Can it get any worse? Yes it can. First, we had the vote in the House of Commons on 4th March on secret courts (compounded by last night's vote in the House of Lords). Then last Friday we had Nick Clegg's speech on immigration. Next on the agenda is the Communications Data Bill. The Drum reports: The Communications Data Bill, which critics believe could introduce the most 'intrusive' powers for a Government in the West in order to store mass communications data, could be introduced in the coming weeks. The Telegraph reports that the 'Snoopers Charter' as it has been ...
Our Headline of the Day comes from the Daily Mirror: Ticket to ride: Bus driver suspended after CCTV catches him romping with passenger on top deck
Thank you to everyone who has backed the campaign. Thank you to the 669 people who signed the petition. Thank you to the 54 people who signed the original motion to Spring Conference and to the 62 people who signed the emergency motion. Thank you to the people who spoke in support in both the debates. Thank you to the Times and the Daily Mail for publishing our letters! Thank you to the 7 Lib Dem MPs who voted against secret courts in the Commons, especially Julian Huppert and Mike Crockert who fought the Bill in committee. Mike Crockart Tim ...
Wed 27th
21:38
#Gibraltar Government to increase its presence in Brussels; CM wants visits at least twice yearly
Following their successful busy and high-level visit last week, the Government of Gibraltar is considering strengthening its presence in Brussels, the Chief Minister today revealed, adding that he hoped he and his deputy would make business visits to the EU capital at least twice a year. Gibraltar already has an office in the Belgian capital, but the scope of its activities is limited. Speaking
This evening I got home to find a letter from the Planning Inspectorate giving me the fantastic news that the application for village green status for the open land off Woburn Road has been granted. Huge congratulations are due to Phil Wagstaff and Dave Shadrick of the Woburn Residents Association who took the lead on the issue, together with town councillor Paul O'Brien. Alongside ward councillor Sasha Gillard-Loft, I helped them out and gave them support along the way. This issue arose because Cornwall Council was seeking to sell off the land for housing development. Not only would such a ...
An Economist article from December 2005 said: The "Uncle" stories of J.P. Martin, which focus on the doings of the eponymous hero, an elephant and benevolent dictator, were first published in the 1960s, and still enjoy a cult following. But they are now out of print. Indeed much of the "Uncle" canon is virtually unobtainable. Second-hand copies are snapped up by fanatical devotees and first editions go for hundreds of pounds. The slide of Uncle books into obscurity would have surprised some of the original reviewers. The Times Literary Supplement called the books "spellbinding", the Observer predicted that they could ...
Wed 27th
18:55
Nick Clegg: Employee share ownership helps build a stronger economy and a fairer society
Way back in 1983, when I first entered a Liberal office as a 15 year old, I took away with me a leaflet which talked about industrial democracy and employee share ownership. This is an idea which has been around for a lot longer than that and it's something Nick Clegg has been keen to get us all talking about again. I should point out that this is nothing to do with George Osborne's "shares for rights" idea much scorned by Liberal Democrats and which was heavily defeated in the Lords last week as Tracy Connell wrote on this site. ...
Although crime is generally relatively low in Acocks Green ward, we do suffer from spates of distraction burglary from time to time. These involve con artists pretending to have a legitimate reason to come into your home and then while in, stealing from you. Examples of the distractions used in Acocks Green in recent years include pretending to be from the digital changeover team and pretending to be from the resident's gas, electricity or water supplier. Sadly distraction burglars tend to target the elderly and infirm. As Hayley Tierney, one of our excellent PCSOs reports, there has been a number ...
Construction of the accessible lift at the library, currently underway I have welcomed the decision by Leisure and Culture Dundee to provide alternative library provision during the period of over a month when Blackness Library will be closed during refurbishment that will include provision of an accessible lift to allow residents with mobility difficulties to access the upstairs meetings rooms for the first time. The 29 week project has been structured in such a manner that, for most of the work, the library can remain open. However, between 7th June and 11th July, the library will be closed and I ...
The BBC reports that Liberal Democrat MP for Portsmouth South, also a Councillor on the City's Council, is being investigated for a breach of the Council's Code of Conduct. The Council's lawyer is quoted as saying: A sub-committee of Portsmouth City Council today decided to refer a complaint against councillor Mike Hancock for investigation. I will now appoint an independent lawyer to carry out an investigation. If a breach is proved against a councillor, they can be censured for their conduct. A spokesman for Mike Hancock said: The allegations have previously been investigated by the police but no further action ...
