This video from the Khan Academy introduces us to an extraordinary High Anglican church just off Oxford Street.

Posted by Jonathan Calder on Liberal England

Are you living with dementia? What would make life easier for people with dementia in our town? If you have ideas for making Yate easier for people with dementia or would like to know more please come to a meeting in Yate Parish Hall (the middle hall just along from the little Tesco) from 2pm to 4pm this coming Monday, 29th September. Sue Walker is leading a campaign to make Yate a more dementia friendly place. Sometimes it's about knowing how to assist when someone is a bit confused. Many of the things are little things like numbering in the ...

Posted by Paul Hulbert on Focus on Sodbury, Yate and Dodington

Catherine Bearder is pressing for action to scrap roaming charges in the EU altogether by December 2015. Already charges have been halved from July 1st following Lib Dem campaigns. In April the European Parliament voted to abolish roaming fees in the EU by December 2015 but this now has to be agreed with national governments in the EU Council. Catherine Bearder said "Halving the cost of data roaming will mean fewer nasty bill shocks and more freedom to use your phone when abroad. But this is just a small step, not the giant leap that we need. That is why ...

Posted by Andy Pellew on Focus on Bar Hill

I missed it at the time, but on 10 July this summer Tony Jameson-Allen from the Sporting Memories Network was the lunchtime guest on Test Match Special. He spoke about the work of the organisation, which was established to promote and develop the use of sporting memories to improve the wellbeing of older people and to help tackle dementia, depression and social isolation. I can't embed in, but you can listen to the interview here. Listen in particular for Bill's Story. The other guest was the great South African allrounder Mike Procter, who spoke about the work of his own ...

Posted by Jonathan Calder on Liberal England

#102729184 / gettyimages.com From York Mix: "We've not tackled anything quite like this before," is the first thing Amy Banks says when asked about the National Railway Museum's brand new project. "It was quite a controversial subject that we realised we needed to talk about. We wanted to get across a sense of travel and adventure. That desire to record and document what's happened".And what is the controversial subject the NRM is tackling? Trainspotting. Time I think to reprint a column I once published in Clinical Psychology Forum as Professor Strange... ****** Trainspotting, autism and what it means to be ...

Posted by Jonathan Calder on Liberal England

[IMG: Josh Mason selected] The BBC reports: The Liberal Democrats have chosen local councillor Josh Mason to stand as the party's candidate for Redcar at the 2015 General Election. Current MP Ian Swales announced he is standing down for personal reasons. He described his successor as an "outstanding talent" with "strong roots" in the area. Mr Mason currently represents Redcar's Zetland Ward and is deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats on Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council. The Northern Echo adds: He said: "I'm thrilled to have been selected to stand in place of Ian Swales who has been a popular ...

Posted by Mark Pack on Mark Pack

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/29371053 [IMG: index] The BBC has the sad story – see link above:- Yes, I know I am a Notts supporter but I always spend a day or two watching Lancs play at Liverpool or Southport each season. A sad day for Lancashire cricket fans indeed. What with Yorkshire being County Champions it has been a beggar of a season!

Posted by Cllr. Tony Robertson on Sefton Focus

I have commented before about the problems Dovers Brook causes when it can't empty out into the River Alt at their confluence just to the north of Bridges Lane on the Maghull/Sefton Civil Parish Boundary. I have now tracked down a clear photo which I took a while ago, that illustrates the problem well:- [IMG: rsz_confluence] Dovers Brook is to the left and the River Alt to the Right. Dovers Brook backs up when the River Alt has no more capacity to take additional water. The consequences were sadly felt by residents in Fouracres and Sefton Lane the last time ...

Posted by Cllr. Tony Robertson on Sefton Focus

[IMG: colin cross] In Guildford, Colin Cross swept to victory with 63.4% of the vote for the Liberal Democrats (an increase of 49.1%) to gain a seat from the Conservatives. The Tory vote tumbled to come second with 25.7% (-45.3%), UKIP came third with 7.2% and Labour were last with 3.7%. Cllr Cross who has been a local parish councillor for the last 25 years fought a vigorous campaign to protect Green Belt land from development. The local Conservative council plan to build 2,100 new homes on an old airfield but Guildford Liberal Democrats have raised concerns about the loss ...

