[IMG: Caravan Club Rally Plaques 1968 - 1976] Recently rediscovered at my parent's house. Finding these plaques brought back memories of listening to Friday Night is Music Night on a battery-powered radio and endless card games. I also remember with some fondness the (sometimes rather strange) competitions the rally organisers ran over these weekends, dodging cow-pats and thistles in the fields where the caravans congregated and the faintly sinister "round the flag" gathering on a Sunday afternoon before everyone hitched up their 'vans and headed for home.
The Media Archive for Central England (MACE) has 10-minute ATV Today film from 1976 on the rise of the National Front in Leicester. At the city council elections held just before the film was made this far-right party, though it had not won any seats, had polled more than 18 per cent of the vote. Halfway through the film we are shown the city's National Front office. I went there today - Fernie Street is just off the Uppingham Road - to photograph the building and found it is now Husseins Bakery. (To be honest, thanks to Google Street View, ...
Eagle-eyed readers will have noted that my posts from Lib Dem Conference petered out after day two. There were two reasons for that - general busy-ness, and alcohol/late nights. Following conference, I spent a couple of days at home with my folks and seeing my nephew. And now I'm home. Enthused, upbeat and ready for a fight. So, what did I make of it? All in all, I had a great conference, mixing time in the hall with training, some very good fringes and various social events and receptions. I learnt new things and re-visited old issues. And I got ...
A week ago today, the all-new, revamped Lib Dem Voice Awards hit Glasgow. For those who were there, and those who couldn't make it, here's what happened... [View the story "Lib Dem Voice Awards 2013" on Storify] * Stephen Tall is Co-Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice, and editor of the 2013 publication, The Coalition and Beyond: Liberal Reforms for the Decade Ahead. He is also a Research Associate for the liberal think-tank CentreForum and writes at his own site, The Collected Stephen Tall.
When is a tax not a tax....? When it doesn't actually levy extra money but instead reduces a benefit on is already getting. The "under-occupancy penalty" does not qualify as a tax by any measure but the media and political class (and the measure's critics) have restyled it as the infamous bedroom tax. This is not to say that we agree with it. The only circumstance in which I could find this totally acceptable would be if the individuals trawled into the penalty's net actually had a realistic way of disposing of their "spare" rooms or moving to accommodation that ...
Those of us who know what a bunch of fools and liars UKIP are were not surprised by Godfrey Bloom's latest outburst. (NB. Before the Telegraph let you watch Bloom, they make you watch a Gucci advert, the male and female models in which I feel sure have never seen the back of a fridge.) I really want the electorate to have the greatest possible exposure to this bunch before they vote in
LibDemVoice has two parallel sites. The first is our public blog, the thing you're reading now. The second is our private members' forum, which only current Lib Dem members can access. If you're a member and want to chat with fellow party members about any issue that's on your mind, then why not sign up? In addition, you'll be included in our regular surveys' of party members' views. Here's some of the most active discussions this past 10 days: Education 'reforms' are fatally flawed; Could Tuition Fees vote make us a joke?; Is unlimited growth a thing of the past...?; ...
More comedy genius from Australia's Clarke and Dawe: Also on YouTube.
This week, Alex Salmond told Scots that their postal service would get worse if they voted for independence. Of course he didn't actually say those words, but it's the effect of his proposal. At First Minister's Questions on Thursday, he said that an independent Scotland led by him would bring the Royal Mail and postal service back into public ownership. Let's just leave aside the hundreds of millions that would cost for a minute, as well as the complexities of breaking up a UK wide service and defining the Scottish share. The biggest problem that would arise would be that ...
Autumn is all about the light. As the sun drops lower towards the horizon and the temperatures fall, we get longer shadows, shorter days, mists, dew and sunlight filtering through the leaves, falling obliquely to light up the last summer flowers like jewels. I've been dreaming of a pond for the garden for ages but today that dream is a step closer. This huge, now empty, flowerbed will be the site for it. It is surprising just how much space the flowerbed took up in the lawn and half of it will be reseeded with grass. It is sad to ...
I have previously mentioned that, following the success of the timebank in the north east of the city, a West End timebank is being launched. Yesterday, I took part in the second planning meeting, which was most productive. Timebanking is a means of exchange used to organise people and organisations around a purpose, where time is the principal currency. For every hour participants 'deposit' in a timebank, perhaps by giving practical help and support to others, they are able to 'withdraw' equivalent support in time when they themselves are in need. In each case the participant decides what they can ...
Here's today's hand-picked selection that caught my interest... Ryanair must stop 'unnecessarily pissing people off', says O'Leary | Business | theguardian.com Only necessarily doing so will do > Ryanair must stop 'unnecessarily pissing people off', says O'Leary http://bit.ly/1acn8iK CentreForum Liberal Hero of the Week #47: Jezz Palmer | CentreForum Blog My 47th @CentreForum Liberal Hero of the Week is Jezz Palmer (@loyaultemelie) Find out why here: http://bit.ly/1aclLAl The Real Blog: UKIP and the meanings of words David Boyle rather brilliant on "UKIP and the meanings of words" and its slipping into the responsible mainstream http://bit.ly/15JSaP2 Why the journalistic elite is ...
