Why do Messrs Cameron and Milliband always talk about what they are going to do for "working people"? That leaves out children, pensioners, the severely disabled, full time parents, voluntary carers, and people trying to get a job. Life is tougher for them.
Lib Dems Believe Wordle 44 Freedom - Stronger Economy
We believe the political economy should empower all citizens with the capability to secure for themselves the freedom and means to live fulfilling lives free from poverty, ignorance and conformity - and that where it falls short, we should promote social justice and tackle barriers of inequality in wealth, voice and power. Prateek Buch (Twitter @prateekbuch) is Director of Evidence Matters and wrote this in response to one of my challenges to fellow Lib Dems, as part of a Social Liberal Forum article on Putting Social Liberal Values Into Action.
Lib Dems Believe Wordle 43 Freedom - Fairer Society
Sat 2nd
19:58
A blot on Ludlow's historic streetscape that must not be approved - plans for 81A Corve Street
Plans have been submitted for a new house on lower Corve Street (15/01251/FUL). I don't want to mince my words on this one. The proposal is a perfect horror that will cause significant harm to the conservation area and the setting of historic buildings. It must be rejected. The plan is for a three bedroom [...]
Prince William and Nick Clegg have chosen very similar attire today. Quite uncanny. How Prince William prepared for the birth of #RoyalBaby number two http://t.co/MYycmPXOET pic.twitter.com/t8abK6Z0MM — The Times of London (@thetimes) May 2, 2015 [IMG: Nick Clegg Sheffield] Congratulations to anyone who is welcoming a new baby into the world today. * Newshound in training. I'm sweet and full of mischief, just like my stories.
From the BBC: A Labour parliamentary candidate has been suspended after being convicted of fraud, the party has confirmed. Richard Garvie, 30, who is standing for Wellingborough and Rushden, was found guilty of buying about £900 worth of train tickets using a bank account he knew contained insufficient funds. He had denied the offence and told the BBC he "did not set out to defraud East Midlands Trains". His name will stay on ballot papers as it is too late for it to be removed. Garvie, from Corby, Northamptonshire, was convicted at Wellingborough Magistrates' Court on Thursday and will be ...
Watch the new fun (yet educational) video from CGP Grey:
The Liverpool Echo has the story – see link above – but it is far from being the whole story! [IMG: nhs-logo] Question – Which political party pursued the privatisation of GP services in the NHS when last in government? Answer – Labour. Question – Name a community which was subject to Labour's GP privatisation project? Answer – Maghull. It's as though Labour has zapped all their NHS privatisation policies from their own memories and then flipped over to condemn NHS privatisation! It is a fact that more of the NHS has been privatised under Labour. It is also ...
I do enjoy it when elections give British people the chance to passive-aggressively display their arguments to the rest of the world: More from our occasional series on the conflicted households of Holborn and St Pancras. #greenorlabourhere pic.twitter.com/rCpwCqrwPi — Sian Berry (@sianberry) May 2, 2015 Related Posts2015 General Election Day 4: Not-so-Magnificent Seven Battle for Number 10: Morning after thoughts Not Watching This Weekend: The Remake Two snippets of Tory silliness Should we directly elect the Prime Minister?
Perhaps it's because I have been wet more times in this election than at any time since the first General Election of 1974 (which was in February) but I feel that this has been a pretty soulless, joyless election. Not ... Continue reading →
Sat 2nd
15:45
Alex Salmond tries to claim SNP credit for policies introduced by the Lib Dems when he wasn't even a...
Alex Salmond must have been too busy with his book signings to actually check his facts. Literature going out in his name in the Gordon constituency makes some interesting, and easily disprovable claims. From the Scotsman: Free personal care and the Scotland-wide free bus travel pass scheme was brought in by the Labour/Liberal Democrat coalition which preceded the current SNP administration at Holyrood. But literature being distributed by Mr Salmond's campaign team in Gordon claims the SNP "led the way" on this policy. Even for Salmond that is a cheek, as our candidate Christine Jardine pointed out: Experience has taught ...
