#86106614 / gettyimages.com Photographed in his psychotic bank clerk period.
Following my Monday afternoon surgeries at the Mitchell Street Centre and the West Park Centre, I participated in tonight's City Council committees. At Environment Committee, I welcomed public open space proposed improvements including at Greenbank Place, Riverside Drive and Victoria Park. In the case of Greenbank Place, the proposal is to replace the existing conifer hedge. I asked that the overgrown trees in the area be also attended to (particular the one that partially obstructs the south pavement) and was given a commitment that this would happen. At Policy and Resources Committee, I was pleased that the first regeneration fund ...
UN Dispatch reports: Last week Russian security forces abducted an Estonian security officer along the country's border with Russia. The incident is a serious development, but is also merely one of several that have analysts looking at Estonia as the possible next theatre for Russian ambitions.And concludes: Now analysts are having to contend with a real possibility that the Baltic states will be the next of Putin's foreign adventures. If so, despite their small size, it will have far wider consequences than the current conflict in Ukraine. With their NATO membership, any attack on Estonia, Latvia or Lithuania will inevitably ...
I'm a federalist which, I guess, places me somewhere between the unionists and the separatists. Which means that, as I 'fessed up last February, I'm much more ambivalent about the case for Scottish independence than most Lib Dems: I believe in power being as close to the people as possible. Is 'devo-max' or full independence the best way to achieve that? That's the key question Scots need to be able to answer by September. Ironically, it's the one not on the ballot paper. So I'm not as fazed as many down south are by the apparent tightening of the polls ...
All 16-21 year olds in England will get a 66% discount on bus travel under plans unveiled by the Liberal Democrats today. The proposal, which forms part of the pre-manifesto launched today, would see all 16-21 year olds would be given a Young Person's Bus Pass. It would help young people with the cost of travel by offering a minimum two thirds discount on bus travel in England. Bus companies would then be able to add their own discounts on top of that. Liberal Democrats plan to pay for it by abolishing TV licenses and Winter Fuel Payments to pensioners ...
Mon 8th
19:59
What Labour & land owners/developers have planned for Sefton's East Parishes – Green Belt ...
If there is one really big hot topic in Sefton and particularly in it's East Parishes Communities, it is the consequences of the Borough's Local Plan. I have covered this matter many times before concentrating on Labour-run Sefton's mad dash to build on massive swathes of Green Belt and high grade agricultural land. The Local Plan is at draft stage at present and I thought it useful to look at the East Parishes area in detail because, by far, it is the part of the Borough where both the Labour Party and developers are hell bent on building on a ...
Tynwald – Home of the Manx Parliament For 4.5 days last week I was in the Isle of Man and I had a really great time. I went because of the way that the Manx Government has been a ... Continue reading →
(Daisy Cooper was the first to respond to the questions I posed in my earlier Presidential post, and here are her answers in full after the cut. I've formatted them as she had them in the Word document she sent but not edited them in any way, but please tell me if anything looks wrong. You can, of course, ask any questions about her answers in the comments.) Why you, and not the other three? I'm a campaigner, a reformer, and I have a vision for the party. I believe that I'm the only candidate with three vital ingredients that ...
[IMG: St Albans Lib Dem AGM] The days are getting shorter, the football has started and the first few "x days to Christmas" signs are appearing in shops. Yes, it all means that the local party AGM season is fast approaching. To help Liberal Democrat local parties get the most out of them, here then is a reminder of the simple factsheet giving 10 tips to lift an AGM from being a boring, business meeting that no-one comes to into an interesting and successful event. Though written in conjunction with London Liberal Democrats, the tips are applicable across the country. ...
[IMG: nick clegg eu] The weekend news of the first poll pointing to a possible Yes vote in the Scottish independence referendum has dominated the headlines – and it may prompt those parties campaigning for Scotland to remain within the UK to commit irrevocably to further devolved powers to the Scottish Assembly. That was the strong message today from Lib Dem leader and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, speaking at a press conference this morning: For the first time in my political lifetime, there is clear, unwavering unity on this question. Finally, everyone who believes in the United Kingdom believes ...
In amongst international conflicts, a royal baby and the prospect of the end of the Union, the Liberal Democrats have today published their pre-manifesto document, a publication that will form the basis of our Party's manifesto and our offer to the electorate next May. If you take a look at the document here together with [...]
Alex Massie, who I believed earlier last week had somewhat conceded one of the main arguments for independence, has written a really excellent piece in the Speccy. I recommend anyone with an interest in Scotland's future read it. Scottish independence is a little more likely today than it was yesterday » Spectator Blogs Despite the fact that both the Yes and No campaigns have done their best to present this referendum as a battle between rival cost-benefit analyses, it is still - as it has always been - about the idea.There's always been a constituency for independence and it's always ...
