Well, I certainly chose a fine two days to be sent to the Highlands campaigning. I mean, I've barely been able to catch up with the manifesto launch yesterday and the leaders' debate tonight. I've been in the most wonderful places on the planet as far as I am concerned, but have been experiencing the broadband and connectivity problems first hand. I will be back home tomorrow night. I haven't yet seen the Leader's Debate, but by the magic of technology, I can bring you Tim Farron's opening and closing statements. He kicked off with a powerful and personal appeal: ...
Here is Lib Dem leader Tim Farron's closing statement from the ITV party leaders TV debate.
"Our new manifesto offers some serious proposals to address some fundamental causes of racial unfairness in society. This shows that Lib Dems are keen to walk the walk on equality." Lester Holloway looks at the party manifesto's proposals for making Britain a more racially equal society. A Discursive of Tunbridge Wells podcast discusses involuntary treatment in the mental health system. Katharine Schwab on the rediscovery of Britain's miles of lost cycleways. Claire Cock-Starkey wins Name of the Day and examines the 18th-century fashion for hiring ornamental hermits. (They live on at Bonkers Hall, of course.) Waterloo Sunset by The Kinks ...
Meols Ward Lib Dem Councillors John Dodd, Nigel Ashton and Jo Barton are holding their next advice centre in Churchtown. We will be at BoxTree Kitchen for Queenscourt café, Manor Road/Cambridge Road, roundabout, from 10:30 to 11.30am on Thursday 25th May. We will be there to meet you and discuss any Council problems you may have. No appointment necessary. Just pop in. We alo hold a monthly advice centre in Crossens, at St John's School, Rufford Road, Crossens every month (except August) on the second Saturday of the month from 11:00 am to 12:00.
We knew there had been some shenanigans within the Conservative group on Shropshire Council but we weren't quite expecting members to be so obvious about their tensions in public. At today's meeting of the full council, Peter Nutting was voted in as leader. That was a foregone conclusion as he had been elected Conservative leader days before. But three or more members of the Conservative group sat on their hands and failed to vote for him. Later there was an extraordinary outburst from one Tory councillor who was outraged by the paucity of councillors from the south of the county ...
What's this to do with? Basically, the council has a legal duty to publish certain announcements and decisions in local newspapers. In this year's Budget proposal document, the Tory controlled City Council announced that they intended to reduce the size of these adverts, for example by removing the council logo, which they claim will reduce [...]
So the Hugo Packet arrived today (yesterday when you're reading this — I am cleverly scheduling a couple of posts for while I'm away), and so I'm going to continue looking at this year's finalists. As with the short stories, ... Continue reading →
Second paragraph of third entry (Doctor Who - The Edge of Destruction):Issue 127 of Doctor Who Magazine (August 1987) reported the book was planned for the second half of 1988. It was brought forward when Doctor Who - Attack of the Cybermen was delayed. If it hadn't bee it probably wouldn't have had a hardback edition as W H Allen dropped these from July 1988.This book's subtitle is A Comprehensive Guide to the Novelisations of Broadcast Doctor Who, and that's precisely what it is. It is only available as an interactive PDF where you can if you like (and I ...
The judges, rather than laughing, preferred to treat this as a sad story about the decline of the local press.
I have received a large four-sided leaflet through the post. It says "THERESA MAY FOR BRITAIN" on the front page in very big letters, and devotes a second page to what purports to be a personal massage which concludes by urging me to "get things right by backing me, and voting conservative for my candidate in your local area" (my emphasis.). A third page highlights six debatable pieces of "progress" since 2010 (one is "WELFARE CAPPED to reward work") with the exhortation to "VOTE THERESA MAY ON 8TH JUNE." The final page warns that the election may not be a ...
Warning: this is a longer read for those interested in achieving a deeper understanding of political choices, especially here in Britain. I write it to release some my internal tensions after a tough few weeks helping to organise my party's general election campaign, while tackling questions posed by tightening school budgets. The politics of tax ... Continue reading The real questions behind the politics of tax and spend →
One thing about online systems is that it is possible to find out what articles are read by more people and which ones appear unimportant. My campaign is mainly positive, but I am also highlighting issues where I believe it demonstrates that my opponent was not doing her job properly as an MP. I have sorted the articles on this blog by the number of people who are interested in them. Here is
The Liverpool Echo has the story – see link above This is a worrying process. At one end the potential to put parks and open spaces in the hands of those who simply want to exploit them for private/commercial gain must surely be met with a big 'NO'. But alternatives such as spaces being run by community groups, co-operatives and mutual organisations has its appeal to an old Liberal like me because it could be, if handled well, a decentralisation process putting the management of such facilities in the hands of the communities which use them. At present this ...
