The Jawbone arch on Edinburgh's Meadows is being removed having been found to be structurally unsound. It is being removed by the council to be dried out and apparently restored - but no timescale has been made available according to this STV report. Given the council's record of delivering projects on time (the trams are years late) it is no wonder an appeal has been set up for its restoration.
When a referendum on the EU comes the Liberal Democrats will campaign unambiguously as the party of IN. As Nick Clegg said, leaving the EU would be 'economic suicide'. Nick Clegg has called on pro-Europeans, businesses and organisations to join a 'coalition for the national interest' to make the case publicly for the benefits of being in Europe. He launched the party's #whyiamIN campaign, calling on people to declare why they are in favour of being in Europe, which received thousands of online responses including support from Richard Branson. He said: "Whatever you do, just don't let the isolationists speak ...
Talking up Redcar by using figures that are based on a lie is dishonest and is counterproductive. It eventually gets found out as it did thanks to Councillor Steve Kay. To sneer at someone for revealing the truth is a disgrace. All summer long the Council has been reporting visitor figures to the Redcar Beacon that nobody believed were true. They even used a resident to fake up a presentation to the 100,000th visitor, without ever saying they were including people who were only there to use the toilet. Thanks to Steve Kay we now know the truth. This is ...
It takes courage to open a new bookshop today: there is only a Waterstones left in Leicester (though we still have a Waterstones and an independent bookshop here in Market Harborough). So when I heard that the Five Leaves Publications had opened a shop in Nottingham, I determined to visit the next time I was in the city. I was there today and was not disappointed. The Five Leaves Bookshop is in an alley near the Council House and well worth a visit. Like the Five Leaves Publications list, the shop has a left-wing feel, but it is widely interpreted. ...
So Thursday night was the budget meeting for the 2014/15 precept for Bar Hill Parish Council. It was quite a fiery meeting and while it's not the worst news possible it's still very disappointing news for the long term future of the Skate Park (although somewhat better news for it's short-term future). The short-term issue is that in order to approve the demolition of the Skate Park another meeting of the Parish Council is required. It cannot proceed until another meeting which means the January meeting at the earliest. Just to be clear though; the Skate Park cannot be demolished ...
The Lib Dem team felt a while back that the benches on and around Gatley Green were looking old and tatty – and with all the other improvements to the Green we wanted to sort them out. The benches on the Green itself were refurbished first, and we're very pleased to see that the benches alongside the Green on Church Road are also now back in place.
[IMG: Lib Dems winning here] Here's the full list of selection contests in the coming month available for Lib Dems on the approved parliamentary candidates' list, together with the closing date for applications. They include Ming Campbell's North East Fife seat. The following seats have selections in progress and are currently advertising for candidates: Newark (17th December) South West Devon (20th December) Basingstoke (27th December) Harborough (28th December) Rushcliffe (3rd January) North East Fife (6th January) Skipton & Ripon (10th January) West Worcestershire (11th January) Birmingham Selly Oak (13th January) Edinburgh Western (Scottish Parliament, 18th January) Further information, including Returning ...
We often regard the police as being the ones who are there to boss people around and arrest people. However, there are many policemen and women, and Community Support Officers, who carry out a very caring role with the most vulnerable in society. I've seen at first hand a police person who knows the names and the stories of the vulnerable, and who talks with them and tries to help them very sympathetically, involving other agencies where necessary. It takes great patience. This Christmas we should be thankful to our caring police. [IMG: Post to Twitter] Tweet This Post
We live in one of the wealthiest parts of the country. I think most decent local people expect the local authority to use their taxes to ensure no one sleeps rough here. Yet, people regularly sleep rough in Newbury, even in the severest of weather. West Berkshire Council were to be applauded when, on November 1st, it put aside petty-fogging rules and subsidised the opening of the doors of the Two Saints hostel. However, its reversion to the old bureaucratic rules on December 5th will mean that, when local people hang up their stockings in the warm on Christmas Eve, ...
