Liberal Democrat seat. Resignation For more information please contact Cllr Dan Roper (cllr.dan.roper@broadland.gov.uk).
The Liverpool Echo has the story – see link above.
Well according to the Daily Telegraph he said: [Lord Rennard's] media advisor, Peter Hayes, says "I understand that you are writing a piece about angry women." He adds that the police did not press charges and Alistair Webster did not call for a disciplinary hearing. "The Liberal Democrat Party has now dealt with all the allegations and the matter is closed. We must advise anyone against publishing or broadcasting defamatory remarks. Accusations that were rejected by both the Metropolitan Police and an independent QC would be treated as such." For a press adviser is seems like something that wouldn't pass ...
[IMG: Vince Cable. Photo courtesy of https://www.flickr.com/photos/bisgovuk/4668788281/ - some rights reserved] Another worthy spending commitment, another piece of added pressure on the remaining areas of public expenditure: A Liberal Democrat government would introduce a package of measures supporting innovation in UK businesses, it has been announced today. The manifesto plans include ringfencing the science research budget and introducing a green innovation arm to the British Business Bank. The plans also provide further support for the 'Catapult' programme, which bridges the gap between universities, research institutions and business through £100m of funding over the next Parliament. Excuse a slight digression whilst ...
One of my personal aims is to have visited more countries than I have had birthdays. As a child, I didn't travel that much, and I only really got going when I took up international youth politics. Then, of course, having married, the travel really took off and now, with Ros, we are lucky enough to have a number of opportunities to see new places. But my travel has been somewhat erratic - I've been to nine Latin American countries but not Norway, for example - and there is still plenty of low-hanging fruit left. And so, having decided that ...
Today I awoke to the news that Northern Ireland lost one of our greatest broadcasters. Hot on the heels of the tragic loss of Robin Williams, our own radio presenter who, had the same sharp wit which was part of who we all wear. As someone whose father, was only two years older, but from the same working class roots in Derry/Londonderry I grew up with that North West sense of humour. Of course with a time slot starting at 10:30am I didn't get to listen to Gerry every morning, nor did I get to listen to his handover from ...
Yesterday I blogged on Lib Dem Voice my response to Lord Rennard's readmittance to the party. I've been interested in some of the responses I elicited......hence the - Post? since I have been rightly challenged about the notion that we are anywhere near 'post' the affair. There are those who argue he has not been found guilty of anything - that we have had due process - that we should all just accept the outcome and welcome him back into the fold. But the fact remains for all too many, in particular the complainants, it is not resolved. And one ...
[IMG: business-innovation blog] A Liberal Democrat government would introduce a package of measures supporting innovation in UK businesses. The manifesto plans include ringfencing the science research budget and introducing a green innovation arm to the British Business Bank. The plans also provide further support for the 'Catapult' programme, which bridges the gap between universities, research institutions and business through £100m of funding over the next Parliament. The green innovation arm of the British Business Bank would deliver an expansion of innovation funding in the UK green technology sector. In July, Vince Cable launched the driverless cars developments, which had benefited ...
Thu 21st
17:21
Former Liberal Democrat MP John Barrett says he's voting Yes in the Independence Referendum
[IMG: image] Way back in January, former Edinburgh West Liberal Democrat MP John Barrett made a very intelligent contribution to the debate on independence in an article for the Scotsman. He said his vote was still up for grabs. He was fed up with the banality of the official campaigns and highly critical of the Liberal Democrats for participating in Better Together. Well, his vote isn't up for grabs any more as he's decided that he's voting yes on 18th September and explains why in today's Edinburgh Evening News. Even though I reach a different conclusion on the question of ...
[IMG: 1617842_10152597729073662_2111035162_o] The Liberal Democrats (pictured, Danny Alexander) are planning to burnish their credentials as the tax-cutting party for the low paid and pensioners by floating the possibility of cutting national insurance contributions for anyone earning below £12,500 a year. Commenting, Liberal Democrat city councillor, Darren Fower said: "This move will also give a tax cut to over 6 million pensioners. This commitment is part of the Liberal Democrat ambition to develop a generational shift to a fairer tax system that rewards work and helps working people. "By April next year, thanks to Liberal Democrats in government, a tax cut ...