The Liberal Democrats have responded to proposals in the Conservative manifesto to abandon a cap on care costs and take away free school meals for infant children, saying this shows the "nasty party is back." Liberal Democrat Election Campaign Spokesperson Ed Davey commented: "It is clear the more you need, the more you pay with May. Theresa May is betraying working families by snatching school lunches from their children and their homes when they die. The nasty party is back - hitting families from cradle to grave. "The choices she's made in her manifesto will hurt over half a million ...
[IMG: Image result for electoral commision] We all know what the Electoral Commission (EC) does. In its own words, it "supports well-run elections and referendums in the UK, offering support and guidance to those involved", maintains registers of political parties and acts as a regulator of party finances. In regards this latter objective, the EC states that it "work[s] to make sure people understand the rules around political party finance. Alongside this work, we also take action when the rules are broken and publish information on political finance." Which, on the face of it, sounds pretty useful. However, events in ...
miss_s_b | The Blood is the Life for 17-05-2017 I posted The Blood is the Life for 17-05-2017 to my dreamwidth blog gallifrey_times | GT for Wednesday the 17th of May 2017 I posted GT for Wednesday the 17th of May 2017 to the Gallifrey Times Whoniverse Newsletter This man's appeal to find the last photograph ever of his wife is heartbreaking If you are in the habit of taking photos on National Trust properties you might be able to help. Millionaire bans zero-hours contracts workers and 'battered wives' from renting his properties Brexit Britain, y'all. This guy is king ...
This past weekend, Kiev, Ukraine hosted the Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest, an event referred to by some as 'Gay Christmas', with the theme 'Celebrate Diversity'. In celebration of this theme, the Friendship of Nations Arch was to be redecorated to form a rainbow as a symbol of equality. Unfortunately, due to protests from far-right groups, the arch was never fully covered in a rainbow, and yet somehow has become, I feel the most poignant and apt depiction of the state of Equality in our society. On one side, the one facing the city of Kiev, the rainbow ...
The ability of Commonwealth citizens to vote in our elections means that changes to the membership of the Commonwealth have a knock-on impact on who can vote. (It also means that Mozambique and Rwandan citizens can vote here – surely the obscurest group with the franchise given that neither country was part of the British empire but they were admitted to the Commonwealth for political reasons.) The latest change, following the news about The Gambia, is that Maldivians have now lost the vote. Their country left the Commonwealth last year under pressure over human rights, and the relevant legislative change ...
Here's the latest Scottish Liberal Democrats' Party Election Broadcast. It's bright, bold and it has banjo See anyone you recognise?
With thanks to Sheena Wellington, here's the latest update from Friends of Wighton : Wighton Heritage Centre, Central Library - Saturday 20th May 2017, 11am - noon. Cappuccino Concert! : David Allison, guitar One of Scotland's most talented and innovative acoustic guitarists, David's strong, self penned melodies are backed up by a creative use of real-time sampling and looping, resulting in rich textures of sound live on stage. Improvisation is increasingly becoming a feature of his live shows. Audiences from Hollywood in California to Rostov-on-Don in Russia and from Andalucia to Berlin have warmed to his unique approach to making ...
The death of former First Minister of Wales, Rhodri Morgan yesterday was a great shock and tremendously sad. He was an intelligent, charismatic politician who took devolution by the scruff of the neck in 2000, and give it the stability it needed to bed down and become a success. Widely respected across the political divide, Rhodri had the common touch that many politicians seek but few achieve. He was as at home in the pub talking rugby and football as he was greeting the Queen or discussing policy with other national leaders. He had an encyclopedia-type memory and ready wit, ...
Ukip is more likely to stand candidates against Remainers No surprise. (tags: ukpolitics ) How Breakfast Became a Thing A marketing success. (tags: Marketing food ) How Did Russiagate Start? Matt Tabibi has some sceptical questions. (tags: uspolitics ) Dutch king reveals double life as an airline pilot Putting the K into KLM. (tags: netherlands )
Responding to reports that the Department for Work and Pensions has set staff a target of rejecting 80% of benefits appeals, Liberal Democrat Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Cathy Bakewell, said: "The Conservatives have become obsessed with targets, targets that are harsh and damaging and targets that they will never meet. "Theresa May is forcing fabricated targets upon real people, risking the wrecking of lives to meet a number plucked out of thin air. "Have no doubt that Theresa May's cold, mean-spirited Britain is in full swing. "This election is about your choice over your future. A vote for the ...
The Daily Show joked that Trump should make his wall out of Iron Fist's first season because it was 'impossible to get through.' Well I did the impossible and here's my take. Iron Fist? Is that like an Iron Man spin-off? No, but you're not hugely off. It's another part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. [...]