My favourite article from this week, nay this month, possibly even this year, is this one from Tim Farron. It's frameable. It is very outspoken but bang on the button. I applaud Tim Farron to the rafters for publishing it. What I was particularly impressed by is that it was published on politics.co.uk and also Yahoo News UK, where I first saw it. So, it was an article that came to the eyes of many UK internet users who don't normally frequent the rarified environs of political websites. I'll leave you to read the piece in full but it is ...
Sat 14th
16:46
This week's by-elections: A town council gain but a big loss in Bucks for the Liberal Democrats
There's not much to take joy from for the Liberal Democrats in this week's crop of by-elections. In South Buckinghamshire, we took a bit of a pasting in Iver Village and Richings Park where we were defending the seat. The result was as follows: Conservative 422 46.9% (-6%) UKIP 377 41.9% (+41.9%) Liberal Democrats (Peter Chapman) 101 11.2% (-35.9) The Tories nearly lost it too. The last time this ward was fought was in 2011. The turnout then was nearly double at 38.93%. On Thursday it was only 20.4%. In 2011, it was a straight fight between the Conservatives and ...
Sat 14th
16:19New LDV members' survey now live: your views on the economy, schools, and the Coalition
The new LDV members' survey is now live. So if you are one of the c.1,500 registered members of the Liberal Democrat Voice forum — and any paid-up party member is welcome to join — then you now have the opportunity to make your views known. Questions we're asking this month include: your views on the Coalition's spending cuts; what you think about schools policy; hot-topics such as payday loans, immigration, 'Help to Buy', state surveillance, the state pension and MPs' pay your views on Nick Clegg's leadership and of leading figures within the Lib Dems; what you think of ...
At the time of writing, Peter Black, Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for South Wales West, has been way too modest to tell us on his blog that he was awarded Assembly Member of the Year at the Welsh Political Awards. He is the first member of the Assembly to get an Act onto the statute book, giving residents of mobile homes parks more protection. You can watch his speech at the Report stage of that bill here. Thankfully, the awards ceremony has been recorded for posterity. You can see him accept his award here at around 19 minutes. * Newsmoggie ...
We are running a bit behind with date for our AGM, but it will be held on Monday 13th January 2014. Venue to be arranged. Members of the Northern Ireland Liberal Democrats should watch out for further details via email.
Here's today's hand-picked selection that caught my interest... feedly.com Not Scotland. Catalonia. "A referendum on independence? | The Economist" http://bit.ly/18KOspA Eddie Izzard on going into politics: 'Why shouldn't I be mayor of London?' | Culture | The Guardian I've been a fan for 20 years but... Hmmm > Eddie Izzard on going into politics: 'Why shouldn't I be mayor of London?' http://bit.ly/1j46ZUI feedly.com To summarize, @Peston is optimistic, at least for the next year » "How fragile is the 2014 recovery?" http://bit.ly/1b34kke
Sat 14th
13:29Hirsute "Hipster" Huppert, the Hashtag King, wins Parliamentary Beard of the Year with John Thurso i...
[IMG: huppert_caption comp] A couple of weeks ago, we brought you the news that Cambridge MP Julian Huppert had made the shortlist for Parliamentary Beard of the Year, a competition organised by The Beard Liberation Front. That's an organisation that has always struck me as weird. If you liberate a beard, aren't you left with a clean shaven face? Oh well, never mind. Today it was announced that our Julian has won with 46% of the vote with Jeremy Corbyn coming in second place and another Liberal Democrat MP, John Thurso, coming third. And he celebrated in style, inventing the ...
For those who don't know, as well as the Beatles Live At The BBC Vol 2 set (already on my Xmas list), Universal are releasing two digital-only albums of previously unreleased music — one by the Beatles and one by the Beach Boys (plus various Brian Wilson productions and associates) — next week, to take [...]
Sat 14th
12:54
Huppert Wins Parliamentary Beard of the Year; Celebrates with Awesome Hashtag #winninghair
Just a quick entry today: Very pleased to see that the lovely Julian Huppert has won the parliamentary beard of the year vote even though I voted Thurso.Honoured to be voted as Parliamentary Beard of the year. Thanks all! http://t.co/41oyy0zMd7 @kmflett #fb #winninghair — Julian Huppert (@julianhuppert) December 14, 2013I note that this was despite the desperate, misspelled, last ditch efforts of the Labour candidate for Calder Valley. As our own, dear, beardy candidate ACMcG said:.@SarahBrown1984 LOL... that's so pathetic, politicising a bit of fun like the best parliamentary beard... I mean, really? — A C McGregor (@A_C_McGregor) December 14, ...
