Oh yes, the County elections, I nearly forgot. You'll be wondering how I got on, I suppose. The answer, put simply, is badly. In Eastgate and Moreton Hall, a division held by one of the County's two incumbent Independents, I came a very distant fifth, with 68 votes, behind the Conservative, UKIP and Labour candidates, as the Independent won fairly comfortably. It is a sign of the times that, as a paper candidate, I only just scraped above the 3% mark, but it reflects our performance across Suffolk in seats we didn't work in. In Upper Gipping, where I managed ...
Some 20 miles downstream of Market Harborough comes Stamford. The Welland is considerably larger by then, and beyond Stamford it was canalised in the 17th century - a century before the dawn of the conventional canal age. Downstream of Stamford are Spalding and the Wash. There is more about the river on the Welland Rivers Trust site.
[IMG: steve webb collage] Mostly deep in thought.... It was a great pleasure to break from campaigning activity this evening to listen to Steve Webb. He kindly travelled down from London to talk to a "Pizza and Politics" evening at the Dolphin Inn, Newbury. As you'd expect, it was a "policy rich" discussion. I actually think that a minister like Steve Webb is what we went into government for. He can explain very exciting things like Workplace pension schemes. They don't get wide publicity but they are actually very worthwhile with big long term benefits. [IMG: Post to Twitter] Tweet ...
Seeing Van Dyke Parks live is a fascinating experience. I believe I've seen him at every solo show he's done in the UK (I've not seen the appearances he's made on multi-artist bills or at the Meltdown and All Tomorrow's Parties festivals), and they're a marvellous example of how to marry spontaneity and an almost ...
[IMG: funny man working in the cloud] Bristol has a lively bunch of bloggers. Keeping up with what's being posted can be a bit of a struggle. We now have a new resource in the form of www.bristolblogs.com. Bristol Blogs brings together more than 80 different feeds from bloggers in and around Bristol, blogging about life and events in the city and about a huge range of other topics. The site is already up and running. It is currently carrying over 3,500 posts. My posts appear under the academia and politics headings. But you know where to find me already. ...
After many false dawns, it looks as though the repairs to Acocks Green Library's roof are about to get under way. The plan is for the Library to shut this Saturday, 11th May. The Library will then be made ready for the repair work and handed over to the contractor on 24th May. It won't be clear, until the work is well underway, when the Library will be able to re-open, but the current aim is to have it back in business in early September. While Acocks Green Library is closed, South Yardley Library will open longer hours, repaying the ...
When the Liberal Democrats won the Eastleigh by-election in the small hours of 1 March, I got rather carried away on Twitter: Congratulations to @mike4eastleigh - now we can sit back and watch the Tories go mad #libdemandproud — Jonathan Calder (@lordbonkers) March 1, 2013Later that morning I was quoted on the Today programme as a "prominent Liberal Democrat blogger". But I was wrong. In the aftermath of Eastleigh the Conservatives kept their nerve and behaved sensibly. Two months later, however, following UKIP's performance in the local elections, they have indeed gone completely hatstand.
The Coalition for Marriage asked people to choose between ditching two completely unconnected Coalition policies (unless we're getting back to that whole "Gay sex is more dangerous than smoking" stuff); same-sex marriage and plain cigarette packaging. Only 34%, of 2000 people, chose to ditch same-sex marriage. Everyone else chose neither, don't know or plain cigarette packaging. In order to get a headline they decided to pit marriage equality against something completely unrelated so they could say "more people are against same-sex marriage than..." This is where their polling has taken them. Remember when they said 70% opposed same-sex marriage? Either ...
Tue 7th
20:25
Why do people keep asking when will UKIP have it's first MP? They've already had one...
I keep reading speculation about who will be UKIP's first MP - from very well respected commentators as well. Cathy Newman was up to it again in The Telegraph today, suggesting it may well be Nadine Dorries... "Now the Tory high command is in the crazy position of being held to ransom by a backbencher - terrified of the prospect that UKIP might claim its first Commons scalp. " ...and of course there is frequent speculation that Nigel Frage - who of course was UKIPs first ever by election candidate, in Eastleigh in 1994, could 'take the title' of first ...
