Stourpaine and Durweston Halt stood on the Somerset and Dorset main line between Blandford Forum and Shillingstone. It opened in 1928 and closed in 1956, a decade before the whole line went. I took these photographs of its remains in the summer of 1982.
Here are the latest general election voting intention figures from each of the main pollsters currently polling in the UK: Polling company Con Lab LibDem Ukip Green Con lead Fieldwork Method BMG 36% 36% 12% 6% 5% 0% 8-11/1 Online ComRes 38% 37% 10% 6% 3% 1% 16-17/1 Online ICM 39% 40% 9% 5% 3% -1% 16-18/1 Online Ipsos-MORI 38% 38% 9% 4% 5% 0% 30-5/12 Phone Kantar TNS 35% 38% 9% 6% 4% -3% 10-14/1 Online Number Cruncher Politics 41% 39% 8% 4% 2% 2% 10-17/1 Online Opinium 41% 34% 8% 7% – 7% 30-1/2 Online Survation 38% 39% ...
While paying tribute to his friend Paddy Ashdown for the New European, Denis MacShane lets slip more detail than I have hitherto seen in a mainstream outlet about the former Lib Dem leader's role in MI6: Ashdown was a former Royal Marine officer with a fair bit of the clipped voice captain in his manner, as well as a secret addiction to smoking. After a tour in Northern Ireland he left the army to work for MI6 and was the link-man between the UK and the Swiss for the highly secret cold war Operation Gladio. This set up arms and ...
The delivery robots in Milton Keynes stuck in the snow this morning! 😂😂 #MiltonKeynes pic.twitter.com/533Bcz3sBa— Victoria's Vintage 🖤 (@victoriajane6) February 1, 2019A reader forwarded me this tweet, adding some remarkable information about the company whose robots these are. (The photo, incidentally, is by Mickila Thomasina Travis.) You see, they are owned by Starship Technologies of Milton Keynes. And who is that company's head of public affairs (UK)? Step forward the former Liberal Democrat MP Lembit Opik. Well, he is good at getting publicity, even if he has at times threatened to test the aphorism that there is no such thing ...
Here's my latest news roundup, in which I cheer or jeer the week's events. Cheers to Kay Burley of Sky News, asking this question following Tuesday evening's votes on the Prime Minister's withdrawal agreement: "Coming up in just a few moments: is a Unicorn lighting the way in Europe or is it just a Donkey, with a plunger on its head? All of that, after the Sport" Somehow that managed to sum of the nature of this week's news in a singular bizarre moment. Cheers to Layla Moran, for her significant efforts in bringing forward a private member's bill to ...
There is a bargain to be had in public service. In return for my loyalty and faith that what I do has value, the Government runs things with a degree of competence. I may not agree with what they choose to do, or to prioritise, but they are the elected ones, and what they get through Parliament goes, at least until someone else comes along and changes it. This is not complex, although I accept that, for those of you who haven't given more than three decades to professional public service, it might smack of "following orders" - and we ...
Liberal Democrats in South Cambridgeshire have selected South Cambridgeshire District Councillor Ian Sollom as their Prospective Parliamentary Candidate (PPC) for the next general election.
Sat 2nd
13:45
Lynne Featherstone: Lib Dems must fight oppression so no LGBT person has to live in fear
It's LGBT History Month and to mark its start, Lynne Featherstone, who as Equalities Minister, kicked off the process that led to same sex marriage in England and Wales, wrote a blog on the party website: We must fight oppression in every form so that no LGBT+ person has to live in fear. Our members make our policies, and incredible LGBT activists and allies have written comprehensive policies that will make our society a kinder and more equal place than it is today. Our MPs, Peers and members are fighting for these rights every day: Trans people being able to ...
Sat 2nd
12:13
The most valuable achievements aren't in big vanity projects but the tiny things: Cllr Josh Mason
Josh Mason is standing down in May both as leader of the Redcar and Cleveland Liberal Democrats and as a councillor.
For those football fanatics among us tactics are something we study closely in our desire to enhance our enjoyment of the beautiful game. Some of us marvel at a defensive approach where a team plays an unadventurous formation designed to avoid conceding goals and then nicking one at some point in the game to come away with a 1-0 victory. This is often called parking the bus and despite his protestations to the contrary it is the favoured approach of the self styled Special One Mr Jose Mourinho. Others prefer a purist method, the most advanced version being the one ...
