It's time to gather together your Question Time survival kit – at least two of the following: Popcorn A nice up of tea Gin on an intravenous drip A nice glass of red Chocolate Pillow to hide behind or bite when Melanie Phillips is on (although there is an argument we should be grateful it's not Katie Hopkins, although a Hopkins vs Farron encounter would be deeply entertaining. Tonight, though, at least we have Tim Farron on. He's been on stonking form recently and he has made it very clear what he thinks of both Theresa May's and David Cameron's ...
Conservative seat. Lib Dem candidate: Katherine Lewis Contact for helpers: Christine Humphreys 07789 964265
According to Mark Pack, the English Party is thinking of outsourcing its membership database, currently run in LDHQ, to a private company. Why has there been quiet talk about how Atos or another similar firm might be asked to take over Liberal Democrat membership services? It is because the English Party has been sounding out options for outsourcing the servicing of membership from party HQ in London (for members of the party in England). As the strategy paper says, "[We should] consider outsourcing of the management of member (and supporter) recruitment and renewal processing and record keeping, if this can ...
Current TARDIS Eruditorum - An Unofficial Critical History of Doctor Who Volume 6: Peter Davison and Colin Baker, by Philip Sandifer The Arabian Nights, ed. Muhsin Mahdi, tr. Hussein Haddawy The Invisible Gorilla: And Other Ways Our Intuition Deceives Us: Or Why You Have No Idea How Your Mind Works, by Christopher Chabris and Daniel Simons Last books finished Jacaranda, by Cherie Priest Forsaken, by Kelley Armstrong (did not finish) Les Misérables, by Victor Hugo Galactic North, by Alastair Reynolds Last week's audios Fractures [Blake's 7], by Justin Richards Prisoners of the Lake [Third Doctor], by Justin Richards The Havoc ...
While Britain watched The Great British Bake Off, BBC2 showed this excellent documentary on the career of Denis Healey. You can now view it on BBC iPlayer, and I urge you to do so. The still above shows Ken Livingstone, Tony Benn and a young Jeremy Corbyn during the 1981 deputy leadership election in which Healey narrowly defeated Benn and quite possibly saved the Labour Party. It seems Corbyn is determined to ensure that achievement is only temporary.
The Birkdale blog has written about Jean Sprackland before, this week she turns up on the radio in Essential Classics which is entirely appropriate as it is National Poetry Day. You can hear her on iplayer and there will be a podcast later on if you come upon this after the full broadcast ceases to be available. One of the pieces of music she chose was Spem in Alium from Thomas Tallis -arguably the greatest English composer. In the broadcast she recalls hearing this 40 part motet at the Tate in Liverpool where and there was an art installation based ...
From the Telegraph website this evening: Michelle Thomson was due to play a "starring role" alongside Nicola Sturgeon and John Swinney winning over the business community at next week's SNP conference, Labour has said.The Edinburgh West MP, whose property dealings are the subject of a police investigation over potential mortgage fraud, was due to speak at a fringe event addressing the question: "What is stopping UK businesses from exploring new markets?" Labour also published a corporate agenda for the Aberdeen conference showing Mrs Thomson was due to appear at a business breakfast meeting next Friday with Ms Sturgeon followed by ...
[IMG: qesb-logo-3-logogarden] Back during April and May, I did a little bit of work helping Drs Edzia Carvalho and Kristi Winters on their Qualitative Election Study of Britain project, which was looking at people's perceptions and attitudes towards the election campaign. They're now publishing some of the data they gathered from their work, in the form of transcripts of various of the focus groups that were conducted. They make interesting reading, as even though they're individual testimony, they give an interesting account of how people outside the political bubble see and understand politics and should help to give anyone a ...
If you have been impressed by the way that Tim Farron has responded to the slough of nastiness, prejudice and general not getting it that was the Tory Party conference, you can watch him tackle the Tories (and the SNP) in person tonight. On this week's panel in Leicester: Priti Patel @lisanandy @StewartHosieSNP @TimFarron and @MelanieLatest #bbcqt pic.twitter.com/AXR5JtcGfw — BBC Question Time (@bbcquestiontime) October 6, 2015 I have long since given up watching when Melanie Phillips is on for the sake of my health and sanity. However, tonight, I will hide all hard objects (to protect my tv screen) and ...
