For the British United Indian Liberal Democrats (BUILD) Diwali is a movable feast, and the fact that tonight's dinner in the excellent Seasoning north Indian restaurant in Fulham took place long after most other Diwali celebrations were over in no way dimmed the light of the occasion, organised by my indefatigable fellow London LibDem Euro-candidate [...]
From Swindon Web: The age of the tram in Swindon was a brief but colourful chapter in the history of the town which included an early tragedy, a period of great success and finally a surrender to the more effective - though much less picturesque - method of public transport, the bus.
So tonight I started delivering the leaflet shown to the right (which contains a link to the online survey, and the opportunity to fill out the survey on paper) to Bar Hill Residents. I spent a little over an hour delivering and managed to cover Foxhollow, Acorn Avenue and Almond Grove. I plan to deliver the leaflet with the invitation to the survey to every household in Bar Hill prior to the December meeting of the Parish Council. Here's the link to the survey again; http://goo.gl/BBMKT8 If you'd like the PDF (it's A4) for printing and circulating it's available here ...
Many thanks to the large number of local residents, pupils from our local primary schools and Harris Academy, Rob Carstairs and team who provided another superb fireworks display, Rev Andrew Greaves and his colleagues at Dundee West Church for a great Christmas Concert, Arthurs (Senior and Junior!) of Elan Electronics for an excellent sound and lighting show, Wave 102 DJ Dave Price for Switching on the lights, Dundee City Council for all its help with the lights switch on, Downfield Musical Society's superb Dick Whittington stars for helping Dave with the lights switch on, Santa and his helpers and the ...
LibDem Policy Wonk has an extremely unofficial list of target seats for the Liberal Democrats at the next general election. Nick Boles's idea of a new National Liberal Party doesn't add up, argues Alun Wyburn-Powell on Democratic Audit UK. Sustainable Review has good news: "Excess heat from the London Underground will be captured and used to heat local homes, the Mayor of London ... has announced. The initiative will see the existing Bunhill Heat and Power heat network extended to supply a further 500 homes in Islington with cheaper and more sustainable heating." Talking of the Underground, Urban Ghosts shows ...
It's not often we have cause to thank Nick Robinson. But if this tweet of his doesn't make you at least smile, then I honestly fear for your soul. Unless you're Alistair Carmichael, of course. He may be about to kill me. But I'll take that risk, just for you, dear reader. Crunch time for the Scottish Secretary – after this pic no-one will accuse him of being image obsessed pic.twitter.com/r8rdjfeyFb — Nick Robinson (@bbcnickrobinson) November 26, 2013 Although, to be fair, I don't think anyone ever thought for half a second that he might be image obsessed. * Caron ...
Keith Melton, who fought Lincoln for the Liberals in 1979 and Cleethorpes for the Liberal Democrats in 1997, as well as fighting Lincolnshire in the 1994 European elections, has published his first novel. Captain Cobbler: The Lincolnshire Uprising, 1536 tells how Nicholas Melton, a shoemaker from Louth, confiscated the keys to the Church of St James in the town, to prevent Commissioners of Thomas Cromwell from stealing the church silverware. It was a straightforward community protest, but it rapidly escalated during the week to become a widespread uprising against the tyranny of the government of King Henry VIII, and his ...
Opinions in the party seem to run the whole gamut from "we're all doomed" to a quiet optimism that we shall hold most of our existing seats, with Lord Ashcroft's polling suggesting our MPs score highest on esteem from constituents, which has to help in engendering the "incumbent factor". I have spent some time gazing at the target list (created by Andy JS) lately and wondering a few questions. The first question is what this list looked like in 2009...? Obviously some of these seats weren't on that list because we held them! And some that were not necessarily our ...
Tue 26th
19:16
Vince Cable justifies the payday loans cap - and the intervention by the Archbishop of Canterbury
[IMG: vince-on-newsnight] According to the Independent today, George Osborne's surprise decision to impose a payday loans cap was precipitated by a threatened revolt by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Archbishop Justin Welby had been planning to speak in favour of an amendment to the Banking Reform Bill today, which would have imposed a 10% cap. The amendment was expected to attract support from cross-benchers and would probably have inflicted a defeat on the government. The Independent claims: Vince Cable, the Liberal Democrat Business Secretary, and Jo Swinson, the Liberal Democrat minister responsible for consumer affairs, have both argued for a cap ...
