Genius! Thanks to @paulwaugh
Embed from Getty Images In the days when I wrote a weekly column for Liberal Democrat News - in the days when there was a Liberal Democrat News - I had a Press Gallery pass at the Palace of Westminster. Everyone said the place resembled nothing so much as a public school. Not having attended such an establishment myself, I was not really qualified to judge. But the it certainly resembled what I imagined a public school to be like, albeit largely without the roasting over fires or flagellation. One day in 2001 I saw an improbably youthful figure on ...
There goes the neighbourhood.
Perhaps we should rename this lovely Town Hall the Liverpool Kremlin?! You have probably never heard of Liverpool Express. It's a little known blogsite run by the Liverpool City Council which effectively acts as a mouthpiece for Mayor Joe. Yesterday ... Continue reading →
Back in 2004 I analysed the possible permutations of the application of the Twelfth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in the event that neither John Kerry nor George W. Bush got a majority in the Electoral College in that year's election. My conclusion was that in such a scenario, Republican congressmen would pick the next President, which would certainly have been Bush in that case. To remind you, if there is no candidate with a majority of votes in the electoral college, the House of Representatives votes, each state casting a single vote, and a majority of all states is ...
I just want to note that filigree10 has persuaded me to alter my post about Fantasy and the Easter Rising. I had noticed that the account of how Lord Dunsany was injured was rather different from James Stephens' eyewitness account of how "Sir Horace Plunkett's nephew" was injured, but I assumed that Dunsany was embellishing his account; how likely could it be that his uncle, Sir Horace Plunkett, had two nephews who were both injured during the Rising? But of course Sir Horace was a man of many talents, and many nephews, and it was indeed the case that the ...
Next Sunday- Palm Sunday- Holy Week begins. It is a time when the long fast of Lent reaches its conclusion and the critical events of the Passion of Christ are remembered. Personally I find it a sombre and powerful time. Yet for many in the West the idea of commemorating the crucifixion is absurd and possibly dangerous. For many, to ascribe power to the legendary judicial death of an obscure Jewish carpenter is to ignore the truths that we see all around us. Christ does not mention the things we know today, because he did not know them, therefore he ...
I'm surprised that the Budget announcement that Greater Bristol and Bath are to get a Metro Mayor took some people by surprise. The Chancellor has long been an enthusiast for elected Mayors and during the last year of the Coalition Government he tried to tie a Metro Mayor onto each of the Combined Authorities being [...]
And so, the Tampon Tax looks like it's on its way to the home for ridiculous, misogynistic laws in the sky. And it's all thanks to George Osborne and David Cameron. Ah, no, say the Brexiteers, the whole idea that we had to go begging to Europe to get it fixed is plain wrong. Had there not been an EU Referendum coming up in just over three months' time, I suspect women would have been paying the extra 5% for some time to come. Because of an unlikely alliance between a few right wing Tory outers and Labour feminists, the ...
One of the greatest achievements of the 2010-2015 Coalition government in the UK was the legalisation of same-sex marriage, thus underlining the fact that despite the country's periodic embrace of conservatism, Britain today is an essentially liberal country. A large part of the credit for the safe passage of the Bill that enabled equal marriage [...]
What is your favourite statistic? Statistics - notoriously used and misused in political debate are all too often interpreted by opposing sides to fit their arguments. For many people it all boils down to one word: "Theatre". That isn't helpful. When I was asked to speak on the topic of Europe at a recent LibDemPint, I wanted to achieve making the debate about Europe more tangible, meaningful - even visual by painting a picture of a real life situation. The EU is not a state. It is a Union of states. But how about calling it a Team of states? ...
I suspect that in certain quarters this is not going to win me any friends. I don't rightly care. Those of you of a nervous disposition might want to scroll on past right now... Hello those who are still here. You may or may not have noticed that sexual harrassment is something of a hot button topic in the lib dems, and indeed politics in general, at the moment. This is because, despite years and years of being told over and over again, some people (mainly, but not exclusively, men) refuse to get it. I am therefore going to put ...
Fri 18th
14:43
Teaching Assistant Pay Consultation - Injustice remains injustice however long it takes
The slightly revamped proposals offered under the Review of Teaching Assistants' Pay do not meet the fundamental issues of what was wrong with the initial proposals. Spreading the pain over a three year period merely delays the full implementation of an injustice. It cannot be right and may not be legal (without any change of duties or performance required) for long held contracts simply to be re-written to the detriment of the contract holders. The Labour Party (who control Durham County Council) quite rightly oppose Jeremy Hunt's rewriting of Junior Hospital Doctors' contracts. The county's Labour leadership cannot then properly ...
Embed from Getty Images The last Labour government introduced academy status for schools that were adjudged to need it. The Coalition government extended academy school status to schools that really wanted it. Your government is now imposing it on schools that neither need nor want it. That was the punchy question BBC Newsnight's James O'Brien put to Conservative schools minister Nick Gibb, following the Tories' proposal (not included in their manifesto) to turn every single school into an academy, regardless of the wishes of the school's leaders, governors, parents or local community. Much of the insta-opposition I saw accused the ...
Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP and Justice Spokesperson Alison McInnes has welcomed an independent report published today by the Scottish Government Advisory Group on the age of criminal responsibility. The report confirms the Scottish Liberal Democrats view that the age of criminal consent should be raised from 8 to 12 'at the earliest opportunity'. Ms McInnes [...]
[IMG: Justin Trudeau by Canadian Pacific CCL Flickr] As a young American woman who has interned in the Canadian Parliament, volunteered for American campaigns and is now working in the British Parliament, it has been interesting following the 2015 British Parliamentary elections through a variety of lenses. The recent change of government in Canada and the ongoing presidential election in the United States seem worth unpacking, in order to delve into possible lessons which could be learned by Liberal Democrats from these other spaces. I propose that there are lessons worth learning from two American Democrats, President Obama and Bernie ...
This refugee crisis is the biggest movement of people since WWII. It needs visionary people with big thinking to get to grips with it, because make no bones about it, it will need to be tackled and a head in the sand attitude will not make it go away. So, it is a proud day when the leader of our party, Tim Farron, makes it a centrepiece of his keynote speech at conference and receives a standing ovation for it. Politics is the art of the possible - but only when we have the leaders to make the possible happen. ...
Once upon at time secondary schools in England were called either just that, secondary schools, or high schools,or grammar schools. Some posh ones (eg Eton) were called colleges. There were also a few secondary technical schools or colleges, though, unfortunately these never really took off. After the famous 1944 Education Act unselective secondary schools were called secondary moderns. The nomenclature didn't necessarily mean much. Leeds Modern School, which Allen Bennett attended, was actually a highly selective academic school. Scotland, which has a different education system (and examinations and degree courses) to England and Wales, called its secondary schools academies, which ...
Fri 18th
11:55
Baroness Claire Tyler writes....A Liberal Britain has equality and social justice at its heart
Three facts reveal starkly to me that we don't yet live in a 'liberal Britain.' First, overall income inequality hasn't fallen since the early 1990s, but share of income held by the top 1% has soared. Shockingly, the richest 1% of UK households have more wealth than the bottom half of the population put together. Second, at the top end, the majority of the Cabinet, senior doctors, judges and journalists still come from independent schools. And at the bottom end, 17% of Britons lived in absolute low income households in 2014 ( 23% after housing costs), while 19% of children ...
Fri 18th
11:53
Lydiate Neighbourhood Plan will 'restrict where the developers are allowed to build' – Really?
I mentioned a couple of days ago that I had a letter from Labour's candidate for Sefton Council's Park Ward through my door, along with every other household in Park Ward I assume. Having a keen interest in local affairs I read it and the words 'It will restrict where the developers are allowed to build' jumped out at me. The words were in reference to Lydiate Parish Council's in progress Neighbourhood Plan. You see we have been around this one many times before but a Neighbourhood Plan can't contradict Sefton Council's Local Plan. On house building the only things ...
It's time for the next executive meeting of the English Lib Dems (or English Council Executive or ECE depending on your preference) and so here's my preview of what is on the agenda and items that I've picked out from the reports presented to it. I'm pleased to see that the agendas and minutes for [...]
[IMG: Aylsham by-election team] Three principal council by-elections took place this week with a superb gain from the Conservatives and vote share increase in each ward. In Broadland (DC), there was an excellent gain for the Liberals in Aylsham ward. The campaign which focused on Steve Riley's previous experience and record of working hard as a former councillor, was [...]
This week's budget contained the usual announcements about new research facilities. But behind the welcome news, concerns continue to mount This week's budget was, as usual, sprinkled with announcements about science capital spending. This continues a trend that has been evident for some time, whereby ministers use such announcements to demonstrate their commitment to infrastructure investment. The political appeal of this is understandable: such projects are widely seen as investments in the future and garner much the same media attention as announcements about other kinds of infrastructure. Yet the cost of major capital projects in the sciences is typically orders ...
Among Liberal Youth members' criticisms of the recent York Conference, there is the frequent accusation of inherent ageism against the younger members of the party; as a 23 year old 'young' member I find this is overstated. Whilst there was one notable instance in a debate of a young man being called 'naïve', this is by no means the norm. Furthermore, the reaction in the room seemed to show the audience siding with the younger member. Of course there are members who dismiss the opinions of those younger than themselves, however to place this at the feet of the party ...
Yes, it's the return of '5 Good – 2 Bad'. Each week we look at five great things happening within the party over the past 7 days as well as a couple of things that perhaps haven't gone as well as we'd like. So here goes:- GOOD 1. DIVERSITY IN THE UK: Whatever your views of [...]
When in opposition the Institute for Fiscal Studies is a friend, however once a party is in government they become a thorn in the side. So it has proved for George Osborne on his latest budget. The Guardian reports that the Institute for Fiscal Studies has criticised George Osborne for a misleading budget pledge to help Britain's lowest paid workers, and warned that the chancellor's new soft drinks tax could backfire by raising sugar consumption. They say that IFS has highlighted "disingenuousness" in the Chamcellor's claims he was taking the lowest paid "out of tax". It has also warned that ...