I am pleased to be able to say that the prosecution against the Haymores has been dropped by Essex County Council. Although the council is relating this to them going to the USA, they did this in July a few days after the plea hearing. In fact they faced substantial costs in fighting the case merely to travel back to the UK. I wonder if this outbreak of common sense on behalf of the council
Since 2010 it has been clear that energy and the environment are policy areas where the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives have distinct views and voices within the coalition. The recent reshuffle of blue ministers, removing one of the Tories' few true renewable energy supporters in Greg Barker, gave further evidence of this differentiation. Now, as we look to the next five years, it is time for the parties to be clear on their commitment to a greener economy. The major renewable energy trade associations – representing wind, solar, biogas, hydropower and more – have launched a series of manifesto tests ...
Mon 8th
13:30
Lib Dem pre-manifesto launched: includes policies to reform drugs laws and bus pass discount for und...
[IMG: pre manifesto document] Last week's pre-manifesto launch by the Lib Dems was postponed owing to the international situation. Thankfully no important news has broken over the past couple of days which might over-shadow today's launch. Unless, that is, you think the potential break-up of the UK or a new Royal Baby are headline-grabbing events. You can read the Pre-Manifesto in full below. The party trailed its publication today with a couple of announcements intended to highlight key policies: 'Exclusive: Liberal Democrats to announce decriminalisation of all drugs' headlined Politics.co.uk: Personal possession of all drugs should be decriminalised, the Liberal ...
The new school year may have only just started but it's already time for parents and carers to start planning ahead for next year. The application process for secondary schools (including upper, studio schools or university technical colleges) is open from this week.If your child starts primary, or moves on to a junior, middle, secondary, upper, studio school or university technology college next year make sure you apply for a place in good time.The easiest way to apply for a school place for September 2015 is to visitwww.hertsdirect.org/admissions and complete the online application form. Online applications can be amended at ...
[IMG: dacorum bins] From 24 November residents in Dacorum will be able to take advantage of a new and improved waste collection service which will make it easier to recycle without sorting and reduce waste sent to landfill. Bins on Tour ... Meantime, Dacorum waste advisors will be out and about over the next 6 weeks offering help and advice about the changes to the bin collections coming this autumn as part of the Bins on Tour roadshows The new waste collection system called 'Recycle for Dacorum' will consist of: A new blue lidded wheeled bin: All dry recycling (paper, ...
One key element of life is looking at trends in the way things are happening. Both of the above cases were in the news last week. I don't know enough about medicine to take a view as to whether Proton treatment is appropriate for Ashya King. However, it is quite clear that: a) The doctors should not have threatened an Emergency Protection Order merely because they were being questioned
The British Prime Minister has explained that there is a significant risk to our security, due to Muslim residents of the UK travelling to fight with IS/ISIS in Syria and Iraq, and returning radicalised to the UK. The remedy, supported by Lib Dem parliamentarians, is for the government to follow the USA and give itself the power to stop people travelling out of the UK, and to generate 'no fly lists'. In addition, it has also been explained that the UK government is seeking the power to strip people of their acquired UK citizenship, if you travel to Syria or ...
Scotland votes for independence or not from the rest of the UK in just ten days time. Until now the complacent Westminster establishment, politicians and media alike, hasn't taken the debate seriously. In the last week more opinions polls have been commissioned for the Clacton by election than on the referendum question – one reason that it is hard to tell how opinion is shifting. But the Yes campaign now seems to have the wind in its sails, and Westminster has to take the issue seriously. They are completely unready. Westminster types understand why a Scots breakaway is bad for ...
As I write we are 10 days away from the Independence Referendum which will decide whether Scotland leaves the United Kingdom and becomes an independent country or not. The polls have narrowed and the result seems uncertain. The Yes campaign has made up ground and seems to have gained some traction, in particular based on scare stories about the future of the NHS. I believe the Yes case is actually a rather weak one, driven by nationalists who have always wanted independence simply because that is what they have always wanted - opportunistically taking advantage of a malaise across the ...
The British Science Festival has long frustrated people as more about PR than debate. In 1970, activists decided to shake things up and staged an intervention. Its Autumn 1970, the leaves are turning, kids are back at school, its British Science Festival season, and the British Society for Social Responsibility in Science (BSSRS, Bisrus to its friends) is itching for a fight. BSSRS had been founded about 18 months previously, a largely establishment affair, with a Nobel Prize winning chair (Maurice Wilkins), an inaugural conference held at the Royal Society and a letter of support signed by such luminaries as ...
My great-aunt used to say, with some justification, that there was only one kind of nationalism that Liberals could ever stomach. That was Irish nationalism. I suppose the point is that, while the nationalism of big nations is always abhorrent, the nationalism of small nations or regions or counties, or even put-upon towns and cities, looks like a demand for self-determination. So there is a Liberal argument for Scottish independence. The trouble is that nationalism usually comes packaged up with a kind of intolerance which no Liberal could stomach. And now that the pollsters are beginning to say the independence ...
Our colleagues at the LGA Lib Dem Group are looking for a new head of office. Full details below: Head of Liberal Democrat Group Office Salary £50,358 – £58,791 (Including London Weighting) Westminster, London About us The LGA is the national voice of local government. We work with councils to support, promote and improve local [...]
