How did you get here? Did you follow a link from another blog, from a blog aggregator, from Twitter or Facebook? Did use Blogger's "next blog" whilst viewing something else? Did you search for a particular story or item? Where you looking for an image? Or did you type "www.oneexwidow.blogspot.com" into your browser address bar? Whatever you did, however you got here and whatever you're here for, welcome... ...and if you should choose to come back, there are now 4 more ways to find these pages: www.oneexwidow.com , www.oneexwidow.co.uk, www.andrewcbrownuk.com and www.andrewcbrownuk.co.uk In time, I hope to use these addresses ...
Tonight David Cameron has conceded to his back benchers and will publish a Bill that would put an in/out EU referendum on the statute books. It marks a new low for the Conservative leader, who seemingly cannot control his rebellious back benches. He may think it's clever to get Labour and the Lib Dems to ...
Hello, Europe! It's that time again – the most important TV event of the year, the Eurovision Song Contest. And the final is the same evening as the Doctor Who finale, just to make the whole night even more exciting. Before we can reach the final, though, 33 countries have to fight their way through the two semi-finals. I'm a bit busy at the moment so let's get straight down to business. Here's what you can expect from the 16 songs in the first semi-final (Tuesday night at 8pm on BBC Three). The Good Belarus – With no Turkey in ...
Earlier this evening, after my weekly ward surgeries at the Mitchell Street Centre and at Harris Academy, I took part in City Council committee meetings. At Development Management Committee, I moved refusal of the proposal to create a housing development at the former Parkview School in Blackness Road. My amendment read: "Item 1: Housing Development at Former Parkview School I wish to move refusal of this application on the following grounds: Overdevelopment The proposals are contrary to Policy 4b of the Dundee Local Plan 2005 as the scale and nature of the new build development results in overdevelopment of this ...
ICM: the pollster Lib Dems love and rely on the most. Maybe not tonight, though. Here's The Guardian's graph and report: [IMG: guardian ukip poll - may 2013] Ukip's 18% is the best it has achieved with any pollster in any of the surveys logged at UK Polling Report. It is all the more remarkable for ICM, whose careful adjustments for voters who decline to reveal their political preference smooths out the wilder fluctuations of the electoral cycle. The Tories are plumbing depths they have not experienced in more than a decade - barring a single month in 2002, they ...
Chris Glew on Estonian World tells the story of Erich Teayn, a crewman on a Soviet factory ship who, on the night of 25 June 1958, commandeered a motor boat and made his bid for freedom in the West by landing on Shetland: He had realised that his journey wouldn't be easy and might even be dangerous, but he hadn't counted on 30 of his Russian crew-mates giving chase, hoping to foil his escape. In choosing a faster boat, he managed to land slightly ahead of his pursuers, on the ragged coast near the small village of Walls, West Shetland. ...
Why have Labour chosen to balance their budget by adopting charges that hit Southport far more than the rest of the borough? Rising £500,000 extra from parking charges when 85% of all parking fees are raised in Southport The green wheelie bin tax hits Southport And they want to close our Libraries-leaving one in Southport and keeping three open in Bootle. (one Bootle Library only had 35 000 items issued in one year compared to 115 000 in the Birkdale Library-but it is Birkdale they have proposed to close) This has given some folk the impression that they are willing ...
[IMG: CEE 2013] I think it's more than 18 months since I last blogged about politics and Europe. But today I found myself almost agreeing with something Boris writes in his Daily Telegraph column on the Tories' referendum ructions. That doesn't happens very often. So that got me thinking. The main point I made back in October 2011 in Finding an antidote to Europhobia was that someone other than Nick Clegg needs to be making the positive case for Europe. And doing it sooner rather than later. If pro-Europeans are coy and wait until we are in referendum season then ...
My favourite book at the moment - Country House Cricket Grounds of Leicestershire and Rutland by E.E. Snow - records that cricket has been played at Barkby Hall since at least 1846 and that the ground is still under the patronage of the Pochin family. This probably explains the appealing mixture of the modern - the electronic scoreboard - and the quaint - two trees standing in the field of play.
