I am, as most regular visitors to this blog know, a bureaucrat rather than a politician. My usual place is where I'm least likely to be noticed - House of Lords correspondent for Liberal Democrat Voice, for example - but, tonight, I found myself in the role of guest speaker for the AGM of Ipswich Liberal Democrats, with the task of talking about the EU referendum. Luckily, Ros knows vast amounts about this stuff, and had given a really good speech about it on Saturday night, so I blatantly stole the core content, embellished it with a few laughs, and ...
And then there's... Devon, Bedfordshire, North Lincolnshire, East Sussex, Leicestershire, Herefordshire, Hampshire, Cumbria, Cambridgeshire, Kent, Lincolnshire, Cornwall, Rutland. Northumberland, Shropshire, Suffolk, East Riding of Yorkshire, Norfolk, Wiltshire, Hertfordshire, Northamptonshire, Durham, Glasgow, Staffordshire, Derbyshire and Edinburgh.
The answer, I suppose, is that they think it will sell more newspapers. A Sun report on what turned out to be two unfounded bomb scares in Birmingham is headed: Britain gripped by fear with TWO bomb scares in Birmingham Britain is not gripped by fear and it is irresponsible, even unpatriotic, to say we are. This seems a good time to repeat what I wrote in the aftermath of the 7/7 bombings in London: I lived in London for a couple of years in the 1980s, working for some of the time in the big department stores at the ...
[IMG: [personal profile] ] staceyuk asked If you could have your perfect episode of Doctor Who, what would it be like? I've written a lot of Doctor Who fic in my time, and there are certain things that are headcanon to me. Thus Doris is Benton, and the Used Car Salesman thing is just a cover, and Doris was there holding the Brig's hand when he died, and is with him in CyberBrig heaven. Mickey and Six had loads of adventures together when Mickey was in the alternate universe, because two unfairly maligned characters, etc etc. Also, at some point ...
Our rendition of "Don't Look Back In Bognor" After one of his shows Oscar Wilde is supposed to have said, "The play was a great success, but the audience was a failure." After my experience of putting on My Life as a Hooker as a play in a London fringe theatre venue, I'm not sure I can be completely objective about our performance, but I can definitely say that the audiences were absolutely wonderful. We managed to squeeze 50 seats into the Museum of Comedy, after we had taken a few out to allow space to for some artificial turf ...
People don't seem to listen much to Noel Coward these days, but he remains a great favourite of mine and I happened to be listening over the weekend to his wartime song 'Could you please oblige us with a bren gun'. I'm not sure when the song was written, but it refers to the Home Guard and their woeful, not to say farcical, lack of equipment. I suddenly heard the song from the modern point of view, and the obsession with the corporate need to be 'on-message', and how often it has the opposite effect. It struck me that there ...
This is a short Swedish novel published in 1940, set in a near-future totalitarian state, where the narrator, Leo Kall, invents a drug that compels people to tell nothing but the truth. Naïvely committed to the regime, he observes its use to enforce thought control rather passively, but it all gets real when he starts to consider the drug's potential impact on his relationship with his wife. It's an original theme, intensely and eloquently described, at reasonably short length (220 pages). I'm really surprised that I had not heard of it before I started my research into the sf of ...
As I said in Getting the reaction to Chris Rennard's FE election wrong, I think we need closer – not looser – links between Lib Dem peers and the rest of the party. In the context of the particular issue of the moment, it's the lack of understanding many of our peers seem to have of how members were likely to react to Chris Rennard's election by them to the Federal Executive that is worrying. Across a wider canvass, there are also many more positive things for members and supporters to know about what Lib Dem peers are up to. ...
Psaume 90 Seigneur, tu as été pour nous un réfuge de generation en generation.Avant que les montagnes soient nées, avant que tu aies créé la terre et le monde, d'éternité tu es Dieu.Tu fais retourner les hommes à la poussière et tu leur dis: "Fils d'Adam, retrournez à la terre!"car mille ans sont à tes yeux comme la journée d'hier: elle passe comme le quart de la nuit. Tu les emportes, semblables à un rêve qui, le matine, passe come l'herbe. elle fleurit le matin et elle passe; on la coupe le soir et elle sèche. Nous sommes consumés par ...
[IMG: Southport FC] Oh dear, Southport are really struggling this season, so much so that Paul Carden their latest Manager has agreed to go, following their 4 – 0 loss last Saturday. There's a danger here of revolving door managers at Southport, no sooner in the door than out again. The future for Sefton Borough's premiere football club is not looking too bright – 3rd from bottom in the Vanarama National League. Let's hope the next new broom can lift Southport out of the relegation zone.
As many of you know, I used to be a teacher. I collected the usual flak about the long holidays, but never found people queuing up to take my job, holidays or not. I put heart and soul into it until I couldn't bear having government (national and local) as my employer any more. Perhaps that's why I'm completely in sympathy with Durham County's teaching assistants. Many of them put their heart and soul into the job, but the county council has just unleashed upon them its plan to slash their pay (20% is the region they are looking at). ...
