Following the Conservative donor, the latest switch to supporting the Liberal Democrats – and in this case joining the party too – is a Green Parliamentary candidate: Alex Murray, who challenged for the Watford seat at the 2017 General Election, defected to the Lib Dems after witnessing the party's work in his hometown. He said: "I have been impressed with the record of the Liberal Democrat team locally. "They have improved [Watford's] parks and open spaces and we have an excellent recycling service. "I am pleased that their mayoral candidate, Peter Taylor, has put improving bus services and introducing a ...
We've heard Iain Sinclair talking with Alan Moore about London. Here he is doing it with Stewart Lee. As the blurb from the London Review Bookshop says: Iain Sinclair has been writing about London for most of his adult life, and if any of us can even begin to understand this peculiar sort of city that we sort of call a sort of home, then it's with Sinclair that we begin. The Last London (Oneworld) is the culmination of Iain's London project, although 'project' is far too determined a word to describe a body of work so many-layered, so prodigiously ...
An intriguing paragraph from Keven Maguire's Commons Confidential in the New Statesman: Maybe the Sun, Daily Express, Daily Mail and Daily Telegraph weren't particularly interested in the truth when smearing Comrade Corbyn as a Cold War spy. But Mansfield's expensively humiliated Tory vice chair Ben Bradley could have saved himself a small fortune and a grovel if he'd asked the Lib Dems. The sneaky yellow peril checked Stasi files three years ago and discovered that Corbyn wasn't on the books. Eastern bloc agents were uninterested in the secrets of Jezza's damson jam recipe.Once gaining such intelligence would have involved Paddy ...
At first, I was surprised to discover there were so many patents related to pillowcases. Then I was intrigued as to quite what was special about this one. But then I was distracted by the wonder of the pillowcase which, according to the legally lodged and therefore official and always correct documentation, "may have a width and a length". Only "may". Not "shall". So it may also have no width or length. Not clear if a height is mandatory or banned. Either way, that's some pillow. Existential quite possibly. Or perhaps a manifestation of string theory? Just in case it ...
It was a day off for many in Ludlow and Shropshire. All schools in our town were closed, along with a few shops. The market began a five day shutdown. Many people were forced to begin a long weekend. Train spotters had a dismal day. Not a train in sight. But Minsterley kept a basic town bus service running. Thanks guys! But, hey! It was a day for the kids. A great day for the kids. We saw many variations of Olympic Winter Sports on Gallows Bank. Snowboarding, skeleton (aka the tea tray) and unsuccessful attempts at various jumps. It ...
This lunchtime the Prime Minister delivered her long-awaited vision for Brexit Britain. The speech was beautifully crafted (congratulations to whoever actually wrote it), but my analysis of the content is less complimentary. As there have been conflicting statements about Brexit even among Cabinet Ministers — along a spectrum from Chancellor Philip Hammond to Foreign Secretary [...]
From the Shropshire Star: Work was scheduled to start on January 22 to bring down Bishop's Castle Methodist Chapel, which members say is no longer fit for purpose. But when fences and machinery appeared at the site, concerns were raised to Shropshire Council about what the loss of the building would mean for the town. The council has now issued an 'Article 4 Direction' on the building, which introduces the requirement for planning permission for something which would not normally need it - in this case demolition. The direction, under the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 2015, ...
These six audios were released in 2012 and 2013, and I actually bought and listened to them then, but did not get around to writing them up in the press of Worldcon and other business. My revisiting The Talons of Weng-Chiang prompted me to go back to these as well. Unusually for the Jago and Litefoot narrative, they all take place outside Victorian London - the first two pretty far away in both space and time. Voyage to Venus, by Jonathan Morris, takes the two Victorian adventurers and the Sixth Doctor, who turned up at the end of the previous ...
A short update to let you know that I survived my first cycle of chemo – Maxi-CHOP – yesterday. In the style of OSCAR winners, I'd like to thank my wife for braving the ice and snow to get me there and back safely. Without her love and support, none of this could have happened yesterday. Thanks to the gritting ... The post Maxi-CHOP ed appeared first on ten pence piece.
Over on Slugger, David McCann reminds us that the most recent Northern Ireland Assembly election was exactly a year ago today. I hadn't realised that the election broadcasts are almost all online, both for the 2 March Assembly election and the 8 June Westminster election. Here I am! In part 1 of the Assembly election coverage I make no less than seven appearances, at 0:14:44; 0:42:25; 1:22:13; 2:17:42; 2:42:45; 3:43:46; and 4:15:25. In part 2, I'm only on twice, at 0:33:00 and 1:49:13. In part 3 I got three bites of the cherry, at 0:32:10, 1:08:30 and 1:55:45. And leaping ...
Former Watford parliamentary candidate for the Greens, Alex Murray, has joined the Liberal Democrats and was welcomed to the Party by Deputy Leader Jo Swinson, Party Chair Ian Stotesbury and Mayoral candidate Peter Taylor. From the Watford Observer: Alex Murray, who challenged for the Watford seat at the 2017 General Election, defected to the Lib Dems after witnessing the party's work in his hometown. He said: "I have been impressed with the record of the Liberal Democrat team locally. "They have improved [Watford's] parks and open spaces and we have an excellent recycling service. "I am pleased that their mayoral ...
