I mentioned one concern about the PCC elections in the last blog. I hope that all candidates are committed to the role and would not treat it as a part-time job. I have another concern. Candidates want to gather support and they will do this by talking about what is important to the electorate. They will prioritise the offences that are significant to individual voters. Even the adverts that ask us to go and vote are doing the same thing by showing someone smashing a house window and stealing a small electrical appliance. Does this mean that nobody will prioritise ...

Posted by Michael Gradwell on Politics for Novices

Firstly, the lack of pumpkins in Brighouse did not faze me one jot. Behold the Halloween Butternut Squash of doom! [IMG: 31102012103] Second, Miss Holly wanted to be a vampiress. She did her make-up all by herself! [IMG: 31102012104] [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments

Wed 31st
22:39

Vote for a full-time PCC

I was speaking to someone today who had been to a hustings meeting for the PCC elections. One of the candidates tried to distinguish themselves by saying that a vote for them would be a vote for someone who would treat the post as a full-time job. That's great considering they will only receive between £65,000 and £100,000. It wasn't for the Lancashire election but I would be embarrassed if any of my candidates were to say this. I would suggest that if you hear anyone saying this then don't vote for them. How can they even contemplate a part-time ...

Posted by Michael Gradwell on Politics for Novices

A reminder that Jill Hope's by-election headquarters can be found at 2a Ryder Court, Saxon Way East, Corby, Northamptonshire NN18 9NX The HQ is open between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. seven days a week. If you go along later tomorrow afternoon, rumour has it that you may meet a deputy prime minister. View Larger Map

Posted by Jonathan on Liberal England

I'm not keen on the concept of directly elected Police and Crime Commissioners, but I am keen on the idea that if there is to be a publicly elected post, a political party such as the Liberal Democrats should contest the post. Fighting elections is a significant part of what political parties do and what makes them different from local community organisations. Any locally minded group can point at potholes, protest against cuts or get more recycling. Political parties are something more than that. It is also quite possible to combine putting up a Liberal Democrat candidate for one of ...

Posted by Mark Pack on Mark Pack

After yesterday's suggestion that turning off street lights late at night cuts crime, here is another possibly counterintuitive idea: CCTV increases people's sense of anxiety. In today's Guardian Anna Minton writes about a study she carried out on a Peabody Trust housing estate in central London: What we found independently was that, although increased security, and in particular CCTV, was often very popular with residents, it did not necessarily lead to feelings of increased safety, with residents reporting that the presence of CCTV could instead increase anxiety. Security measures including gates and internal doors elicited a similar response, with residents ...

Posted by Jonathan on Liberal England

The news that Tory rebels and opportunistic Labour MPs have defeated the coalition by calling for a cut in the EU budget means it is time for Lib Dems to rethink their atitiude to the EU. With austerity across Europe it seems bizarre the political elite that is calling for belt tightening in Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal among others is incapable of practising what it preaches. The line used by opponents of a budget cut (including Lib Dems) is that it will be impossible to agree budget cuts, so the best that can be hoped for is a freeze ...

Posted by Dan Falchikov on Living on words alone

Jonathan Calder has the full story (which isn't quite as straight forward as appears at first sight) of the latest Police Commissioner candidate to bite the dust because they have a conviction: Lee Barron, Labour's PCC candidate for Northamptonshire, forced to withdraw... As Top of the Cops points out, the report goes on to offer contradictory accounts of when Barron's conviction came to light. On the one hand: The Chron understands Mr Barron informed the Labour Party of the incident before he was selected. On the other: A Labour spokesman said: "We are disappointed to learn from Lee today he ...

Posted by Mark Pack on Mark Pack

That's what I learnt at council today. In an announcement today councillors learned that Durham County Council bought out Darlington's share of Newcastle airport. Actually Darlington only ever became entitled to the shares after a long wrangle following it becoming a separate unitary council in 1977, and was awarded 16% of County Durham's original holding. Now Darlington has them no more – we have them back – but presumably Darlington instead has an undisclosed amount of Durham County Council's reserves in its coffers instead. Durham County Council's reserves have been depleted by a further £9.4 million which Durham County Council ...