If you've been following my blog you'll know that I've been working my way through my father's photographs and digitising them. I'm currently working through some large format negatives dated 1951 & 1952 – some of the oldest in the collection. These pictures show Spondon Garage on Nottingham Road in 1952. Established in 1925, the ... Continue reading »
Sat 2nd
14:25
Labour's strange strategy: vote for us and you'll only get policies from the other parties
[IMG: But, but, but, I thought the point of voting Labour was to get lots of Labour policies?] But, but, but, I thought the point of voting Labour was to get lots of Labour policies? Labour's 'no deals' attitude towards a hung Parliament provides a bit of bullish zip for its leading figures answering questions in the media. But stop to think about what it really means for a moment. If Labour isn't going to do any deals with other parties in a hung Parliament, then for each and every sentence in each and every piece of legislation going through ...
The revamped Witches Hat play area was opened yesterday by Cllr Wully Perks, the Mayor of Yate. And here's a satisfied customer testing the slide! There will be a free onsite workshop event on Sunday 10th May from 10.00 am until 4.00 pm, with lots of different activities. There is a chance that the mini skate park may be open by then too, it all depends on that part arriving.
As in the rest of the country, our local Tories are never averse to screaming 'dirty Lib Dem negative campaigning' when anyone says something that's less-than-positive about them (and those sort of comments are frequent in Colchester when they propose silly ideas like this). Of course, what's sauce for the goose is never allowed to be sauce for the gander, and the Tories are always keen to point out that their own campaigns are as pure as the driven snow, never negative or personal. Which makes this hard to describe. [IMG: lockerclegg] (The original Tweet is here, that's a screengrab ...
Sat 2nd
13:36Fancy a chance of dinner with Hugh Grant? Just donate to Lib Dems before Monday evening
We thought they'd done well persuading John Cleese to have dinner with a lucky donor to the party. And it's a miracle that some of us have any cash left. However, now that payday has arrived, they've found another cunning plan to entice us to donate even more. Only dinner with Hugh flipping Grant. Hot on the heels of his tweet endorsing Danny Alexander the other, he's now offering to have dinner with the lucky winner drawn from those who donate to the party before Monday night. What would you ask him? One of my favourite scenes in film ever ...
In the 2010 General Election, the Liberal Democrats, for decades on the fringes of real Westminster power, became the kingmakers. The party could have put Labour back in Government, though that coalition would have lacked a majority in parliament, struggled for legitimacy from the public (both parties having lost seats) and would have faced a formidable bloc of Tories armed with the kind of discipline that 13 years in Opposition gives you. Can you imagine, in our parallel history, the 258 Labour and 57 Lib Dem MPs trying to pass legislation for a referendum on voting reform, facing a significant ...
An article on the Huffngton Post looks at Nick Clegg's communications skills. It's all about the eyebrows, apparently: Nick Clegg faces a virtual mission impossible in this general election campaign – but if anything can save him and his party from electoral oblivion, it's his eyebrows. That's right. His eyebrows. They're the key to understanding why, despite being a figure of derision, the deputy prime minister's communication skills remain some of the most polished out there. Clegg uses his eyebrows better than any of the other party leaders when he wants to use emphasis to make a point. Raising the ...
Sat 2nd
11:55Watch and laugh: Clarke and Dawe - Bryan's quick-thinking could save Australia $12b here.
More comedy genius from Australia's Clarke and Dawe:
Following the success of the Liberal Democrat fundraising drive where donors were entered in a prize draw to win dinner with John Cleese, now Hugh Grant has offered himself up too. Hugh Grant says: I am not a Lib Dem, a Tory a Labourite or anything in particular but I recognise political guts when I see it. And I know Nick Clegg was prepared to stand up to the Tories when they wanted to ignore or water down the Leveson Report. For that he gets a lot of abuse in the Tory press. But he was right to do it. ...
Jonny Smith, the principal character in Stephen King's 'The Dead Zone', awakes from a coma with the power to see into a person's future by touching them. It starts in hospital where he forsees a nurse's house is on fire with her child in it. His premonition is correct and the child is saved. He becomes a national celebrity and is able to help the police solve a serious crime in a rural backwater. However when he turns his attention to politicians, the fun really starts. The novel was written in the 1970's, the era of Nixon, Ford and Carter. ...
