[NB, no, I'm not missing out Brian Wilson's eponymous solo debut. I want to check a couple of facts in a book I've had on order for a couple of weeks but which hasn't arrived yet, so I'm skipping ahead, and I'll go back to that album when the book arrives] While Brian Wilson's comeback [...]
The first of four parts (I spoil you. I know) of a video that looks at lines that were closed in the decade between the late 1970s and late 1980s. This first part looks at the Woodhead route, the lost electrified line between Sheffield and Manchester. I travelled on this line several times when it was used for Sunday diversions between the two cities while I was a student in York, and part of it was used by the Sheffield to Huddersfield service. The video looks at a number of other lines, including the remarkable branch along the seafront to ...
In June 2014 and again in February of this year, I proposed that Dundee City Council consult residents and communities across Dundee on the subject of having more 20mph zones in residential areas where there is support from residents. On the second attempt - in February - the council agreed to do so. Tonight, at City Development Committee, a report came forward on the detail of the consultation now being proposed. I have some concerns about the content of the report in relation to contentions it makes in relation to the 'principal road network' and where the initial mean speed ...
[IMG: street scene (2099)] Last Friday evening I took a trip out to Coalpit Heath to talk housing at a meeting of the newly constituted South Gloucestershire Liberal Democrats. The title I was working to was Housing: What Crisis?. The talk was followed by a Q&A session in which members of the audience asked some cracking questions touching on a wide range of issues. We could have continued our conversation for much longer than the time available, which is always a good sign. Below the fold is a modified version of what I said on the day. It is also ...
The tabloids do love a good moan about how Christians are persecuted in this country. It's lost on them that representatives of the faith enjoy a privileged position in our Parliament and national life. So today's stooshie about the Church of England's ad, or, even more sensationally, "the Lord's Prayer" being "banned" is an early Christmas Present for the tabloid editor. Except nobody has banned anything as the subsequent prevalence of this short advert proves.. In fact, if the agency who runs the advertising for the three biggest cinema chains had accepted the ad, they would have been breaking their ...
Enfield and Haringey are vital parts of London. They are full of talented people and epitomise the diversity that this city enjoys. I want to be a strong Liberal voice for the area and its residents, to make sure that their voices are heard on the GLA – on housing, crime, transport and more. I [...]
Spectre really is very different from a Bourne film. A quick review As you can probably guess, I'm writing this because I've finally seen Spectre. So let's get this out of the way at the start: it's not very good. Not terrible mind you. Craig is still a good Bond, the supporting characters introduced in Skyfall [...]
Today, Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron delivers his first economic speech as leader and sets out the Liberal Democrat priorities ahead of next week's Comprehensive Spending Review. Full Text of the Speech: Check against delivery As ever, as all of you know, it will be the performance of the economy over the next five years that will determine, ultimately, how this Government is judged. And it will be the credibility of the Liberal Democrats' alternative vision for the economy that will determine our ability to challenge them. Our message So today I intend to set out the three principles that ...
I'm very grateful to all of you who have expressed concern about us in the last few days. In fact we live far enough outside Brussels that the situation had almost no impact on us, except that my visiting mother-in-law found it much easier than usual to make her train connections on Saturday night due to the lack of crowds. Our village is far from any place of current interest; yesterday I took B and her grandmother to the Chapel of the Holy Cross in Neerwinden, where we meditated on past conflicts and the origin of the poppy as their ...
Richard Kemp has little time for the mayor of Liverpool. Raymond Smith speaks up for the Green Belt: "The Green Belt may not have turned out quite as it was planned, but it is increasingly used for urban recreation and, if protected, could be of ever greater environmental value. "During the latter half of the 1930s, a surprising number of Nazi-themed summer camps sprouted across the United States. Organized locally and without the support of Germany, these summer outings bore a startling resemblance to the Hitler Youth." George Dvorsky on a forgotten slice of American history. Yes you should drag ...
