So said the Northampton Chronicle & Echo last month, though their is now a row over who will pay for the subsequent demolition. I suggest a public subscription - it would do well: Greyfriars opened in April 1976 at a cost of £7.2 million. By May 1976 the bus station was already labelled a 'white elephant'. In August 1976, the station was described as 'the worst mistake in Northampton's history'. In 1997, Barclaycard moved out of offices above the station. In 2005, Grand Designs presenter, Kevin McCloud called the station 'the mouth of hell'. In 2007, the car park above ...
I join Mark Thompson, and LabourList Editor Mark Ferguson to discuss the weeks political news.
The Cabinet Panel unanimously recommended to HCC's Cabinet that HCC: 1.disagrees with the conclusions of the Secretary of State in his minded to decision letter dated 20 December 2012 that the factors weighing in favour of permitting the SRFI outweigh the harm that it will cause 2.nonetheless acknowledges that it is obliged to accept that the conclusion of the SoS is binding on it and must act consistently with that conclusion even though it disagrees with it 3.agrees to enter into a section 106 planning obligation in respect of its land at the former Radlett Airfield site in connection with ...
[IMG: Five a day: Fruit and vegetables at the shop, which does not sell tobacco or alcohol are heavily discounted] I remember hearing the visionary co-production pioneer Edgar Cahn talk about the defence of his National Legal Services Programme, the service that helped organisations to sue the government to enforce their rights. He had urged the programme over the years to ask the people they were helping to give something back, but they never quite got round to doing so. Then suddenly, in 1994, there was a Republican landslide, determined to reduce the federal budget deficit, and a young maverick ...
I'm delighted to say that this evening the Lib Dems' Federal Executive saw fit not to abolish or curtail the party's Spring Conference. Indeed, the FE gave a cautious welcome to something I have been working towards quietly for some time – better use of online technology to engage the wider membership. More later. socialise this: [IMG: add 'Carry On [Spring] Conference!' a Del.icio.us] [IMG: add 'Carry On [Spring] Conference!' a digg] [IMG: add 'Carry On [Spring] Conference!' a Stumble Upon] [IMG: add 'Carry On [Spring] Conference!' a FaceBook] [IMG: add 'Carry On [Spring] Conference!' a Twitter]
Mon 9th
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Nick Clegg's Commons tribute to Mandela: "let us honour his memory by ensuring that the hope he gave...
[IMG: clegg on leveson 2] Nick Clegg offered his tribute on behalf of the Lib Dems today to Nelson Mandela's immense contribution to leading South Africa away from apartheid and towards democracy. Here's what he had to say: The Deputy Prime Minister (Mr Nick Clegg): On behalf of the Liberal Democrats, let me add my voice to the many tributes to Nelson Mandela, the father of modern South Africa. Our thoughts and condolences are with his loved ones, the people of South Africa, and everyone around the world who is grieving his loss. Nelson Mandela's message transcended the boundaries of ...
I was pleased to see Trenton Oldfield win his appeal against effective deportation from the United Kingdom. His protest at last year's Boat Race was foolish - though Lord Bonkers took the long view - but that pales when set against Theresa May's vindictive decision to deny him the visa he needed to stay in the country.
Lord Leverhulme famously said this about advertising: "Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted, and the problem is I do not know which half". If that was true of advertising, then how much more true of it in public relations. You would be lucky just to waste half your money, certainly if you add up the retainer, the vast amount of wasted stuff pushed into envelopes, the sheer irritation of PR as conventionally delivered. I speak as someone who has been too often on the wrong end of PR. I remember, in the days when I was editor ...
I have a friend who suffers from mental illness. I don't know the diagnosis but I do know that she feels that all the world is against her. She also feels that anything that involves other people and goes wrong is actually deliberate and against her. This includes getting the medication wrong that is supposed to be helping her. So if her name is wrong on the prescription or label for the medication then it's a deliberate error. If the pharmacy doesn't have the tablets then it's deliberate too. The doctor might write mane (take them in the morning) and ...
There's a tv advertising campaign going ahead from the Home Office regarding abuse in relationships. This one features actors from Hollyoaks. It's always good to see this issue being taken seriously and we can all hope that the advert will make people think twice about how they act in relationships. It's particularly exciting to see emotional abuse being given a higher profile. But I do have a couple of issues with the ad. In fact, all these sorts of ads. They're always very homogenised, demonstrating white heterosexual couples in otherwise ordinary relationships. That's not what the world looks like and ...
