The Government has announced it won't challenge the High Court judgement and will publish a draft plan to tackle air pollution next week, after having attempted to delay the plans until after the election. Ed Davey, former Liberal Democrat Energy and Climate Change Secretary commented: "It is a disgrace this Conservative government had to be dragged through the courts before agreeing to publish a plan to tackle air pollution."How much taxpayers' money has been wasted because of the failure of ministers to do the right thing? "There is an urgent threat to people's health from air pollution, yet time and ...
If you enjoyed the video of the Hawkhurst Branch in 1958 I posted the other day, this one - showing the remains of the line today - makes interesting if melancholy viewing.
Boing Boing wins our Headline of the Day Award. And it has a picture of the cat too!
Nick Clegg gave his first major speech on Brexit of the election campaign today. You can watch it below. The full text follows: I got to know Theresa May reasonably well in government. We sat next to each other around the cabinet table for half a decade. I witnessed her strengths – methodical, thorough - and her weaknesses too – technocratic, inflexible. But generally I found she was someone who would stick to what she had said. So I was surprised when she went back on her word by calling an early election – and did so with such specious ...
With speculation rife that the Bridgend constituency could turn blue for the first time in over 30 years the Western Mail reports that there is disquiet within local Conservative ranks at the decision by their central office to impose a candidate against the wishes of members. The paper says that one Conservative group member in Bridgend has branded the central party's decision to impose Karen Robson from Cardiff over local hopefuls an "absolute disgrace": The member of the Bridgend Conservative Association said on Tuesday the decision was made despite local activists voting to reject the centrally imposed two-candidate shortlist of ...
Back in 2012 I blogged about the Eleanor Cross at Hardingstone just outside Northampton. Now there is worrying news about its state of repair. From The Pipeline: With Northampton Borough Council still refusing to acknowledge that it owns the nationally important Eleanor Cross on London Road Northampton, expert stone mason Bryn Garrett has warned that the nationally important scheduled monument shows clear signs of neglect and plant damage which needs to be stopped urgently, or the cross could suffer further serious deterioration. Based on an examination of the detailed photographs of the monument taken in the last few days, Mr ...
What's this to do with? I have been contacted by two residents who live in the cul-de-sac, Tudor Close, that is often missed by most as they travel along Hallfields Lane, about the possibility of an additional street light being installed somewhere at the entrance end. What does Darren think? Presently, there are three lights [...]
Commenting on the latest untruth delivered from the stump in Bristol, a Liberal Democrat spokesperson said: "The Prime Minister is deliberately misleading the public. She can keep on repeating this tired out cliché but it doesn't make it true. "Liberal Democrats have ruled out a coalition with a pro-Brexit Corbyn run Labour
It's hard to believe that the two photos below were taken from pretty much the same vantage point i.e. the top of the former over-bridge that took Sefton Lane over the Southport & Cheshire Lines Extension Railway by Sefton & Maghull Station. Both shots look towards Aintree although the height of the present day buildings precludes the background now. The bridge parapet was taken away in the 1990's and the trackbed underneath filled in so what was a bridge is now a mound. I understand it was more cost effective for Sefton Council to do this than to remove the ...
"Keep in mind that these are local elections. Lots of independents are standing. Lots of local issues are in play. Voters will vote tactically, and in ways that they might not when choosing a Prime Minister." Glen O'Hara tells us what to look for in the results of Thursday's local elections. Why do parties deliver so many leaflets at election time? Mark Pack has the answer. Hattie Hartman suggests ways of making London greener with the millions that will not now be spent on the Garden Bridge. "What we are left with is a picaresque, very silly, fragmented film that ...
Local businesswoman Deborah Brewer has been selected to fight the former Liberal Democrat seat of Torbay.