Another diary entry from Rutland's most popular fictional peer, first published in Liberator magazine. This one proved scarily prophetic. "I'm a jihadi, Daddy" This evening I attend a viewing of a sparkling new print of one of my favourite Oakham Studios films. Set amid the trad jazz boom of the early 1960s, it is nevertheless the hard-hitting story of a schoolgirl (played by the young Helen Shapiro) who is radicalised by a penfriend and eventually travels to Syria to take part in the armed conflict there. I feel sure that 'I'm a Jihadi, Daddy' will win itself a whole new ...
How did I never think of this before?* Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Princess Leia. That is four people, three male and one female. Now, can I think of another quartet with the same gender balance... Ah, of course. The SDP's Gang of Four. * Well, actually I did as this is a repost from a few years back now that Star Wars is in the news once again.
An sf novel by Saudi writer Ibraheem Abbas, which the author signed for me at Loncon last year. It's short and digestible, about a young man who finds himself in a Somewhere which could be a dream world, could be a virtual reality, could be time travel; it is rooted in contemporary online and gaming culture, yet also brings in certain important historical personalities (some European, one East Asian), all told in a breathless contemporary voice, full of exclamation marks. (Could have done with a little more editing for correct English.) I look forward to reading the other book I ...
Mon 23rd
18:13
Farron on Defence Review: We need more flexible forces and better co-ordination with Europe
Tim Farron has been commenting on the Strategic Defence Review. He said: Only this government could create a 'rapid reaction force' and will take 10 years to react. The Government's Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) has some good points, especially the new maritime patrol boats and extra frigates. The world is more dangerous and uncertain since the last SDSR and that is why we need more flexible forces and greater coordination with allies in Europe. For all the Prime Minister's bluster, that piece of the jigsaw is sadly missing.
Although the Independent has done a fantastic job of de-bunking it, the Sun's front page today is one of the most dangerous and divisive headlines of our generation.
Introducing Doctor Who and the Cybermen... Today is Doctor Who's fifty-second anniversary! So here's an extra in my Doctor Who 52 - not the DVD but Gerry Davis' novelisation of Patrick Troughton's fight with Cybermen on the Moon. Or, as the back cover puts it with charmingly oblivious self-deprecation, "Can the Doctor defeat an enemy whose threat is almost as great as that of the mighty Daleks?" Will I find five reasons you should read 'Invasion of the Also-Rans'? Of course I will! It's time to sit down, mix yourself a celebratory Cocktail Polly, and curl up with a book. ...
Introducing... In the latter half of the Twentieth Century, humankind discovered a machine that could take them anywhere and anywhen. It was called the BBC television series "Doctor Who". "Doctor Who" began in 1963 with "An Unearthly Child". And in 1970 with "Spearhead from Space". And in 1980 with "The Leisure Hive". And in 2005 with "Rose. But Russell Davies, who wrote "Rose" and was the mad genius architect of the series' triumphant Twenty-First Century return, said that every episode can be someone's first episode. So we can start... anywhere. Sit back (behind your sofa) and let Delia Derbyshire's arrangement ...
This is the blogging equivalent of me standing in the middle of the street dressed as a book and/or holding a big sign with BOOK SALE and an arrow on it. Anyway, I have some books I no longer have the space for which I'm selling. Some of them are on eBay, some of them will be on eBay in the future when I'm allowed more than ten items on there at a time. Some of you may want to buy some, none, or all of these books (click on the image for a more details view): [IMG: 20151123_165250] [IMG: ...
[IMG: Folkestone Town Sprucer] I've just pledged to this JustGiving Crowdfunding Page to save the Folkestone Sprucer. The £5,000 total is now just £1,1150 away: can you help them hit their target and Save The Sprucer? Published and promoted by Tim Prater, 98a Sandgate High Street, Folkestone, CT20 3BYPrinted (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
A big thank you to Yeshurun Synagogue, and the Yeshurun Brownies in particular, for their amazing efforts getting shoppers at Cheadle Royal Sainsbury's to donate food to the Trussell Trust food banks. [IMG: mitzvah day] Mitzvah Day 365 brings together people around the world to work on social projects and make our communities better places.
