Jennie Rigg has been doing some great work recently, posing questions to candidates for FPC and FCC in the upcoming Lib Dem internal elections. In an effort to compliment her efforts, I wanted to plug one of the gaps which this has left, however. In the light of Jon Ball's response to Jennie's question on ...
On Tuesday Tracey Crouch raised the following point (annotated whilst watching I-player) As a member on this side of the house who is against the cull can I welcome the Secretary of State's announcement today but I have to say Mr Speaker it was upsetting to see members opposite laughing throughout the Secretary of state's announcement when Bovine TB has such a devestating effect on our farmers. However will the Secretary of state accept that the proposed cull will reduce BTB by 16% and if anything spread and increas the disease across the UK and will he instead reconsider his ...
Paedophilia at the BBC? Nothing new, says Andrew O'Hagan in an alarming essay for the London Review of Books. Unless workers are encouraged to speak up, we will continue to see people turning a blind eye to wrongdoing in the workplace, argues Cathy James on the British Politics and Policy at LSE blog. "When McDonald's execs first struck up their lucrative business partnership with the Coca-Cola Company in 1955, they were thinking small—literally. At the time, the only size of the beverage available for purchase was a measly 7-ounce cup. But by 1994, America's classic burger joint was offering a ...
Dear Leader of the Council, At the Council meeting [16th October] I asked you a question relating to the fact that Southfield's share of grade A streets is ten percent below the average. It is not the only ward in Ealing where this is happening. Truly shocking. I have given you and Ealing Council's management staff over a week to come up with details of what they will do for Southfield - extra staff, forcing staff who are not up to scratch to be dismissed or re-trained, or something else. So far not a response from anyone. Head in the ...
The clocks go back in the early hours of tomorrow morning, and although time reform's going through a quiet spell in parliament, members of our Lighter Later coalition are still out there making the case for change. With darker evenings on the horizon, road safety's been a strong focus, with some good coverage reminding readers that lighter evenings would mean fewer accidents. We're keeping an eagle eye on things and will keep in touch with any developments. In the meantime, some good news... Campaign for a green grid: signs of successBack in July, loads of you teamed up with the ...
These were the PACT priorities from last Thursdays meeting Parking outside the School (St.. Philips)Set up public meeting with School, police, highways, councillors, and cabinet members re - aboveRoad sweeping outside the School, (leaves) and stop the School blowing leaves onto road outside School
There was a time when I would faithfully chronicle Ros's contributions in the Lords here. And then I stopped, for reasons which quite escape me. And it strikes me that, given that her job is to help run the country, it is entirely right that I should use this space to celebrate her contributions. So, I'll try and get back into the habit of it, especially given that since she finished her term as Party President, she's been rather busier in the chamber. I've got about eighteen months to catch up on, so I'd better get started...
...And by recently I mean the better part of a year now. I've mentioned on here several times recently that I have health problems, but I thought it was probably worth explaining exactly what's been up with me for the last year, and why firstly my writing has been of a lower standard than usual ...
Two gay men in Jamaica are seeking to overturn the country's 1864 Offences Against the Person Act (based on the 1861 Westminster Act). It is clauses 76,77 and 78 (renumbered from 61 in the UK Act) that are the ones that they are looking to get repealed. 76 Whosoever shall be convicted of the abominable ...
Gatley Golf Club have refurbished their function room for meals, parties and other events. The new Centenary Suite function room, which includes a raised area for a DJ and extensive variable lighting, is free to hire for charities and schools, and available at reasonable rates for others. The golf club can cater for up to 100 people attending sit-down meals in the room, and there's a full bar in the club house too. See the club's website for more information. View Cheadle and Gatley in a larger map
Sat 27th
15:17
Hertfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner Candidate, Christopher Townsend - Manifesto
Dr Christopher Townsend is the Liberal Democrat Candidate to be Hertfordshire's first Police and Crime Commissioner. Learn more about Christopher and his Progmamme of Action by visiting his website www.christophertownsend.org CHRISTOPHER TOWNSEND'S MANIFESTO Managing an effective police service, ensuring that crime levels remains low, that justice is seen to be served and that the Police budget is balanced are the challenges that we face. My principles are based on Policing by consent – every officer knows that their best partner in the fight against crime is the general public – getting the relationship right, and based on mutual trust and ...
www.saynotocoldcalls.com Man charged PPI cold calling firm £10 a minute for wasting his time, And Won!