I was away this weekend joining in the celebrations of friends birthday. We were staying in Chipping Camden. Around lunchtime wandering around the town we came upon the village parish church of St James and, as is my habit, I went inside to look around. It is one of the finest wool churches in the country. The church was the venue of the Chipping Camden Music Festival and was laid out ready for a concert with a Steinway Grand Piano alone on the stage in front of the chancel. I sat down for a moment and a young lady came ...
Polly Toynbee "the worst of the old Labour party, the knuckle-dragging neanderthal tendency, emerged to roaring opposition to the guests. David Blunkett, John Reid, Jack Straw, Diane Abbott, now unleashed from government, reminded the world how backward, how unprogressive, tribal and sectarian much of the People's Party still is". I caught Peter Kilfoyle (formerly Labour MP for Liverpool Walton) talking on Radio 4 about his time fighting Militant in Liverpool (oddly he didn't mention that he spent some of the key period in Australia) When asked what was so bad about Militant the first two things he mentioned-before even the ...
"The big questions I'd like to hear answers to from people in politics and/or the media is what the point of such strange venues is and whose idea was it to 'neutralise' the political speech - politicians, their advisors or the media? I'd also quite like to know why a supermarket chain (Morrisons) has become the venue of choice for leading Conservative politicians." Max Atkinson mourns the further decline of political oratory in Britain. Disgruntled Radical has some good arguments against a referendum on our membership of the European Union. "We need to say to people, 'Use Facebook yes... Try ...
Saturday: Neil Gaiman's second episode for Doctor Who, in spite of doing everything humanly possible to touch the fans' buttons and warm the cockles of their cold hearts, seems to have produced something of a backlash, at least among those fans whose opinions I've been reading. Despite polling in the same mostly-about-8-out-of-10 range on the forums as the last few episodes, people voicing their thoughts have been a touch, er, negative about it. Well, as this week's guest star Warwick Davis might put it, life's too short for the haters, so here are ten reasons I thought this was brilliant: ...
I could go into a long rant about the latest comments of Nadine Dorries and David Burrowes on the issue of equal marriage. But they basically hoist themselves by their own petards so easily this time. First up is Enfield Southgate MP Burrowes, writing on ConservativeHome today he opines about next weeks third reading like this: "the news that the issue of gay marriage is coming back to the Commons next week is like those Jaws film trailers. Just when you thought it was safe to return to a new Parliamentary session, focussing on the key issues facing the country, ...
Nibley Lane is expected to close for cleaning from its junction with Badminton Road to its junction with Westerleigh Road on Thursday 16 May 2013 from 9.30am until 2.30pm. (Before anyone says "What - again?" it probably really needs it this time. There's a car embedded in the hedge half way along...)
Cambridgeshire Trading Standards team is promoting Scam Awareness this month, in partnership with the Citizens Advice Bureau and Think Jessica, to encourage people to think twice when opening their post, door or e-mails to potential scammers. Nationally people are scammed for £3.5billion pounds a year which is equivalent to £70 a month for each adult. Scam mail rips off unsuspecting victims by offering large sums of cash or opportunities too good to miss. Letters look professional and genuine and are sometimes addressed to the individual. However alarm bells should ring when they set specific deadlines and pressure you to reply ...
'Hey stranger! What you have you been up to? I've heard you made an important speech on Scotland's constitutional future today'. Gordon Brown replied: "In the last few years I have had time on my hands, time to reflect, courtesy of the British people, and I want to put the positive, principled, forward-looking case for a strong Scottish Parliament inside a strong United Kingdom." Ask any best man and they will tell you it can take a long time to prepare a quality speech, including the tricky opening icebreaker, but Gordon's life has been far from hectic of late. As ...
I have just watched Jacob Rees-Mogg trying to defend the absurdity of Conservative backbenchers voting to amend their own government's Queen's speech. But then respect for the constitution, which used to be a hallmark of Conservatism, has pretty much been thrown out of the window. Forget Burke and representative democracy: the reaction of modern Conservative MPs when they find themselves part of a minority in the Commons, is to demand a referendum. The latest example, reports the Guardian, is over the Coalition's plans to bring in equal marriage. Political Animal reminded us on Twitter earlier today that Margaret Thatcher once ...
