Privilege Checking is not without its merits but evidence not identity should be the currency of public discourse I've already blogged this week about Tal Fortang, the Princeton undergraduate who has responded to being asked to 'check his privilege' by writing an article entitled "Why I'll Never Apologize for My White Male Privilege." I took [...]
It started well, a day dedicated to deliveries. I started in the morning and delivered letters and leaflets to my own constituents in Sunniside and then moved on to Marley Hill. After a quick call on Dad's allotment there, I went home. The sun was still shining, sort of, at that point. Lunch back home and then I headed down to the Watergate Estate. In between bursts of heavy rain, I managed to
Bar Hill Liberal Democrats are currently delivering a new "Focus on Bar Hill" across our villages. The full leaflet is available here via the independent Election Leaflets website (which I'd encourage you to use). The main stories in this issue are; South Cambs Election Manifesto LaunchedVictory For Lib Dems as MEPs Approve Life-Saving Changes To Lorry DesignsLeaving the EU poses "very significant risks" to UK's futureOur promise to local peopleWould you like to learn more?Let our next focus story be about helping you We are always looking for people to help out both during elections time and the rest of ...
[IMG: Lib Dems winning here] Here's the full list of selection contests in the coming month available for Lib Dems on the approved parliamentary candidates' list, together with the closing date for applications. The following seats have selections in progress and are currently advertising for candidates: Eddisbury, 23rd May Stoke on Trent Central, 23rd May Stoke on Trent North, 23rd May Stoke on Trent South, 23rd May Weaver Vale, 23rd May York Central, 23rd May Suffolk Coastal, 30th May Richmond (Yorks), 31st May Kenilworth & Southam, 2nd June Edinburgh North and Leith, 6th June Reading East, 14th June Reading West, ...
I greatly enjoyed Paddy Ashdown's autobiography A Fortunate Life, and it is no criticism of the book to say that the middle part dealing with his time as an MP and then Liberal Democrat leader is the least interesting. This is because the early chapters on his childhood and service in the Marines, and the later chapters on Bosnia, are riveting. But how did Roy Hattersley open his New Statesman review of the book in 2009? Readers who are interested in politics ought to begin Paddy Ashdown's autobiography on page 155.That's how.
Here's the new film from the Liberal Democrats: You can also watch this on YouTube.
[IMG: Labour broadcast Shrinking man] Labour's Party Election Broadcast has attracted plenty of attention since its launch on Wednesday, with its comedy portrayal of Nick "Claggy" as the un-credible shrinking man. Much has already been made of the PEB's negativity, and its silence on the question of Labour's actual policy relating the EU (or indeed anything else) which, since the party receives public funding to develop such policy, might be considered unfortunate. All might have been forgiven if viewers had dissolved into laughter upon watching the film, but aside from "can we hunt him?" which did raise a smile, I ...
Sat 10th
14:20
76% of Lib Dem members oppose Government plans to render foreign-born terror suspects 'stateless'
[IMG: Lib Dem stickers] 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. Three-quarters oppose Theresa May's plans to render foreign-born terror suspects 'stateless' The Government has proposed in its Immigration Bill that the Home Secretary should have the power to revoke the British nationality of those whose presence in the UK are deemed 'not conducive to the public good'. It argues that it needs ...
I promised I would return to the Liberal Party 1929 canvasser's guide , so here we are.The guide begins with general guidance which I will come back to but I thought we should start with policy
[IMG: Charles Kennedy] In an article for the Euro Blog marking Europe Day yesterday, Charles Kennedy wrote of the need for Britain to stay at the heart of Europe. We've been hearing a lot about the jobs and the trade and the money, but Charles starts with the principles of peace and the common good: 9 May marks the beginning of a process of cooperation, which intended to make war between Europe's nations unthinkable. We call it Europe Day The process that was set in motion that day was based on principles like democracy, open markets, free trade, the respect ...
It is nearly time to vote! I am so grateful for the kind reception that residents have given to the Focus Team on the doorstep over the last few months. It seems clear that Castle Ward wants, and deserves, a councillor who lives and works in the ward, and knows its needs well. As I [...]
[IMG: "Demsbury" - Bekonscot Model Village and Railway - London - Some rights reserved by bortescristian] "Hey Libby. Are you standing? I'll vote for you!" I was puzzled by the shout and thought I had not heard it correctly. I was struggling to concentrate on anything after the events of the morning, else. I waved and walked on. I was angry, almost in tears as I dragged my way up Crow Hill. I was very grateful when the bus stopped and the driver invited me on board his overcrowded bus. "You look exhausted, Libby," he said as I gripped a ...
Sat 10th
10:41
How can we trust Labour with the economy when they don't understand the weekly shopping bill?
Yesterday's Times reports on the Labour own-goal that was their latest campaign poster. The paper points out that the claim that the UK coalition has increased VAT on food does not stand up to scrutiny, whilst the figures they quote are based more on fantasy than fact. The poster depicts the Tory and Liberal Democrat leaders as "peas in a pod", surrounded by images of everyday goods including fruit and vegetables, soft drinks, ketchup and biscuits. However, many of the items portrayed are in fact zero-rated for VAT, and so were not affected when the standard rate rose from 17.5 ...