Sat 2nd
10:25Ukip suspend candidate / Labour apologise for abuse / 'Green' activists caught on camera
First up, the BBC reports that Ukip Parliamentary candidate Jack Sen has been suspended by the party: The UK Independence Party has suspended a parliamentary candidate over a slur sent to a Jewish Labour candidate from his Twitter account. Jack Sen, who is standing in West Lancashire, sent the tweet to Liverpool Wavertree candidate Luciana Berger... A spokesman said Mr Sen had been suspended with immediate effect "in light of these and other comments". BuzzFeed has more on those "other comments" by Jack Sen. Social media has also caused problems for Labour's Jo McCarron, the party's Kingswood candidate: A Labour ...
News reaches us of a nasty anti semitic smear from a local UKIP candidate standing in West Lancs .Jack Sen, who is standing in West Lancashire, sent the tweet to Liverpool Wavertree candidate Luciana Berger.The post reads: "Protect child benefits? If you had it your way you'd send the £ to Poland/ Israel." This is just another example of why we have to confront UKIP and the prejudices that fuel their support. Locally we have had more than our fair share of vile nonsense. Readers may remember Southport UKIP's chair outburst. Ferguson is still in post and he and his ...
A CRPSy Life.: Dear Mr Cameron, from someone who's life is no life at all. #BADD2015 (tags: ) Then again, maybe there IS hope It's not the despair that kills me. I can take the despair. I'm used to it. It's the HOPE... (tags: ) Boris Johnson could face High Court challenge by campaigners if he becomes MP (tags: ) Cyclists! Why do they ride in the middle of the road? (tags: ) ICYMI & updated: my views on that "endorsement" from the FT (tags: ) The lesser of two evils? - excellent article by a first time voter (tags: ...
Work on the Yate Riverside cinema and retail development is going on well. From some angles you may be able to see that the first steelwork frame is now up. Yate Shopping Centre says that they expect the "topping out" to happen in July, with the retail and restaurant units opening in December and the cinema by next Easter. For the statistically minded, the foundations involve about 2500 cubic metres of concrete - enough to fill an Olympic size swimming poole, though we wouldn't want to swim in it afterwards! - and 500 tonnes of steel.
Sat 2nd
09:51
The dilemma for socialists – Vote for a Party that promotes more, greater and deeper austerity...
I have often pondered on the dilemma that faces socialists in UK politics because they seem to find themselves in a cycle of hope and despair in equal measure. At each general election they try to convince themselves that voting Labour and trying to get others to vote Labour will lead to socialism in government. Of course it never does as there are few if any real socialists in the Labour leadership these days. Indeed, to hear recent appalling statements from some leading Labour figures about those who are unfortunate to need to live on benefits makes you wince. What ...
The Liberal Democrats have produced a series of 20 videos giving snippets of our manifesto in BSL. We are the first major party to do so. The full list is here. We'll also put them up on here in batches over the next wee while. If you want to see all our posts, just click on the bsl tag at the bottom of this post. In this post, you will find young people, immigration and housing Young people Immigration Housing * Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings
The Liberal Democrats have produced a series of 20 videos giving snippets of our manifesto in BSL. We are the first major party to do so. The full list is here.
[IMG: Lib Dem achievements in government - 7. Bank reform] For more, see the full infographic: What have the Liberal Democrats achieved in government? [IMG: Share on Facebook] [IMG: Share on Twitter] Show support for Lib Dems on social media The Liberal Democrats have achieved so much in the last five years. Now help the party achieve even more in the next five years: Sign up to this Thunderclap to share a message on the eve of poll about voting Liberal Democrat Sign up to this Facebook event to show that you're voting Liberal Democrat
The right of centre press have had a field day throughout this election campaign talking about how horrible a Labour-SNP formation ruling the country would be. Words and phrases like "chaos", "chain to Labour's wrecking ball", "clear and present danger", have all been thrown around with aplomb by the prime minister as well. But what would a Labour minority propped up the SNP really be like, objectively? First of all, Miliband has ruled out any sort of actual deal with the SNP, not even confidence and supply, on the assumption that the Nats would not vote down a Labour Queen's ...
