Seen in a north Kingston window this afternoon. However, I'm still not sure it isn't about the European football...
Michael Gove compares experts warning against Brexit to Nazis who smeared Albert Einstein's work as he threatens to quit David Cameron's Cabinet.
Imagine the news on Friday morning if Britain has voted to leave the EU...
Attending the Guardian Live referendum debate at Cadogan Hall, off London's Sloane Square, last night were Chris Grayling MP, Daniel Hannan MEP and John Mann MP for the Leave side; against Andy Burnham MP, Caroline Lucas MP and our very own Tim Farron MP for the Remain side. The debate lasted an hour, and gave the speakers an opportunity to put forward what they considered to be their best points. Mr Grayling was on the defensive in relation to the economy. He criticised the Institute of Fiscal Studies and National Institute for Economic and Social Research modelling for assuming – ...
A remarkable and rare lost film of "aviatrix" Amy Johnson in Shropshire has come to light after more than 75 years, dug out of a cupboard in Bishop's Castle and clearly showing her piloting a glider on the Long Mynd.reports the Shropshire Star. You see why I like Bishop's Castle? The gliding station on top of the Mynd features prominently in Malcolm Saville's Wings Over Witchend. Could Amy Johnson be the model for the villainous Primrose Wentworth?
I was invited to start the 5k run held at Crosby Waterside and organised by Active Sefton. The run attracted over 300 entrants. The young women on the platform with me had just led a high temp warm up which, to the uninitiated , looked like enough exercise for the average evening. I was impressed by the high level of participation and the wide spectrum of people from across the community that the event attracted. Some were serious distance runners, others have joined in the new trend for Park Runs whilst other had come for a pleasant brisk walk. I ...
The recent closure of Ludford Bridge, the main access route into Ludlow from the south, caused disruption for residents, visitors and businesses. On 30 June, we will be holding a special meeting of Shropshire Council's area committee, the Ludlow and Clee Local Joint Committee (LJC). The evening will be devoted to a discussion of the... Continue reading Ludlow meeting to discuss the future of Ludford Bridge - 30 June →
I was asked to open a New Day centre in Maghull run principally for people with learning difficulties. The sun shone as we assemble outside for the opening ceremony> Indeed the sun shone so brightly we had to move in door to do the photos of me cutting the ribbon It was great to meet so many of the people who are going to use the centre and to see their enthusiasm. The team have great and ambitious plans for the future and I wish them every good fortune.
Sally Birch is leading the campaign to save Leicester's Vaughan College. Last week, I received an email. An email from the University Of Leicester, the University that I currently attend, informing me that they had proposed to close the Vaughan Centre for Lifelong Learning (VCLL). The VCLL is a unique centre that since 1925 has been part of the University of Leicester. It was formed in 1862 and went by the name of Vaughan College. Vaughan College was created by Rev. David Vaughan to provide access to education for the working people of Leicester, many of whom had left school ...
[IMG: Rio_Ferdinand_-_Oct_2010.jpg] David and Victoria Beckham grabbed headlines this morning when they announced their support for the campaign to remain in Europe, but it's actually another celebrity who has produced one of the most well-reasoned arguments for supporting remain that I've seen all campaign. That person was former England footballer Rio Ferdinand, who shared his views on his Facebook page. I'd encourage you to click here and read the full version, but I've copied a couple of the paragraphs below as I think they're really excellent.. And before anyone gets snooty about him being 'just a footballer', I'll respond pre-emptively ...
Second frame of third page: Tomorrow we'll have the third round of the presidential election. Schmoll out.I thought that this was the third in Chroniques de Fin de Siècle, a series of graphic novels by Jacques Santi and Jan Bucquoy which started with Autonomes in 1985 and continued with Mourir à Creys-Malville in 1986. But in fact this is belied by the back cover, which lists Autonomes and Mourir à Creys-Malville as fourth and fifth of a five-book series, Chooz (published in 1988) as third and gives the first two books in the series as Campe de Reforme B and ...
1. Insulting a murder victim A Tory councillor has been suspended after responding to news of a memorial fund set up after Labour MP Jo Cox was killed by saying "I've just donated the steam off my p***". Dominic Peacock, a Conservative Party councillor for East Riding ... is campaigning for the UK to leave the EU. [The Independent] 2. Physically assaulting a Remain campaigner A 78-year-old man has been punched in the face while handing out Remain leaflets, it has been alleged. The man was reportedly giving out the leaflets on a busy high street in Carlisle when he ...
Arthur Sinodinos. Senator and Very Keen Contestant, speaks.
What has the European Union ever done for us, is one of those questions which most Liberal Democrats have no hesitation in answering - from cleaner beaches to reduced roaming charges for mobile phone users However, one example that sadly receives little attention is the record of the European Investment Bank (EIB). Now banking might seem rather dry, indeed rather boring for many people. However, when it comes to the EIB its benefits do need to be heard. I was first alerted to how significant its lending was when I read the papers going to the Transport for London (TfL) ...
