One of the key policy areas many Liberal Democrats will be focussing on now we are in opposition to the Conservatives is human rights, which have been prominent in the campaigning values of both the national party and our wider Liberal International family. So it was timely that Lewisham Liberal Democrats this evening hosted a [...]
Labour's leadership election was depressing for the party even before the dawn of Corbynmania. As I wrote a couple of weeks ago: The problem for Labour is that the candidates who have something to say - Liz Kendall and Jeremy Corbyn - do not expect to win. That is why they can say what they really think. The two front-runners, Andy Burnham and Yvette Cooper, are so anxious about alienating different constituencies (the press, party members, the wider public) that they find it hard to say anything at all.It was partly for that reason that I concluded that the next ...
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Those who argued that our leadership contest was divisive or mean spirited should remember we ain't got nothing on those masters of political tribalism: The Labour Party. I'll be honest, I've been consistently more interested in the Labour leadership race than the Lib Dem one. Ours had relatively little ideological debate, the candidates weren't massively [...]
It is always both pleasing and worrying to hear that one of your favourite books is to be filmed. Hence my reaction to this news from Variety: Continuing their strategy of reimagining animated classics into live-action movies, Disney is developing a "Sword in the Stone" movie with "Game of Thrones" writer Bryan Cogman penning the script, Variety has confirmed.Disney did make a cartoon film out of The Sword in the Stone back in 1963. I have never watched it all the way through. What I have seen of it is fun but without the depth of the book, which manages ...
Another short book by Jansson, this time an unnerving novel set in a small Swedish community where a writer is exploited by one of her neighbours; lots of unpacking of memories and stories and relationships. Very intense, and very convincing, perhaps the most sparsely written of her novels that I have yet read, but also very expressive. It was interesting to read this about the same time as I read Siri Hustvedt's The Sorrows of an American, which attempts a similar set of themes on a broader canvas, but carries it off nothing like as well.
From Hansard: We are very clear: we cannot and will not support the Bill. If it did what it said on the tin, there might be much to commend it, but it does not. The Government pledge a living wage that even they know is not one, they want a welfare state that is anything but good for our country's welfare, and they use the guise of economic necessity to cover up ideologically driven cuts. Tonight, we will vote against the Bill because we know that the depth and character of the proposals are unfair, unwise and inhuman, and anything ...
Because the co-op model is closer to the Liberal visions of business structure than to either the Labour or the Tory equivalents, I tend to assume that the 24 Co-Operative party MPs (who have sat in coalition with Labour for many years) will vote more like the Lib Dems than like the Tories. Monday's welfare vote figures go the other way though. Of the 208 Labour MPs, 45 - 21.6% - rebelled when Harriet Harman decided the Labour party shouldn't have an opinion on welfare cuts, and voted against the proposed changes. But of the 24 Co-Operative MPs, just 3 ...
Just got some inside information on Labour's latest rebranding exercise. Doesn't bode well. pic.twitter.com/BfEOJYz6eH — Liberal Democrats (@LibDems) July 21, 2015
Tue 21st
17:55
Tim Farron sets out Lib Dem opposition to the Tory welfare cuts while Labour goes for abstention
In his first Commons' speech as Lib Dem leader Tim Farron also providing more coherent opposition to the Welfare Bill than Labour. — steve richards (@steverichards14) July 20, 2015
A visit to the Googleplex offers a reminder of the need for public debate about the ethical, social and environmental implications of new technologies. At the headquarters of Google in Mountain View, California, multi-coloured bikes are scattered around the campus; there's a Holodeck (a dizzying immersive version of Google Earth); and two of the meeting rooms are called Flux and Capacitor. So far, so Google. Yet the company, which earns most of its revenues through advertising, has a strange urge to communicate its materiality. The campus features a visitor centre, still 'in beta', which has the difficult task of assembling ...
The BBC's popularity, both in the UK and abroad, should be welcomed not disparaged. The political soundtrack surrounding the BBC has once again turned ominous. John Whittingdale. The Culture Secretary has implied that the Corporation has become too large and has strayed from its core mission. He's even discussed moving from the licence fee to a subscription model. Responding to [...]
...responding to an anonymous comment... ... which has remained screened and will continue to remain screened for not sticking to my comments policy. I am going to pull out one point from it, however. Anonymouse says: It just won't wash to say – or to imply – that you think it's morally wrong for homosexuals to express their love physically, but that you're still a liberal because you support their legal rights. No, no, no. That's EXACTLY what liberalism is. Liberalism is legislating for the rights of people to do things that you personally disapprove of, because as long as ...
