twitterlols: this is the only love story i care about
More comedy genius from Australia's Clarke and Dawe as Scott Morrison, Australian Treasurer, talks about interest rates and growth.
I have just watched a repeat of Frank Skinner's documentary on George Formby, which featured an animation set to his song Levi's Monkey Mike. You can view that animation on The George Formby Society website. When it reached the final verses, I thought of Liz Truss: Now once we had a parliament but it would never go So they filled it up with animals out of a wild beast show. The lion was prime minister, to swank he was disposed They wanted a lord chancellor so somebody proposed Levi's Monkey Mike and he proved quite a good 'un He taxed ...
Today Lord Bonkers introduces us to an old friend. Saturday When the world's cares burden me or I find the pettiness of party politics too grating, I take myself off to Oakham Zoo. There I have a word with the Head Keeper and am let into the gorilla enclosure to share a banana or two with the leading silverback. It is a pleasure to be able to discuss current affairs with someone who has no axe to grind and is able to offer his own unique perspective. More than once, I have offered to have a word with Clegg about ...
"Running around during an election calling large chunks of voters thick, moronic, stupid and a plethora of other names is hardly likely to get them to support you - It may make you feel good, and it will silence millions from debating in public and sharing their honest opinions but it won't change anything when people get into the privacy of the voting booth." Carl Minns draws an important lesson from the US Presidential election. Edward Ball welcomes the opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington DC. Everything you think you know about the ...
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme, which adds poignancy the traditional remembrance on 11thNovember of those who gave their lives in two world wars and in many conflicts since. Across the borough there will be opportunities to pay our respects and to remember. In total I shall be attending eight different acts of remembrance starting on Armistice Day at Farnborough Rd Junior School where at 11.00am the pupils will observe a silence. Over the next forty-eight hours I will attend events in Southport, Formby, Ainsdale, Crosby and Bootle. Some of these will be major ...
I'm not sure that I would normally have ventured out on a cold November's evening to see an amateur performance of Legally Blonde. I am mightily pleased that I did accept Maghull's Musical Theatre's invitation to attend their production of the show. It was a 'wow', so much energy, so much talent and so much youth was on show, not to mention so much pink, even the band had pink tee shirts. I fully expected the two dogs in the production to have pink coats on. (Those dogs were very well behaved and some dog owners could benefit us all ...
There may be some in the crazy world of the Brotherhood of Brexit who believe a stronger link with the USA is vastly more important than good relations with the EU. The result of the US Presidential election should make us all stop to consider the consequences. Trump is a protectionist, which rather contradicts the assertion of Brexiteers that free trade treaties outside the EU are just waiting
I was reading this earlier, and it struck me as very persuasive. Go read it. I'll wait. I think we are at 1913, and all the pieces are in place, and all we need is for someone to assassinate Archduke Ferdinand. Or we are at 1938, and all we need is for someone to invade Poland... We have an actual fascist as president elect of the USA. A majority of Europeans now have authoritarian views. The disabled have been derided as scroungers to the point where the UN human rights commission decries our treatment of them, and most Brits just ...
Meols Ward Lib Dem Councillors John Dodd, Nigel Ashton and Jo Barton are holding their next advice centre on Saturday 12th November from 11 am to 12 noon at St John's Primary School, Rufford Road, Crossens. We will be there to meet you and discuss any Council problems you may have. No appointment necessary. Just pop in. We also hold a monthly advice centre in Churchtown, at BoxTree Kitchen for Queenscourt café, Manor Road/Cambridge Road, roundabout, fourth Thursday of every month (except December) from 10:30 to: 11.30 am.
ALDC is managing the G8 grant process to support target wards across Wales. G8 funding is targeted at growing our local government base by contributing to the election of greater numbers of Liberal Democrat Councillors through promoting early selection of candidates and intensive campaigning efforts on the ground. To be eligible to apply for funding [...]
Liberals on both sides of the Atlantic will have their heads in their hands today. How on earth could one of the best prepared candidates in American history be defeated by a loud mouthed, pampered extremist with no government experience? On the back of Britain's vote to leave the European Union 2016 is going to [...]