Changing Attitude Ireland is hosting several events for IDAHO (the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia) this month. Date Time Details Sunday, 12 May 2013 3.15 p.m. St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin (map) Speaker: Canon Mark Gardner Sunday, 12 May 2013 7.00 p.m. St Mary's Cathedral, Limerick (map) Speaker: Canon Marie Rowley-Brooke Sunday, 12 May 2013 8.00.p.m St Canice's Cathedral, Kilkenny (map) ...
As we previously reported, during 2013 South Glos Council will be extending its 'part-night' lighting scheme throughout South Gloucestershire. During July 2013 streetlights in Dodington Parish are programmed to be converted to switch off during the early hours of the morning. You can view the detailed plans and associated information online. Print copies will also be available to view in Yate One Stop Shop and Yate library. You can also find out more online about part night lighting more generally, including the criteria for which lights are left on. If you have concerns that some of the criteria have not ...
From the Leicester Mercury: A senior Tory county councillor says he was disappointed that a number of his ballot papers were spoiled by voters opposed to changing the law on gay marriage. The Conservative politician, who did not wish to be named, was re-elected in Thursday's Leicestershire County Council election and saw that a number of voters had written that they were against gay marriage by his name on the paper rather than casting a vote.The unnamed Conservative councillor is later quoted as saying: "I hope Cameron does not give in to the pressure and abandon this because it is ...
It just doesn't make sense to produce anything that could be made in the rest of the world, and then transport it around the world. New Zealand may be a great place for lambs but how long does it take to get here and how much does it cost to transport it? I know that I have written about Schumacher's 'Small is Beautiful' before, but I want to go back to one point that he made. 'Modern industry seems to be inefficient to a degree that surpasses one's ordinary powers of imagination. Its inefficiency therefore remains unnoticed'. Why should we ...
Very, very sad to hear that Ray Harryhausen, one of the great filmmakers of all time. Normally I'd post a selection of YouTube moments from his films here, but I don't have the bandwidth to look for them. Anyway, if you're anything like me, the best moments are burned into your brain. The films he ...
This is not a comment on the guilt or innocence of Jimmy Tarbuck, but I have come across a piece of trivia that is too good not to share. In 1960 Jimmy Tarbuck received two years' probation for stealing a cigarette holder belonging to Terry-Thomas. You can read the details in a Daily Mail piece by Graham McCann from 2008. and Cook'd and Bombed even has a Daily Mirror article from the time of the trial. It is interesting, incidentally, to see that newspapers were still printing street names in the form "Queen's-drive" as late as 1960.
Here are the Liberal Democrat entries in the top 100 political blogs as ranked by EBuzzing (Wikio as was). Hello again this month to Mark Thompson, Richard Kemp and Liberal Vision, all regulars returning to the top 100 once more. In overall a very good month for Lib Dem blogs in the rankings, no-one dropped out. 1 (6) Liberal Democrat Voice No change 2 (12) Mark Pack Up 17 3 (24) Stephen Tall Up 15 4 (41) Jennie Rigg Up 9 5 (43) Alex Marsh Up 6 6 (46) Paul Walter Up 6 7 (53) Lynne Featherstone MP Up 13 ...
Exhibit A, a photo about a local unsafe road, featuring Labour MP Bill Esterson and Labour councillor Peter Macguire: [IMG: Formby Road photo - without Bill Esterson MP] Exhibit B, a photo featuring a third man: [IMG: Formby Road photo - with Bill Esterson MP] The man in the middle in that second photo is Labour councillor, Steve McGinnity. As the Birkdale Focus site (from which I've got these photos) says: It's obvious that one of two things have happened here. Either, Bill Esterson (and Cllr Peter Macguire – far right) managed to turn up exactly in the same place ...
It is intriguing to hear Nigel Lawson suggest that the future for the United Kingdom lies outside of the European Union. Perhaps he feels that, having rather foolishly tried to shadow the European Exchange Rate Mechanism when he was Chancellor of the Exchequer, he needs to balance the ledger.Naturally, the response from those more favourable towards Europe has been swift. Some of it has been personal in nature, which is unfortunate. Other responses have spoken off the number of jobs which depend on our membership of the European Union, figures which may or may not be accurate, may or may ...
President Obama and the European Union continue to agonise over whether to lift the arms embargo on Syrian rebels. The al-Qaeda-linked Jabhat al-Nusra control several areas and bring Sunni Islamic law, religious persecution and ethnic cleansing under their slogan of "The Alawites to the grave and the Christians to Beirut." Israel strikes the Assad regime even as Iran and Hezbollah equip and train a rump Alawite militia in preparation for the fall of the regime. The western democracies mull over no-fly zones and safe havens while Russia continues to transport weapons to Assad's forces. The lessons of Iraq and Afghanistan ...
