#90761595 / gettyimages.com You have two more days to visit the photographic exhibition Only in England at the National Media Museum in Bradford, though it will tour the country after it closes there. It has already been staged at the Science Museum in London. The write up on the Bradford museum's website explains its appeal: 'Only in England: Photographs by Tony Ray-Jones and Martin Parr' examines the close relationship between the work of these two important photographers and their fascination with the English. Intrigued by the eccentricities of English social customs, Tony Ray-Jones spent the latter half of the 1960s ...
Fri 27th
20:53
Antony Hook asks... Juncker nominated as next President of the European Commission - What happens ne...
Today the European Council nominated Jean-Claude Juncker to be the next President of the European Commission. The heads of government of the 28 states voted overwhelmingly for Juncker. Only the UK's David Cameron (European Conservatives and Reformists) and Hungary's Viktor Orban (European People's Party) voted against. Juncker's nomination reflects not only the European People's Party's status as largest group in the Parliament but also that it supplies more of the states' heads of government than any other party. The Council's nominee will go before the Parliament in its plenary, 14-17 July. The Parliament may vote to confirm his appointment as ...
Today I heard from a local councillor that there were many (other) councillors who were concerned about the Ukip effect and their main concern was whether they would hold their seats. This is perhaps the main reason why I became active in politics. It is simply not right that any elected representative can sit back and have no concerns about whether they would hold their seats. Far too many are elected for life, regardless of what they do, so long as they keep in with their party. If this is not an incentive to be lazy then at least it ...
The latest issue of Liberator is with subscribers, so let's spend another week with Rutland's most celebrated parliamentarian. Saturday I write these lines on the roof of St Asquith's, where I have set up my command post. As you have no doubt read, in recent days Rutland has suffered a succession of earthquakes and someone had to restore calm and public order. People have taken to referring to me as "Gold Leader," which has a certain ring to it, don't you think? The Revd Hughes has reacted badly to the quakes: he now reads the Book of Revelation obsessively and ...
Back in March I asked a number of questions in response to a post on LibDemVoice about tuition fees. Today, Paul Walter writes a similar article but does a much, much better job of defending the position taken by the Liberal Democrat ministers and some MPs (let's not forget that a significant number of the party's MPs did vote against them being raised, in line with party policy and our manifesto commitments). However, the same fundamental questions about higher education remain, and I repeat them again below. If the university tuition fees regime introduced by the coalition: Turns out to ...
A date for your diary. Community Connect, which is fronting proposals for an out-of-town supermarket at Rocks Green, Ludlow, is holding a drop-in session and exhibition on 4 July and 5 July at the Rockspring Community Centre. Here's the letter they have sent to town residents: 18th June 2014 Re - proposed new supermarket and [...]
Britain's worst ever lifeboat disaster happened in sight of the Birkdale sand dunes, twenty-seven lifeboat men from Southport and St Anne's lost their lives in the disaster and their bodies were laid out in what is now the Fisherman's Rest pub, then it was the coach house for the Palace Hotel. Recently we reported on a performance of 'Cork Jackets and Drills' which tells the story of the 1886 disaster when when a barque named Mexico went aground. I bring it up again now because I popped into The Atkinson which has some excellent material relating to the disaster as ...
Whatever people think about politicians, the vast majority take their job seriously, work hard for their constituents and put the interests of their area ahead of their own. That is why I was so disappointed by this story in the Western Mail which, I am afraid to say brings the whole profession into disrepute once more. The paper reports on the continuing absence from the Assembly's Enterprise and Business Committee of Tory Assembly Member, Byron Davies, who is boycotting meetings in protest at the decision by his group leader to sack its chair. Mr. Davies's absence means that the Committee ...
This speech from Owen Barder is well worth a read in full – but it's his justifiably provocative opening section which grabbed me: ... let me begin with a confession: I am not a great fan of philanthropic foundations. I have nothing against foundations in principle. I was utterly persuaded by Mike Green and Matt Bishop's book, Philanthrocapitalism, that foundations have a unique contribution to make. Because of the way they are funded and governed, they can do things that official aid agencies struggle with. They can bring business-like project management and partnership skills to development projects. They can be ...
It was worse than ever this week when they turned it all around in Mill lane again, but at least there re some traffic signs further out (as requested by Flick Rea) which warn people driving into the area. Now, it has been announced there will be work further down Kilburn High Road and just today, we received this message below so be warned!! Maybe by Christmas we'll all be able to travel around West Hampstead and Kilburn without people coming to blows! A5 KILBURN HIGH ROAD - IVERSON ROAD - CAVENDISH ROAD A5 KILBURN HIGH ROAD - SHOOT-UP HILL ...
