[IMG: 3d puppet, building the house] I was asked to produce a brief note setting out some of the context and challenges facing housing associations. The note was to inform thinking as part of a strategy discussion taking place somewhere in England. I took that brief note and elaborated upon it a bit. Given that the discussion was couched in pretty broad terms, it may be of interest to others. So I've posted the resulting document on Scribd and you can access it here beneath the fold. Uncertain Terrain: Issues and challenges facing housing associations [IMG: Share]
Sat 11th
22:22
Saturday Six (well, Seven) 33 - The political landscape, bad journalism and Nadine Dorries
Well, after a break for the election campaigning, Saturday Six (and my other regular strands) will be making a comeback, starting now... and, as a bonus this week, Saturday Six is a Saturday Seven. In his Archives, Alex discusses the rise of UKIP - and the demise of Participatory Politics. Put simply, it's a self-perpetuating cycle: as long as established politicians play to their own gallery, the disengaged will find alternative outlets for their frustration. One of UKIP's main policies is opposition to equal marriage - which Charles Moore discusses in a Telegraph piece lauded by Nadine Dorries. Jae Kay ...
A word of advice for our political leaders and the halfwits they employ to churn out banal slogans along the lines of Apart from anything else, you are not original. Empty rhetoric is nothing new. Peter Sellers nailed it in 1958, with two important differences. First, politicians in the 1950s were perfectly capable of making up their own bullshit without the paid assistance of an army of special advisers. And second, no one nowadays would heckle with "What about the workers?"
Brian Matthew played this one today on Sounds of Sixties. It is not one I remember hearing previously, but it is superb. It was released late in 1969 but wasn't a hit (it got to number six) until 1970. Arrival were from Liverpool. Their details are on Wikipedia here. I have put two versions of the track below from YouTube. The first is just the soundtrack with pictures of cats, which you might prefer to the second version, which includes Jimmy Savile at the beginning. You have been warned. Sorry about that, but the subsequent recording of the band playing ...
[IMG: The Health Campus scheme involves building a new hospital and regenerating nearby derelict land] The Health Campus scheme involves building a new hospital and regenerating nearby derelict land Despite the expansion of West Herts Hospital in Watford being urgently needed, the Labour councillors on Watford Borough Council have fought these plans because they would mean the relocation of a number of allotments. West Herts Hospital is used by patients across the whole of south west Hertfordshire, including Tring. The Secretary of State's recent decision to allow the relocation of these allotments removes this political obstacle and is a big ...
This is All Saints, Beeby, or 'Beeby Tub', a few miles east of Leicester. Britain Express explains its strange vestigial spire as follows: The story goes that two stone masons who were brothers were responsible for building the steeple. They quarrelled while at work, and both fell to their deaths from atop the tower. After that the spire was never finished, but was simply capped. The oddly shaped spire became known as 'Beeby's Tub'. An old rhyme tells the story of the legend:Beeby Tub without a pub, A church without a spire. Two brothers fought and broke their backs And ...
If you want to know how much influence David Cameron still has over the Conservative Party, read this opening paragraph from tomorrow's Observer: David Cameron has ordered his ministers to abstain in a pivotal Commons vote on a future EU referendum next week, in a blow to his Eurosceptic colleagues.That's right: his ministers are going to abstain on an attempt to amend the Queen's speech and this is seen as a blow, not to Cameron, but to his critics because those ministers are not going even further. I don't think anyone could give direction to the rabble the Conservative Party ...
For a few words from the man who introduced Wigan to the world - Eddie Waring - on another good day for the town in 1965, see here.
Why did you decide to run? I decided to run for WM Regional Chair, after quite a bit of deliberation, because I believe i can use my skills to create a fully functioning Regional Branch. What will be your number one priority if elected? My main priority, if elected, to finish establishing a fully working [...]
On a pleasant evening such as this, with the church bells of Pula ringing out, and the sun slowly setting, a glass of white wine by my side, it is easy to forget that I came to the frontier of the European Union to do a job. So, given that some of you actually voted to send me here, what have I done to justify your faith in me?Having arrived safely on Thursday evening, I attended the welcome reception and continued the lengthy process of building a relationship with delegates from our sister parties across Europe. That sounds obvious, but ...
