A drive around East Leicestershire following Tour 1 from the 'Touring Leicestershire' booklet by W.G. Hoskins, 1948. Villages and places on the route include Great Stretton, Kings Norton, Gaulby, Skeffington, Tugby, Launde, Withcote, Tilton and Billesdon Coplow.
Watch the latest video from the Britain Stronger in Europe campaign: All over the country, thousands of people like you are talking about the reasons why we're stronger and better off in Europe. 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.
Second paragraph of third chapter: From his earliest memory he had been interested in music, in sound, without the slightest interest in crops or cereal processing. His father and brothers had tried to pressure him into joining the family business, he remembered that, but his mother had always stood by him, encouraged him, sending him to boretha lessons when he was old enough, buying him Blinnati classical opera for his event-days. I'm realising that Mike Tucker is one of the unsung talents of Who spinoff fiction. He has specialised in the Seventh Doctor/Ace period immediately between Survival and the New ...
Paul Crossley, an experienced local community leader from Bath, has been announced as the Liberal Democrat candidate for Avon & Somerset Police & Crime Commissioner. Local people across the Avon and Somerset force area will have the chance to vote for a new Commissioner in elections to be held on Thursday 5th May 2016. The Commissioner's role is to hold the service to scrutiny and account on their behalf, Paul's top priorities are to: improve the way public services and communities work togethercut the costs of the Commissioner's office.Paul was the Leader of Bath and North East Somerset Council from ...
Lynne Featherstone explains how the state killed her nephew. "The crucial papers were destroyed according [to] the Department of Health." Max Seddon looks at Putin's new army: "Russia's campaign to shape international opinion around its invasion of Ukraine has extended to recruiting and training a new cadre of online trolls that have been deployed to spread the Kremlin's message on the comments section of top American websites." "I had no idea small children could walk so far. We skipped three miles one day and two miles the next, albeit incentivised by fish and chips or ice creams. At night, the ...
The leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats spelt out his party's proposals for student support at the NUS Scotland hustings this evening. Mr Rennie set out how a package of £30million of new bursary support will turn the tide of the SNP's switch to loans. Mr Rennie said: "The SNP Scottish Government were elected on a [...]
Scottish Liberal Democrat education spokesman Liam McArthur today said that pupils must be the priority as the First Minister said that questions must be answered over the closure of 17 schools across Edinburgh due to safety concerns. Commenting, Mr McArthur said: "There will be a time to look into the details of the PFI deal [...]
Get ready for the starter pistol! [IMG: family sports day]
Just to apologise for the last few weeks of mostly silence. I've been suffering an ear infection which has made sleep nearly impossible for the last three weeks, and I've also had to come off my arthritis drugs while I'm ... Continue reading →
Rum news from the Tettenhall Regis ward in Wolverhampton. There is one councillor up for election this May, and yet two Conservative candidates: [IMG: Tettenhall Regis ward - statement of persons nominated] Things then get odder still because the local Tory leader has told the press, Only one candidate has been through the proper application process and that is Udey Singh. We were absolutely amazed when we saw that another nomination had gone in. I was unaware that Mark Evans was planning to put in an application. That's a very odd explanation because someone can only appear on the ballot ...
Watch the latest video from the Britain Stronger in Europe campaign: Being in Europe means more jobs and opportunities for you and your family. Leaving would put UK jobs at risk. 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.
I was sad to see Josh Lashkovic's article explaining why he won't be renewing his membership. I was one of the enthusiastic newbies he refers to; I met him in that summer of 2015, and I thought he was a great guy with interesting ideas for ways the party could move forward after its electoral wipeout. I'm a great enthusiast for the idea of the Lib Dems as a startup, and I share his desire for the party to change. My experiences over the last year though have been completely different to his, and I'd like to explain where I ...
A serious question. In the last year or so I've contacted four people who I thought of as friends but who had blocked me on Twitter, sending grovelling and apologetic messages apologising for whatever I might have done to offend them - and in each case received a puzzled response saying that they had no idea how it happened and it was entirely unintentional. There is no obvious pattern - one was a family member, one a science fiction friend, one an Eastern European politician and the last an EU official working on Africa. I'm not claiming that there is ...