[IMG: Graduation] Many years ago, before self-imploding, I studied Land Management at University. It was more like Beer Management as I drank several pints of weak ale a night, using my luxuriant 100% grant. This week I found myself back at University. I was there as a parent learning about student finance. How times have changed. Now, of course, graduates have to cough up 9% of what they earn above £21,000 after university. (Maria Pretzler, mind you, has pointed out that the taxpayer will pay more under the new system than originally predicted). It seems a fair and reasonable system ...
Fri 27th
14:00Poll of school leaders and governors: Don't like Coalition's education policies - BUT do like Lib De...
[IMG: 05192014 - AD - Hartford 87] A couple of findings worth highlighting from a major survey of more than 2,000 school leaders and governors, commissioned by The Key, and carried out by polling firm Ipsos Mori. It probably won't come as a surprise to discover that the Coalition's performance on education is viewed unfavourably: three-quarters of school leaders (75%) are dissatisfied with almost half (46%) saying they are very dissatisfied. However, drill down a level and it's clear there are some policies which are popular – two of three most popular have been championed by the Lib Dems: Among ...
The Government announcement that there will be no change to civil partnerships because the consultation did not present a united voice in favour is not a surprise. However – it is Liberal Democrat policy – and it will be in our manifesto!
Last night I was at the meeting of our local party exec. This was the first meeting since the catastrophic European elections and understandably there was a lot of conversation regarding the current state of the party and the best approach going forwards. I'll not share the detail of the conversations, but it is fair [...]
[IMG: Christian Aid Week collector, Waterloo] Three hours passed in the House of Lords yesterday without a single party political point made by any of the 21 speakers taking part in the discussion. The occasion for this unusual occurrence was my debate on the contribution made to society by the voluntary and charitable sector, held as one of three Liberal Democrat sponsored debates taking place yesterday. Charitable giving from the public has held up remarkably well despite the long recession, although we should all be concerned that what my colleague Baroness Claire Tyler calls "the civic core" is ageing and ...
Oh people. How you make me despair. The economy for the first time in recent history is not top of the list of issues that people think are effectively the UK (immigration has tied with the economy before) as immigration now has a sensational six-point lead in the latest Ipsos Mori issue index. [IMG: Ipsos Mori June Index] June Issues Index This is undoubtedly due in part to the European elections and the amount of air time that UKIP have been getting. The more rubbish they spew the more people believe it and therefore the more airtime they get and ...
Blog Categories: Economics Oxford Political Comment Vote: 1 vote + Vote up! - Vote down! From the point of view of hypertension prevention I ought not to have, but for some crazy reason that currently eludes me, I found myself last evening at an event, a "panel discussion", about the case for a "Green Belt Review" for Oxford. The panel was one councillor from beleaguered, hemmed in city council, one from the only one of the rural districts to have asked for some relaxation of the Green Belt, one senior planning consultant with a firm whose clients include some significant ...
[IMG: David Cameron, British Prime Minister] In a display of perverse pride, David Cameron has been spinning today that he will lose a vote on the appointment of Jean-Claude Juncker as President of the European Commission. You might expect such a failure of (megaphone) diplomacy to be a source of shame, but I suppose failure is what the Brexit agenda demands, and hang the national interest. In doing this he is, we are told standing up for the principle that the heads of government, not the European Parliament appoint the commission and that the European elections showed that the voters ...
[IMG: HCCwasteaware] Hertfordshire County Council has begun a consultation on changes being suggested for Hertfordshire's 17 household waste recycling centres and want to hear your views. A new contractor, AmeyCespa, has been appointed to run the centres, sometimes known as 'tips' or 'dumps'. They have been asked to put forward suggestions to improve efficiency and save money, while still reducing waste, improving rates of reuse and recycling and maintaining a reliable service for residents. The Conservative Cabinet Member for Waste Management explained: "We recognise that any service change will have an impact on our residents so we want your views ...
Sir Menzies Campbell MP and Alison Johnstone MSP are two former athletes who are also prominent politicians. LEAP Sports Scotland is delighted to announce that they have shown their support for PRIDE HOUSE Glasgow 2014 by becoming patrons. Sir Menzies Campbell, MP for North East Fife and former British 100 metre record holder said: "Sport breaks down barriers, creates and encourages diversity. These Commonwealth Games are for all of us. They will bring together the citizens of Glasgow and our guests. At Pride House there will be a welcome for all. " Alison Johnstone, Green MSP for Lothian and former ...
