#74279818 / gettyimages.com Carole King (centre) and Paul Simon between takes in a New York recording studio. GettyImages dates this photo to "circa 1959".

Posted by Jonathan Calder on Liberal England
Thu 30th
22:51

Dear David Coburn

I do not think it is false bollocks for me to have been part of the process is getting equal marriage recognised in three of the four parts of this family of nations. Plus I most certainly do not think it is false bollocks having got so far to still be facing down politicians and indeed one whole party who have some members who think that how you and I practice the outworkings of our sexual orientation should possibly not have been made legal in the first place. In fact it takes real bollocks to stand up here in Northern ...

Posted by Stephen Glenn on Stephen's Liberal Journal

( answers under the cut ) All answers are presented unedited, as entered by the candidate (mainly due to time). You can find links to other candidates' entries here [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments

The latest on our new folk devil comes from Cambridge News: Vile leaflets that say HIV represents God's judgment on homosexuality and transgender people "need counselling and exorcism" have sparked anger in Cambridge. A "sinister monk" has been spotted around the Mill Road area in Cambridge this week delivering the pamphlets to homes, which also state paedophilia "claims its historic place in homosexualism". The man, who posed for photographs when confronted by residents, is believed to be the same person who targeted homes in the city in May.One of those residents sent a photograph to Sarah Brown, who tweeted it. ...

Posted by Jonathan Calder on Liberal England

( answers under the cut ) All answers are presented unedited, as entered by the candidate (mainly due to time). You can find links to other candidates' entries here [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments

( answers under the cut ) All answers are presented unedited, as entered by the candidate (mainly due to time). You can find links to other candidates' entries here [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments

As the Daily Telegraph reports this evening, Fiona Woolf, the head of the government's child sex abuse inquiry, is facing renewed calls for her resignation. This is after it emerged that the Home Office played a key role in r-writing a personal letter setting out her suitability for the job. As the Telegraph says: The final version of Mrs Woolf's letter was finally sent to Theresa May, the Home Secretary, on October 11, in which Mrs Woolf stated her personal contact with Lord Brittan would not affect her "independence and impartiality". But earlier drafts of her letter - seven in ...

Posted by Jonathan Calder on Liberal England

For more information contact peter.black@wales.gov.uk

Posted by Victor Chamberlain on Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors

SNP seat. Death For more information see: http://www.ayrshirelibdems.org.uk/contact-us

Posted by Victor Chamberlain on Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors

Canvey Independent Party seat. Disqualification

Posted by Victor Chamberlain on Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors
YouGov

( answers under the cut ) All answers are presented unedited, as entered by the candidate (mainly due to time). You can find links to other candidates' entries here [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments

( answers under the cut ) All answers are presented unedited, as entered by the candidate (mainly due to time). You can find links to other candidates' entries here [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments

( answers under the cut ) All answers are presented unedited, as entered by the candidate (mainly due to time). You can find links to other candidates' entries here [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments

Highly regarded Scottish Liberal Democrats Justice Spokesperson Alison McInnes stood in for Willie Rennie, who's recovering well from routine surgery, at today's First Minister's Questions. You can watch her here from 23 minutes in. Alison chose to ask about mental health today, asking why there had been a rise in the number of children suffering mental ill health who had been hospitalised in non specialist wards. The First Minister actually gave a serious and welcome response, offering her a meeting with the Health Secretary. Alison McInnes Last week, the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland raised concerns about the rise in ...

Posted by Caron Lindsay on Liberal Democrat Voice

I apologise in advance for once again tilling the already saturated ground of the Scottish independence referendum. As much as Continue reading →

Posted by scottstables on Slant and Sensibility

There may be not much desire on either side for an electoral pact between the Liberal Democrats and the Greens but we are working together on drugs policy, as both parties see the futility of continuing with the current approach. They firstly counted the cost of prohibition's failures: Because the scale of our failures can't be ignored any longer. There are around 2,000 drug-related deaths every year, and it is estimated that 400,000 people in the UK have a serious drug misuse problem. Consider then that for every one of these cases, there are many more whose lives are thrown ...

