Maria Miller - I have no doubt the press are hounding her to attack the Leveson charter. The headlines appear to overstate the case against her; but a political and a legal case to answer there certainly is. I still believe her adviser may have meant not to threaten the press, but to point out that hounding a Minister leading on press regulation would look oppressive. It seems Maria Miller has certainly given some genuine ammunition, which has been lost amid the headlines, pack circling and political opportunism of her press and political opponents alike. I finally thought I should ...
Cambridge MP Julian Huppert is behind a national drive to get people exercising as a growing epidemic of physical activity costs the UK economy £20 billion a year. Julian has been part of a cross-party group of politicians setting out clear recommendations to address the issue head-on with the backing of world class athletes including Paula Radcliffe, cyclist Mark Cavendish and Arsenal footballer, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. He is co-chair of the All-Party Commission on Physical Activity which has released its first report today (Tuesday, April 8) setting out the scale and scope of the problem and mapping out specific areas that ...
[IMG: Boris2_May11_Stephen_Lock] Boris Johnson was on Today this morning. His interview can be heard here: listen to ‘Britain is a 'world leader' in life sciences’ on Audioboo It was a grippingly bizarre interview. Boris is entertaining in an unnerving way. He does not do "neat and tidy". At any moment a car crash could occur. Anyone who thinks he could be Prime Minister must be mad. If an interviewer asked him to describe an apple, he'd still be waffling and huffing and puffing away five minutes later throwing in Latin mottos and words most people have to look up. Today's ...
When I went to Fosse Road North to find The Empire, I was surprised to see a ruined church next door to it. St Augustine's was closed in 2000 and badly damaged in an arson attack in 2004. Not that Pevsner is particularly polite, describing it as a "Typical late C19 church of brick." It was built between 1900 and 1912. Today the ruins are overgrown and, like The Empire, threatened with demolition. One former resident of the area remembers it like this: Although we lived in the parish of St. Leonards, my father prefered St Augustines and it was ...
Not every problem can be easily solved, but where we can sort it out and residents want it, we work hard to make it happen. Three recent examples. The Mews [IMG: photo (97)] Residents of The Mews, off Springfield Road, Gatley complained that cars were parking on the junction, making it difficult and dangerous to pull out. We put double-yellow lines around the junction, extending 10 meters each way. This "junction protection" reinforces the Highway Code rule that there should be no parking within 10m of a junction. Pendlebury Road A local resident suggested that putting white lines at the ...
Jeremy Browne, reports Liberal Democrat Voice, has published his book. Race Plan: An authentic liberal plan to get Britain fit for 'The Global Race'. It has been issued by the free-market think thank Reform. I am pleased to see a prominent Lib Dem producing a book - there should be more of them - and the party's ideology is so nebulous that it is hard to accuse any of us of heresy. But there are two things that make we worry. The first is the publisher. I did subscribe to Reform's e-bulletin for a while, but did not get on ...
Recently, Ian and I have been starting WW3 every day over breakfast. Today we decided that if Russian troops enter Eastern Ukraine, NATO should bomb them with drones. I guess that proves we are just not morning people.
Stockport Council and its associated organisations (e.g. Stockport Homes, Solutions SK) now spend six pounds of every ten with local Stockport companies, nearly twice the national average. 60% of Stockport Council spending on goods and services were purchased from business in Stockport in 2012/13 – up from 35% in 2010/11. That compares to a national average of just 31.1% (according to FSB research). Stockport's 60% local spending means £71 million going back into the local economy. Innovations like Stockport Council's "Meet the Buyer" event make it easier for small local companies to do business with the council. We talk about ...
So reports Get West London: A landlord whose property was illegally converted into 'cramped and substandard' flats, according to a council report, is a Labour candidate, getwestlondon can reveal. Vickram Grewal, who is due to stand in Hounslow Heath at the local elections this May, has been ordered by Hounslow Council to restore the property at 3 New Road, Bedfont, or face prosecution. Mr Grewal, whose father Darshan Grewal is a Labour councillor for the same ward but was not chosen to stand at the upcoming elections, bought the house for £250,000 in January 2013, according to the Land Registry. ...
Repositioned "middle" white lining at the site Further to my update in February about my suggestions to the City Council about improving road safety outside the Perth Road Harris Academy site, I am pleased to report that the road lining improvements I asked for were put in place a few weeks ago. On the need for a 20mph speed limit request during the construction period, I received this today from the City Council's Head of Transportation: "I can now confirm the advisory 'Max speed 20' traffic signs are now in place in both directions of the Perth Road near Harris ...
