No sound, but some great shots of canalside industry. The pub seen right after the 'Hemel Hempstead' slide at 11:20 is the Three Horseshoes at Winkwell. It was at the end of one of our family walks when I was a little boy living in town in the 1960s.
I've got two new Batposts up on my Patreon, on Batman & Robin (1949) and the first Batman 1966 story Hi Diddle Riddle/Smack In The Middle. I've also now posted the first of the essays, an introduction to the whole thing, over on Mindless Ones. Remember, you can read them there for free, but if [...]
Come along to the Cameo Orchestra Concert at St Nix Church Abbotswood from 7.30 pm - an enjoyable evening of light classics, music from films and shows, and Christmas favourites. Refreshments available. Retiring collection for the Ebola Crisis Appeal (TEARfund). Why not come along - it'll be fun!
Driving to Glasgow at 6am on a wintry Sunday morning was slightly scary, especially for someone who really doesn't do Winter, but that's what I did to take part in the review of the Sunday papers on the Radio Scotland ... Continue reading →
Driving to Glasgow at 6am on a wintry Sunday morning was slightly scary, especially for someone who really doesn't do Winter, but that's what I did to take part in the review of the Sunday papers on the Radio Scotland programme Crossfire. I was on with former Herald editor Murray Ritchie and Cat Boyd from the Radical Independence campaign. Obviously we talked about some bloke deciding he wants to stand for the Westminster Parliament he claims to revile. Former Special Adviser Sam Ghibaldan on Sunday Politics Scotland and I both made the case that Salmond's victory is far from assured. ...
This year marked the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Forth Road Bridge. Until it opened vehicles either drove the long way around or queued to use the ferry. The photograph is from my father's collection of slides taken in the mid 1950s. It shows the ferry at the same moment a steam locomotive starts to cross the bridge. [IMG: IMG_0317.JPG]
With grateful thanks to Dundee 330 Round Table, at Tesco Riverside, a group of us from the Friends of Magdalen Green earlier today participated in a fundraising effort for the bandstand restoration. ... and many thanks also to the very generous Tesco Riverside customers! Here's a few photos :
Monday (cont.) But why, I hear you ask, am I visiting them this Monday morning? The answer is all to do with the European Union. It seems that 70 years of peace are not enough to reconcile many to our membership of this excellent organisation. Nor does its sterling work weeding out the curlier bananas from our supermarkets cut the mustard any more. So a few of us - I fear I cannot reveal any of the other names, but they are all Sound and many can be fairly counted as bigwigs - have got together to do something about ...
Welcome to the Golden Dozen, and our 401st weekly round-up from the Lib Dem blogosphere ... Featuring the seven most popular stories beyond Lib Dem Voice according to click-throughs from the Aggregator (30 November -, 6 December 2014), together with a hand-picked quintet, you might otherwise have missed. Don't forget: you can sign up to receive the Golden Dozen direct to your email inbox — just click here — ensuring you never miss out on the best of Lib Dem blogging. As ever, let's start with the most popular post, and work our way down: 1. A fabulously passive aggressive ...
As a companion to my earlier picture post, here are some videos embedded from YouTube featuring Jeremy Thorpe. Stephen Tall linked earlier to this 40-minute Crosstalk interview with (extraordinarily) former Labour minister and famous diarist, Richard (Dick) Crossman, with thanks to Ed Stradling: Jimmy Savile hosts a question and answer session where a young Gerald Howarth questions Jeremy Thorpe: A British Pathé Newsreel of Jeremy Thorpe's wedding: A British Pathé Newsreel covering Jeremy Thorpe's election as Liberal party leader: A British Pathé Newsreel showing various shots of the man from the 1970s:
St Vincent is the name under which the American singer-songwriter Annie Clarke records and performs. It is also the name of her fourth album, from which this song is taken. Reviewing it for the Guardian, Alex Petridis said: Prince Johnny is a fascinating puzzle: it's hard to work out whether the titular character is male or female, whether or not the song's narrator has slept with him or her, or how much their affection is tinged with contempt. In fact, the words are often ambiguous ... but they're the only thing here that is: bold, poised, precise without sounding sterile, ...
