Live from Belfast, equal marriage and Europe are likely on the menu, but the terrorist attack in London are likely to dominate.
Thursday 23rd May 2013 Half term nearly with us, but today was a school day so got the kids out the door before getting stuck into a couple of hours work at my day job. Thursday tends to be mostly Council work for me, but not all. I'm a home worker, which has definite pros and cons, but does give me flexibility over when I do my work. An email from a trader in Stockport alerted me to a problem with the Stockport Town Team Facebook group. Someone who'd joined last week had decided to join up lots of new ...
Yesterday it was announced that Education Secretary Michael Gove had approved plans for a new 'free' secondary school in north Kingston. This was despite Gove cancelling similar plans a year ago, causing unnecessary anguish for local parents concerned about the lack of secondary places for bulging promary classes to move on to. Parents had been campaigning for years for a new school - almost since a previous Tory Council closed the local Tudor secondary school and the on/off saga's final success was almost entirely down to their resolute campaigning. So it was somewhat strange to receive an email from local ...
The front page of today's Guardian is the worst I have ever seen on any newspaper. Why the Guardian wants to turn itself into a propaganda sheet for a murderer, I cannot imagine. When you are over the anger, two possible explanations suggest themselves. One is that this is an example of the sort of self-hatred that Western liberals can fall prey to and that Christopher Hitchens used to complain. Hurt us because we deserve it, the paper thinks its readers will say. The other is that we tend to assume that their must be something remarkable about someone who ...
Hat tip: Interesting comment piece in The Times today [paywall] from Mark Littlewood, Director General of the Institute of Economic Affairs and founder and former blogger here at LV. In his article he argues that rather than bash wealth-generating companies we should attract them by cutting and simplifying tax. He makes a point that we have been thinking over here.. "Last year the Prime Minister appeared to understand the benefits of these footloose multinational companies. He promised to "roll out the red carpet" to French entrepreneurs and companies seeking to flee the astronomical taxes planned by the new Hollande administration." ...
The Lib Dem team were out knocking on doors around Windsor Avenue, Newby Drive, Barngate, Wilcott Road, Altrincham Road and Northenden Road this week. Thank you for the warm reception from those we spoke to. If you've not yet returned your residents' survey form to us, you can use the freepost address on the back. As always, residents raised lots of issues and we'll be getting back to everyone. The Lib Dem "Project 6000" will see us knock on nearly all the 6,000 doors in Cheadle and Gatley over the coming months. We're making great progress – we've done about ...
This lady (below) wandered with her shopping, unconcerned and, apparently oblivious of the mayhem going on, past the ranting butcher waving a cleaver in blood-stained hands. I have erased the image of her face to avoid recognition. [IMG: lady] [IMG: Post to Twitter] Tweet This Post
The new East Didsbury Metrolink line is up and running, with new stations at East Didsbury (Parrs Wood), Didsbury Village, Burton Road, Withington and joining the existing line at St Werburgh's Road before going via Trafford Bar into Manchester. There's free car parking at the East Didsbury stop, just over the world from the Parrs Wood complex, and we're working on improving cycle links from Cheadle and Gatley to the new station – there'll be big improvements over the next few months. We'd like to see this line extended to come right into Stockport, but that's going to take a ...
As well as Dr. Who this blog likes photography and the more unusual the shots the better. This website has been brought to my attention. - It's a set of pictures of 1951 San Francisco taken through the periscope of a submerged submarine. It's well worth a couple of minutes of your time to view some unusual photos
Thu 23rd
17:35
Opinion: Could Nigel Farage's success lead to cross-party support for proportional electoral reform?
The pain has almost ceased, yet it is clear many in the Liberal Democrats feel it is an opportunity lost for a political generation. Mark Pack's five point plan for the next Liberal Democrat manifesto was clear in its advocacy of wholesale local election reform- a change to the way we elect our MPs to Westminster is no longer on the table. Yet if the political landscape on the right has shifted to the extent many believe, the opportunity may come sooner than expected. Nigel Farage has become many things to many people: a crusader reliant on a crude anti-establishment ...
