Mountsorrel station took some finding. I imagined it down in the valley somewhere near the River Soar, but it was a long way from the village and up a hill. On the way I passed Mountsorrel Quarry, the largest granite quarry in Europe. There turned out to be a public footpath heading off into it, with the result that I was able to take these photographs. The vehicles reminded me of Tonka Toys or an episode of Thunderbirds.
This is a story I had published a year ago, the rights to which have now reverted. I'm publishing it here in order to have a "canonical" location if the site that published it goes offline, but I suspect they'd ... Continue reading →
Fri 25th
21:46
Three pieces of unfinished business for the new Lib Dem Federal Policy Committee (FPC)
As I stand down from the Federal Policy Committee after four years, there are three important decisions the FPC has taken which I hope the new committee will stick to. Plus two tips for who to vote for in the FPC elections.
Vote Leave Watch has helpfully put together a collection of the most extravagant promises made by the Leave campaign during this year's Euro referendum. Here are some examples: "Asylum and Immigration Control Bill...The Bill would end the discrimination against non-EU citizens and create a genuine points-based immigration system in which the possession of suitable skills is a key element." Vote Leave press release, 15 June 2016"If we Vote Leave we will be able to stop handing over so much money to the EU and we would be able to spend our money on priorities here in the UK like abolishing ...
Second paragraph of third chapter:No one had been more surprised than Neely. One critic had actually called her the freshest new talent to come along in many a season. This accolade, coupled with the new apartment, made her almost believe she was someone.This was the best-selling book of 1966 (since I read the best-selling book of 1916 a couple of weeks earlier). It's a grim yet unputdownable novel about three women who get into showbiz in New York immediately after the war ends in 1945, and how over the next twenty years, on both coasts and in Europe, their lives ...
There's time for a quick plug for the weekly Cricket Badger email - you can sign up here: "Recently we have struggled to identify the periods that are difficult," said Steve Smith. We can help you with that, Steve. It's when Australia have been batting.
Thanks to Kiron Reid for tweeting this extract from a House Points column that I wrote for Liberal Democrat News back in 2004. As Rees-Mogg did not make it to Westminster until 2010, I am astonished at my own foresight.
Maghull in Bloom News on Facebook Maghull in Bloom was launched 9 years ago by a handful of volunteers who wanted to green-up/tidy up Maghull and its public places. [IMG: The long view of 2016 winter planting down Westway looking from the Leighton Ave junction towards the A59 Northway.] The long view of 2016 winter planting down Westway looking from the Leighton Ave junction towards the A59 Northway. They have tackled many environmental projects since then working with various other official, business and voluntary organisations. [IMG: Taking a break - Volunteers in the courtyard of Meadows Leisure Centre which they ...
I've written earlier about the Sustainable Transformations Plan for Northumberland, Tyne, Wear and North Durham so you'll know that I have reservations about the new plans to change NHS service provision – changes which have been planned behind closed doors and which will have major effects on how and where people get their medical care. For some STPs are a necessary approach to changing patterns of need, medical practice, and social organisation and cost. For others they are a thinly veiled cover for further funding cuts. I am pleased, therefore, that North Durham Clinical Commissioning Group are going to "engage" ...
Here is the campaign song from Angelika Mlinar, Austrian MEP and up for re-election as ALDE Vice President.
[IMG: kingston-office-montage] Yesterday I spent all day at Richmond Park. In the morning I was delivering Gazette newspapers in New Malden. Then in the afternoon I joined our very hard-working clerical team in the Kingston office. I bumped into LDV colleague, Mary Reid, who has a crucial top secret role at the Kingston office, which she fulfils every evening. I could tell you what this role involves, but I'd have to eat you afterwards. It was great to see the streets teeming with orange diamond posters and busy LibDem volunteers. My picture above shows me with the very serious chain ...
Heard this one being sung in India recently. I'd forgotten all about it. It's a beautiful song. The first few lines are magical: When I saw you standing there I bout fell out my chair And when you moved your mouth to speak I felt the blood go to my feet. Great haircut, by the way: Share
The episode where president-elect Donald Trump twittered that he'd like to get his goodpal Nigel Farage as British ambassador to the US, was a stern lesson to the pro-Brexit-camp in British politics – be careful what you wish for; if you get it, it may turn out to be a nightmare. The following summary of this episode and the start of Trump's Transition is mainly based on Dutch newspaper articles: Telegraaf, Financieel Dagblad, Volkskrant, of the past two weeks. It all started with Mr Farage, being the undisputed first foreign politician to be invited to Trump's Transition HQ. Shortly afterwards, ...
