Lord Bonkers concludes his survey of Liberal Democrat prospects at the next general election. Orkney and Shetland If the Liberal Democrats were to win only one seat at the next election, this would be it. There is, of course, not the remotest prospect of that happening, but it might be worth sticking half a crown on Alistair Carmichael as our next leader just in case. Lord Bonkers was Liberal MP for Rutland South-West, 1906-10. Earlier this week in Lord Bonkers' Diary "Top Secret: Burn Before Reading"The mint cake workers of KendalThere can be no doubt that he was Terribly SorryThe ...

Posted by Jonathan Calder on Liberal England

Last summer there was an investigation into an allegation that Jimmy Savile had abused a child at Roecliffe Manor, a convalescent home at Woodhouse Eaves in Leicestershire. That investigation could not substantiate the allegation, but suggested that sexual abuse probably had taken place there. Now comes news that a police investigation into the home, which closed in 1969, has been launched. There is a danger, I suppose, that Savile will become a sort of folk devil, supposed to have turned up at homes and hospitals all over the country and abused people. As today's news suggests, there was plenty of ...

Posted by Jonathan Calder on Liberal England

A couple of days ago everyone hated the Telegraph. Now its sting operation on Jack Straw and Malcolm Rifkind, at least, is being celebrated. And rightly so. Not so much because it shows these two in their true colours as because it reveals how British politics works. Just as Chris Morris and Brass Eye revealed how celebrities and backbenchers endorse causes they know nothing about, so the Telegraph shows what often lies behind windy talk of "public service". Greedy men looking to fill their boots, But when we have finished being outraged or laughing at these two boobies, there is ...

Posted by Jonathan Calder on Liberal England

Local Lib Dems have welcomed the news that scrap metal thefts have fallen by a third in the past year - combatting unscrupulous thieves targeting churches, desecrating war memorials and causing disruption by stealing electric cables and metal from railway lines. Latest figures show there were 40,680 metal thefts in England and Wales in 2013/14 - down from 59,788 in the previous 12 months. The decline in metal thefts - which cost the economy around £770 million a year - follows the new Scrap Metal Dealers Act which came into force in October 2013 alongside a range of other measures ...

Posted by LD Neath on Aberavon & Neath Liberal Democrats

Last June, I proposed that Dundee City Council consult residents and communities across Dundee on the subject of having more 20mph zones in residential areas where there is support from residents. On that occasion, my proposal was defeated by a single vote. I took the matter back to the City Council's City Development Committee tonight, following the publication in January of guidance by Transport Scotland which is supportive of 20mph zones. My motion read as follows : "Committee notes Report 43-2015 by the Director of City Development on 20mph speed limits. Committee also notes that : • 20mph zones and ...

Cheadle Mosque has raised £1,000 to support sick children on Stepping Hill Hospital's children's wards. [IMG: Cheadle mosque fundraiser CROPPED] Worshippers at Cheadle Mosque served up culinary delights to help raise the money. Arshad Sheikh, the Mosque's office manager, said, "Health is a blessing and when people land up in hospital it can be a tough time for both them and their families. This is why we wanted to support Stepping Hill, our local hospital, as they do such a great job in looking after people." The money was raised at a special fundraising event in the community with food ...

At almost the last minute, Shropshire Council has decided to allow a public debate on the future of the Ludlow Museum Resource Centre at Thursday's meeting of Shropshire Council. I had already put a question forward to the council meeting. You can read that and the response from the lead councillor below. The rules allow [...]

Posted by andybodders on Andy Boddington

The Garden Street Island, a block of shops and a cottage on Belgrave Gate in the centre of Leicester. It was due to be pulled down for redevelopment, but after a campaign the city council has served a issue an Article 4 Direction. This means that the historic status of the buildings has been acknowledged and planning permission will have to be sought for any alterations. The Evington Echo explains the Garden Street Island's importance: This group of shops, cottages and outhouses were built c1815-30 and are typical of Leicester in the early C19th century. Although they are not architectural ...

Posted by Jonathan Calder on Liberal England

At Mark Hunter's public meeting about the Kingsway/Gatley Road junction the three agencies Mark got along (Highways Agency, TfGM and Stockport Council) gave a joint presentation just giving the background, before we opened it up for people to offer their own thoughts and ideas. This is that presentation. Apologies that in the conversion to be viewed online some of the graphics have gone slightly wrong, but I think it's all fairly explanatory. It sets out three main things What's already happened to the junction to improve traffic flow (which has meant that, even though the amount of traffic coming through ...

