See what I mean? Des Moines woman Terri Lynn Rote arrested for voting twice #voterfraud https://t.co/snE3mz9Tn6 pic.twitter.com/uCS09WQmOp— Jeffrey Guterman (@JeffreyGuterman) October 28, 2016

Posted by Jonathan Calder on Liberal England

Cllr Mary Markham, the Tory leader of Northampton Borough Council, resigned on Monday in a row of the future of a pub - the Barn Owl in Rectory Farm, to be precise. Her replacement, the only person to put his name forward for the vacancy, is Cllr Jonathan Nunn. What do we know about him? Well, there's this from the Northants Herald & Post: The new leader of Northampton Borough Council who was convicted 12 years ago of assaulting his wife says he "expects no forgiveness' for 'the most stupid, wrong thing I've ever done in my life". ...But he ...

Posted by Jonathan Calder on Liberal England

Visit the party website for details of how you can: go to Richmond Park to campaignvolunteer from homedonateFor those old-fashioned people who just want to turn up and help, the campaign HQ is at 65b Sheen Lane, near Mortlake station.

Posted by Jonathan Calder on Liberal England
Fri 28th
23:01

Back to Ryton

A bit of a mopping up operation this morning - Cllr Ian Patterson and I went down to Ryton to deliver a couple of patches with the latest edition of Focus. A couple of hours later, a slap up lunch at Cllr Christine McHatton's house and we were finished. Sadly, my colleague Cllr John McClurey has dropped off 500 Focuses for me to deliver in my own ward.

Posted by jonathanwallace on Jonathan Wallace

More comedy genius from Australia's Clarke and Dawe as John, a very active retiree who has rather a resemblance to Tony Abbott, speaks.

Posted by Mark Pack on Mark Pack
Fri 28th
22:51

...makes my blood boil

One thing that makes my blood boil is the playground bully types... Unfortunately that behaviour transfers into adult life too, you know the sort, picking on minor failings, mimicking them and making them out to be bigger and more of an issue that they actually are. Not exclusively but it appears that some politician's are no better than [...]

Posted by robstick on Rob's View (from the sidelines)
Fri 28th
22:18

Gerrymandering

(Did I say that out loud?) Every Friday, Nate Silver's brilliant FiveThirtyEight site, which mainly deals with electoral and sports statistics and probabilities, poses a mathematical puzzle for readers. Usually I must admit they stump me completely, but this week his colleague Oliver Roeder has posed two lovely gerrymandering questions. The first is easy. Can you draw five equally sized, contiguous, non-overlapping electoral districts in this grid so that the Blue party, with nine voters, wins more seats than the Red party, with sixteen? If Blue has a bit more than 25% of the votes, there is usually a solution ...

Fri 28th
21:56

The Big Day Out

Back in June was the big announcement of the Queen's Birthday Honours List, but yesterday was the Big Day itself: and I was off to Buckingham Palace to meet a senior royal and have a medal planted on my chest for Services To The Bisexual Community. An MBE, or as I inevitably punned, an MBiE. The first such and the first Mx, a fabulous thing for me but also a tiny bit of trail blazing. The Investiture About three months on from the publication of the Honours List in June an invitation arrives in the post. It's just about the ...

Posted by Jen on Either / And

Pictured is my Grandson Daniel Abbott part of the litter picking team in The Meadows area the other day and pictured on a previous litter picking day when he was very young.

Posted by Chris Abbott on Chris Abbott
Fri 28th
19:54

Anonymous letters

Your Wallington South ward councillors have recently been in receipt of a number of anonymous letters asking us to deal with a particular local issue. Whilst we appreciate the reason for anonymity is from fear of reprisals for providing information, unfortunately we are unable to act on anonymous information. Anonymous letters do not provide us [...]

Posted by jaynemccoy on Diary of a Sutton Councillor
YouGov

Plans for a solar farm at Henley Hall on the outskirts of Ludlow were approved in June after an appeal to the planning inspectorate. In September, the size of the solar farm was reduced. But at the same time, Kronos Solar said it wanted construction traffic to access the site near to housing at Lower... Continue reading Changes to Henley Hall solar farm access thrown out giving residents tranquility →

Posted by andybodders on Andy Boddington

Day 1 of the Week of Action in The Meadows area of Redcar (formally known as the Closes) was bin audit day. An attempt to find out who requires bins after many have been stolen. Day 2 was skip day. Fellow Ward Councillor Billy Wells and I provided three skips out of the Councillors Neighbourhood Action Partnership funding for residents to dispose of unwanted items. residents were asked to contribute £3 if they wanted to use the skips and around 25 took up the offer. It is hoped that a residents' group will shortly be formed to help deal with ...

