You might be wondering why making people uncomfortable should be something to aspire to. But as this incisive comic from Adam4D explains upsetting people was a big part of what Jesus did: This notion is problematic for liberal christians. Many of us profess it. For example, Giles Fraser, the progressive priest par excellence: [t]he background [...]
This blog post from earlier this year, "Argonauts of the incredibly specific: Anthropological field notes on the Liberal Democrat animal" is superb, and the author should be given a column in Ad Lib immediately. They also state: "If you are reading a blog for peer-reviewed, citable, academia then you should seek help. Stick around though, I quote Napoleon later." So I'm not doing that, but I do think this blog is excellent, because of acute observations like this "If you want to be an MP it helps to be rich, charismatic, likeable, hard-working, lucky, good with the media, have a ...
[IMG: Fullback polite notice] The Faltering Fullback pub on the corner of Perth Road and Ennis Road is a hidden treasure, and much-loved by its many regular and occasional patrons (including myself). However, this summer we have received a growing number of complaints from local residents about noise from people drinking outside the pub on the street late in the evening. Clearly its not acceptable for neighbours to be kept awake by the noise – particularly as the pub is in a very residential area and usually open until 1am. My colleague Cllr Katherine Reece is keen to find a ...
From the EMI Classics site: 2013 marks the 100th birthday of Benjamin Britten and Warner Classics pays tribute to this key figure of 20th century music with the release of a brand new recording of his War Requiem, with a stellar line up of soloists - Anna Netrebko, Ian Bostridge and Thomas Hampson. Considered to be Britten's crowning choral work, and for some possibly the pinnacle of his entire output, it was commissioned for the festival marking the consecration of the new cathedral at Coventry.
Mon 14th
21:07
Cambridgeshire County Council Briefing Note: The Impact Of Local Government Funding Cuts (Published ...
IntroductionThis briefing note is intended to provide some background information on the depth of the financial challenges facing Cambridgeshire County Council. It is not intended to create alarm but simply to provide some greater understanding of the scale of the financial challenge. It is therefore hoped that it will provide some context for the difficult decisions that lie ahead. We recognise that we have a duty to provide efficient and cost effective services and we believe that we have a demonstrable track record that can more than adequately demonstrate that this is the case. We are not complacent and we ...
The Independent wins our Headline of the Day Award. Thanks to Mark Pack on Twitter. He points out that there is a serious story behind the funny headline: that is often the case.
So a little bit of exciting* news to start the week; this blog passed the 100,000 page views mark sometime on Sunday! As you might have noticed I'm currently tidying up the blog and removing some of the less well-used keywords as well as adding in some more local information on Bar Hill. Hopefully this will make it a lot more relevant and interesting - not to mention easier to find things - over the coming few years. If you have any suggestions regarding things you'd like to see leave a comment and I'll see what I can do. The ...
Good news from the Rutland & Stamford Mercury: A man accused of stalking and harrassing the chief executive of Rutland County Council and an Oakham town councillor has been found not guilty today (Monday). District judge John Temperley found Martin Brookes, 47, of the Willow Crescent, Oakham, not guilty on all four charges at Leicester Magistrates Court. Mr Brookes, a former Oakham town councillor, had denied the charges, which related to county council chief executive Helen Briggs and Oakham town councillor Charles Howarth.Following this case from over the Leicestershire border, it has always seemed to me that Martin Brookes has ...
Councillor Webb speaks with the voice of all members of both sister parties, certainly that of the NI Lib Dems' Chair, whose family memories of St. Mary's, Star of the Sea extend back through the whole of its existence. There ... Continue reading →
Very pleased to see this Jewish News article by Lib Dem Deputy Leader Simon Hughes about his recent visit to Israel/Palestine with Liberal Democrat Friends of Israel (also well-covered in the Jewish Chronicle: http://www.thejc.com/node/112280) - definitely worth a look if you're interested in what leading British Lib Dems have to say about the situation.
The Lib Dems have hit out at the recent changes to the new recycling regime following the announcement from the district council that residents who are unable to use the new system can phone the council for a collection. Cllr Geoff Churchard said: 'This only goes to show how muddled the council has got over recycling. Lib Dem councillors have received dozens of complaints because it is simply physically impossible to put large cardboard containers into their paper recycling boxes. 'To publish a phone number simply isn't the answer. Making phone calls is time consuming to both residents and council ...
