What is missing from the story of Britain's housing crash? From the Government we've had the usual market fundamentalist refrain that the root of the problem is planning and regulation. So we're presented with various proposals to deal with the problem. First, the Government invited representatives of the development industry to assist in rewriting planning guidance to their benefit as part of the process of drawing up the new National Planning Policy Framework. Then we had the proposal to relax planning regulations on house extensions and conservatories in order to allow households to expand in situ. The Growth and Infrastructure ...
Craig Brown writes on badgers, cows and evidence-based policy for the Association of Liberal Democrat Engineers and Scientists site: "The badger cull is rare in that it is one of the few policies for which real scientific field trials have been performed in order to establish its efficacy. Peer-reviewed journals detailing the results of these trials conclude that culling badgers is, for the most part, ineffective as a remedy for bTB." "This British scientist, rejected by his short-sighted government, has written as good a handbook as one is likely to find." Jacob Silverman reviews David Nutt's "Drugs without the Hot ...
Thu 1st
23:01
Recent Entertainment Microreviews: inc Skyfall, Red Dwarf, & things to do with University Challe...
Skyfall was pretty bloody awesome, aside from the last 90 seconds or so. It's certainly Craig's first Proper Bond Film, and I'd say it's the best Bond film since Goldeneye. The only bit I didn't like in an otherwise very enjoyable film was ( SPOILER! ) However, I have solved this by adding a thirty second coda to the end of the film in my head: ( I wish this was a spoiler ). For a more incisive review, please see the fluffy elephant (you may recognise the content of the first comment). The Pirates! In an Adventure With Scientists ...
From Monday 5th November, South Glos Council's Street Care team will be concentrating on clearing leaf fall rather than routine street sweeping. Initially this will be for a period of four weeks, but it depends on the weather. The mechanical footway sweepers will continue to sweep the town centres, but no other routine sweeping will be done. You can report areas with heavy accumulations of leaf fall by: phoning 01454 868000e-mailing streetcare@southglos.gov.uk filling in an online form at
Earlier this evening I went to a meeting held by the Welland Rivers Trust at The Angel, Market Harborough, to gain local views about its proposed £500,000 project to restore the riverscape and habitats along the River Welland through the town. You can read more about the scheme on BBC News and on the Welland Rivers Trust website. The project has come a long way since I went to a meeting about the Welland on the eve of the last general election, and there was a lot of support expressed this evening. The middle reaches of the Welland suffered brutal ...
Sign up to the Dispatch Box, the new weekly political e-magzine from digitalpolitico.net It's a US election special of Question Time with former talk show host/Democrat Mayor of Cincinnati Jerry Spring amongst the guests.
Former Children's Minister Sarah Teather MP is to lead a cross-party inquiry into whether the current asylum support system provided by the Home Office for those seeking protection in the UK meets the needs of children and families. So says a press release issued by The Children's Society on Tuesday. The inquiry is calling for people to submit evidence and is looking to "build a clearer picture of whether the support is adequate to protect these children and young people's welfare, in line with the government's obligations". Sarah says; "I am concerned that currently many thousands of children and young ...
Tonight, following my weekly surgery at Blackness Primary School, I attended the latest meeting of the Harris Academy Parent Council. There was a discussion about bringing the school's website up to date. The Harris Academy Christmas Fayre is on Saturday 24th November - 10am to 12 noon - as part of West End Christmas Fortnight.
The vital role pubs play in the local community bringing in much needed money for the economy and generating jobs has been highlighted by Cambridge MP Julian Huppert in the House of Commons. Julian reminded MPs of the importance of the pub trade as he fights to save those threatened with closure across Cambridge and the country as a whole. He spoke out during a back bench debate on the beer duty escalator saying: "I would like to highlight not only the social role but also the economic role that pubs play. "Pubs inject an average £80,000 into a local ...
