I once blogged: I am reminded of a couple of novels by Gordon Burn - Alma Cogan and Fullalove - which explored the unhealthy brew of child murder and celebrity that fuels the tabloid press in Britain. You could do worse than read them if you want to understand the times we live in.Burn's Alma Cogan is the subject, after a detour via Nikolaus Pevsner and Kazuo Ishiguro, of the latest edition of the Backlisted podcast. It was recorded live at the Durham Book Festival.
Next month Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger's wartime fantasy A Matter of Life and Death returns to British cinemas. In this podcast Henry Barnes talks to Xan Brooks and Hollie Price about the genesis of what the BFI sight calls their "magic propaganda". That is a pleasing category that can also take in another Powell and Pressburger film A Canterbury Tale. Elsewhere on the BFI site Charles Drazin offers five reasons to watch A Matter of Life and Death: Such is the fantasy dimension of the film that it is easy to overlook the extraordinary documentary eye with which it ...
I want to argue the case that we should plan big for Ludlow. That would mean we get it right and have new developments we can be proud of. We should plan for a garden suburb between Rocks Green and Sheet village. That's maybe 1,000 houses. We shouldn't rush this. After all, we have yet to build out the 700 Ludlow homes currently in the pipeline. But we need to plan for our town's future now. Shropshire Council is consulting on its revised local plan. It doesn't involve 1,000 homes in Ludlow. That's my gambit. Join us at the Elim ...
Following the news that the former Liberal Democrat MP for Cambridge, Julian Huppert, will not be seeking to stand again for Parliament, five people have been shortlisted by the local party to succeed him: Five people are shortlisted to be the next Lib Dem candidate for Cambridge MP: @rodcantrill, @tomholder, @MarishaRay4MP, @NickyShepard and @Fionna_T_. The selection meeting will take place on 6th January. — Phil Rodgers (@PhilRodgers) November 27, 2017
A follow-up to the news that former MP Nick Harvey was the party's interim Chief Executive: he has now been appointed to the permanent post. Nick Harvey said on being appointed: I am delighted to have been given the job on a permanent basis, and for this vote of confidence by the party. Having served in government as a Liberal Democrat and in parliament when we had many more MPs than we do currently, I am determined to help drive the party back where it belongs, in the centre of British politics. With Vince Cable an unrivalled authority on the ...
I have both Irish and Belgian citizenship, and as luck would have it there are two recent publications examining how both countries are dealing with Brexit. Brexit and Ireland: The Dangers, the Opportunities, and the Inside Story of the Irish Response, by Tony Connelly Second paragraph of third chapter: The essential problem is this. Since Ireland and the UK joined the EEC together in 1973, all trade between both countries has come to be governed by shared membership of the single market and customs union. There are no barriers to that trade. Exports and imports flow back and forth across ...
Britain is in a "spiral of ever-growing division" with a stark postcode lottery in social mobility, according to a damning report by the Social Mobility Commission today. The report uncovers a striking geographical divide with London and its surrounding areas pulling away from the rest of the country, while many other parts of the country are being left behind. Liberal Democrat Leader Vince Cable commented: "This report talks of the UK 'being in the grip of a self-reinforcing spiral of ever growing division.' "The government urgently needs to improve social mobility for young people in rural areas, coastal towns and ...
The Liberal Democrats have said the government's refusal to publish its Brexit impact assessment is "completely untenable," after Speaker John Bercow said he will respond promptly to any allegations of contempt of Parliament. Liberal Democrat Brexit Spokesperson Tom Brake commented: "This whole farce has descended into a scene straight out of Yes Minister. "After David Davis repeatedly stated there were 57 detailed impact assessments, ministers now claim these reports never even existed in this form. "Editing these reports is a breach of the agreement reached with MPs, meaning action over contempt of Parliament now looms. "If the government really believes ...