The above is a video I produced earlier today. The technology is much better than that I was using before the General Election. I have given up with Skype. Anyone who wishes to participate with this needs to use a SIP client. Linphone is good. Jitsi is a bit more complicated, but also good. I will see what other clients work. The advantage of Linphone is that they offer a system to set
[IMG: labstainspine] Yesterday, all but 48 Labour MPs abstained on government proposals to save £12bn from the welfare bill, in particular from the working age poor. This dithering follows 5 years of vitriol directed at Liberal Democrats over measures that did not go this far. For five years I was constantly told by local Labour councillors that the government was assaulting the poor and vulnerable. Words like 'evil' were used to describe the so-called bedroom tax – a measure which did indeed cause us regret not least due to its retrospective application (without which it would have been no different ...
Just to be clear, new Tory MP for North Cornwall Scott Mann absolutely and completely disagrees with the idea that MPs should get a 10% pay rise. But he's trousering the cash nonetheless. Tweet
After a long period of success, the last two years have been tough for Portsmouth Lib Dems. Like many others, it has been hard to keep voters on board and several council seats have been lost narrowly. As part of Portsmouth's fight back, early selection of candidates for next year's local elections was a must [...]
Tue 21st
15:58
Kirsty Williams AM writes... An ambitious Liberal Democrat plan for the NHS Welsh people need
Today at the Royal Welsh Show I launched our party's 3 point-plan for Wales' NHS that puts patients first. The Welsh Liberal Democrats have a wide range of policies and proposals for reforms to improve our health service, but today I wanted to highlight the three key parts of our plans for the NHS ahead of next year's Assembly elections. The 3-point plan is as follows: Guaranteed access to your GP: People are fed up of finding it a real struggle to make an appointment and to access their GP. In this day and age, everyone should be able to ...
In the second reading debate on the Welfare Reform and Work Bill yesterday evening, Tim Farron, leader of the Liberal Democrats, said: Tim Farron (Westmorland and Lonsdale) (LD): We are very clear: we cannot and will not support the Bill. If it did what it said on the tin, there might be much to commend it, but it does not. The Government pledge a living wage that even they know is not one, they want a welfare state that is anything but good for our country's welfare, and they use the guise of economic necessity to cover up ideologically driven ...
Anon is back. (S)he says: it's not acceptable to say you're not publishing [my comment], and then pick out selected comments for ridicule. I'd have expected you to know better than that. * points and laughs * Oh dear, sweet anon, I think you'll find it's acceptable for me to do whatever I like on my own damn blog. If you don't like it, you're perfectly free to set up your own, or even adhere to my comments policy, which is not exactly difficult. All it would take would be for you to click on the link I have helpfully ...
Blog Categories: Economics Political Comment Vote: -1 vote + Vote up! - Vote down! Channel 4's Cathy Newman's cornering of Tim Farron in one of his first high profile media appearances after his election as Lib Dem leader was hardly one of the history's great moments of theological disputation. But Tim's apparent inability or unwillingness to clarify convincingly whether he believed, as a committed Christian, that homosexuality was a "sin" set off a flurry of criticism both inside and outside the party. Some questioned his suitability as leader of an avowedly liberal political party whilst others despaired of their own ...
[IMG: Jon Tolley - Lib Dem - Kingston Council] Jon Tolley, newly elected as a councillor in Kingston, tells his story: Wow. What an experience. I wanted to write a piece about the election, the election campaign and the whole journey. I think it'll be interesting to some, but even if it's only for me to read back in a few months or years, i want to write something while it's still fresh. There's been a lot of people "following" me recently, so I'm going to start by putting everything in context. Also, let this act as a warning, that ...
The news that Nick Clegg's 'world class' strategist, Ryan Coetzee, has been appointed to run the yes to EU campaign has at least one supporter: Put your money on a big NO vote...
This morning at County Hall there was a heated debate as local staff and volunteers watched to see the fate of the nine Homestart Schemes across the County. After a petition signed by 2800 Hertfordshire residents was presented by Homestart three motions were presented; one from the Conservative group in favour of slashing funding to [...]