Since starting work at the end of March, contractors have been making good progress with the removal of the central reservation barrier at the Eastville Viaduct on the M32. Over the last two weeks they have been removing the worn-out barrier. They are now working to remove covers and install steel plates to 49 manholes and inspection chambers to provide a flat surface on which the new concrete central barrier can be placed. They now moving into a new phase of work, with the overnight traffic management changing from the beginning of May. Instead of being closed between Junctions 2 ...
A few nights ago there was an unsuccessful attempt to steal a caravan in Ram Hill, causing damage. The thieves then returned and tried again. Once again they were unsuccessful but caused even more damage in their attempt. A caravan was also stolen in Rangeworthy recently so it could be the same gang going around. We suggest that neighbours be extra vigilant, noting details of any suspicious persons or vehicles - perhaps particularly those equipped with towbars, and report any suspicious activity to the police. If a crime is in progress then use the '999' system. It would also be ...
I thought taking the day off this election to look back at 1997 yesterday would mean I wouldn't miss much of what was going on. After all, it was a bank holiday and any political people doing things would have been to busy thinking about Thursday's local elections rather than the general election. Of course, I forgot to factor in the German press in that equation so instead everyone spent yesterday discussing on just how much of a bad foot any post-election Brexit talks will be getting off on, after we discovered the details of Jean-Claude Juncker and Theresa May's ...
Whilst out and about, and there's been plenty of that, I met a delightful older man who told me that in General Elections he voted Labour, but for local elections he voted "on merit". Of course I understood what he meant, but it's still a bit scary me that people will vote purely on the basis of "the right label" when choosing someone to represent their area at the heart of power, even if it's reassuring that when it comes to looking after their locality they are more interested in the effectiveness of their representatives. I got another interesting insight ...
I did an analysis of the Labour leaflets in 2015 which can be seen here. It is clear that there are going to be questions about Labour's leaflets in the 2017 campaign.For example we have this in the 2017 Labour Leafet: Here is the leaflet we put out in 2014 once the work had gone into the autumn statement
A ceremony was held on 29th April 2017 to commemorate the centenary of the action that led to the award of the Victoria Cross to 2nd Lieutenant Pollard VC. At the ceremony in Wallington Library Gardens a memorial stone to Alfred Pollard was unveiled by the Mayor of Sutton, Cllr Richard Clifton. 2nd Lieut. Pollard [...]
Recently there has been much talk of abandoning our principles and going in with the Greens and the Labour Party. Now my stance on this doesn't come from some sort of archetypal hatred of them. In fact many of my friends belong to the Labour and Green movements. I have fond memories of standing side by side in Peterborough handing out leaflets and speaking to people about why we thought it was best to remain. I still keep cordial relations with the Greens and the Labour moderates. We campaign for Open Britain together and there is a lot to be ...
What a carry on May backs away from being held to account via TV debates in the forthcoming election and Corbyn follows suit saying if she won't neither will he! Peas in a pod. Hold the debates anyway and have two empty chairs where weak leaders fear to sit. Well not quite empty, how about on May's chair a slogan saying 'Brexit means Brexit' and on Corbyn's 'Let's not talk about Brexit'. With thanks to Roy Connell for the lead to this posting.
Tue 2nd
12:58
#Hastings #Rye Labour finally announce their candidate: the man who just closed down the town centre...
Over the past two weeks, and despite being the only candidate in place actively opposing the Home Secretary, I have been asked a number of times to stand aside for the non-existent Labour candidate. This has been on the understandable basis of many folk being utterly fed up with Amber Rudd and her losing her [...]
Tue 2nd
12:54
Jo Swinson interview: part 2 - first steps in politics and what it's like to be a young woman at Wes...
In yesterday's first part of the interview, Jo spoke of how she entered politics and why. In today's excerpt, she talks about what it is like to be a young woman in politics and how she dealt with it.... TIME IN POLITICS From watching you on YouTube and from sitting opposite you here listening to you speak, you come across as very confident and it's difficult to imagine you suffer from nerves. When you were 21 years old and stood for parliament, were you nervous? And do you still get nervous nowadays? Of course. I was nervous going up against ...
