I am ashamed to admit I had not heard of the Scots Liberals who have come together under the banner of Liberal Futures until the Glasgow Conference when they were selling their most recent publication. Unlocking Liberalism: Life after the Coalition, published by Liberal Futures. Taking a leaf of out Lord Bonker's diary, and there is no shame in copying the Liberal blogfather, I will post my review of the book which has appeared in the most recent edition of Liberator in instalments. I should reassure my colleagues in Birkdale that no Focuses or Christmas Cards were left undelivered because ...
If I was asked, which of course I never am, I would have said that the UK's state primary schools are the jewel in the crown of our public services. They are a Rolls Royce example of what services could be, if they were flexible enough, and were as prepared to tailor their services around the needs of individuals in the same way. They are civilised, humane, imaginative, and they are overwhelmingly effective. I feel I've seen a lot of them in the last few months and they are also extremely different. They are ambitious about the right things. There ...
It's only Tuesday, but it's already the end of another week at Bonkers Hall. Tuesday I seem to have left myself rather short of space for the rest of the week, so I shall not be able to share my encounter with Clegg with you - suffice to say, I informed him that appointing a few women to the Cabinet would be more use than wearing a T-shirt. However, I shall say a few words in defence of 'Peaky Blinders'. Some have questioned the accuracy of its portrait of Birmingham life. Speaking as one who helped Wallace Lawler win the ...
Michael Palin was in Melton Mowbray today to unveil a plaque on the former home of his fellow Python Graham Chapman. The Leicester Mercury explains: Graham was born in Leicester in 1941 and lived in several places around the county including Wigston Fields, Braunstone, Syston and Melton, where his father was a policeman and Graham attended Melton Grammar School. It was Michael's first visit to the house in Burton Road, Melton, where Graham's family spent about three years.The Mercury quotes the current owner of the house: "I didn't know anything about it until three or four months ago when I ...
From the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Greater Manchester: [IMG: Tony Lloyd, Greater Manchester Police & Crime Commissioner] Tony Lloyd As the Police Crime Commissioner for Greater Manchester, one of Tony Lloyd's responsibilities is to set the budget for Greater Manchester Police which he does in consultation with the public, businesses and the Chief Constable. This is your opportunity to tell Tony the amount you think is fair to pay for policing through Council Tax (the Police Precept). The short survey will only take 5 minutes to complete and will help inform Tony's decision. The survey can ...
[IMG: clegg on leveson 2] Nick Clegg fielded Prime Minister's Questions today, during which he noted that Labour's shadow health secretary Andy Burnham is "the only man in England who has ever privatised an NHS hospital". Mr Burham complained that Nick had misled the House of Commons over the issue of Hichingbrooke Hospital, accusing him of "sheer inaccuracy". The Lib Dem leader lost no time in responding: Dear Andy, I see that you raised a Point of Order in the House of Commons and that you accused me of "sheer inaccuracy". I am always happy to confirm the accuracy of ...
Every year we have a little devolved highway renewals money to allocate on East Dulwich ward. This year we've decided to allocated our 2015/16 £38.095 on: 1. £24,843 on renewing the pavement along Lordship Lane eastern side going northwards from North Cross Road. 2. £13,252 remaining on repairing the pavement on Landells Road not repaied this financial year. The total cost would be £37,257 Goodrich Road to lordship lane along landells Road but we have to start somewhere. Sadly we don't have sufficient money £88,636 in our devolved pot to resurface Rodwell Road footways. Sorry.
[IMG: Iain Duncan Smith] When Andrew Lansley's health reforms ran into trouble – and his inability to take with him the public or those working in the NHS proved toxic – David Cameron reshuffled him out of harm's way. Jeremy Hunt was brought in to make nice to the health sector and patients. When Michael Gove's education reforms started to run before they could walk – and his inability to take with him the public or the teachers proved toxic, especially in marginal constituencies – David Cameron reshuffled him out of harm's way. Nicky Morgan was brought in to make ...
More accurately, my colleagues at LibDemVoice made the front cover to say "So, farewell then" to me (not that I've gone quite yet)... Thank you, one and all: Caron, Ryan, Alex, Helen, Sara, Paul, Mary, Nick and Alan. [IMG: image]
[IMG: Lib Dem website screenshot] Want to read the latest news stories and blog posts from the Liberal Democrat federal website but want the stories to come to you rather than have to remember to go and check the website regularly for new content? Then my free email service is just what you need. Just sign up for this daily email of Liberal Democrat news here (tick the second box under "What would you like to receive?"). There will be no more than one email a day - and no email if there hasn't been a new story added in ...