Thu 8th
17:32
If David Cameron really wants an "assault on poverty", he could always try giving the poor more mone...
One of the striking things about David Cameron's much admired speech yesterday was the emphasis on the concept of "equality". This was very much at the heart of the rhetoric: he promised to "finish the fight for real equality" and even went so far as to say that "you cannot have true opportunity without equality". [...]
Amidst the blizzard of tasteful words hiding monstrous schemes that made up David Cameron's speech yesterday, there was one part that felt out of place with the rest of the recent Tory rhetoric. When he was talking about schools, he said this: So my next ambition is this: 500 new Free Schools, every school an academy...and yes - Local Authorities running schools a thing of the past. (emphasis added) And yes, it got a round of applause from the audience, which is odd, as the rhetoric from the Tories the rest of the time has been proclaiming devolution and talking ...
Those who still think that the BBC is politically impartial are sadly deluded. Any broadcaster that choses to intentionally label the new Leader of the Opposition as 'left wing', resulting in an online petition calling for it to label the Prime Minister 'right wing', clearly has a political agenda. Subtle and implied it may be, but it is almost certainly there. Take today's 'mountain out of a molehill' report about Jeremy Corbyn's non-attendance at the next Privy Council meeting due to a prior engagement. Its the sort of trivial stuff you'd expect the Daily Mail to exploit, but not the ...
It's National Poetry Day today so we thought it might be worth asking you to nominate your favourite poem with a liberal message. What poem has moved you or made a liberal point in a unique way. Let us know in the comments. We also thought you might like to see this piece from 2012 in which Edis Bevan looked at the poetry of Denmark's Piet Hein. We are nothing if not good Europeans. In a mad world, remember Denmark's Piet Hein. Theoretical physicist, poet, wartime resistance activist, mathematician and simply a human being in all its warmest glory. His ...
Why should we care about the Privy Council? What does it actually do?
Thu 8th
13:43
LibLink: Tim Farron: Ignore the spin - social housing is still under threat from the Conservatives
Tim Farron has put David Cameron's new housing policy under the microscope and found it wanting. We should take notice of what he says because he knows a lot about housing, the issue that brought him into politics and has made his number one priority. Writing in the New Statesman, he says: This is still an economically illiterate and socially divisive policy with devastating consequences, which was flung into the Conservative election campaign in a last minute attempt to grab some votes by invoking memories of Thatcher. Firstly, selling off housing association homes does nothing to address the national emergency ...
I've had my Soundpeats Qy7 headphones now for over 6 months and they are a great buy. The quality of the sound is fine for my ears (I'm sure for audiophiles you'll have some issues) and they stay in whilst at the gym or walking. I use them most days and the battery life is around 7 hours per charge and a full charge doesn't take too long to complete. I went for the black and red model, however since then the range of colours has extended to include full white, full black and yellow cables, plus the original green ...
I can't express how disappointed I am that the new London Bridge station re built platforms are just as low as the previous ones. The very large gap between platforms and trains still remains on terminating platforms that are straight. Network Rail don't even have the excuse of curved platforms on the terminating platforms. This is so weird. It costs almost exactly the same whatever the platform height. Campaigners have been told by Network Rail that they couldn't get a straight answer from the Dept. of Transport to make a decision to have level platform. So they erred on caution ...
A candidate stands His deposit flutters off On the soft May breeze
I want this to be the 'greenest government ever' trumpeted Cameron when the Coalition Government came to power in 2010. [IMG: key_green_laws] Well yes it was probably a reasonable aspiration back then but only because the Lib Dems forced the Tories down a credible 'green' route. However, since the Tories were given an overall majority by the electorate in 2015 they have done nothing but row back on all the environmental steps forward made in the previous 5 years 'over their dead body' by those bastard green Lib Dems. Instead of ratcheting up the green policies as we need to ...
