It is some while since we had one of these slideshows, but then I am running out of ones I have not shown you. See them all on this blog's Disused Stations label. Later. The above was truer than I realised as I posted this video at the start of 2016. Still, you can enjoy it all over again tonight.
Almost two years ago now, I was desperate for a job and therefore decided to spend a month doing direct marketing. Basically, I was going door to door trying to get "sales" for a charity. I travelled to Manchester, Coventry, and Bradford. It was horrible. It started out in the first week or two as a good idea I thought. My parents thought otherwise. They were the smart ones. It did multiple things, all with negative effects. It caused me to work 12/13 hours plus having to get up early for the train and get home very late... one time ...
Unlike many celebrities, Lord Bonkers survives 2016. New Year's Eve What with all the famous people dropping of the perch in 2016, I decided to take no risks today. I necked a bottle of the cordial sold by the Elves of Rockingham Forest before dinner and sat in the Library with my shotgun until I heard the clock of St Asquith's strike midnight. Only then did I join the Young People celebrating in the Blue Ballroom - 'Auld Lang Syne' and so forth. I am pleased to report that I felt quite well enough to lead the traditional conga down ...
If you're sitting on a boat in Lake Constance, are you in three countries at once? Or just in one? Does it even matter?
The second paragraph of the third chapter is so long that it's almost a short story in its own right, at more than 500 words both in English and in the original Spanish:En realidad aquel día no tenía turno de guardia, pero lo cambió con un compañero porque le resultaba muy duro pasar sola en casa una Nochevieja por primera vez en su vida. Fueron numerosas las ocasiones, durante los últimos meses, en que había hecho guardias en fechas que no le correspondían. Sin embargo aquélla, por lo que significaba para algunos la entrada en el nuevo siglo, resultaba algo ...
Fri 27th
19:23
Segway-driving Nazi who dresses as a druid and carries a tribal spear is arrested on suspicion of pl...
The Daily Mail wins our Headline of the Day Award with this worrying tale. You can see the Nazi in question in the video above. Of course, this is not the first time someone with right-wing views has a shown a fondness for an unusual mode of transport...
Fri 27th
17:54
Tim Farron's statement for Holocaust Memorial Day: We must be bastions of hope in the tempest of fea...
Tim Farron has released the following statement for Holocaust Memorial Day: In the last year, we have seen a rise in the politics of division that is reminiscent of an old and ugly Europe. In this environment, the Liberal Democrats will continue to champion a country that is open, tolerant and united. This year we remember the survivors, who time and time again demonstrate both dignity and courage as they rebuild and restore their communities from the ruins. We also remember the divisive ideas and practices from the past- so that they may never be repeated ever again. We must ...
We know you have been told by Jeremy Corbyn how to vote in Parliament over Brexit and Article 50 Bill but this issue is far bigger than Labour Party loyalty; our fragile economy is at stake and many other things too. Please defy the whips and vote not to trigger Article 50; this is a time to stand up and be counted not to just follow what your Leader tells you to do.
While in 2016 we saw more by-election gains than the previous 20 years, and an excellent set of local elections, one thing is clear – you can only win if you stand a candidate. That's why ALDC (The Association of Liberal Democrat Campaigners and Councillors) want you to make sure you are asking, both within your own local membership but also more broadly. One of our top tips is to draw up your list of people who you can ask to stand, from past candidates, deliverers and helpers to school governors and regular attendees at local community meetings. You also ...
[IMG: Sunday 5th February is the next Visit My Mosque day] Visit My Mosque Day is an annual initiative lead by the Muslim Council of Britain, and this year takes place on Sunday 5th February. The event provides you with an excellent opportunity to reach out into your local or wider Muslim communities. There are dozens of participating mosques listed here (many more taking part in [...]
Fri 27th
14:55Lynne Featherstone calls on UK Government to support Women's Health Fund to replace funds lost by Tr...
I have felt sick to the stomach virtually every day this week as new pronouncements come from the new US President. Already he's damaged our planet by authorising new pipelines, promised to reinstate torture and proclaimed that he's going to build that wall no matter what. For me, though, the worst was the distasteful image of a man who has gloated about sexually assaulting women sitting, surrounded by men, signing an executive order which will ensure that vulnerable women lose their lives. He has reinstated the "global gag rule" on abortion which means that no US funds can go to ...
