Police have been given more time by the courts to bring a possible prosecution against Tory MP Gavin Barwell for allegedly failing to fully declare his general election expenses. A Mirror investigation found that Mr Barwell claimed his campaign office cost just £1.84 a day and recorded this in his spending return as "business rates"... The general election race in Mr Barwell's Croydon Central constituency was one of the tightest in the country. He won by just 165 votes and was within £252 of his campaign spending limit. That now makes it 13 Conservative MPs named as being under investigation ...
Labour seat. Cause: Death. LD candidate- Asif Ashraf.
I found this video on the Little Bowden Society website. It combines photos of the village when it was flooded by the River Jordan in 1912 with photos of the same scenes today. One from 1912 shows buildings close to my house that were long ago demolished. Strangely spooky.
John Gregson as Commander George Gideon Writing about the Gideon's Way police series from the 1960s the other day, I suggested that John Gregson played the hero as "a world-weary liberal". I may have been on to something because, as an article by Ian Millsted from the Journal of Liberal History once revealed, the author of the books the series was based on was himself a liberal - and a Liberal John Creasey, who wrote the books, once said: I have been a political animal all my life. At twelve I was organising and speaking at street corners for the ...
It's not often that I can bear to watch Question Time these days. I tend to take the view that my life is too short to cope with the likes of Quentin Letts or Melanie Phillips for an hour late on a Thursday night. However, there is good reason to watch tonight. Here is the panel: Here's this week's #bbcqt line-up in full: — BBC Question Time (@bbcquestiontime) May 18, 2016 And here is Tim's own billing: Making his eleventh #bbcqt appearance this week: @timfarron (4/5) pic.twitter.com/5louB7yYiI — BBC Question Time (@bbcquestiontime) May 18, 2016 I don't want to ...
The following email from the Welsh Liberal Democrats brings the news that Kirsty Williams is intending to become Cabinet Secretary for Education as part of a deal with Labour. Three points in particular are worth noting about this. One, it is a far more palatable outcome than the unholy alliance with Ukip and the Conservatives that Plaid tried to put together. Second, although the experience of Welsh and Scottish colleagues in coalition in their devolved governments has been mixed, it has overall worked out with rather better electoral consequences than it did in Westminster. Third, it echoes the concentration on ...
I think I prefer this version of Donald Trump:
Today the Supreme Court overturned a decision by Court of Appeal and ruled that an injunction banning the naming of a celebrity involved in an alleged extra-marital relationship should stay in place. Over to John Hemming, the former Liberal Democrat MP: The logical conclusion of this is that gossip about anyone with children will become a criminal offence subject to a potential penalty of 2 years' imprisonment. It is important to note that the injunction covers people talking in pubs, gossiping over the garden fence, or twittering on the internet. All of these could potentially see an application for committal ...
Like hundreds, possibly thousands, of others, when the Hillsborough Inquest confirmed the incompetance of the South Yorkshire police in their management of the Hillsborough disaster, and their duplicity in the subsequent cover-up, I wrote to the Home Secretary requesting a public enquiry into the "Battle" of Orgreave during the miners strike. There are many similarities between the two incidents. In particular in each the same police force, with some of the same senior officers, tried to place the blame for the disasters on the pickets or football fans they were supposed to be policing, and then used questionable measures to ...
Since I have got myself a proper job, I can afford the odd little luxury. One of the pubs I used to work in was the local posties' pub of choice, so I have a fondness for posties and keeping them in work. Thus I started getting some subscription boxes. This is the second in an occasional series of me reviewing them. None of these are paid reviews, I haven't had freebies, and I don't do sponsored content. WYSIWYG. Today I am reviewing: Cheese Posties. What do they offer? The ingredients and instructions for a gourmet cheese toastie, once a ...
There may not be a lot of people who know that a surprising amount of Barking and Somersham ward is linked by a proper bus service. Ipswich Buses operate, with County Council support, route 111, which runs from Ipswich to Hitcham Causeway, and passes through Somersham, Willisham and Barking in doing so. It does also serve the Limeburners at Offton, but that's a fifteen minute walk from the village, so it isn't exactly useful if you're less than fully mobile. But, if you're a non-driver, as I am, and you need to get to Somersham to start your canvassing, it's ...
