"The Article 50 process, and the system of rules that it is embedded in, is designed to make life very difficult. The UK was involved in designing the system, just as much as any other country. Indeed, the process means that no one would trigger it unless they were willing to risk paying a extraordinary economic price." Alex's Archives on the folly of Brexit. "Those who believe in the open politics and the open society will still need to carry the unconvinced, but in the end the closed society can not deliver the prosperity that the open can." Cicero's Songs ...
A planning application previously refused in April 2016 has been re-submitted by the owners of the Unsworth Smile Clinic Dentists (currently located on Parr Lane) to convert the house at 247 Sunny Bank Road. The previous application proved particularly unpopular with local residents and saw 30 members of the public submit comments to Bury Council's planning portal, none of which were in favour of the proposed development. The new planning application is detailed on the Bury Council planning portal as follows: Application number: 60320 Application Received: Fri 01 Jul 2016 Application Validated: Fri 01 Jul 2016 Address: 247 Sunny Bank ...
The publication of the Chilcot report today has caused many people to remember Charles Kennedy's courage in opposing the invasion of Iraq. The two videos above will show you the speech he made in the Commons on 18 March 2003. Note the fury coming from the Conservative benches. The Tories' had been driven mad by Tony Blair's unconditional embrace of the United States. They liked to see themselves as the great advocates of the Atlantic alliance. Suddenly they felt like like a young boy who had lost the friendship of a glamorous older boy. I tried to convey something of ...
I'm finally getting round to reading David Laws' Coalition. I'm getting a very strong impression from Laws' account of his time as Schools Minister that he found Michael Gove, and in particular his adviser Dominic Cummings, to be pretty exasperating. It was slightly surprising, therefore, to see Laws write a column for the Times (£) basically suggesting that Tory MPs should keep in Gove in the leadership race. He goes out of his way to back up Gove's account of last week's Boris-related shenanigans, when most of us think that he couldn't just have decided on the spur of the ...
My Doctor Who story The Bogeyman, which I posted here several years ago, is now included in a charity anthology, A Target For Tommy, edited by my friends Paul Magrs and Stuart Douglas. The other authors involved include Simon Bucher-Jones, ... Continue reading →
The grandstand at Towcester racecourse © Oliver Hunter Yesterday evening I blogged about the questions being raised over Andrea Leadsom's claims about her career. Now the Guardian is claiming that suspicious edits have been made to her Wikipedia profile: Andrea Leadsom faces questions over her Wikipedia entry after it emerged that embarrassing media stories had been removed from the page. The changes appear to have been made from Towcester, where the Conservative leadership contender's constituency office is located. In 2015, references to media reports about the Leadsom family's use of trusts to own a buy-to-let company and details of financial ...
Plans are being drawn up for 75 homes on the derelict quarry site on Fishmore Road. The developer, Willsgrove Developments, has been consulting before submitting an outline application to Shropshire Council. The plan is for a mix of homes and apartments and it looks pretty good. The plans were considered by Ludlow Town Council last... Continue reading New housing plans for former quarry site on Fishmore Road, Ludlow →
Meols Ward Lib Dem Councillors John Dodd, Nigel Ashton and Jo Barton are holding their next advice centre on Saturday 9th July from 11 am to 12 noon at St John's Primary School, Rufford Road, Crossens. We will be there to meet you and discuss any Council problems you may have. No appointment necessary. Just pop in. We also hold a monthly advice centre in Churchtown, at BoxTree Kitchen for Queenscourt café, Manor Road/Cambridge Road, roundabout, fourth Thursday of every month (except December) from 10:30 to: 11.30 am.
I have been hammering away at the Southern rail crisis for almost a month and finally, finally, the mainstream media seem to be waking up that this is important, and not just because of the future of railways. I have been contacted today by Panorama, BBC2, the Guardian and the Daily Mail. Finally the world seems to be noticing that this has significance. Southern's operators GTR sent their chief executive in to bat for them as well at the parliamentary select committee jamboree that is becoming de rigeur for managers who have made very public mistakes. He wasn't given an ...
Mark Eachbox, Regional Manager at the Australian Electoral Commission.
The British citizenship ceremonies organised but the Registrars Department are, I believe, very important. It marks a right of passage after all the official actions have been taken. This is the first one I have presided at in Southport and it was good to be able to mark this occasion three new citizens; a doctor from Pakistan,and two women one from Canada and one from Latvia. I am sure that they will contribute greatly to our community.
