Is this Government really working on the incompetence bit? There is a point when you really have to wonder. It's easy to describe Tories as evil. Lazy, perhaps, but easy nonetheless. But, the thing about the bad guys is that they're generally well-organised (evil lairs built into volcanoes don't come easy, you know). And, at the moment, with a European negotiation without much in the way of negotiating points, and welfare reform carried out via the most vulnerable of legislative methods, you begin to fear just how much damage they could do if they knew what they were doing. In ...
The station shown is the current Wolverhampton station, but it lost its overall roof long ago.
I read with amazement how the Local Government Association - the national trade body for councils – have suggested families should find it easier to take their children out of school and on holidays during school term times. Local councils have nothing to stop them changing term times so that families can go on holiday outside the normal holiday times when holidays can be so very expensive. The LGA and London councils are the ideal bodies to help facilitate all councils coordinating term times around in a manner so all families have the chance for cheaper holidays without causing other ...
Thank you to the more-than-200 people who have already completed Keith's residents' survey to let Keith know which issues you think we should be working on. If you've not yet filled it in, you can do so here. It only takes a couple of minutes. Keith is going through every response and replying to everyone, but he's already put together a list of the issues you are telling us are the ones you think we should be working on. This chart shows all the issues raised by more than one person so far. [IMG: Selection_193]
Times Higher Education reports a talk by Vince Cable to the University of London's Institute of Advanced Legal Studies. Vince expressed his fear that new anti-terror legislation will lead to universities becoming sterile institutions: Sir Vince, who held responsibility for universities from 2010 until losing his Twickenham parliamentary seat in May's general election, also warned that new rules that require universities to vet external speakers to see whether they hold 'extremist' views are likely to be applied zealously by institutions, thereby inhibiting free speech. "Universities - being naturally risk-averse and cautious - will err on the side of caution and ...
Cambridgeshire County Council is looking for the views of local residents on proposals to save money on street lighting. Cambridgeshire residents are being urged to have their say to join more than 60 other councils and further dim or turn off some streetlights at certain times to meet tough saving targets. Cambridgeshire County Council is faced with finding £41 million in savings next year and more than £100 million over the next five years with less money from Government and more demand on services. The Council is looking to follow the lead of more than 60 councils across the country, ...
Today's proceedings at Council were unexpectedly harmonious and non-tribal. In delivering his report to Council on the North East Combined Authority proposals for devolution council leader Simon Henig adopted a level and balanced tone as he announced that all the people of Durham would be polled on their view before the decision is taken. This was after he had re-stated his own lack of support for an elected Mayor for the North East which he described as a government "red-line" forced on the Combined Authority. In dealing with questions, including my own which I posted on this website last night, ...
The latest "Tim Talks" video below looks at Tim's visit to Lesvos and his question to the Prime Minister: * Paul Walter is a Liberal Democrat activist in Newbury and West Berkshire. He is part of the Liberal Democrat Voice team and blogs at Liberal Burblings.
At a meeting held this week, the Cambridgeshire Police and Crime Commissioner and Cambridgeshire Constabulary discussed the approach that would be taken to achieve the savings required. They also reviewed a number of programmes that would help deliver the savings and keep Cambridgeshire Constabulary in a strong financial position and continue to minimise the impact on front line policing. Budget setting for 2016/17 is more difficult than usual as all police forces await the outcome of both the Government's Comprehensive Spending Review and the outcome of the review of the Police Funding Formula, both of which will determine the funding ...
Finally, the Out Campaign have admitted it. For years, they have pretended that trading with Europe isn't important to our economy, that it doesn't help British businesses to grow and create jobs up and down the country. Until now. Last week, the Head of Vote Leave, one of the Out Campaigns, admitted that British jobs would be at risk if we left the EU. This is a big moment in the campaign - and we need your help to make sure everybody knows about this important confession. So please watch the video below and share it on Facebook and Twitter ...
Wed 28th
18:00
++Tim Farron will be on the Political Slot on Channel 4 at 7.55pm tonight - talking about the refuge...
[IMG: Tim helping in Lesvos YouTube screenshot] Fresh back from Lesvos, Tim Farron will be on the Political Slot on Channel 4 tonight arguing that the UK must do more to help with the refugee crisis. It's on after Channel 4 News at 7.55pm. The photo above is a screenshot from the video below which shows Tim (in the light blue short and grey trousers) helping refugees ashore in Lesvos. * Paul Walter is a Liberal Democrat activist in Newbury and West Berkshire. He is part of the Liberal Democrat Voice team and blogs at Liberal Burblings.
zest ½ lemon, then cut into wedges 4 tbsp fresh white breadcrumbs 25g butter, melted 1½ tsp coarsely ground peppercorns 4 skinless salmon fillets Potatoes and greens. A BBC recipe. 1. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Start cooking potatoes. (And probably greens.) 2. While the potatoes cook, combine the lemon zest, breadcrumbs, butter and peppercorns. Put the salmon fillets in a large roasting tin and sprinkle 1 tbsp of crumbs on each fillet. Pop the lemon wedges in the tin and bake for 8-10 mins until the salmon is cooked and the crumb is golden and crunchy. 3. Serve ...