Member of Parliament for Redcar Constituency, Ian Swales MP, has arranged the second public meeting in Redcar for residents to be updated on the findings of Northumbrian Water and Redcar and Cleveland Council following the severe flooding experienced in September.Ian met both parties recently and was assured that their draft report would soon be made available to the public. At the meeting this week, the main findings and a plan of action for the future will be discussed and the report should be made available following this.Commenting Ian said:"It's really important that we have a proper plan in place to ...
Over the Christmas period it will be a great time for many residents and their children, when they open their presents. But this is also a time when many criminals plan how to relieve us of some of our new belongings. Liberal Democrats know that there will be many vulnerable residents who might not be visited as often over the festive period. So if you know of someone who might be vulnerable give them a knock over Christmas to check they are okay. December is a time when a lot of boilers break down so better to be safe and ...
What? Where? There were elections to determine who would run the Indian states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Chhatisgarh and Mizora. So not actually a country? No but between them these five states do have a population just short of 180 million which is comfortably more than Russia. So what happened? Basically the ruling Congress [...]
The Digital Politico ship is now live, just in time for Christmas! You may have noticed the ads around the site, which are part of the Amazon Associates programme. It's used by various sites, but if you purchases products via those ads and widgets Digital Politico some of the money from your purchase goes to [...]
Does anyone know why the Liberal Democrats exist ? It's an important question. IPSOS/Mori research in 2012 into voter perceptions found that 64% "don't know what the Liberal Democrats stand for these days" (57% for Labour, 44% the Tories). This was echoed even amongst party supporters, with 41% of Lib Dem voters unclear (42% for Labour voters, 37% Conservatives). "Our polling now shows that the Liberal Democrats have the toughest task telling voters what they stand for", the report concluded. We need to acknowledge that our party has an identity challenge nationally, and blaming the coalition would be too convenient. ...
Last Friday, along with a number of my councillor colleagues, I was in the City Square to support Shelter Scotland's campaign day where Shelter representatives were handing out Christmas stockings to people who'd like to donate gifts by filling the Christmas stockings and handing them in to the Shelter Scotland shop in Perth Road. Shelter will be giving the gifts received to children living in temporary accommodation that Shelter works with. I am pictured (above) at the campaign day in the City Square and (below) with my councillor colleagues. As Shelter advised us, "As part of our Christmas campaign we're ...
Those of you who have been to conference know what I'm talking about. You'll be sat having a quiet pint in the bar, and in walks Lord Ashdown. There is an instant change in the atmosphere. The sexual tension in the room goes through the roof. All the people-who-fancy-men sigh wistfully, and all the people-who-don't-fancy-men try to look that bit more impressive, while knowing it's futile. It's hard to believe for someone who hasn't seen it happen; you don't get much of a sense of it from seeing the man on the telly or anything like that. I know this ...
Haringey Liberal Democrat leader Richard Wilson has written this excellent article in the run up to Christmas. He writes about how small changes – such as joining a credit union and shopping locally – can make a huge difference. I couldn't agree more! You can read the full article here.
[IMG: Akaash Maharaj - Practical Idealism] Reuters reports on our efforts at the United Nations: There are some forms of corruption so grave, whose effects on human life, human rights, and human welfare are so catastrophic, that they should shock the conscience of the international community and mobilise the will of nations to act across borders. They are Crimes Against Humanity, and should be prosecuted in the highest national and international courts.
Replacing Trident. Have you ever wondered why our nuclear weapons attract the rather unthreatening name of Nuclear deterrent, yet other nations who have similar weapons, with similar capabilities and capacity to cause similar levels of damage and harm, earn the all far more scary title of 'weapons of mass destruction? I'm not sure either. I can only assume as a human rights loving nation we
Via the great @RealTimeWWII tweets, reposting news from the Second World War in real time plus 72 years, comes this photo of the the White House press corps, moments after being told of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. No phones to grab for a tweet, it's a sprint to the phones instead. [IMG: White House Press Corps after being told of attack on Pearl Harbour. Photo via
The Guardian has revealed that agents from the US National Security Agency, and their UK sister agency GCHQ, infiltrated online games and gaming systems to try and find terrorists. Today's story, told by Guardian US Special Projects Editor James Ball, details how NSA and GCHQ agents feared that terrorists were hiding and plotting amongst the [...]
We get annoyed at this time of the year when Transport for London, run by Mayor Boris, puts up the price of many travel tickets. It was good to see Caroline Pidgeon AM, Leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, welcoming the news that from January 2014 the average regulated train fare will now go up by only 3.1% instead of the planned 4.1%. Certainly Caroline Pigeon and the Liberal Democrats have campaigned for prices to be held down when other household bills are rising. Councillor Andrew Steed campaigning for better services For many years London residents who rely ...
