The latest Southwark Council recycling figures show that recycling is in a malaise in Southwark. In the last four years the figures have gone up from 22% of waste recycled in 2009/10 to 31% in 2012/13 the last year official government figures were made available. The council has now issued a press release stating 37% is the latest figure – but that's before the Valuation Office Agency tell Southwark how many homes we have. So it's clearly the wrong number. But the tough contract the Lib Dems negotiated with Veolia was that it would be at 38% by now not ...
There is no sound, but this film is still very atmospheric. And today the diesel locomotives you see at Victoria have period interest too. I also like the nervous near-coupling between diesel and steam. Guess who's coming to the depot?
The first week of May always brings a succession of political anniversaries. Yesterday was the ninth anniversary of the 2005 general election,of personal interest to me as my first successful attempt to get into Parliament. The 1st of May was the anniversary of Tony Blair's first landslide in 1997. Today is the anniversary of the [...]
Gary Busuttil and the Southfield Liberal Democrats are against the Council selling the Carlton Road Day Centre in Chiswick. The Council papers that the the Southfield Liberal Democrats have seen show that the Labour-run Ealing Council want to see the Carlton Road day centre, which would leave many profoundly disabled users, with nowhere to receive care. Gary Busuttil Labour-run Ealing Council has voted to close three day centres despite opposition from vulnerable users and their carers. They now plan to close even more day centres. Read the article about this as seen on ChiswickW4.com The Liberal Democrats believe Ealing Council ...
Despite the missing comma, the Lincolnshire Echo wins our Headline of the Day Award.
[IMG: Liberal Democrat Eastleigh HQ] Over the years, I've made a range of online campaigning tools available for Liberal Democrat colleagues to supplement more traditional campaigning tactics. Here's a collated list, including the latest – a set of Get Out The Vote Graphics for use online and in social media in particular. Of course, to get the best out of these tools, there's a book I can recommend too... Liberal Democrat achievements in government – poster/infographic setting out what it says: the top things the party has achieved in government What the Liberal Democrat believe – more history and a ...
So appalled are some folk at UKIP that it has driven them back into the Lib Dem fold. Now a couple of chance encounters on a bank holiday afternoon don't amount to scientific evidence of a swing but they are interesting indicators never the less. First up I was walking back from Ainsdale after delivering postal vote letters when a car drew up beside me. 'I've got over the coalition, get me a poster board for the garden' said the driver. It didn't take moments to discover I had Mr Farage to thank for that offer Half an hour letter ...
A campaign led by fund-raiser, Callum Fairhurst to get more money from the government for Cambridge's Long Road Sixth Form College has secured the backing of the city's MP Julian Huppert. Callum, who has raised many thousands of pounds for charity, and members of the college's Student Committee are calling on Education Minister, Michael Gove to visit the college to see how funding restraints are affecting students and staff. Julian, who has been campaigning for many years to get a fairer deal for Cambridge's sixth form colleges, has promised to do everything in his power to encourage Mr Gove to ...
MP Julian Huppert has been granted an urgent question in the House of Commons this afternoon (Tuesday, May 6) to try to get answers on the bid by American pharmaceutical giant Pfizer for AstraZeneca. He will call on Business Secretary, Vince Cable to make a statement on how the bid will affect the UK economy, employment and skills. Julian was given special permission by the Speaker to raise this issue, and after his initial question and a statement from Dr Cable, he will be given a further two minutes to raise concerns. MPs will then be given the chance to ...
Ukip has chosen Roger Helmer as its candidate in the Newark by-election. The Roger Helmer label on this blog will tell you everything you need to know about the man and his politics. Look out for his belief that there are two kinds of rape, his struggles finding an office in Market Harborough and his insistence that a lecturer on UFOs should succeed him in the European Parliament.
Tue 6th
17:49
Julian Huppert MP writes...Let's bring the "polluter pays" principle to government decision making
[IMG: image] All too often Government departments get decisions wrong. Most notorious are the Home Office and the Department of Work and Pensions. Many people will be well aware of the anguish faced by those awaiting Employment and Support Allowance appeals, and the same is true for those waiting to see if they can stay in the country, or bring in a spouse. And many appeals are successful; Home Office statistics showed that 32% of deportation decisions and 49% of entry clearance applications were successfully appealed in 2012. Behind each percentage point stands an individual and perhaps a family who ...