A government planning inspector's decision to turn Cambridge's Royal Standard pub into flats has been welcomed by the city's Liberal Democrats. The Inspector has judged that any presumption in favour of development is "clearly outweighed by the comprehensive harm the proposal would cause by virtue of the loss of a valued community facility." He also recommended that the Royal Standard "should now be marketed as a public house in accordance with sensible criteria such as those contained within the IPPG." (Cambridge City Council's Interim Planning Policy Guidance on the Protection of Public Houses). Cambridge MP Julian Huppert, who campaigned locally ...
In 2010 the number of new homes projected for Consett was 3,180. The county's options paper said there were 460 sites needed over and above those that already had planning permission. From that it would appear that there were already 2,720 sites for homes already approved. When the Preferred Options came out in 2012 the number of new homes projected for Consett had fallen by 400 to 2,780. A simple calculation would then lead to the expectation that only 60 new sites were needed. Cue for a sigh of relief. BUT ...... At the recent consultation event I was informed ...
Cambridge FairTraders Are you a Fairtrade supporter? Then come to the East of England Campaigns Day at Anglia Ruskin on 24th November. It is the first event of its kind in Cambridge and jointly hosted by Fairtrade Cambridge, Anglia Ruskin Fairtrade University and the Fairtrade Foundation. The event will offer ideas and support for developing Fairtrade City campaigning. We've got a great agenda lined up, including: Interesting workshops such as 'What next for your Fairtrade campaign?', 'What do we understand by the term Fair?' Stalls, displays and Fairtrade tasters Elections for the East of England National Campaigner Committee representative Networking ...
Last week in Strasbourg, two of the South West MEPs spoke in the debate on the situation in Cambodia and called on the Cambodian government to grant its citizens the fundamental right to freedom of expression, conduct free and fair elections and ensure its land and natural resources are developed in a proper manner. Conservative Julie Girling remarked that the human rights situation in Cambodia
#Haringey popping up in @privateeyenews Rotten Boroughs again – this time it's the road resurfacing farce in #Highgate twitter.com/PaulHead83/sta... — Paul Head (@PaulHead83) November 1, 2012 (For more on the background to this story, see Highgate anger as Labour council paints lines - then resurfaces street, days later! In checking that link I also came across this; clearly they've got something about paint at Haringey Council.)
Last Monday, three days ago now, I lay, conscious, on an operating table at St George's hospital, Tooting. A tube had been inserted into my artery in the right arm at the wrist, through which dyes and then wires were inserted. On my left wrist a drip had been inserted into vein so that drugs could be injected rapidly. Two surgeons were doing their stuff around the area of my legs, looking up at two monitor screens. A large cylindrical device was being pointed at my chest at various angles. I lay as still as possible, as the surgeons exchanged ...
This autumn, the great debate on Britain's role in Europe has, as ever, generated a lot of heat yet little light. We want to be in, we want to be out. We want to repatriate powers, use our veto, keep our pint, save our pound, protect our strongest export market. Be critical of Germany, not end up like Greece, feel proud of our role in creating peace in Europe, yet cynical about an acronym winning the Nobel Prize. And just last night, in a House of Commons debate on the European Budget, we saw Europe turned into a political football ...
Thu 1st
17:57
"Standing up for the people of Britain by standing tall in our own backyard" - Clegg on Europe
Nick Clegg made a speech earlier today setting out his vision for the role the UK should play in the European Union. You can read what Clegg had to say (minus, unfortunately, the "party political" segment which has been removed by the Cabinet Office) below, and what the Voice's Stephen Tall thinks he should have said here. And here's his fellow co-editor Mark Pack's take on the speech. A Vision for the UK in Europe This autumn, the great debate on Britain's role in Europe has, as ever, generated a lot of heat yet little light. We want to be ...
[IMG: Paul Burstow] A bit of party news today with various posts being filled. Paul Burstow has been elected chair of the Parliamentary Party, succeeding Lorely Burt who in the reshuffle became PPS to Danny Alexander. Meanwhile there have also been changes at both the Commons and Lords end to the Co-Chairs of various Liberal Democrat Party Parliamentary Committees (often given the same acronym, PPCs, as used for party candidates). The full list of names now is: Business, Innovation & Science Commons Co-Chair: Gordon Birtwistle Lords Co-Chair: Lord Razzall Communities & Local Government Commons Co-Chair: Annette Brooke Lords Co-Chair: Lord ...
