To add to the flow from both the Conservatives and from many Labour members, comes this letter from a former Labour, now Liberal Democrat, member in Bristol.
I still need to do a proper New Year post but in the meantime, I have a favour to ask: recommendations for women authors. One of my (as yet to be finalised) aims for this year is not just to keep up my reading, but to increase the number of books by female writes I read. To put this in perspective, and because I'm sad enough to have kept track, last year I completed 44 books. Of these, 28 were by men, 15 by women and 1 was an anthology; in percentage terms this breaks down as 64%, 34% and ...
So Iran is back in the news again; there's always something fun going on there! The country seems to have exploded in protests, something many analysts had previously thought near impossible. These protests are complex and still evolving (having only started December 28th), appearing to be various forms of cathartic action with outpourings of anger over food price increases, strict religious rule and corruption. Somewhat negligently, analysts appear not to have predicted instability in Iran (despite the high/volatile food prices, young population and regional instability). In 2009 the so-called 'Green Revolution' made headlines: a series of large protests in response ...
Welcome to the first of my new series of explainer videos, trying to demystify a little some of the things the Liberal Democrats get up to: how and why we do what we do.
One of my vague ambitions for the year ahead is to get back into Big Finish again. There are a load of Big Finish audios which I did listen to a few years back, and never got around to writing up here; I haven't gone into it systematically, but I'll listen again to all those I haven't yet posted about. Back in 2016, Big Finish had a plot line with two different Masters, a year before the BBC brought Michelle Gomez and John Simm together on TV. The first of the three, And You Will Obey Me by Alan Barnes, ...
Wed 3rd
13:32
WATCH: Vince Cable on LBC talking homelessness, brexit, being a puritan on drugs, knife crime and Ni...
In case you missed it yesterday, here is Vince Cable's start of year phone in with Nick Ferrari He got the chance to talk about the scandal of so many young people sleeping rough while there were so many empty properties. He highlighted the role of Universal Credit in causing homelessness among young people. He also talked about the need to build more houses. Nick Ferrari actually raised the issue of homelessness among veterans which led to a discussion of how veterans with mental ill health don't get the support and treatment they need. Vince also talked about how commuters ...
On Jan. 1, Iceland made it illegal to pay men more than women—an inequality that exists (with respect to average gross hourly and annual income) in almost every nation. This legislation made the Nordic island nation, population 334,252, the first country in the world to ban pay discrimination on the basis of gender. The law isn't complicated: Under it, companies and government agencies employing at least 25 people will have to obtain government certification of their equal-pay policies. Companies and agencies that fail to prove pay parity will face fines. [Quartz] It's worth noting something often overlooked when discussing the ...
This picture is, of course, of the devastated multi story car park at the Liverpool Arena. It was local government staff who dealt with this emergency and its aftermath Like most people who go canvassing the comment that most annoys ... Continue reading →
A version of this post first appeared yesterday on the Radix blog... Cast your mind back, if you can, about 160 years to the end of 1858 - when the European crisis was emerging that would have a profound effect on politics in the UK. There was the revolution under way that would see Garibaldi uniting Italy, and incidentally coining the word 'Liberal' (also the name of the patron saint of Treviso, by the way). There was tension with France that was leading to major rearmament on both sides (including the launch of HMS Warrior, still with us in Portsmouth). ...
Do we want to abolish relative poverty in five years? Here's one way we could do it. In December the Joseph Rowntree Foundation published its report UK Poverty 2017 The report states: 14 million people live in poverty in the UK - over one in five of the population. This is made up of eight million working-age adults, four million children and 1.9 million pensioners. 8 million live in families where at least one person is in work. The question for Liberal Democrats is how can we eliminate relative poverty over the course of a five year Parliament. The JRF ...
Unless something really unforeseen happens, the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill will pass the House of Commons in the coming weeks. This is where the fun might just begin. For it then goes to the House of Lords. Several peers have been vocal about their dislike of the Bill (not least Andrew Adonis) and the government, quite rightly, has fears for the Bill not passing the Upper House at all. Even it passing but coming back riddled with amendments is seen as undesirable by Number 10. There is much to remark upon here, but I'll try and keep it brief. First ...
For somebody who does not like other country's nationals telling the UK what to do, Nigel Farage is an offensively persistent presence abroad. Whether it is backing Trump's presidential campaign, speaking in favour of the controversial (and losing) Republican Alabama Senate candidate, Roy Moore, or addressing a far right rally in Germany, the seven times Parliamentary loser and three times former UKIP leader just can't keep his nose out of other people's affairs. Now we learn that he is poised to travel to Ireland next month to attend a conference calling for Ireland to leave the European Union. According to ...
