Apologies to my usual Lib Dem readers who probably think a 'bikini bridge' is a bridge made out of bikinis or a bridge with women in bikinis standing on it. A bikini bridge in the contemporary sense is the gap that exists between a bikini bottom and the lower abdomen. You only have to look at the picture to know what I am referring to. The bikini bridge has become the new trend after '4chan' created a internet hoax whereby they encouraged people to post pictures of their bikini bridge and revealed that it was set up to see the ...
For the last fortnight, LibDemVoice has been asking our readers who they think deserves the accolade, Liberal Voice of the Year, now in its seventh year. The short-list was chosen by current Lib Dem members in our most recent survey: the 14 nominees all had to be separately mentioned by at least four individuals to be eligible for inclusion. The twist is that none of them can be current Lib Dems, forcing us to look beyond party label to recognise the liberal achievements of people who aren't big-l Liberals. I think it's our strongest short-list ever: there's not a single ...
Small boys on the platform. Jumpers for goalposts. Isn't it?
The proposed development of 100 homes at Upper Chapel in Launceston - which was rejected unanimously by Cornwall Council last year - is now the subject of an appeal by the applicants. The appeal is likely to be heard in March (a period of four days starting on March 18th is tentatively booked) and will take place in the town hall. Local people will be able to have their say and are encouraged to come along to show their support for the original decision even if they do not want to speak. I think it is good that the type ...
I have written rather too many books over the years, and they invariably miss the zeitgeist - often by centuries. So I was flabbergasted this morning to realise that I had, at least on first inspection, hit the zeitgeist bang on. Not only has Ed Miliband hit the headlines today with an article in the Daily Telegraph this morning about the plight of the middle classes, but Nick Clegg is due to talk later in the week about the way in which - for the first time since the Second World War - middle class parents expect their children to ...
Labour Uncut reports a "reprioritisation" of the party's list of 106 key seats: Underpinning this reappraisal are two broader developments: first, the increasing effort Labour is having to devote to retaining marginal seats it already holds and second, the party's flagging performance in the south. At the last election Labour won 17 seats where the majority was only in three figures. Although Labour's vote in these seats will undoubtedly be bolstered by defections from the Lib Dems, there is a real danger that anti-Labour supporters of the coalition parties will switch their votes to maximise the chances for a Labour ...
"There is some evidence that the emergence of this fantasy space has actually made the real world slightly safer for women: studies have shown correlations between access to online pornography and lower rates of sexual assault. But the flip side is that many men who might have successfully regulated their darker impulses now have what seems like a green light to be 'virtually' abusive ... because they're just trying out a role, or because the woman on the receiving end seems no more real to them than a character in a pornographic film." Ross Douthat writes about online misogyny for ...
The President of France, Francois Hollande, held a a long-planned news conference today to launch policies to help France's struggling economy. Along with cuts to government spending, he plans a 'responsibility pact' to incentivise firms to hire workers, and... oh, I'm sorry, am I boring you? You're only interested in his liaisons dangereuses, the reported affair he's having with the actress who is not his First Lady? If so, then you've a lot in common with UK journalists... And that's it! Next question on economy. The French media are a collective disgrace — Tim Shipman (Mail) (@ShippersUnbound) January 14, 2014 ...
[IMG: First World War trench - 1916. Photo courtesy of - some rights reserved] News that millions of pages of diaries from British soldiers in the First World War are being published online reminds me of some of the main conclusions from previous academic studies of such diaries and other personal paperwork. British soldiers on the western front were regularly rotated out of the front line, spending much of their time as a result complaining about being bored, miles away from the action and even being impatient to get back to it. I find the idea of being so ...
There has been a shooting at a Middle School in Roswell, New Mexico, with at least two students thought to be injured. Local station KOB reports that the school "remains
[IMG: strawberries] There has been an inconsistency between two highly prominent policy areas that has been niggling away at the back of my mind for quite some time now. UKIP needs to take note. So, take two policy areas and also take into account the temperature (at least according to the Daily Mail, etc) of the voters. The first area is education. Schools that do not match up to the floor levels at Key Stage 2 and at GCSE are pounced upon by Ofsted. They require improvement or are put into special measures. All children must get 5 good GCSEs. ...
Councillor Glyn Nightingale (left) pictured with Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Councillor Chris Abbott (right). Liberal Democrats in Redcar and Cleveland Borough have criticised the Labour Council for its poor consultation over its new Local Plan. The draft Local Plan includes over 1000 new houses at Marske and over 450 in Ormesby. Labour says that the area needs more houses, even though all the indications are that the population of the borough will continue to fall.Lib Dems are particularly worried that the proposals will allow building on greenfield sites, increase the risk of flooding, and will massively increase traffic. ...
Lib Dem MP Bristol West Stephen Williams last night conducted a Reddit AMA, allowing constituents to question him online. Williams, who was appointed in a minister in the Department for
Cornwall Council has moved a crucial step closer to a local plan as members voted overwhelmingly today for the proposal made by the cabinet. A local plan is vital because it provides extra control for local communities about what is built and where. So when Launceston agrees to allow development in our town, we want to be able to steer it to acceptable areas (such as South of the Link Road) and away from unacceptable areas (such as to the West of Upper Chapel). The debate today was taken up by discussion over the number of new houses that will ...