Mon 13th
20:04
Do UKIP really want Government to stop "meddling" in marriage? - a test of libertarianism
There has been so much in the media over equal marriage over the last week, where do I start? How about UKIP first? UKIP's David Coburn has a point when he said last week: "If so, it [marriage] is clearly in the domain of the churhc and other faiths - and it is none of the Government's business to meddle with it" When that it is marriage equality he has a point. It should be left up to each religious group to define marriage as they see fit, and also those of no faith to do likewise. Now I come ...
Mon 13th
18:45
Lord (Paul) Tyler writes: Political reform has been lost along the way by the Coalition
[IMG: Houses of Parliament] I first spoke in a Queen's Speech debate in March 1974. I recall being mystified by that vital penultimate sentence heard again in this year's speech: "other measures will be laid before you". It is these innocent, innocuous words which turn out to be quite important. And they give hope that there will be other vital measures excluded at present from the text of the Speech itself. There are two commitments in the party manifestos and the Coalition Agreement that seem to have been lost along the way, and which I still hope will be seen ...
[IMG: Nigel Farage. Photo shared under Creative Commons, some rights reserved UKIP's Nigel Farage is having fun in the media speculating about joint UKIP-Tory or UKIP-Labour candidates at the next general election. I suspect that, as with touted defections, the more publicity there is the less likely it is to happen – as when serious behind the scenes talks are happening, publicity is not wanted. It's only when a party is trying to wind up another party that such publicity is assiduously courted. However, we are in unchartered political waters because, as Nigel Farage has pointed out, electoral law ...
One of the more interesting stories doing the rounds over the past few days has been the possibility of joint UKIP / Tory candidates at the next election. Farage said on the Daily politics that he was 'open minded' about the possibility whilst pointing out that thanks to a change in the law it would be legally possible for the ballot paper to have both party logos next to the candidate. With Farage deftly manoeuvring to become a local king maker for Tory MPs, or at the very least cause more mischief in the Tory party, it will be interesting ...
It seems hard to believe now, but there was a time when Germans envied British manufacturing. Admittedly, the German in question was Hermann Göring. Göring's envy was prompted by the performance of the RAF's de Havilland Mosquito aircraft. Wikipedia's page on the Mosquito explains: The Mosquito famously annoyed Luftwaffe Commander in Chief Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring when on 20 January 1943, the 10th anniversary of the Nazis' seizure of power, a Mosquito attack knocked out the main Berlin broadcasting station, putting his speech off air. Göring complained about the high speed of the aircraft and its wooden structure, built by a ...
Take a look at the front page of PolitcsHome at the time of writing. Story #1: Tory splits on Europe. Story #4: Tory (and possibly Labour) splits on Europe. Europe dominates – with just story #3 about the sort of issues that people say are the most important to them. [IMG: Politics Home screenshot]
[IMG: Unhappy bear: no bar chart] Edition #35 of Liberal Democrat Newswire came out last week, looking at how the Liberal Democrats did in this month's local elections. It's now also available online to read here. If you would like to receive the next edition of Liberal Democrat Newswire direct to your own inbox as soon as it is published, just sign up here. It's free! You can unsubscribe whenever you want using the link on the bottom of all the emails, and I won't pass your email address on to anyone else (except if required by law). And if ...
I need to write down this week's activity plan, so that I HAVE to commit to it. Mmmkay? All three people who read this blog should feel free to keep me accountable, too. Monday - After coffee with friend, I need to run 3 miles and do a strength session at the gym. Tuesday - Skating Wednesday - Session with trainer, 2-3 miles on the ART. Thursday - SIFF Opening Night with Joss Whedon and Captain Tightpants himself!! Friday - Get in 2-3 miles before SIFF Movie at 7. Saturday - Skating, then volunteering for Girls on the Run. Then ...
Mon 13th
15:46
Stephen Hawking's boycott hits Israel where it hurts: science | Hilary Rose and Steven Rose
What really winds up Israel is that this rejection comes from a famous scientist, and it is science that drives its economy, prestige and military strength Stephen Hawking's decision to boycott the Israeli president's conference has gone viral. Over 100,000 Facebook shares of the Guardian report at last count. Whatever the subsequent fuss, Hawking's letter is unequivocal. His refusal was made because of requests from Palestinian academics. Witness the speed with which the pro-Israel lobby seized on Cambridge University's initial false claim that he had withdrawn on health grounds to denounce the boycott movement, and their embarrassment when within a ...
