Liberal Democrat Autumn Federal Conference begins this weekend in Glasgow, and runs through until Wednesday. Other people will have opinions about the policy motions on the agenda, the challenges facing the Leadership, even the Presidential and Federal elections which are ongoing. But this is an activist's blog, for activist people, so that's where I'm going [...]
High above Ludlow stands Titterstone Clee Hill. Explore it and, as this video shows, you will find extensive industrial remains. For centuries the hill has been quarried for minerals, building stone and, unusually for such an upland location, coal. Simon Denison has some photographs of the ruins of these industries. There used to be a bus route that started in a desolate bus station somewhere under Birmingham's New Street Station and ended by taking you over this hill, with its wonderful views to the south, and down into Ludlow.
Dear Prime Minister, Being a white, Etonian, heterosexual, with a Royal bastard in your ancestry you have probably never suffered from having your Human Rights violated. However, I am a white, homosexual, Northern Irish man with very working class roots and without European judgements I would probably be locked up right about now. Or trying to stay away from the place I call home. You see without the European Court homosexuality would still possible be illegal in Northern Ireland. Or quite possible only up until 1997, but by then I would have acted illegally in the interim and so would ...
Fri 3rd
22:19
Launceston councillors express concern to Police Commissioner over future of Launceston police stati...
Launceston's councillors have expressed their concern to the elected Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Hogg over the future of Launceston Police Station and the services it provides. Adam Paynter, Alex Folkes and Jade Farrington attended a meeting with the commissioner and local police officers and other councillors today. The force has confirmed that the front counter will be closed from November 1st and that the future of the custody centre is under review. However the Commissioner gave an assurance that there is no proposal to close the station altogether. "Local people will be concerned to see the closure of the ...
For the second part of what I fear will be an ongoing series on why the Tory proposals on human rights are awful, we turn to the notion of trivial human rights. Here let me quote from Mark Elliot's analysis of this issue: In some ways, the fifth proposal is the most astonishing. Under it, [...]
#140019589 / gettyimages.com I see from Liberal Democrat Voice that I have been shortlisted for both Liberal Democrat Blog of the Year and Liberal Democrat Tweeter/Facebooker of the Year. Many thanks to the people who nominated me. Unfortunately, I shall not be at the glittering ceremony to smile gamely while someone else triumphs. In part that is because conference does not seem so much fun now I no longer have the Liberal Democrat News team to work with there. But this year it is mainly because my mother has hurt her back and I am busy helping her and arranging ...
The end of another week at Bonkers Hall. Sunday When we Liberal Democrats do abolish the trolls on the Severn Bridge, I anticipate that many of my readers will visit that delightful part of the world. There is, however, one phenomenon that occurs there of which you should beware. I came across it myself years ago when I visited a hostelry in a Gloucestershire village. There I was enjoying a party of Pardoe's Old and Fruity vintage scrumpy when a fellow in an anorak sat down next to me. His opening gambit was: "We came third in this ward at ...
The Labour Party has two attack lines on the economic recovery these days. One is that it is the slowest recovery ever, and the other is that it is happening particularly unfairly. Both are wholly without merit, and show that Labour are living in a fictional dreamworld. The charge that this is a particularly slow recovery seems to be based on the length of time it is taking to return to trend, looking at graphs such as this: [IMG: cht2gdpgrowthing7countries_tcm77-365700] But of course this length of time depends not only on the speed of recovery, but on the distance, that ...
[IMG: 10289938_10152738613603270_2378371942806338934_n] Rather belatedly David Cameron has joined the Liberal Democrats in supporting tax cuts for the lower paid. Four years after patronisingly telling Nick Clegg that this was "a nice idea, but we couldn't possibly afford it" David Cameron has finally agreed with Nick that raising the income tax threshold is an effective and fair way to help the lower paid. Yesterday David Cameron announced his plans to raise the personal tax allowance to £12,500 – something that Liberal Democrats have long been campaigning for. While we're flattered that Davis Cameron has finally come over to supporting our policy ...
A guest post by Tracey Huffer chair of the Ludlow Youth Partnership and Shropshire Councillor for Ludlow East. Shropshire Council told its 100 youth workers last week that they will be made redundant next spring. This is part of the council's plans to become a commissioning body and cut costs. It brings significant risks for [...]