Jo Swinson has cast a critical eye over George Osborne's plans to extend parental leave to grandparents in an article for Personnel Today. As minister responsible for introducing shared parental leave just 6 months ago, Jo explained why they hadn't included grandparents at that time: When the legislation was being debated in Parliament we looked carefully at extending leave to non-parents, and rejected that change for good reasons. If it is no longer to be about developing parental bonds, then why draw the line at grandparents? Shouldn't leave then be shareable with aunts, uncles or friends? Important though other carers ...
Federal party leader Tim Farron and Scottish and Welsh leaders Willie Rennie and Kirsty Williams were swift to challenge their Conservative counterparts to disown Theresa May's "borderline xenophobic" comments in her conference speech earlier this week. Kirsty said: Andrew Davies must speak out against Theresa May's outrageous speech or we must assume that he shares her views. He was right last month to call for extra help for refugees fleeing the crisis in Syria, but his position is at odds with the borderline xenophobia we heard from the Home Secretary. Britain is socially, culturally and economically richer for our outward ...
Three activities to mark the centenary of St George's Simister which are hopefully of interest to people: Centenary Service of Celebration Wednesday 14th October 7:00pm The service will be in the form of -:'Songs of Praise' Included will be readings about the church through the years. Light refreshments will be served in Lady Wilton Hall after the service Besses Boys'Band Centenary Concert Friday 16th October 7:30pm St. George's Church All tickets £5:00 Light refreshment included Available from church contacts Call or ring:- 07885942277 / 07733347173 or Band Members The Eden Singers Presents Magic of the Musicals Friday 23rd October 7:30pm ...
[IMG: Liberal Democrat Newswire logo] Liberal Democrat Newswire #72 came out last week, a special edition looking at how the Dutch liberal party D66 recovered from coalition disaster – and hence the lessons for the Liberal Democrats. You can also read it below, but if you'd like the convenience of getting it direct by email in future, just sign up here. It's free! Dear Friend, Welcome to the 72nd edition of Liberal Democrat Newswire, a special edition looking at how the Dutch liberal party D66 recovered from electoral disaster in coalition. D66 has become the favourite example to be quoted ...
Just to give people an update on the issue of the pigeons causing a nuisance on the bridge at Fairfax Road. The netting, which was repaired at our request about 18 months ago, seems to have become damaged (perhaps by traffic) and as a result the pavement underneath the bridge has become both unpleasant and treacherous. [IMG: Screenshot-2014-08-27-09.40.04] Metrolink have agreed to appoint contractors to inspect the site with a view to repairing the netting or installing new if required. We'll keep residents informed with progress on this. Best wishes Tim
A number of local residents have been in touch about the 90 and 91 bus services, since their introduction in the summer. This the bus from Simister to the village/Tescos, which now continues to Bury (a long way round) via Radcliffe and Ainsworth village. [IMG: Screenshot-2015-07-15-08.42.06-300x209] We are hoping to work with Transport for Greater Manchester and the operator to see how the service can be improved, but please let us know if there are reliability issues on the service so these can be fed back in. Many thanks Tim (tim@burylibdems.net)
On 5th October, new plastic bag charges came into force across England. This was something which was was pushed by the Liberal Democrats during the Coalition Government, but has only just come into effect. In the last year that stats are available (2013) supermarkets handed out 8.3 BILLION plastic bags – that is an average of 300 bags per household. [IMG: plasticBag_1830777b] Plastic bags are highly visible litter on our streets and in our countryside, they pose a threat to wildlife and their disposal contributes to our green house gas emissions. Shockingly a plastic bag can take 500 to 1,000 ...
Next week (12-16 October 2015) is 'Get Online Week'. This is the annual week which encourages people to see how much can be done online - from saving money, finding a new home, keeping in touch with friends and family, and opening a bank account. Free sessions are being held to help Bury residents 'go digital' and use the internet. There are four free 'drop in' sessions, all from 10am to 1pm in Radcliffe and Bury (unfortunately none in Prestwich!) Monday 12 October – Whittaker Street, Radcliffe Tuesday 13 October – Radcliffe Library Wednesday 14 October – Bury Library* Friday ...
