The first in a series of videos about the city from the East Midland Oral History Archive.
Current Watership Down, by Richard Adams (a chapter a week) The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet, by Becky Chambers Short Trips: Life Science, ed John Binns Bitter Seeds by Ian Tregillis Last books finished Easter 1916: selected archive pieces from the New Statesman Illegal Alien by Mike Tucker and Robert Perry Glorious Angels, by Justina Robson - did not finish Another Girl, Another Planet by Martin Day and Len Beech Naamah's Curse by Jacqueline Carey Next books A Princess of Roumania, by Paul Park Whispers Under Ground, by Ben Aaronovitch Prime Time, by Mike Tucker Books acquired in ...
Lord Bonkers concludes his visit to the United States. As for we Liberal Democrats... Then there is the Labour Party, as the New Party is calling itself these days. They need to dump Jeremy Corbyn, Christopher Robin Milne, Chairman Mao and all that crew and find themselves someone who can connect with the workers, as they flatter themselves they used to do. Frank Byers' granddaughter is Terribly Keen, some military fellow called Jarvis has the skills you need in a closely fought by-election, but I am not holding my breath. As for we Liberal Democrats, we need an ingenious new ...
I had lunch at the Queen's Head in Billesdon today a pleasant Marston's pub. The village trail leaflet tells an interesting story about it: In the late 19th century, the landlord of the Queen's Head was Tom Plumb, the famous All-England wicket-keeper of the 1860s, described by W.G. Grace as 'about the best wicket-keeper of his time.' He coached two Billesdon players who went on to play for Leicestershire: spin bowler William Finney and fast bowler Arthur Woodcock. Woodcock achieved a national reputation as the fastest bowler in England, and his Wisden obituary opined: 'how much Leicestershire's promotion to the ...
Episode 12: Invaders from Space First shown: 28 November 1970 (US), 26 March 1971 (UK) Director: Jeremy Summers Writer: Glyn Jones Appearing apart from the Double Deckers: John Horsley (Mr Leming) Sam Kydd, Dervis Ward, Michael Brennan (Spaceman) Ivor Salter (Policeman) Plot Brains is converting a black and white TV to colour. The gang pick up what appears to be a warning about aliens invading Earth, and find themselves menaced by the invaders. But in fact it is a publicity stunt for a new candy (sic) product, as the kids eventually find out after being transported to the headquarters of ...
Like many academic books it is ridiculously expensive, it is advertised on Amazon for £58 . I recall a meeting of the Liberal Party Standing Committee in 1979 which was drawing up the Election Manifesto. We reached the item on the agenda marked economic policy. There was a silence until Richard Moore spoke: 'I joined the Liberal Party in spite of not because of its economic policy 'he told us. Many people hold the opinion that our party gives economic policy a lower priority than say the environment, reform of government, foreign policy, Europe, individual rights or the state of ...
The party ran an essay competition for members of the Liberal Democrats, to submit 1000 words on the theme "What it means to be a Liberal Democrat today." The deadline for contributions was in November and the winner was announced at Spring Conference. If you would like us to publish your submission, send it to voice@libdemvoice.org.uk. This one ended up on the shortlist, as Essay #9. It was mine. It dawned on me that I'd never actually published it on here and, as I'm currently en route for a week in the gorgeous Highlands, now seems to be a good ...
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie today said that Liberal Democrats would increase resources for Police Scotland and end the top-down targets culture that has seen morale amongst rank and file officers and staff plummet. Mr Rennie was speaking as new budget papers from the Scottish Police Authority confirmed the national force ran £22 million [...]
[IMG: members forum wordle] LibDemVoice has two parallel sites. The first is our public blog, the thing you're reading now. The second is our private members' forum, which only current Lib Dem members can access. If you're a member and want to chat with fellow party members about any issue that's on your mind, then why not sign up? In addition, you'll be included in our regular surveys' of party members' views. Here's some of the most active discussions this past 10 days: Local Elections 2016: The Liberal Democrat battleground TTIP Military intervention in Libya Is leafletting dead? Easterhouse betrayed ...
