This posting come under the category of things which are not where they should be. Firstly, the Green Lane nameplate was nicely installed where the road meets the Westway roundabout but recently it was uprooted and left lying on the grass banking. Now it has disappeared all together! The photo below shows the site with where it once stood being identifiable:- [IMG: Where has the Green Lane nameplate gone?] Where has the Green Lane nameplate gone? Secondly, and of more concern is the lack of road markings for two speed cushions at the Meadows roundabout where Liverpool Road South meets ...
I lost two posts (one Cerebus and one Cal Dream), and the synopsis of my next novel, in the burglary, and I've spent my free time for the last couple of days installing Debian and getting it configured on our replacement laptops, so you get links today. I'm going to spend the weekend writing, so [...]
Liberal Democrat seat. Resignation The Liberal Democrat candidate is Damon Hooton (damonhooton@yahoo.co.uk; 07850 681163). Agent- Alvin Horsfall (sandforganiser@gmail.com)
We are used to films and television programmes being available to watch pretty much whenever we want to view them. But I have strong memories of a series that was shown only once in 1987 and has never been issued on video or DVD. Brond marked the first screen appearance of John Hannah as Robert and a late starring role for the mighty Stratford Johns. I remember it most for its stunning opening, which Notes from New Sodom describes for us: it opens with a young John Hannah ... as a young Glasgow Uni student who's out jogging. He stops ...
Conservative seat. Death Candidate: Kim Adams - kim@eflibdems.org.uk Agent and contact for help: Jon Whitehouse - jon@jonwhitehouse.org.uk / 01992 561875
The Liberal Democrat candidate is Jean Foster For more information please contact: Councillor David Worden (david.worden@northdevon.gov.uk)
The Liberal Democrat candidate is Colin Cross. For more information please contact office@guildfordlibdems.org.uk
A protest campaign and blockade has forced the Brett Bailey's Exhibit B at the Barbican. Lord Bell was Hilary Mantel investigated by the police because she has published a short story about Margaret Thatcher. It has not been a good week for supporters of free expression in the arts. A protestor against Exhibit B is quoted by the BBC as saying: "It's not educational, it actually causes huge offence."Meanwhile, says the Guardian: Tory MP Conor Burns told the Sunday Times that the story represented a grave offence to the victims of the IRA.It seems the merest Tory backbencher has learnt ...
[IMG: Nick Clegg LBC square] Here's today's Call Clegg. There were some lively exchanges about the rights and wrongs of air strikes in Iraq against ISIL. I was quite surprised that so many people thought that everyone should just sit down and talk to ISIL. They have shown no sign so far of being "get round the table" sort of people. There will eventually have to be a political and diplomatic solution, but is that really feasible right now? And how best to help the people who are being so brutally tortured and murdered by them. Nick explained that as ...
-Follow and keep in touch!UKIP love a pint, but disaster has struck a bar at UKIP conference in Doncaster. Thirsty hacks are being asked to sell out for their own booze at the media reception. Worse than that it appears the bar is not producing receipts, so the drinks can't even be claimed back on [...]
In his email to Liberal Democrat members - kindly reproduced by Lib Dem Voice - Nick Clegg gave three reasons why we should support renewed military action in Iraq: the threat from ISIL to Britain has already been made clear by the sickening sight of British hostages being executed on television;unlike the 2003 war in Iraq this intervention is legal - we are responding to a direct request for help from the legitimate Government of Iraq and Parliament will vote before any action is taken;we're acting as part of a broad coalition of countries, including many Arab countries, to deal ...
-Follow and keep in touch!Full marks to UKIP leader Nigel Farage for doing this video for bookies Paddy Power. However much I may dislike what UKIP stand for, it's fair to say none of his fellow leaders could pull this off. EUUUROPPE!
Thu 25th
20:25
Rennie chooses Michael Moore and Tavish Scott to represent Liberal Democrats on Scotland Devolution ...
