Gatley's newest shop – Best Friends – opened its doors on Church Road yesterday. Best Friends is in the same unit as the previous pet store, run by Derek Hill before his sad death. It offers pet supplies, dog grooming and dog training. We wish Best Friends every success. The shop is one of just seven empty units we found in Gatley back in May, so that number falls to six.
Sat 31st
20:58
As tomorrow's Syria poll shows, it's far too early to decide what this week's vote will mean
The punditry and social media industry has been in over-drive in the last few days about the significance of the surprise defeat for the government's Syria motion this week in Parliament. One conclusion I think can be made confidently – the pattern of requiring Parliamentary votes before major military action is becoming established in a way that will make it very difficult for a future Prime Minister to ignore. Some conclusions I think with similar confidence can be dismissed as being wrong. The idea that it's a death knell for the special relationship between America and the UK sounds plausible... ...
A couple of days ago I wrote a post expressing my sense that there was a lack of clarity over the nature of the action we were being asked to support in Syria. I have now found an article that lays that confusion bare much more elegantly than I could. It is by Charli Carpenter on Foreign Affairs: There are two distinct conversations going on about the legitimacy of the West's expected military campaign against Syrian president Bashar al-Assad. The first has to do with whether military action is an appropriate response to the wanton violation of a near-universally held ...
We all, of course, love Nick Clegg, but is a long time since I saw a quote attributed to his "friends" that did not make them sound rather unpleasant. Conservative Home kindly reprints the opening of an article from behind The Sun paywall: Cable's hopes of becoming Lib Dem leader have been scuppered by the economic recovery, allies of Nick Clegg have declared. The Business Secretary has made no secret of his wish to succeed Mr Clegg, despite turning 70 in May. But he was left "humiliated" after fellow ministers backed Government spending limits at a recent Lib Dem away ...
[IMG: Flooded Road] In the light of the torrential rains we've seen at times recently (and any more to come), local residents may find it useful to have more information on what to do in the event of being caught up in flooding and needing to claim on their insurance cover. The following list of tips have been produced by the organisation that I work for - the British Insurance Brokers' Association. The British Insurance Brokers' Association have also worked with a number of different agencies on a guide to obtaining insurance for people living in high risk areas ...
David feels that he has delivered on Sunderland Point which is a lovely village south of Morecambe on the River Lune which used to be a port before Lancaster took over. The only way of driving there is on a tidal road. The trouble is that erosion is taking hold and villagers are up in arms because coastal defences could be improved. David has taken up their cause. He tells us 'David asked to save Sunderland Point in Parliament. The minister agreed and said "we have to unblock a blockage within government at whatever level that is. DELIVERED". What does ...
[IMG: Nigel Kennedy. Photo courtesy of Guillaume Laurent. Some rights reserved http://www.flickr.com/photos/glaurent/2825358353/] A very odd except from The Guardian's interview with musician Nigel Kennedy: Kennedy lives in Glenda Jackson's north London constituency, where she only won by 50 votes at the last election, so I ask if he voted. "Oh yeah." Then he adds, quite casually, "In fact, my wife wasn't there, so I got another friend to go and vote for Jackson with my wife's voting card." Seriously? "Yeah, yeah, man, and it was really worth it in that case." Going to the polling station and voting under someone ...
I read a lot of political commentary by all sorts of people. I've been moved to tears, laughter, outrage, exasperation and delight by many of them. It's taken until today, though, for an article written by a mainstream commentator to make me feel physically sick. Writing in the Telegraph, John McTernan, former Labour Downing Street insider, describes the tactics of Labour whips: A Cabinet minister who served in both the Blair and Brown governments retells his first encounter with Labour whips. Newly elected, he was walking through the corridors of the House when he was accosted by one. He was ...