Stockport Market is packed with things to see, do and buy over two weekends in May. Come along from Friday 17th to Sunday 26th May – see the leaflet for details.
[IMG: FairtradeRenewalTring] On Saturday 20th April 2013 the Mayor of Tring, Councillor Nick Hollinghurst was presented with the Fairtade Foundation's Certificate in a ceremony in Tring Market Place which formally renewed Tring's status as a Fairtrade Town. Michael Demidecki, Secretary of the Justice & Peace Group, made the presentation. The Justice & Peace Group, which is affiliated to Churches Together in Tring, acts as the Fairtrade Steering Group for the town. As such, they carried out a rigorous assessment of the extent to which Fairtrade products are accessible, sold and used within the town to ensure that Tring did still ...
It looks as if moves are finally afoot to demolish the derelict shops on Window Lane. Details will be appearing Applications Application
Lots of people have already put in comments, but just in case you are someone who meant to but forgot: Wednesday May 8th is the deadline for comments on the Taylor Wimpey application to put 150 houses on land behind Maidensfield in Winnersh The planning application number is O/2013/0434. You can email your comments to development.control@wokingham.gov.uk – and don't forget to quote the application number. Normally I would suggest you use the online form but the council are having trouble with that part of their website today.
For more than thirty years, we have been taught to believe that the private sector is automatically superior to the public sector. Another mythbuster by nef (the new economics foundation) demonstrates the falsehood of this dogma. For Liberals, the point is the distribution of power and the human element. The private and public sectors can both be well or badly run. They are equally capable of remoteness, alienation, bad service, waste and incompetence. As Britain's experience with the railways demonstrates, privatisation is no guarantee that things will improve. Furthermore, when politicians repeatedly tell public sector workers such as teachers or ...
Liberal Democrat Women will formally come into being on 8 June, the culmination of 18 months' work bringing together the party's existing women's organisations: Campaign for Gender Balance and Women Liberal Democrats. In launching Liberal Democrat Women we want to create a more powerful platform for all Liberal Democrats – male and female – who want to see gender equality in Westminster and beyond. Liberal Democrat Women will focus on 4 core areas of activity: policy, campaigns, women's representation and networking. It will do everything its predecessor organisations did, and hopefully much more. To realise this bold ambition we need ...
On Thursday 25th April there was a Sefton Council Cabinet meeting in Southport Town Hall Five of the seven Bootle Labour Cabinet drove for 45 minutes to Southport. The meeting started at 10 am and finished at 10.05am. Is this a record for the shortest ever Sefton Cabinet meeting? Frankly I'm not that shocked. the Bootle 5 have obviously had their meeting in secret, behind closed doors somewhere in Bootle. Cabinet meetings used to be a place for debate and consensus, but that was back in the days when 3 political parties worked together. Will this meeting's famous 5 minutes ...
The Cressington Community First fund is again asking local groups with projects that fit our priorities to get in touch and apply for money. The deadline for this lot of grants is 31 May. Because of a glitch on our official website, you may not be able to download forms for a week or so but if you need information urgently in the meanwhile, just drop me an e mail and I will e mail you back copies of the various forms. I am at paulakeaveney@yahoo.co.uk.
Some time ago people in parts of Garston complained about a TCP type smell in the area. Several people, including me, reported this to the Council's environmental health department and it was traced to a particular company which did promise to prevent it happening again. I didn't notice anything this morning, but apparently some residents have again noticed a strong smell and have been in touch with the company. My colleague Richard Oglethorpe has also been in touch with the environmental health department again. If you have noticed it, but haven't raised it with anyone yet, can you let us ...
[IMG: UKIP logo] Both UKIP and the Conservative Party fear the exposure of the truth of what lies behind the image UKIP have so successfully deployed. It is a truth that on the one hand explains why UKIP would be opposed to what they perceive as big government – the European Union – but it also exposes the designs its ideological founders have for the UK economy and our welfare state, and that is where their problem lies. It is a truth both parties would prefer hidden as it could encourage even more Conservative supporters to defect to UKIP but ...
