All Hallows' Eve and I am trudging round Richmond with addressed letters to deliver. The clocks have gone back and the street are in the darkness. I struggle to read the addresses or to fathom what filter has led these letter to be in the order they are in. To make things more challenging the numbering is not consistent; some streets are consecutive others odds and evens, some have a number 13, others don't, some of these houses are divided into flats (although from the outside you would have thought they weren't big enough) and some doors and gates have ...
There's life yet in the Lib Dem blogosphere: two new blogs were added to the LibDemBlogs aggregator in October. Thanks as ever to Ryan Cullen for sending me this information. The Mec Journal is written by Matthew Metcalf, updated daily and concerned with "the LGBT community, atheism and religion, sex, relationships and other political topic that Matthew feels like commenting on". Commenting on the case of the Christian couple who run a bakery and declined to make a cake bearing the statement "Support Gay Marriage", he says: This case highlights the balance between protecting minority groups from discrimination and persecution ...
I'm not sure what the collective noun for a group of Community Interest Companies (CIC) is; an enterprise? an innovation? maybe it should be a hope of CICs. My visit to Safe Regeneration at the site of the former St Mary's School in Bootle definitely filled me with optimism. CICs are social enterprises that want to use their profits and assets for the public good. I was shown around by Jane Johnson, development manager, and Su Grainger from the Community Choir 'Sing your Socks Off . I met artists, dancers, mosaic makers, joiners, gardeners, bee keepers and people who described ...
I think it's been going fairly well so far — I hope my Patreon followers do too. Anyway, what looks like something you'd like my opinion about this week? (I'll probably be doing a post on Mindless Ones about Cerebus ... Continue reading →
Having recently heard all about the secondary education troubles of Knowsley Council/Borough, which are deep indeed, I had my first visit to one of the Council's libraries today and it seemed a quite excellent facility from what I saw. [IMG: Author Frank Green addressing folks in Huyton Library] Author Frank Green addressing folks in Huyton Library The reason for my visit was a talk being given by Frank Green about the railways of that part of Knowsley Borough in connection with his new book called East and West Through Roby which he has self-published. The talk was excellent especially as ...
A growing number of politicians are taking pot shots at experts. Instead of firing back, academics should take this opportunity to make their work more relevant These are uncomfortable times in which to be an expert. Last week, Michael Gove returned to the theme that he pursued with vigour during the EU referendum campaign, arguing in his Times column that "those who consider, or declare, themselves experts are actually more likely to err than the rest of us." Over the weekend, he was joined by Glyn Davies, Conservative MP for Montgomeryshire, who tweeted that he "Personally, never thought of academics ...
Crossens Saturday, 12th November, St John's Primary School, Rufford Road, Crossens, from 11am to 12noon. Churchtown Thursday, 24th November, BoxTree Kitchen for Queenscourt café, Manor Road/Cambridge Road, roundabout, from 10:30am to 11:30am.
[IMG: website-image-movember] Happy Movember! We though we'd provide you with a timely update about the moustache month. But Movember isn't just the month of the moustache, it's much, much more. Movember brings attention to men's health month with particular focus on prostate cancer, testicular cancer and mental health. Here is a .txt file pre optomised with a [...]
This government has taken a decision not to investigate what happened at 'the Battle of Orgreave'. Apparently nobody actually died or spent much time locked up, so it's not important to understand the truth. I'm not surprised by this government's attitude, unfortunately, given the kind of dictatorial, authoritarian direction it has lurched in, and given the fact that some of those who might come in for criticism are some of their great mythological heroes. I use the term 'mythological' deliberately, of course, since their heroism may well not be based on an entirely true reflection of reality but on stories ...
The late great Groucho Marx once said, "Marriage is a wonderful institution - but then, who wants to live in an institution?" I have no problem in answering "I do" - coincidentally the same words I spoke on September 19th 1987 when my wife and I got married. Like everyone else, our marriage has had its ups and downs but when we got married I had no doubt that it was the right thing to be doing and I have never doubted it for a second since. I like being married. For us, marriage is a good thing. In fact ...
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As we engage in yet another debate over the possible expansion of Heathrow airport, once again the public discussion seems to miss the great big London-shaped elephant in the room. It's a shape that hangs over many of our economic and infrastructure debates in the UK. In this particular case, the plain fact is that the UK does not have a shortage of airport capacity. It really doesn't - there's plenty to spare at the moment, all over the country. Apart from around London. At what point do we have to start asking ourselves about addressing the problem, instead of ...
Yes, this is another "how do we fight back against the politics UKIP/Brexit/Trump" type of article, though I hope a different one to the rest. Embed from Getty Images I read two articles yesterday, both illuminating, but doubly so when read together. This on the BBC explains a cultural difference between the UK and Germany that may be hobbling diplomatic understanding. British are liable to say "oh no I couldn't possibly" to mean yes, to which Germans will consider the matter settled at no. Swashbuckling overpromising bluster is far more tolerated in British political culture than in German, which values ...