Thu 23rd
16:06
Green Belt - Proposals to build on it from Sefton Council could see Maghull's population rise by 20%...
Shocked Lib Dem councillors, who have consistently fought to preserve the Green Belt around the East Parishes communities, of Sefton Borough are horrified at proposals, from Labour led Sefton Council, that could see a massive development of houses and a business park on high grade agricultural land. [IMG: We Lib Dems fought for the Poverty Lane site in Maghull in 1998 as this press cutting shows] We Lib Dems fought for the Poverty Lane site in Maghull in 1998 as this press cutting shows [IMG: The leaflet that the then Lib Dem run Maghull Town Council delivered to all households ...
At least two brutal and disturbing hate crimes have been carried out this month. Each of the two I will draw your attention to left an apparently innocent man dead from knife wounds. And each victim was apparently selected on the basis of what they were wearing (a Help for Heroes t-shirt) or what they looked like. These attacks differed in only one important feature, in that one of the attackers had something to say and sought help from passers by in order to communicate his message to as many people as possible. Without the assistance of others, the ambitions ...
Yes Prime Minister's portrayal of government mandarins was never a flattering one. Fortunately, their characterisation was often over-the-top exageration and certainly does not reflect modern day civil servants at any level. Nevertheless, this story in the Telegraph earlier this week, must have set some hares running. The paper says that thousands of pounds of taxpayers' money is being used to hire formal evening dress for civil servants: The biggest beneficiary appears to have been the Ministry of Defence, which has spent £18,616.71 on hiring evening dress over the past five years. This coincides with the armed forces, who have already ...
[IMG: Tim Prater on Sandgate Beach] Sandgate Councillor Tim Prater on Award Winning Sandgate Beach Sandgate Beach has been awarded a 2013 Seaside Award by "Keep Britain Tidy" - one of only 113 English beaches to gain the award this year. The award, formerly the Quality Coast Award, is given for "fantastic facilities and cleanliness". Sandgate Parish Council worked with a wide group of people to ensure the facilities were in place for the award, and flags will be placed soon to promote the award winning beach. Sandgate Councillor Tim Prater is delighted by the news. Tim says: "This award ...
The violent death of anyone is an enormous tragedy. Yesterday's horrible events in Woolwich were clearly motivated by prejudice and hate. Last October, Anna, Bob and I spent a very wet and cold Saturday evening at a hate crimes vigil where the names of people who had been killed in violent attacks simply because they were gay or disabled were read out. It was a very long list. Just hearing their names was upsetting. Similarly, knowing that a young man going about his business had been killed in the most brutal manner imaginable makes you feel sickened and totally sympathetic ...
Birmingham stands united in joining the nation in strongly condemning the abhorrent and brutal murder in Woolwich yesterday. The incident is a truly barbaric crime and has no place in any society. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victim and his family. We understand the victim to be a serving British soldier and extend our sympathy to members of the Armed Forces at this difficult time.
[IMG: Education Minister David Laws] From yesterday's Guardian: A proposal to require schools to check on the immigration status of their pupils has been shelved after the Liberal Democrat schools minister David Laws decided the idea would be bureaucratic and difficult to implement. In a sign of the Lib Dems' determination to assert themselves in the coalition, Laws told the education secretary Michael Gove the proposal was a "non-flyer". According to Whitehall emails leaked to the Guardian in March, Laws asked officials earlier this year to carry out a "cost-benefit analysis" of carrying out checks on the immigration status of ...
Demon Knights and Supergirl are my biggest piles yet to be claimed. The former in particular surprises me. Paul Cornell! Vandal Savage! Questing for the right for princesses to marry each other! So the first on this list is technically DC, but it's not DCU and that's how I roll: Before Watchmen: Silk Spectre: Written by Darwyn Cooke, drawn by the amazing Amanda Conner. An origin story for Laurie Jupiter, about growing up with an ex-superhero for a Mom and breaking out on your own. Obviously relevant to me, as a Black Canary fan. [Deuce] Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the ...