Today I attended the TA rally, both outside County Hall and then in the Miners Hall. I listened to the speeches and left when they went into private session with Unison TAs. When I came home I read the council's press release. I simply didn't recognise the meeting described in the Miner's Hall. I heard the General Secretary of Unison, Dave Prentis, demand that the council come back to the negotiating table. The council's press release said "there has been no formal approach for a meeting from Unison." I heard, completely separately, Dave Prentis demand that the council rescind its ...
[IMG: website-pharmacy-pack-image] ALDC is producing more packs so that Liberal Democrats campaigners like you can easily campaign in their local community. Why campaign on Pharmacies? The Department of Health recently announced a reduction of £170 million to the funding of community pharmacies in England this year and it has not ruled out more cuts to follow. It's [...]
I am one of those people who have often wondered why British governments pay relatively little attention to India. After all, it's a big country, with an emerging middle class who want to travel, buy luxury goods and send their children to good universities overseas. Why wouldn't we want to build stronger links with a Commonwealth country that is likely to be one of the world's largest economies before too long? And yet, the attention of our politicians and diplomats often seems biased towards China. Frankly though, after Theresa May's trip to New Delhi and Bengaluru, I almost wish that ...
Let me start by saying this: today has been a wretched day. I'm going to try and get more specific and rational in a moment, but before I do it's only fair to acknowledge the emotional place I am writing from. This post is not about informing, persuading or educating you. It is about [...]
So what's up? Basically, since myself and my colleagues in the FOCUS Team have started delivering to residents living along and just off Manor Drive, we've been told of a range of concerns and issues that simply do not seem to have been addressed by previous representatives of the area, the City Council and the [...]
Liverpool Town Hall where my questions will NOT be properly answered later today Today I have had three questions answered that I have submitted for the Council meeting this afternoon. Interestingly I am the only person to put any questions ... Continue reading →
A few days ago Trump was describing the prospect of being "like Brexit but more". That catches my sense of shock today — though I wouldn't want to take the parallel as far as he does. I've just been exchanging emails and Facebook messages with shocked friends in the US. Perhaps the system will right itself. Perhaps he won't be as bad as I fear. Perhaps he will be as bad as I fear, and be forced from office (he faces a civil case arising from alleged child rape on 16 December). People are right to say that the American ...
The 2016-17 funding round for G8 has been completed for English counties but the process is ongoing in Wales, Scotland and Cornwall. With finance provided by the G8 Committee, ALDC will be supporting between 1-3 divisions in every county of England in the run-up to the 2017 elections. Over £50,000 of funding will now be [...]
There will be more and better analysis as the evidence gets digested, but here are three initial thoughts on lessons from Donald Trump's surprise victory. First, the polls were wrong, but not by very much. The final polls had Clinton about three points ahead in the popular vote and she looks set to end up being about one point ahead. That's a small enough margin to continue to have faith in polls at being able to paint the big picture where margins of more than a couple of points are involved. (It was the same picture in the European Referendum ...
[IMG: aberdeenshirepv] Last week's two Aberdeenshire Council by-elections illustrate the importance of targeting postal voters and using by-elections as opportunities practise and refine key campaign tasks ahead of the full Scottish Local Council elections next May. In both by-elections Scottish Liberal Democrats increased our share of the vote over the results in 2012 in the face of [...]
I covered what I understood to the unlicensed felling of trees off and to the north of Maghull's Turnbridge Road back in August when the felling took place. The site concerned is also adjacent to the Leeds Liverpool Canal I would add. [IMG: Land clearance machinery at work on the Lydiate site disgracefully released from the Green Belt by Sefton Council's nearly complete Local Plan.] Land clearance machinery at work on the Lydiate site disgracefully released from the Green Belt by Sefton Council's nearly complete Local Plan. In fact the whole site is with Lydiate as Maghull Brook, which is ...
I happened to be in the United States during the later stages of the Carter-Reagan campaign of 1980. Until the result of a Reagan victory, which to me was almost as big a shock as Donald Trump's victory today, Reagan had been treated by the "liberal" press as a lightweight candidate, not a serious contender, something of a buffoon. However, as soon as he became President-Elect he acquired some of the automatic dignity that goes with the office and even the media which had been dismissive of him before became more respectful. I suspect much the same will happen to ...
