One of the strongest candidates for a British railway line that should never have been closed is the Midland to Manchester through Derbyshire. Today it survives at its southern end as a branch that reaches as far as Matlock, which allows you to explore the River Derwent and the Cromford Canal. It is possible to travel a few miles further north thanks to the heritage line Peak Rail. This was founded in 1975 with the hope of reopening the line all the way from Matlock to Buxton. That goal seems a long way off, but what exists at the moment ...
Having followed Keith Vaz's career since he was Labour candidate in Richmond and Barnes in 1983, I will not pretend that the weekend's revelations came as a shock. But remembering his politics in those days, I have been surprised by the wealth he has accumulated over those years.
Tue 6th
21:00
Ignore Polly Toynbee by all means, but what lessons should the Lib Dems learn from the Coalition yea...
Embed from Getty Images Polly Toynbee has an article in today's Guardian whose headline tells you all you need to know: Why I can't forgive Nick Clegg and his party of useful idiots Those of us who remember Polly Toynbee from the SDP - and even from David Owen's Continuing SDP - find it hard to take her entirely seriously in Tribune-of-the-People mode. We Liberals called them "the Soggies" for a reason. And there is a dishonesty at the heart of her argument. When she writes: The Lib Dems swallowed the story that the country needed a boiling down of ...
Cllr Allan Knox has welcomed the decision by the Ribble Valley's Policy & Finance committee to carry out a new consultation about Clitheroe Market. Cllr Allan Knox seconded the motion to restart the consultation process and that representatives from the market traders be part of the market working group process. Cllr Allan Knox said: "Clitheroe market has being going for 800 years. Ribble Valley Borough Council has been its custodian for just 42 years. "We are merely the custodians of the market. "In reality the market belongs to everyone. This means that everyone needs to have a say in a ...
One of the more pleasing duties I undertake as Mayor is to preside over citizenship ceremonies. We had one today at Southport Town Hall for five people. I should place on record how well our Registrars department carries out their function. These ceremonies mark an important right of passage. I was delighted to meet the five new citizens today who are already contributing to our community.
At a meeting of the Council's Planning and Environmental Protection Committee (06/09/2016) the planning application for a Micro Pub at Storrington Way, in Werrington, was given the go ahead by councillors. The proposal was as follows: Change of use from A3 to A4 (Drinking Establishment) specifically a Micro Pub. Refurbishment of vacant shop unit, installation of internal [...]
Nick Clegg MP has written in support of the July 7 Recommendation of the Higgins Report to move the HS2 Station in Sheffield from Meadowhall to Sheffield City Centre. Clearly train connections work better linking City Centres together with existing rail connections. Sheffield residents have seen Sheffield council spent £190,000 to lobby for a move from Meadowhall. This new recommendation delivers a substandard HS2 service to Sheffield. Only 2 trains an hour to London, make this a branch line & a Heath-Robinson scheme for connectivity between Sheffield, Leeds and Manchester. What is inexplicable is that High Speed alternatives such as ...
There's nothing much really to report about today, except that I've made my 10,000 steps and active minutes target. If I'd not written a post, you might have worried about my progress. More likely, if you're one of my sponsors, you might have been wanting your money back had I failed! So in the absence of anything very interesting to ... The post 10,000 steps a day – day 6 – active minutes appeared first on ten pence piece.
Tue 6th
17:57
Build Up Blog: 10 bits of inspiration to take your online campaigning to the next level
1. Learn from Councillor John Potter's videos We like John's use of a microphone, quality camera, captions and cutaway shots. John helps to set a benchmark in what we can aim to produce with our own videos. 2. Copy Councillor Tim Pickstone's Mailchimp based petition Tim has adapted a Mailchimp list sign up form to [...]
Tue 6th
17:50
#Worldcon75 GoH work: Les Lumières de l'Amalou, by Christophe Gibelin & Claire Wendli...