What's this to do with? A recent article on the BBC website reported that Police in one London borough have said they will not prosecute cyclists who ride on the pavement, but is the decision a good move for safety and will it be adopted in other parts of the country? Instead, officers will talk [...]
[IMG: Europe] LDHQ have written a template press release and letter for local press to use in Remain-leaning constituencies, urging the local MP to vote against triggering Article 50 unless there is a referendum on the final deal. Please feel free to adapt to your local area with examples of the impact a hard Brexit could have. [...]
It has been a long hiatus from blogging. Partly it was that I have had little time and less inclination to comment of a series of utterly catastrophic events for Western values. I began to feel that the fear of the implosion of the West that this blog was founded to warn against had actually happened. The withdrawal of the UK from Europe and the advent- one can hardly say that losing by three million votes was an election- of Donald Trump in the United States are two malign sides of the same discredited coin. A spectacular failure of confidence ...
So by the time I got hold of the book shortly after its release, Trump was heading to Washington and Judis's analysis was left hanging. Continue reading →
In Scotland, we didn't take the national PPB because it is important to get our message across that we are the only party in Scotland fighting for Scotland to stay in the UK and the EU. Watch Willie Rennie explain why:
West Ella Holdings has applied to build a pair of semi-detached houses on Friars Walk, between St Laurence's School and the Bishop Mascall Centre (16/05602/FUL). The houses will have pedestrian access only, with no car parking provided. Shropshire Council's heritage team are insisting that archaeological investigations take place before the development is granted planning permission. In its pre-application advice, Shropshire Council's conservation team has suggested that only one house be built on this site. I am not sure what to think of this one. Generally, I am in favour of a degree of backland development in the town centre. People ...
This week we have had activists in helping from Tunstall, Burslem, Trentham, Chell, Chell Heath, Stoke, Oakhill, Boothen, Fenton, Etruria, Shelton, Longton and as well as all these places from across the City of Stoke-on-Trent we have had a great number from north Staffordshire generally. And yesterday when at the last minute we issued a plea for clerical help in the office I was grateful for those who came – they have us well on the road with the postal vote mailing, but we need more people urgently. But in the course of a conversation with one of the activists ...
Alistair Carmichael gave an interview to the Daily Politics this week in which he outlined the case for a referendum on the Brexit deal. * Newshound: bringing you the best Lib Dem commentary published in print or online.
[IMG: Merseyrail Class 508 EMU at Maghull Station] Merseyrail Class 508 EMU at Maghull Station Merseyrail has once again topped the Which?'s annual train survey, securing 72 per cent for overall satisfaction. This is the second time that the operator has scooped the highest score in this poll. The survey comprises eight categories (the eighth category is toilets, which does not apply to Merseyrail) with a maximum of five stars awarded in each. Merseyrail was awarded the top 'five star' rating in a number of categories including reliability, frequency and reported punctuality. Nice to know that our local rail network ...
Today is Holocaust Memorial Day. Here is an extract from Primo Levi's dispassionate description of his time in Auschwitz: . . . .Schonunglsblock means the rest hut, where there are only the less serious patients or convalescents, or those not requiring attention. Among them, at least fifty more or less serious dysentery patients. These are checked every third day. They are placed in a line along the corridor. At the end there are two tin-plate pots, and the nurse with a register, watch and pencil. Two at a time, the patients present themselves and have to show, on the spot ...
The Anglo-American Special Relationship is becoming the EXTRA Special Relationship – and not for the right reasons. The Special Relationship is based on a shared historic, legal, cultural, and philosophical root buttressed by military and political alliances, a shared outlook of the world and intelligence services which are joined at the hip and just about every other part of the political anatomy. The Extra Special Relationship is based on a shared pariah status, siege mentality and Britain and America's common need for friends in an increasingly friendless world. The Brexit vote has isolated the UK from its former partners in ...