[IMG: jeannetarrant] Lib Dem HQ has announced that Jeanne Tarrant has been appointed as Pastoral Care Officer. This post was created following the Helena Morrissey Report into process and culture within the party. In August Party President Tim Farron explained what the party would be doing in response to that report. One of the commitments was to create the new post. Jeanne introduces herself: My role includes guidance, supporting and working with the wider party in implementing best practice for managing complaints, and producing best practice guidance. Also, ensuring such documentation is publicised and working with the training department to ...
[Another of my coursework essays, from last semester. My own choice of title. Very enjoyable working on it again, but yet again, probably a title that could have justified double the word limit!] Legal prohibitions, broadly defined as "the outlawing of the manufacture, distribution, sale or provision of particular goods and services by consenting adults," (Meadowcroft, 2008: 21) have been the setting for some key debates about the limits of legitimate interference in individuals' lives and choices by the community. They also contribute to an understanding of the extent to which the law is primarily interested in justice for victims ...
As 2014 gets underway so do events to commemorate those who lost their lives during Worrld War One. The Times reports on one such event, the on-line publication of army war diaries and other documents by the National Archives. The paper says that more than 1.5 million pages of unit war diaries from France and Flanders are being put online. The National Archives is also teaming up with the Imperial War Museum and Zooniverse, a citizen science web portal, to launch Operation War Diary, which aims to use contributions of amateur historians and other members of the public to get ...
[IMG: Stephen Williams MP] Stephen Williams used reddit yesterday to answer questions put by his constituents in Bristol West. He answered questions about web filters, homelessness, foreign policy, CCTV, voting reform, fracking, Bristol's Mayor, HS2 and academies. And this: What is your favourite type of cheese? To which he replied: An obscure one called Doux de Montagne!! But stilton and port are a great combination...but I'm trying to stay off booze in January. Stephen made an excellent use of the reddit tool which maybe other MPs could try. * Mary Reid is the Tuesday Editor on Lib Dem Voice.
[IMG: Posted by Picasa]
Tue 14th
13:47
Last night I nearly downgraded from Lib Dem activist to just Lib Dem member. I still might.
This morning I saw that Ben Mitchell had left the Labour Party and wrote about the reasons over on SpeakersChair and the timing for me couldn't have been more apt. Last night I had trouble sleeping. I often have trouble sleeping as my sleep pattern is crazy but it my brain was going. My whole thought process towards being a local activist was in full blown thought mode. Unlike Ben, I have no issues with being a member of a political party but being an active member locally is something I struggle with and when you get essentially belittled then ...
Though I'm thinking of taking this blog in another direction away from emotions in politics, I wanted comment today because of the Francois Hollande "scandal" - although it's not a scandal in France because mistresses are tolerated there. I am interested in what it says about a person, any person, that they treat their (soon to be ex?) partner with such contempt as to inform them they've been dumped via being seen in public meeting with someone else. Tho Hollande was not married to his partner, Valérie Trierweiler, who's currently existing in a Schroedinger like state of perhaps being his ...
[IMG: [personal profile] ] andrewducker gave me the letter T, and specified that I couldn't cheat and use "the". Something I hate: Yeah, I'm going to go with Andrew's suggestion on this: Throwing Up. This weekend was frustrating because I didn't get a lot done (or go to several things that I should have done) due to a cycle of throw up - drink water - throw up again - fall asleep - wake up with mouth like Ghandi's flip flop - drink water - throw up which went on (literally) ad nauseam for pretty much all of Sunday, and ...
The Welsh Government should introduce a dedicated scheme to support farms in Wales' most challenging areas. This afternoon's CAP statement will announce the results of last year's payments consultation and has previously been touted as 'final decision' time by the Minister. As such it is expected that clarity will be given over the way in which the Welsh Government intends to implement the CAP during the 2014-2020 funding period. In the past Welsh Uplands farmers (principally involved in the nationally significant lamb industry) have received additional CAP payments in line with the European Union's less-favoured area (LFA) definition. The Welsh ...
Here's today's hand-picked selection that caught my interest... Manchester Policy Blogs | Behind the headlines, a nation divided over immigration Fascinating on immigration polling from @RobFordMancs. Voters ~evenly divided, but haters hate more than likers like http://bit.ly/1fu1BZv What does your Facebook status say about you? – Daniel Willingham "What does your Facebook status say about you?" http://bit.ly/L5ZCNL A Licence to Teach Thoughtful & constuctive blog from @PXEducation on Labour's proposed teaching licensing http://bit.ly/L5XhCv Stephen Tall: The past elections the main parties love and fear | Conservative Home Me @ConHome > The past elections the main parties love and fear http://bit.ly/1hlBHVg ...
*Warning - what follows contains spoilers not only for Sherlock but also a number of the original stories: namely the Empty House, His Last Bow, Wysteria Lodge and the Dying Detective* When will it be on? Reports are that the BBC wants it ready for Christmas this year. Which, if true would be quite [...]
