So the big story of today at conference was the failed attempt by the leadership to u-turn Lib Dem airports policy. I touched on this in my conference round-up, but want to discuss it here in more detail. Background Existing Lib Dem airports policy harks back almost a decade to a 2005 policy paper titled [...]
The film shown before Norman Lamb's speech at the Liberal Democrats' Autumn Conference in Glasgow today. It is worth saying that his Lib Dem predecessor Paul Burstow was also highly thought of in the mental health field.
Yesterday Lib Dem conference passed a brilliant policy motion, driven by Tim Farron, titled "Building the Affordable Homes We Need". The headline policy from this is the unprecedented (and completely unmatched by the other parties) commitment to deliver 300,000 new homes per year, along with a goal to see local councils back building much needed [...]
Bonkers Hall Rutland Tel: Rutland 7 When you get to my age - and if you want to do that I strongly recommend that you either bathe regularly in the spring of eternal life that bursts from the hillside above what used to be headquarters of the Association of Liberal Councillors in Hebden Bridge or get your hands on the cordial sold by the Elves of Rockingham Forest - occasions of public rejoicing like the Glee Club are tinged with sadness. Similarly, when I think of our great by-election victories - Sutton and Cheam, Brecon and Radnor, Littleborough and Saddleworth ...
Rounding up a bit earlier this evening as I have a long drive home tomorrow (and, rightly or wrongly, a close friend warns me that the infamous Lib Dem Conference Glee Club is very definitely not for me, so I'm being a scrooge and have slunk off back to my hotel!) Pre-Manifesto Policy Paper This [...]
I remember that Howard Dean, briefly a contender for the Democrat presidential nomination, once said - or was it his adviser, I forget - that politicians need to go off message if they are going to come across as authentic. This seems to me to be overwhelmingly true. The politicians we trust are relatively uncontrollable. But there is more to authenticity in politics, and part of it is the paradox of compromise. Politics is all about compromise. But it isn't just about compromise. And therein lies the dilemma for the Lib Dems, and anyone else who really believes in diversity ...
After all the obsession with Nick Clegg's clothes yesterday, here's some more Glasgow Conference fashion: Here are Reading's John Grout resplendent in yellow trousers with candidates for Reading East and West Jenny Woods (left) and Meri O'Connell. [IMG: john grout and co] Nottingham's Sarah Brown resplendent in her crocheted black and yellow dress which she made herself. She takes commissions and does a great line in glittery crocheted Santa hats: [IMG: sarah brown] And this fellow was part of a Friends of the Earth campaign to get solar power in schools. Great idea – very spend to save and just ...
There are moments when, as someone who places quite a lot of faith in the basic decency and common sense of the British public, I get a bit depressed. Today saw an example of the sort of seemingly wilful blindness that makes our politics so frustrating. A commenter on Liberal Democrat Voice, who shall remain nameless, but is a supporter of a political party beginning with L but without a D in it, was raging against the Party for the bedroom tax in the reduction in the top rate of tax to 45%. Liberal Democrats will, he claimed, get wiped ...
As this year's LibDem autumn conference was held unusually later this year — to make way for the Scottish referendum — and the SOAS university term has already started, I was only able to spend the first three days up in Glasgow, which confirmed my impression from last year of being a really lovely and [...]
Tue 7th
19:00
The Independent View: Liberal Democrat vote on flooding shows politics of climate change is shifting
Liberal Democrats have this morning voted to protect hundreds of thousands of households from flooding and climate change. The welcome move is thanks to the passage of a policy motion, tabled by Lib Dem activists Duncan Brack and Neil Stockley, that calls on the Government to "Ensure flood defence spending is kept in line with that needed to protect against climate change impacts". Current flood defence investment is far below what's needed to keep pace with our changing climate. As heavy rainfall increases and sea levels rise, numerous experts have urged that Government investment in flood protection should rise correspondingly. ...
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Tim Farron's final speech to Conference was a cracker. Continuing the theme from his lecture to Social Liberal Forum Conference in the Summer – in fact he may have used some of the same lines – he made the case for a bold, distinctive liberal party to rebuild the country's infrastructure for the 21st century. He also made a powerful challenge to the Tories on human rights, asking Cameron directly to explain what it was about the right to life or freedom from torture that he found quite so frustrating. He is trying to map out a way in which ...
