Last week I wrote about the possibility of reopening the old inland railway line from Exeter to Plymouth as an alternative to the vulnerable stretch along the seawall at Dawlish. Now BBC News is reporting that this line has indeed been chosen by Network Rail as "an additional alternative railway route". It goes on to say: There is no timescale for the plan, which Network Rail concluded in outline proposals last year would cost hundreds of millions of pounds.It seems this old L&SWR route via Okehampton and Tavistock has been chosen in preference to the Teign Valley route, via Christow ...
[IMG: image] 877. King Alfred was surprised and deposed by the Vikings at his Christmas retreat. He had to retreat to Athelney on the Somerset levels, somewhere he knew very well. After a couple of months there, including some insignificant but subsequently totemic episode with cake/bread/scones/griddle cakes which involved them being over-cooked, he came back with a vengeance. Photo: The Isle of Atheleny, some rights reserved by Hair Bear. [IMG: Post to Twitter] Tweet This Post
Mon 10th
22:10
Cambridge MP Newsletter: Tackling Fuel Poverty, Pedestrian Safety, Talking About Mental Health And C...
Time To Talk Paving the Way for Pedestrian Safety Together with 2016 Paralympics hopeful Claire Cannon, I have been running a campaign to Fix Our Pavements. Cambridge's unmaintained and uneven walkways present persistent dangers for people using them, especially those who are wheelchair-bound, using pushchairs or are visually-impaired. Having spent a morning in a wheelchair myself, I realised just how bad it could be, and this week I led a parliamentary debate in Westminster to put pressure on the Government to take a lead in this area. I'm happy to see the campaign gaining traction and while we must continue ...
Cambridge MP Julian Huppert will vote in favour of a ban on smoking in cars carrying children today (Monday, February 10). Julian emailed people around Cambridge and asked on the social networking site Twitter asking people what they thought of a smoking ban. More than 500 people offered an opinion, and about two thirds supported the ban. "It's very clear that people have thought carefully about this issue, and I was struck by how much people wanted to tell me," said Julian. "Some spoke from personal experience about the problems they had suffered from second-hand smoke and all those in ...
Independent seat. Resignation.
The latest version of the Northstowe Newsletter has been published and is available here; http://goo.gl/xX5Y5b (via Google Drive). The main topics from this newsletter are; Creating the Brand of Northstowe,Economic Development Strategy,Consultation with Local People,The Weeks Ahead ...,Progress on the Gallagher Application,Northstowe Community Services,Community Development,Parish Boundaries,Education Provision,Transport,Urban Design and Design Codes, andSaturday Morning Drop-Ins,
Over 130 young people with disabilities from twelve Cambridgeshire schools showcased their sprint, throw and jump skills in an annual athletics event on Friday (7 February). The Indoor Athletics Plus competition, coordinated by South Cambridgeshire District Council as part of the countywide Ability Plus programme, took part at Cambourne Village College. Competitors from 10 to 19 years old took part in a range of activities, led by Young Sports Leaders from Comberton Village College, from relays and target throwing to shot putting and sprinting. All events were adapted to suit a variety of disabilities so that all competitors were able ...
This week's showcase local business is the Vfit Centre in Trenawin Lane, Connor. I have attended classes here for a while now and it's a very female and family friendly environment, where people of every size, shape and ability are welcomed and helped to achieve their short, medium and long term goals. As well as the scheduled classes, there's the opportunity for nutrition and wellbeing consultations and advice. You can find out more information by visiting http://www.vfitcornwall.co.uk/
The argument that large institutions are more efficient sounds a pretty socialist one to me, so it is surprising to find that Leicestershire Conservatives are so keen on abolishing the county's district councils and leaving one unitary authority. A post on their website welcoming a report from by consultants Ernst & Young tells us that having a unitary authority for Leicestershire would protect services, cut the council tax, be paid for within in a year. It even tells us that having one authority would bring "engage and empower" local areas - at the same time as reducing the number of ...
South East Cornwall Tory MP Sheryll Murray was in all the photos during the visit by Prime Minister David Cameron to the village of Kingsand this afternoon. She managed to spare the time from her busy campaign trying to win votes for her cat to step out in front of the nation's media. Sheryll was keen not to share any limelight with local councillor George Trubody. George has been a complete star throughout the flooding crisis, virtually living in Kingsand and helping out his constituents at every turn. But Sheryll sought to exclude him from the PM's visit. It was ...
