I'm one of the people who could take advantage of the pensioners' top-up just announced. It looks very generous, offering an index linked annuity of 5.84%, compared with the 3.5% offered commercially. But, the question that is puzzling me is this: Why would I take advantage of this offer, when the government offers a much [...]
This evening saw Round 2 of the Nick Clegg-Nigel Farage IN/OUT debate over Britain's membership of the European Union, this time hosted by BBC2 and that evergreen fixture of BBC political programmes, David Dimbleby. I made a short speech at the National Liberal Club before the screening there, highlighting what for me are the three [...]
This photograph shows Arnold Gray, the Labour candidate in the 1933 Rutland and Stamford by-election, talking to shoppers. The by-election took place on 21 November and Gray did surprisingly. The victorious Conservative Lord Willoughby de Eresby polled 14,605 votes to his 12,818 and became the youngest MP in the Commons. I cannot find anything about Arnold Gray on the net, but there was an account of a speech on rural poverty by his wife in the Catholic Herald in 1937 (scroll down). It suggests that Gray was a farmer from the constituency.
It was an uncomfortable experience reading today's Work and Pensions Committee report on what we are now calling the "social sector size criteria" - aka the bedroom tax - and other components of housing support affected by welfare reform. It was uncomfortable because the cross-party Committee highlights the diverse negative impacts beginning to be documented, a year on from a tranche of major changes to the welfare system. It is a story of households who are unable to move, because there isn't suitable alternative accommodation, being plunged into greater poverty. It is a story of households who do move finding ...
Forty years ago this week the Heath government inflicted a reform of local government upon us. To commemorate this anniversary BBC Sunday Politics NW did a piece including contributions from our MP John Pugh and me. Jim Hancock, the NW's premiere political commentator, has written arguing that there is still unfinished business for the NW following on from a previous posting calling for a more co-ordinated Regional approach which I covered in an earlier posting. Southport got a rotten deal out of local government reorganisation in the 1970's. In truth none of the options on offer back then were 'Southport ...
When I eventually became weary of writing about Westminster for Liberal Democrat News - goodness only knows how my readers felt - I briefly wrote a television column for the party newspaper. One of the programmes I reviewed in March 2011 was Twenty Twelve - or 2012, as I called it: 2012 (Channel 4) is another attempt at satire, this time dealing with the London Olympics, and it ought to have been celebrating. Its first episode was concerned with a ridiculously complex clock that was designed to count down the hours until the Games begin. A few days later the ...
Wed 2nd
22:30
Nick v Nigel: the polls call it for Farage. Disappointing, but don't panic! Here's 3 reasons why you...
[IMG: Farage clegg] Last week we had one post-debate poll. It showed Farage won overall, but the split was more interesting: Labour and Lib Dem voters went for Nick, Tory and Ukippers for Nigel. As you'd probably expect. This week we had two post-debate polls, and their results are remarkably similar. ICM says Clegg was reckoned to have won by 31% of viewers, Farage by 69%. YouGov says 27% preferred Clegg, 68% Farage. ICM has released the breakdown of its poll. This week, Labour voters split (narrowly) in Farage's favour, by 57% to 43%, which means only Lib Dem voters ...
From a poll conducted by IPSOS-MORI (i.e. a proper pollster) of the Polish community in the UK: [IMG: Euro voting intention amongst Poles] For the full poll results, see the Polish City Club website.
Two buildings face one another across Thorpe End in Melton Mowbray. On the south side of the road stands the town's museum. It is called Melton Carnegie Museum because the building, which used to house the town's library, was paid for by the philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. I have photographed Carnegie libraries in King's Lynn and Loughborough. The displays, inevitably, are largely devoted to agriculture and fox hunting, but at least hunt saboteurs have been given a glass case of their own. Across the road stands the Roman Catholic St John's Church, which Pugin had a hand in designing. Quite how ...