I'll be writing my own review on Mindless Ones at some point this week, but I spent the weekend at Thought Bubble and then had a blood pressure headache for two days, so it'll be a little while yet. But people who can write more quickly than me had things to say, about the special [...]
I wrote some time back about the policies that are occurring sotto voce on the watch of Vince Cable of firstly liberating the TSB from the dead hand of Lloyds Bank and now the imminent recreation of Williams & Glyn's Bank out of the smoking ruins of RBS, the once great Royal Bank of Scotland. This admirable trend raises two questions. The first is why is Vince Cable being so coy about this trend (dare we call it a policy?) and the second question is why not more (and what next)? The obvious next target would be liberating the once ...
From 7pm this evening I will live blogging the BBC Sports personalities of the year as they are announced. However, after last years highs and trying to work out who would make the final 10 from the wealth of achievements this year it may be somewhat easier. But who is likely to be in the list. Well Wimbledon has a British gentlemen's singles champion so Andy Murray is bound to be there. Chris Froome won everything that last year's winner Bradley Wiggins did so expect him there too. Also from the world of cycling there is Becky James who rose ...
Warren Pearce: The Climate Change Act's linear translation of scientific evidence into managerial targets is an ineffective way of using evidence in policy Warren Pearce
[IMG: 4913749603_9543f2137b_b] I had a really weird dream about Scottish independence last night. As is usual with dreams, I can remember some details very clearly. Nicola Sturgeon was being interviewed on Today by James Naughtie from Edinburgh. She said that the SNP's proposed Scottish "independence" would involve keeping the pound, controlled by the Bank of England. So the Bank of England would dictate Scottish interest rates and how much money is printed for Scotland - monetary policy. In this dream, it was obvious that Sturgeon was using a really weird definition of the word "independence". Indeed, she was making up ...
The site today-note the two buzzards top right On prime agricultural land encroaching in the green belt West Lancs Council have agreed to build new houses. One of the sites is off New Cut Lane well away from any centre of population in West Lancs. The new residents will use Southport schools and roads which are already at capacity. The new homes bonus will go to West Lancs and the rates income will go there too We have supported the New Cut Lane/Guildford Rd residents in opposing the plan but sadly it has now been passed The residents website is ...
Way back in May I was contacted about an electrical cabinet being knocked over and obstructing the pavement. And so began a long saga began-still unfinished- in trying to get someone to a) make it safe and b) remove it. Finally Scottish Power visited site as promised on 19.11.13. They removed various electrical equipment including a meter and confirmed that there is no live supply there. They insist that the cabinet is not theirs and have left the site in a worse state than before. I complained again but was told that they could not do anymore until they had ...
I have always believed that government needs challenge and discussion rather than deference or conformism. Sadly the ruling Bootle Labour Party in Sefton seem to disagree. The know it all. Cabinet meetings last a few minutes, the Health and Well Being Board is stuffed with Labour councillors-no opposition allowed. We have to use Freedom of Information requests to acquire information that should be in the public domain. Undue secrecy pervades their actions. As a result they 'mess up'. What follows is a tale of one such event: It has been a good year for the Public Health aspect of Mental ...
Another key debate at today's council meeting was a UKIP motion to stop funding the Cornwall Council European office from April 1st next year. The cost of the office is about £33k per year and yet it plays a vital part in helping us to secure convergence funding (the next tranche is worth about £500 million) as well as to lobby to ensure that we are able to spend this money on the sort of projects that we think would most benefit Cornwall. As some Conservatives said, they may be Eurosceptic, but they think that whilst the UK is part ...