Two telecommunications giants are planning to erect a 21-metre high tower on the outskirts of Ludlow. The expectation is that this will considerably improve mobile coverage in Ludlow. That must be a good thing but I am not sure that this is the best site for the mast. A planning application has been submitted by... Continue reading Vodafone and O2 plan a new communication mast near the A49 and Elm Lodge →
Ros was back again, later in the debate, supporting a Labour amendment on a subject close to the heart of Liberal Democrats everywhere... Baroness Scott of Needham Market My Lords, I offer the support of these Benches for the amendment. It would be rather strange if we did not, because the Social Value Act 2012 was a Private Member's Bill taken through this House by my noble friend Lord Newby. I raised the question of the use of this Act in Committee, so I am grateful to the Labour Benches for picking this up and transferring it into an amendment. ...
Today is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. It is also the start of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence Campaign which runs to December 10th, Human Rights Day. Two women each week are killed by a male partner here in the UK. One in four women in the UK (one in three internationally) experience abuse. Whilst the majority of victims are women, 700,000 men each year suffer domestic violence. The Istanbul Convention, which the UK Government has signed but not ratified, was devised to tackle all forms of violence against women and domestic ...
On Good Friday in 1998, something amazing happened. An agreement was signed that finally brought peace to Northern Ireland after 30 years of bitter conflict. The Human Rights Act is at the core of that deal - it helped to build trust, integrity and reconciliation after three decades of bloodshed. Eighteen years on, the UK government is proposing to scrap the Act and risk destabilising peace.
Ros has been a part of the Liberal Democrat Bill Team on this relatively unremarked upon piece of legislation, and was keen to make sure that the Government's proposals to allow franchising schemes for Mayoral authorities were properly monitored... Baroness Scott of Needham Market (Liberal Democrat) My Lords, Amendment 28 returns to the question of an independent audit of proposals for new franchising schemes. I thank the Minister for meeting me in September to discuss this matter and for his subsequent letter. The purpose of the amendment is to provide the House with an opportunity to look again at the ...
[IMG: irc-meeting] Yes, this week saw the last meeting of the International Relations Committee in its current form, as the Governance Review has renamed it the 'Federal International Relations Committee' and given it a perhaps sharper focus than hitherto. And, whilst the agenda wasn't exactly a full one, there were matters of import to discuss. International Office have been, as usual, busy, with work being done in Kenya, Georgia, Morocco and South Africa. Our International officer, Harriet Shone, has been busy, focussing particularly on improving campaigning techniques, engaging under-represented groups and more effective voter outreach. Merlene Emerson, one of the ...
A few noisy, boorish right wingers could not mask the audience appreciation for Tim Farron's reasonable, moderate and generous-spirited message on Question Time last night. As has unfortunately become the norm, some over exuberant brexiteers booed everyone he said. They showed themselves up. Tim was cheered for saying that we need a referendum on the deal. "You can't start a process with democracy and end it with a stitch-up," he said. But it was when he spoke out against Nigel Farage, that the audience really rallied to him. Tim Farron said that Nigel Farage does not speak for British values ...
Despite its rather cumbersome name — the Authors Licensing and Collecting Society — ALCS could perhaps claim to be the writer's best friend. As was announced at its AGM at the Royal Society in London yesterday, over the past 39 years it has handed out nearly £500 million pounds to writers for use of their [...]
So what happened? Resident's living in the Brookside cul-de-sac, just off Fulbridge Road, in Werrington, recently received a letter from the City Council asking their views on the idea of introducing a parking permit scheme. What do I think? Let me be clear from the offset, I dislike the parking permit schemes, as a) I don't think [...]
This week, Tony Blair has done a round of press, announcing that he wants to re-enter British politics. Sort of. Not frontline politics, for as he says, "there are elements of the media who would literally move to destroy mode if I tried to do that". While he has a point about the media, that isn't the chief obstacle to Blair becoming active in frontline politics again – rather it's how vilified he is by the Left, and given he was a Labour prime minister, the Right isn't about to give him a break either. I've reflected a lot about ...
