Flag of the People's Republic of China (PRC) The following is a short article I wrote a couple of years ago after a research trip to the Chinese Foreign Ministry Archives in Beijing. It is based on original research. For those who may be interested I can provide the original source document archive references. Attribution requested. The Starry Plough On 16th September 1964
Complete with 1960tastic music. You may also enjoy an earlier video of trolleybuses (trolleybi?) in East London.
Nick Clegg was in Cambridge today promoting the Lib Dem's extension of free childcare to 2-year-olds. The scheme that started in September. Nick said this will make a "huge difference" to families struggling with the cost of living. It will ensure that 130,000 2-year-olds from the poorest backgrounds will be given 15 hours of free childcare at nurseries like Sunflower. Sunflower welcomed Nick, and have said that "additional funding for childcare will undoubtedly help parents to work and train". They also took the opportunity to raise with Nick how the scheme could be improved for those wishing to work full-time. ...
'Be Safer... Be Slower... Be Vigilant' is the message being reiterated to the public after the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) announced its members plan to take further industrial action. The FBU has set two dates on which its members are to strike; Friday, November 1, from 6.30pm until 11pm, and Monday, November 4, from 6am until 8am. Residents across the county should be reassured that Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service has back up plans in place to ensure it can still answer 999 calls. These plans will not match the Service's normal day-to-day cover, but will be enough to ensure ...
You Choose Website Residents are being put in the budget setting driving seat by Cambridgeshire County Council. 'You Choose' is a county-wide survey, recently launched to ask residents to put themselves in the seat of councillors in making decisions where to invest and save money. Cambridgeshire County Council is expected to make further savings over the next year of around £39 million. This is following savings of £42 million last year, and a further £32 million this current financial year. These savings have to be made whilst supporting and investing in services such as adult social care, protecting children, boosting ...
A groundbreaking Community Rail Partnership has been signed at Meldreth Station to help protect and enhance local rail services in the area. The Meldreth, Shepreth and Foxton Rail User Group, which last year won three national awards, has been working closely with First Capital Connect to draw up the partnership. This is the first community rail partnership for South Cambridgeshire and the first for First Capital Connect. Network Rail, Cambridgeshire County Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council are joining the partnership, which has further support from local parish councils, local schools and businesses. The aim of the partnership is to ...
The Great War - Between the Lines project needs residents' help to commemorate the role Cambridgeshire people played in the Great War. Remembrance Day this year brings with it special poignancy as it marks the start of the period of commemoration leading up to the Centenary of the outbreak of the Great War in August 2014. On Monday, November 11, 2013, Cambridgeshire County Council's 'Great War - Between the Lines' project will be announcing more details about its programme of activities for 2014. On the day the Council will also be running a 'bring your stories' event at Cambridgeshire Archives ...
A smoker was found guilty of littering at Cambridge Magistrates Court on 17 October 2013, for discarding a cigarette butt in Mill Road. Ms Kayleigh Richardson of St Ives was proven guilty in her absence and fined £100 plus £200 costs and a £15 victim surcharge after she was witnessed dropping her cigarette butt in the street by one of the City Council's Litter Enforcement Officers. Bob Carter, the Senior Manager for Streets and Open Spaces for Cambridge City Council, said: "Cigarette related litter is a significant nuisance, along with other litter, which spoils our beautiful city and costs hundreds ...
Russell Brand is a comedian who appeals to the young. I don't like him, but that's fine. I've reached the age when I am not meant to like that sort of performer. The trouble is, he won't leave me alone. Compare him with another of "those Russell comedians they have nowadays" (as Stewart Lee put it), Russell Howard. I don't like him either. I have complained about him on this blog. But these days I don't watch the programmes he is on, so we get on just fine. But Russell Brand turned up writing on football for the Guardian. He ...
Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles today (25 October 2013) announced that a new law will be put before Parliament to give the press and public new rights to film and report council meetings. The legal changes to be sent to Parliament by Mr Pickles will enshrine in the law the right of residents, bloggers and journalists to report, blog, tweet and film council meetings in England. The new laws will be part of the Local Audit and Accountability Bill, which is set to be debated by MPs in the House of Commons on Monday, having completed its Lords stages. The ...
Back in March of this year, I attended the launch meeting of 'DUSTIE' - an initiative by the Enterprise Gym at the University of Dundee - aimed at providing university students with paid, supervised work experience that will benefit both the student and the local community. Now branded as DRIVE, the initiative has two arms -DRIVEPRO, the for-profit unit - and DRIVEECO, the not for profit unit. I had a very useful meeting earlier today with Bogdan Handrea, Acting Project Manager, to speak about a DRIVEECO initiative - a garden sharing scheme for the West End. As Bogdan advises, "Mainly, ...
Fri 25th
19:55
Alistair Carmichael MP writes...how the Lib Dems in government worked together for Grangemouth
Three weeks ago when I was appointed as Secretary of State for Scotland many journalists and commentators (and even a few posters on Lib Dem Voice!) forecast a period of strife ahead as the "bruiser" from the Whips' Office took over at Dover House. I am not expecting anyone to say they were wrong but I hope that maybe some of them are feeling just a little sheepish this weekend. The threat to the future of the petro-chemical plant at Grangemouth was one of the most serious to face Scotland for several years. It also produced a degree of political ...
The Independent wins our Headline of the Day Award.
Southwark Council has 40 children that need to be adopted – could you become a parent? The two main critieria is a desire to create a loving home and you're a UK resident. The process can take as little as 6 months. Interested? Call 0800 952 0707 or email adoption@southwark.gov.uk
...and I expect he's dropped you one too. But in case not - he'd like everyone to pile in with their thoughts on the manifesto. Which sounds like an excellent plan. If you don't submit - you can't say you weren't asked... So here's the letter and the links you need. Lets get submitting! Dear Richard, As you know, as a Liberal Democrat member you play a key rolein deciding our policy. We're unique, no other party does this, and I want to make surethat every member has the chance to make their voice heard aswe develop our 2015 manifesto. ...
Fri 25th
18:21George Lyon MEP writes... not a single Liberal Democrat voted for extra spending from Brussels
Earlier this year, Nick Clegg said that when we are having to tighten our belts at home it would be wrong for the EU to press ahead with big spending increases. He was right then and he is right now. This is why Liberal Democrats in Brussels backed moves to cut the EU budget by 8bn Euros. Despite this fact, this week our friends at the Daily Mail reported that Lib Dem MEPs voted for an increase in the EU budget. The truth is that not a single Liberal Democrat voted for more spending from Brussels. Liberal Democrats are committed ...
Earlier today, along with Daniel Coleman MSYP, Chair of Dundee Youth Council, I held a surgery for University of Dundee students that took place at Dundee University Students' Association. This was part of a series of surgeries at DUSA with local elected representatives. Here's me and Daniel at DUSA today - see below:
Good news that the Newquay to London air link has been judged by the government to be eligible for public service obligation funding. This means that it can be subsidised by the government because it is an important link which might not be commercially viable without support. Earlier this year, the current operator of the route, FlyBe, announced that they would be ceasing the service from March next year. They said that it was not commercially viable. This put at risk Cornwall's air links with the capital. Businesses in Cornwall believe that having an air route to London is important ...
We've had the following email from Lib Dem HQ, launching the 2015 manifesto consultation: This is just to let you know that we will be sending out a pack to local parties next week detailing ways they can get involved in the manifesto consultation process, in particular encouraging them to hold local 'pizza and politics' [...]
Creating jobs was the central theme of London Liberal Democrats' autumn conference held in Camden last night, with inputs from the borough council, national and European levels. Both Sutton MPs, Tom Brake and Paul Burstow, were on hand to champion the work they and their colleagues are doing in the Party's flagship London borough, with [...]
