Welcome to Broxtowe Enews, brought to you by the Liberal Democrats and edited by David Watts, on behalf of the Lib-Dems in Broxtowe. 1. Anna Soubry The main news this week is that Broxtowe MP Anna Soubry has resigned as a government minister. This is a big surprise as she was being tipped for a promotion in Theresa May's first cabinet. So far Anna has been silent about her reasons. I would like to think that it is because she realises that Brexit is a big mistake and as a matter of principle she is not willing to serve in a ...

Posted by David Watts on David Watts

Tim Farron, who has committed to fighting the next general election on a platform of derailing Brexit, said he'd had "off camera" conversations with other progressive politicians during the EU referendum campaign.

Posted by Mark Pack on Mark Pack
Sun 17th
22:35

Woodford Halse in 1966

Another film by Edward "Chib" Thorp, the railway-loving undertaker of Leigh on Sea. Click on the image above to view it on the BFI site. Here accompanied by his wife and dog, he visits the branch line from Banbury to Woodford Halse, which had recently lost its passenger service but still saw a few long-distance passenger workings. Then he shows us Woodford Halse itself, which had been a major railway junction and home to a locomotive deport and extensive marshalling yards. Throp here films it in its last days as a station at all. Now watch Last Train to Woodford ...

Posted by Jonathan Calder on Liberal England

[IMG: Vince Cable SLF Conference 2016] The alarm call at 4:30 was pretty brutal. I suppose it was my own fault. I could have been sensible and not have drunk large quantities of wine at a wonderful dinner with friends and got home before 12:30, but you only live once and all that. So, I felt a little weary heading off to London for the Social Liberal Forum's annual conference. The event took place in the Resources for London building – definitely worth going to if you are planning a similar event. It's a super space with halls and breakout ...

Posted by Caron Lindsay on Liberal Democrat Voice
Sun 17th
20:44

Goodbye Jane

Gateshead Council's meeting on Thursday was the last for our current Chief Executive, Jane Robinson. Martin Gannon, Leader of the Council, and myself as Leader of the Oppostion, spoke to thank her for her work and her legacy to Gateshead. She is off to Durham University and both of us wished her all the best for the future. She was presented with a gift by Martin and the Mayor, Alison Thompson,

Posted by jonathanwallace on Jonathan Wallace
Sun 17th
20:06

Six of the Best 612

Stephen Williams suggests that a progressive alliance could transform British politics. "The lesson I take from what's happened in both our main political parties is that you never win an argument by pandering to it, or ignoring it and simply hoping it goes away. You win by taking the argument head on." Read the keynote speech to Reform's 2016 annual dinner by Liz Kendall. Jonathan Fryer explains why he has written Eccles Cakes - a childhood memoir. "Bands now look at ticket sales, or engagement on social media as indicators of their reach and impact. And those are the things, ...

Posted by Jonathan Calder on Liberal England

Second paragraph of third chapter: It was a good thing, Fanny told a correspondent in England, that she had avoided reading Mrs. Trollope's Domestic Manners of the Americans. The subject was always cropping up in conversation, and when asked for an opinion, she could truthfully say she knew nothing of the lady or her obnoxious book. Some of Fanny's first impressions, however, coincided with those of America's most strident critic to date. It had been a traumatic experience for Mrs. Trollope to enter an American milliner's shop and have someone introduce her to the milliner. Fanny, being, as she later ...

This has been publically posted by Thangam Debbonaire, the Labour MP for Bristol West: Dear everyone who has asked me what my problems are with Corbyn's leadership, Here is my experience. Mr Corbyn appointed me and press released this without my knowledge or consent whilst I was in the middle of cancer treatment. He then sacked me the next day when he realized he had given away part of someone else's role. But didn't bother to tell me that either. By then my office had been besieged by press and the story was out that I was Shadow Minister. I ...

Posted by Mark Pack on Mark Pack

Steve Gibbons played this song when I heard him open for Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings here in Market Harborough in 2013. He recorded it with his then band The Uglys in 1965. It was not a hit in the UK, but did very well in the charts in Australia and New Zealand. The Brumbeat site quotes Gibbons as saying: "I played this huge harmonica on Wake Up My Mind that I'd bought from the market. It sounded just like an accordion." And that sound makes it not only an early essay in social comment and psychedelia, but also one with ...