As we wave goodbye to David Miliband - I think this is the best and most balanced 'obit' I have read about his resignation - there is a sense that he could have been Labour leader if only he'd taken either of the two chances he had to stand against Gordon Brown, in 2008 and 2009. The received wisdom is that he didn't have the cojones to do it - and hence he lost the chance. When he did stand for the leadership, there was enough doubt about whether he had that thread of steel you need - which in ...
Wed 27th
16:55
Consultation kicks off on moving 2014 local elections to be same day as Euro elections
We already know the 2014 European elections are likely to be moved to late May, and now the government has started consulting on delaying the planned early May 2014 local elections to be on the same day as the European Parliament elections. That has become the pattern in recent cycles with the local elections in years with Euro elections being moved to coincide with them. It is very likely to happen again. The consultation document is below and details of how to respond to it are here. (Aficionados of email disclaimers should read paragraph 17 of the document.) You can ...
[IMG: Photo by Alex Foster] Something to cheer us on a cold, wintry Spring afternoon. I'm rarely comfortable about linking to the Daily Mail, but for once it has some good news for Liberal Democrats, although, of course, it doesn't realise it. Today, it points to a survey which shows the 10 places in Britain with the happiest residents – and six of them are run, or have recently been run by Liberal Democrats. Harrogate tops the poll with Stockport, St Albans, Kingston upon Thames, Bath and Truro also in the top ten. Clearly, as Ben Page from Ipsos MORI ...
Wed 27th
14:37The Independent View: The battle for privacy in the EU and how the Liberal Democrats can help
Last year Liberal Democrats took a principled stand against the "Snoopers' Charter" – more formally called the draft Communications Data Bill. This added up to a defiant, important defence of citizens' privacy rights in the face of a concerted (and ongoing) effort by the Home Office to undermine them. Right now there is another, equally important, battle for our privacy going in the European Parliament. The same principles are at stake. Once again Liberal Democrats have a really important role in determining what sort of law we get. The "Data Protection Regulation", proposed by the European Commission and now being ...
Lets face it, its not been the best of months for freedom and civil liberties in the UK. ID cards made not one but two potential comebacks, once at the start of the month and again towards the end. We have an extension of secret courts, an attempt to regulate the Internet which is still causing concern and uncertainty, regulations on a free press and it looks like the snoopers charter is going to make another come back. Some of these measures are being derided and criticised around the world The standard bearer of New Labour is departing for the ...
Last night the House of Lords jumped over the last hurdle in bringing secret courts into the British justice system. Despite valiant work by Lords Strasburger and Marks, the measure was shamefully passed with votes by Lib Dem peers, and comes shortly after Lib Dems helped oversee the introduction of a Royal Charter on press ...
Wed 27th
13:43
Wax on Wax off: young people from Catch22 volunteer their time to restore unique local Old Fire Stat...
8 young people from Catch22 Folkestone will spend 2 days restoring the architecturally unique wooden panelled Public Reading Room in The Old Fire Station, Sandgate. The panelled walls and roof within the listed building, which is set in a Conservation area, has not been polished since the 1980s. The young people will be restoring the room on the 28th and 29th of March 2013 to ensure it looks spick and span for an exhibition over the Easter weekend. The 8 young people aged 16-19 who are participants on the Foundation Learning and Employability Courses at Catch22, will work as a ...
Stockport residents are the second happiest in Britain with the place they live, according to a survey by Rightmove. [IMG: shawcross fold] As the Daily Mail reports, Rightmove asked 40,000 people across the country about a series of issues from their feelings of safety and neighbourliness to recreation facilities, local amenities and how happy they were with their own homes. Harrogate topped the poll, with Stockport second followed by Ipswich, Exeter and St Albans. Northerners were generally happier and Londoners least happy. Of the ten least happy places, only Dudley in the West Midlands was outside London. For those interested ...