Tory MP Alec Shelbrooke, outside the Daily Politics studio, in a onesie. Conservative MP @AlecShelbrooke in a onesie outside Daily Politics studio at Millbank #bbcdp pic.twitter.com/QJ0XR5ps9P — Robbie Gibb (@RobbieGibb)
[IMG: Ed-Balls-and-Ed-Miliband-006] The recent Twitter-flirtation between Nick Clegg and Ed Balls was in itself not hugely significant, even if it was a welcome burst of public banter taking the place of off-the-record briefings. Politicians, after all, manage to be polite to each other far more often than Prime Minister's Questions might suggest, and the ability to behave (occasionally) like a well-mannered, polite adult is part of what makes them politicians who get insulted in the comments on blogs rather than commenters who insult politicians in the comments on blogs. However it is symptomatic also of a lessons slowly growing on ...
[IMG: An election count - ballot papers being counted] You've probably noticed I quite often write about how British elections are run, how election law is changing and controversies that have kicked off. However, not all the stories appear on this blog or in my main Facebook/Twitter accounts. For a fuller range of stories (or if you just are interested in them and want to skip the pieces about toilet signage in Pizza Express and what Nick Clegg has got up to), take a look at my UK Election Law news Facebook page or follow @UKElectionLaw on Twitter. If you ...
[IMG: guarian icm - jan 2014] The latest ICM poll for The Guardian is published today. Its topline figures show Labour on 35% (-2%), the Tories on 32% (n/c), with the Lib Dems on 14% (+2%) and Ukip on 10% (+1%). The changes from last month are all within the margin of error, so nothing too dramatic can be read into it. The ratings are mildly encouraging for the Lib Dems. The ICM poll at the equivalent point in the parliamentary cycle – January 2009 – had the party at 16%. ICM's poll is the one most eagerly awaited by ...
The 292 service between Kidderminster and Ludlow is very popular with people in the town. Some use it for work, others for a shopping outing to Kidderminster. It is a vital service for people who live at Clee Hill and Cleobury Mortimer. Worcestershire Council is now considering cutting back the off peak services on the [...]
This week the Liberal Democrats face a test of their commitment to transparency in government when the House of Lords considers Part 1 of the Transparency of Lobbying, Non Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Bill. Bizarrely for a Bill with transparency in the title, it will provide the public with less information than we already have under the discredited system of self-regulation. Last week the BMJ published details of the way the drinks industry had lobbied government to drop the commitment to minimum alcohol pricing including 130 meetings, few of which were in the public domain. This is not ...
A great example of why Britain's electoral law is in need of a thorough consolidation and simplification comes with the latest Electoral Commission bulletin: [IMG: Someone can't count] In the course of developing guidance to support the recent legislative changes relating to the publication of additional interim election notices of alteration, we have identified an issue relating to the deadline for registration applications in advance of an election. In summary, the work undertaken by the Commission and the Cabinet Office has identified that the effect of Section 13B(2) and (3) of the Representation of the People Act 1983 (as amended) ...
Latest Cheadle newsletter from our neighbourhood police.
The next meeting of the Beechwood Road/Grassendale Road area residents association is next week (Tuesday 21st). If you live in the area you are very welcome to come along. If you've had a letter or a note through your door about the association (either about this meeting or the last one), your street is definitely included. We've set up an e mail group to send out notifications etc for our meetings so do let me know if you want your name added to this. You can e mail me at paulakeaveney@yahoo.co.uk. Feel free to e mail with any queries too. ...
[IMG: Roasted coffee ] Newly opened Roasted is a cafe worth a visit. Being in the parade on Silverdale Road (next to the High Grove pub) it may be one you won't happen to pass by, but do take a detour! Walking into the cafe, I was greeted not only by friendly staff but also a roaring log fire, shelves filled with books on the walls and a real home-from-home feeling. Whilst the High Grove stopped serving food at the beginning of last year, Roasted have got their old chef. Although not the most obvious location for a cafe, Roasted's ...
Liberal Democrats are building a stronger economy and a fairer society, enabling everyone to get on in life. That's why we are working to help people get better pensions. The "triple lock" pensions policy was a Liberal Democrat 2010 manifesto policy and was not in the Conservatives' manifesto. Liberal Democrat pensions minister Steve Webb has announced a consultation on cracking down on rip off pension charges to help people saving for their retirement. On Saturday, January 4 Steve Webb announced Government plans to reform the UK private pensions system and end the current "lottery". In an interview with the Telegraph ...
This undated photograph shows the north side of Perth Road, Dundee, looking west and left from the south end of Springfield. The hairdressing and shampooing rooms at No. 37 belonged to John Fisher & Son, listed as 'hairdresser and perfumer' specialising in ornamental hair. He lived at No. 56 Magdalen Yard Road. No. 41 was William Moffatt, bookseller, stationer and tobacconist. Nos. 43 Perth Road was Mrs J. M. Robertson's West End Livery Stables, listed in the Dundee Directory as Nos. 45 and 57 too. She lived at No. 1 Strawberrybank. The company stables were at No. 32.5 King Street. ...
