Today is the first anniversary of Britain's EU Referendum. Doubtless some arch-Brexiteers, such as Nigel Farage and Jacob Rees-Maggie, have been celebrating what they consider to be the UK's first anniversary of independence. This is of course tosh, on almost every level. We are still members of the EU until at least 29 March 2019, [...]
On Monday I posted a photo of York Layerthorpe station in 1981. Here is one of Dunnington Station, taken the same year (maybe the same day). It stood at what was the other end of the Derwent Valley Light Railway in that year - its last year of operation.
Here's the new film from the Liberal Democrats, marking the anniversary of the European referendum.
It is Parliament that is responsible for the democratic mess Gisela Stuart decries. It's a rare occasion when I find myself agreeing with Gisela Stuart. I left the Labour Party in 2009, but remained an associate member of the Fabian Society until last year - I decided enough was enough when it allowed Ms Stuart to use their once intellectually stimulating Fabian Review to communicate what can only be described as a UKIP-lite message. To say she isn't my favourite former Labour MP is not to do justice to the rather low regard in which I hold her. However, I ...
An independent review by Dame Moira Gibb into the Church of England's response to the activites of Bishop Peter Ball was published yesterday. As David Hencke says: It is a grim story only coming light after the former Bishop of Gloucester was successfully prosecuted and jailed in 2015 after a career of physically and sexually abusing and exploiting boys and young men, including some who were particularly vulnerable.He goes on: Equally culpable, though not an abuser, is Michael Ball, his twin brother and former Bishop of Truro, who ran a campaign after his brother had been given a caution for ...
One year on — a referendum and general election later — we're still no closer to understanding what either of the two main political parties intend to do about implementing Brexit. The Conservatives committed in their manifesto to the UK leaving the single market and customs union. But, then, they pledged a lot else in their manifesto which they've since abandoned. Brexit secretary David Davis has previously promised a deal "that will deliver the exact same benefits as we have", while chancellor Philip Hammond would clearly like to do so by sticking with the very good deal we already have. ...
This weekend sees the start of the seventh Imagine Watford festival, consisting of free outdoor dance and theatre performances by an impressive array of British and international artistes and groups. The festiva is part of a long-term vision of Mayor Dorothy Thornhill and Liberal Democrat councillors to use arts and culture to promote the regeneration of Watford town centre and make it a more enjoyable place to visit. This has centred on an area of the High Street that had become primarily for the evening economy (a euphemism for bars and nightclubs). While successful enough of itself, the area had ...
This morning someone tweeted a link to an interview Ed Davey gave when he joined the cabinet in 2012. As well as telling the story of his extraordinary bravery in rescuing a woman from the tracks at Clapham Junction, it gives us an insight into Ed's schooldays. He was head boy at the private Nottingham High School and one of his near contemporaries there was Ed Balls (whose father was a great campaigner for comprehensive education). Ed Davey recalls: "Ed Balls was in the year below me. I lent him my O-level history notes and he never gave them back." ...
The planning application to demolish the Tern Inn and build flats on the site and the adjacent car park has just been REFUSED. This very popular local pub and live music venue and the car park were recently classed as "Assets of Community Value" (ACVs). The pub was forced to close on 11 June because the owner refused to renew the lease, and the property has since been boarded up. The key reasons for refusal were: Taking away the pub and the car park would have a very negative impact on the Heron Way Local CentreThe proposal would remove the ...
A lot can change in a year. On 23rd June 2016, I was left heartbroken after a tough and exhausting referendum campaign saw a victory for an insular nationalist vision of Britain. The vote to Leave has divided our country in a way even 'Project Fear' could never have imagined. After the referendum, we were told that the populist right was on an unstoppable rise. Geert Wilders, Netherland's answer to Donald Trump, would storm to victory in the Dutch general election; Marine Le Pen would triumph over the established political consensus in the French Presidential election; and the Liberal Democrats' ...
Off the peninsula:The twenty-third, we came to Castel-Magne where we found the pynance of the victuals at the Castel syde, and the master which guided her thyther, told my Lord Justice that he had sounded the channel, and durst undertake to bring a ship of c tons within a stone's cast of the castel; and, truly, it is built on a notable place to rule both the counties of Kerry and Desmond, on both sydes of the River of Magne. Indeed, Castlemaine was to become the main royal fortress in the area for the next few centuries.
This sad and battered Teddy is believed to be the very Teddy that Mayor Anderson threw out of his pram yesterday in his ongoing spat with Mayor Rotheram! Having been a campaigner in Liverpool for 43 years I thought nothing ... Continue reading →
I've seen people talking about the need for a leader who will be "untainted" by Coalition. I couldn't disagree more. We have a strong story to tell, and the Coalition is a crucial part of it. We will never thrive by being the party of protest and pure tactical voting. As Mark Pack and others have said, we need to create a core vote of our own. The Coalition makes this more plausible. Despite being naturally liberal, I didn't support the Lib Dems before the Coalition because I perceived them as a protest party. I thought they were opportunists, tactical ...