GPs in Ceredigion and across Wales have given a resounding message that Plaid Cymru's plan for another health reorganisation would be a disaster for patients. In November, Kirsty Williams, Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, wrote to over 650 GP surgeries in Wales asking their views; 21% of GP surgeries responded. One question asked whether they would support Plaid's plans to scrap health boards and place major hospitals under one body. 66% of GPs said they would not support this policy, 23% said they would support it, and 10% said they did not know. Responses to Plaid's policy included: • "Good ...
Fri 18th
09:30LibLink: Tim Farron: Cameron must veto this poisonous deal with Turkey before our response to the Re...
Strong words from Tim Farron in today's Independent about the proposed EU deal with Turkey which would see refugees returned from Greece to Turkey. Rather than create safe and legal routes for refugees, Tim argues that this deal would violate international conventions. For instance, collective expulsions of people seeking international protection are condemned by the EU's own Charter of Fundamental Rights. We know Turkey has failed to fully implement the Geneva Convention on refugees and has no functioning asylum policy. David Cameron would do well to re-read the international human rights agreements and principles Britain has committed to, before he ...
Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesperson Alistair Carmichael MP has blasted the SNP following their abstension on the Investigatory Powers (IP) Bill in the House of Commons earlier this week. Carmichael was scathing after the nationalists performed a U-turn, having previously pledged to vote against the new legislation:- "In the Guardian, Joanna Cherry said the SNP [...]
Fri 18th
09:22
Is there a "conservative" viewpoint on disability benefits that can achieve consensus on the right?
One of the big things to come from this year's budget (other than the sugar tax and endless speculation about what Osborne is up to and whether it will work or not) was the cuts to disability benefits. What's interesting about for me about the debate on the right is that cuts to disability benefits are clearly not a simple right-left issue like a lot of things these days – there seems to be a huge split inside conservative circles about what the correct approach to this should be. Ian Birrell, former Cameron speechwriter and contributing editor to the Mail ...
Weird coincidence #426. I have been recently reading about the former Plessey station, just outside Cramlington near Plessey Checks. Yesterday I had an email from a fellow genealogist asking for photos of it nowadays ( well the site anyway ) as a relative of his worked there. It turns out that his relative married one of my relatives ( not a direct ancestor ) . Small world ( but I wouldn't want to paint it ...)
Bin collections There will be no changes to bin collections over the Easter Bank Holiday. This includes refuse, recycling and garden waste collections (for those who have signed up to the scheme). Bins should be put out for collection by 7.00am on your normal collection day. Good Friday bin collection If you normally have your bins collected on a Friday, you should put your bins out as normal on Good Friday, 25 March. If you're unsure of your collection days, you can find out by entering your house number and postcode into the 'My Durham' tab on the council website. ...
I recently received concerns from residents about the state of the pavement in Ashbank Road on its east side near to the junction with Logie Avenue at the south side of the estate - see photo below :It is badly sunken and, in the view of residents and myself, not safe to walk along. I immediately contacted the City Council's Roads Maintenance Partnership who have put barriers in place - see below.I have been advised by the Roads Maintenance Partnership : "I am unable to advise of likely timescale for repair at present due to budget constraints." This is rather ...
Fri 18th
08:25
What happens after you tell the local press and MP that Thames Water has left water flooding down a ...
Pure coincidence, you understand, that after copying in the MP and local papers, the scene in this photo replaced all the previous insistences that nothing can be done to speed up a repair despite water flowing all the way down a fairly steep hill, not to mention the sequence of mistaken claims that the leak had been fixed when it hadn't: [IMG: Thames Water leak repair N19] What used to be a path half covered in water flowing down to the street at its end and then down the hill all the way to the main road where it formed ...
Liberal Democrats have several #INtogether logo that anyone campaigning for an IN vote can use: [IMG: Black long hashtag] [IMG: Black long with hashtag] [IMG: Black square with hashtag] [IMG: Black without hashtag] These versions and more are available from the resources portal. Why not let LibDemVoice know how you use any of these? * Antony Hook was #2 on the South East European list in 2014, is the English Party's representative on the Federal Executive and produces this sites EU Referendum Roundup.
What Students in Europe Learn That Americans Don't An effective summary. (tags: education ) A man's discovery of bones under his pub could forever change what we know about the Irish Genetics vs Celtic mist! (tags: ireland genealogy )
[IMG: Wooden Blocks with the text: Policy] Last week Paul Cairney posted at the Guardian on evidence-based policy making. The post is directed at academics seeking to influence policy. It highlights the need to recognize the complexity and messiness of the policy process as it actually exists, rather than cleaving to fanciful textbook notions of rational policy cycles. We focus too much on the supply of evidence - how can academics make evidence more digestible to policymakers - and not enough on the demand for evidence - understanding the often fleeting nature of attention to particular policy issues and the ...
