This is my first leadership election as a member of the Liberal Democrats. I joined in September 2008, so I missed the last one - and, even though I had started volunteering a year before, I can't remember anything about ... Continue reading →
Caol seen across Loch Linnhe © Jim Barton Earlier today BBC News reported: The funeral of former Lib Dem leader Charles Kennedy will take place on Friday, his family has said. A Mass will be celebrated at noon at St John's Roman Catholic Church in Caol, near his Fort William home. The Mass will be led by Father Roddy McAuley, who has described Mr Kennedy as "a much loved and respected parishioner". There is also to be a memorial service at the University of Glasgow on 18 June and another in London at a later date.
Welcome to Broxtowe Enews, brought to you by the Liberal Democrats and edited by David Watts, on behalf of the Lib-Dems in Broxtowe. May I give a special welcome to the new readers that we have this week. May I also say thank you to the numerous people who have contacted me in the last week to pass on their condolences following the tragic death of Charles Kennedy. 1. Hemlock Happening Record numbers of people attended this years Hemlock Happening and for most of the day the event was a great success. I spoke to Stan Heptinstall from the organising committee ...
I once went to look for a memorial to the Zeppelin raid on Loughborough but failed to find it. On Saturday, on my way back from the Great Central Railway, I did better. The memorial I failed to find was in The Rushes: the one I found by accident this time was in Empress Road. A Leicester Mercury article tells the story of the night of 31 January 1916: A third bomb landed on soft ground in an orchard in Thomas Street, off Empress Road, causing no injuries or damage. Tragically, the noise of it exploding caused people from nearby ...
How can one of the sporting heroes of my youth be 70? It's ridiculous. Anyway, happy birthday to Derek Underwood. Along with Jim Laker and Graeme Swann, he must be one of England's three greatest spinners since Word War II. In this video Richie Benaud takes us through two of his greatest performances: against Australia at Headingley in 1972 and against Pakistan at Lord's in 1974. Both took place on helpful wickets and Underwood had the reputation of being deadly in such conditions. But he was also a great bowler when things were more in favour of the batsman. I ...
No, that's not the title of a new Harry Potter knock-off – although Andy Burnham has the makings of a put-upon junior wizard with numerous chips on his narrow shoulders. Rather, it's a response to Burnham's latest contribution to the moribund Labour leadership battle, replicated below for your viewing pleasure: Andy Burnham: "We don't win when we [...]
This morning, I took part in the latest Tay Road Bridge Board meeting. Thereafter, along with three other councillors and council officers, I took part in a tour of the Harris Academy new building. I am pleased to say it is making really good progress - some photos below : Gym Hall Climbing wall in the games area Community entrance area After my usual Monday ward surgeries, I participated in tonight's City Council meetings at which I asked questions about work to improve air quality particularly in the Lochee Road area, supported the principle of restructuring council departments proposed by ...
Mon 8th
20:33
Malaysia accuses Western tourists who stripped on sacred mountain of causing deadly earthquake
The Independent wins Headline of the Day. Lord Bonkers adds: It's total rot, of course, but personally I would keep my trousers on Just In Case.
A common refrain from the Scottish National Party in recent days has been that the Scotland Bill is not living up to what was agreed in the Smith Commission. The key complaint seems to be that there is a "veto" for the Secretary of State for Scotland over the introduction of or alteration to welfare benefits falling within the Holyrood Parliament's competence. What they appear to be talking about is a restriction on the Scottish Ministers making regulations concerning devolved aspects of Universal Credit. Here is what the Smith Commission said about it: "43. Universal Credit (UC) will remain a ...
Lord Pearson of Rannoch - not acting in good faith or just not as clever as he thinks? In a somewhat curious intervention today, Lord Pearson of Rannoch, leader of the UKIP peers, sought to amend the recommendations of the Lords Committee of Selection (it elect and propose to the House the names of the Members of Select Committees, the panel of Deputy Chairmen of Committees, and any other body referred to it by the Chairman of Committees), reducing the number of sub-committees of the European Union Committee from six to two. Now, whilst one might not agree with all ...
[IMG: Duwayne Brooks, Caroline Pidgeon and the Lib Dem team] Applications have just opened to be a Liberal Democrat candidate for Mayor of London or the London Assembly in next May's elections. The deadline is 22 June. Details are available on the Liberal Democrat members' website at www.libdems.org.uk/selection_adverts (party members need to login first to access this page). It's looking like the frontrunner by some distance on the Mayor contest is existing Lib Dem GLA member Caroline Pidgeon who hasn't been tempted by the post in the past but this time is likely to see it as the best way ...