Hugo nominations closed a little over 24 hours ago, and Mike Glyer invited readers of his File 770 blog to post their choices, if they felt so inclined. About twenty did so, and my summary of the aggregate preferences is as follows. 1941 Retro Hugos, including only categories where there was at least one entry with more than one nomination: BEST FAN ARTIST Hannes Bok (2) 4 others BEST FANZINE Futuria Fantasia (2) Scienti-Snaps (2) 3 others BEST PROFESSIONAL ARTIST Margaret Brundage (2) Virgil Finlay (2) Hubert Rogers (2) 6 others BEST EDITOR, SHORT FORM Raymond A. Palmer (3) Frederik ...
Embed from Getty Images Earlier this week, Miriam Gonzalez Durantez took to the pages of the Telegraph to deliver a scathing riposte to those "Leave" campaigners who seek to scare us into believing that being in the EU increases terrorism. She started with an insight at her feelings over the Coalition years: Having felt for five full years the frustration of seeing my husband, Nick Clegg, regularly reversing ill-judged Conservative decisions with little public credit, it is tempting to remain silent on the Brexit referendum - yet another ill-judged Conservative government decision that puts at risk the future of all ...
This note is based on information provided by consulting engineers Mouchel. We are still aiming for a reopening of the bridge at the end of April, hopefully before the May Fair arrives. The scaffold is now fully erected. Photo: Tim Gill Divers have removed collapsed stone from the bed of the Teme. Two pallets of... Continue reading Update on repairs to Ludford Bridge - 2 April 2016 →
Willie Rennie has challenged the other parties to commit to ending government bonuses for companies which fail to pay their employees the Scottish living wage. He was speaking as the so-called living wage proposed by George Osborne came into force. The Tory living wage of £7.20 is £1.05 an hour less than the Scottish living wage of £8.25 an hour, which is calculated independently by the Living Wage Foundation. It's also worth noting that the Scottish Liberal Democrats are the only party in Scotland to be accredited as Living Wage employers. Last month, Willie called for the SNP to stop ...
From 1 April 2016, consumer advice services for County Durham residents will only be available from the Citizens' Advice consumer helpline. The helpline is a government-funded service that works in partnership with local authority consumer advice services. It provides clear, practical advice on a range of consumer issues. Currently, the consumer helpline service provides initial consumer advice with more complex problems referred to the County Council's consumer advice team. From 1 April, the County Council will no longer provide this service and advice will only be provided by the Citizens' Advice consumer helpline or via the local Citizens' Advice Bureau. ...
A powerful statement from Ralph on Autism. Ralph works for Bath and North East Somerset Council. Celebrating World Autism Awareness Week In support of World Autism Awareness Week (2nd to 8th April), a member of Bath & North East Somerset Council's staff has written an open letter to celebrate the week and explain what his autism means to him. Ralph Hemus, who works as a Postroom Assistant in the Council and is also a Young Ambassador for the National Autistic Society, composed a sincere insight which he asked the Council to share in order to increase people's understanding and appreciation ...
RT @RosamundUrwin: Putting in an FOI to the DoH to see how much it cost to bring someone here from the 1950s to write this document. RT @shailjapatel: In which there are still no Indian women journalists in India capable of writing about Indian women for @guardian April Fool's Day: 10 stories that look like pranks but aren't Satirical website not really sure what to do today 22 Teachers Caught Being Awesome I think I like "label me like one of your french girls" best RT @marcgeddes: My recent research on who gives evidence to House of Commons select committees ...
In May 2011 when the Liberal Democrats took control of the Council from the Conservatives we inherited a run down leisure provision with no real money in the budget. Over the next 4 years we invested across the area in upgrading the leisure and sporting provision – most notably at Odd Down. But also the new skate park at the RVP. We also retendered the contract and appointed GLL and put into the budget real money to refurbish the sports centre at Bath and to look at either a refurb or a brand new facility in Keynsham. We are please ...
InFacts has an article by two senior lawyers about the affect of leaving Europe on UK citizens' healthcare rights. They conclude: The healthcare rights we enjoy under EU law are specific, practical and make a difference. The risk of losing them illustrate clearly the dangers of Brexit. We might manage to negotiate to keep them - as Norway and Switzerland do. But that could not be guaranteed. Other options, such as the Canada model, would have a significant adverse impact on the welfare of British citizens, whether they are visiting or working abroad or simply wanting the option to be ...