How much do Labour dislike the Liberal Democrats in Barwell? So much as to praise the Conservatives and Ukip in this recent council by-election leaflet, which features a photograph of the Labour Parish Chairman and the local Conservative borough councillor. [IMG: Labour leaflet for Barwell] The result? Local Lib Dems are celebrating victory in Thursday's Barwell by-election. The election in the Barwell St Mary's Parish Ward was caused following the resignation of the sitting Labour Councillor after only 8 weeks. Lib Dem candidate Shani Smith took the seat with 207 votes to Labour's 172. New Parish Councillor Shani Smith said, ...
The medium is the message. So often as people it's not so much what we do as how we do it, that leaves the greater impression. The passive aggressive person makes you regret asking even when they help you. So it is important to reflect not just on are we doing the right thing but are we doing it in the best way. As Liberal Democrats we signed up to three core values Liberty, Equality and Community – how are we building these or indeed communicating these values? The twist is that most people prefer to talk about real things ...
Thousands of new houses are coming to Cheshire East ... the question is how we deal with the traffic. Cheshire East Council are working on their "local plan" that sets out how many houses they'll allocate to different parts of the county. The Government has set requirements which mean Cheshire East have no choice but to allow thousands more houses to be built. Their current plan will see hundreds of new houses between Poynton and Woodford, over 2,000 around Handforth Dean and hundreds more north of Wilmslow, meaning the best part of 4,000 new houses near the Stockport boundary over ...
[IMG: Zanzibar 4] [IMG: International Office_with text] White sandy beaches, glamorous resorts, history and beautiful architecture. These are some of the things that come to mind when we think of the exotic island of Zanzibar. But for the Africa Liberal Network (ALN), Zanzibar was - and is - much more than that. For the ALN, Zanzibar was the destination for our first-ever election observation mission. Following the unanimous decision taken by the network's executive committee, the ALN Secretariat arranged and coordinated this mission in partnership with the LibDem International Office and the Friederich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF). The mission ...
You don't see many carriages being stored at Southport these days and certainly no wagons but it is not that long ago that the scene looked quite different . A glance back to the 1970's and this is what you saw back then:- [IMG: Southport stabling sidings] Click on the photo to enlarge it Quite a number of the old Merseyrail 502 units in the stabling sidings and beyond them many coal wagons. Only just visible is a sign in the background for the former Steamport Museum. An MK1 Ford Transit van gives away the time period too! I purchased ...
[IMG: vcphoto] Whatever your political views Vince Cable is a sound and reliable commentator particularly on economic matters. Seems he has worries again about the potentially unsustainable recovery we have been going thorough since the last financial crash.
In the aftermath of the atrocities on Friday, my thoughts remain with the families of those killed and injured. As the world watches on in collective horror and mourning, the families and friends of those who are lost will be dealing with their own private grief, and among the discussions of international response and foreign policy consequences we must not forget that each of the 129 who have died is a personal tragedy as well as a global one. As events unfolded over the weekend the political stage was crowded, in most cases with people simply responding to events, but ...
Writing in the Guardian, Shirley Williams picks up the baton passed on by Nigel Crisp, the former chief executive of the NHS, who four years ago wrote about his experiences in his book 24 Hours to Save the NHS. Shirley explains that many of the financial woes in the NHS have been inherited from past schemes: For example, the number of funded places for young men and women training in this country as nurses was cut by 12% - 2,500 places - in 2012. The consequent shortage of newly qualified nurses has been filled by people recruited by employment agencies. ...
As I keep on having to click around to get to the latest book of Liberal Democrat constitutions (covering the state parties and conference rules as well as the federal party), I thought sharing it might also be useful: Download this document One related document missing from this is the Code of Conduct for Party Members, which you can find here.
In a comment in Another Place I have been accused of being anonymous by someone who misspells my name, not only in the same comment, but in the same sentence. I have also been accused of defamation. On the subject in question, those who are on the opposite side to me tend to throw around words like slander, libel and defamation a lot. [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments
Many can be forgiven for finding Boris Johnson's manner affable and quite comical. However, his conduct during his visit to Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories this week has been no laughing matter. A frontrunner to be our next Prime Minister has clumsily bounced around the region making an offensive remark here and reciting anti-Palestinian propaganda there. The Mayor of London said: I cannot think of anything more foolish than to say that you want to have any kind of divestment or sanctions or boycott against a country that, when all is said and done is the only democracy in ...
A social media campaign to encourage people to check Food Hygiene Ratings is being backed by St Albans City and District Council. The 5th anniversary of the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS) is being celebrated with a week of educational events. Online videos, infographics, league tables, Twitter posts and Facebook conversations will be used to raise [...]
