[IMG: Supply and demand graph] Yesterday Noah Smith discussed whether economists' ideas and arguments have much of an influence on policy and practice. He used an edited version of a famous quote from Keynes as his jumping off point. He then considered whether we can credibly claim that any living economist has significant influence over the path of public affairs. He mentions Paul Krugman, Robert Barro, Martin Feldstein and Greg Mankiw. These are high profile economists who are leading candidates for influence. If they aren't influential then perhaps no economist is. Smith differentiates influence on public opinion from influence on ...
The Irish in London have been in a fairly frolicking mood these last few days — perhaps not surprising considering St. Patrick's Day. But there is more to it than that. As the (relatively new) Irish Ambassador to the Court of St. James's, Dan Mulhall, put it at an event in the European Commission's representation [...]
In York a couple of summers ago I came across a large derelict building on Piccadilly near the centre of the city. I thought it might once have been a tram depot. I was nearly right, but there is far more to its history than that. Thanks to a post on the York Stories blog, which anyone interested in this wonderful city should read, I found this article in The Press: This unlovely building was put up in 1921 to house York's expanding trolleybus fleet. It closed ten years later when the new Fulford bus garage opened, in April 1931. ...
This morning Russia and the newly declared independent Republic of Crimea (along with the city of Sevastopol) signed a treaty with Crimea to accept it as a subject of the Russian Federation on 1st January 2015. The Hindustan Times, 18th March 2014 For Russia's take on what this all means, Russia Today has some interesting coverage here, including Putin's placing the blame squarely at the feet of the "new-Nazis, nationalists and anti-Semites" who seized power in a coup on Kiev. (Not that adherence to the Ukrainian constitution and removal of Viktor Yanukovich from office by the legal method of impeachment ...
Get in touch early - that's the message to anyone struggling to pay council tax or business rates in South Cambridgeshire as new national legislation will see bailiff charges change next month. South Cambridgeshire District Council's call for people to act early comes ahead of the Taking Control of Goods Act coming in force on Sunday 6 April, which could mean people are hit with bigger penalties if bailiffs are needed to collect overdue debts. The new legislation regulates the bailiff industry with clear processes and fixed fees for enforcement, taking away the uncertainty for people, as in the past ...
Car washing firefighters have already raised nearly £500 for charity - and motorists are encouraged to continue to show their support at four remaining events. Crews at Ramsey and Gamlingay fire stations have already collected £453 between them following their two car washes this month (March). All the money is being raised for The Fire Fighters Charity, which provides support, rehabilitation and care for fire service personnel across the country. This Saturday (March 22) both Cambridge Fire Station, in Parkside, Cambridge, and Chatteris Fire Station, in Station Street, Chatteris, will be soaping up their sponges. Cambridge's event is being supported ...
Day one of the formal inquiry into the Upper Chapel planning application is over. The inquiry is being held in the town hall and will determine whether Hallam Land Management receive outline permission to build 100 new homes on the edge of the town. The original application was rejected unanimously by Cornwall Council, principally on the grounds of the impact on local roads and because the town framework plan showed that sufficient housing and other development could be provided on preferable sites around the town. So far it has been relatively slow going, with only the opening statements and two ...
The BBC reports that Conservative MP Peter Luff has written to David Laws to ask that left-handed children have statutory protection in school as, he says, government guidance is not being followed and this is having a detrimental effect on ... Continue reading →
"Although it's fine to see the Lib Dems making an effort on this issue it is disappointing to see the dangerously false notion that there is a mythical "balance between security and liberty" trotted out unthinkingly yet again." B2fxxx looks at our spring conference's call for a bill of digital rights. Keynesian Liberal, a representative of what he calculates to be Generation W, has some advice for the young: " If Generation Y would like in their old age to enjoy the comfort and security that we do they should stop voting for parties which bribe them with promises of ...
Last Thursday, despite being full of the cold, I headed to Glasgow to see Alistair Darling have a chat for an hour and a half with Jim Naughtie. I wrote about it here on Liberal Democrat Voice. I quite enjoyed ... Continue reading →
Tue 18th
19:25
Shropshire Council's SAMDev plans are set to trigger sprawl across Ludlow's green fields
Shropshire Council has set out its final plans for development areas across the county, a project known as SAMDev. It is asking for comments on the soundness of the plans by 28 April. I am not happy with these proposals and neither are people I've spoken to in Ludlow. We are going to end up [...]
[IMG: SDP logo] The Guardian has delved into its archives to bring us the announcement, on 18th March 1981, about the launch of the Social Democratic Party. The Social Democratic Party is to launch itself to the end of the runway next week, and even its most devoted supporters admit that they have not the faintest idea whether it will take off. But the launching is to be conducted with military efficiency. The big names, including Mr Roy Jenkins and Mrs Shirley Williams, will be deployed across the nation to ensure maximum coverage. The operation was announced at the Commons ...