Tue, 12:56: RT @JolyonMaugham: A pity The Times could not find space to remind its readers that a reason unaccompanied children are preyed upon is beca... Tue, 14:37: RT @joeheenan: Top tip. Don't throw away your old Christmas cards. They can be reused throughout the year. https://t.co/9QvyrnXxEg Tue, 14:38: Nicely put. https://t.co/mxCumvUJ6W Tue, 16:00: RT @Dublin2019: ICYMI: Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell, one of our Guests of Honour, is profiled in The New Yorker. https://t.co/jHcrtQjdwI Tue, 16:05: Gamergate FBI file shows no charges brought despite confessions https://t.co/4QYqvdi57D Crumbs. Tue, 18:32: Brave New Worlds, ed. John Joseph Adams https://t.co/lnOUREA2Gw Tue, 20:48: RT ...
Toby Young's appointment to the OfS shows everything wrong with our attitude towards universities'Fare-dodger' gets penis stuck in ticket barriers at Covent Garden Tube stationThe headline tells you pretty much all you need to know, but what a headline Gamergate FBI file shows no charges brought despite confessionsThey've got confessions ON VIDEO and they still do nothing. For fuck's sake. Companies House rejects 50 potentially offensive namesJustice for Blue Arsed Fly! For posterity, here's the BBC's tech correspondent learning what Goatse is in realtime on TwitterI mean, this guy has been the tech correspondent FOREVER. How in Cthulhu's name is ...
Fashionably late, because you should have had this on New Year's Day, is our top post of 2017. #1: Jo Swinson MP writes: The role I want to play in our party's leadership In it, Jo Swinson explains why she has decided not to run for leader. I have been overwhelmed by so many lovely messages from people I know, and from many members I have not yet met, encouraging me to stand for leader. I am touched and flattered that you look to me - and I am determined to play a key role in our party's leadership. Being ...
[IMG: Sir John Moore statue, Sandgate Esplanade] The Chairman and Trustees of the Shorncliffe Trust cordially invite you to the annual commemoration for Sir John Moore taking place at his Memorial on Sandgate Esplanade on Saturday, 13th January 2018 at 09.45am. From Wikipedia on Sir John Moore: Lieutenant-General Sir John Moore, KB, (13 November 1761 - 16 January 1809) was a British soldier and General, also known as Moore of Corunna. He is best known for his military training reforms and for his death at the Battle of Corunna, in which he repulsed a French army under Marshal Soult during ...
Climate Change is one of the biggest challenges facing the world today. South Glos Council is currently consulting on its draft Climate Change Strategy for 2018 - 2023. You can find out more and have your say at www.southglos.gov.uk/climate18 until 12th March. There are several ways you can respond: Take part in the online surveyDownload and print a paper copy of the survey and send to Freepost RTXL-YJXJ-BXEX, South Gloucestershire Council, Corporate Research & Consultation Team, Climate Change Strategy, Council offices, Badminton Road, Yate, BRISTOL BS37 5AFEmail: consultation@southglos.gov.ukTelephone: 01454868154
No not the quiz programme. I am asking about the Liberal Democrats - a minor, centrist political party in the United Kingdom. A Party that for 86 years has espoused a fairer and more representative voting system but for some inexplicable reason in 2017 it lost all enthusiasm for coalition government. Our current leader said during the last election campaign "I would be astonished if he (Tim Farron) countenanced any kind of coalition with Labour or the Conservatives." So here is the very big SO - why bother voting for us, after all there was no chance that we would ...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-42281506 The BBC has the story on its web site – see link above Commuters from Sefton's Eastern Parishes who drive into Liverpool or catch a bus using the A59 County/Walton Road may be in for quicker journey times if this plan comes off and if it successfully addresses traffic congestion on this notoriously traffic-jammed route into Town.
A few weeks ago I received a mass email from Lufthansa. They were about to change the miles awards for their frequent flyer programme. They would no longer award points according to the number of miles flown. Rather they would award them on the basis of fare paid. Those who pay higher fares for the [...] The post Why corporate-speak threatens us all appeared first on Radix.
View of Hawkhill Place at the junction of Perth Road prior to the building of the art college extension :
https://twitter.com/jonathanfryer/status/948345286992322563 I see that my colleague on Federal International Relations Committee is somewhere rather warmer than I am. Unfortunately, his passionate opposition to Brexit has led him into dangerous waters. An explanation is in order. One of the jewels in the crown of our system of checks and balances is the concept of a neutral Civil Service. Its role is to deliver the business of government, enforcing the law of the land in as accurate a manner as is possible, drawing up plans for the introduction of Government legislation, advising ministers in terms of the potential consequences of a particular ...
On John Byrne's Man of Steel, tying in to yesterday's Crisis post. Tomorrow, if my head cold clears up, a post on Nilsson.