This morning, I took part in Better Together campaigning in the Coldside and Maryfield Wards, along with LibDem colleagues and others in the cross-party Better Together campaign. The photo below shows me with my colleagues Iliyan Stefanov and David Stansfield in Old Glamis Road earlier today:
Last weekend's Liberal Democrat conference was hailed by most of the mainstream media as a victory for Nick Clegg over the party's grassroots activists. Commentators across the right wing press congratulated him on a job well done. Clegg engineered a situation in which the party voted to adopt a range of positions deemed to represent serious and grown up policy, suitable for a 'party of government'. That is, the sort of policies that tend to find favour with right wing publications. The implicit association of 'grown-up policy' with policy that is hardly distinguishable from that of the other main parties ...
Why attend a Lib De conference? And what happens when you do? Those are two of the questions communicatios firm covi set out to get answers to in this 5-minute video featuring Alison Goldsworthy, Vice Chair of the Liberal Democrat Federal Executive: Mark Pack, Editor of Lib Dem Newswire; David Boyle, author and policy maker; and Professor Stephen Lee, Chief Executive of CentreForum... Liberal Democrat conference debrief from CoVi on Vimeo.
With over 7,500 signatures on the petition calling on NI Health Minister Edwin Poots to resign or be removed, it is worth reminding everyone of another way to kick him out - of the Assembly - by registering to vote and then voting for other parties than the DUP.
Sat 21st
12:00
TEMPORARY CLOSING OF Market Place, St Albans, during the 'St Albans Food and Drink Festival Finale'
Notice from Herts County Council NOTICE is given that the Hertfordshire County Council intend to make an Order under Section 16(A) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, to prohibit all traffic from using that length of Market Place, St Albans from a point approximately 8 metres north east of its junction with Spencer Street south westwards to its junction with A5183 High Street, a distance of approximately 177 metres. The length of road will be closed between the hours of 7.00am and 7.00pm on Sunday 6 October 2013, when signs are in place. The purpose of the Order is ...
In the aftermath of Godfrey Bloom's implosion yesterday, UKIP sent Roger Helmer and his comedy moustache on to Channel 4 News and Newsnight to calm things down. When Roger Helmer becomes your voice of reason you know you are in trouble. And it is worth pointing out that Roger Helmer has said far worse things about women than Bloom ever has.
[IMG: (C) Manny Begum Yasadein Photography] Sadly, party President Tim Farron wasn't able to make the Liberal Democrat Voice Awards on Saturday night. In fact, we should book him for next year now so that he has no excuse. Tim won the Tim Garden Award, created in memory of the Liberal Democrat peer who died in August 2007. It's presented for the best use of blogging or social media by an elected Liberal Democrat. This year the Liberal Democrat Voice team were sharing a broom cupboard deep within the labyrinth that is the SECC with the official photographer, Manny Begum. ...
The Western Mail reports that the Welsh Government will publish a progress report on enterprise zones across Wales by the end of this year. The Welsh Government says that "good progress" has been made with a number of new projects in the pipeline at the Central Cardiff Enterprise Zone despite claims that this particular project is stalling: However, when asked the Welsh Government could not provide any figures on the number of businesses within the zone - or seeking to relocate into it - which has received support unique to the zone, such as business rate relief. It could also ...
[IMG: Double Bows] There seems a heck of a lot of this stuff around at the moment. Godfrey Bloom, Golliwogs in the Shetlands and on student union posters etc etc. I'll make two simple, general points. In this country, we have a fine tradition of politeness and respect for others. Carefully choosing words and symbols so as not to cause offence is a case of simple politeness and respect for others. Calling someone "racist" is pointless. It is almost impossible to prove and takes the debate down a blind alley. However, it is perfectly reasonable to call statements, actions and ...
UKIP have now removed the whip from Godfrey Bloom after his disgraceful remarks yesterday about women leaving the question as to why they had not done so earlier when he said British aid should not be sent to Bongo Bongo Land. Of the 13 UKIP MEPs elected in 2009 only 7 still sit in that capacity. An attrition rate that tells us everything we need to know about that party. Here is yesterday's incident:
[IMG: image] Photo right: The "Squinty bridge" (aka the Clyde Arc) in Glasgow taken by me last week. By "Scots" in the title, I mean Scotland, and therefore the people who live there, specifically. Previously, I have avoided expressing a view on the Scotland independence debate, despite being asked for one. Let those in Scotland decide, unimpeded by me, a Sassenach – I reasoned. Some of this was motivated by guilt. Believe it or not, some of us in England feel some historic guilt about the Highland clearances, the Battle of Culloden, the suppression of Scottishness in the late 1700s ...