It may just be me but I got the feeling that former Conservative Chancellor of the Exchequer, Nigel Lawson was expecting a bit more support from Euro-sceptics when he recently claimed that the UK will be better off outside EU. As it is Mr. Lawson appears to be more talking to himself than speeaking for the nation. It is amazing how once Ministers are out of office they start to support policies they failed to implement when in Government. Nevertheless, Nick Clegg has the former Chancellor's measure. In the Guardian today, he says that continued EU membership is necessary, for ...
Tue 7th
14:18
What's the future for Transport in Peterborough? Where do you think the Council needs to focus it's ...
[IMG: IMG_0707] Local car ownership and thus traffic is expected to increase year on year, and coupled by the expected increasing growth in house building throughout the city, the question now being asked is exactly how will the City Council ensure that transport in Peterborough continues to flow in the coming years? Commenting Lib Dem councillor, Darren Fower, said: "What's definite is that in the coming years there will be more people in the city of Peterborough and therefore we need to start seeing some clear and positive action by the City Council to enable the free movement of them ...
Much has been made in the days since Thursday's local election rout of the resilience of the Lib Dem vote in seats held by Lib Dem MPs. But what to make of this aggregated county election result from Lewes - a seat held by Lib Dem transport minister Norman Baker - with a majority of more than 7,500? UKIP 6476 22.7% Con 6412 22.5% Ind 6344 22.3% LD 5588 19.6% Lab 2005 7.0% Grn 1669 5.9% By way of comparison in next door Eastbourne the Lib Dems topped the poll, leading the Conservatives by 6% and UKIP by 8%. Was ...
Do we want fewer councillors, or should we make better use of those we have? – Andrew Coulson of the Institute for Local Government Studies asks a few questions about just what local government in the UK is for. Argonauts of the incredibly specific: anthropological field notes on the Liberal Democrat animal – Some interestingly accurate assessments of the party from a departing member. UKIP: The victory of the ruling class – A typically incisive post from Chris Dillow, pointing out that UKIP are anything but anti-establishment. "The discontent that people might reasonably feel against bankers, capitalists and managerialists has ...
Here's today's hand-picked selection that caught my interest... The Tories must reach out to voters far beyond the south – FT.com Thoughtful frm Paul Goodman http://on.ft.com/ZAMsZi But how does he square cutting deficit+welfare w appeal to squeezed public sector areas? Donald MacKenzie · The Magic Lever: How the Banks Do It · LRB 9 May 2013 Fascinating essay by Donald MacKenzie > The Magic Lever: How the Banks Do It · LRB 9 May 2013 http://bit.ly/ZAHnQS David Cameron and Ed Miliband are both sons of Gordon Brown « Labour Uncut Yes @Jonathan_Todd: "We need to move beyond the politics of ...
There has been a lot of discussion in the past few days about how we should describe UKIP and whether David Cameron should be more polite to their leadership. Cameron can do what he wants but I believe that we ... Continue reading →
[IMG: A football ground] Liverpool FC's famous former manager, Bill Shankly, once quipped that football was more important than life itself. To those with little interest in the game, the thrall that 22 men chasing a ball can have upon millions of people must be baffling. But whether it be in the media, the High Street, the school playground or business boardrooms, there can be no question that football is one of the most important social, cultural and commercial forces in Britain today. British football is plagued by a deeply dysfunctional side, however, which places its very essence and existence ...
We have received this email which is the first positive news we have had in writing for a while: Dear Cllr White, Thank you for your email regarding the resurfacing of Alexandra Road, St Albans. We are currently waiting on the approval of the TTRO to close Alexandra Road. Once this has been obtained we are looking to undertake the works this financial year. As soon as we have a start date for these works, [we] will update you accordingly.
Our local waste disposal authority – Greater Manchester Waste – but up their element of our Council Tax by 13.8% from the start of April – I think the fourth year where we've had a such a high increase which is related to a major Private Finance Initiative for waste disposal in the years to come (around £4.7 Billion PFI in total). Greater Manchester WDA is a joint authority of 9 Greater Manchester councils including Bury, it has been run by Labour for as long as anyone can remember! At the last Council meeting in Bury I asked for an ...
It was fitting that, on the 20th anniversary of the death of Stephen Lawrence, the government decided to listen to campaigners and save a key element of our equalities laws. Ethnic Minority Liberal Democrats (EMLD) played a leading role in ... Continue reading →
Last week local elections took place up and down the UK. As local elections go, I know these caused more of a stir than most because of the UK Independence Party's strong showing. The elections also prompted much personal interest for me as this was the first time I rolled up my sleeves and got involved in political campaigning in the UK. Coming from the Democratic Republic of Congo, elections and the electoral process are in their infancy. Since our nation's chaotic independence from Belgium in 1960, there have been only two multiparty national elections. The one-party government under the ...