Note from district council A meeting was held with St Peter's Ward Councillors , David Bogle and myself. It was agreed to send out the following agreed headlines to the Residents' Association, St Claire's Action Group and those residents who have contacted us with questions or comments. A meeting will be held next week between [...]
The best of ALDC content from the last week, including: Royal Mail Freepost Changes Election Law Helpline Launch How access old ALDC booklets and publications 'Strategy FAQs Facebook Group update ALDC Blog Royal Mail Freepost Reply Changes The Royal Mail has changed its freepost reply service. It's important that you are aware of these changes [...]
#468322185 / gettyimages.com A recent survey by YouGov, for Business for New Europe, indicates that teenagers have markedly more positive views towards Europe and the free movement of labour than adults. This should encourage those who appreciate the economic advantages of an outward-facing UK. It could also fuel calls for 16 and 17 year-olds to be included in any forthcoming referendum on the EU. The poll, based on the views of young people aged between 14 and 17 years old, showed: If there was a referendum, approximately twice as many of those aged 14 to 17 would vote to stay ...
The 'Red Scare' of the Nineteen Fifties is one of the most resonant parts of American history. From the Crucible to Good Night and Good Luck it's something that's recurs in its culture. The hunt for largely imagined communists is strongly associated with one institution and one man. The House Un-American Affairs Committee (HUAC) was notorious for dragging [...]
LDHQ are running a bulk buy for the A5 switch leaflet, which is in campaign plans as a mailed item. They are working with Printech to produce the leaflet and OnePost will be organising the postage. We will liaise with both to ensure this runs smoothly. The time frame for this deal is: Google [...]
As a follow on to our earlier post, this was the video played last night at Cardiff City hall just before Kirsty Williams received her award as Welsh Assembly Member of the year. It's worth watching. Kirsty can certainly "kick arse". * Paul Walter is a Liberal Democrat activist in Newbury and West Berkshire. He is Wednesday Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Liberal Burblings.
It is five years since Carwyn Jones became First Minister and so attention has turned to how his government has performed. It is not a pretty picture, at least according to the Western Mail: * The key measure of prosperity, GVA, was 74.3% of the UK average per head in 2009, but by 2012 had fallen to 72.3%. Labour abandoned a 2010 target to raise it to 90%. * In 2009, the latest figures showed Welsh GDP stood at 89% of the EU average (2006), but the most recent figures (2011) show this has fallen to 74%. * NHS bed ...
Wednesday: When members of Maggie Thatcher's Cabinet are telling you "whoa, that's a bit right wing", you might just want to rethink your plans for Judicial Review. Of course, since Mr Christopher Greything usually responds to people who disagree with him by trying to abolish them, we might finally see some Lords Reform. But the Coalition, particularly its Lib Dem ministers, are supposed to be a listening government. Let our Liberal Democrat Parliamentarians take this opportunity to say they have listened to the concerns of their Lordships and of our own membership and thought again and drop this dangerous bill. ...
#456836482 / gettyimages.com This slim volume is deceptively quick to read. The words flow easily past, and there are not that many of them, yet the invective in them is so dense than an enforced slower pace finds much to savour as Peter York lays into the modern love of presenting brands, products and people as 'authentic'. Especially as 'authentic' often means 'carefully presented to look authentic' with phrases such as 'hand made' thrown around in order to give the impression of roots in genuine craftsmanship rather than mass produced production lines. [IMG: Authenticity is a Con] The prevailing assumption ...
[IMG: clegg on leveson 2] I stopped doing PMQ write-ups some time ago. They were getting so repetitive and mind-numbingly pointless that I was losing the will to live. Today's exchange between Nick Clegg and Harriet Harman was typical of the genre. Harriet Harman made some very good prepared points, and Nick Clegg blasted away on Labour's record and mentioned some good bits from this government's record. There was a lot huing and crying and then everyone went to lunch. Here is how Andrew Sparrow recorded the exchange on the Guardian Politics Live blog: Nick Clegg says he spent one ...
