While I am happy to host debate in the comments to my blog, I do have a comments policy and I would be obliged if you'd all stick to it. None of it is particularly onerous, and certainly not as onerous as dealing with an anon commenter who persistently refuses to adhere to said comments policy, and who is verging on nastiness towards one of my regulars. I will no longer be approving any anon comments with no handle attached. And even with a handle, don't be an arse. Thank you. [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments
Liverpool is an odd city, in many ways. It's a post-industrial Northern city where people live and go about their lives, with Disneyland — or rather, Beatleland — plonked right down in the middle of it. A huge chunk of the city exists in a weird secondary reality, selling "the Beatles experience" to tourists from [...]
As a result of the assault by a Magpie on my laptop I have now obtained an updated laptop and am in the process of setting up everything to work on the new machine. I had avoided leaving the XP operating system because I had a large email archive. I also don't want to use IMAP as I want my database where I can see it. I thought it would be a good opportunity to try out a number of different POP
Both leadership contenders have been commenting on the motion to expel Israel from FIFA. Norman Lamb said: Trying to resolve complex international issues through the politics of a football organisation mired in allegations of corruption smacks of the worst of kind of student politics. It will take us no closer to the dismantling of illegal settlements on occupied land, to the creation of a truly independent, democratic and economically viable Palestinian state on the West Bank or to the removal of Hamas terrorists from their grip on Gaza. Only international negotiation, greater European involvement and economic development of the region ...
First off, here's the new film from Lib Dem leadership contender Tim Farron (see earlier today for the one from Norman Lamb). Tim's talking about housing (on which see my take on his views here): And what did YouTube offer up straight afterwards to me as if it's obviously the next thing I wished to watch? Justin Bieber Carpool Karaoke. Far be it from to deprive you too of it: Keep up with news on the Lib Dem leadership race Sign up for Liberal Democrat Newswire here, and Sign up for the Facebook event for the contest (where Norman Lamb ...
Gilbert Keith Chesterton was born on 29 May 1874. To celebrate this anniversary, let me quote again his remarks on political canvassing in his Autobiography: Charles Masterman used to swear with derisive gusto that when we went canvassing together, he went all down one side of a street and up most of the other, and found me in the first house, still arguing the philosophy of government with the first householder. ... It is perfectly true that I began electioneering under the extraordinary delusion that the object of canvassing is conversion. The object of canvassing is counting. The only real ...
Fri 29th
18:33
One of the best speeches I have ever heard...and...are you sitting down?...It's from an SNP MP
After listening to this beautifully eloquent maiden speech, I am a Tommy Sheppard fan!
This Saturday is the first English Lib Dems Executive meeting since the General and Local Elections. For that reason the focus is partly about reviewing the election just gone but in particular looking at where we go from here (the Strategic Review), which is what will take up all of the second half of the meeting. The first [...]
font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: left;">Voters in Eston ward will be appalled to learn that their so-called "Independent" councillor Ann Higgins handed control to Labour at Redcar & Cleveland.font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; margin-bottom: 6pt;">Councillor Higgins voted for Labour's nominee for Mayor. The new Mayor was then able to use her casting vote to put Labour in all key positions, including Leader of the Council. font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; margin-bottom: 6pt;">Councillor Josh Mason, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, said:font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; margin-bottom: 6pt;">"The hypocrisy of ...
40 people have joined the St Ives constituency LibDems since the General Election. I have had the brilliant job of ringing them to welcome them to our little family. It has really lifted my spirits and so many have skills and want to get stuck in to get the values of Liberal Democracy up and running again across Cornwall. So many people were genuinely upset at the loss of Andrew George as our local MP that it just shows how many lives he really connected with. If anyone else wants to get involved then Join the Fightback – Liberal Democrats. ...
Negative campaigning was not invented by Lynton Crosby, here is a prize specimen from the Southport Vister of January 1910. Ten reason electors should vote against Baron de Forest (the Liberal Candidate.) The Tory candidate was one Major White. And yes the Tories played the race card. This poster was put up in Birkdale Electors of BirkdaleFrom all Radical LiesFraudulent Misrepresentations and otherLow Electioneering Methods Deliver UsFrom Austro-Germanic Invasions"Political Earthquakes" and Local HooliganismDeliver Us By voting for Major White You can find out more here
Fri 29th
16:10
As the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Party in the Lords girds its loins for battle...
...we should, perhaps, say goodbye and thank you to five of our Peers who have retired from the House of Lords in the past month under the terms of the House of Lords Reform Act 2014. In order of their declaration of retirement; Lord (Colin) Sharman retired with effect from 30 April. A former Chairman of the 'Big 4' accountancy firm KPMG, he wasn't terribly active in the House in recent years, but could be relied upon for critical votes. Lord (Andrew) Phillips of Sudbury retired (again) with effect from 7 May. I say 'again' because he took leave of ...
