After my Monday surgeries at the Mitchell Street Centre and the West Park Centre late this afternoon, I attended tonight's City Council committee meetings, at which : + At Education Committee, I spoke in a debate over the proposal to consult on the possible closure of Menzieshill High School and its catchment area being moved into the Harris Academy catchment area from August 2016. Having now spoken with many constituents about this, I stressed the importance of there being a full consultation process that takes into account the views of parents, carers, pupils, staff and the wider community. The viability ...

Thanks to The Jake Thackray Project for the information below. The Jake Thackray Project is delighted to announce the release of the DVD Jake Thackray and Songs, by arrangement with BBC Music. Yorkshire-born Jake Thackray (1938-2002) was a unique talent, a brilliant writer and performer whose songs are full of humour, wit, irreverence and humanity. He became known to tens of millions through his regular performances in the 1960s and 1970s on programmes such as 'Braden's Week', 'The Beryl Reid Show' and 'That's Life'. His distinctive appearance, deadpan delivery, clever wordplay, occasional, artful use of vulgarity and surreal imagination delighted ...

Posted by Jonathan Calder on Liberal England

#101054949 / gettyimages.com Having criticised the dullness of the previous round of emails to party members from the candidates to be the next Liberal Democrat President, it's fair to say the latest round is much better (reproduced in full below). Much better, but... what is there really in the emails below that will persuade anyone to switch their votes? If all three candidates think they're comfortably ahead (and of course they might all think that even though logically they can't be) then the emails are good, safe options to confirm their position. But if any of them thinks they really ...

Posted by Mark Pack on Mark Pack

Our thanks go to Tesco Riverside for its generosity in being a sponsor of West End Christmas Fortnight again this year. Photo below is of Kath Torode, Tesco Riverside Community Champion, and myself at the sponsorship presentation this afternoon :

With the next General Election looming and a general consensus forming that neither Labour nor the Conservatives looks likely to gain an overall majority, it's worth looking at which parties are likely to be able to do a deal in the aftermath to help form a stable Government. Liberal Democrats The Liberal Democrats are likely to win between 20 and 50 seats and would form a coalition with either Labour or the Conservatives. Nick Clegg has ruled out sharing Government with UKIP while he remains Leader. Policy-wise, the party has some common ground with the Conservatives but more with Labour. ...

#479272135 / gettyimages.com Lembit Opik was in Rochester and Strood as "media adviser" to fringe candidate Charlotte Rose. "Charlotte calls herself a 'sexual therapist'," Lembit told BuzzFeed News, "because it's less loaded but, yes, she is essentially a sex worker. But she does it in a way which is absolutely open and honest, and I'd say her profession and the way she does it is more honest than a lot of politicians," How did Lembit and his candidate get on? Over to Andy McSmith: In 2010, the Lib Dems lost Montgomeryshire, a seat which they or the Liberals had held ...

Posted by Jonathan Calder on Liberal England
Mon 24th
21:11

Renewable s not Fracking

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change stated last month that fossil fuels need to be completely phased out by 2100 - or the world will face 'severe, pervasive and irreversible' damage. Their recommendation is that renewables must account for 80% of the power sector by 2050. For those of us who would like to leave [...]

Posted by werahobhouse on Wera's Blog

On Call Clegg today, reports the Daily Telegraph, the Liberal Democrat leader waded in to the controversy over Emily Thornberry and her photograph: "I just think it was a drippingly patronising thing to do by Emily Thornberry. "Maybe that's what happens if you become MP for Islington. "I just thought it was a jaw-droppingly condescending way of treating someone who just proudly hanging some flags outside their home."A bit over the top, you may think. Nick, after all, chooses to live in the edgy urban jungle that is Putney. His remarks certainly surprised Terry Stacy, who will be standing against ...

Posted by Jonathan Calder on Liberal England

It is that time of year again for the nominees for this year's BBC Sports Personality of the Year, following the low point of 2011 when not a single female British sports person made the short list there are four on this year's shortlist, only one less than the Olympic year (when there were 12 nominees) but the most in the now traditional 10 person shortlist. So who are they: Gareth Bale the Welsh international, had a successful first season for Real Madrid which saw him scoring the winning goal in the Copa del Rey, the second of his team's ...

