Daniel H. Cole and Aurelian Craiutu have some good news for you: reports of the demise of liberalism are greatly exaggerated. "To see, as most commentary has done, the deliberate traumatisation of migrant children as a 'mistake' by Trump is culpable naivety. It is a trial run - and the trial has been a huge success." Fintan O'Toole says trial runs for fascism are in full flow. Rhitu Chaterjee finds that replacing vacant sites with green spaces can ease depression in urban communities. "Sadly, an ever-more-vocal minority of our site's visitors appear to be intent on abusing the ability to ...
The Ashdown Prize – a new initiative, tried for the first time this year and named after former leader Paddy Ashdown – was an attempt to involve grassroots Liberal Democrat members in the generation of bold, radical ideas for the party: You'll need a big, bold, radical idea – that will empower citizens and tackle one of the big issues facing Britain today. So, if you think you've got an idea, don't wait, submit it. You can read the after-action report here and take part in the feedback survey about it here. My views on it are both more and ...
Few coherent people entirely support the policies of just one political party and one of the Labour policies I warm to is the proposal to renationalise the railways. Despite being old enough to remember how much worse they were before privatisation than they are now, the idea has deep emotional appeal. Trains really don't make sense in a privatised-for-competition kind of a way: just like the water and sewage companies, it's all a bit peculiar. Buses work out badly under competition but you can at least conceive that on the profitable routes at the busy time of day three or ...
Embed from Getty Images There is a story we used to tell in the West to demonstrate the superiority of our economic system. It concerns an official from the old Soviet Union who came on a visit to Britain. Back home he was responsible for ensuring that the right amount of bread arrived in Moscow each morning. When he arrived here he was asked if there was anyone he would like to meet. He replied that he would like to talk to his opposite number - the government official who was responsible for ensuring that the right amount of bread ...
More a non-story than a story really, but of interest to hardcore Lib Dems: after coming to the end of her fixed-term contract as Vince Cable's Chief of Staff, Fiona Cookson has left the role. This is not unexpected as it means she can take up a future role closer to her young family.
For the second time in a year, a section 114 notice has been issued by the chief financial officer of Northamptonshire County Council. It is a Conservatice-run authority led by Cllr Matt Golby. As I explained when the first notice was issued in February, this is a measure the officer takes if a council has, or is likely to have, an unbalanced budget. Commenting today the leader of the Liberal Democrat group on the council, Chris Stanbra said: "Matt Golby now needs to consider his position, as do cabinet members Cllr Michael Clarke and Cllr Ian Morris. Cllr Golby was ...
Second paragraph of third chapter: En dehors de la jeune femme du docteur, ils étaient réduits presque uniquement cette année-là (bien que Mme Verdurin fût elle-même vertueuse et d'une respectable famille bourgeoise excessivement riche et entièrement obscure avec laquelle elle avait peu à peu cessé volontairement toute relation) à une personne presque du demi-monde, Mme de Crécy, que Mme Verdurin appelait par son petit nom, Odette, et déclarait être «un amour» et à la tante du pianiste, laquelle devait avoir tiré le cordon; personnes ignorantes du monde et à la naïveté de qui il avait été si facile de faire ...
I like to tout my record in predicting the direction Brexit takes. My current prediction is that Britain will leave on 29 March 2019, with a deal of some sort in place, and the prospect of a relationship with the EU something like the one Turkey has: a customs union for agriculture and goods, but ... Continue reading Can Theresa May do a Robert Peel? The tension on Brexit mounts.
Liberal Democrat Newswire #114 came out last week with a range of contributions from guests on topics as varied as Love Island, Jo Grimond and international trade.
Information for residents who use the Metrolink through to Eccles. The line (Cornbrook to Eccles) is closing for two weeks 28 July – 9 August 2018. The closure is to enable work to take place that will link the new Trafford Park line, currently under construction, with the existing Metrolink network at Pomona. During the works there will be a full bus replacement operating including additional services during peak times.
Each year Six Town Housing host summer roadshows across the borough of Bury for tenants and the community. This year, our roadshows are being themed around digital inclusion, youth participation and women in construction. We're having 5 roadshows on the following dates / locations: Tuesday 24th July - Hoyles Park, Bury Tuesday 31st July - Powell St, Bury Tuesday 7th August - Red Bank field, Radcliffe Tuesday 14th August - Victoria Park, Whitefield Tuesday 21st August - Venwood Ball Zone, Prestwich (All 1-4pm) The roadshows are free family fun events with interactive information stalls by Six Town Housing, community groups ...