Following a number of thefts of heating oil in South Cambridgeshire, we would like to warn residents and offer some advice to help deter thieves (via Google Drive). Most recently there have been thefts in the villages of Elsworth and Rampton. If you see anything suspicious please report it. Police 101 or Crimestoppers 0800 555 111 Please find security advice for heating oil tanks attached. Kind regards Rachel Carr Crime Reduction Officer
The news that the Government will be taking steps to restrain payday loan companies appears to be generally welcomed. As Ros said more than three years ago, when asking the Government whether they planned to regulate loan companies charging high rates of interest;Is my noble friend aware of the growing number of companies, some of which advertise on television, which offer short-term loans at extremely high rates of interest-in one case the APR is 2,689 per cent-plus an arrangement fee? Does she share my concern that a small short-term loan could very quickly turn into a very large lifetime millstone?At ...
The latest from James Lillis at Lib Dem HQ is a great offer for blue and cream C6 envelopes. Despite the later publication date for the new register, now is the time to get things like envelope purchases out of the way. Message: Dear Campaigner, Are you planning to use blue or cream C6 envelopes [...]
For months, years, even, whenever we've asked questions about independence, after we've been accused of scaremongering, we've been told to wait for the White Paper. Well, that wait is over as the White Paper has now been published - or is it? Scotland's Future, it's called. That's profound. We have a future? That's kind of inevitable. It doesn't promise a bright future, or a happy one. On the big questions of the day, such as the three on pensions, currency and cost posed by Alistair Carmichael two weeks ago, we are really none the wiser. We know what the SNP ...
Tue 26th
14:52
Happy 5th Birthday Climate Change Act: Don't forget the 4th Budget | Catherine Mitchell
Catherine Mitchell: Now is the time for Government to hold firm to a progressive climate change policy and support the 4th carbon budget. Catherine Mitchell
The Western Mail reports that work on the planned Atlantic Array windfarm between Gower and North Devon has been stopped after German firm RWE branded the scheme 'uneconomic'. The £3bn Atlantic Array project involved 240 turbines, each around 700ft tall covering 124 square miles. It could have powered around 900,000 homes. However, the company says that technical challenges within the Bristol Channel Zone are significant, including substantially deeper waters and adverse seabed conditions: "Costs to overcome such technical challenges are prohibitive in current market conditions. RWE is to focus on progressing more technically and economically viable offshore projects. "In comparison ...
Cornwall Council's budget for the next financial year has just been approved by councillors by 77 votes to 33. This decisive result is very welcome and it allows the authority to get on with the job of the detailed implementation. I don't think any councillors come into the job in order to make cuts. But faced with the financial pressures imposed on us by central government, Cornwall Council has no option but to make an additional £23.9 million of savings next year. Our task has been to ensure that, wherever possible, these savings are made from doing things more efficiently. ...
The All Wales NHS Whistle-blowing policy needs to be radically changed if it is to work successfully. The all-Wales policy paper sets out the processes health boards must have in place if an employee wishes to raise their concerns about patient safety or malpractice. The all-Wales policy states that local health boards must "provide a secondary site for issues to be raised where going through the line manager in not appropriate". The whistleblowing policy goes on to suggest arrangements that could be in place for staff including a telephone hotline or a 'raising concerns' champion. However, freedom of Information requests ...
Thanks Hat tip @simoncooper
The Day of the Doctor (flashback): In "The Curse of Fenric", the Reverend Wainwright's faith is broken not by German bombs, but by British ones. British bombs killing German children. Remember that. The Doctor is a traveller in Time and Space. That's where all this begins and where it always comes back to. But there are two ways to travel: never looking behind you, and there and back again. Over the (fifty) years, the Doctor has exemplified both modes, reflecting the mores of the production team of the time. They represent quite different world-views, different approaches to making "Doctor Who", ...
Today the CPS announced that only one officer would face charges after the Plebgate incident with the Chief Whip Andrew Mitchell MP. You might think that support would come from colleagues, particularly those who had been in the Tories' whipping and campaigning operation. Not so though, in the case of Mike Fabricant. The MP for [...]
Tue 26th
13:46SNP's white paper on independence - some first reaction and three initial questions from me
For months, years, even, whenever we've asked questions about independence, after we've been accused of scaremongering, we've been told to wait for the White Paper. Well, that wait is over as the White Paper has now been published - or is it? Scotland's Future, it's called. That's profound. We have a future? That's kind of inevitable. It doesn't promise a bright future, or a happy one. On the big questions of the day, such as the three on pensions, currency and cost posed by Alistair Carmichael two weeks ago, we are really none the wiser. We know what the SNP ...