Fri 23rd
13:30
Latest Social Liberal Forum Publication Now Available: "Northern Discomfort: An Analysis of the Lib ...
Having had something of a break over the General Election period, the Social Liberal Forum is back with its nose to the grindstone, publishing new content to stir the interests of liberals—in particular social liberals– everywhere. We are very grateful to Michael Mullaney for writing his excellent analysis of the General Election results, especially as it focuses on the fate of the party in significant regions of England. We now hold only one seat in the north of England (Westmorland and Lonsdale) and looking at the north, the Midlands, Wales and East Anglia combined, we defended only seven of the ...
[IMG: Sandgate Beach at dawn (Photo Credit: Folkestone Camera Club)] Interested in photography? Not quite sure how your camera works? Would love a portrait of the family?or your best friend...your pet? Then Folkestone Camera Club has the photographic event for you this Summer. Over the weekend of June 24/25 at the Chichester Hall on Sandgate High Street between 09.30 and 18.00 each day you are invited to enjoy a photographic exhibition and free entry event comprising:- Members of the Club showing beautiful images available to buy. A Camera and Photographic Help-desk. A Sales Table. A People and Pet Portrait Studio. ...
With the decision of Norman Lamb and Jo Swinson not to stand for the leadership of the Lib Dems, we now have one declared candidate (Vince Cable) and a possible candidate (Ed Davey). We await Ed's announcement. I hope he does stand though I am yet to decide how I will vote if the contest is between the two. I don't like political coronations. It was a disaster for Labour when Brown was
I'm pleased to see Jo Swinson elected as the Lib Dems' new deputy leader. I was looking through my collection of photos to add one of her to this post but discovered she is one of the few people who is, or has been, a Lib Dem MP whose photo I have not yet taken! This looks like something that will need to be corrected in the near future. Her re-election to Parliament earlier this month was one
Radio 4's soap opera, "The Archers," to which I am addicted, began in1951 as a vehicle for informing Britain's farmers of all the latest techniques and Ministry of Agriculture rules and regulations.. Whilst it continues to do this (you can easily pick out the boring bits) it has since explored various social issues, most recently the coercive relationship between Helen Archer and her husband Rob, which kept the nation, and me, agog for over two years. In the last couple of weeks organic farmers Tony and Pat Archer, with their family Helen (above) Tom and recently discovered grandson Johnny, have ...
Fri 23rd
11:55
Polling Matters podcast: Queen's Speech, Brexit negotiations, Lib Dems and the youth surge
The excellent Polling Matters podcast fell off its perch of psephological perfection a little with the last edition by featuring myself as one of the guests: On this week's podcast, Keiran is joined by Dr Mark Pack of Lib Dem Newswire and Adam Drummond of Opinium. The team discuss this week's Queen's Speech and the start of the Brexit negotiations and what happens next for the Lib Dems now that Tim Farron has resigned. The panel also discuss Ipsos Mori's data on 'who voted for who' at the General Election and what impact younger voters might have on British politics ...
Today Richard continues his account of his campaign in Macclesfield in the General Election. You can read Part 1 here. We planned a campaign to make maximum use of social media - the leafleting of the 21st Century. (Don't worry. We had plenty of leaflets too!) Having practiced our high-visibility public-facing events - canvassing and hustings - we captured them in photos and posted through Facebook and Twitter, so people could see we were out there talking to the voters, taking the campaign seriously. A weekend's events could be spread over the week to keep the stories alive and interest ...
Thu, 16:05: Running Commentary XV https://t.co/rbi9wvBRen @AndrewDuffEU on many Brexit issues, including Liechtenstein. Thu, 18:15: Dingle of the Husseys, Part 11 https://t.co/Qb705m1ILp Thu, 20:46: RT @RoguePOTUSStaff: For someone who doesn't work here anymore Katie Walsh logs a lot of entries on the secret visitor records. Thu, 22:02: RT @ddale8: The president of the United States threatened the former FBI director with tapes that do not exist. Thu, 22:04: RT @Mickft: Which UK will lose https://t.co/O49nHZuHOI Thu, 22:39: RT @worldcon75: Happy joint birthday to #worldcon75 Guests of Honours John-Henri Holmberg and Johanna Sinisalo who share a birthday today,... Thu, 22:39: RT ...
Conservative party call centre 'may have broken election law' | Politics | The Guardian I am shocked. This is my shocked face. Witness my face of shockedness. miss_s_b | An Update on the Leadership Race: One up, One down, One still floating In which I discuss the potential consequences of Norman Lamb deciding not to stand [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments
My, it feels a long time ago since June 9th. My first few days in Parliament have been hectic, exhilarating and at times utterly magical. The first time you sit on the Green Benches and you pinch yourself to check you're not dreaming. Accidentally on purpose getting lost in the warren of passages and have policemen refer to you as ma'am (being in my early 30s I find this very odd indeed). Your first engagement as the MP in the constituency and random people stopping you with huge smiles to say how happy they are that 'we did it!'. Having ...