It was Ernest Jones wish that he should be presented with the Legion d'Honneur medal which the French President had awarded him in recognition of his service in WW2. Ollie Cowans has the full story in this week's Southport Champion Presenting Ernest Jones with his medal. Photo by Ollie Cowans Lynn Thompson contacted me to ask whether as Mayor I could present Ernest with his medal. I was, of course, delighted and privileged to do so. The ceremony took place in Southport Hospital this afternoon. In making the presentation I read from the letter sent to Ernest along with his ...
Our country has a long and great tradition of leadership. Increasingly, we recognise that it has to be not only national leadership but our global leadership, where we are a part of a larger group of human beings seeking a better world and a better life, which makes the greatest difference to our lives. It would be a tragedy if this country gave up that kind of leadership because it is essential in the modern world, in which countries are totally interconnected with one another. We have warred for generations over land, resources and ideas, spilling the blood of our ...
Tuesday: We must turn back the tide. In the last week there have been two murderous attacks on people who, although not close to me are only a short step away and feel like my people. In America, my soon-to-be-step brother knows people in Orlando who have lost loved ones in the massacre at the Pulse nightclub - an attack on the gay community, my community. And then in Birstall, I know people who have campaigned near there and who have campaigned with Jo Cox for better treatment of refugees - an attack on liberal-thinking politics, my tribe of politics. ...
Embed from Getty Images There has never been a day when the Liberal Democrats have been happy with their media coverage. We just don't get our fair share, and when we do our liberal ideals are often squeezed in a way that makes us uncomfortable. It has always been hard talking about liberalism. It is why we focus so much attention to get our own message out through leaflet and now via email and social media. It is amazing to now have access to channels where we can broadcast what we are doing that can get to a mass audience ...
This posting details a comment I made on Phil Holden's blog site '7and7is' and I thought it was worth wider circulation:- phlhldn.blogspot.co.uk/ The sad part about all this talk about immigration is that it has stirred up some nasty, often only hinted at, racism issues. The UK has always had a worrying undercurrent of racial hatred which sadly leads to random acts of violence towards those from racial minorities. Whilst the vast majority of us will have nothing to do with racism some seem to thrive on it, probably as it allows them to blame a racial minority for what ...
I loved this short story so thought I would post it Mr. Allen Swift: Born – 1908 – Died 2010 This man owned & drove the same car for 82 YEARS. [IMG: image001] Can you imagine even having the same car for 82 years? Allen ( Springfield , Massachusetts ) received this 1928 Rolls-Royce Piccadilly-P1 Roadster from his father, brand new – as a graduation gift in 1928. He drove it up until his death last year ... At the age of 102! He was, I am told, the oldest living owner of a car that was purchased new. It ...
The Data Driven Journalism blog has analysis of how often the Leave and Remain campaigns have been mentioned on Twitter. One of the findings, is that link to register to vote was shared over 140,000 times on Twitter after 15 May, with a big spike around the registration deadline. [IMG: url used on twitter] As far as I know, only the registration website managers could know how many people clicked on that link from Twitter and registered. But if someone delivered 140,000 pieces of papers with a registration form on we would say "well done" – so, well done Twitter. ...
As we go into the final few days of the Referendum campaign, I've sent a joint email to Lib Dem members in Gateshead. In it local party chair Frank Hindle and I (pictured above) urge members to spread the word about the benefits of being in the EU and why Lib Dems believe the fundamental basic principles of international cooperation are right. You can read the email on this link. Meanwhile,
This is the tale of two cakes that got away. When I attend a Mayoral function I get a briefing sheet about the organisation I am visiting and who I am going to meet. The sheet also advices what I ought to wear-lounge suit, dinner jacket, robes etc, There is also a section that tells me if the organisation is going to make me a presentation to me. This is typically a bottle of wine, a bunch of flowers or a cake. I usually make arrangements for this to be handed over to a local charity or other worthy cause. ...
Robot Hugs - Pit Trying not to feel like this: OfC trying not to automatically means that I am. YAY BRAIN CHEMISTRY! Oh wait, not yay Tories' Biggest Donor Lycamobile Raided In Criminal Money-Laundering Probe I wonder what other interesting news Brexit is burying Guy in a T Rex costume almost completes American Ninja Warrior course Ex-Top Gear stars Jeremy Clarkson and James May back Remain camp Immediate thought: May has always been quietly sensible, Clarkson knows how to make money... Hammond is insurance? Brexit supporters say they're worried about immigration. The real problems are deeper. - Vox Scam warning ...
Truth has sometimes felt like a scarce commodity in the referendum debate. It's hard not to read the Leave campaign's claims about Turkey being on the point of joining the EU with catastrophic effect, or the mythical £350 million a week to Brussels, as lies. The Remain campaign has not been so extreme, but has tended to quote statistics without proper respect for uncertainty. For example, there are lots of projections of what Brexit would cost the UK economy. The actual numbers depend on the assumptions in the modelling. The broad conclusion is that Brexit would harm the UK economy, ...
