A couple of weeks ago I photographed the disused platforms at Barbican station in London. This video show them being used by a locomotive-drawn commuter train from Moorgate. We stay on board it until we emerge, via the Hotel Curve, on the western side of King's Cross station. This curve was closed in 1976 along with the York Road platforms on the other side of the station, where trains, some drawn by locomotives, stopped before diving into a tunnel to reach Farringdon, Barbican and Moorgate. I have clear memories of watching them do that one winter afternoon.
Since writing my last post a few days ago about the David Miranda case, further details have come out about the contents of the 'Port Circular' that was sent to Heathrow requesting Miranda's detention while in transit on his way back to Brazil. From Saturday's Guardian: We assess that Miranda is knowingly carrying material, the release of which would endanger people's lives. Additionally the
(h/t @nickthornsby)
One of the things about being a volunteer for an opposition party in Greenwich local politics is that, for me at least, the highs and lows have to balance out in order to keep going. If you have enough gas in the tank from the good times you will be fired up to battle on in this extraordinary [...]
I'm surprised that Godfrey Bloom's attempt at un-universal suffrage on LBC Radio this morning stops at just the 5.665 million public sector workers and the 2.49 million currently out of work and seeking work. Surely with his views the more than 50% of the population who are women should also be denied the vote as should the 480,000 who actually identified as gay or lesbian in the last census and the 245,000 who identified as bisexual. No doubt the 7.5 million people born outside the UK should also be removed from the electoral role, even if they are Boris Johnson ...
All of us who are living with HIV are concerned at how the reform of the welfare system which has been initiated by HM Government at Westminster is going to affect our lives. For those of us in Northern Ireland there is a bit of a delay as the Northern Ireland Assembly has yet to...
On the eve of the new waste service here at Flaig Mansions hurried preparations are being made for tomorrows collection. Well not really, I've no wish to encourage cockroaches indoors or rats outside by leaving rotting food waste in tacky plastic boxes. Saturday or was it Friday a scrumpled note was stuffed through the door, producing a what the feck type reaction. Thanet council announcing the start of the new muchly awkward new waste regime, rather helpfully, didn't bother giving any information, other than it wont be on the same day? and an irratating clue mentioning a calendar. (the calendar ...
Jonathan Fryer questions Malcolm Rifkind about the political oversight of the secret services. Richard Horsman writes for the Guardian on the unwillingness of some local councillors to allow the filming of meetings: "The proposal has exposed a generation gap between those more mature active citizens on the comfy chairs in the council chamber who know things must be done in 'the proper way', and empowered upstarts with electric everything in the public gallery tweeting and liveblogging proceedings to online audiences." Liberal Burblings says that electing monarchs is an ancient British tradition. "It's just after 8pm on the evening of the ...
With the rather shambolic retreat from Empire in the decades following the Second World War, little thought was given to a Weltanschauung of what Britain's remaining possessions and its military would look like. Too often the shots were called by the US as part of the Special Relationship. The Special Relationship has stood the test of time but has done very little for Britain in the meantime, beyond entangling us in various ill-fated military adventures in the Middle East. The real test of matters was the Falklands War where the US effectively sat on its hands and made soothing lip ...
A year ago I blogged about research, carried out on a Peabody Trust housing estate in central London, that suggested people feel more anxious in neighbourhoods policed by CCTV cameras. Today at work I came across some more research that reached the same conclusion. In 2009 the British Psychological Society's Research Digest reported on a recent study: Dave Williams and Jobuda Ahmed presented 120 participants - shoppers in Hatfield - with pictures of a fictional town centre street scene. When the scene contained both a skinhead and a CCTV camera, the participants, aged between 18 to 70 years, reported raised ...
I've had a pretty bad Monday, three emails turning me down for full time jobs. But then this lifted he up again.
This week there is a bit more pressure on all of us to conform. You would think, watching the telly, that wearing a poppy is compulsory, it isn't. Of course, the expectation to conform by wearing a symbol in a lapel is nothing to the expectation placed on young men 100 years ago. This year I discovered a letter from my great grandfather, Wesley Church, published in his local paper, the Northampton Echo, in 1917, condemning people for throwing stones at a conscientious objector who was on his way to attend a tribunal. He wrote: 'There are hundreds who are ...
Reblogged from GMI Partnership: What does the gay scene mean to you and your mates? What comes into your head when you picture Soho, Canal Street or your own local gay scene? Well, however you answered the question there's a good chance that you were thinking about your favourite bars and clubs. Drinking is a...
Liberal Democrats are asking Redcar and Cleveland Council to include building a proper pier in its Local Plan. The Labour run council says that "the Local Plan sets out a vision for improving the quality of life in the borough as a place to live and work and will determine how much development will take place and where it will be located." However, the draft version of the Local Plan makes no mention of a pier in Redcar .Liberal Democrats Councillor Chris Abbott said: "One thing missing from the Labour Council's draft plan is a pier for Redcar and Lib ...
