Terrorism puts life in perspective. In June, I will hit a quarter century and I still live in my home city of Preston in my parent's house in my same bedroom. I lived away for three years at university in Liverpool. But when those three years were up, I moved back to Preston to do my A in International Journalism for UCLan. That was a mistake. I shouldn't have returned here. The reason I know it was a mistake was because of a recent conversation I had with my best friend whilst we were decorating his house. Back when we ...
Please print off, cut up and discard one as appropriate after the general election. Interpretation A: Those political pundits were really dumb. The evidence about what was going to happen was there in plain sight. But instead, they all tried to be too clever by half and ignored what had happened before. When those polls started closing dramatically in the middle of the general election, it was obvious what was really happening. The reality? That the Conservatives were still cruising to comfortable victory. So-called experts hugely overreacted to the occasional mid-campaign wobble for a party which is actually cruising to ...
Thu 25th
22:11
WATCH: Lib Dems replace Party Election Broadcast with personal message from Tim Farron about Manches...
Powerful stuff from Tim Farron tonight. We withdrew our scheduled Party Election Broadcast and replaced it with two and a half minutes of Tim talking about the Manchester attack and how it bringing people together, not creating the division the terrorists want. He talked about the Manchester he loves and the experience of being at the vigil on Tuesday night. It was a very heartfelt and moving monologue, an act of solidarity before the election campaign starts again in earnest tomorrow. It's not going to win us seats, but it is a good thing for our country. Watch it here. ...
I went to bed Monday night poised to write this latest notebook the following day. There was lots to say: about the Tories' dementia tax U-turn, Theresa May's interview with Andrew Neil, Labour's polling 'surge'. And then an "evil loser" (only time I'll probably quote President Trump approvingly) strode into the Manchester arena to try and kill as many children and their families enjoying a pop concert as he could. Suddenly it all seemed so small, besides the pain and loss those closest to them are enduring. It wasn't the first, won't be the last, indiscriminate act of slaughter; but ...
This photograph must have been taken in the early 1980s. A Peak (class 45 diesel) has come from Corby and is about to join the Midland main line. Note the semaphore signal and that the line to Corby was double track. It was later to be singled, only to be doubled again.
Today is our last day for a while in the company of Rutland most celebrated fictional peer. How long ago the start of the general election campaign now seems. Saturday I spend the aboard the Liberal Democrat Battle Bus, visiting some of our best prospects in South West London and taking the opportunity to pick 'High Voltage' Cable's brains about my investments. I remain convinced that Farron would take the pews out of St Asquith's and have as all singing 'Shine, Jesus, Shine' given half a chance, but he is the most engaging of companions. No wonder the mint cake ...
Near Bodø in Norway, there's the strongest tidal current in the world: Saltstraumen Maelstrom, a constantly-changing rush of whirlpools, boils and vortices.
Judging by the lively comments on my post on the subject, it was late with the story. But the Leicester Mercury said yesterday that a Market Harborough primary school has withdrawn its policy that children should walk with their hands behind their backs: The Mercury has now learned that after "consultation" with parents, pupils are now required to walk in with their hands held in front of them. A spokesman for the diocese said: "The policy was only ever introduced in the first place with thought for safety at its heart and for ensuring a calm atmosphere for the school, ...
Sad news this evening. Paul Keetch, Liberal Democrat MP for Hereford from 1997 to 2010, has died. Liberal Democrat Voice points us to a report in the Ross Gazette: Paul was a liberal, a democrat and an internationalist and amongst Liberal Politicians, a rarity in that he had never lost an election. He was elected to Hereford City Council at the age of 21, making him the then youngest City Councillor in the UK. As a proud Herefordian, born and raised in the city, there was only one place he wanted to represent in Parliament and he became the MP ...
It is with great sadness that we report the death of Paul Keetch, former Liberal Democrat MP for Hereford. We offer our sincerest sympathy to Paul's family and friends. The Ross Gazette has a report which begins: Paul Keetch, former Liberal Democrat MP for Hereford died on Wednesday, May 24th in London, aged 56. Paul was a liberal, a democrat and an internationalist and amongst Liberal Politicians, a rarity in that he had never lost an election. He was elected to Hereford City Council at the age of 21, making him the then youngest City Councillor in the UK. As ...
The Liverpool Echo has the story on its web site – see link above And here's a link to the Merseytravel web pages about this travel card:- It's going in the right direction but as Carl Cashman the Lib Dem candidate in the recent Liverpool City Region Mayoral election said to fulfill its potential we need to 'Expand the Walrus card system, creating an 'Oyster-like' system across the region, to include buses trains, ferries, tunnels and bridges. Unifying our transport network into one single contactless payment.' Carl Cashman How right he is and so the challenge is now ...
