Another railway video from Holden Webster, who runs the Shropshire Railways website. This one takes us in two parts from Bewdley on the Severn Valley Railway to Woofferton, which lies between Ludlow and Leominster. The first part follows the line through the Wyre Forest as far as Cleobury Mortimer.
Embed from Getty Images There's an unusually illuminating article by William Davies in the new London Review of Books: The Home Office occupies a particular position vis-à-vis the public, which sometimes translates into class politics. Home secretaries are often moved by the plight of the defenceless in society: vulnerable children, elderly people plagued by rowdy teenagers on their estates, the victims of Harold Shipman (whose suicide apparently tempted David Blunkett to 'open a bottle'). Often, these people are defenceless because they are powerless, and they are powerless because they are poor, less well educated and culturally marginalised. And yet they ...
Embed from Getty Images Like all sane people, I have come to the conclusion that the secret of a calm and happy life lies in not watching Question Time. There was a far-sighted man who anticipated its horrors and refused to have any part in them. That man was the late Cliff Michelmore. Before I posted his report from Aberfan, I read the obituaries. They all contained the same anecdote, retailed here by Libby Purves: After Tonight, he and his colleague Kenneth Allsop started the 24 Hours programme. Editor Derrick Amoore, later the creator of the current affairs show Nationwide, ...
Watch the new fun (yet educational) video from CGP Grey, with some tips for rulers - dictatorial or democratic.
[IMG: nhs-promise-broken] After today's exciting Radio 4 spot from Dr Sarah Wollaston MP, and the findings by the Health Select Committee that the Tories have failed to keep there promise to spend £10billion on the NHS here are a couple of template pieces for use by ALDC members. Third of A4 Drop-in for Risograph – Download [...]
The major problem there is that game shows are actually hugely popular. They seem to be what 'the people' actually want, to a large extent. Politics is becoming the game show, because the game show sells. The way to attract the 'popular vote' isn't necessarily to have the best policies, or even the most popular policies (in terms of those that are thought through and sensible, and might actually work), but to reach the mass audience with easy answers presented in the most emotively appealing way (preferably by someone who looks like a slick, 'perfect' game show host, or at ...
Christian Delaney of the Shropshire Paranormal and UFO Society thinks it is. He told the Shropshire Star that he has seen UFOs over the county for a number of years: "I've seen something yellow that looked like a cigar do a figure of eight over the Wrekin for three or four minutes getting faster and faster ... "And on Lyth Hill one ... appeared and the light got bigger and bigger like it was expanding and then changed colour. "I don't know what it is about Shropshire but they do seem to have quite a presence here," A West Mercia ...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-37821130 The BBC has the story on its web site – see link above It's hard to conceive that bringing Grammar Schools into the secondary education desert that is Knowsley could possibly help fix its woes but think tank Respublica seems to be suggesting otherwise. Having said that Knowsley Council, who have presided over an education system that will result in no 6th Form A Level provision in the Borough from August 2017, seem rather put out and surprised by the recommendation. What's even more odd is that the Council actually commissioned the report but claims that Grammar School were ...
Today marks the tenth anniversary of the release of the classic first EP by The National Pep, Citizen Gomez, which was bought and loved by literally some people. For those who don't know, The National Pep was a band based ... Continue reading →
The Uber judgement and Ken Loach's film I, Daniel Blake both make the case for a citzens' basic income, argues Chris Dillow. Raheem Kassam, who pulled out of Ukip's leadership race today, had huge support on social media. But, says Guido Fawkes, but little in the real world: "This has implications for Leave.EU, the pro-Brexit campaign group set up by multi-millionaire businessman Arron Banks, which backed Raheem. ... Banks is confusing 'likes', 'follows' and casual clicktivism with active support. Leave.EU bought Facebook 'likes' essentially by buying traffic." The Economist praises Jean Rhys's Wide Sargasso Sea and says it marks her ...
That's the subject of my chapter in the new collection of historical counterfactuals, Prime Minister Corbyn and other things that never happened.
[IMG: cathy-bakewell] Cathy Bakewell, our new Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, has not been slow in writing about her brief. The Government is planning to review the Work Capability Assessment, and she agrees that a review is a 'step in the right direction. But, and there always is a 'but' with this Government: ... if the Government wants to restore trust in the benefits system they need to replace the fit for work test entirely. Most people want to work, but sadly some people simply can't. Forcing them to look for a job, often against doctors advice ...
Mon 31st
14:16
Have YOU forgotten about the #NorthWestgateSaga? Seems the Tories at the Town Hall haven't!
What's the latest then ... As reported by the Peterborough Telegraph, the Tory-controlled Peterborough City Council is set to fork out £15,000,000 of tax payers money to get the North Westgate Development back "up and running." Q: Where are they getting the millions from? A: They're gonna borrow it .......of course! Weren't there problems recently? [...]
[IMG: canvass-card] ALDC have now published their Canvass (calling) leaflet templates with our latest bulk buy offer. The design is full colour and RISO A5 Postcard with versions for campaigning, collecting casework and a quick 1-minute survey. Templates Template Canvass Postcard Full Colour – PagePlus and PDF Template Canvass Postcard RISO – PagePlus and PDF Our Bulk Buy [...]
Well I hope so and the issue is now on the table following Independent Borough Councillor Pat O'Hanlon informing parish councillors that Formby Town Council had resolved to oppose fracking. [IMG: Lydiate] Like Pat I am against fracking on environmental grounds. Sadly there is potential for it to happen under Lydiate if applications are approved to pursue licenses that I think were put in place by government around 2008/9? This is what Formby Town Council has approved:- 'The Parish Council support renewable energy in Formby, particularly solar farms and off-shore wind turbines where these are in keeping with local character. ...
