Iain Duncan Smith tells us that a benefits cap of £26,000 will bring fairness to taxpayers and fairness to those who are out of work. Now this sounds like a lot of money, and it is, but why is it being given in benefits? This is the question that I want answering and it is the question that Iain needs to address if he wishes us to agree with him. Mr Micawber, a character in Charles Dicken's David Copperfield got it right when he said "Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen pounds nineteen and six, result happiness. Annual income ...
The Liverpool Care Pathway is "frequently used as an excuse for poor quality care" according to the BBC news at 10pm. It is fairly obvious that everyone wants dignity in death and that was the aim of the care pathway which was devised in Liverpool. However we are now told that there are shocking reports of poor treatment under this pathway. It was misused and misunderstood. How can this be? We have protocols for this and policies for that and we have best practice which is carried out throughout the country and the Liverpool Care Pathway was part of this. ...
Dirty Modern Scoundrel writes: Mungos's Medals is a 1961 film directed by John Elder for the Corporation of the City of Glasgow, following the array of Festival of Britain and Saltaire Society awards won by various postwar housing projects in the city. The film attempts to show the lives of a number of residents, and how they had been transformed by the postwar rebuilding. 'People behind this window have created a home in a hovel,' declares the narrator as we view a family eating their 'last supper' in their Gorbals tenement No attempt is made to interview them, rather the ...
Hastings & Rye will get a jobs boost as part of the Regional Growth Fund (RGF), the Coalition Government has announced. More than half-a-billion pounds of funding to create jobs and growth across England was announced by Liberal Democrat Leader and Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg as part of the fourth round of the RGF. [...]
Nick Clegg, decked out in a pink carnation, addresses the large vigil in favour of equal marriage. "Yes this bill has been surrounded with a lot of controversy. Yes, there are people who say that this is an usual and extraordinary step. I very much hope that in a very short space of time, ...
Here.
BBC News reports that Nick Clegg has announced a review of employment and training options for 16 to 24-year-olds at the CBI annual dinner this evening: In his speech, Mr Clegg told business leaders that school-leavers were faced with a confusing array of schemes designed to support them, with too many getting lost in lost in "a maze of different programmes". Companies considering employing young people also had to navigate a complex web of government initiatives. The review will look at how to simplify the system, although the government has already ruled out creating a single ministry dedicated to young ...
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With today's third reading in the House of Lords, the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill passed its hurdles in their Lordships House to pass into law. The final hurdle is not quite here but should not be too long. All that is left is passing the amended Bill in the House of Commons once more. [...]
[IMG: Old phone] From Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall GCVO CSM: We are all just waiting by the telephone. We are hopeful that by the end of the week he or she will be here. photo by: Moyan_Brenn [IMG: Post to Twitter] Tweet This Post
Many people probably think the £26,000 benefits cap introduced today won't affect County Durham. It will. The cap will affect Southern areas with the highest property prices most, but Durham County Council has stated that around 150 households locally will be affected by the new rules which limit the benefits payable to a couple with or without children or a lone parent family (and where no-one in the household is working for at least 16 hours or receiving Working Tax Credit) to £500 per week. The benefits payable to a single householder are limited to £350 per week. A factsheet ...
At a packed awards ceremony at the House of Commons tonight, south Manchester MP John Leech was presented with the first ever "Lib Dem MP of the Year" award for his work with deprived and minority groups. He received the award from House of Commons Speaker John Bercow at an event organised by the Patchwork Foundation. The Patchwork Foundation is the first BME charity to ever give awards out, following nominations from members of the public, and applications considered by an independent judging panel. John was chosen out of over a dozen Lib Dem MP's nominated. John is one of ...
While some of us were melting in the Friends Meeting House in Manchester at the Social Liberal Forum conference on Saturday morning, Stephen Tall was telling us about the leadership's motion on the economy to be discussed at our Glasgow Conference in two months' time. It's to be noted that the biggest cheers of the day came when Vince Cable was talking about the need to differentiate from the Conservatives, calling George Osborne's declaration that there should be no more tax rises in a new Conservative Government "cavalier and "ideological." Co-chair Gareth Epps was also applauded when he said that ...