I was in Bootle Town Hall to meet with representatives of older peoples forums in the borough. My main job was to hand out 'thank yous' to all those who give up their time to make sure the voice of older people is heard by statutory authorities. It was good to see so many groups turn up to promote their work including Age Concern, Alzhiemers Society, local volunteer groups, housing association and Sefton Pensioners Advocacy . They all make an important contribution to our communities. After the formal business I showed people around the Town Hall and, as with previous ...
Second paragraph of third chapter: Where were you yesterday, I wonder? The ranch, with all its freight of human beings - in which category I include those supernatural beings, our grandchildren - spent yesterday and much of the day before in a benighted bit of somewhere that I presume was medieval Europe! It was our first taste of a major Timeslip. (How easily one takes up the protective jargon - a Timeslip sounds no worse than a landslide. But you know what I mean - a fault in the spatial infrastructure.) I had not actually read this before - but ...
I've been contacted recently by a couple of residents who live along Haveswater Close, Gunthorpe, regarding the issue of parking during the week, and especially during drop off or collection times at the nearby Gunthorpe Primary School. Parents picking up from the local school ignore the yellow lines, obstructing us when we need to park [...]
Following the sad news about Steve Webb comes this excellent news about Julian Huppert: I am delighted to announce I have today applied for reselection as Parliamentary Candidate for Cambridge in the next General Election #fb — Julian Huppert (@julianhuppert) July 6, 2016
[IMG: Liberal Democrats consistently opposed the invasion of Iraq in 2003] Sir John Chilcot has published his report into the Iraq war today. Below, you can find: the 'Top Lines' briefing from Lib Dem HQ template recruitment email to residents/supporters template donations email to members template MyCllr Story template letter for local press 'drop-in' artwork for Focus leaflets LDHQ Top Lines Lines and response quotes [...]
[IMG: WEb story approval image] Those areas with local elections next year will be well on the way (or have already) selected their council candidates for their key council wards. However for those of you who have yet to start, there are some useful materials available in the members' area of the ALDC website. Even if you are simply looking [...]
There was a chilling inevitability about the findings of the Chilcot report. I was at a political crossroads in 2003. Today, I rewatched Charles Kennedy's speech which was seminal in my decision to actively support the Liberal Democrats. It beggared my belief that a British Prime Minister would commit our Armed Forces to the invasion of a country which plainly posed no threat to us, and had not invaded another country, and without a UN mandate. We still live with the repercussions of the fateful decision. As Charles predicted, we are now less safe, not more. At the time, Charles ...
In the absence of any credible political leadership in the post-Brexit chaos, Bank of England Governor Mark Carney is trying to single-handedly calm the markets and prevent a total collapse in economic confidence. As Cameron, Johnson and Farage leave the mess that they created to others to clean up, and with lame duck Chancellor Osborne running around like a headless chicken and achieving nothing, it is Carney who is providing the words of reassurance. The vindication of his views pre-referendum on the consequences of Brexit are clear for all to see, but its also clear that he didn't leave it ...
People love a scapegoat - But it obscures the lessons to be learned The Chilcot Report has been seven years in the making. The last decade has had thousands, even millions, chomping at the bit to lay blame at the feet of the easiest scapegoats they can find. Tony Blair, George Bush, Dick Cheney. Political leaders who became almost cartoon, two-dimensional villains of the tale of Iraq. They lied to the world, they did it for oil money, they killed hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians, they created ISIS. Every grand conspiracy of the last two decades can be dragged ...
Both the main parties are currently paralysed as political forces by their leadership battles. The Government is leaderless, the country at a standstill politically. This is our moment to assert our right to be heard as former and future political leaders, and force our presence on the airwaves and on social media. Moreover if the right-wing press will not accept our voice, this is surely the moment to invest in national advertising. The week of the Chilcot report is the time to remind the country that it was the Liberal Democrats who opposed the attack on Iraq, along with a ...
Amid the row over Brexit, the sector must loosen links to society's elite and speak up for those who have been marginalised Brexit has thrown British science into a mess. During this period of political upheaval, it might be tempting to duck the challenge of picking sides, and instead play the card of scientific neutrality. But ignoring the politics behind the EU referendum result - and those at work in how we organise, run and fund research - will mean that the science community aligns itself with more powerful political interests. It might be hard to hear (and it doesn't ...