You're not alone ... Apparently there is a burst water-main between here and Longstanton. There's no news on when water will be restored, but the update from Cambridge Water is available here;
It's a fantastic sunny day for Reading Pride today. Great to see a lot of people out, and if you'll forgive some partisanship, a good Lib Dem stand where we're both celebrating the progress on equal marriage, and getting a lot of names for our petition on defending LGBT+ rights in Russia. Here's a few photos from the parade, noting milestones both local and national. [IMG: 20130831-141454.jpg] [IMG: 20130831-141509.jpg] [IMG: 20130831-141519.jpg] [IMG: 20130831-141527.jpg] [IMG: 20130831-141539.jpg] [IMG: 20130831-141548.jpg] [IMG: 20130831-141557.jpg] [IMG: 20130831-141605.jpg]
Here's today's hand-picked selection that caught my interest... Opinion: The Syria Milishambles I don't think any party came out of Thur well. But this is a good explanation of why Ed Miliband didn't http://bit.ly/19VhG4c Syria was the last straw - I've now quit the Labour Party – Telegraph Lots to disagree with in Dan Hodges' why-I've-left-Lab piece. But he's right abt disconnect in lang btwn pols/public http://bit.ly/18drdBF SYRIA | Rory Stewart MP Very good post from Rory Stewart: "Britain has learned the lessons of Iraq, but it's in danger of overlearning them." http://bit.ly/16WPIUy 9 questions about Syria you were too ...
David Morris MP is keen to tell us that Hornby School has reopened. His article in his recent booklet tells us that he worked with Michael Gove to order a review of the closure. He also tells us that it was the Labour controlled County Council that ordered the closure but David didn't like this so he made it a priority that 'pupils continue to be educated at Hornby'. Michael Gove made a visit to Hornby and David worked with the Conservative controlled LCC so that 'There is now a school at Hornby and once again pupils can be educated ...
It's been a while - and the character of this blog has changed - but I'm determined to finish my series featuring one track from each NOW! That's What I Call Music! album. The premise is that this will normally be the track that, on browsing the contents, I'd be inclined to play first: for novelty value, because it brings back particular memories or because it's a favourite. This week I've gone for the comic video genius that sees Peter Kay as Geraldine McQueen as Elaine Paige and Susan Boyle as Barbara Dickson. Filmed for Comic Relief in 2011, this ...
It is a truism that to "fail to prepare is to prepare to fail." However, suicide seems to defy this rule: more impulsive suicide attempts seem to be more 'successful.' As explained in this piece in the NYT: [T]hose methods that require forethought or exertion on the actor's part (taking an overdose of pills, say, [...]
Willie Rennie has consistently talked about the need to develop a blueprint for a new constitutional settlement for Scotland within the United Kingdom. The Scottish Liberal Democrats have their own proposals, enshrined in Federalism: the best future for Scotland. Since its publication, both Labour and the Conservatives, (yes, you read that right, the Conservatives) have announced that they will b developing their own plans. In a speech in Glasgow today, Willie takes this a step further, saying that he wants to see definite action on this so that any changes can be voted on at the 2015 general election, just ...
Last month marked 36 years since Mary Whitehouse took Gay News to court for publishing a blasphemous poem. 29 years ago Gays The Word was raided for obscene materials. Right now attempts to filter the internet and ban "sexualised" images in public are likely to lead to more attempts to stifle free speech by LGBT people (see, for example, the way mobile phone companies block legitimate LGBT websites). We've been fighting for freedom for decades. I'm thankful, very thankful, to those who came before me that I came of age in a time when things have been less difficult (the ...
[IMG: Osborne Road damaged sign - Stroud Green] Welcome to the Leaning Tower of Stroud Green, one of a clutch of wayway road signs just off Stroud Green Road which I first reported to Haringey Council in late 2012. It's not just that Haringey Council frequently takes so long to fix the basics. If you want another example, look just up the road to see the months-old potholes outside Wall Court to see what the reality behind the press talk of a 'pot hole blitz' to fix the borough amounted to when you skip pass the press release and check ...
To listen to much of the coverage of politics in the UK these days you would often think that the opinion of only three people really matters. David Cameron, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg. So much of the debate is conducted around what these three men think and want that the commentariat are largely at a loss to know what to do when suddenly the true nature of our democratic system asserts itself as happened on Thursday with the Commons voting to decline military support for an attack on Syria. So the prism that this story has been filtered through ...