At the last general election in 2010, over a third of voters did not vote Conservative or Labour - two-thirds of whom voted Liberal Democrat. Since that time, we have seen a decline in the Liberal Democrat vote, along with a rise in other parties - UKIP are propelling forwards constantly in the 15-20% mark, the Greens are making good progress overtaking the Lib Dems in some polls, and the SNP, despite a failed referendum campaign, are going from strength to strength in Scotland. Meanwhile, Plaid Cymru are still campaigning hard, and of course there are the parties from Northern ...
On the 100th anniversary of the Christmas Day Truce, during World War One, which inspired The Farm's 1990 hit All Together Now, many of the UK's biggest music stars have united as The Peace Collective, to re-record the song. The new track features a backing choir of schoolboy footballers from the Premier League and German Bundesliga. All profits from the release, out December 15th, will go to the Shorncliffe Trust and the British Red Cross. Peter Hooton, lead singer of The Farm, says: "I wrote All Together Now about the extraordinary events on Christmas Day 1914 when British and German ...
This morning I received the e-mail below. Straight away I knew it was a virus of some sort but some googling has shown that by opening the file attached to the e-mail, it will attempt to download a binary trojan horse on to your computer. So if you get the following e-mail please delete straight away and do not open the attached file. Dear , We are making a payment to you. Please find attached a copy of our remittance advice, which will reach your bank account on 11/12/2014. If you have any questions regarding the remittance please contact us ...
Yesterday was another lively day at the South Planning Committee. Planning committees are always controversial these days. That's because most decisions are taken by officers and the three planning committees (North, Central and South) only get to see the most complex and controversial applications. I wasn't the least bit surprised that we unanimously voted against [...]
#495538749 / gettyimages.com It was rather warm for February 17th. I was lost looking around the many exits of St James' Park tube station. I was after Dr. Ken Ritchie, the former CEO of the Electoral Reform Society. Graham Smith, the CEO of Republic had given him my details originally to help The Reform Foundation (which he chairs) get a website. This escalated quickly when a few weeks later I found myself voted in as a trustee during a meeting of the other trustees. The Reform Foundation has a board to be envious of, formed out of Republic, as an ...
I wrote to my MLA Gordon Dunne after his question in the Assembly this week. It is somewhat of a shock that I actually heard back so promptly, this is an MLA who has failed to answer me on a whole number of previous correspondence. I do not think I am breaching any confidence by publishing his full response: "Your comments are noted!" Yes there is an explanation mark at the end of his short reply so I am taking that to be a terse reply. For the record here is the email I wrote to him. Dear Gordon, I ...
#98893543 / gettyimages.com Here's what I told the Political and Constitutional Reform inquiry as part of the consultation following their report on voter engagement: Although your report has covered many issues, it failed to give full consideration to one way of raising turnout in our elections. I'll be frank – it's boring, it's technical, it doesn't attract attention and not much evidence has been gathered. But unlike online voting, the evidence so far is that it does raise turnout and the combination of its boring nature and the paucity of research is exactly why a detailed Parliamentary inquiry should give ...
[IMG: 10406388_10152903059143270_6365731483789225316_n] Two million apprenticeships have been created in the UK since 2010 with 8,810 people in Calderdale getting a vital start in life. Apprenticeships offered by companies such as Marshalls, Crosslee PLC, and Royal and Sun Alliance performed a crucial role in the local economy. Apprenticeships are a vital part of building a stronger economy and a fairer society. Unemployment has fallen to a lower level than when Labour left office in 2010 and this massive increase in apprenticeships is helping to give more young people the opportunities they need to make a start and get on in life. ...
[IMG: rally kirsty williams 1] Many congratulations to Kirsty Williams, who has been named AM of the Year as part of the Welsh Political awards. The award, given to Kirsty last night at Cardiff City Hall, was "for exercising her political skills to enable the First Minister to achieve his budget, but also allow the Lib Dems to claim significant policy gains in the areas of health and education." Kirsty has had a great year with a great appearance on Question Time, her minimum nurse staffing levels bill, the first debate on transgender issues, the campaign for Severn Bridge tolls ...
Most of our local charity shops collect used stamps - foreign, UK commemorative or just plain "ordinary" stamps - and sell them on to dealers. Please keep all those stamps you get at Xmas or indeed any time of year and take them in. Alternatively you can drop them off to Paul Hulbert at 35 Blaisdon (he's collecting them for Cancer Research) or leave them at Dodington Parish Council for him to collect.