Off to @LibDemConf in Glasgow so follow me on Twitter. Tomorrow, first thing, I set off to Glasgow to attend the Liberal Democrat conference. I have not been to conference before but have put in an amendment to a policy motion, being discussed on Sunday to strengthen the party's position on getting rid of Police and Crime Commissioners in 2016 and to re-establish a National Victim Support Service independent of the Police (recently the commissioning of victim services passed to Police and Crime Commissioners). Like the Labour party, Liberal Democrats are committed to doing away with this costly role that ...
The policy motion about safer sex work is an interesting topic to debate especially as fifty-five victims of human trafficking were identified in Scotland last year. Conference will be concerned about solicitation and sex workers being forced into isolated areas where they are more at danger of sexual and physical violence. This is all fair and well but surely this is a concern of human trafficking too? The definition of trafficking a person is the movement of them for the purpose of exploitation, which often leads to what is known as modern day slavery. It's usually the most vulnerable people ...
Fri 3rd
17:59
Apparently, most highflyers in the private sector don't think of themselves as monkeys...
On Tuesday, I wrote here about the issue of public sector pay in the light of George Osborne's announcement inflicting further pay restraint in the sector. And so, it was with interest that I read in The Times of the appointment of a Chief Executive for the Civil Service, John Manzoni, described as a Whitehall insider. Manzoni is the Head of the Major Projects Authority, having taken up that role nine months ago following a spell as Chief Executive of a Canadian oil company, Talisman Energy Inc. Hardly an insider, I would suggest. In July, following the decision to separate ...
The Lord Mayor of Liverpool with guests from Hamamatsu in Japan and their mascot! Last Monday it was my pleasure to welcome some visitors from Japan to Liverpool. They were looking at the links between culture and regeneration. They were ... Continue reading →
At the Conservative Party Conference George Osborne made the startling announcement that there was to be 3 million new apprentices. Just like that. At first this seemed to be astonishing, however" informed sources" tell me it is 3 million over the whole 2015 - 2020 period, in other words the story was being "spun". I served a traditional apprenticeship and found that eventually lead me indirectly to a higher degree in a Russell Group University, so apprenticeships are something I take continuing interest in. With this I am inclined to ask the question, how many of these apprenticeship positions are ...
[IMG: echr] There are times when the words of others say it better than you could themselves, because they've had to be said so many times before. Reaffirming their profound belief in those fundamental freedoms which are the foundation of justice and peace in the world and are best maintained on the one hand by an effective political democracy and on the other by a common understanding and observance of the Human Rights upon which they depend; – The European Convention on Human Rights Alice More: Arrest him! More: Why, what has he done? Margaret More: He's bad! More: There ...
Fri 3rd
16:02
I have been where no man, no woman should ever attempt to be today..... behind the fridge. ......
via Facebook
Fri 3rd
15:45
The Independent View: Liberal Democrats - Please make compulsory Sex and Relationships Education a r...
Women's organisations gave a huge welcome to David Laws' announcement in August that the compulsory teaching of good quality Sex & Relationships Education (SRE) from age seven onwards will be in the Liberal Democrat manifesto. And we hope to hear this policy cheered loudly at Liberal Democrat conference this weekend. Is it not shocking that in 2014 this subject is not compulsory in schools? All schools are currently statutorily required to do is teach the biological basics of reproduction by the age of 15, and schools can choose to insert the teaching into any subject they choose (science, RE, PSHE ...
"Now I'm retiring" is a drop-in marketplace of clubs, volunteering opportunities and hobbies to inspire people who have retired or are about to do so. It's being held on Saturday 18 October between 11am and 2pm at Yate Library. For more information please email cchengagement@southglos.gov.uk or call 01454 862356.
The Liverpool Echo has the story – see link above:-
Airport expansion equals controversy. It sparks inevitable tensions between the demand for larger airports to fuel our economic growth, and concerns about the impact on the environment. For those living closest to our major airports, especially Heathrow, those fears can be particularly acute as they endure current noise levels and view the prospect of increased traffic with dread. And for Liberal Democrats it can often feel that our drive to create a stronger economy is being placed in direct opposition to our desire to protect our environment for future generations. But I believe the two do not have to be ...
