The granddaddy of them all. Music by Benjamin Britten, verse (after Mr Cholmondley Warner has had his say) by W.H. Auden.
I think I will have to admit that I did not entirely get this movie. I am a big fan of Turner's work. Every time I am in the National Gallery I rush to see his paintings because of the profound impact they have on me. His colours, his storms make me feel like no [...]
So far I've regarded the threats of an "In-Out" referendum on Britain's continued membership of the EU as so much sound and bluster signifying very little. I have assumed that, if it were to take place, there would be some sham negotiations with he rest of the EU, tiny changes would be heralded as great victories (as per Harold Wilson's re-negotiation in 1975), the establishment, including the Tories, would close ranks, we'd vote overwhelmingly to remain in (again as per 1975, though probably by not so much as the two to one majority achieved then) and life would go on ...
One of my weekly pleasures is the Pictures in the Past selection on the Shropshire Star website. This Friday one of the pictures had a caption that gets a little sadder every time I read it: A hero at work - Harold Whitfield, who won the Victoria Cross in 1918, at work at Express Dairies, Whittington. He was killed in a road accident while riding home from work in December, 1956. He was knocked of his bicycle by an Army jeep.Wikipedia tells the story of Whitfield's heroism: He was 31 years old, and a private in the 10th Battalion, The ...
In 2003 a book called 'Crap Towns' was published and Morecambe managed to claim third spot in the list. Morecambe did manage to drop out of the list in the next two editions but I have seen no strong defence that Morecambe did not deserve its famous initial third position. I have written previously about how Morecambe could regenerate and a lot of this depended on the link road which is now well under way. There are many other ways to aid regeneration such as a bridge across the bay and there is still plenty of work to do to ...
We held the next of our Blaydon constituency action days in Whickham North today. As is almost always the case when out delivering, my ward colleague, Cllr John McClurey, was accompanied by his labrador Coco. The dog's main job is to drool next to each person attending the action day when the lunch is being served long enough to be offered some food. Sandwiches, sausages, chocolate biscuits or
#151378616 / gettyimages.com The Times reports [£]: A consultancy founded by Jim Messina, a former White House official [who was Barack Obama's 2012 Campaign Manager and is now working for the Conservative Party], has surveyed voters in key marginal seats, by-election contests and the Scottish referendum. The Conservatives insist that they have not commissioned the work by Messina Quantitative Research, describing it as an independent company. However, a party spokesman refused to deny that the business was sharing its findings with Tory strategists. Ukip suggested that the Conservatives had reached an arm's-length arrangement with MQR in order to bypass the ...
[IMG: Screen Shot 2014-11-08 at 16.13.30] Tonight is the finale of Peter Capaldi's first season playing the Doctor. I have been a very poor excuse for a Doctor Who fan this year. I had to cram in four episodes last night to catch up. It's been difficult to watch them live due to the Referendum, Conference and, ironically, a Doctor Who convention keeping me busy. The added complication is that our house and lounge where our only television is, has been taken over by teenagers every week. Anyway, I'm now caught up and am livid and awestruck in equal measure. ...
This slide amused me rather more than it probably should have done when I found it this afternoon. [IMG: Duck going to Hardknott, 1955]
[IMG: Lib Dems winning here] Here's the full list of selection contests in the coming month available for Lib Dems on the approved parliamentary candidates' list, together with the closing date for applications. The following seats have selections in progress and are currently advertising for candidates: Gainsborough, 8th November Surrey Heath, 9th November Lancaster and Fleetwood, 10th November Morecombe and Lunesdale, 10th November Witney, 10th November Reigate, 11th November Newcastle under Lyme, 14th November Camberwell & Peckham, 14th November Carlisle, 14th November Darlington, 14th November Sedgefield, 14th November Newark, 15th November Chesham and Amersham, 16th November Blackley and Broughton, 21st ...
[IMG: Gruen Transfer] I've never quite understood why (as far as I know) the hit Australian show The Gruen Transfer has never made it to UK TV, either a broadcast of the original Australian episodes or as a remake using the original format. It's both great fun and also educational – just the sort of things the BBC and Channel 4 in particular often say they are looking for, and its numerous awards means it surely has caught people's eyes around the world by now. Think of it like Have I Got News For You, but about the advertising industry. ...