I took a break from writing this morning to go to see the huge and imposing exhibition of back-and-white photographs by the Brazilian Sebastiao Salgado, which is running at the Galleria Municipal Torreao Nascente in Lisbon until 2 August. I had often seen Salgado's work in the minimised format of magazine reproductions, but the sheer [...]
Note from Consultant Vascular Surgeon to GP of April 19 "He continues to do very well from his EVAR point of view [EndoVascular Aneurysm Repair, the replacement of the aorta with a plastic substitute, done in 2010]. His repeat duplex scan showed that there is no endoleak with biphasic flow through the stents and the sac measures only 3.3 cm exactly the same as has been done six months ago. His main concern is from the leg point of view he feels that his claudication distance was chronic. It is becoming much symptomatic now. It is at short distance bilaterally ...
A three-mile stretch of the M60 near Stockport is due to be resurfaced, beginning Monday 1 June. The motorway will be closed overnight between junctions 26 and 1 for approximately three weeks. The work will take place between 10pm and 5am during weekdays, and until 7am at weekends. Clearly-signed diversions will take drivers along the A560, which runs parallel to the M60. More information here.
The Liberal Democrats may no longer be in government but laws we made are still being implemented. Earlier this week, Vince Cable's ban on exclusivity contracts in zero hours contracts came into force. It was pretty ridiculous that a company could both have no obligation to provide work and to require that their employees didn't work for anyone else. The CIPD, the organisation for HR professionals, wrote about the change on their blog; Legislation proposed by former business secretary comes into force today Employers who do not guarantee staff any hours of work, but prevent them from working for another ...
Wallington is to hold its first Music Festival on Saturday 27th June 12-4pm in the Wallington Library Gardens. Based around our new bandstand we will be showcasing local musical talent from bands, choirs and individuals. There will also be stalls promoting local businesses and groups. From the bandstand in the evening the festival will move [...]
[IMG: February 15th 2003 - Iraq war demo in London] The other week I asked whether the Lib Dems were a party of government or a party of protest. Many welcome comments were made, including a good one pointing out that a political party can be both: that to reach government it needs to be a vehicle of protest, to identify what's wrong so that it can offer change. As I thought about that point, I read Ben Marguiles' blog on Liberal/Lib Dem electoral performance in relation to other parties. Whether Lib Dems like it or not, his observations highlight ...
A fourth solar farm is being planned close to Ludlow. Global Renewable Construction Limited has applied for a screening option for a solar farm in Ludford parish (15/02288/SCR).[1] The site is on the opposite bank of the Ledwyche Brook to the proposed Henley Hall solar farm. No other details are available at this stage. A [...]
[IMG: Liberal Democrat HQ - Great George Street - preamble to party constitution] One of the most well-received previous attempts to set out what the Liberal Democrats believe was the It's About Freedom policy paper from a few years back. As this is a topic now very much being discussed again, now seems a good time to blog it: Download this document Oh, and of course this poster is still rather relevant.
The deadline for 'Early Bird' discounts on tickets to the ALDC-LGA Lib Dems Local Government Conference is Monday 1st June. Prices on all tickets go up by £10 from Tuesday 2nd, so make sure you get your bookings in now! Click here to book via the ALDC Events page. The Conference weekend features the following [...]
One of the big successes the Labour party had in the last government was the creation of the term "bedroom tax" for something which is not even a tax, and the blaming of the coalition government for it when it is something they started*. Labour are really good at blaming other people for things they started and/or wholeheartedly embraced - tuition fees, privatising the NHS, etc. - but what I'm really interested in is the use of language to fight a perceived injustice. One of the most consistent trends of the last ten years (again, started by Labour) is the ...
It says something about our priories (or maybe just the priorities of our media) that the Government's programme for the parliament, outlined in the so-called "Queen's Speech" has been firmly pushed from the front pages and lead news items by the alleged corruption in the organisation of international football competitions. Taking the programme item by item, and as briefly as possible: EU referendum bill: inserted only to placate the fruitcake UKIPERS and a Tory right wing anxious for a better yesterday, this pointless exercise will waste time and energy, discourage investment, distract us from the important issues and, if it ...
