Dear Guy, I have been greatly encouraged by recent reports in the British Media that you are exploring options to offer Associate EU Citizenship to those UK citizens left disenfranchised by the catastrophic Brexit vote. I would like to add my voice to the thousands that you have recieved in support of such a measure. Being European means so much more to me than being British, especially now that my Government is courting a dangerous US President, placing immigration control over cooperation and the Single Market, and undermining my intrinsic belief in social liberalism and internationalism. Nothing good ever comes ...

Posted by Energlyn Churchill on Towards Gunfire

Now there are all sorts of barometers on how to assess what is happening in a by-election and journalists are always on the look out for snappy insights. Today's journalist visitor to the City asked if Labour were consciously trying to lose the election with their weak and largely invisible campaign? Further, notices are now appearing in house windows refusing, rejecting and requesting no UKIP literature. This is a City that faces many challenges, but most of all is looking for a party that can actually address and implement a positive industrial strategy. We are very clear that Labour have ...

Posted by Ed Fordham on Liberal Democrat Voice

Matthew Morris, one of the leaders of the dig that found Richard III, gave this talk last November to a conference on 'Planning Leicester - Town Planning and the Historic Environment since the 1960s'.

Posted by Jonathan Calder on Liberal England

Embed from Getty Images The Bristol Post has promising news: Former Bristol West MP Stephen Williams has been chosen as the Liberal Democrat candidate for the Metro Mayor election in May - and has immediately become the bookies' favourite to win. Mr Williams, a former Local Government Minister, was nominated by party members after a vote between himself and former Bristol cabinet councillor Simon Cook.According to the Post, Ladbrokes is quoting the following odds for the contest to be mayor of the West of England: Stephen Williams (Lib Dem) - Evens Conservative - 11/10 Labour - 7/1 Green - 50/1 ...

Posted by Jonathan Calder on Liberal England

The gov't should not be selling off our green belt to private developers;we need low cost housing built with the right public infrastructure— Angela Rayner MP (@AngelaRayner) February 7, 2017We know Richard Burgon is a laughing stock, but Angela Rayner has been getting good notices - at least from her colleagues. So how to explain this tweet she sent today? The government, of course, cannot sell off the green belt because it does not own it. The debate is about whether local authorities should be allowed or compelled to grant developers permission to build on it. I think we are ...

Posted by Jonathan Calder on Liberal England
Tue 7th
18:44

Day 5882: The Prophecy

Tuesday: This is a version of my entry to the "Britain in 2030" essay competition run by "Your Liberal Britain". But because of their 500-word limit you lucky readers get about 50% more stuff! Congratulations to winner, Lee Howgate, and all the runners up. Now... I feel a vision coming on... It is 2030 and Tim Farron's Liberal Democrat-led government is seeking re-election after a remarkable if turbulent five years. Sal Brinton, elected as presiding officer of the new Senate of the Commonwealth of British States and Nations, reflects on the three outstanding achievements of the Lib Dem Prime Minister. ...

Tower Hamlets, Barnet, Cardiff and now back to London – it's been a busy few days for Labour switchers to the Liberal Democrats: The author Robert Harris ... so despairs at Labour, the party to which he once donated wads of his hard-earned writing cash, that he now supports the Liberal Democrats. Despite encouraging others to join Labour to oust Corbyn last year, he says: "When my membership lapses I shan't renew it. I don't believe in the leader and I don't believe in the policies." The party is "dead", he says, just "a sect like the Seventh Day Adventists ...

Posted by Mark Pack on Mark Pack

I'm wary of criticising other strands of political thought, because generally they all interest me and have upsides and downsides. However, a number of people seem to have convinced themselves that either an over-reach of liberalism or "neo-liberalism" or woolly centrism is to blame for Brexit, I feel honour bound to mount a defence of liberalism, through the time honoured means of attacking something else. As nativists and nationalists erect barriers to trade around the world, I am pondering why they achieved so much support from people who felt left behind. It's an interesting phenomenon, because as us globalists congratulated ...

Posted by Louise Ankers on From one of the Jilted Generation...

