Last Friday I questioned the Welsh Party's judgement in only guaranteeing half of the deposit required to stand as a constituency candidate in the forthcoming Assembly elections. To his credit, the Party's Chief Executive has responded to my invitation to explain the decision in the social media conversation that prompted my initial post. He argues that having to guarantee the £5,000 deposits for the four Police and Crime Commissioner candidates in Wales means that the party cannot afford to underwrite the entirety of the Assembly candidates' deposits as well. The Party doesn't have a bottomless pit, he continues, and the ...
Ealing Council is reminding residents that rubbish and recycling collections will be carried out a day later than usual from Monday 28th March until Saturday 2nd April. Councillor Gary Malcolm recycling Collections will take place as normal on Good Friday (25 March). Usual collection day Revised collection day Mon 28th March Tues 29th March Wed 30th March Thurs 31st March Fri 1st April Tues 29th March Wed 30th March Thurs 31st March Fri 1st April Sat 2nd April Collections will return to normal on Monday 4th April. We have been told that rubbish and recycling should be left at the ...
Ealing has seen a reduction in the provision of healthcare locally over the past few years. We have lost the Accident and Emergency service we had and the maternity ward. This has meant that patients, mothers and family members are having to travel much further to get vital health care. The Liberal Democrats campaigned against these changes but Conservative Health Minister Jeremy Hunt made the decision to axe some of these important services. Junior Doctors striking The recent strike by junior doctors is a worrying event. Doctors rarely go on strike and the changes that the government proposed have been ...
No, it's not North West Durham! That remains up for grabs. It's the one I rescued from a Blackfyne skip, and as previously reported have returned to County Hall. Oh to be a fly on the wall, or even a bum on the seat, and find out whether it ever gets put to use, but here's the evidence that it really did make it back home. [IMG: Delivering the seat small] Meanwhile I have ordered myself a new one.
Here's what we decided at Cheadle Area Committee this evening. Keith raised the issue of loose paving stones on Cheadle High Street. Council officers are aware of the issue and Cox's have already been coming in to make repairs. we considered a report into how Stockport deals with flooding. There's still some confusion over who's responsible for which waterways and there's also culverts and piping all over the place that just aren't on any maps, so there's going to be a public exercise to figure out where they all are. Planning application 60659 – extension to 10 Daisy Bank Lane, ...
The wonderful Nancy Banks-Smith has written a piece on The Archers for the Guardian. I assume it will be in tomorrow's G2. She begins: My grandmother - now, we're going back a bit - used to describe pregnancy delicately as "being confined". It's a phrase that suits Helen very well. Ever since she became pregnant, she has been a wraithlike presence, a pale face at the window of Blossom Hill Cottage, lank-haired and wearing the charity-shop clothes her husband, Rob, prefers, making occasional disconcerting distressed forays into an oblivious Ambridge. Wilkie Collins would have spat on his hands and whistled. ...
I think after the last few days there are a few of us who need hugs, but also a few of us who are feeling like we've had our space invaded once too often, so I thought I'd draw up terms of reference for the AO I jokingly coined on twitter this evening: 1, lib dem friends of cuddles exists to further the idea of comforting contact between sentient beings. Cuddles, hugs and cwtching are all within our remit. 2, a cuddle without consent is not a cuddle, it is assault. Asking for consent does not need to be verbal ...
You may remember (how could you forget?) my day trip to Sheringham to see the Lone Pine Club. That play was staged by Pentabus Theatre. Their latest production, This Land, looks at fracking and is currently touring the country. It has already played Bishop's Castle and Snailbeach, and will soon be over in Northern Ireland before returning to the mainland. You can find a full list of performances on the Pentabus website, where you will also find this video.
The Ramblas today was not much like George Orwell describes it in the opening of Chapter X of Homage to Catalonia. The buildings are all mostly still there, but the human landscape is a bit more peacefulAbout midday on 3 May a friend crossing the lounge of the hotel said casually: 'There's been some kind of trouble at the Telephone Exchange, I hear.' For some reason I paid no attention to it at the time. (The telephone exchange on Plaç de Catalunya today, with tourist) That afternoon, between three and four, I was half-way down the Ramblas when I heard ...
Our Headline of the Day Award goes to the Evening Standard. Readers in East London are warned to take extra care.
[IMG: Election Law Defamation and Libel] On printed material such as leaflets and posters, you must include the name and address of: The printer The promoter If the promoter is acting on behalf of a group or organisation, you must also include the group or organisation's name and address. The promoter is the person who has authorised the material to be [...]
There are now just 100 days to secure Britain's place in Europe. There is so much at stake. If we leave, the country faces a future of uncertainty, isolation and diminished influence in the world. If we stay we will secure opportunity, prosperity and security for future generations and we can lead the way in shaping a better, more liberal Europe. At Liberal Democrat conference in York over the weekend I was thrilled to see so many members from up and down the country who were fired up to get out there and win this referendum. There was so much ...
