Liberal Democrats are asking Redcar & Cleveland Council's Labour bosses to back a real pier at Redcar.At the meeting of the Council on 12 December, Lib Dem Councillor Chris Abbott will ask the Labour Cabinet Member to agree for a real pier to be included in the Local Plan.Councillor Chris Abbott, who represents Newcomen ward, said:"Councillors have been inundated with emails from local residents pressing for a real pier to be included in the Local Plan."The Council needs to show it is listening."Lib Dem Group Leader Glyn Nightingale added:"Ian Swales MP says that the Council needs to produce a plan ...
Tomorrow's Guardian says that the former Liberal Democrat minister David Heath is to demand new laws to make sure Britain's spying agencies do not intercept calls or email data without a specific warrant: He told the Guardian there were gaps in legislation governing the intelligence services that had to be closed, and called for the UK to follow America's example in looking at how to address the issue.The report goes on to say that Heath attempt to bring in a new bill from the backbenches will have cross-party support. The paper names Labour's Tom Watson, the Conservative former diplomat Rory ...
Today in the Northern Ireland Assembly in their final plenary session of 2013 discussed this Alliance Party motion: That this Assembly notes that a sexual orientation strategy was subject to consultation in 2006; further notes that public commitments to publish a document by the end of 2013 were made by the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister in Together: Building a United Community; expresses its deep concern that this document does not appear to have progressed to date; and calls on the First Minister and deputy First Minister to publish a cross-departmental sexual orientation strategy as a ...
skip the advert Your browser does not support frames. Click here to view the frameless video..
Mayor of Gateshead, Jack Graham, was in Marley Hill on Sunday to switch on the Christmas tree lights at the front of the Community Centre. This was the first time we had had an outdoor tree at the centre and the first time we have run a Christmas event like this. My job was to organise the day, run the craft market and the cafe and generally make sure the whole thing held together. We put the
The death of Nelson Mandela prompted an outpouring of tributes from around the world, and raised some interesting questions about his legacy and those of the conservative governments of the 1980s. It has been been particularly interesting for me to observe the US media struggling with how to deal with Mandela's life history and worldview, and ultimately choosing to portray him as a Gandhi-like
The Government Digital Service have released their annual report. The documents look at what has been achieved, updating the public on the the progress of the Government's digital strategy. I'll look into it more closely, but for now it can be read here.
Last Friday Lord Tope hosted our annual business networking event at the House of Lords. This is always a popular event with businesses and we send out invitations to businesses linked to our theme. This year's theme was Supporting Small Businesses and a number of small firms from Cheam, Worcester Park and Rosehill came along [...]
Probably entirely inappropriate. Definitely utterly brilliant. David Cameron, Helle Thorning-Schmidt (Danish PM), and Barack Obama take a selfie at Nelson Mandela's memorial service. Thank you and goodnight. Update As if this story could get any better...
Writing letters to the local paper is an easy way to communicate your message to a large number of people. Not only is a letter free to send, and quick to write, the letters pages are also one of the most widely read sections of a newspaper. People often trust things that are said by [...]
Photo Credit Following Cider with Rosie's example... 1. Finally getting around to having a personal trainer from my gym customize my workout. It's so much easier when I know that my routine is actually helping me stay in shape, as well as helping me to de-stress! 2. This amazing delivery from Tea Pigs. I was so happy when the postman knocked on the door! 3. Hugs on the sofa with Mittens and the Boy. 4. Reaching the halfway point on my marking pile. I have about 180 undergraduate public services assignments to mark, and I am finally half way there! ...
Equalities and women's minister Maria Miller has announced the same sex marriages in England and Wales will happen much earlier than expected. In a news release on the DCMS website Miller announced: Marriage is one of our most important institutions, and from 29 March 2014 it will be open to everyone, irrespective of whether they [...]
[IMG: wedding rings] The Government have today announced that Same Sex marriages can commence in 2014. One of the ways of finding out who I was, who I might be and what shaped my thinking and existence was to speak to older relatives about themselves and my forebears. Their memories are linked either to very small specific instances or to the large set piece occasions. In this cascade of history weddings stand out large and strong. In photographs it is weddings that are posed and formal and vibrant - and yet - up to now I would have been deprived ...
Michael questions why the BBC has ruled that presenters wearing red ribbons for World Aids Day is not appropriate but the RBL Poppy is.
Trying to close a few tabs... How to write about the North Every day this month, 2000AD are doing cheap one-day offers on DRM-free cbz comics A something sort-of like left-libertarianism-ist manifesto What is Social Liberalism? An MP3 of a collaboration between Anthony Newley and Delia Derbyshire The classic cognitive science book Society Of Mind [...]
Tue 10th
14:45
Three scenarios for the 2015 election based on current polling: which do you think looks most plausi...