On Saturday 13th July I attended a Social Liberal Forum conference with the theme; 'Ownership and Democracy - where does Power lie?' Being a young person in the party, I constantly question how the leadership is using its power to help young people. I was delighted to be given the opportunity to interview Steve Webb in the blogger's interview at the SLF conference. I asked Steve Webb; "Youth unemployment has hit one million, students have increasing debt and housing prices have risen making it nearly impossible for a young person to have a decent start in life. Students won't even ...
Every so often a little seed germinates into a glorious bloom. I remember sitting with a few members of Liberal Youth Scotland a few years ago and talking about the possibility of what an equal marriage motion for conference should look like. We discussed how to overcome the religious objections and maintain the equality message that LGB and T individuals would be seeking. Within that group I was somewhat of the expert in both sides of the debate and able to help with the questions and difficulties that the Transgender community faced. Initially this policy was only passed in Scotland ...
Mon 15th
18:53
Lord Tom McNally writes...Liberal Democrats secure best possible deal for collaborative EU justice
The Commons votes tonight on whether the government should exercise the impenetrably-named 'EU Justice and Home Affairs mass opt-out'. While it sounds dry and technical, this decision is hugely significant as EU 'JHA measures' have been crucial in securing justice for hundreds of British victims of crime. These instruments have been prominent in the extradition of attempted London bomber Hussain Osman from Italy under a European Arrest Warrant, in coordinating via Eurojust the investigation into the Annecy killings and in Europol's EU-wide investigation, 'Operation Veto', into match-fixing and corruption in sport. The mass opt-out is not an ingenious new attempt ...
Another winner of the Pain English Award. I was there this morning and they were broadcasting over the intercom about how "The priorities have been reversed" in various "subways" (corridors). "The priorities have been reversed"? I'd love to have been at the meeting at which someone decided that everyone would understand what that means. Oh, and the clock on the southbound Victoria Line platform is three minutes slow. Has been for ages. Can it not be fixed? I demand a reversal of priorities. There are few things more annoying (when arriving on this platform prior to catching a London Overground ...
[IMG: European Union flags - Some rights reserved by tristam sparks] On my holidays earlier this year, I read "The Lost Continent" by Gavin Hewitt, the BBC News's Europe Editor, about the causes, effects and response to the European financial crisis, with its outlying crises in Portugal, Ireland, Greece and Spain. It was a great read and I heartily recommend it to any of you, especially those going on holiday as it both rewards in-depth attention and travel makes a good backdrop to its change of focus between different countries. I find travel often makes me think about the world ...
Norman Lamb has announced that the Government will be gradually withdrawing the use of the Liverpool Care Pathway in the NHS in England. The controversial method was developed within the hospice movement but relatives had told of cases when their loved ones were distressed and suffering because of a denial of fluids or nutrition or that the dying had been put on the LCP without family knowledge or consent. I have heard of cases where people who are still conscious have been denied fluid after being put on the LCP, becoming so thirsty that they are delirious and distressed. That ...
Last Saturday's Guardian included a remarkable interview with Sarah Teather MP about the coalition government's immigration policy. The interview is remarkable because no Liberal Democrat MP, not even the usual suspects, has previously made such a trenchant public criticism of government policy. Moreover, Sarah Teather has never had a reputation as a radical but has generally been regarded as a loyalist (although she has been increasingly critical since losing her ministerial job last year). If such fierce criticisms are coming from such a normally moderate source, it makes you wonder how much more dissent is bubbling under the surface of ...
Today, the House of Lords should be voting 'that this Bill do now pass' to take the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill through one of its final steps to becoming law. Liberal Democrats can be very proud of the fact that it is only because of us that this is happening. In the Lords, I have been proud to lead from the Lib Dem benches whilst Lib Dem Ministers, including Jim Wallace and Lindsay Northover, have been speaking from the Government frontbench. You can read and watch my opening contribution to the Second Reading debate on the Bill, here and ...