Here's today's hand-picked selection that caught my interest... Zero-hours contracts have been unfairly demonised and oversimplified, finds new CIPD research – Press Releases – CIPD Interesting > Zero-hours contracts hv been unfairly demonised and oversimplified – CIPD http://bit.ly/1ib2asj (h/t @FlipChartRick) The OECD's Pisa delivery man | Peter Wilby | Education | The Guardian Very good from Peter Wilby on "The OECD's Pisa delivery man" (shoot the sub-ed), OECD's Andreas Schleicher http://bit.ly/IqcUSW The real reason Labour will never publish the Falkirk report « Labour Uncut Fascinating by @atulh » "The real reason Labour will never publish the Falkirk report" http://bit.ly/193r2Zi Thatcher ...
I am on Wave 102 News today about tonight's Christmas Fortnight events in the West End - click 'play' below to listen:
Uh oh... Rebekah Brooks described how to hack phones at birthday dinner for prime minister David Cameron — CourtNewsUK (@CourtNewsUK) November 26, 2013 What did the Prime Minister hear?
Major national newspapers and the main television news led on the story of a Southport business brought to its knees by the antics of RBS Bank Vince Cable forced the issue of the failure of banks to do their job properly by commissioning a report about their behavior towards small businesses . He has now referred the issue to the regulators i have long argued that RBS is too big and dominates the market-especially for small business loans. The bank should be broken up and new regional banks established. Since the war pretty well all our local banks and mutual ...
The results are in! There was a strong showing by Sarah Brown, who was in the lead early on and was two votes shy of winning. Lynne Featherstone was also not far behind. However, we can announce that the person whom the trans community feels has made the most difference in the last year is... Julian Huppert MP "Can't remember any other politician speaking so forcefully on issues affecting T* people" "...for good work re marriage plus support shown to non-binary people" [IMG: Julian Huppert MP] Congratulations Julian, and keep up the good work. (For those wondering about the delay ...
Note from St Albans District Council An independent assessment of local housing needs has been published today on St Albans City and District council's website. In January 2013, the Council's Cabinet decided to commission studies to inform the evidence base for the forthcoming Strategic Local Plan. This decision was in response to a motion from full Council on 28 November 2012. Among other items, the motion required that "an independent commission of housing need in St Albans and its District should be set up to inform the evidence base." The resulting independent report, prepared by Housing Vision Ltd, has just ...
An apparently innocuous Question from Lord Brabazon of Tara last week motivated some rigorous self-inquiry amongst Peers. How many of us have been caught by official looking websites, topping the list when we googled, selling us services like visa or congestion charge applications at inflated cost, when we could have obtained them free or much cheaper from genuinely "public" services ? This example of excessive privatisation - verging on misleading selling techniques - didn't go down well on the Conservative benches, where some victims were still sore at being caught out. These exchanges reminded me of a similar scam, although ...
Earlier this year, I went to the annual "Ada Lovelace Day" lectures at Imperial College. There, a succession of impressive ladies demonstrated that women are perfectly capable of participating in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths/Medicine) careers. We all nodded dutifully - and applauded the women who had pushed back the boundaries of science and science communication. All was going well, until one of the presenters displayed a slide talking about gender-specific toys. In amongst the chemistry sets, Lego, and computing toys, was this monstrosity: [IMG: My Cleaning Trolley] There was a collective intake of breath. Is this what people want ...
There's a Christmas Market on Allerton Road, L18, this Saturday (30th November). There'll be activities, food and drink, a choir and hand bell ringers from 9 am to 2pm. There'll also be activities in some of the shops from 2pm onwards.
Duwayne Brooks wants to be the next Mayor of Lewisham. Here he explains why, and how you can help his campaign, with the help of a little animation:
[IMG: scotlands-future] This morning the SNP is launching the Scottish Government's white paper on Scottish independence. It is 670 pages long and can be downloaded here. Yesterday the Lib Dem Chief Secretary to the Treasury minister,Danny Alexander, who is, of course, a Scottish MP, has written to Alex Salmond, First Minister in the Scottish Parliament, to warn him of the consequences of independence. He wrote: The White Paper published tomorrow must address the tax rises or spending cuts required to balance the books in an independent Scotland. ... Even under the most optimistic scenario the Institute for Fiscal Studies considered, ...