My MP, the Rt. Hon. Heidi Allen, recently posted this response to herviews on the vote for Article 50 (she voted for it) and begin the process of leaving the EU. This is a standard response she has been sending out to anyone asking her about her position on Brexit and A50 - and I have to say, one I find woefully lacking and rather confused. Before I launch in to why I think this is such

Posted by Alex Wasyliw on My Electronic Soapbox

As many of you will know, my health in the last few years has been... not great. I've had mental health problems to deal with, as well as physical ones, and between them they've made me completely non-functional. But those ... Continue reading →

Posted by Andrew Hickey on Sci-Ence! Justice Leak!
YouGov

It came as quite a surprise yesterday when the Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, made it very clear that he thought American President Donald Trump should not be allowed to address the Parliament. Of course the Speaker rarely, if ever, gives a personal opinion and remains neutral but whilst the outburst was a surprise and it may not have been the wisest of moves he was probably saying what many people and MP's had been thinking ever since the Prime Minister lost her head and invited Trump to meet the Queen. What on earth possessed Mrs Mayday ...

Posted by Cllr. Tony Robertson on Sefton Focus

[IMG: Instagram picture 7 - logo-less] Action with the ALC - Ten years at the Birchcliffe Centre by Phoebe Winch was written in 1987. The 40-page publication provides an overview of the ALC from inception until 1987. The introduction states: "The justification for this book... no other political party has an equivalent body, nor could have. This is something our political [...]

Posted by Joe Mulvihill on Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors

February 6th was Zero Tolerance Day for Female Genital Mutilation. Mandatory reporting of all cases of female genital mutilation identified in the UK has now been in place for about 18 months and useful data are emerging. However, there has still not been a single successful prosecution in the UK, although several cases are currently under police investigation. A major barrier to prosecution is the understandable unwillingness of girls to give evidence in court against family members. In the last 12 months 8,656 cases were reported of which 5,702 were new referrals to the specialised clinics that treat and care ...

Posted by Catherine Royce on Liberal Democrat Voice

In the last few minutes the South Planning Committee approved the application for a superstore at Rocks Green on a 5 to 4 vote. More later...

Posted by andybodders on Andy Boddington

After Tower Hamlets and Barnet, this time it is Cardiff where a Labour councillor turned independent has now joined the Lib Dems: Liberal Democrat members in Plasnewydd and Roath have chosen a strong and experienced team of candidates for this May's council elections. Former Labour Councillor Manzoor Ahmed has been selected alongside last September's by-election victor Cllr Robin Rea, former Plasnewydd councillor Richard Jerrett, and Cadan ap Tomos, who is the Welsh Lib Dem spokesperson for young people, equalities and the Welsh language... Manzoor Ahmed added: "I'm delighted to have been welcomed so warmly by the Liberal Democrats and selected ...

Posted by Mark Pack on Mark Pack

At 7.30pm on Saturday 4th March there will be a Barn Dance at St Nicholas Family Centre, Yate BS37 4LG. Tickets are £8 for adults and £5 for children under 12, with the money going towards making further improvements to the family centre. While you're there for the dance, you will have a chance to see the ambitious new kitchen plans for St Nix.

Posted by Paul Hulbert on Focus on Sodbury, Yate and Dodington

Boy I haven't blogged for a while have I? Well here we are. The sun is shining on the Essex Riviera and I'm sat in front of my keyboard about to write about a man who lives just a stones throw away and who has after over 11 years as an MP has finally decided to put his head above the parapet and actually have an opinion on something. Bravo James, good to know you aren't just a no-name safe as houses MP who will do nothing in your political career but one who wants to show that you have ...

Posted by neilmonnery on The Rambles of Neil Monnery

The Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, yesterday answered a question from an MP concerning whether Donald Trump would be invited to address MPs in Parliament if and when he pays his state visit in the UK. A modicum of research reveals that Bercow gave the only reasonable answer he could: that he would be opposed to such an invitation (can you imagine many MPs turning up to meekly listen to The Donald?). He enlarged that answer with entirely proper reasoning. He emphasised that he spoke for the House of Commons only, that he was only one of ...

Posted by Paul Walter on Liberal Democrat Voice

Tim Farron went to Stoke-on-Trent yesterday to persuade students to register to vote ahead of today's deadline. While he was there, he spoke to the Huffington Post. He was asked about reports over the weekend that Labour were seeking an alliance with us in Stoke. Not much chance of that, he said. How can you have a progressive alliance with people who are not progressive? When asked if Corbyn was keen for a pact, he said: "If he's doing it he's doing it via gunboat diplomacy as I only hear it via the media. "No direct approach has been made ...

Posted by NewsHound on Liberal Democrat Voice

What's this to do with? Each year the Peterborough Liberal Democrats undertake an on-line Resident Survey, asking local people their thoughts and opinions on a range of community topics! One of the ever present problems throughout the area, is speeding. It's something that is not exclusive to one particular stretch of road, and is an [...]

