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. When I started writing this week's edition I didn't think that there was much to report on but as you will see below I was wrong. I'm also very conscious that a number of people are still waiting for replies to emails this week and I will try and deal with these as soon as possible. 1. Moorgreen ShowThe only place that I could start this week is with the news that Moorgreen Show has ...
One should never read too much into one opinion poll, but the YouGov figures researched for the Sunday Times today are a shot in the arm for pro-Europeans in London. They show that the capital's voters are quite distinct from those in most of the other English regions, by putting UKIP in fourth place behind [...]
Last night Liberal Democrat blogger Andrew Emmerson tweeted this photograph of Green Party leader Natalie Bennett protesting against self-service checkouts. He called Natalie and her fellow Greens "Luddites" and found himself in a full and frank discussion with the Luddite Bicentenary account. It can happen. In the past I have made offhand remarks on this blog that have upset the granddaughter of an artist and an entire family because I did not like their ancestor's tomb. But I was interested in what was missing from the exchanges between Andrew and the Luddites' defender - someone once said that if two ...
[IMG: 2008.11.22 - Union Flag] Perhaps I am being overly pedantic. But I am now starting to get livid about Nick Clegg banging on about "Great Britain, not Little England". The name of our country is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. By referring only to Great Britain, Nick is excluding and marginalising all the people in Northern Ireland, many of whom lost relatives and friends and/or were injured in the struggle to settle Northern Ireland's future as part of the United Kingdom. He is also excluding people in the scores of islands which are contained within ...
In an earlier post I predicted an overwhelming victory for Nick Clegg in his debate on Europe with Nigel Farage, and then had to record my disappointment that, at least according to the earliest poll, he had "lost" by a lowly 36% to Farage's 57%. Most commentators concede that Nick had the edge on logic, facts, figures and style. Why then did Farage "win" such overwhelming support in spite of his distortions, misrepresentations and bombastic bluster? I think it is because although Nick had all the technicalities at his fingertips he projected no vision. By contrast, Farage has a vision. ...
So I've been listening to (and laughing at) Danté's Inferno on radio 4 this afternoon. And I remembered this test... The Dante's Inferno Test has banished you to the Seventh Level of Hell! Here is how you matched up against all the levels: LevelScore Purgatory (Repending Believers) Very Low Level 1 - Limbo (Virtuous Non-Believers) Low Level 2 (Lustful) Very High Level 3 (Gluttonous) Low Level 4 (Prodigal and Avaricious) Low Level 5 (Wrathful and Gloomy) Moderate Level 6 - The City of Dis (Heretics) Very High Level 7 (Violent) Extreme Level 8 - The Malebolge (Fraudulent, Malicious, Panderers) High ...
The district council has still failed to come up with any money to do up the infant play area which they unaccountably did not upgrade a year or so back, despite clearly expressed preferences from local people. As are silt we are setting up a petition which is available here: Play area petition
[IMG: ukip-poster-manchester] Many of us are deeply worried about what the rise of Ukip means for the future of the United Kingdom. However, take heart, Ukip's success only makes the way for a more liberal, centralist and moderate future for Britain. For the success of Ukip facilitates one of the great aims of our party: the destruction of the two party system. Nothing is of greater annoyance than canvassing a resident who, whilst admitting she broadly agrees with our message and policies, could not possibly vote Lib Dem. Why? Because her mother always voted X and her mother's mother the ...
The story of Noah is true even though it didn't happen There is a tradition in the John Wesley Society known as group services of occasionally sending students out to lead services in churches we would not normally visit. I found the text of a sermon I wrote for one of these from a couple [...]
Yesterday was just the best day ever. You know you go into politics to make the world a better place – and yesterday that happened. The world is a better place today than it was – because two people who love each other can get married. Full stop! The first wedding of the day for me was at 9.30 at Wood Green Civic Centre between two men who I have known for years – Subodh and Niranjan. They have been together for over twenty years – and yesterday – I was there when they got married. Yes – I did ...
One of the hot topics to hit the Medway Political scene at the moment is the proposed move of Strood Library from its current spot on Bryant Road, where it shares a building with the popular Community Hall and has parking for up to ten cars, to the main high street in a rented retail outlet that is currently home to a Community project. There has been a lot of angry protests online, in local newspapers and indeed at the Full Council meeting on the 23rd January where placards were held and the disruption caused by the blunt and arguably ...
[IMG: england-flag] "Great Britain not little England" – it was a line Nick Clegg used in his recent Spring conference speech, setting up the new political dividing lines between those who are optimistic, outward-looking, progressive pro-Europeans and those who are gloomy, isolationst, reactionary anti-Europeans. It's a line he used again in this week's Nick v Nigel debate. "Great Britain, not Little England" was the subject line, too, of the party's immediate post-debate email to supporters. Clearly it's a line the party believes encapsulates the main fault-line in British politics right now. But is it the right line to push? And ...
[IMG: English bulldog. Photo courtesy of http://www.sxc.hu/photo/395445 - some rights reserved] It's a neat play on words that has the right structure for a good political phrase: I want to live in Great Britain, not Little England. But when Nick Clegg uses it to argue the pro-European case, does it actually work as a political message? Elevating great over little is the message, but the message also puts Britain and England at odds with each other. England has plenty of positive associations, and if you feel yourself to be English then the phrase is immediately putting you at odds with ...