The Conservatives on their own cannot build a fairer society. In Government we have blocked Tory plans to: Allow bosses to fire staff at willRegional pay penalising public sector workers in the northLet schools be run for profitTory backbenchers have shown their true colours in recent months, not least when a group of them released their Alternative Queen's Speech, which included plans to:Bring back the death penaltyBan the burkaPrivatise the BBCIntroduce an annual 'Margaret Thatcher Day' On Conservative attempts to take credit for raising the Income Tax threshold: Cameron to Nick in the first leaders' debate: "I'd love to take ...
My friend and political comrade Robin McGhee has written an article for Prospect on George Orwell. What particuarly struck me was this passage about the significance of Englishness to Orwell: Orwell's England represents the culmination of his romantic notions of human decency, equality and the right to live an apolitical life away from dictatorial oppression [...]
What we know (and was reported by PA) is that at a hearing which started at 9.30am in Court 35 in the RCJ Theis J committed a woman to jail. On 2nd August Sir James Munby the President of the Family Division sent out a circular which clarified the practice directions of May and June. The circular is Here in a PDF form, but this is what it said. From: President of FD Sent: 02 August 2013 11:02
We've had some excellent news on the economic front, with the initial figures showing growth of 0.8% for the third quarter. Lib Dem HQ have created a number of materials to help local campaign teams spread the news that the recovery is gathering pace. In addition, we have some suggested tweets, which Lib Dems across [...]
Everybody knows the Conservatives are getting cold feet on the environment and have failed to put any properly worked up policies in front of us. The way to provide stable fuel bills now and in the future is not to make policy on the hoof. Liberal Democrats in Government will not allow our commitment to the environment to be undermined; hurt the fuel poor; or destroy our renewable energy industry. Nick Clegg has always said that we should stress test every policy to make sure that there isn't a penny more on bills than necessary. Of course, we will look ...
All of us who are taking medicine which ensures that we can live with HIV know what it is like to have to take at least one pill a day - every day. I am fortunate that Eviplera® has been working for me for over a year, but there are many others who are still...
The Lib Dems gained one seat at yesterday's county, district and unitary byelections. Congratulations to Eric Seward who held North Walsham East for the Lib Dems with a decent 5.8% rise in votes. [IMG: North Walsham result] The Conservatives held: Havant: Waterloo - David Crichton increased the Lib Dem vote by 12.4% West Sussex: Warnham and Rusper - Lib Dems down 7.9% Teignbridge: Bovey - Lib Dems up 1%. Labour gained: Charnwood: Shepshed West from the Conservatives with a 9.4% swing, the Lib Dems losing 7.4%. Labour also held: Charnwood: Loughborough Hastings - Lib Dems up 2.9% Wigan: Winstanley - ...
Why, in a liberal and democratic party that "seeks to balance the fundamental values of liberty, equality and community", do we allow two groups to flourish in the party, when they should share a common aim? I refer of course the Liberal Democrat Friends of Palestine and Liberal Democrat Friends of Israel. Let me be clear and open. I have Israeli nationality and look back fondly on the ten years of my life spent living in Israel. That doesn't mean I am uncritical of the Israeli governments, past and present, and of many of the actions and policies they have ...
"I would no more trust such MPs with my liberties than send them out to buy a pizza," said Simon Jenkins on the front page of the Guardian this morning. He was comparing the political action, from both Democrats and Republicans in the USA, to control the business of total surveillance and the abject way that MPs over here stay silent in the face of their own failures to oversee the same process here. The recent revelations that the USA has been bugging Angela Merkel ramps up the pressure. It is a serious question - not that nations haven't always ...
After only a couple of weeks with women offenders under his remit, Liberal Democrat Lord and Minister in the Ministry of Justice, Tom McNally has this morning announced what may be a step-change in the way Britain handles the women's estate. Six years after the Corston review, which bemoaned the lack of a tailored and differentiated approach to dealing with female offenders, we are finally seeing her recommendations being implemented. Corston called for an approach that recognised and reacted to the needs of women in the prison estate. Following on from this our Conference called for a radical change in ...