Today's Headline of the Day Award is an easy win for the Evening Standard.
Tue 18th
16:45
Ming Campbell's successor selected: Tim Brett to fight North East Fife for Lib Dems in 2015
[IMG: tim brett] Former Lib Dem leader Ming Campbell announced last October he'd retire as MP for North East Fife at the next general election, after eight elections (five of them successful) and 28 years. His successor has now been announced: Tim Brett, leader of Fife Council Liberal Democrats and former chief executive of Ninewells Hospital, will contest the seat for the Lib Dems. Here's what his biography on the Scottish Lib Dem website says about him: Tim has lived in NE Fife since 1985 and has been a Councillor since 2003. He held senior management positions with NHS Tayside ...
This week the Guardian's G2 magazine section is being educated by Generation Y who, I gather, are young people born during or since the 1990s. They appear to replace Generation X, also known as the Baby Boomers: those born since the Second World War, who, it is alleged, never had it so good and are even now taking more than their fair share of the national income and thus depriving Generation Y, Z et al of decent life chances. I'm not a Baby Boomer. Having been born in 1937, before the War, I'm presumably Generation W, or even pre-W. I ...
Liberal Democrat-run Stockport Council is leading the way in tackling poor road and pavement surfaces. It is funding a massive £100 million investment in roads and pavements by borrowing the money. It's worked out it can pay for this by the reduced cost of repairs going forwards and savings from things like claims for accidents and falls. Labour Councillors in Manchester voted down £3 million of investment in our roads, pavements and gullies at a recent meeting. Figures I've uncovered show that just in the last year Manchester City Council has paid out £2.7million in compensation for Council negligence and ...
[IMG: schoolsign] The question whether to curtail or extend academy freedoms to state-funded schools was resurrected last October in a speech by Nick Clegg. The answer he put forward was to extend academy freedoms to all schools, albeit in a limited form. Clegg would like to claw-back the freedoms academies have over unqualified teachers and the curriculum, but to extend the remaining freedoms to all state-funded schools. Clegg's new-found middle way is based on a belief that guaranteeing high standards in education is best achieved by curtailing autonomy. In October 2013, he said: "There is nothing...inconsistent in believing that greater ...
It was good to see many of you at Spring Conference in York. For those who were there, I'm sure it seemed that the party was focused on (and near obsessed with!) the European elections. When I spoke during the rally, I talked about why it's so important we stay in Europe, but I also [...]
This morning I went through the day's top headlines in my daily LGIU e-mail with the usual 'some interesting stuff but nothing to get my knickers in a knot over' attitude. That was until I came across an article in the Independent that read 'Pupil Aaron Parfitt excluded after school protest calling for more homework'. The broader complaint was about standards in Bispham High School in Blackpool. I am tremendously impressed that a student of such tender years had the initiative, organisational skills and determination to follow through with a protest of this size. Following my last contribution on the ...
Those of us who left many of the Library shelves bare on 'Love St Just Library Friday' will have books dated 21 March. Well, as you will see from previous blogs, I found light relief from reading some books I would not have ordinarily taken home if we had not had that day to support St Just Library. I thought we could regularly re-visit the Library and take a few extra, random books out to show our continuing support of our local Library service. To bring a social aspect, people could visit with a friend or family member, choosing random ...
Today's Western Mail reports that Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies could be facing a further damaging challenge to his authority as it emerged that moves are being made to seriously dilute his responsibility over policy. They say that senior party sources have told them that serious consideration is being given to a system whereby the leadership will need to gain approval from the party membership, or the Welsh party's management board, before policies were formally adopted. They add that Mr Davies is understood to be have been told to bring the four sacked Members - Monmouth AM and former ...
"Statistics should be used to shed light on policy implementation, not to prop up established views or feed preconceptions." - So says The Work & Pensions Committee in their "Monitoring the performance of the Department of Work Pensions in 2012-13" report. It goes on to report that the manipulation of statistics to 'undermine' public perceptions of those with disabilities feed negativity in the media and public. Stand up at the back of the Class Messers. Duncan - Smith & Shapps. It adds to this, that statistics should be used to illuminate policy and not feed into prejudices. The report also ...
The weekend sunshine inspired the county's gardeners and DIY enthusiasts to tackle all those post-winter jobs and then take stuff to the dump – no surprise there. So it is shocking that the county's household waste site network promptly crumpled under the strain. More than half of the county's household waste sites – Buntingford, Harpenden, Hemel Hempstead, Letchworth, Potters Bar, Rickmansworth, St Albans and Ware – had emergency partial or full closure because they were unable to cope with the demand. "The Conservative administration plans to rip another £750 thousand out of the budget for operating the county's household waste ...