Posted by Stephen Glenn on Stephen's Liberal Journal

"Vorsprung durch Verwaltung" has always been my motto. By creating systems which inspire confidence, you can allow those with a flair for ideas to take an organisation forward on a secure footing. And, in a personally satisfying manner, I felt that I was able to achieve that at the ALDE Party Council meeting on Friday morning. Fundraising is key to expanding the capacity of any organisation, and the ALDE Party is no different. The catch, and it is a serious one, is that reputational damage is an ever present possibility - is a donor's other activities likely to bring you ...

Posted by Mark Valladares on The view from Creeting St Peter
YouGov

Cllr Rhys Taylor is the latest signing to Prostate Cancer UK's campaign, Men United v Prostate Cancer, a unique team which seeks to unite people across the UK against the common enemy of prostate cancer. Research for Prostate Cancer UK shows that nearly 650,000 people in Wales know someone who has been diagnosed with prostate cancer [...]

Posted by Rhys Taylor on Rhys Taylor

Radio Cornwall has carried the news that Cornwall Council is to commission an independent inquiry into the handling of false claims made about me. I cautiously welcome this acceptance by the council that there are significant question marks over the process they have followed.The inquiry will be able to review the process by which decisions were taken behind closed doors and judgments reached without my having the chance to read and respond to the allegations against me. Indeed, I have still only received a list of claims and no actual evidence from the council that could lead them to reach ...

Posted by Alex Folkes on A Lanson Boy

Monday: Today the NHS has suffered the indignity of a strike by thousands of nurses and midwives protesting that their pay has been frozen for years and all they are asking for is the 1% that was recommended by the independent review body and that the Government has reneged upon. Except that's not really true, is it. The Government offered 1% to everyone who wasn't already getting an automatic pay rise. So if you've not had a rise in four years, it's not the Government blocking the 1% on offer; it's those people who want 5% rather than "just" 4%. ...

I posted only a few days ago about the badly rutted grass verge in Lydiate's Kenyons Lane. This was my posting:- Having been back to have another look today after Sefton Council Highway Engineers had the verge repaired (at the dairy's expense I understand) I am sorry to say that things have not improved as large vehicles are wrecking it once again. [IMG: Photo taken 24th November 2014] Photo taken 24th November 2014 We need a more sustainable solution i.e. the dairy stopping use of delivery lorries that are too large for the entrance gates or those gates being ...

Posted by Cllr. Tony Robertson on Sefton FocusSefton Focus

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-30176841 The BBC is carrying the story. [IMG: Cllr_Joe_Anderson,_Leader,_Liverpool_City_Council.jpeg] Oh dear Liverpool's Elected Mayor seems not to use diplomacy when when a good shout is the alternative. He has nothing to gain from picking a fight with Kim Cattrall and everything to lose as far as I can see.

Posted by Cllr. Tony Robertson on Sefton FocusSefton Focus

Your ward councillors' work to get a zebra crossing in Shotfield is nearly complete. This week notices will be going up to formally consult on putting a zebra crossing in the road opposite the Jubilee Health Centre. You will be able to view the notice from 27th November on the council website under reference T30085 [...]

Posted by jaynemccoy on Diary of a Sutton Councillor

[IMG: Get ready to apply your head to this desk.] Get ready to apply your head to this desk. At the weekend I wrote about the turnout massacre in the recent Liberal Democrat internal elections, and how the change to the way the voting was conducted was a likely major explanation. I also questioned what involvement the Federal Executive (FE) had in agreeing these changes, both the principle and the crucial details of implementation. Thanks to discussion on Facebook, it's been pointed out to me that the FE had a paper noting plans to change the way the elections were ...

Posted by Mark Pack on Mark Pack

Speaking up for young people in Cornwall at Full Council tomorrow, during the budget debate. Below you will find what I plan to say, although it could be subject to change, on the day. I am proposing a modest amendment to the proposed budget. It is based on a concern about young people, especially some from poorer backgrounds who bump along the bottom, in terms of the cards life deals them. I'm speaking up for the kids that do not excel at school but are not too much of a nuisance either and some of them are almost invisible. These ...