Sat 2nd
10:17
Brexit and the British dilemma – Probably more than a hint of truth about this – We have...
vimeo.com/135166094#at=0 A classic clip from Yes Minister from my spotter of Roy Connell – see link above. Of course we should stay in – Brexit indeed, whatever next to try to keep the Tory Party together? For that is the only real reason we are having a referendum now. Car crash the Tory right wing – vote to stay in the EU.
The banking sector is quite rightly not the most popular at the moment and certainly needs reform and stronger regulation, but the presence of international banks in the UK bring jobs and prestige, as well as contributing significantly to our balance of payments as a country. It is therefore disturbing but not surprising that many of these banks have said that if the UK votes to come out of the European Community, they will up sticks and relocate on the continent. The Times reports that Wall Street banks, as well as continental and Japanese investment banks, have sent reports to ...
I like this clear definition of what a Liberal Britain could look like by Dick Newby. It fits closely with my own views.
[IMG: Tim Farron & David Pullin at Southport Station April 2016] Nice to see that Lib Dem Leader Tim Farron is being briefed on the much needed upgrade of rail services to and from Southport to the east of the Town and through West Lancashire. In the photo above Southport resident and campaigner David Pullin is bending Tim's ear. And Southport Cambridge Ward Cllr. Pat Keith was also on hand to make sure Tim understood why the rail line to the east of Southport is so important to people travelling to Manchester Piccadilly Station. [IMG: Tim Farron and Cllr. Pat ...
The Liberal Democrats are a growing party and week on week new colleagues join us in the battle to create a democratic and liberal nation in which success is founded on merit, policy is founded on evidence and citizens are treated equally. This party has always championed the concept of subsidiarity, decisions being taken as close as possible to the people they affect. We were the party that pressed hardest for a North West Regional Parliament, and we are the party that in government delivered Devo-Manc and real prospect of Devo-Merseyside. It is not our preferred option of devolution and ...
A musical note from the National Security Agency, still rather relevant in both the US and the UK:
Ted Kennedy entered the 1980 Democratic primaries as the favourite to clinch the presidential nomination. Amongst Democrats, he held a 25-point advantage over the sitting president, Jimmy Carter (whose national approval ratings were in the low-20s to high-teens at the time) before the race began. Ted had long been the almost man of Democrat politics – his time now seemed to be at hand. But actually, it didn't work out like that in the end. Events from his colourful past came back to haunt him – the Chappaquiddick incident most prominently. Reality hit hard and fast as well: Carter won ...
Further to my earlier update, I am now advised by Dundee City Council : Dundee City Council proposes to make an Order under Section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 for the purpose of facilitating SSE cable renewal works. The Order is expected to be in force for twenty weeks from 4 April 2016. Its maximum duration in terms of the Act is eighteen months. The effect of the Order is to prohibit temporarily all vehicular traffic in (1) Fleuchar Street between Eassons Angle and Blyth Street, (2) Blinshall Street between Lochee Road and Douglas Street and (3) ...
Will artificial intelligence kill us all? Probably not. (tags: computers )
Southwark Labour amazingly have just introduced Golden Goodbyes for their cabinet councillors. This is the first council to ever introduce these extra payments. So when a Labour cabinet councillor loses an election, resigns or is sacked they will now get a pay-off. The pay-off will be one month of extra Special Responsibility Allowance and an extra week for each year of service unto a maximum of 13 weeks. This payment will be up to £12,791 and even more for the Southwark Labour leader decides to step down. My initial thoughts were of sympathy for someone who might lose their post ...
It is all very well for Sajid Javid to come to Wales and promise action, but his words of support for the steel industry are in stark contrast to his record. The fact is that Mr Javid and his Tory colleagues have done nothing to mitigate this crisis. People are fed up of excuses; he needs to explain to steel workers why his government fought against EU measures to stop the dumping of cheap Chinese steel that has been destroying our industry. Not only has this Tory Government seemingly sat idly by but it has made the situation worse.
Free trade, strong leaders and cancer scams Trade, Labor, and Politics by Paul Krugman (New York Times) "What all this means, as I said, is that the Democratic nominee won't have to engage in saber-rattling over trade. She (yes, it's still overwhelmingly likely to be Hillary Clinton) will, rightly, express skepticism about future trade deals, [...]