Note from the District Council The Council is inviting representations on its Detailed Local Plan (DLP), which adds detail to the Strategic Local Plan (SLP) using policy text and a Policies Map. The DLP covers topics such as specifying Green Belt boundaries, the design and layout of new development and protecting the environment and residential [...]
Gary Lineker has been coming out with some pithy, relevant comments recently on Twitter, and much like an essential feature of the game he professionally played, the result of the US election reveals a country of two halves. Like Brexit, this result and the corresponding lurch to the right, stem from inequality. Unfortunately, and quite to the contrary of what these dispossessed people have voted for, the resulting administration now has the propensity to make their situation far worse. It is one thing to be a demagogue and stand up and say what you think people want you to say. ...
No I did not think it possible either. It's like just over half of those who voted in America thought just look at the lunacy of those Brits voting to leave the EU; hey we can beat that level of stupidity – so they did! America 'The land of the free'? Well so long as you are a white male, rich and racist maybe but if you are female, non-white and poor there will seemingly be nothing down for you in Trump's America. Of course America had a poor choice for the next President. The Republicans allowed themselves to be ...
Wed 9th
11:49
Corbynistas declaring that Trump's victory means Corbyn could be prime minister need to come back to...
In the wake of Donald Trump's victory, some on the British Left were seeking a silver lining. I'm sure it didn't take them long to find it. Everyone said Trump couldn't win because of the polls – everyone says Jeremy Corbyn can't win because of the polls – Jeremy Corbyn is going to be prime minister! Right, let's deconstruct this stupid thinking, slowly but surely. Let's start with the polls. Now, the polls were incorrect in the US election, yes. They said Clinton was 2 to 3 points up, whereas it looks like the popular vote is going to be ...
Commenting on the election of Donald J. Trump as President of the United States of America, Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron has said: Liberal values of moderation, freedom, respect for the rule of law, openness and concern for one another can no longer be taken for granted. In the United States last night, those values were defeated. But those values are vital if we are to live together in peace, prosperity and freedom. Those of us who care passionately for those liberal values need to fight for them, to win the arguments, to inspire new generations to the great and ...
He may be a thoroughly decent chap. But, to be honest, he doesn't come across - to me, at least - as a rational, deep thinker who has the best interests of his country at heart. Continue reading →
Embed from Getty Images I'm shocked, stunned and just a little bit scared. So I'm not going even to attempt to write something coherent about President-elect Trump. While Brexit made things uncertain for the UK, the US election has made things uncertain for the world. Maybe "only" for four years. But that's a heck of a long time. So a brief something I can be emotionally detached about: pollsters and forecasters. I don't think I'm alone in having spent much of the past couple of months refreshing Nate Silver's 538.com every couple of hours to check his latest reading of ...
Government refuses to guarantee workers' rights after Brexit | The Independent RT @nataliesedacca: Awful but predictable: Government refuses to guarantee workers' rights after #Brexit Government refuses to reveal why it violated North Carolina LGBT boycott over transphobic laws | The Independent RT @joncstone: Government refuses to reveal why it violated North Carolina LGBT boycott over transphobic laws Untitled RT @mihirssharma: Sorry, Britain. The Brexiteers lied: India won't bail you out. Like Europe, we expect migration if you want trade. Permission to appeal decision - The Supreme Court RT @UKSupremeCourt: Article 50 #Brexit case: UKSC formally grants Government permission to ...
Experts and the public need to be able to trust each other. But this trust is fragile. We need honest and frank conversations between all sectors if we are to address the divide in our country. We hope that yesterday's Huxley Summit was a start. During the Brexit debate, one comment stuck in my mind and seemed to resonate with people on both sides of the argument. Responding to expert claims in June that Brexit would damage the UK economy, Leave campaigner Michael Gove delivered a line that sent shivers down the spines of our colleagues in all fields: "People ...
2016 is proving to be the year of false assumptions. First there was the belief (shared by the then Prime Minister, David Cameron) that Britons would vote to stay in the European Union. Then there was the widespread conviction that Americans could not be crazy enough to elect Donald Trump as President. Both assumptions proved [...]
