Lynne Featherstone writes in praise of civil servants - and on how to be a minister. The historical background to the current crisis in Crimea is given by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. "Yes, one must risk the nasty comments from trolls and the doubts of colleagues about the importance of public engagement. But how else can we demonstrate the deep and necessary relationship among specialized knowledge, critical thinking, and the world in which we live?" On The Chronicle of Higher Education, David M. Perry explains why more academics should use the web to write for a general audience. Cosy Moments ...
This is Donovan in the days when he was a teenager and seen as Britain's answer to Bob Dylan. Donna Donna appeared on his first LP, What's Bin Did and What's Bin Hid and had already been made popular through a recording by Joan Baez. I know it from the days when I had a rule that if I went into a charity shop I had to buy a record. The 1971 compilation Golden Hour of Donovan was one of my better purchases. Donna Donna sounds like a folk song, but dates only from 1940 when it was written for ...
Welcome to the Golden Dozen, and our 367th 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 (23 February - 1 March, 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. ...
Sun 2nd
18:49
A prominent yes supporter who might be persuaded to support more powers instead of independence
An interesting exchange right at the very end of an evidence session to the Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee at the Scottish Parliament this week. A panel of pro-independence business people had just been talking up what they saw as ... Continue reading →
You're not from round here. Take your flag back from where you came from and shove it. Ukranian woman to Russian soldier holding a Russian flag, outside a Ukranian base, quoted by Channel Four news. [IMG: Post to Twitter] Tweet This Post
About 15 years ago, the German-born writer Corinne Hofmann enjoyed a huge success with an account of her headlong romance, marriage and then break-up with a dashing Samburu warrior in Kenya, The White Masai, which sold over four million copies worldwide. It captured the imagination of many whose own lives are rather humdrum, as well as [...]
There are some things about living in a town or city that are quite a bit easier, and one of them is energy. In the absence of a sizeable enough population, or proximity to a pipeline, gas is something you just have to do without. Instead, we rely on heating oil and, for warmth, firewood, both of which require a little more in the way of organisation - they both need to be delivered, and in such a way that you don't run out before new supplies arrive. We have our firewood delivered, and at some point in the day, ...
A pretty unbelievable story from Dorset, as reported by the BBC: A new coalition has been formed by Liberal Democrat councillors to include a member suspended from the party while he faces child sex charges. Weymouth and Portland councillor Ryan Hope was forced to stand down from the party last month after the intervention of its leader Nick Clegg. The local party set up the Coalition of Liberal Democrats and Allies to protect Mr Hope's place on council committees. Mr Hope, who is due to stand trial in April, denies all the charges. Under council rules, seats on committees are ...
Today's Sunday Politics featured three parliamentarians putting forward new ideas for their party logos. We wonder if they actually tried to find an MP, or whether the BBC just went to Matthew Oakeshott to give him the chance to do his traditional "Let's get rid of Nick Clegg" pre-Conference spiel. Anyway, here are the efforts they came up with. I actually think Halfon's had the best rationale, although I expect a health and safety adviser would have had something to say about unsafe working practices.
Sun 2nd
15:00
Opinion: Extending participation in education must mean extension of free school transport - support...
The age of participation in education is rising to 18, so soon every student will have to enter school, college, an apprenticeship or work with training when they finish their GCSEs. I believe that every young person has the right to access free state education up to year 13. Accessing free education should include the provision of free transport to the most local educational establishment that is right for them. Last week Nick Clegg was reported on on this site as saying that he would promise young people " an equal shot" by helping them to make the right choice ...
At the coming round of Area Forums there will be updates on the Local Transport Capital Programme, Small Grant awards, the New Homes Bonus grants scheme and funding for youth activities. As always, there will be an open session where you can put any questions to councillors and officers. Why not come along, join in the debate and have a say where local funding is spent. Our area is covered by the Frome Vale Area Forum, which will be meeting at 7pm on Thursday 6 March at Shireway Community Association, Yate.
We should not fetishise Christian Unity My friend Ed Watson has blogged about the increasingly dubious quest for Anglican unity. He rightly queries the desirability and realism of keeping gay rights supporting American Episcopalians in communion with the Church of Uganda that has supported its country's draconian new anti-gay laws: Here are the practical ramifications [...]