South Scotland MSP Jim Hume has spoken out about the midwifery 'timebomb' that currently exists in NHS Scotland. Data provided in response to a parliamentary question from Mr. Hume highlighted the fact that around a third of Scottish midwives are aged over 50 – 1,074 in total. In contrast only 342 midwives are aged under... More Hume Highlights Scottish Midwife Crisis
When I studied Chinese at Oxford 40-odd years ago I was considered mad by most of my contemporaries, but this year there will be an estimated 7,000 British students in China and the Chancellor, George Osborne, wants that to rise to 80,000 over the next few years. That will still be far fewer than the [...]
[IMG: ALDC getting stuck in at Oldham West and Royton] The campaign for Oldham West and Royton got underway with Tim Farron launching the campaign to a large crowd of Lib Dem activists! Jane Brophy, ALDC member and Councillor in Trafford, is the candidate for the Lib Dems and is an absolutely fantastic campaigner. If you are interested in seeing the buzz for yourself, please [...]
Has the long awaited purge of anti-Corbyn MPs started? I only ask because of this article in yesterday's Observer, which suggests supporters of the new leader's grassroots movement Momentum are calling on Labour's national executive committee to discipline two MPs for disloyalty in an attempt to tighten the left's grip on the party. They say thatMomentum members are urging Corbyn loyalists to sign up to demands for action against Frank Field and Simon Danczuk, as well as against a former parliamentary candidate, Emily Benn. The move is apparently part of a counterattack against efforts to expel Corbyn's leftwing policy adviser ...
Friday was a shocking day for all those who desire to live their lives in peace and harmony. So was Thursday. On Friday 132 people (so far) lost their lives following the terrorist assault on Paris in a range of co-ordinated attacks. 24 hours earlier in Beirut 44 people died in a similar wave of... More Why Liberal Values Are Now More Vital Than Ever
Social media is awash with similar responses to this weekend's tragedy: "At an awful, heartbreaking time like this, while we pray for Paris, it is important that we [insert strong version of poster's politics here]" Fair enough. Shock focuses the mind, and compassion demands action. Unfortunately, we live in times where liberalism is no longer so mainstream. What we may have shrugged off before as mild, parochial xenophobia, is turning nasty. Mr Cameron will accept less Syrian refugees in five years than Germany accepted in a week. Those of us who sympathise with all victims of IS, find this totally ...
[IMG: Book cover marked 'confidential'. CC0 Public Domain] [Labour First Minister] Carwyn Jones has admitted his government got it wrong when it stopped releasing details of what his ministers were doing... "I've listened to views on Decision Reports - we got it wrong - and I will be reintroducing them," he wrote. The Liberal Democrats, which were accused by the Government on Monday of wasting resources by asking for the reports through the Freedom of Information Act, called the move a victory for openness... Kirsty Williams AM, Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, said: "Yesterday the Welsh Lib Dems were ...
[IMG: Chris Maines] Congratulations to Chris Maines who was elected as Chair of London Region on Saturday! He succeeds Mike Tuffrey, who had come to the end of his term of office and was not eligible for re-election. Chris has been a councillor for a total of 28 years, and has served as Leader of Bromley Council and Leader of the Opposition in Lewisham. He has run for Parliament, and has been closely involved with party conferences as Chief Steward and currently on the Federal Conference Committee. There were three candidates for the post and Lib Dem Voice carried pitches ...
Lynton Crosby, the architect of the Tories 2015 general election win, is credited with having established a campaigning tactic known simply as "the dead cat". It's remarkably straightforward to explain: you plunk a dead cat on the table. Then everyone discusses the dead cat; some say he was alive before he hit the table, others say he is a fake cat designed as a conspiracy. In the end, what no one will forget is the dead cat itself. The whole furore over whether or not Corbyn would or wouldn't bow to the Queen at the ceremony that saw him sworn ...
Back in July, I updated residents about my request of the City Council to provide a bus shelter on Perth Road at either the Rockfield Street or Windsor Street stops, given how exposed it is there. At that time, the council hoped to provide one later in the year. As this has not yet happened, I asked the council for an update and was advised as follows: "We have recently relocated seven of our existing bus shelters to new sites. Unfortunately, Perth Road at Rockfield Street was not one of the selected sites for the shelters to be relocated to. ...
The attacks against the innocent in Paris of course spur a deep compassion for those who have suffered and a righteous anger against those who planned this disgusting act of reckless violence. However, the inevitable call for immediate and violent retribution is giving me some pause. The fact is that with clear hindsight, the response to the attacks of September 11th 2001 was not necessarily the right one, in that the goal of eliminating terrorism was not in fact achieved, indeed the threat of terror has grown, even as the war on terror reaches new heights of violence. It is ...
Brussels: From a city for cars to a city for people The minister responds. (tags: belgium ) A Seismic Shift in How People Eat This is probably a good thing. (tags: health )
Gay asylum seeker who faced deportation to Uganda is released from immigration centre Special party conference triggered - all members will be able to attend and vote As an MP and a mother I've found out how sexist Westminster is [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments
I heard a rumour that Alex Carlile used to be a liberal. Has anyone got any evidence of this? #fb — Julian Huppert (@julianhuppert) November 15, 2015 //platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
