I was in Durham this morning for a meeting of the NECA audit and standards committee. My time was more usefully spent this afternoon when I went to Dunston to deliver 220 Focuses as part of the election campaign. No sign of anything from any other party over the past few days. A month to go to polling day. Oh joy!
Today's press releases are brought to you from Antwerp, as your columnist enjoys possibly one last trip as an EU citizen... Lib Dems table composite amendments to end Brexit impasse Lib Dems: We must ensure all children receive an education that meets their needs Lib Dems: Gisela Stuart Not Fit for FCO Wilton Park Lib Dem victory on Mental Capacity Bill Callous Tories could strip people of voting rights Cable: PM piles more logs on the Brexit log jam Lib Dems table composite amendments to end Brexit impasse Today (2nd April) the Liberal Democrats are tabling amendments, working cross-party, to ...
Tue 2nd
22:47
"With two clicks of my first search I could have watched Girl Gets Raped" - Mums Make Porn
[IMG: "With two clicks of my first search I could have watched Girl Gets Raped" - Mums Make Porn] 'Mums Make Porn' was Channel 4's highest rated show in the first week of Episode 1 (3 episodes in total) being screened. It features five mums, including me, who set out to raise awareness of... The post "With two clicks of my first search I could have watched Girl Gets Raped" – Mums Make Porn appeared first on FeministMama.
Tonight, Theresa May said she wanted to unite the country behind the deal which everybody hates. She was going to talk to Jeremy Corbyn so he could share the blame when it all goes wrong. So Jeremy should walk into Number 10, give up his phone like we all have to, hand over a pot of home made jam to Theresa May and say: "Ok, here's how it is. Take your deal, put it back to the Commons and accept the Kyle Wilson amendment to give us a confirmatory referendum. It'll pass tomorrow. I'll whip for it. The Lib Dems, ...
This is Jeffrey Hudson's cottage, to be found near the railway station in Oakham. But who, I hear you cry, was Jeffrey Hudson? An article on Strange Company gives the answer: he was Queen Henrietta Maria's court dwarf and quite possibly a spy too.
On Sunday Jacob Rees-Mogg tweeted a frame from a YouTube video of a speech by the far-right German politician Alice Weidel. He added the message: The AfD leader asks "Is it any wonder the British see bad faith behind every manoeuvre from Brussels?"Writing on the London Review of Books blog, Rachel Malik has grasped the significance of what Rees-Mogg did: The MP for North East Somerset has made something of a cult of his eccentricity and if he wants to spend his Sundays watching Bundestag debates on YouTube, I've no desire to stop him. But the link he supplies in ...
Tue 2nd
20:52
Tory by-election worker says police threatened to bar from Rochdale anyone who mentioned Cyril Smith...
A remarkable document has appeared on the website of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse. It is a witness statement from Christopher Horne, a former Conservative parliamentary candidate and local councillor. He was a friend of David Trippier, the Conservative candidate in the 1972 Rochdale by-election, and took an active part in his campaign. The contest was won by Cyril Smith for the Liberal Party. His statement reads in part: Early on in the campaign many party workers - both Conservative and Labour - became aware that it was - in the good Scottish phrase - the "talk of ...
Tue 2nd
19:04
May says she will work with Labour to find a scapegoat / break deadlock/kick can down the road (pick...
An extraordinary cabinet meeting today. Robert Peston called it possibly the most important cabinet meeting in 50 years. All ministers' phones were confiscated and ministers were locked in a cupboard "until the PM had decided what they decided", (using Peston's words). The PM says she is taking action to break the log jam by sitting down with Corbyn to agree a plan. ...Either to agree an option to put to MPs or, if none can be agreed, agree a series of options to put to MPs, with the winner (which there probably won't be) being implemented by the government. More ...
From the Guardian Politics Live: The senior Lib Dem MP Norman Lamb (he was not far off being elected leader in 2015) has told the BBC that he is considering resigning the party whip because he is so angry about how the Lib Dems acted in the indicative votes last night. Lamb voted for the customs union amendment, but around half of colleagues voted against it along with other MPs who did not want it to succeed because they want a second referendum instead. He said he was worried the Lib Dems were turning into "the mirror image of the ...
