Gah. I just had an annoying realisation. In my book on Seven Soldiers from 2011, I use phrasing in one chapter which I now realise, but didn't at the time (though I should have), could be considered offensive to trans people (I refer to a trans male character as having been born female, and misgender [...]
Ok, we are now in May, but the publication of the Birmingham ward unemployment data was delayed until this week by the Easter holidays. So here are the April figures. Thankfully, March's rise in Acocks Green's unemployment claimant figures, proved to be just a blip and the long term fall resumed in April, with a reduction of 30 to 967. This represents a rate of 7.4% and is 255 lower than a year ago. Across Birmingham there was a fall of 1,107 to 40,532 or a rate of 8.4%. The seasonally adjusted level fell too, to 41,170 or a claimant ...
[IMG: image] On Wednesday I went to my first hustings as a European Parliament candidate (number 3 on the Yorkshire and the Humber list). When the Green candidate announced that he supported staying in the EU, I had a quiet conversation with the Labour candidate sitting next to me. I thought the Greens wanted to pull out of the EU No, they want to stay in. Oh, last time I checked they wanted to pull out, but the policy does change from time to time. So which is it? Do the Greens want us in the EU or out of ...
[IMG: Beer] Despite some of the quite appalling statements they've provided us with in recent weeks, I'm getting fed up of hearing UKIP supporters described as nutters. I'm no psychiatrist: it's hardly my place, or that of anybody else, to decry someone as a nutter. But more importantly than that, I'm fed up of it because it's insulting to everyone who supports UKIP, and it gives them a cast-iron reason not to place their cross elsewhere. As a recently-selected Lib Dem PPC, I obviously don't agree with UKIP. I'm pro-Europe, primarily because I'm pro-British and I want what's best for ...
[IMG: Berlin concert house] I'm just back from an Easter break in Berlin, Dresden and Prague. I will post on each of these cities, starting today with Berlin. This was my first visit to the city for 30 years - last time it was still divided by the wall. I hardly recognised it. We spent most of our time in the old east, staying in a done-up Communist-era apartment very close to the site of the wall, near the Brandenburg Gate. The old east is where most of the government and official buildings were, so it is no surprise that ...
Demolition of Sun Hill Aged Person's Home is progressing well. I was in the building this morning before 8am to rescue 3 feral honey bee colonies. It gave me the opportunity to snap a handful of photos of the building before it is gone forever. Sun Hill is being demolished because a new Sun Hill has been built on neighbouring land. This new Sun Hill rather exposes the lie of the Labour
[IMG: York Minster by Paul Walter] Our own Stephen Tall broke the story last Slownewsday that disestablishment of the Church of England is a longer-term project than the Times and Telegraph might have realised. Now Paul Tyler in Lords of the Blog, addresses the reasons for the historical presence of Bishops in the House of Lords as 'Money, not Morals'. I am a practising Anglican (trying to improve) but I have been firmly committed to disestablishment for over 50 years, for the sake of both church and state. The muddled relationship doesn't help either at a time when we have ...
A few weeks ago I was going on about rubbish being dumped in the copse between Parkside Lower Recreation Ground and the new Sandringham estate. LINK Well, it turns out that the area was cleared up last week during the Pride in Houghton Day. Yey! A couple of Biffa's Task Force removed a lot of items of waste from the woodland area, this included the divan bed, a mattress, a chair and some metal items. The area was also litter picked. On top of this they followed up on my earlier request, following traveller's unauthorised encampment, for a clean ...
I have been a member of the Evangelical Alliance (EA) in the past. I have even attended their Evangelist's conference alongside people like Steve Chalke (founder of the Oasis Trust). Indeed I have worked alongside Steve Chalke (even sang an embarrassing song at him as an introduction) and Oasis and know the sort of work they do. I am saddened to have read today that after 27 years of membership EA have discontinued Oasis's membership. Several of my friends have worked in various capacities with Oasis in the past including planting churches in some of the poorest boroughs of the ...
Celebrate ten years of an enlarged Europe by helping to keep Britain in the EU.