[IMG: York swimming pool success] The last few weeks have been an intense time for all Liberal Democrats not least here in York. After a gruelling campaign and against the national trend, we made gains in the city's 'all up' local elections increasing our seats from the 8 won in 2011 to 12 this time. These results were down to the hard work and dedication of our candidates and volunteers, such as Local Party Chair Stephen (now Councillor) Fenton, Print Room Supremo Richard Hill, Citywide Agent Derek Wann, along with countless others. It was also down to a local party ...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-32898612 A sobering read from the BBC web site
There was a headline in the Newcastle Journal recently announcing that Labour MP Ian Lavery was planning a leadership bid. When I read it, I nearly fell off my seat laughing. Quite what Labour members see in this ranting leftwinger is beyond me. I once had to sit through a "speech" he gave to a National Association of Councillors meeting about nuclear power. He admitted to knowing little about
[IMG: IMG_0002] Click on the photo to enlarge it. Definitely of its time but I wonder if those of us involved in politics can put a name of someone we know to the 3 stereotyped characters?
Last week, Labour in Gateshead had clearly spent some time sharpening their barrel scraping utensils but on the appointment of the mayor, they've taken a good decision. Alex Geddes is a pleasant bloke, probably too nice for the Gateshead Labour Party. So good luck Alex for the year ahead. Invites to you will be on their way to local events once I've organised them!
The answer to this question in Islington Council's housing survey really should be 100%... [IMG: Islington online survey]
The Liberal Democrat Friends of Palestine exists to fight for the rights of the Palestinian People through the medium of the Liberal Democrat Party. The party's core values of liberalism, internationalism and support for the indivisibility of human rights and the rule of law make it the natural home in mainstream British politics for those determined to support the Palestinian call for recognition of their own State, for justice and their entitlements under international law. Prior to 2010 the Party was recognised as the only one of the three main parties that could be relied upon to support Palestinian rights ...
My favourite thing I've seen on the internet all week (tags: ) It's a shame this otherwise very good article resorts to silly left-right sniping I say that as a self-confessed lefty (tags: ) Thinking of applying for Britain's Hardest Grafter? Read this first. (tags: ) How Mad Max: Fury Road Turns Your Writing Advice Into Roadkill (tags: ) Interesting article about faith schools in the New Humanist (tags: ) The Top 10 European Union Myths Debunked (tags: ) The UK electoral system now decisively favours the Conservatives | Ballots & Bullets (tags: ) [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments
England won a thrilling first test at Lords on Monday and usually I'd be dead chuffed but I slumped as I saw New Zealand just about not make it over the line. For you see in this Test series I'm rooting for the Black Caps and not the English and it is isn't an abnormality and I'll tell you why. When Andrew Strauss banged on about 'brand of cricket' upon his hire, he hit the nail on the head for me. In all sports I root for various things but the way a person or team plays a sport is ...
I recently went to the Lake District for a short break. I was walking alone in a relatively remote area with no one much around and when going through a small campsite a man came out and stared persistently as I went past. The thought went through my mind I wonder if he's going to follow me. He didn't, but I sat down some yards on and the thought dawned on me that for virtually my entire life I have had to process the risks of sometimes travelling alone, walking in remote places alone and going home late alone. That's ...
You can read all the articles that have caught my attention this week here: https://delicious.com/stephentall Below are a selection... This is what would happen if TripAdvisor users were in charge of Welsh tourism – Wales Online "This is what would happen if TripAdvisor users were in charge of Welsh tourism" http://bit.ly/1d1mefv Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, 2014 Update: How the U.S. Health Care System Compares Internationally – The Commonwealth Fund The UK: an effective, efficient health-care system spoiled by unhealthy lives of its citizens http://bit.ly/1G1Tel5 Sturgeon memo: All MPs lie, Sir Malcolm Bruce says – The Scotsman This is how ...
For those who observed the deluge of paid for delivery literature from the Conservative Party which poured through letterboxes in their target seats, months before the General Election even got off the ground, it was little surprise that David Cameron's party did so well. Speculation as to how much this ground war offensive cost can now be answered as new figures from the Electoral Commission reveal that the Conservatives banked more money from donations than all the other political parties put together during that period. The Independent reports that the Tories were given £15.4m of the £30.6m received by all ...
Fri 29th
08:37
Is David Cameron going to use the SNP as a get out clause on the whole Human Rights Act debacle?
An article in the Guardian brought this little nugget to my attention last night: turns out the Scotland Bill, announced in the Queen's Speech, may very well give Scotland the right to veto any repeal of the Human Rights Act. So I asked around to see if this was just Guardianista shit stirring. Nope. Turns out this is a real, bona fide problem for the Tories in relation to repealing the HRA, the target of so much venom over the years on many a Tory leaflet. Now, in some ways, the one aspect of the Guardian article that is overplayed ...
Plans to construct a solar farm on the outskirts of Ludlow will top the agenda of the next meeting of the Ludlow and Clee Local Joint Committee on 4 June. The meeting will also discuss plans for future youth services in the area. In April, Kronos Solar applied for planning permission for a 13 hectare [...]
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