Second sentence of third chapter of Walking on Glass: Probably not. Prevaricating woman. He sighed and set off up the stairs again, pulling himself up by his hands on the thick, frozen rope fixed to the outside of the staircase, the castle's concession to their earlier request for a handhold on the often ice-slicked steps. Second paragraph of third chapter of The Quarry: Guy, who had said last night he reckoned he'd b e able to go to the pub, is still in the house, sitting in the kitchen feeling sorry for himself. He looks even more gaunt and haggard ...
20-22 Lordship Lane were originally shops with flats above them. For a very long time they've bene used as offices for one of Southwark's Community Mental Health Teams (CMHT). Since 2005 we've been asking what are the plans for these offices. Breaking up the line of shops with two non shops with blank frontages doesn't help keep Lordship Lane vibrant. I've now had a Freedom of Information response back. Previously I had Southwark Council officers saying they were awaiting Maudsley people to respond. I've Maudsley people saying thy've been waiting for Southwark Council officers. You could not make this up. ...
Thu 19th
17:16
+++Breaking: Welsh Special Conference to debate whether Kirsty Williams should enter Cabinet as Educ...
[IMG: Kirsty Williams 2] We knew last weekend that Kirsty Williams was talking to Welsh Labour about accepting a Cabinet position and now we know what it is and what she will be bringing to the Cabinet table, subject to the approval of the Welsh Party at a Special Conference on Saturday. From the Welsh Liberal Democrat website: Kirsty Williams and the First Minister have reached a Progressive Agreement between the two parties to work together in Government. The First Minister has invited Kirsty Williams to serve as Cabinet Secretary for Education and subject to ratification by the Welsh Liberal ...
Thu 19th
17:14
Third time lucky for Stone House? New plans for 44 retirement apartments submitted but are they righ...
It's taking some time to get this application right. This often happens in significant planning applications and my view is that it is always worth taking the time to get an application right. Housing built today will still be around in a hundred years' time and we need to get it right. The first application... Continue reading Third time lucky for Stone House? New plans for 44 retirement apartments submitted but are they right for Ludlow? →
[IMG: Superforecasting by Tetlock and Gardner - book cover] Weather forecasts aside, forecasting is rarely put to a rigorous test. The news and the consultancy industries are stuffed full of confident forecasts about the future – and in both cases the more confidently outrageous the forecast, the more attention and kudos it frequently attracts. But what do you find if you actually put forecasts to the test by recording them, checking which were right or wrong, and analysing who is best at making forecasts? That is what Philip Tetlock and Dan Gardner set out to do in Superforecasting, based on ...
Since I have got myself a proper job, I can afford the odd little luxury. One of the pubs I used to work in was the local posties' pub of choice, so I have a fondness for posties and keeping them in work. Thus I started getting some subscription boxes. This is the first in an occasional series of me reviewing them. None of these are paid reviews, I haven't even had freebies, I don't do sponsored content. WYSIWYG. Today I am reviewing Prudence and The Crow. What do they offer? Vintage books, once a month, for a set period ...
I'm very conscious of the way the media trivialises men's violence against women. Often a false narrative is constructed to somehow give the impression that the abuser had some sort of excuse for their behaviour. A story in today's Metro, or more specifically its headline is a good example of terrible practice. Let's look at what the man in question actually did to his girlfriend: Anwaar was open to fits of rage. In one incident she fell unconscious when he throttled her after smashing up her iPhone, slapping and kicking her. He also attacked her in front of her sons ...
[IMG: Vote Leave getting it very wrong about the money we send to the EU] Vote Leave getting it very wrong about the money we send to the EU The "£350 Million a week" figure for the cost of EU membership has been very persistent. It is even on the livery of the Vote.Leave battlebus (which just happens to be made in Germany). There have been claims that this could be spent on all sorts of things, such as the NHS or British farming. But things are not quite what they seem. It is funny how they focus on the ...
Last night, Alan Beith unveiled a new portrait of Charles Kennedy at the National Liberal Club in London. Love the portrait of the late Charles Kennedy, unveiled by Lord Beith at the National Liberal Club in London tonight pic.twitter.com/100V1R2ont — Lindsay Jane Watling (@LJWatling) May 18, 2016 From the Herald: The painting by Keith Breeden was unveiled by the former Liberal Democrat leader's colleague Lord Beith, who is the club's president. Among those present were former party leaders Nick Clegg, David Steel, Ming Campbell and Bob Maclennan. It is a club tradition that the party leaders have their portraits painted. ...