Posted by NewsHound on Liberal Democrat Voice

We've had a lot of problems and anger over painting yellow and white lines on New Street. It's no part of my role as a councillor or that of council officers to inflame community tensions. That's why I called a complete stop to any proposals to increase parking restrictions in the hope of ending what [...]

Posted by andybodders on Andy Boddington

A sum of £30,000 has been secured to improve vegetation and woodland along the Alban Way for the benefit of wildlife, pedestrians, cyclists and other users. The money will be used to implement a programme of work agreed by St Albans City and District Council following consultation with the public earlier this year. It forms part of a wider management [...]

Posted by chriswhite on Chris WhiteChris White

Shropshire Council's planning officers approved an extension to Ludlow's Portcullis surgery today. That's excellent news. The approval has gone through in near record time. That's particularly good because the project is dependent on funding from NHS England and the work must be completed by the end of the financial year. This will be a great [...]

Posted by andybodders on Andy Boddington

There's a few local members in Peterborough who are also active in the Green Liberal Democrats, and the other year they held their AGM in the city. Now even though the Liberal Democrats continue to have the strongest green polices, compared to the Torries or Labour, some people do not realise that our guys in Westminster have [...]

Posted by Cllr Darren Fower on Cllr Darren Fower
eUKhost

The SNP rather than the Lib Dems or UKIP may be the third largest party in the next parliament How Scotland would supposedly look in 2015 if today's MORI poll was the real thing: SNP 54, LAB 4, LDEM 1. pic.twitter.com/SXaNj98Nhx — Britain Elects (@britainelects) October 30, 2014 This presumably assumes a Uniform National Swing which is [...]

Posted by Mark Mills on Matter Of Facts

We may have had a peaceful summer at home but overseas the situation was anything but relaxed, not least in Gaza where the tension between Israel and Palestine spilled over into violence and bloodshed. Whatever your interpretation of events there, nothing can excuse the fact that the resultant anger and hurt felt by many was channelled by a few into violence against British Jews, leading to a 400% increase in recorded antisemitic incidents in the last quarter. That was a pattern repeated across Europe, which is why as a member of the All-Party Parliamentary Group Against Antisemitism I joined a ...

Posted by Andrew Stunell MP on Liberal Democrat Voice

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-29824764 The BBC has the story – see link Above. [IMG: key_Norman_Baker] Great to see Norman Baker raising this important issue. Outside of the Tory press many, many people are of the view (including me) that the UK's present policies on drugs are simply not working, never have done and never will do. Norman Baker is a highly respected commentator on many things but his views on this matter really do hit the spot. Nice to see a Lib Dem Minister making the Tories and indeed Labour squirm as their ridiculous attitude to drugs, which is little more than 'let's ...

Posted by Cllr. Tony Robertson on Sefton FocusSefton Focus

Continuing my series of guest posts from candidates to succeed Tim Farron as Liberal Democrat President (of whom there are now three, after Linda Jack dropped out), here is Liz Lynne setting out her plans to reform the party's structures. [IMG: Liz Lynne as an MEP] It has become even more apparent to me over the last few months that the structures of the Party need to be radically reformed. I have been taking soundings from different people from all sections of the Party about the problems and what needs to be changed. The main problem that everyone has highlighted ...

Posted by Mark Pack on Mark Pack

I've not written about Russell Brand's book. It's not that I'm indifferent towards him. I despise his cod radicalism and wrote many posts laying into his early forays into politics. But I just can't bring myself to spend £6.99 on his new book and then sacrifice several hours to reading it. And I think that even Russell Brand [...]

Posted by Mark Mills on Matter Of Facts

( answers under the cut ) All answers are presented unedited, as entered by the candidate (mainly due to time). You can find links to other candidates' entries here [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments

Over many years residents and residents' associations have been outraged by the planning decisions made by Ealing Council. People have been annoyed about the process people have had to follow and how they have been treated when trying to make their voices heard. It was agreed to set up a committee which would look at this and last night I vice-chaired the meeting which listened to the views of residents from Ealing. We intentionally did not invite any planning officers so that people could raise their views in the most candid way possible. Only two comments were made that were ...