Liverpool Town Hall – Home of a democratic deficit I've heard Joe Anderson being called all sorts of names in the past few years but the one that springs to my mind now is Baron Anderson. His astounding ignorance ... Continue reading →
The Guardian reports a Liberal Democrat call for stricter controls on arms exports so that weapons could not be sold to regimes which have poor human rights records: The Lib Dems tightened the already strict criteria while in government, delivering on a manifesto commitment to secure the first international arms trade treaty, limiting the sale of weapons to dangerous regimes. More than 150 licences granted by the Labour government were revoked as an immediate reaction tot he Arab Spring. The Liberal Democrat leader, Tim Farron, said: "Human rights should not be pushed aside in a headlong rush to profit. We ...
A new university initiative encourages creative approaches to solving some of today's hardest problems There are increasing calls for cross-disciplinary research as a way to address society's greatest challenges. This week's Government spending review is likely to point towards more joined-up funding for research in the UK. Last week's review of Research Council funding spoke about the benefits of interdisciplinary research. Realising those benefits will require more experiments in collaborating inside and outside universities. The Wellcome Trust recently announced £75m for transdisciplinary research on public health and the environment. Last month, Sir Mark Walport, the UK Government's Chief Scientific Adviser, ...
So the news has been doing the rounds today about a Church of England cinema advert that has allegedly (according to some commentators and newspaper headlines) been 'banned' from cinemas, because it might 'offend' people. That is quite clearly not the case at all. It hasn't been 'banned' at all, for a start - a company that deals with the advertising for many cinemas (reportedly about 80% of them) has rejected the advert, on the grounds that they have a standing policy against taking advertising about religion and politics. That is no more of a 'ban from cinemas' than a ...
Registration is now open for the Liberal Democrat spring conference in York, 11-13 March 2016, the first under the new rules whereby any member attending can vote (one-member, one vote or OMOV). Consultation sessions will start at 3pm on the Friday and conference ends at around 1pm on the Sunday. You can register here: www.libdems.org.uk/spring_conference_registration. If you are a member and book by 18 December it costs £55 (£16 claimant rate), increasing to £88 (£32) afterwards. If you can afford to, however, there's a good reason to pay a little more than the £55 because the registration process includes this ...
Mon 23rd
14:50
Mythbusting today's big media nowtrage: nobody has banned the Church of England #JustPray ad
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Last week, Lorely Burt made her maiden speech in the House of Lords. She spoke in the debate on trade unions. Here it is in full: My lords, I am grateful for the opportunity to make my maiden speech today. I feel enormously privileged to be here, and I hope to make a productive and positive contribution to this house. I am grateful also for the welcome I received from noble lords and ladies at my induction and for the enormous support, courtesy and patience of parliamentary staff in the way they prepared me and helped this particular 'new girl'. ...
Now being involved with 'In Bloom' means you learn things you did not know before, especially in my case. Gardening to me has always been about cutting grass and hedges and that's about it folks. Last week I was taught how to pot up all kinds of plants, most of which I don't recall the names off. We worked for 2 hours, about a dozen of us, and it is amazing how much potting up can be done amongst so many people in a couple of hours. Here's a photo of the In Bloomers going potty:- [IMG: 3 volunteers potting ...
Well would you credit it I seem to be being trolled by folks who don't like what I say about Sefton and Merseyside's political scene. But why are they wasting their time trolling me I wonder? Oh yes and by the way these folks often seem not to exist when I check their given names against the electoral role. How odd.
Occasionally I don't talk about politics on this blog, and this is one of those days. I was going to write about Jeremy Corbyn, but that's a bit pointless, and besides my adoring public apparently wants to hear about women's hat etiquette. So this is what I know.... Women don't have to take their hat off as much as a man would do, unless it's a hat that a man would wear as well - such as baseball hat, or beanie. It seems the etiquette follows the style of hat rather than the gender of the person who is wearing ...
[IMG: Scottish Parliament 3] What are our MPs, MSPs, MEPs and AM's going to be talking about this coming week? Holyrood Women will be a key focus of the Scottish Parliament this week with a debate on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against women on Wednesday which starts 16 days of activism lasting till Human Rights Day on 10 December. There is also a debate on how welfare reform affects women on Thursday. On Wednesday, controversy about the SNP Government's decision to tender for the contract to run Clyde and Hebridean ferry services will be highlighted in ...