I recently received a concern from a resident about a trip hazard on the pavement of Cross Lane, near to the South Tay Street junction - see below:I urgently took the matter up with the City Council's Roads Maintenance Partnership who promptly advised : "The location was inspected and repairs to lift and replace the broken slabs carried out."
With Monday 4th May being a Bank Holiday, all bin collections in Blyth are put back a day. This week is a blue bin ( ie dry recycling ) week
Two new planning applications have been received in Holyrood Ward as below: Application Number: 58657 Registration Date: 22/04/2015 Location: 235 Heywood Old Road, Middleton, Manchester, M24 4QR Proposal: Demolition of existing garage and erection of single storey side extension Application Number: 58637 Registration Date: 21/04/2015 Location: 215 Heywood Old Road, Middleton, Manchester, M24 4QR Proposal: Single and two storey extensions to front, side and rear Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you require further information or help with these. The details will be on the Council's website here. Tim
A new planning application has been received in Holyrood Ward as below: Application Number: 58618 Registration Date: 20/04/2015 Location: 315 Bury Old Road, Prestwich, Manchester, M25 1JA Proposal: Notification of flexible change of use of ground floor from public house (Class A4) to office use (Class B1a) for a period of up to two years with effect from 1st July 2015 Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you require further information or help with this. The details will be on the Council's website here. Tim
Congratulations to George Murray, whose Marauding Fullbacks (2,064 points) continue to top the LibDemVoice Fantasy Football League after Week 34, almost 100 points ahead of Jon Featonby's What bitey racist (1,966)? They think it's all over... But let's also hear it for three players outside the top 10: Robbie Cowbury's Resplendent Quetzals had the best week's performance, with 88 points. Honourable mentions go to Louis Urruty's Louis' XI and Henry Compson's Status:Relegated, both with 86 points. [IMG: LDV FANTASY FOOTBALL 34] There are 163 players in total and you can still join the league by clicking here.
Ed Miliband is desperate to put some distance between his party and the SNP but has been undermined by his own shadow cabinet, some of whom have made it clear that this is unrealistic if they are to form a government. Now the Telegraph has published internal SNP documents setting out how they will broker a deal with Labour and where they share common ground. This is all very sensible of course and I am sure the Liberal Democrats have done the same. Indeed we have already set out red lines for coalition talks. This is the reality we may ...
Many of us living and/or campaigning in Lib Dem-Conservative marginals will no doubt have seen the propaganda from CCHQ intended to win over wavering Lib Dem/Conservative voters. But the total number of seats the Conservatives need to win for an ... Continue reading →
Congratulations to George Murray, whose Marauding Fullbacks (2,064 points) continue to top the LibDemVoice Fantasy Football League after Week 34, almost 100 points ahead of Jon Featonby's What bitey racist (1,966)? They think it's all over... But let's also hear it for three players outside the top 10: Robbie Cowbury's Resplendent Quetzals had the best week's performance, with 88 points. Honourable mentions go to Louis Urruty's Louis' XI and Henry Compson's Status:Relegated, both with 86 points. [IMG: LDV FANTASY FOOTBALL 34] There are 163 players in total and you can still join the league by clicking here. * Stephen was ...
[IMG: 1430418162] More good news this week for Lib Dem Zuffar Haq's election campaign in Harborough, Oadby and Wigston. The Liberal Democrats are already ahead in winning local elections since 2010, with 33 councillors to the Tories' 17. They have been further boosted by the news that on 7th May, the Lib Dems will have more local election candidates than any other party in the constituency. Zuffar's campaign now has the backing of both The Telegraph and The Financial Times no less. The Telegraph's tactical voter guide says voters who want David Cameron "to lose the election" should back the ...
When out campaigning I bumped into a French lady, Nathalie, who lives in Bridgehill and has done for 17 years. Unfortunately she doesn't have a vote in the General Election because she's a French National, but, not one to miss a trick, she asked for my vote for her business idea in Richard Branson's "Pitch to Rich" competiton which you can access here. Natalie was a teacher in schools for 19 years but chose to become self-employed as she had had enough of targets and training children to go through exam hoops. She loves working with children and her business ...