Very sorry to learn this morning that we lost Anne-Marie Le Gloannec last week. She was intelligent, witty, perceptive, wise, and shamefully unappreciated in the English-speaking world - though her English was perfect, she concentrated much more on Germany as France's key partner, and on the EU as a global player. In her last interview, with the Bertelsmann Stiftung at the end of March (when she must have already known that her time was short), she was asked, What is the greatest challenge facing the EU today? Her reply: Survival! We are richer for her life and thoughts.
Tue 2nd
12:05
Tories 'relaxed' about NHS crisis shows why we need the Lib Dems to be the Official Opposition
The government is 'relaxed' about the crisis in general practice because it thinks Labour can't win the general election, Dr Phil Hammond a former GP and health commentator has said. Commenting on the news, Shadow Health Secretary Norman Lamb said
Today, the Lords Select Committee on International Relations has published a report on UK policy in the Middle East which argues that UK should distance itself from Trump; recognise Palestine as a state and support the Iran Nuclear deal. Responding Shadow Foreign Secretary, Tom Brake MP said: "The Conservatives have shown a willingness to pander to Donald Trump, turn their backs on international commitments and give little thought to international security. "This report is damning of the Tory government's record, but also makes clear recommendations that PM Theresa May must now heed. "The British people deserve a government that stands ...
This is, sort of, a post about the General Election, but it's not going to be a partisan one, so I don't think I'm breaking the spirit of my resolution not to write about it. It's also more about local ... Continue reading →
Today, the Lords Select Committee on International Relations has published a report on UK policy in the Middle East which argues that UK should distance itself from Trump; recognise Palestine as a state and support the Iran Nuclear deal. Responding Shadow Foreign Secretary, Tom Brake MP said: "The Conservatives have shown a willingness to pander to Donald Trump, turn their backs on
Opposition to a cliff-edge Brexit will be one of the defining messages for our party in the upcoming election. Will it work? It can - but it needs to be handled well. That is the message from a recent analysis that we have conducted looking at over 10 million Brexit-related tweets between November and April. Over that period, pro-Brexiteers have been overwhelmingly more successful than those who are opposing Brexit or opposing a hard Brexit. Why? The pro-Brexiteers use effective, emotive language while anti-Brexiteers have a fondness for complex, rational arguments that have little resonance. Pro-Brexiteers are much more active ...
miss_s_b | Beltane Viewing: The Wicker Man (1973) I posted Beltane Viewing: The Wicker Man (1973) to my dreamwidth blog The British Royal Family and the problem with Princesses This pretty much accords with my feelings. A gilded cage is still a cage. Instagram photo: There are two dogs in this photo (it's not just me Roxy uses as a mattress)... Julia Kingsford wrote something about her sister's #autism and how a job on an asparagus farm taught her she has super powers... In some ways this is a problematic cripspiration story, but it's so joyous and made me so ...
The decision for the then Labour government to join the US in invading Iraq in 2003 is pivitol for the Left; it was the moment when New Labour joined the ranks of the scorned, the unforgivable. When "Blairite" became pejorative. That's why it's ironic that the way the "coalition of the willing" went wrong in Iraq back then is eerily reminiscent of the way the Left is now in the process of destroying itself, the apotheosis of this a mere five weeks and two days away. One of the major reasons the invasion of Iraq was such a disaster was ...
Welcome to the latest in my series of tips and advice for Liberal Democrat members, which appear first in the email bulletin run by London Region for party members. Released last week, the 2017 Agents Manual is an essential guide for anyone who will be a Liberal Democrat agent at the general election. It is written by Candy Piercy and myself, covering everything from how to plan the campaign and making sure a candidate is safely nominated, through to winning votes, what happens at the count and safely completing the regulatory paperwork afterwards. Copies have been emailed out by party ...