US political website Slate has a rather fun game...
[IMG: AD LIB September 2013] The September issue of AD LIB magazine hits subscribers' doorsteps this weekend. And it's wearing a very fetching kilt as Glasgow prepares to welcome the Liberal Democrats for Federal Conference. It even has Gaelic on the front cover. And a saltire, which is bound to annoy our nationalist friends, but, hey, they don't own it. There's an article by someone you might recognise which mentions the Krankies and drinking cocktails out of a gramophone. I have to say that much of the cool stuff in that "Welcome to Glasgow" piece came via the excellent Sophie ...
[IMG: image] The Prime Minister was here the other day. My mother is as sharp as a needle. But even she gets the odd thing muddled up, sometimes to an alarming degree. She once announced that Richard Branson is "autistic". She meant "dyslexic". Now, I knew that David Cameron had been holidaying in Cornwall recently. But I didn't realise he'd had time to knock on doors in Widemouth Bay. Who was here? - I asked. Dan Rogerson - She replied. He's your MP, not the Prime Minister, dear. - I explained. Anyway, my parents were tickled pink to welcome Dan ...
Sat 31st
11:12
In full: Willie Rennie: We need a new Claim of Right to deliver a powerful Scotland in the UK
The full text of Willie Rennie's speech in Glasgow today in which he called on the party leaders to develop a joint declaration on future constitutional change after a no vote for independence. One of the reasons that people have given support to the Liberal Democrats in Scotland is our steadfast support for a powerful Scottish Parliament. The Scottish Parliament exists, in part, because of the efforts of Liberal Democrats and Liberals.In 1879 William Gladstone addressed an audience of thousands in the newly built St. Andrew's Hall only a few hundred metres from this very hall. It was part of ...
When the Coalition's Lobbying Bill appeared in public for the first time, just before the summer recess, much attention was focused on Part I. Most critics agree that it represents an utterly feeble attempt to address the problem of corporate lobbying. Indeed, if the Bill is passed in its current form then it may well result in a smaller proportion of the relevant activities being transparent than is the case at the moment. Not only are the critics of corporate lobbying saying this, some representatives of the lobbying industry have said very similar things. But as we move towards the ...
Dear Chris, This was a week in which we all grappled with a complex set of questions about Britain's role in the world: My own views are well known: that there is a humanitarian case for the UK to be prepared to participate in multi-lateral, legal, targeted military action in Syria, aimed at deterring the use of chemical weapons. But there are no easy answers in this debate and I entirely understand and respect the misgivings that have led some colleagues and party members to oppose such action. Last night, Parliament made its opposition to military action clear and of ...
[IMG: See Saw Cameron Miliband] Ed Miliband has once again done his best impression of a statesman. On Thursday morning, with bags under his eyes, he declared that he was tabling an amendment to the government's motion on Syria. His amendment would require a 'clear legal basis' for military action, and a second vote in the House of Commons following the forthcoming UN weapons inspectors' report. The government's motion, on the other hand, requires a 'sound legal basis' for action, and a second vote in the House of Commons following the forthcoming UN weapons inspectors' report. Snap! Miliband stumbled and ...
Poverty causes a 13-point drop in IQ, purely due to stress. (tags: ) Michael Gove, why do you want to omit 'sexual health' from the national curriculum? (tags: ) http://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/1.5989342 FAO @EverydaySexism "told in nightclubs" RT @HXCourier: Iranian asylum seeker claims he was told to grope UK women http://t.co/Z0z2Hv3ZbD (tags: (from twitter) ) In today's @VICEUK column: marvel and rejoice as I settle the question of BBC bias once and for all. http://t.co/NhdbPh8ATF (tags: (from twitter) ) The US Department of Defense isn't sure where Damascus is: statistical proof - Us Vs Th3m I was within 150 miles when ...
We are still all a flutter at Parliament's failure to decide a British response to the ongoing war in Syria. The shock that was audibly expressed when the vote was taken on Thursday night has still not died away; we are left wandering vainly about the battlefield, looking for someone to negotiate with. I began this war as a firm opponent of intervention in Syria, or at least, a firm opponent of the idea that we had to do something immediately and in probable breach of international law. I have now reversed that position; I, like a tiny minority of ...