As blogged about by Zoe and Caron the latest wheeze to come out of the Cornerstone wing of the Tory party is for the rozzers to be able to put all sorts of restrictions on a person if they are found giving a child anything that relates to sexual activity or contains a reference to such activity. I thought I might come up with a list of examples of perfectly innocent things which a child of my daughter's age (10) might reasonably be given which relates to or contains reference to sexual activity.Pretty much any chart single - even stuff ...
MP Julian Huppert has called on Education Secretary, Michael Gove to stop the unfair treatment of Cambridge's sixth form colleges through the VAT system. Unlike schools and the new academies with sixth forms, Long Road and Hill's Road Sixth Form colleges are unable to claim back VAT on goods and services leaving them out of pocket by hundreds of thousands of pounds a year. Julian has joined other MPs with sixth form colleges in their constituencies to send a joint letter to Mr Gove asking him to change the rules. "It is completely unfair to treat Cambridge's sixth form colleges ...
I know that some of beloved readers will think I am straying far from my role as a councillor when I have the temerity to do a blog about nuclear bombs and the Trident replacement programme. But there are a ... Continue reading →
After appearing at the recent Conservative conference, an email in the name of Karren Brady has just sent out to party supporters. In the email Brady gives a glowing endorsement of the National Insurance cut. Except she doesn't say 'sign up to this Conservative campaign', she says sign up to 'our' campaign'. It's a very [...]
If science wants to deal with its diversity issues, it need to think beyond gender and be willing to change In June last year, the European Commission released a teaser video for a new campaign to recruit young women to science: "Science: It's a Girl Thing!" It was met with a loud and global WTAF. If you somehow missed the resulting outrage, watch it now and have a mini one all of your own. Even if you remember it, treat yourself to a re-watch. There is something almost beautiful about how bad it is. Concerned that stereotypical images of science ...
Do you know an inspirational councillor who has gone above and beyond expectations to serve their community? The LGiU and CCLA are delighted to announce that the 2014 Annual Cllr Achievement Awards are now open for nominations. Back for a fifth year, the Cllr Awards are the only national awards ceremony to celebrate the outstanding work of councillors from across the political spectrum. Councillors play a vital role in championing the interests of their communities, but all too often their contributions can be overlooked and undervalued. The C'llr Awards provides a brilliant opportunity to highlight the dedication and commitment of ...
In Government, Liberal Democrats have: Given a £700 tax cut to more than 20m working people and lifted 2.7m of the poorest workers out of paying Income Tax altogetherHelped businesses create more than a million jobsCreated a record 1.2m apprenticeshipsGiven extra money for the children who need it the most through the £2.5bn Pupil PremiumGiven generous rises in the state pension through our 'triple lock' - the biggest ever cash rise last year, now worth an extra £650 since LabourGiven the poorest two-year-olds and all three-and-four year-olds 15 hours of free childcare per weekPassed a Bill introducing equal marriage for ...
Today the UK Government unveils its National Insurance Contributions Bill which will give a £2000 a year tax cut to around 70,000 Scottish businesses and will take 35,000 out of paying Employers' NICs altogether. This picture from the Treasury explains all about it: New Secretary of State for Scotland Alistair Carmichael welcomed the move, saying: Small businesses are the engine room of our communities and the economy in Scotland. For them, a £2,000 per year tax cut will be a welcome boost, I hope. It will in fact cut the need for some 35,000 Scottish businesses to pay national insurance ...
A campaign to stop children from being locked up overnight in police cells is being backed by Cambridge MP Julian Huppert as figures reveal six boys and girls are detained every week in the county. Julian is supporting the campaign by the Howard League for Penal Reform which discovered that during 2011 291 children aged 17 and under, and some as young as 10, were held in police stations by Cambridgeshire Police. The charity's research also found that there were 40,716 children detained across England and Wales - an average of 112 detentions a night. But there are fears that ...
Mon 14th
15:50
Danny Alexander MP writes... This is the Liberal Democrats' policy and everybody knows it
The Conservatives may claim to be the party of hardworking people. But the same cannot be said for their policy wonks. According to today's Financial Times, the Conservatives are apparently considering a proposal for their manifesto to increase the personal allowance to £12,500. An almost identical idea to our own policy of raising the personal allowance to the minimum wage that we first passed in our spring conference of 2012 and reaffirmed just one month ago at our Autumn conference in Glasgow. Once again, it is the Liberal Democrats who are shaping the future of the British tax system. In ...
