News from the Liberal Democrats in Michael Moore's former constituency of Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk: Jenny Marr has been selected as the party's next Prospective Parliamentary Candidate (PPC). The local newspaper reports: The former Selkirk High pupil was chosen at a meeting in Melrose last week. She told us: "I'm thrilled to have been chosen to represent my home constituency. "Growing up in the Borders I always felt that the Liberal Democrats put my community first in everything they did and I want to bring that sort of public service and commitment back to Borders politics on the big stage ...
Just two press releases today, as the timetable for the Parliamentary debate (at least, the one in the Commons) is scheduled... Hedges case should never have happened PM ducks Cable challenge to debate Brexit Hedges case should never have happened Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Christine Jardine has welcomed news that Matthew Hedges, who was given a life sentence in the UAE for spying, has received a presidential pardon. Following this morning's announcement Ms Jardine said; It is a great relief to see that Matthew will be returning to his family in the UK. However, this should never have happened ...
"You'll love this, my boy. Monty Python was really funny. One of them did silly walks and there was a sketch about a dead parrot. A Norwegian Blue! Where are you going? Come back."
It was announced yesterday that the British actor George A. Cooper has died at the age of 93. He had an important role in Hell is a City from 1960, which Talking Pictures TV has been showing recently, but I remember him best in Peter Cook's satire The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer. Cooper played a Labour prime minister modelled closely on Harold Wilson, seen here being advised and destroyed by Cook's Machiavellian Rimmer. The scene also shows Cook's limitations as an actor.
Liberal Democrats in the Scottish Borders have chosen Jenny Marr as their prospective parliamentary candidate. She told the Border Telegraph: "I'm thrilled to have been chosen to represent my home constituency. "Growing up in the Borders I always felt that the Liberal Democrats put my community first in everything they did and I want to bring that sort of public service and commitment back to Borders politics on the big stage and here at home. "On the national stage I want to be the pro-UK and pro-EU voice that reflects the dominant view here."The Borders were once an area of ...
It was a great pleasure to receive an invitation from the 7th South Wallington Brownies to join them in celebrating 100 years since women got the vote as part of UK Parliament Week. At the event I chatted to a number of Brownies about the research they had been doing, answered questions about my work [...]
Current And the Mountains Echoed, by Khaled Hosseini The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, by Michael Chabon Outside In: 160 New Perspectives on 160 Classic Doctor Who Stories by 160 Writers, ed. Robert Smith? All The King's Men, by Robert Penn Warren Last books finished Burr, by Gore Vidal The Stone Book Quartet, by Alan Garner The Prisoner and The Fugitive, by Marcel Proust Brüsel, by Benoît Peeters and François Schuiten Next books Fools, by Pat Cadigan Delta of Venus, by Anaïs Nin The Name of This Book Is Secret, by Pseudonymous Bosch
Carsington Water is a pleasant 30 minute drive from home. It's somewhere I enjoy going to think, especially when it's quiet. It was very quiet this morning, as well as being cold and rather eerie in the winter sunlight. It's a good job the 7 has a heater – however inefficient. At least it keeps my [...] The post Transplant +75: Carsington Water appeared first on ten pence piece.
The newly elected President of ALDC, Baroness Ros Scott, closed the ALDC Kickstart event yesterday afternoon. She has kindly made available the text of her speech... I hope that you have all had a wonderful weekend. These are the most difficult and unpredictable political times that I can ever remember. There's no way of knowing what the backdrop to next May's elections will be. But some things never change. When I joined in 1991, I was a community campaigner in my home town of Needham Market. The only political party who were really engaged with the community were the Lib ...
At 4:44pm on this day 60 years ago the Unionist MP for North Belfast H. Montgomery Hyde rose to speak in the debate on the Homosexual Offences and Prostitution Report (aka the Wolfenden report). Unlike most NI Unionist contributions in the House of Commons since he was in favour of reform in this case the decriminalisation of homosexuality. Here in full in what he said taken from the archives of Hansard HC Deb 26 November 1958 Cols 390-399. I am very glad to have caught your eye, Mr. Deputy-Speaker, because when I tried to raise this question last Session, by ...
The possibility/probability of a people's vote seems to be increasing. Minds are starting to be focussed on what would be on the ballot paper in such a referendum. A good guess seems to be: 1. May deal 2. "WTO rules"/"no deal"/bungee jump with bungee unconnected (good luck with drafting that one, oh civil servants) 3. Remain It seems conceivable that the result could be 33.3/33.3/33.3 like some maddingly stuck long playing record. Or it could be an unconvincing 32/34/34 or something like that. It seems vital to use a preference voting system, rather than a simple "x". A 1,2,3 approach ...
This really does look to be coming our way. Theresa May has said she would like to debate Jeremy Corbyn on the television, on the merits or lack thereof of her deal with the EU. I've been trying to imagine what such a debate would look like – I can confirm that such a thing terrifies me. For a start, it really looks like May repeating a major mistake of the 2017 general election campaign, i.e. over-estimating her own debating abilities whist simultaneously underestimating Corbyn's. Perhaps she feels like Corbyn has no fixed position and can thus be knocked over ...