South West Liberal Democrat MEP Sir Graham Watson will tomorrow welcome a delegation from the city of Bristol to Brussels and participate in the city's pitch before judges to decide who will be crowned European Green Capital 2015. Sir Graham was part of the bid's presentation last year following the city's shortlisting and is hoping to go one step better this year and take the prize. The bid
So now it's official. For years I have been able to pretend to myself that I was the important Cllr Kemp! I was content that I was allowed to give that impression as I sat on this body and that ... Continue reading →
Well, isn't it extraordinary. The IMF just went ahead with their advice to the UK government without even reading my blog about house prices. Can you believe it? There they were advising George Osborne to kickstart the economy (I might have told him that), with an early start to infrastructure projects, schools building and similar. But then they fell into the usual mistake about house prices. Barriers to construction must be removed or the Help to Buy scheme will simply boost prices. As I explained earlier, it isn't barriers to construction that are boosting house prices - or even the ...
Here's today's hand-picked selection that caught my interest... In 2015 Nick Clegg may be in the right place at the right time again | Martin Kettle | Comment is free | The Guardian Martin Kettle has a good take on the Coalition > In 2015 Nick Clegg may be in the right place at the right time again http://bit.ly/10NtPka Send to Kindle
Thu 23rd
13:23Baroness Sarah Ludford MEP writes...An EU-US trade deal would be good for Europe and for Britain
Today the European Parliament gave the go-ahead to negotiations for an ambitious comprehensive EU-US 'transatlantic trade and investment partnership' agreement - or T-TIP in the jargon. The EU and US combined account for over half the global economy, making this by far the biggest free-trade agreement in history. Existing protectionist restrictions in America as well as in Europe mean that the full potential of our economic relationship is not realised. While the abolition of remaining tariffs on goods will bring worthwhile gains, the greatest benefits will be in removal of non-tariff barriers to achieve a much more integrated transatlantic marketplace. ...
[IMG: UK Citizenship Test pass. Photo courtesy of jayneandd. Some rights reserved. http://www.flickr.com/photos/jayneandd/4169098133/] Net immigration is down. It's down overwhelmingly due to fewer people coming to the UK (rather than due to more people leaving the UK). That fall is mainly due to a decline in student numbers – yet the number coming to our universities has gone up. As Paul Waugh explains: Migration stats also show 5% inc in student visas for unis, but falls of 46%, 46%, 7% for FE, Eng language schools + independent schools — Paul Waugh (@paulwaugh) May 23, 2013 Full details of the immigration ...
The Guardian reports: [IMG: David Laws] A proposal to require schools to check on the immigration status of their pupils has been shelved after the Liberal Democrat schools minister David Laws decided the idea would be bureaucratic and difficult to implement. In a sign of the Lib Dems' determination to assert themselves in the coalition, Laws told the education secretary Michael Gove the proposal was a "non-flyer". Read the full story here.
Last month, Lib Dem London Assembly member Caroline Pidgeon revealed shocking figures regarding unclaimed Oyster refunds. A whopping £53 million currently lies dormant in the system - waiting to be reclaimed. TfL are not very good at letting people know about this. But, like Caroline, I think TfL service users should easily be able to reclaim money owed to them. You can read the full story on Lib Dem Voice here: If you have an old or unused Oyster card lying around, you should be able to claim the money back at ticket offices across the Capital. There have, ...
Thu 23rd
12:12"Cameron may be the more natural communicator, but it was Clegg who sounded more like a statesman"
Writing in today's Guardian, Martin Kettle has a good piece looking at the defence of the coalition made by the prime minister and deputy prime minister yesterday. Clegg's speech, in particular, impressed – for two reasons: First, it was a firm defence of the coalition government against its enemies on the Tory benches. In fact it was a much firmer defence of the coalition than Cameron, stylishly ducking and weaving in his radio interview, would now dare to make. Cameron may be the more natural communicator, but it was Clegg who sounded more like a statesman. Second, and even more ...