Posted by Owen Temple on Owen Temple

Just a quick reminder for tomorrow's event in Cambridge City! -- -- -- -- On 1st November, young people will have the opportunity to participate in a variety of "Street" Sports and activities at the first Cambridge Urban Festival to be hosted in the Grafton Centre car park. The Festival will run from 12.00 - 6.00pm, providing FREE activities such as: Streetwise SoccerRamps for skateboards, BMX and scootersBreakdancingBoxingFreeland BMXGraffiti This has been made possible through the generous support of the Grafton Centre and Cambridge City Council's Parking Services, and is one of the first such events in the Country to ...

Posted by Andy Pellew on Focus on Bar Hill
YouGov

Are you part of a local group that could do with some publicity and an opportunity to raise some funds? Is there a charity close to your heart that you'd like to help raise money while having a great day out? If so then you might be interested in attending next years Bar Hill Village Fete which will be held on Saturday 6th July 2013. The Stall Booking form for the 2013 Bar Hill Village Fete has just been published on the Village Fete website (see here). It's available as a direct download (via Google Drive) here; http://goo.gl/4fHp5 Feel free ...

Posted by Andy Pellew on Focus on Bar Hill

Restoration & Renewal of the Palace of Westminster: "While the precise cost of rectifying these deficiencies is still unknown, investigations conducted in recent years indicate that it is already in excess of 40% of the insurance reinstatement value of the Palace (approximately £1.8bn). If the Palace were not a listed building of the highest heritage value, its owners would probably be advised to demolish and rebuild." I hope we can get the cash together to save this fine old building, and indeed bring her up to the standard a modern Parliament needs.

 

[IMG: Horrible Stroud Green Road repairs] A few months ago I complained to Haringey Council that the flower beds on Stroud Green Road opposite Tesco had been vandalised, and I was promised that the stone walls would be repaired. Sadly, as soon as the work was done I started getting complaints about the ugly repair job. The walls now looks awful – the missing bricks have been replaced by completed different-coloured concrete slabs. When I first visited old pieces of brick were left scattered all of the pavement – indicating what little care had been taken. This is a really ...

Posted by Richard on Richard Wilson

IN BEFORE THE FOURTH EPISODE. Delayed by illness as I mentioned, also that big old Hurricane Sandy getting all in my business. The third episode into Arrow, and I find myself mostly waiting for the show to get good, rather than actually enjoying it. They keep throwing hints of some interesting developments at me, then pull it away and give me something sub par, and frankly, kind of boring. Step it up, show. Step it up. Lone Gunmen features as the main antagonist one of my favorite villains from DC Comics, but one who never serves well in screen adaptations ...

Posted by Debi on Thagomizer.net

It's been a busy 5 months since I became County Council Chairman but one of the most rewarding aspects of the role is the ability to raise additional funds for worthy local causes. Back in the summer, I shared the proceeds from my civic service collection with the local branch of the RNLI and also with our local Air Ambulance fundraising group. This month as shown in the photo here, I was delighted to present the proceeds from anonymous donations at my Chairman's dinner to Cardigan Cancer Care. At present, I am starting a 4th consecutive year of collecting money ...

At this time of year it is traditional for Englishmen of a certain age to moan about the way that Halloween has supplanted Bonfire Night - here I am doing it in the Yorkshire Post a couple of years ago. Part of this phenomenon is the way that 'trick or treat' has replaced 'peny for the guy'. But it turns out that 'trick or treat' has a shorter history than you might expect even in the US. Here is Squidoo's Happy Halloween site: Again, the first records of trick-or-treating or "guising" as it was sometimes called, came in 1895 with ...

Posted by Jonathan on Liberal England

Scottish Liberal Democrats met for a busy annual Autumn conference in Dunfermline last Saturday. The day started with the most delicious sliced sausage ever. Subjects debated by members (all of whom have a vote), include reverse vending machines, honest lets, cuts to student funding, affordable childcare and the Home Rule Commission chaired by Sir Menzies Campbell. Charles Kennedy also took part in that debate. There were keynote speeches from Secretary of State for Scotland Michael Moore, new Business and Equalities Minister Jo Swinson and leader Willie Rennie. Danny Alexander did a question and answer session on the Mid Term Review ...

