.@timfarron making his curry in Newport. We need to stop the govts rigid immigration rules. pic.twitter.com/29YkBeI2Gm— Lib Dem Press Office (@LibDemPress) June 18, 2016
Embed from Getty Images The Guardian says "Whitehall experts" think so: Senior government officials fear the violence unleashed by Russian hooligans at Euro 2016 was sanctioned by the Kremlin and are investigating links with Vladimir Putin's regime.It is understood that a significant number of those involved in savage and highly coordinated attacks on England fans and others in Marseille and Lille have been identified as being in the "uniformed services" in Russia. The theory is that the sanctioning of hooliganism by Putin is a continuation of what has been described as Russia's campaign of "hybrid warfare". Whitehall experts fear the ...
Embed from Getty Images This programme came out in 2012, but I've just seen it repeated on BBC Four. It really is superb: Pop Charts Britannia: 60 Years of the Top 10". It's on BBC iPlayer for the next 9 days. It is a remarkable documentary on the charts from 1952 up to 2012, with some great footage of the British Market Research Bureau, Gallup, Radio One, Top of the Pops and record shops over the decades. Well worth watching! The photo above is a remarkable find. It shows Alan Freeman and Tom Browne together in the Radio One studio ...
Content note: graphic descriptions of violence Twenty years apart, two students graduate from university. Both are doing humanities subjects, both state educated, both coincidentally with names that fit them into a similar point in the alphabetical lineup. They both look up at the old gate of Pembroke College, Cambridge, and walk through it, and up [...]
Current Watership Down, by Richard Adams (a chapter a week) Loving the Alien, by Mike Tucker and Robert Perry Frankenstein Unbound, by Brian W. Aldiss Peter & Max, by Bill Willingham Last books finished Nethereal, by Brian Niemeyer (did not finish) Traitor's Blade, by Sebastien de Castell The Unicorn Hunt, by Dorothy Dunnett Short Trips: 2040, ed. John Binns The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas The Hidden War, by Michael Armstrong (did not finish) Last week's audios Tenth Doctor/ Donna 1.1 Technophobia by Matt Fitton Tenth Doctor/ Donna 1.2 Time Reaver by Jenny T Colgan Tenth Doctor/ Donna ...
You can't say Tim Farron isn't brave! He's written for the chiefest of the Brexity newspapers, the Daily Express. The comments under his article are in the main as you would expect. When the nicest thing you can see is a comparison to Ashley Peacock from Coronation Street, you know it's not going down well in some quarters. However, as we know, commenters do not always reflect the opinion of the majority of readers. We need to win people over to the Remain cause and we're not going to do that by snuggling up to passionate pro-Europeans. Here's what he ...
Some are saying that it is important not to politicize the brutal murder of Jo Cox. Her Murderer declares his name to be "Death to Traitors, Freedom for Britain", but it is so important not to politicize things. Nigel Farage not merely predicts violence, but practically incites it, but it is so important not to politicize things. The Leave campaign calls anyone who suggests they are wrong self interested liars, no matter how neutral or respected they may be, but it is so important not to politicize things. The Leavers suggests that the entire population of Turkey is coming to ...
In this equally illuminating and frequently hilarious sequel, Philip Cowley and Robert Ford once again present 50 accessible and concise chapters, written by leading political experts, that seek to examine the broader issues surrounding voting and elections in Britain.
There tends to be a load of solidarity between women across party anyway. Many of us put up with the same issues within our parties and in politics generally, so there's a great deal of common ground. Jo Cox chaired Labour's Women's Network and our own Women's organisation, Liberal Democrat Women, made its own tribute to her. We have been deeply saddened by the news of Jo Cox's death. It is particularly heart-breaking to see that this happened whilst she was working for her constituents. Jo was a woman who fought for equality and justice daily through her role as ...
Until now my home town of Birstall was known (famous would be too strong a word) for being the birthplace of the celebrated 18th century scientist, Joseph Priestley, who did pioneering work on electricity, discovered oxygen and, for the benefit of schoolchildren world-wide, the erasing properties of rubber and how to put fizz into drinks. Our other main claim to be of interest was that Charlotte Bronte visited our late Elizabethan manor house, Oakwell Hall, and used it as the model for "Fieldhead" in her novel Shirley. Sadly, since 16th June 2016 people will now associate Birstall with the murder ...
The last few days have been truly horrible in so many ways. It has been one thing after another. The horrific events in Orlando, followed by the tragic murder of one of the UK's elected Members of Parliament, who was going about her normal daily business of serving constituents, as so many MPs, Assembly Members, Councillors and others do on a daily basis. I didn't know Jo Cox, but I know several MPs and other elected officials. It could so easily have been any of them. Staff and party activists, too - those who are out talking to people in ...