[IMG: Lynne and Katherine with local newsagent Mr Shah] The new owner of the newsagent on Weston Park is keen to re-open the Post Office counter that used to be based in the shop, until it was closed six years ago by the last Labour Government. Mr Shah has enlisted the help of local councillor Katherine Reece and Lynne Featherstone MP who has contacted the Post Office in support of his bid. Re-opening the Post Office would be a huge boost to the little parade of shops on Weston Park and would be extremely handy for local residents. The last ...
One point was lost amongst all the debates about the Clegg-Farage outcome. The number of Conservative and UKIP supporters, as well as anti-Clegg Labourites, far outweighs the number of Liberal Democrat supporters. Given this fact, it would be virtually impossible for Nick Clegg to win any sort of opinion poll over Nigel Farage. Having said that, in my view, the first debate was a low scoring draw, where neither impressed. But no such doubt with the second debate. Farage found a strong finish to bring home the bacon. Not a 'wipe the floor' victory that the media have been telling ...
The Independent walks away with our Headline of the Day Award. Having visited Ditton Priors ("a strange place") myself, I am not wholly surprised by the final paragraph of the story.
[IMG: st Andrews flag saltire scotland Some rights reserved by Fulla T] Willie Rennie's "sunshine strategy", talking up the positive side of Scotland staying in the UK even got a mention on the Andrew Marr Show during our Scottish Conference. The independence referendum is sorely needing a lift, and on the rare occasion it gets it, it is usually down to a Liberal Democrat, it has to be said. Charles Kennedy, Mike Moore, Willie Rennie and Alistair Carmichael have all added some much-needed appreciation of the UK and thoughtful consideration of the arguments. This is contrast to the efforts of ...
This post was originally published at Liberal Democrat Voice. Where is the development of Lib Dem welfare policy? It's hard to see any. Even the recent living standards policy paper (pdf) said "we do not believe that this paper is the appropriate...Read more ›
The Global Strategy Forum can hardly have realised just how topical today's lunchtime event at the National Liberal Club would be by focusing on "Crisis in Ukraine, Crisis in Russian-Western Relations: What Next?". There was an interesting line-up of speakers, including my old BBC World Service colleague, Oleksiy Solohubenko, a SkyNews reporter and presenter, Andrew [...]
[IMG: pauline pearce] Pauline Pearce was the studio guest in Monday's Daily Politics. She deals with questions on Iain Duncan Smith's latest reforms of the welfare system, and on Nigel Farage and the EU. Half way through the show there is a profile of Pauline, which explains why she became known as the Hackney Heroine. It is followed by a discussion between her and David Lammy about the Hackney riots – I leave you to decide who won! You can watch the whole of the programme here. Towards the end of the programme, Julia Goldsworthy, Parliamentary candidate for Cambourne and ...
Do you remember Bingo graphic that Grant Shapps tweeted last month, which not only went viral but attracted a lot of parodies? #budget2014 cuts bingo & beer tax helping hardworking people do more of the things they enjoy. RT to spread the word pic.twitter.com/5vbL7RDAg5 — Grant Shapps MP (@grantshapps) March 19, 2014 At the time nobody commented on the fact that the ad did not have an imprint. Party activists all know that any printed political literature must have a 'Published, promoted and printed ...' imprint on it, and not having one can be a criminal offence during election time. ...
Lawrence Burton, my friend and author of various very good things, tagged me in a "meme" for writers. I'm meant to have tagged other people privately, but unfortunately my limited net access for the last couple of weeks has precluded that. If you're a writer and read this, consider yourself tagged if you want to [...]
Those of a nervous disposition should note that I am almost certain that Joe Anderson will agree with almost everything I say in this Blog! The new Liverpool City Region Combined Authority has not got off to a good start. ... Continue reading →
Ending blockbusters with ever more over the top action set pieces is spoiling perfectly good films In an article for Den of Geek, Simon Brew implores Holywood studio to call a truce in their arms race to create the most overblown action finales for their blockbusters. He rightly observes that while blockbusters have been getting [...]