In partnership with Manchester City Council and Manchester Adult Education (MAES), 12 voluntary and community sector organisations across Manchester are offering free beginner English courses for speakers of other languages (ESOL). These courses will be taught by volunteer ESOL teachers who are being trained and supported by the MAES Volunteer Programme. Courses are free and are aimed at people with very basic English language skills. By attending classes, learners will be able to improve their basic communication skills for everyday life. The courses are not accredited and do not count towards citizenship, however learners will receive an internal certificate recognising ...
Liberal Democrats on Redcar and Cleveland Council backed a motion opposing the Labour Council's draft Local Plan. Liberal Democrats together with other opposition councillors produced the closest vote ever seen at the Council when the Labour Mayor, Marske Councillor Vic Jeffries used his casting vote to push through the Plan. The draft Local Plan proposes to build major developments on green field sites around the Borough. All around the area people fear losing their green spaces, from Ormesby to Redcar and Marske. Lib Dems are also concerned that flooding risks and massively increased traffic flows have not been properly taken ...
Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council has been named and shamed as the worst borough in the Tees Valley for fly-tipping.Official figures published last month show that 2,424 incidents of dumped rubbish were recorded in the borough in 2012/13, putting Redcar and Cleveland Council at the wrong end of the region's fly-tipping league table. This is the worst in the Tees Valley, and sixth worst in the whole of the North-East.The figures reveal a decline in the cleanliness of the borough, with an increase of nearly 500 incidents compared to the previous year.The Labour Council closed Warrenby Household Waste Centre in ...
From the Guardian: To be fair, it wasn't Serge's idea to go out on a school night and paint the town beige. And unlike the five lads who decided to "liberate" the circus llama to show him a good time, Serge had not been drinking anything stronger than water. The hairy reveller is famous after pictures of him riding a night tram in the French wine capital Bordeaux emerged on the internet.
On the face of it, close confidant of the Clintons and Democratic candidate for Governor of Virginia Terry McAuliffe's likely victory in tomorrow's election should be good news for his former bosses and the party he represents. But a big McAuliffe win could well prove to be a double-edged sword, particularly for Hillary Clinton's presidential ambitions. Both of the Clintons have campaigned
I am pleased to see that this blog's growing influence in the Far East has been recognised by the New York Times's specialist Taiwan pages.
A line in my thinking this week has been along the lines of the political party - or "in group" and it's effect on politicians. Before I start, this is all opinion and conjecture, and merely documenting my thoughts at this stage, as a kind of conversation starter rather than experiential, yet. You might look on it as a hypothesis of a sort. As I read more about coping strategies and the role of the individual in managing their own stress - and reaching for a coherent and integrated self, I keep coming up against the same thing - the ...
Chorlton MP John Leech has written to the Prime Minister calling for an urgent inquiry into the UK energy markets. In the letter John Leech MP asks David Cameron to investigate how energy companies came to the decision to raise customer bills by an average of 9.1%. He has also written to Climate Change Secretary Ed Davey asking for legislation to separate wholesale from retail markets. In the past week energy bosses have faced questioning from MP's, and blamed price rises on increasing wholesale costs and green levies. However John argues that energy firms have too much influence over both ...
News reaches the Voice that Emma Gilpin-Jacobs has been appointed as Nick Clegg's new Director of Communications. It's an impressive appointment given Gilpin-Jacobs's stellar CV, which includes time spent as Global Director of Communications for the Financial Times. You can learn a bit more about her from this interview with Management Today from earlier this year. Nick Clegg's chief of staff, Jonny Oates, had this to say in announcing the appointment: Emma has extensive experience in the communications field. She was Director of Global Communications for the Financial Times Group for seven years, Time Warner's International Director of Public Affairs ...
Last year around 4 million people in the UK were in fuel poverty and struggling to heat their homes. In the same period profits for the big six energy companies [...]
Some time ago, South Liverpool Housing got permission to build some new homes on the bit of land at the junction of Greenhill Road and Booker Avenue (not the former petrol station, the other bit). The idea is for the new homes to be shared ownership. Anyway, the land transfer's finished now and there's a contractor ready to start. So the building should start next week (beginning 11 November). So if you see people at work on the site, that's what they're doing.
I'm not going to repeat the debate around 'what is a journalist'. It's been done to death, but there is some fallout that needs to be dealt with. While I don't think that anyone with a Twitter account, YouTube channel or a blog is a journalist, I also don't think that you have to have [...]