Second frame of third chapter: Second dialogue frame of third chapter: "We were just about to succeed." Worldcon 75 is in Helsinki next August, and you all have to come. There are five guests of honour, and I'm going to do a series of posts highlighting some of their work. First up is Claire Wendling. She is a brilliant artist, who made a big splash in the French comics (ie bande dessinée) world at a young age. Les Lumières de l'Amalou, published between 1990 and 1996 (ie before she was 30), shows her style developing from a quirky ligne claire ...
That's the official line. In reality of course the majority group will already have decided to implement the proposal in the council papers – so what is it? Essentially it offers a sticking plaster on the wound that is the big cut in Teaching Assistants' pay, by promising to "fill the gap" in their pay for twenty five months rather than the twelve months originally proposed. The council and recognised Trade Unions (the council chooses which unions to take into account) seem confident that this will be enough to persuade Teaching Assistants to fall in line, but just in case ...
Last Saturday I joined the March for Europe in London. These are the hard core of people who voted Remain in June's EU referendum. By my estimate between 10 and 20 thousand marched from Hyde Park to Parliament Square, with Liberal Democrats prominent among them. The anger of these marchers was evident. Where to go next politically ... Continue reading Where do Remainers go from here? →
Embed from Getty Images Theresa May is pretty much the ideal prime minister for the times we live in. Not because she gives every appearance of being reassuringly tough, shrewd, hard-working and very clearly competent but because she's no ideologue. And that's just as well because re-ravelling what Brexit unravels will not just define her period in office, but fully occupy it. Years and years of leading a government ram-packed with pain-staking multilateral trade negotiations would exhaust a visionary politician. But this enforced boondoggle could be the making of St Theresa. As Donald Trump used to say, just look at ...
I'm trying to observe a vow of silence about The Opposition Leader Who Shall Not Be Named (from now on referred to as TOLWSNBN) , as quite frankly I'm bored of talking and writing about him. Today tho, I wonder if Labour have completely given up on Social Democracy and instead are opting for Socialism, and this is why his acolytes love him so much? I'm not a social democrat, but think it's a valid and sometimes useful political position - socialism, not so much, mostly because of the problem of the "brief period" of state control before the ownership ...
Embed from Getty Images Tim Farron has never been known for being able to sit still for more than 30 seconds. The word "irrepressible" was probably invented for him. Even so, running a half marathon up a whole load of hills is a tall order, even for him. But that's what he's doing on Saturday to raise money for local hospice care. I know what it's like to have a wonderful hospice nurse come out to care for a loved one on Christmas Day. They were able to turn distress into comfort. They are also thee to support the whole ...
Last week I was explaining that the Mayor is required to collect the rent from the Flower Show in the form of a dozen red roses.This week I undertook another of the more unexpected duties of the Mayor, namely to pick pictures to hang in the Mayor's parlour in Southport. I had to choose nine. I landed up with a picture by a suffragette, a painting of a park by Tracy Emin's teacher, a still life by a Liverpool artist who exhibited in the famous Post Impressionist exhibition in 1911 I understand that the duty used to be discharged annually ...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-37284114 The BBC has the story on its web site – see link above This saga says to me that it is vital for workers to be organised via trade unions in any business because this is what happens when a workforce isn't organised! And how on earth can a large company like this justify a casualised workforce employed via agencies? It seems as a society we are sitting back and allowing the movement back to the employment practices of mill owners of generations ago. Government is meant to ensure basic rights and trade unions are there to keep on ...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-37159581 The BBC has the story on it web site – see link above I have often thought that whilst we are quite rightly encouraged to recycle understanding what can be recycled, where and how is often not clear enough. Of course there are idle beggars who are too lazy to recycle or too could not be bothered to rinse out some recyclable items. Recycling and reuse is the future and we all have to understand that, yes even the idle beggars. But what happens when folk are pulled up for not recycling properly? The right wing press jumps to ...
[IMG: Liverpool Lime Street Station] Liverpool Lime Street Station The Liverpool Echo has the story – see link above The newspaper tells us that 'the station is the first in Britain to have the hi-tech virtual reality approach used for its design as Network Rail prepares for a major transformation which will see two new platforms added and the station completely close for nine days [in Sept/Oct 2017].'