Centred around Buxton Street and Church Road, Gatley has been quietly developing our Creative Quarter – and it's time to shout about it! We've seen quite a few independents opening up in recent years, they're a real credit to Gatley and we need to make some noise. [IMG: Gatley's Creative Quarter centres about Buxton Street, off Church Road in the heart of the village.] Gatley's Creative Quarter centres about Buxton Street, off Church Road in the heart of the village. [IMG: Vintage Belle Candles were created by Lisa-Kay who runs a small cottage workshop and gift shop. Candle-making courses, hen ...
It seems that Lib Dem HQ have *finally* learnt that it is easier to get £5 from 100 people than £500 from one... I have to admit that it was pretty terrifying moment when HQ sent a woman down to lead a workshop about fundraising last summer, and she immediately asked us to list 15 family members, friends, or acquaintances that would donate a small sum, such as £500 to the local party. She said that "everyone" knows at least 5 people that can donate such a time. Errr... Everyone apart from me, it seems! A photo of Joey Essex ...
Just look at this pretty face. She's gorgeous. Mittens didn't think much of the Farage versus Clegg debate earlier. She got quite bored, and snuggled up to my legs, so that she could take a nap. I wonder if I am the only person in the world to miss my cat quite as much as I do whenever I leave the house...?
Harborough Museum will reopen on Tuesday 8 April. It has been closed since November 2012 during the major refurbishment and reordering of the Symington Building, which houses the museum, Market Harborough library and the offices of Harborough District Council. In future it will also have some retail units - including, it seems, an ice cream parlour. Reporting the museum reopening, the Leicester Mercury says: Pride of place will go to the re-instated Hallaton hoard of Roman coins and artefacts at the expanded museum and library, on the first floor of the Saddington (sic) Building. David Johnson, interim chairman of the ...
[IMG: clegg farage lbc] Last week, there was no doubt in my mind that Nick Clegg won the debate – he quite simply out-classed Nigel Farage, and YouGov's poll showed Labour and Lib Dem voters agreed (though not Tory and Ukip voters). This week, it was much more evenly matched. The early part belonged to Nick. With the focus on the Ukip leader's praise for Vladimir Putin as a "brilliant operator", Nigel Farage was always going to be on the back-foot. He was, and Nick was able successfully to claim the calm (but yes, also passionate) high ground, portraying him ...
Conservative councillor Scott Mann certainly wins the award for breath-taking hypocrisy. Last week he issued a press release attacking the council's budget. But neither he, nor his Conservative colleagues did anything about this when they had the chance. Indeed, Cllr Mann couldn't even be bothered to turn up when the budget and council tax was being debated and voted on in February. At a time when the council is having to make £196 million of savings, there are always going to be tough choices. I understand that the will be different views as to where the cuts should be made. ...
Since last week's debate between Nick Clegg and Nigel Farage, Lib Dem membership has surged past 44,000. Hundreds of people have joined the only party prepared to stand up for Britain's place in Europe. If you believe Britain should stay in the EU, you should join the Liberal Democrats today. So much depends on Britain's place in Europe. Three million British jobs, our ability to fight cross border crime or tackle climate change would all be under threat if UKIP got their way and we left the EU. With Labour and the Conservatives simply too scared to stand up for ...
Good news for those of us who have a few miles on the clock reaches my ears today from a study by Ramscar, Hendrix, Shaoul, Milin & Baayen. They argue that the commonly held belief that cognitive decline is responsible for the systematic performance differences observed between younger and older people in psychometric tests is incorrect. Instead, they provide evidence that differences in performance are due to the inevitable consequences that (greater) learning has on our ability to process information. As we accumulate more skills and knowledge through life, our experience mediates how quickly we respond to stimuli – and ...
Welcome to the Golden Dozen, and our 369thth 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 - 29 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. What's ...
