An encouraging article from the deputy prime minister in tomorrow's Observer: I want to end the tradition where politicians only talk about drugs reform when they have left office because they fear the political consequences. This has stifled debate and inhibited a proper examination of our approach. We need to bring this issue out into the open and to be led by the evidence of what works. We owe it to our young people, to the families torn apart by addiction and to the states that look to us for leadership and advice. We can help countries such as Colombia ...
Reblogged from Gerry Lynch's Thoughts...: This was one of three adresses celebrating the life of the Reverend George Mervyn Kingston at a memorial service held at St George's Church, Belfast on 8 February 2014. Mervyn was a wonderful priest, a loyal friend and an unlikely prophet, whose prophetic ministry was particularly concerned with reconciliation between [...]
If you're thinking of studying with the Open University, but don't live in either the UK or Ireland, you may be interested in this recently launched website for prospective students from the rest of the world. It's aim is to make all of the information relevant to overseas students accessible in a single place. The Open University claims to be the world's leading provider of flexible, high quality online degrees and distance learning. It serves students across the globe with highly respected qualifications, including the triple accredited MBA degree. The OU may not have as many students as it once ...
Sat 8th
19:30
Immigration minister Mark Harper quits. An honourable resignation? Inevitable is nearer the mark
Mark Harper, Conservative immigration minister, today resigned after learning his cleaner did not have permission to work in the UK. Here's how the BBC reports it: Mr Harper notified Prime Minister David Cameron, who accepted his resignation "with regret", Number 10 said. It added there was "no suggestion" the 43-year-old Conservative MP for the Forest of Dean had "knowingly employed an illegal immigrant". Fellow Tory James Brokenshire has been appointed the new immigration minister. His resignation is being hailed as honourable, though I think inevitable is nearer the mark. There is no suggestion he acted illegally, and in his own ...
I don't condone the set of circumstances which led to his resignation today, but the loss of Mark Harper is a great shame. He is one of the better Tory ministers. He worked as Nick Clegg's deputy in the Cabinet Office and did a very good job. It was great to see his defences of reforms at the dispatch box. Of course, I exclude his launching of the "Go home" campaign from my admiration. In fact I think that was a vile campaign. [IMG: Post to Twitter] Tweet This Post
Good sense, as ever, from the sage of Somerset. Here he is writing in tomorrow's Observer: There is a very loose parallel here with Somerset's decision to dispense with Viv Richards all those years ago. Richards was probably far easier to play along side than Pietersen but back then there were players who said that they were somehow stifled and reduced by Richards' presence in the dressing room. The implication was that they would be transformed as cricketers once Richards had gone. One year on they were just the same.
Yesterday it was picturesque but passable. Today the line looks like this.
"You see things; and you say 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say 'Why not?' " So said George Bernard Shaw, at least in the mouths of one of his characters in Back to Methusalah. It was universalised later by Bobby Kennedy. The issue goes to the narrowness of economics at the beginning of the 21st century. Once a subject area stops studying history, it can appear to them that no other system is possible - it is the way it is, because it is the way it is. To unravel this, we have to inject ...
On Thursday I appeared on Daily Politics, alongside campaigner Nimko Ali, to discuss the campaign to end FGM within a generation. Here's the clip:
The promised roadshow by First to consult passengers on bus fares will be held in Yate Shopping Centre on Monday, February 17 from 9 am to 12.30pm. First are also running an online survey on fares, with a chance to win an iPad. The consultation closes on March 16th.
UK Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, leader of the Liberal Democrats, has declared the war against drugs "unwinnable", after talks with President Juan Manuel Santos in Colombia. Mr Clegg has long argued that the UK's existing approach to illicit drugs is not working. As part of a record breaking trade visit to Latin America, the Liberal Democrat leader said "If you are anti-drugs, you should be pro-reform", adding that, despite attempts by his Conservative coalition partners to block further investigation into an improved policy, the UK's liberals would publish a report on an alternative strategy this year. The review will ...