Wed 6th
15:46
A PM fails this country and destroys another, yet faces no action. Where's the accountability in tha...
I'm watching an at times close to tears Tony Blair giving his response to the Chilcot Report. He asks us to accept that he took the decision to go to war in good faith. I'm not sure that was ever actually in doubt. Charles Kennedy, in disagreeing with him in the House of Commons during the March 2003 Commons debate, did not doubt the sincerity of his position. However, Blair's comments, and all the regret he may feel, cannot make up for what the report makes clear was a very flawed decision making process, with insufficient planning for the aftermath, ...
[IMG: planningslidefeatr] Almost 60 Scottish Liberal Democrat campaigners and candidates gathered in Perth on Saturday for the Scottish Kickstart training event organised by ASLDC. Participants came from NE Fife, Dunfermline, Kirkcaldy, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Perth, Highlands, Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, Argyll & Bute, East Lothian and Angus. The one-day programme was designed to equip and motivate candidates to get [...]
[IMG: Leatherhead 4] Amongst the news of the continuing aftermath of last month's referendum, Liberal Democrats had an excellent piece of news: the gain of a Mole Valley District Council seat from the Conservatives in Leatherhead North. It was not just a simple gain but one with a thumping majority and large increase in our vote share. The [...]
It's hard to think of a more momentous political period in my lifetime than what we are experiencing now. The country is divided after the vote to leave the European Union. The party of government is rudderless and is concentrating on finding a new leader rather than guiding the country through dangerous times. The main [...]
This move in Australian politics has obvious echoes for the situation the Liberal Democrats find ourselves in here in the UK: Cory Bernardi establishes rightwing movement Australian Conservatives Cory Bernardi insists he is not leaving the [right-wing] Liberal party but says he is intent on establishing a grassroots nationwide movement to unite disaffected conservative voters. Bernardi told Guardian Australia on Wednesday he was not defecting but was focused on building an organisational movement, Australian Conservatives, in parallel with his parliamentary activity. "My intention is to make the Liberal party stronger," he said. The dilemma for the Liberal Democrats in looking ...
The long wait for the publishing of the Chilcot Report has many similarities to the long awaited release of Guns N' Roses "Chinese Democracy" album. Much like the album the report is long awaited and much delayed. Also like this album the report will almost certainly deliver below expectations and disappoint many. Our party made much of our opposition to the Iraq War, and well we should have. The war was not remotely mandated by a UN Security Council resolution, nor was a solid case for acting against Saddam's Iraq established. It seems painfully obvious years later that Tony Blair ...
Sittin' in the defendant's chair I'll be sittin' when the evenin' comes Watchin' witnesses in Then I watch 'em roll away again, yeah I'm sittin' in the dock in The Hague Watchin' my lies peel away, ooo I'm just sittin' in the dock in The Hague Wastin' time I left my home in Sefton Headed into parliament 'Cause I had conflict to shill for Looked like they were gonna vote my way Now I'm just sittin' in the dock in The Hague Watchin' my lies peel away, ooo I'm sittin' in the dock in The Hague, wastin' time Look like ...
[IMG: Intogether] This has been a tough week for us all. It's followed the hard work in the build-up to voting day, the exhaustion of the day itself and the dreadful night as the results saw the collapse of the political and structural certainties we have all come to understand. Firstly I want to give a huge thanks to all those up and down the country who have worked their socks off campaigning to keep the UK in the EU. Ours was a positive, passionate and patriotic campaign. It was always going to be a tough fight, trying to reverse ...
Wed 6th
12:16
Chilcot – A short briefing – Charles Kennedy and other anti-war protesters were right!!!...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-36721645 Above is a link to the initial assessment of the contents of the Chilcot report from the BBC web site. So proud that I stood with Charles Kennedy and opposed this unnecessary war where so many lives were lost. Shame on those Labour MP's who voted for war and a Tory Party which followed Blair's troops into the lobby to vote for war. Surely every MP who voted for that appalling war must feel utterly ashamed of themselves today. I still recall Tory MP's calling Charles Kennedy every rude name under the sun for his anti-war stance. He was ...