Greater Manchester's Council Leaders are set to agree a revised timetable for the publication of the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework plans. The next set of proposals, a Consultation Draft, will be agreed by the GM Combined Authority at its meeting at the end of October, followed by a 12 week consultation. Consultation on the next version of the plan was intended to be July 2018, however, it was agreed to delay the consultation until October because of new population projections (SNPP) published on 24 May 2018. The previous version of the plan proposed around 240,000 new homes across Greater Manchester ...
The August roadworks we told you about recently have been delayed. South Glos have said: "Unfortunately, we have had to postpone these resurfacing works.I anticipate that they will be rearranged for the school holidays in October and will send out a confirmation letter nearer the time" We'll keep you posted.
Health experts will provide free information about tinnitus and hearing loss at a free session on Monday 6 August. It will be held atthe Green Room, Textile Hall (next to Bury Library), and anyone is free to drop in between 2.30pm and 3.30pm. For further information call the Inclusion Officer on 0161 253 7512.
It has been disclosed that Sajid Javid, the UK Home Secretary, has allowed the extradition of two UK-based individuals who are accused of committing a series of murders while acting in support of ISIS in Syria and Iraq. Contrary to convention, Javid did not gain the usual assurances that the suspects would not be subjected to capital punishment, which is allowed under US law. Quite a few people have been asking why all the fuss over the fate of two men who have travelled to fight with a terrorist organisation and there is video evidence of them committing most horrible ...
Channel 4 is not coming to Liverpool so we must learn from our failed bids for this and the Commonwealth Games So, we didn't get even a C4 hub this year never mind the HQ of the Company and we ... Continue reading →
Mon, 12:56: RT @g0g0gomez: quote from author at bookstore event, "Nobody has gotten pregnant at a library." and let me tell you, I knew on sight who in... Mon, 16:05: A melancholy talent with a genius for send-up - Flann O'Brien was his own worst enemy https://t.co/WHhlX2a4zh Alas, too true. Mon, 18:17: RT @davidallengreen: A thread about being realistic about the Withdrawal Agreement. 1. Mon, 19:04: Monday reading https://t.co/kQ5OhaXp2f Mon, 20:48: Uncomfortable Questions in the Wake of Russia Indictment 2.0 and Trump's Press Conference With Putin... https://t.co/bt5tqDUGoz Tue, 05:21: RT @garykmrivers: Milk delivery 25 years ago was essentially a subscription ...
The papers have been reporting on the rise in crime rates across the UK. Burglaries, knife crimes, stalking, sexual offences – all are on the up. It is tempting to look at the obvious things that might be related to this trend. Falling police numbers, economic hardship, failures in the education system, and so forth. [...] The post One reason why crime is rising so fast appeared first on Radix.
Last year, Paddy Ashdown and Your Liberal Britain decided to set up a policy innovation prize. Paddy and I both knew that there thousands of Lib Dems out there who were bursting with good ideas but didn't know where to send them or what to do with them. We wanted to see if we could help. Why? Well, Your Liberal Britain aims to convince the Liberal Democrats to become a powerful and inspirational political movement, above all by empowering its members and supporters. We want the party to say to its members: "you share our passion for building a Liberal ...
Tue 24th
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It's the final countdown - decision on parking charge hikes tomorrow - Ludlow protest 6pm tonight - ...
I'm just grabbing a few moments from leave to bring you up to date on the parking charge debacle. Despite a cabinet member promising us he would ask for changes last week, council officers said yesterday that the paperwork is finalised. No changes are possible. That means it is all down to the cabinet tomorrow. Philip Dunne has protested to the council leader calling for a review or delay. Join us for our public protest at 6pm in Castle Square tonight. The new parking regime is being driven by an ideology that believes that standardisation across the matters more than ...
Following concerns expressed to me by residents that McGonagall's Walk on Riverside Drive has been damaged during recent flood prevention works, the City Council has given assurances that the walk will be repaired. The council's City Development Director has now advised me : "My Officers have investigated the damage to McGonagall's Walk art installation and established that there are seven cracked slabs and damage to one of the words which has removed one of the letters. The damage to the slabs occurred during the construction of the new seawall. This has been raised with the contractors and who have advised ...
The row over Labour's code of conduct on anti-semitism continues to drag on with lawyers for Dame Margaret Hodge yesterday accusing the party of making a "veiled attempt" to silence her after her confrontation with Jeremy Corbyn over antisemitism. The Times reports that Dame Margaret has been told she faces an internal disciplinary investigation after her spat with the Labour leader at which she accused him of being antisemitic. Hodge denies swearing at Corbyn and cites multiple witnesses who she says can testify to that effect. The paper says that Dame Margaret, who is Jewish and lost family members in ...
