I recently rewatched the Lord of the Rings Extended editions and I had a realisation about Boromir. He is us. Boromir is a representation of humanity with all our strengths and our weaknesses. I forget whether this representation was deliberate or not by Tolkien, so I may need to go back and read the book itself again. But, I have always had a soft spot for Boromir because of his weaknesses and his heroic strengths. Throughout the story, we see Boromir simply trying to find the strength to protect his people. Now, he is sent to Rivendell where we first ...
The fish traffic has gone, but this line still survives. The best thing about Mallaig, in my experience, is the ferry to Skye.
These are just some of the lives supporters changed through Amnesty's 2015 Write for Rights campaign.
Back in Rutland, Lord Bonkers find things are not running smoothly. Wednesday A fraught day at the Hall. First Cook tells me that she has received a better offer from Channel 4 and proposes handing in her notice. I am obliged to up her wages considerably to ensure a continuing supply of her delicious cakes. Then my housekeeper confides that the new washing machine she has bought is proving less that satisfactory. It transpires she was sold it by a little Goan fellow and it has never worked properly since it was delivered. Having a shrewd idea who the man ...
"No God, no ghosts, no afterlife," say the lyrics, but the video suggests a less comforting message. The Men That Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing take their name from a message found chalked at the site of one of Jack the Ripper's murders. According to Wikipedia, they describe themselves as "Crusty punk meets cockney sing-songs meets grindcore in the 1880s." Sounds fair.
The smell of bacon and eggs woke me from my deep sleep. I rubbed my eyes and tried to get my bearings. As I remembered moments from Lib Dem Pint ... Continue reading →
I was contacted by local residents recently who felt that the works to improve the Werrington Brook had slowed? So I contacted the peeps in charge to find out what was going on (to see previous articles on Werrington Brook please VISIT HERE)? There is some good news... Officers at the Town Hall have said [...]
Sugary drinks like coke are a major cause of childhood obesity I have repeated a call made in the summer that Liverpool should not host the Coca Cola Van as it is currently intending to do in November in Williamson ... Continue reading →
Sun 6th
12:21
Labour official over-rules members to insist party runs candidate in Richmond Park by-election
Despite calls from some Labour MPs, the Labour Party will be running a candidate in the Richmond Park Parliamentary by-election after a party official over-ruled local members: News coming from Richmond Pk Labour selection meeting: "Big push to stand down o/ruled by party official. Room 50:50, no vote allowed." — John Harris (@johnharris1969) November 5, 2016 As a result, Labour's candidate is transport expert and author Christian Wolmar, who according to the polling starts the contest well and truly out of the race.
Here's what a week is like for Lib Dem peer and President Sal Brinton, courtesy of The House magazine.
To all those who say "The British people voted for Brexit in a referendum, so Parliament must have no role in deciding what happens next - the people have already decided it", I would say: "Does that mean that when the British people have voted to elect one party or another to be the government, there's no role for Parliament in deciding what happens when the new government brings forward legislation - the people have already decided that this party's manifesto must all become law?" I think this question answers itself. If judges had ruled the other day that Parliament ...
The November issue of Liberator has arrived, which means I can share with you some snippets of gossip from Radical Bulletin. There you can read about: the increasingly desperate arguments used to try to prevent the Liberal Democrat Conference amending the motion on social securityLib Dem peers getting restive about moneythe regional conference that is to be held at the stately home of a Ukip supporter who pays people to kill beavers To read the full stories - and some excellent articles - you will have to subscribe to Liberator.
Brexit means Brexit and Leave means Leave, but what DO they mean? To explain let me change the words slightly... Breakfast means Breakfast So what does breakfast actually mean? If we are having breakfast it means that we have food of some sort, it doesn't specify what sort of food, just that we will be [...]
At the heart of the Brexit process is a desire by many leave voters and MPs to restrict immigration. It is the main obstacle to us remaining within the single market after we leave the EU even though more than half of all immigrants come from outside the EU. Ironically, despite the nirvana predicted by many Brexit campaigners and their assertion that having left the EU countries will be lining up to do trade deals with us, the desire to restrict immigration could prove a major obstacle to achieving those aims. The Independent reports that Theresa May has been told ...
Welcome to the latest in my series of tips and advice for Liberal Democrat members, which appear first in the email bulletin run by London Region for party members. ALDC, the Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors and Campaigners, is a vital source of advice, support and resources for councillors and local campaigners. Included in the package is a WordPress-based blogging service designed specially for councillors and would-be councillors, along with high quality leaflet templates and regular mailings full of advice. Perhaps most important is access to the ALDC staff team and Facebook support group if you have a question. Whether ...
[Originally posted at the SPS Comment and Analysis, 03/11/16, under a slightly different title] [IMG: I] I We are about to see one of the welfare policies of the late, only occasionally lamented Coalition government bear particularly ugly fruit. On Monday the process of lowering the Overall Benefit Cap (OBC) from £26,000 per year begins. Over the coming months the policy will be rolled out across the country, with the cap being reduced to £20,000 outside London and £23,000 in London. Likely policy impacts The lowering of the cap is likely to have a dramatic effect. The initial cap at ...
Embed from Getty Images It is more in sorrow than anger that I review the events of the last few days. And if you want sorrow rather than anger done beautifully, then watch this wonderful piece of James O'Brien's LBC show. He patiently asks why the caller asked for British law administered in Britain by British judges but is now angry about British law administered in Britain by British judges. It's a fair point. Meanwhile, Gina Miller, who led the Article 50 legal bid to the High Court, has received "rape and death threats". The Daily Mail has led anger ...
[IMG: nhs-logo] The Liverpool Echo has the story – see link above Goodness me this a serious issue; our NHS is going to the dogs and we have to fight for it. It's under great pressure and increased demands so the solution is to cut back its services! That's the politics of the mad house. There's already a petition doing the rounds about A&E cuts at Southport Hospital but Merseycare Trust and Aintree Hospitals Trusts are also slated for cuts. If we don't fight for the NHS now when will we? I'm not opposed to sorting out the NHS ...
Maghull was awarded another Gold at the North West in Bloom awards ceremony, held recently in Southport which was attended by hundreds of volunteers from all over the North West. [IMG: The award winning work of the Maghull Station Volunteers on display at Maghull Station.] The award winning work of the Maghull Station Volunteers on display at Maghull Station. This is the fourth time in 6 years that the town has received a prestigious gold award in the large town category. While this award recognises the efforts of both Maghull in Bloom and the Station Volunteers, it also takes account ...
Trump is rushed off the stage in a possible assassination attempt, three days out from polling day. Now where have I heard that before...