They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind.The stalk has no head; it will produce no flour.Were it to yield grain, foreigners would swallow it up. Hosea 8-6 The first Conservative budget in 19 years is an act of of political hypocrisy so astonishingly blatant that it is hard to know whether to cringe at the opportunism or applaud the cynicism. George Osborne has the reputation as a masterful political tactician. Certainly he has been a astute observer of the political weather and occasionally he has been something of a rainmaker himself. His first Conservative budget is certainly far stronger ...
Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron has written to Labour's interim leader Harriet Harman to ask her to ensure that her party opposes the Government's Welfare Bill. Here is the text of his letter: Dear Harriet The Conservative Government last night brought forward plans for £12bn of cuts to welfare that will directly impact millions of people across the country including the poorest families in our constituencies. The Conservatives do not need to make these cuts, especially at the same time as giving tax breaks to millionaires. The people who will be hit by these changes need someone to give them ...
Tue 21st
13:25Watch and laugh: Clarke and Dawe - Barnaby. Please Call Dave, Julie & Barry, Jim Baigent, Knacke...
More comedy genius from Australia's Clarke and Dawe:
... which has remained screened and will continue to remain screened for not sticking to my comments policy. I am going to pull out one point from it, however. Anonymouse says: It just won't wash to say - or to imply - that you think it's morally wrong for homosexuals to express their love physically, but that you're still a liberal because you support their legal rights. No, no, no. That's EXACTLY what liberalism is. Liberalism is legislating for the rights of people to do things that you personally disapprove of, because as long as they aren't harming anybody else ...
While I was working in Namibia as a young aid worker, in the 1990s, the ordinary farmers of Namibia faced a problem. After having half of their land stolen under colonialism, the other half was rapidly being stolen by the post independence elite. Despite the fact that this government presented itself at the Marxist end [...]
[IMG: He looked totally in control once.] He looked totally in control once. One defining feature of Parliament for the last eighteen years has been the size of the Government's majority: the massive majorities of Tony Blair's first two terms followed by the smaller, but still easily workable, majorities of Labour's third term and the coalition. This Government, by contrast, has a majority of just 12. In theory, that should make everything much more difficult for it. As Alex Harrowell has pointed out, getting anything through in that situation requires a much more different style of whipping than anything we've ...
[IMG: As is now traditional for such posts, here is a photo of some camels.] As is now traditional for such posts, here is a photo of some camels. The Federal Executive has now selected the membership of its Governance Review working party: Dawn Barnes Rodney Berman Sal Brinton Dan Farthing-Sykes Al Ghaff Antony Hook Two issues in particular I hope they're look: collapsing pyramids and anemic turnout.
There is a kind of boneheaded Englishness, usually but not always Conservative, that believes someone's faith makes them a potential enemy within - that they somehow can't help being committed to other nations or ethics or moralities. That they are therefore not quite 'one of us', at least not to be trusted with political office. It tends to go along with another English peculiarity, a strange and basically ignorant belief that the teachings of the Christian faith are mainly about homosexuality. Actually, the condemnation of homosexuality is so central to Christianity that Jesus doesn't mention it once in any of ...
[IMG: Piles of money. Photo credit: czbalazs - http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1236662] British Politics is changing. Money buys elections (mostly) and there is no doubt we saw that in May. The Conservatives pumped money and resources in to marginal constituencies and backed by their aggressive national messaging, won. Being a Liberal Democrat usually means the same old story, lots of enthusiastic volunteers at election time and everything on a shoe string budget, with the big money reserved for a few strategic seats. Our party is caught in a catch 22 :- money raised by our small and competent fundraising team at HQ is ...
[IMG: The ALDC Campaigner Awards will be presented at Conference in Bournemouth] Have you run a great ward campaign? If so ALDC want to hear from you! We are still looking for entries to this year's Campaigner Awards and examples from Focus teams across the country about how you have successfully fought a ward campaign - perhaps in difficult circumstances, but demonstrating really good practice from the elections in 2015. [...]
Tue 21st
09:12
The Labour leadership race becomes a lot more interesting - but exposes the party's hollow heart
[IMG: Jeremy_Corbyn] Apart from one piece shortly after the election I have resisted blogging about Britain's Labour Party after Ed Miliband's departure as leader. It felt too much like displacement activity from confronting the predicament of the Liberal Democrats, to say nothing of a depressing turn of world events. I am glad I did so. Because I had not foreseen the turn that the leadership election has just taken. To start with there seemed be just three serious contenders: Andy Burnham, Yvette Cooper and Liz Kendall. They all stuck to a standard Westminster narrative that Labour needs to move to ...