#464001987 / gettyimages.com On Thursday I returned, with she who must be obeyed, to my old school, West Buckland School, for the second time this year. After some very convivial conversations in what was the Headmaster's Living Room (but is now the "Downward Room") we were privileged to watch "Macbeth" performed by the students. It was in the wonderful 150 building in the theatre, which is an excellent, modern space for drama. The cast and production team can be very proud of themselves. They gave us an entertaining and moving production in the finest tradition of Shakespeare. The line above, ...
They've erected the two stairways and they are just putting the support for the walkway across today (Sunday 7 Dec). Presumably they'll need some more time without any trains passing to finish the walkway off.
#3142939 / gettyimages.com There are a host of fantastic photographs of Jeremy Thorpe in the archives. He had a real sense of showmanship to which photographers responded. Here are a few images which reflect his life. Scroll down to view them. Hover your mouse, cursor or finger over the image to see the caption. All these pictures come from the remarkable Getty Images library, which you can access here. #3312583 / gettyimages.com #464474647 / gettyimages.com #2660714 / gettyimages.com #519465079 / gettyimages.com #3307950 / gettyimages.com #3307865 / gettyimages.com #497025225 / gettyimages.com #115706640 / gettyimages.com #3142128 / gettyimages.com #3140661 / gettyimages.com #3167562 ...
Sun 7th
17:30
Changing to One Member One Vote in the Liberal Democrats is missing out on a bigger debate about the...
[IMG: Lib-Dems-voting-at-conference] Mark Pack asks Liberal Democrats what needs to be done to make One Member One Vote work. I left a brief comment there, but decided I needed to expand on that thought a little more. I'm on the record as being sceptical about OMOV, and neither the debate at conference, nor the discussions that have been had about it since have shifted me from that scepticism. However, I have continued to think about the subject and I'm coming to the position that OMOV as constituted is attempting to solve the wrong problem. The problem we're being presented is ...
[IMG: Kirsty Williams] An interesting angle on the debates about the federal Liberal Democrats moving to OMOV is the recent Welsh Party's decision to phase it in too (and thanks to Ian Walton for highlighting this to me). Add to this the political successes of Kirsty Williams AM and her team and the Welsh Liberal Democrats look increasingly to be the place to which other parts of the party should look for lessons. Their motion is reproduced below – and this move makes the English Party's level of multiple indirect democracy look all the more out of place. New Party ...
Not so long ago I posted about some of Maghull Labour's wild and even wilder claims, the posting is via the link below:- One of the issues I commented on was their talk of investing money in Maghull's parks and gardens. Strange we in opposition on The Town Council thought, these are the very people who took money out of the Town Council's budget for such expenditure! The extract from my blog posting above said:- 'Maghull Parks - Labour says they are planning improvements to Maghull parks yet it was Labour-run Maghull Town Council who took the money for ...
Here is another update on this new; this time looking at the Thornton end of the road where it will join Southport Road near the junction with Long Lane. The first shot is of the realigned Long Lane itself. Photos taken 5th December:- [IMG: Looking towards the new junction with Southport Road with the old part of Long lane visible to the left.] Looking towards the new junction with Southport Road with the old part of Long lane visible to the left. [IMG: Looking south along the line of the new road as it heads around Thornton towards the Brickwall ...
[IMG: Rachel Gilmore selected in Taunton Deane] The local papers report: Liberal Democrats in Taunton Deane have appointed a potential successor to Jeremy Browne, who is standing down at next year's general election. Rachel Gilmour, who was selected as the parliamentary candidate at a packed meeting in Staplegrove Village Hall, grew up in the area. She added that she would be 'delighted' to follow Mr Browne, who has represented the constituency for 10 years. Mr Browne told the meeting: "I am very pleased that Rachel Gilmour has been selected to succeed me in Taunton Deane. She is a strong and ...