Today, the Friends of Rock Road Library treated the community to a celebration of apples today. It started with a biscuit and cake stall at the entrance - cakes are always a good start! There was lots to do in the library garden: playing William Tell with a Nerf gun, Apple & Spoon, tasting apples, apple bobbing if you didn't mind getting wet; while inside you could listen to apple stories and get crafty with tissue paper and decorative materials. The Library Garden's own apple trees were festooned with cardboard apple shapes printed with interesting facts about the gastronomic history ...
Europe is rising up the political agenda. It's an issue that could bring down David Cameron or break-up the coalition. Yet the Liberal Democrats are strangely silent. The EU didn't appear on the Brighton conference agenda and we no longer have a Minister in the Foreign Office. We need to develop a vision for a liberal, democratic EU and get smart about fighting for it. Here's my four point plan: Mea culpa on the Euro Like most Lib Dems I was sympathetic to the case for Britain participation in the single currency. I was wrong. Events have shown that monetary ...
Brillant tweet, this, from Paul Twigger.. and in case you needed any other reasons... have a look here. How did it ever get so close?
Misguided? The footpaths around the bus stops in Houghton Regis have had their kerbs raised and footpaths relaid to make it easier for the elderly and people in wheelchairs to gain access to the buses. But it seems to me that this particular path in my ward, in Parkside Drive, would be too narrow to get a wheelchair along. The buses will run on a specially made £90million track between Houghton Regis and Luton town centre due to open next Spring. Watch out for the spin. There'll be plenty of over-bearing, gushing, ministerial and council officials making announcements. The government ...
I note that, having written my most recent blog posting, I am being invited to use Google Affiliate Ads in the course of my blogging. And, as I do have advertising on this blog, the potential for earning money which might, in some really small way, be used for fun (or Liberal Democrat stuff, which may or may not be the same thing), is one that I have a duty to explore. So, how does this work? As I understand it, I write a blog entry, like this one. When I've finished, I look to the right hand side of ...
My friend and colleague, Councillor Maureen Fearn, has been treated poorly and with a huge lack of respect by the Labour leadership of Sefton Council. Last week, purely by chance, I discovered that the Cabinet Member for Children Schools and families, Cllr Ian Moncur, made a decision to remove Maureen from the governing body of Meols Cop High School. To add insult to injury she was not informed of this decision by officers or the Cabinet Member. Maureen's term of office was coming to an end and she wished to be considered for renomination. A Labour activist and past candidate ...
It's been an interesting few months on Planet HMRC, especially for yours truly. After many years of service, mostly marked by an almost complete lack of personal ambition, I had begun to accept that I would spend forty-five years at the same grade I had entered at, and that this would be fine. After all, the salary isn't bad, all things considered, I still enjoy what I do, and I'm still motivated by the vaguely altruistic sense that, by doing my job well, I put something back into society. And, in an environment where Civil Service numbers are in decline, ...
It so winds me up that drivers continue to flout the double yellow lines in Dolphin Drive, Houghton Regis. After I took this picture, this driver told me, "I only stopped to buy some cups of tea. You need to get a life." Well, it's not me that needs to get a life. It's him that needs to save a life. I'm sure he did just stop to get some tea. And I'm sure he was only a few minutes. But after he's driven off, some other yo-yo is guaranteed to park up there, too, within 10 minutes, to "only ...
Interesting report in today's Lancet, showing that the risks of dying young are significantly reduced if people give up smoking before 40 and almost eliminated if you quit before age 30. The research, based on a longitudinal study of over a million women, has been published today to mark the centenary of the birth of ...
The BBC is rightly in crisis over its handling of the Jimmy Savile case. But the mix of some journalists loving taking pot-shots at the BBC and the BBC's own love of reporting itself (did you see the Newsnight piece on the Panorama episode about the Newsnight story?) means the BBC's troubles has been over-shadowing the role of others. The police, in particular. One police force we now know investigate Jimmy Savile and their work at least got as far as serious consideration of whether or not there was enough evidence to go to court. Yet even that was after ...