On Saturday, when the Social Liberal Forum Conference in Manchester was discussing on how we get growing again five years after the financial crash, Liberal Democrat Voice published a motion on the economy to be debated at Conference in September....Read more ›
Damage has been caused to a flat in Enbrook Road, Sandgate. It appears that someone may have entered the flat, triggered the alarm and left. This occurred between 1440 and 14.55 on 13 July. A young white male was seen acting suspiciously by a neighbour who challenged him. He left heading towards Military Road. He was wearing and Adidas T-shirt and a grey hoodie. If you have any information that could assist please ring 101 and quote ZY/19667/13. Published and promoted by Tim Prater, 98a Sandgate High Street, Folkestone, CT20 3BYPrinted (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, ...
In the light of Liam Byrne's announcement today that suddenly instead of hating the idea of a benefits cap, Labour now think it doesn't go far enough a letter to Ed Miliband from Liam has been discovered.
[IMG: February 15th 2003 - Iraq war demo in London] The Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Bill, which completes its committee stage today (Monday), is set to join a growing list of parliamentary acts that are used in ways that were not intended by lawmakers. Many of the champions of the freedom to live and roam freely (and, alas, smoke) are raising concerns about the Antisocial Behaviour Bill, including Liberty (pdf), the Manifesto Club (pdf), and the Ramblers. For me the real danger in this bill lies in its potential to illiberally suppress protest. Like so much modern legislation, the ...
Bill Clinton had a slogan in his Presidential campaign headquarters - "It's the economy, stupid!" What was true 21 years ago in the US has even more validity in Britain today. I never miss an opportunity to talk up Bristol as England's most prosperous city region, a powerhouse of entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation. Prosperity means [...]
I have a cousin who comments on my Facebook, any time I say anything even vaguely political. You all have the same cousin, I suspect. The one who turns any political discussion round to the subjects of Ron Paul, fiat money, taxation being theft, and how the government are trying to provoke race riots to [...]
[IMG: Julian Huppert, Lib Dem PPC for Cambridge] Julian Huppert, Liberal Democrat MP for Cambridge, has been named internet hero of the year by the Internet Service Providers' Association for his work on the Communications Data Bill. As a further accolade he was described as "one of the few MPs to understand the internet." Julian explains why the bill could not be allowed to proceed here, and you can read much more about it here. * Newshound: bringing you the best Lib Dem commentary published in print or online.
In this edition we have a birthday chimp, a couple of Russells, and a lot of Boyle. [IMG: Random Thoughts logo] Another unscheduled gap in blogging and a fair bit to catch up on. Although we are (to my surprise) well in to July, here is a catch for June. This is the latest in my series of Random Thoughts posts with links, things found on the web and other stuff that has occurred to me between 19 June and the end of the month. Liberator's blog: A coup against Clegg? Simon Titley was on fine form in this post ...
I'm told that whereas Tory David Willets bears the sobriquet "Two-brains." our Liberal Democrat Minister for Pensions, Steve Webb, outclasses him and is dubbed "Three-brains." He is certainly in command of his subject and, as a former Professor of Social Policy and, with now with three tears' government experience, so he should be. He also has a very relaxed and engaging manner, more of which later. Steve fielded my questions (see previous post) at last Saturday's Social Liberal Forum with friendly expertise. I pre-empted the response that "things are getting better" or "less worse," as I should prefer to put ...
Last week I was sitting at this very PC talking to the only person from my first secondary school that I still speak to on a regular basis. We were doing one of the things we always do – discuss food. She was having Steak that night. I sure as hell wasn't. I had some mince that I had to use and said I'd pop over the shop and get a jar of curry or chilli and make a simple curry or chilli. She said I should make burgers. I deliberated on this and then thought about it a bit ...