The phrase 'true Liberal' has been a hot topic of social media debate this week. Both the Lamb and Farron camps have been trying to claim the mantle for their man, although Lamb's supporters seem to be the main perpetrators. It has also, quite understandably, cheesed a lot of people off. Like all parties, we are a coalition of variations on a theme. Classic Liberalism, Economic Liberalism, and Social Liberalism are all variations that can still be regarded as being within the Liberal tradition, and we still have some Social Democrats, too. There are clearly differences between the philosophical strands, ...
When the election result for Redcar and Cleveland Council was so close, the minor Groups were prepared to work in a rainbow alliance that reflected the way residents had voted. Under this system cabinet positions would be proportionate to the number of seats won. Labour rejected this proposal and were handed power for the next four years by the Eston Independent. A rainbow alliance would have mitigated the Ed Miliband left wing leanings of many in the Labour Group. To counteract this, the Liberal Democrats, Conservatives and Independents have formed a Coalition opposition group and will work to ensure that ...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eBT6OSr1TI Must admit to being one who avoids reading the press. Can't stand superficial and/or biased reporting. This irreverent video made me laugh.
Prior to May 11th I had not read a manifesto, been on a political party's website or looked for sites like LibDemVoice. My exposure to politics was limited but I had always voted LibDem, mainly because LibDems always seemed to resonate with me whereas other politicians, more often than not, had me shouting at the radio. In this election I was taken in by the politics of fear and almost changed my vote, although at the last moment I stuck with my gut feel and voted LibDem again. I sat down to see what the exit polls were saying and ...
This is the Chiltern Gardens footbridge across the A1 at Lobley Hill, Gateshead. Or at least it was. It was demolished on Friday evening and into the early hours of Saturday. I popped down to Lobley Hill on Friday to snap a few photos of the bridge before it went. It had to go to make way for the improvements to the A1 taking place on the section of the road from the south of the Team Valley to
I've spent most of today gathering together some data about Liberal Democrat Parliamentary seats for my dissertation, and figured that some of you might find it interesting. The data set is Liberal Democrat seats won at a general election or by-election since 1992, so it excludes pre-1992 seats won at by-elections (which in practice means no Ribble Valley) and seats held by defectors, unless they were won at a subsequent election. I've tried to keep some continuity between seats when the geography remains roughly similar – I've treated the various Inverness and Nairn seats as one, for instance – but ...
[IMG: B&Rwestmail] 30 years ago, in July 1985, Richard Livsey came from third to win a sensational by-election victory for the SDP/Liberal Alliance. In doing so, Richard re-established a Liberal presence in Brecon & Radnor that few had thought possible after a period of gradual decline. In 1945 the Welsh Liberal party had formed the backbone of British Liberalism - supplying its leader, Montgomeryshire MP Clement Davies, and half the parliamentary party. By 1979, the representation had been reduced to one - Geraint Howells being the sole survivor in Ceredigion (as we found out last month, history repeats itself; sometimes ...
There are two Eid festivals, Eid ul-Fitr and Eid al-Adha - two of the most important celebrations for Muslims around the world. Eid-ul-Fitr this year is on Saturday the 18th of July. Muslims around the world will be celebrating the festival across the weekend that marks the end of the Ramadan fasting period. With six weeks [...]
The referendum is over and has settled nothing. The election has raised more questions than answers. And the Conservative Government's first Queen's Speech has set the direction of travel, while leaving the specifics nicely vague. What we do know is that plans for 'English Votes for English Laws', barring Scottish MPs from voting on whatever the executive decides are England-only matters, will see Scottish Votes for British Laws made increasingly irrelevant. We also know that further devolution to Scotland is going to happen, but not if the offer can satisfy the SNP's short term ambitions. So where are Liberal Democrats ...
There are just two weeks left until the ALDC-LGA Lib Dems Local Government Conference (Saturday 20th June). Tickets are going fast, so if you haven't already, book online as soon as possible to avoid disappointment! Conference highlights include: Leadership Day (Group Leaders and Deputy Leaders) - Friday 19th June, 12-5pm Local Government Dinner, with special [...]
A reminder that nominations are open for the Council Group of the Year Awards from now until midday on Wednesday 17th June: where local Lib Dem Groups have come up with good ideas for campaigning and defended well where Lib Dem Councillors and Groups have served their communities well (even if the result has not been [...]
The Spectator is particularly scathing today about the nomination of Conservative MP, David Tredinnick as chair of the House of Commons Health Select Committee. Damien Thompson writes: David Tredinnick is an Old Etonian Tory MP whom I met when he was a mature student at Oxford. He seemed a nice enough chap but we were all astonished when he was elected to Parliament. He struck us as a bear of very little brain. How unfair to bears that turned out to be. Tredinnick, who - incredibly - sits on the Commons Health Select Committee, believes that astrology works and, according ...