Obviously I have not read the entire Chilcot report - I suspect nobody except Johnny C and his proof-reader have - but my God the summary speech he gave was devastating. Forensic, clinically precise, utterly polite and brutal. The fallout from this is going to go on a long long time. I only wish he'd lived to see it. [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments
Looking to Norway or Switzerland as a model offers no easy answers. Post-referendum uncertainties threaten long-term damage to social science Britain's vote to leave the European Union has created huge uncertainty for the entire research community - including social scientists. At stake is not just the loss of research funding - about £1bn a year, and 30% more than the UK puts into EU research budgets - but also our access to networks and infrastructure, which depend on freedom of movement. Among participating countries in Horizon 2020, the EU's flagship research programme, the UK holds the biggest share of signed ...
Tim Farron writes The publication of the Chilcot Inquiry today will finally expose one of the most shameful moments in our nation's history. It is likely that the report will confirm Tony Blair and his Labour government wilfully misled Parliament and the British people on the imminence of the threat from Saddam Hussein and his possession of Weapons of Mass Destruction. That deceit led to the disastrous invasion of Iraq in 2003 which cost the lives of around 100,000 Iraqis and almost 5,000 coalition forces, including 179 members of the British Armed Forces. With no plan for what would happen ...
As we re-run the events of 2004 across the media, I remember how proud I was of Charles Kennedy's stand in the face of a good deal of pressure from politicians and media. You can watch hime make the case against the Iraq War here
Chilcot report eaten by dog RT @newsthump: NEWS! Chilcot report eaten by dog The Secret Files Behind The Collapse Of Britain's Only LGBT Domestic Abuse Charity - BuzzFeed News RT @PatrickStrud: The Secret Files Behind The Collapse Of Britain's Only LGBT Domestic Abuse Charity via @PatrickStrud @buzzfeed Fabian Society » Brexit Voters: NOT the Left Behind Interesting and resonant take-down of "follow your dreams" advice. Why Scotland is different Really interesting post on why Scotland voted remain when England (and Wales) voted leave Police officers concerned about poor staffing levels, poll shows - ITV News RT @TVPFED: 53% of police ...
As the Chilcot Report is published, we'll bring you reaction and analysis from a Liberal Democrat perspective. I'm thinking back to 15 February 2003. It was a beautifully sunny, but absolutely freezing day. I spent it with my family marching through Glasgow in protest at the proposed military action in Iraq. My husband doesn't do much in the way of political campaigning. In fact, in the last couple of decades, he's taken to the streets precisely twice. Once was for this march and the other was to campaign for Britain's place in the European Union in the run-up to last ...
The long awaited Chilcot Report will be published in a few minutes. On the eve of publication, Twitter amused itself by guessing #chilcotslastline My favourite came from Lib Dem Josh Dixon. To be continued in part 2 coming July 2027... #ChilcotsLastLine — Joshua Dixon (@JoshDixonTweets) July 5, 2016 Also worth watching is his full speech to the House of Commons during the debate on the Iraq War on 18 March 2003. I also include the text from Hansard. Note the the extent of the aggression from Conservatives, including one Iain Duncan Smith and Michael Fabricant, that he faced. Note the ...
Liberal Democrats in Bury are giving a very clear message that there is no place for hate crime in our local community. Regrettably, there has been a significant increase in hate crime reported to the police since the European Referendum result. Whatever our views on the referendum, we would hope all local people would join us in condemning violence and intimidation against people – for example people who are not from this country. We are supporting Amnesty International campaign against hate and have submitted a motion for consideration by Council. We are hoping for all-Party Support and that this will ...
My mind keeps going to parallels between the worlds of Brexit and Trump and what happened in Germany in the 1930s. At the time of the referendum I was at the annual conference of the International Society for Psychoanalytic Study of Organisations. A gathering of people from across the world who are used to exploring unconscious processes was a rich context in which to explore what was going on under the surface. By coincidence, on polling day one conference session was intended to focus on ethical dilemmas. We were shown short films on two famous psychological experiments, the Milgram experiment ...
More than 15,000 new members have joined the Liberal Democrats since the result of the EU Referendum was announced. With over 74,000 members, we now have more members than we've had in over a decade!These new members have joined us because they share our values and principles. They know that we are the only party who can now speak for those who believe the UK is best when it's tolerant, outward-looking and compassionate.There are still many of you who are looking for someone to give them a voice in the wake of the referendum result. If you are not yet ...