In 18 months we'll know the result of the 2015 general election. Forecasting is a mug's game – especially because there are an even greater number of variables this time than usual: a governing coalition of two parties with one established centre-left opposition, Labour, and an insurgent right-wing party, Ukip. But plenty are having a go at it anyway. Lib Dem MP Sir Nick Harvey reckons Labour has the next election in the bag. Psephologist Lewis Baston thinks we're headed for a second hung parliament. And pollster Sir Bob Worcester believes the Lib Dems are destined for meltdown. Here's my ...
So the date has been set for the first same sex marriages in England and Wales. [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments
Last week I asked the Welsh Education Minister about the perception caused by Wales very poor PISA results in terms of attracting jobs and businesses: Peter Black: Minister, the latest PISA results have shown that the outcomes for pupils in Wales in relation to basic skills is particularly poor. What will you do in the next six months to convince employers who wish to relocate to Wales and create jobs here that they have a high-quality workforce that they can call on to turn this around? Huw Lewis: As we have discussed, within the next six months, we will see ...
In our debate this week, the Welsh Liberal Democrats are calling on the Welsh Government to conduct a thorough review of all of its external spending to restore public confidence in the current funding and grants system. In recent years, there has been a string of reports published by the Wales Audit Office which have highlighted significant failings in the governance arrangements and delivery of key public services. The Welsh Liberal Democrats are also calling on the Welsh Government to publish the monitoring regime currently in place in respect of its grant management policy and for it to report annually ...
Here's today's hand-picked selection that caught my interest... 20 Reasons Why We All Really Love To Watch "Gogglebox" And I could come up with at least 20 more > 20 Reasons Why We All Really Love To Watch "Gogglebox" http://bit.ly/18jOJBR feedly.com First graph especially striking » "Autumn Statement 2013: what's happening to the economy? | Full Fact" http://bit.ly/1gU07op feedly.com Yep. "Members of Parliament: Pay them more | The Economist" http://bit.ly/18Q24CB Let's admit it: Britain is now a developing country | Aditya Chakrabortty | Comment is free | The Guardian The Grauniad goes all #trollemic on me » Let's admit it: ...
[IMG: Pegasus Bridge [Site of one of the earliest operations of D-Day 1944, WW2]] Pegasus Bridge - one of the earliest operations of D-Day 1944, WW2 Visit Kent are working on a project called Liberation Route Europe, which looks at developing a remembrance trail and a website / database of stories and places of interest related to the liberated sites of Europe in WW2. Visit Kent are looking for information on any significant events or stories from WW2 that are connected to the liberation of Europe (stories from around 1944/45 e.g. Operation Fortitude) and that are also connected to particular ...
As a teenager my first public political act were in opposition to apartheid. As Young Liberals back in the late 1960's were all deeply involved in the campaign against the all white South African cricket team and in protests against the visiting Springbok rugby side. I remember Rev David Sheppard, then Bishop of Woolwich, coming to Coventry to protest against the rugby match at the Coundan Rd ground. Peter Hain told the story in his book 'Don't Play with Apartheid'. No other issue galvanised young people in the way the anti apartheid movement did. In Britain at that time David ...
[IMG: Spring 2013 Federal Conference agenda] A couple of weeks ago Lib Dem Voice reported that party members were being consulted by Federal Executive about the future of Spring Conference, following a consultation session at Glasgow. This was driven by financial pressures and the need for the Spring Conference to be cost-neutral. Options included keeping it as it is but with cost savings, reducing its length from two days, or abolishing the Spring Conference completely . The second option was preferred by Federal Executive. Not surprisingly, the Federal Conference Committee did not support either abolition or any changes to the ...
I haven't posted on my blog for ages. Unfortunately I've been rather ill. It's a rather long story but I am on the road to recovery now. I actually became ill during the St Austell and Newquay Regional Action Day last month. In case you haven't heard about the concept, the day is co-ordinated by a chap called George who is based in Lib Dem HQ, and it involves inviting party members from across your region to help recruit new members, and volunteers in your constituency. The focus is primarily upon recruitment, as opposed to leaflet delivery, or surveying. Despite ...
Yes it is, according to the Harvard Business Review. No it isn't, if you take a close look at their evidence. Regular readers will know this is a regular theme of mine, so let's first clear out of the way some of the common mistakes people make, which to its credit the Harvard Business Review's argument doesn't repeat. The data in the graph below is for take-up of technology per household in the US, so it avoids the common mistake of mixing US-only figures with the world (not hard to find things are bigger when you change your reference frame) ...
Well done the Clegg Kids
Here's an email I sent to residents last week about housing in Haringey. Please do add your name to our petition, if you'd rather Labour-run Haringey Council spent money on houses, rather than bonuses for failure. To sign up to receive regular email updates, got to lynnefeatherstone.org/contact and enter 'subscribe' in the message box. Labour simply can't be trusted to run Haringey Council properly. They haven't built a single new home in almost 25 years, despite over 10,000 local families waiting on the list for social housing. The local Lib Dems and I are petitioning the Labour-run Council to spend ...