Daily Mail trying hard to avoid saying Thomas Mair agreed with everything they write RT @mrjamesob: Daily Mail trying hard to avoid saying Thomas Mair agreed with everything they write - via @newsthump Brexit simulated in new Football Manager game - BBC News RT @jwsal: Funniest thing I've seen all day and entirely true apparently. #Brexit #Football #Nightmare How much are black ideas worth? - Media Diversified RT @WritersofColour: Black people put out ideas- but who gets the recognition & the cheque?... Instagram Doing parental duty @ Bradford Cathedral Twitter RT @bbcquestiontime: Tim Farron said that Nigel Farage does not ...
[IMG: kingston-office-montage] Yesterday I spent all day at Richmond Park. In the morning I was delivering Gazette newspapers in New Malden. Then in the afternoon I joined our very hard-working clerical team in the Kingston office. I bumped into LDV colleague, Mary Reid, who has a crucial top secret role at the Kingston office, which she fulfils every evening. I could tell you what this role involves, but I'd have to eat you afterwards. It was great to see the streets teeming with orange diamond posters and busy LibDem volunteers. My picture above shows me with the very serious chain ...
After hearing this in the tributes to Sir Jimmy Young, I now can't get it out of my head. So I thought i'd share the fun.... Share
As we digest the contents of this week's autumn statement and the economic forecasts of the Office for Budget Responsibility, it is worth reflecting on how exactly the decision to leave the European Union is going to hit ordinary working people. The Western Mail reports on an analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies which concludes that workers face the "dreadful" prospect of real wages still lagging behind 2008 levels in 2021. Paul Johnson, speaking on behalf of the IFS told the paper: "Overall real average earnings are forecast to rise by less than 5% between now and 2021. "To ...
Last night I was the guest speaker at the inaugural meeting of Wandsworth Liberal Democrats, formed out of the merger of the Putney and Battersea & Tooting local parties.
I have covered this issue before but to recap the present state of the surface of the courts at Sandy Lane Park is poor so Lydiate Parish Council is looking to correct that. They presently look like this:- [IMG: This is the present run-down condition of the Sandy Lane Park tennis courts surface. ] This is the present run-down condition of the Sandy Lane Park tennis courts surface. They could end up looking like this:- [IMG: img] Well not quite like that but you get my drift. In fact the Parish Council wants them to be munti-use not just for ...
Well, we know that Lib Dems in the north east are doing well at the moment. They've had some strong results in Newcastle and last night, to the surprise of many, they gave Labour a run for their money with a 21.4% increase in the vote. Blakelaw (Newcastle upon Tyne) result: LAB: 44.9% (-25.7) LDEM: 39.4% (+21.4) NFIR: 8.2% (+8.2) CON: 7.4% (-4.0) — Britain Elects (@britainelects) November 24, 2016 There was a solid hold in the Valley ward in Tandridge, too, with a 16% rise. Valley (Tandridge) result: LDEM: 51.6% (+16.6) CON: 25.0% (-8.8) UKIP: 16.8% (-0.4) LAB: 6.6% ...
I was recently advised by Environmental Management on the council's Neighbourhood Services that it has identified the following sites for forthcoming capital environmental improvement projects : - Seabraes (south banking)- Riverside (Invergowrie boundary to rail bridge)- Greater Balgay- Hawkhill (opposite Whitehall Theatre to Globe Bar)- Lochee Road/Polepark (Logie Street from Logie Bar down Lochee Road to and including Polepark Road) This is good news and with regard to "Greater Balgay" I requested that this should include improvement to the banking at Pentland Avenue immediately east of the Scott Street entrance to the park. The department has agreed that this also ...
When I first heard of the idea of consent classes to teach young people, although the focus always appeared to be on men, I will be honest I scoffed at the idea. The reason I scoffed is because I always thought the idea of consent was obvious. You do not touch someone in a sexual manner without their permission and consent. That includes the simple brush of a hand against their skin, kissing them and for explicit sexual acts like intercourse. Genuinely, I believed that to not understand that simple concept was absurd and therefore those who sexually assault, harass ...
We Need To Talk About Alek Brilliant on Vučić by @DejanAnastasije. (tags: serbia ) Demographics, Not Hacking, Explain The Election Results @NateSilver538 pours cold water. (tags: Uspolitics ) Probability of descending from Edward III If you are of British or Irish descent, it is almost certain. (tags: genealogy )
