Or in English. Dear Spain, let's talk about Geography. Now we all know that Spain are currently up in arms about a little piece of land claimed by a country that is at the other end of a continent. But imagine what they would say about a little piece of land claimed by a country on another continent. Well we don't have to, they say Gracias and call it Ceuta
Having adopted the term 'psychogeography' for my explorations of Leicester, it is time to learn from one of the concept's grandmasters.
When it comes to half-baked, only terribly, slightly sorry if you really make me say it, type apologies, that of UKIP MEP Godfrey Bloom for his 'Bongo Bongo land' comments is right up there: I used a term which I subsequently gather under certain circumstances could be interpreted as pejorative to individuals and possibly cause offence. [IMG: Godfrey Bloom MEP. Photo shared under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Godfrey_Bloom.jpg] His half-hearted apology however reveals another problem: his amazing ignorance. To manage to avoid noticing until just now that 'Bongo bongo land' is such a controversial phrase shows an ...
The latest polling by YouGov/The Sun is Lab 39%, LD 10%, UKIP 11%. The Lib Dems continue to be edged out by UKIP, and, despite the slowly upturning economy, the Coalition's approval rating is at -29. The current poll also has asks people to describe the various characteristics of the three main party leaders, which [...]
The public meeting to discuss plans to build 100 houses on land to the west of Upper Chapel will now take place on Wednesday September 18th at 6pm in the Town Hall. This is a change to the previously discussed date. The Upper Chapel plans have provoked a huge amount of controversy. The proposal is on land that was considered by the long-running town framework group which decided that the area was unsuitable for development. It is outside the town development boundary and will cause massive highways issues - not least around the school. At a recent town council planning ...
Today David Cameron announced his delight at raising the income tax threshold. He tweeted this, happily taking credit for implementing a cornerstone Lib Dem policy as part of the Coalition government: There's still more to do, but I'm proud of what we're delivering #forhardworkingpeople pic.twitter.com/JRNqtxJzm3 — David Cameron (@David_Cameron) August 6, 2013 This clearly got [...]
From the very first Lord Bonkers' Diary, published in Liberator in 1990 (before most economic liberals were born): A quiet day at home dusting my library and worming the setters. My visit to Southport has led me to ponder the benefits that tourism can bring to a town. If all we hear of global warming and the threat to the ozone layer is true (although I have to say that we managed very well without one in my day, and who is to say that we were any the less happy for it?), soon much of Eastern England will be ...
There's much in real life, the media and t'interwebs which is truly offensive. For example, the kind of knee-jerk misrepresentation of facts and data that a certain UKIP MEP was guilty of, not to mention his outrageous use of racial stereotypes and his mealy-mouthed defence on the radio this morning that he was only saying what the "man in the pub" might be thinking anyway. I thought we elected our leaders to lead, not to be mere sounding boards for bigots. I'm also genuinely offended when powerless people of any age or nationality are neglected or abused and will always ...
Wed 7th
20:00
David Cameron poaches Lib Dem tax-cuts idea. (But that's not half as annoying as the Tory ideas my p...
It's amazing how much more popular with David Cameron the Lib Dems' flagship policy of taking the low-paid out of income tax is these days... Just today he celebrated delivering an income tax cut for 25 million people and lifting 2.4 million low earners out of tax: There's still more to do, but I'm proud of what we're delivering #forhardworkingpeople pic.twitter.com/JRNqtxJzm3 — David Cameron (@David_Cameron) August 6, 2013 Right, that's my party loyalist bit over. Now just a little bit of straight-talking... I can understand why the party is so keen to stop the Tories claiming credit for raising the ...
No sooner do I retire from the Parish Council fray than a front page headline appears in the Bury Free Press referring to a proposed solar farm on the south east edge of the parish. Apparently, an open house meeting had been held in the village to allow residents to find out more, but residents living near the proposed site were interviewed by the newspaper, voicing their concerns. And, according to the representative of those behind the project;On Thursday July 25, MS Power Projects met with members of the local community and delegates from both Creeting St Peter and Creeting ...
There's been a fair bit of debate going on over Google's decision to make all the passwords saved by Chrome easily visible on one screen. For example, as ZDNet puts it: [IMG: Chrome logo] An intruder who has unrestricted access to your computer for even a minute can view and copy all of your saved passwords just by visiting an easy-to-remember settings page: chrome://settings/passwords. That link opens the local copy of your saved password cache, which is synchronized to every machine where you sign in with your Google account. And the funny thing is, anyone who visits that page can ...