Mon 8th
10:25Opinion: A new constitution won't deliver the social change people think they'll get with a yes vote
As a Scottish Liberal and a lawyer, I have been inclined at times to get too involved in the minutiae of constitutional issues. I can explain how to count several forms of PR and I have firm and detailed views on written constitutions. Enduring two years of referendum campaigning in Scotland, however, has woken me up to the dangers of over-emphasising constitutional issues. When you read much of what comes from the Yes campaign, you are lefd to believe that every social problem - real and perceived - that has ever occurred in Scotland will be solved by changing the ...
Liberal Democrat senior member of the UK Parliamentary Intelligence Committee, Sir Menzies Campbell MP, has said that comments from the former head of the MI6 Sir John Scarlett show that Scotland is safer as part of the UK family of nations. [IMG: Better Together graphic] Sir Menzies Campbell said: "In the debate about Scotland's future there has barely been a moment's discussion about how best to protect Scotland's security in the event of independence despite the responsibility to protect being arguably the most important role a Government can hold. "As part of the UK, Scotland is fully integrated into the ...
a comic strip about catcalling that's worth reading (tags: ) Uniform disapproval: Back to school, back to sexualising girls it's an interesting article but (as often happens) the picture more than illustrates the point; headless female bodies being objectified. (tags: ) Either things are VERY different between UK & US or I am a massive outlier (tags: ) Gay teenager thrown out of home and disowned by family raises $20,000 for homeless charity (tags: ) Mobile speed camera locations this week (September 8) - Brighouse Echo (tags: ) The UK's housing crisis is costing residents £4bn a year, says the ...
[IMG: Brown-272x181] Last Friday, at Portcullis House, Gordon Brown gave his first Westminster speech in some time. It was on the topic of why the Union should stick together, why Scotland should stay. Throughout this speech, which I'll say now I thought was excellent, we saw exactly what the Scotland No campaign has been lacking all the way through. And it's something that is always, always crucial in politics: heart. I am not a Labour supporter, nor have I ever been. I also thought that Brown was a terrible Prime Minister while he was in office, and while that view ...
This is more of a placeholder host as what happens next is very much dependent on how Scotland votes in the independence referendum on the 18th. However, I just wanted to set out some of the things I've been thinking in an attempt to clarify them and maybe start some discussion. What's clear is that whatever the result of the vote next week, there will be a change in the constitutional balance between Westminster and Edinburgh – either Scotland will be independent, or more powers will be transferred there, which all the parties campaigning for a No vote have promised. ...
Midwives in England are in dispute right now with their employers after the rejection of a 1 per cent pay rise, recommended by the independent NHS pay review body. It is the first time in our 133-year history that the Royal College of Midwives has balloted members over whether or not to take industrial action. Eighty per cent of the British public would support giving NHS staff the 1 per cent rise, according to a ComRes poll we commissioned to gauge public opinion. Opposition stands at just 9 per cent (11 per cent answered "don't know"). Despite this, the recommendation ...
The Liverpool Echo has the story – see link above. I have failed to talk Maghull's own Charles (Uncle Albert) Walker into doing this! He is 93 and was an aircraft electrician in the RAF during WW2.
The Western Mail reports that the 2014 annual Stray Dogs Survey released by the Dogs Trust has found that more than 8,000 stray and abandoned dogs were handled by local councils across Wales in the last year. They say that whilst there was an 8% decrease from the 8,840 dogs handled the year previously, it still showed that 364 dogs in Wales were unnecessarily destroyed this year: The survey showed 70% of dog owners in Wales are unaware that they only have seven days to recover a missing dog before he/she is rehomed or potentially put to sleep. Now bosses ...
[IMG: Buses in Bristol] Another day, another policy idea. This time it's for public transport: All 16-21 year olds in England will get a 66% discount on bus travel under plans unveiled by the Liberal Democrats today. The proposal, which forms part of the pre-manifesto launched today, would see all 16-21 year olds would be given a Young Person's Bus Pass. It would help young people with the cost of travel by offering a minimum two thirds discount on bus travel in England. Bus companies would then be able to add their own discounts on top of that. Liberal Democrats ...
Having initiated a move towards reforming the bedroom tax last week, the Liberal Democrats have now stepped into a wider debate on welfare reform with a clear attempt to put some distance between themselves and the Tories on welfare. As with the bedroom tax, the party is relying on an assessment of the impact of how reforms are working so far, as an evident base on which to shift their position. Yesterday's Observer reports that a motion to the Liberal Democrat conference in October states: "Benefit sanctions are hitting those in most need of support, with the 14-day rule leaving ...
Nick Barlow on how stalking-horse candidates for party leaderships no longer exist Jack Graham on Into The Dalek Millennium also on Into The Dalek The two people who "Justice" Scalia uses as his go-to example for why the death penalty should remain are innocent Charles Stross on the writing of Neptune's Brood Tagged: linkblogging