In an article for Liberal Democrat Voice Norman Lamb says he will vote to make it a criminal offence to smoke when there is a child in the car. That does not outrage me: if you think the health consequences of passive smoking for children are serious enough then it is reasonable to support a ban. What I find really odd is what Norman goes on to say: There would be no new police resource allocated to enforcing the ban proactively. But this would send a clear message out that smoking in cars with children is unacceptable, and I support ...
[IMG: Gas flame burning, creative picture] Last year I asked Ofgem, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) & the new Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to start producing annual competition assessments which will look at the way energy companies operate in detail. They will also set out any actions they deem necessary. The first of their reviews will be published this Spring and I have just written to them outlining new evidence I want to be considered as part of their investigations. Essentially the new evidence focuses on the profits some energy companies are making on supplying household gas. This ...
Mon 10th
18:59
Government will pick up the tab for Cornwall's flood damage (or maybe not - see update)
Whilst local government minister Eric Pickles and Lord Smith, chairman of the Environment Agency, have been bickering across all the airwaves, other parts of the government have been getting on with the job of trying to put things right. Junior Environment ministers Dan Rogerson and George Eustice (both Cornish MPs) have been doing loads of work behind the scenes whilst Mr Pickles hogs the airwaves. And this evening the Prime Minister has been in Cornwall where he promised that the government would pick up the tab "100%" to repair Cornwall's flood ravaged communities. UPDATE - Maybe not. It appears that ...
Later this evening, MPs will be given a vote on proposals to ban smoking in cars carrying children. It will be a free vote, and within each party there will be MPs who vote each way. If the proposal is approved, from next year it could become a criminal offence to smoke when there is a child in the car. There would be no new police resource allocated to enforcing the ban proactively. But this would send a clear message out that smoking in cars with children is unacceptable, and I support the measure wholeheartedly. Votes like this always raise ...
Something just doesn't sit right with me about all the talk over the Sochi Olympics. There's many issues surrounding it (the clearances, the corruption, the treatment of workers) and the debate that followed Russia's legislating to ban "LGBT propaganda" is one of those important issues. The treatment of LGBT people in Russia is a concern, as it is in many countries around the world, and taking action to investigate such abuses makes absolute sense. However what doesn't sit right with me is the ridiculousness of the Western response. And hidden within Brendan O'Neill's latest clickbait article are some real truths ...
[IMG: According to the BBC we have, this afternoon, a "letter before action" with a deadline of Thursday mentioned plus mumblings about turning Tim Farron upside down and shaking him until the pennies jingle out if his pockets and, metaphorically, his gold teeth fall out of their sockets. If legal action is taken, then Lord Rennard will have crossed The Rubicon. He may very well be vindicated in the courts. In fact, I guess he will be. But when you take legal action against your own party, events enter a very different sphere. We move beyond cosy committees and ...
This evening at 8pm on Radio 4 you can catch the first of two episodes with this title, the second one being on the following Monday. Steve Richards of the Independent talks to Nick and to other party members ... We explore Nick Clegg's leadership through turbulent times, assessing his political beliefs. How was a left-leaning party able to partner up with Conservatives with such apparent ease? What was the cost? And, with a hung parliament still very much in prospect in 2015, we show how Nick Clegg's politics and character could matter hugely to the future of British politics. ...
More comedy genius from Australia's Clarke and Dawe: You can also watch this on YouTube.
BBC's Sunday Politics looked at recent statements by leading Lib Dems – including three of the Coalition's biggest champions, Nick Clegg, Danny Alexander and David Laws – widely seen as an attempt to differentiate the party from the Conservatives: Post by BBC Daily Politics & Sunday Politics.
Mon 10th
15:50
Legal action to be launched by Lord Rennard unless Lib Dems lift membership suspension
The BBC reports: Lib Dem peer Lord Rennard has written to his party giving it until Thursday to lift his suspension, the BBC understands. If it fails to do so Lord Rennard is threatening to seek costs from those involved in his suspension, including party president Tim Farron. The former Lib Dem chief executive was suspended after four female activists accused him of sexual harassment. He denied the claims, but was asked to apologise by an internal investigation. The investigation, led by senior barrister Alistair Webster QC, concluded the claims against Lord Rennard were credible but could not be proven ...