Embed from Getty Images It strikes me that there may well be three tragedies, with arguably some irony about them, which may follow a potential leave vote on Thursday. 1. The very people who are tending to vote leave, the "non-affluent" C2DEs, are the very people who will suffer the most from the recession which, IMHO, will surely follow a leave vote as night follows day. And there is vast expert back-up for that statement – I won't list them for the nth time. 2. The very people who are tending to vote leave are the people who are loudly ...
[IMG: The Planning Advisory Service] The Planning Advisory Service (PAS) helps local planning authorities to improve. Part of the support they can provide includes committee/councillor training, either as a one off annual update and refresher, or a more focussed session, for example on decision making, viability or design. PAS can also provide an ongoing training package over the year. Having [...]
In November 2015, I sought to get sight of the Corporate Management Team report which ultimately led to the dismissal of 2,700 teaching assistants and the offer to re-engage them on dramatically worse terms. I was refused permission on two grounds. The grounds for refusal were spelt out carefully and, whilst I did not like them, I felt I had to accept them whilst the council's decision was still in process. Six months later the reasons they had given were obsolete. The decision had been made, and in my view there was no reason for the report to be withheld ...
Several years ago at a particular Tory conference, I organised an event around whether the Coalition was a good or a bad thing from a strictly Conservative perspective (incidentally, I think history has conclusively come down on the "good thing" side of that argument). I asked Peter Bone whether he felt closer to David Cameron or UKIP. No pounds for guessing what his answer was. The Eurosceptic wing of the Tories has always felt the tug of UKIP. The two party system within the boundaries of First Past the Post is the only thing that keeps many of them in ...
Bury Council is currently undertaking a consultation on the plans for 30 hours of free childcare for working parents of three and four year olds. If you are a parent, a childcare provider and/or an employer the Council want to hear from you. The Government has committed to giving working parents of three and four year olds 30 hours of free childcare per week from September 2017. Bury is a "Early Implementer Innovator" so we we want to be ready to start in time for September 2016. The surveys are now live at www.theburydirectory.co.uk/30hours – please click and select the ...
I never met Jo Cox. All I have heard about her tragic and pointless death is that she was the right sort of MP that entered Parliament with pure motives and who is a sad loss. She cared about the people in her constituency, regardless of their background. She worked for OXFAM, and knew that life in Britain is much easier than in other parts of the world - and she believed that it is our duty to help those in need, not least those children who have fled war in Syria and are now alone. She was a fine ...
In cities like Riyadh and Jeddah, huge lots often owned by wealthy Saudis sit empty, with the owners waiting for property values to rise or using the land for speculative trading.
Polling stations are open 7am until 10pm. More people than usual are expected to vote, so if you can vote early to avoid the queues. Vote at your 'normal' polling stations – there is a list here. You don't need your polling card to vote. If you have a postal vote that you have not yet returned, you can take a completed and sealed envelope to any polling station (in Bury) on polling day.
Polling Day for the EU Referendum is Thursday 23 June 2016. Polling stations are open 7am - 10pm on Thursday. You don't need your polling card to vote. Polling stations are: Baguley Crescent and Heywood Old Road areas Mobile Unit Baguley Crescent Simister Lady Wilton Hall Parrenthorn, St Margaret's and Polefield areas St Margaret's Community Centre, St Margaret's Road Heaton Park area (Heaton, Hampden, Milton - etc - everything between Heywood Road and Bury Old Road) Heaton Park Congregational Church (corner Heaton Street and Bailey Street) Nursery, Langley, Glebelands, Chatsworth Road areas Prestwich Arts College, Heys Road Whitefield area (between ...
I am still not sure whether this article on Sarah Palin's reaction to the murder of Jo Cox MP, is a parody or some sort of sick joke. Whatever it is, the piece sums up the 'shoot first ask questions later' attitude of far too many right wing American politicians. In 2015, the US suffered 371 mass shootings, where four or more people are murdered in one event. That is over one a day. According to this website, so far in 2016, 49 mass shootings in the United States have left 73 people dead and 178 wounded. That makes the ...
From Sheena Wellington, Honorary Librarian, Wighton Heritage Centre : Cappuccino Concert Saturday 25th June, 11am, admission £5 (doors open 10.30am, coffee/tea available for small donation) - at the Wighton Heritage Centre, Central Library : Tayside Young Fiddlers Friends of Wighton is delighted to welcome this group of very talented young musicians to the Wighton for a programme of Scottish traditional music and, maybe, a surprise or two! Tayside Young Fiddlers aims to promote and encourage the enjoyment, study, practice and development, by young people, of traditional Scottish music and the music of kindred cultures and to provide an opportunity for ...
The Brussels Years: The making of Brexit Boris Those who knew him then reminisce. (tags: eu ukpolitics ) The great superiority complex of the Leave campaign Britain's international influence. (tags: ukpolitics eu )
Why are so many people ignoring expert opinion? When this question was raised, principally in relation to economists and the consequences of being in or out of the EU, but also more broadly, my friend Michael Meadowcroft penned the following comments, which I think are very perceptive: [A] A great part of the problem is that the vast majority of economists - and of academics in other professions - are not politicians and do not understand the issues of judgement required in achieving objectives. This is often apparent in the language used, which has to be "translated" in order to ...