Posted by ALDC on Liberal Democrat Voice

[IMG: Alastair Campbell, special advisor to Tony Blair. Photo courtesy of - some rights reserved] For all the controversy that some special advisers attract, there's very little systematic research into who they are, what they do and whether they help or hinder government. Until now, that is, and the new book by Ben Yong and Robert Hazell, Special Advisers: who they are, what they do and why they matter. It's a piece of serious research rather than an accumulation of lively personal reminiscences, making it more useful than enjoyable – but it is very useful, drawing widely in evidence ...

Posted by Mark Pack on Mark Pack
YouGov
Fri 26th
15:54

When I am in charge ...

... these will be seven of the things that I will change (*). Now, I realise that I'm hardly likely to get elected to high office on the basis of this manifesto but some things really do need fixing. If I have to scream and rant to get my way, trashing my Liberal credentials in the process, then so be it. Education Any university continuing to give out honorary degrees and doctorates to celebrities, politicians, business leaders and the like will have their charter revoked immediately. Studying for a degree or higher qualification is bloody hard work (I should know!) ...

There were three by-elections this week in principal authorities. The Liberal Democrats gained two seats in Epping Forest and Guildford and lost one in Somerset. In Guildford, Colin Cross swept to victory with 63.4% of the vote for the Liberal Democrats (an increase of 49.1%) to gain a seat from the Conservatives. The Tory vote [...]

Posted by Victor Chamberlain on Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors

In the summer we released the first of a series of ALDC's "Campaign Essentials" artwork templates. This week, we are happy to some more items to the collection. What happens on the doorstep is key to our success we have produced some new template calling leaflets (also called Canvass leaflets or Out leaflets) . This year's design [...]

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Posted by Raging Reg on Raging Reg

[IMG: police] Thanks in no small part to the efforts of Scotttish Liberal Democrat spokesperson Alison McInnes, the Scottish Police Authority has finally launched a retrospective consultation on the decision of Police Scotland to allow Scottish Police to carry arms on routine duties. This has caused huge consternation in highland communities. Alison McInnes writes about this consultation over at the Scottish Liberal Democrats' website: It used to be that firearms were largely kept in the boot of a police car and accessed only when needed. Now, armed officers patrol streets across Scotland with guns in their holsters at all times. ...

Posted by NewsHound on Liberal Democrat Voice

During a hustings event in Redcar last night, Cllr Josh Mason was selected to take the reins from Redcar's Liberal Democrat MP Ian Swales to stand for MP in the 2015 General Election. Local man Josh, who is chair of the party, has worked very closely with Ian for the past 4 years supporting his campaigns for jobs, on flooding, against intrusive wind turbines, saving post offices and for better use of Redcar Hospital. Josh also sits on the board of Coast and Country Housing, is a local school governor, and represents Redcar's Zetland Ward as deputy leader of the ...

Posted by Chris Abbott on Chris Abbott

[IMG: Direct mail] Over the summer I wrote a pair of posts on what next for the party, covering policy and organisation. Since then the party has done rather better on that scorecard on the policy front, especially the dropping of the bank shares policy, than the organisation front (due in small – but by no means exclusive – part to me being on the Federal Policy Committee and so able to more directly influence that side of things). So with both the Party President and the Federal Executive up for election in a few weeks time, it's time to ...

Posted by Mark Pack on Mark Pack

24 September – 5 November 2014 [IMG: Dacorum local-allocations-] Cllr Andrew Williams, Leader of Dacorum Borough Council says "We have had to make difficult decisions over how we accommodate the needs of our growing population, particularly regarding the level of new homes, and have reluctantly released some allocated Green Belt land to support this. We need your views on our plans to make sure that our communities can continue to influence the responsible development of the borough and plan for a Dacorum that we can all be proud of." Dacorum BC are consulting you on the Site Allocations document, the ...