So this lunchtime I had an interesting conversation with a Green on Twitter. I have a lot of time for Greens; I agree with a lot (if not all) of their aims and I think there are many areas in which Greens and LDs could work together. But I'm not, and never will be a Green. If you're a Green your main aim is saving the planet. This is a laudable aim, and not in my view one that any sensible person could oppose. But it's not the be-all and end-all of my politics. The Green I was talking to ...
Cllr John Williams (Right) with Lib Dem Group Leader Cllr Bridget Smith Liberal Democrat District Councillor for Fulbourn, John Williams wants action to stop the NHS cutting GP contracts and threatening community GP surgeries. At South Cambridgeshire District Council's full meeting on the 24th April, Councillor Williams will call on the district council's representative on the Cambridgeshire Health and Wellbeing Board, Sue Ellington to act to stop the substantial reduction in the value of the GP contract. "It's difficult to see how these proposed cuts can be in the interest of our villages and I call upon Cllr Ellington to ...
As you know we don't usually report on political matters because it drives everyone mad but there is a matter of concern which has potential adverse consequences that you should be aware of. The County Council is moving to a committee-based system in May, following on from many years under a cabinet and leader model. This is the result of a full council decision last May, and detailed preparations have taken place over the course of the past eleven months. Under the new system, all the different political groups will together populate the different service area committees, which will be ...
Tue 8th
13:00
Day 4846: Joining the Blog Tour - a convenient way to make my excuses for where I've been...
Tuesday: Someday's you're just walking down the street and our of the blue a perfectly nice strangers say: "don't you write Millennium's diary?" (Hello, by the way!) And the answer is: "Not so's you'd notice recently." And "Sorry!" But then, quite flatteringly, I got invited to join The Writing Process Blog Tour, a kind of Internet chain letter between writerly types on the web. And I say flattering because there're some actual real quality people doing this. The idea's a simple one. Each writer in turn answers four questions about their work and then pass the torch to someone else. ...
Hat tip to Sam Coates at The Times I imagine David Cameron regrets saying all this now
[IMG: Lib Dem manifesto Wordle] Time and again we have been asked what four key commitments we should make in our manifesto for the next General Election. I am of the opinion that, whilst until recently the idea that Liberal Democrats could go into a General Election campaign with the simplification of the tax regime as a cornerstone of our manifesto would have been laughable, as we near the end of our first term of Government in over 70 years that should be where we find ourselves and what's more it should be a key commitment in our manifesto. If ...
Thanks to the European Arrest Warrant, a member of a Nottingham-based crime gang who fled the UK to avoid prison has been returned to Britain to start a five-year jail sentence. [IMG: Magdalena-Ferkova.jpg] Magdalena Ferkova was part of a crime group that stole large amounts of public money. She had flown vulnerable foreign nationals to the UK to act as 'benefit tourists', illegally claiming over a million pounds in tax credits and Child Benefit. After luring the individuals to the UK and forcing them to make applications, Ferkova sent the claimants home. Four other members of the gang were sentenced ...
[IMG: TAXI SPOT] I climb into the driving seat of a taxi to respond to a call. I pick up my passengers; it's a school run. Halfway to school the phone rings again. I have an earpiece so I answer it. It's another job, so I grab the radio and send another driver. We're nearly at the school now. The roads are busy. I'm concentrating, but the phone rings again. This time it's a booking for later today, and I can't write it down at the moment so I try to keep it in my head. While I'm trying to ...
Conservative seat. Death
Cornwall Council has just issued the following statement with regard to the Langarth development between Truro and Threemilestone: "As part of the planning permission given for the Langarth Farm mixed use development Cornwall Council was required to exercise an option for outdoor sports provision to serve the development in accordance with the Heads of Terms of the section 106 agreement approved by the Strategic Planning Committee in May 2012. Three options were originally proposed and, having carefully considered all the relevant issues, the Council's Director of Economy, Enterprise and Environment has today formally notified the owners of the land, the ...
[IMG: Poll piechart] The latest quarterly update to my spreadsheet of opinion poll data from 1943 is now up at: http://www.markpack.org.uk/opinion-polls/ You can also sign up on that page to get email notifications about future updates. Aside from another three months of data, this update contains for historical aficionados an extra poll from 1945 and a correction to another one.
Alice Bell: Last week, health professionals and students launched Fossil Free Health. Will the medical establishment listen to their call to divest? The last year has seen a rapid proliferation of groups calling on universities across the UK to disinvest from fossil fuels. From Fossil Free Aberdeen to Fossil Free Sussex, groups of students, staff and alumni have put pressure on universities reduce their investments in fossil fuels. Some also call for greater transparency in investments, and several call for broader ethical investment policies (e.g. divesting from the arms trade too). Last week saw the launch of Fossil Free Health. ...