Posted by Caron Lindsay on Liberal Democrat Voice
Wed 31st
19:36

Winter visitors

Last weekend but one I saw my first winter thrushes of the season. Anyone in the U.K. or Ireland with a slight interest in birds will know what I'm talking about - the large, noisy, gregarious, nervous Fieldfare and the small, inconspicuous. less nervous or gregarious Redwing. Finns or Norwegians might be puzzled because they have these birds in summer and they nearly all leave in the autumn. Americans have the same kind of migration but different species. Why's it so special? In spring a birder is looking out for masses of different species coming in and they all have ...

Posted by SibatheHat on Siba The Hat

The Northampton Chronicle & Echo reports: The Labour candidate for the Police and Crime Commissioner elections has been forced to quit after it emerged he was arrested during a town centre disturbance 22 years ago. Football fan Lee Barron was watching England play in the World Cup in a Northampton pub in 1990 when trouble flared. A friend was arrested and Mr Barron, aged 19 at the time, tried to convince police he should be left with him rather than taken into custody. Instead, Mr Barron himself was arrested for wilful obstruction and received a £20 fine. The details came ...

Posted by Jonathan on Liberal England
eUKhost

Cabinet Member draws line under Public Convenience closures Conwy's Cabinet Member for Environment, Cllr Mike Priestley has announced that he does not intend to compulsorily close any public conveniences in the county borough. The extensive consultation with communities over a number of years attracted much debate and interest from the public. Cllr Mike Priestley said: "The review of our service was never about saving money, we aimed to improve the service by spending money from closed facilities on refurbishing others. But, during the consultation many people have said that they would rather have a basic facility than none at all." ...

Posted by Mike Priestley on Mike Priestley

It is interesting as a somewhat neutral in this debate. I say neutral as I'm fairly torn. On the one hand I'm pro Europe and understand that countries like Greece, Spain and Italy need shoring up with cash BUT at a time when the UK economy and services need money it seems crazy to pay more money out. In a way, I guess I back the motion's principle. The Labour party have been very vocal in their criticism of the Government position to pay up. They've also been keen to stir up the anti Europe wing of the Tory party, ...

Posted by Chris Sams on The Ginger Liberal from Medway

Its just not safe yet to be out trick-or- treating tonight, so Halloween has officially been postponed until Monday. — Governor Christie (@GovChristie) October 31, 2012 I better see you all out there on Monday with your costumes on and ... Continue reading →

Posted by Charlotte Henry on Digital Politico

Sign up to the Despatch Box, the new weekly political e-magzine from digitalpolitico.net Just in case the Mayor of London hadn't endeared himself to people enough already this year... Andrew Mitchell loses his job for unproven allegations of swearing, but ... Continue reading →

Posted by Charlotte Henry on Digital Politico
Wed 31st
16:35

Crossing the floor

From a comment on Lib Dem Voice: It is my expectation that, when the Tory right seeks to exert their power and to remove Cameron as leader, that many would give serious consideration to leaving the Tory party and joining the more moderate Liberal Democrats. To borrow a phrase: sadly, no. I've been following and involved in British politics for at least two decades now, and one constant of that time has been confident predictions of imminent splits in one party or another. I've made quite a few of them myself, and it's this long tradition of failed predictions that ...

Posted by Nick on What You Can Get Away With
Wed 31st
16:29

New bus to Springwood

One of the grumbles about getting around South Liverpool by bus has recently been the lack of options for anyone wanting to get to Springwood . I've had a fair few elderly people raise this as they want to visit regularly to leave flowers or tidy graves but can't afford to go backwards and forwards by taxi. The situation appeared to worsen a little while ago when the 801 bus, that made a few journeys from Liverpool South Parkway and other starting points to Springwood was cancelled. I've done my fair share of writing in about this as have other ...