[IMG: Alex Salmond] It's been the worst kept secret in British politics for some time now, but at last it's gone above ground: Alex Salmond will run for a Westminster seat in the 2015 general election and has picked his constituency. It's....Gordon. Oh. It's a very strange seat for Salmond to have picked for several reasons. One, the north-east of Scotland is not exactly a hotbed of secession, "45" spirit nationalism. In fact, Gordon is a part of the country that voted No by the largest margin in all of Scotland on September 18th. Two, it is a seat currently ...
In a welcome move, at least for those of us who had serious concerns about how Judge Masipa dealt with dolus eventualis in the Oscar Pistorius judgment (see my previous blog post on the matter here), Judge Masipa has permitted the State's appeal, which will now be heard in front of the South African Supreme Court. To recap, in a nutshell, without making it clear in her judgment why and on what grounds, Masipa J. had to have accepted that Oscar Pistorius did not foresee that firing four bullets through a closed toilet door risked causing the death of the ...
#457881256 / gettyimages.com The Guardian reports: A rebellion in the House of Lords has inflicted a second defeat on the government's plans to restrict access to judicial review challenges. The vote by 274 to 205 means that for a second time peers have rejected keys proposals in the criminal justice and courts bill. It will restore to judges their discretion in handling such cases. The 274 "contents" included these Liberal Democrat peers: Alliance, Bradshaw, Carlile, Cotter, Doocey, Goodhart, Greaves, Hussein-Ece, Lester, Ludford, Macdonald of River Glaven, Maclennan, Marks, Phillips of Sudbury, Rennard, Rodgers, Scriven, Sharkey, Smith of Clifton, Storey, Strasburger, ...
Motorists are demonised; white men are more oppressed than anyone; Black is White; Love is Hate; etc. ... and the ministry of truth has acolytes in all political parties, sadly. (tags: ) Purple Rain blog: UKIP Shenanigans:Letters Written (tags: ) CIA's brutal and ineffective use of torture revealed in landmark report - Jesus this is TERRIFYING (tags: ) Porn protest to shock with mass 'face-sitting' and fake sex (tags: ) MPs boo IPSA expenses chief's reappointment - in case anyone was in any doubt about their maturity (tags: ) What did Tony Blair and Jack Straw know of CIA torture? ...
[IMG: Attitudes towards interracial marriage in the UK] From the excellent Sex, Lies and the Ballot Box: 50 things you need to know about British elections.
A Community Payback initiative involving the collection, cleaning and distribution of donated children's clothes is helping families in Dundee. The scheme involves asking members of the public to donate good quality children's clothes which are not being used or which their own children have grown out of. Clothes handed into the Criminal Justice Social Work office at Friarfield House, Barrack Street are washed, packaged and distributed to families who need particular types of clothes for young children. Social workers identify children who need this additional support and offenders sentenced to undertake work as part of a Community Payback Order wash ...
[IMG: This is Bob McCann of Formby making representations to the Committee from Formby Green Belt campaigners.] This is Bob McCann of Formby making representations to the Committee from Formby Green Belt campaigners. Last night saw Sefton Council's Overview & Scrutiny Committee take a reasonably detailed look at the latest draft of the Local Plan for Sefton. At this point I should say that I had half expected the majority Labour members of the Committee to want to close the meeting down without much scrutiny taking place and I was not the only one expecting that. Our fears were based ...
To say that Ed Miliband does not have a particularly compelling personality is a statement of the obvious. His non-political hinterland is small and mostly pedestrian. The only remotely interesting thing about him is the brutal ambition that led him to betray his brother David- until then widely seen as the more gifted of the two- and drive him out of politics. Nevertheless his clumsy geekiness could be sold as some kind of a positive- you may not have picked him for your playground football team, but maybe, at least, he has some kind of intelligence. Not any more. His ...
The Welsh Government's legislation on animal welfare does not go far enough to tackle many of the issues surrounding dog breeding in Wales. The Animal Welfare (Breeding of Dogs) aims to stop 'puppy farms', where dogs may be kept in cramped conditions with little concern for their needs. However, campaigners have continuously voiced their concerns that the proposed maximum ratio of one member of staff to every 20 dogs is still too high. This bill is yet another example of a Government bill that doesn't meet its aims. I have spoken on a number of occasions about the scourge of ...
The last few days I've had a pretty constant stress headache (hence the lack of post yesterday), but when I'm feeling stressed, there's always the Beach Boys, and thankfully the new copyright extension releases came out a few days ago, and I've been listening to them pretty much constantly. These copyright extension releases, as the [...]
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