The Liberal Democrats have today blamed "callous, Conservative party self-interest" for allowing over 4 million people to lose the right to vote in local elections in England in the event the UK crashes out of the EU with a no-deal. In response to parliamentary questions from the Liberal Democrat Brexit spokesperson Tom Brake, the Government has confirmed UK reciprocal voting rights for UK citizens residing in the EU and EU citizens residing in the UK have yet to be agreed in the event of a no-deal, except with Spain. According to population statistics from the Office of National Statistics, 3,546,000 ...
Tue 2nd
17:24
Sidney Road bungalows - Shropshire Council backs dissenting officer's case in evidence to planning a...
Housing group Connexus is appealing against the South Planning Committee's rejection of its plans for five bungalows on the green at the bottom of Charlton Rise. The committee refused the scheme twice. In its evidence to the planning inspectorate, council planners revealed that they were divided on whether the scheme should be recommended for approval. One officer wrote a dissenting report which said that the scheme should be refused because of the loss of the Norway Maple, the reduction in open space and poor design. The South Planning Committee had no knowledge of this report when it rejected the application ...
I've written about proportional representation before, but the recent issues surrounding deselection threats to Nick Boles (who last night quit the Conservative Party, of course) and Dominic Grieve have cemented still further my view that the answer to our political problems is Proportional Representation, and in particular Open List Single Transferable vote (STV). Of course, the issue of the proportionality of parliament compared with votes cast is a huge one, along with the issue of 'broad church' parties that are encouraged by our current First Past The Post system. It's not just that, though - Open List STV would not ...
It's been a traumatic few days. Here's a reminder of why we're fighting to save this country from Brexit – Jo Swinson speaking to the People's Vote march 10 days ago with little Gabriel in his sling, completely unphased by the whole thing. Enjoy. The Britain we know and love is better than this. Britain is outward-looking, open-hearted and open-minded. Our children deserve a better future than Brexit Britain. Let's stop Brexit, and build that better future together.#PeoplesVoteMarch #RevokeArticle50 #PutItToThePeople pic.twitter.com/3g9fxW8w3K — Jo Swinson (@joswinson) March 26, 2019
Tue 2nd
11:55Manchester Lib Dems aren't mincing their words: "Not putting up with this sh*t any more"
At the moment, just two Liberal Democrat Councillors provide the only opposition to Labour's 94 in Manchester City Council. Just three years ago, they had no opposition at all. In that sort of environment you have to be a bit scrappy and hungry to get noticed. Manchester Lib Dems' manifesto for the forthcoming local elections is not taking any prisoners. John Leech, former Lib Dem MP for Withington, who does his best to provide punchy opposition to Labour, had this to say: I hate to say it, but there will never be a time when there are no problems in ...
Most people who follow British politics are in despair, as neither government nor parliament are able to plot a way forward with sufficient backing to succeed. But perhaps the small band of advisers to Jeremy Corbyn, Labour's leader, who famously think that Brexit is a subsidiary issue, are sensing opportunity. When Mr Corbyn was elected ... Continue reading The Brexit chaos offers Labour an opportunity
Mon, 12:50: RT @anandMenon1: So, back to Brexit. And, with apologies for the delay, I'd just like to share some highlights from the @UKandEU report we... Mon, 15:57: I agree with @DamonWake. https://t.co/BTyHNjwkgn Mon, 17:11: RT @davidallengreen: The legal choreography of the United Kingdom's Article 50 extension - and a serious problem ahead By me, at @Preiskel... Mon, 17:11: RT @SebDance: I've been sent this list by 3 separate Facebook users. Each demanding I explain my "support" for it. It purports to be abou... Mon, 18:30: RT @Dublin2019: We've prepared the ballots and will announce the finalists for the 2019/1944 ...