Fresh off their gains from Labour in the local elections, Sheffield Liberal Democrats have elected a new leader of the group, former leader and returning councillor Shaffaq Mohammed: The Ecclesall representative was chosen for the leader of the opposition role by elected party members this week after Coun Colin Ross stood down. Coun Mohammed was Coun Ross's predecessor as leader, until he lost his council seat at the elections in 2014. The Lib Dems took two seats from Labour in this month's city council elections. Coun Mohammed also stood against new Brightside and Hillsborough MP Gill Furniss in the by-election ...
Embed from Getty Images Crumbs! Not heard of Cakeonomics? Cakeonomics is a simplified, quick and sometimes fun approach to economics and its connections with everyday life. It uses the metaphor of cake in an effort to make Economics more accessible and attractive, so that more of us can ask better questions about it and be sharper at assessing any answers. We need stronger, more confident knowledge to better analyse and help address the problems of our times, which are also likely to be the problems of our children and theirs. Your piece of cake depends on various factors. Two crucial ...
A Better Future for Everyone RT @dylanhm: Not happy with the policies in the Queen's Speech again? Check out the liberal alternative from the @LibDems here. 'Iron Man 3' Female Villain Was Nixed Over Toy Fears, Says Director - Hollywood Reporter Save under "oh for fuck's sake" Excusing Sexual Harassment and Abuse In which Jim Hines is made of awesome. Again. Woman In £1,000,000 Hat Tells Britain To 'Live Within Its Means' RT @JLCronshaw: Woman In £1,000,000 Hat Tells Britain To 'Live Within Its Means' #QueensSpeech Instagram Blanket monster peeking out #dogs #dogsofinstagram #lurcher #rescuedog #adoptdontshop Instagram #tbt #throwbackthursday to ...
Last Saturday evening I went to the first preview performance of Made Up at Birmingham Rep. I admit to having been more than a little nervous as I walked into the venue as I've seen, I think for the first time, a glimpse of the huge effort that goes into putting something of this scale on. The run at the ... The post Made Up appeared first on ten pence piece.
[IMG: David Rendel at the London anti-Iraq war demo 2003 Some rights reserved by Paul Walter] Earlier this week, we reported the sad death of former Liberal Democrat MP David Rendel. David's funeral will be attended only by members of his family but all will be welcome at a memorial event to be held on Monday 4th July at the Corn Exchange, Market Place, Newbury, starting at 1.00 pm. There will be an opportunity to make a donation to charity in David's name – details will be announced in due course. It is particularly fitting that the memorial event is ...
Thank you to everyone who came to the Cheadle Village Partnership annual community consultation on Wednesday. Thank you as well to the organisers, especially Rob Munro and Andrew Fraser. The main areas of discussion were over car parking, a train service for Cheadle, our green spaces, health and wellbeing and traffic. Keith, Graham and Iain were noting all the points made and we'll be continuing to work on a number of issues. We feel the progress that's been made in just two or three years is amazing. Not only are there more groups doing more things, but the engagement in ...
Graham, Iain and Keith are urging local people to vote for Britain to remain in the EU in the 23rd June referendum. "We are better off, stronger and more influential inside the European Union," said Iain. "By staying in it your family and mine will be better off and safer. Our children will have more opportunities to work and study across the continent. We'll be better able to tackle environmental problems – pollution doesn't respect national borders." The Lib Dems will be campaigning for an IN vote on 23rd June. "It's important that young people vote in the referendum – ...
From Tunisia, via Benedict Pringle, who explains: The equivalent of the electoral commission decided to restore a giant poster of the former dictator that used to be a landmark of a suburban area of Tunis. Passers-by are astounded and seemingly nervous when they see it in the morning, however, soon their stupefaction shifts to anger and the revolutionary tendency returns. The whole episode was filmed by secret camera and subsequently turned into the best 'get the vote out' video I've seen.
Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP Tavish Scott has called on new Education Secretary John Swinney to reset the clock on SNP plans to introduce national school testing after the National Parents' Forum of Scotland raised new concerns over the proposals. It was reported in the Herald newspaper today that children aged as young as five will [...]
