You've given the liberal metropolitan elite a proper kicking, and now you're ready to embrace a Britain free from the tyranny of the EU...
[IMG: kate atk] Behind the Scenes at the Museum, Kate Atkinson This is the thirteenth book chosen from my #40booksby40 list. I absolutely loved her later historical books Life After Life and its sort-of-sequel A God in Ruins, so I was curious to read her debut, breakthrough novel, which beat Salman Rushdie and Roy Jenkins to the 1996 Whitbread prize — a literary shock which provoked much sexist comment, as Hilary Mantel noted in her LRB review. It's not quite as good as those, but then that's a very, very high bar. Behind the Scenes tells the first-person story of ...
Embed from Getty Images A slideshow of this ancient Leicestershire custom courtesy of Getty Images.
You can join the Liberal Democrats quickly, easily and safely online here. There are lots of reasons to join the Liberal Democrats. Some people joined because they wanted to stand up for our values, of openness, tolerance and unity. Some because they want to help us win elections. Others so they could stand for election and stand up for their community. Becoming a Liberal Democrat will let you do all that – and much more besides. As a member, you'll have the power to change things and all our members, from party leader Tim Farron, right down to our newest ...
Sir Edward Garnier has confirmed that he will be seeking re-election in Harborough on 8 June. Which makes it worth revisiting a post on his website in which he made the case for remaining in the European Union. Speaking the day before the referendum, Sir Edward said: The Conservative Party has built its reputation on economic stability that will be the foundation of our ability to govern successfully over the next four years. We cannot afford to put the British people's hard-won economic security at risk by leaving the EU. A vote to Remain is about safeguarding jobs and our ...
Was Jeff Sessions lying when he testified during confirmation hearings that never met with any Russians, even though he had?
Tomorrow (Saturday 22 April) is the big St George's Day celebration at Yate Heritage Centre. It's going to be full of music, fun and interesting happenings - there's something for everyone!
Fri 21st
20:20
It's Friday, there's an election on, there must be a funny story about Willie Rennie and livestock
You just need to Google "Willie Rennie and pigs" to find the funniest moment of last year's Holyrood election campaign. Well, there's another election on and Willie put the past behind him and went to see some lambs. So far, so cute: In case it wasn't clear we're in full scale election campaign mode, here's Willie Rennie bottle feeding a lamb pic.twitter.com/gDRlwmEI8S — Philip Sim (@BBCPhilipSim) April 21, 2017 What could possibly go wrong? Apart from the odd unfortunate camera angle. It looks like Willie is on as exuberant form as ever. Here he is questioning the First Minister yesterday ...
The Northampton Chronicle has the latest on this saga: A senior Conservative has confirmed she would not support David Mackintosh's bid to run again in June's General Election due to his handling of the Sixfields saga. Former Northampton Borough Council leader, Councillor Mary Markham, also confirmed Mr Mackintosh has been summoned to address the Northampton South Conservative Association early next month. At that meeting, which will take place on 2 May, Mackintosh could face two votes, If he failed to win the approval of the constituency party's executive committee the question would go to a secret ballot of its members, ...
Fri 21st
18:55Lib Dems raise almost £10,500 an hour since election called - more than double Labour's effort
The Lib Dems have raised more than £500,000 in individual donations since Theresa May called for a General Election on Tuesday morning. From the BBC: All parties have made cash appeals to supporters after Theresa May's surprise decision to hold an election on 8 June. The Lib Dems say they raised £500,000 in 48 hours. A similar Labour fund-raising drive is reported to have raised £200,000. Labour has yet to comment on the figure, reported by the FT. The Conservatives have been contacted for details of their fundraising efforts. Lib Dem leader Tim Farron claimed activists and donors were "flocking" ...
The Electoral Commission has launched an investigation into spending at the European Union referendum by the campaign group Leave.EU, it has announced. The Commission says the investigation will focus on whether the Brexit-supporting campaign took "impermissible" donations and said there were "reasonable grounds to suspect that potential offences" may have been committed by the campaign. [The Independent] Leave.EU was the Arron Banks / Nigel Farage campaign body during the European referendum campaign last year. It has already been fined £50,000 for breaking the law over spam text messages. Arron Banks's registered business address is also the address used for 11 ...