I have depression. I have anxiety. I have casual suicidal intent. All these things are true and I profess these truths through the medium of writing. First through my scratching of pen on paper followed by the tapping of keys onto the screen. Just as I have done many times before. I have been writing since I was ten. I've been suffering the mental illness for over a decade. The moment I accepted it is when I typed the words "I may have high-functioning anxiety" for my blog back in October 2016. Writing led to the first step: Acceptance. Since ...
Make sure you register for Autumn Conference before the end of tomorrow to qualify for the Early Bird Discount. A reminder of the post I wrote when registration opened: An email from Andrew Wiseman, chair of Federal Conference Committee, announced that registration was open for Autumn Conference in Bournemouth. The Dorset town is my favourite conference venue. Maybe I'm just biased because the weather was so gorgeous the last time we were there, and the Goat and Tricycle pub is one of the nicest and has fantastic beer, but I'd strongly recommend coming. Let's hope that we have many more ...
I am beginning to feel a bit unloved by the Liberal Democrat MPs. Every time I come to a decision as to my preferred choice for leader, that person rules themselves out of the contest. Like many members my initial preference was for Jo Swinson. I reasoned that she was young, a mother with experiences of the outside world but also somebody who had held ministerial office and had real accomplishments to show for that time in government. The fact that Jo would have been the party's first female leader would have been a bonus of course, but her appeal ...
The popular Yate Rocks Festival will take place in Kingsgate Park again this weekend. The main music festival 12.00 - 8.00 pm on Saturday 24 June will have a wide range of music from local bands such as Toby, Tail Lights, Uncle Buck, Limited Edition, Elevation, Atlantic, Fire Blisters, and the Yate Rock Choir. There will be dance shows, arts and crafts, refreshments and children's games and activities. On Sunday morning there will be a church service from 10.30am to 12 noon, followed by a picnic in the park at 1.30pm.
This is a reminder that I welcome guest posts on Liberal England. And as you can see from the list of the 10 most recent guest posts below, I am happy to consider a wide range of subjects. If you would like to write a guest post yourself, please send me an email so we can discuss your idea. A few thoughts on walking - Phil SmithThe mad, mad world of Maghull Town Council - Tony RobertsonWhat the US can do to end the Gaza conflict? - Daphne Holmes"You're all the same" - Katie BarronThe trouble with Seamus Milne - ...
When I moved to the UK, I couldn't see myself joining any party that wasn't pro-immigrant - seeing as now, suddenly, I was one. Sadly there's not a lot of competition there, but it helped make it clear that the Liberal Democrats were right for me. I've always been glad to share the party with people who share my conviction that immigration is a good in itself (when the best you'll get from most other parties is that we have to hold our noses and accept it for the economic benefits) and, at least as importantly, that immigrants are fellow ...
From Blether Tay-Gither : Our May Blether will be on Tuesday 27th June 2017 at 7pm in Madigan's Food Emporium and Bookshop, Castle Street. The theme this month is "Flowers." Hope to see some of you there - all welcome!
Definitely not standing: Jo Swinson, Jamie Stone, Layla Moran, Tom Brake, Tim Farron, Alistair Carmichael, Norman Lamb Probably not standing: Stephen Lloyd, Wera Hobhouse, Christine Jardine Probably standing: Ed Davey Definitely standing: Vince Cable You'll note that Norman Lamb has moved from probably standing to definitely not standing. He announced this with rather petulant article in the Grauniad, in which (among other things) he proclaimed the Lib Dems' second referendum policy as toxic. Now I agree, it is toxic. "First we'll negotiate brexit, then we'll set up a referendum, then we'll campaign against the deal we ourselves negotiated!" is an ...
The Liverpool Echo has the story on its web site – see link above Here we go again, yet more shootings on Merseyside this time in Sefton Borough. Is it just me or are we fast losing a semblance of being able to control guns on our streets as these incidents are now an almost daily occurrence? Worrying times indeed.
The Liverpool Echo has the story on its web site – see link above It seems to have been rather obvious for a while now that Anderson and Rotherham have a problem with each other; one is the elected Mayor of Liverpool the other the elected Mayor of Merseyside. The other obvious question is why because they both come from the same political party – Labour. It strikes me that the mayoral quarreling, as described by the Liverpool Echo article, is not going to be in the interests of Merseyside and the Liverpool City Region. If they were from ...
A time capsule from 1999, found as I was stripping the wallpaper from my old room at my parent's house. The discovery of these messages from 18 years ago affected me more than it probably should have done. Emily is still at school – it's just that it's bigger and she's not a student! Jessica is still lovely, obviously. Steve ... The post Wallpaper stripping: messages from another century appeared first on ten pence piece.
The Liberal Democrats have tabled an amendment to the Queen's Speech calling for Britain to stay the single market and customs union. The party is now calling on both Labour and Conservative MPs to support the amendment and inflict a historic defeat on the government, forcing Theresa May to soften her extreme approach to Brexit. An amendment to the Queen's speech last year was accepted by the government after it received cross-party support. Liberal Democrat Brexit Spokesperson Tom Brake commented: "We've already seen living standards fall and prices rise since last year's Brexit vote. "But this is nothing compared to ...