[IMG: Rachel Gilmour] From the Taunton Deane Liberal Democrat website: Rachel Gilmour was selected at the members' hustings on 6 Dec 2014 in Taunton by a full turnout of Members as their prospective Parliamentary candidate for the 2015 General Election. She succeeds Jeremy Browne , MP, who will stand down when parliament is dissolved in March 2015. Rachel said: I am delighted to have been chosen to follow in Jeremy Browne's footsteps. Jeremy has been an outstanding MP for 10 years. It will be a great privilege to build on his fantastic legacy. It is a privilege to be chosen ...
Secretary of State at the Department of Communities and Local Government, the Rt Hon Eric Pickles MP has been recovering planning appeals in the Green Belt by Travellers wholesale and sitting on them. In the two years to July 2013 89 Gypsy appeals were lodged for caravans in the Green Belt and 76 were recovered by Mr Pickles. Over the same period 6 ordinary house appeals were recovered out of 1,162. Meanwhile, South Oxfordshire District Council leader said this week that 'there will have to be a review of the Green Belt in certain areas'. 15,000 new homes are planned ...
This has been bashed, we have asked the council to repair it
As a companion to my earlier picture post, here are some videos embedded from YouTube featuring Jeremy Thorpe. Stephen Tall linked earlier to this 40-minute Crosstalk interview with (extraordinarily) former Labour minister and famous diarist, Richard (Dick) Crossman, with thanks to Ed Stradling: Jimmy Savile hosts a question and answer session where a young Gerald Howarth questions Jeremy Thorpe: A British Pathé Newsreel of Jeremy Thorpe's wedding: A British Pathé Newsreel covering Jeremy Thorpe's election as Liberal party leader: A British Pathé Newsreel showing various shots of the man from the 1970s: * Paul Walter is a Liberal Democrat activist ...
If this was intentional, it's inspired. If not, oops.
Here are the latest national voting intention figures from each of the main pollsters. To put the numbers into longer context, take a look at my database of polling figures going back to 1945, which is updated quarterly. Con Lab LibDem UKIP Green Con lead Fieldwork Method ComRes 30% 34% 8% 19% 3% -4% 12-14/11 Online ComRes 28% 31% 9% 18% 7% -3% 28-30/11 Phone ICM 31% 32% 11% 14% 6% -1% 7-9/11 Phone Ashcroft 30% 32% 7% 16% 6% -2% 28-30/11 Phone MORI 32% 29% 9% 14% 7% 3% 8-10/11 Phone Opinium 29% 34% 6% 19% 6% -5% tbc ...
Earlier this year we finally had a consultation of Northern Ireland's sexual orientation strategy (SOS) but seem to have heard nothing since. So I decided to see when was the first question to OFMDFM about it delivery. I think I have found it here on the 8 October 2007 Sexual Orientation Strategy and Action Plan5. Dr Farry asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to detail what progress has been made towards presenting and launching the sexual orientation strategy and action plan. (AQO 380/08)The First Minister: A consultation on the draft sexual orientation strategy and action ...
[IMG: 7 ver 4 full] Many thanks to the 16,600 visitors who dropped by Lib Dem Voice this week. Here's our 7 most-read posts... Abusive site Wings over Scotland is embedded into the Scottish Government and Yes movement: Willie Rennie proves what we knew already (62 comments) by Caron Lindsay And it's goodbye from me as Lib Dem Voice co-editor (37 comments) by Stephen Tall What is going on with the Liberal Democrat Media Strategy? (26 comments) by Caron Lindsay ++And the new president of the Liberal Democrats is... (46 comments) by The Voice "This is not a snub. I ...
Sun 7th
11:03
Not all UKIP Policies are Mad - when it comes to Trains and Beer they have played a blinder.
