I had a day off from politics today. I went to the Glendale Agricultural Show near Wooler in North Northumberland. I wasn't exhibiting, just visiting. I was however spotted by someone who recognised me and chatted about politics for a few minutes before getting on to a discussion about goat-keeping! I'm back to the grind now, having spent part of this evening sifting through recent emails.
Back in Craven Arms I found that the old Temperance Hotel, which has stood empty for many years, has been demolished to make way for housing. If you are at Villa Park next week you can bid for the site. Shropshire Remembers will tell you its history: Towards the end of the 1870s an ex-railwayman, Thomas Edge, took over. His family remained proprietors until the building was commandeered by the Army in the Second World War. They must have liked it as they could not be dislodged until March 1951. In its glory days the hotel boasted "good accommodation for ...
Today is the one hundredth anniversary of the birth of Jack Kirby, one of the great comic creators of all time - someone whose imagination has shaped huge swathes of the culture we live in in ways that are hard ... Continue reading →
It is easy to reserve a book at Forest Hill Library
I'm still a happy user of my Innergie magic cable (boring name: Innergie TACC-FMD70) so I took up with some interest the opportunity to try out a review copy of the new Innergic USB-C Wall Charger.
I'm trying to get my Patreon numbers up a bit, so I'm going to repeat an idea I had previously, but make it a permanent offer. Patreon backers already get copies of each new book as they happen (either as ... Continue reading →
Mon 28th
13:06
Workers remove 'escapoligist' boa constrictor from Southend Victoria station in incredible footage
Despite the spelling mistake, Essex Live wins our headline of the day award. Follow the link to view the video there.
In yesterday's post on Rowan Atkinson's schoolmaster sketch I mentioned my hero the former England cricket captain Mike Brearley. As I once wrote:When Brearley became England's captain in 1977 it was almost as though Jonathan Miller or Michael Frayn had been put in charge. Brearley was a representative of liberal North London in an age when cricket was still run by the Establishment. He was part of a more enlightened tendency within the game which embraced such figures as John Arlott and the Revd David Sheppard and had its finest hour when South Africa objected to the selection of Basil ...
The big political news of the weekend is that Labour has realised it would be a good idea for the UK to remain in the EU single market for a transition period after Brexit until trade deals with others have been sorted out. That this should be big news, hitting the front pages and leading the bulletins, illustrates the pathetic lack of backbone in our politicians. Note what policy has actually changed. Not what surely is now obvious, that we should stay in the EU, but just stay in the single market. And not in the single market permanently, but ...
Sun, 12:56: The Eurozone economic recovery is humming along just fine https://t.co/9VCSUlS9Le Fascinating and clear. Sun, 16:05: Doctor Who, The Chase and the charts: why Bradley Walsh is everywhere https://t.co/PBsV4JRZ5L The new companion. Sun, 19:45: RT @ForeignPolicy: A lone GOP lawmaker is threatening to hold up Trump's pick for assistant secretary of state for Africa. https://t.co/ZGA... Sun, 20:48: Do We All See the Man Holding an iPhone in This 1937 Painting? https://t.co/gvuhESK8L6 Wow. Sun, 21:09: RT @anthonyzach: @nwbrux Early laptop https://t.co/JqkXQtAgLu Sun, 21:14: Sunday reading https://t.co/4Rem0SuWt5 Mon, 08:19: Interesting on why the city was not evacuated. https://t.co/r8ejFQGdn5 Mon, 09:24: RT ...
Liberal Democrat leader and former Business Secretary Vince Cable has accused Theresa May of a climb down on executive pay, and described her widely trailed new policy as "strong on rhetoric, weak on action". Ahead of the government's expected announcement on Tuesday, Sir Vince said: "As Business Secretary I gave binding votes on executive pay policy to shareholders of publicly limited companies, requiring the approval of 50% of shareholders, and allowing a transparent single number for pay. There was little enthusiasm from the Conservatives for this, but it has had a demonstrable effect on reducing executive pay. "Theresa May's climb ...
James sat alone in his bed, back against the wall, pen, and paper lying on his lap. Balls of scrunched up paper littered the floor. Draft after draft of the same letter that could ruin everything. His family. His future. So much ink and paper wasted trying to find the right words to shape the truth and form the three words, "I am Gay" for his parents to read. A half bottle of Russian Standard vodka stood almost empty on his bed stand with an empty shot glass and pint glass next to it. The morning sun lit the wall ...
Community Housing Cymru (CHC), who represent registered social landlords in Wales, has raised legitimate concerns that Brexit could dent plans to build thousands of affordable homes in Wales. They say that uncertainty over the UK-EU relationship could lead to important funding from the European Investment Bank (EIB) to stall. The BBC reports that CHC said it had been working to get long-term loans from the European Investment Bank worth more than £200m, so as to facilitate plans to build 13,000 affordable homes by 2021. Such borrowing would be at a low rate for as long as 30 years and would ...
I think it is always important to remember those people who built strong foundations for the party during the exceptionally lean times of the 50s and 60s – and look to what we can learn from them right now. This weekend, Facebook reminded me that it was 5 years since Donald Gorrie died. A councillor for quarter of a century, then MP and MSP, he built the foundations for our strength in Edinburgh West today. At the time, I wrote this on my own blog: Sadly, I never knew him that well, although, of course, I admired from afar his ...
The part of Southport Road in Lydiate from the junctions of Hickson Avenue to Highbanks is made up of concrete sections and just past Hickson Avenue and opposite Astor Court (more or less on the Maghull/Lydiate boundary) is a part of it that has been dug up a few times. This digging of trenches, for utility works etc. over the years has ended up with the surface being uneven. What's more concrete is not flexible like tarmac so when the filled in trenches settle and sink down the edges of the concrete do not 'bend'. In turn this creates a ...
DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL - WEEKLY ROAD REPORT REPORT FOR THE WEST END WARD - WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY 28 AUGUST 2017 Riverside Esplanade/Riverside Drive (Tay Road Bridge off ramp to 75m along Riverside Drive) - westbound nearside lane closure for 15 weeks to facilitate V&A construction works. SSE Glenagnes Cable Renewal - Lochee Road lane restrictions and closures on Blinshall Street, Fleuchar Street and Scott Street for one week. A85 Riverside Drive - prohibition of right turn from westbound lane of Riverside Drive into Riverside approach and prohibition of right turn from Riverside Approach in to Riverside Drive for 15 weeks ...
Ludlow's unitary councillors[1] are inviting residents, shoppers and visitors to a drop-in session to learn about Shropshire Council's proposals for parking in the town centre. This will be held between 2pm and 6pm on 5 September at the Women's Centre, Church Street, Ludlow. The council is consulting on a wide range of changes to parking charges around the county. Although some parking in Ludlow will be cheaper under the scheme, many charges will go up. "There are a lot of proposed changes to car parking rules," says Andy Boddington, Shropshire Councillor for the Ludlow North, which includes the town centre. ...