Honestly, I've been swamped This is more of an FYI post than an actual post about anything in particular and hopefully the real stuff will start to flow again. Firstly I must appologise to any regular readers who feel let down that I have not been writing as much lately. I have just been unable to get on my laptop and write in the recent month and when I have I've not really felt the drive with which to write. This is not to say that I am not passionate about politics in the Medway Towns or nationally anymore just ...
It was a Saturday in mid-July. The sun beat down upon middle England out of a clear blue sky on the sort of day which usually sees Englishmen unveil a dress sense to horrify Frenchmen, Italians and, in truth, anyone with an eye for fashion. Barbecue and cold beer weather or, for those with a more genteel disposition, a glass of something red and full-bodied. And there I was, in a suit, heading for something best described as the political equivalent of LinkedIn for people who really don't need a computer or social media. Ditchley Park is a country house ...
It rather sounds like the title of a Doctor Who story from the late 1970s, doesn't it? [IMG: The Invisible Nightmare] But it's a term that I think we're going to be hearing a lot of in the future. Jake Levine recently wrote an excellent post on apps which don't require any interaction. It's not quite as crazy as it sounds - the interfaceless application - but refers to a class of program where the only interaction is in the act of being notified. The examples given are fairly obvious in retrospect - an app whose only function is to ...
Delfanti's new book on the idea openness in modern biology is a cogent invitation to the politics of science Open. Be it the open of open policy, open government, open data, science, access, markets or sesame, it's one of those words that's used more than it is deeply considered. A desire to consider our ideas of open, in particular the various opens surrounding modern science, sits at the centre of Alessandro Delfanti's new book, Biohackers. The key premise is that hackers, scientists and neoliberalism share some interesting overlaps of culture, norms, ideologies, attitudes and people, or at least there are ...
[IMG: eu_flag] The Daily Mail is reporting Greg Mulholland's call for a vote on EU membership without waiting for a treaty change. Even the huge changes that have taken place in Europe over the years - we've moved from EEC to EC to EU - have not led to a public vote. And it is not a little ironic that at the times there was a significant and constitutional change - in 1984, 1986 and 1992 - the then Conservative governments did not give the British people a say. The same happened under Labour. I am pleased that this Coalition ...
As I may have mentioned before, Liberals the world over have one blind spot - one prevailing weakness which can blunt their effectiveness and their wisdom if they leave it unattended. If socialists are not terribly interested in the abuses of power, Liberals are not terribly interested in the abuses of money. They don't think about economics very much. That leads them into the greatest of all political errors which the English trip over in every generation: they don't think about it very much but, when they do, they assume that the way money works and flows and accumulates is ...
Nibley Lane, from its junction with Westerleigh Road to its junction with Badminton Road, is expected to close for cleaning from 9.30am until 2.30pm this Friday, 19th July.
[IMG: Tallin. Photo courtesy of Gundolf. Some rights reserved http://www.sxc.hu/photo/811634] One of the major concerns over e-voting is the reliability of the software. The combination of low quality and high secrecy has made this a particular potent issue on many occasions in the United States. It is a wider issue than that, however, as – unlike, say, online banking – one of the big issues with e-voting is that no-one knows what the result should be. Spotting a mistake is much harder than in the world of banking, where people know what transactions to expect on a bank account and ...
The Independent reports on one of the many pitfalls of social media this morning, identifying the real people from the spoof accounts. Apparently, the Prime Minister himself feel into this trap when tweeting about the government's benefits cap earlier today: The Prime Minister's account, which is followed by 366,000 people, published a tweet saying: "We're rolling out a cap on Benefits today - @IDS_MP and I are determined to make work pay, and help the UK compete on the #GlobalRace." Unfortunately for the PM the @IDS_MP account is not connected with the Work and Pensions Secretary and indeed spends most ...
compare and contrast with Trayvon Martin (tags: ) engineering toy "for girls" becomes top seller (tags: ) posted The Blood is The Life 14-07-2013 http://t.co/5D5vL74RGP on #dreamwidth (tags: (from twitter) dreamwidth ) Dalek karaoke http://t.co/nFzoYvHxDB (tags: (from twitter) ) finally got round to watching "Dear Daily Mail. Sincerely, Amanda Palmer" it's fabulous, although probably NSFW http://t.co/h2fDojw7Ih (tags: (from twitter) ) Gary younge's article for the grauniad on the Trayvon Martin case it's been pulled from the actual grauniad, but in the age of the Internet nothing is ever deleted. (tags: ) http://www.freezepage.com/1373530042BBGJYMLRHA So this week I did ...