I'm not a "radical queer". Oh I had pretensions in my youth but, ultimately, I'm too lazy to be a radical queer. And, let's face it, I've been in a monogamous relationship with the man I love for 10 years, living in domestic bliss with a dog, a bearded dragon and plans for a wedding. I'm about as radical as the man who chooses to repaint his house in a slightly different colour of beige. I didn't choose to make marriage equality "my thing". I didn't go looking for an issue to get a bee in my bonnet over. Marriage ...
With less than an hour to go before the second debate between Euro-realist Nick Clegg and Europhobe Nigel Farage, people all over Britain are asking: what's on the other side? But some are also asking, will Mr Farage succeed this week in his attempt to make his face go not just pale, red and purple but the full red, white and blue he was aiming for? Will he be wrapped in a Russian flag as part of a new Putin-funded UKIP war chest? And will he find the same ten things - or more - to hate as last week? ...
1. Nick will make hay with Farage's comments about Putin 2. Farage will make hay with Nick's time working in Brussels. Apparently he's also going to try and tie Nick in to to Gadaffi. Hmmm 3. The numbers 7% and 75% will feature again, but we will be no clearer about who is correct. 4. Nick will try to tie Farage into wanting to remain a member of the Council of Europe (a condition of which is acceptance of ECHR). 5. It will be more boisterous than last week 6. Nick will be funnier than last week 7. Farage will ...
[IMG: Europe Day - European Union - Some rights reserved by Niccolò Caranti] Ahead of the second EU debate between Nick Clegg and Nigel Farage this evening, a timely new report has found that Liberal Democrats are the most influential British party in the European Parliament. The analysis of MEPs' voting records from VoteWatch Europe over the past five years by think tank Policy Network, finds that Liberal Democrats are the "most successful coalition partner" in the European Parliament and "have played a central role in policy-making in both Westminster and Brussels." As part of the European liberal ALDE group, ...
It is ironic that at a time when Russia and its oligarchic politics is more at the forefront of American political consciousness than at any time previously, the U.S. is sliding, slowly but surely, into a place where its democracy is up for sale. Bill Moyers warned about it in a prescient article last week, in the shadow of Republican 2016 hopefuls such as Chris Christie scraping and fawning in front of gambling billionaire Sheldon Adelson in Las Vegas. The Koch Brothers and the Danger of American Plutocracy | Blog, Money & Politics | BillMoyers.com It is a theme that ...
I'm pleased to report that despite my struggles with the library website last weekend, the book I ordered duly turned up. Having just taken a quick peek it seems rather useful, so I suppose I'd better get on with reading it now! However, at the end of this week there's the annual course conference taking place, so I think the reading will have to wait until afterwards. The course conference allows distance learners to become "real" students for a couple of days. Well, of course, we're all "real" students already - so perhaps it would be better to say that ...
Wed 2nd
15:33Nick Clegg talks of shock and disappointment at Sheffield's Labour council refusing to accommodate v...
[IMG: Syrian refugee children fleeing the violence in their country with their families pose for a picture on February 20, 2012 at a partially set up camp in Mafraq city, near Jordan's northern border with Syria.] From today's Guardian: Nick Clegg has accused Labour council leaders in Sheffield of refusing to take a single refugee from Syria under the coalition government's vulnerable persons relocation (VPR) scheme. The deputy PM and Sheffield MP is furious that Labour put pressure on the coalition government to do more to help Syrian refugees but is refusing to offer practical help locally. Refugees have been ...
Is this advert unwise and insensitive? In case anyone missed the first pitched battle between the leader of UKIP and the Deputy Prime Minister, BBC2 are screening a further installment tonight. Calling it a debate is, to use mild terms, more than disingenuous because it will not be a debate but a media circus. No realistic observer expects anything other. This kind of "debate" is also an affront to real political conversation, not to mention an embarrassment for those of us who believe in facilitating the kind of dialogue that engages, empowers and informs - which has been exchanged for ...