Yesterday afternoon in the House of Commons, the Minister for Brexit, David Davis, failed to define what Brexit means, other than Britain's leaving the European Union. But maybe that is not surprising. For as the former Head of the Foreign Office, Sir Simon Fraser, told a packed gathering of the Association of European Journalists (AEJ) [...]
Tue 6th
11:57
Catherine Bearder MEP writes: Churchill and Mandela would have been with us on the March for Europe
As thousands of Brits marched across the uk to show their support for our continued EU membership relationship I was with Liberal Democrat president Sal Brinton, past MEP Sarah Ludford and many other activists, PPCs, councillors, new and old members and others who wanted to be with the Liberal Democrats in our fight to get the best for our country post the referendum result. The organisers were initially determined not to allow any elected political speakers on to the platform. It seems the phrase 'cross party' had again been confused with 'no party', despite the speakers from the world of ...
With the latest Liberal Democrat conference in Brighton coming up soon, here are some tips for would-be new, and indeed, experienced, speakers at party conference.
Yesterday, Brexit Secretary David Davis made his first parliamentary statement since his appointment and it didn't reveal very much. Our EU spokesperson was not impressed: This Govt really is up #Brexit creek without a paddle. More round tables? Is that all they've come up with since 23/6? — Nick Clegg (@nick_clegg) September 5, 2016 Paul Walter found some cause for optimism but there were also some very worrying aspects.of his answers to questions from 85 backbenchers. He stated that full access to the single market was "very improbable." I am saying that this Government are looking at every option, but ...
Instagram This month's @The_Tail_Wagger box has arrived :) Don't airbrush LGBT history from Shibden Hall - Calderdale Liberal Democrats FAO @LGBTLD BBC Radio 4 - Front Row's Cultural Exchange, Freddie Mercury on The Fairy Feller's Master-Stroke RT @BBCRadio4: Freddie Mercury in 1977 talking about painting that inspired his songwriting: #Freddie70 11 Feminist Slasher Films To Watch On Netflix RT @WIF_LosAngeles: Some great films by women in @bustle's "11 Feminist Slasher Films To Watch On Netflix" #52FilmsByWomen Frida Kahlo | RT @SheroesHistory: I'm thrilled to finally feature the wonderful #FridaKahlo on the blog! Thanks to @P_O_Neill for this post Here's Why ...
Tue 6th
10:43Willie Rennie: Lib Dems will provide a clear, hopeful, optimistic, moderate and progressive voice at...
[IMG: Willie Rennie with Neil Slorance cartoon] As the new term starts at Holyrood, Willie Rennie writes to Scottish members to outline what he wants the Lib Dems to achieve. He plants the Lib Dem flag firmly in the pro EU, pro UK space, a unique position. The photo shows him with a framed copy of the brilliant cartoon of the party leaders by Neil Slorance, a reminder of the exuberance and humour of Willie's Scottish Election campaign: As the Scottish Parliament resumes after the summer break I want to set out my ambitions for the year ahead. We return ...
It has become a cliché to mention that you couldn't make the Thick of It these days because actual politics has become so ridiculous. Yet it is difficult to avoid bringing it up after a day like yesterday. David Davis addressed the House for the first time from the dispatch box since becoming Minister for Brexit , giving a statement about the latest plans to leave the EU. We were on tenterhooks – we were all about to learn what Brexit actually was going to mean! Davis said the whole procedure would be guided by four "key principles", which are: ...
Figures obtained by Bury's Lib Dem councillors have revealed a noticeable increase in the number of reported 'missed bins' in the last few years. The figures identify the number of bins reported as not collected by bin type. This includes instances where it is not the Councils fault such as access problems due to parked cars, snow and floods etc, contaminated bins, bins not out and bins too heavy. Missed Bins 2013/2014 Grey 2230 Brown 1847 Green 1146 B lue 799 Missed Bins 2014/2015 Grey 1829 Brown 1262 Green 503 Blue 552 Missed Bins 2015/2016 Grey 2227 Brown 1583 Green ...
