I just sent a link to the mobi and epub versions of California Dreaming for all the Kickstarter backers and all backers of my Patreon at the $5 or more level. If you back either of those and haven't received an email, do let me know (check the Kickstarter and Patreon pages first, though, as [...]

Posted by Andrew Hickey on Sci-Ence! Justice Leak!

To expand on an idea I had on Twitter earlier this evening, here's a simple method for dealing with political donations by companies: The maximum amount any company can give in political donations should be linked to the amount of corporation tax it pays. This could be a straight one-to-one linkage or a ratio, but companies who pay no corporation tax wouldn't be able to make donations. Now, there is an argument – which I'm sympathetic to – that companies shouldn't be making political donations at all, or if they do, that they should be approved by their shareholders but ...

Posted by Nick on What You Can Get Away With
Mon 5th
21:58

Haematology

We spent from 11.00 to 20.00 in the Haematology day care centre at King's, where there were too many patients for the staff to cope. Blood test finally 14.00, results back 16.00 and the transfusion started at 17.50, finishing 20.00. Hb was 93. not as low as I expected from the way I was feeling, but a drop from 106 only four weeks ago on September 11.

Posted by Eric Avebury on Eric Avebury

Leicester's first cat cafe has closed its doors. The Mercury reports: Cats, Cakes and Coffee opened in exclusive Stoneygate at the beginning of August. The venue announced on its website on Thursday that it was "ceasing to trade" that day. No reason was given. A statement posted online by the café read: "It's been an eventful few months, and to those of us who have supported us we thank you from the bottom of our hearts."

Posted by Jonathan Calder on Liberal England

Last week the Guardian told us: George Osborne wants to have an NFL franchise based permanently in London within the next five years to confirm the city's status as the "sporting capital of the world". The chancellor met with NFL executives, team owners and former players at Downing Street as the Miami Dolphins prepared to face the New York Jets at Wembley stadium on Sunday. Osborne said he would "love to have a team here based in the UK playing in the NFL" and he believed Britain was making steps towards that goal. "The real prize, the real touchdown for ...

Posted by Jonathan Calder on Liberal England
Mon 5th
19:58

Backing the levy

One of the points about modern society that I totally hate is the disposable nature of so many products. Buy it, use it once, throw it away. It is an obscene waste of resources and it piles up mountains of waste for which even more resources are needed to accommodate. Something my friends joke about is the way I reuse everything in my self-sufficient lifestyle in which waste is regarded as a

Posted by jonathanwallace on Jonathan Wallace

The Electoral Reform Society reports on it, and two of its findings caught my eye: 'one-party councils' could be missing out on savings of around £2.6bn when compared to their more competitive counterparts The report also measures councils' procurement process against a 'Corruption Risk Index' – and finds that one-party councils are around 50% more at risk of corruption than politically competitive councils I don't think anyone who lives in County Durham will be surprised at these findings, but I wonder how many councils actually make their monopolistic practices quite as explicit as Durham County Council whose constitution states: Where ...

Posted by Owen Temple on Owen Temple & Margaret Nealis

Whose hand is steering the Tardis? The frightening truth: an unqualified driver is at the helm: To explain. I have a cousin who works here: And the weekend before last, he very kindly took a group of relatives around the studios, including me. I can't say much about what we saw, but we were allowed to take pictures of the interior of the Tardis itself (positioned right next to a square in ancient Athens for the forthcoming Midsummer Night's Dream). It's a really big space. The set has the full 360° walls, which can be opened up if necessary, but ...

Second paragraph of third chapter: Aisha and Halima told her what they wanted—General Tso's Chicken Very Spicy, Chicken Wings, Orange Chicken—with the quick ease of people saying what they said every day. You need to know more about Nigeria. It is the seventh most populous country in the world (after China, India, the USA, Indonesia, Brazil and Pakistan) and is becoming a middle-income country (wealth per capita a little ahead of Moldova, a little behind Armenia). It has the largest population and the largest economy in Africa, the 20th largest GDP in the world (just behind Australia, just ahead of ...

Peterborough Citizens Advice Bureau has launched a new service to help support local residents who native language includes Latvian, Lithuanian, Slovakian, Czech or Russian. The information and support service will take place EVERY THURSDAY betwwn 9.30am and 4pm.

Posted by Cllr Darren Fower on Cllr Darren Fower
YouGov

[IMG: The LGA Lib Dems support Liberal Democrat council groups across the country] Cllr Chris White, as lead LGA Lib Dem Group member on the LGA's Refugee and Migration task group, has asked for the following information to be passed on: I know that many of you have been waiting to find out precisely where your council stands when it comes to central government funding and support for [...]