Mon 24th
16:37

Flags and White Vans

Like it or not it is a fact that for many our two national flags have become symbols of some of the less attractive features of our society. The Union Jack tends to be associated with the British National Party (BNP) and other extremists on the xenophobic far-right, and the St George's flag with football hooligans. Whereas the French and US flags have always been proud symbols of their countries, historically the British, at home at any rate, have not been great flag wavers. Even during the war I can't remember much flag flying. I think the Union Jack was ...

Posted by Peter Wrigley on Keynesian Liberal

Parliament is never short of Bills coming from the Home Office, but the Modern Slavery Bill is different. At the end of the second reading in the Lords last week, the Minister pointed to the warm reception given by every speaker who followed this with seven minutes on all the things that could be added to it. The view on the Lib Dem benches, like others, was to welcome the Bill both for what it is and for the opportunity it provides to do even more to address the abomination (and very big business - this is often highly profitable ...

Posted by Sally Hamwee on Liberal Democrat Voice
eUKhost

Seeking a fair balance between 2nd homes and homes for locals is vital if we are to ensure our towns and villages are vibrant and sustainable. None of us want to live in a community where, in the winter, it is like a ghost town. Whilst Tourism is vital to our economy, there has to be a balance to ensure sufficient people can afford to live in our communities to sustain the everyday shops, schools and other community facilities. However, we have to be careful not to jump to solutions, otherwise we can create new problems instead of just solving ...

I have just started university and all is going well, except in one particular area. I have not received a single piece of work back from my university tutors since my course began. This because of a assessment boycott instigated by the University and Colleges Union (UCU). They are is a dispute with the group that represents the heads of most universities in the UK (UUK) over pensions. I am in the same boat as thousands of other university and college students in the UK. this is not only very annoying it is also very disruptive the my university education. ...

Posted by William Dyer on Liberal Democrat Voice

[IMG: Rainy Lisbon by vidixit] It had been raining in Portugal's capital, Lisbon. Indeed, it had been raining for so long and so hard that local taxi drivers couldn't remember it being worse. Not, perhaps, an auspicious opening for a meeting of European liberals, although for the Germans and ourselves, the notion of poor political weather might well have been vaguely familiar.But, gather we did, and amongst our midst were strangers, hoping to be friends, and some of the new MEPs and European Commissioners, showing their faces and networking. There were emerging issues to discuss – what to do about ...

Posted by Mark Valladares on Liberal Democrat Voice

Live projection of spreadsheet with the scores at the Sutton Liberal Democrats Quiz Night, kept updated by the inestimable Simon Drage: [IMG: Sutton Liberal Democrats Quiz Night] Oh and chocolate at the end. Take that Watford and your flipchart: @markpack This is our spreadsheet pic.twitter.com/ITsN1gohhT — Watford Lib Dems (@WatfordLibDems) November 22, 2014

Posted by Mark Pack on Mark Pack

As we work to cut crime, we know one of the most important aspects is to stop young people being ensnared in the criminal system in the first place. Once a young person is on that road, it becomes a whole lot more difficult to get them off it. This is measured nationally as the number of First Time Entrants into the criminal justice system: An offence is defined as a first offence if it results in the person receiving their first reprimand, warning, caution or court conviction - i.e. they have no previous criminal history recorded on the PNC. ...

CHRISTMAS EVENTS COMING THIS WEEKEND!! Please tell your family, neighbours and friends! [IMG: Sandgate Christmas Lights Event 2014] Friday 28th Nov, 6pm: Christmas in Sandgate! The annual village Christmas event will take place this Friday. We are delighted to inform you that Saga has kindly offered the use of their grounds. So the format will be: 6pm: Start of event in Saga grounds - welcome address 6.05pm: Saga will switch on all their lights to mark the run-up to Christmas and our Christmas tree on the village green will be lit up! Then follows carol signing by all - being ...

