The BFI calls this a "social documentary showing the importance of the rail service to a typical northern industrial town in the 1930s".
Welcome to Broxtowe Enews, brought to you by the Liberal Democrats and edited by David Watts, the leader of the Lib-Dems on Broxtowe Borough Council. May I give a special welcome to the new readers that we have this week. 1. Broxtowe Core StrategyI'm starting again with a regular theme, the council's core strategy for development over the next 15 years. There was a further hearing about this on Wednesday when residents and other interested parties from Toton were able to have their say. I was extremely surprised to hear Anna Soubry MP attending to say that she supported development ...
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[IMG: Global Economic Crisis] Over the last couple of days two of the big beasts of the economics blogosphere have offered views on a question of considerable significance for the field of macroeconomics. On Friday Simon Wren-Lewis discussed whether New Keynesians made a Faustian pact when they decided to engage new classical economists on their own modelling territory. He concludes that New Keynesians were not compelled against their will to adopt modelling devices such as rational expectations and inter-temporal optimisation at the individual level. These modelling techniques were perceived as an improvement on existing practice. But it may nonetheless have ...
The world seems remarkably nonchalant about the fact that British National Party leader Nick Griffin's love child by Mr. Bean appears poised to become Prime Minister of Italy. Above, Mr. Bean and Nick Griffin. Below, the fruit of their secret love, Italian Democratic Party leader, Matteo Renzi.
Let's face it, bankers have always been better paid than the Great Unwashed and it has grated for a long time. However there are bankers and bankers. Upon upon the army of John Cleese lookalikes who trudged across London Bridge in the morning were primarily wage slaves of the clearing banks. Their salaries were not exceptional (and minus the bowler hats and leavened with a big infusion of female bankers) that situation is pretty much unchanged. In fact, as the grey ghosts of Lutyens buildings around Bank station indicates, most of these bankers have been turned into provincial call centre ...
Sun 16th
19:22
Searches for missing people is biggest reason for police helicopter hovers over Newbury
[IMG: Day 28 - West Midlands Police Helicopter - Air Ops - Alpha Oscar One] I have now sorted the data provided to me by West Yorkshire Police under the Freedom of Information Act. See below. This lists the reasons for each police helicopter hover over Newbury from 1st December 2012 to 30th November 2013. There were 60 hovers in all. The most common reason for hovers was to search for missing people/concern for welfare search (bolded below). In all there were 20 hovers for this reason – about a third of the hovers. I find this very interesting – ...
Welcome to the Golden Dozen, and our 365th weekly round-up from the Lib Dem blogosphere ... Featuring the seven most popular stories beyond Lib Dem Voice according to click-throughs from the Aggregator (9-15 February, 2014), together with a hand-picked quintet, normally courtesy of LibDig, you might otherwise have missed. Don't forget: you can sign up to receive the Golden Dozen direct to your email inbox — just click here — ensuring you never miss out on the best of Lib Dem blogging. As ever, let's start with the most popular post, and work our way down: 1. Lord Rennard and ...
I haven't blogged for a long time. 16 days to be exact, and it feels like forever! My MacBook has been broken. I felt really lost without it, so I am really happy that it has been repaired. This afternoon was really bright and sunny, so the Boy and I made the most of the break in the stormy weather, and went for a walk across the waterfront in Plymouth. We weren't the only people that were bored of hiding inside, as the place was busier than I'd seen it in ages. After a quick stop at Ice Cream Studio ...
The Lock, Stock and Barrel pub in Newbury this evening. Great eating and drink-quaffing continues as normal! And the view of the fast-flowing river is great! [IMG: lock stock] [IMG: Post to Twitter] Tweet This Post
I am slightly reluctant to write- yet again- on the Scottish referendum, but the news that keeps coming in is critical for the whole future of Scotland and indeed Europe. The SNP policy of currency union is a shambles. It literally can not work, and the use of Sterling could only be maintained for a short period while Scotland set up a new currency and ultimately prepared to join the Euro. The inchoate rage which has descended on the Yes campaign reminds me why I have so strongly opposed the Nats all these years. Wishful thinking and bluster does not ...
Sun 16th
18:13
Another wheel comes off the SNP's independence bandwagon as EU Commission President says Scotland wo...
It has not been a good week for Scottish independence campaigners and particularly the SNP. Their primary objective in their quest has been to achieve a break up of the UK without scaring any horses. We'd hardly notice, they said. Everything would go on pretty much as before. We'd still have the Queen and the pound and, of course, an independent Scotland would be admitted to the EU automatically on the same terms as the UK currently enjoys. This week George Osborne, backed by Danny Alexander and Ed Balls, ruled out the SNP's preferred option of a currency union. Alex ...