Gateshead Lib Dems held a pizza and politics evening at Marley Hill Community Centre last night. In between attending a council seminar and milking the goat in the afternoon, I had to make a rare visit to a supermarket to buy 15 pizzas. An internet search identified Asda as a possible source for cheap pizzas. I got them at £1 each! John Shipley, former leader of Newcastle City Council and
Following my post yesterday, I was in the pub with some Lib Dems talking about Lib Dem jobs (and specifically Mark Pack's post on the HQ restructure). One of the points we all agreed on (unsurprisingly for a group of Yorkshire Lib Dems) is that it's all too London-centric. Having part time jobs (which would be accessible with longer commutes) could be part of the answer - but the other is, why can't we do more work remotely, or based in other offices around the country. For example, why can't a Head of Digital Engagement (for example) be based in ...
LGA LIB DEMS WELCOME PLAN TO SAVE HUNDREDS OF LIVES EVERY YEAR In response to The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm Regulations coming into force on 1 October, Cllr Jeremy Hilton, LGA Lib Dem Fire Services Spokesman and Chair of the LGA's Fire Services Management Committee, said: "It was good that Lib Dem ministers in [...]
[IMG: mum and sons] The Evening Standard deserve full marks for spotting a certain recipe on a food blog which is run by Miriam González Durántez and her sons. Piggate broke around 21st September. As revealed in April this year, Miriam writes a (previously) anonymous food blog called "Mum and sons". The entries are undated, but by looking at the blog archive, it seems the latest entry of "Pig's cheeks in wine sauce" was posted after the 4th of October. Based on the timing therefore, one can't help but thinking there is a little bit of...er...cheekiness going on here. One ...
Conformity and Diversity "Conform", they say, "be who you're meant to be!Don't think, don't choose, don't be diff'rent at all.Don't look as if you don't want to belongto 'our way of life' - you are so small!You're insignificant. We need to seethat you form part of our amorphous mass. No thinking thoughts, no singing your own song,To live in peace we must be all one class." They tell us that to be ourselves is badThey tell us that 'the other' is to fearThat choosing our own path is 'just a fad'And all must take the way that they hold dear.Screw ...
All three Wallington South ward councillors attended this special event for over 50s to celebrate International Older People's Day 2015. Muhammad officiated as Mayor, whilst Steve and I attended to meet with local people and update ourselves about the information and advice available for older people in Sutton. Organisations attending the event included Sutton [...]
UPDATED DETAILS LD seat. Cause: Resignation. LD Candidate- Tina Liddington. To help, please contact Will Forster (07980 971078, williamforster@hotmail.co.uk) or Ann-Marie Barker (07885 231878, annmarie.barker@gmail.com)
UPDATED DETAILS LD seat. Cause: Resignation. LD Candidate- James Sanderson. To help, please contact Will Forster (07980 971078, williamforster@hotmail.co.uk) or Ann-Marie Barker (07885 231878, annmarie.barker@gmail.com)
Conservative seat. Cause: Resignation. LD Candidate- Simon Thompson. To help, please contact David Rouane (07957 287799, davidrouane@btinternet.com)
UPDATED DETAILS. SNP seat. Cause: Resignation (now MP). LD Candidate- Jean Davis.
UPDATED DETAILS. Labour seat. Cause: Death. No LD Candidate.
UPDATED DETAILS. Green seat. Cause: Resignation. LD Candidate- John Birch.
The latest controversy involving Jeremy Corbyn comes one day after David Cameron alluded to him in his conference leader speech as a terrorist-loving, Britain hater. The incident in question involves Corbyn rejecting an invite from the Queen to be sworn in by her to the Privy Council. Jeremy has cited "prior engagements" as his reason for not attending. The big problem with this is that Corbyn has simultaneously done something that the Tories and the right of centre media can jump all over as evidence of his lack of (fill in the blank here) while not actually having been a ...
[IMG: International Office_with text] With the EU-referendum likely to be less than a year away and the prospect of a Brexit a real and frightening possibility, the question of Britain's role in Europe is more pressing than ever. The European Union was one of the most widely discussed issues at the conference, including the official launch of the Lib Dem Remain campaign. In order to bring a more international perspective and explore the issues further, the Liberal Democrats International Office brought together a distinguished panel consisting of Sir Graham Watson, President of the ALDE Party and former Liberal Democrat MEP, ...
