A constituent called at my house last week to invite me to the red kite coffee morning on Saturday at Fellside Methodist Hall. The red kites were reintroduced into the Derwent Valley over a decade ago and have now become established in the area. I sometimes see them flying over Sunniside. So I decided to call in to the coffee morning. It was packed. And the quantity of cakes would easily put
Judging the Liberal Democrat result in the Richmond Park by-election will be much simpler than it was for Witney as in this case it's very simple. A good result, and a realistic result, is for Sarah Olney to win. But there is a little more to judging the result when it arrives in the early of Friday morning than just that simplicity. First: what happens to the Labour vote? If the Liberal Democrats have regained the ability to squeeze Labour heavily in Conservative-Liberal Democrat contests, that is another important step on the road to Lib Dem recovery as such tactical ...
Lord Bonkers attributes his continued rude health to his annual trips to bathe in the Spring of Eternal Life that bursts from the hillside above the former headquarters of the Association of Liberal Councillors in Hebden Bridge. That, and a cordial sold to him by the Elves of Rockingham Forest. But maybe it also has something to do with being born in Rutland? A report in the Daily Mail today begins: Rutland is the place to be if you want a long healthy life, according to new figures. Baby boys born in the quiet East Mids county can expect to ...
A wealthy woman in her late fifties approves of Theresa May. It is hardly a shock, is it? But because we are used to people in the creative arts expressing identikit left-wing views, Kate Bush's comments today shocked many. Should they have been such a surprise? Rock has been around a long time. Older artists have audiences that have grown up and grown old with them. All concerned are now a bit too long in the tooth to be worried about sticking it to The Man. Roger Daltrey didn't die before he got old: he bought a fish farm. Eric ...
[IMG: mei] I've written a piece for the Mile End Institute on the Richmond Park by-election and how it might change British politics. At some point I may write a generic companion piece to that and many other bits of writing by me and others on 'why this event will cause few if any changes to the way things are'. But you can assume the content of that without me writing it, I'm sure.
Oh dear. Even among the ranks of Ukip elected representatives, David Rowlands AM stands out for his foolishness. But he is right about one thing. Road improvements in one country can help the economy of another. Which is why Britain should belong to the European Union.
Thanks to the wonderful people at Aukey they've sent me some stuff to test. Next is the Aukey Outdoor Bluetooth Speaker. [IMG: img_20161120_184425] This little bluetooth speaker is built like a builders radio, it can take a good kicking and I'd expect it to survive a drop from some scaffolding. The audio quality is what you'd expect for a £20 bluetooth speaker, good but not amazing. Pairing was a breeze with my mobile, however after that it was let down by the bluetooth. I had the speaker on my dining room table, walking through the doorway to my kitchen (a ...
So last week I intended to restart the weekly comics reviews. Unfortunately a variety of comedy mishaps, including my feet swelling up to nearly twice their normal size and making walking impossible for a couple of days, intervened. My feet ... Continue reading →
This morning our Lib Dem parliamentary candidate Claire Young was in Chipping Sodbury with Cllrs Linda Boon and Adrian Rush. They were asking local business owners what impact they thought Brexit would have on their businesses and what they were looking for in a Brexit deal to reduce any negative impacts. Some said they had already felt the impact of the slump in the pound, with the cost of imported goods rising rapidly. If YOU'RE a local business owner, please complete our survey online at http://www.claireyoung.org.uk/business_survey before 12th December. Your views will be fed into the Liberal Democrats' National Consultation ...
Tue 29th
17:44
Prime Minister Corbyn and other things that never happened, eds Duncan Brack & Iain Dale
Second paragraph of third chapter ("What if Lyndon Johnson had been shot down in 1942@, by Robet Waller):The B-26 Marauder bomber in which he was flying, named the Heckling Hare, was attacked on the outward journey by Japanese Zero fighters. Its right engine generator was put out of action, and bullets tore through the fuselage. Jettisoning its bomb load, it turned and crawled back to Australia. Johnson was later to magnify his single experience of combat and use it in future campaigns. He was awarded the Silver Star medal for gallantry in action. There are those who deny that Johnson's ...
Tue 29th
17:35
Brexit cost – I will be looking for my money back from Brexit voters; its their debt not mine!
Surely it is only fair that Brexit voters should be making payments to us Remainers for the financial misery they are likely to cause us. After all it's their project that they voted for and many of them did so 'at any cost'. Well one of those costs should be compensating those of us who did not share their 1950's rose-tinted spectacled view of the world:-)))) Thanks to Roy Connell for spotting this story.
Lydiate Parish Council raised no objections to the plans that have been put forward by Star Pubs to erect a single storey extension and layout of external seating area at the rear of the presently closed Weld Blundell Pub next to Lydiate Village Green at its meeting held on 22nd November. [IMG: wp_20161117_16_16_42_pro] At the same meeting the Parish Council had correspondence from a local resident asking the Council to do what it could to address the eyesore that the pub has become since it closed in March '16.
I am just about to head down to Whickham for the switching on of the Christmas tree lights at Church Green. The event has been organised by Lighting Up Whickham who raised the funds for the tree and lights. Joining us for the switch-on are the Metro Gnomes - see photo below (taken at the Swalwell Community Centre Christmas Fayre on Saturday).