My Lib Dem colleague Joyce Duffin has helped to launch a campaign to encourage visitors to Cornwall and holiday home owners to donate unwanted food to local foodbanks and other projects which help homeless and vulnerable people. There are 23,000 second and holiday homes in Cornwall and each week there can be tons of uneaten food left behind. Especially in the case of holiday lets, cleaners go into the property and often put the whole lot into black bags for the bin men to collect so that the property is completely clean and ready for the next visitors. The new ...
Not so long ago I posted about Litherland Road canal bridge in Bootle and for no other reason than I love our local canal here are some photos of it through Liverpool and Sefton. [IMG: The great new(ish) extension to the canal at Liverpool's historic waterfront] The great new(ish) extension to the canal at Liverpool's historic waterfront [IMG: The original Pride of Sefton barge seen between Melling and Aintree Village. It has now been sold by the charitable trust which I have posted about previously. A new barge has replaced it and I hear that fundraising for a second new ...
In memory of Pratap Chitnis, we reproduce below Mark Pack's tribute to an unjustly forgotten Liberal Hero. The Guardian's obituary is here. Pratap (later Lord) Chitnis was the post-war Liberal Party's first grassroots campaigning mastermind, whose pioneering activities laid the groundwork for the later work of better known people such as Trevor Jones and Chris Rennard. Born in 1936 to a family with a history of Liberal politics (his grandfather stood and lost in 1906), he was inspired by Jo Grimond to join the Liberal Party himself in 1958. Chitnis first worked in the National Liberal Club's library and then ...
So today's the day that the Bill passes its third reading in the Lords! I am so happy – that's it – just so happy. You go into politics wanting to change the world for the better – and here is my little bit of it. Tributes to all who have helped over the ages in the step by step journey to equal marriage – but especially to those who have had to suffer the discrimination and bigotry that made its path so painful. And very best wishes to all those who will now get married – and as Ben ...
The nice people at Marketing magazine were kind enough to ask me to write a piece about why business folk should care about the G8 meeting; I should have posted in then - but I forgot. So here it is now... Richard Morris, chief executive at branding agency Identica, and political blogger at The New Statesman and A View from Ham Common, discusses how this week's G8 summit in Northern Ireland may impact brands.As nine of the world's leaders meet in a Northern Irish golf resort currently being run by administrators (oh, the irony, eh?) and chat about how nicely ...
Last month, I was pleased to be guest speaker at the Dundee Starter Packs AGM. I am therefore delighted that Starter Packs is one of the good causes to benefit from the Wednesday evening performance of the September "Liver Birds" performance by Act IV at the Gardyne Theatre. Starter Packs has tickets at its office - 223977. Tickets for the Wednesday night performance as well as the other performances are also available from the box office.
Figures released this week show that nearly 9,000 patients had been waiting for more than 36 weeks until the start of their NHS treatment, an increase of around 1,300 when compared to the previous month. The Welsh Government's target is that not a single person should wait longer than 36 weeks. These figures are a national disgrace. I cannot believe that the Welsh Labour Government has allowed this situation to get from bad to atrocious. When I question the First Minister on the deepening crises in our health service, his answer is always 'things are improving'. I've heard of burying ...
Since standing down as Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesman in the House of Lords in 2011 after describing the Coalition Government's Project Merlin as "pitiful", Matthew Oakeshott has made full use of his political freedom. Journalists and broadcasters often turn to him for a meaty quote and he has starred on BBC1′s Question Time. Having worked [...]