[IMG: Free Syrian Army rebels fighting against Assad militias on the outskirts of the northwestern city of Maraat al-Numan, Idlib - Syria] The Arab spring has receded into the nightmare that is Syria today; continuing instability in Libya and Yemen and death penalties by the hundreds in Egypt. We have been shocked by the atrocities of Boko Haram in Nigeria; Al Shabab in Somalia; conflict in the Central African Republic, Mali and Chad. Tony Blair, in a recent speech reminded us Why the Middle East matters What is presently happening there, still represents the biggest threat to global security of ...
The May newsletter from the Cheadle neighbourhood police.
Sky News reports: [IMG: Narenda Modi] The politician leading the race to become India's new prime minister has been accused of flouting election rules. Narendra Modi breached election laws by flashing his party's symbol – a Lotus – and making a political speech at a polling booth, the Election Commission said... Mr Modi, who voted at the school, tweeted a selfie of his inked finger against the party symbol the Lotus, while at the polling station, and outside. According to the electoral laws, politicians must not make public rallies or use media to "display to the public any election campaign ...
[IMG: The Court House - Warwick - Coat of Arms] Letters between government ministers debating whether a second offence of carrying a knife should attract a mandatory prison sentence have been leaked to the Daily Mail. The timing of these leaks must suggest an attempt by some Conservatives to exploit the appalling murder of Anne Maguire for political ends. It may be a little less precise, but I am reporting this as 'second offence of possession', because more serious knife-related offences attract mandatory prison sentences already, including the offence, new in 2012, of using a knife to threaten someone. Possession, ...
Lincolnshire County Council is pressing ahead with plans to put volunteers in charge of libraries. The council said community groups have come forward to take over 30 libraries. This story came via the BBC. I am in danger of another rant here because for the life of me I still can't understand why Labour-run Sefton stopped volunteers from running two of the libraries that Labour decided to shut. It made no sense when they made the decision and frankly looks even more ludicrous with the benefit of having thought about it since. People like Peter Gill and his fellow campaigners ...
Today's Western Mail reports that there has been a dramatic rise in the number of hospital complaints in Wales in the past five years. They say that figures show that the number of patient complaints made in recent years has significantly increased in all health boards, with some organisations seeing the figure rise by more than 100%. Between 2009-2010 and 2012-2013, the all Wales total for complaints increased by more than 40%: Cardiff and Vale UHB, which runs Wales' largest hospital, the University Hospital of Wales, received the most complaints in 2012-2013, with the total standing at 1,883 - up ...
Fri 2nd
10:05
Opinion: Licensing the private sector housing market would be more effective than 3 year tenancies a...
[IMG: Matilda House] Much has been said about Ed Miliband's latest proposal to grant 3 year tenancies and cap rent rises over the three years but it's not that bad an idea as a part of a package of measures to tackle the housing crisis. The key problem is that Mr Miliband's solution would have to be regulated and yet Labour has consistently blocked the introduction of regulation for the private sector housing market. We need to ensure that all rented accommodation (private, social, co-operative, lodging or council) meets standards of service and quality and this can only be guaranteed ...
Let's call Help to Work what it really is: punishment of the undeserving poor I agree with every word of this, and I like agreeing with Suzanne Moore almost as little as I like agreeing with George Monbiot (tags: ) Everyday sexism: how Susanna Reid came under fire for having a desk (tags: ) Liberal England: So farewell then Jeremy Paxman (tags: ) A reminder for the Tories on Personal Tax Allowance increases (tags: ) Hammy baddies on film: the joys of overacting This list has not got Vincent Price on it, and is therefore Wrong, but the Frank Langella ...
More comedy genius from Australia's Clarke and Dawe: You can also watch this on YouTube.
"Today's announcement by Secretary of State Eric Pickles that he has approved plans to double Luton Airport's capacity is a real blow for Hertfordshire residents", says Cllr Sandy Walkington, Liberal Democrat environment spokesperson on Hertfordshire County Council. 'It's not just yet more noise pollution over a fragile and beautiful environment, it's also the impact of far more traffic on our rural road network', Cllr Walkington "With the Secretary of State having already announced that he is minded to approve the giant Helioslough lorry terminal south of St Albans, mid-Herts is facing a 'Pickles pincer', and the rail link will come ...