Congratulations to former Lib Dem Voice editor Andy Boddington on a resounding victory in the Council by-election in Ludlow North! [IMG: Winning in Ludlow North] Andy is the man in the hat – as always. The result: Andy Boddington: 579 (Lib Dem) Antony Bevington: 382 (Conservative) Graeme Perks: 223 (Independent) Danney Sweeny. 94 (Labour) Andy's share of the vote rose from 33.6% to 45.3%. Andy says: I am humbled by the huge majority. This election has not been about party politics. It's been about getting a decent deal for Ludlow from Shropshire Council. It is a vote for Ludlow by ...
Following an announcement that England is to have a new Early Years Pupil Premium, the Welsh Liberal Democrats are calling on the Welsh Labour Government to extend the Pupil Deprivation Grant to nursery pupils. It has been announced today that a new Early Years Pupil Premium will be introduced in England to help ensure children get the best possible start in life. £50 million will be invested in 2015-16 giving early years providers more support to help those from the most disadvantaged backgrounds. This will help providers employ more highly qualified staff, for example, or to increase access to services ...
Almost 3,000 parents in Cambridge will be helped under a major childcare package launched today (Tuesday, March 18) and welcomed by the city's MP, Julian Huppert. Working families across the city will be given up to £2,000 per child to help with the cost of childcare as part of a scheme to be rolled out in autumn 2015. The move, announced by Deputy Prime Minister and Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg, will benefit 2,900 Cambridge families providing 20 per cent support of childcare costs up to £10,000 a year for each child. It means a family with two children under ...
Don't you just get fed up with carrying around endless cables? Packing to go away, which I have to do often (it goes with the MEP territory) I know I do. And then when they're at home they just get knotted in the drawers like spaghetti. For years now I have joined other MEPs in the campaign to realise a universal charger for all mobile phones, no matter the manufacturer or model. Last week MEPs voted in favour of a draft law which now brings this a step closer. The new measure will reduce cable clutter and put a stop ...
After a turbulent weekend for George Osborne, with Tory backbenchers lining up to demand he increase the 40p tax rate to help better-off earners, today Danny Alexander has set out the score when it comes to the Lib Dems' tax cutting priorities. Writing in the Evening Standard, he said that Liberal Democrats in Government are working to cut taxes for low and middle earners, not the highest paid. That's why we have delivered a £700 tax cut for 25 million people - and are pushing to go even further in this week's Budget. He said: "Since the Lib-Dems first forced ...
Labour's official facebook page just shared the following devastating 'fact': As the contorted wording perhaps suggests, Labour's social media spinners are not being entirely straightforward. As much as they are trying to give the impression that taxes for the rich have been cut, they can't because they haven't been. The policies the Conservatives were originally [...]
Lib Dem HQ have just released a template press release and spreadsheet of figures (broken down by local authority) for today's announcement on help with childcare costs. For many families, childcare costs exceed even mortgage costs in monthly outgoings. It is an identifiable Lib Dem policy which, alongside free school meals, the Pupil Premium and [...]
[IMG: Terraced housing] There are 9 million people in the private rented sector in the UK. Many of them get a rough deal from landlords who push the rules, and letting agents out to exploit them. Letting agencies have been allowed to charge exorbitant fees to do the simplest, cheapest administrative tasks - sending an email, posting a letter or changing a name on the tenancy. According to Shelter, 1 in 7 people who use letting agents spend £500 on fees, that's on top of rent and deposits! Last Wednesday, I presented a Bill to tackle these problems. My proposals ...
[IMG: Voting at Liberal Democrat conference. Photo courtesy of the Liberal Democrats. Some rights reserved Edition #45 of Liberal Democrat Newswire is now available to read online, telling you what really happened at the party's spring conference in York. If you would like to receive the next edition of Liberal Democrat Newswire direct to your own inbox as soon as it is published, just sign up here. It's free! You can unsubscribe whenever you want using the link on the bottom of all the emails, and I won't pass your email address on to anyone else (except if required ...
[IMG: ukraine] The insertion of Russian troops into the Crimea has profound implications for the security of Europe. It is like Europe has been awoken from a deep, snug slumber. At I said in the emergency debate on Ukraine at the Spring Conference in York last weekend, events in Crimea have shown Russia breaking every principle in the international law rule book. The fact that it has intervened covertly, supposedly to protect Ukrainians of Russian origin, has profound security implications for the European Union's Eastern borders - and in particular in the Baltic States with their significant Russian-speaking minorities. This ...