I know politicians are supposed to have firm opinions. No, they are supposed to have convictions. So are political bloggers, but my convictions about an attack on the Syrian government wavered to and fro pathetically in the days before the vote on Thursday night. I have to admit it. I should have surrendered my blogger's licence. I listened on the radio to as much of the debate as I could, and found myself convinced by Paddy Ashdown's position. Had anyone elected me to Parliament, I would have followed him into the voting lobbies. Now that Parliament has rejected military action ...
Several speakers inThursday's House of Commons debate on possible intervention in Syria referred to the developing concept within International Law of the Responsibility to Protect (R2P). Basically that means that when a government is unable or unwilling to protect its own people from humanitarian disaster then the international community has an obligation to intervene. Since R2P's endorsement at the UN in 2005, it has generally been assumed that any such international intervention should have the backing of a UN Security Council resolution, which in Syria's case would have been impossible, given that Russia and maybe also China would have vetoed ...
Earlier this week I tried my hand at printing fossils. The print didn't perfectly, but it was quite encouraging. Museum Victoria - an Australian institution - has released a 3D scanned trilobite on Thingiverse. I trimmed the model - to make the bed shallower and the sides neater - and hit print. I'm pretty impressed with the results: [IMG: 3D trilobite 1] [IMG: 3D trilobite 2] [IMG: 3D trilobite 3] [IMG: 3D trilobite 4] My remixed model is also available on Thingiverse if you'd like to have a go at printing your very own fossil. I'm impressed with the fidelity ...
[IMG: Tim Farron and Colin Jones] Good news from the heart of Tim Farron country – a solid win in Thursday's Windermere Bowness North ward on South Lakeland District Council for Colin Jones. He's pictured here with local MP and Party President Tim Farron. The result was: Liberal Democrat Colin Jones: 431 Conservative: 248 Labour: 29 60.8% of the vote is an impressive result. Congratulations to Colin, who is already a Windermere Town Councillor, and his hard-working campaign team.
Sat 31st
08:23
Ed Milliband is the second Labour Leader in ten years to dissembleabout armed conflict. He's not fit...
Twice now in ten years Leaders of the Parliamentary Labour Party have lied about the ultimate question of whether we launch attacks on another sovereign nation state. Out of those two Ed Milliband's antics will, in time, be seen as the most heinous. I believe Tony Blair lied about WMD ten years ago, but I don't believe the lied because he is a bloodthirsty warmonger. I believe he lied because he genuinely thought it was in Britain's national interest to be tied at the hip with the USA. You may disagree, as I do, his assessment but Tony Blair lied ...
Adrian Sanders, Lib Dem MP for Torbay did not attend Thursday's debate. Writing on his blog, he explains he is: Currently representing the UK at the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in South Africa with other MPs from the Labour and Conservative Parties so was unable to attend the debate. I made it clear that were I present I would have voted against military action. As other MPs at the conference would have voted the other way, our votes effectively cancelled themselves out. However, I was in touch with all of my Lib Dem colleagues in the UK and urged them to ...
Back in 2009, after campaigning by local residents and myself, the speed limit on the most westerly part of Perth Road (west of the Invercarse Hotel) was reduced to 30mph. There was absolutely no logic to having the speed limit on Perth Road west of the Invercarse Hotel a different limit to that east of the hotel. Although most drivers adhere to the revised 30mph limit, I get complaints from residents about a minority of drivers who drive at more than the limit. I have, on behalf of residents, raised this concern with both the police and the City Council's ...
This was a week in which we all grappled with a complex set of questions about Britain's role in the world: our views on the scope of international law; on the place for humanitarian intervention; and on how to respond to war crimes committed on foreign soil. My own views are well known: that there is a humanitarian case for the UK to be prepared to participate in multi-lateral, legal, targeted military action in Syria, aimed at deterring the use of chemical weapons. But there are no easy answers in this debate and I entirely understand and respect the misgivings ...