A century after an assassination in the Balkans plunged Europe into the Great War - and twenty years after the bloody disintegration of Yugoslavia - Westerners are still embarrassingly ignorant of what remains a crucial region A SMALL TOWN FAR FAR AWAY On April 21 1913 Scutari - a town that lay in what was [...]
Google adds 'data protection' WARNING to its Euro search results (tags: ) Did climate deniers just admit they don't know what they're talking about? (tags: ) "The only disability in life is a bad attitude" (tags: ) Julian Huppert MP writes.. A step towards humanist weddings (tags: ) Google dials back Google+ integration with search results (tags: ) David Tredinnick: perhaps the worst example of scientific illiteracy in government? At least he went out in the first round of votes for Chair of the Committee (tags: ) Five seats the Lib Dems might GAIN in 2015 (tags: ) The Director ...
[IMG: Kenny MacAskill at Scotland's Future Livingston] Well, last night was a weird evening. And I know what weird is. I go to the Glee Club a wild, rude, drunken end of Liberal Democrat Conference singalong and Doctor Who conventions. This, though, was the Scotland's Future taxpayer funded Scottish Government independence event in Livingston, held in a local hotel. It was hosted by Training and Youth Employment Cabinet Minister and local MSP Angela Constance who was lovely, as she always is. She also had that clever political talent of under-promisng and over-delivering. She said we'd get a sugary biscuit with ...
Here's some of the articles that have caught my attention in the past couple of days... cdn.cfbt.com 2nd report on London schools improvement this week. Best bit is the 'Lessons' section, starting p.121 (esp No.1) http://bit.ly/1pGetMP Outsourcing meets its outer limits – FT.com Competition during tendering, transparency/accountability of performance targets, contract exit route available http://on.ft.com/1o7lKFN (1/2) Five seats the Lib Dems might GAIN in 2015. | The Political Bookie Not impossible y'know > Five seats the Lib Dems might GAIN in 2015. | The Political Bookie http://bit.ly/1o7iCtH CentreForum.org – David Laws MP keynote speech to the Orange Book 10 Year ...
The FTSE100 makes history today with the news that there are no remaining all-male boards in the UK's top companies, which is a considerable turnaround from where 1 in 5 were all male in 2011. Glencore Xstrata's appointment of Patrice Merrin to their board has been welcomed by Vince Cable and comes as a result of efforts by Liberal Democrats and businesses to improve boardroom diversity in the UK. Business Secretary Vince Cable said: "This is a historic day for the FTSE and for the reforms I've been pushing for to ensure that there is more diversity in the talent ...
Well, last night was a weird evening. And I know what weird is. I go to the Glee Club a wild, rude, drunken end of Liberal Democrat Conference singalong and Doctor Who conventions. This, though, was the Scotland's Future taxpayer ... Continue reading →
[IMG: Graduation] Many years ago, before self-imploding, I studied Land Management at University. It was more like Beer Management as I drank several pints of weak ale a night, using my luxuriant 100% grant. This week I found myself back at University. I was there as a parent learning about student finance. How times have changed. Now, of course, graduates have to cough up 9% of what they earn above £21,000 after university. (Maria Pretzler, mind you, has pointed out that the taxpayer will pay more under the new system than originally predicted). It seems a fair and reasonable system ...
Ladies and gentlemen, we have a Headline of the Day. Well done to the Shropshire Star. And, come to think of it, to the hen.
From Thad Cochran's successful Senate primary campaign: [IMG: Thad Cochran for Mississippi phone bank]
Members of 2nd Cheadle Scout Group will be undertaking a sponsored climb over 24 hours to raise money for The Christie, kicking off at 5pm on Saturday 5th July 2014 and going right through to 5pm on Sunday 6th July 2014. They are climbing the equivalent height of Mount Everest, 8848 Metres, on the climbing wall at Forest Camp Activity Centre in Sandiway, Cheshire. They will complete, as a group, 738 climbs in total over a 24 hour period in order to raise vital funds for this most deserving of causes. You can sponsor 2nd Cheadle Scouts here.
Stephen Tall has a characteristically thoughtful response to my strident call for the OBR to go deeper into evaluating party policy. His major objection is that we run the risk of "politicizing" the OBR. This is an important risk, and one that echoes warnings given by the IEA and Ryan Bourne amongst others. Ryan on [...]
The Environment Agency has given a waste company extra time to clear a waste pile in Ludlow but warns of smells over the next couple of weeks. Ludlow Skip Hire inherited a huge pile of waste when it purchased the site earlier in the year. As the weather got hotter up, the rubbish pile began [...]