Sat 8th
16:16
There I was, having said goodbye, when I stopped in the doorframe and looked over my shoulder...
I love my Local Party dearly. They're decent, honourable people who have a deep-rooted desire to serve their local communities and for whom I have huge admiration. They are, if you like, what politics should be about, altruistic, hard-working, unglamorous. They organise jumble sales and garden parties, write Focus leaflets telling residents what they're doing without spin or artifice. They don't even attack their opponents particularly, something that, in my old stomping grounds, was de rigeur. You might, in an era of instant rebuttal, of highly paid press operations and soundbites, call them rather old-fashioned, almost quaint. And yet, at ...
Christianity is often accused of making people feel guilty. That may not be a bad thing. It is sometimes said that 'Christianity is like a swimming pool, all the noise comes from the shallow end.' I recognise that assertion is snide and relies on caricatures but it is tough to disagree with. That's partly the fault [...]
Sat 8th
15:15
Olly Grender on Homelessness, Domestic Violence and Social Exclusion: "Housing supply lies at the he...
[IMG: olly grender] Olly Grender — former director of communications for housing charity Shelter, now a Lib Dem peer — spoke in this week's House of Lords debate, 'Women: Homelessness, Domestic Violence and Social Exclusion'. Here's what she said... Baroness Grender (LD): My Lords, I, too, thank the noble Baroness, Lady King of Bow, for initiating this debate. I congratulate the noble Baroness, Lady Rebuck, and the noble Lord, Lord Farmer, on their moving and inspirational speeches. We look forward to many more. I also take this opportunity to congratulate my noble friend Lady Garden of Frognal on her return ...
Missed the latest Call Clegg show on LBC? Listen to it here:
The personal tax statement George Osborne doesn't want you to see – Some accurate data on where the British Government actually spends its money. Norman Baker, political journalism, and hinterlands – "We expect politicians to be "real" and then lay into them when they are. That doesn't seem terribly healthy to me." The 'Devo Manc' proposals represent centralisation on steroids – Is it time to coin 'Osbornification' to describe the centralisation by stealth they represent? What commercial aircraft will look like in 2050 – Some interesting speculation on the prospect of electric planes. Those of you with a more technical ...
[IMG: members forum wordle] LibDemVoice has two parallel sites. The first is our public blog, the thing you're reading now. The second is our private members' forum, which only current Lib Dem members can access. If you're a member and want to chat with fellow party members about any issue that's on your mind, then why not sign up? In addition, you'll be included in our regular surveys' of party members' views. Here's some of the most active discussions this past 7 days: Miliband must go, apparently; Norman Resigns; Drug users as just a health issue?; Immigration; Is there nothing ...
This morning's Western Mail has a curious little article in which they try very hard to make a mountain out of a molehill. The paper reveals that National Assembly Members and their staff have spent more time on Facebook than any other website, including search engines, news sites and the Assembly's own home page. They say that in July 2014 the social networking site was clicked on 218,000 times, averaging around 6,400 visits per day: It was accessed from Assembly staff's computers more often than the search engine Google, which had 74,000 hits in July. Their computers visited Facebook 196,000 ...
Consultation October 29. Blood results Hb 100 g/L; WBC 3.1x109/L; neutrophils 1.43x 109/L; platelets 424x109/L, MCV 110 fL. Hydroxycarbamide to remain at 5 times/week but might be reduced further at next consultation November 26 if Hb continues to fall.
A well-written email is a very useful tool in informing and activating your supporters. One that's not so well-written or targeted can be counter-productive. There have been a fair few howlers in the past few years from LDHQ, not least that Annette Brooke email following the elections in May this year and one from Nick Clegg a couple of years before in similar circumstances. I also remember a Simon Hughes one in 2011 the week after the appalling Scottish elections when we were still all punch-drunk and heartbroken that started: "This is a good week to be a Liberal Democrat." ...
Congratulations to Jon Featonby, whose team "What bitey racist?" continues to lead the LibDemVoice Fantasy Football League after Week 10, having amassed 601 points. Hot on his heels are George Murray (589) and Sam Bowman (584). There's then a gap of 25 points separating fourth-placed Andrew Wiseman. Still, there only just over 50 points between the top 10 and three-quarters of the season left to play. [IMG: LDV FANTASY FOOTBALL_10] For those struggling with their form (like me) don't forget you have a Wildcard — allowing you to make unlimited free transfers (ie, ditch your current team and start again) ...