Earlier this afternoon, I was delighted to attend the start of today's celebrations of the 20th Anniversary of the opening of Pine Court in Logie Gardens. As Karen Wolstencroft, Home Scotland's Customer Services Manager, said in her address to the large group of residents, family members and guests present, Pine Court has been a great success over the past twenty years in providing a quality sheltered housing community for both the Chinese and Scottish folk who live there. Here's some photos from today's celebrations: Colourful entertainment at the Pine Court celebrations! Karen Wolstencroft opens the day's celebrations Mrs Wong, at ...
It was a bad morning from the off. A very disturbed nights sleep, sinus congested nose - I snored so loud I woke myself up. The meds I take have side-effects (don't they all?) - incredible hunger pangs at 23.00 is not the best time to eat, but there you have it: mirtazipine is its own boss. So ones first sight of the kitchen in the morning is one that resembles a kitchen if Dali was a chef. The meds also have a nasty effect of doing rather 'odd' things and losing the old grey cells....I lost a book I ...
I had a conversation today with someone whose relation works in the courts. She was given a 12-month contract and then had to apply for her job again and she was successful, if that is the right word. She received another contract for three months with £100 less pay per month. Her new employer was an agency, so the courts were paying more for the same person who had to be re-employed. I believe it when I am told that all the other staff tell her she is doing a good job and want her on a permanent contract and ...
Over at Wales Eye, political commentator Daran Hill outlines the significance of the recent two year budget deal between the Welsh Liberal Democrats and the Welsh Government. He says that the deal proves that the Liberal Democrats are not as irrelevant in Wales as their critics sometimes allege: But there are four stand-out elements. The first is that it is a two year deal. Such an arrangement between Labour and the Lib Dems was a tactically clever move for both parties, giving the government financial stability, and the Lib Dems something to smile about for a change. Secondly, the value ...
Thank goodness for Vince Cable. As well as delivering a speech yesterday rooted in progressive Liberal values, and rejecting the Tories' squeeze of the poor to fund tax cuts for the wealthy, he began Lib [...]
In the near future, Daisy takes part in an isolation experiment for five years only to find a very different world waiting for her when the doors open... (comedy/horror/sci-fi/distopian) Part one of many. Last Dog Standing Episode OneIn the near future... Daisy drums hers fingers on the stainless steel worktop. Above the pressure sealed doors a large projection of a digital clock is counting down.00.00.00.00.05.07....00.00.00.00.05.06....Only five more minutes.Only five more minutes.In five minutes the experiment would be over and she would be free. Back in the real world. With real people. And chocolate. And alcohol that came in a glass ...
Here's the new film from the Liberal Democrats which contains some great endorsements of health minister Norman Lamb's work: The politics of the issue are, however, a little more complicated.
We have managed to get hold of a wonderful speech given by former Liberal Youth co-Chair Kavya Kaushik at Saturday's rally in which she talked of the joy of campaigning across the country and of the importance of defending our liberal values. Here it is in full: Thank you so much for having me here. My name is Kavya and I joined theLib Dems in 2010. I had always been liberal at heart and had received supporter emails for some time. Finally, one email told me to donate money for the general election. I decided that I should donate my ...
A national review should be launched into the government's Right to Buy scheme as families face long waiting times for desperately needed homes, claims MP Julian Huppert. And local authorities should be able to make their own decisions as whether or not to implement the scheme in their areas based on housing problems in their towns and cities. Julian's call won support at the Liberal Democrat Autumn Conference where he said that although Right to Buy has allowed some people on low incomes to buy their homes, it has seriously depleted the social housing stock across the country. "Under Labour, ...
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The Riot Club uses the Bullingdon Club as a microcosm for the Conservative party and the British elite. It isn't. (Plus my potted review of the film). The Riot Club is not a film that is going to let you forget it's set in Oxford*. If the shots of the skyline and the city's more [...]
Regular readers will have noticed that every week there are new proposals coming out for ways to save money from South Glos Council's budget. By April next year, the council will have saved £43m from its annual budget - with around another £36m to be cut by 2020. We have to make these savings because the council tax we pay only covers part of the coucil's costs. Most of the rest comes from central government grants, which are being reduced as part of tackling the deficit. Some of the latest consultations include: A review of the council's Private Sector Housing ...
The Times (£) today publishes its list of the Top 50 most influential Liberal Democrats which has been compiled by blogger turned LBC presenter Iain Dale. This site's two co-editors and our Associate Editor are both in it. At 33, Stephen Tall is described thus: Last year Tall replaced Mark Pack as co-editor of the hugely successful Liberal Democrat Voice, the must-read site for party activists. A research associate at CentreForum, he is usually more at home with the politics of David Laws than of Simon Hughes, but rarely picks factional fights as a critical friend of the party who ...