Posted on Tim Prater

Since Bootle Labour gained control of Sefton Council my role as a councillor has been diminished. The Labour group always vote as a group and, due to their numerical advantage they win every vote. Although Bootle controls Sefton, they only have 1 councillor in the Southport area. There are 7 wards in the Southport area with 21 councillors. This consists of 15 Liberal Democrats, 5 Conservatives and 1 Labour(recently converted from Conservative). I therefore have a greater affinity with Southport than Sefton; a sentiment that is echoed by the "Southport out of Sefton" campaign. With this in mind I have ...

Posted by Mike Booth on kew focus

[IMG: Willie Rennie speaking at Lib Dem Spring conference, Liverpool 2008] Here is Willie Rennie's speech to Scottish Conference in Dunfermline this Saturday. Thank you to everyone who sent kind wishes following my period of absence from the political stage. I was undergoing an operation to replace a mangled disc in my neck. It was an emergency, not for any medical reasons, but because our campaign director Adam Stachura said it was hindering my canvassing technique. Lying on the theatre trolley as the needle was about to be injected into my hand the doctor declared she knew exactly who I ...

Posted by The Voice on Liberal Democrat Voice

LGA Lib Dem Group Leader Gerald Vernon Jackson is encouraging Lib Dem councillors who have twitter accounts to support the LGA in raising the profile of local councils in England and Wales and the hard work you do locally as Liberal Democrat Councillors in your wards. It's also a good opportunity for you to use [...]

The trouble with standing for election is that it gives you the potentially disturbing opportunity to see yourself as others see you. You fail to get elected, and suddenly you are puzzling out obsessively what it is about you that sort of failed to enthuse people. All of which is a way of saying that I'm out of sorts at the moment, having failed to get elected to the Lib Dem federal policy committee for the second time in two years. But, hey, my electorate have spoken... Dammit. Of course there are compensations. I won't have to crawl up to ...

Posted by David Boyle on The Real Blog

Earlier today, I was pleased to take part in today's Shelter Scotland event in the City Centre to highlight its Make Renting Right campaign. See photo below :With 312,000 households in Scotland currently living in the private rented sector (13 percent of all households) and with the number of families living in the private rented sector more than doubling in the last 10 years we believe it's time to make renting right. We want to see a safer, more secure and flexible private renting market that works for tenants and landlords. Shelter Scotland wants to see the right private housing ...

[IMG: Polling station sign. Photo courtesy of nilexuk on Flickr. Some rights reserved] The BBC reports: Councillors have agreed to keep eight polling stations in the Borders open due to the "democratic boom" during the Scottish independence referendum. Consultation had been carried out on the move to shut sites with an electorate of less than 100. Scottish Borders Council was told the costs of running a rural polling place were far higher than in urban areas. However, councillors backed a motion by leader David Parker to retain the sites after the high referendum turnout.

Posted by Mark Pack on Mark Pack

[IMG: Peter robinson by alan in belfast] This weekend, Northern Ireland's First Minister Peter Robinson addressed his party conference for the last time before the General Election and launched his ire at losing his seat in Westminster last time out. Talking of the DUP candidate's chances for East Belfast next May he said: There may be other unionists in the field, but they will only serve to divide the pro-union opposition to the flag-lowering, parade-stopping, gay marriage-supporting, pro water-charging, holier-than-thou Alliance Party. It's an interesting choice of words, which drew applause from his audience but needs a serious look at ...

Posted by Stephen Glenn on Liberal Democrat Voice

#3207314 / gettyimages.com ....but which are worth listening to with new ears. Desmond Carrington on Radio Two. Bless him. His voice, with a bit of modification, is similar to that of Sir Alec Guiness. On his weekly show called "The Music goes round" he plays some interesting tunes and relates some interesting tunes. "Daniel" by Elton John gets played a lot on the radio all over the world. Mainly because of the instrumentation and Elton's young voice in the original recording, it sounds like a rather saccharine love song. Last week, Old Dezzo related the story behind the song, which ...

Posted by Paul on Liberal Burblings

Today, the Recall of MPs Bill comes back to the House of Commons for further consideration. During its Committee Stage, David Heath and I proposed improvements, which would ensure that constituents could access the recall process without the involvement of any parliamentary committee (link to previous article). Greg Clark, the Government Minister responding to our proposals, told MPs that it was an "important suggestion [with] much to commend it" and that he would "reflect carefully on the amendment." This is usually parliamentary parlance for "I like this idea and will bring it back in my own name at the next ...