Silly me. After today's sequence of comments from Conservative MPs I realise it's all down to a simple typo. The memo they got saying, "Remember not to sound like you're horribly out of touch, very rich and have 16th century views on the role of women" had the word "not" missing. Now I understand. P.S. On which subject: Think politicians obsessed by polls, focus groups + spinning? Think again. Exhibit A: Malcolm Rifkind's talk of being "entitled" to money — Mark Pack (@markpack) February 23, 2015

Posted by Mark Pack on Mark Pack
YouGov

In a far from impressive performance at the last Full Council held in Bootle Town Hall the council leader rounded on concerned-and very well informed- residents and accused them of peddling myths. It was not his finest hour. The local plan has been controversial throughout Sefton and very late changes have justly upset folks. Here in Southport and plot of land designated for industry all of a sudden became a large housing estate. In Birkdale our chief concern has been with neighbouring West Lancs proposal to build significant numbers of houses hard on the boundary -well away from centres of ...

Posted on birkdale focus

No big surprise watching last nights "Ukippers", the BBC's documentary exposing Thanet South UKIP. The documentary makers got what I assume they came for, a particularly outrageous example of irrational racism, from Cllr Rozanne Duncan. I get the impression that UKIP bods have been on their best behaviour, while being filmed, still if you point a camera long enough you'll get what you're after. I imagine some many many hours eventually they hit journalistic pay dirt as Rozanne came out with, what is to most of us I guess complete bollix. Anyway it shows how politics is, run by ordinary ...

Posted by tony flaig on BIGNEWS MARGATE

[IMG: "A letterbox without a leaflet in it is a wasted opportunity"] "A letterbox without a leaflet in it is a wasted opportunity" One thing I've said repeatedly in recent years is that no one gets involved in politics because they really, really enjoy delivering leaflets. I thought that was a really obvious thing to say, but now I've had a comment that makes me question that. Apparently, I shouldn't waste time writing posts on my blog about things that interest me and instead 'just get out and deliver some leaflets'. (There's also an appeal to 'Mark' to limit the ...

Posted by Nick on What You Can Get Away With

News North Wales reports: The UK Independence Party - UKIP - has this week come under fire after it took the hustings for its general election candidate away from Brecon and Radnorshire members and suspended them claiming they had "brought the party into disrepute". Hitting back at being suspended, members of the former UKIP committee threatened to set up their own general election party named Real UKIP... Paul Burgess, who claims to be a member of the suspended B&R UKIP, said that members of UKIP took the vote away from the local committee after an argument which they wanted to ...

Posted by Mark Pack on Mark Pack

At my United Reformed Church on Sunday the preacher was a young woman from South Africa. The two readers were from the U.S. and from Scotland. The English woman who led the prayers is married to a man of Pakistani origin. Two Australians served coffee, a German lady sat in front of me and a Swiss man across the aisle. We are a global society, not just a global economy. We are the world. Yes, the Lib Dems are pro-Europe and internationalist, and we should fly these colours high as these policies represent how our country actually is. I am ...

Posted by Kirsten Johnson on Liberal Democrat Voice
Mon 23rd
17:00

ALDC Fighting Fund

At last year's Local Government Conference we launched the ALDC Fighting Fund. The fund was started to help people get going with campaigning at a local level, and we are now accepting bids for grants. ALDC is determined to reverse the trend over the last few years where we have more 'black holes', are standing in fewer council seats and are contesting fewer local authority by-elections. We know from decades of experience that even a small group of Lib Dem activists can kickstart the success needed to one day win council seats and MPs. We need more of this local ...

Posted by Anders Hanson on Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors

Dear readers may I crave . Up till now I've not written about Boyhood for the simple reason that I only got round to watching it last night. Now I have, I'm thinking not only that Birdman was a more worthy winner but that its nomination should have gone to another film. Now obviously saying, as [...]

Posted by Mark Mills on Matter Of Facts

The UK suicide rate rose again in 2013, a worrying statistic that we should pay close attention to. True, the rate is still lower than at any time between 1981 and 2001 but, even so, the rise since 2007 should be of great concern. But the overall figure masks some important variations. If we want to tackle the problem, we need to know where to focus our efforts and it turns out that suicides are not increasing for all groups. Here is the good news: the suicide rate for women has fallen and is now the second lowest on record. ...

Posted by Iain Roberts on Liberal Democrat Voice

[IMG: Bruntwood Hall] The Council has received a planning application to convert Bruntwood Hall and Bruntwood Park into a 22 room boutique hotel. Change of use and refurbishment of Bruntwood Hall from office to a 22 room luxury hotel, with associated bars and restaurant areas with external terrace and spa at ground floor. An additional courtyard extension to create additional circulation space is also proposed. You can take a look at the plans here, and – if you want – submit your comments to the council.

