Following the publication in the Hastings Observer of the plans for new student accommodation at Station Plaza, Lib Dem MP for Lewes and Home Office Minister Norman Baker stopped off in the town centre to see the potential impact of the development. Local campaigners are not only concerned about design issues and the way the [...]

Posted by nickperrylibdem on Nick Perry For Hastings & Rye

Alex Harvey was voted Scotland's answer to Tommy Steel and his band once opened for an early version of the Beatles, but he found fame as the front man of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band in the 1970s before his early death. The band is still going today without him. Next is a Jacques Brel song - see him perform it here. It is best known to British audiences through the version by Scott Walker, but as Walker sounds like a god rather than a skinny recruit, you suspect he had nothing to worry about in the showers.

Posted by Jonathan Calder on Liberal England

We had the money for the Buttercross museum project, and then we didn't. Then we had it again, but now we haven't. It's madness and it's bad for Ludlow. Shropshire Council has once again changed the rules for funding Ludlow's Buttercross museum project. It first said that the current grant had to be spent by [...]

Posted by andybodders on Andy Boddington

[IMG: Facebook screenshot. Picture credit: Gauldo, Flickr] Although the law is frustratingly imprecise regarding online imprints, it is certainly wise to include imprints online in full where practical, such as on Facebook pages. Here's a little tip for doing this: Facebook introduced an 'Impressum' field for Facebook pages in order to cover the legal requirements in some countries for a formal declaration of ownership. You can also use the Impressum field for holding an imprint. For an example, take a look at https://www.facebook.com/HaringeyLibDems/info

Posted by Mark Pack on Mark Pack

Bangor has a high level of HMOs or student houses, most of which will have a 'to-let' sign on them at some point during the year, throughout the year, or for a large portion of the year. Bangor Liberal Democrats are calling for to-let boards to be regulated to ensure that our community is kept tidy [...]

Posted by Rhys Taylor on Rhys Taylor

[IMG: Guy Verhofstadt] Yes, the #selfEU is actually a thing, as ALDE's Guy Verhofstadt promotes his campaign to become the next President of the European Commission: THE ONE AND ONLY "SELF-EU" CONTEST It's simple, just send us an EU selfie or a #selfEU, and you could win a day with Guy Verhofstadt. The EU is about more than rules and regulations. Show us your favourite thing about the EU. Did you just board an airplane on a cheap flight, cross a border without having to use your passport or change currencies, or move to study or work abroad in the ...

Posted by The Voice on Liberal Democrat Voice

[IMG: cyril smith book] We reported here yesterday the latest revelations of extensive alleged paedophile abuse by former Liberal MP, Cyril Smith, in a new book co-authored by his Rochdale successor, Simon Danczuk. Today's Observer highlights the party's response, and the responses of two current Lib Dem MPs, John Pugh and John Hemming: In a statement the party said: "Cyril Smith's acts were vile and repugnant and we have nothing but sympathy for those whose lives he ruined. His actions were not known to, or condoned by the Liberal Party or the Liberal Democrats." Party sources said there were no ...

Posted by The Voice on Liberal Democrat Voice

As the Ham & High reports: Bosses at Camden Unison have urged staff to be more cautious while using social media after a health and safety officer made a post on Facebook suggesting he supported Conservative MPs being beaten up by elderly ladies. Phil Lewis, who works for Unison at Camden Council, made the comments on a Crouch End Labour Facebook page last month. This is a reference to the Facebook posting from Phil Lewis I revealed a few days back, made on the Crouch End Labour Party Facebook group, and which remained there, undeleted until after the story hit ...

Posted by Mark Pack on Mark Pack

It is the beginning of our third week in Gibraltar. It does not seem possible that the time has passed so quickly. We left on the fourth Sunday of Lent, and now we are at the beginning of Holy Week, with Easter Day next Sunday. Where has the time gone? Well, this week we have...

Posted by Michael Carchrie Campbell on HIV Blogger: living positively
Sun 13th
13:56

Opposites DON'T attract

Five Thirty Eight's Emma Pierson reports that 86% of people of people say they want a partner who "complements" rather than "resembles" but uses data to show that in practice the reverse is true: I studied 1 million matches made by the online dating website eHarmony's algorithm, which aims to pair people who will be attracted [...]