For some months now I have been working with the Green Branch of the Workers' Educational Association in Newcastle to set up a food swapping event. The aim is to encourage as much local food production as possible and give people the opportunity to swap their surpluses. The first such event went ahead on Sunday at the Station Masters Garden at Whitley Bay Metro Station and by all accounts was a
[IMG: Lib Dem constitution - preamble] The question of what level of proof is required for party disciplinary action has understandably attracted a lot of attention during the Chris Rennard saga. However, the focus on that risks obscuring a related issue – the level of sanction available. The more serious the level of sanction, the higher the level of proof should be required – just as criminal actions require a higher level of proof than civil actions as more serious consequences follow from being found guilty. Whether criminal or civil level of proof is needed for expulsion is currently being ...
Following my posting of yesterday about an significant ambulance delay arriving at a house in Lydiate I have been contacted about a similar situation at a house in Maghull. I have taken this second concern up with the North West Ambulance Service as well as the first one. To give some context to these cases they both seem to involve delays of around 2 hours which is very worrying indeed!
[IMG: Microphones on a podium. Photo courtesy of - some rights reserved] [IMG: Power Trip - A Decade of Policy, Plots and Spin by Damian McBride] The newly updated paperback version of Damian McBride's book adds but a little to the original hardback edition. There's a previously removed chapter about phone hacking, full of claims about just how extensive Rebekah Brooks's power was, and a series of comments on Ed Miliband where (as surely he was savvy enough to anticipate) the critical have achieved far more publicity than the positive. Yet the original hardback was such an enticing read ...
Thu 21st
15:00Danny Alexander doing Facebook Q and A on Scottish Independence Referendum tonight at 6 pm
[IMG: Danny's indyref q and a] Danny Alexander will be answering questions on Facebook tonight for half an hour from 6 pm. If you have a question, you can submit it via the "You Decide" Facebook page which is run by the Scotland Office. The Scotland Office invites you to ask your questions on the page: The referendum on 18 September 2014 is the most important decision to face Scottish people in 300 years. You have a right to know what it will mean for you. To help you get the information you need to make a decision, Danny Alexander, ...
From the Guardian website: Channel 4 is to air a political drama about Nick Clegg in the run up to next year's general election. Coalition will explore what Channel 4 describes as the "emotionally wrought, politically-charged and often frenzied moments" leading up to Clegg's decision to go into government with David Cameron. The one-off, 90-minute drama is to air early next year and looks into the backroom politics, compromises and wrangling that took place after the 2010 election failed to produce a majority.But who will play Nick Clegg? I hear you ask. According to the report, no decision has yet ...
[IMG: Old House of Commons. Image courtesy of - some rights reserved] Blackwood's Magazine (November 1833) decried the impact of the Great Reform Act on British politics, saying it had brought forth MPs who spent too much time giving speeches: The Reform Bill ... has augmented two-fold that class of orators who spend their breath and not their money in securing their places [i.e. constituencies], and whose seat is held by the most precarious of all tenures, that of pleasing a giddy and inconstant multitude. Others might call it democracy, but never mind... Every man can judge of the ...
Stockport Council administers the free school travel scheme for our area and they are concerned that, despite promoting it, take up has so far been low. The council has asked councillors to help spread the word to get more parents to apply for free school travel. Check here to see if your children might be eligible.
[IMG: Norman Lamb] The GP magazine has run a piece by Lib Dem health minister Norman Lamb on the party's plans to support general practice. Here's an excerpt: The Liberal Democrats are proud to have ringfenced health spending over the course of this Parliament. With an ageing population, and emerging medical challenges, such as the growth in long-term conditions, facing our health service it may be a given that protecting health spending is a sensible thing to do. That was not, however, the case in 2010. The coalition has made sure that we have protected the health budget, but the ...
I frequently read in the Courier how the Police have raided houses and caught various people growing cannabis plants. The preferred phrase for such operations is now 'cannabis factories' which conjures up images of Blake's dark satanic mills. On the one hand the Police are to be congratulated on efficiently enforcing the law of the land. However I fear in this case the law really is wrong and ought to change, and using up Police resources to enforce prohibition is a folly. In Colorado, USA the law has already changed. Cannabis is now legal and is set to raise $134M ...
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has today released a statement explaining that it will not be prosecuting undercover police officers for sexual offences having mislead political activists about their identity. This decision is highly inconsistent, given the CPS have previously successfully prosecuted trans folk for what they call identity "deception" when it comes to sexual relations. The phrasing of today's release either admits to transphobic prosecution decisions within the CPS (specifically, believing that trans identities are inauthentic) or admits that they believe Lord Leveson's Court of Appeal judgement criminalising trans folk for sexual relations is incorrect. In his ruling on ...