Two polls since the last General Election have investigated people's views on introducing a Universal Basic Income. Populus found at the end of July this year that 41% of those surveyed supported the idea with only 17% opposed. The rest were either neutral or didn't know. This polling also helped illuminate what the public feel would be the costs and benefits, with 49% agreeing it would reduce the stigma of claiming welfare but 45% being concerned about it being unaffordable. If the Liberal Democrats are to back a UBI it is therefore vital that we set out how we will ...
Sun, 12:56: Do Proteins Hold the Key to the Past? https://t.co/LlYQgojxFs Amazing stuff about the analysis of biological sample... https://t.co/59aDSgA0hl Sun, 13:17: Very good thread on the Gibraltar kerfuffle. https://t.co/TJbKxLN9sr Sun, 14:48: RT @sturdyAlex: THREAD - On this historic occasion, let us recall some of what was promised specifically on this deal: "There will be no... Sun, 16:05: 'I thought - who will remember me?': the man who fathered 200 children | Science | The Guardian... https://t.co/IKXOdR4M0Q Sun, 18:49: The Prisoner and the Fugitive, by Marcel Proust https://t.co/k1OegM4hQb Sun, 18:56: RT @donmoyn: Really? How many students? In 16 yrs never ...
(404) I posted The Blood is the Life for 25-11-2018 to my dreamwidth blog Who is the real Nigel Farage... and why won't he answer my questions? Yeah, I know, we all want him to just go away. But he's not going to. THis piece is very indepth. miss_s_b | Gazpacho Soup Day - UPDATED I posted Gazpacho Soup Day to my dreamwidth blog If you like what you see here (or even if you don't) please consider dropping me a tip: [IMG: Paypal Donate Button] [IMG: Buy Me an uncaffeinated beverage (because I'm allergic to coffee) at ko-fi.com] ...
Dear Greg Clark, Let's be frank. Brexit is a complete mess. You and I both knew this a long time ago. The government's Brexit withdrawal only confirms that the Brexit fantasy is collapsing under its own contradictions. Greg – in your heart of hearts do you genuinely believe that the PM's agreement is in our best interests? Be honest – do you really think your government's arrangement is better than our current EU deal? In 2016 we both campaigned to Remain. We even managed to put a Lib Dem sticker on you! You were ardent in your beliefs that we ...
The beginning of November witnessed two annual commemorations in the UK. As ever, "remember, remember the 5th of November" gave rise to bonfires and fireworks on 5 November to celebrate the failure of Guy Fawkes and his fellow conspirators to blow up Parliament on this day in 1605. A few days later, the annual commemoration [...] The post Remember, remember, the 9th of November appeared first on Radix.
Two weeks ago liberals from across Europe gathered together in Madrid to debate policy, receive training and pass a new manifesto for next year's European Parliament elections. This new manifesto reflects the commitment of liberals from across the EU to our shared European values. It is a manifesto which seeks to bring all Europeans together; and because of the efforts of European Liberal Youth (LYMEC)'s delegation, it reflects the views and aspirations of young people from across the continent. Indeed, there were few delegations as active or as well prepared as LYMEC's. At this Congress, we got to witness liberal ...
I must admit to being shocked when I saw the felled trees yesterday at the junction of Liverpool Road Noth/Westway as they were a useful screen to the car park and buildings behind them. This is the scene I happened upon:- Of course, it could be that the reason for the felling has passed me by and others know what it's all about; I just happened to walk up Liverpool Road Road North on Sunday afternoon and saw this scene. Thinking back to my days as a Sefton Councillor representing Maghull my memory is that when the previous owners of ...
The Independent reports on the first proper analysis of the deal that Theresa May has negotiated with the European Union and it is not good news. The National Institute for Economic and Social Research (NIESR) estimate that the deal could leave the average person more than £1,000 worse off per year in the first decade outside of the EU. They say that the agreement could hit the UK's economy by £100bn a year by 2030, equating to an average of £1,090 per person. They also warned that the government's preferred outcome could see a 46 per cent hit to trade ...
I'm on my way home from a weekend away as you read this, having spent the weekend in the fringes of the Winter ALDC Kickstart event. I say 'fringes' because I didn't actually participate in any of the training, wasn't either a mentor or being mentored, and indeed only attended the dinner and part of the final plenary. So, how could I have been inspired by an event I was barely at? It's a funny thing, but being around a group of people, some of whom I've known for quite a long time, some of whom are complete strangers, but ...
The next West End Police Surgeries take place at Blackness Library and the Mitchell Street Centre today - details below :
The latest episode of A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs is now up, looking at Fats Domino and "the Fat Man". Learn about 1860s Romantic composers, 1920s jazz, 1940s radio detectives, and why you need *two* disc cutters. ... Continue reading →