In the aftermath of the referendum, the Remain viewpoint has been a still small voice. Too still and too small. There are a couple of reasons for this, the first to do with the character of Remainers and the second with how they've been treated. Remainers on the whole are civilised people, reflective and self critical, inclined to see the other person's point of view. They are not given to elbowing their way to the front of the bar shouting their order for a drink; they leave that to the Nigel Farages of this world. You saw this with the ...
Posted on behalf of the Hollins Conservation Group: Hollins Conservation Group would like the support of the whole community. Over the past twelve months we have been working hard to improve Hollins Village. Clearing litter, removing weeds, planting flowers and shrubs in public spaces. Our new sponsored green litter bins have been springing up everywhere. [...]
In February I mentioned a planning application on Hathaway Road which received a number of objections. The application has now been significantly adjusted and re-submitted to Bury Council, as I suspected it might be. The details can be viewed on Bury Council's planning portal by clicking on the link below. Detached games room and new [...]
Proposals have been announced by Castlebrook High School that they intend to re-build the school main building on a new, adjacent site and demolish the current building. Citing the need for newer and more modern facilities, the plans include a new building, new car parking but retaining the existing sports block, construction centre and all-weather [...]
I reported some very bad potholes on Langdale Drive (especially the really terrible ones at the junction with Randale Drive) back in March. I've been meaning to post and update on the repairs for the past couple of weeks, but my time has been taken up with work and helping out in the Besses by-election [...]
From Sheena Wellington :Wednesday 3rd May, Lunchtime Recital - 1.15pm - 1.45pm. Admission free Wighton Heritage Centre, Central Library. Karen Hannah, fiddle! The inimitable Karen Hannah will be the guest at the first of the Friends of Wighton May Lunchtime Recitals on Wednesday 3rd. A fine solo musician with an engaging personality, Karen also plays in several ensembles, including the wonderfully named Nifty Shades of Grey, Sporran Again and Ceilidh Minogue! She has shared the stage with the finest traditional musicians around and has travelled the world, representing Scotland across Europe and as far afield as New Zealand, and South ...
It may have been a Bank Holiday, but the Press Team never rest. Here are some of the releases they sent out yesterday that aren't covered elsewhere in our pages; Farron: FAZ report on May's Juncker dinner show this Govt has no clue on Brexit According to damning reports in the German press on Theresa May's dinner with Juncker last week, EU sources believe there is now more than 50% chance of a disorderly Brexit, while May has made clear to the European Commission she fully expects to be re-elected as Prime Minister. Liberal Democrat Leader Tim Farron commented: These ...
Hello, hello, can you hear me? Is this thing working? * blows dust off keyboard * Yes, all seems to be well enough. As you might expect, the Liberal Democrat Voice team are somewhat busy at the moment, what with local elections this week, and a General Election to come thereafter, in which most of the regulars have key roles in various campaigns. And so I thought that I ought to step out of retirement to lend a hand. Many of our newer readers will not know who I am, so a quick (re-)introduction is in order. I'm a veteran ...
The Labour Party spent most of the last election criticising me for being a successful businessman (aka millionaire). That is business in the private sector employing over 250 people. It is worth looking at the situation for the Labour Candidate now: For the year 2016-7 Annual Income from Parliament74,962 Specifically for her book51,250 Other media income etc5,322.82 Total declared
The UK Government Is Completely Deluded About Brexit Fascinating and awful detail. (tags: ukpolitics eu brexit )
Nick Clegg is to make his first major intervention of the election campaign this afternoon in a speech at the National Liberal Club. The former Deputy Prime Minister will criticise Theresa May for her pursuit of a hard Brexit and Jeremy Corbyn for his inept opposition. He will point to analysis showing the average UK household is set to be £500 worse off this year than it was in 2016, and stress that only the Liberal Democrats are capable of providing this Conservative government with the opposition the country desperately needs. He is expected to say: My argument today is ...