[IMG: Malmaison Hotel, Oxford] Not perhaps the best or most convincing illustration of the point the Cabinet Office wishes to make. This former prison has been a hotel since late 2005 – that's a few years before 2010 ....
Today the Conservatives published their long-promised proposals for the replacement of the Human Rights Act with a British Bill of Rights, although their thunder was stolen somewhat by early publication of the announcement yesterday at Jack of Kent. There has been plenty of speculation about what such a bill might contain, especially since David Cameron sacked Dominic Grieve as Attorney General. The assumption - which is looking increasingly accurate - was that Grieve was a serious impediment to moving the agenda forward simply by virtue of the fact that he understands and supports international law and human rights law, and ...
[IMG: Speedwatch] Community Speedwatch activities carried out by Police Volunteers in local communities: Monday 29th September - Blackhill 1400-1430hrs - 8 vehicles out of a total of 145 which passed through the area at the time of activity will be receiving a warning letter. Monday 29th September -1500-1530hrs Pont Road, Bradley Cottages, Leadgate - 16 vehicles out of a total of 41 which passed through the area at the time of the activity will be receiving a warning letter. Monday 29th September - Medomsley B6308 1540-1600hrs - 3 vehicles out of a total of 43 which passed through the area ...
Handsome devil, isn't he? It isn't often that walruses are in the news, so the coverage of large gatherings of walruses on the shores of Alaska has been very interesting, even if the news is somewhat troubling. Climate change means that the icefloes which walruses use to raise their young and to rest between clam-digging expeditions have not formed this year, and so beaches are the only alternative. And they do so in huge groups, which seems a bit unlikely when you consider the number of likely enemies they would have onshore. According to the Guardian, walruses are rather skittish ...
Some good news! While I've been told that I will definitely need chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant to treat my lymphoma, for the time being the plan is to "watch and wait". At the moment, only a small number of lymph nodes are affected and there's no trace of the disease in my bone marrow. The hospital will keep seeing me every few weeks so that any change in status can be picked up and acted on quickly. This means that I will get treatment at the optimal time for prolonging any remission. This grace period might only be ...
Last year, Trident was a huge debate at the Lib Dem conference. It was an open, vibrant, genuine debate where differing views were passionately put. This year, Trident is nowhere to be seen in official conference business – even though the parliament elected in just a few months' time will decide the future of Britain's nuclear weapons system. This seems a glaring omission for a party which has such a strong track record of engaging with this most important of Britain's strategic defence questions. Indeed it is the only major Westminster party that - like the majority of the British ...
[IMG: Democratic Alliance campaign rally] "We can learn from our South African sister party, the Democratic Alliance, which has established a scheme, part leadership academy and part social network – to which they recruit new members from marginalised communities, providing mentoring and support for them to become political leaders at every level" – Daisy Cooper Continuing my series of guests posts from candidates for Liberal Democrat President, today it's the final one in this week's series from Daisy Cooper talking about her priorities. Daisy Cooper: Rebuild and relaunch with an inclusive Leadership Scheme After May, we must launch an ambitious ...
Conference season is almost at an end and for the next five days it's the Lib Dems' turn. I'm heading up tonight – let me know if you are going to be there! Conference season so far Lib Dem conference comes at the end of several weeks of conferencing from all political parties. There will [...]
If there is one thing that gets me really angry it is those lazy beggars who dump rubbish wherever they please. Don't you just wish the Council had the power to take what they have dumped and put it their front gardens to see how they would like it? Trouble is their neighbours would have to see it too. Just look at these latest photos from around lovely rural Lunt Village which is regularly trashed by idiots who care nothing for our environment:- [IMG: rsz_img_2383] [IMG: rsz_img_2386] In fact I took these photo's today having been contacted by a resident ...
I've been working for about a year to get the Highways Department to replace the 'not suitable for HGVs' sign on Edge Holme lane with a 'not suitable for motor vehicles sign'. I got told first off the sign had been replaced when it hadn't, and then the department put up the wrong sign. Finally now the right sign has been put up! These signs are advisory rather signs so they don't prohibit a motor vehicle. However the intention is to warn people who don't know how steep this narrow cobbled lane is not to go down it.There have been ...