What problems might arise from tethering the value of money to an essential sustainable service of nature in each host bioregion of the planet? This basis for establishing a monetary index or tether was suggested in my article "Should money have a stable and predicable value". One concern of creating money on a decentralized basis [...] The post How to revive a flagging economy with 'speed money' appeared first on Radix.
There are quite a few people I owe emails to. Off the top of my head, there's David Gerard, Dale Smith, Plok, and James Wylder, and I'm probably missing as many again, but those people want particular bits of help ... Continue reading →
Love this tweet from Tom Brake MP – sums up why Labour are nothing more than Tory lackeys over Brexit:- 'Neither Govt nor Official Opposition have the solution to UK's #Brexit problem. The first wants to drive us off the Brexit cliff. The second wants to drive us off the cliff and hover for 2 years before also crashing to the ground. We need a vote on the deal & an exit from Brexit'
The Liberal Democrats have appointed former defence minister Sir Nick Harvey as the party's chief executive. Nick, who served as MP for North Devon for almost a quarter of a century, was appointed at the end of a competitive recruitment process having served as acting chief executive for three months. Party staff sat on the appointments panel. Nick Harvey said: I am delighted to have been given the job on a permanent basis, and for this vote of confidence by the party. Having served in government as a Liberal Democrat and in parliament when we had many more MPs than ...
The Whickham Christmas lights will be switched on today. Events kick off at 3pm in the Harry Clasper car park where there will be a Christmas market. The first lights will be switched on at Rose Villa at 3,30pm and then everyone heads to Church Green to switch on the tree lights. Everyone is welcome to join in. Watch out for appearances from the Metro Gnomes (the one on the right in the
I was door-knocking again on Saturday in Dunston, with local Lib Dem campaigner Kevin McClurey. We were carrying out our petition calling for the derelict Dunston Hill School to be demolished and the site to be used for affordable housing. We got a good response as there is increasing annoyance among residents that the old school has been left to deteriorate over the past three years. Replies to
Action Fraud, the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau, have issued the following advice on shopping securely online in the run up to Christmas: How To Shop Online SafelyCheck the web address Always check you're on the correct website. Criminals can set up fake websites that have a similar design and web address to the genuine site. Is it a secure connection? Web pages you enter personal or financial details into should display a locked padlock sign and have a web address that starts with https. This means your connection to the website is secure. Phishing Don't click on links or attachments ...
Mon, 12:40: RT @Anderssd85: This is superb and reflects a frightening reality in equal measure, take 5 minutes and give this a read. https://t.co/mtY0M... Mon, 12:56: A Day in the Life of David McAllister MEP https://t.co/FZHxy61CyO Insights from a leading German politician. Mon, 16:05: What do Moomins have to do with the horrors of war? https://t.co/jMfNFjZSV0 Look forward to seeing this exhibition in January. Mon, 18:47: Very sad to read that Loïc Bouvard died earlier today, aged 88. I met him at a conference in Moldova in 2006 - an i... https://t.co/2mfnNR4qBN Mon, 18:56: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, by ...
Why are Brexit hardliners cherry picking what 'Leave the EU' means? If even they want to opt out of the consequences, then let's choose an outcome that more accurately reflects the actual democratic vote.
Wall to wall coverage of a royal wedding is an opportunity as far as some Government press officers are concerned to bury bad news and yesterday was no exception. As everybody cooed over what is a very impressive engagement ring, and speculated on social media and elsewhere about the significance of the fifth in line to the throne marrying a divorced Roman Catholic American actress, it took just twenty minutes for a far more significant announcement by the UK Government. As the Independent reports, the Government announced confirmation that it will be freezing benefits until 2020 costing a typical working ...
I mentioned this subject back in August; here's a link to that previous posting:- I now hold a summary of the responses that were made to Merseytravel who are coordinating this piece of work for the Liverpool City Region:- Summary of Responses: Consultation on the draft Rights of Way Improvement Plan 2018-2028 was undertaken over summer 2017. Copies were available to view on Merseytravel's website as well as at council one stop shops and public libraries across the Liverpool City Region. The consultation closed on the 29 September 2017. There were 26 responses received on this consultation. The majority ...