Most of my friends know that I volunteer with Scouting: taking the news of the everyday adventure that the young people and adults of Bedford Scouts have to the wider public. I do so, because I love Scouting. I love how it develops everyone involved physically, mentally, and spiritually. My family has had a long [...]
Beginning my meeting with @barackobama @whitehouse. twitter.com/David_Cameron/... — David Cameron (@David_Cameron) May 13, 2013
Neil James Monnery is what my parents named me. Early life would not be easy because of a duff arm and a duff leg. Incidents of falling over would be far too commonplace. Labelled as 'disabled' is something my mum would not tolerate, something I would learn to appreciate as I struggled to be like every other kid. Nippy is not a word you could use to describe me but I can walk and run, which wasn't exactly a given at one point. Early it was noted that I was a gifted child. Intelligence is something I had but I ...
The ruling Bootle Labour cabal at Sefton council are keen to pile on to Southport residents extra taxes. We will soon have the Green Wheelie Bin Tax- a flat tax of £46, then we have the massive hike in car parking charges aimed at bring in £500,000 which will hit Southport's economy hard-85% of all parking charges are paid in Southport. John Pugh and IBB outside the Town Hall So here are a few ways the could save some money. Southport Town Hall has been practically empty for months. I have raised this several times. I am repeated told ...
Why did you decide to run? Finance Officer is one of the most under-appreciated roles in groups such as Liberal Youth. Almost everything these days costs money and it's crucial that we have a strong strategy for how we raise and spend ours. We need to ensure that Liberal Youth lives up to its heritage as a [...]
Here's today's hand-picked selection that caught my interest... On Europe, David Cameron is in danger of making himself a laughing stock | Tim Bale | Comment is free | The Guardian .@ProfTimBale damning of David Cameron's EU strategy > "he's now in danger of making himself a laughing stock" http://bit.ly/15DaVFy Send to Kindle
Is politics good for your mental health? If you are an elected representative, you will both smile and wince at today's 15-minute drama on BBC Radio 4 in the series How Does That Make You Feel? Fictional MP Richard Fallon (Roger Allam, who played another fictional MP Peter Mannion in The Thick of It) is confessing his anxieties to his psychotherapist. He thinks he is being denied promotion because of his obese son and his lack of visibility. But his decision to remedy this problem by taking part in a fly-on-the wall TV documentary series has made matters only worse. ...
Star Trek: Into Darkness 3D (12A) Director : JJ AbrahmsWebsite: Star Trek: Into Darkness I would like to start with whether this movie offers us a cinematic model of either a) many worlds interpretation or b) multiverse (parellel universe) factoring in age and 'Trekkieness' of the observer. If you are of a certain age and can remember the original tv series, let alone the movies, several spin off series and the preceding movie to this one, then I postulate you probably experience a many world interpretation while sitting in the darkness of the cinema or to put it in other ...
[IMG: IOU in a piggy bank - Some rights reserved by Images_of_Money] South Central Region Liberal Democrats have discussed and passed a motion against Pay Day Loans at our Regional conference in the autumn of 2012. The notion of such loans is valid: provide a small short term loan for those in need to help them through immediate financial hardship. Unfortunately, exploitation is what we get. Here are some facts about these loans: • Which estimates over 800,000 UK households have taken out payday loans; • The Consumer Credit Counselling Service says over 2,000 of their clients in 2012 have had five ...
Dear Chris, [IMG: Nick_Clegg_signature.png] Nick PS I hope you noticed the Queen mention the drive for a "stronger economy and a fairer society" in the very first line of her speech. I knew our message was starting to hit home!
For the last few months, I've been curating a Tumblr of a very specific annoyance. I'll let Aral Balkan take credit for inspiring me. Any modal message—full-screen or alert—that interrupts user flow to ask them to download your app suffers from #doorslam #ux antipattern. [IMG: DoorSlam Collection] How It Should Work Ideally, when a user visits your website, you should deliver the content to them in the most appropriate format. That's it. If they're using Internet Explorer, you serve them up the correct CSS and JavaScript. If they're on a mobile device, serve them up the mobile or responsive version ...
