Labour seat. Cause: resignation. LD Candidate: Stephen Thornley
Labour seat. Cause: resignation. LD candidate: Adam Carter. Agent: Colin Taylor 07866 300575. Campaign Manager: Hannah Kitching 07968 412226.
Last month Londonist took us to Longcross, which is the least used station in Surrey. Swale holds that accolade in Kent. It is a strange place: you expect to see Iain Sinclair arriving along the verge of the main road or Magwich emerging from the marsh. You can find the fascinating history of the station on Kent Rail.
By Jeremy Corbyn's standards, it was actually quite a good speech. Pink News has the video here. He was engaged, clearly speaking from the heart. He talked about having saved a Gay Centre from attack by National Front types decades before gay rights became fashionable. And then, in true Corbyn fashion, he has to go and ruin it all by concluding: Our defence of you is a defence of all of humanity and the right of people to practise the life they want to practise, rather than be criminalised, brutalised and murdered, simply because they chose to be gay, they ...
"My experience as a new member has been instructive to me - and extremely refreshing - to get such a warm welcome, whether that be at a local level, through various online fora etc., or from the national Party." Martin Walker has left the Labour Party and joined the Liberal Democrats. Jennie Rigg reports back from the Lib Dems' Federal Conference Committee. The Wildlife Trusts are concerned about a loss of contact with wildlife during childhood. So they have launched a new initiative to make 'Every Child Wild. Lenore Skenazy identifies the four films that gave America its 'stranger danger' ...
Embed from Getty Images Good news from the Evening Standard: Labour lost its overall majority on a major London borough today as a councillor defected to the Liberal Democrats over Europe. Tower Hamlets councillor Andrew Cregan revealed his decision exclusively to the Evening Standard and said Jeremy Corbyn's decision to support the Government on triggering Article 50 had been the last straw.It doesn't usually do to make too much of political defections. Those involved are often facing deselection from their council seats and, seeing them, you suspect they deserve it. But Cregan is not like that. He is young and ...
I'm sitting here in Stoke-on-Trent railway station waiting for a train to London. Yes I'm leaving the by-election – for 36 hours. Handing over the tasks, the jobs, the plans to other people whilst I hold half the information in my mind was pretty mad. And all the people I was dropping things onto, they already have jobs to do. But that's the nature of the by-election HQ here in Stoke-on-Trent busy busy busy. However I'm not leaving for a break, or any kind of desire to get away – I'm off to the funeral of a best friend who ...
At Gateshead Council today I moved a motion calling on the borough's Labour MPs to vote against triggering Article 50 until Government assurances on membership of the Single Market are given. Labour voted against though a number of their members disappeared during the debate. In the end, 34 Labour councillors voted against the motion, none in favour. But they have 54 councillors in total.
As experienced by Josh Dixon when he checked his email inbox the day after going canvassing.
Tower Hamlets Liberal Democrats received a boost today when local councillor Andrew Cregan left Labour to join the rapidly growing local Lib Dems. I have joined the Lib Dems as the only party that is pro-EU, fighting to keep Britain open, tolerant and united https://t.co/b5Yx88ZZdP — Andrew Cregan (@Andrew_Cregan) February 2, 2017 From the Standard: Mr Cregan, 33, said he had the "greatest respect" for his Labour colleagues on the council and said would support them in votes "where it is due". But he criticised Mr Corbyn's leadership, particularly on Europe and said he was dismayed by "what is going ...
I've covered before the great progress Elaine Bagshaw and team are making in rebuilding the Liberal Democrats in Tower Hamlets. Now the local party has its first local councillor too.
She may hold his hand. I prefer to kick him in the wallet!! I've been involved in all sorts of campaigns over the 50 years that I have been in politics. My first ever picket was outside a Barclays Bank ... Continue reading →
Today is Time to Talk Day, when we are asked to talk about mental health to help reduce the stigma and provide support to those who suffer from mental ill health. Tim Farron has recorded a message for the day.