How Torture Works Very Pointed Cartoon I, for one, welcome our new fishy overlord It'd be less disastrous than the humans, I suspect White House drops its 'h' in misspelling of Theresa May's name The Grauniad's theory on this is they were thinking of mother Teresa. My suspicion is it was more likely Teresa May the porn star... [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments
At the 2005 General Election the people of West Lothian entered a new era. For the first time in 43 years there were facing the fact that for the first time in 43 years none of them would be represented by Tam Dalyell. At that election I was selected to stand in the parts of his former West Lothian constituency that lay to the north, including his ancestral home the House of the Binns. When he first posed the West Lothian question, as it became known, about the role of MPs of devolved parts of the UK, I don't think ...
Fri 27th
09:01
Labour is walking into its own death sentence with its handling of the Article 50 bill
I wasn't surprised when Corbyn said he will three-line whip his MPs to vote for May's brief Article 50 bill; we all knew that was coming. However, even I didn't think Corbyn would just roll over on the timetable, which must still be causing giggles in the government whips office. I can just imagine the discussions there before they tabled the programme. "That's taking the piss; even Corbyn won't just accept that brief a period for debate on this." "Care to make a wager on that one?" The government have given over just five days for all of the debates. ...
While the vast majority of us are struggling to make ends meet the Commons Public Accounts Committee alleges that Britain's wealthiest people appear to be getting preferential treatment from HM Revenue & Customs and are not being properly pursued for outstanding tax bills. The Guardian say that the spending watchdog has concluded that HMRC's failure to clamp down on rich tax dodgers is undermining confidence in the whole system: The highly critical report released on Friday examined HMRC's specialist unit, which collects tax from high net-worth individuals with more than £20m. It found that "the amount of tax paid by ...
From the City Council : THE ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 - SECTION 14(1) THE DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL AS TRAFFIC AUTHORITY being satisfied that traffic on the road should be prohibited by reason of water service works being carried out HEREBY PROHIBIT the driving of any vehicle in Nethergate (from its junction with West Marketgait to its junction with South Tay Street), Dundee. This notice comes into effect on Sunday 29th January 2017 for one day. Pedestrian thoroughfare will be maintained. Access to premises will be maintained where possible Alternative routes for vehicles are available via West Marketgait/Hawkhill/Hunter Street/Old Hawkhill/South ...
HSBC has written to Shropshire Council to explain its decision to close its branch on Ludlow's Bullring. Dear Councillor Pate I am writing to let you know that HSBC has today announced the planned closure of 62 of its UK branches. As part of this we have taken the difficult decision to close the HSBC branch in Ludlow, which is located within your local authority, on Friday 19 May 2017. The move to close the branches announced today is in response to a significant change in the way customers are banking, HSBC's continued investment in digital banking, and our objective ...
May is weak in Europe but strong at home More good analysis from @CER_Grant. (tags: ukpolitics eu brexit ) Plight of EU nationals seeking UK residency to be investigated Go @SophieintVeld! (tags: eu brexit migration ) Post-Brexit trade deal with Trump will take years not days, warns former US ambassador to EU Yep. (tags: ukpolitics Uspolitics brexit eu ) The State Department's entire senior management team just resigned *gulp* (tags: Uspolitics ) The Star Wars Death Star trench isn't where you think it is Wow! (tags: sf )
This blog is regularly read by Labour MPs and Gateshead Labour members so I thought I may just use it to give them some advice. If you don't like the thought of voting to trigger Article 50 now that the Government have made it absolutely clear that leaving the EU means leaving the Single Market, defy the 3 line whip imposed by Labour "Leader" Jeremy Corbyn under which he is instructing Labour MPs
SNP 1461 [48.7%,+2.1%] Labour 881 [29.4%,-16.6%] Conservative 602 [20.1%,+12.7%] Libertarian 53 [1.8%,+1.8%] Majority 580 Turnout 26.6% SNP Hold Percentage changes from 2012
We now live in strange times and we learnt today that Trump supports the use of torture. He seems intent however on torturing the whole world. Today his victims include Mexico who learnt via Twitter that their President wasn't welcome at the Whitehouse if he did not bring a few billion dollars to pay for Trump's Wall. Trump's approach to international relations however highlights the dangers