The ALDC Facebook group has become a great place for campaigners to swap stories, seek advice and share artwork. The more members we have, the better the Group will work - if you are an ALDC member with a Facebook profile and are not yet a member, please get involved! All you have to do is search for 'Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors' and request to join the Group. It is a 'closed' group, so we check each member's status and remove anyone who shouldn't be there! Our aim is to make this the safest online space for campainging Liberal ...
Child psychologists tell us that the early years of a child's life are the most crucial in terms of impacting on their future well-being, so it is imperative that we get this bit right. And it isn't that complicated, apparently all that is required is for the child to be able to form a special [...]
Wood Green's Banksy has dominated the news again this week. The Standard, ITV, BBC and Sky all reported that the piece will go on sale at the Film Museum in Covent Garden on the 2nd June. This was in response to the announcement on the Sincura Group website - which invites its members to: "view, and even purchase, some of the most important artwork in the modern era including the infamous Slave Labour piece." However, Sincura have now released a statement saying that the piece is NOT up for auction. They say that: "The showing of this piece was the ...
[IMG: Skylark Vintage] Skylark Vintage on Sandgate High Street Skylark Vintage has opened its doors on Sandgate High Street, selling lace crotchet dresses, tops, vintage accessories, shoes, bags - you name it, its there! Skylark is a pop-up shop (which we hope will stay) and already developing a real following locally. You can find Skylark at 104 Sandgate High Street, Sandgate CT20 3BY (next door to "Old English Pine") and also online on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/skylarkspopup?filter=3 Published and promoted by Tim Prater, 98a Sandgate High Street, Folkestone, CT20 3BYPrinted (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 ...
Kent Trading Standards are warning about two people posing as Age Concern workers in the Folkestone area, but then robbing their victim. The criminals have entered an elderly victim's property stating they are from Age Concern and would like to discuss the victim receiving meal deliveries. The female, calling herself Jennifer, stayed with the victim and talked whilst the male, calling himself Graham, entered the victim's bedroom and stole prescription drugs and money. Male using the name Graham described as white, thin, approx. 6ft, 30 years old, short brown hair, clean shaven, wearing a beige zipper jacket with white collar ...
'Call for New Art Work' for the Open Contemporary Art Exhibition 2013 The exhibition will be held at Stockport Art Gallery and will run from 27th July to 31st August 2013 The total value of Prizes & Awards will be in excess of £2000 Including a £500 First Prize & an Under 25′s Award worth £100 Get your artwork ready for the exhibition now! Now in our third year the Open Contemporary Art Exhibition 2013 was conceived with a focus on high quality new contemporary art that is representative of the broad range of art being created in the UK ...
Since last October, the pseudonymous Libby Local has been keeping LDV readers up-to-date with her first-time attempt to win Demsbury Central in Libbyshire. We published the penultimate episode, "Election Day!" yesterday. Here's the finale... [IMG: OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA] There was moment's silence after the pub band finished belting out "Wild Thing." I leant on Mel and whispered in her ear. "Thank you. Thank you so much. I couldn't have done it without you." Twelve hours earlier, my stomach had been in a knot and I felt physically sick. I was standing with Melanie, @Demsburybess and a small clutch of supporters ...
The word 'privatisation' has a chequered history. It was actually coined as 'reprivatisation' by the Nazi Party in the 1930s, as a way of handing over government functions to loyal party officials. The phrase was then borrowed by the great management writer Peter Drucker in 1969, proposing that governments use the talent in other sectors to deliver some of their objectives. "Government is a poor manager .... It has no choice but to be bureaucratic," he wrote. That was the basic idea that was taken up by Conservative thinkers in the 1970s. Sir Keith Joseph's Centre for Policy Studies produced ...
"banned" Ted talk on economics (tags: ) corporations aren't wealth creators they are leeches I don't always agree with Scriptonite's proposed solutions or her politics but by Cthulhu she argues the case well (tags: ) [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments
Boris writes in The Telegraph about some pros and cons of leaving the EU "We can no longer blame Brussels. This is perhaps the most important point of all. If we left the EU, we would end this sterile debate, and we would have to recognise that most of our problems are not caused by "Bwussels", but by chronic British short-termism, inadequate management, sloth, low skills, a culture of easy gratification and under-investment in both human and physical capital and infrastructure."