It is not often the case that I take against Coalition policy, but I'm one of those who remain wholly unconvinced that elected Police Commissioners are a good thing. The idea of a partisan, politicised appointee flies in the face of neutral, needs based crime and justice policy, and so it was with great interest that I noted an amendment sponsored by Baroness Harris of Richmond, or Angie to her friends. Amendment 1 to the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill didn't mess about, it sought simply to remove Police and Crime Commissioners from the proposed legislation. I won't quote ...
[IMG: firefullmoon_Klee] Today we went to see the Tate Modern's exhibition of Paul Klee. It closes on 9 March. If you haven't seen it, and you enjoy art, I would urge you to go soon. I was surprised how much it moved me. It made me reflect on what art should be. Paul Klee was born in 1879 in Switzerland, but took German citizenship from his father. His career took off when he joined the Bauhaus group in 1920. He was condemned by the Nazis as a degenerate in 1933, refused to cooperate with the Nazi government, and retreated to ...
Yesterday, I noted that Ros and I had collected a few cans whilst walking near our home. And, whilst today I forgot to bring a bag, we did collect four more cans to go in our recycling bin. But apart from the aesthetic value of doing so, I did wonder just how much good it does otherwise, so I've had a look. Apparently, making an aluminium can from raw materials uses twenty times as much energy as doing so from recycled material. The energy saved by recycling just one aluminium can is enough to power a television set for three ...
Horse and Jockey undergoes a three quarter-of-a-million pound refurbishment Chorlton based pub, The Horse and Jockey, is excited to announce that they will be re-launching in late March after a £750,000 refurbishment. Following the overhaul the Jockey will re-open with a completely new concept, menu, and interior design. The refurbishment will see the current interior reconditioned and rejuvenated in to a contemporary and classic style. The revamp will also see the kitchen extended to accommodate a more detailed menu. Management believe the refurbishment will not change the essence of the pub but instead enhance it. General Manager Claire Lockhart explains, ...
Below are recently submitted Planning Applications in the Chorlton area. You can find out more information about any of the proposals on the City Council's Planning Portal at http://tinyurl.com/yv6lex or by contacting the South Area Planning Group Manager - Roger Hall; Tel: (0161) 234 4536; email: r.hall@manchester.gov.uk . You can also make a Planning representation (in support or opposition) to Mr Hall or the designated planning officer for each application. Please feel free to contact me on (07947383740; cllr.v.chamberlain@manchester.gov.uk) if you wish to discuss any application and please also send me a copy of any representation you make. 104436/FO/2013/S1 547 ...
Christian fundamentalism teaches that the Bible has the solutions to our moral dilemmas. Its silence on abortion suggests otherwise Abortion has emerged as one of the central concerns of politically engaged Christians around the world. Given this you might reasonably assume that this is a topic on which the Bible would say a lot. You'd [...]
There's a wonderful line in Tennessee Williams's A Streetcar Named Desire, in which Blanche Dubois declares: "I have always depended on the kindness of strangers." At one level this is an indictment of the disfuntionality of some families, but it is also an important affirmation of the fact that we can be affected positively by the [...]
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 this past 10 days: Withering Heights of Wythenshawe; Weekend Polls; Flooding and LVT; Scottish Independence; Education; Winding Back Beeching... the score card.. Zero..; HS2; What ...
Many thanks to the 15,300 visitors who dropped by Lib Dem Voice this week. Here's our 7 most-read posts... Wythenshawe and Sale East by-election: Labour win easily, UKIP beat Tories into second, Lib Dems lose deposit (100 comments) by Stephen Tall Must-read analysis from Peter Kellner on where the 5 million missing 2010 Lib Dem voters have gone (39 comments) by Stephen Tall Statement by Lord Rennard (29 comments) by The Voice Legal action to be launched by Lord Rennard unless membership suspension lifted (34 comments) by The Voice Men, is your behaviour driving women out of politics? (56 comments) ...
Hmm. Thanks to Sundip Meghani, this appeared in the Leicester Mercury on Friday. It's Pooky Bear and Panda Bear I feel sorry for.
Born the eighth and tenth children of tenant farmers, Alton on Christmas day, 1908, and Rabon on December 3, 1916, the Delmores grew up on various red dirt farms across Limestone County, Alabama, just south of the Tennessee line. Raised on hard work, hard times, and southern values, the Delmores spent what little spare time they had enjoying the wealth of string-band music and gospel singing that came with that particular territory.Native Ground gives us the background to the Delmore Brothers, and Wikipedia tells us about their musical career: The Brothers did their first recording session for Columbia in 1931, ...
Today's Independent has an interesting story speculating on the Lib Dem leadership contest to come if the 2015 election result triggers Nick Clegg's resignation. It's one of the features of this parliament – perhaps linked to it being a fixed-term in which we know the dates are all known – that there hasn't been nearly as much gossip about future leadership bids in any of the three main parties. Anyway, the Indy story seeks to make up a little for that absence: Nick Clegg's rivals for the Lib Dems leadership told to rev up. The premise of the article is ...