I was interested in this VICE article which is about how the crowds of new Labour Members don't seem that interested in canvassing and going to local party meetings Some choice quotes include "Existing cliques at local party level are also said to be putting new members off." "Branch members have cosy arrangements. They know all the people who turn up for meeting and they are guaranteed to keep their position year after year. They don't want that upset by newcomers," I would say this isn't just a Labour party problem. I live in the Hazel Grove constituency which is ...
Keith and the Lib Dem team have delivered letters house-to-house consulting residents on different schemes to improve safety. All the proposals are in response to concerns raised by residents. Yellow line on South Park Road corner We're asking whether a double yellow line should go around the inside of the sharp bend in South Park Road as residents have told us it can cause problems when there's cars parked on both sides as the road narrows at that point. [IMG: Selection_022] Yellow lines where Braystan/Kingsway Service Road meets the A34 You'd think no-one would park on this junction, but residents ...
Following the public meeting on Cheadle parking organised by the Lib Dem councillors, we're working to get the agreed proposals through as quickly as possible. At the meeting, we agreed to revert to the old parking fees for Cheadle as a first step and look at a whole range of other suggestions for further improvements after that. The parking fees will be 30p for up to 2 hours, £1.50 for 2-3 hours and £5 for more than 3 hours. The legal process of advertising the change is now moving ahead and that takes a few weeks. To our surprise, it ...
It's a question worth wrestling with. Here are three issues on which I struggle, or have struggled: — All-women shortlists. A major topic for discussion among Lib Dems this weekend, with the party conference voting that "If any sitting MP elected in 2015 decides not to contest the next General Election, his replacement should be selected from an all-women shortlist" (as well as giving the right to any local party "to be able to vote for an all-women shortlist or an all-disabled shortlist, or reserve some spaces for candidates from other under-represented groups"). Once, I would have been firmly opposed. ...
Firstly I'd like to thank all those people who took part in the diversity debate. There were strong feelings on both sides of the argument, and everyone spoke with incredible passion and courage. I really think that wherever you stand on the issue, we can all be proud of such a spirited discussion that's so unique to our party. I want to work with those who opposed it, to ensure that all the training, mentoring and support works well. But I also think I speak for many members when I say that there was a cloud overhanging the debate. A ...
In many ways we should not be surprised that the new Corbynite Labour Party is adopting a Blairite approach to civil liberties, and will not oppose the draconian Investigatory Powers Bill being proposed by Theresa May. The Independent reports that Labour MPs will abstain in a vote on the Government's latest so-called "Snooper's Charter": The proposed bill requires internet companies to hold records about which web pages all internet users have visited for a year, whether they are suspected of a crime or not. The law would also require technology companies to bypass users' encryption software and explicitly gives the ...
Concern over migration is shaping up to be a EU-wide issue — it is frustrating that it is an issue in the referendum debate as if this is not something we share with our EU partners. Last weekend's elections in Germany have sent shockwaves because of the progress of the right-wing, anti-immigrant Alternative für Deutschland (AfD). Writing in The Guardian, Philip Oltermann also points out the success of some pro-refugee candidates as an illustration of the increasingly complex and fractured nature of the argument. [IMG: Schroedingers_immigrant] It sounds very familiar: in the UK the proponents of Brexit are pushing an ...
Deadpool (15) Director:Tim Miller Deadpool Movie Website Deadpool is a riot of a Marvel comic character, both gross and funny at the same time. The plot follows Ex-Special Ops mercenary Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) out for revenge as the wisecracking anti-hero Deadpool after a medical experiment goes horribly, horribly wrong. Through a series of flashbacks we catch up with his life, love life and his hunt for Ajax, aka Francis (Ed Skrein), the man who caused his mutations. Along the way he asks for help from a couple of X-men, Colossus (voiced by Stefan Kapicic) and Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Brianna ...
77% of GPs believe that the Labour Government's headline policy to improve patient access to GPs has failed, a new survey published today by the Welsh Liberal Democrats has revealed. In November I wrote to over 650 GP surgeries in Wales asking their views; 21% of GP surgeries responded. The findings of the survey highlight a worrying disillusionment within the GP sector in Wales. Comments include: "I wouldn't encourage my children into the profession" and "I currently stay because I have to. I would leave tomorrow if circumstances allowed it." Findings include: • 97% believe more needs to be done ...
Tue 15th
13:02
Bootle – a wonderful sunrise over its golf course but just hold the camera in a slightly diffe...
Today's sunrise over Bootle Goff Course was lovely, as was the one I took a photo of a few days ago. Let's have a look. Firstly the one taken a few days ago:- [IMG: Bootle Golf Course at dawn r] Then the one taken this morning:- [IMG: IMG_7576 r] Then the one I also took this morning which shows what none of us would wish to see. Sadly the boundary of Bootle Golf Course from where I took the photos is also a dumping ground for rubbish and litter. [IMG: IMG_7577] Click on the photos to enlarge them The first ...
