Earlier today at the Scottish Liberal Democrats conference the full package of measures proposed by Willie Rennie and colleagues to improve the diversity of the party's Parliamentarians, including all-women shortlists, was voted through. Amongst the votes was one on a constitutional amendment which met the required two-thirds majority. To go for a package with controversial measures that had to hit such a high bar was a gamble, but it paid off. In fact, support for the package was about 3-1. As Willie Rennie wrote for Liberal Democrat Newswire #76: In periods of adversity, organisations have opportunities to renew, refresh and ...
From the Electoral Commission: On 20 February, the Prime Minister announced that the UK Government's proposed date for the referendum on the UK's membership of the European Union is 23 June 2016. Regulations will now need to be debated and approved by the UK Parliament before the date of the poll is confirmed. The proposed referendum period is: Start of referendum period: 15 April* Polling day: 23 June The proposed designation period is: Application period starts: 4 March Deadline for applications: 31 March Designation decision: 14 April**... There are restrictions on the material that the UK and devolved Government ministers, ...
Embed from Getty Images A little while ago I was incensed with being bombarded day and night by media stories about Cameron and negotiations about benefits for EU migrants. This is a blog, at the end of the day (good blogging term there), so I blogged about it. What came out was a knee-jerk rant ("Migrants' benefits debate is a proxy channel for xenophobia in some quarters" (the last three words being added after publication)). Some of the best blogging is based on knee-jerk rants. Not this time. On this occasion I should have been a little more careful with ...
Ok, so I'm pretty much getting used to the formatting and such of new linkspam client, and I'm getting my head round the fact that it picks up everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, with a link in from twitter, even quoted tweets, so I need to be a lot less spammy with the tweeting in general, which is probably no bad anything, and oh god I'm rambling now... ANYWAY. Since I'm seeing everything up anew I might as well check on convenience of timing etc: View Poll: What time of day is better for linkspams to appear?As usual people on ...
Strong words from The Economist about Britain's forthcoming referendum on membership of the European Union: A vote to leave would damage the economy, certainly in the short term and probably in the long run. (As financial markets woke up to the prospect, the pound this week fell to its lowest level against the dollar since 2009.) It would imperil Britain's security, when threats from terrorists and foreign powers are at their most severe in years. And far from reclaiming sovereignty, Britons would be forgoing clout, by giving up membership of a powerful club whose actions they can influence better from ...
Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors from the Group of 20*, meeting in Shanghai this week, have unanimously agreed that Britain's possible withdrawal from the European Union (Brexit) could pose a risk to the global economy. In a draft statement from China's business capital they highlight this as one of the most serious potential dangers [...]
Twitter Oh THAT'S why arms dealing tories want a Brexit Twitter RT @2000AD: To celebrate our 39th birthday we have 50% OFF books & selected merch from our webshop! The Official 2000 AD Online Store | Subscriptions, Graphic Novels, Comics, Clothing, Merchandise and More... RT @2000AD: To celebrate our 39th birthday we have 50% OFF books & selected merch from our webshop! Twitter RT @saladinahmed: Samuel Johnson's 18th century definition of "Trumpery" is more relevant than ever. ht @HaggardHawks Twitter RT @LimerickMan1: @saladinahmed @HaggardHawks @BoingBoing Webster's 1913 as well: Not Leaving Kudos A set of vignettes for anyone who has ...
An email from a local resident alerted me to the cutting down of trees between Bramwell Terrace and the allotments to the rear. It's quite a secluded spot and as such it would be easy for County Hall never to hear of it. [IMG: Bramwell Tce 2] At present I don't know whether County Hall was already aware of it and whether all the correct protocols are in place for the protection of the environment. I don't know whether those protocols are adequate. I don't know whether our officers will react with speed and vigour if this is unauthorised. That's ...
Episode 8: Scooper Strikes Out First shown: 31 October 1970 (US), 5 March 1971 (UK) Director: Harry Booth Writer: Glyn Jones Appearing apart from the Double Deckers: Melvyn Hayes as Albert the Street Cleaner, the Cook, the Dormouse and the Cheshire Cat Jane Seymour as Alice Bunny May as the White Rabbit Tim Barrett as the Mad Hatter George Benson as the Caterpillar Ruth Kettlewell as the The Duchess Joan Sterndale-Bennett as the Queen of Diamonds John Barrard as the King of Diamonds Plot Scooper is knocked unconscious learning to play baseball, and finds that the gang's den has been ...