Posted by Paula Keaveney on Paula Keaveney - Lib Dem Campaigner

Every week, Liberal Democrat Secretary of State for Scotland writes a column for newspapers in his Borders constituency. Here is this week's edition. Eyemouth Renewables I have been working with Eyemouth Harbour Trust and other local stakeholders over recent years to ensure our local economy benefits from the planned offshore wind development in the Firth of Forth. Last Friday, I was pleased to hold another of our meetings which was attended by a representative from Mainstream Renewable Power, the company which will develop the offshore wind farm. Scottish Renewables also attended the meeting and both provided extremely useful advice on ...

Posted by Michael Moore MP on Liberal Democrat Voice

This morning, along with two of my ward colleagues and City Council officers, we had a useful discussion at Dundee House about the parking problems residents in the Ancrum Drive experience. Having already held a number of meetings with the residents of the street and organised a walkabout with residents and Sustrans, the sustainable transport charity, around the area, it is clear that there is a real issue to be tackled. I made a number of suggestions this morning about possible additional parking off-street and involving the local residents group Community Spirit Action Group in terms of moving things forward. ...

Regular readers of the blog may remember I have repeatedly posted about the saga of whether or not there will be a waste plant on the ABP land next to Cressington Heath. Here is the latest update (and apologies to those for whom this is repetitive) For several years now, I, along with Lib Dem colleauges and others, have been fighting the prospect of a waste plant on the ABP land next to Cressington Heath estate. We believed that not only did this have the potential to cause massive problems for nearby residents, it also had the potential to cause ...

Posted by Paula Keaveney on Paula Keaveney - Lib Dem Campaigner

Yesterday evening I had the pleasure of speaking at a Hackney Liberal Democrat debate entitled 'Black History Month: Is It Just a Token Gesture?' It was a lively, positive and heartfelt discussion. Please find below ...

Posted by Lester Holloway on

Glenagnes Road entrance to the schools Yesterday's Courier featured my concerns and those of one of the residents who has contacted me regarding some of the parking problems near to the new West End schools in Glenagnes Road and Blackness Road. I have now visited the schools on a number of occasions to look at the issues first hand and major areas of concern are a small minority of drivers who are parking on double yellow lines near the school or letting off children in Blackness Road (in some cases by double parking and blocking the busy road). As I ...

Thursday, November 15th, isn't just the date of the Police Commissioner elections. There's by-elections in Cardiff, Manchester and Corby and an election for the mayor of Bristol. There's also by-elections pending in Croydon North and Middlesbrough. That means a lot of campaigns at the same time. But, look on the bright side, they're neatly spread right across the county. So, for most of us, there's one within easy reach. With so many by-election campaigns running at the same time, the campaign teams could really do with your help. That means help, not in three weeks time, but help at any ...

Posted by George Kendall on Liberal Democrat Voice
Wed 31st
15:23

Nanowrimo 2012

November starts tomorrow, having settled into its new role as the month where you do something a bit different in order to give you something to talk about on the internet. As I already have facial hair, I can't take part in Movember, so instead it'll be another attempt at National Novel Writing Month. Amazingly, despite the fact it's spread far and wide from its origin as something attempted by a group of friends in San Francisco to become a worldwide phenomenon, that stubborn 'National' clings alone to the front, with no concerted efforts to either delete it or add ...

Posted by Nick on What You Can Get Away With

I was just moved to tears watching this ...

Posted by A D Winter on Alan D Winter

Exactly 4 weeks ago, we all saw Barack Obama mention his 20th wedding anniversary as he started the first presidential debate. I will eat my own iPhone if Willie Rennie does similar in Holyrood this afternoon, but the occasion should not go unremarked. 20 years ago today, he and his lovely wife Janet were married in Strathmiglo in Fife where Willie was brought up and where his parents still live. I am sure that all my Liberal Democrat friends will join me in congratulating them and wishing them many more happy decades to come.