Vince Cable had this to say about Theresa May's speech: Theresa May has once again prevaricated from making serious decisions about our future. Her speech outlined all the reasons why we should stay in the single market and customs union, but she will carry on regardless, driving us out to placate brexiters in the cabinet. May's diminished authority is allowing Brexit extremists to neuter any chance she has at getting an acceptable deal for the UK. With a listless government beholden to hard-line Tories the only way to protect our future is ensure a referendum on the final deal. Surely, ...
Fri 2nd
14:50
First thoughts on Theresa May's latest Brexit speech - why this should have been the spiel at Lancas...
Reports leading up to today's speech were mixed. On one hand, Chris Grayling said that "the prime minister will recognise in the speech today that it is not about cherry picking, that we can't have everything that we might like to have because we are leaving." This seemed to suggest more realism, which was to be welcomed (if present) as compared to previous announcements from cabinet ministers on the topic. On the other hand, briefed beforehand were May's five brand new "red lines", which to summarise were: Brexit means Brexit. We're leaving everything. Whatever agreement reached between the EU and ...
As Theresa May prepares to set out her five tests of a Brexit deal, Vince Cable, Chuka Umunna and Caroline Lucas have demanded that she and her ministers live up to the promises that they have made since the referendum, most of which revolve around cake and the eating thereof. Open Britain co-ordinated a letter which is short and sweet. It's the appendix in which the words of Ministers are outlined that is useful. The point of the letter is not so much that they think the Prime Minster is going to take any notice, but more so that they ...
From BBC News: David Cameron and George Osborne have hailed their austerity plan after the former chancellor's deficit reduction target was finally met. The day-to-day deficit has been eliminated two years later than Mr Osborne wanted when he set it in 2010. Mr Osborne tweeted: "We got there in the end - a remarkable national effort." Mr Cameron replied: "It was the right thing to do."
Let us all see the CIPFA report which the taxpayers of Liverpool have paid for so that we can all see the risks that this eminent organisation thinks should be addressed I believe that Liverpool Council is deliberately suppressing a ... Continue reading →
The Prime Minister (pro tem) of the UK has made another speech imploring the British people to rally round and come together in order to make the country a success post-Brexit. Let me state why I, for one, will not be doing that. The surprise result of the referendum on British membership of the European Union could have been answered by the Conservative government in a variety of ways. Once the Conservatives had time to change their leadership after the precipitate departure of David Cameron, it could have been reasonable to say something like: " we understand that the British ...
In an article for the New European, Christine Jardine highlights the threats to our cultural events, most notably the Edinburgh Festival, posed by Brexit: But sadly if our creative industries are not protected world class events like the Festival, Glastonbury, and many others may find that musicians used to touring Europe freely with no issues over EU crew or equipment licenses could find the whole process becomes slower, more expensive and just downright difficult. They might opt to take up other opportunities on the continent or elsewhere. Music development organisations and other cultural groups might also find themselves without the ...
I have lost count of the number of interviews with key Government Ministers or Brexit cheerleaders where they have spouted their usual nonsense about Europe needing us more than we need them, and how leaving the EU will give us the freedom to negotiate trade deals all around the world, even though we would have far more leverage in those negotiations as part of a bloc of 28 countries than if we go alone. I am also sick of hearing how Donald Trump, who seems to hate the EU as much as Nigel Farage (though the US President hasn't received ...
DragonsofWales' Happy St David's Day pictureThe Most Important Scientist You've Never Heard OfLong, but excellent Building a snow hole to survive a blizzard - BBC NewsSnowpocalypse tips miss_s_b | Calling all Good Place fansI posted Calling all Good Place fans to my dreamwidth blog miss_s_b | The blame for snowpocalypse? It's all my dad's fault. Sorry.I posted The blame for snowpocalypse? It's all my dad's fault. Sorry. to my dreamwidth blog Sexual harassment and abuse taking place 'at all levels' within Labour party, reveals new reportWould be amazed if this is just Labour Yorkshiremen in shorts despite snowfall - videoText ...
Thu, 12:56: https://t.co/k0hoqLVJcX Thu, 13:34: RT @DTzantchev: Dancing #horo with my @EU2018BG colleagues and #Bulgarian compatriots in the @EUCouncil in #Brussels to welcome the #spring... Thu, 16:05: RT @Harkaway: Here is a thing I will tell you that is real. I do not often talk about my kids online, because they are small and they do no... Thu, 16:07: Brilliant takedown of Nigel Farage by @TimmermansEU about #Poland in the European Parliament yesterday! https://t.co/qFmCusPT84 Thu, 18:20: Two #RetroHugo 1943 novels: The Uninvited, by Dorothy Macardle; Grand Canyon, by Vita Sackville-West https://t.co/HKEfmQzPWs Thu, 20:48: RT @CosmossUp: Newest & Clearest photo of ...