Simon Hughes may have his famous yellow taxi supporting his campaign in London, but up here in Mid Derbyshire I'm pleased to announce that Adam Wain is being supported by the Liberal Demo-Cat. The post The Liberal Demo-Cat appeared first on ten pence piece.
I grow them in the greenhouse in lengths of guttering. Which makes me feel like I actually know what I'm doing. If only for a moment. Until I water them too violently and everything slides off the end. Continue reading →
Within a democracy, a healthy distrust of politicians is absolutely necessary. Those who wield power need to be held to account and the system doesn't work if the government is simply thought by the public to be doing the best job possible, regardless. However, I think we've gone too far on the spectrum the other way; we've come to demonise politicians, and here's why I think that has so many negative consequences we don't speak about enough. The first one should be obvious: we end up with actual assassinations of politicians. The murder of Jo Cox should have been a ...
Instagram photo I very much approve of this sign on The Commercial Railway near my house :) miss_s_b | Theatre Review: The Play That Goes Wrong at @GrandTheatre LS1 Google and Facebook lobbyists try to stop new online privacy protections Oh what a surprise. Never meet your heroes - unless they're Roger Moore, the greatest Bond of all This is adorable. [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments
Last night we went to the theatre in Leeds to see The Play That Goes Wrong. It was funny to the extent that my stomach hurts from laughing so hard this morning. I very much recommend it if you are in need of an evening of jollity - and who isn't, these days? I think my favourite character was the corpse (no, really), but it was a close run thing between him and the stage-hand-who-ends-up-getting-roped-into-the-play, or the corpse's brother, whose layers of performance were very impressive - acting a bad actor who plays up to a large audience excellently. The ...
Those nice people at Your Liberal Britain have already changed the way we do things as a party. Their initiatives to help us create our vision of what a Liberal Britain could look like have been incorporated into the policy making process. Now they are turning their hands to a new challenge for the General Election. When you share something on social media, and it's been liked by loads of people, have you had a look and seen whether it's actually been liked or shared by someone who isn't already a Liberal Democrat? Social media can be a bit of ...
Following the bombing atrocity in Manchester campaigning in Britain's general election was suspended out of respect for the victims and their families, which was right and proper. Moreover the people of Britain needed a couple of days of quiet reflection for the news to sink in. Not that social media were as reticent or reflective; [...]
[IMG: Folkestone Volunteers Fair 2017 flyer] Shepway Volunteer Centre with Thanet Volunteer Bureau, part of the Stronger Kent Communities programme, warmly welcomes you on Thursday 8th June, 11am - 2pm to Shepway Volunteer Centre, Radnor Park Community Centre (Formerly United Reformed Church), Castle Hill Avenue, Folkestone CT20 2QL Come along & meet with 30 organisations to discover what is going on across Shepway and how to get involved. Volunteering opportunities for all age groups. Stalls & displays & some activities. Plus a mini-awards celebration for volunteers. FREE ENTRY, FREE TEA/COFFEE, FREE RAFFLE. Pop in and take a look at what's ...
South Gloucestershire's libraries have a range of fun activities planned to help keep children entertained over the half term holidays including story times, rhymetimes and crafts. All activities are free drop-ins for primary school aged children unless otherwise stated. Find your nearest library at www.southglos.gov.uk/libraries Tuesday 30 May Feathered friends Emersons Green Library, 2pm to 4pm Crafts and activities. All around the world in 60 minutes Filton Library, 2pm to 3pm Crafts and stories. Fantastical fairy tale crafts Patchway Library, 10am to 11.30am A jungle jaunt Staple Hill Library, 10.30am to 12pm Craft fun. Spring into summer Thornbury Library, 11am ...
The best Pope/Trump pictures and captions LOL (tags: uspolitics funny ) The Conservatives just pledged to take our democracy back decades by bringing FPTP to elections that never used it. (tags: elections ukpolitics democracy )
Ever since I have been involved in national politics, the Liberal Democrats and most of the other mainstream parties have endeavoured to produce a costed manifesto so that, if they win they are able to deliver on the promises they made during the campaign. There have been times when this has been a hit-and-miss exercise, with the Liberal Democrats' tuition fees pledge being one of the more recent examples, but at the end of the day government is about making choices and I suspect that the party's Ministers could have insisted on freezing fees at least if they had felt ...