[IMG: 750px-Flag_of_Lebanon] Returning to sleepy London town after a week in Beirut was really quite strange. Living in Zone 2, I never thought where I lived was particularly peaceful. However, on a relative scale compared with the centre of the Lebanese capital, I may as well be living in the middle of Siberia in terms of sound levels. It affects your sleep more than you realise, cacophony does, and feeling back to well rested has been one of the benefits of the last couple of days. But I did love Beirut and its bustle, even though I'm also relieved to ...
[IMG: Mark Pack, Julian Huppert and Daisy Benson. Photo courtesy of Lucy Watt; some rights reserved - https://www.flickr.com/photos/lucywatt/6162036150/]
In 2011, one of the most heartbreaking results in Wales was losing Jenny Randerson's former constituency of Cardiff Central by just 38 votes Losing by such a small amount is horrible. Welsh Liberal Democrats hope to win it back in 2015. They've now chosen their candidate, South Wales Central list AM Eluned Parrott, who has made a significant impact since she was elected in 2011. In 2012, she wrote about her experience of Post-Natal Depression for Time to Change Wales as one of four AMs who decided to be open about their own experiences. A year later, she followed that ...
So last night Northern Ireland's First Minister Peter Robinson said of the decision of the Equality Commission to consider taking legal action against Ashers: "This kind of decision from the Equality Commission is bonkers. They really do need to wind their necks in. "In times when we are scrapping around trying to get funding for essential services for Northern Ireland, they are tossing it away." No forgive me it I am wrong but there were recent cuts to services announced in health care provision, which is run by one of his party's ministers, whose predecessor has run up large legal ...
Why people don't report rape. (tags: ) Climate change puts bees and flowering plants out of sync - poor bees :( (tags: ) This made me genuinely happy - someone who packed in everything to follow a political dream & won (tags: ) UK Polling Report have done some really useful infographics on which votes have gone where (tags: ) Who Wrote Women Better, Davies Or Moffat? Neither, Says One Professor - I agree with this (tags: ) [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments
[IMG: Eluned Parrott taking part in a green campaign] Via the Welsh Liberal Democrats: Members of Cardiff Central Liberal Democrats have selected Eluned Parrott AM as their candidate for the 2016 Welsh Assembly elections. Eluned was elected as the Welsh Liberal Democrat AM for South Wales Central in 2011, and since her election she has served as her party's Shadow Minister for the Economy, Business, Transport and Europe. In her first year as an Assembly Member she won the ITV Wales Politician of the Year 'One to Watch' award. She is recognised for her work on a number of issues ...
My old mate Keith and I took a wander around this part of northern Cheshire recently and a nice area it is too. What's more it's only 35+ miles from Lydiate so it's within easy reach for a day out. The purpose of our visit was to have a look at the Middlewood Way, an old railway track converted, like the Cheshire Lines Path in Sefton/West Lancs, into a footpath. According to a plaque at the site of the former Higher Poynton Railway Station the footpath was opened by David Bellamy in 1985. [IMG: Former Higher Poynton Station site] ...
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 reconstruction works. The Order is expected to be in force for fifteen days from 17 November 2014. Its maximum duration in terms of the Act is eighteen months. The effect of the Order is to prohibit temporarily all vehicular traffic in Shaftesbury Road between the junctions with Hyndford Street and Grosvenor Road. Access to Grosvenor Road from Perth Road will be maintained. Rockfield Street is not affected by the works An ...
The energy market is poised for a revolution as councils and social housing landlords across the country prepare to take on the Big Six providers by supplying their own electricity. The Independent newspaper says that that local authorities across the UK are working on plans to set themselves up as electricity and gas retailers, with a promise to undercut the traditional suppliers. The paper states that councils are looking to cut at least £100 from the average dual-fuel bill of about £1,300 a year. Last month, the independent supplier Ovo signed a deal with Plymouth Council that will allow the ...
Only links today — I went straight from finishing work to see Mark Steel at the Lowry, and only just got in, so haven't had a chance to write anything. Proper post tomorrow. Pandora's Music Genome Project misrepresents the way we listen to music James Graham on Norman Baker and hinterlands The Shadow Over Whoville [...]
