Searching for a memorial to the Zeppelin raid on Loughborough a couple of years ago, I suggested their severity had been forgotten because the bombing in World War II was so much worse. What I didn't realise then was that in World War I the Germans had launched bombing raids by conventional aircraft - Gotha and Giant bombers - that took a far higher toll than did the Zeppelins. firstworldwar.com has an article about them: A group of four squadrons was established in Belgium, and they carried out their first bombing raid towards the end of May, 1917. This 22 ...
[IMG: EO DAY 2013] This week saw the first Employee Ownership Day. Vince Cable was there along with Jo Swinson and a host of advocates and practitioners. Sadly I saw little mainstream media coverage. ( I do wish Ms Swinson would stop presenting the idea as if it was just another good HR wheeze to improve productivity . She doesn't seem to get it that it is about the diffusion of power and wealth . We seemed to have traveled a long way from the policy that we would by statute introduce industrial democracy and worker ownership.I find it hard ...
We've been pressing the Highways Agency to act to improve rush-hour queues on the M60 J3 slip-road – not least because they've told us we can't improve the Gatley lights for right-turners until that happens. Now we've been told that the Highways Agency changed the timing of the lights where the slip road meets the A34 a week or two ago. So we need to know – if you use that junction in rush hour (either coming south out of Manchester or coming off the M60) have you noticed any improvement? If it has really improved, we should be able ...
In memory of Edinburgh bluesman Stevey Hay who died unexpectedly this week. Here's he is perfoming with his band 'Shades of Blue' late last year at Edinburgh's Voodoo Rooms.
Never mind Jagger and Clegg, this is the coolest Liberal/rock encounter ever bar none. [IMG: Post to Twitter] Tweet This Post
[IMG: image] All done. Only the final touches and clearance of Station Road to go and we're there. [IMG: Post to Twitter] Tweet This Post
When Nick Clegg came to answer questions from the Party's Federal Executive recently, he was in the middle of G8 talks. It seemed surreal that he was squeezing us in between the President of Mexico and IMF head Christine Lagarde. The Telegraph tells us that our leader dined in even more illustrious company last night. Fresh from the Rolling Stones' amazing performance at Glastonbury, and ahead of this weekend's Hyde Park concerts, Mick Jagger had dinner with Nick at a posh West London Italian restaurant. If it had been Paul McCartney, my jealousy would have known no bounds. I've always ...
University of Leicester archaeologists have returned to the site at Greyfriars where Richard III's bones were found, says the Leicester Mercury. I looked in at the Greyfriars site today and so - though its hard to make him out in this photograph - did the city's Lord Mayor. The old school building on the left will open as a Richard III visitor centre in March on next year.
So apparently, Mick Jagger and Cleggy are mates. Like, they ate in the same restaurant and EVERYTHING. This led the lovely Petite Liberal to opine on twitter that it'd be ace if uncle Mick were a Lib Dem cos then he could come to GLEE CLUB! And you all know what that's going to lead to: a hashtag! Thus #jaggeratgleeclub was born. Now "I can't get no... proportional representation" doesn't quite scan, but there are a couple of others that I think workSummer's here and the time has come for leafletting all the streets all we need is RISOs sweet ...
An inquiry into the fatal shooting by police of Azelle Rodney has concluded that there was "no lawful justification" for killing him. I blogged about this case in March. The fact that this finding has taken eight years [...]
[IMG: Works Sailing Trip 2010] Inspired by Eliza, written on 20th May this year All hands on deck! Best Sunday salutes! No moping below! Full sail ahead! No time for lookin' aft No time for maudlin chatter Keep the vessel ship-shape And Brizzle fashion No time for regrets Worse things happen at sea There's always someone worse Off than you – and pity that poor devil Keep eyes on the sea ahead Keep noses clean And no skylarkin' - you'll 'ave the boat over There're only two speeds: Full speed and stop There's mackerel to be fried And we'm gain' ...
The scene that we heard about in the reading earlier has been repeated many times throughout history. There are many instances which can be seen online of children approaching great teachers, some getting through the security, others being pushed away. But in today's Gospel, the greatest teacher of them all tells his followers that they [...]
