democratic Unionist MP Gregory Campbell, laments a 100 per cent increase in the price of men's razor blades over the last 3 years. He points ...
OK, you've got got two tasks. Task one – to repaint the road markings on a road. Task two – to resurface the road. Do you (a) resurface and then repaint, or (b) repaint, resurface and then, er..., repaint again as you've just asphalted over your repainting? I think you can guess which option Labour-run Haringey Council went for in Highgate.
Everyone has the right to their own opinion. That is why I don't object to politicians saying they are not in favour of equal marriage (at least you know where they stand) or say they see no need for it (there is room to show them there is a need). I do not even mind when the politician who says such things is LGB. Not everyone who is gay wants to get married anymore than everyone who is straight. Indeed someone like Rupert Everett clearly dispises the who institution. What I do not have time for though is politicians who ...
*Conservative Chief Whip, that is. Does Andrew Mitchell have some embarrassing photos of David Cameron? Or is there some disaster coming up, known only to the Prime Minister, for which he is conserving the Chief Whip for dumping overboard at an expedient moment as "cover"? There has to be some reason that the PM preserves in post a man responsible for one of the longest public aftermaths ever for an intemperate outburst. Only the Tory party could tie itself up in such tortuous knots over such an incident. Today at Prime Minister's Questions, a month after the encounter was revealed, ...
The Scots will get a say whether or not they want to leave the union and go it alone but polling out today from our friends at Ipsos Mori hints that despite being the most popular leader and leading the most popular party it isn't looking good for Alex Salmond as support for an independent Scotland has fallen by 5% since the last time the company conducted a similar survey in June. 58% of those polled said that they preferred to stay in union – up 3% from June with those who wanted to leave down 5% to 30%. The ...
Liberal Democrat ministers are talking a lot about the need to tackle the deficit - ie spend less money - and also to tackle inequality. That's why Nick Clegg has been so keen on talking about giving extra money to help disadvantaged kids at school. What if there were a way to do both and ensure a healthier population for the future? Well, there is. And I've been banging on about it for a very long time. It's about making sure more women breastfeed their babies. Now, before you start going on about freedom of choice, 4 in 5 mums ...
The Wales Audit Office report published today into the AWEMA scandal is a very significant document, not least because for the first time we have a detailed assessment of how disjointed and chaotic the process of Government is in Cathays Park. A senior official from the Wales Audit Office said on Radio Wales this morning that this is now the 19th report in the last 5 or 6 years that has identified weaknesses in the way that the Welsh Government issues and monitors grants. And yet no lessons have been learnt and the same mistakes are being repeated over and ...
Far be it for me to challenge some of the wilder assertions about tax evasion, but I do feel that I ought to bring this to your attention... Figures released by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) today estimate the tax gap for 2010/11 at £32 billion, or 6.7 per cent of tax due, compared to 7.1 per cent in 2009/10. The tax gap is compiled from 30 separate estimates for different taxes. It is also broken down into the reasons that tax hasn't been collected. These include tax evasion and avoidance, as well as customer error, the hidden economy, criminal ...
On Tuesday morning we had a couple of meetings in Utrecht and headed by on a 6 hour train journey, via Duisberg, to Berlin. Which gave me time to write the last blog! With a gross domestic product of more ... Continue reading →
Earlier this year I blogged about my dissatisfaction with the process used by Unlock Democracy, the constitutional reform campaigning organisation, to elect members to its governing council. I was unhappy with the way the rules prevented campaigning and made it really difficult to choose between the candidates available. I made a contrast with my experience of last year's electoral reform society elections and talked about how the Liberal Democrats have recently implemented some much more, well, liberal rules for their internal elections. That post generated a response from Unlock Democracy's director, Peter Facey, which, not unreasonably, said that if you ...
Last weekend was the fifth anniversary of the day that Gordon Brown changed his mind at the last minute and didn't call the widely anticipated 2007 autumn General Election. Given the remainder of his tenure it is easy for many of us to forget that following his succession to No. 10 Downing St, Gordon Brown did received a popularity bounce. Brown was 10% ahead in the polls, David Cameron was floundering following a difficult period as opposition leader, and of course the banking collapse of 2008 had not yet happened. Given the situation at the time, Gordon Brown would most ...
My latest piece in The New Statesman. Which lots of pople read but hardly anyone commented on - they must largely agree with it! A slightly unusual thing happened at Deputy Prime Minister's questions today. Nick Clegg had a go at the Tories. This in itself is not as unusual as many readers of The Staggers might think (nor as common as many Lib Dems would like) but what was remarkable was the target. Not a ragtag of Tory backbenchers (though the ever-reliable Peter Bone teed it up for him beautifully), but the Conservative chairman, Grant Shapps. In response to ...
Thu 18th
10:44
The post that would have been banned two years ago - vote Caron Lindsay 1 for Federal Executive
As ballot papers land on voting reps' doormats for the Liberal Democrats' internal elections, I thought I'd just do a quick post telling you why I have decided to stand for the Federal Executive. Two years ago, this would have been impossible. In the past, anyone even hinting that they were going to vote for me anywhere online could have had me disqualified. The rule was initially put in place before the internet and it was designed with good intentions: to stop richer candidates outspending those who couldn't afford to run a campaign across the country. It took longer than ...