My good friend John Pugh MP has decided after many years serving the good folk of Southport that the June General Election is the time for him to step down. I know John has been an excellent MP not least because opposition party members have told me such. And I don't mean in tribute after hearing he is standing down but before that whilst he has been Southport's MP. Dr. John Pugh Lib Dem MP for Southport John is independently minded but then again that is the test of a good Liberal. Show me a politician who is prepared to ...
[IMG: Grant Wood - American Gothic - Google Art Project] Well, er, no. "America after the fall – Painting in the 1930s" is an exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts which breathtakingly displays how public funding for the arts during a depression (let alone a recession) can work wonders. As part of President Roosevelt's "New Deal", the Federal Arts Project employed artists to create visual art works, which eventually included over a hundred thousand paintings as well as many sculptures and other works. Artists who benefited included Jackson Pollock. There were other New Deal art projects such as the ...
Well known local councillor Claire Young says she is looking forward to the General Election. She will be the Lib Dem candidate for the Thornbury and Yate constituency, working to regain the seat that was held until two years ago by Steve Webb. Claire is currently the South Glos councillor for Westerleigh ward, and deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats on South Gloucestershire Council. She has many years of experience of helping local people and campaigning with them to get things done. Recent campaigns have included working with bus users to press for improvements to the Southmead 82 bus service, ...
What's this to do with? As detailed in the Council's budget consultation document earlier in the year, their total net budget for 2016/17 was £163.4 million. Now in recent times, I've noticed whilst discussing budgets etc that senior Tories have avoided mentioning the very basic point of "what we actually owe" – So I thought [...]
Well, I said. I hope You can do what you like But there's a cartel, you know... Marquee Moon: scratch it out, hypnotically bc..bc..bc..bc..bc..bc a soundtrack to a lifetime / in which lightning / struck itself We are in the red box / with our first world problems # shift it along /// # overlay # [...]
Fri 21st
13:48
Soft Brexit Tory MPs who sign up for a hard Brexit manifesto will be responsible for an historic mis...
In August 2016, unusually, I made an appointment to see my MP. I wanted to talk to him about Britain, after Brexit, being part of the EEA and EFTA – in other words "a soft Brexit". My Conservative MP unequivocally explained that he campaigned for "remain", his constituency voted "remain" and he wanted to salvage ... Continue reading Soft Brexit Tory MPs who sign up for a hard Brexit manifesto will be responsible for an historic mistake
[IMG: Princes Parade] I've been mainly agitating in Sandgate, including working on convincing the Parish Council that they want to be consulted on (and likely to object to) any planning applications for the site despite it not being in Sandgate (if a development is outside the Council area but significant enough to impact on it, the Parish Council can be involved). The Council has requested that they are a consultree on any planning application, and have now been informed that will happen. Although the District Council is "in charge" of this application, the County does have a key role in ...
It's not only new members who are flooding in to the Liberal Democrats, so too is fundraising: The Liberal Democrats claim to have raised more than twice as much as Labour from individual donors since a snap election was called. All parties have made cash appeals to supporters after Theresa May's surprise decision to hold an election on 8 June. The Lib Dems say they raised £500,000 in 48 hours. A similar Labour fund-raising drive is reported to have raised £200,000. On members too, the Lib Dems are outpacing Labour: 8,000 new members versus 2,500 new members this week going ...
Here's the spread betting prediction for the election. and remember mine... Tories 337Labour 205SNP 48Lib Dems 35Others 25 Sporting Index have ignored 'others' but this would suggest they expect them to get 19 - a bit low.
Fri 21st
12:06Soft Brexit Tory MPs who sign up for a hard Brexit manifesto will be responsible for an historic mis...
In August 2016, unusually, I made an appointment to see my MP. I wanted to talk to him about Britain, after Brexit, being part of the EEA and EFTA – in other words "a soft Brexit". My Conservative MP unequivocally explained that he campaigned for "remain", his constituency voted "remain" and he wanted to salvage a good deal for local companies from Brexit. He spoke about making sure there are no extra barriers for local businesses exporting abroad. He enthusiastically received a paper I gave him from the Adam Smith Institute advocating EEA/EFTA membership after Brexit. I cannot believe that ...