In 2008, the Labour government established the Infrastructure Planning Commission to oversee nationally significant projects in England and Wales. In 2010, the Tory manifesto pledged the abolition of this unelected body to be replaced by an "efficient and democratically accountable system that provides a fast-track system for major infrastructure projects". This was one of the Tory planks of the coalition agreement and the Infrastructure Planning Commission was duly abolished in 2012. A National Infrastructure Commission was promised by Labour in their 2015 manifesto. The Conservatives did not include it in their so-called 'long-term economic plan'. Today, we have George Osborne ...

Posted by Simon Horner on Liberal Democrat Voice

I have always been a firm believer that there is politics in pretty much everything, and that people generally care about issues, even if they don't think they care about politics, as packaged. However, since becoming a parent, I've noticed an issue. I enjoy spending time with my daughter and family, but I do work, and the minutae of daily life is so complicated, I need a series of automations (perhaps even automatons, or androids!) to keep it going. And though it sounds a bit, well, weak, I think keeping on top of the washing schedule, cleaning, caring for a ...

Posted by Louise Ankers on From one of the Jilted Generation...

The 5p plastic bag tax, which is being introduced in England this week, will significantly reduce the billions of one-use bags handed out in England every year. However, as with so many things to do with the environment, the Conservatives simply do not understand the issues. In Wales and Scotland the charge is being applied to all retail outlets. Here in England smaller retail outlets will be exempted. At a stroke the Conservatives have clouded what should have been a very simple step and introduced confusion and variations across shops. Small and medium-­sized enterprises - retailers employing fewer than 250 ...

Posted by Paul Crossley on Paul Crossley » Paul Crossley

Giles Wilkes, who was a special adviser to Vince Cable and chief economist at CentreForum, is now a leader writer at the Financial Times (which usually charges an online subscription). One of his recent editorials has been transferred to the free blog section so we are able to bring it to you. Labour should be wary of giving credence to a very suspect number. The £93bn figure now routinely used to evaluate the scale of "corporate welfare" in Britain is badly misleading. If the Labour Party is to re-establish its economic credibility, it needs to give the number a very ...

Posted by NewsHound on Liberal Democrat Voice

Eight Principal council by-elections were held last Thursday, seven of which took place in Scotland. The SNP successfully held seats in East Ayrshire, Fife, Stirling and West Lothian, all of which were caused following the resignation of newly elected MPs. Liberal Democrat candidate Caron Lindsay polled 2.8% of the first preferences in Linlithgow division in [...]

Posted by Michael Powell on Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors

[IMG: The LGA Lib Dems support Liberal Democrat council groups across the country] BUSINESS RATE MOVE WELCOMED BUT OBSESSION WITH ELECTED MAYORS CONTINUE Commenting on today's announcement from George Osborne that local authorities will be able to keep 100% of all business rates without sending it to Whitehall first of all, Cllr Gerald Vernon Jackson, Lib Dem Group Leader at the Local Government Association, said: "It was Liberal [...]

The SFR has been published recently. In many ways it exhibits the same trends. Of the 69,540 children looked after 41,410 are 10 and over. Only 28,140 are under 10. 19,850 are in looked after voluntarily (S20) and the rest in some form of compulsory care. 5,330 were adopted from care. 4,280 were under 5. The number of children in care under 5 is 13,820. Hence if you look at the proportion

Posted by John Hemming on John Hemming's Web Log

The outgoing executive director of CentreForum, Nick Tyrone writes an interesting blog post about Jeremy Corbyn and the nuclear button issue: The crucial moment of this year's Labour conference came not via a speech or indeed anything that happened inside of the hall. It occurred in an interview Jeremy Corbyn gave to the BBC yesterday morning. When asked, if he were prime minister would he ever use nuclear weapons, he gave a straight answer: "No". It was so defining because as he said it, I could imagine it appearing on Tory leaflets already. If Britain is attacked, PM Corbyn will ...

Posted by Paul Walter on Liberal Democrat Voice

The Liverpool Echo has the story – see link above. [IMG: Here I am with the recent Lydiate & Maghull resident's petition at a 311 bus stop in Lydiate. The petition was not collected by me I would add but by the hard work of locals concerned about the loss of this Arriva route to Ormskirk.] Here I am with the recent Lydiate & Maghull resident's petition at a 311 bus stop in Lydiate. The petition was not collected by me I would add but by the hard work of locals concerned about the loss of this Arriva route ...

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

The media, and even the Labour party itself, seem to have accepted that labour suffered a catastrophic defeat in May this year, and a consensus has developed that this was because their manifesto was "too left wing" and that Ed Miliband was "not prime-ministerial materiel." Labour's defeat was certainly devastating, but only in the sense that, until the results of the exit poll were released at 10pm, we all thought that Labour and the Conservatives were running "neck and neck" and those of us on the the progressive side of politics believed there was more than an even chance that ...

