Okay before I start let me just warn you this blog is going to be more like a rant than a blog! Just a warning as even though I have calmed down somewhat I am still livid from the events of today. So for anyone who doesn't know the UK were the innovators of the ... Continue reading The Rotten UK Railways →
A few years back, the Liberal Democrat History Group's committee had an extended debate via email a few months ago over the number of days for which Lloyd George was an MP. We'd set this as a quiz question before discovering that we didn't all agree on the answer. Leap years weren't the problem. It was the question of when do you start becoming an MP: on declaration of the result or on taking your seat? But here's a tougher, and more fun, one. For how many days was Joseph Ormond Andrews (1872-1909) an MP? Joseph Ormond Andrews won a ...
Following the Government's publication of its industrial strategy, Norman Lamb, who chairs the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee, has let his feelings be known. In a balanced and thoughtful piece, Norman places the proposals within the context of risks due to Brexit, and a potential funding gap whilst the economy recovers. He also notes that the investment has to be spread around the co7ntry more evenly; We also need to make sure that this investment is dispersed around the country, promoting excellence in research in lower-income regions. Research in science and innovation has been over-centralised in the 'Golden ...
Mon 11th
17:00
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow... It's fun in Ludlow and we have our very own snow dog
This severe weather event has been great fun for kids and adults alike. For the last two days, Gallows Bank has been the training ground for future Winter Olympic champions. And snow people are appearing around the town. They include the best snow dog I have ever seen. It's in Ludlow Market Square. This photo shows just a small part the snow adventures enjoyed by young people yesterday and today on Gallows Bank. If you couldn't get into town today, and a lot of people couldn't, here is the snow dog and its master. Wonderful. Utterly wonderful. It's by the ...
Second paragraph of third chapter: Think of the price of stamps and melons. I was having a blazing row about a melon. Savvy Savvy's a supermarket. Their only superlatives are their blinking prices. I read a bunch of Lovejoy books back in 2012-2013, and eventually gave up because I couldn't take the narrator's narcissism and misogyny. On impulse I thought I'd try one more, and although Lovejoy himself is still very annoying, I felt that the author was pointing and laughing at him, perhaps more than in some of the other books, and that his revolting behaviour led to visible ...
The continuing fallout from the general election blunders in Newcastle-under-Lyme seem to have caused the fall of the Labour administration on the council: Elizabeth Shenton stood down as the leader of Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council after losing the support of independents. The Conservatives have now taken control from Labour. Almost 1,500 people were unable to vote in a constituency that saw the successful MP win by just 30 votes. Two council officials were suspended last month. Chief executive John Sellgren and Elizabeth Dodd, head of audit and elections, were criticised for a number of issues. [BBC] The problems covered people being ...
MSN has the story on its web site – see link above Now for those Brexiters who still read this anti-Brexit blog site I would guess that even the suggestion of Brexit not being followed through (at any cost – the more harm the better) will require them to take to the streets demanding that the UK self-destructs itself. But in the real world we all know that May and Corbyn and are in a right old tangle about how to deliver Brexit without flushing the UK down the economic pan of history. May's presently got to find the ...
An artist's impression of the new Consett depot Go North East is relocating its Stanley depot after nearly 100 years in the town, to a new facility in Consett. The company has received planning approval from Durham County Council to build a new high-specification depot on Hownsgill Industrial Estate in Consett. The purpose-built 11,585sq/ft depot will include a lean engineering facility to streamline processes and make vehicle maintenance more efficient, a full-recycling vehicle wash and spill-free refuelling system. The current Stanley depot, which sits on the site of a former ice-rink, is in major need of refurbishment, necessitating the new ...
In the last two years, I have been helped twice by the Samaritans. The first time was when I had a number of personal, family and work issues piling up. I felt as though everything was getting on top of me, and that if I wasn't careful, I would end up feeling worse. As usual my family were a great support to me. But I just felt I wanted to reach out to another human being, unconnected with the situations, to share what I was going through. I emailed jo@samaritans.org . Emailing seemed the best thing for me in that ...
Answer: when it's signed off by David Davis. His suggestion yesterday that the UK could go back on the agreement drawn up last week and, contrary to what the Chancellor has announced, we abandon our obligations to pay our bills, signal that he can't be trusted. The UK is in serious danger of being regarded by our friends abroad as one of the members of that exclusive club of international basket
Your main fandom of the year? As in the one I've spent most time in/on? Probably Dexter, given that I mainlined all 8 series, although I've never been so angry about ANYTHING as I was about the end of that show. Your favorite film watched this year? Wonder Woman. No, Moana. No, Wonder Woman. No, Moana. Argh. Your favorite book read this year? I've got a few I gave five stars to: - The Distant Echo by Val McDermid - Out Of Bounds by Val McDermid - Windwitch by Susan Rennard - several of the Doctor Who Mr Men books ...