Here's today's hand-picked selection that caught my interest... The Price of Politics | The Times Good Times editorial > "The offer that Ipsa is making is explicitly designed as a one-off catching up." http://thetim.es/1jDwOsq The graph that persuaded me Ipsa may have a point on MPs' pay | Stephen Tall The graph that persuaded me Ipsa may have a point on MPs' pay | Stephen Tall http://bit.ly/1f1u0lm < me from last July John Kampfner on the erosion of free speech on social media – GQ.COM (UK) "Taking offence is a private not state matter. Leave the oddballs to themselves & ...
MPs of all sides are objecting to IPSA proposals to increase their pay by 11%, alongside some less-reported minor cuts to expenses and a move to a career-average pension scheme, that make the whole package, we are told, cost-neutral. Danny Alexander has called the rise "wholly inappropriate": I think most people will find it utterly incomprehensible that a time of pay restraint for the public sector and further squeezes on Government spending that IPSA should be recommending [a pay rise]. I think it would be wholly inappropriate to get such a large pay rise when every other public sector worker ...
So channel 4 did Psychopath Night, and put up a test on their website so you can see how many psychopathic traits you have. You can take the test here. The only reason I know about this is because I was chatting to someone last night who expressed surprise at getting 63% on it, and was mildly offended when I said I wasn't at all surprised. I then had to elucidate further: I lived with a psychologist for ten years. I got tested a LOT. I know the signs and symptoms of a LOT of psychological problems. I know I ...
I spent the last few days of last week teaching at Schumacher College. My task: to talk about how to change the world. This involved talking about how to get politicians onside, and what makes them tick as a breed, and I found myself taking at not altogether welcome sideways look at myself - one foot ion the world of idealistic green economics and the other in the world of formal politics, in the shape of the Lib Dems. The trouble with talking to idealists about parliamentary politics is that, for very good reasons, it looks like the art of ...
Notice from the county council Temporary closing and temporary waiting restrictions in Carlisle Avenue and Normandy Road, St Albans NOTICE is given that the Hertfordshire County Council intend to make an Order under Section 14[1] of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, to prohibit all traffic from using the following lengths of roads and to prohibit all vehicles from waiting at any time on both sides of these lengths of roads whilst works are in progress: 1. that length of Carlisle Avenue, St Albans from its junction with A1081 St Peters Street north westwards to its junction with Waverley Road, ...
As some of my readers will know, something over a year a go I suffered a heart attack. Not a particularly bad one, as these things go, but it required two stents in two sessions of keyhole surgery to clear the artery up. I am pretty much back to normal now, but the episode showed that I had a vulnerability. In particular I need to watch my diet and especially limit the amount of saturated fat I consume. So far this has proved successful, though to keep my "bad" cholesterol in the recommended zone takes a hefty dose of statins ...
Iain Duncan Smith will face the Commons welfare and pensions committee over the problems with the introduction of his universal credit later today. Like most such occasions, it will probably prove a damp squib. The format of the meetings and the inadequacy of individual MPs' questioning mean witnesses are rarely forced into a damaging admissions. But IDS's reform are in trouble. And, thinking about why that might be, I was reminded of an interview Vince Cable gave to a group of Liberal Democrat bloggers in 2007. Writing it up for my House Points column in the party newspaper, I described ...
87% of house builders believe that Welsh Labour Government regulation has significantly increased their costs, according to a recent survey conducted by the Welsh Liberal Democrats. The Welsh Liberal Democrats recently contacted all house builders in Wales. Exactly 100 house builders, consisting of both small and big businesses, responded in full to the survey. Of the businesses that believed Welsh Government regulation had significantly increased their costs, 42% said that legislation would cost them in excess of £10,000. Other significant findings in the survey include: • 95% said that local authorities and the Welsh Government do not work well together in ...
A report by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (pdf) shows that 13 million people in the UK were in poverty in 2011/12, a poverty rate of 21% which, while still too high, is the lowest it has been since 2004/5. There is a mixed picture behind this: improvements for pensioners and children, and declines for adults in work, the latter being the angle picked up by the BBC. The data predates some of the more recent benefit changes, which are not likely to help, although even a 1% uprating of benefits will be faster than many people's wages, which is significant ...
[IMG: Farmers Market Banner] Every 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month 10am - 12.30pm at the Chichester Memorial Hall, 70 Sandgate High Street, Sandgate CT20 3AR Huge range of bread, pies, biscuits, fruit & vegetables, meat, eggs, cheese & charcuterie, olives, cakes & quiches, preserves & chutneys, chocolate & confectionery (stall holders attending can vary). 2014 Saturdays January 18th February 1st and 15th March 1st and 15th April 5th and 19th May 2rd and 17th June 7th and 21st July 5th and 19th August 2nd and 16th September 6th and 20th October 4th and 18th November 1st and 15th ...