Posted by Mark Mills on Matter Of Facts
YouGov
Sun 13th
13:45

Capitalism and society

What I don't understand in this capitalist world that the west aspires to is why, it is ok for large business or developed countries to bully. Why is it seen in so many incidences to be successful the individual must be shortsighted, focussed seems to mean my way or no-way. Those that question are somehow weak, or to be feared. Why can not we concentrate on using the questioners, those that

Posted by Chris Jennings on CHRIS JENNINGS

[IMG: 7 ver 4 full] Many thanks to the 15,500 visitors who dropped by Lib Dem Voice this week. Here's our 7 most-read posts... Jeremy Browne and his plan for the privileged (106 comments) by Caron Lindsay Book review: Jeremy Browne's 'Race Plan' (86) by Nick Thornsby Jeremy Browne's liberal regime to get Britain fit for the global race (86) by The Voice What Jeremy Browne did - and DIDN'T - tell The Times about the Lib Dems (35) by Stephen Tall UPDATED: Full list of Lib Dems standing in our held seats and top 50 targets (4) by Stephen ...

Posted by The Voice on Liberal Democrat Voice

[IMG: NickTim] Here's how Lib Dem party president Tim Farron recounted to his local paper, The Westmoreland Gazette, his assistance to Nick Clegg for the second Nick v Nigel debate: In an empty central London theatre, the Lakes MP donned the trademark purple tie of the Euro sceptic for a practice debate with the Lib Dem Deputy Prime Minister ahead of the real thing. Aides revealed that to prepare for the role as the UKIP leader, Mr Farron watched recordings of his public speaking with Farage winning plaudits for his man-of-the-world directness. Mr Farron's aides observed: "He's very folksy considering ...

Posted by The Voice on Liberal Democrat Voice

[IMG: HCCwasteaware] Following the unplanned partial or complete closures of more than half of the county's household waste sites over the first sunny weekend of the year, the ruling Conservative administration displayed breathtaking complacency when challenged at a meeting of the County Council. Hertfordshire Tories thought it was acceptable that people should have been turned away. One even boasted how he had taken rubbish to his local tip at Ware, found a big queue causing a potential traffic hazard, and so drove all the way to the Stevenage site where he also had to queue. "It seems they have a ...

Posted by nickhollinghurst on Nick Hollinghurst
Sun 13th
10:29

Left on the shelf

One of my proposals for Marley Hill Community Centre was to set up a community library and 2nd hand book shop. We have no money at all to create this venture so we are completely reliant on donations of books and equipment. We were given 5 large cupboards by Gateshead Civic Centre and have received a number of books from residents (including a good part of my collection of history books). The

Posted by Jonathan Wallace on Jonathan Wallace

There are no scheduled meetings at Blyth Town Council this week

Posted by Alisdair Gibbs-Barton on Alisdair Gibbs-Barton

Sam Farmer Cosmetics - aimed at teenagers and determinedly unisex. I approve. (tags: ) On "chemical-free" food and drink (tags: ) The tweet that shows Labour not only don't get social mobility. They hate it Of course the reason why many people of rarefied privilege hate social mobility (whether Tories or Labour or even Lib Dems) is they think it must cut both ways, and if sons of immigrants and milkmen are getting to the top that means (shock horror) some of those who are born at the top must be ending up at the bottom. That terrifies the shit ...

More comedy genius from Australia's Clarke and Dawe: You can also watch this on YouTube.

Posted by Mark Pack on Mark Pack

Reading Graham Henry's account of the war of words between Labour and the Conservatives in today' s Wales on Sunday, I was left lamenting the apparent death of oratory in today's poltics. In short the poetry and wordcraft contained in the speeches of William Gladstone, Lloyd George, Aneurin Bevan, Winston Churchill and Roy Jenkins, to name but a few, seems to belong to a long-gone era. Carwyn Jones has complained that the Conservatives have declared a war on Wales, whilst David Cameron, in what must be the clumsiest turn of phrase ever used by a British Prime Minister, claimed that ...