Reacting to the news that the constituency office of Trevor Lunn MLA, of the Alliance Party was attacked this morning in Lisburn, John O'Neill, Chair of the Northern Ireland Liberal Democrats said: "As Northern Ireland looks forward to one of its most busy festive periods, the attack on Trevor Lunn's office reminds us that there...
Zac Goldsmith has been trying to quash speculation he might do a job swap with Boris Johnson. .@zacgoldsmith tells Ken & David: "I have no ambition at all to run for Mayor of London" — LBC 97.3 (@lbc973) December 14, 2013 We'll remember that...
Sergeant Blackman deserves no special pleading; indeed, his sentence makes sense for Britain, for the Afghan mission and for the military. This morning's Daily Telegraph carries an interview with the wife of Royal Marine Sergeant Alexander Blackman. Claire Blackman has joined a chorus of voices calling for leniency, or even a pardon, for her husband, who was recently convicted by a court martial board of murdering a prisoner while on service in Afghanistan. Without meaning to sound too callous, Mrs Blackman, along with individuals such as Colonel Richard Kemp and Lt. Colonel Simon Chapman are wrong. Their argument that we ...
BBC Parliament's The Week at Westminster had a review of 2013, with Conservative Home's Andrew Gimson, Labour tweeter and blogger Paul Richards and our own Mary Reid. What was striking was that none of the three of them were particularly optimistic. Richards felt that Labour were being too complacent and there isn't enough in the way of bold policy ideas to seal the deal with the electorate. He was also none too chuffed with his party's actions over Syria. Gimson was candid that the Tories found it difficult to persuade people that they were on their side. Mary gave a ...
Recently I went to see 'Gone with the wind' in my local art cinema. I've seen this movie many times before but watching on a big screen was a real treat. It is amazing to think that the movie first came out in 1939 is still as relevant and appealing now. It is not only [...]
During my commute home I like to listen to podcasts. The London School of Economics has a regular lecture series which it is gracious enough to record and podcast. The lectures are consistently interesting - although of inconsistent audio quality - and offer a fascinating glimpse into the minds of its speakers. Last night, the crackly audio gave way to a familiar voice; Nelson Mandela. In this lecture from April 2000, Mandela talks about how people should comment on and judge African leaders. One of the key point that he makes is that leaders like him came from a ...
Does the success of Gravity mean that 3D cinema might just survive after all? 3D cinema is in trouble: audiences have been turning against it, so rather than being the financial saviour of cinemas it's now looking like a liability. One of the harshest critics of 3D has been the Guardian and Radio 5 film [...]
I wrote last year about the Brown's of "Sister Wives" fame and their campaign to end Utah's regressive laws on "religious cohabitation". Utah has, I'm sure you'll know, a long and complicated relationship with both the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and polygamy. In the 19th century polygamy was a central tenet of the LDS Church and they played a cat and mouse game with federal authorities to keep the "Principle" alive in Utah. By the 20th century the federal authorities had won and the LDS Church gave up the "Principle" in order for Utah and the church ...
We're 18 months from the May 2015 election so I thought it'd be useful to keep a running check on how candidate selection is going in our held and key target seats... I published a first draft of this list at the start of October, and asked readers to help me update it – many thanks to those of you who commented here, on Twitter, via Facebook and by email and text. Here's the latest version of the list of (re-)selections in our held seats and the top 50 targets for the party — however, I realise we've just gone ...
Yesterday's Telegraph reviewed the Christmas cards of leading politicians and it did not like what it saw. Never mind selfies, the paper says that the first thing to notice about the Christmas cards of the three main party leaders is that they share a common theme. On the front of David Cameron's card is David Cameron. On the front of Ed Miliband's card is Ed Miliband. And on the front of Nick Clegg's card is Nick Clegg. This week, the Christmas cards of our leading politicians have been released to the media, and, as usual, they themselves feature prominently in ...