The thing with nuclear power is that while the risk of a serious accident may be small the consequences are monumental. Is this something we just have to live with or are there things we can do to minimise the risk of accidents and/or their severity if they happen? I think there are. The physics ...
As far as I am aware there are two meetings next week at Blyth Town Council. Planning & Development Committee Tuesday 6th Finance Committee Thursday 8th Both are at Ebor House, Blyth and start at 6:30 pm
Sign up to the Dispatch Box, the new weekly political e-magzine from digitalpolitico.net This comes courtesy of Republican Richard Tisei.
Among all the other big decisions being taken by Cornwall Council at the moment, the issue of the new local plan (previously known as the core strategy) is one of the biggest. It is being discussed by the Cabinet next Wednesday and will be decided by all 123 councillors at the December council meeting. The headlines will focus on the 49,000 target for the number of new homes being proposed for Cornwall over the 20 year lifetime of the plan. One way in which this number could be brought down is through a better target for the proportion of affordable ...
Through the plummeting costs of technology; The massive consumer choice; The wide array of innovation - which touches nearly every person and business in this country. But for too long, standing apart from all of these exciting developments - there ... Continue reading →
So, Nick Clegg wants the UK to stay part of cross-European anti-crime arrangements and will do so by agreeing to opt out of them all. Plus he isn't happy with plans to increase the EU's budget and wants to block them by opposing cuts in the budget. Not exactly clear, you might think ... but that is to see them at the wrong level of detail. Zoom in to the details of how European decision-making works or zoom out to the broad overall picture and there is a consistent approach. The problem is that on a quick glance at the ...
Writing in the Guardian, Lord (Matthew) Oakeshott is typically forthright in his assessment of the chancellor's performance and the changes he would like to see: What we need instead is a far bolder plan for economic recovery. I call it plan C for construction and capital investment rather than plan B but we can all agree at least, on this side of the debate, that Osborne isn't working. We must be mad to treat our record low long-term interest rates as some sort of virility symbol, instead of an unrepeatable opportunity to finance desperately needed investment. The pension funds and ...
I'm a pessimist. I am. However I am also a realist (so at times these two differing viewpoints battle in out in my mind in a whirlwind fight to the death) but when it comes to political issues I often look at momentum and can see things from a third person perspective and in the case of the Shenfield by-election due to be held on December 6 the Lib Dems are in a great position to make a gain. The outgoing Tory councillor (who actually defected from the Lib Dems to the Tories in 1996) is leaving to look after ...
A brief video of my introduction at the AGM for the Nottingham City Liberal Democrats.
I've just received the following email from officers at Cornwall Council: In consultation with the Chairman, the Council meeting has been moved from 4 December to 11 December 2012 to enable a full and informed debate on the Governance Review and Strategic Partnership for Support Services. And so it seems that someone on the fourth floor is determined to press ahead with yet another attempt to get councillors to agree to shared services. To recap: At the September meeting, councillors voted against shared services/privatisation. The (now ex-) Leader decided to press ahead nonetheless. Last month (having sacked the Leader) we ...
Sign up to the Despatch Box, the new weekly political e-magzine from digitalpolitico.net Popcorn ready? Then click play... Sign up to the Despatch Box, the new weekly political e-magzine from digitalpolitico.net
As part of the work of the Northstowe Joint Developement Committee (mainly between South Cambridgeshire District Council, and Cambridgeshire County Council) a local Longstanton District Councillor, Alex Riley, has done some work analysing traffic patterns on the B1050 which joins to the A14 just North of Bar Hill. While his focus is plainly the other side of the A14 the conclusion he reaches - that without an upgrade the road just won't cope with the additional traffic caused by Phase 1 of Northstowe - should be a cause for serious concern for Bar Hill residents, especially those that use the ...