Here's some of the articles that have caught my attention in the past couple of days... Scoops: When journalists masturbate | Felix Salmon Useful corrective applies to many, many Twitter-journos > Scoops: When journalists masturbate | Felix Salmon http://bit.ly/1jnArDm The gap widens between the right and reality | The Times Stellar column from @PCollinsTimes on Piketty > The gap widens between the right and reality http://thetim.es/1iQ5Hex Schools are held hostage by politicians' control-freakery | Simon Jenkins | Comment is free | The Guardian Some useful back-to-basics localism from Simon Jenkins re school accountability. http://bit.ly/1iQ4yUk Don't fully agree but worth reading. ...
The campaign to save the Perth Road Branch of the Royal Bank of Scotland continues and yesterday my colleagues and I collected signatures from local residents for the petition to save the Perth Road Branch. Many thanks to everyone who signed the petition yesterday! You can sign the on-line version here. Here's me with two of my colleagues, Daniel Coleman and Craig Duncan outside the bank branch yesterday:
A resident recently asked me : "... any idea when the cycle lane/advanced stop box will return to the Ancrum Road/Logie Street lights?" I asked the City Council and received the following positive response : "Unfortunately these road markings were not replaced when the Logie Street carriageway was resurfaced. The Roads Maintenance Partnership has been advised of this and will make arrangements for these outstanding road markings to be replaced."
Last night, after my weekly ward surgery at Blackness Primary School, I attended the latest meeting of Harris Academy Parent Council. Linsey Morgans was elected as the new Chair of the Parent Council and Kirstie Simpson as Vice Chair. There was a very useful update about school activities by Mr Thewliss, Head Teacher, this including progress towards a wireless environment in the school and further development of the school's website. You can access the school website here.
This is a reminder that I welcome guest posts on Liberal England. So far 33 have appeared. And as you can see from the list of the 10 most recent guest posts below, I am happy to consider a wide range of subjects. If you would like to write a guest post for Liberal England yourself, please send me an email so we can discuss your idea. Political defections: Storms of protest or signs of political climate change? - Alan Wyburn-PowellTransition Town Market Harborough - Darren WoodiwissBullying on Leicester City Council - Ross GrantPubs must help themselves if they are ...
Fri 2nd
08:00What Lib Dem members think about top-rate tax: 53% back 50p (or higher) BUT only if it raises more r...
[IMG: Project 365 114 - Money] Lib Dem Voice has polled our members-only forum to discover what Lib Dem members think of various political issues, the Coalition, and the performance of key party figures. More than 830 party members responded – thank you – and we're publishing the full results. 53% support 50p (or higher) top-rate of tax; 31% say stick at 45p; 13% back 40p (or lower) Currently the top rate of income tax is 45p in the pound for earnings over £150,000. Which rate do you support this top rate being set at? 43% – 50p in the ...
The City Council's due to take the final decision on the planned expansion of Gilmour Infants and Junior Schools later this month. It's already agreed once, but under the law the proposals then have to go through a process to see if there are any objections. So in effect these decisions have to be taken twice. A petition about one of the expansions has come in, so the Cabinet will take another decision at its meeting on 16 May. The relevant paperwork for the 16th May meeting isn't available yet but the brief details are at this link.
Over the past 20 years or so Merseytravel, see my previous posts, have oft spoken about reopening this branch which runs from Aintree Station on the Liverpool – Ormskirk Line to join the Liverpool – Southport Line just north of Bootle New Strand Station. It was once a passenger and goods line which was 3rd rail electrified and there were stations at Ford and Linacre Road. Indeed, it served a wider purpose as at the Aintree end it originally went through to Fazakerley to join the Liverpool – Kirkby Line and there was an additional station called Aintree Racecourse. At ...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-21353825 Well you could not seriously expect me to pass this BBC web site story by, now could you!
During an Assembly debate this week the Welsh Liberal Democrats highlighted the importance of the UK's continued membership of the European Union to make Wales a more prosperous, sustainable and secure place. This follows the launch of a report by TheCityUK examining the impact of EU membership on the UK, which found that 'in every case and across almost every dimension, membership of the EU is good for the UK economy and exit would involve significant costs.' The UK's continued membership of the EU is vital to help make Wales a more prosperous, sustainable and secure place. In Wales, more ...
A pair of class 37s (in case one breaks down on the journey) emerges from the undergrowth at Appledore station in Kent, hauling a nuclear flask. They have come from Dungeness nuclear power station and are on the way to Crewe. The flask will end up at Sellafield so its contents can be reprocessed.