In the interest of Political Balance - I have found a few UKIP policies I actually like. They are mostly related to Trains and Beer - but none the less, Imagine being able to go all the way round the Circle Line to catch a Great Western Pullman Train, sitting in the Buffet Car supping a good old British Pint whilst pulling out of Paddington Station - Glorious. "Ukip will return London's Circle line to a circle "Ukip will encourage a return to the glamour, grace and style of the railway companies of the past through its railway policies. Ukip ...
ICM do a regular poll called the Wisdom Index. Rather than asking people how they will vote, it instead asks them what percentage of the votes they think each party will get at the next election. Personally, I don't think this is a useful way of polling people as I don't people have thought in any detail about what percentage of the vote different parties will get, and will instead just suggest a credible-sounding number that they'll likely have seen in press reporting of other polls. There may be useful information to be gained in asking people what party they ...
Like millions of people who have read The Yacoubian Building, I am a fan of the writing of the Egyptian novelist Alaa Al Aswany and a few years ago I was pleased to have the chance to talk to him a little when he came to an event put on by English PEN. So last [...]
#456126228 / gettyimages.com The Guardian reports: The battle against extremism could lead to a "drift towards a police state" in which officers are turned into "thought police", one of Britain's most senior chief constables has warned. Sir Peter Fahy, chief constable of Greater Manchester, said police were being left to decide what is acceptable free speech as the efforts against radicalisation and a severe threat of terrorist attack intensify. It is politicians, academics and others in civil society who have to define what counts as extremist ideas, he says... Speaking to the Guardian, Fahy said: "If these issues [defining extremism] ...
The General Election is only months away - and with UKIP are claiming to be a contender. Given some of the statements made by UKIP in recent months I feel the British Public must have the following clarifications on their policies. If UKIP won the General Election and Nigel Farage became Prime Minister.... Would non British people living in the UK, or British People living in Mainland Europe need to be repatriated?If so would this also apply for children born in the UK to non British Parents and how many generations would this go back?How would this affect other people ...
Sun 7th
10:42
Liz Barker leads first ever Lords debate on Lesbian, bisexual and transgender women's health
Last Wednesday, Baroness Liz Barker, who made one of the most fantastic speeches of the entire debate on same sex marriage, led the first ever debate on health services for lesbians and bisexual and transgender women. The ignorance and even ridicule LBT women have faced from health professionals in the accounts Liz and others shared during the debate is truly astonishing. There does not seem to be a widespread understanding of even the very basic issues they may face. The Minister's reply was a bit frustrating because he basically agreed with everything that was being said but didn't offer any ...
Sun 7th
10:34
The "Cameron and Osborne are more extreme than Thatcher" narrative is a bad one for the Left
[IMG: Margaret-Thatcher-_2530710b] Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls, in an attempt to claw back some terrain after the Autumn Statement went all his opponent's way, has described Osborne as "more extreme than Thatcher". This is a line that has been echoed across the Left during the course of this parliament. I understand the reason - Thatcher had a divisive affect on the nation, and thus trying to tar the current gang of Tories with some of the same might be helpful in getting Labour back into government. Only I don't think the thinking behind this is sound. Because people know, even those ...
The specifics for all other services, ie those in and around Bath, Wells, Weston-super-Mare, Frome, Corsham etc · In the run up to Christmas buses will operate normal timetables until Christmas Eve · On Christmas Eve, buses will operate as normal although Service 39 (Bath - Bristol) will finish earlier than normal. Specifically the last bus from Bath will leave at 2300 hours, while
I know that Christmas is coming but that is no reason for the UK Parliamentary authorities to be quite so generous in offering the public yet another example of why they and those they serve are so out of touch with ordinary people. Today's Observer piece on the champagne wars between the House of Commons and the House of Lords really needs no further elaboration. Crass does not do it justice. The paper says that a proposal to save taxpayers some money by making peers and MPs share a catering department has been rejected "because the Lords feared that the ...