An old cutting from The Times brings this campaign idea: If parrots aren't your thing, you could always try 101 Ways To Win An Election instead. Guaranteed parrot-free. (Probably.)
Here's one of Ros's interventions that I hadn't covered, from 7 June 2011... It would be fair to say that Ros takes a very strong view on localism, which runs back to her very first steps as a Liberal Democrat, and beyond. And when you let Conservatives loose on a good idea, sometimes you ave to explain to them what the term actually implies... Baroness Scott of Needham Market (Liberal Democrat) In every speech on local government I have made in your Lordships' House in the 11 years that I have been here, I have called for government to introduce ...
The Liberal Democrats have done a lot of good in this coalition government, from ending child detention, to cutting income taxes for low paid workers to ensuring fair pension increases every year with Steve Webb's triple lock, to giving extra money to disadvantaged kids via the Pupil Premium, Nick Clegg's £1 bn Youth Contract and the extra money he's given to ensure half a million people get good treatment for mental health problems in England. It's an impressive record. But there is bad to go with the good. Regular readers will be aware of my FFS list - that short ...
A new planning application has been received within Holyrood Ward as detailed below:- Application number: 55743 Type of application: Full Date Registered: 26/10/2012 Location: 19 Ludlow Avenue, Whitefield, Manchester, M45 6TD Proposal: Two storey extension at side; Single storey extension at side/front (Re submission) Plans will be available to view on the Council's website (use the above application number to search). Please don't hesitate to get in touch if any further information is needed. Tim
I don't normally read a Sunday paper as the Saturday one takes me all weekend to digest, but a friend (dubbed a "Throroughly good egg" by a reader of this blog and designated a "member of the Liberal élite" by his Tory MP) has alerted me to an article in the Observer a couple of weeks ago in which the writer, Simon Neville, reveals how traders now operate on the US Stock Market. Apparently 75% of all trades are initiated by algorithms on computers. The shock statistic, to me at any rate, is that the average purchase is held for ...
Every month I sent out an e mail bulletin of information, news and issues relevant to L19 and L18. Although I concentrate on the Cressington ward area, I do include things a little further afield. If you want to start getting these e mails, you can subscribe at this link.
Humanitarian Crisis for Indian children and their families in confiscatory child care proceedings abroad The original document is here. A case for intervention under human rights laws for the repatriation of Indian children facing foreign confiscatory care proceedings to their relatives in India, instead of being consigned to foreign state institutions or foster care, or being given away in
I take my hat off to Michael Heseltine for producing a report on growth that has passion, commitment and vision. It is far cry from the usual dry as dust, Treasury reports that obsessively tinker at the economic margins. Alas, despite its punchy prose the Heseltine report is flawed. There is a lot to celebrate in this report. Heseltine condemns a dysfunctional Whitehall for neutering local leadership: "As Whitehall has taken more powers so its distrust of local decision makers has increased. At the first sign of trouble, further powers are wrested back to the centre." But like Eric Pickles, ...
Because we believe in the EU, we want to tackle its inflated spending, its protectionist Common Agricultural Policy and unfair Common Fisheries Policy - among other things. As Stephen Tall writes: the Lib Dems have always championed a reformed EU. An EU which is more responsive to democratic opinion. An EU which liberalises the free movement of people and trade while tackling the problems we share, such as environmental pollution and crime. Frank Little
From The Guardian: The home secretary, Theresa May, has been told by peers and MPs that her £1.8bn internet monitoring proposals will be a "honeypot for hackers and criminals around the world" and that she must bring in prison sentences for those who hack databases... A peers and MPs on the joint committee [looking at the Draft Communications Data Bill] raised fears that the massive increase in the storage of sensitive personal data required could lead to invasion of privacy on a new scale, and be open to criminal attack. A Liberal Democrat peer, Lord Strasburger, described the proposals as ...