I wrote this about a year ago for my church's magazine. Frankly I'm reluctant to post it here; it's way too long for a blog post and some of the references are now a little dated. Plus I'm not sure I still agree with all of it or that I wrote it as well as [...]
posted The Blood is The Life 20-09-2013 http://t.co/RmnHpQztvD on #dreamwidth (tags: (from twitter) dreamwidth ) How to convince yourself of the truth of climate skepticism (tags: ) http://theguardian.com/science/brain- Claiming video games cause violence causes violence http://t.co/cIRLeH3K7G... My new @guardiansciblog that some are a taking seriously (again) (tags: (from twitter) ) Rosalind Franklin: Biography & Discovery of DNA Structure http://t.co/h1LyWfLB8E (tags: (from twitter) ) @LoyaulteMeLie http://t.co/RDzKk5Ar1m I'd rather long hair... (tags: (from twitter) ) http://www.theguardian.com/p/3jv2a/tw FAO @nick_clegg RT @garwboy: Claims that 'video games lead to violence' lead to violence http://t.co/8N4NiZvxOO (satirical) (tags: (from twitter) ) Roger Helmer's ...
Today, 21 September, is International Day of Peace. Here in Northern Ireland, it's also a time redolent with the fear and hope that the Haass process brings. The leaders of the four main denominations – no longer an all-boys' club, ... Continue reading →
I got a bit of a shock yesterday when I discovered I am six years older than Nigel Farage. This has not helped my self-esteem. I always thought of Farage as a creature from another age - maybe the 1930s, a sort of Terry-Thomas figure minus a handlebar moustache, a strangely elongated version of Bertie Wooster crossed with Basil Fawlty, practically ageless, but certainly generations older than me. A terrifying thought. that he is actually younger. Still, you have to hand it to him. His political skills seem to have attracted no less than 150 journalists to the UKIP party ...
This is really a commercial for his keynote speech at Conference, with links to it on You Tube and to a text copy. It's not the best title in the world. I might have preferred to highlight the new policy of free school meals for the first three years, myself. That's not even mentioned. However, we don't know if that's it for this week, or whether there will be another at the weekend. [IMG: libdem letter from nick clegg] Over the last few days, we've showcased what we've achieved in Coalition and we've demonstrated that we can make the tough ...
The latest issue of Liberator was mailed to subscribers before the Liberal Democrat Conference, so it is high time we spent some more time with Rutland's most celebrated fictional peer. Telling The Truth From time to time I like to share my accumulated wisdom with the Well-Behaved Orphans. Today I give them a little talk on the importance of Telling The Truth and touch upon the infant George Washington - no doubt you know the tale. I emphasise that there is nothing wrong with chopping down trees - Mr Gladstone would often do so when he came to the Hall. ...
Here's the new film from the Liberal Democrats: Also on YouTube.
...negotiating a potential coalition, here's how the readers of 'A View from Ham Common' rank the import of the various cabinet posts that may be on offer. To recap - every voter had 5 votes to distribute to the 5 posts they would most like us to have. PM was not an option. I counted the Treasury as one option (Chancellor) even though it's two roles. The results (in descending order ) were Environment (44%) International Development (41%) DPM/ Constitutional affairs (35%) Scotland (35%) Communities (32%) Wales (32%) Education (29%) Energy (29%) Business (26%) N.Ireland (26) DCMS (26%) Home Sec ...
As part of a series of posts marking the 50th anniversary of Wilson's 'white heat' speech, David McLoughlin looks beyond the legend to explain the origins of the Labour leader's speech A legend has grown up about when and how Harold Wilson's "white heat" speech was written. Wilson wasn't a great "off the cuff" speaker. His best speeches were ones he spent time polishing, although he was happy to let Richard Crossman think that a speech of similar length to white heat took just two and a half hours to write. Wilson himself told Alastair Hetherington, the then Guardian political ...
[IMG: photo by bob franklin] (Or would he? Discuss) For my own record, I have made a note below of all the meetings/debates I attended and discussions I had at conference. The highlight from all of these was the lady from Hunterston B Nuclear power station, on the EDF stand, explaining to me, with the use of moving models, how nuclear power is produced. It really is quite daft that I have never got myself educated on this subject before. The lady was perfectly charming and very patient. The whole thing was fascinating. Einstein would have been proud of me. ...
Surfin' is the only life, the only way for me, now surf, surf, with me The Pendletones weren't a real band. They'd never even played a gig together before their first recording session. Hite and Dorinda Morgan knew the young men who auditioned for them in August 1961. Alan Jardine had seen them several times [...]
Just finished watching a Channel 4 retrospective of the Tube - a programme that annoyed the establishment on Friday teatimes between 1982 and 1987. So here by way of celebration are Killing Joke with Love Like Blood...
If you think American mass shootings are happening more regularly, it's because they are. I never commented on the terrible events that took place on Tuesday, when a man walked into a Washington naval base and shot dead 13 people. I can't have been the only one thinking that these awful incidents are happening more [...]