I confess to a liking for Second World War films. I just watched The Cruel Sea. Some years ago at a dinner in Brussels I met Frau Von Moltke. Her husband, a Director-General in the European Commission, was at the other end of the table. I asked if he was related to the general. "Which one ?", she asked and then added "actually he's related to all of them." Relations of his had fought in
Dear Colleagues, On behalf of the transgender groups in Merseyside we are conducting some research which we hope will assist in supporting young trans children and adolescents and their families by providing better local support services ; it would be ... Continue reading →
If you don't know who Delia Derbyshire is, click here Firstly, the estwhile Dr Goldacre made a sterling suggestion on twitter the other day:Since it's #inspiringwomen today, let's start a campaign to finally get #DeliaDerbyshire in #DrWho theme tune credits http://t.co/UPnHntCmJa — ben goldacre (@bengoldacre) August 4, 2013I very much approve of this idea. I understand why it hasn't happened yet (BBC staffers never got the credit they deserved, it's why Raymond Cusick doesn't get credited with dalek design too) but that doesn't mean it can't happen now. Just one line to the credits of the show isn't too much ...
[IMG: jo swinson by paul walter] Yesterday Jo Swinson spoke about payday loans on camera to The International Business Times. We cannot embed the video on Lib Dem Voice, but you can watch it here. She said that she and Vince Cable would be meeting the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rev Justin Welby, today to discuss new guidelines for credit unions. She stated: My colleague and I, business secretary Vince Cable, are meeting the Archbishop of Canterbury on this issue. We are very keen that credit unions are expanded as they are important way of lending to a community that benefits ...
Wednesday: After Eight on this morning's Today Programme on Radio 4, there was a discussion of Trolling on the Ask.fm website that has been linked to the suicide of a young person. "How," asked the incredulous Justin, "can people use such language?" Well, you don't even need directing to the BEAR PIT of the Grauniad's "Comment is Free (of conscience)" or the BBC's own "Have Your S(l)ay" comments, when fewer than twenty minutes earlier, they'd had their own Jim Naughty egging on racist language from UKIP MEP Geoffrey "Bongo Bongo" Bloom, who denies we have a duty to other people ...
[Introduction | Supers | Bats | Wonders & Lanterns | Solo Heroes | Justice ] It's not that I like villains in particular, you understand. It's just that I like Complicated. I like heroes who make hard decisions. I like villains who say "fuck it you don't get to judge us!" I like people on opposite sides who have a deep respect for each other. I like crime. I like the grey. I love this line up of books, guys. Like you wouldn't believe. 28. BIRDS OF PREY. Tigress (Artemis Crock, who looks more like her cartoon incarnation than her ...
Evidence that the Labour Party under Ed Miliband's leadership is growing ever more fractious is growing following an article by Swansea West MP, Geraint Davies which argues that his leader needs to provide a "compelling case" to the electorate on why the country would be better off under Labour and come up with a more effective response to Conservative attacks. According to the Western Mail, Mr. Davies believes that Labour are not getting their message across: "The party's challenge is to provide a compelling case as to why Britain would be better off with Labour. "Firstly, the problem is that ...
Wed 7th
15:00
Doctor Who 50 Great Scenes - 36: The Krotons. Featuring Patrick Troughton, Robert Holmes and the Dou...
Counting down towards the fiftieth birthday of Doctor Who with Fifty great scenes... Now we have a new Doctor and look forward to a new direction for the series, today it's a celebration of two people who did those things brilliantly: second Doctor Patrick Troughton and lead writer Robert Holmes, both still regarded as patron saints by Doctor Who actors and writers today. Paired together here from 1969, this scene (and more) offers the sort of double act both men were famous for, a warning about computer games, and proof that nobody's perfect: "Oh, Doctor! You've got it all wrong!" ...
[IMG: Alan Beith, MP Berwick-upon-Tweed] Sir Alan Beith has announced that he will be standing down from Parliament at the next election, after serving Berwick upon Tweed as their MP for 42 years. Nick Clegg said: Sir Alan has been a huge figure in British and both Liberal and Liberal Democrat politics over an astonishing four decades. The present generation of political leaders in Britain were barely out of nursery when Alan Beith was first making his mark on the floor of the House of Commons. So it is little wonder that when Sir Alan speaks today, he commands the ...
I now have the figures for DHP in Dudley. Of a total budget of £494,398 as at 30th June £95,506.18 had been committed of which only £73,910.35 related to the first quarter (was spent) That is just under 20% committed and under 15% actually spent for a quarter of the financial year. This is, of course, before the increase in funding provided by the government. A big issue, however, appears to
The Newsnight presenter took a deep breath as the face of his interviewee, red with rage, moustache twitching, appeared on the large monitor. 'So what is your take on today's events?' he asked nervously. 'It's bloody outrageous' shouted the red face. 'The Kraut Union ought to remember who won the war, trying to tell us what to do. I WON'T HAVE IT!' 'Well, actually, the Commissioner is from Belgium.' 'Exactly! What have Belgium ever given the world? Tintin, that's what. And they try to dictate to the land of Shakespeare. Belgium is just some speck of a country. I'd pay ...