This post may seem a bit nerdy, but it's nerdiness with a purpose. With the appointment of Padstow councillor Steve Rushworth to the Cornwall Council cabinet, a place has opened up on the Strategic Planning Committee - cabinet members are not allowed to sit on planning. It's interesting to see who might be chosen by the Conservative group to replace him. Ideally, the membership of the committee should reflect Cornwall as a whole. There is a rule to enforce political balance and that means that there are eight Conservatives, six Lib Dems, six Independents and one Mebyon Kernow member on ...
Michael Heseltine's report published yesterday argues for more powers to be devolved to Councils and City Regions, like Manchester, and more "picking winners" in business to help growth. I welcome his report, because the devolution of power is something the ... Continue reading →
The Council has given approval for the empty buildings at Cobblestone Corner (off Ivy Avenue L19) to be turned into a supported living/care facility for disabled people. Details of the decision can be found at this link Most of the detail is in the section called Related Documents. There are quite a few conditions being applied, one of which is about the times that work is allowed to go on on site (this is so that its not too noisy for neighbours) It'll be good to see these buildings being used again but Richard and I will keep an eye ...
Halloween offers few forms of entertainment for the middle aged. If one has friends who are throwing a party in the vicinity, then it's probably best to put on a smudge of face paint, don a white smock with an anonymous red stain, and go. The evening can then be spent in good company while ...
Get this. Apparently Job Seekers travelling to job interviews can claim travel-to-interview expenses provided they sign a bit of paper at the Job Centre BEFORE the interview. Very nice deal if you live next door to the Job Centre! Now suppose you live in my neighbourhood, six and half miles from the Job Centre, or a 20 minute drive plus car parking fee away, plus walking time. Why would someone even bother, when they could simply just drive to the job interview and back in the same time? And before you ask, no you can't do the claim online.
British Gas have a scheme offering free loft and cavity wall insulation whether you're a British Gas customer or not and you don't have to be on any benefits. So if you own your property OR the property owner wants free insulation nothing is stopping you getting it for free except inertia. This offer is worth up to £1,000 per home. If you're over 70 or on a wide range of benefits they'll even pay to move things out of your attic. If scaffolding is required they pay up to £475. IF you refer a friend to this scheme British ...
Nick Clegg will today make the kind of speech which makes it very hard for Lib Dems to push the idea that our party is serious about reform of the European Union. According to the BBC, he will dismiss the chances of any significant changes to the EU's budget: In a speech to be delivered to the Chatham House international affairs think-tank, Mr Clegg will say Labour is well aware there was "absolutely no prospect" of achieving a real-terms cut. "Their change of heart is dishonest, it's hypocritical. And worst of all, Labour's plan would cost the taxpayer more, not ...
I know it's inconvenient to let the facts get in the way of an argument but the European Movement has published a few, which I set out below. I spared myself the ordeal of watching the assembled Europhobes in the Commons foaming at the mouth yesterday but I say to all of them - Tory and Labour alike - (and men and women alike, in case I am accused of sexism): "Calm down dear !" European
Dundonald ward, in Merton, was awarded the "most canvassed ward in London" at the London Liberal Democrats regional conference. As one of the people co-ordinating the campaign in the ward, it was great that the hard work was recognised, but I was also a bit surprised. Not surprised as in "can't believe we'd won", but surprised in the fact it didn't feel like hard work, once the initial groundwork had been done. In reality, although there were times where we were out doing surveys, recruiting or canvassing twice a week, it averaged about once a week. The canvass teams were ...
Public don't trust Snoopers' Charter and say it's a waste of money | Big Brother Watch (tags: ) Abortion counselling review axed - UK Politics - UK - The Independent (tags: ) Recipients of the PDSA's Dickin Medal, the animal version of the Victoria Cross - Telegraph (tags: ) Christopher Lee Reads The Nightmare Before Christmas (tags: ) Netherlands highways will glow in the dark from mid-2013 (Wired UK) This is fab! I want roads with glow in the dark snowflakes on! (tags: ) How many horror creatures can you name? (tags: ) Donating your body to science: a beginner's ...