Posted by Peter Wrigley on Keynesian Liberal

The Russian President has a pattern of incredibly reckless behaviour- the attacks on Georgia, Ukraine, the threats against NATO and all of the rest of it. Yet in a coup-de-main that exceeds almost all of his recent gambles, Putin seems to be set on avoiding the consequences of his Ukrainian misadventure. However, not for the first time, both Putin and the West may be misreading each other. The conventional wisdom amongst the Putinologists is that that the entry into the Syrian imbroglio is a successful attempt to breach the wall of isolation that has been imposed against him since his ...

Posted by Cicero on Cicero's Songs

After 25 years of globalisation it should be self-evident to all that rapid technical advances and global competition creates winners and losers in society. I'm very proud to belong to a party committed to speaking up for those who are not benefiting from this brave new world, but even more exciting is the chance we have to be the party which best articulates how Britain can compete and win. There have been some excellent posts on Lib Dem Voice recently about how the Liberal values of an open multi-cultural society, devolution of power and being pro small enterprise are exactly ...

Posted by Tobie Abel on Liberal Democrat Voice

 

Posted by Mark Pack on Mark Pack

[IMG: Welsh kickstart Swansea 15th Novemeber] Lets Kickstart the Welsh Council Election and Welsh Assembly campaign together With Welsh Assembly elections in 2016 and local elections in 2017, now is the time to Kickstart your election campaign. Getting started early on our campaigns will ensure that we have the best chance of success in these elections. ALDC is hosting a Welsh [...]

Five years ago, the Liberal Democrats held the centre ground in the coalition formation negotiations between left and right. Equidistance is a loaded word, one that cynics will laugh at as vacuous. However, five years later, neither of the two main parties seem sufficiently interested in foreign affairs. This party could be equidistant between doves and hawks in foreign policy. To illustrate the dove-hawk twin hybrid, below are three examples. I am not necessarily endorsing the following as solutions and they are not exhaustive in terms of detail. They are merely prompts for a debate. Syria: The Dove stance might ...

Posted by Michael Cooke on Liberal Democrat Voice

Press statement from the district council St Albans City and District Council has signaled its commitment to supporting Syrian refugees as part of the Government's recently announced scheme. Over the past few weeks, lots of local residents and groups have contacted the Council offering help and seeking information. Many local people are clearly concerned for [...]

Posted by chriswhite on Chris White » Chris White
Mon 5th
10:32

Plastic Bag Charge

[IMG: Webstory image for plastic bags] On 5th October, new plastic bag charges are coming into force in England, thanks to the Liberal Democrats commitment to the environment in government. This is a great opportunity to communicate with residents about the changes and highlight the work that the Liberal Democrats have done to reduce the use of plastic bag carriers to [...]

Posted by Claire Halliwell on Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors

[IMG: Scottish Kickstart 2015] Kickstart the Scottish Council Election Campaign With Scottish Parliament Elections in 2016 and local elections in 2017, now is the time to Kickstart your election campaign. Getting started early on our campaigns will ensure that we have the best chance of success in these elections. ASLDC is hosting a Scottish Kickstart event in Perth on [...]

We are just starting to understand the effects that algorithms have on our lives. But their environmental impact may be even greater, demanding public scrutiny. Victor Galaz and colleagues present a new manifesto - the Biosphere Code. Algorithms - step-by-step sequences of operations that solve specific computational tasks - are transforming the world around us. They support sophisticated search engines, voice recognition software, online transactions, data compression, targeted advertising and self-driving cars. But algorithms also shape our biosphere - the global ecosystem and its thin layer of life on our planet that underpins human development. The influence of algorithms was ...

Posted by Victor Galaz on Political science | The Guardian

OK, here's a question. Can you guess which book is represented on Wikiquote by the following two quotations? "Conservatism, though a necessary element in any stable society, is not a social programme; in its paternalistic, nationalistic and power adoring tendencies it is often closer to socialism than true liberalism; and with its traditionalistic, anti-intellectual, and often mystical propensities it will never, except in short periods of disillusionment, appeal to the young and all those others who believe that some changes are desirable if this world is to become a better place." "The more the state 'plans' the more difficult planning ...

Posted by David Boyle on The Real Blog

This article originally appeared here on Liberal Democrat Voice. Siobhan Mathers, Scottish Liberal Democrat activist, former (and, I hope, future) parliamentary candidate and policy convener argues in today's Sunday Times (£) that it's time that Scotland got a full home rule ... Continue reading →

Posted by caronlindsay on Caron's Musings

[IMG: 016d71e5-b3e1-4390-897a-79d8cfe670f3] We all know that the talk of compassionate conservatism that characterised the early years of Cameron's leadership was quietly dropped. When one of your main political strategies is taking money from the poor and disabled – reducing thousands to penury – the whole compassion thing comes across as a bit incongruous, regardless of how often you claim you were doing it for their own good. While the party had sought to shed its image as the nasty party this proved too much of a stretch. Critics claim that the mask has slipped: there is clear evidence that the ...