Here's what a carefully customised data-driven clothing website has suggested I wear: [IMG: This is not Mark Pack]
Today's Western Mail reports on Saturday's Liberal Democrats Fight back event in LLanelwedd, attended by over 130 new and existing members and in particular Kirsty Williams' address to the meeting: "I still believe we made the correct decision to form a coalition. "It was the right thing for the country and we can be proud we led a number of reforms that leave a strong Liberal legacy. However, too often our distinct identity got lost due to the necessary need to compromise. "Going into the election, we appeared to be a 'split the difference party'. People knew we could halt ...
In February 1974 Edward Heath called a snap General Election in response to a second miners' strike in three years. Heath famously posed the election as a decision on 'Who Runs Britain'. Despite opinion polls suggesting he would be returned to office and polling the highest number of votes, the vagaries of our electoral system meant Heath's Tories not only failed to win a majority of seats, but actually got less than Labour. Historians suggest that the miners' peaceful pursuit of their pay claim and an independent inquiry finding that there was justification for their dispute, dealt Heath a devastating ...
There is nothing new about City Regions. We used to call them Metropolitan Counties until they were abolished by Mrs Thatcher. It was recognised back in the 70s that in large conurbations decisions on big strategic issues impacted across ordinary council boundaries. The Metropolitan Counties were abolished simply because Margaret Thatcher needed to show that the abolition of the Greater London Council(GLC) was not an act of deliberate spite against County Hall and Ken Livingstone. The strategic need for such bodies persisted. We now have the GLA back and we continued to have joint boards doing what the Met Counties ...
Mon 8th
12:40
The Monday Morning Blog - how will the EU referendum play with the Conservatives and their opponents...
Harold Wilson had a referendum on the UK membership of the then Common Market not because he had discovered a new principle of public engagement in a major decision about the future of the country, but instead to hold his warring party together at the top. Pro and anti could still be good mates as they were allowed to campaign on opposite sides rather than battle to have the Labour party opt for
Two principal council by-elections were fought last week in the first round of post-general election contests. In Cambridgeshire (CC), the by-election in Wisbech South resulted in a Conservative gain from UKIP. Despite UKIP having won the ward's last election in 2013, the Tories polled 63.8% of the vote in securing a 26% swing. The Lib Dem vote [...]
A quick reminder that all election expense returns must be submitted by Friday (this includes elections that were counted/declared on Saturday 9th May – even though you technically have one more day to submit, we know of no councils planning on opening especially to receive them!). This is a non-negotiable, legal deadline – so please [...]
While you know London has a booming economy, and is a centre of job and wealth creation, the largest city of one of the world's largest economies, you may be less aware of the issue of child poverty; it is also a city where significant numbers (over six hundred thousand children, around two fifths of the total) grow up in poverty. As a political party we need to continue to become more well known for committing to improving children's lives in our capital and I believe that by drawing attention to this issue we will improve life for all. The ...
If you know any young people with an interest in skateboarding/scootering , please let them know about a consultation meeting about the design of the new skateboard park which is being rebuilt as part of the Academy and Leisure Centre scheme. [IMG: boy jumping with a scooter over a funbox] The people who understand what they need are the young people themselves who use the facility, and they will have a chance to input into the scheme directly with Haggs SMP skate designers. The consultation event is 11th June at Belle Vue (Consett) Leisure Centre between 05-00pm and 07-00pm.
I joined the Liberal Democrats a couple of weeks ago. For the most part I joined because of Nick Clegg, whose eloquence and calmness intrigued me and piqued my interest in the moderate course. I had decided before the general election that I was going to join after my exams and I was distraught when I realised I would never be following Nick. I wanted to follow Nick because he was genuine, he could be funny, and he was gracious. I could also tell he was a very smart man who understood his party's policies and was dedicated to the ...
Commenting on the news that the Conservative Government is planning a £200 million cut in Public Health funding, Cllr Gerald Vernon Jackson, Lib Dem Group Leader at the Local Government Association, said: "This is an incredibly blinkered step for the government to take. Public Health work undertaken by councils includes issues like encouraging people to [...]
The declining state of residential and nursing care system in this country is, like so many services, something that has been bundled into the welfare cuts introduced by the Coalition - and now that the Conservatives have a majority it is set to worsen. While the Tories have promised billions of pounds to the NHS an equally pressing (and in many ways the more important) concern is the lack of social services support on which most preventative and after-care services rely. In the case of the elderly, if a person living alone has a fall within their own home and ...