Fri 25th
14:00
Dear Daily Mail, if a man is left in charge of his own child, he is parenting, not babysitting
One of my most re-tweeted comments ever. Must have struck a nerve. Or maybe Mitch Benn retweeting it helped: Daily Fail say Kate left William to babysit. Why is there this idea that men looking after their own child is babysitting? — Caron Lindsay (@caronmlindsay) October 25, 2013 The Daily Fail has form on promoting the idea that men can just pass on responsibility for looking after their children. In July 2011, Quentin Letts wrote an article entitled: Hen-pecked Cleggy should tell his wife that running the country matters more than the school run And, no, I'm not going to ...
Just last week, along with Chorlton Park Councillor Norman Lewis, I had the pleasure of meeting some of the new apprentices at Southway Housing Trust. The trust is one [...]
Here's today's hand-picked selection that caught my interest... Liberal Democrats Manifesto Consultation Website LDs' Manifesto2015 is live: "designed to stimulate discussion about what proposals should be in our next Manifesto" http://bit.ly/1hfezrX CentreForum Blog | The liberal think tank My 52nd @CentreForum Liberal Heroes are @MatthewCBurton & @MusharafAsghar stars of last night's #educatingyorkshire > http://bit.ly/1hf7Q1n The Liberal Conspiracy is coming to an end (in its current form) | Liberal Conspiracy So. Farewell Then, Liberal Conspiracy. Never very liberal. Neither was Keith's mum. That was the conspiracy. http://bit.ly/1ihQ8YG Facebook video policy attempts to 'draw the line' on free speech – Index on ...
What's so special about Sarajevo's cafes? The same thing that's special about Sarajevo itself: it's impressive fusion of different cultures. This is the city where it is said you can walk from Istanbul to Vienna in a few minutes. This is because you have the Ottoman old town...... .....adjacent to these are much more Central [...]
This winter the government, emergency services and health workers will be on high alert as fuel prices rise inexorably upwards against diminishing household budgets. The last few weeks has seen a slew of price hikes by major power companies just in time for the winter months, which will force more and more households into a choice of food on the table or heating and hot water. Winter deaths are becoming an uncomfortable statistic, while there are always years where there are spikes in mortality rates due to flu/virus outbreaks such last year, the general trend is still high in what ...
In Today's Medway Messenger local MP Tracey Crouch has written her column on the dangers of Legal Highs and their availability. Sometimes we talk about things in Westminster from a theoretical high level basis which we think might be right but until something happens in your backyard or you meet someone affected the relevance of the chit chat becomes real. This has happened on two occasions recently with the issue of legal highs. One was informative, the other tragic. I have spoken in Parliament several times on the dangers of legal highs. Very early on in my time in the ...
We've had notice from Longley Lane Recycling Facility that there may be some odours next week and the week after due to routine maintenance. As part of our on-going commitment to keep you informed on site operations, we will be undertaking routine maintenance of part of the odour control system. The works are planned from Monday 28th October to Friday 8th November. The system will remain operational throughout; however will have some reduced capacity. We are conducting our regular on and off site inspections to ensure that we minimise any potential effect off site.
St Albans is descending into darkness as the new highways contract – already a year old – shows further signs of buckling. Local Lib Dem county councillor Chris White said: 'There are now two streets in my division which have been in darkness for several weeks – namely York Road and Althorp Road. 'Residents just get excuses – as do councillors – while county sets a target for repairs which is so lax as to be hardly a target at all. 'As one resident said to me yesterday: "This has got beyond a joke".'