I do love it when councillors open up blog posts talking about my love life. It is kinda sweet isn't it? Well that is exactly what Labour Cllr. Ware-Lane did today on his blog post Giving into greed? I'd prefer fairness which was his response to my letter to the Echo regarding the tax cut for the higher rate of tax payers that occurred. I knew he would respond in kind and still miss the point. This is why I at times dislike politics and politicians because they are so stuck in their ideological ways that they won't actually see ...
It's great that Lord Rennard is another member of the upper house who will support equal marriage, but he should be communicating online like this. "@LizBarkerLords: 136 amendments mostly anti tabled for #equalmarriage Bill @libdemlords will fight again #hearditallbeforeDear" — Chris Rennard (@LordRennard) July 5, 2013 It's just another example of his disrespectful behaviour. He ...
So what has happened to the Lib Dem's report into Black entrepreneurs not getting bank loans? According to The Guardian it is "gathering dust" 19 months after Nick Clegg ordered it. I mentioned the work [...]
Not quite the wisest of addresses given all the debate over Unite's influence over Labour: [IMG: Bournemouth Labour Party - Contact Us] Hat-tip: Craig Elder.
Fri 5th
17:49
Should you trust Bitcoin? It depends on what you think the virtual currency is for | Jessica Bland
Risking money with an unknown, unregulated technology might seem mad. But that's exactly what the growing community of virtual currency Bitcoin users are doing There is a future when the City of London really doesn't sleep: Trading still stops on the Stock Exchange at five sharp, but the banker doesn't stop. He just switches kit. He checks his bespoke Bitcoin miner humming away on the corner of his desk. 0.6 coins mined this year, not bad. Then he opens up his Bitcoin exchange apps, along with the Google Maps plugin that shows Bitcoin exchange rules for local pubs. The game ...
A petition calling for an annual Windrush Day to honour the Caribbean pioneers who helped changed Britain into a multicultural society has now gathered over 4,600 signatures. I set up the petition after I joined [...]
This week, I hosted a meeting in Parliament between MPs and the FA on the topic of homophobia in football. As a 30 year Manchester City fan, the nature of [...]
I find myself, temporarily, in a house without a kitchen. This is, of course, quite deliberate, but nonetheless, I am having to camp out in our utility room for a few days. Thanks to Paul, and his team of contractors, the situation is likely to be temporary. In the process, I am receiving a demonstration in why the right to work anywhere within the European Union has its advantages. You see, Paul, our kitchen designer and project manager, is Polish. He's been here for a few years, and was recommended by one of Ros's colleagues. Until he came onto the ...
Theresa May's announcement on stop and search can be credited to the Equality and Human Rights Commission for forcing the Home Secretary's hand, as Left Foot Forward noted. Ironically as May manoeuvred to gain maximum [...]
I received a letter from the Post Office last week telling me that the Post Office on Liverpool Rd is to be significantly upgraded and become one of the new style main offices and will open in its new format on 26th July. We warmly welcome this investment and improved service particularly the increased opening hours. A Post Office improvement programme is being rolled out across the country after years of uncertainty and closures. Post Office play a vital role in our community and I hope the community will support this venture
Fri 5th
14:29
Norman Lamb MP writes...Tackling Mental Health stigma and discrimination: the NHS 65 years on
65 years ago today, the foundations of our modern National Health Service were laid based on the recommendations of a Liberal, William Beveridge. The founding principle that our NHS should always be free at the point of use endures today. The NHS now treats around a million people every 36 hours, with 300 million GP appointments each year. It is a national institution of which we are rightly proud. However, the National Health Service is far from perfect. Significant changes are needed to cope with the challenges faced by the fact that people are living longer, and are living with ...
[IMG: Andrew and Roger] It's just over two years since our much loved Scottish (and formerly London) Director of Campaigns Andrew Reeves died very suddenly of a heart attack at the age of 43. Very sadly, his husband Roger died last month, also at the age of 43, and his funeral was held today in Edinburgh. I only realised today that some people didn't know although several of us had tried to tell as many people as possible, so I thought I should put the news on here. Sorry if we hadn't been in touch with you before. It's less ...
To me as long-term trade unionist there was a certain inevitability in this very public war between Labour and its biggest trade union backer. It goes back to comments I have made before about the trade union movement not knowing how to respond effectively to austerity and the fact that with the next election being only a couple of years away Labour is starting to reposition itself to the right. Trade union barons are almost always on the hard left these days and they thought that having put Ed Miliband in as Labour Leader he needed more hard left Labour ...