Posted by Cllr Darren Fower on Cllr Darren Fower
eUKhost

Half of all the streetlights removed in County Durham under the council's "Energy Reduction Plan" have been in Derwentside. Actually it is slightly more than half according to the list I was given of all actual removals that had taken place up to October 2016, but I wouldn't want to be accused of exaggerating. No-one has provided me with an explanation of why that should be the case. I'm always assured that these decisions are based on strict criteria, but I'm struggling to find good reasons. Here are some possible questions. I'll leave you to answer them. Did Durham County ...

Posted by Owen Temple on Owen Temple & Margaret Nealis

Consultation on the ideas about a Public Space Protection Order – Dog Control (PSPO). The link above is to a document produced by Sefton Council on this subject. The consultation runs from 15th February till 1st April 2017. Dog control is a serious issue but like many things in life it is the activities of the minority that cause those in power to consider moves that in this case will clearly restrict the activities of the many considerate dog owners. I don't have a dog myself so have no axe to grind here (although fouling of pavements and public ...

Posted by Cllr. Tony Robertson on Sefton Focus

Whether we like it or not, an automated workforce is coming. The question is how do we approach it? It's predicted that by 2020 robots will replace 5 million jobs in the US alone. We cannot shy away from this issue. We need a clear position on this, and one which we shout about so the public know what it is. There seems to be only two options offered by the two other parties (universal basic income, that nightmare that won't die) and to erode workers' rights so that only big businesses will benefit from it. We need to offer ...

Posted by Matthew Phillips on Liberal Democrat Voice

In May, eight "Metro Mayors" will be elected across England. Whilst the precise details vary between authority areas, each mayor will inherit a city deal providing them with money and powers over infrastructure development in an area covering multiple local authorities. Given the generally urban nature of most of the areas it is anticipated that Labour will win many of these. (Although given recent results in Sunderland and Rotherham such old certainties no longer feel quite so axiomatic.) In the "West of England" area, though, we anticipate the fight will be between us and the Tories. The area covered by ...

Posted by Andrew Brown on Liberal Democrat Voice

Very detailed nationwide brexit voting data the report itself is interesting - although watch out for some fluent bullshit from Dominic Cummings - but politics geeks will want to download the raw data (link at the end) Election Data has done a clickable map of the brexit voting data. 4 wards where remain won in Calderdale; Brighouse depressingly leave :( Smart Glasses work out what you're looking at and focus on it they're not the prettiest, but doubtless this will change Misogynoir in full effect at Harrods FFS 97 companies suing Trump over Muslim ban and in along all the ...

Last Wednesday (1 February 2017) was the regular 'Full Council' meeting of Bury Council, the one meeting where all 51 councillors meet to discuss the main issues facing the area. This was a very busy meeting of the Council, with a full public gallery – mostly people concerned about the proposals in the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework to build 12,500 new houses in Bury, including many on green belt land. Because of the number of members of the pubic there, we proposed that on this occasion we move straight to the debates on motions, rather than the usual 90 minutes ...

Posted by timpickstone on Tim Pickstone

During the 2010-2015 parliament, Ed Miliband's Labour was in the slightly uncomfortable position of wishing the Coalition's cuts bit hard enough to get people to reconsider their vote last time around; in other words, they had to hope that the people who usually support them were in line to suffer enough to repent. But political parties always find themselves experiencing a bit of this at some point when they aren't in government – if the government does a great job, why hand them a chance? What's odd about the current Labour Party's situation is that they now desperately need May ...

Posted by Nick on nicktyrone.com

Congratulations to Stephen Williams on being chosen as the Liberal Democrat candidate to be the first Metro Mayor for the West of England, ina campaign that will last for 90 days up to the election in May. Across the West of England area, the campaign is between the Tories and Liberal Democrats. By electing Stephen, the region will benefit from someone with both experience of local government and Whitehall. The new Metro Mayor will have a range of powers and over the coming days and weeks the Lib Dems will be fleshing out plans to improve the transport, housing and ...

Posted by Paul Hulbert on Focus on Sodbury, Yate and Dodington

Last week I wrote about my fears that liberals are being too moral and ideological in their protests over President Trump's regime. This will simply alienate voters who might otherwise be persuaded – and distracts attention from the regime's weakest spot – incompetence. But at the same time the populist narrative must be fought – ... Continue reading Liberal protestors are not the elite; they are ordinary, frightened people →

Posted by Matthew on thinking liberal

Whatever one might say about House of Commons Speaker, John Bercow, his announcement yesterday, that Donald Trump should be blocked from addressing Parliament has tapped into the mood of the nation. Inevitably, the decision of the Speaker not to invite the US President to speak to the House because of its opposition to "racism and sexism" has attracted some controversy. The announcement appears to have taken the Speaker of the Lords by surprise, whilst a number of Tory MPs are significantly unhappy. Irrespective of the consequences it is likely that Bercow has killed off any likelihood that Trump will formally ...