As a family, we're great fans of BBC 1′s "Death in Paradise". We particularly like the theme tune. A little research showed that the tune is an instrumental version of a classic reggae song. "You're wondering now" is the song. It was written by Reuben "Andy" Anderson. The original version appears to be by Andy and Joey in 1964. The YouTube clip below shows a 1966 recording of some joyous dancing to the song. Some websites say the original version was by the Skatalites, but on their official discography I can only find later versions on compilation albums. Their version ...
Many thanks to the 12,781 visitors who dropped by Lib Dem Voice this week. Here's our 7 most-read posts... Andrew Rawnsley: "The real reason Nick threw the gauntlet down to Nigel" (19 comments) by The Voice Shirley Williams: "A separate Scotland would be a diminished Scotland, leaving behind a diminished United Kingdom" (46 comments) by The Voice Two Liberal Democrats on holiday together? They must be plotting to overthrow Nick Clegg.(16 comments) by Newsmoggie Cameron "to rule out second Coalition" piece in Telegraph. It may be a bluff, but that doesn't mean he won't be forced to do it (36 ...
The malfunctioning Belisha beacon lighting the pedestrian island on London Road opposite the Esso petrol station has now been repaired. New cables and controllers have been installed. Hopefully this should make it safer for pedestrians crossing the road More substantial changes to junction of a London Road and Honor Oak Road should start soon, following [...]
On Thursday the Scottish Parliament debated the general principles of the Government's Criminal Justice Bill. Sadly, one of the principles they seek to abolish is that of corroboration, where there have to be two sources of evidence in a criminal case. ... Continue reading →
1, Policy Working Group You may or may not have seen ACMcG's call for submissions to this on Lib Dem Voice. We meet tonight, under cover of darkness but in a definitely non-smoking room (boo) to discuss the various amendments that people have asked us to support/oppose for Lib Dem Federal Conference. If anybody has any last minute submissions, email them to me in the next couple of hours because I'm going to be printing off copies to hand round the meeting very soon. And if you're a Calderdale Lib Dem type person, do feel free to come along (and ...
Sun 2nd
12:00Farage says Britain's becoming "unrecognisable". But the British public says our sense of belonging ...
Ukip leader Nigel Farage was dog-whistling for all he was worth at his party's spring conference this week: "In scores of our cities and market towns, this country, in a short space of time, has, frankly, become unrecognisable. Whether it is the impact on local schools and hospitals, whether it is the fact that in many parts of England you don't hear English spoken any more, this is not the kind of community we want to leave to our children and grandchildren." His words were eerily reminiscent of William Hague's insidious "foreign land" speech in 2001. And his party's slogan ...
Watching Sunday Politics I think I have put my finger on what worries me about Tristram Hunt. He does not resemble a potential senior government minister so much as someone playing a government minister in an Oxbridge revue. Think Hugh Dennis's better looking younger brother.
[IMG: Paddy Ashdown] Whenever there's a horrible international situation, I always want to hear what Paddy Ashdown has to say. He's very wise on all the intricate web of international relations, agendas and history. I don't always agree with him, but he's worth listening to because he'll tell it exactly like he sees it. He makes it all so much more real. He's just been on Murnaghan talking about the situation in Ukraine. Unfortunately, he confirmed my feeling that the world is a very much more scary place this weekend. He was very clear that one foolish mistake could tip ...
Sun 2nd
10:48The worst ever speech by a Justice Minister? (aka Why is Kenny MacAskill still in a job?)
It's taken me till the more mellow part of a Saturday evening (well, actually, it's not that mellow, as I've yet to crack open the vino) to read Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill's closing speech from Thursday's Parliamentary Stage 1 debate ... Continue reading →
On a cold Saturday morning, Southfield Lib Dem Councillor Andrew Steed and I helped out a large number of local residents to clear up St Albans Church. Me removing a wooden pallet behind the church This involved throwing away masonry, cutting back overgrown trees and lots of other rubbish that had accumulated over the years whilst the church had not been open to the public. This community work followed the successful victory over developers who wanted to convert the church into ten luxury flats. It is crucial for the site to be brought back into use. This type of work ...
Vodaphone and O2 have been in contact to say that the controversial Rodford Way mobile phone mast will be upgraded for the new 4G network. It's not yet clear what the changes will be - they say it might be just extra cabinets, or they might have to increase the height of the mast. We'll let you know when we know more about their proposals. Maybe you are concerned, or perhaps you are keen to get 4G in the area - either way, please let Cllr Paul Hulbert know your views on 01454 315851, email paul.hulbert@gmail.com.