The budget discussion concentrates on the recent growth reassessment by the OBR. Bad enough as that is, a fuller picture emerges if one compares their recent estimates with its last pre-Brexit report from autumn 2015. The Institut der deutschen Wirtschaft Koeln has done so and compared the OBR's growth estimates for 2016-2020 at those two points in time: Cumulative growth 2016-2020 (%): 2015 report 2017 report shortfall GDP 12.6 7.6 -5.0 Private consumption 12.8 7.7 -5.1 Business investment 39.2 9.4 -29.8 What does this mean? The GDP-shortfall in 2020 amounts to GBP 140 Billion, or roughly GBP 5,000 per household ...
Bury's NHS Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) used a verbal update reported through several Twitter posts to inform residents that the two Walk-In Centres in bury (Bury and Prestwich) are not closing on 31 March 2018. Residents may recall that the consultation on the closure of both centres was 'paused' earlier this year by the CCG, following new guidance from the Government on urgent care. The guidance requires that each NHS area (i.e. the whole of Bury) has an Urgent Care Centre to deal with some of the more minor issues which do not warrant a visit to A&E. Bury is ...
Residents in the Logie area have complained to me about the state of the council-owned ground on Logie Avenue next to the lock-ups at the east end of the street - see below :I contacted the council's environment team in Neighbourhood Services and have had the following positive feedback : "Just to confirm I had this site looked into and the ground is Environment's so will will have this area cleaned up. A site update will also be done to ensure its included in our cyclical work in future."
Two local people who were awarded the British Empire Medal were receognised at an award ceremony earlier this month – shown here with Bury's Mayor Cllr Dorothy Gunther. Daniel Savage from Brookvale Care Home in Simister which supports young adults with learning and physical disabilities. Daniel is also the President of the Manchester Reform Synagogue. Sharon Bannister is from Sunnybanks Community Centre and Director of a research project Through New Eyes highlighting issues affecting younger members of the North Manchester Jewish Community, and President of the Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester.
Information and advice about equipment to help with hearing loss are being offered at a free afternoon session in Bury town centre. People are invited to drop in on Monday 4 December any time between 2.30pm and 3.30pm to the Green Room, Textile Hall (next to Bury Library), Manchester Road. It's the latest session to be arranged by partners Bury Audiology Unit, Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust, Bury Libraries Sensory Unit and the Sensory Team Adult Care Services. For more information, or for any other help about hearing loss, contact the sensory unit by email at sensory.lib@bury.gov.uk
Computers 4 Africa helps councils, schools, businesses and individuals by providing an alternative to IT disposal for working equipment. This repurposes and reuses items giving them a second life. It's easy to donate your old IT to Computers 4 Africa and they will be at: Where: (Former PC World) Angouleme Retail Park, George Street, Bury BL9 0BZ When: Tuesday 5th December 10am-5pm & Wednesday 6th December 9am-4pm Donated equipment is securely data wiped, refurbished and sent to schools and community projects across Africa. Computers for Africa accept working equipment which is less than 8 years old that can support Windows ...
Army numbers have fallen by over 2,000 since the Conservative 2015 Manifesto pledge to keep troop levels above 82,000, analysis by the Liberal Democrats has revealed. The most recent figures show the number of full-time trained troops now stands at 77,440, down from 79,540 in April 2015 when the Conservative manifesto was published. It comes as the Government comes under increasing pressure over planned defence cuts, with dozens of Conservative MPs writing to the Chancellor and Defence Minister Tobias Ellwood reportedly prepared to resign. Alistair Carmichael MP, Liberal Democrat Chief Whip, commented: "The Tory promise to keep our army above ...