Fri 5th
13:54
Why there has been no change in the leadership of any of the three main parties for the longest peri...
--> It now seems likely that all 3 of the main parties will have their current leaders in place by the May 2015 General Election (Ed M's current difficulties not withstanding). Presumably shortly after that date, at least one of the parties will then make a change, depending on how the election has panned out. But this means that none of the 3 party's will have changed leader for a period of 4 years and 8 months - the longest period which none of them changed since the 1975 election of Margaret Thatcher to the Tory leadership, ending a period ...
Here's today's hand-picked selection that caught my interest... Tom Watson MP: resignation letter in full – Telegraph If I were Tom Watson's editor I'd have pleaded with him to lose final 3 paras of his resigntn ltr. It's good til then http://bit.ly/123Jbqf HS2 must not fail. If it does, investment in our future is doomed – Comment – Voices – The Independent I'm a big fan of @SteveRichards14 but "HS2 must not fail" argmt smacks of This is something therefore we must do it http://ind.pn/1cUOSYJ
[IMG: Unite union logo] I'm all for people organising collectively to have a political voice, whether inside or outside formal electoral politics. So the idea of organisations speaking up on behalf of their members, and organising their collective voice in an attempt to influence events is one I'm fine with. Where many trade unions lose my sympathy (and why I'm an ex-trade union member rather than a current one) is the way their senior ranks frequently only contemplate supporting Labour, or occasionally fringe parties further to the left, despite huge numbers of their members vote for other parties. When was ...
Today's papers are full of the Nick Clegg and Mick Jagger dinner date - Jagger even wore a gold sweater for the occasion. But it should not be such a surprise to them. During the last general election campaign Mick's brother Chris was pictured with Tessa Munt and Paddy Ashdown. The Jaggers are clearly a good Liberal family.
[IMG: New Media on an iPhone] Check the networks your computer, iPad, smart phone and/or laptop etc are picking up. You should eventually see an option called, for example, CUK-SGA-005-2-1 [CUK is our identifier, SGA means signal originating from SAGA, 005 the hosting site forwarding the signal, 2 means its a 2.4GHz unit, 1 is the first 2.4 unit on that particular pole]. All of our signals will start with either CUK-SGA (signal coming from SAGA) or CUK-SGB (signal coming from the school). When you first access the site you will be invited to complete a very brief registration process ...
You may have seen earlier this week that Peter Mandelson (the man who gave us the fiasco of the Millennium Dome) came out and questioned the cost of High Speed Rail. I found this particularly rich coming from a key member of the Government which crashed the British economy. The Government's plans for High Speed Rail (HS2) come on top of the significant package of investment in our railways that we have already announced which alone represent the biggest investment by any government in the United Kingdom's rail infrastructure since the 1840s. HS2 is an absolutely essential investment, not simply ...
I have been replanting and planting out, bellflowers, geraniums (cranesbill), sage, lupins, delphinium and hollyhock today. It is a pleasure to see some sunshine, suddenly it is summer! The pictures are of what's flowering right now. Valerian Clematis 'Ville de Lyon' Honeysuckle 'Graham Thomas' Hostas and nasturtium 'Splish Splash' Roses, 'Warm Welcome' and Marjorie Fair'
More comedy genius from Australia's Clarke and Dawe: The last line of the sketch is a reference to Kevin Rudd's first conference speech after being elected Labor leader first time round. Also on YouTube.
The New Economics Foundation (nef) had their summer open day this week, and I had a long cool drink before speaking on the future of public services, only to discover I had swallowed something ferocious called 'Moscow Kick'. Goodness knows what I said afterwards. One of the old friends and colleagues I ran into there was the great Mayer Hillman, sometime scourge of the Department of Transport - the man who forced Whitehall to start counting journeys on foot as well as by car - who manages to combine being very good company with being very cross. These days, he ...
[IMG: Cllr Richard Wilson (right) and local resident Ben Myring measuring a pothole on Inderwick Road in Stroud Green] Following Lib Dem politicians' calls for action 20 roads will now be resurfaced or patched up. The Lib Dem opposition has complained for years that the boroughs roads are in a dreadful state and have called on the Labour council to act. Finally the council has admitted the scale of the problem and pumped an extra £1.5m into road repairs. The cash injection by the council follows in the wake of months of campaigning by the Lib Dems and local MP ...