Today on Facebook a friend posted an article by Vince Cable saying that Liberal Democrats would table an amendment in the debate on the humble address (response to Queen's Speech) calling for a referendum on British membership of the EU. Only problem: the article was from 2007. It was the wrong idea in 2007 and it's even more the wrong idea today, but not just because we would lose the
See below for some info on the regular monthly comedy night at the Longfield Suite in Prestwich which looks like its got some great acts on this week! [IMG: Screen Shot 2013-05-13 at 09.05.33]
From polling commissioned by Progress: [IMG: Progress polling on Lib Dems] (See the full results for the other parties.)
[IMG: London police. Photo courtesy of Louis Kreusel on Flickr] Back in March I wrote about the draconian policing methods being employed against Hull City fans. It's more than a little depressing that, just a few weeks later, another set of football fans have had their civil liberties attacked. This time it's Brighton and Hove Albion supporters who were the target of unnecessary and heavy handed restrictions that should send a shudder down the spine of any liberal. Brighton fans who attended the Play-off match against Crystal Palace were required to carry a separate document which confirmed their identity, and ...
Its 5 months since I wrote that particular posting but what I said is still valid in my view. I went to a presentation last week in Bootle Town Hall about the emerging findings of something called the 'Consequences Study' which is being undertaken by planning consultants NLP for Sefton Council. It seems reasonably clear to me from that event that the house building 'requirement' for Sefton is being built (sorry for the pun) upon a significantly rising population created in no small part by predicted inward immigration into the Borough from elsewhere. That 'from elsewhere' is what ONS (Office ...
A new planning application has been received within Holyrood Ward as detailed below:- Application number: 56168 Type of application: Full Date Registered: 06/05/2013 Location: 223 Heywood Road, Prestwich, Manchester, M25 2QH Proposal: Two storey extensions at front, side and rear Plans will be available to view on the Council's website here (use the planning application number to search). Any questions or if I can help please just get in touch. Tim
A new planning application has been received within Holyrood Ward as detailed below:- Application number: 56224 Type of application: Full Date Registered: 06/05/2013 Location: 54 Bury Old Road, Whitefield, Manchester, M45 6TL Proposal: Part retrospective application for change of use from retail (Class A1) to dental laboratory (Class D1) and creation of two car parking spaces at rear and new steel double gates and security fencing at rear. Plans will be available to view on the Council's website here (use the planning application number to search). Any questions or if I can help please just get in touch. Tim
From the City Council: THE ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 - SECTION 14(1) THE DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL AS TRAFFIC AUTHORITY being satisfied that traffic on the road should be prohibited by reason of electrical cabling works being carried out HEREBY PROHIBIT the driving of any vehicle in Douglas Street (from Milnes East Wynd to Lower Pleasance), Dundee. This notice comes into effect on Tuesday 28 May 2013 for 5 working days. Pedestrian thoroughfare will be maintained. Alternative routes for vehicles are available via Park Street / Brewery Lane / Lower Pleasance. For further information contact (01382) 433168. Director of City ...
Just brilliant!
An interesting article by Rafael Behr in the New Statesman with a fascinating conclusion: The worst reaction Tories could have to Ukip's rise would be the one they look determined to pursue - parading their dissatisfaction with Cameron's current Europe policy. Even before the council elections, Conservative MPs were lobbying the Prime Minister to underpin his promise of a 2017 referendum on renegotiated EU membership with a parliamentary vote this side of an election. Then Nigel Lawson, the former chancellor, declared the whole renegotiation strategy pointless and urged a prompter plebiscite. Enough Tories prefer the Lawson plan to Cameron's for ...
What do you remember most about your childhood? Often, the answer is being stuck in classrooms, being taught things that wouldn't come in helpful - being bored. I suppose in some senses I'm lucky, because my memories of my early childhood and my education weren't like that. I was always inspired in some way or another - and I think that's what makes the difference. I'm a great believer in the idea that good, solid inspiration always trumps adversity. It's that belief which leads me to be slightly concerned right now, and I'll explain why. For thousands of people who ...
