In tonight's brief passage from the Gospel of St John, we heard the parable of the grain of wheat. Christ drew this parable about resurrection on the Kingdom of God from the everyday circumstances of life; it was quite easy for his rural audience to understand the principle of "resurrection produced by dead seeds sown [...]
Here's another of Ros's interventions that I hadn't covered, from 16 May 2012... Having failed to get through to Earl Attlee, the Queen's Speech debate offered another opportunity for Ros to make a suggestion as to how infrastructure spending might be financed... Baroness Scott of Needham Market (Liberal Democrat) My Lords, I am not an economist and therefore have no intention whatever of venturing into the debate on the deficit, its causes and how it might be tackled. However, I want to reflect on the fact that in this House and beyond there would be consensus that growth, when it ...
I was so entranced by the glimpse of the long-vanished Weedeon station at the end of my Deltic video that I went to see the village today. The station has long vanished, but there are substantial remains of the Royal Ordnance Depot there and also traces of the railway and canal branches that served it. The village once had a barracks and 'pavilions' that were rumoured to be intended as a place of safety for the Royal Family if Napoleon invaded. Modern housing development has encroached on the site, but the existence of public roads has the effect of making ...
Continuing my walk around Derby last weekend, these are the two most obvious parts of the City Centre that are currently "asleep". First up is the former Police Headquarters on Full Street. Built in the mid-1960s, this building became redundant when the move to Chester Green was completed in 2002. It's expected that the building will be demolished soon. The former Magistrate's Court next to it is expected to be spared and renovated. At the time the "This is Derby" film was shot, Full Street Police Headquarters would have been open for just a few months. The view in 1966 ...
The Yorkshire Evening Post reports: [IMG: Labour Party logo] There is 'nothing sinister' about the fact that Leeds Labour district party has been suspended, said the party leader. Leeds Labour party leader, councillor Keith Wakefield, admitted that his group had been temporarily shelved. But he quashed speculation this had been triggered by any irregularity or misadventure, and said it was because of a planned change of constitution. However, a spokesman for the Yorkshire and Humber Labour Party, who actioned the suspension, disagreed. While he said it was true that all UK Labour district parties are to being replaced by Labour ...
6 Burnt House Cottages Old Fosse Road Odd Down Bath Bath And North East Somerset. Erection of 4no. terraced 3 bed dwellings with associated amenity space following the demolition of 6 and 7 Burnt House Cottages (Resubmission) If you want to comment 13/02592/FUL
It seems incredible to think that it's a quarter of a century since 167 people lost their lives in the explosion on the Piper Alpha oil platform. Today Michael Moore as Secretary of State for Scotland, laid a wreath on behalf of the UK Government at the memorial in Aberdeen. Ahead of this, he said: It is important that we never forget those who have lost their lives in our oil and gas industry. 25 years on from Piper Alpha, the loss of 167 lives is something that families and communities across the whole country are still coming to terms ...
So, Nick Clegg and Mick Jagger: everyone's quoting the 1967 description of Mick's views as "straight John Stuart Mill", but has he done what the rest of us haven't and convinced Nick of the merits of Lib Dem drugs policy, or further? I only ask (as I did of Nick the first time I interviewed him, to his well-concealed delight). Anyway, this is only a quickie, but will include the two cooler Lib Dem-pop crossovers and a terrible joke (I can almost hear you sigh). But first, Jennie Rigg's meme to rewrite Rolling Stones songs for the Lib Dems: fab. ...
Here's today's hand-picked selection that caught my interest... Who will get credit for Britain's economic turnaround? | Anatole Kaletsky .@Kaletsky asks "Who will get credit for Britain's economic turnaround?" http://bit.ly/14TBWQn Reckons the Govt & Carney will. David Cameron and Europe: From referendum to renegotiation | The Economist 'Merkel is said to compare the current British debate on the EU to the heckles of Statler and Waldorf' http://bit.ly/11oZQ95
Sat 6th
13:21
Call Clegg highlights 4 July 2013: #iagreewiththecheckoutgirl and tackling the Tories on marriage ta...
It's never the major issues of the day that make the headlines from the Call Clegg show. This week, despite robust questioning on Egypt, immigration, it was all about that incident in Sainsburys where a member of staff refused to serve a customer while they were talking on their phone. So, has he ever spoken on the phone while in a queue? Firstly, yes I have spoken on the phone in the queue. I kind of like to think that I probably wouldn't do that if I was right at the top, at the sort of the front of the ...
The developing story of the role of the UNITE union in influencing Labour parliamentary candidate selections has apparently come as a shock to our beloved media. For those of us with a background in this normally overlooked aspect of party organisation, it comes as no surprise at all.It should be obvious to anyone with an ounce of political savvy that, if an opportunity is attractive enough, the competition is likely to be rather more aggressive, and potential applicants more likely to 'stretch the envelope' of what is allowable. And, given the likelihood of anything other than a Labour win in ...
Sat 6th
11:15Lib Dem MP Martin Horwood socks it to the Tories over their "dramatic flip-flopping" on in/out EU re...
[IMG: martin horwood] While most of the country was enjoying yesterday's sunshine, the Tory party indulged its own carnival of (to coin a phrase) banging on about Europe. James Wharton's private member's bill legislating for an in/out referendum on the European Union to take place by 2017 (a pledge David Cameron has already conceded to his rebellious backbenchers, who don't believe him) passed its second reading in the Commons by 304 votes to zero. Only one Lib Dem MP made a speech: Cheltenham's Martin Horwood. It's a punchy tour de force which details the Tories' "dramatic flip-flopping" on the whole ...