Posted by Jonathan Calder on Liberal England

Welcome to the Golden Dozen, and our 463rd weekly round-up from the Lib Dem blogosphere ... Featuring the seven most popular stories beyond Lib Dem Voice according to click-throughs from the Aggregator (10 – 16 July, 2016), together with a hand-picked quintet, you might otherwise have missed. Don't forget: you can sign up to receive the Golden Dozen direct to your email inbox — just click here — ensuring you never miss out on the best of Lib Dem blogging. As ever, let's start with the most popular post, and work our way down: 1. Labour moderates – it's now ...

Posted by Caron Lindsay on Liberal Democrat Voice
YouGov

Tim Farron has written a blog for the party website where he outlines 3 Liberal Democrat priorities. They are: I've already announced that at the next General election, our party's manifesto will contain a clear commitment to take us back into the European Union. Our manifesto will contain a clear commitment to take us back into the European Union. We have also launched a campaign to protect EU citizens right to stay in the United Kingdom. Thousands have already signed a petition backing the campaign online (you can add your name here) and this week, Tom Brake introduced a bill ...

Posted by NewsHound on Liberal Democrat Voice

Tuesday 13 September 2016 is the day on which the Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England will published its initial proposals for new Parliamentary constituencies. With the plans being based on a cut in the number of MPs (from 650 to 600 in total across the UK), many more constituencies will be facing major changes than in a 'normal' boundary review. All this comes with an extra significance for Labour because the more radically an incumbent's constituency is redrawn, the more likely they are to face a full and open reselection contest. Labour, as with other parties, has provisions in its ...

Posted by Mark Pack on Mark Pack

A year ago today, Tim Farron woke up to his first day as Lib Dem Leader. In that year, he has been the voice for refugees, the first leader to go to Calais and Lesbos and the Macedonian Border, constantly making the case for the UK to do more to help these desperate people. The UK Government is not yet doing enough but Farron dragged Cameron into doing more for unaccompanied refugee children It's a pity that the Remain campaign didn't make more use of him in the media during the referendum. His positive points would have been a very ...

Posted by Caron Lindsay on Liberal Democrat Voice

[IMG: 7 best] Many thanks to the visitors who dropped by Lib Dem Voice this week. Here's our 7 most-read posts... +++BREAKING: Three, no, actually FOUR Lib Dem by-election gains (25 comments) by The Voice Tim Farron to Angela Eagle: If you aren't going to oppose Tory Little Britain economic vandalism, there's no point in challenging Corbyn (40 comments) by Caron Lindsay Lord Dick Taverne writes...A common cause to stop Brexit (46 comments) by Dick Taverne +++Tim Farron calls for General Election as Theresa May is set to become Prime Minister (81 comments) by News Meerkat Boris as Foreign Secretary. ...

Posted by The Voice on Liberal Democrat Voice

This week, my childhood memoir, Eccles Cakes: An Odd Tale of Survival, was published and a number of people have asked me why I waited so long to write it. After all, I had produced 14 volumes of biography, history and other non-fiction since 1975, so why wait until I was in my mid-sixties? The simple answer [...]

Posted by jonathanfryer on Jonathan Fryer

Another Sutton by-election and another toxic campaign from our local Tories based on lies and smears. We saw these tactics in the Wallington South by-election, and observed the ruthless Tory in-fighting during and after the EU referendum, so perhaps we should not be surprised when the Conservatives employ them again in the Carshalton Central by-election. [...]

Posted by jaynemccoy on Diary of a Sutton Councillor

This should be the home of the 'Parliament' for the Liverpool City Region Tomorrow night I am going to a meeting to discuss the creation of a progressive alliance. I understand that it is one of a series that are ... Continue reading →

Posted by richardkemp on But what does Richard Kemp think?