Labour seat. Resignation
Time to dust down a post from last December looking at scenarios for the 2015 election based on current polling – two of which pointed to the Conservatives being likely to take a poll lead in the next year. (NB: as then, please note my huge caveat – "the extent of the polling science on display here is me playing around on an Excel spreadsheet.") In particular, I was curious what might have happen to my third scenario in the meantime. So pasted below is what I wrote in December, but I've updated the graph to add the last four ...
I hope to be able to get back to Swansea to watch the debate between Nick Clegg and Nigel Farage with other Liberal Democrats this evening but even if I do not make it the run-up to this second confrontation has been fascinating. The Independent reports that the rivalry is becoming personal. The Deputy Prime Minister told the paper: "Nigel Farage is part of a group of people who have been pumping out misinformation for year after year after year. That's not going to be reversed in one or even two hours of debate, but since no one else is ...
Despite us booking in a visit two weeks ago, and despite them having a five-hour timeslot in which to turn up (8AM-1PM), the engineer to connect my home phone and internet didn't bother to turn up in that timeslot. Holly has since discovered that there's a fault on the line that needs fixing before the [...]
WESTERNERS DISENCHANTED WITH THEIR POLITICIANS COULD LEARN A LOT FROM THE CONSTRUCTIVE ATTITUDE OF THEIR INDIAN COUNTERPARTS Dr Mukulika Banerjee, an anthropologist at the LSE, blogs about a paradox of Indian democracy: its politicians are terrible yet the 'aam aadmi' (the common man) remain amazingly enthusiastic about politics. India is one of the few [...]
[IMG: Lib Dems winning here] Liberal Democrat membership hit 44,000 in the first quarter of 2014, a rise of more than 1500 since the beginning of 2013. Parties in government tend not to increase their membership and last year's results for the Liberal Democrats were the first time in recent history that this had been done. This is in no small part down to new financial incentives to local parties if they increase their membership. If they have more members, they get more money to spend on their local campaigns. That means that they are more inclined to put more ...
Post by Reg Moony Yeates.
For getting on for two decades now, I've been predicting a multiple currency world and multiple currency lives. There is evidence here and there - euros in phone boxes, the rise of local currencies - but, generally speaking, it steadfastly refuses to happen. Though I'm still convinced that it will. It doesn't help that I happen to live in the most boneheadedly conservative nation on earth when it comes to thinking about money. Most English people seem to feel it was created by God around Day Six of the Genesis and hasn't changed much since. Then along came bitcoin. It ...
There have been three incident report in Girton and Bar Hill today ''Wednesday April the 2nd'' relating to men knocking on peoples doors trying to sell items without holding a valid pedlars licence. These men were soon after located by police and dealt with accordingly. Regards PCSO Mani
It is so rare that the words "consensus" and "Lords reform" appear in the same sentence that I must report immediately on a very informative discussion in a House committee room on Tuesday evening. Billed as "The Steel Bill and Beyond " this featured first a dialogue between Dr Meg Russell (of the Constitution Unit at UCL and the foremost academic observer of this part of Parliament) and Lord Steel of Aikwood (known to most of us as David). The latter was the original progenitor of the Steel/Byles Bill which obtained its Second Reading last Friday. The two of them ...
[IMG: Cooper] In a recent post I expressed frustration that conventional economics seems to have survived the meltdown of 2008 almost unscathed, as evidenced the chatter around the discussion of monetary policy. I mentioned one book, George Cooper's Money, Blood and Revolution, that sought challenge it. On the strength of that the publisher sent me a review copy – and I have read it. It is interesting because the paradigm shift Mr Cooper advocates gives coherence to the idea of liberal economics, after its original conception turned out to mean libertarian economics. Mr Cooper's main thesis is that economics is ...
[IMG: Phrenology head - mental health - Some rights reserved by evansville] We know that mental health has always been one of Nick Clegg's top priorities. His first major speech as Liberal Democrat leader was on the subject. In the coalition, he, Paul Burstow and Norman Lamb have been pushing forward improvements to mental health care from making sure people in crisis see health professionals and not the inside of a Police cell, to a massive expansion of talking therapies to action to tackle the stigma that still exists. A friend of mine has recently had some time off work ...