There's been a lot of ideology thrown around about welfare and benefits since the 2010 election - coupled with an equal reluctance to address what appears to be the fundamental question: can we afford to retain the current post- war model of welfare at its current level? Liberal Democrat policy on welfare has not been updated since 1994. And there has undoubtedly been a devastating impact on the most needy as a result of this lack of clarity and indecision . The effect of tightening welfare payments and of delays in payment of benefits combined with rising food and energy ...
The Internet is said to be killing off professional journalism. As with sport and business and many other professions the gap between the top of the tree- the millionaire columnists (or centre forwards or CEOs) and and the journeyman hack (or sub editor or middle manager) has widened by a factor of a hundred in the past two decades. The difference is that the bottom of journalism is now essentially unpaid. Perhaps that is also become true elsewhere, but the number of unpaid internships in the media seems still to be rather ahead of other sectors. Journalists are not more ...
Northern Ireland's only HIV-specific support organisation, Positive Life is carrying out a survey on HIV patients' experiences in hospital settings with the aim of getting the best possible care for all living with HIV here in Northern Ireland. The research is to gauge if individuals with HIV are treated differently in a hospital setting due...
It's the worst of all worlds – high Council Tax yet poor services: [IMG: 5 ways Haringey Council gives us poor services yet high taxes]
Mon 10th
14:08
Norwegian universities consider the ethics of oil and gas research | Ragnhild Freng Dale
If Norway, one of the most oil-dependent countries in the world, can question petroleum research, will others follow?
"When the seventh head speaks, the War will end..." In 11th century Arabia, Shahrazad tells her final story, on the thousand and second night. In 19th century Britain, Sir Richard Burton is sent on the most important mission of his life. In 21st century America, a serial killer is stalking a Presidential campaign. And the [...]
Three big issues face the South West and the future of its rail links to the rest of the country. The first big issue is resilience east of Exeter. What we do west of the city is irrelevant if we cannot get beyond Taunton in the north and Crewkerne in the east. Being cut off at Exeter for the second year running presents an opportunity to focus on what is in all our best interests and that means reliable, faster and greater capacity services to and from the West Country. The Government has already given the go-ahead for the electrification ...
Mon 10th
11:59Uncomfortable truths from the IFS on public spending and tax cuts but cautious optimism on economic ...
Last week, the highly-respected Institute for Fiscal Studies produced its annual "Green Budget": its attempt to inject some realism into the national debate on the economy ahead of the chancellor's actual budget in March. The document makes for uncomfortable reading in parts, particularly as we head towards another general election in which the complicity of silence on deficit reduction is likely to be as deafening as it was in 2010. [IMG: IFS borrowing] Deficit reduction: significant progress, but some way to go Starting with the deficit, the IFS's conclusions are stark. Had the government not taken steps to increase taxes ...
Very clever stuff from Valerio Amaro: [IMG: Tolkien advertising idea for Rolex] See the rest of the gems here. Hat-tip: Tim Hartford.
Today's Telegraph reports that Nick Clegg has suggested that the starting threshold for income tax could rise above £10,000 at the Budget next month: In speech to business leaders today Mr Clegg will say that his party "want to keep cutting income tax for ordinary taxpayer." He will say: "That will be the main item Danny and I push for in the Budget - again. In the next parliament we would raise the personal allowance so that no one pays any income tax on the first £12,500 they earn. "It's our flagship policy because it's how we make work pay, ...
The agenda for the Liberal Democrat conference in York has been released, but it is the image of Nigel Farage that dominates. Browsing through the agenda for the Lib Dem
Yesterday morning I was working in my goat paddock and once I had dealt with the goat poo, I headed home to find the first ever non-election UKIP leaflet in my ward stuffed through my door. It was a national leaflet, not a local one. I was struck however about how negative the leaflet was. It was a call to join UKIP and the reasons for signing up said nothing at all about what UKIP are for.
The LGA Liberal Democrat Office will be accepting nominations from Lib Dem groups in control or in opposition from now until midday on Monday 3 March. The awards ceremony will take place on Friday 7 March at Spring Conference in York. In the spirit of the times we've: Slashed the budget by 40% – don't [...]
Energy minister Ed Davey has written to the regulators questioning high profit margins on retail gas, and demanding an investigation: reported by the BBC, Independent and others. It is suggested that if gas margins were similar to those for electricity, this could save the typical household £40 per year. The letter suggests that British Gas/Centrica prices and profits suggest a monopoly position. The full text of the letter is here, and you can read more of our coverage of energy prices here.