With intense political scrutiny on energy bills, it suits energy companies and certain politicians, to place the blame on green energy. It is, therefore, important that we all keep telling people the facts. Green measures are responsible for £112 of the average £1287 family dual fuel bill. Of this, £37 is down to renewable subsidy (£30 ROCs and £7 FiT) - less than three percent of the average bill. £47 pounds goes to ECO and other energy saving measures that reduce bills for those in fuel poverty. You will find some useful Guardian infographics here http://goo.gl/J5Gimx. Fossil fuels are costing ...
A very funny look at the political week from the Specator's Isabel Hardman. Isabel teamed up with netball buddies for this lovely look back at the reshuffle, Adam Afriyie, and the PMQs energy spat. As ever, here analysis is well worth a read or a watch. Not every political journalist was surprised at Jeremy Browne [...]
[IMG: Lynne Featherstone MP outside Hornsey Depot] The depot site on Hornsey High Street (N8 7QB) has been unoccupied and derelict since 1998 - as the Labour Council continually failed to strike a deal with a developer. A planning application has now finally been submitted for the site – and there's still time to make your views heard. In the application, the developers say they will demolish the existing structures to make way for a supermarket, car park, over 400 flats and a gym. Before the application was submitted, the local Lib Dems made representations to the developers and secured ...
[IMG: Stan Hardy] Stan Hardy, who died last Thursday aged 93, was the party activist's activist. He devoted more than 65 years to Dulwich Liberal & Radical Association and its later manifestations, to the borough of Southwark, and to the party as a whole. Although he never sought public office, Stan's influence was high among Liberals of all classes and ages. He was also a doughty champion and campaigner for many causes, especially for the NHS and against Labour-run Southwark council. Stan and his wife Maud, who he married in 1948, belonged to that dedicated group who kept the party ...
My top priority as a local MP is to help create local jobs. So there is some great news for Greater Manchester today with the announcement of 16,000 plus jobs [...]
The Independent on Sunday has published its annual Pink List – its account of the movers and shakers in the LGBT world. As ever, I was on the look out for the ladies....Rather pleasingly, at the top of the list this is year is Paris Lees. The campaigning journalist has had a tangible impact on [...]
60 residents came to our public meeting last week at Sunniside Social Club about the proposals by Banks to build 255 houses to the south of Sunniside. The meeting was held because Banks, whose building proposals were dropped from the draft Gateshead local plan at the second round of consultation last year, have themselves sent a leaflet to everyone in the village raising the prospect of a by-pass
The Times reports today that the UK Government are considering a change to the ban on hunting with hounds. They say that the change backed by farmers and some MPs, would allow the use of a full pack of hounds to flush out foxes from their dens. Farmers are currently limited to the use of two hounds. Although DEFRA say that no change to the law is imminent, it is possible that Ministers may be seduced into agreeing to this idea as a way of appeasing the agricultural lobby. We have already seen how badly such appeasement can turn out ...
Over the next two days, the Commons will complete its debates on the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Bill. Liberty have already expressed concern about some of the measures within it:The Anti-social Behaviour Crime and Policing Bill proposes to replace existing orders (such as ASBOs) with a new generation of injunctions which are easier to obtain, harder to comply with and have harsher penalties. The Bill would also introduce unfair double punishment for the vulnerable, as social tenants and their families will face mandatory eviction for breaching a term of an injunction. Other measures in the Bill include some restrictions ...
Parents, childcare providers, and employers should sign up for the Family and Childcare Trust Parents' Week which will take place nationwide from the 21st to the 27th October. The theme for this year's Parents' Week is 'Make One Change'. As the name suggests, it is about making just one change to improve the quality of family life. It is clear that good parenting is vital for the present and future health of our local communities, and of society as a whole; let alone for children themselves. However, such is the pace at which people live their lives these days that ...
Here's today's hand-picked selection that caught my interest... Benefit tourism: the Commission gives us some facts | National Institute of Economic and Social Research Love this line: "They duly found an MP – Douglas Carswell – sufficiently gullible to take these figs at face value" http://bit.ly/1hQBnM9 Benefit tourism: the Commission gives us some facts | National Institute of Economic and Social Research Demolition by @jdportes of T'graph's slapdash "benefit tourism" article, 60k – not 600k! – EU nationals are on JSA http://bit.ly/1hQBdod Conferences? What conferences? ...except Ed Miliband's polling "bounce has lifted his position from catastrophic to lousy" http://bit.ly/19GbJJ5 Conferences? ...