The Conservative MEP for Wales has got herself in a bit of hot water today with her suggestion that bankers should be "innovative" so as to flout rules that would cap their bumper bonuses. The Western Mail reports that the party's MEP Kay Swinburne was caught on tape alongside a Tory MP talking to an audience in the City outlining how the Conservatives had opposed new European rules limiting how much bankers can make on top of their salaries. She told her audience there was no public appetite to revoke the cap and suggested they "get around it" instead. She ...

Posted by Peter Black on Peter Black
eUKhost

I'm on a train on the way to the second meeting of the new Federal Executive and I realise I hadn't told you about the first one which took place five weeks ago. On that occasion, we were in the ... Continue reading →

Posted by caronlindsay on Caron's Musings

Alice Bell: Willie Soon has been criticised for taking money from the energy industry, but he's more normal than much of science would like to admit. An investigation by Greenpeace and the Climate Investigations Centre reported in the Guardian and New York Times this weekend showed that the work of Willie Soon — an apparently 'scientific' voice for climate scepticism — had accepted more than $1.2 million from the fossil-fuel industry over the 14 years. As Suzanne Goldenberg's report stresses, although those seeking to delay action to curb carbon emissions were keen to cite and fund Soon's Harvard-Smithsonian credentials, he ...

Posted by Alice Bell on Political science | The Guardian

I am a keen student of history, and have no shortage of fascination with the British Monarchy, its colourful progress, and its chequered evolution. And I do believe it has evolved, as often with grace as with indignity. In that sense, I have a certain level of 'respect' for the Monarchy, and certainly for some of the figures who constitute it at present. Yet, as far back as I can remember, I have though it should be abolished. Why? Rather than lay out all the old arguments, I will focus solely on one argument for Abolition. I will do this, ...

Posted by David Faggiani on Liberal Democrat Voice

I was reminded by someone the other day that to be involved in politics, to whatever degree, you need a thick skin. You put yourself out there and people will take shots at you and think that pretty much everything is fair game. The line seems not only be be blurred but indeed it doesn't exist at all. Indeed I've seen people go trawling through others social media accounts from months and years previously to when they were adopted as candidates to try and find something to trip them up. Some will call this good thorough journalism, I call it ...

Posted by neilmonnery on The Rambles of Neil Monnery

Just a quick reminder for tomorrows event at Shire Hall for local businesses. -- Cambridgeshire County Council is inviting people to talk to them about business opportunities at the counties park & Ride sites. Businesses are being invited to look for opportunities to use Cambridgeshire County Council's seven Park and Ride sites which are visited by 3.3 million customers annually. Cambridgeshire County Council is keen to develop proposals that enhance the facilities, support business and broaden the range of commercial activities at the Park and Ride sites. The Council is holding a Supplier Open half-day on 24 February 2015 between ...

Posted by Andy Pellew on Focus on Bar Hill

The party has had an accumulated deficit for years*, but now this (taken from the latest reports to conference): [IMG: Lib Dems move into surplus] * In fact, I couldn't find a year when it hasn't, though I've not got a complete set of figures to hand. If anyone knows better, do let me know.

Posted by Mark Pack on Mark Pack

So, wherever you look today, you see Jack Straw and Sir Malcolm Rifkind, both secretly filmed saying things that most voters will find difficult to comprehend. That includes those of us who are active in politics. By far the most bizarre thing was Sir Malcolm Rifkind's assertion that he didn't get a salary. What on earth does he think the £3000 on his bank statement every month with House of Commons next to it is? It is perfectly possible that when the investigations to which Straw and Rifkind have submitted themselves are complete, they will find that no rules were ...

Posted by Caron Lindsay on Liberal Democrat Voice

Millennium House I am concerned that we are not being told the full story about the Millenniumn House Sale. This is my letter to Ged Fitzgerald. I will, of course, let everyone know when I receive a reply. Richard Cllr ... Continue reading →

Posted by richardkemp on But what does Richard Kemp think?

The Liberal Democrat Local Government Conference will be held on 19-20 June 2015 in Manchester. Organised jointly by ALDC and the LGA Lib Dems, this will be one of the first major party events taking place just after next year's Local and General Elections, so make sure it's in your diary now.

Posted by Anders Hanson on Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors

Check out this infographic showing Public Health's plan for top-down food planning here in the UK which appeared in The Lancet last week. Truly chilling.... [IMG: H/T to Christopher Snowdon for spotting this. As he says "This is Government with a very big G. It is state control of what can be made, what it looks like, how it is sold, where it is sold and what it is sold for. The only thing the government doesn't do is make and sell the food itself (except in schools). It is no wonder that the 'public health' model of top-down ...