Posted by Chris Abbott on Chris Abbott

I've not managed to blog the last English Council Executive (ECE) meeting or follow up on the English Council (EC) meeting which I feel a bit frustrated by. This has been due to some personal circumstances and a slight reticence whilst I was in the process of job hunting given advice received from a couple of [...]

Posted by Anders Hanson on Anders Hanson

If you've noticed that the green ready light has now turned yellow your machine is telling you it needs descaling. The machine does this based on the number of runs it's been through and not how blocked it might be, so you can reset the light back to green by running through the service settings but without the descaler if you wish. Steps on what to do can be seen in this official video.

Posted by Ryan Cullen on The Artesea

[IMG: search-engine-optimisation-part1] ALDC introduction to Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) Part 1 This article is part one of a series of articles by ALDC on Search Engine Optimisation. This article should give you a basic understanding of what Search Engine Optimisation is, how it works, and how Search Engines value results. Everyday hundreds of people in your local [...]

Posted by Ed Stephenson on Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors

Yesterday Merlene Toh Emerson and Jen Yockney went to the Palace to collect their MBEs. Marlene was awarded for her public and political service and Jen for services to the bisexual community. Here they are together with some great colour co-ordination: Congrats @libdems @jenyockney! Pic at our investiture #BuckinghamPalace today w HRH #sexualdiversity #britishempire pic.twitter.com/blPitVAr04 — Merlene Toh Emerson (@merleneemerson) October 27, 2016 This is what we said at the time their awards were announced. Merlene Toh Emerson is awarded an MBE for "political and public service". Merlene was the Liberal Democrat Candidate for the London Assembly, West Central Constituency ...

Posted by The Voice on Liberal Democrat Voice

What happened...? Whilst at the Job Centre in Peterborough, I recently had a chat with representatives from Travelchoice who were promoting their organisation, but also offering local job seekers the chance to receive a voucher to exchange for a free mega-rider. Why is it a good thing? People who are looking for work are often operating [...]

Posted by Cllr Darren Fower on Cllr Darren Fower

Embed from Getty Images At the end of the day, we're all Brits together. I rejoice that Nissan have announced the production of the new Qashqai and X-Trails at Sunderland. Tim Farron has commented: The commitment to Sunderland by Nissan is obviously very welcome. Ensuring that jobs are protected at the plant is vital for Sunderland and our economy. However, it is utterly ridiculous that Theresa May is having to give special assurances to key manufacturers in order to deal with the Brexit fallout her government is creating. What happens when other car companies come asking for special treatment? What ...

Posted by Paul Walter on Liberal Democrat Voice

We all know what the three Rs stand for, don't we? More accurately, we know what they stand for now. 'Twas not ever thus... [IMG: 3-rs] So if, like me, you end up desperately searching for YouTube videos to show you how to do even the most basic things, like drill a hole or bleed a radiator, you know what to blame: the Great Exhibition. ** From: 'Is vocational education for the less able?' by Guy Claxton and Bill Lucas in Bad Education: Debunking Myths in Education, Philip Adey and Justin Dillon (eds) (2012, McGraw Hill)

Posted by Stephen Tall on Stephen Tall

New Lib Dem Edinburgh Western MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton won the "One to watch" award at the Scottish Politician of the Year Awards, presented at a glittering awards ceremony in Edinburgh. He was also praised by his predecessor, Margaret Smith: Well done to @agcolehamilton on his One to Watch award tonight. Well deserved. Already proving to be an excellent MSP and campaigner. pic.twitter.com/SFSwJ1gap0 — Margaret Smith (@Caledoniapa2) October 28, 2016 From The Herald: With one third of MSPs new to Holyrood this year, the largest field was in the One to Watch category, sponsored by ScottishPower Renewables, with the judges impressed ...

Posted by Caron Lindsay on Liberal Democrat Voice
eUKhost
Fri 28th
12:30

Heywood Road Update

Just a quick update for nearby residents on the situation regarding the 'sink hole' on Heywood Road. The hole is being repaired by United Utilities. As we understand there have been some problems with blocks that have been installed on pipes failing which has meant the excavated area flooded earlier in the week. Investigations are now having to take place about pipework which is blocked with sand which will have be cleared out. A further collapse on the sewer has been identified just downstream of the existing excavation. The depth of the sewer at this point is approx. 7m, which ...