[IMG: Libby - Some rghts reserved by David Spender] Editor's Note: The party is currently running an essay competition for members of the Liberal Democrats, to submit 1000 words on the theme "What it means to be a Liberal Democrat today." The deadline for contributions is 2nd November. If you would like us to publish your submission, send it to voice@libdemvoice.org.uk. What it means to be a Liberal Democrat today to me is to promote three basic, yet fundamental, principles to help place in people's hands the tools they need to make the most of their lives: Freedom, Democracy and ...
Another week in Parliament which means another week where our "independent-minded" MP has steadfastly agreed with whatever the whips tell him to do. This included Monday's vote on the "Tampon Tax" (removing VAT from women's sanitary products), but he's provided a detailed explanation as to why he didn't vote for it (original Facebook post here). It's a long post that meanders around making digs at the EU, claims that the content of the motion wasn't deliverable and praise for the minister involved, and it all sounds like a reasoned and well-meaning way to explain his vote, until you look at ...
After a complaint from residents of Willow Court, the Lib Dem team have got the council to cut back vegetation that was growing out from the old cemetery over the pavement at the bottom of Old Hall Road. Some people were being pushed into the road, so worth getting sorted!
The case of Tara Hudson, a transgender woman who has been sent to one of the most violent all male prisons in the country for an admitted assault, highlights once again the need for British law and administration relating to gender dysphoria to be overhauled. As a cysgender gay man I cannot begin to imagine what it must be like to live with a condition where you experience discomfort or distress because there is a mismatch between your biological sex and gender identity, but I don't have to live with medical condition in order to understand the impact it must ...
[IMG: Tax Credit image for Web story] The Liberal Democrats have been clear that the Government's proposed changes to tax credits are unacceptable. David Cameron explicitly ruled them out during the General Election yet now he is dead set on cutting support for people who are doing the right thing and going out to work for provide for their families. Last night's vote [...]
I hear that the Tory leadership is not actually too respected by the Tory MPs, especially since the tax credits debacle. They believe that the leadership think they are God's gift to politics - but isn't there something old that people say about campaigning in poetry and governing in prose? As I tweeted today, watching the Tories stumble around since they've been governing on their own is like bumping into your ex in their pyjamas, shouting at traffic. In the midst of their travails, they seem very triumphant about winning seats from us, so much that DavidCameron thinks it's a ...
Let me say from the start, that I am NOT advocating bus lanes for each and every road in the city, BUT, I am saying where viable (esp on main routes) we should at least look to trial and then introduce bus lanes for the following reasons: Help reduce delays in bus journeys and the [...]
Political corruption kills more people than war and famine combined. I addressed the United Nations on how the international community can and must act to bring kleptocrats to justice.
More educative entertainment from Tom Scott:
[IMG: A new CCTV camera wil help monitor traffic queues - something the Lib Dems have pressed for] A new CCTV camera wil help monitor traffic queues – something the Lib Dems have pressed for Councillor Keith Holloway has criticised Cheadle's Conservative MP for allowing Highways England to delay an important study into improving the Kingsway junction. Earlier this year, our former MP Mark Hunter fought hard to get action on the Kingsway junction. He held public meetings and secured a commitment from Highways England to conduct a study over the summer. Local councillors have only recently discovered that, following ...
By way of an experiment, I've decided to turn off comments across this blog until at least the new year. I still really welcome interaction of course. The easiest way to do this is through my Twitter account or Facebook page.
[IMG: 2015 Best Overall Campaign image for web] This year's overall campaign winners were Bedford – they fought a strong and successful election campaign, over different platforms with what is thought to have been the most number of ballot papers on Polling Day this year, with 5: Parliamentary, Mayoral, Council, Parish and a Council Tax referendum from their PCC. We were very impressed [...]
With the Conference seasons, both national and regional, now all put to bed it's time to start seriously moving into full on election mode for 2016. It would be nice to be able to relax and take a leisurely stroll around the Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh and view the evening autumn colours light show which... More It's Time To Develop A Core Vote Strategy
#PortugalCoup, and Britain's post-fact politics Excellent takedown by @jonworth, applies elsewhere too. (tags: eu ukpolitics portugal ) The strange death of Catholic Ireland @GerryLynch in fine form. (tags: ireland ) Throwout A pre-election critique of Stephen Harper - from the Right. (tags: canada ) UK Boundary Review 2016 - What needs to be Done Faha points out that Northern Ireland needn't lose 2 seats. (tags: northernireland )
[IMG: Old sill window with curtains] Talking of 'shifting the Overton window' and the like has become increasingly popular in the last few months amongst political and policy geeks in the UK. It's not obvious why, given that – for example – the previous paucity of evidence to support the theory has remained just the same, a point that Nick Barlow makes well. Paucity of evidence doesn't stop something becoming popular, of course. It's almost as if the Overton window is political homeopathy. More curious, however, is what Overton himself thought of this eponymous window. He thought that bigger social ...