I've been a Liberal all my adult life (having read the 3 major party manifestos from the 1979 General Election I realised I was indeed a Liberal) and throughout that time I have often heard people say things like Liberals are nice people, you care about people and other such comments. Of course I have also heard just the opposite when former Lib Dem Leader Nick Clegg, foolishly in my view, dropped opposition to Labour's Student Tuition Fees. In some ways it was not actually about Tuition Fees, it was about trust and not carrying out what folks thought the ...
During the August Bank Holiday weekend of 2015 public awareness of the refugee crisis arguably reached its peak. In particular, images of three-year-old Alan Kurdi washed up on a Turkish beach sparked public outrage, and a wave of ideological mobilisation. That is not to say that the country did not care prior to this incident, but for many months following that particular fatality social media outlets were awash with vocal outcries of sympathy. Much has happened, however, since then. The world has suffered the election of Donald Trump, a referendum mandating the UK's exit from the European Union, and waves ...
I know that sometimes people wish to complain about having their comments moderated on Lib Dem Voice, because they feel they are being treated unfairly. I also know that moderating comments is a tough job, and you can never please everybody, no matter how hard you try. So! I thought I would devise a nice form letter for people who have had their comments moderated to fill in, to make their complaints easier for all sides to deal with.To: LDHQ Gt George St London From: (type your name and address here, for example: IB Whiny Twatt Orkney) Date:________________ Dear Person ...
In our history we've had a Short Parliament, a Long Parliament and a Rump Parliament. I suspect future historians will dub this one the Pathetic Parliament. They have: set up a referendum not in the interests of the nation but to help one political party try to solve a domestic problem;failed to provide for a supermajority and other safeguards , such as would be normal in any civic organisation which wished to change its constitution:allowed an advisory referendum with a small majority of those who voted to be translated into "the will of the people";have granted the government the right ...
What's this to do with? I've been contacted once again by local residents and dog walkers who have complained about the amount of dog waste being left along Gunthorpe Ridings. Therefore I have now asked that the Council introduce additional dog waste bins and also undertake some pavement stencil spraying, as a reminder. My thoughts [...]
Yesterday I posted a tweet in light of the Article 50 vote in the House of Commons. As I live and was born in Northern Ireland I have the right under the Northern Ireland Act to identify as British, Irish or both. On legal form for the last 19 years (including the last 2 Census forms) I have identified as British and Irish, sometimes having to fill in other when the option was not open to me in the non-Northern Irish forms to choose that option. Well last night the assistant editor of Conservative Home Henry Hill took exception to ...
As we have publicised a couple of times, a new round of party elections is taking place. The electorate is the Federal Board. The following people have been elected unopposed: Registered Treasurer & Chair of Federal Finance and Resources Committee: Peter Dunphy Party Treasurer: Lord Mike German Chair of Federal Campaigns and Elections Committee: James Gurling Chair of Campaign for Gender Balance: Candy Piercy Vice Chair of Federal Board: Neil Fawcett Federal Board Rep on Federal International Relations Committee: Joyce Onstad Liberal International Exec: Jonathan Fryer, Phil Bennion The Federal Board has a new responsibility for preparing a document outlining ...
Thu 2nd
10:19
Why is John McDonnell still pretending that Labour are fighting against a "reckless Brexit"?
John McDonnell was on the Today programme this morning, discussing Labour's position on Brexit. Why he agreed to do this is unknown (Diane Abbott, showing her much greater political nous, steered clear of both the vote and the aftermath), but there he was, trying to make sense of Labour's position on Brexit. He, like everyone in his party's frontbench before him, failed miserably in this task. His basic position was the same one being peddled by the Labour leadership for weeks now: that Labour would vote through the Article 50 Bill because to do anything else would be undemocratic, but ...
[IMG: Instagram picture 6] From the mid-90s: Councillors Robert Aldridge, Ian Yuill and Iain Smith at an ASLDC committee meeting in the NE Fife Lib Dem office.