There is one year to the next general election - and speculation will increase over the result, and the consequences. As we enter the last year of the coalition government, there is much that we Liberal Democrats can look back on with pride. We have made progress towards fairer taxation with tax cuts for millions, we have invested in education opportunities for those from less well-off backgrounds, we have protected the state pension, we have worked towards a greener government, we have introduced same sex marriage, perhaps the biggest and most permanent reform, and, above all, we have participated in ...
[IMG: slflogo] Social liberalism is right at the heart of Liberal Democrat values, and all Lib Dems, right across the political spectrum, believe in fighting for the rights and needs of the disenfranchised and disadvantaged. The Social Liberal Forum is a membership group within the party who are committed to making sure that these values drive policy and strategy. Its key aims are to promote social justice and to narrow gaps in power. This summer will see its fourth annual conference, with the theme 'Governing as Liberal Democrats', taking place in London on Saturday 19th July. All party members and ...
Travellers have been camped on Grange Park Road playing fields for over a week now – initially five or six caravans but then more moved on yesterday and we now have around sixteen. I reported on the situation here, and this is an update. Tomorrow (Wednesday 7th May 2014) the Council will serve notice on the travellers to leave by 2pm on Thursday. If they fail to quit by then, the Council will need to go to court to get an eviction order. Hopefully they can get a slot in court on Friday but it may be early next week. ...
[IMG: Pills] Prescriptions have risen to £8.05. Now, you get free prescriptions if you're on benefits, a child, student or over-60. But there's a list of illnesses that also give you free prescriptions for everything. Besides adding in cancer, this list was last updated in 1968. The list ignores the fact that today, prevention is central to healthcare. Many drugs are now used to stop people developing heart conditions or strokes. It disregards treatable conditions like asthma or high blood pressure, where these drugs help keep patients out of costly hospitals. It needs a rethink. Prof Ian Gilmore reviewed charges ...
I was on the House of Comments podcast, discussing the Newark by-election and Ed Miliband's interventionist zeal, with Labour blogger Emma Burnell and Labour London Assembly Member Tom Copley. I was outnumbered, but hopefully not outgunned! listen to ‘Episode 109 – Should Government Intervene?’ on Audioboo
The Welsh Liberal Democrats today launched bold and comprehensive energy proposals which build a roadmap for Wales' energy future and outlines how the party would deliver on ambitious energy targets in Government. The policy paper 'Powering Wales' Future' is ambitious for Wales, with a target to produce enough renewable and low-carbon energy to cover our needs and provide export potential by 2050. Amongst the proposals, the party calls for: • a presumption in favour of small scale community renewables and more support for community energy co-operatives; • moves to ensure communities gain greater benefits from energy investments by expanding community benefit funds ...
[IMG: The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes - series 1] I've recently finished watching The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes, which was produced by Thames Television in the early 1970s, based on Hugh Greene's edited compilation and featuring a series of other fictional detectives who were vying for readers at the same time as Arthur Conan Doyle's creation. Although the acting, stage sets and "special effects" now are amusingly dated in places, at the time it was a success – winning a BAFTA and spawning a second series. It's still pretty enjoyable to watch, although rewatching early '70s drama is a bit ...
[IMG: Desden Frauenkirche] In my post on Berlin, I suggested that the British bombing of German civilians in the Second World War might be considered a crime. The most cited case of egregious bombing by the British occurred with the attack on Dresden on 13/14 February 1945, which caused a firestorm, mass death and the destruction of one of the most beautiful cities in Germany. People still argue over the rights and wrongs of that event, but either way it hangs over the city that we visited after Berlin, at Easter time this year. The Germans have done much to ...
A Princeton University student named Tal Fortgang has apparently taken umbrage at his fellow students responding to his expressions of his conservative political views by demanding that he as an affluent, white man that he should "check his privilege." He wrote an article initially published in the wonderfully named student magazine the Tory which has [...]