[IMG: Telephone. Image FreeImages.com/Marie Jeanne Iliescu] The Liberal Democrat English Party has been considering radical changes to its own operation and other parts of the party as part of its post-election review. The English Council Executive (ECE) has now agreed a set of proposals, which are an intriguing mix of the very good, the incomplete and the very risky. Here are four in particular to chew over. Abolishing indirect elections Let's start with the two that are good in varying degrees: improving internal democracy and introducing a registered supporters scheme. The plan is to abolish the current opaque set of ...
Thu 8th
08:45
Cameron's speech: a triumph of right-wing virtue-signalling made possible by Labour's abdication as ...
I didn't watch David Cameron's speech to the Conservative conference in Manchester yesterday. Like much of the country I was at work. But the insta-reaction of journalists was generally positive — here was a Tory leader making an audacious pitch for the centre, even the centre-left, of British politics. Labour and Lib Dems beware! Yet as the #sorrycommentariat simultaneously acknowledged, Mr Cameron's speech wasn't about policy. Which means, as it stands, that the savage cuts to tax-credits awaiting 13 million lower-income families, set to lose an average of £260 a year, will still happen — and with 3 million working ...
Elections to West End Community Council take place soon - you can find out more by downloading the information leaflet here. Please complete and return it to the Freepost address indicated by 23rd October if you wish to express interest in participating in the election. West End Community Council is the West End's voice and does great work for the local community so it is hoped that many local residents will want to participate in the elections to the Community Council. The next Community Council meeting is next Tuesday (13th October) at 7pm at Logie St John's (Cross) Church Hall ...
There are occasions when I despair of the miserable failure of the Westminster world to understand what is staring them in the face - and I must admit I felt that listening to David Cameron's conference speech about housing. It isn't that I disapprove of home ownership. Quite the reverse, I think everyone should own their own home. It's a sign of civilisation and independence. It is the complete mismatch between Cameron's policies and his stated objective that is so infuriating. In fact, I can't think of any area of public discourse so shot through with complete twaddle as housing ...
FBI helped thwart nuclear smuggling plot in Moldova Interesting. (tags: uspolitics moldova waronterror ) The Joy of Sad Place Names Most seem entirely deliberate. (tags: maps )
This guy travels the world with his dog because he can't stand to see him locked away 3 3 BBC apologises for show that mocked climate science - should apologise for giving Quentin Twat the series How to be the perfect benefit claimant 16 All-Male Panels At The Tory Party Conference Talking About Serious Stuff [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments
Today is national Poetry Day. Here is one of my favourites: Ode on Solitude Happy the man, whose wish and care A few paternal acres bound, Content to breathe his native air, In his own ground. Whose herds with milk, whose fields with bread, Whose flocks supply him with attire, Whose trees in summer yield him shade, In winter fire. Blest, who can unconcernedly find Hours, days, and years slide soft away, In health of body, peace of mind, Quiet by day, Sound sleep by night; study and ease, Together mixed; sweet recreation; And innocence, which most does please, With ...
Canadian general elections don't tend to feature that much in the British media but, with just 12 days to go the latest contest is starting to develop into an epic fight in which the left wing New Democrats Party has started to flounder leaving the Liberal Party to carry the opposition cudget. The real news though is that Stephen Harper's Tories have dumped a metaphorical dead cat on the dining room table and have recovered their lead in the polls.The contest though remains within the margin of error and is neck and neck. If any of that sounds familiar, then ...
Plans by Labour-run Newport Council to ban rough sleeping on the city's streets have been criticised by the Welsh Liberal Democrats and human rights organisation Liberty. Newport City Council's consultation into the planned Public Services Protection Order, which would criminalise rough sleeping on Newport's streets, closed yesterday. In their response to the consultation, Liberty criticised the proposals. Paul Halliday, the Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Candidate for Newport East, said: "Newport Labour Council are so pre-occupied with making the city look pretty in time for the new Friars Walk shopping centre, they seem to care very little for the people they're ...