New outdoor gym equipment has arrived at Carr Lane Rec. Some little while ago the old play equipment had to be removed as it had become dangerous. When I went to look at the four pieces of apparatus this evening I was delighted to see a family from Ranleigh Drive using it. The Mum was most impressed and her daughter energetically tried out a particularly demanding exercise routine. An independent evaluation by Liverpool John Moores University is now completed. In summary the results are positive and suggest that "providing outdoor gym equipment is a promising approach to increasing physical activity ...
[IMG: Affordable Homes for London] Last month house prices in London rose by 10 per cent - yes you read that correctly. Yet affordable homes, not over-inflated house prices, are what we need. For an overseas investor in London's housing market - and there are many - the price rises are wonderful news. They will be equally welcome by someone who has cleared their mortgage and is looking to sell up and move out of the capital. However, for most people who live in the capital or plan to move to the capital, such price rises are far from welcome. ...
First of all, before people to whom I owe money get annoyed, I didn't actually go to the Metropolitan Opera in New York. I saw it live in HD in a cinema in Northampton. It was relatively cheap, I had the best view and I ate pop corn. The story in Eugene Onegin is very [...]
In light of recent events, it would seem a good time for the trans* communities to try to recognise some of the work done to champion trans rights over the last few years. The rules are simple. Nominations are open for any politician elected to public office, who people feel have made a positive difference to the lives of trans people, covering the whole period of the equal marriage consultation and subsequent legislation. Initially, nominations were to be restricted to allies only as otherwise it could end up being divisive, but after discussion on twitter nominations will be allowed for ...
When considering progress, we must ask questions about whose interests are served and what alternative pathways there are. Justin Pickard
[IMG: Planning out of Poverty] Planning has become increasingly disconnected from peoples' lives because it no longer deals with many of the issues people care about. At the same time much of the political and media debate about the future of planning has become a largely sterile discussion of the merits of continued deregulation. Everyone should have a right, irrespective of earnings, to a decent home Planning has played a transformational role in improving the quality of life of all of our communities. It has a critical responsibility, along with wider public interventions, to tackle entrenched poverty. Planning has the ...
posted The Blood is The Life 24-10-2013 http://t.co/XMtMYdN1He on #dreamwidth (tags: (from twitter) dreamwidth ) Windows Updates Bedtime Story Oh if only I could have that happy ending on the work computers (tags: ) hard working families? We can do better than THAT! (tags: ) RT [prot]: bits of Mancashire not run by Labour have the happiest people. Which of those is cause and which effect? http://t.co/EZsoAey8Vc (tags: (from twitter) ) I mean LOOK at these two: http://t.co/sgjhZAjpcF (tags: (from twitter) ) The laziness of Russell Brand's "revolution" (tags: ) Oooooooo @ArrowFilmsVideo: The Stuff - £12.99 ...
[IMG: Big Ben Orange Blue 200] It is rightly said that this Bill has had a disgraceful lack of scrutiny, and I agree with that. But we are where we are. The Government are not going to withdraw it, and it is not going to stop. If we can work together as a House and the Government can work with us, we can make a much better fist of this Bill than we have at the moment. Tony Greaves writes on the Transparency of Lobbying, Third Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act, commonly known as the Lobbying Bill, drawing ...
Our friends in Oldham have recently had their October Council and we have selected three of their submitted motions to share. Mountain Rescue VAT Exemption This is a fantastic campaign, being led by Chris Davies and Tim Farron. Mountain Rescue teams have a huge amount of public support, especially in areas where they operate, and [...]
The saga of the Snowden revelations becomes more expansive as the days go by. Camp followers of the NSA, like Angela Merkel are suddenly "finding religion" on privacy issues when it is her phone that is being bugged, not just Johann Schmidt down on the Hochstrasse. As for the France, one of the countries that blocked Evo Morales plane upon instructions from their "oldest ally", they are now too moving into high dudgeon. Brace yourself for the next revelations which will probably be that leaders of some of the other Four Pillars, Cameron on down to New Zealand will have ...