The Cape Times reports: The IEC [Independent Electoral Commission] put out a statement yesterday discouraging selfies in the voting booth, saying that it spoils the secrecy of the vote. If you wanted to take a picture of yourself participating in democracy, the IEC said: "It is an offence to take and/or publish photographs which reveal a person's vote on a ballot paper" - even if that vote is your own. "Upon conviction, offenders will be liable to a fine or a term of imprisonment not exceeding one year." The announcement was sparked by a flood of voter selfies from abroad ...
[IMG: waste] Today Nick Clegg launches the Liberal Democrats' local election campaign with a fascinating round-up of Tory and Labour 'achievements'. As he writes: If you want to understand a political party's values, look at one thing: when they are in power, how do they spend your money? Here is a sample of the worst or daftest excesses: Labour Councils Brent Council spends £250,000 of taxpayers' money on keeping libraries closed £5.5 million spent on council credit cards in one year to fund trips to KFC and McDonalds in Dudley £1.6 million spent on "vertical pier" in Redcar causing outcry ...
The below is the complete text of an email received from Inhouse Pharmacy at 10:14am BST on the 6th May, , responding to a query to clarify the situation for UK users. I have emailed them back to triple-check this applies to UK users as this is obviously a canned response and may have been sent out instead of a more specific UK option. Hello Times are changing for Online Pharmacies, and in the last week of April 2014 some significant changes have taken place. Visa and Mastercard are targeting Online Pharmacies due to lobbying from Drug Companies and BigPharma ...
[IMG: Nigel Farage, Leader, UK Independence Party (UKIP)] So, Mr Farage, which is it? In the debates with Nick Clegg, you claimed 485 million of our fellow Europeans could come to Britain. On your wretched billboards, you claimed 26 million are eyeing up our jobs. Now, on leaflets that are dropping through letterboxes, you claim 4,000 EU migrants are landing on our shores each week. These are very different numbers. I guess the 485 million figure is simply the total number of people who could legally come to the UK. But how is this different from pointing out that the ...
Cheadle and Gatley each have their own Facebook groups helping residents to stay informed and discuss everything from politics to history, shops to days out. The Gatley group is the better established, having been around a bit longer. It has nearly 1,000 members and you can join it here. The newer Cheadle group is fast approaching 300 members – you can join here. Both groups are private, meaning you apply to join and an administrator will sign you up (or not).
Can I please be told how many elected Members of the Welsh Assembly are medically obese? The Assembly Commission does not gather or hold this information.
Euromyths and Letters to the Editor » Sun corrects false story on MOT tests (tags: ) The Trouble With Wonder Woman (tags: ) Things You Cannot Unsee (And What That Says About Your Brain) - long but interesting (tags: ) Jobseekers being forced into zero-hours roles - :/ (tags: ) Read this email exchange in which a Weymouth resident takes apart UKIP (tags: ) libdemchild, aged 14: Some Immigration facts (tags: ) [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments
A number of residents have been in touch to ask about the report in the Prestwich and Whitefield Guide about the possible 'singling' of Bury New Road. [IMG: Screenshot 2014-05-06 08.57.11] Residents will be aware that the Council has (finally) agreed to invest £1/2 million (£500,000) in the Bury New Road area of Prestwich to address the traffic issues here and improve the village area. The Guide reports that the Council is to consult on proposals to make Bury New Road 'single lane' – potentially all the way from Fairfax Road to Church Lane, with the wider pavements to be ...
The picture from Ukraine remains as depressing as ever. Following the ouster of the kleptocratic President Viktor Yanukovych in February, Russia has taken the opportunity to destabilise the country, annexing Crimea and turning the east and south against the west and centre . The West, and especially the EU, has looked completely ineffectual. What are we to do? Russia's President Vladimir Putin is drawing a lot of kudos from this turn of events. He has outwitted his opponents at every turn. His main problem now is one of success. He might be forced to annex the eastern provinces of Ukraine ...