"I am surprised that the Supreme Court have upheld this injunction. The logical conclusion of this is that gossip about anyone with children will become a criminal offence subject to a potential penalty of 2 years's imprisonment. "It is important to note that the injunction covers people talking in pubs, gossiping over the garden fence, or twittering on the internet. All of these could
Four years ago this week. Enjoy: * Nick Thornsby is a day editor at Lib Dem Voice.
It even includes a picture of me looking warm and friendly... I'm a rather old-fashioned sort of a political activist. Don't insult your opponents, make yourself visible, listen to people rather than tell them what they want (what you might think they want isn't always what they actually want), those are the sorts of principles I like to try and espouse in my politics. However, modern campaigning is rather more complex than simply knocking on doors and talking to people. For one thing, people are harder to find, with their busy lives, often both parents working, and, as a full-time ...
[IMG: A blast from the past a former Ribble Lydiate bound 321 bus in model form. Sadly it's a lost route for Lydiate residents.] A blast from the past a former Ribble Lydiate bound 321 bus in model form. Sadly it's a lost route for Lydiate residents. I was interested to see Merseytravel saying this recently, my comments are in italics:- As part of the on-going work with the Bus Alliance to encourage more people to use the bus, Merseytravel is reviewing the bus network across the Liverpool City Region in partnership with operators to create an improved and simpler ...
Thu 19th
09:11
Iain Duncan Smith seems to have thrown in the towel on Leave winning the EU referendum
Yesterday was the Queen's Speech, the kick off of another glorious session of parliament. It was understandably an understated slate of legislation put forth. Some Tories didn't see it that way, the understandable part of it I mean, namely one former DWP Secretary Iain Duncan Smith. "Whether it is the Trade Union Bill or the BBC Charter proposals, it seems nothing must stand in the way of winning the referendum. Yet to compound that, now it appears the much-vaunted Sovereignty Bill, key to the argument that the PM had secured a reform of the EU, has been tossed aside as ...
The Friends' plant sale is being held in the Botanic Garden on Saturday 21st May, to coincide with the Plant Power Day. The plant sale will operate from 10am until approximately 2pm. All welcome!
As Carwyn Jones starts to put together his new government, he may well reflect on two flagship policies that now look to be dead in the water. In truth, even before the election the chances of Labour carrying out a major reorganisation of local government and building an M4 extension around Newport on their preferred route, were slim. They did not have the support of the other parties and had not sought to build a consensus around either policy. Now, with only 28 Assembly Members, with Plaid and the Liberal Democrats opposed to the black route extension of the M4 ...
There is considerable speculation that Kirsty Williams, the last remaining Welsh Liberal Democrat, is to be offered a cabinet position by Welsh Labour First Minister Carwyn Jones. To some this is an abhorrent idea, a move that would silence the last Lib Dem voice in the Senedd, the final nail in the coffin and the road to extinction. Personally, I'm having none of that argument. If there is indeed a deal on offer it may be more of a case of 'kill or cure'. Let's be frank. We are guaranteed next to nil coverage with one AM. With a cabinet ...
Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur today said that we still have a long way to go to tackle domestic abuse as new figures showed progress towards reducing these offences appears to have stalled. The Scottish Crime and Justice Survey (SCJS) found the risk of partner abuse in the last 12 months did not change [...]
Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP Mike Rumbles today said a new Audit Scotland report into the Scottish Government's Common Agricultural Policy IT system has revealed a litany of failures and staggering incompetence. The report from Audit Scotland stated that the CAP Futures programme continues to experience serious cost and operational issues and is unlikely to ever [...]
Gatley Carrs Conservation Group Bat Walk is confirmed for 30th May. Meet at 8:15pm at Elm Road Church Hall for a presentation by South Lancs Bat Society and then the Bat Walk on Gatley Carrs with the added aid of using bat detectors leaving the church hall just before dusk at 9.15pm. This was a hugely popular event last year and the children thoroughly enjoyed learning and seeing / hearing the Bats with the aid of the Detectors. The cost has been kept down to just £2 per adult and children are free. Donations towards the work on the Carrs ...
I appreciate that readers of this blog, like the rest of Britain, will be divided when it comes to the referendum vote. If you're one of those who like me want to stay IN the EU and are happy to put out some Lib Dem #INtogether leaflets locally, please get in touch.