Policymakers are moving forward with plans to turn our genetic information into potentially lucrative data. Drawing on recent Freedom of Information disclosures, Edward Hockings and Lewis Coyne ask whether we can trust our institutions with our genomes. This is a pivotal time for the future of human genetic technologies. New gene editing techniques such as CRISPR/Cas9 suggest that any limits to the uses of genetic engineering will not be due to the technology itself, but to political decisions. Given that the application of such technologies is a matter of choice, public debate about the acceptability of these practices has to ...
[IMG: This is the site looking towards the Allotments from Green Lane. It has been used as farm land in the recent past. ] This is the site looking towards the Allotments from Green Lane. It has been used as farm land in the recent past. This story goes back to July of 2013 when Andrew Blackburn and I voted against this site (bounded by Green Lane and South Meade) being developed for housing but Labour's councillors voted for it to be built upon. That vote was on Sefton's Planning Committee when we were both Borough Councillors for Park Ward ...
It's not often that regional elections in other European countries get much attention in our press, let alone become headline news. The fact that elections yesterday in a handful of German states made front pages here today demonstrates the unusual situation Britain and Europe find itself in. It also highlights the growing need for strong, liberal voices across our continent. Those of you who heard my speech on Sunday, or in fact have heard me speak since I became leader, will hopefully have a sense of my beliefs on the refugee crisis and on the wider issue of immigration. Our ...
[IMG: Should the Thames Barrier have been opposed for merely treating the symptoms and not the causes of flooding?] Should the Thames Barrier have been opposed for merely treating the symptoms and not the causes of flooding? "But you're just treating the symptoms, not the causes of the problem." It's a common refrain in policy debates, and one that has long bugged me because it is often treated as if it should be as destructive of the opponent's arguments as a tornado up against a set of shelves built by me. Except, of course when it comes to climate change. ...
Twitter RT @Lawrence_Miles: Apparently, the Brexit referendum is about the way famous people are voting rather than facts. So here's a round-up. How to make bisexuals feel welcome at church - excellent article, most of which could easily apply to workplace, club, pub, etc as well as church Twitter RT @paul1kirby: Google Glass prediction in 1963 pen advert. Twitter RT @Raymodraco: Weymouth's rather idiosyncratic approach to encouraging tourism. miss_s_b | Monday: Still a Lib Dem posted Monday: Still a Lib Dem on #dreamwidth A study has found that porn users are more likely to be feminists 10 Parts in Terminator ...
Yesterday I watched in awe as Tim Farron delivered, what I believe was, a passionate heartfelt speech to round off the Liberal Democrat conference in York. It was the a speech that confirmed to me all the reasons as to why just a week earlier I had joined the Liberal Democrat party after much soul searching. My Liberal journey began, in many ways, when I was in my early teens in the mid 90's when the nation was getting swept up in New Labour. Having been raised in an era of Tory rule, Thatchers Britain, and my parents having somewhat ...
How funny it is, how much of a difference half a year can make. When I left Autumn Conference in Bournemouth in September I was in a buoyant mood. The party, I felt, had not fallen into the trap I had so feared it might, that of pulling the proverbial comfort blanket over its head [...]
Having just read the full report on Labour's loss in May 2015, helpfully supplied by Stephen Bush at the New Statesman (the report, not the election result, just to be clear), I have come to finally understand what it was that the Labour Party should have done after losing the election. Some have speculated that Ed Miliband should have stuck around as leader for a bit until the dust settled. The theory goes that if the membership could have been given another year to chill out a little, they wouldn't have voted in anger, thus resulting in a semi-obscure backbencher ...
This morning, despite it being prior to 9am, she did an ibble, in this case sensible. (her school bus hadn't turned up at 8.30am and rather than panicking or running back home she texted me to let me know and so I could phone the school. As it happened the bus turned up while I was dialling, but I'm really proud that she had the executive function to let me know at 8.30, when there would still be time to arrange alternative transport. This might seem like a small thing to those of you not on the spectrum, but trust ...
Someone Will Die A grim prediction about the Trump campaign. (tags: uspolitics ) Peter Firmin, the man behind Bagpuss and The Clangers Another exhibition to go to! (tags: tv children london ) Mathematicians Discover Prime Conspiracy Glorious piece of research! #fb (tags: mathematics ) Democracy in retreat "2015 was the 10th consecutive year of decline in global freedom." (tags: democracy democratization ) Quietly, symbolically, US control of the internet was just ended @MariaFarrell reports. (tags: internet ) Danes to appeal conviction and €3000 fine for helping refugees 279 people have been charged with helping refugees in Denmark. #fb (tags: migration ...