Posted by Caron Lindsay on Caron's Musings

On Monday Ed Miliband made a speech to the Royal College of Psychiatrists concerning the taboo surrounding mental illness. He spoke about the devastating human and economic consequences of failing to address the under- provision in mental health treatment and promised that, amongst other things, a Labour Government would re-write the constitution of the NHS in order to address this under provision. In my previous post on this website I wrote about the motion concerning mental health which was passed at the Lib Dems autumn conference in Brighton. I mentioned how I go through good and bad days with my ...

Posted by Tim Purkiss on Liberal Democrat Voice

Julian Huppert MP MP Julian Huppert has pressed the Prime Minister, David Cameron, on whether the government is committed to green energy following a leading Tory minister's controversial comments on wind farms. Julian raised the issue in the House of Commons today at Prime Minister's Questions (Wednesday, October 31) after Energy Minister, John Hayes said that the UK had "enough onshore wind farms". Mr Hayes comment sparked fears that there had been a change in government policy away from renewable energy. But Ed Davey, Lib Dem Secretary of State for Environment and Climate Change said "There has been no change ...

Posted by Andy Pellew on Focus on Bar Hill

Mayor Joe Anderson OBE, Cllr Richard Kemp CBE, Cllr Sarah Jennings On 15 April 1989, 96 people went to a football match from which they would never return. Liverpool City Council places on record its resolution that those 96 will ... Continue reading →

Posted by richardkemp on But what does Richard Kemp think?

Willie Rennie "coolly impressive".....says journalist Euan McColm, who is not known for dishing out praise without good reason. He was speaking after Willie's contribution in the Scottish Parliament debate on the events of last week, when it emerged that the SNP Government had not even sought legal advice from its law officers on the terms of an independent Scotland's membership of the EU, despite them making every effort to create the impression that they had. To add insult to injury, they spent thousands of pounds of taxpayers' money taking the Information Commissioner to Court over the issue. She had ruled ...

Posted by Caron Lindsay on Caron's Musings

After a resident noted the missing bollard by the war memorial clock on Church Road, Gatley, the Lib Dems got on the case and we're very glad to see a new bollard has been installed. Let us know about any problems you spot around the ward.

Posted by Iain Roberts on Keith Holloway, Iain Roberts & Pam King

Ryanair is bringing five new routes and 360 new jobs to Manchester Airport. Over the next few years thousands of more jobs are expected to be created an Manchester Airport, with the Enterprise Zone and improved access with Metrolink and the A6 to Manchester Airport Relief Road. As Mancunian Matters reports: The routes from Manchester will journey holidaymakers to Corfu, Krakow, Lanzarote, Paphos and Trapani and will introduce hundreds of new jobs It's good news for our area: unemployment has been falling across the country for several months and announcements like this will help that continue.

Posted by Iain Roberts on Keith Holloway, Iain Roberts & Pam King

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie is "coolly impressive" .....says journalist Euan McColm, who is not known for dishing out praise without good reason. He was speaking after Willie's contribution in the Scottish Parliament debate on the events of last week, when it emerged that the SNP Government had not even sought legal advice from its law officers on the terms of an independent Scotland's membership of the EU, despite them making every effort to create the impression that they had. To add insult to injury, they spent thousands of pounds of taxpayers' money taking the Information Commissioner to Court ...

Posted by Caron Lindsay on Liberal Democrat Voice

Councillors in Cornwall have, for legitimate reasons, taken different points of view on the issue of the allowances paid to members and the vote to raise those allowances next May. I voted against the proposed rise, but understand the reasons that others voted for them - even if I disagree. In today's Cornish and Devon Post, Altarnun Tory councillor Phil Parsons is quoted extensively on the issue. Phil decries the decision to increase allowances and asks: "What message are we sending out?"All this is perfectly reasonable except that Phil wasn't actually there when the vote on allowances was taken. He ...

Posted by Alex Folkes on A Lanson Boy

On Friday last week, eleven former members of staff at Winterbourne View private hospital were sentenced for the shocking neglect and abuse of their former patients. Six have been jailed, and five others given suspended sentences. I hope that these sentences will send a clear message that such criminal behaviour will not be tolerated and that there will be real consequences for the perpetrators. It was abuse of power of the worst sort. The case should reinforce to everyone, from frontline workers, to regulators, service commissioners, managers and board members, that they have a shared responsibility in preventing abuse of ...