[IMG: The Magna Carta Conservation Party Great Britain's official logo as registered with the Electoral Commission] The Magna Carta Conservation Party Great Britain's official logo as registered with the Electoral Commission With the deadline for filing petitions against constituency results in the 2015 general election, only three have materialised: Tim Ireland, who stood as an independent, is petitioning against Nadine Dorries's re-election in Mid-Bedfordshire, alleging "illegal practices by publishing false statements prior to the election". Ruth Temple, who stood for the Magna Carta Conservation Party Great Britain in Woking, is petitioning against MP Jonathan Lord, claiming he was not eligible ...
Mon 8th
10:13
David Cameron is right to demand collective cabinet responsibility on Europe - now let's see if he c...
The prime minister has come out all guns a-blazin' on Europe today, specifically on the topic of what he expects his cabinet ministers to do. He unequivocally expects them to back his position. "The government isn't neutral in this. We have a clear view: renegotiate, get a deal that's in Britain's interest and then recommend Britain stays in it." None of that should come as any real surprise - but this is David Cameron we're talking about here. His record in this area is not stellar to say the least. He must have figured out that having all your ministers ...
While the amount I write here might lead one to imagine I do nothing else, I do in fact have a day job. I teach English as foreign language. That's forced me to think about my own language from the point of view of an outsider (more specifically that of a Vietnamese ten year old). And [...]
Starting 7 July 2015 for 4 weeks, these 45 minute sessions at Yate Children's Centre, Cranleigh Court Road, Yate are designed to encourage gentle interaction and physical movement between mums and babies (under one year old) set to music. Using colourful everyday items such as feathers, scarves and puppets, the sessions include:- Gentle massage and mobilisation warm-up'Feathers' - Using colourful feathers to stimulate skin and calmBouncing babies to stimulate oxygen flow and warm up arms and hands for mothers'Peepo' - using puppets to stimulate eyes and create a playful atmosphere'Runaway Train Dance' - to move around and encourage interaction between ...
Plans for a 33-hectare solar farm near Ludlow have been put on temporary hold after objections from Historic England and Shropshire Council's historic environment team. The South Planning Committee was due to make a decision on the solar project at its meeting on 16 June. But after the responses from heritage bodies, which said that [...]
"Closet queen" was a somewhat derogatory term much in vogue in Britain after the Second World War to describe homosexuals who kept their sexual orientation secret, not least politicians and other men in public life. The need for secrecy was obvious, as until 1967 male homosexuality was illegal (unlike lesbianism) but many politicians, in particular, [...]
Political people often forget how traumatic elections can be. I don't mean that they are exhausting or disappointing, though they are often both. I mean that standing for election, and especially ones where you know many of the electors, can force you to confront some of your worst fears. One of the defeated Labour MPs I heard interviewed about it last month described wandering aimlessly around his community, which was also his former constituency, wondering whether the people he met and who hailed him had actually voted for him. There is a disturbing element of adulation about being elected, which ...
So, the Queen's Speech out of the way, it's time for the business of holding Government to account. And, with our Parliamentary Party having found a space on the Opposition benches, it is time to get to work. Three bills start their serious progress this week after the various First Readings went through on the day after the Queen's Speech itself. The Cities and Local Government Devolution Bill builds on the 2009 Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act and makes provisions for elected mayors and so forth (all very "Northern Powerhouse"). John Shipley will be leading for us on ...
At the Spring Conference I went to a fringe event by the Social Liberal Forum entitled Mental Health: equality of esteem?, addressed by Norman Lamb with Ian Brodie Brown (of Imagine Mental Health) and a mental health services user. This could easily have been just a health minister supporting health things, but there was a great deal more to it than that. Mental health is stigmatised. It took courage to make a stand and put this on the agenda before it became clear that it would not cost us votes. One of the Sunday papers ran a story about Norman's ...
Several residents have contacted me about graffiti on the bridge over the rail line on Riverside Drive just south of the Botanic Garden - see right : I have contacted the City Council's Rapid Response Team requesting that this is removed as soon as possible.
The Liverpool Echo has the story – see link above. [IMG: Merseyrail Class 508 EMU at Maghull Station] Merseyrail Class 508 EMU at Maghull Station I think this appeal for later trains is spot on and agree that it is a gripe I have heard on many occasions. But for it to work well, for example, the 231 bus that serves Maghull and Lydiate would also be required to meet all the late trains at Maghull Station. Presently it does not meet the last train even now! The photo above is amongst my Flickr shots at:- www.flickr.com/photos/86659476@N07/
It's been a strange evening and I've spent a while just looking through loads of quotes, so I thought I'd just share some of my favourites...
