To somewhat belatedly celebrate St Andrew's day here is one of Scotland's finest comedians - Chic Murray live in Aberdeen in 1984. Despite being at university in Aberdeen at the time, this performance completely passed me by - even though me and my classmates had frequented his pub on Bruntsfield Links in Edinburgh in six form a year or so earlier. This must have been one of his last performances as he died in January the following year.
"It's fairly quiet today..." Alright, that turned out to be as accurate as a Greek government's balance sheet, didn't it? Ah well, as we say in the editorial game, you can't get them all right, can you? As I write these words, we're at ninety comments on what was, I felt, a fairly honest appraisal of some fairly rotten by-election results. And, obviously someone beyond those interested in the death/future (delete as appropriate) of the Liberal Democrats was reading it, as I received an unexpected telephone call asking me if I'd go onto a Russian radio show to discuss the ...
14A The council is carrying out aconsultation Bath - Weston To consider whether financial support should be provided to retain late evening journeys on service 14A that links Odd Down and Weston to Bath city centre. www.bathnes.gov.uk/supportedbusconsultation Hard copies of the documents are also available; if these are required please contact Richard Smith on
This is a landscape of follies, statues and temples to the virtues. My guidebook says: A path through the trees leads to the Surprise View - a treat for any unsuspecting visitor. William [Aislabie] created this path around 1755, but it was his daughter, Mrs Allanson, who, in the 1790s, put up a shelter with a sliding door, perhaps replacing an earlier covered seat. As visitors arrived, a servant would throw the door back, dramatically revealing the view.More on the National Trust website.
[IMG: Posted by Picasa] At the packed two-hour meeting of the Anti-Caste Discrimination NGOa in Committee Room 4A on Wednesday November 28, 2012. The participants approved a demand that the Government implement S 9(5)(a) of the Equality Act, to make caste a protected characteristic and thus make caste discrimination in employment, education and the provision of goods and services unlawful. This demand has now been sent to the Rt Hon Maria Miller MP, Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport (and to the junior Minister in the Lords). Baroness Thornton attended the meeting and said she would draw the ...
More reposted Odanglesex adventures with a few tweaks FROM: Conor O'Connor, Director of Human Resources Development TO: All Directors Colleagues: In order to implement the next step change in our transformational journey to a lean, multicapablity business, the internal review of administrative support has concluded that OCC can save at least 250K by abolishing all admin posts except for those attached to Directors. As officers become more agile and adept at multi-tasking, the traditional admin support role is increasingly redundant, which is what we're making them. The step change footfall date is 31.3.2012. FROM: Brett West, Head of Modernisation and ...
Last weekend's Letter from the Leader was Nick Clegg's boldest email missive for some time: headed "We need to think big," it turned his speech on Housing last week into a rallying cry to Liberal Democrats. Starting with new Coalition plans to add an extra 50,000 homes, he outlined a vision of new "Garden Cities" adding up to a million in a decade. Nick's inspired me not just to examine his new big idea, but to come up with hard-headed tests for any major policy proposal - not least 'Can we get it done?' and 'Will we get any credit?' ...
Good Thinking has the results of the 2012 UK Science Blog Prize. Winner: David Colquhoun - DC's Improbable ScienceWinner: Suzi Gage - Sifting the EvidenceRunner Up: Dorothy Bishop - BishopBlogRunner Up: Ed Yong - Not Exactly Rocket ScienceRunner Up: Oliver Childs, Henry Scowcroft and Kat Arney - Cancer Research UK Science UpdateShortlisted Blog : Stuart Clark: Across the UniverseShortlisted Blog : André Tomlin: The Mental ElfShortlisted Blog : Athene Donald: Athene Donald's BlogShortlisted Blog : Neuroskeptic: NeuroskepticShortlisted Blog : Dean Burnett: Brain FlappingWith my work hat on, I am pleased to see psychology blogs well represented. I live-tweeted a lecture ...
Speaking at the 'Psychological Therapies in the NHS 2012' conference in London yesterday, the Lib Dem health minister Norman Lamb pledged himself to work to end the "institutional disadvantage under which mental health labours among other health and care services," Norman said he has asked officials to look at whether the exemption of mental health from NHS rules on choice can be removed: "It seems to me that if any group of patients can benefit from being empowered by being able to choose their provider or which therapy they would like, then it is people with mental ill health." He ...
All were in evidence in Consett tonight. And a great time was had by all. So don't miss out on the fun which starts tomorrow again at 10.00 a.m. and has Santa in his grotto in the Derwent Centre. This must be the real Santa because he's FREE!