The November newsletter for Gatley from our neighbourhood police, plus advice on securing your home
Following on from the independent report arguing that we need 100 Assembly Members so as to ensure adequate scrutiny of the Welsh Government and its legislation, the Welsh Tories have offered a more parsimonious approach. They want the Assembly to have fewer 'holidays' and to sit for more sessions each week. Putting aside the fact that for the most part, recess is a working break from Assembly meetings, involving numerous meetings, surgeries and other opportunities to meet constituents, I do tend to agree with the Conservatives on this. There is not enough time for the Committees and Plenary to consider ...
Originally next week was a free week in the meetings calendar of Blyth Town Council. However two meetings have been scheduled next week as "special meetings" Staff Committee, Thursday 31st October, 5pm, at Arms Evertyne House Full Council, Thursday 31st October, 6:30 pm at Arms Evertyne House Both these meetings are likely to be under "Part 2" , and therefore in "closed session" so I'll not risk it by trying to explain why the meetings have been scheduled, but suffice it to say that the ruling Labour Group will be trying to reverse some previous decisions that have caused embarrassment. ...
Recently, at the request of residents, I asked the council's Roads Maintenance Partnership to replace the very worn street sign at the entrance to Patrick Place. I am pleased to say this has now been done - see below:
Figures released today show that only 1,362 young people out of the 3,349 who joined Jobs Growth Wales have gained a job in the last six months, with the remainder either unemployed or returning to training, despite being classed as 'Job Ready' by the government. For those young people who have successfully completed this scheme and gained their first job this is clearly good news. However these figures show that only two thirds of young people complete their six month programme and of that two thirds, less than half actually get a job afterwards. This scheme was created in a ...
Your bleary eyed correspondent has returned from the Dunfermline by-election count. The result was as follows: Cara Hilton (Labour), 10,275, 42.4% Shirley Anne Somerville (SNP), 7402, 30.6% Susan Leslie (Lib Dem), 2852, 11.79% James Reekie (Conservative), 2009, 8.3% Peter Adams (UKIP), 908, 3.75% Zara Kitson (Green), 583, 2.4% John Black (Ind), 161, 0.67% We were squeezed a bit but stayed in a creditable third place. Check out the election expenses when they are filed. Labour and the SNP threw the kitchen sink and most of the units at this campaign. Our budget was, how shall we put this, significantly more ...
Anyone who knows me would tell you that I like flags. And maps. And maps with flags. And especially flags with maps (yay for Kosovo and Cyprus!) So, it will come as no surprise that I gave some thought earlier this year to the whole fleg protest, as they say back home in Norn Irn. As has been noted by Am Ghobsmacht and others, (such as @NewNIFlag)
The 2014 district council budget needs to take better note of specific public concerns about the council's services, so far largely ignored in the Conservatives' published plans. Speaking at Tuesday's cabinet meeting, Chris White, Liberal Democrat lead on Resources said: 'There is a backlog of over 100 schemes relating to on-street parking. 'Meanwhile, local residents find it very difficult to get through to or get a response from the planning department. 'And the new recycling system has caused enormous confusion and is thus encouraging people to put more waste into landfill. 'More money needs to be targeted at each of ...
Look I'm well disposed towards anyone who was in both Despicable Me films but if Russell Brand is the voice of my generation then God help us. His proud rejection of the ballot box in favour of a revolution is nonsensical. For starters, it's not clear how much knowledge his position is based on. He [...]
Drugs can have a devastating impact on individuals and families and can fuel organised crime. Evidence shows that our current drug policy is costly, ineffective and it is the poor and marginalised who suffer most. Liberal Democrats support an evidenced-based drugs policy, and at Autumn Conference in 2011 called for an independent panel to review current drug laws. We want to ensure the Coalition Government has a clear focus on prevention and reducing harm by investing in education, treatment and rehabilitation, and moving away from criminalising individuals and vulnerable drug users. Liberal Democrat Manifesto 2010: Ensure that financial resources, and ...