An agreement has been reached by negotiators from the Labour and Liberal Democrat groups on Lancashire County Council under which the Liberal Democrats would support the Labour Party in a minority administration. The agreement will be put to meetings of the Labour and Liberal Democrat groups before today's Annual Meeting of Full Council. Full details of the agreement will follow ratification later today. The county council held its elections on 2 May 2013 at which point no party had gained the 43 seats necessary to take control of the council. The full results were: Labour 39 Conservatives 35 Liberal Democrats ...
Here's the new film from the Electoral Commission. It's exciting. Also on YouTube.
Of the various votes that were or were not cast around equal marriage, it was the abstentions of Lib Dem President Tim Farron, and Deputy Leader Simon Hughes, that got the most attention. Farron is widely considered a party leader in waiting, and is hugely popular with the party faithful, but his abstention on an ...
When did we get to the point where the seemingly marginalised viewpoints of society stopped being so out there? Over the past few years as the economic downturn has gripped the country, people have looked for someone to blame and the easiest people to blame are those who are different. So politicians are easy to blame but the problem with that is of course someone has to govern so whoever gets voted in will be a politician. Bankers have seen blame laid at their feet but yet again bankers aren't going away any time soon so the problem has been ...
I'm working with colleagues on this year's Social Liberal Forum conference. It's an annual event but this year it's in Manchester rather than in London. It's on 13th July at Friends House in Central Manchester (near the Town Hall) We've got an amazing line up of speakers. Vince Cable is on first in the morning but later in the day we'll also hear from Steve Webb who is giving the William Beveridge memorial lecture and from Norman Lamb. And that's before we get into the workshops and panel sessions. (The one I'm particularly looking forward to is about ownership of ...
Only hours after yesterday's horrific killing, guess who showed up on the streets on Woolwich? A 100-strong group of English Defence League (EDL) members marched in the near-by area last night and British National party (BNP) leader Nick Griffin took to Twitter this morning to call for a protest - 'United against Muslim terror' - for this Saturday.There were no similar protests by EDL or BNP supporters after the mass murder committed by Anders Breivik in Norway. I wonder why?
Good News Stories: PCSO Mark Ball attended the One Stop in Cheriton Road in relation to a report of Robbery. From viewing the stores CCTV Officer Ball was able to ascertain the direction of travel before and after the event. From checking other local stores CCTV footage it was determined that the original target had been The Coop. Footage shows the male suspect attempting to enter the store just before they were scheduled to open and upon being unable to gain access proceeded to the One Stop. This investigation is currently on going. On 3rd Wednesday April PCSO Mark Ball ...
The Friends of Garston Library are organising a writing competition for children and young people to demonstrate their love of books. The organisation is looking for book reviews. It can be of any book as long as it exists in the Liverpool Library catalogue. Writers don't need to borrow the book from the library to take part. They merely need to check that it is in the collection (the easiest way to do this is on line using www.liverpool.gov.uk) Winning entries will be published and there'll be a presentation in the Autumn, either at the winner's school or at one ...
The Scottish Government has a Minister for External Affairs, whose job it is to represent the Scottish Government on the international stage. This role is currently undertaken by SNP rising star Humza Yousaf. Humza has spent this week in Doha at the International Forum there. This is an event which discusses key international issues as they affect the Middle East. He has been caught on video telling this international audience of academics, political leaders and intergovernmental organisations that the UK Government wants to leave the European Union. Unfortunately for him, he was caught on video doing it. Have a look ...
When Lord Lawson argued in The Times for a UK exit from the EU (reported in the Guardian; no pay wall! ), he said his arguments had nothing to do with being "anti-European", but it appears they were nothing but. Filled with emotion and political zeal there was little relevance or fact based on economic evidence. Which is extremely disappointing from an ex-chancellor. He stated that UK exports to the EU have risen by 40% while exports to the EU from countries outside of it have risen by 75%. If we were to leave the EU we would have to ...
The news that a man has been murdered in full view of witnesses on the streets of Woolwich makes me feel really sick. That the man killed was a member of HM Forces seems to make it worse. It certainly looks like an attack on the State in some form. Those of us who grew [...]