At last night's Ward Forum meeting the local Southfield police team told us about two events occuring in our area. If you can get to them you will learn about how to avoid crime and potentially get your bike fixed! Crime Prevention Day The Safer Neighbourhood Team is hosting next Tuesday (4th Dec), on Acton Green, between 11am and 4pm, a crime prevention day. They will be there to give advice to the public on all aspects of crime prevention, and will be happy to discuss any issues that residents might have. Please pass this information on, and encourage anyone ...
Amongst all the controversy about Leveson and the Welsh Government seeking to censor Pobl y Cwm, another piece of important news slipped out yesterday that may have even greater repercussions for the future of the Coalition Government. The Independent reports that controversial moves to give sweeping new powers to the police and security services to monitor phone, email and internet use are set to be opposed by Nick Clegg. The paper says that the Deputy Prime Minister is expected to veto the draft Communications Data Bill, which has been denounced by critics as a "snooper's charter": Theresa May, the Home ...
As part of West End Christmas Fortnight events, at teatime today, the West Port Christmas Lights were switched by Victoria Park Primary School pupil Nathan Davidson. Here's Nathan (right) doing the honours and the West Port tree lights are pictured below!
Nearly a hundred people braved a frozen November night to protest against plans to close Churchtown Library. The public meeting, held at St Cuthbert's Church Hall in Churchtown last Thursday, heard passionate pleas from many residents to save the library. Local councillors united to Save Churchtown Library Meeting organiser, Cllr Nigel Ashton, explained how Sefton Council were consulting on a plan to close seven libraries, including Churchtown. Cllr Ashton told the meeting how he and fellow councillors had been fighting the library closure plan, through the Council and in the community. Nigel Ashton said " We have been organising a ...
Many thanks go today to Blackness Library for running a free community Coffee Morning at the library - part of West End Christmas Fortnight - and with a Scottish theme given that it is St Andrew's Day! I'm most grateful to Lorraine, Blackness Library's librarian, and her team for arranging this. Complimentary copies of the excellent "My Favourite Place" book, a tribute to Scotland's best-loved places were available as part of Book Week Scotland 2012.
I had an anxiety attack/mild panic attack last night. That's not actually alarming news for me; I have underlying stressors at the moment which are Just Part of Life, and I'm pretty happy with how I dealt with it – I took myself out of the space I was in, gave myself room and sat it out. And, most important for me, I believe I told the people who contributed to the triggers, exactly what happened, clearly and blamelessly. One of the more random stressors in my life recently has been — not so much aging, but the celebration of ...
Yes, it's true, next week I shall be knocking on doors and drinking beer in Ham and Petersham with Tim Farron. Once we're safely ensconced in the pub, I will be securing an exclusive interview with our glorious president for this blog. He doesn't know that yet, but I will. If I can ply him with enough drinks, who knows, maybe I can even persuade him to leaflet Zac Goldsmith's house. So readers - what shall I ask Tim? I have a few questions post Rotherham but i am sure you have a few suggestions of your own...
Lib Dems welcome the launch of free trade negotiations with Japan UK Liberal Democrat MEP Catherine Bearder, the party's European spokesperson on international trade, today welcomed the Council's decision to authorise the launch of a free trade agreement with Japan, saying it could deliver additional EU exports to Japan worth €43.4bn (around £35bn). She said: It is time to tap into the huge potential of a free trade agreement with Japan. It is the world's third largest economy and crucial export market for the UK as well as a major investor. The 1,400 Japanese companies already located in the UK ...
They're riding high(ish) in the polls, they've just broken their own recently-set record for their best by-election performance and with the European elections of 2014 on the horizon, it seems UKIP are getting serious: It's no secret that the Ukip leader Nigel Farage is planning a purge of many, if not most, of the party's existing 11 MEPs. He feels that too many of his MEPs up to now have oddballs and eccentrics, too old, often lazy, sometimes corrupt. He thinks his MEPs don't project the right kind of modern, serious image that will appeal to young people and those ...
Following the Gatley Christmas lights switch on at 7pm on 6th December, the Cheadle lights switch on will be on 8th December at Cheadle Green. On the 19th December there will be Community Carol Singing on Cheadle Green in the evening. There is also a 'best dressed' shop window competition being organised by the Traders Association and taking place throughout December. Also on 8th December from 10.30am until 1.30pm, St James' Church Hall Christmas Fair will be on in Gatley.
Now, you have to admit, that isn't an offer you're likely to get every day. If I was to add that most of your airfare will be paid (although not your accommodation), you might become a little more wary. "What's the deal?", I hear you ask. It's like this. The International Office of the Liberal Democrats is responsible for supporting the Party's delegation to the Spring Council meeting of ALDE (Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in Europe, formerly ELDR), and making sure that we send a full delegation of fifteen to take part. And, as part of that exercise, and ...