Sun, 12:56: 'Beautiful' dinosaur tail found preserved in amber https://t.co/m65nnNyBkE Wow. Sun, 13:21: What line of longitude passes through most countries? https://t.co/VTLLcTlNqC Sun, 16:05: The Longest-Living Vertebrate on Earth https://t.co/USDHZocAQh The Greenland Shark. Sun, 16:22: RT @DoctorWhoReview: David Bradley has enjoyed a lifetime of Doctor Who - now he's bringing the classic series back to life https://t.co/UO... Sun, 17:51: Sunday reading https://t.co/HIgfGLJ71O Sun, 20:48: George Vassiliou: the years of lost opportunities https://t.co/ZyExsI3oFP The former Greek Cypriot leader reflects. Sun, 22:01: RT @leicesterliz: Although I foolishly failed to clock that my interviewer (the wonderful Dr Brendan Bradshaw) was an Irish Catholic ...
Instagram photoIf you're wondering why I'm still oon beef at this time it is because Roxy has decreed Snuggle Time. Mensa membership correlates with all sorts of physical and mental illnessesI would be really interested to see what the causation of this correlation is. Germany has come up with the best solution to single-use coffee cupsThis is excellent Widening inequality is largely a US and UK phenomenon - why?Wisdom from Our Glorious Leader. miss_s_b | A Tale of Two Podcasts: @limehousepod & @liberatedpodIn which I "review" (i.e. complain about) two lib dem podcasts I completed this week's weekly food challenge. ...
Mon 11th
10:55
Money to support young people who want to see a parliamentary by-election campaign at first hand
I thought that might get your attention...! It's eighteen months since the death of David Rendel, former Liberal Democrat MP for Newbury from 1993 to 2005. His untimely demise was obviously a cruel blow for his family. In Newbury, we also miss him dreadfully in the Liberal Democrats. We lost a great friend. I lost a great friend. I miss his humility, his enormous wisdom, his integrity, his selflessness, his sense of humour, his encouraging smile, his endless energy and passion for liberalism. Fortunately, shortly before his death, when asked if there was anything that the local Lib Dems could ...
Council officers and Avon Fire and Rescue Service visited the fire site on the industrial estate last week. The building needs to be demolished before the fire can be extinguished completely. Rather than summarise a complicated document here, please check out the detailed information on the South Glos website.
HCC staff have been working hard to respond to the level of snow that Hertfordshire is currently experiencing and there have been meetings held during the day to monitor the situation, review services and determine any action that needs to be taken to ensure that we are maintaining the highest possible levels of service to [...]
Nobody needs me to elaborate on the vagueness and contradictions inherent in the deal that Theresa May has struck with the EU when it is set against her government's determination to leave that institution, whilst keeping the United Kingdom intact. Needless to say at some stage a decision will have to be made and stuck to. However, for one Government Minister, the compromise half-agreement the Prime Minister signed off on last week is a sore he cannot help but keep picking. Brexit Secretary, David Davis seems determined to wreck any hope of agreement (and of a trade deal with Europe) ...
Yes, we're back, with our regular preview of the week in the upper chamber, following last week's absence. Apologies to those of you who take an interest in the more elegant end of the Palace of Westminster. No time to hang about though... The very first item of business after prayers on Monday is an oral question from Robin Teverson, whose will be seeking a Government view on whether UK citizens will be able their EU citizenship post-Brexit should they wish. Whilst this was originally an idea of Luxembourg MEP Charles Goerens, it was picked up by Guy Verhofstadt. Frankly, ...
Europe is, once again, being left behind. The latest frontier in technology development is Artificial Intelligence. Two current trends should worry Europeans. The first is that the field is totally dominated by US and Chinese companies. Thee is barely any discernible European presence. The second is the rapid consolidation that is creating oligopolistic industrial behemoths. [...] The post Europe is being left behind again, this time in AI. This is why. appeared first on Radix.
The last West End Police Surgery of 2017 takes place at Blackness Library today - details below :
As Britain recovers from the chaos that a few inches of snow wrought yesterday, today is brought to you from Creeting St Peter, my small but perfectly formed Suffolk village. We've had an inch or so here, mostly yesterday morning, but whilst there's broadband, there's hope, I'm told. Talking of chaos, it seems like Government ministers have spent the weekend queuing up to sabotage Theresa May's deal with the European Union. One does wonder about the wisdom of publicly talking about how and when the deal might be reneged upon, and with the Foreign Minister of Ireland, Simon Coveney, reminding ...
This post is no longer being updated but more tomorrow as the big freeze continues. The snowfall is over, maybe the occasional flurry. But the packed snow and ice will be with us for some days. The BBC is suggesting temperatures as low as -11C tonight. Stay safe. Stay warm. Please check on your neighbours. All schools in the area are closed on Monday and other services are disrupted. I'll update this as news comes in. Non-stop updates on BBC Radio Shropshire from 6am. @shropcouncil is tweeting like mad, putting out more than 150 tweets yesterday alone. If there is ...