Posted by Editor on Liberal Vision

Having spent the last few days canvassing (what else would a Politics teacher do during half-term?) I have been playing the usual 'what does it all mean?' game, trying to make sense of the Green-Liberals, red UKIPs, soft Tories and probable Mebyon Kernows. Even making sense of those categories though requires being able to spot them, and there are days when I long for the simplicity of a 'damned if I know' option on Connect. I do understand why there is no 'don't know' 'undecided' or 'genuine floater' category. Firstly it would be far too tempting for canvassers to label ...

Posted by Adam Killeya on Liberal Democrat Voice

Local Lib Dems have welcomed the news that scrap metal thefts have fallen by a third in the past year – combatting unscrupulous thieves targeting churches, desecrating war memorials and causing disruption by stealing electric cables and metal from railway lines. Latest figures show there were 40,680 metal thefts in England and Wales in 2013/14 - down from 59,788 in the previous 12 months. The decline in metal thefts - which cost the economy around £770 million a year – follows the new Scrap Metal Dealers Act which came into force in October 2013 alongside a range of other measures ...

Posted by Craig Whittall on Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors

Dear loyal reader, It's good you to have kept the secret of that positive poll finding about likely turnout this May. It's also good of you not to have spread the word about how politics wasn't actually so good and healthy back in the days when turnout was higher and party membership bigger. So I think I can trust you with a third secret. Just keep it between ourselves, because remember the rule here in Britain is that you're only allowed to repeat negative stories about the state of our electoral system (even ones where the numbers are selective, misleading ...

Posted by Mark Pack on Mark Pack

In a series of essays that CentreForum will be releasing over the next few months in anticipation of the book, The Challenges Facing Contemporary Liberalism: 2015 -2025, published today is the paper "Bold liberal tax reforms for a stronger economy and fairer society" by Adam Corlett, which can be read here. It is the third in the series; the first, On Blasphemy by Maajid Nawaz, can be read here, and the second, an essay by Tim Farron, Neil Stockley and Duncan Brack on green growth and climate change, can be read here. Adam's paper examines the tax system and identifies ...

Posted by Nick Tyrone on Liberal Democrat Voice

You know times are weird when the Daily Mail is the lone voice of reason in the political media on something. "Blow for Farage as polls reveal Ukip is poised to lose ALL its key marginal battles against the Tories" reads their headline for a story revealing that in four of UKIP's targets, UKIP are not ahead in a single one as it stands. Contrast this with the way the story played out in the left media. "New Ashcroft poll shows UKIP could win three more seats," said the New Statesman. "Ashcroft poll puts Ukip 'within striking distance' in marginal ...

Posted by Nick on nicktyrone.com

It may or may not be a coincidence that the Daily Telegraph, fresh from the (perfectly plausible) allegations regarding its coverage of the HSBC scandal made by Peter Oborne, has chosen to splash with yet another expose of ex-ministers taking cash for access. Whilst such behaviour is undoubtedly, at best, morally wrong, I might say that ex-ministers and current MPs seem to be pretty soft targets for allegations of wrong-doing, when compared to multi-national banks. After all, several ex-MPs have (rightly) been jailed for rorting the expenses system; no bankers - in the UK at least - appear to have ...

Posted by James on Badly Drawn Llama

As a result of Sue Walker's campaign to get action on dementia here we've raised money to pay for someone to work part time to lead the change. The worker has been appointed, Tony Davis has been trained as a dementia champion, and more than £100,000 has been raised in grants for action across the area. Sue and Tony are now working on the big agenda of ideas YOU 've given us for making Yate more dementia friendly. If YOUR group would like a talk about dementia awareness, please contact Tony or Sue.

Posted by Paul Hulbert on Focus on Sodbury, Yate and Dodington

It is sad but true that economic innovation is usually born of desperation. This is at least partly because the elite clings to the economic consensus with fervent, increasingly theological conviction, and all the more so as the consensus gets ragged around the edges. So perhaps the best we can say about the impasse between Greece and the European finance ministers, grappling with the implications of the disastrous design of the euro, is that it might perhaps - well, perhaps - lead to important money innovation. Well, it is about time. Keynes used to call living in an economy without ...

Posted by David Boyle on The Real Blog

Student political protest is under threat, not free speech - letter in the observer with my name on it (tags: ) Why are so many people mad at Autism Speaks right now? (tags: ) The Hard Data on Being a Nice Boss Of course the worst boss of all is one who PRETENDS to be nice while actually being a passive-aggressive undermining arsehole. I've known LOADS of those. (tags: ) People stripped of benefits could be charged for challenging decision - sick sick idea (tags: ) West Ham fans release video showing black man being let on to train in ...