Um... if these figures are correct (£29bn investment = 30,000 jobs) then by implication it costs £1,000,000 to create 1 job in renewable energy? Contrast with shale gas where £50,000 = 1 job (£3.7bn investment, 74,000 jobs). Maths is fun.
posted The Blood is The Life 22-05-2013 http://t.co/nXvZx1bpTv on #dreamwidth (tags: (from twitter) dreamwidth ) Ukip Donor Demetri Marchessini: Bible Says Women Wearing Trousers Is 'An Abomination' 'Responding to his latest comments, a Ukip spokesman said "We condemn his view on trousers"' LMAO!!! (tags: ) Your Cousin, the Blade of Grass: Brian Cox on the Wonders of Life | Brain Pickings "I reject the label atheist because defining me in terms of the things I don't believe would require an infinite list of nouns" (tags: ) Seven amusing and shocking things we learned during the equal marriage debate - ...
The Scottish Government has a Minister for External Affairs, whose job it is to represent the Scottish Government on the international stage. This role is currently undertaken by SNP rising star Humza Yousaf. Humza has spent this week in Doha at the International Forum there. This is an event which discusses key international issues as they affect the Middle East. He has been caught on video telling this international audience of academics, political leaders and intergovernmental organisations that the UK Government wants to leave the European Union. Unfortunately for him, he was caught on video doing it. Have a look ...
The front-page headline in today's Lincolnshire Echo: "Police probe 'racist' councillors in Lincolnshire". This news follows last Sunday's post about the UKIP group leader's comments on Facebook. Three councillors are under investigation but all insist that their Facebook accounts were hacked: Cllr Pain, leader of the opposition at Lincolnshire County Council, insists his Facebook account had been hacked into at least three times.At least three times? If that were the case, did it ever occur to Councillor Pain to change his password?
I have been wanting to read Howard Kaylan's book Shell-Shocked (his autobiography) for some time now, but when it first came out it was only in paperback, and I'm trying not to buy dead-tree books unless I really know I'm going to want to keep them, or unless there will never be an ebook version, [...]
I've just spent 3 weeks on a trauma ward in a northern hospital after a nasty accident, and coming from an industrial background, here are some thoughts on the NHS and a Lib Dem approach. First and most importantly, hospitals are large, high tech and high skill businesses. They are continually investing in equipment, and the best hospitals will have motivated doctors, nurses and managers who take ownership of their jobs and are part of the process to continually improve the clinical excellence and effectiveness of the hospital. Hospitals share many of the challenges of excellence with manufacturing businesses. What ...
Following yesterday's appalling attack in Woolwich, I am pleased to see that the Faiths Forum for London has issued the following statement of which one signatory is the London Jewish Forum (on whose Steering Group I sit): "We, as representatives of many of London's faith communities, deplore the terrible attack that has taken place today in Woolwich. "All of our religions exalt the sanctity of human life and no grievance could justify such a barbaric assault that has cost a young man his life. Terrorism has no place on our streets. "We pray for the victim of this attack ...
[IMG: social-mobility] That was the question I was asked to answer for a new magazine, The New Idealist (available online here). Here's what I said... Social mobility: it's a phrase much-beloved by politicians from all three parties. Who, after all, can possibly disagree with the fine sentiments of Nick Clegg in his social mobility strategy paper, Opening Doors, Breaking Barriers (April 2011)? In Britain today, life chances are narrowed for too many by the circumstances of their birth: the home they're born into, the neighbourhood they grow up in or the jobs their parents do. Patterns of inequality are imprinted ...
As attention turns towards next year's European Parliamentary elections, Liberal Democrat MEP's continue to work for jobs and growth, and against some of the more ludicrous bureaucratic excesses... "EU must get tough on tax" says Sharon Bowles MEP Ahead of yesterday's EU Summit in Brussels, the European Parliament backed a common European strategy to combat tax fraud, evasion and havens. UK Liberal Democrat MEP Sharon Bowles, who chairs the European Parliament's Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee, said: It is totally unacceptable that corporate tax avoidance is now the norm in Europe, aided and abetted by aggressive tax planning and tax ...