10 Reasons Why Brexit Should Not Happen Interesting list on reddit MEP holds 'He's lying' sign behind Nigel Farage What a shame that would be "unparliamentary language" in our own dear house of commons Ken Clarke, gotta love him I mean he's sometimes said bloody stupid things as well, but this is ace US law enforcement has been infiltrated by white supremacists also the pope shits in the woods Universal Credit's IT Cock ups depressing stuff Queen could host Donald Trump in SCOTLAND to avoid protesters during his state visit predicts Alex Salmond Alex you TROLL LMAO USA to stop ...
Message from the County Council I am writing to notify you of the forthcoming Highways Maintenance works due to take place on B691 Victoria Street, St Albans. Due to the sudden deterioration of the carriageway surface nearby the Station, it has been decided that these works will need to be completed as soon as possible, [...]
The new Liberal Democrat Federal Board comes with a new responsibility for drawing up and then managing the party's strategy. The Board has kicked off its work on this by creating a working group to draft proposals which will come to the Federal Board and then in turn to the party's federal conference – aiming for this autumn. I of course have a view or two on the party's strategy. So I am really pleased to have my name in the list of the group's members, and to have a great team of colleagues to work with: Sal Brinton (Chair) ...
Thu 2nd
08:49
For our 4000+ Newbies: The Lib Dem Lowdown: How the party works and what it has to offer
Welcome to the 4000 people who have joined the Liberal Democrats over the past month. This is basically a revision of a post that I first did in May 2015 when many joined the party in the wake of the election result (and revised after the Referendum) in the hope that it might be useful to tell you a little bit about how our party works and give you a bit of an idea of the opportunities open to you. If you are not yet a member, read it and if you think it sounds appealing, sign up here. What ...
Speech at Bury Council 1 February 2017 proposing a motion that Bury comes out of the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework process: Mr Mayor I have the pleasure of moving this motion tonight on behalf of the Liberal Democrat group on the withdrawal of Bury from the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework. Members of the Council will no doubt be very aware, of the highly controversial proposals set out in the GMSF that, if they were to come to happen, would significantly change the face of this Borough for ever. We don't believe that what is proposed is, in any way, right ...
I recently welcomed the council's commitment to a proposed improvement to the security fencing at the City Road allotments. I am pleased to note that the work to upgrade the security fencing is now well-underway - see below :
Embed from Getty Images I am very sorry to hear of the passing of Desmond Carrington, veteran broadcaster. My thoughts and sympathy go out to his family, friends and colleagues. I often listened to his regular programme, "The music goes round and round". Eclectic – was a good word to describe it. He always presented an interesting mixture of records, interspersed with his cheery and informative chat. Yes, there was plenty of quiet melodic songs from the likes of Brenda Lee and Frank Sinatra on his show. But my eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when he once played ...
US misfires in online fight against Islamic State How not to do psyops. (tags: waronterror ) The Landlord Octopus, Still Stalking London Who owns London? (tags: london ) The psychology of why Americans are more scared of terrorism than guns, though guns are 3,210 times likelier to kill them — Quartz Availability bias. (tags: psychology waronterror uspolitics ) The human cost of Theresa May's student deportation programme How she used to kick foreigners out. (tags: ukpolitics migration ) Cipher War - Decoding the Indus Script An archeological and linguistic enigma. (tags: linguistics archaeology ) Dublin Airport - Northern Ireland's gateway ...
[IMG: Brexit: There may be trouble ahead] Brexit: There may be trouble ahead So, barring some exceedingly unlikely extraordinary parliamentary gyrations that see a 380 odd majority at second reading overturned at third reading, it looks like Article 50 will be invoked to Theresa May's timetable in March and negotiations will begin in earnest to achieve whatever they mean by "Brexit". Whilst I was a remain voter, and would do so again if asked today, I did so for largely negative reasons: I do find the EU deeply flawed in many ways, but not as deeply flawed as our own ...
Until now the only thing really interesting about the UKIP group of AMs in the Welsh Assembly was the fact that they fight amongst themselves like ferrets in a sack. A number of them are former Tories, one got into trouble for suggesting that the litter problem in Cardiff is caused by Eastern European immigrants and then was made a member of the committee which promotes equal opportunities, whilst another was put in charge of the Climate Change Committee even though his party does not apparently believe in it. The remainder of the group have been a bit of a ...