Embed from Getty Images Slowly but surely, local democracy is being eroded away by the Conservatives and crumbling into the sea, like parts of the British coastline. Not everyone in Britain knows this is happening. Here is how... The decision of forcing all schools to become academies, far from improving local democracy, will see decisions taken by Academy Executives who may live hundreds of miles from your school. Take the example of the E-ACT Academy trust, which has decided to remove local governing bodies entirely. According to the Local Government Association, there is a forecast need for over 880,000 new ...
[IMG: Margaret Wintringham] The Liberal Democrat History Group faces a double bind when it comes to finding authors and topics for our articles, books and meetings cover the history of the Liberal Democrats and our predecessor parties. The superficial explanation is that our output is bound to be dominated by men because that is how political has been. Just look at the ranks of male party leaders, for example. And look at how nearly all the biographers of our party leaders have been men. So whether we're looking at topics or authors, you might think we're bound to be dominated ...
On a recent visit to Formby the old Post Office in Brows Lane caught my eye as a pleasing building in what looks to be, externally at least, near original condition. I found a 1955 photo of it on the Francis Frith web site at:- And there's a 1960 photo on this web site as well, which shows how quickly things change:- www.francisfrith.com/formby/formby-brows-lane-c1960_f106033 It is interesting to compare the 1950's and 1960's photos with my present day shots of the Old Post Office:- [IMG: Old Formby Post Office r] [IMG: Old Formby Post Office Doorway r] [IMG: Old Formby ...
Mon 11th
11:22
The EU Referendum - Don't believe UKIP, believe Sir Winston (and his fellow Liberal Democrats)
Embed from Getty Images Current soundbites aren't doing this vote justice... The arguments are well rehearsed by now. Boris' land of milk, honey from Canada and 'Nike tick growth' versus Cameron's doom, despair and economic shock. The land of Farage and UKIP freedom fighters versus job-destroying years of negotiation on separation terms (Canada's EU trade deal: 7 years and counting). The EU is fairly imperfect, and EU free movement makes immigration policy that much more difficult (although over 50% of migration to the UK comes from outside the EU). Cameron's renegotiation, grand tour of Europe, and media-focused town halls are ...
Instagram OMG mummy! There's a CAT! Outside the window! Look! You see it? Can I go chase it? Can I can I... Instagram "Constant Vigilance" is Spike's watchword. Not snoozing in the sunshine at all #dogs... Either / And: Bi, Poly: Overlapping challenges? Please stop saying "I am ashamed of my gender" | Girl on the Net RT @JYoolz: I love this: always thought "I'm ashamed of my gender" was just the flipside of "not all men"... Instagram This is excellent, and works for all Sighthounds Microwave that can summon slumbering elder Gods I want one Instagram Day 10 of ...
I apologise for the fortnight's silence, but I have been in Japan. Eating as much rice and sushi as I could. I don't really have an excuse but it was a fabulous trip and I learned a great deal, and perhaps the most important lesson I learned is about Japanese growth. Put simply, there isn't any but it doesn't appear to be a social disaster. I have been wondering, and I'm not the only one, whether Japan is not so much struggling economically - though it's economy has oscillated around the same size since their disastrous property bubble burst in ...
Yesterday (Sunday) saw the Edinburgh Southern hustings at the Community Church in South Clerk Street, Edinburgh. Pramod Subbaraman was on duty for the Lib Dems alongside representatives from the Conservatives, Labour, Greens, SNP, RISE and UKIP. The hall was packed with every seat taken. As expected the early stages of the debate were dominated by [...]
It's true. Nick was a haemophiliac and was infected with Hepatitis C and exposed to CJD through NHS treatment. And the Government knew the treatments were contaminated. They were warned. The NHS used blood treatment which bought blood - from American convicts. But the government carried on using contaminated blood products despite those warnings. The result was 4670 haemophiliacs in the UK infected with HIV, Hepatitis C or both - and many exposed to CJD. In regard of the latter the consequences of that exposure are still unknown. In terms of HIV and Hepatitis C almost all haemophiliacs were infected ...