LibDemVoice's surveys of party members signed-up to our discussion forum have been running for close to four years now. (I posted yesterday the final set of figures from our most recent poll.) Our surveys are a way of testing members' views on a variety of hot topics. And as they've been running throughout the first three-and-a-half years of the Coalition they're also an interesting record of changing views on how the Coalition is regarded within the party. If you would like to take part in the LibDemVoice surveys, there are simply two steps you need to follow: 1) Be a ...
New from the Deputy Prime Minister's office: You can also watch this on YouTube.
A message from Inspector Andy Wignall, Allerton Police Station Dear All, Adopt a Street Project Every year during the bonfire period from 15th October - 7th November many lives across Liverpool are disrupted through anti-social behaviour (ASB). This ASB can ... Continue reading →
Mon 14th
12:54
Unite accused by taxman of dodging tax with "grossly unfair and unreasonable" calculations
The Times [£] reports: [IMG: Unite logo] The Times has learnt that Unite has been presented with a bill for £2.3 million by Revenue & Customs. HMRC ruled that Unite had been calculating its VAT in a "grossly unfair and unreasonable" way. The union has condemned multinational companies for not paying their fair share of tax. Len McCluskey, its general secretary, even accused one company of "daylight robbery".
Over the next two days, the Commons will complete its debates on the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Bill. Liberty have already expressed concern about some of the measures within it: The Anti-social Behaviour Crime and Policing Bill proposes to replace existing orders (such as ASBOs) with a new generation of injunctions which are easier to obtain, harder to comply with and have harsher penalties. The Bill would also introduce unfair double punishment for the vulnerable, as social tenants and their families will face mandatory eviction for breaching a term of an injunction. Other measures in the Bill include some ...
Mon 14th
12:00BHA: Cause For Concern: Two State Schools Challenge Government Policy On Teaching Evolution
We were alarmed last week by two instances of state-funded schools challenging Government policy that evolution must be taught as valid scientific theory. In the first case, the Yesodey Hatorah Senior Girls School, a Charedi Jewish secondary school in Hackney,was found by the Oxford, Cambridge and RSA (OCR) exam board to have blacked out questions about evolution on pupils' Science exams, depriving them of possible marks. In another, the Al-Madinah School in Derby, which is a Muslim Free School, advertised to parents in its prospectus that it would censor out or omit entirely 'Sensitive, inaccurate and potentially blasphemous material', and ...
The issues here are complex and I will try to explain them accurately (using the figures for 2013-14), but it is always worthwhile checking things out as to precise details. There has been considerable debate about the change in policy so that tenants in Social Housing have to pay for any spare rooms in the same way that tenants in Private Rented properties have to pay the extra rent for a spare
'Bike Revolution' a series of free events, organised by Cambridgeshire County Council is taking place in 6th form colleges in Cambridge and Huntingdon to promote safer cycling. Students will also be able to take their bikes along for a free Dr Bike maintenance check and to get a set of discounted bike lights fitted. Other fun activities include pedalling your way to a fruit smoothie and competitions and challenges on bicycle related issues that aim to educate as well as entertain. There will also be the chance to find out more about the 2014 Tour de France stage starting in ...
Our local trains serve thousands of residents every day - including me! It's great when they run smoothly, but all too often our current trains into Moorgate are overcrowded, delayed or even cancelled. Last year, the Haringey Lib Dems and I welcomed the coalition government's announcement of a massive £6billion investment in rail services in and around London - which will mean new, longer trains and more services at peak times. It's part of the largest investment since Victorian times - which is great news. But, at stations like Hornsey and Harringay, platforms are too short for longer trains to ...
"We're sick and tired of your voice in this country," Stanley Holloway tells the bureau-crat speaking from the loudspeaker in the Ealing comedy Passport to Pimlico, released in 1948 in the midst of a Labour government dedicated to the 'spirit of '45'. Holloway plays a salt-of-the-earth type whose ambition is to build a playground on the local bomb site. You might have dismissed such an insult from any other character in the film, but it carries weight because it comes from him. Those who currently wrap themselves in the Spirit of '45 forget how quickly and how resoundingly the public ...