Posted by timpickstone on Tim Pickstone

The fact of climate change is beyond serious dispute, but has yet to become part of mainstream discourse in the UK or indeed beyond. Arts and climate science collaboration can help change this Soaring mercury, sinking cities, mass extinctions. It is easy to catastrophise climate change: faced with the sheer enormity of the climate challenge, people can tend towards despair and nihilism. For others, its seeming distance (both chronologically and, for many of us in the global north in particular, geographically) can seduce us with the easy denial that it is someone else's problem to fix. The technology and resources ...

Posted by Lucy Wood on Political science | The Guardian

I have commented on this blog site many times about the importance of the Southport – Wigan – Manchester railway line but a recent reading of Nigel Dyckhoff's book 'Portrait of the Cheshire Lines Committee' really does press home why this is the case. [IMG: Southport Station at night with a 507/508 EMU awaiting to depart for Liverpool.] Southport Station at night with a 507/508 EMU awaiting to depart for Liverpool. This quote from the 5th chapter of Nigel's book (published in 1999) says it all:- 'Modelled on the exclusive resorts of the South of France and laid out as ...

Posted by Cllr. Tony Robertson on Sefton Focus

Just to let residents know that at the Planning Control Committee meeting on Tuesday planning permission for four new houses off Henry Street (behind what used to be the Club on Bury Old Road). (Not 5 houses which is what is shown on the below plans.) The permission includes making up the roadway between Henry Street and Bury Old Road (we understand as an adopted road). Please get in touch if there are any queries. [IMG: screenshot-2016-10-28-08-33-34]

Posted by timpickstone on Tim Pickstone

[IMG: Israeli children visit Palestinian village of Tuwani and participate in bilingual activities together - Some rights reserved by delayed gratfication] The departure of Jenny Tonge from the party will not come as a surprise to many nor, if I am honest, will there be many tears shed over it. She has, at best, been semi-detached for some time after resigning the Party Whip in the House of Lords. However, her departure has made me think about the best way forward for the Liberal Democrats to support a peaceful resolution of the Palestine/Israel conflict. As I have written before, the ...

Posted by Leon Duveen on Liberal Democrat Voice

Kirklees council planners object to restaurant sign because it's too nice for the area This is where racist immigration policies get you; people unable to do their jobs Calling racists racist is 'racist', say racists RT @newsthump: NEWS! Calling racists racist is 'racist', say racists Tax credit claimants will never again have to deal with a private company after Concentrix debacle, HMRC pledges The Bruce Dickinson Quiz: how much do you know about Iron Maiden's frontman? - Classic Rock Goddamnit, only 8/10 via @TeamRockBelong 'Super-parenting' improves children's autism - BBC News Listening to your child and treating them as an ...

Embed from Getty Images The Liberal Democrats are committed to better representing the communities they seek to serve and have voted through a raft of measures, including the Diversity Quotas and Electing Diverse MP's motions passed by members at Federal Conference in York and Brighton this year. As part of the party's ongoing commitment to build and safeguard a fair, free and open society; an independent review which will focus on the issues and/or barriers faced by BAME members and supporters has been commissioned by the Federal Executive. This review should help the party determine what and where the issues ...

Posted by NewsHound on Liberal Democrat Voice

You can read all the articles that have caught my attention this week here: https://delicious.com/stephentall Below are a selection... How One Man's Bad Math Helped Ruin Decades Of English Soccer | FiveThirtyEight I feel sure there must be more to it than this but..? > How One Man's Bad Math Helped Ruin Decades Of English Soccer http://53eig.ht/2eAoOgZ Confusion reigns as West Ham and Chelsea fans gear up for EFL rally "At the end of the day, we're all united in our desire to see refugees have their teeth punched out." http://bit.ly/2dZVlfA Trump's party of angry, white, abusive males – The ...

Posted by Stephen Tall on Stephen Tall

There is a fascinating article in the Independent today in which they feature a newspaper clipping from 1912 in which the inevitability of man-made climate change was outlined: The clip was printed in a New Zealand paper, the Rodney and Otamatea Times, Waitemata and Kaipara Gazette, on 14 August 1912. Fifteen years after the piece was published the world's carbon emissions reached 1 billion tonnes a year. The clip highlighted the negative effects of burning coal, such as increased temperatures - owing to the large amounts of carbon dioxide burnt into the atmosphere. As Quartz explains, scientist Joseph Fourier discovered ...