I am on Wave 102 News today about the welcome alteration to the Bus Service 5 route from next month to include the far west of Perth Road. You can hear the interview by clicking 'play' below:
Today's Courier covers more comments from Edinburgh Airport Chief Executive, Gordon Dewar, about flights from Dundee Airport, indicating that he believes the new Dundee to Stansted service is a waste of public money. I do think its clear that his comments are clearly motivated by nothing more than self-interest. I had to smile when I read that Mr Dewar wants public funding moved to improve linkages to his airport, no doubt to improve his own profits. It is quite right that there is public support to ensure that the people of Scotland get a good choice of airports and air ...
Mark the 29th April 2014 in your diaries. Yesterday Sinn Féin lodged yet another motion with the Northern Irish Assembly that will be debated one month on from the date that the first same-sex marriages took place in England and Wales. The motion is rather more robust that the one that tried to bring to the house after the Irish Constitutional Convention decided that they would hold a referendum on the matter in the Republic of Ireland. It reads: That this Assembly notes that other jurisdictions on these islands have moved forward with equal marriage rights for same-sex couples; believes ...
Regular readers will be aware that I am seldom deliriously happy about our train service. Apart from the fact that Creeting St Peter doesn't have a railway station (and I would have been perfectly happy to have High Speed 2 serve the village - albeit quietly as a preference), I have first had to deal with National Express East Anglia - the least said, the better - and now Abellio Greater Anglia, who have at least tried. The real problem, however, is the aged infrastructure and rolling stock, which has done more to obstruct the smooth running of rail services ...
So, as they say, it ain't over 'til it's over - and it's over. My gut reaction is that whilst Nick had a few duff lines (the 'party of Putin' one didn't hit home as well as it might have and the 'billy-no-jobs' thing was a bit cringeworthy) he brought a great deal of passion and feeling to the debate this evening. Nigel, on the other hand, tried to wallpaper over his own extremism, but didn't really succeed. His lines really were based on dog-whistle stuff - who talks about birth right unless you're a member of the EDL? He ...
Wed 2nd
10:59Opinion: Young people benefit from the EU. We need to persuade them to vote for the party of IN
[IMG: Youth on the Move in Volos 20] Each one of us who was glued to a screen or radio for the Nick vs Nigel EU debate last Wednesday will have our own opinion of who lost and who won as facts, rhetorical points and the affection of the audience were fought over. But I'll tell you whose affection wasn't fought over – that of Britain's young people. And I, along with friends in and outside the party, was disappointed. The lives of young people in this country – your children, your activists, you – will be put at yet ...
Our local professional basketball team, the Manchester Giants will be taking part in a free Fun Day at Parrs Wood on Saturday 12th April 11am – 4pm. The Giants are a great bunch of guys and loads of fun to watch. The Giants are currently challenging for a play-off spot in the British Basketball League, they host Worcester Wolves at Wright Robinson College 5.30pm on Sunday 6th April, so if you fancy finding out what pro basketball is all about then I can recommend going along. [IMG: giants funday]
MAYOR GETTING LEGAL ADVICE09:43: BBC Radio Merseyside Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson is believed to be getting legal advice after he was left out of the vote for the leader of the new combined authority for the region.Mr Anderson, along with the leader of Sefton Council, Peter Dowd, had not arrived at the meeting in time for the decision. Councillor Phil Davies from Wirral Council was elected as chair. When I first heard of this omnishambles I thought it was an April fool's day stunt. I always said this would end in tears. There is something approaching poetic justice that the ...