My 1,900 Twitter followers will know that on average I retweet about 10 tweets a day which relate to local retailers. I do not use all these retailers. Some sell things that I am personally not interested in and for ... Continue reading →
This month MPs from around the UK will be presenting petitions to Parliament with the aim to change the law on dangerous dogs in order to prevent future attacks. The [...]
Research has been published this week that gives the lie to one of the pubco lobbyists' most sacred arguments in defence of their indefensible business model. The <a (see link at bottom of link)</a> comes from a company called Dryburgh, and its author is someone called Nigel Parson whose CV shows a lengthy background in the sector from the early pubco days (with Inntrepreneur/Grand Metropolitan) onward. It also comes with the nod of the pubcos as according to the report: 'Enterprise Inns, Greene King, Marston's and Spirit have reviewed a draft of this note and factual changes have been ...
posted The Blood is The Life 04-07-2013 http://t.co/NiZyM9fiPz on #dreamwidth (tags: (from twitter) dreamwidth ) http://pinterest.com/pin/164803667586876302/ Nightmare on Elm Street http://t.co/zBrcqtqzSg (tags: (from twitter) ) Cumberbatch Hates Liquids is still doing the rounds. Insanely happy about this. http://t.co/ZGecQe97xT (tags: (from twitter) ) http://www.dreamwidth.org/openid/ @SarahBrown1984 @A_C_McGregor http://t.co/9ZENqD6GxH (tags: (from twitter) ) @SarahBrown1984 @A_C_McGregor BTW: An Important Poll about Footwear http://t.co/dRAxiV7WSl (tags: (from twitter) ) [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments
[IMG: SteamRoller] Hertfordshire County Council's Audit Committee were advised in a report on 26 June 2013 of the outcome of a whistleblowing investigation into erroneous charging and record keeping by the County's main highways contractor. In January 2012 a whistleblower passed documents to Liberal Democrat Councillors who forwarded these to the appropriate Council managers. An investigation supported by the Council's Internal Audit Unit, confirmed that there had been instances of erroneous charging and incorrect record keeping. The contractor at the time , Amey Lafarge, co-operated fully with the investigation. Disciplinary action was taken, £279,202 was reimbursed to the Council and ...
[IMG: Calais ferry port] For the first time, millions of holiday-makers travelling in the European Union this summer will be protected by comprehensive passenger rights - whether travelling by air or rail, and now also by ship, bus and coach. 59% of EU air travellers are unaware of their rights while travelling Did you know if you travel by air and you are denied boarding, or if your flight is cancelled without notice or is subject to a more than five hour delay, you can ask for reimbursement or rerouting? 66% of EU citizens are not aware of their contractual ...
Fri 5th
09:31
Liberal Democrats Gain Two District Council Seats from Tories in Norfolk and Oxfordshire
A By Election was caused by the resignation of the former Conservative Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Communities & Housing on Broadland District Council. The seat was won by Liberal Democrat Steve Riley Aylsham Ward Lib Dem 688 50% Steve Riley Tory 501 36% Lab 181 14% Liberal Democrat Gain from Conservatives A By Election was caused by the resignation of the former Conservative councillor in the Abingdon Fitzharris Ward of Vale of White Horse District Council. The seat was won by Liberal Democrat Jeanette Halliday Abingdon Fitzharris Ward Lib Dem 479 50% Jeanette Halliday Tory 378 40% Lab ...
Today's Western Mail reports the extraordinary behind-the-scenes shehanigans around a simple freedom of information request for background papers concerning the controversial Marcus Longley report into health service reconfiguration last year. As the paper reports, last year Professor Longley was at the centre of a major political row when opposition politicians questioned the independence of his report. E-mails between Prof Longley, director of the Welsh Institute for Health and Social Care at the University of South Wales, and senior civil servants led to the allegation, hotly denied by the academic, that the Welsh Government had influenced the content of the report. ...