In an article for the Huffington Post, Lib Dem Brexit Spokesperson forensically takes apart six arguments made by the Tory MP for Sutton and Cheam in a letter to his constituents. Tom tackled the assertion that the thought of a referendum on the deal would encourage the EU to give us a bad deal. So far, the negotiations have clearly demonstrated that the EU is in a much stronger negotiating position, with our Government capitulating at every turn. In fact, when asked in December to name a concession that the EU had made, the only thing EU chief negotiator Michel ...
Are you an addict? I ask you this because a year or so ago, I would have said no. Today, I would answer yes. So what changes and what could you not be realising about yourself? There is a saying: "The truth will set you free." It could be timeless wisdom or a tired cliché, but it speaks to me. By admitting the truth to not just others but also to yourself, you can live a life you truly deserve. However, the hardest fact we can acknowledge is the one that hurts ourselves. The truth that reveals a significant weakness ...
Crossens Saturday, 10th March, St John's Primary School, Rufford Road, Crossens, from 11am to 12 noon. Churchtown Thursday, 22nd March, BoxTree Kitchen for Queenscourt cafe, Manor Road/Cambridge Road, roundabout, from 10:30am to 11:30am. We will be there to meet you and discuss any Council problems you may have. No appointment necessary. Just pop in.
Water, water... Where? Certainly not everywhere. Not anymore. The essential ingredient to life is becoming a disappearing and fought over commodity. Nowhere is this more obvious at the moment than in relations between Egypt and Ethiopia over rights to the historic Nile. Since the dawn of civilisation, the waters of the Blue and White Nile have joined at Khartoum to form the Nile River—the only source of fresh water along its 1,600-mile journey through the desert to the Mediterranean. Egyptian civilisation grew out of the Nile more than 3,000 years ago. It is the reason that Egypt can continue to ...
[IMG: Rousseau and Brexit] The French philosopher, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, whose works were greatly influential in shaping the Enlightenment and the French Revolution, said the following: "A nation must have a navel, and if it has not got one, we... The post Rousseau and Brexit appeared first on FeministMama @ambitiousmamas.
Let me know if you have updated information. There is a yellow weather warning in place until 9am Saturday. The advice is don't travel unless it is essential. Below is the latest information on trains, buses, health services, schools and shopping. I'll update this blog as information comes in. (Updated at 14:05pm Friday.) Trains. There are no trains through Ludlow and no replacement buses. No information yet on when the train service will be restored. The following message was issued by Arriva Trains Wales at 14:00 Friday. We are unlikely to see trains Saturday and Sunday. Monday will be severely ...
Whatever happened to free trade? I keep on asking this question given that the economic establishment is firmly committed to it in name, but acts in precisely the opposite direction. And although I am certainly not the only one asking the question, I am virtually the only one in the UK. The baddie at the [...] The post American conservatives swinging behind anti-trust appeared first on Radix.
Electoral law takes no account of the Beast from the East. Once an election is set, it goes ahead regardless. Returning Officers have no discretion to alter the timetable. So, yesterday in East Devon, the Lib Dems quietly held a Council seat despite a strong challenge from an Independent. Exmouth Town (East Devon) result: LDEM: 28.2% (-2.7) IND: 26.6% (+26.6) CON: 21.5% (-3.6) LAB: 13.0% (-7.7) GRN: 10.7% (-12.6) Liberal Democrat HOLD. — Britain Elects (@britainelects) March 2, 2018 The SNP held Clackmannanshire Council – but we did have a candidate. * Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice ...
Fri 2nd
08:08
Lydiate – A lot of folk at Parish Council meeting to hear about a leisure/sporting facility be...
Last Tuesday's Lydiate Parish Council meeting was a full house so to speak as over 30 residents from the Hall Lane/Southport Road area turned out to hear a presentation to the Council from a local landowner who wants to develop outdoor leisure/sporting facilities on what is presently agricultural land in Green Belt off these roads. It had not been intended as public presentation by the land owner but as word got around of the presentation locals turned out in force from what is a sparsely populated rural part of Lydiate Civil Parish. We were told that the land owner wanted ...
UPDATE : Friday 2nd March at 1pm - Sunday's event below has been postponed due to weather conditions : Friends of the University of Dundee Botanic GardenTalk - Sunday 4th March - the history of the area around the Botanic Garden Keith Walker, an expert on Dundee's local history, will talk about Will's Braes and the lands around the Botanic Garden. Keith has spent his life researching Dundee's history, has contributed frequently to the Craigie Column and conducts research for the City Archives and local history specialists. The talk is in the Education Centre in the Botanic Garden at 2pm. ...
Arriva Train Wales has cancelled all trains between Manchester and Cardiff for Friday. There will not be replacement buses. The advice remains not to travel by rail or road. Arriva Trains Wales is running a limited service on the following lines only: Shrewsbury to Crewe; Crewe to Chester; Chester to Holyhead; and Wrexham to Bidston. There is no news from the rail companies on when services will resume. Arriva Train Wales is keeping people up to date through Twitter There are two problems. The first is obviously the weather. That is due to ease a little through the day but ...