[IMG: Green Council candidates 2019 John Wing, Doug Wade, Georgina Treloar and Lesley Whybrow and Lib dem candidates Tim Prater and Gary Fuller] The Folkestone and Hythe Liberal Democrat Party and Shepway Green Party have agreed a cooperation deal for the May 2019 elections for Folkestone and Hythe District Council (FHDC). This form of progressive alliance has been successfully adopted elsewhere in the country at previous elections by the two national parties and improves the chances of challenging the long-standing overwhelming Conservative majority on FHDC. Across the district, the parties plan to stand "complementary" candidate lists of 15 candidates each ...
[IMG: CPZ 2 hour parking notice / sign] You spoke, we listened, and have got ACTION. We had a HUGE response to one of our recent leaflets asking about YOUR parking concerns locally. THANK YOU. We've taken your top local parking problems to Folkestone and Hythe Parking Services, and are reporting back. In general, most feedback was that the extended CPZ had improved parking for local residents, but that there were still issues. That's what we're trying to address - ways to make the scheme better for all. There is positive news to report on a number of points, and ...
The Liberal Democrats have set out a comprehensive plan ahead of the local elections to support struggling high streets across England, including for Folkestone town centre. [IMG: Chani Sanger outside To Let Shop in Guildhall Street] Folkestone campaigner Chani Sanger outside empty shops in Guildhall Street, Folkestone Tim Prater, Liberal Democrat campaigner for Folkestone and Hythe described the plans as "exactly the sort of policy we need to boost local investment and ensure businesses in Folkestone thrive." The proposals, agreed by Liberal Democrats at their Spring Conference in York, set out plans that would: Boost support for local entrepreneurs, including ...
I was tied up with meetings and business yesterday and only spotted Shropshire Council's April Fools Day joke late in the day. The council celebrated its tenth birthday and no doubt there was much back slapping. The press release says everything about Shropshire Council. It pleads that it has had a few difficult years. Those difficult years were created by the Conservative leadership which became obsessed with stripping everything out of the council and either transferring functions to its company, ip&e or closing them down altogether. The council company of course failed. The council has improved and in its press ...
Tue 2nd
10:29
After last night's votes come up empty, the following scenarios are no longer science fiction
David Davis, speaking on the Today programme this morning, said this: "I would make one warning to the cabinet this morning. Don't be sure every Conservative MP would vote for you if it was made a confidence vote. One or two have said already, I think there are probably twenty who would say [Brexit] is so important, it's the future of the country, it's our destiny at stake, it's more important than the Tory party." This followed another evening of indicative votes in the House of Commons in which no option got a majority. As far as I see it ...
Last night MPs once again failed to find consensus around a serious of options regarding a way forward on Brexit, though Ken Clarke's proposal for a customs union with the EU was defeated by only three votes. The highest indicative vote was actually in support of a confirmatory referendum on any Brexit deal, though a [...]
Tue 2nd
10:25LibLink: Christine Jardine: All consuming Brexit is making this country a less caring place
Sarah Newton resigned as Disabilities Minister 3 weeks ago but she still hasn't been replaced. In her Scotsman column this week, Christine Jardine outlined why a new minister was needed and soon. The Personal Independence Payments system is broken, she said, highlighting a local example: Alexandra Mitchell from Cramond, has already highlighted the shortcomings. Born with a disability and entitled to a Motability car for years, she was mysteriously told she no longer qualified for the support, with no adequate reasoning behind the decision. Although we managed to have the decision overturned on appeal that, in itself, is not good ...
As we move on into April and March 2019 passes, I am grateful to the many Lib Dems from across the country who visited York last month to participate in what was another fantastic Spring Conference in York. Visit York have estimated that that this year's Spring Conference has provided a substantial £600,000 boost to the local economy and as the Executive Member at the Council responsible for Economic Development, I would like to say thank you to everyone who ventured beyond the conference centre to enjoy our wonderful city! Not only did York experience an economic boost over the ...
We all have a tendency to judge whether decisions were right or wrong decisions by their outcome. Yet, decision scientists have always cautioned against such an approach. They stress that outcomes are always to some degree unpredictable and that decisions should be judged according to whether they were the right decisions given the information that [...] The post Why Theresa May takes good decisions. In theory... appeared first on Radix.