Like many people of my age, I must be an absolute expert in all things Lego. I have played with it, tidied it away, trodden on it in the middle of the night, and am doing so all over again with my own children. There is a sense also that Lego is almost the last game standing. Go to the great empty echoing chamber of Toys R Us (my youngest believes it is called Toys Are Rust, and there is some truth in this), and you will see the swathes of Lego driving out the rest. The rest is nearly ...
Via the BBC: [IMG: UKIP logo] A man due to stand for UKIP in Great Yarmouth at the next general election has been summonsed to faces charges of electoral malpractice. Norfolk county councillor Matthew Smith, 26, is accused of seven counts of supplying a nomination paper to a returning officer knowing it to contain a forged signature. He also faces three counts of producing forged nomination papers... Mr Smith was UKIP's candidate for the position of Norfolk's Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC). Matthew Smith has been in the news before: A UKIP county councillor has denied claims he offered confidential ...
I went to London yesterday for a meeting of the Liberal Democrats' Federal Finance and Administration which, for considerable sins in this or previous lives, I sit on as Scottish Treasurer. Actually, that's not really fair. It does do important ... Continue reading →
Fascinating to watch:
[IMG: Flag_of_Cornwall] You won't be surprised to learn that I am working day and night to win back Truro and Falmouth for the Lib Dems. You may also know that this year marks the 40th anniversary of the first time David Penhaligon was elected as the MP for Truro. Yes, he was a liberal hero to many people across the Country, but if ever there was someone who stood up for Cornwall and the Cornish people it was David Penhaligon. He knew that Cornwall has its own language and its own vibrant culture but he also knew that more self-determination ...
I was on Wave 102 News yesterday about my concerns regarding the proposed closure of the Perth Road Branch of the Royal Bank of Scotland. You can listen to the interview by clicking 'play' below:
Ex CEO of Stonewall, Ben Summerskill, is in the news for calling Liberal Democrats 'cynical' in our initiation and championing of same sex marriage. He says it was all because this was to put clear water between ourselves and the Conservatives. As the instigator and architect of same sex marriage – I can say that Summerskill could not be more wrong. In fact – the opposite is true. One of the key factors in making me think I could get same sex marriage on the statute books was the very fact that the Conservatives were desperate to leave their poor ...
Artist's impression of the bridge Back in 2011, I welcomed use of the Vacant and Derelict Land Fund to create the long-awaited pedestrian bridge from Seabraes to Riverside - something I have long campaigned for. The bridge project is now progressing and has been generally welcomed as improving the link between Seabraes, Perth Road and the wider West End with Riverside and a number of constituents have asked what it is likely to be named. They have mentioned some suggestions - Seabraes Bridge, West End Bridge, Michael Marra Way, Riverside Bridge and one even mentioned William Topaz McGonagall Bridge. I ...
Tue 18th
08:20Shropshire Council is snuffing out democratic and open debate by cancelling council meetings
As a newly elected Shropshire Councillor, I'm wondering when I will be able to attend my first council meeting as Councillor for Ludlow North. Council Speaker, Councillor David Lloyd, has cancelled the council meeting planned for 10 April 2014. He says there is no need to call councillors to Shirehall, as the only item on [...]
Cllr Sebastian Kindersley The 'final' draft of the Local Development Plan, (which specifies how much development South Cambs will take up to 2031), was approved by the portfolio holder in February. It will now go to the whole Council at a special meeting on 14th March for final, final approval before being submitted to the planning inspector (cost £215,000), for final, final, final approval. There was a lot of unhappiness about the plan especially in relation to the 3 strategic sites at Cambourne West (actually in Caxton), Bourn Airfield and Waterbeach. The Cambourne West site will really fill in the ...
Tue 18th
07:50Shropshire Council is turning Ludlow's museum relocation into a stupid lose-lose project
Shropshire Council is turning its back on an agreement to help fund the move of our town museum to the historic Buttercross and create a heritage interpretation centre. In doing so, the council is not only threatening to halt the new museum project, it is damaging ambitions for the Assembly Rooms. The museum move is [...]
Contents5:2 Good Food Challenge The Big Dig is this weekend - live music, blossom,cake, the outdoors and gardening! DIY Lotions and Potions Workshop Carbon Conversations More Open Eco Homes Eco Coaching: One-on-one help and advice Transition Cambridge: Grow Zones 2014 Introduction Session Final Meeting of Green Enterprise: Richard Hales on Sustainability at Addenbrookes. Histon & Impington Climate Action: Green Philisophy in Action TOMORROW, TODAY: Learn & Practise Self-Build Cob1. 5:2 Good Food ChallengeMarch 5 - May 22 Join us for the 5:2 Good Food Challenge: our biggest and best food challenge yet and the latest event in our Food for ...