The Independent reports that a woman who was heralded as the "future face" of Ukip says she can no longer face campaigning for the party because of their illiberal stance on immigration. The paper says that Alexandra Swann was supposed to represent the party's new, younger membership when she publicly defected from the Conservatives at Ukip's spring conference in 2012. At that conference Nigel Farage introduced her to a jubilant party faithful, boasting: "I'm very pleased to say that the Swann has migrated to Ukip". However, UKIP's increasingly incendiary rhetoric on immigration has apparently pushed the 25 year old Ms ...
According to press chatter, there is mounting worry amongst those that surround Ed Miliband, the leader of Britain's Labour Party. I don't know anybody in this elite circle, and I can't offer an opinion on whether this is true. What I can say is that it should be. After ducking hard choices when the going was good, he is now in real trouble. The immediate cause of the Labour wobble, if that is what it was, was the poll bounce for the Conservatives after the recent Budget by the Chancellor, George Osborne. The previously secure Labour lead simply vanished. This ...
The Mind-Blowing Terror Of Seeing Your Neighbours Fully Clothed - fao @soverybritish (tags: ) Music world cringes as the PM ruins another band's credibility by claiming to be a fan (tags: ) Jeremy Browne: Lib Dems have become 'timid' party of protest - Telegraph authentic unleashed liberalism would be great. Unfortunately I do not recognise authentic unleashed liberalism in Jezza's tory-lite proposals... :/ (tags: ) How technology is killing customer service (tags: ) [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments
[IMG: Jeremy Browne book] As we reported last month, Jeremy Browne has been using his time since he left government last October productively, writing a book on what he sees as the challenges facing Britain over the decades ahead, and the liberal approach that her believes is necessary in response to them. The book, Race Plan: An authentic liberal plan to get Britain fit for The Global Race, is published today by the think tank Reform. The conundrum facing Britain is outlined neatly in the book's first few chapters and can be summarised thus: world power and economic strength is ...
I met Ed Miliband only once, some years ago, to talk about co-production. I'm not aware that he has ever read my book about the middle classes (Broke: How to Survive the Middle Class Crisis). I've certainly never been contacted by his office. Yet clearly there is some link, because he appears to be running with the agenda I set out there. This is a peculiar feeling. I never imagined that it would be the Labour Party which responded to this , just as I never expected that the one major company to take up the ideas in my book ...
[IMG: Nick Clegg speaking York Some rights reserved by Liberal Democrats] "We meet on the eve of a new tax year" is no conventional beginning to a political speech. However, Nick Clegg spoke to Welsh Liberal Democrats as taxpayers were about to get a Liberal Democrat tax cut which they'll notice in their pay packets in 3 weeks' time. He went on about it for quite some time, as you would expect, given that it was a major pledge on the front of OUR manifesto. He said that Cameron and Osborne, who are desperate to claim this for themselves, refer ...
Solar Cities Scotland is currently recruiting householders to undertake an energy monitoring project. The project would work as follows: • The monitor would be installed by our trained staff in the home for four weeks • Energy advice would be provided based on your actual usage, downloaded from the monitor • The monitor would remain in the home for a further four weeks This is to help us monitor if our advice has managed to reduce actual electricity consumption. If this is something any West End resident would be interested in, please phone Solar Cities Scotland on 501730 or e-mail ...
Ah, classy: [IMG: Crouch End Labour screenshot] (From a public Facebook posting on the Crouch End Labour Party Facebook group with an arrow added by me. The story in question involved a Conservative MP turning up at a hospital for treatment and getting attacked by someone with their handbag.) Ironically Philip Lewis is the 'health and safety officer' for the Camden Council Unison Branch. Health and safety unless you've got political views he doesn't like it would appear...
Welsh Liberal Democrats have called for the creation of a virtual Welsh National Cyber College at their Spring Conference in Newport at the weekend, to help improve flexibility for learners and create greater parity of esteem between vocational and academic education. In a motion on the 'Future for Further Education', Welsh Liberal Democrats discussed the importance of further education and the need for more flexible approaches to learning. The motion called for the creation of a Welsh National Cyber College, to commission, develop and accredit digital and online further education courses to help improve flexibility for learners. Further education plays ...