Lynne Featherstone MP voted 'Politician of the Year' (tags: ) Doctor Who: new series 7 set-pictures | Den of Geek *frothing with excitement at the Doctor and companion on a Triumph Scrambler* Better than the bloody scooter they put Ten on (see (tags: ) Why the late (and far from great) Bernard Manning would have cause to celebrate today - Comment - Voices - The Independent Eurgh. More bad employment news. (tags: ) BBC News - Police use Taser on blind man after stick mistaken for sword Oooops (tags: ) BBC News - 30 of your Britishisms used by ...
My occupation took me to all three major conferences this year and I'd like to share my impressions with you. First up, our lot. As usual, the press marched on us, expecting a revolt. Wanting to be there as Vince made his big move. As usual, nothing much really happened on that front. A few more grumbles about Nick than last year, that was all. The biggest complaint I have about my time in Brighton was the weather (particularly the gale force winds), always a good sign. The overriding feeling at Labour conference was one of complacency. Apparently, 2015 is ...
At the request of local residents I have been having discussions with Heaton Park management around their plans for Bonfire Night following the experience of residents in the Middleton Road/Baguley Crescent area just underneath the motorway subway (M60 Middleton junction). The park and Bury's traffic management have factored in some red signs at the entrance to Baguley Cresent with Heywood Old Road, which will also cover the 'service road' part of Middleton Road next to the Motorway) . These will be the red "No event Parking, Resident's Only" signs to act as a deterrent. Hopefully this will help the situation ...
From a poll on The Telegraph website today which asks: "Should MPs be forced to reveal if they rent out their taxpayer-funded homes?"
On Saturday, I wrote about what I had done so far in my first term of office. Today, I want to look forward.... What do I hope to achieve if elected to a second term in office? In truth, more of the same really. More reporting back, more reaching out to SAOs and AOs, more encouraging participation, especially from under-represented groups. I also want to contribute more to delegation leadership, if that is possible/helpful. Whilst not a linguist, I do understand process, which has its uses. So, you now know what I'm offering. It isn't glamorous, it's competent. But then, ...
On Monday I mentioned that one of the outtakes included on the new Magical Mystery Tour DVD shows the band Traffic. Thanks to the wonders of Youtube I can now show it to you. It begins with an absurdly young Steve Winwood and he is soon joined by Chris Wood, Jim Capaldi and Dave Mason. Mason came and went a couple of times in the band's history, but essentially he was thrown out by the others because they hated his song "Hole in My Shoe" so much. It is sad that it is for that song that Traffic tend to ...
I have been given Attitude Magazine's award for Politician of the Year for my work on Equal Marriage. I am really delighted. Thank you Attitude and you can read Pink News' write up on the award here.
Greater Manchester Council for the Voluntary Organisations are looking for applications for their Generating Success Project. They are looking to find community renewable energy projects, based in the 'rural' wards of Greater Manchester, who might be eligible for start-up support from the project. They are are interested in any techonlolgy: solar panels, wind turbine, biomass boiler or a community hydro project. Holyrood Ward is one of six areas of Bury which has been deemed as (at least partially) rural. Here's what GMCVO say: Is your organisation interested in developing a community renewable energy project? Have you considered installing solar panels, ...
Yesterday, I took part in a site visit with the Head of Transportation and a Senior City Council Engineer at the junction of Balgay Road/Blackness Road/Blackness Avenue - see right. Last year, I welcomed proposed road safety improvements at this junction as constituents have mentioned what a difficult junction this is - very busy and many vehicles making right turns. Lining to the west on Blackness Road has been altered to improve vehicle movements coming towards the junction and council officers assured me that its effectiveness will be monitored in the coming months. I also had the pleasure of a ...
West End residents have commented to me how pleased they are to see the welcome return of the West End Community Council's noticeboard, outside Nisa in Perth Road. The previous noticeboard was damaged - and its good to see the noticeboard (see right) back in place, displaying details of lots of local events, including the ward surgeries I and my ward colleagues hold across the West End.
I cannot believe the stupidity of calling the new health centre in Redcar the Langbaurgh NHS Medical Centre. It just does not make sense. What on earth possessed them to call it Langbaurgh? Have they no better imagination than to name it after the silly title given to the local Council that was abolished in 1996? Since 1968 there have been eight names for local government in Redcar: Redcar Borough Council North Riding County Council Teesside County Borough Cleveland County Council Langbaurgh District Council Langbaurgh Borough Council Langbaurgh on Tees Borough Council Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council Each time other ...
Cllr Victor Chamberlain (Left), John Leech MP (second left), Lib Dem Transport Minister Norman Baker MP (second right) and Lib Dem PCC candidate Matt Gallagher (right) Former policeman and Lib Dem Police Chief candidate, Matt Gallagher, is calling for Greater Manchester Councils to tackle their "scandalous" road safety record by implementing a blanket 20mph speed limit on all residential roads. Greater Manchester has the North West's highest rate of overall pedestrian casualties. Last year 744 people were needlessly killed or seriously injured on Greater Manchester's Roads and over 7000 people were hurt. Matt is calling for 20mph to become the ...
As Chairman of the LibDems' Finance and Business Committee in parliament, Stephen Williams, MP for Bristol West, has a platform to talk about economic issues without having the constraints of being a government minister. At an Orpington Liberal Club dinner this evening he identified himself as an economic Liberal, albeit with a strong social Liberal ...
A foreword: I know rather little about history, so cannot judge the quotation on the basis of historical accuracy. I can, however, challenge this quote on two grounds: 1) We notice when it repeats itself, rather than when it doesn't. While this is rather obvious and does not make the statement not true, it serves