Here's today's hand-picked selection that caught my interest... David Miliband quits. Farewell to the Al Gore of British politics - Telegraph Blogs Unsentimentally spot-on > David Miliband quits. Farewell to the Al Gore of British politics by @jameskirkup | http://bit.ly/YeM4m8 The Big Kick Off from Virgin Money 5 days to vote for @AAEmmerson as Start-Up finalist >> The Big Kick Off from Virgin Money http://bit.ly/11J9Tld Factcheck: Is the UK facing a 'gas crisis'? | Full Fact Answer: maybe, but we've more than 2 days' supply left » Is the UK facing a 'gas crisis'? http://bit.ly/11I2L8M
Another week, another attack on EU citizens living and working in the UK. This time it didn't come from that familiar old grouch Nigel Farage, but from the Prime Minister himself. In a speech which was clearly playing catch-up with UKIP after the Eastleigh by-election, David Cameron ratcheted up the rhetoric, calling for new curbs on the rights of EU migrants to claim British benefits and social housing. He wants to stop our benefit system being a 'soft touch' and end the 'something for nothing culture', in language which could have been copy-pasted from any front page of the Daily ...
Cornwall Council has admitted that many of the council tax bills they have sent out contain the wrong barcode on them. As a result, residents are finding it impossible to pay at their local post office. Whilst the majority of residents pay their bills by direct debit and are not affected by this problem, it is still causing a concern for those who do pay in person and for the businesses where they pay. For post offices, being able to offer the council tax payment service is a way of drawing customers into the shop. In short, it helps them ...
[IMG: Luton Central Library] Luton Borough Council are currently consulting on the future of the library service in Luton. In common with many other councils, given the current financial constraints, LBC is looking at ways to change the provision of libraries in Luton in order to find budget savings. In comparison to the savage cuts that libraries are facing in some places the proposals are relatively modest. Although they do mean that some parts of the Town will lose their local library. The consultation deadline has been extended until Wednesday 24 April. You can have your say on proposed changes ...
The Independent is reporting that Clegg's popularity among party members has slumped again. There is very good reason for this, many of us joined the Liberal Democrats because we believe in a free and open society in which civil liberties are cherished. It was possible during the early days of the coalition have faith that this was the path the party was on. With the scrapping of ID cards and the introduction of the Protection of Freedom Act, Liberal Democrats were making real progress in Government to champion the cause of freedom. A desire to reverse Labour's abuse of liberty ...
There were two announcements regarding train franchises yesterday. On the West Coast mainline, Virgin trains got their contract extended to 2017. This is good news. It ends the uncertainty, and ...
I gave up Twitter for Lent. What happened was as Lent approached, I realised I hadn't got a "vice" to give up - having done a (mostly) dry January I wasn't in the mood to give up booze, I don't smoke and I had done bread the year before, so wanted to try giving up something new. I read an article which advised that it should be something that I would miss giving up and that I was worried about taking over or influencing other areas of my life. So I gave up Twitter.... A few people noticed initially and ...
One of the common complaints amongst the commentariat is that of the rise of the political class, Peter Oborne's phrase; a collection of MPs who have risen through the ranks of parliamentary researcher to think tank worker before jumping into elected politics. This professionalisation of politics is portrayed as a bad thing, as though newspaper ...
Liberal Democrat Health Minister Norman Lamb wrote about the Government's response to the Francis Report for this site yesterday. Later he was interviewed by Jeremy Paxman on Newsnight. Paxman started by asking how long it would take before the NHS is fit for purpose. Norman replied: We have to recognise that a lot of fantastic work goes on in the NHS Most people who work in health and care do so because they want to care for people We shouldn't denigrate NHS because of what's happened in this one report, but anyone who cares passionately about the NHS has to ...
Although I understand the reasons behind the decision, I am genuinely sad to hear the news that David Miliband is to stand down from parliament and go and live in ...
To whom it may concern, As local Calderdale and Town Councillors, we are angered, appalled and upset by the harassment of transsexual people, such as teacher Lucy Meadows, who committed suicide after Daily Mail columnist, Richard Littlejohn, singled her out for abuse in his national newspaper column. In protest, we wish to express our support for the campaign to remove Mr Littlejohn from his post at the Daily Mail and, on a personal level, would like to express our sympathies to Ms Meadows' family, friends and school. We are passionately committed to freedom of the press and expression, but, freedom ...
So. [IMG: david miliband] Farewell then David Miliband. You did not Win the Labour leadership. Though you got more votes Than Brother Ed The trade unions Did not like you. They liked him instead. That was your tragedy. And it will be His. EJ Thribb And so David Miliband exits the political stage, pursued by a barely concealed sense of thwarted ambition. The man who, but for four MPs' votes, would now be Labour leader and PM-in-waiting is instead leaving the country for New York to run an international charity. (Another small victory for Theresa May's crusade to drive down ...