[IMG: Pfizer] The approach by Pfizer to acquire Astra-Zeneca raises yet again the question of what criteria should be used to evaluate the merits of large international corporate acquisitions. I would argue that too often the real issues are lost in xenophobic arguments about the loss of national champions - though that is a legitimate concern in this instance. No compelling rationale for this merger has been put forward. The Directors of Astra-Zeneca do not see one. Straight forward commercial agreements between the companies to buy and sell individual assets, drugs patents or to share streams of research could achieve ...
Further to my article yesterday about the City Council's lack of progress with parking improvements in the West End, I have spoken on Radio Tay News and Wave 102 News about the issue. You can hear the interview on Wave 102 by clicking 'play' below:
Just to let people know that (following requests from me after being contacted by local residents) the Council has written to a number of properties in the Baguley Crescent area asking them to cut back bushes which are overhanging the pavement and causing an obstruction. The Council will inspect in the second week of May and will follow up with enforcement action if required. Please get in touch if you have any queries. Tim
Peter Randall-Page From the Curator of Museum Services at the University of Dundee: One of the UK's foremost sculptors will be in Dundee on Monday 12th May to give a free public lecture about his work and unveil a sculpture at the University of Dundee. Peter Randall-Page has been highly acclaimed for large sculptural works sited in galleries and public spaces around the UK and in many other countries including the USA, Australia, Japan, Germany and the Netherlands. His practice has always been informed and inspired by the study of natural phenomena, and particularly with the underlying principles determining growth ...
Although phone calls and emails to the UK contact details listed on the IHP website have gone unreturned, someone has managed to contact with via their US web site. They have been told that the prescription required message is incorrect and was only intended for US customers, and that if you select the option to fax a prescription on the .biz site then they will ship it anyway as normal. In addition, payment options have reappeared on the web site for UK shipping addresses and estrogen is no longer showing as all out of stock and/or discontinued. I have not ...
First Bus has launched mobile ticketing across their whole operating area in Greater Manchester. Customers can now use their mobile phones as bus tickets! They have done this by launching an 'app' (First Bus Tickets), where customers can purchase a day, week, month and a new "Carnet" ticket. Once purchased customers can simply show the driver the ticket on their mobile phone screens. Customers no longer need to purchase a ticket from the driver. The new "Carnet" ticket at £18 for 10 adult single trips is perfect for anyone who catches the bus now and again. All customers need to ...
A new planning application has been received in Holyrood Ward as below: Application number: 57379 Type of application: Full Date Registered: 29/04/2014 Applicant: Watson Construction Ltd Location: Land between Kenyon Lane and Henry Street, Prestwich, Manchester, M25 1HY Proposal: Erection of 6 no. dwellings Details are on the Council's website here. Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you need any further information. Tim
More than £40,000 has been raised by public donations through the crowdfunding website Spacehive to begin a feasibility study on whether the Churchill flyover in Liverpool could become a promenade in the sky, complete with arts spaces, landscaped gardens and coffee shops. The project has been compared with New York's High Line – a hugely popular one-mile linear park built along a disused railway, which has revitalised an area of Manhattan's West Side. The Independent had the story (as did the Liverpool Echo)- Page: 20-21 – 3rd May This is a fascinating idea but the Churchill flyover is a ...
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The more that I look at the areas around the junctions go Townley Road with Lordship Lane the more convinced I am that we can make it much better. Currently its crash magnet and a local hotspot for collisions. It's also an area with really restricted parking for residents. The road has been been made nice and wide and clear of all obstacles. It makes it tempting to speed. Narrowing the road and the Townley Road entrance would really help reduce speeds and crashes. With kerb build outs we can achieve this while making it possible for residents to be ...
[IMG: _47654225_debate1] David Cameron has dropped his long held reticence to having another round of Prime Minster debates in 2015 by coming up with an new format for them hitherto unknown (or at least someone in his office has): 2-3-5. Or probably 5-3-2, but we'll get to that in a second. No, this is not a reference to the pyramid formation used in association football, but rather a reference to who would take part in the debates and when. So the "2" would be one debate between just Cameron and Miliband; the "3", would be Cameron, Miliband, Clegg; the "5" ...
On Cerebus, the first volume. Tagged: me elsewhere