(h/t to Richard Taylor, @rtayloruk, for the spot)
A new Twitter account under the number @officialSnowden has launched, professing to be from NSA whistleblower/leaker Edward Snowden. Unsurprisingly it seems to be fake. Here are just a few tell-tell signs why:
Appealing this case would be now moot. However, there are some points to be made. Firstly, it is in my view a responsibility of parents who separate to make reasonable efforts to ensure that a good relationship is maintained between both parents and children. There are circumstances under which this is obviously not reasonable (when one of the parents is a real threat to the children). However
Lib Dem HQ are encouraging local campaigners to strike while the iron is hot and use National School Meals Week to promote the local benefits of what has quickly become a signature Lib Dem policy of FSM for all under-7′s. Alongside some suggested tweets is also a handy template press release and useful spreadsheet to [...]
There is currently a debate in the US about the role of Jon Stewart. His attacks on the errors made in the role out of the Obamacare have been interpreted by many as a turning point in the Obama presidency and is even being used by Conservative groups in ads. He has responded by claiming [...]
Sheffield Lib Dems have received notice of a Labour motion on energy prices and prepared a handy list of facts and figures to rebut Labour's attacks. Motion and materials are included below: Sheffield Labour Motion 8. Notice Of Motion Given By Councillor Mazher Iqbal That this Council:- (a) believes Britain's energy market isn't working for [...]
I gather it is the anniversary today of Soviet troops marching into Hungary in 1956. A good day, in fact, to think about the consequences of ideologues - especially as I heard the most irritating ideologue on the Today programme this morning, talking about the living wage (starts at 1hr 40 mins). The Living Wage, as most people know, is the amount calculated that people need to earn to survive economically without recourse to benefits. It is, inevitably, rather higher than the minimum wage. So enter the ideologue, in this case Steve Davies from the 'free market' think-tank the Institute ...
[IMG: ChildrensServices] Over the weekend the Independent ran a special report into Haringey Children's services – including news that the Council has launched yet another Serious Case Review. Here is the comment I sent to the local media: "It is just awful to hear that Haringey Council has launched another serious case review, after failing to protect yet another local child. "This comes just one month after the Child T scandal, and two weeks after my call for an independent review of Childrens Services was rejected by Haringey Council's Chief Executive. "I was leader of the opposition at the Council ...
Jeremy Browne's post-sacking interview with The Times has generated a fair amount of comment within the party, varying from the quizzical to the critical (such as Richard Morris's post). Much of it has centred on the ex-minister's comments about the Liberal Democrats having to change from being a party of protest to one of government. One point, however, not made by others (as far as I've seen) is that the very premise of the supposed debate is wrong. It's not a choice – the party should be both. The Liberal Democrats should be protesting about the illiberal aspects of our ...
From 2016 it will become a legal requirement for all dogs to be micro-chipped to enable an owner to be traced if the dog is found loose. Chipping normally costs about £20 but you can get your dog chipped for free at a special event thanks to Cornwall Council and The Dog's Trust. The Launceston event takes place at the Phoenix Leisure Centre on Monday 18th November from 1.30-5pm. Tweet
Monday: Age: A Lady Doesn't Tell Stories: 1 Awesomeness: Beware the Pits! Cuddles: Massive Weapons of Seduction AKA: Belazs, Magenta, Livilla, Silvia Daisy Pouncer, Dame Patricia Quinn
Watch the new, fun, yet educational, video from CGP Grey: You can also watch this on YouTube.
In the next week or two, Danny Alexander will be speaking to Lib Dem MPs to find out what they would like to see in the upcoming Autumn Statement. Liberal Democrats in local government are keen to ensure that our Conference decision to encourage the trading of Housing Revenue Account (HRA) borrowing 'headroom' from councils [...]
If a curriculum is an expression of what we value, why teach something called 'physics' instead of climate change? Alice Bell
Well, this is annoying! [IMG: 100 characters samsung android calculator] "You can enter up to 100 characters" Why? Why this silly limitation. This isn't 1974 - we're not exactly limited in memory. This limitation only appears on Samsung's Android phones - not on the Google calculator app. It would be interesting to see if it's a limitation in any other Android phones. [IMG: flattr this!]
For centuries, Britain has developed economically through being an open, outward-looking country. Today, the economy has a high level of global integration. The UK is the world's fifth largest exporter of goods and services, and we attract more foreign direct investment than any other European country. ...Vince Cable, writing in the Guardian. Vince is responding to the CBI report, published today, setting out the economic case for the UK remaining in the EU, and the direction of travel for reform. In particular, Vince takes on the argument that the UK would be in a better position to trade with the ...