The Reader Organisation, which is to be the new occupant of the Mansion House in Calderstones Park, is inviting people to some open days to find out more and share views about what will and should be happening there. The days are from 10 to 3 on the 12th and 13th April. There'll be lots going on, including children's story times and lunchtime music (on the Friday) The organisers are keen to let people know what's planned for the Mansion house, but also to hear from local people and to answer questions. If you want to know more you can ...
This coming Saturday ( 30th March ) sees the Blyth Spring Fair at Blyth Market Place There will be a full day of activities alongside the usual Saturday market. Among the activities, along with the scheduled timings are:- 10:00 Official opening, hosted by Koast Radio 10:00 Funfair open to the public 10:15 - 10:45 Parade by Tyneside Scottish Pipes and Drums ( a route along Market Street, Church Street, Commercial Road and return along Regent Street 11:00 onwards Mini pony rides 12:00 -12:20 Local dance group display 13:00 Northumberland bikers pass on their annual Easter Egg run 15:00 Local band ...
The sun is shining today which means the temperatures are beginning to climb above the freezing mark and the daffodils, having spent the last week or so flattened by frosts and snow, are beginning to bounce back into shape. I have been putting out fat-balls and high energy feed for the birds, at least the cold is not making the fat rancid as the ground lurches from frozen to snow covered then back to muddy field. I have only managed to get blurry photos of the little Goldcrest (Regulus regulus) visiting the feeders, its size requiring a far higher zoom ...
Or a little more accurately. Tweet of the day... @GerardTubbSky: Me to secretary of @DMiliband's CLP: What do you want now? Him: A local MP - we haven't had one in living memory. Oooch
It is ten years this week since I agreed to act as lead independent political and governance adviser in Iraq, primarily in the British-controlled Southern Provinces – despite my known anti-war views. It was a harrowing experience, risking the ultimate on a daily basis, appointing directly the first regional government in Basra by way of negotiations with largely hostile tribal, political and religious groups, and then working on other problems. There has been much reflection in the media in the last few days over the failures of the conflict, its illegality, and lessons for the future, notwithstanding the absence, as ...
Wed 27th
09:48
Published elsewhere: Nick speaks on immigration. and proves that my fears were justified...
A shortened version of this article was published on Liberal Democrat Voice yesterday... Last June, in one of the Coalition's less glorious moments, the idea of insisting that those wishing to bring a foreign spouse into the country should have a minimum level of income was mooted. Naturally, I wasn't impressed. It was bad enough that the Government adopted it, but it was the Labour response that was even more dubious? Here's what Yvette Cooper said at the time;It is not clear that the best way to protect the taxpayer is to focus solely on the sponsor's salary. For example, ...
One of the debates in the House of Commons on Monday was on the subject of entitlement to NHS treatment. Frank Field asked the question 'what moves the Government intend to take to prevent the national health service becoming an international health service'. It sounds a good question as even if we have no direct knowledge of health tourism (I have) we all know that it is possible for NHS treatment to be received by those who are not entitled to it. It is worth quoting Julian Huppert's contribution to the debate. 'The former public health Minister, Anne Milton, revealed ...
The GAH!dian Andrew Hickey on the newspapers. (tags: ) 17 London Underground Maps You Never Knew You Needed I want all of these, especially the Doctor Who one. (tags: ) The future of the NHS—irreversible privatisation? | BMJ (tags: ) [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments
Wed 27th
08:57Lord Roger Roberts writes...Don't cut funding for charities which help homeless migrants
Homelessness among Central and Eastern European migrants in London is a notoriously difficult issue to tackle. Success stories are few and far between. For this reason, I was extremely concerned to learn that two London councils are cutting their funding to one of the most effective charities that deals with this issue. The charity is Barka UK. I am President of Friends of Barka UK. Today in the Lords I will question the Government about their plans to continue funding reconnection programmes, such as those offered by Barka UK. I have recently founded the 'Setting the Record Straight' campaign to ...
This chart shows how much each UK taxpayer – on average – pays towards different elements of Government spending. It doesn't give any answers but it shows some of the problems the Government faces. For every pound we pay for education, we pay nearly 50p towards the interest on our national debt, which is why politicians are so keen to stop that debt growing too much larger. It also shows the challenge facing anyone wanting to make significant cuts to Government spending. The Coalition has decided so far not to cut spending on schools or the NHS but to make ...