Willie Rennie announced two very different Liberal Democrat representatives for the Scotland Devolution Commission to be headed by Lord Smith of Kelvin. On one hand you have former Secretary of State, co-architect of the Edinburgh Agreement, statesman, diplomat. On the other you have plain-speaking, uncompromising former leader Tavish Scott. They will be quite a formidable double act, a parliamentary good cop/bad cop. The two attended a photo opportunity outside the Scottish Parliament today with Willie Rennie, who said: Home Rule is in our DNA. From Gladstone through to Grimmond, Bruce and Wallace, ScottishLiberalDemocrats have been championing home rule for Scotland. ...
A story partly behind The Times paywall this morning quoted Mick Creedon, chief constable of Derbyshire, as saying that, as a detective sergeant in 1989, he was ordered by his superiors not to investigate Greville Janner, then Labour MP for Leicester West. The Needle has a little more of the report. The date of 1989 may be significant. Frank Beck was not arrested until April 1990 and did not accuse Greville Janner in court until November 1991. I should add that Mr Janner has always denied allegations of this sort when they are made against him.
With the debate in Scotland over, the focus is rightly shifting onto England and already the Conservative MPs are discussing different ways to betray the voters of England. The latest proposal is for England's MPs to double up as a substitute Assembly which is not only unworkable but also ludicrous. So Scotland and Wales would get elected assemblies. And England would get a large Commons Committee. Scotland and Wales get First Ministers. England gets jumped up MPs. And you can be sure that England's MPs will want extra reward for their doubled up role. The only way for equal treatment ...
The following image demonstrates that the decline in the number of post offices has been halted. It is an extract from a parliamentary library briefing.
Faced with massive cuts in their funding most Welsh Councils are examining their budgets to find savings. Not so in Bridgend. There they are creating additional paid posts for Labour councillors. According to Wales-online the Leader of Bridgend County Borough Council is planning to recruit an additional member to his cabinet, even though the authority must save £50m over the next four years. The proposal has drawn fire from the former Labour Leader of Bridgend Council, who once relied the current leader as his deputy: Council leader Mel Nott has said the seventh cabinet post will be funded by the ...
The delay in showing American shows in the UK excludes British viewers from the conversation around them and encourages piracy. IO9's James Whitbrook has blogged about the frustrating experience of being a fan of cult TV living in the UK: Gotham. Arrow. Agents of SHIELD. Constantine. The Flash. Hell, Star Wars Rebels - there's plenty of shows I'm excited for coming [...]
We have previously blogged about sightings of a homophobic monk in Brighton, Cambridge and Market Harborough. Now The Lincolnite reports: Leaflets depicting homosexuality as "the Devil's delusion" are sparking anger from Lincoln residents who received them in the post. Police are investigating reports, which suggest the Park Ward area of Lincoln has been targeted with the "offensive" flyers. The leaflets, which do not state the involvement of a particular church, states that: "All sexual activity outside of the matrimonial union of one man and one woman is sin, and therefore immoral."No mention of a monk, but the leaflet the website ...
[IMG: House building] In my critique of Tim Farron's crowd-pleasing William Beveridge Memorial Lecture I queried whether his concentration on housing was a political winner (given the polls repeatedly say in all sorts of different ways that it's a second-tier issue for the public rather than a top-tier one) and whether his policy ideas would deliver the scale of his ambitions: On housing Farron said many things the audience liked to hear - but were also remarkably similar to what Nick Clegg said on the same subject in his William Beveridge Memorial Lecture back in 2012. That the same sort ...
[IMG: Scales of Justice - Some rights reserved by Citizensheep] The criminal justice system is a vital front-line public service, one that most people think they will never come into contact with. Yet any one of us could be a victim of crime. Any one of us could be falsely accused. The Liberal Democrats in coalition deserve credit for bringing crime down to an all-time low but it is still too high and must be reduced. At conference in Glasgow, the Federal Policy Committee will present its policy paper Doing what Works to Cut Crime. It is the result of ...
