I thought about saying "secret patterns" or "mysterious patterns" in the title, but that'd be a lie: they're just mostly unknown! So let's talk about tactile paving, about design, about accessibility, and about those bumpy bits that you stand on when you're crossing a British street.
The report of the independent enquiry into Bristol's year as European Green Capital is a big disappointment. In fact it could be described as limewash, covering over the cracks in the financial credibility of the council and the company it set up to deliver the programme of events in 2015. It was a year ago [...]
I've not been at my most mentally well the last few days — and given Trump's nuclear posturing, my occasional suicidal ideation has started to feel more like wanting to leave early to avoid the rush (don't worry, not going ... Continue reading →
House-builder Persimmon held a consultation this evening in Lobley Hill Community Centre about their plans for 550 executive houses on land to the south of Whickham Highway. I attended the event with Lib Dem campaigner Kevin McClurey and Cllr Peter Maughan. We fought the battle to keep the area in the greenbelt but Labour used their majority on Gateshead Council in 2015 to push through the
I technically have a Skype account. I've only used it once, for a podcast I did with Phil Sandifer and Jack Graham two years ago, because Skype doesn't play well with GNU/Linux, but it exists. It's apparently been spamming people, ... Continue reading →
So the resignation of Martin McGuinness as Deputy First Minster this evening has sparked all sorts of accusations from the DUP. Arlene Foster now totally unable to speak for her ministerial office has said: "Let me make it clear the DUP will always defend unionism and stand up for what is best for Northern Ireland....
Released in 1955, The Night of the Hunter was the only film directed by the great British actor Charles Laughton. And it is a masterpiece. Here, many years on, members of the cast and crew reminisce about its making. The Night of the Hunter was based on a novel of the same name by the American author Davis Grubb. The shining gothic mood of the film comes straight from it.
Our fifth update from this season's LDV Fantasy Football League. Congratulations to Andrew Hydon and Judith Dickinson, our joint Managers of the Month for December. Respectively, their The Treble C's and Willy Fogg's X1 each scored an impressive 387 points, just edging out last month's winner, Ashley Day's The Zaha Men (383). Here's the overall league table: There are 199 players in total and you can still join the league by clicking here. * Stephen was Editor (and Co-Editor) of Liberal Democrat Voice from 2007 to 2015, and writes at The Collected Stephen Tall.
Second paragraph of third chapter: This chapter concentrates on the death date, the date after which>/i> Proto-Indo-European must have ceased to exist. But it helps to begin by considering how long a period probably preceded that. Given that the time between the birth and death dates of Proto-Indo-European could not have been infinite, precisely how long a time was it? Do languages, which are living, changing things, have life expectancies? My attention was drawn to this by a very positive review from none other than Lois McMaster Bujold back in 2009 on her Myspace blog (the review is now lost, ...
Mon 9th
14:54
LibLink: Tim Farron - "As Millwall's crisis shows, football is about far more than just sport"
Embed from Getty Images It's not often that a senior Lib Dem is quoted in the Sports pages (Ming Campbell excepted). But today Tim Farron has been explaining his concern about the decision of Lewisham Council to compulsory purchase Millwall's land. He is quoted: Football clubs are a crucial part of British society and are at the heart of our communities. I know how heartbreaking it would be for Millwall's fans and the local community if their club was forced to move against their wishes. The details of this case seem quite extraordinary and I hope that the council don't ...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38486907 The BBC has the story on its web site – see link above When I saw the list of Garden Villages to be developed obviously Halsnead in Merseyside jumped out at me and I have to confess that despite living on Merseyside for 48 years and travelling all over it this name had never been on my radar at all. A quick Google search brought up a primary school and a caravan park near Whiston in Knowsley Borough where the M57 and M62 Motorways intersect. Then old chum Keith found a link to the document below on Knowsley Council's ...
Today, ALDE Group leader, Guy Verhofstadt, sent a letter to Greek Prime Minister, Alexis Tsipras, ahead of tomorrow's hearing of the Greek Supreme Court on the case of eight Turkish army officers who sought asylum in Greece, following the failed military coup last year. The Supreme Court could decide to extradite the soldiers. In the ... Continue reading Verhofstadt Tells Tsipras:'Follow European Principles in Turkish Officers Case'
I went canvassing yesterday for a local council by-election and was struck by two things. Firstly, the revival of the Lib Dem vote was strong and of course, from my point of view, most welcome. But what really stood out was the the position of the Labour Party and it was not good news for them! Yes of course I came across a few tribal Labour voters who have voted Labour all their lives and will continue to do so no matter what Labour stands for. I suppose you categorise them as Labour's right wing. Most of them will not ...
Speaking in response to Ruth Davidson's interview with Good Morning Scotland this morning, Scottish Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Alistair Carmichael MP said: "Ruth Davidson's party is responsible for the Brexit muddle and if Ruth Davidson has any influence she must sort it out and she must prevent a hard Brexit. "Every time Theresa May talks ... Continue reading Carmichael Tells Davidson: 'You're Responsible For Brexit Muddle'
Responding to Nicola Sturgeon's interview with STV today in which she ruled out having an independence referendum in 2017, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said: "This is a statement of the blindingly obvious. Of course there was not going to be an independence referendum this year. It took years to prepare for the last ... Continue reading Rennie Slams Sturgeon on Referendum – Again
Embed from Getty Images In the face of Brexit and a Trump Presidency, our communities face a period of crisis and uncertainty. We therefore must continue to focus attention on supporting and improving school's here in the UK so that our young people are as well-equipped as possible to adapt to this rapidly changing world. Aside from the distracting nonsense of Grammar Schools, the Government is pursuing ambitious reforms to the national schools' funding formula. The second stage of their consultation was published on 14th December and, having campaigned for such reforms for several years, there are many aspects that ...