Posted by Peter Black on Peter Black

Here's some of the articles that have caught my attention in the past couple of days... Twitter / TimMontgomerie: The political blog read by ... Where's @libdemvoice *huff* RT @TimMontgomerie: The political blog read by most Tory MPs is.... @ConHome http://bit.ly/1oWsp90 Could Jeremy Browne be the anti-Nigel Farage? » The Spectator Headline's a bit daft but article's qt insightful: "Could Jeremy Browne be the anti-Nigel Farage?" by @JGForsyth: http://bit.ly/1hIHZLE It's not Sajid Javid the cultural sector should be worried about, it's Michael Rosen | Mark Pack / @markpack spot-on: "It's not Sajid Javid the cultural sector should be worried about, ...

Posted by Stephen Tall on Stephen Tall
eUKhost

Ceredigion's Welsh Liberal Democrat MP, Mark Williams has welcomed the Government's announcement that it is seeking to bring forward proposals in the Queen's Speech to amend the criminal law on child neglect to ensure it includes emotional and psychological neglect, following intense pressure from Mark Williams MP and Action for Children. This is the culmination of a long campaign, which has sought to see the law changed through amendments proposed in the House of Lords, and most recently through Mark Williams' Child Maltreatment Bill, which he bought to Parliament through a Private Members Bill. Mark Williams commented: 'This is a ...

Posted by Freedom Central on Freedom Central

I always get a good feeling when the cricket season starts after a long winter. This year was all the better as my team Nottinghamshire won their opening Division 1 County Championship match against Lancashire. [IMG: images] [IMG: index] Notts had a poorish season last year last year in the County Championship and almost got themselves relegated to Division 2. Lancs on the other hand had a good season by winning the 2nd Division Championship and gaining promotion to Division 1. The return match between Lancs and Notts is at Aigburth Cricket Ground in Liverpool on 13th July.

Posted by Cllr. Tony Robertson on Sefton Focus
Sun 13th
08:30

Do You See What I See?

From the Curator of Museum Services at the University of Dundee : The new exhibition in the Tower Foyer Gallery at the University of Dundee explores the workings of the eye. A variety of early ophthalmic instruments are featured alongside teaching materials, charts, models of the eye and the fascinating artificial eye created by Wilhelm Kühne used to demonstrate refraction phenomena. You might have a feeling of being watched, however - as you wander around the display be aware of the eyes following you! Artworks whose characters' eyes stare at you have been chosen for this exhibition, along with other ...

A new planning applications have been received which is wihtin Holyrood Ward as below: Application Number: 57409 Registration Date: 09/04/2014 Location: 43 Cuckoo Lane, Whitefield, Manchester, M45 6WD Proposal: Two storey extension at side/rear (part retrospective) Plans are available on the Council's Website here. Please do not hesitate to get in touch if I can be of any help or if you have any queries. Tim

Posted by prestwichfocus on Tim Pickstone

[IMG: Jeremy Browne book] Three points to make right from the start about Jeremy Browne's new book, Race Plan. First, it's a wholly Good Thing that a Lib Dem MP is choosing to think aloud, to set out clearly his views. Nick Clegg having decided that he did, after all, like one of the Beecroft recommendations and decided to fire-at-will his home office minister, Jeremy could have slunk away, tail between his legs, to nurse his bitterness. He's chosen a rather more constructive outlet for his disappointment. By which I mean this book, rather than his short-lived, C.19th-throwback, gap year ...

Posted by Stephen Tall on Liberal Democrat Voice

I have just sent this email to feedback@thetimes.co.uk: Dear The Times In your printed edition of April 12 2014, the main front page headline was " Lib Dems 'are pointless' " At no stage in the report underneath and on page 2 col 3, or in the extended interview on pages 32 and 33, was Jeremy Browne quoted as saying the words that the Lib Dems "are pointless". Jeremy Browne has tweeted to the effect that he did not say the words "are pointless". It is reasonable for Times readers to expect that, when you put words within quotation marks, ...

Posted by Paul on Liberal Burblings

ElectionsOn the 22nd May there will be District Council and European Elections. Please let us know if you would like a postal vote and we shall arrange for an application form to be sent to you. Action on Energy - solid walls fundYou may have heard that Cambridgeshire councils have won £5.7m to help residents in older homes in the owner occupied and private rented sector towards the costs of solid wall insulation. Final details are still being worked out with central government and more information will be made available after the launch of the scheme. This is expected soon. ...

Posted by Andy Pellew on Focus on Bar Hill