Thu 25th
15:41
P.S - who is the first to buy Farage some tinfoil to wrap around his head: seeing as he loves this '...
via Facebook
This lunchtime I took part in an online discussion about the council's proposed budget for the next four years. We brought together a wide variety of social media and integrated them to make a pretty fantastic platform to engage with residents and got a great response. Here's the geeky bit. The platforms we used were the usual suspects - facebook, twitter and youtube - but also Cover It Live, a discussion platform we use alongside our webcasting which allows people to comment on the proceedings. Thanks to the great work of our comms team, we got these all together in ...
[IMG: Ed Balls MP, Denton - (Labour Leadership Campaign) - 2010] Defending the clarity of his party's position on the deficit after forgetting to mention it in his speech, Ed Miliband said Ed Balls talked this week about our approach on the deficit. I have talked about our approach on the deficit. No one should be in any doubt about my approach on the deficit. My approach is clear – we are going to get the deficit down, we are going to get the debt falling and we could not be clearer about that. OK so it is not a ...
Last week Redrow Homes had a consultation exercise on their proposed development of part of Sefton Park. No-one asked them to do this; no-one made them do this bug they chose to do this of their own accord. Presumably on ... Continue reading →
Last night I was asked a question that I struggled to answer, the question was, 'what are you passionate about?' and beyond the obvious of certain sporting events/team on occasions then there was no default response. Even in that situations those moments are fleeting and few and far between these days. I get emotionally involved in some games on occasions but nowhere near the amount that I used to. I have become more placid as I've gained circumnavigations of the sun. I would say I've become less emotional as well, which is interesting as the said person who posed this ...
[IMG: miliband blog] At Labour's Conference Ed Miliband said nothing to prove Labour is capable of running the economy again. This was not a speech from a Prime Minister in waiting. Miliband has meekly repackaged old and borrowed ideas and hoped for the best. In Government, Liberal Democrats have proved that that we can build a stronger economy and fix Labour's mess with constructive ideas of our own. And we can build a fairer society, enabling everyone to get on in life. Liberal Democrat Party President, Tim Farron said: "The country needs a bold roadmap for the future and all ...
Thu 25th
12:59Baroness Kishwer Falkner writes: We should not repeat previous failures in Iraq in the hope that we ...
[IMG: iraq] Every year, as the long summer recess approaches, those of us who cover foreign affairs speculate as to which international crisis will precipitate a recall of Parliament. This year we were spoilt for choice with Russia, Syria and Gaza dominating. However when the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) overran Mosul, the lack of any obvious course of action prevented a recall. But now as a US strategy has been revealed, there are some clear pointers about what the UK needs to consider in its response. We need to be clear about the implications of our ...
Continuing her series of guest posts, Party President candidate Linda Jack today sets out in more detail her plans for the party's policy process. You can read Linda's first guest post, Linda Jack sets our her plans for party reform: four problems to fix, here along with my thoughts on one of her ideas in that first post. Her second post is also online: Linda Jack: too many of our members believe they are taken for granted, and that their hard work merely creates opportunities for a party elite. Linda Jack: Restore, Renew, Respect - Effective policy making that respects ...
Thu 25th
11:58Why talking about global poverty reduction without talking about economic growth is a mistake
[IMG: chinese by Kenno McDonnell] Between 1990 and 2010, the proportion of those living in extreme poverty around the world halved (from 43% to 21%), despite significant increases in the global population. Approaching one billion fewer people are living in extreme poverty now than two decades ago. One of the key United Nations Millennium Development Goals was met 5 years early. Extreme poverty is narrowly defined: those living on less than $1.25 a day (in 2005 prices). But the significance of this achievement ought not to be underestimated. Many of those who have escaped extreme poverty in that period have ...