Watch the new video from Amnesty International UK: You can also watch this on YouTube.
The Lib Dems have been runners-up in the West Dorset constituency since it was created in its modern form in 1992. Oliver Letwin was first elected in 1997 and has narrowly held the seat the seat since then. It would take only a 3.5% swing towards the Lib Dems to win it. The party has this week moved a step nearer towards that goal with the selection of an energetic local candidate, Ros Kayes, as their website highlights: West Dorset Liberal Democrats have selected Bridport based Cllr Ros Kayes to fight the seat for the party in the General Election ...
posted The Blood is The Life 13-12-2013 http://t.co/v3bfOTQsQc on #dreamwidth (tags: dreamwidth (from twitter) ) On "Controversial" and "Offensive" (tags: ) contender for headline of the day - Axe-men and goldfish enthusiasts among those to escape 5p bag levy (tags: ) The boy whose brain could unlock autism. This made SO MUCH sense to me. (tags: ) Fashion News, Latest Trends, Catwalk Photos & Designers (Vogue.com UK) Zen: http://t.co/naxeQTdRqH then press up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right then b, then a repeatedly. Seriously, go do it now. (tags: (from twitter) ) http://ift.tt/1kFpSsC The need for proper Consultation ...
Caron Lindsay's blog post about the last Federal Executive meeting reports: [IMG: Caron Lindsay] On the interim peers panel, a motion from the FE will be brought to Spring Conference in York. I can't tell you the wording because it's going to be redrafted taking into account the views expressed at the meeting. I think that Sue Doughty's committee have done some excellent work on this, balancing all the views they've had from across the party. They've come up with something that should make the system more democratic and that the leader is more likely to use. I spoke in ...
[IMG: liberal-voice] We're launching our search for the Liberal Voice of the Year – to find the individual or group which has had the biggest impact on liberalism in the past 12 months. This is the seventh annual award, and as is our tradition, we're looking beyond the ranks of the Lib Dems to find the greatest liberal who's not a member of our party. We'll be seeking nominations from Lib Dems signed up to our members' forum in our forthcoming survey – this is a heads-up so you can get your thinking caps for nominees you think merit inclusion. ...
As has been customary on this blog for many years, here's the start of my Christmas songs countdown for 2013 - starting with Mariah Carey and 'All I want for Christmas is you':
Sat 14th
05:53
We need to design a new franchise for Wales that puts the passenger right at its heart
The Enterprise and Business Committee's report on the Charter for 2018 Wales and Borders rail franchise, makes it clear that there is a significant amount of work that needs to be done if we are going to be able to design a new rail franchise for Wales that puts the needs of the passenger right at its heart. We need a much better understanding of where passengers are travelling to and where gaps exist in our network in order to develop an effective and efficient rail service. As a committee, we saw the merits of the devolution of the powers ...
Note from the district council I am writing to you, as a Councillor representing Clarence Ward, to give you advance notification about additional arrangements relating to the Green Ring route project consultation. We are proposing to invite residents and other interested parties to come along to an exhibition and consultation events on the proposed St Albans Green Ring cycling and walking route. The exhibition is being held at District Council's offices in St Albans on Monday 16 December (noon – 5pm) and on Wednesday 18 December (4pm – 7pm). Officers from St Albans City and District Council and Hertfordshire County ...
On Thursday I blogged about plans to reopen the railway line from Bedford to Cambridge. These photographs, which show the last days of that line in the late 1960s and its decay through the 1970s, were taken by Malcolm Thomas. The music is Argier by Mike Oldfield.
There was some press coverage earlier this week for an academic paper from climate scientists from the University of Bristol who had used computer modelling to see what the climate of Tolkien's Middle Earth would have been like. The university website has a press release on the research and also links to the full paper. There you will read: The main findings concerning Middle Earth are that: The climate of Middle Earth has a similar distribution to that of Western Europe and North Africa.Mordor has an inhospitable climate, even ignoring the effects of Sauron - hot and dry with little ...