(Glad to announce the return of Oola and her tuneship, The Eerie. She will be guest reviewing movies here for the summer, starting with Star Trek : Into Darkness. For those who like sci-fi and spaceship design below is a brief description of her ship. Trisha xx ) The Eerie ~ Engines : Running the length of the ship are the two ion propulsion chambers, now customised to use the popular ramjet inlet technology where the upgraded 'maglev' technology meld-all* skin allows thrust acceleration at the same time when skin polarity is rapidly reversed within the inlets. (*Meld-all works through ...
Why did you decide to run? I decided to run for a position at Liberal Youth Elections because a 'little Liberal bird' told me to – I simply obeyed. But, no, apart from much-appreciated advice from a very lovely, perhaps overly eager young man, I decided to run for this particular position – International Committee [...]
[IMG: S Delaney A McInnes W Rennie C Jardine M Bruce] Christine Jardine, a former Downing Street Special Adviser, has been selected as the Liberal Democrat candidate for the Aberdeen Donside Scottish Parliament by-election caused by the death o SNP MSP Brian Adam last month. She is seen second on the right in the photograph, which also features Cllr Steve Delaney, Alison McInnes MSP, Scottish leader Willie Rennie MSP and Sir Malcolm Bruce MP. The by-election will take place on June 20. Liberal Democrat Voice readers will be familiar with her name because of occasional LibLinks to her Scotsman columns. ...
An Update Much has happened since I last posted. At a UK level we have seen the death of Margaret Thatcher and the reaction to that, the surge in the local elections for UKIP and the Tories massive over-reaction to the threat posed by them. On a personal level there have also been a lot going on. My friend and colleague SNP Councillor Tom Buchanan sadly passed away at the age of only 56 following a lengthy battle with a brain tumour. Tom was a very highly regarded chair of Economic Development in the council who did so much to ...
Sat 11th
15:37
ALDE Party Council: "The sun lounger can wait, Brad, there are only twelve months to save Europe!"
Why did you decide to run? I decided to run because I have experience in organisation and working with others on the Liberal Youth Scotland executive, and I wanted to apply it in an area I'm really passionate about – foreign policy. What will be your number one priority if elected? Anyone who knows me [...]
As I highlighted back on 10th January, the Lib Dems in Birmingham have been campaigning against Labour's decision to impose a 20% Council Tax charge on those in receipt of working age means tested benefits. Finally the Council has seen sense and is going to accept the £2.1m on offer from the Government to reduce the amount of Council Tax paid by the poorest in our City. This isn't a total victory; we argued that there should be no charge at all for the poorest working age claimants in our alternative budget, however it is a very welcome change, which ...
One of the problems with a 24/7 media is that they are quick to rush to judgement before all the facts are at their disposal, just to get the headline. For example, when the quarterly figures on the economy are published they only contain about 40% of the necessary statistics, making it difficult to draw reliable conclusions. That does not stop politicians and journalists rushing to judgement however, and very rarely, if at all, do we see caveats associated with their pronouncements. That is the background to this article in the Telegraph that reveals that claims of a double dip ...
The Western Mail reports that experts have called for greater emphasis on bio-security, particularly around ports, harbours and marinas, so as to tackle invasive non-native species that cost Wales more than £70m a year. They add that the National Assembly's Environment and Sustainability Committee, sitting at the National Botanic Gardens in Carmarthenshire, was told current legislation fails to address the need to report, control and eradicate the threat of invasive species and better enforcement needs to be developed. Non-native species in Wales cost an estimated £71m a year, with the number of alien species in Europe increasing by 76% in ...
Little has changed as a result of recent elections here in Thanet, it seems and nothing confirms this more than the views of Cllr Clive Hart our esteemed leader of Thanet council. As you might expect our great leader is full of er ....no SORRY, enthusiasm, with the elections over, he kicks off his latest sermon in this week's Gazette saying how it's great to be back with the paper, full of the usual waffle, "working" "behind the scenes", "partnership with relevant agencies", "tackle antisocial behavior" are the tried and trusted cliches. Still he finishes his piece with classic Clive ...