Fri 21st
11:55
Excellent news: general election voters will be able to look up their polling station online
Very welcome news from the latest Electoral Commission bulletin: In Bulletin 173 we advised that we would again be supporting Democracy Club in their work to provide an online polling station finder and encouraged all councils to provide the necessary polling station data to Democracy Club. This work will allow voters to find their polling station online by entering their postcode. We will soon be adding polling station information to our Your Vote Matters website so that visitors to the site can find out where their polling station is. We will also be making available a list of candidates standing ...
Fri 21st
11:42
After the general election, liberals will have to begin to think about post-Brexit Britain in earnes...
I wanted the country to vote Remain last year. I wrote about why I thought it would be a good idea at length. Alas, the country voted differently. This election gives the Lib Dems, a party campaigning on a second referendum (what amounts to an ability to block Brexit from occurring), a chance to gain seats. How this works out will be one of the more interesting aspects of the whole spectacle. Yet imagine for a moment what it would take to actually reverse the Brexit process and not leave the EU. Essentially, the Lib Dems would have to get ...
KP Hula Hoops v Aldi Snackrites: why it can be tricky to tell the differencemiss_s_b | An explanation of my colour scheme, and a fix for those who don't like it.I posted An explanation of my colour scheme, and a fix for those who don't like it. to my dreamwidth blog I'm Fluent In 5 Computer Languages. Why Can't I Switch Off The Bedside Light In A Marriott?Or, why hotel rooms should be designed by drunk people. Hang out with a hologram of Sir David Attenborough thanks to Sky VROn the one hand, this has had the greasy fingers of ...
Day 3 and already the Tory spin machine in trying to dampen down expectations. Remember - this whole exercise is mean to be about giving theresa may a massive majority so she can pretty much do what she likes in the Brexit negotiations. Yet, now we hear... Which I said day 1 (yes I did) and the saintly and usually right John Curtice said day 2. Oh Theresa #Butterfingers
Looked at objectively, Theresa May is very clearly a political leader who, given free rein, would be a dictator. Her history as Home Secretary is one of increasingly authoritarian rhetoric and policy, summarised by the "Go Home" vans. Since becoming PM, govt proposed lists of foreign workers, forcing out foreign doctors, removing troops from international ... Continue reading Why Theresa May should scare you
Thanks Greg Judge!
One of the party's best ever campaigners has been chosen to chair the Scottish Liberal Democrats' General Election campaign. Alex knows a lot about winning seats from the SNP after sensationally grabbing Edinburgh Western from them last year. Alex said: I'm honoured to take on this important role for my party. We have a great grassroots organisation that is hungry for victory. We have the wind in our sails and a hugely motivated activist base, keen to bring the party back to strength. I can't wait to get my teeth into the campaign. Willie Rennie explained why he had chosen ...
[IMG: [community profile] ] gallifrey_times went away for a long while, but since I've managed an issue per day all week, I think I can confidently say that it's back.If you are a Who fan who wants a daily shot of news and reviews and links to fanworks, please subscribe. We're a bit like Who Daily on LJ (although we explicitly try not to tread on their toes - there was a time when I was a back up for Who Daily as well as doing GT and I still have a lot of affection for them). If you're a ...
Would you believe it. It has been revealed that parliament employs almost 200 EU nationals - who might now have to return to their country of origin after Theresa May refused to guarantee their right to remain. The figures, obtained through Freedom of Information requests by Liberal Democrat London Assembly member Caroline Pidgeon, reveal that 5.7% of parliamentary staff face an uncertain future due to Brexit. Every MP or peer who fails to recognise the importance of EU workers should take a very careful look at their own workplace. EU citizens are playing a key role in the daily running ...
The B4465 Westerleigh Road is going to be resurfaced (surface dressing) from the top of Shorthill Road to Wapley Road just west of the Wishing Well pub. The notice rather alarmingly says that the closure "will be operative from the 15 May 2017 for a maximum period of eighteen months. The closure however may not be implemented for the whole of the period but only when signs are in position and only for so long as is necessitated by the works which are anticipated to be of 8 weeks duration" However the actual works will only take a couple of ...