[IMG: The Man Who Knew Too Much - GK Chesterton] Unconnected to Alfred Hitchcock's excellent pair of movies of the same name, GK Chesterton's book is a collection of eight short stories about his melancholy detective, Horne Fisher. The stories each have a clever twist at their heart to explain how and why a crime was committed, with the twists of a standard up there with the best of other detective fiction of the the time. But very little other action happens in the stories. They are all very straight forward in their linear progression from event happening through to ...
I am half Scottish (my mum is from Glasgow) and I am really happy that Scotland voted to stay as part of the UK last week. However, their debate has [...]
If I had to vote on whether we take part in air strikes against ISIL in Iraq then at the moment I would definitely abstain. It is a decision that cannot be taken lightly so there have to be compelling arguments. Let's look at those arguments. Firstly the attacks would be legal because the government has asked for them. I'm not sure about the justification of what make this legal because if Saddam Hussein had asked for air strikes against the Kurds then would this have been legal? The answer is clearly no. There is a lot more information that ...
Here is a copy of the email I sent to residents this morning, asking for their views on Iraq and ISIL. You can let me know your views here. Parliament has been recalled for tomorrow to vote on taking military action to support the Iraqi government in its struggle against ISIL. As I write, I have no real detail on what the Prime Minister will lay out tomorrow – other than the Iraqi government has asked for our help in fighting ISIL. I am clear at this point that helping at the request of the Iraqi government and taking some ...
The British Labour Party conference proved a bit of an anti-climax. After the excitement of the last week's Scottish referendum this was probably inevitable. All the more so since the Labour leadership did not want to talk about the important issues that referendum has raised on for the British constitution. But this conference marked in important stage in the evolution of the Labour leadership's policy platform. They have finally, publicly and unequivocally accepted austerity as the centrepiece of their economic policy. This is rather muted, of course. The right wing press, who still set the country's news agenda, do not ...
Residents had complained about the length of time they were having to wait for the green man at the pedestrian crossing on Woodcote Road near to Beddington Gardens in the high street. We reported this problem to Transport for London and they have now adjusted the wait times to be less at quieter times of [...]
A letter in today's Daily Telegraph - could it be put any better? Yorkshire Devolution Movement (tags: ) On Having a Feminist "Agenda" (tags: ) Isis' letter to the west - cartoon (tags: ) "A Lib Dem Free Zone"? - I feel the same way about this as Andrew does. (tags: ) Seeking support for amendment on Constitutional Reform (tags: ) Gneil on Pterry. Do be sitting down if you love either or both of them. This made me cry. (tags: ) 19 Unintentionally Disturbing Moments From Kids' Books (tags: ) So there's a new social network, called Ello. It ...
It had to happen one day. Something is printed in the Daily Mail that is spectacularly right and coherent. Alas, it's only from the letter page. H/T Brian Lavery (via Twitter @brianlavery59)
[IMG: Anthony Smith] Liberal Democrats in Heywood and Middleton have selected local campaigner Anthony Smith to be the party's candidate in the by-election on 9 October, brought about by the death of the incumbent Labour MP Jim Dobbin. Rochdale Online reports: Mr Smith has lived in Heywood and Middleton for most of his life. The father of four and local businessman has pledged a focus on building a stronger economy in the area, getting better jobs and training opportunities for young people. He is launching a campaign to turn the derelict Castleton Carnegie library into a centre for small businesses. ...
[IMG: ISIL-fighter] As someone who is a member of a small pot of people arguing for military intervention in Syria, pretty much since the civil war there kicked off in2011, hearing this week that the UK government is finally getting serious about trying to tackle a problem that has spun so wildly out of hand, i.e. ISIL, is brilliant news. However, I am concerned about the tone of the debate at the moment, as if Britain does get militarily involved (and it is looking very likely, with both Miliband and Cameron making statements to that effect) it has to be ...