We all know that Secretary of State for Scotland Alistair Carmichael likes a social drink or two, although as he says himself "please do not take this to mean that I have any sort of addiction issue." So many of his friends were surprised when he decided to take part in Macmillan Cancer Relief's Go Sober for October fundraising campaign. The ante was considerably upped during the first week when his old friend, ace campaigner and party legend Sheila Ritchie, decided on a Twitter whim to take part as well and challenged Alistair to a competition to see which of ...
I hadn't realised that when Labour called welfare cuts evil, they meant evil for not being big enough http://t.co/wOaMT81FiU (tags: (from twitter) ) posted The Blood is The Life 13-10-2013 http://t.co/FvXphloNfY on #dreamwidth (tags: (from twitter) dreamwidth ) http://feedly.com/k/155SVy4 "The Internet Of Things Might Try To Kill You" http://t.co/wgJmzcCuGG. Interesting and slightly apocalyptic piece. (tags: (from twitter) ) Research Finds Outright Grants of Cash Are Surprisingly Effective Form of Aid to the Poor http://t.co/x3IbnDINBv (tags: (from twitter) ) Put that in your pipe, Mrs May..#LibDems call for legalisation of #cannabis, club drugs: http://t.co/nRLnfXAEuB (tags: (from twitter) ...
Many Liberal Democrats send Christmas Cards to every house in their ward several wards or the whole constituency. These are a good opportunity to remind people that you are there all year round, without a heavy political message. People usually add these cards to the rest they receive and so unlike Focus leaflets they tend [...]
Get on your scooter and get "ScootSmart" is the message to all young children from Cambridgeshire County Council's Road Safety Team. Launching a new scooter training scheme for primary aged children ScootSmart is aimed at increasing the children's skills and confidence while scooting. The training promotes safety awareness and a more healthy way of getting to and from school. With increased numbers of children scooting to and from school, Schools across the County have been contacting the Road Safety Team for safety advice. Current health advice recommends that children should take 60 minutes of activity on top of their school ...
Mon 14th
08:55Opinion: We've reached the "Ain't you got any homes to go to?" stage at the Last Chance Saloon
[IMG: Last Chance Saloon] The Newspaper Society is kicking up an almighty fuss about the proposed press Royal Charter. Historically, their biggest campaign has been to avoid tax on newspapers. So let's not kid ourselves. This is the most self-serving grouping (which is fair enough). We are told that the Royal Charter has been dreamed up by politicians to impose a state press regulator. Roll on the 30th October, when hopefully this sort of ridiculous hyperbole will diminish as the Mexican stand-off ends. Actually, elected legislators pass the laws in this country. It seems newspapers have to be reminded. It's ...
The DCLG have opened a consultation on the allocation of social housing that involves adding a preference for applicants with a demonstrable connection to the local area. You can find the consultation here, the DCLG summary press release here, and initial coverage from Inside Housing here. The consultation is open until 22nd November and we [...]
Earlier this year, I advised that I was pleased to have been informed that the pavements of Ancrum Place were to be brought up to good standard and adopted by the City Council this financial year. I am pleased that this work has now been carried out - see right - and residents have told me how pleased they are with the finished result. Back in 2007, I insisted that the City Council increase its funding on unadopted pavements two and a half fold to £500 000 a year. This was agreed and is making a real difference to poorly ...
The government's new Immigration Bill is all about UKIP. Westminster parties, led by the Tories, tremble at the thought of Nigel Farage and hope to peel away a few grubby votes by appealing to the [...]
The Liberal Democrats have worked hard in the Coalition to create a Bill which tackles the problems of our immigration system, but does not unfairly discriminate against legitimate migrants. We believe the Bill is tough on illegal immigration but protects an individual's fundamental rights. The Liberal Democrats are concerned about the historic mismanagement of the immigration system, and the successive failures of Labour governments to control legal and illegal migration. This Bill goes some way to addressing these failures but the Liberal Democrats want to see further action - our border systems need to be improved as a priority. The ...
Cory Booker, the Democrat Mayor of Newark, NJ, has 'slumped' to a 13 point lead in the race to take the vacant New Jersey Senate seat, say Fox News. According to a Fox report: The race between front-running Democratic candidate Cory Booker, the Newark mayor, and Republican Steve Lonegan has narrowed ahead of Wednesday's voting, [...]