Back in 2003, a Roman Catholic priest told the story of one of his constituents who had given her papers over to Lunar House - the central hub of the Border Agency - and they had lost them, and left her in miserable limbo without apparently any qualms. It led to an amazing church inquiry into the way that the bureaucracy dealt with people there, and thence to the Independent Asylum Commission. I have a nervous shiver down my spine when I drive past Lunar House in Croydon (which I do far too often) even now. It gives me the ...
Wed 27th
08:07Secret Courts now a reality after Lords amendments fall - how did Liberal Democrats vote?
As the sky fell in on open justice, according to Labour whip Angela Smith, Conservative peers were watching the Bond movie Skyfall. The irony actually hurts. Can it be true? Peer in debate says Tory Peers watching Sky Fall in Cmmttee Room 2? Just to make sure they stay & vote w/out hearing debate? — Angela Smith (@LadyBasildon) March 26, 2013 Lady Smith might have been better keeping an eye on her own benches. Between the first Division of the Day, on the Growth and Infrastructure Bill, and the crucial vote on whether secret courts should be invoked only as ...
A war on clichés is being waged across the pond. At the end of the day, clichés have become a hot-button issue in the tightly-knit media community inside the Beltway. Needless to say, in this paradigm shift, American journalism is literally at a crossroads. Is this the new normal? [That's enough clichés. Ed.] Warning: This mockery will continue until the 'On Message' and 'Alarm Clock Britain' merchants emerge from party HQ waving a white flag.
Episode 52 of the House of Comments podcast "The Eastleigh Fallout" was recorded on Sunday and is out. This week myself and Emma Burnell were joined by former Ed Miliband adviser Sonia Sodha to discuss the budget, Leveson and blogs, Workfare and JSA targets and immigration bonds. You can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes here (note - this is a new feed so if you used to subscribe to the old feed a couple of years ago you'll need to do so again). Other podcasting software e.g. for Android can be pointed here to subscribe. You can download the ...
You may have noticed some barriers on the footway on the north eastern side of the A34 / A560 junction. These are associated with an ongoing gas main leak in the junction itself. National Grid Gas have attempted to repair the main remotely without an excavation in the carriageway but this has not resolved the problem and a dig on the main is now required. The works have been programmed to take advantage of the school holiday and commence on Tuesday 2 April and will continue with working gangs cycling 24hrs around the clock until the repair is complete. The ...
This is a link to yesterday's speech. The text is here. John Hemming (Birmingham, Yardley) (LD): I refer the House to my declaration of interest as the chairman of the Justice for Families campaign. I remain concerned about cases in all the secret courts in the UK. The more secret the court, the more the system acts against the rule of law. Narrow freedoms of speech are at least as important
On 27 March 1963, Reshaping Britain's Railways was published - otherwise known as the Beeching Report. So by way of commemoration here are (Michael) Flanders and (Donald) Swann with 'Slow Train' which runs through some of the stations that were axed as a result of Beeching. The BBC's economics correspondent, Stephanie Flanders, is the daughter of Michael Flanders.
We may not (yet) be getting Plan B for the Economy - and Ben Drew is unlikely to be made Chancellor - but I can still feature him here. From NOW! That's What I Call Music! 77, here is Prayin': Andrew
Today is the day that the life of Re-independent Estonia becomes longer than the period of independence before Soviet occupation. It is a significant milestone in the psychological recovery of Estonian society from the Soviet occupation. Yet it is also the anniversary of the March deportation of 1949 when tens of thousands of Estonians- many, indeed most, were women and children- were sent to exile and often death in Siberia. Those that returned were brutalized and traumatized for the rest of their lives. For the first decade after the recovery of Estonian freedom there remained a deep seated fear that ...
During a busy Tuesday, I had the pleasure of attending a launch meeting of 'DUSTIE' - an initiative by the Enterprise Gym at the University of Dundee. This is an excellent initiative that is aimed at providing university students with paid, supervised work experience that will benefit both the student and the local community. The first two projects - a Green Advice Centre and a Green Bike Travel project - have much merit and it will be good to see the projects develop in the months ahead. Also yesterday, I visited the new police office at Dundee Airport where two ...
Much has been made of the SNP's public plans for a written constitution to be formed in the event that Scotland becomes an independent state following the 2014 referendum. The quest for codification is something that has been, if put unkindly, a perpetual pet project of many a constitutional reformer (myself included). Hardly any states do not have some form of comprehensive document detailing the supreme or basic law of their state: the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Israel (sort of) and Saudi Arabia lack a central constitutional document setting out the bodies of state and what they may lawfully do. ...