Pictures of the breastfeeding protest at the Ritz I really miss breastfeeding. [/tmi?] (tags: ) UK porn Ruling Far More Dangerous Than the Kink It Bans (tags: ) The internet is less free than last year. Thanks a bunch, Snowden (tags: ) Women With Male Friends Have More Sex (But Not With Them) " Ignoring the issues of female desire is a common failing of much evolutionary psychology research, which sadly contributes to the perception that evolutionary psychology can be somewhat misogynistic, or at least sexist." - no shit sherlock (tags: ) [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments
Sun 7th
08:55Game on in Gordon: Liberal Democrat Christine Jardine has to defend seat against former First Minist...
[IMG: image] In the biggest surprise since the sun last rose in the east, Alex Salmond will announce today that he's going to be standing for the Westminster Parliament in the Gordon Constituency which is currently held by Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Sir Malcolm Bruce. It's almost a year since Christine Jardine was selected to fight the seat. She has been leading a fun and spirited campaign since then which saw voters in Gordon reject independence by almost 2:1. Her campaign manager is the party legend who masterminded Nicol Stephen's election campaigns in the 1980s and 1990s. Mr Salmond should ...
#52628446 / gettyimages.com I've not said much about the passing away of Jeremy Thorpe, not simply because I only met him once (to interview him – you can read the write-up here). But also because the immediate occasion of someone's death is a time to mourn their passing rather than to reopen disputes over their past behaviour, and my views on his career are less complimentary than appropriate for the occasion. Which has made to me all the more striking just how generous the write-ups of his career have been, including from media outlets and personalities usually not instinctively favourable ...
Official figures from Defra have revealed that household waste recycling rates in England stagnated last year, at 44.2%, compared to 44.1% in 2012. If the UK fails to recycle less than 50% of household waste by 2020 it could face fines from Brussels in excess of £500,000 a day. [IMG: Lydiate Parish Cllr. Robbie Fenton campaigning for recycling in Sefton] Lydiate Parish Cllr. Robbie Fenton campaigning for recycling in Sefton Recycling industry bosses said the target looked increasingly unlikely to be met, citing a decline in the amount of paper and packaging being used. David Palmer-Jones, head of recycling firm ...
The final event of this year's West End Christmas Fortnight took place late yesterday afternoon at the Botanic Garden. "A Walk in the Dark" was a great event for younger children and all had a great time! Here's a short video and some photos from the event : A welcome from the Gruffalo! ... and it was dark! Meeting the Gruffalo afterwards!
Yesterday, both the Harris Academy and the Pennycook/Sinderins Courts Sheltered Housing Christmas events took place. Here's a couple of photos from Pennycook Court yesterday : A large queue at the entrance! Great selection of stalls!
Saturday: That which is dead cannot die... (Yes, we were in New England for the first broadcast of "Dark Water".) Re-watching the two-part season finale has helped me to appreciate it. My first viewing, I realised, had been overshadowed by expectations and inferences drawn from the previous week's teaser. In fact, I'd go so far as to say I was, for the first time, spoiled by a "next time" trail. Not "spoilers" in the River Song sense, but spoiled in that the trailer constructed a story in my head that was better than the one we ended up with. (I ...
Nominations for the 2015 Southwark Civic Awards should be submitted by the 31 January 2015. These awards are recommended by the Southwark Civic Association an independent non-political organisation. The actual awards are then confirmed by Southwark Councillors. There are two main categories of Award, which satisfy most circumstances: Letter of Commendation or Liberty of the Old Metropolitan Boroughs of Southwark, Bermondsey or Camberwell In addition, and in exceptional circumstances, there are options for further Awards, as appropriate: Mayor's Discretionary Award, Southwark Lifetime Award, Young Southwark Civic Award and something ... of the Year Award Criteria Letter of Commendation – A ...