One of the mainstays of each of the Tory candidates for prime minister has been a vocal ruling out of a general election any time soon. Labour in particular, but everyone one else for that matter, should be aware that not only does this not mean that there won't be another general election sometime in the next twelve months, the Tories ruling it out at this stage makes it more likely to happen. Everyone in Westminster remembers the last time we were in a situation in which a sitting prime minister resigned during a parliament – look what happened to ...
This Sunday, 10 July 2016, is the annual 'Walking Rainbow' event in Bury Town Centre. This event is open to all, to celebrate diversity in our community and to challenge homophobia. The event is a half mile walk to Kay Gardens, with 'stalls, speeches, music and fun' from 2pm. More information from Tony or Lisa on 0161 253 5663.
My colleague Councillor Mary D'Albert was recently at Bury COuncil's 'Health Scrutiny' and reports back here: Healthy Young Minds A five plan has been drawn up to improve the emotional and mental health services to young people of the borough. The current system is struggling to meet the needs of young people in need of support. The waiting time is too long between the child being referred (usually by doctors, schools, social workers) until they get the appropriate help they need. The aim is to have a single point of access to children, which will identify what help the child ...
It is with great sadness that I have to report that today is the last day at Lib Dem HQ for James Holt, the party's Director of Communications. Jammy and I have been brothers-in-arms for a long time. We started out as press officers together in opposition before the 2010 election. I was then his [...]
Today is the Muslim Festival day of Eid ul Fitr. Just to wish all residents of the Muslim faith a blessed, peaceful and happy Eid. [IMG: Screenshot 2016-07-06 08.58.17]
Just some of the Lib Dems who came to the Rally at St George's Hall on July 5th to express our faith in our City and its European future Yesterday about 6/700 people gathered at an event at St George's ... Continue reading →
There are two bus stops and bays at the Lochee Road end of Tullideph Road that unfortunately have been unused for some time because the 17 bus service was re-routed. See one of them below :I have asked Xplore Dundee about bringing back the old 17 route as I think that would have the support of people in the Tullideph/Ancrum area, but the bus company is not willing to at this time. I have highlighted to the City Development Department that there have been complaints about parking fixed penalties being imposed where vehicles have parked in the bays, which is ...
Tom Brake has tabled a Bill to be debated next Tuesday which would give Europeans living here the right to stay in the EU. This follows on from both the Government and Theresa May refusing to give assurances to people who are living here that they will have an unconditional right to carry on doing so. Theresa May seems determined to use them as a bargaining chip. This not acceptable to Lib Dems - as Tim Farron said at the demonstration on the EU last Saturday 'The Liberal Democrats will not stand by while our communities are divided by uncertainty. ...
It's a nice problem to have. It's an unexpected problem to have. But it's still a problem: quite what should local parties do with all the new members flooding in since the referendum?
my best employee quit on the spot because I wouldn't let her go to her college graduation — Ask a Manager Serves you right. #fb (tags: management ) The UK doesn't have enough skilled trade negotiators for Brexit so we're going to have to hire foreigners Told you so. (tags: ukpolitics eu ) Brexit can be started without parliament vote, government lawyers say Yes, I thought so. #fb (tags: )
[IMG: Tim Farron Eid message] Tim Farron has issued this message for Eid: As-Salamu Alaykum. I would like to wish Muslims in the United Kingdom and all over the world a happy Eid. Eid for Muslims is a time for reflection as we consider the world we live in, and our part in it. In the light of some desperately tragic events, we all need to consider how we can bring about greater togetherness and show humility to one another. I was keen to emphasise the importance of this, for Britons of all faiths and none, when joining Muslims marking ...
Charles Kennedy comes out of the Sun front page on Iraq rather better than The Sun.
As if it were not bad enough that climate deniers UKIP were given the chair of the Welsh Assembly committee that oversees and scrutinises Welsh Government action on climate change, yesterday their AMs cocked another snook to Wales. UKIP nominated Gareth Bennett, the AM who during the Assembly elections suggested that the litter problem in Cardiff was caused by Eastern European immigrants, to be a member of the committee which promotes equal opportunities. As one of my erstwhile colleagues said, they are doing it on purpose. But nevertheless Mr. Bennett's membership of that committee undermines its function and purpose and ...
I've been away for a while, as you've probably noticed. Some of that was because my writing time has been taken up with a couple of other projects. Most of it, though, is because a combination of personal, professional, and ... Continue reading →