Posted by nickhollinghurst on Nick Hollinghurst

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Posted by Raging Reg on Raging Reg

Recently Iain Brodie Brown commented on his Birkdale FOCUS (see link below) web site about the astonishing lack of women being MP or Mayor of Bootle. Jen Robertson a young councillor in Maghull has her say about this:- I share Iain's outrage but not necessarily his solution. I don't want to live in a world where the only way a woman can win is if men step aside. Seems more to me like what's needed is a new outlook within politics and within society. I can't help but notice the one woman that has been Mayor of Bootle is ...

Posted by Cllr. Tony Robertson on Sefton Focus
eUKhost

This is the time of year for the collective meltdown of the middle classes, and anyone else concerned to choose the right secondary school for their child. See my book Broke to explain how we got here. The system which has the shorthand word 'choice' attached is, more accurately, the right to express a preference and it works relatively well in some areas. In London, where just over 60 per cent go to the secondary school they want to, it has become a source of insanity and panic. I became fascinated with this phenomenon when I was writing the Barriers ...

Posted by David Boyle on The Real Blog
Fri 26th
10:41

Shame on the Guardian

My beloved Guardian has chosen not to print the following: Letters to the Editor, The Guardian. 24thSeptember 2014 Dear Sir, I cannot understand why a newspaper that claims to be on the left does the Tories' work for them. You allow Larry Elliott to repeat George Osborne's gibe: "Why hand the car keys back to those who drove it into the ditch in the first place?" (A speech aimed away from its audience, 23 September) and John Grace to write: "Not the media Ed [Balls] who . . .helped run the economy into the ditch, ( Sensitive Ed goes looking ...

Posted by Peter Wrigley on Keynesian Liberal
Fri 26th
10:34

ISIL Debate Open thread

[IMG: House of Commons. Crown Copyright applies to this photo - http://www.flickr.com/photos/uk_parliament/4642915654/] The recall debate in the House of Commons is about to begin. This is the motion that has been tabled That this House condemns the barbaric acts of ISIL against the peoples of Iraq including the Sunni, Shia, Kurds, Christians and Yazidi and the humanitarian crisis this is causing; recognises the clear threat ISIL poses to the territorial integrity of Iraq and the request from the Government of Iraq for military support from the international community and the specific request to the UK Government for such support; further ...

Posted by Joe Otten on Liberal Democrat Voice

[IMG: Greyhound pic] I had a fair few journeys on a Greyhound when I was in my youth, across the great expanse that is the United States of America. Taking a Greyhound coach is far and away the cheapest way of getting around America, so cheap that when I look back on it I don't really understand how the company managed to ever turn a profit. Given how inexpensive it was to "ride the Hound", as it was colloquially put, you ran into many different people living on the very edge of civilisation whilst on board. I recall once stopping ...

Posted by Nick on nicktyrone.com

Given recent history the topic of military involvement in Iraq will inevitably be controversial. I was one of the millions who marched against the illegal Iraq war, and got pepper sprayed by Sussex Police at a peaceful protest in the process. This isn't an aggressive attempt to overthrow a regime though, this is a response to a request from help from a democratically elected government. The preamble of the Liberal Democrats says that the party exists to safeguard a fair free and open society. That responsibility does not stop at our national borders, as internationalist we must realize that this ...

Posted by jamesbaker on Cllr James Baker

All the men and women merely players - in which @thasceles eviscerates Mark Lawson Not a difficult task, admittedly, but still fun. (tags: ) strangecharm compiles some of the best #bisexualfacts (tags: ) Detention centre guard details the senseless cruelty of our immigration "system". (tags: ) High Taxes May Drive Cigarette Smuggling, BBC Discovers This article contains the logical conclusion of one of my pet bug bears - Nick Clegg's inability to pronounce the word create. The author of the article has actually TYPED crating instead of creating. (tags: ) First Calder Valley NHS debate took place in Brighouse (tags: ...