John Maynard Keynes was not well at the outbreak of war in 1939 but desperate to help with the war effort. He gathered around him a group of friends who had been involved in Whitehall during the First World War - including Sir William Beveridge, who had been in the Ministries of Munitions and Food - and they met once a week at his home in Gordon Square to discuss financial aspects of the war. Keynes called them the 'Old Dogs'. He set out his ideas on paying for the war to the Marshall Society in Cambridge, and he turned ...
St Albans, Hertsmere & Welwyn Hatfield Colney Heath Lane, St Albans Road Closure still required Sandpit Lane, St Albans Road Closure still required Mackerye End Harpenden Road Closure still required Bushey Hall Road, Bushey Road Closure still required
Dealing with Sexual Harrassment at the Grassroots | Jazz Hands, Serious Business Dave has some serious practical suggestions: in this case for the lib deems but I think they could apply a lot more widely (tags: ) BBC chief: no more comedy shows with all-male panels (tags: ) The Bedroom Tax is Dead here's why (tags: ) The Lib/Lab Lie | Sci-Ence! Justice Leak! Andrew is right, as always (tags: ) [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments
"Slavery?" I hear you cry. "In this day and age?" Sadly, slavery is still very much with us. And it's not a problem found only in far away countries. It's happening right here, right now, in Britain. The extent of the problem and proposed remedies were set out in the Report of the Modern Slavery Bill Evidence Review, chaired by Frank Field MP and published on 16th December 2013. The government is now proposing new legislation to tackle the problem. As part of the process of preparing this legislation, a Joint Committee on the Draft Modern Slavery Bill has been ...
This weekend's referendum vote by the Swiss to impose strict migration levels into the Confederation is a demonstration of how the political understanding of the implication of free movement of people is not shared by a significant chunk of voters. The Swiss people may now be about to find out just how far the world has moved on. One presumes that, in order to enforce this, they will need to tighten border controls, which will make life a little more annoying, but that is entirely their choice, and it will give Government, at both the Federal and cantonal levels, more ...
Last week I posted a video of an early appearance by the late Philip Seymour Hoffman staring in Law & Order. He's far from the only famous face to pop up in one part or another of the thousand plus episodes of the Law & Order franchise. In fact, there is a whole tumblr devoted [...]
Well Saturday didn't go quite as planned. I was woken up at around 4:45 by my body coughing and eventually I was able to hack out a blood-ball from my throat. Not pretty in prose let alone in reality. I have been battling what I thought was a throat infection for weeks, I first suffered it over Christmas but it cleared up but around three weeks ago it seemingly came back. This time I lost my voice and my throat was much more raw. Being a typical bloke though I ignored it all but the presence of coughing up blood ...
This post is brought to you courtesy of Charlotte Henry. (Go read her blogshe's fab.) When I was chuntering that I was sick of writing the same old same old she challenged me to "say something different." So here goes. Whilst I am sure I'll still touch on politics when the mood takes, I feel it is time a little change of tack. Welcome to Maths on Monday. A weekly series of posts designed to educate, stimulate and titillate. Who knows, if you stick with this, I may even convince some of you that maths can be interesting and....dare I ...
Residents have brought to my attention that fact that some of the gullies at road edges in Blackness Avenue, Hyndford Street and Seymour Street are full and blocked. I reported this to the City Council's Roads Maintenance Partnership who have advised: "Gullies are cleaned on cyclic maintenance with a frequency of approximately twice per eighteen months with particular attention given to gullies at low points. The gullies in the area will be checked by the Road Maintenance Partnership inspector who will arrange for an additional emptying if required. This will be done as soon as resources are available."
The Welsh Government has announced that it is to provide £20 million a year for a Schools Challenge Cymru support programme to under-performing schools. At present it is unclear how the new system will operate. It is coming just one week after the announcement of the Central South Wales Challenge, which is directed at more than 400 schools, there I'm keen to see how the two new schemes will work together. The Central South Wales Challenge has no money and all schools are included. There is a danger that, as a result of this piecemeal approach, some schools are given ...
Hertfordshire Conservatives are under fire for going back on a pledge made two years ago not to cut bus routes again after they proposed a further reduction in funding that will bring the total cuts to a total of £1.5m. At the HCC Highways and Waste Panel last week the Conservatives voted through a budget cut of £200,000 in the coming financial year, rising to £700,000 in a full year from 2015. This will reduce the current budget subsidy for bus routes from £3.9m to £3.2m. Two years ago the Conservatives cut £800,000 from this budget – axing half a ...
