Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor Susan Kramer responding to the rise in inflation announced today, said: "You can't have a hard Brexit and affordable prices. "This is proof that the British public are paying the price for Theresa May's decision to take Britain out of the Single Market, which is causing a Brexit squeeze. With the pound falling in value by 18% since the referendum, the price of imports have shot up and broken the official target. "Worst of all, the dramatic leap in food prices is hitting the poorest the most, with some producers also reducing package sizes, meaning the ...
Wikipedia explains the trolley problem: The trolley problem is a thought experiment in ethics. The general form of the problem is this: There is a runaway trolley barreling down the railway tracks. Ahead, on the tracks, there are five people tied up and unable to move. The trolley is headed straight for them. You are standing some distance off in the train yard, next to a lever. If you pull this lever, the trolley will switch to a different set of tracks. However, you notice that there is one person on the side track. You have two options: Do nothing, ...
Embed from Getty Images "For some time there has been a gap in the market on the centre-ground of politics," wrote Rachel Sylvester behind The Times paywall this morning: Tory modernisers hoped they could seize this territory and Labour moderates contemplating forming a new party to occupy it. Perhaps, though, the hole will be filled by the Lib Dems.As evidence she offers our recent successes in council by-elections and are growing membership: Many new recruits are former Labour supporters, who are disillusioned with the direction in which Mr Corbyn is taking the party, especially over Europe. A recent "action day" ...
Harper Gardens is a small public space sandwiched between the A6 Pride Parkway flyover and Siddals Road. Not much larger than many suburban gardens, it's somewhere I usually pass without a second thought on my regular walks between the office and the city centre. But today I noticed the lovely flowering cherry tree in the north-eastern corner of the plot ... The post The Mysterious Harper Gardens, Derby appeared first on ten pence piece.
Embed from Getty Images Have you ever thought that what Parliament really needs is a few more Alice in Wonderland references? This afternoon the Scottish Parliament started a two day debate on whether to call for a Section 30 order, the device that would enable them to hold a second independence referendum. Theresa May has said that "now is not the time" in much the same tone of voice as she said "brexit means brexit." It's funny, because, as Lib Dem MSP Mike Rumbles pointed out today, they've managed to clear 2 days of parliamentary time for this (although the ...
Sadly I cannot find a video of my speech on Associate Citizenship of the European Union, so am posting my speech below. I was delighted to support this motion put forward by Young Liberals, Beaconsfield, Derby and Wycombe Liberal Democrats. The motion was moved by Henry Jones and summated by Thomas Bull. "Conference, we can... Read More Associate Citizenship of the European Union
We reported on the Conference rally the other night. Now you can watch the whole thing here. See Sarah Olney thank her helpers and talk about why she joined the party and is fighting Brexit. See Nick Clegg take apart the Brexiteers' case and warn of the populists undermining the checks on their power. See Jackie Pearcey tell us why we should go to Manchester Gorton to help her. See Hina Malik talk about her passion for dives it and how Simon Hughes and Nick Clegg persuaded her to join the party. Finally, Tim Farron, after the obligatory pops at ...
Just to let residents know about recent planning application in your area. Please just let me know if you have any queries. [IMG: Open for Comment] 17 Holyrood Grove, Prestwich, Manchester, M25 1PG Ref. No: 61156 Single storey extensions to front and side [IMG: Open for Comment] 514 Bury Old Road, Prestwich, Manchester, M25 3DF Ref. No: 61108
Senior Liberal Democrats have been commenting on the inflation rise today. I have to say that although 0.5% in a month is a lot, it feels like so much more. The prices of so much of my supermarket shop seems to have gone up by a lot more. In Scorland, our Economy spokesperson Carolyn Caddick said: Rising inflation shows that the British public are paying the price for Theresa May's decision to take Britain out of the Single Market. With the pound falling in value by 18% since the referendum, the price of imports have shot up and broken the ...
Northern Ireland Liberal Democrats Chair Stephen Glenn writes about the death of the former Deputy First Minister Today was a day that all of us involved in Northern Irish politics had seen coming since the announcement in December that Martin McGuinness was cancelling a trip to China because of health reasons. When we last saw...
After a couple of days sightseeing in York, one of England's most spectacular cities, I want to report back on the Liberal Democrats' conference held there over the weekend. It ended with the traditional rallying cry from the party leader Tim Farron. He spelled out a bold strategy for the party: to replace Labour as ... Continue reading The Lib Dems hope that Britain goes Dutch →
It was good to welcome pupils from Waterloo Primary School to Bootle Town Hall. We have a well organised tour for young people including a quiz and a question and answer session. The pupils were drawn from the School Council, Eco champions and anti-bullying leads. I always find that primary school youngsters are the most inquisitive. They ask the questions that come into their head. This makes for a much more interesting and challenging time. As part of the quiz they have to identify things in the Council Chamber. To their credit this group out performed the question setter. When ...
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Brian Paddick writes...A government without a moral compass was always going to end up on the rocks.
Like a dog that has been let off the lead after five years under Lib Dem restraint, this Conservative government is all over the place with its legislative programme and that's before we even start on Brexit. To add to the list of obnoxious new laws such as the new offence of 'driving while being a suspected illegal immigrant' and giving the police unfettered access to innocent people's web histories, the Tories have waded into the swamp of online pornography and they are completely out of their depth. The Digital Economy Bill, another universal answer to everything they couldn't get ...