Interesting vote in the European Parliament on Tuesday about tackling tax fraud, tax evasion and tax havens. The European Parliament voted overwhelmingly in favour (582-35), with all the Lib Dem MEPs in the 582. And in amongst the 35? All the UKIP MEPs. (For the full background to the vote, see the committee report here.) Hap-tip: Julian Heather
Last night, I was minute-taker at the latest Friends of Magdalen Green committee meeting. It was an extremely positive meeting at which there was an update on the Roseangle playpark improvements campaign from Sharon and Alice, who are leading the campaign. Don't forget the playpark campaign meeting tonight at 7.30pm at Braes Below - all welcome! The campaign team will be at WestFest Big Sunday, alongside the Friends of Magdalen Green and West End Community and Sports Hub stall! Magdalen Green - looking lovely in the warm spring weather yesterday
This year's WestFest launches on Sunday 9th June with the 2013 Big Sunday on Magdalen Green. I'll be pleased to join my colleagues in Friends of Magdalen Green and the West End Community and Sports Hub who will have a stall at the event. You can see details of Big Sunday here, with links to details of all the week's excellent events.
The Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee has conducted an inquiry into the Welsh Government's handling of regulations regarding council tax reduction schemes. This followed the UK Government's announcement that the benefit system, which gives households additional help to pay their council tax bills, would be devolved to local councils rather than run at a UK level. The Welsh Labour Government's subsequent mishandling of this situation in Wales resulted in the recall of the Assembly during recess in order for people to be given this support. The Committee's report, which was published today, states that the "Welsh Government confused the political ...
Thu 23rd
02:01
We can be 'listened at' but not 'listened to'...Mathew Hulbert writes for The Guardian!
By Mathew Hulbert I feel very privileged this week to have written for The Guardian's 'Comment Is Free' section. I was the Liberal Democrat in a feature asking activists in the three major political parties and two smaller ones their response to the question: 'Does your political party listen to you?' You can read my article by clicking on the link below (scroll down; I'm the fourth contributor): It'd be great to know your thoughts on the piece and whether you agree or disagree with it. I'm proud to have had the chance to write for one of the ...
[IMG: Commissioner Tony lloyd has called for openness from the police...but how open is the PCC?] Commissioner Tony lloyd has called for openness from the police...but how open is the PCC? The BBC has carried out an investigation into the cost of Police and Crime Commissioners, with findings that come as no surprise. BBC The investigation, by BBC Home Affairs correspondent Dominic Casciani, was frustrated by the lack of a central register of information. Ed Brown, of the BBC political research unit, also found difficulty in obtaining data. "There were huge variations in the levels of transparency on this data ...
The attackers who committed the sickening and barbaric murder in Woolwich yesterday have got what they wanted; the beheading of a British soldier, personal infamy with their faces on every front page, and inflamed community [...]
The unfolding of events in Woolwich today leaves a deep melancholy in my heart. Even now, hours after the event, confirmed facts are desperately hard to come by - aside from the unthinkable horror of an attack upon and killing of a man by two other armed men. It was Churchill who said: A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on If this was a truism in Churchill's day, it is even more so in an age when social media - Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and the like - can be ...
Ealing Council's Standards Committee has upheld the complaint by myself about the offensive nature of Councillor Dennehy's blog which made a number of unfounded assertions relating to both Indians and residents of Southall. So, Benjamin Dennehy is guilty as charged. In the meeting Councillor Gary Malcolm spoke about why he made the complaint and read out comments made by residents who stated that his blog was racist, emotive and not based on facts. It was noted that Councillor Dennehy did not attend the meeting, and also ensured a previous meeting to decide this matter was postponed. I am glad that ...
Over the past 40 years Graham Tope has served at almost every possible level within the British political system: MP (thanks to the famous by-election victory in Sutton and Cheam), local councillor, Leader of the Council, GLA member, Member of the House of Lords, member of the EU Committee of the Regions and more besides, [...]