[IMG: The Green Book - edited by Brack Burall, Stockley and Tuffrey] The contents pages of this book are highly revealing. A quick flick through the chapter titles shows that, as indeed the blurb on the back promises, this is a book about how green policies can foster economic growth: "The Green Book argues cogently that a low-carbon economy and environmental investments are the best way to escape from sluggish growth, create new jobs and share prosperity". That is a long way from from the sort of environmental debates which used to take place within the party and its predecessors ...
Quick update on the fly tipping between two the blocks on Baguley Crescent which I know is concerning a good many residents. Bury Council is telling me that this is not a straightforward issue due to the volume of waste and costs associated with its removal. Environmental Services are in the process of obtaining details of the freeholders in the hope that they can persuade them to carry out the work – if needs be by service of a notice. They are also seeking advice from Legal regarding the responsibilities of the freeholders. I am continuing to keep a very ...
Exhibition Review ~ Ice Age Art: arrival of the modern mind This exhibition pulls together objects from the last Ice Age, works dating from 40000 to 10000 years ago. There is an absolute immediacy in these small, portable works of art that give us a vivid glimpse into the life of these long lost ancestors. There has been an attempt to marry these extraordinary works of art with modern pieces but this jars against the storytelling potency the small objects have and the modern greats seem diminished by their proximity to them. It is this storytelling that highlights the modern ...
There is something wonderfully life-enhancing about lying on grass, in my humble opinion. And that is what I did yesterday in the sunshine, on the top of the South Downs, overlooking the Solent, right next to Halnaker Mill. Halnaker Mill is in Sussex and was immortalised in a melancholic poem by Hilaire Belloc, who saw its dilapidation as a symbol of the ruin of English agriculture - and therefore England itself. But it isn't ruined now. It is nicely painted in white, and perfect for picnics, especially on a May Bank Holiday. Belloc was not just bringing up a conservation ...
Yes. We are back to subsidised booze for MPs. From The Sun A pint of John Smith's bitter costs just £2.60 in the Commons, and Becks lager is set at just £3.20. But some backbenchers have complained even that is too expensive. And senior MPs suggested prices should be linked to a cheaper venue outside of the capital's prime retail spots......... Commons eateries and bars are already subsidised with £5.8million a year of public money. Taxpayers would fork out even more if prices were lowered, unless services were cut elsewhere. The row broke out after Commons catering managers asked for ...
I hate 'neutral' news outlets and yet they don't exist. That's because every news outlet has a bias. That is inevitable. The only news outlet that comes even near to having no bias is Drudge Report and let's face, it's not a text heavy site... News doesn't have to be neutral any longer. We don't all get our news from the same 2 or 3 radio or TV channels anymore. We pick and choose from hundreds of thousands of web, tv and radio outlets and gravitate to the ones that fit our innate bias and preferences. We like having our ...
posted The Blood is The Life 06-05-2013 http://t.co/ngh8YuS2mN on #dreamwidth (tags: (from twitter) dreamwidth ) We should all get behind this Hazards Campaign: http://t.co/BlwrLTySuT (see Private Eye piece here also: http://t.co/9bKjtD8Ha6) (tags: (from twitter) ) back Pain breakthrough. this is amazing. Might have to go wave this is my doctor's face. (tags: ) Absences of women in history don't "just happen," they are made. (tags: ) [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments
[IMG: Verulamium Park Lakes on a Summers Day] Every new councillor thinks his or her division is special. I think I have more excuse than most. It's not just Britain's first traffic lights (not sure about celebrating that), St Albans South division contains St Albans Abbey. As well as being the site of the first Christian martyrdom in England, the Abbey was where Magna Carta was drafted (it was only signed at Runnymede) and it housed the third printing press in England, founded in 1479. This was the first press to have a printers' mark. "Printed and published by..." started ...
[IMG: Conservative Party logo] It would appear they have, judging by the reaction of many in their ranks to last week's local elections. The calls since last Thursday from many Tories have been to tack to the right, to say nasty things about Europe and only slightly politer things about immigrants in the belief that's a winning combination to send UKIP support dropping and Conservative support soaring. Now remind me, how did that approach work out for the party in the Eastleigh by-election?