Posted by Norman Lamb MP on Liberal Democrat Voice

Martine and her Family with Rt Hon David Gauke MP and the Mayor A public gathering to recognise the achievement of Martine Wright who participated in the Paralympic Games took place in Church Square, Tring on Saturday morning, 27th October . Cllr Nick Hollinghurst, the Tring Town Mayor, said, "We are all happy to be gathered here this morning to thank Martine Wright, our very own Tring Olympian for her terrific achievement in competing in the Paralympic Games as a representative of the UK. She reached a very level indeed with Team UK in her chosen sport of Sitting Volleyball ...

Posted by nickhollinghurst on Nick Hollinghurst

There has been a rise in factionalism across the Liberal Democrats during their time in the Coalition Government – with the Liberal Left, Social Liberal Forum, Liberal Reform and other groups, all promoting their different perspectives. At Party Conference a left/right divide over economics and fiscal policy was very noticeable. My thesis is that this divide is a serious one which is widening, not narrowing, and without measures to halt the fragmentation, the Party could face problems in establishing a common 'pan-party' position at the next election - especially on the economy. Further, I believe that signs of an improvement ...

Posted by Paul Reynolds on Liberal Democrat Voice

Evidence-based policy. How could anyone doubt its importance? Well, not me for a start. One of the good things about being signed-up to a liberal ideology is that a rational-sceptical outlook — a determination to look beyond gut instinct and to demand to see how policy is working in practice — is its bread-and-butter. Sometimes a demand for evidence-based policy is equated with an ideological vacuum, that the 'what matters is what works mantra' requires the suspension of your philosophical self. I don't buy that interpretation. To me, evidence-based policy is at heart a very liberal process. First, it demands ...

Posted by Stephen Tall on Stephen Tall

There are somethings that are more important in life than the political squabbles of a few or the oneupmanship of Gunwharf party politics. The most important thing? Star Wars. Following yesterday's announcement I have been shocked to my very core. For those of you who missed it, Disney have splashed $4bn and bought out Lucasfilm - to cap that they've announced the release of Star Wars Episode VII for 2015. Am I excited that I get to go and watch a new Star Wars in the cinema? Hear the opening music and read the scrawl as it treks over the ...

Posted by Chris Sams on The Ginger Liberal from Medway

The Scottish Liberal Democrats are part of the Better Together campaign which will be putting the positive case for Scotland to stay in the UK in the forthcoming referendum campaign. Better Together have produced a video which shows young people from across Scotland saying why they don't want to see their country broken up. Their arguments range from greater global influence on human rights and LGBT equality to international aid to greater security and jobs at home. One good thing, as I wrote recently, is that Liberal Democrat Secretary of State Michael Moore has given the SNP government the power ...

Posted by Caron Lindsay on Liberal Democrat Voice

[IMG: Featured on Liberal Democrat Voice] I've been away for a few days but emails have kept me in touch with the debate that has been going on about Osborne's proposal to sully Employee Ownership. It will have escaped few readers notice that Martin Horwood MP has signed the open letter published on LibDem Voice which was very critical of the idea that employees should swap their rights for minimal ownership options. I am confident that Martin is not the only Lib Dem parliamentarian to oppose this nonsense. I posted yesterday that there would be a parliamentary vote on this ...

Posted on birkdale focus

I'm fed up. After a wonderful Olympic summer, just 3 months into the Premiership season and I'm fed up. The football itself has been top quality, Chelsea have looked fabulous at times with Oscar, Hazard and Mata, United look frightening going forward whilst must be giving Fergie nightmares about their defending and other teams have been performing well above expectations. I think the league this year is going to be just as close, with a three way battle rather than last year's two. However like I said, I'm fed up. Every single week there seems to be a different controversy, ...