Embed from Getty Images Commenting on George Osborne's planned spending cuts, Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson Susan Kramer has said: George Osborne set himself the task of abolishing total borrowing in order to try and look tough on the economy as part of a bid to become Prime Minister. Now his decisions are coming back to haunt him, but it will be the public who suffer. Rather than slashing investment and public services to hit an arbitrary spending target, now is the time for him to come clean, admit he was wrong and start the kind of capital spending we need ...
Wakefield may not seem like the most likely destination for a day out, but it was where I found myself one day last week. Like probably most people in Yorkshire, it's a city I've passed through on the train but without any reason to get off. However, with an exhibition that I was keen to [...]
... am I missing something, or is it really just the tories going "we've cut council budgets so much they can't afford street sweepers any more, so we're hoping that telling you it's the queen's birthday will make you saps do it for free"? I mean, I'm all for moar pictures of Boris looking a total twat: [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments
The decision by the ndependent Parliamentary Standards Authority to give MPs a further 1.3% pay rise on top of a £7,000 a year increase from May last year beggars belief. According to the Guardian, IPSA justify this latest nonsense by saying that the rise is "in line with our determination on MPs' pay, published in July 2015, where we committed to adjusting MPs' pay for the rest of this parliament at the same rate as changes in public sector earnings published by the Office for National Statistics." They go on to say: "The ONS index takes account of promotions and ...
I thought I would share this Canal & River Trust video (accessible via the link above) with readers as it is both informative and well put together. [IMG: Two red and white narrow boats in Lydiate approaching Bells Lane swing bridge heading northwards.] Two red and white narrow boats in Lydiate approaching Bells Lane swing bridge heading northwards. I have posted previously about the celebrations being planed in the East Parishes part of Sefton Borough and will let readers have more information about them as things develop. The photo above is also amongst my Flickr shots at:- www.flickr.com/photos/86659476@N07/
Ludford Bridge was hit hard by a reversing truck last Sunday night and has been closed since. The truck, on its way to resurfacing works for a supermarket, had failed to get through the Broadgate. It's not the first HGV to have been forced to reverse the length if Lower Broad Street. But the driver... Continue reading Update on Ludford Bridge closure - it's going to take maybe three months to reopen →
Watch the latest video from the Britain Stronger in Europe campaign: If you'd like to know more about the wider topic, see my other European referendum posts, and in particular Nick Clegg's demolition of the anti-EU case.
Yesterday, I took part in a very positive and productive Dundee Airport Consultative Committee meeting at the Invercarse Hotel. All members are delighted at this week's announcement about the Amsterdam Schiphol flights from Dundee. We discussed the detail and were pleased to learn that on Thursday alone, there were 1200 bookings. The aircraft will be 78 seater and flights to Amsterdam will operate every weekday from 23rd May, with the Sunday flights starting from 17th August. This is simply due to aircraft availability on Sundays, although we were assured that if aircraft become available on Sundays before August, the Sunday ...
From the Friends of Riverside Nature Park : Friends of Riverside Nature Park has successfully applied for money to build accessible composting toilets at the park for the comfort of the park`s many visitors. The toilets will be open all year round, need very little maintenance and will be eco-friendly and sustainable as well as providing compost. We know that we have won at least £8000 but we may improve our lot with your help. Along with two other local projects we are competing for £8000, £10,000 or £12,000 because larger Tesco stores in the Dundee area are giving out ...
I have been a contributor once or twice to the discussion on the realignment of British politics over the previous few years. After the last general election, I like many who wasn't all that thrilled with the result, consoled myself the notion that the EU referendum would see a possible split in the Conservative Party. But now, in spite of the Cameron-Boris spat, I have to admit that I see no way that is going to happen any time soon. The reason is simple: there is far too much going the Tories' way to allow them that extravagance. One thing ...
In the hall [IMG: Scottish Conference Saturday] The main business of the morning at Scottish Liberal Democrat Conference is a much longer than usual Party AGM. Normally, the business is concluded in half an hour, but it's been scheduled for two hours so that Willie Rennie's motion on diversity can be debated. The motion is accompanied by a constitutional amendment which requires a two-thirds majority to pass. The motion calls for wide-ranging measures, including limited use of all-women shortlists, ring-fenced funding for candidates from under-represented groups, a duty on party office holders to drive forward diversity at all levels and ...
The European Commissioner's didgeridoo One for the vaults. (tags: eu ) On The Closure Of Public Achievement How a non-profit met its end. (tags: northernireland work ) The Real Danger of Brexit The @Economist considers the bigger picture. (tags: eu ukpolitics ) What's in a name?: Macedonia's problems go much deeper A bad situation, not improving. (tags: macedonia )
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