You can't call for a General Election and then act surprised if it happens. That's why the Liberal Democrats are quietly getting on with the business of putting candidates in place with breakneck speed. Seats are using the sorts of expedited procedures normally used in by-elections to get candidates in place. These selections will expire next May if there has been no election. Daisy Benson, indefatigable campaigner and commentator, has been selected for the key seat of Yeovil, which was held until 2015 by David Laws with a majority of 13,000. Delighted to have been chosen by Lib Dem members ...

Posted by Caron Lindsay on Liberal Democrat Voice

Liberal Democrats in Thornbury and Yate have announced that their new Parliamentary Candidate is Councillor Claire Young. A well known local campaigner, she will lead the party's activity across the constituency, replacing Steve Webb who recently announced he would not be continuing in the role. Claire Young was elected following a ballot of local Lib dem members. Steve Webb said: "I have known and worked closely with Claire for many years and she has been at the centre of all we have been doing with local people. I am delighted to be passing on the baton to someone who is ...

Posted by Paul Hulbert on Focus on Sodbury, Yate and Dodington

Politics is not for everyone, well actually politics is FOR everyone just some choose not to take an active role in it. To quote Daisy Benson (note the name, you will hear a lot more from her in the coming weeks, months, years) "politics is not a profession of choice, it is a vocation". Those of us who work and hopefully get elected in public roles do so because we want to help people and make a difference. We certainly don't enter into politics to get rich (also quoting Daisy). Especially at the moment with EU, party splits, the unknown ...

Posted by robstickland on Rob Stickland
eUKhost

A guest post from Lauren Keith on the so called Northern Power House The Northern Powerhouse is fast becoming a political cliché. The 8 Lib Dem MP's (led by Southport's own MP John Pugh) have recently published a report claiming that the initiative is in danger of becoming little more than smoke and mirrors. It's about time that there was a thorough analysis of what the Northern Powerhouse actually means and what it has really achieved. The report argues that rather than being a comprehensive and new plan bringing additional funding to the North it is in fact just semantics. ...

Posted on birkdale focus

The 3 million EU citizens currently resident in the UK must not be bartered over in this country's exit negotiations with the EU. They must not be treated as political pawns, or like children caught up in their parents' divorce. So said Liberal Democrat MP Tom Brake as he introduced his "EU Citizens in the UK (Right to stay) Bill to the Commons this week. The Bill has support from MPs from Labour, SDLP, SNP and Greens. I'm glad to see Lib Dems calling the Brexit vote for what it is – a disaster. Someone needs to point out that ...

Posted by Caron Lindsay on Liberal Democrat Voice

As Therese May's cabinet reshuffle draws to a close it is worth reflecting on the conclusions of this article in the Independent. The paper says that she has appointed the lowest number of privately-educated ministers in a new Prime Minister's Cabinet in over 70 years. That statistic includes Labour Governments. The social mobility charity, the Sutton Trust, has analysed the backgrounds of her new Cabinet to find only 30 per cent have received a private education, the lowest proportion since Labour PM Clement Attlee in 1945.Only 30 per cent of the new cabinet have received a private education, the lowest ...

Posted by Peter Black on Peter Black

miss_s_b | The Blood is the Life for 16-07-2016 posted The Blood is the Life for 16-07-2016 on #dreamwidth Instagram Spike & matgbowles enjoying the Devon sunshine Pokemon Go players: you have 30 days from signup to opt out of binding arbitration / Boing Boing RT @doctorow: Pokemon Go players: you have 30 days from signup to opt out of binding arbitration Twitter RT @doctorow: Pokemon Go players: you have 30 days from signup to opt out of binding arbitration Twitter RT @BrookARogrs: Her brother strangled her to death in an honor killing. @CBSNews time to fire an intern. Twitter ...

Beside the ongoing drama around Westminster, there's an urgent task to be done among those who voted to leave the EU and are beginning to regret it. This is crucial for the country, and wise for us as well. I'm thinking of those taken in by false "promises" — there isn't an extra £350 million a week for the NHS, or an end to free movement of people, Brexit doesn't mean an end to fishing quotas, and "taking back control" now sounds like a joke. They were already alienated and this is not helping. We're hearing stories of Brexit hitting ...