Posted by Peter Black on Peter Black

Databases containing personal details are honey-pots for hackers, with the potential for sensitive information to end up in the hands of criminals or in the public domain. Hot on the heels of the Investigatory Powers Act, which now requires your internet service provider to store your web history (Internet Connection Records) for 12 months, the Government now wants to create more databases containing highly sensitive personal information. Liberal Democrats did everything we could to stop the worst attacks on individual liberty and privacy in the Investigatory Powers Bill but with Labour support and little help from the media, every significant ...

Posted by Brian Paddick on Liberal Democrat Voice
Tue 7th
08:30

Seabraes Bridge - lift

Residents pointed out to me that there is still no signage at the Seabraes Bridge to let people know who to call if the bridge is out of order. I contacted the engineer responsible for the bridge maintenance and he has updated me as follows : "At present there is no signage on the bridge to advise users of the phone number to call in order to report a fault with the lift. I have been advised that the call out telephone number is likely to change at the end of February, therefore I will arrange for a temporary sign ...

A team of trained volunteers is helping aspiring runners across Bury to go from 0-5k in just ten weeks, thanks to a free dedicated running programme. Designed in partnership with I Will If You Will (IWIYW), the eight 0-5k running programmes are split across all six townships of Bury to reach as many people as possible over the coming months. [IMG: nduuvsefgi83afs1bq25] The ten-week running groups are at: Nuttall Park, Ramsbottom - Mondays at 12pm (already launched) Clarence Park, Bury - Wednesdays at 1pm (starts 8 February) Burrs Country Park, Bury - Saturdays at 4pm (starts 25 February) Philips Park, ...

Posted by timpickstone on Tim Pickstone

The next exhibition at the Studio Church (former Heaton Park Congregational Church on Bailey Street) is another installation by a talented young artist – Rebekah Okpoti. The exhibition is free, and runs from 18 – 25 February 2017. Opening times (may vary): Monday 10am—12pm, 1pm-3pm Tuesday 10am—12pm, 1pm-3pm Wednesday Closed Thursday 1pm-3pm, 5pm-7pm Friday 10pm-12pm, 1pm-3pm Saturdays 10am-1pm [IMG: daisies-leaflet]

Posted by timpickstone on Tim Pickstone

A number of people have been in touch over recent months who are concerned about the traffic congestion in the Bury Old Road area since the introduction of the traffic lights junction at the end of Whittaker Lane. The lights were introduced from Government cycle route funding to improve safety at this busy junction at the entrance to Heaton Park. We have asked the Council to look at the congestion issues that the lights have raised, but they have asked if we could provide more information about the specific times and circumstances when traffic builds up. What we have been ...

Posted by timpickstone on Tim Pickstone

The Government is to publish its (delayed) Housing White Paper today. The Paper is important for our area and the whole of Greater Manchester because what it says around how local councils should develop plans for housing. From what has already been told to the press, it seems that there will be no change to policies on the Green Belt, meaning that Green Belt land can only be built on in 'exceptional circumstances'. Of course the question will be what is 'exceptional circumstances', and there is already one very worrying 'test case' last year in Birmingham where the Government agreed ...

Posted by timpickstone on Tim Pickstone

There have been last minute comments and contributions to the Rocks Green supermarket debate. Love Ludlow has submitted alternative plans for the site. Indigo Planning, acting for the developer Blackfriars, has filed a new statement making clear that retailer will not be Tesco or Aldi. These stores will not be allowed to move out to Rocks Green. Indigo is also hinting that the store will be the discounter Lidl. Lidl have told county planners that they are interested in a store on this site. The South Planning Committee will decide whether to back the scheme or reject the plans this ...

Posted by andybodders on Andy Boddington

Why Our Super Bowl Ad Failed, by Cards Against Humanity Lessons learned! Well worth reading. (tags: pub ) Hugo Award "Finalists" and "Nominees" Just to be clear. (tags: Sf hugos ) Local voting figures shed new light on EU referendum Remain correlates with education, youth, (most) ethnic minorities, Scots. (tags: ukpolitics brexit ) How Trump will save Europe A potential silver lining? (tags: eu )

After the demise of his Beach Boys Family & Friends project, Al Jardine went back to his position of least-visible Beach Boy. He played the occasional gig with the bulk of the Family & Friends band under various names, and ... Continue reading →

Posted by Andrew Hickey on Sci-Ence! Justice Leak!