Given that Britain has no shortage of inspiring female sporting role models such as Jessica Ennis-Hill, Lizzy Yarnold and Nicola Adams you would hope that there would have been significant [...]
[IMG: Depressed man] Giving mental health issues parity of esteem with physical health issues is an idea that has been creeping up the Liberal Democrat policy agenda and looks like being a 'big idea' in Nick Clegg's speech to Glasgow conference tomorrow. It's good health policy. In fact, it's very good health policy – because the National Health Service is really the National Physical Health Treatment Service. Neither prevention nor mental health have been at its core. It's also classic Liberal Democrat policy: take an idea that has good evidence, which has been slowly garnering wider social acceptance but is ...
This is almost your last chance to fit in some fringe experiences this year – there are no lunchtime fringes tomorrow, and only six early ones. Tuesday begins with Britain's global economic recovery and ends with Glee Club – make what you will of that. In between you can update yourself on such diverse topics as residential care, criminal justice, rail, disability employment, welfare, immigration, tourism, food security, tax avoidance, garden cities and devo-max for Manchester. Tell us how your day is panning out. How to find out what is happening You can view or download the directory, which lists ...
Here are the Liberal Democrat entries in the top 100 political blogs as ranked by Teads (previously Ebuzzing and Wikio). Five people (re)join the list this month – with three MPs now featuring – and there's one departure, temporarily I'm sure, Paul Walter (Liberal Burblings). 1 (5) Liberal Democrat Voice Down 2 2 (17) Mark Pack No change 3 (23) Stephen Tall Up 4 4 (31) Jennie Rigg Down 1 5 (37) Alex Marsh Up 8 6 (44) Lynne Featherstone MP Up 30 7 (49) Andrew George MP Up 49 8 (68) Mark Valladares (Liberal Bureaucracy) Down 5 9 (69) ...
For the last year I've had the good fortune to be able to serve as a member of the Liberal Democrat Equality Policy Working Group, and yesterday conference accepted the motion that came out of that, making it official party policy. [IMG: Equalities Speech] There is lots of good stuff in there, but I did want to highlight the LGBT and marriage sections in particular. We heard much evidence from other groups too, and some of the awful statistics relating to education and stop-and-search for young Afro-Caribbean men in particular stick in my mind – but others deserve the credit ...
New scheme to free up industrial land in Calderdale (tags: ) LibDems look set to retain 'Most Hirsute Party Conference' accolade (tags: ) Samira Ahmed skewers the mealy-mouthed handwringing about Rotherham. (tags: ) What's wrong with The Sun's male-led 'No More Skinny' campaign? As it turns out, a lot (tags: ) There's a poll on the Beard Liberation Front website as to whether or not the Lib Dems are still the party of beards You know how to vote. FLY, MY PRETTIES! (tags: ) [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments
The launch event of the Dementia Friendly Town initiative was very well attended and many people found it very illuminating. Particularly striking was one couple who talked about living well with dementia. Perhaps you missed the event, but you would still want to find out more? Please email Sue Walker on sue.walker@southglos.gov.uk or ring her on 01454 310980.
Last week I headed over to Rochdale Council's swanky new building, Riverside 1, for the first meeting of the STaR committee. One of the ways councils across the country are looking to save money is by working together on joint ventures: instead of everyone having their own layers of management and staffing, there's just one department. It's not proved easy though. Different councils have all sorts of ways of doing things, political objectives and challenges they face. STaR is a joint procurement body run for the benefit of Stockport, Trafford and Rochdale (hence the acronym-name – feel free to invent ...
[IMG: LD logo] Today, at 1 PM, in the Crown Plaza room Argyll 1, Iain Dale, Peter Kellner and Tim Farron will be giving their predictions for how the Lib Dems will do in the 2015 general election. I'm plugging this, not just because I've organised it, but because it sheds light on the fact that the party could very well find itself holding the balance of power again once the votes are tallied. Which means what the Lib Dems offer up front, and what they are willing to cede for other things in coalition negotiations becomes key. Thus far, ...
The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) issued a Technical Consultation on Planning in July this year. The consultation seeks views on proposals to amend the process for Neighbourhood Planning, further extend Permitted Development Rights, changes to the way Planning Conditions are made, changes to engagement with Statutory Consultees, raise the environmental impact assessment [...]