So I seem to have shaken off the lurgy enough. I'm in work today. Which means I will definitely be doing the race for life tomorrow with my mum and Holly. The Just Giving Page is here: http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/three-generations45 If you could see your way clear to dropping a few quid in I'd be v grateful. We've got £350-odd offline to add to that too at some point... [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments
posted The Blood is The Life 05-07-2013 http://t.co/EMKz31NPXv on #dreamwidth (tags: (from twitter) dreamwidth ) http://auntysarah.dreamwidth.org/258090.html http://t.co/kfbSTIh9Lw Good post by @auntysarah on the spousal veto for gender recognition. We all need to fight to get this changed. (tags: (from twitter) ) Back From the RT Booklovers' Convention | Whatever Scalzi makes some excellent points about how he was treated as a man in a female-skewed environment (tags: ) THIS IS A REAL AD: "How to get more pay using Oral Penetration" (tags: ) http://pinterest.com/pin/164803667586879731/ Evil cat curses you! http://t.co/rzOEIG12ZS (tags: (from twitter) ) http://pinterest.com/pin/214906213441884588/ Fantastic doctor who converse http://t.co/ruzmSmBukj ...
Watch the new video from Amnesty International UK: Also on YouTube.
[IMG: ted-rs] Steve Richards is a fascinating political columnist and he even has a one-man show, showing off his political wisdom - and particularly about the sheer powerlessness of politicians. One of the many things I learned carrying out an independent review from the government was just how difficult it is to make anything happen. The sheer complexity, political and administrative, of the current arrangements get in the way - the vested interests, the unpredictable side-effects of any change, and the sheer inertia of the delicate balance we have at the moment, all conspire to prevent it. Sir Keith Joseph ...
Chris has obtained a transcript of the original 19th century document. Please see below: Clarence Park Recreation Gound Conveyance 23071894Transcript
Surely Labour are having a laugh, Will Scobie candidate for Thanet South at the next general election. I just stumbled upon a letter in this weeks Thanet Gazette from Barry Coppick extolling the accomplishments of the relatively young inexperienced Labour councillor. Here's, why I think it's a joke, as far as I know Will Scobie has been immersed in politics educationally and vocationally, not helpful I feel in giving the sort of life skills or work and business background needed to understand wider issues, ideals, theory and training are quite separate from harsh reality. So far Will Scobie, has been ...
Here are the Liberal Democrat entries in the top 100 political blogs as ranked by EBuzzing (Wikio as was). In amongst lots of people dropping down or out, the Richards put in a creditable performance with one returning to the list and one moving up (Richard Davis and Richard Kemp, respectively). Good too to see Jonathan Calder back in the top 100, but the star mover this month is Zoe O'Connell, up 56 places. Farewell, temporarily I hope, to the quartet of Haringey Liberal Democrats, Neil Monnery, Liberal Vision and Andrew George MP. 1 (5) Liberal Democrat Voice No chnage ...
This years Bar Hill Village Fete will be on the village green from noon today. The poster for the Fete is to the right (click for a larger version), the day starts at midday with the grand opening followed by the Tesco Fun Run. At 2pm we have the dog show, if you want to register your pet then registration opens at 1pm at the St. Ives Dog Training Club stall. At 3pm the Beer Festival will be kicking off in the village hall. At 4pm there will be a Boot Camp Demonstration in the main arena. And finally from ...
It is very unusual for a candidate to withdraw from an election having being validly nominated. Yet that is just what has happened in the soon to be held Maghull Town Council North ward by-election; one of 3 Town Council vacancies caused by Labour resignations as a consequence of their present civil war in the Sefton Central constituency What's also odd is that the very same UKIP candidate, who also stood in Sefton Council's Park Ward in 2012, was pictured with Labour MP Bill Esterson a few weeks ago in the Aintree and Maghull Champion. It's a funny old world. ...
Tay Square in Dundee is the present-day location of The Rep theatre. It stands to the west of South Tay Street, which runs north from Nethergate to the junction with Overgate to the east and West Port to the west. It is impossible to date this photograph by Alexander Wilson as not only are there no visible names, but there was very little change of ownership over a considerable time span anyway. No 9. (the house behind the central tree!) was home to James H. Laing. No. 10 belonged to David Ogilvy, tailor, and No. 11 is listed in the ...
The Daily Telegraph poses the question who runs Labour? They would wouldn't they? However, for once it is not just that particular broadsheet taking a pop at Ed Miliband's party. It is a question being posed by many other media outlets as well. As the paper points out the allegations that members of the Unite union tried to fix the selection of a Labour candidate in the Falkirk constituency have blown up into a full scale crisis for that party: Mr McCluskey accused Mr Miliband of seeking to emulate Tony Blair's drive to curb the unions, while the Labour leader's ...
The new Education Minister, Huw Lewis, must thoroughly assess how looked after children are being cared for within the Welsh education system. Last year's Wales Audit Office report stated in no uncertain terms that the processes currently in place to improve attainment for looked-after children were seriously flawed. The WAO made four recommendations almost a year ago, yet the Minister has said today that plans are still being developed. I am concerned that the implementation gap between policy and delivery is still not being addressed by the Welsh Labour Government and the new Minister must now get a firm grip ...