These three words conjure a variety of connotations, more often than not, negative ones. Taken together the mix is considered to be a cloak and dagger approach to getting deals done and policies made. It's no secret that many people are disillusioned with the way our political process works. Politics isn't about decisions made behind closed doors, but must be an open and interactive dialogue. I want to make sure constituents have the opportunity to engage in the issues that matter most to them. Politics should be an inclusive process that encourages public participation. That's why I have decided to ...

Posted by Ibrahim Taguri on Liberal Democrat Voice
Fri 26th
09:08

Results of ISIL survey

There will be a vote later today on the following motion. I am currently in Birmingham, but will soon catch a train to London in order to vote on the motion. I opposed military action against Assad and opposed the 2003 attack on Iraq. The wonders of modern technology enabled me late last night to send out a survey (including the motion) to those constituents of mine who subscribe to my

Posted by John Hemming on John Hemming's Web Log

Liberal Democrat party members in Watford Constituency have chosen Dorothy Thornhill (the elected Mayor of Watford) as the Lib Dem Parliamentary Candidate for 2015. [IMG: Simon_Hughes_big_group_colour BLOG3] Party members had a choice of candidates between Cllr Rabi Martins, Hugh Annand and Dorothy. Dorothy was elected in the first round of voting and was the clear choice of party members. Both Hugh and Rabi have pledged their support and help. Following her selection Dorothy said. "I want to say thank you to the people who voted for me and commiserations to the other candidates, it was a great contest. It's a ...

Posted by nickhollinghurst on Nick Hollinghurst

MP's will meet today in Westminster as part of a recall of parliament to debate bombing action in Iraq against ISIL. With significant cross party support it is expected that parliament will approve UK involvement in air strikes targeting ISIL in Iraq. How do I feel about this? On the one hand my gut reaction [...]

Posted by Patrick on Patrick on Politics

Residents have complained to me that :The pathway from Tait's Lane to Peddie Street is in need of tidying - some weeds require removal and the foliage requires trimming (see photo right) - I have reported this to both Home Scotland and the City Council who have shared responsibility here.There is overgrown foliage at the Tait's Lane car park - the Environment Department of the City Council has confirmed it will tackle this.

Twenty four hour news cycles, the prevalence of social media and the ever-present microphones mean that it is almost impossible for national high-profile politicians to have a private moment anymore. And, as David Cameron demonstrated with his gaffe over the Queen's response to the Scottish referendum result, even the most private conversation can be broadcast worldwide if you hold it in a public place. So as to be helpful, and presumably to make the Prime Minister feel better, the Telegraph has set out the six biggest microphone gaffes of modern times. These include the time that John Major forgot that ...

Posted by Peter Black on Peter Black

Paddy Ashdown says it's OK. I supported the Nato intervention in Libya. As British MPs meet to consider whether the country should actively join the US and other nations in bombing the outfit that calls itself "The Islamic State", and which I still refer to as "Isis", this should be quite straightforward. But I have deep misgivings. There are enough reasons why such action should be supported. Firstly Isis are evil. They represent a particular sort of totalitarianism that I detest, casually terminating the lives of anybody that gets in its way. Its attempt to appropriate the religion of Islam ...

Posted by Matthew on thinking liberal

Dckie Arbiter is a very nice man. He is currently publicising his auto-biography. This includes his time as Royal Press secretary. But I will always remember him as one of the two main newsreaders on Independent Radio News in the 70s and 80s. While a student, I used to mimic his machine-gun delivery of the words "Independent Radio News at nine, this is Dickie Arbiter". One day he mixed up his words and started the news with the classic statement above. Happy days!

Posted by Paul on Liberal Burblings

Ed Miliband's speech to the Labour Party conference earlier this week proposed an increase in spending on the NHS to be funded in part by a Mansion Tax. This has sparked the debate about the whys and wherefores of property taxes back into life. Taxing property a topic guaranteed to send the commentariat into a frenzy. It is a topic I've touched on before. Property taxes can be seen as a potential solution to a range of different problems, while others seem to see them as the start of a slippery slope to the demise of capitalism. I sent a ...

Posted by admin on Alex's Archives