Eighteen months ago I highlighted Southwark Labours appalling record of ensuring schools meals in Southwark are healthy had dramatically improved after shining a light of their terrible performance with 32 schools having only 1-3 stars May 2012. So how are things now? Southwark Labour was so stung by their poor results they now keep a separate list for schools - and by keeping school results away from the Foods Standards Agency website makes these hygiene rating less visible for parents. Southwark state that Albion Primary School and Langbourne Primary School (now named Dulwich Woods) have only two stars when last ...
Here's the new film from the Liberal Democrats: Vince Cable has accused the Conservatives of lying to the public with the claim that a future Tory government could deliver an overall budget surplus without raising taxes in the next parliament. In his key speech to the Liberal Democrat conference, the Business Secretary took particular aim at Chancellor George Osborne, calling him "ideologically obsessed by cuts". He said Mr Osborne was dishonest to suggest that he could eliminate the structural budget deficit by 2017-18 and then run an overall budget surplus without raising taxes. [PoliticsHome]
[IMG: image] Day three of the Lib Dem conference in Glasgow and this 50-something attendee is getting a bit tired. The mood continues to be good, but the controversies are rather minor. I will offer a few highlights. There were two important set-pieces. Vince Cable's speech and the leader's Q & A. Mr Cable's contribution was more assured than Danny Alexander's yesterday. It was largely a defence of the party's record in government. In policy terms he stuck to the same line as Mr Alexander. A strict policy on the deficit to be softened significantly for investment in infrastructure, including ...
The main event of the day is the pre-Manifesto debate which will take up most of the morning, giving way only for football. The first emergency motion will take place this afternoon. Delegates have been voting on which two motions to take. In between there is a chance to hear Norman Lamb, Edward Davey and Tim Farron, and to discuss our aging society. So what 's does the agenda look like? Today's timetable 09.00-09.50 F29 Policy motion: Reclaiming the People's Game 09.50-12.20 F30 Policy motion: A Stronger Economy and a Fairer Society (Pre-Manifesto Policy Paper) 12.20-12.50 F31 Speech: Norman Lamb ...
From the City Council : Dundee City Council proposes to make an Order under Section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 for the purpose of facilitating gas main renewal works. The Order is expected to be in force for three weeks from 13 October 2014. Its maximum duration in terms of the Act is eighteen months. The effect of the Order is to prohibit temporarily all southbound vehicular traffic in City Road from Logie Street to Tullideph Place. Pedestrian thoroughfare and vehicular access to premises will be maintained where possible. The right hand turn from City Road into ...
Have a look at this link below from the 'I grew up in Maghull' web site. How quickly things change and move on.
The Times newspaper ran this recently:- New figures from the Government have revealed that people in most towns and cities are being exposed to illegal air pollution. A report submitted to the European Commission showed that the EU's limit for nitrogen dioxide pollution was exceeded in 38 out of 43 areas of the UK last year. The only five areas to comply with the NO2 limit were: Scottish Borders, Highland, Northern Ireland, Preston, and Blackpool. A big concern in my book and one that will affect the health of huge numbers of people.
Even though I didn't go to Conference I still seem to have come down with Conference crud, and have been laid up for a couple of days with lurgy, so you get links instead of a proper post tonight... The Wife In Space are Kickstarting a book of their blog posts Alex Wilcock on Harry [...]
Tue 7th
00:35
Bedford Western Bypass: Lib Dem Mayor Dave Appoints Contractor with Work to Start "Within Weeks"
[IMG: Mayor Dave Hodgson] Mayor Dave Hodgson Liberal Democrat Mayor Dave Hodgson has signed the decision to appoint the contractor to construct the crucial final phase of the Bedford Western Bypass. Work will start on site within weeks. Breheny Civil Engineering were appointed to carry out the £18.6 million project to complete a route which was first planned over fifty years ago and won the tender on both quality and price. The project was finally able to go ahead after Mayor Dave Hodgson used Compulsory Purchase Orders to remove a series of obstacles blocking the building of the new road. ...
I am in Glasgow, theoretically to hand over my crown as Lib Dem blogger of the year last year to this year's winner: the granddaddy of the Lib Dem bloggers, Jonathan Calder. Unfortunately, being habitually late for everything, I missed the awards - but it is still much deserved and I wish I'd been there. I also came here, partly, to speak in the debate on public services. I have blogged in similar style about public service flexibility, and how it goes beyond narrow choice, many times before and I won't try anyone's patience by repeating it now. The debate ...