Many congrats to @georgeeaton and everyone at The Staggers which has been named On line Comment Site of the Year at the #eiCA13 Awards. Huzzah :-) UPDATE Here's the official announcement. And here's the piece in The Staggers announcing the news. I am incredibly flattered to get a mention. I don't know quite what to say. Thanks George!
..asks the New Statesman Well from this photo I think its safe to say Socialist Daleks are in a minority. Though I guess we might have guessed that Daleks would in the main belong to the nasty party. H/T @spharrison1
When the Climate Change Act was drafted, there was scepticism over its ability to hold government to account. Has it succeeded? Jim Watson
I have remarked in the past that I am more walrus than gazelle, and those of you who know me (and are honest), will accept that this is true. And whilst I like walruses (and what's not to like?), being more gazelle-like is likely to enhance the quality of my life. Well. probably, anyway. Not Ros, and not actually me. But isn't he cute? And so, with more than a touch of apprehension, I have embarked on a quest to change from walrus to, if not gazelle, then at least something slightly smaller and more streamlined. I started with a ...
[IMG: image] You have to admire Michael Portillo, especially if you were, like me, still up for him (I bought the book as well). Since that low point at Enfield in 1997, he has carved out a remarkable television career for himself. Of course, he is permanently ensconced on the sofa of This Week with the former Lady Macduff to his Lord Macduff, Diane Abbott (I am not making this up). But what I really admire Portillo for...perhaps "admire" is the wrong word – it's more like jealousy... is for his "Great Railway Journeys" gig. Well, that's quite a gig ...
Mike Childs: The UK Climate Change Act has successfully constrained UK politicians who want to ignore the reality of climate change, now it's time to go global. Mike Childs
Calder Valley digging breaking EU law, says MEP (contains autoplaying video) (tags: ) http://www.yog-sothoth.com/wiki/index.php/Great_Old_Ones re last RT: The Old ones are the best :D (http://t.co/CpkfrZrMxM) (tags: (from twitter) ) posted The Blood is The Life 25-11-2013 http://t.co/HDnhIWKK1o on #dreamwidth (tags: dreamwidth (from twitter) ) KateWebster.co.uk I've a play on this week about Cushing, Lee & @hammerfilms. It's on in an old cinema. Do come. http://t.co/1yPbwf7Ha7 http://t.co/5tPe9BiXSu (tags: (from twitter) ) Jonathan Trott - Stress Related Illness softly softly mental health becomes less taboo to talk about. Love and sympathy to Trotty (tags: ) Standing room only? Another 'interesting' idea ...
[IMG: RBS logo] Allegations have recently come to light that RBS engaged in a programme of 'deliberately wrecking small businesses' in order to seize their assets on the cheap and boost their own profits. The case is another story in which we, the public, are shocked but not surprised. The response of the government and, in particular, Vince Cable will be watched very closely indeed. It is interesting to view this story in the light of other recent events. Take the sale of a student loans book to an investment consortium at a price that significantly undercuts its estimated value, ...
*Spoiler warning: this article reveals lots of plot points from all three Hunger Games books and 1984* Now that it is venerable enough to merit inclusion on school curriculums and lists of the greatest ever novels, it's easy to forget the horror and revulsion it initially generated. During the broadcast of a 1954 BBC adaptation [...]
This year's West End Christmas Concert takes place at Dundee West Church at 6.15pm tonight. Everyone is very welcome to attend. There will be musical contributions from all local primary and secondary schools. The Concert will be hosted by Rev Andrew Greaves. Local band "Unknown on Sunday" will also perform. Mains of Fintry Pipe Band will pipe everyone from the church to Seabraes for the Christmas Lights Switch-On! At 7pm, the West End Christmas Lights will be switched on at Seabraes by Wave 102 DJ Dave Price, ably assisted by Queen Rat and Grumpy Loo the Yeti from the Downfield ...
You may also enjoy Secrets of the District Line and Secrets of the Central Line.