This week's policy updates from our Lead Members on LGA policy boards includes news and information from: Culture Tourism and Sport Regular updates on the work of the LGA Lib Dems on policy boards will be published on the ALDC website and feedback on any of the matters raised is encouraged. Culture, Tourism and Sport [...]
[IMG: Monika Juneja] Guildford Conservative Cllr Monika Juneja, charged with seven offences under the Forgery and Counterfeiting Act, the Legal Services Act and the Theft Act in a case involving claims that she falsely passed herself off as a barrister, has now finally resigned as the Lead Member for Planning on Guildford Council. This followed the Conservative Group Leader belatedly asking her to quit. Her resignation is welcome news because, as I said before: Being charged with a crime isn't the same as being guilty of one, but it's still a serious matter. That's why my rule of thumb for ...
As the Assembly Commissioner responsible for the Parliamentary estate and sustainability I am delighted at the progress that we have been able to make in this area. As this article points out the National Assembly for Wales is set to meet tough targets to reduce its energy emissions by 40 per cent by 2015. The latest figures, published in the Assembly's Annual Report, reveal that the Assembly has achieved a 34 per cent reduction in energy emissions since the base year 2008/09. During the same period the Assembly has also achieved a 29 per cent reduction in net greenhouse gas ...
Another week at Bonkers Hall draws to a close. Judging by today's entry, that is probably just as well. Sunday You find me on the terrace again, looking out upon my coverts. If it is the Elves of Rockingham Forest in there, it is high time they met Norman Lamb. Do I hear you ask why? Because he is the Minister for Elf, of course. Lord Bonkers was Liberal MP for Rutland South West 1906-10. Previously in Lord Bonkers' Diary The elves in my covertAn inflatable Julian HuppertSpotting a wrong 'unThe Liberal Detective AgencyThe Bedroom Tax and the HallWhen sheep ...
[IMG: Liberal Democrat badge - Some rights reserved by Paul Walter, Newbury, UK] The Rennard affair has been a very difficult and protracted period for all those involved, but also for the party. It has exposed the party's over-complex structures and processes, which have spectacularly failed with this difficult case. But we delude ourselves if we think that this is only about the Rennard case – this is about living up to our liberal values. As a party, we rightly condemn those in the public sector who do not look after those who are more vulnerable than ourselves. We expect ...
[IMG: secondhand-politics-books] As many of you are probably aware by now, I'm in the middle of doing an MA course in Politics at the University of Essex's Department of Government. One of the reasons I wanted to do the course is that after years of being involved in practical politics, I wanted to go back and look at the academic side of it once more, not least because there've been some dramatic changes in it since I finished my first degree twenty years ago. One thing that I have discovered since returning to studying is that there's a huge difference ...
[IMG: Bad Brains] My two year old daughter is going through a Hot Rats phase. In other words, she wants to incessantly listen to Frank Zappa's 1969 magnum opus. It's my fault, obviously; I was the one who introduced it into her life. In the same way that I've introduced most things of a pop cultural nature to her - by presenting something I figure she'll hate and being pleasantly surprised when she likes it (she is discerning, however. I've had a few "Daddy, this is terrible" comments along the way). Happy that is until I've had to sit through ...
A working 1k hard drive BUILT IN MINECRAFT poses an interesting philosophical question (tags: ) Important! Notice to dissolve the Action for Pellon Community Group (tags: ) On whether or not viewing the Foley beheading video is a criminal offence (tags: ) BBC relaunches Doctor Who Confidential as Doctor Who Extra on red button/iPlayer I stared at that pic of Capaldi at the top of the blog post for a good two minutes trying to work out if it was a subtle moving gif, or whether my eyes were just Mona Lisaing it... (tags: ) Top 10 Most Ridiculously Overcomplicated ...
Thu 21st
09:38
Lord Rennard kinda but doesn't really win, the Lib Dems lose. Sums up a lot doesn't it?
First things first. I have no idea what Lord Rennard did or did not do. I don't have access to the evidence. I have an opinion but that is based solely on the evidence that has been leaked through the media. This opinion is pretty hardened and it would take significant new evidence to move me from my position but I suspect that will not happen. Lord Rennard was 'won' in that he's had his party membership restored. The allegations against him are credible but not proven. A situation that happens all the time in many different guises in many ...