Posted by Peter Black on Peter Black

It's Friday again and the Liberal Democrats have gained another Parish Council seat in Claypool, Horwich A GAIN for Robert Graham in Claypool, Horwich Parish Council with 47.5% of the vote. Well done to @BoltonLibDems and all involved! pic.twitter.com/jp3mDpR3Ld — ALDC (@ALDC) October 27, 2016 We held a parish council seat in Houghton Regis in Beds, too. The result from Houghton Regis TC, Houghton Hall LD Tim Welch 299 Independent 153 Independent 131 Well done to Tim & the @CentBedsLibDems — ALDC (@ALDC) October 27, 2016 Elsewhere, we got a pretty good swing from the Tories in the Darwell ward ...

Posted by Caron Lindsay on Liberal Democrat Voice
Fri 28th
08:49

Bury Old Road Roadworks

Many residents will have had a letter about the structure improvement scheme, due to take place on Bury Old Road, between the junctions of Hardman's Road and Walker Avenue. The scheme will entail renewing the vehicular parapets (barrier) and increasing the height of the pedestrian parapets, improving safety for motorists and pedestrians using the bridge. This is the information provided by the Highways Agency: Works are due to start on or shortly after 7 November 2016 for approximately four months. This will take place during daytime hours (08:00 and 17:00), Monday to Friday. Some night time or weekend working may ...

Posted by timpickstone on Tim Pickstone

The photograph below, concluding this series of the Photopolis photographic resource, shows the north side of the Hawkhill at the junction with Bellfield Lane at the left (in the west). Alexander Wilson's Dining Rooms and Coffeehouse were at No. 167. One of the advertisements on the gable end are for the Dundee Select Choir's performance of Handel's oratorio "Samson" at the Kinnaird Hall. The Dundee Directory lists the other shops as Mrs G. Harper, tobacconist, Mrs A. Boyack, draper, The Annandale Dairy Company, Isabella Miller, fruiterer, and Miss F. Sheriff, confectioner. Then comes Lowden's Alley.

Just a very quick update for residents in Simister and in the Heywood Road area on the No 90 bus. From Monday (31 October 2016) the service is transferring to Manchester Community Transport. This was followed a regular tendering exercise. Read about their new services here. MCT are a not for profit bus operator that provide services around Greater Manchester. There will be no change the schedule. Please let us know if there are any problems.

Posted by timpickstone on Tim Pickstone

I suppose I shouldn't care so much about this given I don't live in Richmond, but I wish there was a pro-Heathrow candidate standing in the by election, now to be held on December 1st. It feels wrong that there isn't. Labour could do the honourable thing and run a pro-Heathrow candidate. There are plenty of them within the party, those who see that the jobs that the expansion will create makes it worthwhile. It would also give them a USP in the constituency they currently lack. But I'd still be shocked if they did. Zac Goldsmith wants to make ...

Posted by Nick on nicktyrone.com
Fri 28th
07:24

As others see us.

An article by a self described "London based Dutchmen," Joris Luyendijk, in the November edition of Prospect describes us as a "narcissist nation." My dictionary defines narcissism as a tendency to self worship, absorption in one's own personal perfections. Luyendijk gives a medical definition of narcissism which concludes: They cannot consider others except as instruments to be manipulated or enemies to be fought. Both shed a good deal of light on the history of our relations with other countries, and particularly our delusions since 1945. Luyendijk applies the concept to the Brexit debate as follows: For "Leave" Britain is a ...

Posted by Peter Wrigley on Keynesian Liberal

Brexit could ruin Ireland's food industry, Bruton and Ahern tell Lords Not that Brexiteers care. (tags: brexit ukpolitics eu Northernireland ireland ) Why the Press Want to Stop Celebrities Like Me Talking About the Migrant Crisis Precisely. (tags: migration ukpolitics ) Sperm Whales Bring New Lingo to New Neighborhoods But where are the previous inhabitants? (tags: biology ) The Gone Girl With The Dragon Tattoo On The Train @clarkeaward winner Emily St John Mandel on titles. (tags: writing books )

I had a council visit to the Baltic Art Gallery on the Gateshead Quays on Wednesday. The area was blanketed in fog when we got there so the spectacular view from the viewing platform was missing. I don't regard myself as an art expert or critic but some of the exhibitions were quite interesting. I particularly liked the 3D films by Deimantas Narkevicius. They were filmed in eastern Europe and

Posted by jonathanwallace on Jonathan Wallace

The big by-election news this week has all been on the Parliamentary front, with the Richmond Park by-election now confirmed for 1 December. On the principal local authorities front there are just three council by-elections, two of which are in the same council. The Lib Dem picture is typically patchy in that pair – big vote increase in one, no candidate inn the other. Although both saw a halving in the Ukip vote: Independent GAIN Collington (Rother) from Independent. — Britain Elects (@britainelects) October 27, 2016

Posted by Mark Pack on Mark Pack