Posted by Julian Huppert MP on Liberal Democrat Voice

[IMG: nick clegg live tweet town hall 1st may 2014] In a Facebook first, Nick Clegg will be taking questions on mental health over on Mind's Facebook page this lunchtime, starting at 12:30 pm. He put this brief video on his own page to explain why he thinks this is important and is quoted on Mind's website: At least one in four of us will experience a mental health problem in our lives. And yet, relatives and friends needing a hip operation can expect treatment quicker than someone with a debilitating mental health condition. We're putting this right. I've set ...

Posted by The Voice on Liberal Democrat Voice

Like other realists in the Lib Dems, I'm predicting that the 2015 General Election will be somewhat of a bloodbath for the party, particularly in those seats, like my own, where we do not have a snowball's chance in hell of winning. Keeping our deposit would be a triumph for us, and even that looks very unlikely. Much has been made of the 'incumbency factor', the hope that our sitting MPs will be able to put up a strong enough fight to limit the damage and allow the party to cling on to 25 - 30 seats at best. Whilst ...

Posted by Energlyn Churchill on Towards the Sound of Gunfire

I am glad that the Home Secretary banned Julien Blanc from coming to our shores. I had made my view (as Ministerial Champion for tackling violence against women) quite clear – he should be banned. His seduction teachings as a 'pick-up' coach – including the use of the hashtag 'chokinggirlsaroundtheworld' with copious pictures of him with his hands on girls throats – crossed the line. This wasn't about free speech. This was incitement to violence – against our laws – that is why the Home Secretary banned him. But Julien Blanc is just a pimple on the ugly face of ...

Posted by Lynne Featherstone on Lynne Featherstone » Blog

It is really welcome that the first major construction contract for Brechin's flood prevention scheme has been awarded to Morrison Construction.

Posted by Sanjay Samani on Sanjay Samani

At the Welsh Lib Dem Conference earlier this month the motion that I drafted on behalf of the local party calling for a focus on prevention in our policy making was passed unanimously. You can read the motion here, and what follows is the speech that I prepared for our proposer. Conference, if we are to create a society in which no one is enslaved by poverty, ignorance and conformity, we need to head off at the pass those social issues and problems that could prevent people and communities from reaching their full potential. For too long the approach to ...

Posted by Energlyn Churchill on Towards the Sound of Gunfire

[IMG: cameron-speech] When David Cameron ran for the leadership of the Conservative Party, he famous pledged that his party would henceforth "stop banging on about Europe". Unfortunately for him, his party had other ideas. Eurosceptism has become the norm within the Conservative Party. I once overheard a conversation between two Tory backbenchers at Conservative Party conference who were wondering how a certain Tory MP ever got selected with what they saw as "pro-European" views (it doesn't take much to be considered under this description within the modern day Parliamentary Conservative Party). It has become the norm as opposed to the ...

Posted by Nick on nicktyrone.com

#459186464 / gettyimages.com Apparently Binyamin Netanyahu (who I remember when he was in short trousers as the Israeli spokesman) is facing a challenge to his leadership in the Likud primaries. Likud is his political party. So that explains why he pledged to bulldoze the houses of the Jerusalem attackers. What an OTT, ridiculous and pernicious move that was! It also explains this latest development. The Israeli cabinet has approved a bill which would basically reduce anyone but Jews in Israel to second-class citizens. Basically this would be Israel machine gunning itself in the foot and then cutting its nose off ...

Posted by Paul on Liberal Burblings

I have been looking at transparency report data again recently, a task that is long overdue. The big change is that more data is available on government and law enforcement requests than used to be the case, when Google were the only company producing reports. The most interesting category is, for me, social media networks. Unfortunately, only four major networks produce data that is independent – Facebook (Including Instagram), Twitter, LinkedIn and Tumblr. (Google+ comes under Google and Skype under Microsoft) So, which network is receiving the most queries for data per user? Before running the numbers, I would have ...