Posted by Gary Malcolm on Councillor Gary Malcolm

I still cannot decide who to vote for to be the Liberal Democrats' next President. Sal Brinton provided some impressive answers to my questions earlier this month; but I still have that nagging doubt about her closeness to Nick Clegg. I don't think Daisy Cooper has understood just how out of touch the FE of which she is a part is flawed and has to change. I have found her campaign lacking in substance. I had been slightly inclined to support Liz Lynne, but some of her answers still lack something particularly on diversity (understanding the full range of equality ...

Posted by Gareth on Gareth Epps

( answers under the cut ) All answers are presented unedited, as entered by the candidate (mainly due to time). You can find links to other candidates' entries here [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments

( answers under the cut ) All answers are presented unedited, as entered by the candidate (mainly due to time). You can find links to other candidates' entries here [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments

Clacton-on-Sea is going nowhere... This is Britain on crutches. This is tracksuit-and-trainers Britain, tattoo-parlour Britain, all-our-yesterdays Britain- Matthew Parris, The Times Matthew Parris's dismissal of poor, coastal Essex adorned thousands of UKIP leaflets in Clacton. It served only to justify UKIP's rout of the Tory party. Inadvertently, Parris came close to the truth: Britain as a political entity almost ceased to exist in September. Despite the eventual result in Scotland, the strength of the yes vote saw victory in Glasgow, quadrupled the membership of the SNP and caused Scottish Labour to implode. The high turnout alone belied the modern complaint ...

Posted by Toby Matthews on Liberal Democrat Voice

[IMG: Fire Engine] Emergency cover Emergency vehicles crewed by Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) managers and firefighters who are not union members or who have chosen not to strike will be located at strategic locations around the county to provide the best cover possible. 999 calls During the national firefighters strike KFRS will continue to answer and deal with 999 calls. However the public can expect our Control staff to ask them more questions about the nature of the incident they are reporting. We will need to gather as much information as possible in order to best utilise the ...

Posted on Tim Prater

From Friday 31st of October, Chief Executive of Peterborough City Council, Gillian Beasley will be in Morocco! Q: Why? Well, Gillian is very kindly helping support the charity I work for, Spina bifida • Hydrocephalus • Information • Networking • Equality – Shine, as part of the Chairman's Challenge, which has been led by local businessman and [...]

Posted by Cllr Darren Fower on Cllr Darren Fower

( answers under the cut ) All answers are presented unedited, as entered by the candidate (mainly due to time). You can find links to other candidates' entries here [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments

( answers under the cut ) All answers are presented unedited, as entered by the candidate (mainly due to time). You can find links to other candidates' entries here [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments

( answers under the cut ) All answers are presented unedited, as entered by the candidate (mainly due to time). You can find links to other candidates' entries here [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments

#3303720 / gettyimages.com In the run up to the release of Dr. Strangelove, or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb legal action was taken to try to protect the film from another one of similar content being released first. The claim of plagiarism rested on the similarities between the novels that each was based on, as both books featured the fallout from US bombers heading off to drop nuclear weapons on Russia during the Cold War despite having received no such order from the US President. [IMG: Fail-Safe - DVD cover] The novels themselves – Red ...

Posted by Mark Pack on Mark Pack

( answers under the cut ) All answers are presented unedited, as entered by the candidate (mainly due to time). You can find links to other candidates' entries here [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments

( answers under the cut ) All answers are presented unedited, as entered by the candidate (mainly due to time). You can find links to other candidates' entries here [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments

( answers under the cut ) All answers are presented unedited, as entered by the candidate (mainly due to time). You can find links to other candidates' entries here [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments

Jennie Rigg does an admirable service for members (that are conference reps) wishing to know more about the candidates they are voting for for Federal Committees. She's asked the candidates for Federal Executives some pertinent questions. The link to her post of my answers is here and in general Jennie's blog is worth a read if you are a Liberal Democrat, or even if you aren't and you want to know more about the party. I've reproduced my answers here: Are you standing for the first time or restanding? If first time what new thing do you bring that nobody ...

Posted by Louise Ankers on From one of the Jilted Generation...

Someone said to me the other day when I wasn't watching a football match that usually I'd have on my TV that I'd have been watching it if they were trying to cook something. A fair point. For you see over the past few months I may have just become over saturated on football and I'm just footballed out. I sit here racking my brain trying to think of a game so far this season where I've been genuinely engrossed and I'm struggling. Not even the big matches have really grabbed me (although some games I have certainly watched and ...