Zoos are not, apparently, entirely about cute furry creatures that you can stroke. And, although I have been a servant to cats in the past - you really don't own cats, they employ you - there is a difference between cats that can scar, and cats that can kill. See, I can make beds if I have the right motivation... Despite the recent unfortunate incident when a keeper was mauled to death, my next task was to enter the lion enclosure to do some tidying. Their indoor enclosure needs to be cleaned regularly, the windows washed from the inside, the ...
I see from the Guardian and, particularly, the Telegraph this morning that journalists are trying to make an issue out of MPs claiming, perfectly legitimately and within the rules for rent and travel costs for dependent children. Let's look at what the IPSA rules actually say. First on travel: You can claim up to 30 single journeys for each of your dependants per year between your London Area residence and your constituency residence. If you share caring responsibility with a spouse or partner, you may claim for the spouse or partner's travel in the course of performing that responsibility. This ...
The advent of still further protest in Cairo, which has now sparked a military coup, might be seen as just another of the convulsions shaking the Islamic world. The Islamist government in Ankara continues to face public outcry and even in Iran, the election of a relative moderate is seen as a significant defeat for the ultra-conservative "supreme leader" of the Islamic Republic. It is easy to dismiss these convulsions as just another example of the instability of the Islamic world in general and the Near and Middle East in particular. Some wiseacres now suggest that the revolutions in North ...
I published the piece below in the New Statesman on Weds. I worried it would be seen as stirring the pot somewhat, but in fact its had lots of nice comments, including as many from Labour as the Lib Dems. But can I point out the last line - and then this line from Tom Watson's Glastonbury blog, whichwas published Thursday morning just before he resigned. Me: "Or to put it another way, Mr Howells: you may be happy to have "pragmatism over principle" etched on your gravestone. But it's not why most activists go into politics". Watson: "...I get ...
Just as Ed Miliband's notes for PMQ recently found their way into the spotlight, I've happened to come across Tom Watson's first draft of his resignation letter. Here's what was on his mind before bashing it into shape: Dear Ed, Although we both agreed just yesterday that I had become an embarrassment to the party, I wanted to convey my deepest lack of respect by writing an open letter of resignation that fails to make any mention of that conversation. It was never my intent that enough facts should come out to force your hand. Now that facts have come ...
My Leader on Sefton Council, Cllr. Iain Brodie-Browne, has previously raised this issue in the context of all of the Council's Overview and Scrutiny Committee Chairs being held by Labour councillors when the Council is also Labour run. The party political system and party loyalty can clearly get in the way of in-depth scrutiny so having those in charge of the scrutiny being from the same party as those they are scrutinising is not ideal. Indeed, it is often the case in local government that those doing the scrutiny are scrutinising their own party political bosses! Of course the opposite ...
[IMG: Curve] Short walk Between systems Tube to light dock In Fenchurch Street Buses, cars City types on way To work, to type To look at screens Hustle, bustle Beeping Peeping No one talks In Fenchurch Street "Please phone" Says text "Bad news" "Sitting down?" Yes, Sitting down On park bench Time stopped In Fenchurch Street Stare forward Pause button on Friend gone In Fenchurch Street Part of me gone Joy gone Damn Damn Damn In Fenchurch Street photo by: Dunc(an't stand this new layout!) [IMG: Post to Twitter] Tweet This Post
Contractors working on behalf of United Utilities (0845 072 0829) will be carrying out an open excavation to install services on High Street, Cheadle, adjacent to number 37 between the junctions of Mary Street and Massie Street. These works require the use of Stop and Go boards and the work will take place on Saturday 13/07/2013 and Sunday 14/07/2013.
St David's Church, Tay Street, was originally a "Tabernacle" church built by the Haldane Brothers in 1800. It was purchased by the Town Council in the early 19th century. Large scale alterations followed. The church was occupied until May 1947. It was purchased by J. M. Wallace who transformed it into a popular dance hall, the J M Ballroom, which first opened in 1954. It continued under various names until it burned down in October 1994.
This week the Welsh Liberal Democrats voted against an order introduced by the Welsh Government which will enable parents in Wales to be fined if their child plays truant. The Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 (Amendment to the Education Act 1996) (Wales) Order 2013 amends the Education Act 1996 to provide power for a police constable, local authority officers or head teachers to issue penalty notices in respect of truancy from school. Fining parents of truant children is not the panacea the Welsh Government is looking for. The Minister should learn from the experiences of his Labour colleagues while they were ...