[IMG: don foster] One of the lower profile motions on the agenda for Federal Conference in Glasgow is entitled 'High Street Gambling'. It is relatively short and contains just two recommendations: Conference therefore calls on Liberal Democrats in government to push for: 1. Betting shops to be put in a new separate planning use class, allowing local authority planning committees to control them 2. The Gambling Act to be amended to allow council licensing committees to take into account the cumulative impact of a proliferation of gambling activities when considering applications. The problem at the moment is that betting shops ...
Here's today's hand-picked selection that caught my interest... Liberal Democrat Voice | lessons of coalition We're up to No.9 in our @libdemvoice series, #LessonsOfCoalition. Well worth catching up on http://bit.ly/141ZCQc stephentall.org Not all my old posts age well. This one, I think, has: "Why it's time to start buying shares again in George Osborne" http://bit.ly/1eqkJkT New powers to protect vulnerable consumers from rogue traders - Swinson | Press Releases Detail Kudos to @JoSwinson for empowering consumers http://bit.ly/197Jrte (Why she was my 36th #LiberalHero: http://bit.ly/197Jq8K)
Sinderins Court Yesterday morning, I met with the residents' association representing tenants at Sinderins and Pennycook Courts. We had a good discussion about various local issues including trees, fencing, local advertising and other issues. The residents' group works hard for all the people at Pennycook Court and Sinderins Court and it was a useful and positive meeting.
As reported in today's Courier, I have received feedback from the city's Director of Leisure & Communities following constituent complaints about the length of queues facing customers using the new Olympia facility. The following comment from a constituent is typical: 'The new Olympia is generally agreed to be lovely but, there seems to be a serious shortage of staff. At busy times there has been huge queues to enter the pool and there is little evidence of staff poolside. I heard this from 2 different sources so I don't think it's wrong, also one person said the people in the ...
'Nick Clegg effect helps LBC to record 1m listeners' noted The Guardian last week — yes, the Lib Dem leader's risky decision last January to host a weekly radio phone-in has proved a hit with the public. ("Imagine if we could do it with a politician who was popular," side-swiped Nick's co-host Nick Ferrari.) In this week's letter Nick offers a behind-the-scenes video glimpse of the show... [IMG: libdem letter from nick clegg] I hope you're having an enjoyable summer so far and getting some time to relax, enjoy the sunshine and enjoy time with family and friends. This week ...
We recently consulted residents around the one-way section of the South Park Road Estate on a proposal to remove the one-way sections. Residents told us clearly that they wanted to keep the one-way sections on Mardale Drive and South Park Road, so that will happen. There was a more mixed response to making the Kingsway Service Road fully two-way so the Council is now conducting a formal consultation on that proposal, and we've extended the consultation beyond those living along the one-way section to residents on Mardale Drive and the northern end of South Park Road too. You can also ...
Remember Rupert Matthews? He's the Tory who teaches courses for the International Metaphysical University and believes "the evidence for UFOs and for the humanoid creatures linked to them is pretty compelling". And its not just that he makes David Tredinnick look like a Nobel laureate: Matthews' eccentricity has a less appealing side. Well, the news is that he will be no. 3 on the Conservative Party's list for the East Midlands at the next European elections. You may also remember that Roger Helmer wanted to stand down as one of the region's MEPs halfway through this parliament, but said he ...
[IMG: Scaffolding. Photo courtesy of Morley. Some rights reserved http://www.sxc.hu/browse.phtml?f=view&id=844837] I've spent far too much time staring at scaffolding over the last seven years. The council keeps on coming back and putting up scaffolding outside my house. (I'm a council freeholder so the council is responsible for the roof and guttering.) There's much I could write about the things that have gone wrong, starting with just how many times do you have to come and repair a roof? There's the fun of the fiasco when the council nearly had two different scaffolding firms turn up at the same time to ...