I don't know about you but frankly I've gone as far as I can with this blog as it stands. As alluded to in my penultimate posting, my ability to continue has been severely curtailed by Muppets conducting a vendetta, and derailing this particular blog. So for the time being I'll put this project on ice, perhaps like some mammoth that will emerge at sometime in the future or just as likely, when I get time a quick revamp and wallop same old same old. Whether it's accepted or not I've written this blog for my pleasure and sometimes with ...
In the EU small and medium sized businesses (SME) truly are the lifeblood of our economy. They represent 99% of the total firms across Europe and account for 58% of total turnover. Two thirds of all people are employed in small and medium sized businesses and in the last 10 years 85% of job creation ...
Below are the opening paragraphs from a column I wrote in the Ham & High in 2010. I got sacked from my first job. It was a small design/advertising agency and one night during my six week trial period - one of the Directors asked if I would join him and a blue chip client for the show reel and drinks. Afterwards he offered me a lift home, insisted on stopping for a drink on the way home and as he dropped my at my mother's house - made a pretty crude lunge at me. I told him where to ...
Best picture of a squirrel ever (tags: ) Chief Steward needed for Liberal Democrat conferences Job advert (tags: ) Bloody Nasty People by Daniel Trilling - review | Books | The Guardian (tags: ) Romney rejected birth certificates of children from gay parents - PinkNews.co.uk (tags: ) MP's bid to protect pubs and independent shops thwarted :( (tags: ) G.O.P. Split Over Whether to Emphasize Misogyny or Racism : The New Yorker (tags: ) Stop and review the cuts to benefits and services which are falling disproportionately on disabled people, their carers and families - e-petitions A government e-petition worth ...
The Ham & High reports: Auditors criticised the mortuary for its haywire record keeping, after a routine visit in May revealed oversights including not properly recording the locations of bodies. The blunders were so serious the auditor immediately ordered Haringey Council - which runs the supposedly state-of-the-art facility, opened amid much fanfare in February 2009 - to make changes, including adding body storage locations to its database... In March this year, Lyn Garner promised Haringey had reviewed its procedures and believed it had "as robust a set of arrangements in place as possible". But two months later auditors visiting the ...
It's Saturday morning, so here are eight thought-provoking articles to stimulate your thinking juices... Why don't we trust politicians? – The BBC's Nick Robinson takes politicians to task, doesn't let the media off the hook either... while Labour's Rachel Reeves mouths platitudes. The BBC regains its honour - Nick Cohen links the Beeb's problems with Newsnight and Jimmy Savile to the wider question of institutional trust: 'We ought to be extending anti-managerialism into every private and public hierarchy.' The Savile inquiries: giving truth a bad name – Frank Furedi isn't a great fan of truth and reconciliation-style post mortems: 'There ...
People living on Cressington Heath complained recentl about dust or particles being blown across from the ABP site. One little boy seemed to have more asthma than before. When I looked there was at least one big pile just across the fence that could have been the source of the problem. Anyway, my colleague Richard raised this at the City Council's environmental committee earlier this month. The answer he got is long so I have pasted some of it below (although full minutes are available on www.liverpool.gov.uk) (Extract from minutes begins) Questions submitted by Councillor Richard Oglethorpe i. Associated British ...
Yesterday, I took part in a tour round the Whitehall Theatre, at the invitation of former Lord Provost John Letford. John, as the chair of the Whitehall Theatre Trust, and his colleague Davie, gave me an interesting insight into the improvements taking place at the theatre. The Whitehall Theatre has good facilities that local West End groups can have access to - the cafe area in particular is a great meeting place - and any local group wishing to use the facilities should contact the theatre at Dundee 322684. Here's John and me outside the Whitehall Theatre yesterday:Later yesterday, I ...
I was interviewed yesterday on Wave 102 news about the 333 hospital link bus service. Click 'play' below to listen:
When Merlin Holland was invited to the United States some years ago to give a lecture on his grandfather, Oscar Wilde, the woman at immigration at JFK asked him what claim he had to be an authority on the Irish playwright. Merlin confessed the blood link, at which point the immigration officer — rather surprisingly, ...