[IMG: LD bird BLOG] The Liberal Democrat manifesto will include a commitment to introduce new child poverty measures it has been announced. The manifesto will feature the three child poverty targets which were blocked by the Conservatives: > reducing relative poverty; > reducing gaps in life chances; > and reducing entrenched poverty. The announcement forms part of our ongoing commitment to creating a fairer society enabling everyone to get on in life. Commenting, Chair of the Liberal Democrat manifesto group, and Education Minister, David Laws said: "Liberal Democrats know you can build a stronger economy and fairer society at the ...
Ignore the schmaltz surrounding "the sharing economy." The benefits of websites like Uber and Airbnb come in the form of greater efficiency rather than new friendships. My initiation into the so called 'sharing economy' came about 18 months ago. I was planning a trip down the East Coast of the US for my sister and [...]
The owners of the Cheadle Royal Business Park are to start enforcing the 'no parking' rule on the roads in the park with a private enforcement company and fines for transgressors. The Lib Dems are worried that this will lead to more parking problems around St Anne's Road North. With our colleagues in Heald Green, the Lib Dems successfully pressed for more yellow lines along St Anne's Road North to stop people parking right up to the chicanes – and that does seem to have made it safer. We looked at ways to reduce the total traffic but that's less ...
Have you had a smoke detector fitted by Avon Fire and Rescue service? Unfortunately there was a faulty batch. If you test your smoke detector and find it isn't working please call the fire service on 0800 1412561 or email technicalsupport@fireangel.co.uk for advice. The fire service can't give a definite timescale for when the faulty ones were fitted, but the problems to date relate to some that were fitted more than 6 months ago. Of course regardless of who fitted your smoke detectors, it's worth checking them regularly.
A spokesman for Lord Rennard issued the following statement last night: All allegations made about Lord Rennard have now been investigated thoroughly. This included a seven month investigation by specially trained officers of the Metropolitan Police. The police decided that there could be no charges and did not even a send a file to the Crown Prosecution Service. In addition, there was a lengthy investigation by independent QC Alistair Webster. He also concluded that there was insufficient evidence even to proceed to a disciplinary hearing. The Liberal Democrat Party has now dealt with all the allegations and the matter is ...
Residents have complained to me that the entrance to the Home Scotland car park at the south end of Thomson Street (see below) is unsightly with weeds :I have therefore asked Home Scotland is arrangements can be made to tidy it.
A checkout operative at our local supermarket always has a beaming smile and seems genuinely glad to greet each customer. When I commented on this to him he said that in his culture, presumably in some part of Africa, children were taught from an early age to smile or "The lions will get you in the night." gloomy faces, tears, were treated with the same injunction. He seems astonishingly happy in, and seems even to enjoy, what for many would be a thoroughly boring and lowly job. Similarly the little corner-shop grocery where I now buy the morning paper (see ...
I came across an old postcard recently, which shows a northbound train crossing Monsal Dale Viaduct (actually the correct name is Headstone Viaduct) c 1908:- [IMG: Monsal Head Viaduct then] My photo below is the scene as it is now with the railway being part of a footpath across the viaduct. [IMG: rsz_monsal_head_viaduct_now] Oh what could have been if in the the 1950′s and 60′s we had been more forward looking and not closed many of our railways! By the way check how the trees have grown by comparing the two photos. Check out the Wikipedia page at:- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monsal_Dale [IMG: ...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15975720 This is sobering subject especially as last night I saw two cars racing at incredibly high speed through Maghull on the A59 around 8.15pm. They must have had a death wish; trouble is they would probably have killed others in their ridiculous stunt had it all gone wrong. The BBC has the story – see link above and search for Sefton amongst the listed local authorities. 105 Killed on Sefton's roads in 11 years. The map on the BBC web site shows West Lancs deaths as well as Sefton's.
The latest road safety statistics released yesterday show a fall in casualties. This is welcome, but the sad rise in deaths should come as a warning sign to the Welsh Labour Government. We must never stop efforts to improve road safety for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians alike. The Welsh Government has invested heavily to boost the number of pupils walking to school, yet the number of children doing so is falling. The Welsh Government needs to ensure that it is achieving value for money for the taxpayer with these schemes. The Welsh Liberal Democrats want to see local councils consulting ...
Ezra Klein hits the nail on the head re all that is wrong with policing in America: "There is something wrong that the video seems obviously exculpatory to the police and obviously damning to so many who watch it." Those with professional knowledge can speak to it better than me, but I suspect the protocol in Britain would be to park at a relatively safe distance, order civilians to get back, call for back-up and specialist assistance, while monitoring to ensure that Mr. Powell poses no threat to himself or anybody else. What caused the situation to escalate to the ...