A lovely story from US pundit Steve Kornacki on how he became pen pals with former President Bill Clinton. Sometimes, politicians do pay attention...
I was out and about a lot over the week-end chatting to residents on the doorstep, delivering leaflets and all the other bonkers behaviour that we Lib Dems do at Christmas, instead of getting crushed at Bluewater like all normal people. Although thinking about my marriage, if I don't move the boxes of leaflets, badges and elastic bands out of [...]
All the media this morning continues to run with the weekend story of an 11% pay rise for MPs. Quite rightly this headline has caused huge public outrage. What we do not know yet is how this forms part of the full package. There is talk of changes to pension arrangements and expenses that will make the pay rise revenue neutral, in which case, why bother? The politicians are caught in a classic dilemma. Almost unanimously, they know how bad this looks and are prepared to forego the rise, and yet as a consequence of the last expenses scandal they ...
Here's one of my recent blogs in my role as minister in the Department for International Development. You can also read it on the DFID site here. Of all the things that have gone viral this year, there is 1 in particular that stood out for me. A Swedish professor, Hans Rosling, produced a survey that tests our assumptions about the progress of the developing world. It was reported on by the BBC a few weeks back, and Rosling's TED talk has been viewed more than 6 million times. Many people I spoke to said how surprised they were by ...
Alice Bell: A new pro-nuclear film aims to build a pro-nuclear green movement. It needs to stop obfuscating with science, but use it to invite deeper engagement instead Alice Bell
posted The Blood is The Life 08-12-2013 http://t.co/ODSKZib7um on #dreamwidth (tags: dreamwidth (from twitter) ) Mark Thompson: MPs should have their pay-rise - Oh, and it's 2.2% not 11% (tags: ) Psychopath Night Channel 4 appear to have found that 2/3 of FT readers are psychopaths http://t.co/Mn9MaL7kB1. Thank god those people don't run the world. (tags: (from twitter) ) Hebden Bridge: a hippie idyll scarred by heroin Going there this afternoon :/ RT @NS_Culture: Have you ever been to Hebden Bridge? The hippie idyll scarred by heroin http://t.co/KjqkGNst7X (tags: (from twitter) ) How to encourage girls into 'boy-biased' A-levels ...
[IMG: Giles Goodall at ALDE] Next up in our series of Christmas present ideas comes from regular contributor and Euro candidate Giles Goodall. Just in the nip of time for Christmas - with a release date two days after the last ever episode airs on BBC4 - comes the box set of all three series of Denmark's hit political drama. Which self-respecting, Europe-minded, coalitionist Lib Dem could be without the Borgen Trilogy? After the heady days of a surprise election victory, novelty of entering government, and mounting pressure of compromising on your ideals in the first two series, Borgen quickly ...
Just launched is the new Social Media Best Practice Guide put together by the CIPR (and including a small contribution from myself). Topics covered in the 30 page guide include: definition of social media dos and don'ts of social media planning social media legal considerations security considerations advice for employers social media measurement. I hope you find it useful. CIPR Social Media Best Practice Guidelines from Chartered Institute of Public Relations
I have today launched my December 2013 Update to the West End Community Council. Subjects covered include: Funding for the West EndSpeed concern in Roseangle Blackness Library West End Christmas Fortnight success The Community Council meets tomorrow evening at Logie St John's (Cross) Church Hall at 7pm - all residents welcome. You can download my Update here.
A free talk by Dr Steve Hubbard, College of Life Sciences in the D'Arcy Thompson Zoology Museum, Carnelley Building at the University of Dundee Tuesday 10th December at 6pm The University of Dundee is now close to having the longest running dataset in the world on the survival of rainforest birds, thanks to the annual Trinidad expeditions for students led by Steve Hubbard. In this free talk, Steve will describe how this data will allow fundamental ecological hypotheses about the evolution of life history characteristics to be tested, as well as providing a critical insight into the effects of forest ...
[IMG: Piggy bank pound sterling. Clipping path included.] The brouhaha over the impending proposal by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority to increase MPs pay to £74,000 is understandable. It seems perverse to be considering an 11% pay rise on a £66,000 base salary at a time when most other public sector workers are in the middle of a long period of real wage stagnation. The cross-party rush by frontbench politicians to publicly distance themselves from the IPSA's recommendation is equally understandable, even if it is known that many MPs say something rather different in private. They can see it would ...