Posted by Radar on iRadar
Wed 31st
09:00

Fatal Collissions needed

For many years Transport for London have been promising pedestrians phases on the Lordship Lane/South Circular traffic lights. But nothing ever happens. To my latest request for information they eventually stated: "Thank you for your email. I am sorry for the length of time it has taken to provide you with a response. We have looked at various options for adding green man crossing facilities at this location over the last few years; however, it has proved difficult to develop a scheme that does not have a significant impact on traffic capacity at a location where congestion occurs at busy ...

Posted by James Barber on James Barber

The silence of Jimmy Savile's lambs "The ongoing failure to help us is as much a scandal as the failures of 30 years ago to catch our abusers. If everyone's starting point is our welfare and we all work outwards from there, at least things will be going in the right direction. If you really care about the abused and want to catch their abusers, vicarious outrage is of limited use. Sustained lobbying for the financing of relevant social services will do more than hysterical posturing and calls to "cut their balls off". Then again, the former isn't really news ...

The natural mechanism for raising a mansion tax on high value UK property is not Council tax. Councils lack a home by home market valuation database and the means to build one. HMRC can raise a tax far more effectively and then might distribute it to councils. Current Conservative policy will block a mansion tax based upon the rich contributing more but might accept a new tax targeted solely at non-owner occupied homes. Not only do these homes avoid the equivalent level of property tax on large homes that our continental neighbours are charged they also escape inheritance tax and ...

Posted by Ben Tyler on Liberal Democrat Voice

... that what Michael Heseltine has said today is the same as he's been consistently saying since the 1980s. Its contents may be good or may be bad*, depending on your point of view, but the one thing they most certainly are not is surprising. They are exactly what you would have expected a Heseltine report to say. Yet the Conservatives in government seem very unkeen on his recommendations. So why did they want him to do a report in the first place if they're not welcoming the sorts of recommendations that were inevitable once the invitation was sent to ...

Posted by Mark Pack on Mark Pack

Not content with wrecking electoral reform and democratising the House of Lords, Labour now plans to reduce the EU budget. Is Ed Miliband even capable of thinking beyond the next Commons vote ? Today they plan to vote with Tory rebels to support the aptly named Reckless Amendment to cut the EU budget, not because as a party they want to undermine Britain's position in the EU even further

Posted by David on Disgruntled Radical

Haunted Harborough Mike Eason Gibson Publsihing, 2012, £9.99 Interpreting 'Harborough' widely, Mike Eason introduces us to more than 20 hauntings in the town, district and wider area. Market Harborough's two major coaching inns - the Three Swans and the Angel - both have the supernatural guests you would expect, with the former perhaps being haunted by its former landlord John Fothergill, whom you certainly wouldn't want to run into on a dark night. Fothergill's Bar, as it is now called, was a snug and our smoke-filled room when I was a councillor, but it has now been opened out. Perhaps ...

Posted by Jonathan on Liberal England

Yesterday I posted about the cabinet posts that change the most often - which since the 2005 General Election has been 1. Transport (8) 2. Chief Secretary (7) =3. Defence (6) =3. Scotland (6) =3. Energy (6) What's just as interesting is how much less stable government has been during this period than compared to roughly the same period before it. Comparing the turnover in posts over the period since the 1997 General Election - a slightly longer period by a few months but the same number of actual elections (2) - reveals that while one might expect the earlier ...

Posted by Richard Morris on A VIEW FROM HAM COMMON
Wed 31st
07:48

Wordless Wednesday

 

Posted by Trisha xx on ripplestone review

Castle Ward will be the location for Colchester Council's next Day of Action on Thursday 29th November. This is where the Borough Council gets together with a whole host of other agencies to deal with problems in the area that have been identified by residents. People have been out yesterday and today knocking on doors in the area to find out people's views (I'll be out later today!) but there are a lot of doors to knock on, and if you haven't had the chance to respond to a survey at your doorstep, there's an online consultation that you can ...

Posted by Nick on What You Can Get Away With

The City Council is again having its traditional Lochee Park Fireworks Display and Bonfire (along with a similar one at Baxter Park) on 5th November - details below:You can download a better quality PDF of the above poster here.