[IMG: Lib Dem winning here] I have just been nominated Lib Dem blogger of the year, which I'm more chuffed about than I possibly should be. I've never really won anything, so the idea that I have a one in five chance of breaking that duck is somewhat cool to me right at this moment. Anyhow, the reason I'm telling you this is that in finding this information out I also saw that Kavya Kaushik's piece, Why I'm considering my membership of the Liberal Democrats, has been nominated for Best Lib Dem Blog Post of the Year. So I read ...
According to this morning's Western Mail, all-out war has broken out between the Welsh Government and the BMA over the future of Wales' health service. It all started when the BMA decided that enough was enough and called for an independent inquiry into the way that the NHS in Wales is being run. The chair of the BMA's Welsh council, Dr Phil Banfield, said the NHS in Wales was facing "imminent meltdown" with GP surgeries on the brink of closure and morale at an all-time low. The paper goes on to record that BMA Cymru, which represents 7,000 doctors in ...
Yesterday I discovered that I'd been nominated for Liberal Democrat Blog of the Year. It was a bit of a surprise – partly because I found out from the questions Lib Dem Voice – but an entirely welcome one. Unfortunately, I can't be in Glasgow for Conference this year, so I won't be able to be at the awards ceremony which I'm sure will be as glittering as packed full of celebrities as it has been in previous years. I'd like to take this chance to thank everyone who nominated me, and encourage those of you who can and who ...
Fri 3rd
11:00EXCLUSIVE POLL: As Lib Dem conference begins, here's what members think of the Coalition so far
Lib Dem Voice has polled our members-only forum to discover what Lib Dem members think of various political issues, the Coalition, and the performance of key party figures. Some 735 party members responded – thank you – and we're publishing the full results. Members back Coalition with Conservatives by 80% to 17% Do you support or oppose the Lib Dems being in the Coalition Government with the Conservatives? (Changes since last time question asked, April 2014). 80% (-1%) – Support 17% (+1%) – Oppose 3% (n/c) – Don't know / No opinion No matter what the travails of the Coalition ...
There is an application to very the licence visible here: Brickyard application to vary a premises licence Please let us know if you have any concerns.
Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: Great Whites, Marine Biology, nature, sharks
Wednesday: Welcome to Glasgow, Liberal Democrats (though for wedding reasons Daddies can't be there). What with Hard Labour out to steal our Mansion Tax and the Conservatories shamelessly trying to claim our raise in the Personal Allowance, it's beginning to look a lot like the agenda for the next government is already being set by the Liberal Democrats. Ah, Party Conferences - a Tale of Two Nitwits, as Charles Dickens very nearly had it. "It was the worst of times; it was the most hilarious of times," Mr Balloon might have said, or Mr Milipede might have forgotten to say. ...
Gillian Anderson: Sexism is so inbuilt in modern society it's sometimes hard to spot (tags: ) One Member One Vote: Why Liberal Democrat Conference shouldn't just nod it through #ldconf (tags: ) Ukip is 'serious threat' to Ed Miliband's chances of a Labour victory at the next general election (tags: ) More bad news for Grayling amid the Tory Human Rights car crash And it IS a car crash, as you'll see from upcoming links (tags: ) The Guardian view on scrapping the Human Rights Act (tags: ) Head of Legal on the Tory Human Rights plans (tags: ) Legally ...
... as that's where the WiFi username and password are. Making it possibly the most useful page of any in all the conference paperwork!
It's been about a decade since I returned to what I would describe as active involvement within the Liberal Democrats after a partly, but not wholly, self-imposed exile, and one of the common threads in that time has been the issue of diversity, especially in relation to Parliamentary candidacy. This can be broken into two parts - gender and ethnicity. In some ways, gender has been easier to deal with, even if the results have not reflected the efforts made. All of the data that I saw in my time as a member of the English Candidates Committee indicated that, ...