We have managed to live through the sixth centenary of the Battle of Agincourt without too much embarrassment. It is strange that we should still celebrate a battle which, although it was an English victory, caused so much death and misery. But perhaps the French should just grin and bear it, just as we have been doing about Bannockburn - a battle fought in similar circumstances - now for seven centuries. For me, Agincourt remains interesting primarily because of what nearly happened, rather than for what did. As I wrote in the Guardian last weekend, we came closer to merger ...
It's all happening in the House of Lords this week. The Conservative Party, former stalwart guardians of the Upper House, have taken to highlighting the other place's lack of democracy (it's been that way for some time now, guys), with the whiff of "constitutional crisis" in the air (being talked about on this occasion, ironically, by anyone but the usual suspects who cry constitutional crisis at the first sign of the slightest parliamentary log jam, mostly because they all reside on the left of British politics and thus don't want to carp too loudly about something that may turf substantial ...
Leaves whisper their secrets as you treadEchoes of summer in a blue sky overhead
One of the key arguments of those wishing to leave the European Union is that Norway manages to exist outside whilst maintaining all the privileges of a full member. In other words, 'a vote to leave is a win-win situation'. Unfortunately, for them that is far from the truth. Now, according to the Guardian, David Cameron is going to tackle this myth head-on. The paper says that the Prime Minister will use the Northern Future Forum in Reykjavik, Iceland to challenge the Leave campaign's claim that Britain could negotiate a semi-detached relationship with EU. And the arguments against this option ...
The Guardian reports: The onus placed on universities by the government's new counter-extremism strategy will lead to inoffensive and bland campus debates without preventing any student radicalisation, according to the former business secretary Vince Cable. The former Liberal Democrat MP instead says that banning extremist speakers from universities may in fact exacerbate the problem by driving underground hitherto non-violent extremists. In a speech to the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies on Tuesday, the former coalition cabinet minister will say that the new obligation on universities to balance free speech with counter-extremism is highly problematic. "Instead of intellectual challenge there will ...
Last night, I attended the latest committee meeting of the Bonnie Dundee group, at the City Chambers. Bonnie Dundee encourages improvements to the Dundee environment and helps local groups who keep Dundee's parks, open areas, streets and gardens in good shape. The recent Dundee success in the Britain in Bloom Awards was tremendous and owes much to the volunteers from Bonnie Dundee and other community groups across the city. I was pleased to learn that, in addition to the Sensation Science Centre planters and the Union Street planters, the maintenance of which the group already undertakes, Bonnie Dundee has now ...
[IMG: nhs-logo] This is a real story and the events are from last weekend. I reproduce it in the words of the relative of the unfortunate injured person who has given me permission to publish it. Obviously I have taken out any names. ***** Still stunned about the appalling new Fazakerley A&E experience on Saturday night. My mum goes in by ambulance after a nasty fall and is in sooo much pain she is on gas n air. She arrives at the hospital to find there are no wheel chairs or trolleys left so the ambulance staff are told to ...
Wed 28th
08:02
Merseyside Police – So why can't we be told how many 'threat to life' letters they sent out?
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34651682 The BBC has the story on its web site – see link above This is an odd story in many ways but why are Merseyside Police refusing to disclose how many warning letters they sent out?
Here's what a Conservative peer said about the tax credit cuts which the Lords voted to delay: Tory peer overheard by source during vote: 'If it hadn't been for the Liberals we'd have been doing this years ago' Sent from my iPhone — Nicholas Watt (@nicholaswatt) October 26, 2015
Help, I'm Being Persecuted! Why you should take claims of free speech suppression at universities with a pinch of salt What this video shows us about how boys are taught to handle rejection 5 best lesser-known horror films for Halloween Actually proper use of lesser-known here; I've not seen any of them Women can't have it all - because the game is rigged This trans woman is going to be sent to an all-male prison in the UK - Jesus wept [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments
Eating bacon, ham and sausages can cause bowel cancer Headline a little alarmist. But still - Aaargh! (tags: health ) The European Commission is up to its neck in the VW scandal, but for reasons more complex than reported @jonworth explains. (tags: eu climatechange ) Are the Indo-Europeans untraceable? Maybe not. (tags: linguistics )