A First Great Western HST edges across the flooded Somerset Levels on its way from Bridgwater to Taunton yesterday. Like many of my railway videos, this comes via BritishRailway.tv. Later. But now watch this.
Sat 8th
15:00A longer read for the weekend: Lord (Paul) Strasburger's submission to the Intelligence and Security...
The Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament recently issued the following call for papers: On 17 October 2013, the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament (ISC) announced that it would be broadening its inquiry into the laws which govern the intelligence agencies' ability to intercept private communications. In addition to considering whether the current statutory framework governing access to private communications remains adequate, the Committee is also considering the appropriate balance between our individual right to privacy and our collective right to security. The ISC is now inviting written submissions from those who wish to contribute to the inquiry. Lib ...
Sat 8th
14:00Willie Rennie on Lib Dem prospects in Scotland in 2015: "I know all 11 seats can be won."
[IMG: William Rennie] Scotland's Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie is interviewed in today's Times by Magnus Linklater – who describes him as "resolutely cheerful". On Cowdenbeath... Listing a load of reasons why he shouldn't be in good spirits, he asks Willie specifically about the Cowdenbeath by-election, where the party trailed in fifth: "We weren't surprised by it. We didn't put a lot into it, and if you don't do that, you don't get it back. We had lost our deposit at the last election, with something like 3 per cent, so we didn't have great expectations. We wrote it off. ...
On Friday, I traveled to Plymouth for the Police and Crime Panel, a sort of scrutiny committee for the work of the Police and Crime Commissioner. The main agenda items were to update the Police and Crime Plan and to consider the level of precept (how much is needed from Council tax) for the policing of Devon and Cornwall. The Police and Crime Commissioner is responding to messages from the Panel and the public that they need to see what the Commissioner as opposed to the Chief Constable and his staff are doing. The draft revised plan has begun to ...
LibDemVoice has two parallel sites. The first is our public blog, the thing you're reading now. The second is our private members' forum, which only current Lib Dem members can access. If you're a member and want to chat with fellow party members about any issue that's on your mind, then why not sign up? In addition, you'll be included in our regular surveys' of party members' views. Here's some of the most active discussions the past week: Europe: We are a party of IN – apparently; Mohammed Shafiq on Maajid Nawaz; Education; Latest Wythenshawe poll; Scottish Independence; Reports of ...
Lewisham Council have confirmed that the parking consultation in the 'Forest Hill South' area – which includes Derby Hill and Thorpewood Avenue – won't start until early 2015. Many people have raised the continued parking problems for residents in the area and town centre users, and we will continue to push for action from the [...]
Kevin Pietersen's expulsion for nameless and unnameable offences is strangely reminiscent of Henry James's famous ghost story The Turn of the Screw: "What does it mean? The child's dismissed his school." She gave me a look that I remarked at the moment; then, visibly, with a quick blankness, seemed to try to take it back. "But aren't they all—?" "Sent home—yes. But only for the holidays. Miles may never go back at all." Consciously, under my attention, she reddened. "They won't take him?" "They absolutely decline." At this she raised her eyes, which she had turned from me; I saw ...
Sat 8th
10:53
Person responsible for the non-opening of the fifth Winter Olympics snowflake is found!
[IMG: image] Photo:Some rights reserved by Eleonora's cat [IMG: Post to Twitter] Tweet This Post
The Sochi Olympics**Usual Terms and Conditions may or may not apply While the Opening Ceremony was underway in Sochi this was the scene in Red Square, Moscow. Principle 6 of the Olympic charter states: Any form of discrimination with regard to a country or a person on grounds of race, religion, politics, gender or otherwise is incompatible with belonging to the Olympic Movement.This is clear discrimination against people on the ground of otherwise. President Putin says people can be LGBT as long as they don't touch the children. I see no children in this video. Thomas Bach in his opening ...