I know the statistics. I know that when a woman is attacked, it's often at the hands of a man. The same applies for when she is raped, or killed. And that goes doubly so for trans people. Our murderers tend to be, more often than not, men. And it has an effect on some women, including myself. Try as I might, even though I know that most men mean me no harm, I can't be comfortable around men the way I can be comfortable around women. It's a fear that cripples many of us. So why, then, do I ...
Just two weeks after the excellent Sarah Yong was selected to fight his Somerton and Frome constituency next year, retiring MP David Heath has been writing in the Frome Standard about the need for more women in Parliament. He will be slightly red-faced to have under-estimated even our lowly number of women in the MPs, saying we have five, rather than seven, but that doesn't undermine the premise of his piece. But I think there is still an issue for all political parties in ensuring that parliament better reflects the make-up of the country at large. Instead, there is a ...
More rumblings within the Labour Party at Ed Miliband's tactics are revealed in today's Sunday Times, who report that he is is facing dissent over his attacks on banks and big business and his plan to raise tax for top earners, with Labour candidates warning that companies believe the party will treat them "like an ATM". The paper says that leaked recordings of a meeting attended by would-be MPs and MEPs reveal their fears that Labour is seen to "hate" those on high incomes and warnings that the party risks being "categorised as anti-business". They add that one candidate warned ...
In response to the publication of the Supplementary Budget Peter Black, Welsh Liberal Democrat Finance Spokesperson, has accused the Welsh Labour government of sending a clear message to health boards that it is willing to continue to bail them out. The Welsh government has allocated £50m in "the event that some Local Health Boards are unable to achieve a breakeven position". Peter Black has also questioned why the Welsh government has decided to increase investment in Finance Wales despite recent criticisms aimed at the bank. Peter Black said: "Time and time again the Welsh Labour government has gone back on ...
The consultation on the 'green ring' cycle route in St Albans can be found below:
Here's some of the articles that have caught my attention in the past couple of days... The wars over the First World War are a troubling abuse of history for political ends - Telegraph Blogs Late to this, but Tim Stanley excellent on how WWI history is being abused for political ends http://bit.ly/M2xvOV Russell Brand to Channel 4's Jon Snow; "Listen you, Let me Talk" – YouTube Russell Brand v Jon Snow: RB's right abt drugs, wrong abt democracy (& I think he prob knows it) http://bit.ly/M2wJ4A (YouTube) Scottish nationalism: Losing the battle but winning the war | The Economist ...
I have had this judgment pointed out to me. The election commissioner was the same person as handled the election petition in Aston and Bordesley Green. This was a case where the criminals were Lib Dems. I shall extract some parts of the judgment: The judgment is worth reading as a whole. 11. Sadly, therefore, this is yet another case where the United Kingdom's shambolic electoral system has
We have asked for the graffiti on the bus shelter at the Green to be removed..
Pleased to see the Grasscrete has been installed in Colbourne Road.
Sun 16th
09:00The Independent View: Censorship is not the way forward in countering online extremism
Earlier this month, the Government reiterated its intent to censor online extremist content through ISP filtering systems. This has largely been in reaction to fears over radical jihadi videos coming from Syria and has been heightened due to recent estimates of 2,000 European fighters travelling to Syria. There is particular concern over the influence foreign fighters may have on the young and impressionable upon their return to their countries of origin. Though well-intentioned, government-controlled filtering is problematic for a number of reasons. Firstly, it raises big questions about what can be deemed 'extremist' in theory. Secondly, current filtering technology is ...
Secret Documents, misleading replies. How Calderdale Labour have handled Elland Baths. Clear, succinct and evidence-based skewering of our local Labour group's lack of transparency from the lovely James Baker. (tags: ) Anti-"Daily Mail" Signs Appear On Britain's Rail Network (tags: ) Government releases figures showing badger cull case was exaggerated by flawed bovine TB statistics - UK Politics - UK - The Independent (tags: ) The 6 Male Characters Women Never Get to See in Movies | Cracked.com (tags: ) Nadia Kamil Does Feminist Burlesque - YouTube (tags: ) [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments
Last weekend, the Swiss voted in a referendum to impose strict migration levels. The campaign was rough. The Swiss government, a clear majority of the parliament and the business community campaigned against this initiative, given the negative impact it may have on the attractiveness of Switzerland as a business location. Only one major party, the nationalist Swiss People's Party was officially in favour of the quotas. They exploited concerns among the people such as housing shortage, low-wage dumping or congestion of the infrastructure. The initiative was approved by just 50.3% of the votes and was passed by a majority of ...