[IMG: vince_jobs BLOG] The latest unemployment figures from the ONS have been released showing a fall by 146,000, lowering the total unemployment count to 2.02 million. The figures released today show that unemployment has fallen to 6.2%, the lowest rate in six years. Business Secretary Vince Cable called today's positive labour market figures "no accident" and said that the Liberal Democrats in Government were delivering the recovery fairly. Creating jobs is central to the Liberal Democrat plans to build a stronger economy and a fairer society and we have worked to create over 1 million jobs for people across the ...
Trend piece – 'Buzzword, buzzword, buzzword. Isn't the buzzword on your mind now? Perhaps it is on other people's minds? Read on or you'll be clueless, dated, and without any friends in the world. Buzzword again!' The by-election in the House of Lords – Nicholas Whyte collects the statements of the candidates. How Gary Hart's Downfall Forever Changed American Politics – Fascinating look back at the political culture of 1987. The Rules of Enragement – Why some professional troll pieces do better than others. After the 'No': Constitutional Reform must not be by the Elites for the Elites – "The ...
Yesterday the Conservatives were embarrassed when their Police commissioner's public consultation event attracted just one person and Cornwall's Tory leader walked out of a discussion on the future of local library and leisure services. Today another example emerges of Conservative inability to engage on serious issues. North Cornwall candidate Scott Mann has sent out a survey to some local residents cut and pasted from a national template. In among the misleading propaganda and spin comes this: Clearly Scott believes that no one could possibly think that more clinics might be needed at Bodmin hospital. But that's not the worst of ...
Never has a document quite so widely trailed as the 2014 Liberal Democrat pre-manifesto, released a fortnight ago, been met with such a shrug of indifference. While it is a lengthy and thorough document, enhanced through engagement with the Federal Policy Committee (though debate ultimately met an unsatisfactory guillotine), it suffers from a lack of the very ingredient it most needs: inspiration. For at this stage of a Parliament, it is not the voters who most need to be inspired: it is the weary troops. Never more so than for electorally-sedated Liberal Democrats, for years devoid of political vision as ...
This is a fascinating ruin which stands next to the famous Scotch Piper Pub in Lydiate. The reason I mention it now is that Lydiate Parish Council is trying, through it's Chairman Dave Russell, to ensure it has a sustainable future. Over recent years Lydiate Parish Council has helped to maintain the site by cutting the grass and hedges. A number of very successful summer plays have been held amongst the ruins as well. Here is a shot I took on a winter's day:- [IMG: rsz_st_catherines_chapel_lydiate] In 1992 a strategy was drawn up between Sefton Council and the Catholic Archdiocese ...
Earlier this month, I pointed out residents' complaints that, in Benvie Road (opposite the Pitfour Street junction), the two street signs indicating flat numbers have totally worn away - see right. The council's Roads Maintenance Partnership has now responded to me as follows : "New street name plates will be ordered within the next few days and erected as resources allow thereafter."
Latest newsletter, including sources of funding available for community and voluntary groups in Stockport.
An all-party and no-party Commission must be created to ensure Wales has an NHS that is clinically and financially sustainable. The Labour Health Minister said in an Assembly debate this week that the Welsh Lib Dem idea of a Commission was worth considering. The Welsh NHS has been used as a political football by people from all parties. But whatever side of the debate you're on, it's clear that there are significant challenges and pressures in our health services that need to be dealt with. We need to go further than an inquiry. The Welsh Government needs to establish a ...
British manufacturers want the UK to remain in the EU and lead in its reform, the EEF manufacturers' organisation stressed today in a new 5-point manifesto. Making the economic case for EU membership and extending its free market to drive jobs and growth were identified by the EEF as top priorities for the next government. Commenting, Liberal Democrat MEP Catherine Bearder said: "The voice of British industry is clear; we must remain in the EU and seize the opportunities it offers to drive jobs and growth. "But as well as leading reform in Brussels, we must do more to inform ...