Embed from Getty Images 1. What is the correct name for the constituency? That question we can answer. The constituency is called Richmond Park. But all the parties seem to refer to it locally as Richmond Park and North Kingston, because it is easy to forget that four of its wards lie within Kingston Borough rather than Richmond Borough. 2. How posh is Richmond Park? Well someone did have the task of delivering our tabloid to a certain Royal elector who actually lives inside the park – you can't get much posher than that. But the constituency also includes council-owned ...
I have always thought that the UK economy had wrongly left the route of mutuals and co-ops too far behind in the blind rush towards capitalism. Here's an interesting take on how we can regain our love of co-ops and mutuals written by Richard Warren for the Lib Dem Voice web site. [IMG: The Co-Op Museum in Toad Lane, Rochdale.] The Co-Op Museum in Toad Lane, Rochdale. Lib Dems: The Co-operatives Party By Richard Warren | Theresa May's plan to introduce worker directors onto company boards is a start, but she still has a long way to go to catch ...
I claim no special understanding of the underlying rhythms of American politics. But it does seem to me that the release of the tape a couple of weeks ago demonstrating that Donald Trump believed that his wealth and fame enabled, even legitimised, his groping of women, and the opening of investigations over the weekend of yet more Clinton Emails, are both put up jobs, artfully engineered by the respective party apparatchiks at the times their respective campaigns needed a bit of a boost. Perhaps both parties still have quasi-revelations in reserve to be released in the final week of the ...
Proposals have been published by Greater Manchester Councils for massive plans to build on green belt land in Bury. Proposals include: - the release of 255 hectares of green-belt land south of the M62 around Simister extending westwards towards Prestwich for 2,300 homes. - the release of 62 hectares of green belt land around Pole Lane and Mode Hill Lane in Whitefield for 600 homes. - the release of 500 hectares of green belt land to the east of the M60 as part of a massive industrial/employment site known as the 'Northern Gateway' (bigger in size that Trafford Park). - ...
The local Lib Dem team across Bury are campaigning to save our 'Green Belt' land from development. 60% of Bury is green belt land. This is under threat because Greater Manchester Councils are considering proposals to provide the land to build up to 225,000 new houses over the next 25 years. [IMG: Proposed developments] Across Bury, developers have already proposed 70 sites with over 12,000 new homes. Most of these sites propose building on the green belt land that surrounds our towns and communities. More details of the proposals here. We support the need for new homes, but NOT on ...
Embed from Getty Images "Weekend engineering works" – a phrase that makes the blood run cold just when you thought you had that visit to relatives, trip to the seaside or weekend meeting sorted. This year we will have the triple whammy of weekend engineering works plus Christmas and New Year engineering works. Indeed, it is difficult to find any rail companies that are not announcing some scheduled improvements over the long weekend and through to the New Year. The people most inconvenienced by these interruptions to service are those without cars, especially those in poverty and the elderly, who ...
In brief: most people, most of the time, pay almost no attention to political news even if it's all across the newspapers, TV, websites and their social media feeds. Here's some evidence...
[IMG: sarah-olney-for-rp-600] After her selection yesterday as our candidate at the Richmond Park December 1st by-election, Sarah Olney is calling for volunteers to help her campaign. Update: Sarah's website has now gone live. Click here to choose how you can help Sarah. This webpage has the information you need about making calls. This webpage allows you to donate to the campaign. We leafleted the whole constituency within 48 hours of Zac Goldsmith announcing that he was standing down. The campaign is already in full gear, so please do all you can to help elect Sarah Olney as the next MP ...
Mon 31st
09:31
It isn't the "Westminster elites" who are trying to keep the UK in the customs union - it's these fo...
In the wake of the whole Nissan thing, we've had Labour asking for transparency on "the deal" and Nigel Farage, predictably, crowing about how the dreaded "political elites" are going to "betray Brexit" by keeping the UK in the European customs union. While I applaud Labour asking about the Nissan deal in the abstract, it probably won't do them a lot of electoral favours in the north east. Farage's rant is of a whole different order – he seems to confuse the customs union and the single market a lot these days. I assume he actually knows the difference and ...
I have not disappeared, except into the nether world of half-term. But I have managed three posts elsewhere, which have peculiar links between them - and they all have a similar theme: what chances do we have now to influence the economy, or any of the giant, sclerotic services which we pay so much money to. It seemed to make some sense to link the three together. So here goes. The three are: 1. Small scale #1. On The Real Press blog, I wrote about how we might bring any pressure to bear on the company behind Southern Rail to ...
Tory claims that they are puting an extra £10 billion into the English health service have been challenged by Dr Sarah Wollaston, the Conservative chair of the Commons health select committee. Together with four other MPs she has written to the chancellor demanding the government abandon its "incorrect" claims of putting £10bn into the NHS annual budget by the end of this parliament and admit the severity of its financial shortage. The disagreement centres on the definition of health spending, but this is far from a technical matter. MPs have concluded that "The £10bn figure can only be reached by ...
Last week, following complaints from residents that the Scottish Water works (and excavations) were running over their planned finish date, I received an assurance from the company that the road would be returned to normal by close of play last Friday. However, this did not happen as the photo (right) taken at the weekend highlights. I contacted Scottish Water over the weekend and their Community Manager has responded : "Sorry to hear this as we were informed this would be completed and removed on Friday. I will pick up with the project team and establish why this has not happened." ...
Theresa May lied and lied again to become PM Both barrels from the Guardian. (tags: ukpolitics ) This is what it's really like inside a Donald Trump election rally @b_judah reports. (tags: ukpolitics )