There is much buzz in Westminster today surrounding Theresa May's interview with Sophy Ridge. Many of the more Eurosceptic news outlets reported that the prime minister had ruled out Britain remaining in the single market; others got a different impression. Let's go to the transcript of what Theresa May actually said: "Anybody who looks at this question of free movement and trade as a sort of zero sum game is approaching it in the wrong way. I'm ambitious for what we can get for the UK in terms of our relationship with the European Union because I also think that's ...
Another historic Ludlow bridge has been damaged. On Friday, a blue vehicle whacked into the north parapet of Ledwyche Bridge, a Grade II listed bridge on Squirrel Lane. Is it too much to ask drivers to respect the historic environment they are driving through? The current Ledwyche Bridge was built in the nineteenth century and links Ludford and Bitterley parishes across Ledwyche Brook. It has a single-span arch and is built of rubble stone, ashlar and brick. Images © Copyright Ian Capper reused under Creative Commons Licence On Friday, 7 January, the north parapet was hit hard by a vehicle. ...
Shetland MSP Tavish Scott has today slammed the Scottish Government as it was forced to admit that no one made the case for abolishing the board of Highlands & Islands Enterprise. In response to a Scottish Liberal Democrat freedom of information request seeking a list of individuals or organisations who had made the case for ... Continue reading Scott: 'No Case' For Abolishing Highlands & Islands Enterprise
Mon 9th
09:53The physical network behind surveillance - an extraordinary video about Cornish internet apparatus
[IMG: The path to the beach at Porthcurno - geograph.org.uk - 1298346] The path to the beach at Porthcurno, Cornwall. The diamond-shaped sign indicates the presence of underground cables, of which there are many buried under the beach, this place being the landfall of many cables under the Atlantic Ocean. The small building houses the terminals of these cables. Here on Liberal Democrat Voice, we often debate the subject of government surveillance. But do we ever consider the actual physical network of cables and buildings which underpin that surveillance? Videographer Mark Thomas has published an extraordinary video on You Tube ...
Theresa May's television interview yesterday has really put the cat amongst the pigeons regarding the future of the UK's economy. According to the Independent, she was fairly clear that leaving the EU meant also leaving the single market. Such a course could plunge us into a decade of trade negotiations with dozens of countries, the imposition of tariffs that might cost industry and consumers £9 billion or more, and the departure of thousands of jobs from these shores. That is not scare-mongering, these scenarios are based on authorative studies and on indications already given by the financial sector and others ...
The next open meeting of the Abbotswood Action Group will take place on Tuesday 17th January at 7.30pm in the Abbotswood Inn pub. Everyone is very welcome to join in - they are hoping for as many neighbours and local residents as possible to come along. It as an opportunity for anyone and everyone who lives and/or works locally to get together and chat about ideas, issues and offer opinions about things which are going on in the Abbotswood and surrounding area of Yate. Each year Abbotswood Action Group organises and runs 4 annual Community Events - Spring Clean Up, ...
As Caron mentioned yesterday a petition been posted on the Liberal Democrat website ahead of a possible statement from the Prime Minister today. It says: Leaked documents suggest that the Conservatives are getting ready to take Britain out of the Single Market. Leaving the Single Market would be deeply damaging for jobs, businesses and the economy. Don't let the Tories push our economy's self-destruct button – add your name today and support our campaign to keep Britain in the Single Market. You can sign it here. * Mary Reid is the Monday Editor on Lib Dem Voice.
A number of residents have contacted me concerned at what appears to be the removal of foliage on Hawkhill at the Bellfield Street junction (opposite the Whitehall Theatre) - see above. The good news is that this older, tired shrubbery is being replaced with a new planting schedule that will have high quality environmental improvements from that junction down Hawkhill to the Hunter Street junction. See below and a more detailed PDF of the planting being undertaken can be accessed here.
After new analysis showed a 93% fall in the number of police stop and searches, Scottish Liberal Democrat justice spokesperson Liam McArthur MSP today said that the first ever code of practice, to be laid before Parliament this week, must consolidate the end of industrial scale stop and search. New analysis by the Scottish Liberal ... Continue reading McArthur: 'Stop and Search' Reduction Must be Consolidated
Was 2016 especially dangerous for celebrities? An empirical analysis. - Medium Short answer: Yes. (tags: mathematics deaths ) As a trade negotiator, I'm shocked at Brexiters' ignorance Wisdom from Canada. (tags: canada eu ukpolitics sf ) I wore men's clothes for a month - and it changed my life Fascinating. (tags: sexandgenderandsexuality ) EU Law Analysis: What is 'free trade'? Explained quite simply. (tags: economics ukpolitics brexit eu )