An interesting conundrum cropped up at Southwark Crown Court this morning.The Defendant, an Algerian national (there was no mention that he had been in the UK unlawfully when the offence was committed), was convicted of a crime. A matter concerning his appeal of this conviction was due to be heard this morning, but there was a bit of a problem in that the Appellant was not present in Court. (
Quite a goodly chunk of the recent South Central Regional conference was devoted to the debates on the HS2 (already covered in one of my policy posts) and the so-called Bedroom Tax. While I have discussed the Bedroom Tax before, I thought it good to elaborate on theme most particularly in relation to the housing policy (or lack thereof) of the party at this time. As for the actual debate, I found it pretty amusing, not for what was actually said (though there were a few laughs), but because the arcane discussion of clauses to include and exclude reminded me ...
Here's my latest Ham and High Column, also available on Lib Dem Voice. Social housing in Haringey is in high demand. There are currently over 10,000 individuals and families stuck on the waiting list - and many will not have the chance to bid for a property in the foreseeable future. In the meantime, people are often in cramped conditions in the private sector, or waiting in low quality 'temporary' accommodation. This has a detrimental effect on both the children and adults in these situations. And once families are given social housing in Haringey, it's not always plain sailing. Every ...
[IMG: Campaign for Social Science] The future of social science in the UK is a timely concern in the light of the assault on US social science funding and similar omens in Australia. But social science in the UK is thriving. Universities and Science Minister David Willetts has been consistently supportive of UK social science. Last week, he gave the first Annual Lecture for the Campaign for Social Science: "Where Next for Social Science? The Agenda Beyond 2015." We should be proud of it; we should celebrate it and we should encourage its further growth. The minister is right that ...
Mon 4th
09:55
Watch and laugh: Clarke and Dawe - We Have No Alternative but to Adopt our Original Intention
More comedy genius from Australia's Clarke and Dawe: You can also watch this on YouTube.
The nominations are in, and voting for Politician of the Year is now open! The ballot will run until Friday 15th November and is an Instant Runoff Ballot, so you should rank as many people as you are able to express a preference for, based on positive work done for trans people in the UK over the last couple of years. Below the voting form is a brief biography and photograph (Where available) of each nomination. Posts run in multiple locations, as long as you can see the Opavote form below then you can vote here. If you cannot see ...
Tim Worstall explains some basics of economics to the Torygraph It must be pretty basic because *I* grasped it on first read through. (tags: ) Nick Clegg scuppers Batshit Tory Idea. Again. (tags: ) Europe is an Anchor for British business says CBI (and Vince cable) (tags: ) He can't tell the truth, yet the right needs Iain Duncan Smith Nick Cohen's article contains a lot of truth, even though he manages to annoy me with the very first sentence (tags: ) so yeah, linked in's new intro "service". Why would anyone sign up for it? (tags: ) immigration is ...
Mon 4th
08:20
Tim Farron writes... British businesses say we must stay in the EU. Let's go out and make that case.
UKIP and the many Conservatives who say we should pull out of the EU might want to keep a low profile today. The CBI, which represents some 240,000 businesses up and down the country, has published a landmark report in support of Britain's EU membership. It found that 8 out of 10 of its members would vote to remain part of the EU, including 77% of small businesses, and concluded that the overall benefits of EU membership massively outweigh the costs. In fact, each of us is thought to be around £1225 better off a year thanks to EU membership, ...
[IMG: image] I've just finished reading "Alfred the Great – The man who made England" by Justin Pollard. It is a fantastically good book – a real page turner. – which is a phrase I don't often use about books describing events some 1160 years ago. We are often led to assume that British monarchs follow strict hereditary rules and that this is "traditional" (Something reinforced by crazy lines of succession described to 300+ and obscure bottle washers in Canadian restaurants). Rubbish. In the first millenium AD, Kings were elected by the Witan, the old equivalent of parliament and often ...
Believe it or not this is a real thing. There are actually quite a few people – in many different countries – who dress up in costumes to fight crime. Enough of them in fact that a photojournalist has produced an album documenting them. Earlier this year CNN reported on 'the Rain City Superhero Movement' [...]
Half term week has taken me out and about across the country, talking about everything from Halloween pumpkins to the finer points of fiscal devolution. Miriam and I had a real treat attending a Halloween party at Great Ormond Street Children's hospital, where patients, parents, nurses and doctors alike were in costume, and ready for fun, whatever the illnesses they were battling. On Friday, I was in Wales with the Prime Minister, announcing further devolution to Wales, including tax and borrowing powers for the Welsh Assembly Government. There's no way this level of decentralisation would be happening if it wasn't ...
The Independent reports on a peculiar bit of paranoia that has broken out at Number 10 Downing Street. They say that smartphones and iPads have been banned from meetings of the Cabinet over fears that foreign intelligence services can turn them into bugs without ministers' knowledge. Apparently, thw security services are worried that states including China, Russia, Iran and Pakistan have developed the ability to infect gadgets with a Trojan virus, allowing them to take control of the devices and use them to monitor conversations, even when switched off: During last week's Cabinet meeting, iPads used by Francis Maude, the ...