Sun 2nd
09:57
Even Senior Lib Dem MPs can slip into labelling activists as 'sandal wearers'. They should stop.
Caron Lindsay has posted an excellent article over on Lib Dem Voice arguing against the recent spate of briefings by some parts of the party against others, and of course she is absolutely right. But one phrase struck a particular chord with me. She refers to an article in the New Statesman yesterday from Thomas Byrne. Here's the extract from Caron's piece.. What I find utterly infuriating is a quote in the article, apparently from "a campaign staffer in the party." It's about Tim Farron. And about you and me. And it's insulting. You might like to sit down, get ...
Whilst the Labour Party was busy changing its rules yesterday, it seemed that the media had other preoccupations. Indeed, a Labour own-goal completely over-shadowed any good news coming out of their special conference. As the Financial Times reports the Labour Party has accused Waitrose of stealing trade from small high street shops by giving a million free coffees and newspapers to its customers every week: In its latest salvo against big business, Labour said the myWaitrose loyalty scheme was having a "stark effect" on small coffee shops and newsagents across the UK. Andy Sawford, shadow communities minister, has written to ...
Last year on the eve of Spring Conference, we reported Tim Farron's controversial interview in House magazine in which he described activists as cockroaches and said the party was in a critical state. He certainly got into a bit of trouble from Them Indoors, but, as Stephen Tall pointed out: The language is colourful: that's Tim for you. He could give dull, measured interviews that are risk-free. But it's not his way. And I don't think many activists would want him to be anything other than himself. It is precisely because Tim is un-spun, a straight-talker who takes his role ...
With the Silk Commission due to publish the second part of its report tomorrow, the BBC speculates that the commission will call for the Welsh government should have powers over policing. They add that the report is also expected to call for an increase to the current 60 assembly members in Cardiff Bay: In its submission, the Welsh government called for a range of powers to be devolved including responsibility for policing, youth justice and consent over large energy projects. But the UK government has already said there is not a case for radical changes to devolution. The Ministry of ...
Here's some of the articles that have caught my attention in the past couple of days... Liberal Hero of the Week #61: Ross Kemp | CentreForum Blog My choice of @CentreForum Liberal Hero this Week? Ross Kemp. Yes, that Ross Kemp. http://bit.ly/MDEo9B Why are there so few women on TV? | The Times Caitlin Moran's always worth reading but I really don't buy this male/female binary view of comedy http://thetim.es/Nfr4sW Boris should return to the Commons at the next election | Conservative Home If Cam wins in 2015 "Boris should be appointed Secretary of State for B.I.S.C.U.I.T.S." says @PaulGoodmanCH: http://bit.ly/Nfpw2l ...
An email for your ISP by Adrian Short (since Virgin turned on web blocking today - FAO @matgb) (tags: ) [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments
If you look at the #indyref tag on Twitter, some of the stuff on there is so combative and hostile that you might get the impression that it's impossible for people on opposing sides of the argument to interact with ... Continue reading →
Dundee crowds at the bridge opening - 1966 As a member of the Tay Road Bridge Joint Board, I was interested to be advised recently by the Bridge Manager that the Scottish Screen Archive has released an on-line version of a film made in 1967 recording the construction of the Tay Road Bridge. There's a link to this fascinating film on the Board's website and you can access it directly here. It is in full colour and runs for half an hour. There are a number of other fascinating videos about the construction of the bridge and its opening ceremony, ...
[IMG: Day 28 - West Midlands Police Helicopter - Air Ops - Alpha Oscar One] A very warm welcome to Twitter to the police helicopter service which covers Newbury, based at Benson. @NPAS_Benson (NPAS stands for National Police Air Service), started tweeting about their flights last Tuesday, 25th February. Their tweets are providing an extremely enlightening stream of information. For example, last night, the helicopter was over Shaw, Newbury: 2050hrs Shaw, Newbury area, possible hare coursers/poaching. False alarm, called with good intent.#p4914 — NPAS_Benson (@NPAS_Benson) March 1, 2014 photo by: West Midlands Police [IMG: Post to Twitter] Tweet This Post ...
SpringFest is a brand new festival for Dundee in Spring 2014, celebrating music on both a local and national level. Running from 5th to 29th March, it features a host of superb concerts including the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, lunchtime concerts at the University of Dundee Chaplaincy Centre, Children's Classic Concerts, Dundee Chamber Music - and a whole lot more. You can read the whole SpringFest programme here.