Harkive are once again collecting a day's worth of information about what people are listening to, and how. Over the course of today, they're collecting blog posts, social media posts, and so on, to get a snapshot of how people listen to music. I'll update this post every hour or two until I go to [...]
Stockport Council is encouraging children across the borough to participate in the Record Breakers, Summer Reading Challenge 2015 over the school holidays. Organised by The Reading Agency charity and the public library network, the annual Summer Reading Challenge aimed at 4 – 11 year olds and their families is simple and fun. All children need to do to complete the challenge is read 6 or more library books of their choice. As they read their books, children collect stickers and rewards along the way. Every child that completes the challenge will receive a certificate and medal. Children can sign up ...
[IMG: Postal voter turnout 2015]
Tue 21st
08:47
Labour didn't lose in Scotland because they weren't left-wing enough - it was because of this
A myth that is becoming entrenched within Labour circles is that the reason the Labour Party got crushed in Scotland at the general election was because its offer was not left-wing enough. This song is sung especially by Corbynites for obvious reasons. But it is, as far anyone can feel confident of asserting why some people did or did not vote for one party or another, utter tosh. Some will point to the "red Tory" jibe doing the rounds, but that has little to do with left or right leaning policies and everything to do with the fact that Labour ...
The next West End Christmas Fortnight planning meet takes place tomorrow. The activities take a lot of planning (hence meetings in July!) and if any resident or local business wants to play a role with West End Christmas Fortnight 2015, do please let me know - christmas2015@frasermacpherson.org.uk - many thanks.
Yesterday in the Commons, Tim Farron gave his first speech as party leader, against the Welfare Bill, highlighting the effects of the ESA changes on people with mental health conditions, the effects on young people, and on the working age poor. He criticised Labour's confusion over the bill in deciding to abstain, although 48 Labour rebels voted against. The Liberal Democrats will stand up for families, whether they are hard-working or just desperate to be hard-working. We will not let the Conservatives through choice, or the Labour party through their silence, unpick our welfare system. Full text from Hansard: We ...
The elected Police and crime Commissioner for Devon and Cornwall, Tony Hogg, has announced this morning that he will not be standing when the position comes up for re-election next May. Mr Hogg has set out a number of reasons for his decision but a key point is that he no longer feels able to keep his promise to maintain a minimum of 3000 police officers for the force. This has been a key pledge and he says he is now allowing the chief constable to structure the force in a different way. Mr Hogg, a Conservative, has also said ...
ICYMI: Pale ale: one of my bigger bugbears as a beer drinker is people calling things pale ale that aren't. ICYMI: On Corbyn: It seems the right-wing press have learned nothing from what happened with the SNP ICYMI: Review of The Annihilation Score by @cstross, X-posted from Goodreads ICYMI: Film Review: A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night at @hbpicturehouse Australian cricket team deported under anti-terror legislation The current criminal legal aid crisis: a timeline New e-petitions website opens - and this time it goes to a committee :/ A blog that explains why Lib Dems use 'stuck on a ...
We reported last week that the Lib Dems are putting pressure on Virgin Trains to find a way for residents to continue to use the underpass at Stockport station to get between the Edgeley and Stockport sides, despite ticket barriers being erected. We can report that the Lib Dems have had confirmation this afternoon that Virgin Trains will be allowing people to use the underpass at the station to get from one side to the other. They are going to introduce a "residents pass" (as we suggested) so anyone turning up at the station and wanting to walk through to ...
The latest edition of Swansea West MP, Geraint Davies' monthly newsletter to his local Labour members drops onto my desk. On the back page is a rather fetching series of photographs of Mr. Davies, and Aberavon MP, Stephen Kinnock alongside their favoured leadership candidates - Yvette Cooper for leader and Caroline Flint for deputy leader. Geraint Davies writes: "For Deputy I've nominated Ben Bradshaw as I believe it is important that he is on the ballot papers, to argue that we need to win over 90 seats in the south of England to win a majority." Quite why Ben Bradshaw ...
It is mid July and for the past six and a bit weeks I have been working with a Russian crew. The vessel was hired for a seismic survey as part of a major development of oil reserves in the NW Pacific, off the coast of the Russian Far East, north of Japan. Okay, anybody with an atlas at this stage can work out it is Sakhalin Island, that long fish-shaped strip of land, the size of England but with the population of a small European city. It is not hard to see why the place is so sparsely populated. ...