The principle purpose of the Human Rights Act and the related ECHR is to protect ordinary citizens from the populist predations of their own Government. The UK ban on homosexuals in the military being a good example. It is a good purpose and one enhanced by being detached from the institutions of the Nation States upon which it comments. The Conservatives principle objection is one of national sovereignty. Individual Ministers tend to get frothy-mouthed over trivia like prisoner votes and not sending vile bastards back home to be tortured by the other vile bastards, but the central issue is the ...
Here's some of the articles that have caught my attention this week... CentreForum Blog | The liberal think tank My 76th @CentreForum Liberal Hero is Dominic Grieve for his principled stand for the ECHR and international law http://bit.ly/YY4ydG Ukip is 'serious threat' to Ed Miliband's chances of a Labour victory at the next general election, former aide warns – UK Politics – UK – The Independent Ukip poses 'serious threat' to Lab in x2 as many key marginal seats as it does Tories http://ind.pn/1oG0d5r Clegg – when candour is the only choice | Matthew Taylor's blog Some handy advice from ...
This is a classic. Videoed by me on the Euston to Glasgow Virgin train yesterday.
The debate around the Liberal Democrats' OMOV proposals have somewhat run aground. While its prime advocates have continued to advocate that OMOV is the panacea that cures all the Liberal Democrats' ills, others point out the significant number of errors and omissions in the plans. Debate on social media generates more heat than light, and in this particular instance far too much name-calling. There are three sets of issues, broadly, in the proposals as they currently stand. And while most people (including me) are in favour of some change, there are people opposed to OMOV at conferences and/or for federal ...
For 18 years, Focus, and local residents have been fighting to get a commitment to move the Stockpiles from the top of the hill between Wiltshire Avenue and Barnhill Quarry. Despite every attempt to manage the problems it creates, residents still suffer dust and noise. When Wiltshire Ave was planned environmental experts said the houses were too close to the stockpiles. They were ignored. So with residents we have been fighting to get a plan to move the stockpiles..... In the latest round of the battle, Council officials were planning to give in to Hanson and let them stay for ...
Fri 3rd
08:55
Liberal Democrat Newswire 52 is out: those Ashcroft polls and what's going to happen in Glasgow?
[IMG: Lib Dem 2014 conference is in Glasgow] Edition #52 of Liberal Democrat Newswire came out earlier in the week, previewing Liberal Democrat conference in Glasgow. You can also read it below, but if you'd like the convenience of getting it direct by email in future, just sign up here. It's free! And if you are already a reader and like it, why not Like my Facebook page to help publicise the newsletter to others? Since #52 came out, there's been a couple of extra pieces of news about party conference: The Liberal Democrat conference app is now out. This ...
I mentioned recently that the West End "ice free indoor curling group" has resumed its meetings at Logie St John's (Cross) Church Hall on Thursday afternoons. It is run by Reshaping Care for Older People and open to all aged over 50. I had the pleasure of calling by yesterday - and as you can see - everyone was having a great time! New members always welcome!
The last Maghull Town Council meeting held on 1st October was unremarkable in many ways with the Council going about its usual business and with a great deal of political harmony. Yes, I know, political harmony and Maghull Council are not words you would expect to see used together because of recent history – 8 Labour councillors resigning etc. but harmony there was at this meeting. But there was a moment when things started to look rocky because a local resident spoke during the public participation part of the meeting. He was very much to the point and wanted to ...
I'm delighted that a Liberal Democrat proposal that petitions from residents should automatically be placed on the Council agenda for debate, and published on the Council's website won cross-party support at the last meeting of full Council. This motion was suggested by one of our members at our local policy day, and proposed by myself in the Council chamber, and is now being put into action. For too long there has been a tendency for petitions submitted to the Council to get put into a filing cabinet and for the nothing much to happen with it. That isn't right as ...
[IMG: image] 2pm Well, I'm off on the big journey, all pre-booked, months in advance, by She Who Must Be Obeyed. A normal person in the street would probably think that travelling all the way up to Glasgow, for the second year running, for a week of political discussions, would be a bit of a pain. But I am really looking forward to it. I love Glasgow and I'm looking forward to exploring it for the nth time. I also really enjoy the train journey up. As I write, I am eagerly preparing to enjoy the view over Morecambe Bay, ...