After his unexpected appearance on BBC News last night I am alerted to the fact that Liberal Leader, Archibald Sinclair, has a train named after him. It is kept at the Bluebell Line. Their website has a nice biography of the Leader. More on Liberal Leaders trains here Sinclair at Waterloo with 'his train' at its naming Feb 1948
Calderdale A&E - can we all stop worrying about who's to blame & fight closure together? (tags: ) Mail readers' heads explode in search for April Fool an oldie but a goodie (tags: ) Four in 10 voters think Nigel Farage is a 'danger to Britain', poll finds (tags: ) Lib Dems only party to vote against khat ban (tags: ) VIDEO: Clegg / Farage debate factchecked | Full Fact (tags: ) What is Sainsbury's policy on modesty for magazines? (tags: ) Vince Cable grilled over Royal Mail sell-off, but he seems to enjoy it Oh Vince. I know so ...
PITP-leaflet-2014-web1
[IMG: Bedroom tax demo , all the photos taken with a iphone 5] Ok, so we'll overlook the Guardian's inaccurate headline. Have they learned nothing from years of watching our policy making process? Tim Farron doesn't have the power to do what the Guardian says he's done: The Liberal Democrat president, Tim Farron, will withdraw his party's support for the bedroom tax on Wednesday, saying it has caused "huge social problems." I think he's right, of course. It might just about be ok if there were suitable smaller properties for people to move into, or if all disabled people were ...
Yesterday which should have seen the start of a brave new venture to attract industry and commerce to our Greater Liverpool Conurbation instead saw us descend into an 'April Fool's Joke' of mega proportions. 6 apparently grown up men ... Continue reading →
Further to my article yesterday about the proposed bus service changes from Sunday 4th May, I have since had confirmation that the Service 5 route will indeed be altered at its western end back to the pre-2012 route, ensuring that the far west of Perth Road in areas around Clovis Duveau Drive and Millbay Gardens/Terrace will again get access to this service. Along with local residents, back in 2012, I campaigned against the loss of the Service 5 in this area and over 230 residents signed my petition to attempt to stop this area being cut out of the route. ...
[IMG: Nick v Nigel Round 2 poster] Today the second debate on EU membership takes place between our Nick Clegg and UKIP leader Nigel Farage. The image you see before you will be beaming down on commuters and shoppers in Tottenham Court Road, one of London's busiest areas from around now. At least I think that's the case. I'm only from Scotland. It's also fair to say that no social media timeline will be safe from the image of Cameron and Miliband missing in action while our kickboxing hero stands up for British jobs. My top tip for the Cleggster ...
[IMG: Bowler hat. Photo courtesy of http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1011421 - some rights reserved] It's the easy, soft option. Civil servants blame ministers and ministers blame civil servants. It's not unknown for one to praise the other (as Lynne Featherstone did recently) but of course neither group is perfect, leaving plenty of material for the mutual buck passing when people wonder why government often seems to run so poorly. For politicians there is the alibi that they are what democracy produces. Having politicians who so often prioritise what they think the public wants leads to many flaws but is rather better overall than ...
The review published yesterday seems to be strong on apportioning blame but weak on addressing the real issue. I believe that a more robust analysis is required and I have called on the Minister to order an independent inquiry into the role of the Welsh Government as regulator before we move to the establishment of the new regulator, Qualifications Wales. It is essential that we have a full understanding of any lessons to be learned as we move towards the introduction of the amended specification in other subjects from September 2015. The Minister's statement tried to reassure us that the ...
Just a quick reminder that tonight at 7pm BBC2 will be hosting a debate featuring Nick Clegg and Nigel Farage on Europe. The debate is available online via the BBC website; http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/tv/bbc_two_england/watchlive Whilst the LBC broadcast was the first such clash between the two party leaders I think a television camera will lead to a very different event.
Here is the most recent news from the Castle Ward Focus Team. Please click on the image to bring it up to full size in your browser:
The Hastings & Rye Liberal Democrat Association has unanimously re-selected Nick Perry to be their candidate for MP. Speaking after the event Association Chair Chris Lewcock said: 'We are delighted to be able to announce that Nick will be our candidate for MP in 2015. He has a proven record of action for the constituency and has [...]