Mon 23rd
12:32
British political history is predictable - and the centre-left is currently in the bad part of the c...
This weekend I watched "To Play the King", the sequel to "House of Cards", which was made in 1993. The reason I mention this is because it was amazing how much of the politics of 2015 seem similar in many respects. This made me think further about British political history and I saw for the first time very clearly just how cyclical and in many respects predictable the politics of this country really are. The Tories are the mainstays of the whole production; as they themselves are fond of saying, the Conservative Party is the natural one of government. The ...
The British media seem to be softening us up to approve our involvement in the bombing of Syria. We are told that Mr Cameron is increasingly confident of parliamentary support, and is to present us with convincing arguments on Thursday. A balanced discussion took place on Radio 4's "The World this Weekend" yesterday and is worth a "listen again" at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06psb63 (The discussion of Syria starts about six minutes into the programme.) A retired major general, Tim Cross, spouts macho phrases about using "hard power" to "separate out" these "brutal killers" and urges that we "take on these guys", though ...
Liberals from across Europe have been meeting in Budapest for the annual Congress of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in Europe, including a sizeable delegation of Lib Dems led by Party President Sal Brinton. ALDE has 55 member parties from across the continent, 49 members of the European Parliament, 5 European Commissioners and 7 Prime Ministers. There's also a local government group in the shape of Committee of the Regions, and a network of Liberal Mayors. A recent decision to trial an individual membership scheme has gone from strength to strength, with over 1,500 joining up already. On Saturday, ...
I am having one of those moments of disaffection which is the real experience of English middle class life these days. What do I spend more time doing than anything else, as a parent of pre-teenage children? I'll tell you. I am policing their screen time. It takes huge energy and angst and negotiating skills. It prevents me from being much more productive. I resent it. If it weren't for me on some days, when I'm looking after them by myself, they would spend the whole time being educated by Google and whoever happens to use their facilities. They would ...
[IMG: ALDC supports Liberal Democrat candidates and campaigners across the country] Following financial support from the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust Ltd., ALDC and ASLDC are looking for two new part-time staff members to join our team. These are two exciting opportunities to be part of rebuilding our local government success in Scotland, Wales and England. Development Officer – 3 Days a Week – Location Flexible (England [...]
[IMG: eef blog] What are 6 of the biggest challenges facing schools today? I've set out my list today, drawn from our 'really difficult box', in a blog-post with my Education Endowment Foundation work-hat on — together with some thoughts on how we aim to support schools in tackling them. Here's point 2: 2. Fragmentation of the schools system Over the past five years, what's billed as an "autonomous school-led system" has been gradually replacing the previous local authority-run model. Almost 60% of state-funded secondary schools are academies, up from 6% at the start of 2010. As the EEF's chief ...
We are trying something new at this year's Spring Conference. The Autumn Conference saw a record-breaking members' attendance with more first time conference attendees than ever before and we are keen for even more members to come to conference and actively engage with the Party's policy making process. The Spring Conference in York will be the first conference under One Member One Vote and in light of this we reviewed, amongst other things, the current registration system. At our short weekend Spring Conference we will now only be offering a full Member's registration option so that everyone attending has the ...
[IMG: New monthly newsletter for Liberal Democrat members] Over the weekend Liberal Democrat members received the first in a new series of monthly email newsletters from the party. If you are a Liberal Democrat member and did not receive it, then email help@libdems.org.uk. It may be that the party's membership records do not have an up-to-date email address for you or that you have previously opted out of emails from the party. And if you are not, yet, a member of the Liberal Democrats you can join the party here. Lib Dem Newswire There is of course another monthly email ...
[IMG: image] I spent the weekend helping Jane Brophy's campaign at Oldham West and Royton. Here are some of my observations in random order: Jane Brophy is an excellent candidate with a proven campaigning track record. There is a fantastic, young and enthusiastic team running the campaign – working extremely hard. We are fighting in what is a "development constituency" for us – which means there are great gains to be had in terms of new members and supporters to be recruited. Tim Farron is taking this campaign very seriously and will be visiting Oldham West and Royton again tomorrow ...