Here is the Christmas card Nick Clegg and Miriam González Durántez will be sending out this year: [IMG: Clegg family Xmas card 2013] The London Evening Standard explains: Nick and Miriam Clegg's Christmas card was hardly festive at all ... until their three sons got hold of it. Brothers Antonio, Alberto and Miguel used an app on the family iPad to give the cosy image of mum and dad on the sofa a seasonal makeover. The Deputy PM was given a Santa hat and beard, and a Christmas stocking on his foot. His lawyer wife ended up with antlers and ...
At last night's City Council meetings, there were a significant number of issues discussed. At City Development Committee, I welcomed the news that the tourist information service is to move back to the City Centre as part of the new City Square Box Office facility. I complained to Dundee and Angus Tourist Board when it previously moved the facility out of Castle Street and down to Discovery Point as I feel a main City Centre location is vital, so am pleased with the move to the City Square. At Education Committee, I commented on proposals to alter the priority scheme ...
[IMG: bob russell_2] Bob Russell, the Lib Dem MP for Colchester, claims to have set a record by holding a surgery that lasted for 12 hours. It seems that 36 people made appointments to see him last Friday. It's not entirely clear whether he had originally planned it to go on for so long, or whether he just had a very long list of people who wanted to see him. He claims to have seen 10,000 constituents at his surgeries since he was elected in 1997. So your challenge today is to establish whether this truly is a record. Do ...
Tue 10th
10:02
Badger Cull: Clarification Statement - I am opposed to the cull (including the Pilot one)
I have been getting emails from constituents claiming that I am known to support the Pilot Cull. This confused me because I thought I had voted against. It is, of course possible, that I had made a mistake so I checked. It is quite clear from Public Whip here that I did rebel on the issue on an opposition day motion. And I voted in support of the words: "That this House believes the badger
posted The Blood is The Life 09-12-2013 http://t.co/AotElOUDbS on #dreamwidth (tags: dreamwidth (from twitter) ) ThinkGeek :: Technomancer Digital Wizard Hoodie OMG WANT (tags: ) A Something Sort Of Like Left-Libertarianism-ist Manifesto (tags: ) Historical significance on Christmas Day: Doctor Who Vs Corrie (tags: ) BBC Homepage Catified (via @GuitaringLancey) (tags: ) http://open.spotify.com/track/73bVYFCVJN1YwCSyRjEslG Well Hello there blast from the past http://t.co/PFAqWoLr7c (tags: (from twitter) ) Poverty at its lowest since 2004/5? (tags: ) http://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/ *introduces Douglas to the concept of BPAL* >:) http://t.co/6XBFA15uGN (tags: (from twitter) ) posted Mental Health/ #MusicMonday: on being a psychopath http://t.co/BZeMFX7HWu on #dreamwidth ...
Was the almost half a century that elapsed between the release of Peter Pan in 1953 and it's sequel Return to Never Land in 2002. Peter Pan protagonist Wendy Darling has grown into a woman with her own headstrong daughter, Jane. But when Captain Hook mistakes Jane for Wendy and carries her off to Never [...]
In order to put the information together for the Parish Council today will be the last day for the survey, I'll be closing it sometime tonight. Get your responses in before it's too late!
Haringey Council didn't get the prize of worst in London without some inspirational bungling, something that has continued since, alas. Here's one of my favourite examples that has stuck in the mind, as featured in Private Eye: [IMG: Haringey Council flowchart: how not to fix a road] For more details on the story, see the piece over on the Haringey Liberal Democrats website. Road painting is a rum business in Haringey. This is, after all, the council that painted a disabled parking bay around a car – and then fined the owner for being parked in a disabled parking bay. ...
The received wisdom is that countries with proportional representation (PR) will have coalition governments while first past the post (FPTP) generally produces single party rule. However, there are some glaring exceptions to this model. For example, South Africa may use PR bit when the ANC routinely gets 60-70% of the vote that doesn't matter a [...]
From the Hillcrest Group: The Hillcrest Group is pleased to announce the launch of this year's Sox Appeal Campaign. Following on from the success of last year's campaign we hope again to provide warm clothes, hats and socks to people who are struggling to stay warm. For several years our Christmas campaigns have helped local people who are vulnerable, homeless or in real need. By collecting donations for local charities, who can give items directly to the people who need them the most, we are providing practical and targeted support within the community.
Alex Aldridge over at Legal Cheek brought to my attention BPP's announcement that they were offering a "career guarantee" to new Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC) students, giving them the opportunity to take the Legal Practice Course (the route to becoming a solicitor) for free if within 12 months of completing the BPTC at BPP they have not obtained pupillage (the apprenticeship necessary
Kurdish political parties, both in the Middle East and in exile, have tended to be Marxist in orientation, or at least Socialist, so the idea that Liberal Democracy might be appealing to Kurds is intriguing (though of course there are some Kurds originating from Turkey who have joined the UK Liberal Democrats). Dividing his time [...]