Heaton Park's Bonfire Event will be held on Saturday, 5th November 2016, from 5pm - 9.30pm. The Bonfire will be lit at 7.30pm, followed by fireworks. The event will comprise of Bonfire, Fireworks Display, catering concessions, bar, funfair and fire performers. In 2014 event attendance was 26,204.It is a Saturday night and it is expected that attendance will be up from 2015. The Papal Field is being fenced off and entry onto the site will be through 3 main entry points where conditions of entry will be enforced. Conditions of entry are: • No fireworks • No sparklers • No ...
'Liberal Democrat councillors in Bury have accused the Government of 'Half truths and less than half the cash' after it emerged that the Government is giving the NHS less than half of the £10 billion it pledged before last year's General Election. Parliament's own Health Committee has written to the Conservative chancellor to say claiming the Government is giving £10billion gives the "false impression that the NHS is awash with cash". The group said that, far from the £10 billion promised the actual figure was closer to £4 billion. The cross party Health Committee says a substantial part of the ...
William Powell considers the issue of the many thousands of workers in the UK who had no vote in the #Brexit Referendum - but who are living with its consequences Quantifying the problem of hate crime Over the summer, I received several disturbing reports ranging from school yard taunting of the children of EU nationals about 'returning home' post Brexit right through to criminal damage of commercial premises. In the light of this, I took the opportunity to ask Cllr Barry Thomas, Leader of Powys County Council, a question on reported incidents of hate crime at Full Council last month. ...
The problem of homelessness in Peterborough has been highlighted in recent times by the terrible situation incurred by residents living in St Michael's Gate, Parnwell. According to the City Council's own response to the recent Call-In procedure enacted by myself, and my colleagues, Cllr Davdison and Cllr Sandford: 752 households presented themselves as homeless to [...]
Tue 1st
08:43
Why the Richmond Park by-election outcome may actually be important for the Labour Party
Several key Labour figures called for the party not to field a candidate in the Richmond Park by-election, including Lisa Nandy and Clive Lewis. The logic went like this: Labour have no real hope of winning the seat, and by running a candidate they risk splitting the anti-Goldsmith vote and allowing him to win. The only thing is, the Richmond Park by-election - despite Labour indeed having no hope of winning it - is complex for Labour. In a way, Zac Goldsmith holding onto the seat is the best possible outcome for them (other than Labour somehow miraculously winning the ...
All the indications are that the UK Government are going to refuse to publish details of the assurances given to Nissan that allowed the firm to invest further in its Sunderland plant. It may be that this refusal is because Ministers are embarrassed at how they are having to circumnavigate Brexit, but more likely it will be down to a fear that everybody else will want the same assurances and that may become very costly indeed. Now the Guardian report that Japanese companies based in Britain have already started to receive offers from other European countries and could postpone investment ...
[IMG: This is Maghull Square in the 1970's but the buildings are still as was in 2016. It was built in the 1960's. Photographer unknown.] This is Maghull Square in the 1970's but the buildings are still as was in 2016. It was built in the 1960's. Photographer unknown. I suppose shock is the first word that comes to mind after years and years of promises, planning applications and false dawns it seems the latest owners of the Square are starting work on it. My last posting on this subject dated 7th September this year refers:- Work has indeed ...
A cross-party group of MPs says the government is incorrect to keep claiming it is allocating an extra £10bn to the NHS in England over the next five years.
Very well done to our local Prestwich Area Police Team who won the GMP 'STARS' Awards for Best Neighbourhood Police Team 2016. [IMG: image002] The team say: "This could not have been achieved without partnership working and myself and the team are extremely grateful to have such great working relationships with you all that has gained some really positive results seen by the public. Our aim is to continue to raise our high standards so that the public and yourselves get the very best from us. Thank you for your continued support and wishing you all the very best."
The Final Days of Trump's Unprecedented Campaign More on the train crash. (tags: uspolitics )
Artistic performance at Heaton Hall: Friday November 11th - Sunday 13th November 2016 [IMG: untitled1] "All involved should be applauded for bringing these stories and the old hall to our attention, because Whispers of Heaton is something to shout about." The Manchester Theatre Awards May 2016 Following the sold-out success of this beautiful piece in May, Whispers returns by special request. For three days only at this time of Remembrance, the great rooms of Heaton Hall will once again echo with the voices of the past revealing a myriad of timeless stories. Two short plays tell tales of uncompromising love ...
A couple of weeks ago we highlighted the chance for local people to vote for one local charity, the Creative Living Centre for the Aviva Community Fund grants. To be fair to all, below are all the Bury projects that are bidding for your votes! You have to register to vote, but you get 10 votes to use how you want. You can give all your votes to one project or spread them across up to 10 projects. [IMG: image001-copy] Voting closes on Friday 18 November 2016 Bury Borough Projects: · Besses Boys Band: Rehearsal Space Improvements · Bury Football ...