Posted by neilmonnery on The Rambles of Neil Monnery

( answers under the cut ) All answers are presented unedited, as entered by the candidate (mainly due to time). You can find links to other candidates' entries here [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments

It's due on Tuesday. There's also a poster and a revised synopsis. "The story of Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment's Minions begins at the dawn of time. Starting as single-celled yellow organisms, Minions evolve through the ages, perpetually serving the most despicable of masters. After accidentally killing off so many of them—from T. Rex to [...]

Posted by Mark Mills on Matter Of Facts

So, folks - it's that time again, Liberal Democrat internal elections! Not only is this an opportunity to run an election the way it should be run (this is a brief happy interlude in FPTP life for those interested in electoral reform), it's also a one-member-one-vote chance to elect the people that effectively steer our party. You'll be able to cast votes for various party committees and you'll also be able to vote for our next Party President. I need to let you into a secret - I've been supporting Daisy Cooper for some months now. When I resigned my ...

Posted by Sam Phripp on So Sam said...

( answers under the cut ) All answers are presented unedited, as entered by the candidate (mainly due to time). You can find links to other candidates' entries here [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments

Thu 30th
11:56

Obese test dummies

Nobody can accuse the Americans of pulling their weight, at least not when it comes to vehicle safety. The Daily Mail reports that are packing on the pounds to better reflect the expanding waistlines and larger rear ends of many Americans: Manufacturer Humanetics has developed the new model after studies found that obese drivers are 78 percent more likely to die in a car crash. Dummies have traditionally been modeled on a person weighing about 167 pounds with a healthy body mass index. The new super-sized dummies are based on the measurements of a 273-pound person with a BMI of ...

Posted by Peter Black on Peter Black

( answers under the cut ) All answers are presented unedited, as entered by the candidate (mainly due to time). You can find links to other candidates' entries here [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments

( answers under the cut ) Iain answered ALL the questions for ALL the committees, despite each page of the question form being headed with "please only answer these questions if you are standing for X committee". I have therefore had to do some editing on these answers, mostly removing "why are you asking me this? I'm not standing for this committee" type answers. I hope that I have amalgamated the ones where there were similar questions asked for different committees fairly. You can find links to other candidates' entries here [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments

Missed the latest Call Clegg show on LBC? Listen to it here:

Posted by Mark Pack on Mark Pack

( answers under the cut ) All answers are presented unedited, as entered by the candidate (mainly due to time). You can find links to other candidates' entries here [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments

[IMG: Compass cufflinks] No longer need someone worry about which implausible looking muddy path to trudge up on that delivery round which takes in every mobile phone signal black hole in the ward. (Seriously, they do actually work rather well – and are rather handy even in the most urban of areas for those occasions when you come out of a station and aren't sure which way you're pointed.) An absolute bargain you can buy from here. Of course, don't forget the perfect gift for an on-message Liberal Democrat activist either. Real Working Compasses Cufflinks Good fun – and useful ...

Posted by Mark Pack on Mark Pack

The independent Local Government Boundary Commission (LGBC) for England is asking people across Hertfordshire to comment on its draft proposals for new council division boundaries. The Public Consultation on the recommendations ends on 3 November 2014. The consultation is open to anyone who wants to have their say on new county council electoral divisions, division boundaries and division names across Hertfordshire. The Commission's draft recommendations propose that Hertfordshire County Council should have 78 councillors in the future, one more than the current arrangements. The recommendations also outline how those councillors should represent 78 single-member divisions across the county. [IMG: Tring ...

Posted by Nick Hollinghurst on Nick Hollinghurst

[IMG: immobilier parisien] Yesterday I was back up in that London to attend an event exploring UK housing policy. Many, of not most, of the luminaries of UK housing research made the same journey. The event covered quite a lot of ground, but at the same time the agenda was relatively narrow - focusing as it did on the macro, credit, housing supply, planning nexus. The discussion left me with plenty to think about and there is no way that it could be meaningfully summarised in a blog post. So here are a few quick reflections - not all of ...