Liberal Democrat Secretary of State for Scotland, Michael Moore MP, writes a regular column for newspapers in his Borders Constituency. Here is the latest edition. Surgeries and Shows Over the past fortnight I have held my annual summer advice surgeries during which I have visited around 50 villages and communities across the Borders. These are an opportunity for me to hear the concerns of my constituents and are a highlight of my work as local MP. In recent weeks I have also attended the annual rideouts, Common Ridings and Shows which take place across the Borders. This year's have been ...
posted The Blood is The Life 06-08-2013 http://t.co/l38Gsy7kNC on #dreamwidth (tags: (from twitter) dreamwidth ) Linda Jack looks for the point where what you get in return makes it worth selling your soul to the devil (tags: ) What to do if treatment for depression isn't working (tags: ) Roxy using her favourite pillow (Spike's bottom) http://t.co/MlSQih7tOf (tags: (from twitter) ) Gym playlist so far. Suggestions welcome for things to add. http://t.co/9S8n6GUub1 (tags: (from twitter) ) [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments
[Paul Nash's painting 'Still Life with Shale Gas'] Yes, the global economy has had its difficulties, an unpredictable blip in the rising success of market economics, the result of a series of misjudgements by [INSERT NAME OR SECTOR]. But support for recovery is on its way in the form of a revolutionary technique, involving pumping deadly chemicals below our gardens, potentially earning huge sums. In the USA, pumping these chemicals has grown more than 50 percent annually since 2007. The chemical pumping boom could add as much as $690 billion a year to GDP and create up to 1.7 million ...
....is what people are calling the decision of Nick Clegg to step into combat on the floor of the Liberal Democrats' Conference next month. The reason is that he is choosing to do this on the flimsy ground of the Coalition's economic record – which in the first place was the most significant ground ceded to the Conservatives in negotiations. Leaving aside the questions as to why the leader is pursuing a strategy that forsakes a distinctive Liberal identity for a decidedly soggy version of centrism, the personal intervention deserves some analysis. Why has he chosen to sum up in ...
Like many enthusiasts, I'm looking forward to the bombastic Last Night of the Proms, one month today. And I bet I'll not be alone in bellowing out the words of England's most popular anthem, Jerusalem. [IMG: Dark Satanic Wells] Two centuries ago, William Blake began writing his epic poem Milton, including perhaps Jerusalem, while living in Felpham, Sussex. A few years later, he was back in London where the streets were being illuminated for the first time by gas lamps. The coal gas of Blake's era gave way in the late 1960s to the cleaner supplies from the North Sea. ...
Mike Clarke has been on the run in Spain for some time. He was on the run because he was given a 3 month prison sentence for contempt because he failed to remove what he put on the internet relating to a court of protection case. Since that point (and I am not sure when this happened) the judiciary have published a number of judgments relating to his case. There is a court of appeal case:
[IMG: ldv coalition lessons] LibDemVoice is running a daily feature, 'Lessons of Coalition', to assess the major do's and don'ts learned from our experience of the first 3 years in government. Reader contributions are welcome, either as comments or posts. The word limit is no more than 450 words, and please focus on just one lesson you think the party needs to learn. Simply email your submission to voice@libdemvoice.org. Today Rob Parsons shares his thoughts. Understand the mechanics of government Be grown up. It is possible to be grown up in politics, as exemplified by Vince Cable's famous statement that ...
The "Festival of Lochee Life" community festival and gala day takes place this coming Saturday (10th August) at Lochee Park (below) between 12 noon and 4pm. The festival includes bouncy inflatables, trampolines, a climbing wall, street football, face painting, various stalls, tombola, arts and crafts, history readings and much more! Don't miss it! Lochee Park
I welcome yesterday's announcement by Liberal Democrat Business Minister Jo Swinson of new plans to tackle rogue traders and give better protection to vulnerable and elderly consumers. Rogue traders cost consumers billions of pounds per year and can cause distress and alarm to people, especially to the elderly and vulnerable. The new proposals amending the Consumer Protection Regulations from Unfair Trading Regulations will: o give consumers 90 days to cancel a contract and receive a full refund if they have been misled or bullied into agreeing it. After the 90 days consumers can still receive a proportion of their money ...
Yet again Hertfordshire County Council is spinning out of Control, with press releases promoting Conservative politicians being the order of the day. Chris White (St Albans Central), has been trying to promote the new look Household Waste Recycling Centre in St Albans to the residents he represents at County Hall. He said "This looks like an excellent facility for the people of St Albans: what I don't understand is why HCC and St Albans District Council only want to feature the quotations of Conservative politicians, not the site and how it will help my local residents. "I have asked, and ...
Wed 7th
00:09
Glengormley attack: Carchrie Campbell condemns and asks for information to be passed to police
Earlier this evening three masked men, one armed with a gun, attacked one of the occupants of a house in the Mayfield area of Newtownabbey. This attack is clearly abhorrent. Any attack like this on any house in a community ... Continue reading →