As I made my way to work I noticed an increased police presence on the Moscow Metro on that frosty April 3rd. A football match? Arriving there, I saw my Russian colleagues scrambling for their phones to call relatives in St Petersburg. A 22 year Kyrgyz-Russian Islamist had unleashed an improvised suicide bomb on a metro carriage near Sennaya Ploshad. The death toll has now come to fifteen, with forty-nine people injured. When in November two years back terrorists laid siege to a night club in Paris, Muscovites lit up their Ostankino Radio tower in the French tricolour to express ...
The West End's Timebank, Time2Give, sadly disbanded over a year ago. Timebanking is a means of exchange used to organise people and organisations around a purpose, where time is the principal currency. For every hour participants 'deposit' in a timebank, perhaps by giving practical help and support to others, they are able to 'withdraw' equivalent support in time when they themselves are in need. In each case the participant decides what they can offer. It is a great, community-based, concept and there was originally great enthusiasm towards getting the West End timebank off the ground. It ran well for a ...
Didn't get a chance to write last night, so at some point over the next few days there'll be two diary posts in a day to get me back on track. Or pressures of work mean I'll just end up slipping even more and this diary continuing on an irregular basis until we reach the conclusion in July. In which case, I will ask for no spoilers of the result until I come to write my post about it. I'm sure that's doable. We're at a stage where we're getting more surprises at people not standing in the election than ...
Fri 21st
08:13
Liverpool Lib Dems target Liverpool Wavertree as they announce their team for General Election 2017
Keeping our strongest possible relationships with Europe and the rest of the World will be a key aim of the Liverpool Lib Dem campaign Liverpool Liberal Democrats have today become the first Party in Liverpool to announce their team for ... Continue reading →
The Liberal Democrats gained 8,000 new members in the two days since Theresa May called a snap election. The increase in members is the fastest rise of new membership in the party's history. The party now has over 95,000 members, more than double what it was at the time of the last general election and only 5,000 less than the reported size of the Conservative Party. Commenting, President of the Liberal Democrats Sal Brinton said: "People are flocking to the Liberal Democrats as we are the only party who are offering effective opposition to this Conservative Brexit government. "Theresa May: ...
As with the timetable for the 2017 local elections, this timetable is based on the one published by the Electoral Commission. But as ever make sure you double-check any crucial dates before relying on them. Even if there are no errors in this post or in the Electoral Commission's timetable, a Returning Officer who has got their timetable calculations wrong can throw a spanner in the works. You want to field that spanner in good time. Event Number of working days* before poll Date (deadline is midnight unless otherwise stated) Dissolution of Parliament 25 days Wednesday 3 May Receipt of ...
Here's Why The General Election Will Actually Be Really Fascinating Buzzfeed's tour d'horizon. (tags: ukpolitics ) An Open Letter On The Subject Of Tim Farron's 'Homophobia' Telling it like it is. (tags: ukpolitics libdems sexandgenderandsexuality ) Hugo award winner Folding Beijing to be made into a movie Hooray! (tags: China sf ) Please Read This Before You Post Another RIP On Social Media. Wise words. (tags: Socialmedia Death ) 2014 JO25 is a kilometer-wide asteroid that flew just 1.8 million km past Earth yesterday | SyfyWire Close! (tags: asteroids Astronomy )
After all the controversy about the alleged hacking of the US Presidential election by the Russians, steps are apparently being taken to stop it happening here. The Independent reports that security measures are being put in place to prevent any attempt by Russia or other foreign powers to carry out a cyber attack during the upcoming general election. They say that the National Cyber Security Centre will coordinate the operation to safeguard Government departments as well as political parties after they asked for help. The paper adds that the real extent of Kremlin interference in UK domestic politics remains unclear: ...
On Sunday, the Deputy Mayor of Gateshead, Cllr Pauline Dillon, visited the Whinnies Community Garden in Sunniside. The garden is home to my goats and they were the stars of Sunday's open day. The two babies in particular proved to be very popular. Cllr Dillon also cut the ribbon to officially open "Creepy Castle" - a wooden construction filled with different materials which are great for
Fri 21st
00:04Two council by-elections, two seats contested by Lib Dems after no candidate last time
A light week in council by-elections this week, with only two Labour defences. Neither ward had a Liberal Democrat candidate last time. Both do this time. Labour HOLD Blacon (West Cheshire & Chester). — Britain Elects (@britainelects) April 20, 2017