At Conference in Dunfermline on Saturday, the Scottish Liberal Democrats debated the issue of childcare in the wake of a report from Save the Children which highlighted the severe difficulties parents on low incomes faced trying to pay for childcare. Some have been forced to leave their jobs because they simply can't afford it. The idea that people can't afford food and clothes because they have nursery fees to pay is pretty awful. I sadly missed the debate, but I was slightly mad that only one man, our Education Spokesman Liam McArthur, had spoken in it. Childcare is not a ...
Friday: Hooray! I have a new THEME SONG to sing along to! "We've got Trifle... "We've got crumble..." "We've got pies full... "To eat all... "Together!" Yes, it's celebration time. And not just my Daddies' anniversary. You didn't think I wouldn't get in to see the newest James Bond film, did you? The thing is, before I can tell you all about it, there's a fairly MASSIVE SPOILER (no, not the one about Naomie Harris; the REALLY big one). So what CAN I tell you? M drives a Jaguar XF in British Racing Green. I mention this for no reason... ...
A press release from BIS brings the news: Responding to recommendations made by Graeme Nuttall in his independent review of the sector, the Government has approved plans for a range of activity that will help to grow the number of businesses that become or convert to the employee ownership model. The plans include assessing whether to establish an independent Institute for Employee Ownership, an 'off the shelf' model for setting up an employee owned business, work to examine the guidance on tax issues relating to employee ownership, a guide for staff and employers to request and agree an employee ownership ...
The BBC wins our Headline of the Day Award by a distance.
As we enter another NaBloPoMo - where I try to write a blog post each day in Novemeber - I thought I'd take a look back at how this blog has developed. On Friday, October 30, 2009, I switched on WordPress statistics so I could get a better idea of what was popular on my site. My average traffic back then was 80 visits per day. Not bad for a backwater blog. Since then, my writing has been getting better (I hope), my content has become more interesting, and I've had several stories which have spread far and wide. The ...
I received the following consultation letter from Dundee City Council's Street Naming & Numbering Team yesterday: "CIVIC GOVERNMENT (SCOTLAND) ACT 1982 There is a proposal for a children's soft play area within the former works buildings off West Marketgait. As part of this development DC Thomson is in discussions with a local developer re licensing the Beano IP within the branded children's soft play centre. Planning consent has been granted for the soft play centre. The Bash Street Kids will feature heavily in the new centre alongside Dennis the Menace, Gnasher, Minnie the Minx, Roger the Dodger and The Beano ...
Nothing is permanent in this world,everything is subject to change as the Buddhists say. So it seems. The end of the Liberal Democrat News is nigh. I first started reading Liberal News in 1966. I remember the sometimes uneven print and David Steel's column.I was lucky to be able to receive the Liberal Democrat News ...
Back in August, I participated in a site visit regarding the issue of drivers on Perth Road heading west at the Hawkhill/Perth Road/Blackness Avenue junction mistakenly looking at the "Hawkhill heading west" light at the library. The matter was successfully resolved then, with the City Council fitting longer visors to the lights for west-bound drivers outside the library, so the lights there could be seen only from its intended direction of Hawkhill. However, I received this from a constituent last week: "I have just driven through the Perth road shops area heading west and the car in front of me ...
So I was just looking over my recap of 1.03 of Arrow posted earlier today, and I realized I neglected to take the opportunity to relate one of my favorite Deadshot anecdotes. So here is the edit I put in: I just had a look at a better screencap [of Deadshot's tattoos] and I missed an awesome one! Also on Deadshot's shoulder is Joe Cray, a senator who once manipulated the Suicide Squad to his own political ends. Rick Flagg, the most Good aligned of the squad, and Lawton's bropal of the time, found out and went on an angry ...
The raging europhobia of the Tory right, now in unholy tandem with Labour after the Opposition's shamelessly cynical move to vote along with them simply to embarrass the Prime Minister, means that there is a lot of mindless chatter in Britain about what some claim is the big black hole of the EU Budget. So it ...