Think about it. Ken Clarke's customs union backed by 273 MPs People's Vote backed by 280 MPs May's deal backed by 286 MPs and falling All you need to get a majority in the House of Commons is 326. So at most another 49 votes. So it is clear that something would pass if it had a People's Vote attached to it. I am glad that most of our MPs either voted against or abstained from options that would have had us leave on 22nd May without a People's Vote. Ken Clarke's for example with another 9 Lib Dems and ...
Thankfully not too many roadworks to report this month – for the full list see the GM Roadworks site here The Major roadworks in March are: – Bury New Road (near Tesco junction 7 April 2019, Lane Closures (BT) – Heywood Road (near Heaton Street junction) 2-3 April 2019, carriageway incursions (Bury Council) – Bury New Road (near Prestwich Park Road South) to 5 April 2019, carriageway incursions (United Utilities) – Hilton Lane (near Bland Road) – to 11 April 2019 2-way signals (Electricity North West) – Just outside Prestwich – Thatch Leach Lane – 8-12 April 2019, near Besses ...
Tue 2nd
08:10General election suggestion: Spinning the Rubik's cube again is not going to solve the puzzle
[IMG: Rubiks cube by keqs] This morning, Theresa May is holding an extended "political cabinet". That is usually an indicator that the cabinet is considering initiating a general election. The meeting will start with a review of polling. I only hope that May either decides not to hold a GE or that parliament don't support it. It will solve nothing whatsoever except to give false hope of a solution to the Brexit conundrum. It would be like this: You spend hours trying to solve a Rubik's cube, then come within a few squares of solving it but, in frustration, you ...
Important local elections take place on Thursday 2 May 2019. The deadline to register to vote is Friday 12 April and the deadline to apply for a postal vote is Monday 15 April. The quickest and easiest way to register is to go online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote. All you need is your date of birth and National Insurance number and it takes just five minutes. If you are going to be away on 2 May, or would prefer to vote by post then you can download a form here.
Lighter evenings, warmer days ... it's perfect tennis weather. If you want to improve your game and do yourself a power of good fitness-wise, why not join the next round of the St Mary's Park Singles Tennis League! Open to men and women of all standards, it's a great way to have some competitive fun and meet new people to play. Join by Monday 15 April.The next round runs from 18 April to 12
Take part in our 'Book Bingo' spectacular from now until 1 July - and you could win a cash prize. Bury is one of 22 North West authorities taking part in the Time to Read initiative, which encourages people to try reading something different. To take part in the Book Bingo and have a chance of winning a £200 prize, you have to read five books from five different categories. Once you have a straight line – diagonal, vertical, horizontal – of five books on your 'bingo card', hand it in at a library and be entered into the prize ...
The BBC reports that UKIP's assembly leader is facing exclusion from the Senedd for a week after he superimposed a female Labour AM's head on to a woman in a low cut top. The ban is being recommended to the Assembly's Plenary session on Wednesday after South Wales Central AM Gareth Bennett used photoshop to mock Labour's Joyce Watson in the YouTube clip. The assembly's standards committee said Mr Bennett's video fell below the standards expected of AMs. He will not receive pay during the exclusion: Mr Bennett published the clip on YouTube last May in response to Ms Watson ...
From Sheena Wellington : Wighton Heritage Centre, Central LibraryWednesday 3rd April - 1.15pm - 1.45pmLunchtime Recital : Celtic Strings Trio Celtic Strings Trio are Anne Hamilton, vocals and guitar, Morag Sutherland (violin) and Jenny Blain (harp) and they play and sing a mixture of Celtic and modern music. Admission free, retiring donation.
Davey: Knife crime epidemic demands a properly funded public health approach The Liberal Democrats have today warned that the knife crime epidemic won't be resolved by "imposing legal duties without providing additional resources" and have called for the Government to properly fund a public health approach. The call comes as the Prime Minister hosts a youth violence summit in Downing Street today. Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Ed Davey said: Knife crime is an epidemic, and like any epidemic tackling it requires a public health approach. Police, teachers, health professionals, youth workers and social services all have an important role ...