It's now 6 days since I found out about the alleged 'photoshopped' picture that the MP seemingly appears in yet for someone who normally has a huge amount to say about everything it does not appear that his office is saying much. If the photo he appeared in twice - first time with a Formby Labour councillor and second time with another seemingly 'surprise friend' was photoshopped then why mot just apologise and promise not to do it again? If there is another explanation, although for the life of me I can't think what it could be, then let's hear ...
As the Gazette is reporting it, it must be official – I'm the new leader of the Liberal Democrat group on Colchester Borough Council. First, the thanks – thanks to the group for backing me and selecting me as their leader, and thanks to my predecessor as group leader, Councillor Paul Smith, for the work he did during his time in the role. It's a big role to take on, and I'm glad that they see me as the best person to do the job and take the group forward. As leader, I want to change and improve the way ...
Liberal Youth's Gold Guard effort during the local election campaign saw them campaign vigorously all over the country. There were action days from Berwick to Cambridge to Somerset and every night an hour was set aside to call for a specific candidate. Some of the party's most treasured figures put together this video to thank them, and it was emailed to their members last night. Well, Paddy said a little more than thank you, but he's allowed, because we are obliged to obey his every instruction between now and 2015. We thought you might like to see it. Rumour has ...
The coalition government's harsh austerity policy isn't working, for the reasons the Liberal Democrats predicted in their 2010 manifesto. Even the IMF has advised the government to rethink its strategy and spend more. So why is the government refusing to change course? As Paul Krugman explains, it is because George Osborne still believes in the confidence fairy. And the arguments for the existence of this fairy are utterly implausible. What is the reason for Osborne's stubborn persistence with this nonsense? Superstition, muddle or callousness? You decide.
Further to my article yesterday about the on-going flooding issues at the Riverside Civic Amenity site (right), I have received the following update from the council's Waste Services Manager: "I would advise you that City Development have been working up proposals to resolve the flooding issue, and I received the draft plan outline last Thursday. The next step will be to arrange a meeting to finalise the proposals and costs associated with the work. Until the work commences, we are introducing interim measures should the site flood again. The site attendants will use the available pumps to remove the water ...
Just a quick update on the number of trees that have been cut down near to the football ground off Sandgate Road (Whitefield). The trees have been cut down by contractors operating on behalf of National Grid. As I understand National Grid have rights/duties to ensure safety of electricity cables which go over this area. Please get in touch if you want further information. Tim
A number of residents have been in touch about the poor state of the ginnel between Elm Grove and GUest Road. Following a request the Council have agreed to inspect this and undertake a one-off clean as needed. Please get in touch if there are issues with ginnels near you, as they can often be overlooked. Tim
Further to my article yesterday about the mess left at the former GA Call Centre site, I was interviewed on both Wave 102 and Radio Tay News yesterday. You can hear my interview on Wave 102 News by clicking 'play' below:
Below is the latest update on the Dundee City Waterfront Development works from the Tay Road Bridge Manager and how this has impacted on traffic on the bridge: Contract 3 - Sir Robert McAlpine (SRM) Progress April 2013 There have been no issues affecting traffic accessing and exiting the bridge. As a result of a minor delay to the bridgeworks the current traffic management will now be in place until early June 2013 to allow the first phase of the new ramps to be completed and commissioned Construction of the deck of the west half of the structure has been ...
Prior to the ambulance debate this afternoon, the Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, Kirsty Williams has called on the Welsh Government to regain control of ambulance response times and performance after an internal report reveals that the Ambulance Trust is severely missing nearly all of its internal targets. The performance report for April 2012 to January 2013 reveals that the Ambulance Trust has an internal target for 52% of ambulances to arrive within 4 minutes if a patient has suffered from cardiac arrest, yet only 30% of ambulances reached this target. There is also a national target for 95% ...
During the AV referendum campaign a couple of years ago great play was made by the "No" campaign of how a preferential system would "allow BNP voters to dictate the result". This was always a highly dubious claim. Indeed the BNP actually opposed AV, presumably because they realised that under a system where a candidate needs to get broad support they would likely get no seats at all. At least under FPTP they can occasionally win, usually where the barrier is often considerably lower than 50%. One of the results from the recent local elections amply demonstrates this point. Collin ...