[IMG: BBCmarconi-atype] I've just finished listening to Nick Robinson's BBC Radio 4 series 'Battle for the Airways' which looks at the history of relations between the government and the BBC. The series is available to listen to here: Battle for the Airways The eight 15 minute programs each look in turn at particular incidences of conflict since the founding of the corporation, taking in Suez and the Falklands, up until the present day. There is a lot of value in it. Some great archive footage and interviews with key players. And it doesn't tell a simplistic story of nasty politicians ...
As there were no elections in Stockport this year, the borough continues to be run by the Lib Dems in minority control. The next Executive, reduced from ten to eight as part of the money saving measures, takes over on 21st May 2013. The new Executive is: Leader – Sue Derbyshire (also with responsibility for Policy, Reform and Finance) Deputy Leader – Mark Weldon (also with responsibility for Corporate Customer and Community Services) Executive member for Lifelong Learning and Achievement - Shan Alexander Executive member for Communities and Sustainability – Stuart Bodsworth Executive member for Adult Care Services - Keith ...
Here's today's hand-picked selection that caught my interest... Margaret Thatcher's death gives daily quality newspapers circulation boost | April ABCs | Media | guardian.co.uk But what abt that weird Sun 'Ritz' front page? > Thatcher's death gives daily quality newspapers circulation boost http://bit.ly/15yledZ Send to Kindle
Why did you decide to run? Because, when I started up an LY branch, the hardest thing to get going was policy debate—not because we were short of ideas, but because it takes the wind out of your sails a bit, knowing that no matter how well you pitch your idea, it still won't go [...]
I am pictured here in the Al-Hamidiyah Souq in Damascus, with a shopkeeper called Bosra al-Cham. I wonder what has happened to him? I am helping to organsie a Streatham and Clapham United Nations Association event next Tuesday, at which we will find out more about the humanitarian situation faced by civillians, and raise funds [...]
You expect Quentin Letts to be unpleasant and spit bile at Nick Clegg at every opportunity. It's not nice and almost never accurate, but it's what passes for right wing political commentary in this country. His frequent attacks on Nick's wife, Miriam Gonzalez Durantez, are also umpleasant and unjustified. But today's was actually racist. He referred to Nick's "castanet clacker" Spanish wife. Article 12 of the Editors' Code of Practice is pretty clear on discrimination: 12 Discrimination i) The press must avoid prejudicial or pejorative reference to an individual's race, colour, religion, gender, sexual orientation or to any physical or ...
Did the double-dip recession ever happen? It looks increasingly possible that it didn't — the BBC reports the latest revision to the data: A revision by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has cast doubt on the UK's double-dip recession last year. Revised growth estimates now suggest the construction industry shrank in the first quarter of 2012, but by less than previously thought. Analysts say the revision may be enough to mean the overall economy narrowly avoided falling into recession for a second time. The ONS is due to give official confirmation of this in June. In fact there was ...
I remember hearing Nick Clegg saying that if he was being attacked from both left and right, then he felt reassured that he was doing something right. He may be feeling slightly worried now, as there have been a couple of not entirely unpleasant pieces in the New Statesman and Daily Telegraph in the last few days. From the left, we have Rafael Behr, the political editor of the New Statesman, arguing that it's Nick Clegg, not Nigel Farage, who has shaken up Westminster: For Lib Dems, the distinction is between two styles of politics. There is the managerial one, ...
Yesterday I revealed Chris Rennard's rather inappropriate intervention during the Queen's Speech debate. He seems rather proud of it too. Here is a screenshot from a post on his Facebook page: Not only that though, he's been busy at work campaigning for and speaking at Liberal Democrat events. Posts again on his Facebook page show ...
Why did you decided to run? I decided to run in these elections because I think I can bring new ideas to the International team, and have the skills and enthusiasm to work with the rest of the International Committee to help build on the progress that has already been made in the last year. [...]
Two things have made me feel poorer than I really wanted to yestoday. The first was a tweet by Steve Richards, the political columnist: "On train to York. The ticket, not paid by me, is £249, second class. Can't get a seat." Rather a familiar scenario that one. Of course, he has an open return, but we all used to get open returns not many years ago. A second class open return really isn't the height of aspirational luxury. The second happened when I took my six-year-old to the barber's shop in Crystal Palace and found myself idling away my ...