A few thoughts on the Croydon North national byelection last night. I was there twice this week, including polling day. It was a disappointing night for the Liberal Democrats. Some may say the result was ...
If you look on the right hand side of this blog, you'll see a new addition to the page. It's a donation button which allows readers to donate via PayPal to support the work of myself and my colleagues in Launceston. Making a donation is easy - you don't need a PayPal account, just a credit or debit card and about two minutes of your time and there is no minimum. So why am I asking for donations? In May next year, every councillor in Cornwall is up for re-election. I want to be in the best position to carry ...
Disagreement between Nick and Dave It could be argued that we've reached one of those great turning points in British political history, one that will be debated by politicos and Historians for decades. We had one a few years ago when the virtually unknown Nick Clegg implored the Labour Government to suspend the Summer recess so that a full investigation into the expenses scandal could be carried out. Real change and legislation could have been brought in. But it wasn't. As Nick Clegg said in his statement yesterday, there is a balance between the freedom of speech and of an ...
Our society is energy hungry. Cutting carbon from this diet is vital. And we mustn't forget gas! Decarbonising our electricity supply is an on-going hot issue, and challenging too. For example, the technology is not yet all proven - like the uncertainties of carbon capture and storage (CCS) – and for some technologies the reality is harsh - like maintaining wind turbines and tidal barrages in marine environments. There's also the big challenge of matching a variable supply of power with actual demand. If we don't decarbonise our electricity effectively, then transferring from diesel locomotives and petrol cars to electric ...
Well. That was an intense NaBloPoMo! I published a blog post every day in November - as I have for the last few years - but this was unlike anything that went before. I had over 50,000 viewers in a single day due to one of my posts, got hit by reddit and HackerNews, and even got asked to do some paid blogging! I started this month hoping to average 1,000 page views per day. This was so I could hit the (pretty arbitrary) milestone of half a million page views. This is what my November looked like... Which means ...
Sign up to the Despatch Box, the new weekly political e-magzine from digitalpolitico.net In all the analysis of Lord Justice Leveson's report into press ethics there has been one rather uncomfortable truth that has been ignored. The key point of the story by The Guardian that shut the News of the World was incorrect. If ...
Saturday (flashback bonus): In their own way, the Angels are like history: they look fixed, but that's only our perception. The opening of "The Angels Take Manhattan" is narrated, in character, in film noir style, by "private dick" Sam Garner. But the fingers we see typing his voiceover are manicured with scarlet nail varnish, which Mr Garner is not otherwise seen to wear. This is a first allusion to the writer's power. In the Moffat-verse, it seems, history is contingent, memory unreliable, time itself as he keeps endlessly saying can be rewritten. But once it's written down it is sacred. ...
This morning our client The 30% Club marked its second anniversary with an event addressed by Vince Cable and others looking at progress on diversity in Britain's boardrooms. Here's our infographic to illustrate where things currently stand: That's where things are. What about the future? Here's what people have been saying today about what needs to be done: Latest progress report on Women on Boards published by Cranfield School of Management today bit.ly/V9eSIL #WOB #30percent — Cranfield Management (@cranfieldmngmt) November 30, 2012
Fri 30th
11:50
5 things you shouldn't miss: cleaning up your social media, checking on Facebook Pages and more
Welcome to the latest of my monthly collections for the Engine Group of five links that you shouldn't miss. Social media neglected in crisis management http://bit.ly/Sdhsgk More than two out of three professionals in comms, marketing and social media admitted there is a gap in their businesses' social media planning for responding to crisis situations. Cleaning up your social media profiles http://bit.ly/SdgSPH A handy 3-step guide to keeping your social media profiles neat and secure. How is your Facebook Page performing? http://bit.ly/Sdgu3D This free tool from PostRocket has an answer. Hope you don't get any D grades. Networking people at ...
So this is a new feature I'm trying out - a Friday roundup of things which have crossed my mind this week. EU-Japan free trade negotiations Yesterday the EU opened negotiations with Japan on the prospect of a free trade agreement after efforts in the European Parliament led by Liberal MEPs. Given that Japanese companies employ 100,000 people in the UK and that we export chemicals, pharmaceuticals, cars, machinery and scientific instruments to Japan, this is a bit of quite good economic news. And, given that it's predicted to produce £35 billion of European exports to Japan, these negotiations are ...