Posted by Mark Argent on Liberal Democrat Voice

One of my earliest memories is sitting on my father's shoulders, protesting the poll tax. I don't remember much, just the feeling of all those people being together, a community outraged by what was happening. A few years later, I stayed up with my parents to watch the 1997 election. When the exit polls came through, they popped champagne. I remember my mum crying: "it's over and we'll have socialism again". Sometimes people live a stereotype all too easily. As I grew up, it seemed preordained. My parents became more and more disillusioned by Blair, but for me any time ...

Posted by Edwin Moriarty on Liberal Democrat Voice

With a review of Sefton's bus services on the near horizon (and you can I think sadly read into that more cuts in the subsidised routes) this photo is telling:- [IMG: No passengers] Click on the photo to enlarge it I took it around 7.30pm on 13th July at the Meadows shops in Maghull – it's the 310 bus out of Liverpool. I happened to be there quite by chance when the bus arrived but the telling thing is that whilst the bus stopped there was no one on it and there was no one waiting to get on it. ...

Posted by Cllr. Tony Robertson on Sefton Focus

Reproduced from a public Facebook post: A Letter to the Leavers Hello everybody out there who voted to Leave Let me say hello and introduce myself. My name is David Welsh and I was born in Birmingham 46 years ago. My dad was a printing press operator at the Birmingham Evening Mail (it's the biggest newspaper in town). My mum was a cleaner and a house wife. I have one brother. He joined the Army. My great grandfather was also in the Army, as were both my grandfathers. Grandad Welsh (Private Welsh of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment) was wounded at ...

Posted by Mark Pack on Mark Pack

DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL - WEEKLY ROAD REPORT REPORT FOR WEST END WARD WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY 18 JULY 2016 Scottish Water Clatto East mains renewal - Perth Road (Hawkhill to Nethergate) - closed eastbound for 6 weeks. South Union Street (West Earl Grey Place to Riverside Esplanade) - closed for one week for SGN valve repair. Park Place (Old Hawkhill to Smalls Lane) - closed for one week for SGN main repair. Riverside Drive (Bridgeview Cafe to Riverside West roundabout) - off-peak (9.30am - 3.30pm) temporary traffic lights for 5 days from Monday 18 July for replacement of road markings. Forthcoming ...

www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-36760985 The BBC has the story on its web site – see link above [IMG: nhs-logo] 'Staffing levels within the NHS will have to be cut if the government wants to bring NHS finances in England under control, the King's Fund think tank has said. It says the government should be honest about NHS spending plans at a time when patient demand is rising. It comes days before a major initiative by the NHS to control spending.' This must be a worrying scenario and one that has been wholly predicable for a long time now. Without proper funding the NHS ...

Posted by Cllr. Tony Robertson on Sefton Focus

It was what she said very recently on her trip to Scotland to see Nicola that convinced me: Theresa intends to kick this into the long grass. I mean the 2020 long grass. That my previous assumption that she would just settle the whole matter via some sort of quick, Norway style EEA deal was looking less likely. This is because if she does any kind of deal at all, she'll be screwed. So she's looking for ways to draw the whole thing out as long as possible. "I have already said that I won't be triggering Article 50 until ...

Posted by Nick on nicktyrone.com

Tomorrow the House of Commons is to vote on whether or not we should replace Trident with another nuclear, allegedly independent, alleged deterrent. If we do we shall remain a nuclear armed state until the 2060s at a lifetime cost now estimated to be over £200bn. Given the chaos following Brexit and the formation of a new government, not to mention another appalling atrocity in France, there doesn't seem much point in debating this issue at the moment - other than to embarrass the Labour Party.. No hint of wiser and more mature politics from Mrs May so far then. ...

Posted by Peter Wrigley on Keynesian Liberal

An Ancient Device Too Advanced to Be Real Gives Up Its Secrets at Last The amazing Antikythera mechanism. (tags: historyofscience ) Commentary on Brexit From the London Review of Books. #fb (tags: ukpolitics eu ) Nipsa: Tribunal criticises union in 'communist' dispute - BBC News "However the tribunal said they had not shown that the two factions actually have any substantive political differences. "It added that name-calling or trolling on social media is not sufficient to show political difference nor is "alleged adherence to Trotsky's 1938 Transitional Program"." (tags: politics northernireland )