I've never been less glad to be right about something than I have turned out to be about Trump winning. I, like many of you, are sitting here in a daze, shocked by another terrible election result (something that has become a very familiar feeling). But let's try and take a deep breath and figure out what this actually means for the western world as objectively as possible. I look first to Trump's victory speech. It was atypical of him and was notably absent of any of his usual rhetoric. As opposed to saying he was going to have Clinton ...
[IMG: halfeature] There are many ways to keep local residents up to date with the issues Lib Dem councillors and campaigners are fighting on. The most recognisable weapon in our armoury is a FOCUS leaflet which has long been used to keep in touch with communities. A concern that often comes up is that campaigners don't know [...]
It looks as if it isn't just the Liberal Democrats who are keen to remain within the European Union. Charles Goerens, a member of the ALDE Group in the European Parliament from Luxembourg, has suggested that there might be scope for those British citizens who wish to be part of the Union to obtain associate citizenship. He has submitted an amendment to a draft report from Guy Verhofstadt on "Possible evolutions of and adjustments to the current institutional set-up of the European Union", which reads; Advocates to insert in the Treaties a European associate citizenship for those who feel and ...
In every election for the past 5-6 years in the West, we have heard how the people hate the elites. They hate those who are perceived to take advantage of them and leave them behind. Whilst in some economic senses this is true. Those people have been left behind. The economic systems of the World will never be able to help everyone all the time and yes, a certain number of rich people take advantage of those systems. But why the fuck do those people who despise these elites and claim they are not like them, vote for people who ...
I am delighted to highlight the involvement of West End resident Lucia Gomez who is participating in an exhibition taking place at the Tatha Gallery in Newport-on-Tay from 12th November. Lucia is an emerging artist and had work exhibited at the Summer Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts 2016 and the Mall Galleries, London, amongst others. She will be showing some new pieces at a group show at the Tatha Gallery in Newport-on-Tay this winter and you can read more about her work here :
There is no sense me sending this question to the Official Solicitor himself because his view is that he is not accountable to anyone other than the secret courts. The question is why did his representative on behalf of MM (the protected person) argue that Teresa Kirk should be kept in prison? If people remember the case of the Italian woman forced to have a C section when she visited the UK,
Embed from Getty Images It is strange that this election night is being seen as an "anti-establishment" vote in the US, or as an "insurgency". The Republican establishment is wiping the floor of the Senate, the House, State governorships and state legislatures, plus they have the White House (with, at least, a nominal Republican in there). And this will lead to a marked right wing shift in the Supreme Court as well (I certainly fear for Americans on that score). This is the Republican establishment with a stranglehold on power right across the US. Yes, voters (particularly white male rust ...
Noise on social media does not represent the public and only looking at news sources that agree with your views will not give you a good idea what is going on. Running around during an election calling large chunks of voters thick, moronic, stupid and a plethora of other names is hardly likely to get them to support you - It may make you feel good, and it will silence millions from debating in public and sharing their honest opinions but it won't change anything when people get into the privacy of the voting booth. Just dismissing the other side ...
'Oh Man, I Guess We've Won This Thing' An insider view from 2008. (tags: uspolitics )
In 1922, Mussolini and 30,000 followers marched on Rome and effectively seized power. In 2016, the acting leader of UKIP, Nigel Farage has pledged to lead 100,000 people in a march in an attempt to intimidate the Supreme Court into ruling in a particular way. I cannot see the judges in the Supreme Court being impressed enough to change anything, but Farage is entitled to have his say and so are his followers. Interestingly, Huffington Post report that some of Britain's biggest far-right groups have said that they will march with Farage and other Brexiteers in this endeavour. The British ...
[IMG: The tombstone of Susan B Anthony, the great campaigner for women's suffrage, covered in "I voted" stickers] The tombstone of Susan B Anthony, the great campaigner for women's suffrage, covered in "I voted" stickers Back again for another stint, as Caron is still quite rightly focused on Bob, and I suppose that it's appropriate that a member of the Party's International Relations Committee should be at the wheel today. As I write, polling stations are beginning to close across the United States, and, as the end of what can only be described as one of the most unpleasant election ...