Vince Cable has spoken up for the economic benefits of immigration in the Queen's Speech debate, challenging the half truth and hyperbole in the illiberal rhetoric that's doing the rounds at the moment. He reserved much of his ire for the Labour party: I was hesitant about raising the subject because it is essentially covered by the Home Office, but substantial economic issues are also involved and it is important to refer to them. I was provoked into feeling that we should debate the issue in this context because a couple of days ago I was on the radio on ...
[IMG: rsz_perch_rock_and_mersey_estuary] A very atmospheric shot by Lydiate photographer Keith Page. Have a look at the web site for New Brighton's Perch Rock at http://www.fortperchrock.org/Fort_Perch_Rock/Home.html It is a good read for those interested in Merseyside history. http://www.flickr.com/keith_page/
Checks. No, not April.From The Mail online "DANGER: Reading articles about health and disease can make you feel ill"
This story confirms that the council is now going to accept the £2.1m from the government in order to cut the amount of council tax paid by people on means tested benefits. The question the Council need to answer is why they didn't take this money in January when it was on offer. However, we should welcome the progress that has been made even though more progress on this is needed. Mike Whitby
posted The Blood is The Life 10-05-2013 http://t.co/vNRUGFI2mT on #dreamwidth (tags: (from twitter) dreamwidth ) @Paul_Mastersrl http://t.co/U8xdb2fQOm I paid £2 inc postage. (tags: (from twitter) ) Mr Gove - Michael Gove as a Mr Man (tags: ) posted State of the SB http://t.co/Q3G1zTlkZN on #dreamwidth (tags: (from twitter) dreamwidth ) [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments
Last night Charles Moore's latest article on how awful marriage equality is went up on the Telegraph's website. A few of us mocked it on Twitter for how rubbish it was and we moved on. Unfortunately some credulous MPs found it thought-provoking. Enter Nadine Dorries. Charles Moore states some rather bizarre things in his article. According to the "public sector equality duty", all acts and institutions of government must enforce Equality in all its various "strands". (There are seven of them, and "gender reassignment" is given the same status as "religion". Because believing in whatever deity you may means you ...
The clinical psychologist Professor Richard Bentall from the University of Bangor, author of Madness Explained and Doctoring the Mind, offers a critique of the medical model of mental distress.
More comedy genius from Australia's Clarke and Dawe, with rather a strong echo of current British politics: Also on YouTube.
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the longest running science fiction show in the world I am taking a weekly look at some of my favourite Dr Who episodes focusing on one Doctor a month. This month it's the fifth Doctors turn. Warning - mega spoilers ahead! The TARDIS arrives on Earth in its future, and the gang (minus Adric who wants to go home and is having a strop) explore a series of caves until they are caught by a group of soldiers who accuse them of killing an exploration team searching the caves for fossils. The Doctor convinces ...
[IMG: Magnet Flag] The 3D printed gun is now a reality. I don't have access to a 3D printer - but I've downloaded the plans out of morbid curiosity. While downloading the blueprints may not be illegal, any UK citizen who made and owned such a handgun could face arrest, according to the UK's Metropolitan Police. BBC News It may not the best weapon in the world - it has reliability and accuracy issues - and it may not be the cheapest - around £5,000 for a 3D printer to fabricate the thing. But it's certainly the most portable. The ...
[IMG: Christian Aid Week envelope 2012] It is Christian Aid Week. Every year I drop exhausted from elcectioneering around May 10th. This year it was our by-election and I did, for example, 22,000 steps on Thursday, according to my pedometer. And then, it's straight into Christian Aid week. It's a sort of "hair of the dog" thing. But I love it. It's light relief to deliver 80 envelopes for charity, after delivering 2,000 hard sell political leaflets. I do the same street every year for Christian Aid Week. I know the people quite well in some of the houses. I ...
If you haven't seen it, I thoroughly recommend watching Dave Allen: God's own comedian on BBC iPlayer. Dave Allen was a very funny man. Some of his gags were very simple – almost childish. But he had a deep anti-establishment, awkward squad streak and a great passion for pointing out stupidity in the world. The programme shows some of his early career as a chat show host in Australia and the UK, as well as some very touching glimpses of his private world which suggest a very fulfilled, happy, family life. [IMG: Post to Twitter] Tweet This Post
As part of Dundee Festival of Volunteering, here's more details of the West End Clean-Up, taking place on Friday 7th June:A higher-quality PDF of this poster is available for download here.