Today's lazy political journalism story is brought to you by the BBC. Over the weekend, Auntie reported that George Osborne was "to allow council tax [to] rise to plug care funding gap". The story suggested that the Chancellor, in his beneficent majesty, would graciously allow local authorities to raise council tax by a whopping 2% to [...]
[IMG: The LGA Lib Dems support Liberal Democrat council groups across the country] Find below a new model template for a council motion opposing the Conservative extension of the 'Right to Buy': RIGHT TO BUY AND THE FORCED SELL OFF OF COUNCIL HOUSING This Council notes: the Government's proposal to extend the Right to Buy to Housing Association tenants, to be paid for by a forced sell off [...]
It is probably obvious from my name that I am a Muslim. As such I have major theological differences with Christianity. However this is not the space to discuss them. Suffice to say that I do not recognise the Lord's Prayer as a valid form of worship. However I am totally appalled by the decision... More Banning Lord's Prayer Is An Illiberal Act
[IMG: English Liberal Democrats] English Council passed an amendment to the English Party Membership rules on Saturday 21st November 2015. The aim was to enfranchise the post election surge in membership whilst keeping in place the regulation that helps prevent fraud in selections. Only those people who are in or have passed their second continuous year of party membership [...]
Scottish Liberal Democrat Peer Alison Suttie joined the SNP's Mhairi Black MP this weekend in calling for votes for all 16 and 17 year olds in the forthcoming referendum on EU membership. Suttie was scathing of the reasons given by the Conservatives for failing to support the proposal: "16-year-olds are mature enough to work and... More Suttie Calls For EU Votes At 16
I hate this time of year. I do not like getting up in the dark, nor do I like it being dark before 4:30 pm. Cold weather, slippery pavements, driving rain, wind and all sorts of Winter nastiness conspire to make me want to hide away for 3 months, or run off to sunnier climes. Maybe one of these days, I will. To cheer you up this Monday morning, here is a picture that is guaranteed to make you smile. It's even better than this old favourite: [IMG: David Laws and Pingu] Here's Willie Rennie getting up close and personal ...
[IMG: The LGA Lib Dems support Liberal Democrat council groups across the country] Our colleagues at the LGA Lib Dems have pulled together advice from ALDC, Catherine Bearder MEP's office, and other sources into a template response letter for concerned residents. The letter's aim is to counter the perception that the conditions of the agreement itself have been reached (they are still very much in negotiation), and to [...]
Is it the case that irony is no longer a thing? If it is then it has certainly by-passed the Labour leadership. For according to the Independent, Jeremy Corbyn, a man who built his career on revolting against the whip and destabilising the Labour leadership, has authorised the publication of a critique of Labour MPs who insist on defying him. The paper says that Corbyn has accused his internal critics of creating an "atmosphere of chaos" in the Labour Party through "constant sniping" and "bitter attacks": In the first public response to the criticisms of his leadership, Mr Corbyn's team ...
Cyprus: Where Does The Solution Lie? Esra Aygin @esraaygin explains to her neighbours. (tags: cyprus ) Niall Ferguson slammed for saying the West is in danger of falling like the Roman Empire Poorly thought-out nonsense. (tags: history waronterror ) The Threat Is Already Inside @Brooks_Rosa brings some perspective. (tags: waronterror ) Georgia and the Rose Revolution First person account by then US ambassador Dick Miles. (tags: georgia ) Facebook: I want out @VioletBlue explains how Facebook endangers lives. (tags: facebook )
Scott Adams: We live in a matriarchy because men have to get permission for sex - *headdesk* What's the point of Doctor Who Toys that stay in their boxes? All bar two words of this are great Those two words being "high" & "functioning" just before "autism" *cringe* [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments
In recent weeks in Gateshead we have held 4 action days to ensure a large team can deliver and canvass various wards. On Saturday however I headed out of Gateshead to neighbouring Sunderland where the local party was having an action day in Millfield ward. The team in Sunderland is small but made up of mainly new, young and enthusiastic members. It was an enthusiasm that was obvious from the