Who said: "In the old days men had the rack. Now they have the Press. That is an improvement certainly. But still it is very bad, and wrong, and demoralizing. Somebody — was it Burke? — called journalism the fourth estate. That was true at the time no doubt. But at the present moment it is the only estate. It has eaten up the other three. The Lords Temporal say nothing, the Lords Spiritual have nothing to say, and the House of Commons has nothing to say and says it. We are dominated by Journalism". No, not Hugh Grant. Oscar ...
Fri 30th
10:39
Focusing on the size of the EU budget is side-lining the wider issue of what it is spent on
The outcome of the EU budget summit last week was not as bad as it could have been. Cameron did not wield his veto, as he was threatening to just a few days before. And while EU Leaders did not reach ... Continue reading →
The big story in Britian's media this week has been the publication of the Leveson Report into the press. This comes from Lord Justice Leveson's extensive inquiries into abuses perpetrated by Britain's newspapers. The newspapers, of course, have been anxious to get their answer in, starting days before the report was actually published. But bloggers have been diving in as well. I have neither read the report, nor all this commentary in detail. But stepping back, I find something rather striking. Mostly the arguments are made on grounds of high principle. If only life were that easy. Critics focus on ...
Yesterday, I waxed unlyrical about the effects of government on rural life, and today, I want to look at some of those effects... The Department for Education, under Michael Gove, has changed the funding arrangements for schools, with unfortunate side effects for rural schools. This means that schools such as the one I visited recently in Norfolk will lose grant funding, and be forced to lay off staff as a result. Given that rural counties already receive less grant per pupil than metropolitan ones do, the impact on the fabric of schools and the ability to employ teaching assistants is ...
I'm writing this article so that I may have an easy place to link to when I am engaged in arguing against the much-touted opinion that the European Court of Human Rights will use the European Convention of Human Rights to force religious organisations to perform same-sex marriages. This is a very difficult argument to argue against in tweets or in comments on newspaper articles and blogs because there is a great deal of nuance in the arguments from both sides and addressing that all takes a lot of time and space. I will try to deal with the issue ...
It is perhaps a sign of the times that three Parliamentary by-elections took place yesterday, and even your day editor mentally filed them under "not that interesting". After all, all three were safe Labour seats at a point in the electoral cycle when the other two major parties are doing a bunch of unpopular things. Naturally, Labour held all three easily, although had they managed to lose even one, the media would doubtless have found room on their front page somehow. In Croydon North, Marisha Ray did at least have the consolation of beating Respect's Lee Jasper into sixth place, ...
Get yourself to Consett Middle Street Consett 6.30 tonight for the lights switch on, and then again for tomorrow's fun and games at the Christmas Market. The Christmas tree and lights switch on comes with entertainment, hot refreshments, music from Salvation Army Band and carol singing led by Consett Citizens Choir. Characters from the CBS Musical and Stage Society will be attending to officially switch on the Christmas lights. Saturday is the day of the Christmas market (10am until 2pm), complete with the regular market, speciality produce stalls, free craft workshops, Ebchester Spirit Drummers, Consett Junior Brass band, refreshments, free ...
Caron Lindsay blogged about Nick Clegg's Commons statement here on LibDemVoice: Nick Clegg: We won't find better solution than Leveson's. Here's a quick round-up of other reaction so far from Lib Dem bloggers to Lord Justice Leveson's report on media standards... Contributors split on broadly pro/anti-Leveson Report lines. Let's start with the pro-Leveson bloggers: Shock as politician behaves like a grown-up! (Caron Lindsay) I can't, for the life of me, see what the problem is with Leveson's clever proposal for a self regulating body with true independence – ie not full of newspaper editors or chaired by politicians. It seems ...
Congratulations to Dr Ben Johnson the Liberal Democrat candidate for running such a good campaign. Sadly he didn't win. This was an important by-election. Not because it would change which party leads the council – it couldn't – but for sending the message that the Elephant & Castle regeneration mustn't be a sell out as Labour appear hell-bent on doing. The results on a 25% turnout was: Labour – 1259 – Rebecca Lury Lib Dems – 1003 - Dr Ben Johnson Conservative – 94 – Stuart Millson I fear for Southwark Labour its back to the same groove with no ...
More comedy genius from Australia's Clarke and Dawe, though this one requires a bit more knowledge of Australian politics than most:
Well, why not? After all, we've clearly seen in the last couple of years the potential for the Big Beasts of Twitter to trample on the lives of the innocent. Their thoughtless breaches of individuals' rights and privacy have been RT-ed around the globe by their thousands of followers, causing hurt and devastation to many of the innocent. How could any of us look victims like Lord McAlpine in the face and suggest that self-regulation underpinned by statute isn't necessary? All we have to do — those of us who tweet — is get together and agree a voluntary code ...