In a speech on Liberal Democrat justice policy Nick Clegg will say that a rising prison population is a sign of "failure not success." Nick will make the case that too many abused and vulnerable women, drug addicts and people with mental health problems are currently locked up behind bars. Nick will call for an evidence-based approach to do "what works" to cut crime, not just "to sound tough" or "play to the gallery." In his speech, Nick will cite a range of policies implemented by Liberal Democrats in Government to cut re-offending, halve the number of young offenders in ...

Posted by Andy Pellew on Focus on Bar Hill

There are some more secret elections happening. We feel it's our duty to disseminate the information as widely as possible. Here are the details of the positions available and how to get yourself nominated: All persons elected to these posts will hold office for the calendar years 2015 and 2016. For the election of: One Vice-Chairs of the IRC Three members of the SAO Review Group Two members of the FE Candidates' sub-group (meets with JSCC) One representatives on ALDE Congress Two representatives to the LI Congress The election regulations approved by the Federal Executive in May 2009 are attached ...

Posted by The Voice on Liberal Democrat Voice

The big item on the agenda is the manifesto debate, for which I'm submitting an amendment about the balance between tax and spend. For more on this – and why the party's policy needs refining – see my piece on the manifesto front pages (and if you're a conference rep who supports the idea, please drop me an email). Download this document The party's move to one-member one-vote continues to move forward (in a sensible direction now, hooray), with a consultation paper on the details at Liverpool:

Posted by Mark Pack on Mark Pack

There's no doubt that being in power means taking the blame for things sometimes rightly, sometimes wrongly but it can be tough at the top as Sefton Labour Party are finding out following their Local Plan proving to be highly unpopular. Of course they have brought this all on themselves by starting off the Local Plan process by telling folk they were going to save the Green Belt from development and then voting consistently to build on that same Sefton Green Belt. You would have thought they could have learned from a previous close scrape of a similar nature with ...

Posted by Cllr. Tony Robertson on Sefton Focus » Sefton Focus

I have previously advised residents about the changes to bin collections and recycling arrangements covering much of the West End, now being rolled out. The area covered in the current roll-out (Phase 1) covers quite a convoluted boundary but is roughly speaking the area west of Peddie Street to the Invergowrie boundary, including Logie, but currently not including Pentland and Tullideph. The council website has more details about the new arrangements. Delivery of detailed information to residents affected commences today (being delivered between now and 6th March) and the Director of Environment at the City Council has advised me of ...

The working age poor will pay the price under the Conservatives' plans to ring-fence pensioners benefits. The Conservatives plans include protecting all universal pensioner benefits such as the winter fuel allowance and free TV licences. Liberal Democrats believe in creating a fairer society. Our plans include removing the winter fuel payments and free TV licences from the wealthiest five per cent of pensioners. Commenting Liberal Democrat Pensions Minister Steve Webb said: "The working age poor will pay the price for the Conservative ring fence for the very wealthiest pensioners. "The Conservatives are proposing £12bn of welfare cuts which is the ...

Posted by Andy Pellew on Focus on Bar Hill

Van Dyke Parks' big break had broken. The album on which he had been collaborating with Brian Wilson, Smile, had fallen apart, and Heroes & Villains, the single that was originally to be the basis for the album, had been a comparative flop. Parks had little to show for many months' work, other than being [...]

Posted by Andrew Hickey on Sci-Ence! Justice Leak!
Mon 23rd
01:15

Individual Tax Avoidance

I've previously written about Tax Avoidance, but a few people have contacted me to say that they'd like to know more about my views on individual people avoiding tax, rather than companies doing so. I guess this comes largely from the Tory Lord Fink claiming Tax Avoidance is normal, and the revelations over Ed Miliband using a Deed of Variation to reduce his inheritance tax bill. The first thing to remember about personal tax avoidance is that there are a lot of cases where the Government – of any political party – actually encourages it. By reducing tax on a ...

Posted by alisdairmcgregor on Alisdair Calder McGregor

What The Hell Have The Lib Dems Done?Secured a judicial inquiry into Britain's role in torture and renditionAs we said we'd do in our 2010 manifesto on p.68: "We will hold a full judicial inquiry into allegations of Britishcomplicity in torture and state kidnapping as part of a process to restore Britain's reputation for decency and fairness"Big fat hairy deal. What else? Go BackUse J/K to move forward/backLet others know about this: Facebook Twitter Reddit

Posted by LD Neath on Aberavon & Neath Liberal Democrats