As leader of the opposition in Gateshead, it fell to me to second the appointment of six honorary aldermen last Friday. The 6 were Brian Coates, John Hamilton, Yvonne McNicol, Ian Mearns MP, Joe Mitchinson and Pat Ronan. I calculated that between them they had jointly served 114 years as councillors. The honorary role is for former members of the council who have served 2 full terms and have
When the American constitutional convention assembled in Philidelphia in 1787 to revise the articles of confederation and create the present US Constitution, it had to find a way of balancing the interests of large states with those of smaller ones. The problem was that some states wanted the number of congressional representatives to be proportional to the population of a state, while others wanted the number of representatives to be the same for all states. Naturally, each state preferred the plan which would give them a larger say in how the government was run. After much debate, the impasse was ...
The death of Cuban revolutionary, dictator and hard left cause celebre, Fidel Castro has reopened a debate on his legacy. Tim Farron released the following statement There is no doubt that Fidel Castro was a vastly significant 20th century leader, but even as we respectfully acknowledge this on his passing, we must not overlook the appalling human rights abuses including brutal summary executions for which he was responsible As expected Jeremy Corbyn was among the more fulsome in praise, to objections from progressives: Fidel Castro's death marks the passing of a huge figure of modern history, national independence and 20th ...
What's this about then? At a recent meeting of the Creating Opportunities and Tackling Inequalities Scrutiny Committee, a report was presented to myself and other councillors which stated: "During the summer holidays of 2016, 600 In Year applications were made for a school place. Of these 56% were new to Peterborough (ie from overseas or [...]
Throughout the decades that I have been working as a writer and broadcaster on international affairs, one situation has remained frozen — though maybe "frozen" is not quite the right word, as there have been occasional outbursts of armed conflict and longer periods of civil unrest and its suppression. The situation I am talking about [...]
Back in July, when the post-Brexit world was still fresh and new, I said that a Paul Nuttall led UKIP could become a terrifyingly large force in British politics. What UKIP has done since then has shocked everyone watching, not least myself. I don't need to go through all of the items again – fist fights that end up with UKIP MEPs in hospital and the election of a Tory woman who quits as leader after 18 days – but they are shocking. Two UKIP related things are now with us. One, Paul Nuttall has finally actually become the leader ...
Greater Manchester Councils are currently consulting on proposals to provide land for 225,000 new houses over the next 25 years. This includes releasing a significant amount of Green Belt land in the Prestwich area to build 3,400 homes. For further information on the consultation please visit www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/GMSF Watch this short video: Copies of the draft GMSF are available to view via the website above and paper copies can be viewed at the Planning Division reception (Ground Floor, 3 Knowsley Place, Duke Street, Bury) between the hours of 8.45am to 3.30pm (Monday-Friday), Bury Town Hall between the hours of 8.45am to ...
And so it looms – polling day is always tough, for the teams, the candidates and to be fair for the media and journalists who try and understand the event, pick out the story and filter through the spin and analysis. But Richmond Park will vote on Thursday 1st December and your input will decide whether Sarah Olney I elected. Witney was rightly proclaimed as a surge forwards for the Liberal Democrats and a tribute to the astoundingly impressive Liz Leffman. As I write this Sarah Olney and her team are being tested in the final week for what has ...
World AIDS Day is held across the world on 1 December. Over 100,000 people are living with HIV in the UK. Globally there are an estimated 34 million people who have the virus. Despite the virus only being identified in 1984, more than 35 million people have died of HIV or AIDS, making it one of the most destructive pandemics in history. [IMG: fact-images5] Today, scientific advances have been made in HIV treatment, there are laws to protect people living with HIV and we understand so much more about the condition. Despite this, each year in the UK around 6,000 ...
This $1,500 Toaster Oven Is Everything That's Wrong With Silicon Valley Design "Instead of teaching ourselves to cook, we're teaching a machine to cook. And while that might make a product more valuable in the long term for a greater number of users, it's inherently less valuable to us as individuals" (tags: cooking internet ) A letter to all political parties in Westminster The Equality and Human Rights Commission on the rise of hate post-referendum. (tags: brexit ukpolitics ) Miami Herald's obituary of Fidel Castro Fascinating, but long. (tags: death cuba ) The Electoral College Wasn't Meant to Overturn Elections ...
Information from the Bury Directory: We all love the romantic notion of snow, but when it comes to driving, it can be troublesome. Stay Safe this winter with helpful hints and tips on winter driving: www.theburydirectory.co.uk/winterdriving [IMG: unnamed] Adverse weather can have a severe impact on traffic and create an environment that is simply not safe to drive in, so drivers need to be ready to alter their travel arrangements. If the weather is too severe then you should not travel at all. Drivers can prepare themselves for sudden changes by checking their vehicle regularly and carrying a winter driving ...
11 December 2016, 10am - 4pm The perfect place to find a place to find that unique festive gift! Showcasing local retailers, designers, crafts and gifts with great food, drink and family entertainment! FREE entry with charitable donation to SuperJosh. 0161 253 7227. www.facebook.com/events/301426460206189/ [IMG: screen-shot-2016-11-29-at-05-07-58]
3 December 2016, 10am - 4pm – Philips Park Volunteer Action, The Barn Countryside Centre, Philips Park: Clearing paths around the Formal Garden, trimming box hedge, cutting back bramble. Our agreement with Bury Council to manage The Barn includes monthly task sessions. There is always other work to do if you don't fancy the main task and you don't have to work the whole day. Bring a packed lunch if staying all day, but drinks and biscuits are provided. Contact David Dutton 0161 705 1298. If attending please text Rob on 07749 042 325. Next dates: 8 January, 10am - ...