Thrax was sharp and distinctive: replete in his fine scalar armour an authentic steel helmet, a local wool cloak and a girded flat sword that cuts and thrusts, which marked him... as he spoke, to advocate a world-view long gone save for fragments – of stone and mosaic, of formative concepts and habits of thought; to sketch lives [...]
So the hard left maverick George Galloway chose the ultra right Westmonster website set up by UKIP donor Arron Banks to tell anyone who would listen that he's be standing in the Manchester Gorton by-election. Tim Farron reckons that makes a Lib Dem win more likely. While George Galloway won't pick up enough votes to win, he clearly will take a number of votes from Labour. That increases our chances of winning as the only party that can beat Labour in Manchester Gorton. George Galloway is a divisive, hard left campaigner of the old school and an ardent supporter of ...
We woke this morning to the news that the former Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness had died. There is no doubt that he was a significant figure in the peace process. It was quite incredible for me to see him as part of the power-sharing executive after my childhood had been punctuated with disturbing news reports from Northern Ireland. I can't underestimate how unachievable the current peace seemed to be at that time. It was a remarkable achievement which took a great deal of international effort. It's one of the things that we can be rightly proud of ...
Theresa May was in Wales this week, talking of "our precious union." I imagine she is genuine in her wish to maintain the United Kingdom, if for no other reason than avoiding her place in history as its last prime minister. Enough of my cynicism. Better we assume history's verdict is not her prime motivating factor. That it is indeed "our precious union." Embed from Getty Images I wonder though if Mrs May's proclaimed dedication to the UK is held with the same conviction and commitment by her hard-Right colleagues. If the presence of the 56 SNP MPs in the ...
In a world of so much ridiculous news, for instance when the leader of the Labour Party thinks it's a good idea after a fight with his own MPs to make a video in which he makes light of the incident, a piece of visual entertainment in which he also says that Labour MPs shouldn't go on and on about internal party battles, all while making a video in which he as a Labour MP talks about nothing but internal Labour Party battles, you'd think nothing would be ridiculous enough to stand out. But every once in a while, something ...
Embed from Getty Images We all know about the announcement from Nicola Sturgeon. Some have written here in support of Liberal Democrat leadership figures maintaining a staunch unionist position, to the extent of wishing to block an independence referendum in the first place. Others have written in support of the Liberal Democrats crossing the divide and actively backing Scottish independence this time around. I have made no secret of the fact that in 2014 I was a reluctant Yes voter. I am also open about the fact that in the next referendum, the only thing that will have changed for ...
Joe Harmer. The first of many new and vibrant members of the Liverpool Lib Dems who will be taking seats from Labour on the council. The Lib Dems have adopted Joe Harmer as our candidate for the bye-election for the ... Continue reading →
The joke on Twitter is that the clocks go forward an hour on Sunday 26th March but then go back 60 years on Wednesday 29th March. And that is how it feels as Theresa May announces that she is going to invoke article 50 and commence the Brexit process on that date. According to the Guardian, European sources have made clear that Britain could be forced to wait until June to embark on formal talks. Theresa May has made it known that she wants to leave the single market which will be a disaster for the United Kingdom's economy in ...
For some time we've had a worrying amount of motorbike and scooter thefts. Often they're used to undertake further crimes. To deter this Lib Dems in East Dulwich ward have organised funding for free motorbike ground anchors to be installed in front gardens and side returns. If you would like a free motorbike ground anchor to really deter your precious motorbike or scooter being stolen contact me via cllrjamesbarber@gmail.com I send you a consent form to get an initial site survey and assuming no snags you get a free ground anchor. Over to you – if you don't have a ...
Despite the imminent election, which usually leads to a halt on policy statements,[1] Shropshire Council yesterday issued a draft leisure strategy. There is good news for Ludlow and for Bishop's Castle, whose leisure centres will continue to be supported by Shropshire Council, along with those in Shrewsbury, Oswestry, Bridgnorth and Market Drayton. Plans to close leisure centres or offload them onto communities have been controversial from the outset. In the south of the county, residents have campaigned to save leisure facilities in Church Stretton and Bishop's Castle. In Ludlow, we learnt some time ago that Shropshire Council would continue to ...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-39264769 The BBC has the story on its web site – see link above We often come across conflict of interest stories these days but what I can't get my head around is why such conflicts are not as obvious to the person involved in the matter as they are to the rest of us. With thanks to Roy Connell for the lead to this posting.
BBC One will air a six-part series, 'Our Friend Victoria', dedicated to Prestwich-born Victoria Wood. ' Shane Allen, controller, BBC Comedy Commissioning, said: "Victoria was unparalleled in what she achieved as a creator, writer, character actress, sketch and sitcom performer, director, singer, songwriter and stand-up - she did the lot with a unique humour and a broad appeal common touch. The series is produced by Phil McIntyre Television and will air in April on BBC One. Full Story Bury Times.
A Brexit lexicon A to Z. (tags: brexit eu ukpolitics ) What File 770 readers nominated for the Hugo Awards in the short fiction categories Fascinating! (tags: sf hugos ) A new definition would add 102 planets to our solar system — including Pluto Reopening the can of worms! (tags: astronomy )