Posted by admin on Alex's Archives

Conservative seat, Resignation

Posted by Michael Powell on Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors

Labour seat, Death

Thu 30th
09:30

Tory Euro Pickle

Blimey, what a Tory pickle over Europe. This week they scuppered their own proposals for a law making an In-Out referendum on Europe happen in 2017. They had a the chance to lance the UKIP boil. Instead of allowing both a Lib Dem bill to fix the bedroom tax and their bill for a referendum to make a Euro referendum happen in 2017 they spiked both. It is clear the Tories are more concerned about maintaining the bedroom tax than their flagship EU referendum pledge. Why would the Conservatives sabotage a chance to legislate now for an EU Referendum? Perhaps ...

Posted by James Barber on James BarberJames Barber

Why would you, after all? Nights crawling home on the late train. Sitting in interminable debate about the intricacies of social care till way into the dark. Queuing up for half an hour in the rain to get through the equally interminable parliamentary X-ray machines. I've done it before and I want to do it again. Let me explain by describing the email I received from the party a few days ago asking me to respond to a simple question with a one-word answer: what is the issue that will be most important to you at the next election? Come ...

Posted by David Boyle on The Real Blog

[IMG: Stephen Williams MP] Earlier this year, we featured Communities Minister and MP for Bristol West Stephen Williams' Reddit questionnaire where he invited constituents to "Ask me anything." And they did, too. Here's a wee snippet: First of all, I tweeted you support on the day of the Marriage Act vote and you replied. Thank you for that, you made my day on both counts. Now for a question: I initially supported a boycott of Starbucks and Amazon for non-payment of UK tax. After a year, however, I feel that the blame needs to shift onto government for not closing ...

Posted by Caron Lindsay on Liberal Democrat Voice

Please help if you can – Thank you

Posted by Cllr. Tony Robertson on Sefton FocusSefton Focus

Having raised with the council on a number of occasions in the past, on behalf of local residents, the poor condition of the road surface in Cleghorn Street, I am pleased to see this Traffic Order coming forward that will see the street resurfaced. 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 carriageway resurfacing works. The Order is expected to be in force for fifteen days from 3 November 2014. Its maximum duration in terms of the Act is eighteen ...

[IMG: GDP_growth] GDP figures released today by the Office for National Statistics provide further evidence that our economic plan is working. The latest statistics show that in the three months to September the UK economy grew by 0.7%. Commenting, Liberal Democrat Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander said: "Our recovery is now well established and creating jobs in record numbers. "These GDP figures show the UK economy has good momentum to deal with a less certain global outlook. Our plan is working and we need to stick to it. "The families and businesses of Britain whose hard work is ...

Posted by Nick Hollinghurst on Nick Hollinghurst

Maghull Wind Orchestra put on a concert at Maghull Town Hall on 28th October to help the Mayor of Maghull raise money for her charity Woodlands Hospice. [IMG: rsz_mwo_1] The concert was Halloween themed and many of those in this large and excellent orchestra dressed up for the occasion. These photos are not particularly good as the light levels were very low but have a look at Phil their conductor dressed as a pumpkin! Cllr. Jen Robertson can also been seen with her cat ears amongst witches and a skeleton. [IMG: rsz_mwo_3] [IMG: rsz_1mwo_2]

Posted by Cllr. Tony Robertson on Sefton FocusSefton Focus

The Liverpool Echo has the story – see link above. [IMG: safe_image.php]

Posted by Cllr. Tony Robertson on Sefton FocusSefton Focus

Since before the Scottish referendum, the Welsh Lib Dems have been calling for Wales to "speak with one voice" to ensure the Welsh voice is not marginalized in future devolution discussions. Following my call for the Welsh parties to come together and agree a common blueprint on devolution, I met with the other three Welsh party leaders to agree a joint motion, which was debated and passed last week. For the first time, all four parties have come together to agree a common platform for the future of devolution. Wales is now speaking with one voice. All four parties must ...

Posted by Kirsty Williams on Freedom Central

The Monkees wanted to be real boys. Or, at least, some of them did. Peter Tork had joined the band in the belief that he would actually be joining a band — a group of people who would play music together. He'd found that he was relegated to the occasional comedy vocal for the most [...]

Posted by Andrew Hickey on Sci-Ence! Justice Leak!