There is a meeting of the Planning & Development Committee scheduled for Thursday 15th May at 6:30. The meeting still appears on the council website , but I am led to believe that this is to be cancelled , so if you were planning to attend please telephone the council ( 01670 3661668 ) beforehand to confirm. I have received an agenda for the Staff Committee to be held on Thursday 15th May at 6:30. Most of the agenda items are "Staff in Confidence" so are likely to be heard under Part II
Labour attack poster on VAT is astoundingly incompetent (tags: ) Pride purges the truth - @markreckons is a bit annoyed by Tom's distortions (tags: ) 15 Charts That Explain Social Media - I like no 11 best (tags: ) Everyone invited to Incredible Edible AGM - Brighouse Echo (tags: ) One of the 6 Biggest Ecological Disasters in the last 4.5 Billion Years is Happening Right Now (tags: ) Huddersfield & Calderdale A&E shake-up proposals delayed (tags: ) Is meditation a sham? Maybe, maybe not: moar research needed (tags: ) [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments
I have a soft spot for All Saints, Margaret Street, which is an extraordinary Victorian church just to the north of Oxford Street. It is so High it makes the Pope look like a Strict Baptist. Recently the blog Ordinariate Pilgrim wrote about it and cast some light on an aspect of High Anglicanism of which I was not aware: About fifty years ago "gender segregation" came to an end at All Saints', Margaret Street, in London's West End. For many years the congregation had divided, male and female, on either side of the nave in the front part of ...
[IMG: Launch of Lib Dem Muslim Network] Muslim Liberal Democrat members and activists from across all parts of the country came together on Saturday 3 May in Birmingham to promote a strong Muslim network within the Party in support of greater inclusion, dialogue and campaigning. The key aims of the Network are: 1. Promote the party amongst Muslim communities across the UK 2. Provide a support mechanism for Muslim members within the Party 3. Promote dialogue and greater understanding of Muslim communities in the UK 4. Promote interfaith dialogue, respect and understanding Chief guest Rt Hon. Simon Hughes MP welcomed ...
Liberal Democrat Justice minister Simon Hughes has warned that mandatory jail sentences for carrying a knife could make young people more likely to commit crime. Mr Hughes said the proposals could lead to younger teenagers ending up in jail after being pressurised by older youths to carry knives for them. The Economist notes that mandatory sentences are being repealed in the US as the rules further fill overcrowded prisons. [IMG: Simon Hughes MP on a recent visit to Maghull with Lib Dem Cllrs. Bruce Hubbard, Jen Robertson and Wyn Maher.] Simon Hughes MP on a recent visit to Maghull with ...
You can download the full festival brochure here.
Computing reports: Supposedly private electoral roll information is suspected to have been sold to junk mail companies in a series of leaks from local authorities. The security lapses are thought to be so widespread that as many as one-in-four local authorities may have been involved. The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) says that a "software error" is reportedly to blame... Andrew Moulton, Wokingham council's head of governance and improvement services, told the Daily Mail: "As soon as we were made aware of the matter we took swift action to remove names and addresses from the public domain." He continued: "For a ...
[IMG: ukip-poster-manchester] For once I'm going to agree with Nigel Farage. Speaking at a rally this week, he pleaded with the media and public, "from this moment on please do not ever call us a racist party. We are not a racist party." As rallying cries go, it's not the most ambitious. But, then, Ukip's not an ambitious party. As Farage himself happily boasts, it has just two policies: withdrawal from the EU and bringing back grammar schools. It doesn't really matter, though. Ukip is defined by what it's against, not what it's for, and a significant minority of voters ...
Shortly after the stabbing of teacher Ann Maguire in her classroom in Leeds Nick Clegg was asked on his London Radio phone-in programme if he supported having airport-style electronic security machines to vet pupils as they entered school. No, he didn't, he said, and felt that Mrs Maguire wouldn't have wanted that either. Now Clegg and, as far as I can tell, most if not all of the Liberal Democrat parliamentary team, are refusing to support the Tory call for the mandatory imprisonment of anyone convicted for the second time of carrying a knife. At a time of media hysteria ...
There has been much merriment regarding *that* poster from Labour suggesting we all pay VAT on food. Labour are trying to spin away their incompetence by saying the basket isn't an itemised checklist of food but a representative shopping basket.This isn't the first time Labour have claimed we pay VAT on food however. In 2011 Hull West & Hessle MP (and then Shadow Chancellor) Alan Johnson said.... "Imagine knocking on the doors on the Gipsyville estate saying yeah......you're paying more for your food because of the hike in VAT." This is really basic stuff. Either Labour are economically illiterate, out ...
The redundancy of 12 security staff at Cardiff Airport on the face of it seems like an unusual development. The Welsh Government has pledged to increase both flight and passenger numbers as well as the overall passenger experience. It is therefore both odd and regrettable that security staff, who play a major role in the airport, are being made redundant at the start of the summer season when passenger numbers traditionally increase. We need Cardiff Airport to be competitive and an attractive option for potential travellers. It seems like madness to cut security numbers at such an important time of ...
Blog Categories: Everything Else Vote: 0 votes + Vote up! - Vote down! Every so often I trawl through the access logs for this site. It's interesting to see what the few people who visit are reading. But sometimes there are some weird ones. There's been one visitor, from Oxford, who has frequently visited over the past year or so, often around election times, searching for "Ruth Wilkinson". Why, I'm not sure. I suppose I might be one of the few Lib Dem members who blog in East Oxford where Ruth is a councillor. But if you ask me, it's ...
As Greece currently holds the six-monthly rotating European Council presidency there was a Greek theme to tonight's Europe Day concert in St John's, Smith Square. The programme included two lively folkloric dances by the 20th century Greek composer, Nikos Skalkottas (1904-1949), but most of the other works drew their inspiration from classical Greek legends and [...]