Mon 11th
09:54
Shropshire Council tells local councils to run services and raise their taxes as it abandons its civ...
The clock is ticking. Parish and town councils across Shropshire have been told by Shropshire Council that if they want museums, libraries, buses and street cleaning, they'll have to take it on themselves. And local councils have just five months to do agree do that, otherwise Shropshire Council will consider scrapping the service from April... Continue reading Shropshire Council tells local councils to run services and raise their taxes as it abandons its civic role →
Mon 11th
09:51
The way the right of centre press have responded to the spectre of Brexit has been extraordinary
Back in January, I wrote speculating what the right of centre press would be doing around this exact time now in regards to Brexit. "The Daily Telegraph have taken an even harder Eurosceptic line over the last six months than they had previously held. But they don't call it the Torygraph for nothing - butting up against most of the Conservative frontbench on an issue to be put to a national referendum will hard going for the publication to weather for that amount of time. "The right of centre press, for the most part, I think, will cave into the ...
What is interesting about this guardian article is that they have decided that naming the Sunday Mail is potentially in breach of the court order (which I have not seen). They do, however, reveal that if you want to confirm the names involved you have to go to Scotland. Hence as that is the hardest part of the process I would presume that if they are right about naming the outlet they are wrong
Two weeks ago we reported the availability of a Lib Dem #INtogether leaflet for the referendum campaign focussing on the cost of living. Any member or supporter can order copies of this leaflet. There has been a great success with over 400,000 copies ordered in this first fortnight. There are now two more leaflets available. These focus on jobs and security. This is what the jobs leaflet looks like (click to enlarge) [IMG: jobs leaflet] Any member or supporters can order copies of these leaflets at cost price of £40 per 1000 (including delivery). This is an effective way to ...
I have today launched my April 2016 Update to West End Community Council. Subjects covered include: • Parking in the West End • 9/10 bus service meeting • Scottish Water proposed works - Perth Road/Nethergate The Community Council meets tomorrow evening at Logie St John's (Cross) Church Hall at 7pm - all residents welcome. You can download my Update here.
Mon 11th
07:12Serious graffiti attack on Ludlow Library - are we doing enough to support young people?
Graffiti has been sprayed around and on Ludlow Library and Portway. I understand this happened on Wednesday night. If anyone has any information on this, please ring 101 or email ludlow.snt@westmercia.pnn.police.uk. I don't have any sympathy for young people or anyone else that vandalises buildings. But I do recognise that the limited activities and support... Continue reading Serious graffiti attack on Ludlow Library - are we doing enough to support young people? →
Loopholes in legislation designed to improve transparency in the lobbying of MPs and Ministers are being exploited by companies so as to avoid declaring clients who pay them thousands of pounds to help influence Government policy, according to the Independent. The paper says that a year after the Government made it a legal requirement for lobbying companies to publicly declare the firms for whom they act, some of the biggest firms in the business are legitimately avoiding doing so: They include companies such as CTF Partners, which is run by David Cameron's election guru Sir Lynton Crosby and has in ...
Oh, So Now I'm Bangladeshi? On hyphenation and nationality. (tags: race ) How Europe Can Pay For The Solution Of The Refugee Crisis George Soros's recommendation. (tags: eu migration ) UK scores worst on electoral integrity in Western Europe. Here's why. Yup. (tags: ukpolitics democracy elections ) Sponsored: 64% off Code Black Drone with HD Camera Our #1 Best-Selling Drone--Meet the Dark Night of the Sky! (tags: )
The Welsh Liberal Democrats would introduce an NHS whistleblowing hotline so that staff would be able to anonymously report their concerns. Unlike in Scotland, there is no all-Wales whistleblowing hotline for staff. Instead, the Welsh Government sets out various processes health boards could have in place, however the policies are inconsistent. The all-Wales policy paper sets out the processes health boards must have in place if an employee wishes to raise their concerns about patient safety or malpractice. Different health boards in Wales have different whistleblowing procedures. In many parts of our NHS there continues to be a culture of ...