Posted by Zoe O'Connell on Complicity

[IMG: Scottish liberal democrats] For the first time in 5 years, and only the third in the almost 15 years we've been back in Scotland, I missed a Scottish Conference this weekend. I had a particularly unpleasant bug that kept me in my bed for almost 3 days. Be gentle with me because I'm still not quite recovered. The event had keynote speeches from Secretary of State for Scotland Alistair Carmichael and leader Willie Rennie, a discussion on the manifesto led by Jo Swinson and motions on subjects such as access to mental health services for young people and putting ...

Posted by Caron Lindsay on Liberal Democrat Voice

Very good, especially if you already know the song and understand why politicians joke about owls:

Posted by Mark Pack on Mark Pack

THE NEXT BLETHER MEETING WILL BE IN THE BURGH COFFEE HOUSE COMMERCIAL STREET TUESDAY 25th NOVEMBER 7pm to 9pm The theme is "SHOW AND TELL" - bring an object that for you has a story of its own, suggests a story or inspires a story. More information about the group can be accessed here.

Further to my last update on moves towards local television for Dundee, many thanks to TayScreen for this latest news : STV is the only bidder for the Dundee, Aberdeen and Ayrshire licences, this report in Broadcast. STV is saying that local TV will reflect Dundee's focus on creative industries. As mentioned, they are working in collaboration with Abertay and D&A College. These stations may be on air by the end of 2015 or early 2016. TV has revealed more about its plan to build a local TV empire after bidding for three more licences in Scotland. The commercial broadcaster ...

Charles Clover in the Times newspaper commented not so long ago on the confusion over recycling in different areas of England. He points out that recycling rates in England have dropped to 43.2% and are in danger of dropping further. He explains that householders are unsure about what can and cannot be recycled, while families are also cynical about whether recyclables are actually recycled. Mr Clover also notes that rates in Scotland and Wales have improved, because of a clear and standardised best practice for recycling schemes. [IMG: epd_wheelie_bins_group] I think there is something in this. As a Liberal my ...

Posted by Cllr. Tony Robertson on Sefton FocusSefton Focus

With news that Liverpool's famous charity Santa dash is in serious doubt this year because Liverpool Council can't afford to assist (due to spending money on £3,000 taps for the Cunard Building instead?), here is a Lydiate alternative. Yes, it's the crazy world of Church View Farm again and Edie Pope's efforts. Her scarecrow festival of a few weeks ago has now morphed into Santa scarecrows! Have a look below, although it could be seen as a little biased against Everton at the moment unless Edie is predicting a 3 – 1 victory for Liverpool in the next Derby match! ...

Posted by Cllr. Tony Robertson on Sefton FocusSefton Focus

The Times reports on an interesting and thought-provoking intervention in the debate on immigration from Tory heavyweight, Ken Clarke. Mr. Clarke argues that that stopping EU nationals from claiming benefits in Britain would be "totally discriminatory" and that in trying to "imitate" Ukip, the UK Government would only make them "more credible": In an interview with the Murnaghan programme on Sky News today, Mr Clarke, the Europhile former cabinet minister, said Mr Cameron's approach was to blame for the poll surge that resulted in Nigel Farage's party winning the Rochester and Strood by-election last week. "I do think the tactics ...

Posted by Peter Black on Peter Black

The BBC report that the Welsh public services minister has set up an independent review of administrative costs in councils across Wales. They say that the review aims to establish how public money is spent and where savings can be made: Public Services Minister Leighton Andrews has said "significant change" is ahead and has indicated that he is open to the idea of them being cut to as few as six. Councils have until Friday to submit their ideas for voluntary merger. Mr Andrews said he expects councils to focus "limited resources" on frontline services for the public and trim ...

Posted by Freedom Central on Freedom Central

Over at my Patreon, the first of the essays proper on the Batman films and TV shows, this one discussing the 1943 serial. This can only be read by those of you who are kind enough to be giving me money, but will be posted for free on Mindless Ones in four weeks' time. Tagged: [...]

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

Please note we have clarified the wording of questions 3 and 4 (Thameslink North services) to make clear that the proposals here only relate to overnight services. We trust this provides important clarification. The peak, daytime and evening Thameslink North services in December 2015 are planned to continue with the same patterns north of London Blackfriars as will be operated [...]

Posted by chriswhite on Chris WhiteChris White