There's a new FREE number to call if you have a power cut 105 is a new number that you can call to report or get information about a power cut. It will put you through to your local electricity network operator - the company that manages the cables, wires and substations that bring electricity into homes and businesses in your area. 105 is a free service for people in England, Scotland and Wales, and you can call the number from most landlines and mobile phones. It doesn't matter who you choose to buy your electricity from - anyone can ...
If you've not already please do take a minute to sign the online petition to Save Prestwich Walk-In Centre. The NHS in Bury is currently 'consulting' for 2 months on closing the Centre – in our view a dreadful decision for such a well used and well liked service. Sign the petition here – and please do ask your friends and neighbours to support the campaign.
Remain voters are only fractionally (and statistically insignificantly) more like to think Tim Farron would be the best Prime Minister than Leave voters.
The EU Referendum demonstrated the extent to which the "First-Past-The-Post" (FPTP) system has allowed politicians to become distanced from the people they purport to represent and has contributed to a sense of powerlessness amongst large sections of the UK population. Three key effects of FPTP were at work: Safe Seats Distorted election results Distorted politics 1. Safe seats: Under FPTP, safe seats (where a change in the party holding the seat would only happen in very unusual circumstances) account for the majority of parliamentary constituencies. An MP in a safe seat does not need to worry about getting re-elected; he or ...
Tue 6th
08:50
"1960s-style employment practices" accusation levelled at company set up by Labour-run council
The BBC report that a company owned by Labour-controlled Rhondda Cynon Taf council has been criticised by a union which has accused it of using "1960s-style employment practices". They say that the GMB union said agency staff at Amgen Cymru, an arm's-length waste management company, were sent home at short notice without a full day's pay. It added that the agency, Smart Solutions Ltd, paid employees via a third party: Amgen Cymru's waste and recycling plant at Bryn Pica, near Aberdare, provides services for Rhondda Cynon Taf council and other authorities. It operates as a separate legal entity to the ...
Trading standards officers are warning residents to beware unsolicited phone calls supposedly from Microsoft. It appears that the borough's local phone numbers are being targeted by telephone numbers 02079 462110 and 02079 462111 which seem to be from London, but could originate in Asia. Angela Lomax, head of trading standards and licensing in Bury, said: "The caller claims to be from Microsoft and says he has detected a problem with your computer and needs to have remote access to your computer or requires password and login details. He may try to confuse you with technical jargon and may be quite ...
Need help with computers, tablets or smart phones? Then make a date with your Digital Buddy. One-to-one sessions are now available at Bury, Tottington, Whitefield and Prestwich libraries for those who wish to become more confident using all things online. Call in to the library or phone to book a slot with one of the friendly Digital Buddy Volunteers: Bury Library – 0161 253 7089 Tottington Library 0161 253 6652 Prestwich Library 0161 253 7214 Whitefield Library 0161 253 7510 (Image – Bury MBC)
Plans have been outlined for the redevelopment of Park 66 leisure park in Pilsworth (opposite ASDA, the former cinema adjacent sites). The area will see a retail and leisure consisting of 4 retail units, 2 drive-through restaurants, a gym and a 71,711 sq ft industrial/warehouse unit. The developers say that the scheme will generate over 250 jobs locally. According to the press agreements have already been reached for a 'flagship' JD Sports shop, including a floor of camping provision and a gym. Other retailers signed up are Homebase and Iceland.
Waiting for Brexit - a note on contentions and biases David Allan Green clarifies his position (tags: ukpolitics eu brexit ) The Hugos, the Sad Puppies and 1970s science fiction paperback covers, which were ridiculous Hee! (tags: sf ) Utopia Leuven Marking the 500th anniversary of the great book. Come and see! Come and see! (tags: sf ) A Complete, Kind of Depressing History of Fictional Female Presidents As it says. (tags: uspolitics sexandgenderandsexuality ) One, Two, Three, Four Thoughts about Gottlob Frege. (tags: mathematics ) What will NI parliamentary boundary changes mean? My piece for BBC. (tags: northernireland mymedia ...