Responding to the reports of the first conviction of female genital mutilation in the UK, former Liberal Democrat Home Office Minister Lynne Featherstone said:"We have waited a long time to see a conviction for female genital mutilation. The victim here was just three years old. There is no doubt that this is child abuse and this prosecution makes clear this practice is against the law. "I welcome this prosecution and hope to see other perpetrators of this vile crime brought to justice. Communities in the U.K. will now know that if they commit FGM they will be brought before the ...
Responding to reports that the Government has drawn up plans to make companies change their packaging, advertising and products to replace the CE safety symbol in the event of a no-deal Brexit, Liberal Democrat Brexit Spokesperson Tom Brake said: "Brexit has lost the Conservatives the right to claim they are the party of business. If we needed more evidence they didn't care, then here we are. It is within Theresa May's power to take no deal off the table, she is simply using it as an option to frighten people into supporting her already defeated deal. "However, Liberal Democrats are ...
Fri, 12:56: Abortion rights campaigner fighting Brexit fatigue https://t.co/2l4p88n66j More strength to her. Fri, 16:55: Not wowed by either of these choices, but I did actually like one of Morris's novels (Forever Autumn), so he gets m... https://t.co/NDbTXRG3ru Fri, 18:46: Berlin Calling: A Story of Anarchy, Music, The Wall, & the Birth of the New Berlin, by Paul Hockenos https://t.co/zSJHxrvR16 Sat, 09:51: RT @hayward_katy: Dear journalists, politicians & intelligent folks: Seven questions you should ask anyone who purports to have an alternat... Sat, 10:45: Angela Merkel: "Gender Parity in All Areas Just Seems Logical" https://t.co/ratTRoePTf Fascinating interview, espec... https://t.co/mq76t2M97H
Just when you thought that Jeremy Corbyn was clear of the anti-Semitism rows that have rocked the Labour Party for the past couple of years, the Independent reports that Labour MPs have given him a week to prove the leadership has got to grips with the issue. The paper reports that MPs are braced for a fresh clash over the handling of anti-Jewish sentiment in Labour's ranks amid warnings the party risks appearing "institutionally anti-semitic" if the issue is not addressed. They add that the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) will debate a motion on Monday that would give the leadership ...
I've been spending a lot of time in the last few weeks reading the headlines on local Liberal Democrat websites. Headlines only, because thanks to the kind work of Tim Prater, I have a feed that gives me the headlines for all the published local stories from the hundreds of Lib Dem sites which use the Prater Raines system. I do this to help spot a wider range of stories to include in my email newsletters and on the Liberal Democrat Newswire Facebook and Twitter accounts. This has meant I've spotted stories worth sharing which I'd have otherwise missed (thank ...
February is LGBT History Month in the UK, providing an opportunity to showcase the contribution made to society by LGBT people, ranging from one of the fathers of modern computer technology and artificial intelligence (AI), Alan Turing, to the playwright and wit, Noel Coward. Given my own professional and personal interests I inevitably hold especially [...]
The postcard depicted below is from the National Railway Museum's collection And the claim was as true then as it is now because the area around Southport generally does have milder winters. I say that as someone who has lived in the Nottinghamshire coalfield and Rochdale where winters really are winters. But what also caught my eye about this postcard was the small print at the bottom because my old dad was the manager of Thomas Cook's Lord Street shop in Liverpool from December 1968 to probably the early 1980's when he moved to manage their shop in Southport. I'm ...
The Treasury Select Committee has launched an inquiry into Business Rates, to examine their impact on business, including Business Rates retention and alternatives to property-based taxes, such as the proposed digital services tax. Crucially the inquiry will consider the impact of changes (proposed and actual) of Business Rates on Local Authorities and Councils, and the High Street. Sebastian McCarthy in City Am quotes Nicky Morgan MP, chair of the treasury committee: "Many high street businesses are struggling to remain competitive. It has been estimated that 10,000 shops will close this year. Unless action is taken, closures could continue and job ...
DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL - WEEKLY ROAD REPORT REPORT FOR WEST END WARD - SATURDAY 2 AND SUNDAY 3 FEBRUARY 2019 Fyffe Street (Benvie Road to Polepark Road) - eastbound closure from Friday 1 February for up to one week for emergency Scottish Water repair. REPORT FOR WEST END WARD - WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY 4 FEBRUARY 2019 Old Hawkhill (junction of Park Place) - temporary traffic lights for one week for water connection works. Perth Road (at Mid Wynd) - temporary traffic lights for one week for sewer repair. Riverside Drive (at Discovery Point) - off-peak westbound nearside lane closure on ...