Sat 8th
10:12
Action needed on rebalancing communities with large numbers of Houses in Multiple Occupation
Earlier this week I asked the Minister for Housing and Regeneration to give local councils the power to better control the spread of houses in multiple occupation in residential areas. Many communities are suffering social problems, parking chaos, rubbish and noise pollution due to poor planning laws and burdensome enforcement. In particular the growth of HMOs is largely unplanned and in most cases do not require planning permission. At the moment, any prospective landlord can avoid getting planning permission on a HMO in Wales providing less than 8 people live in it," said Mr. Black. "There is no control in ...
Sat 8th
10:00Lord (Mike) Storey writes on the Children and Families Bill: "At its very core, this is a Lib Dem Bi...
We've just had the final days of 'Report' of the Children and Families Bill in the House of Lords and on Monday, MPs will consider our amendments – including the proposal to ban smoking in cars carrying children. But as the dust settles on the red benches (or perhaps I should say, smoke has lifted?) I wanted to let Lib Dem Voice readers know about some of the things we've achieved, which Liberal Democrats can rightly be proud of. I should start by saying that, at its very core, this is a 'Lib Dem Bill'. The main provisions of the ...
It is always said that us Brits love talking about the weather. At the moment, there is plenty of weather to talk about! I do hope everyone is surviving without too many problems. However, I'm sure everyone is getting rather fed up! I found myself wishing for cold weather this week, minus the wind. I would urge everyone to check their roof. As we found Wednesday morning, slates are shifting. In the close next door, we noticed 3 other people had slates that had shifted. As for mud, even the pigs are getting fed up with it! The goats stand ...
I have been having what can only be described as a feisty exchange with a UK financial institution in recent weeks, caused by a piece of legislation that I was only dimly aware of, the Money Laundering Regulations 2007. You may be surprised to hear that I am not actually engaged in money laundering - trust me, I wouldn't be travelling standard class on the train if I was - but in this era of international financial transfers, financial institutions are obliged to be far more careful than they might have been previously. This may have something to do with ...
I have listened to many reports and comments, regarding the Somerset Levels, and thought it was probably about time I put my twopenneth in. On BBC Radio Fivelive yesterday morning, the phone-in (Your Call) focussed on the flooding. Some of ... Continue reading →
Last November, LibDemVoice – after some internal debate among the editorial team and with quite a few qualms – published our first (and, to date, last) 'sponsored post', an article published in return for payment to the site. Both the principle – publishing an article in return for payment – and the subject matter (support of expansion at Heathrow) made it pretty controversial. Some readers thought it was quite the wrong thing for the site to do; others thought that, so long as the posts were clearly marked as sponsored, then it was fine. We paused for thought and decided ...
Herts County Council has gone to great pains to tell everyone just how often it asks its residents for their opinions on matters great and small. Consultation after consultation comes out of County Hall in an endless stream. But on the really big issues, does anything actually change as a result of all this 'engagement'? Apparently not, based on answers from both Council officers and Cabinet level Conservative Councillors. Paul Zukowskyj, Lib Dem spokesperson for Corporate Issues and Localism, asked both officers and the Conservative administration what changes had been made after three recent 'consultation' exercises on the Integrated Plan, ...
Fellow bookworms: you still have one more day to get to Kolkata (formerly in Calcutta) in the India state of West Bengal. Because tomorrow is the final day of the world's largest book fair. As the New York Times reported last week: Organized by the Publishers and Booksellers' Guild at the Milan Mela Ground, the [...]
I am pleased to say that I have identified alternative savings that can be made to Dundee City Council's proposed revenue budget that would to save Early Year Practitioner Posts in Dundee Primary Schools. My alternative budget savings proposal has been approved by Chief Officers as financially and legally competent and I am now calling for all parties on the council to work together to save these posts that he says provide vital work in Dundee's primary schools. The SNP administration has proposed moving these staff to nursery schools in order that the salary costs can be funded from Dundee's ...
An instructional video from documentary producer, Ed Stradling Hat tip: Stephen Tall