Posted by admin on Alex's Archives

Prior to this year's Tory conference beginning, delegates were warned by none other than Lord Feldman, the chair of the Conservative Party, to hide their passes when outside the secure zones for fear of physical attack. I didn't need anyone from the Tories to tell me that walking around Manchester with a CPC pass on wasn't particularly wise. And so it turned out to be, with several ugly incidents involving baying mobs and spitting yesterday outside the conference zone. This begs the question I ask myself every couple of years when Tory conference in Manchester comes round again: why does ...

Posted by Nick on nicktyrone.com

[IMG: after the storm] Wider in scope and more ambitious in its reach, "After the Storm" is the acclaimed sequel to "The Storm" published after the financial crisis of 2008. Having spent the last 5 years as Business Secretary within the Coalition Government (2010-2015), Vince has the added clout of first-hand experience introducing economic policies that have steered us out of the storm, not least an industrial strategy. His professed motivation for penning a sequel were to update readers on the state of Britain's economy in "a climate of guarded optimism," and to share his insights, no longer bound by ...

Posted by Merlene Emerson on Liberal Democrat Voice

Earlier this year, following my contacting the City Council's Roads Maintenance Partnership, I was advised that Hillside Terrace was recommended for inclusion in the 2015 carriageway resurfacing programme. The much-needed resurfacing has recently taken place and feedback from residents about the work is very positive. However, residents (and I!) are confused as to why Hillside Place was not resurfaced at the same time as it is essentially a small cul de sac entirely within the curtilage of Hillside Terrace. The road condition is in the same poor state as Hillside Terrace previously was - see right : The Roads Maintenance ...

Centre Right wins Portuguese election Just about, anyway. (tags: portugal )

The lost rivers that lie beneath London - which reminds me, when does @benaaronovich's next book come out? Noisy protests keep Conservative conference attendees awake - oh dear. I mean obviously, ppl have the right to protest, and part of the point of protest is to inconvenience folk. But I can't help but feel sorry for all the residents of Manchester who AREN'T at tory conference... Trading human rights for prosperity Criminal courts charge: Mass resignations amid judicial revolt against 'extremely unfair' fees [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments

From this morning, a 5p charge comes in for single-use carrier bags. This welcome move will encourage people to reuse bags saving energy resources. It will reduce plastic bag litter on land and in our oceans. The carrier bag charge is not a government tax. The money raised is expected to go to charity (but [...]

Posted by andybodders on Andy Boddington

[IMG: New Holiday Inn Express for Stockport Exchange] New Holiday Inn Express for Stockport Exchange Stockport is to get two new hotels, with both announcements coming out inside the last week. Travelodge have exchanged contracts with Orbit to open an 86 bedroom hotel in Regents House, the office building on Heaton Lane. The hotel will include a Bar Café and is situated close to Stockport train station and the new £47 million Redrock leisure development and the existing Merseyway Shopping Centre. Along with Sale, it's the first of nine new hotels Travelodge are looking to open in Greater Manchester. The ...

Posted by Iain Roberts on Keith, Graham and Iain

The Daily Mail reports that Nigel Farage faces a European Parliament investigation for using taxpayer funds to pay for a roadshow around Britain campaigning against the European Union. They say that the Ukip leader has been reported to Brussels authorities for financing his 'Say No To EU' speaking tour using EU money allocated to his group of MEPs. Mr Farage's Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy group (EFDD), which is made up of Ukip MEPs and Eurosceptics from other countries, has received 6.4million euros (£4.7million) from the Parliament in the past three years to pay for its activities. However, Labour ...

Posted by Peter Black on Peter Black

The Western Mail reports on claims by Nick Jones, the Traffic Commissioner for the West Midlands and Wales that the UK Government is treating Wales as a district of the English Midlands and is getting a "second rate service" - with Welsh fees subsidising the superior service in England: Birmingham-based Mr Jones warns that this has implications for the "safety and convenience of the public in Wales" - and that there is no budget for his office to comply with Welsh-language legislation. Mr Jones vents his frustration with the lack of change in his latest annual report. He encourages readers ...

Posted by Freedom Central on Freedom Central

OK, I still need to do a bit of work to tidy it up, but I said it'd be done this weekend and... just about... I've managed it. Tomorrow, when I've given the files a final check-over, I'll be uploading preliminary ebook versions of the book to Kickstarter and my Patreon. I'm then going to [...]

Posted by Andrew Hickey on Sci-Ence! Justice Leak!