The police started Operation Hartland 2012 on the 20th November in Consett Town Centre. The aims of the operation are to: •To provide dedicated foot patrols from Police Officer, Police Community Support Officers (PCSO) and Neighbourhood Wardens in full uniform on Consett Town Centre with high visibility. •Circulate prevention material and advice •To prevent & detect offences in partnership with Genesis CCTV & local businesses. •To provide reassurance to local businesses and shoppers in the Consett area. •Educate shop staff on how to deal with suspicious customers and pass information effectively. •To identify and arrest any offenders. •To reduce the ...
The details almost don't matter. His plaintive cries of "Won't somebody please think of the independence of the press" will fall on deaf ears. David Cameron has made the wrong call on one of the main issues that he will be remembered for. When the phone hacking scandal kicked off last year Cameron was a bit slow off the mark and allowed Ed Miliband to carve himself out a niche as doughty defender of those who had been wronged by a rapacious media. But as our PM has consistently demonstrated, right from when he first made that electrifying speech at ...
My reaction to the report of the Leveson Inquiry today was mixed to say the least. On the one hand, any intrusion of Parliament into our free press seems fundamentally illiberal to me - the heavy weight of bureaucracy coming smashing down to dampen our fiercely independent media, which has shown itself more than capable of exposing the very worst excesses in recent times. After all, it was Nick Davies at the Guardian whose reporting exposed the phone-hacking scandal that led to the Leveson Inquiry in the first place. And it was the Daily Telegraph that reported on the shameful ...
I am pleasantly surprised at how moderate, intricate and nuanced Sir Brian Leveson has made his recommendations on the press. We appear to be faced with: NOW: Self-regulation with a code written by the press and administered by a body set up by the press with serving editors on some of the boards and which doesn't work. PROPOSED: Self-regulation with a code written by the press and administered by a body set up by the press without serving editors which does work much better, because there is legal framework to "validate" the body, and Ofcom or some similar appropriate body ...
Well, I never expected an event I attended to end up in a salacious gossip email. On Tuesday night I was lucky enough to be at the Ministry of Sound for the annual Lib Dems' Christmas Party. It was a fantastic night and a good time was had by all. Generally, I think that what happens at the Ministry of Sound should stay at the Ministry of Sound, although I will say that I feared for one middle aged man, who had better remain nameless although everyone in a 10 foot radius will know who he was, at one point. ...
It's fairly quiet today, and I assume that you're all still on page 273 of the Leveson report. Me, I'm waiting for it to come out on Kindle, preferably with clams... However, we've got an early response to Leveson, just to give you an opportunity to vent, applaud, or even kibitz (in the nicest way), as well as a Danish perspective on press regulation, and doubtless there'll be more during the day. Otherwise, take a break, and drop in from time to time today for everything from rural policy to Europe, from energy policy to an invitation to travel. Oh ...
Further to my recent item about the Green Dundee Annual Christmas Fayre - don't miss this today!You can download a higher quality of this poster here.
As an anarchist I hate to see the state involved in anything between private individuals and organisations. Right up to, especially even, in the resolution of disputes. The more disputes that can be resolved through private, mutually agreed, non-state arbitration the better. And the Leveson report ("An Inquiry Into The Culture, Practices and Ethics of the Press", 29/11/2012) potentially provides an opportunity. Briefly, the Leveson Inquiry was established in a period of outrage at the behaviour of the News Of The World in regard to the coverage of a very public incident in which a girl was abducted and murdered ...
Now that my big project at work is nearly complete, and everything's winding down for Christmas, I'm planning to get a lot more written (as has hopefully been obvious over the last few days). My aim over the next few weeks is to try to get at least 2000 words per day written, every day, ...
Tonight's Southfield ward forum was lively, especially when we were talking about Ealing Council and its rubbish collection (adjective, not the noun!) We had a great discussion about rubbish and how the Council and its contractor Enterprise was still failing to do its job correctly. It should collect our household waste, recyclables and sweep our streets efficiently. Instead the figures for the past two months show that it is failing misrably. For example when I was told things were improving figures showed that in Ealing borough the contractor was doing its job worse in October than September. Hardly improving things. ...
Thanks to Peter Black for alerting us to this story on the BBC News site: Ministers have complained after a character on the BBC-produced TV series said the Welsh government "doesn't have the backbone" to cull badgers. A planned cull in west Wales was cancelled in March when ministers decided to vaccinate badgers instead. S4C said the programme included a variety of viewpoints and repeated Wednesday's episode as planned. The Welsh government has written to S4C and BBC Wales, which makes the programme that has run for 38 years, claiming it breaches editorial guidelines and that the government has been ...