Twenty or thirty canal boats must have passed the bottom of our garden this morning as they sailed south down the canal towards Aintree Village ready for the flotilla tomorrow. [IMG: WP_20160618_11_02_27_Pro] They were coming from Mersey Motorboat Club in Lydiate, Scarisbrick Marina and beyond to join in tomorrow's celebrations of the 200 years since the Leeds Liverpool Canal was completed. Some boat owners were even dressed in period costume and the continual line of boats looked like a practice run for the big day. Sheila and I spoke to many of the boat owners who were clearly looking forward ...
Sat 18th
11:30
Jonny Oates on rejecting the easy option of cynicism and taking the harder route of making the world...
Late on Thursday night, Liberal Democrat peer Jonny Oates put his very powerful reaction to Jo Cox's murder on his Facebook page. With his permission, it's reproduced here. Enough, now, with the angry people. Enough with the raging and the cries of betrayal. Enough with the cynicism. Enough with the shout that every politician is dodgy, or on the take or untruthful. Enough with those who fuel the cynicism in their puerile, childish headlines or their languid, over-sophisticated commentaries. Enough with those who would never step up to the plate, do the work or accept the accountability. Enough with those ...
A very clever use of Lego.
Sat 18th
09:55Kirsty Williams on supporting teachers, pupils and students: her vision for Welsh education
Kirsty Williams has been talking to Wales Online about her plans on education secretary. Here are some of the best bits: On supporting teachers She used tact and sensitivity, unlike some education secretaries in Whitehall. You are not going to get anything done in schools without getting teachers onside. "I think there is some excellent practice," said Ms Williams. "I think that there are schools and other education institutions that are doing amazing work and children that are having a great education experience, but my concern is that it is not universal. "There are too many variables between schools - ...
Sat 18th
09:30
Good politics like good religion should seek to break down barriers not build new ones and encourage...
My Chaplain during my year as Mayor is Canon Dr, Rod Garner . His most recent column in the Southport Visiter explains why he will being voting to remain in the European Union. It reminds me of something Russell Johnson might have said... THE QUESTION OF IDENTITYIt's 25 years since Dr. Helen Sharman became the first British female astronaut to go into space. In a recent radio interview she was asked if the original journey felt a long time ago. Without hesitation she replied that it was all still wonderfully fresh and real. The enthusiasm in her voice left me ...
National Care Home Day saw me out and about in Southport. Our town is well known as a place for retired people and the care sector plays a significant role in our local economy. It was very good to see homes opening their doors and inviting the public in. Too often people in care homes are hidden away and not recognised as part of the community. This excellent initiative allows are care homes to show case their work and demonstrate how they can be at the centre of local communities, developing relationships across the generations. I started at Connell Court ...
This week, TV star Noel Edmonds endorsed the "EMP Pad". He said it could help with cancer - and the company behind that claim denied it right away. Here's why.
Both EU referendum campaigns have been suspended since Thursday afternoon and look to be halted until Monday. Given the proximity to polling day, we're in uncharted waters here. Given what happened on Thursday, there was no choice. The tone of the campaign had become unbearably hateful, and in light of an MP being murdered in the street, there was simply no way to continue as it was. If Farage had that "Breaking Point" poster, one whose similarity to a particular piece of Nazi propaganda was no doubt unintentional but given it was trying to make the same point as the ...
One of the jobs I do in my employment is associated with Business Continuity Planning i.e. trying to prepare for things that could have a huge impact on the ability of our business to function if they happen. Fire, flood, inability of staff to get to work due to weather or transport strike, IT break-down, utilities failures etc. etc. I recently read this and it kind of sums up why we all need to prepare for disasters, whether that be in business or indeed in our homes:- "When anyone asks me how I can best describe my experience in nearly ...
As part of the rebuilding of Harris Academy, it was agreed that the public walkway to the side of the school (a useful link between Riverside and Perth Road) would be re-opened. This walkway had existed years ago, but was closed in recent years. With thanks to Donald Suttie of Rockwell Media for the photo (right), the walkway has now been open a few weeks and is proving popular!
Eastern Europe Is Both Dreading Brexit and Ready for It Ivan writes of the consequences. (tags: slovakia eu czechrepublic ukpolitics serbia hungary poland bulgaria romania ) If you inject enough poison into the political bloodstream, somebody will get sick Sensible commentary, alas. (tags: ukpolitics eu ) Five truths about referendums Quintin reflects. (tags: eu ukpolitics elections )