I know that opposition politicians are always putting in FOI requests and demanding explanations for trifling amounts of expenditure but even I was taken aback by this latest example from Labour-led Neath Port Talbot Council. They have adopted a plan to swap all the household wheelie bins in their area for smaller ones in the hope of reducing the amount of waste going to landfill. The Council report recommending the switch reveals that the total cost will be £730,000. It suggests that this will encourage local residents to recycle and compost more. This scheme is barmy, a complete waste of ...
So I am physically ill, again. I don't think it's anything serious but it is leaving me exhausted and yet insomniac, which is always a great combination. I've also been under a bit of stress the last few days - entirely of my own making - which has pushed my never-particularly-stable mental state into full blown beat-myself-up mode. This means that the tiniest thing I get wrong feels like a disaster, and the smallest of my flaws feels like a reason I should be put to death to save the rest of the universe the embarrassment of having to put ...
Sun 30th
09:47
Confusion and bureaucracy are creating obstacles for disabled and elderly people applying for blue b...
The Welsh Government and local councils are failing to properly apply new regulations on blue badges so that many elderly and disabled people are missing out. I have been approached by a large number of constituents complaining about the way that rules are being applied by local councils. Problems include requiring applicants to apply in person irrespective of their mobility problems, having unqualified staff carry out assessments because the Welsh Government will no longer pay for doctors to supply certificates, local councils refusing to use occupational health therapists to carry out assessments on appeal as required by Welsh Government guidance ...
Sun 30th
09:25
Watch and laugh: Clarke and Dawe - The right to be wrong. Enshrined in statute at last
More comedy genius from Australia's Clarke and Dawe: You can also watch this on YouTube.
My latest in The New Statesman... contains my favourite ever pun. He says modestly... The Farage balloon was in full flight last night in the LBC debate, full of hot air and poisonous gases. Apparently, 485 million people are poised to arrive in Britain from all over the continent. Eighty million Germans want to break free from the hellholes that are Berlin and Munich, eager for the opportunity to sample the delights of Hansel and Pretzel on Ham Common; 10 million Belgians, sick to death of too many Godivas and desperate for a bar of Dairy Milk, are about to ...
Marinating meat in beer before putting on the BBQ can halve cancer causing chemicals Beer: the wonder product (tags: ) Ukip's fortunes could brighten in the European elections, but don't expect that to carry on in 2015 when it will really count (tags: ) BBC Question Time's Ignoring of the Lib Dems is now beyond a joke. (tags: ) ATOS & G4S in running for most popular government contractors ... For a given definition of popular (tags: ) Work begins on the world's first 3D-printed house (tags: ) UK will finally allow citizens to legally rip CDs (tags: ) [IMG: ...
Dan Hodges reports in the Sunday Telegraph: [IMG: Labour Party Red Rose logo] So farewell, Arnie Graf. The 70-year-old Chicago-based political activist who mentored a young Barack Obama, and pledged to sweep Ed Miliband into Downing Street with his unique brand of community organising has returned to the United States. "Arnie's gone," a member of the shadow cabinet told me yesterday... Labour insiders claim that Graf has essentially been sacked by the party's new general election coordinator Douglas Alexander, who was unconvinced by the innovative - some would argue daft - theories of a man who by his own admission ...
Here's some of the articles that have caught my attention in the past couple of days... The five fault lines that divide Ed Miliband's Labour party | Andrew Rawnsley | Comment is free | The Observer LibDems shpuld aspire to have this many fault lines > The five fault lines that divide Ed Miliband's Labour party http://bit.ly/1gcmdPV The Westminster elite should have the courage of their convictions - Telegraph Blogs Nice closing line, Dan: "It's amazing just how out of touch those outside the Westminster bubble can be." http://bit.ly/1lrgwFV Once Upon a Time in Westminster. "Was the debate a success ...
"The Sufis hail from Nashville," says AllMusic, "but they have no country in their sound at all." Instead, says the website: they sound like they've been lifted straight from Carnaby Street circa 1965, or like they were the house band on Shindig, or maybe recorded for Voxx in 1985. Basically, they are garage psych revivalists through and through, right down to the 12-string guitars, trippy backing vocals, and songs about weird characters, breakups with groovy chicks, and wallflowers.I am not sure No Expression takes me back to Carnaby Street, but it's nice to choose a contemporary song occasionally.
[IMG: citizens advice] During the Budget last week George Osborne announced the right to free and impartial face-to-face advice in the context of pension reforms. On a day where we saw other good news — such as encouraging growth forecasts and falling unemployment figures — it was a poignant reminder of how vital advice is for anyone facing major life decisions at any time in their life. We know more than most how invaluable quality advice is. This year is our 75th anniversary and, over the past 12 months, Citizens Advice helped more than two million people with over six ...
From Sheena Wellington: Friends of Wighton's Lunchtime Recital on Wednesday April 2nd at 1.15pm will feature John Bagnall (English Concertina and Octave Mandolin) and Paul Blackburn (D/G Melodeon), with Ruth Blackburn (Recorders and Fiddle). John and Paul have been playing together for over 20 years and share an interest in traditional music from old sources, such as the country dance music books published by Playford, Walsh and many others from several countries. They will be playing a selection of their favourite tunes, mostly dance music and airs from the last 400 years, some of which are in the Wighton collection. ...
This recovery wouldn't be happening without the Liberal Democrats in Government. Forming the coalition has provided the country with the stable Government it needs to sort out Labour's financial mess. Liberal Democrat policies are at the heart of the government's economic plan that is delivering jobs and growth. While there is still a lot more to do, we have ensured that growth is back, employment is rising, unemployment is falling and inflation is under control. The Liberal Democrats are committed to building a stronger economy and a fairer society. This Budget boosts fairness by: The Liberal Democrats have fought for ...
