Given that this column has been somewhat erratic of late, there was a danger that you might have thought, "Ah, Mark's forgotten to do this again.". But I haven't. I understand that the Press Team have been pretty busy today, but that hasn't manifested itself in a press release. However, we do have one story that might be of interest to you given what's coming up... The ALDE Party has rather subverted the contest to be the President of the European Commission, the so-called Spitzenkandidate process, by announcing a team of prominent European liberals, rather than just one person, to ...

Posted by Mark Valladares on Liberal Democrat Voice
Wed 8th
21:10

Re-elected Leader

Gateshead Lib Dem group meeting tonight and the big contest was for the Leadership. It was a tough battle but I just scraped in! Alas, as an exercise in open democracy, there was a flaw in the process: I was the only candidate! Clearly group members don't yet want to send me off to the allotment, at least not yet! Thank you to my colleagues for their faith in me.

Posted by Jonathan Wallace on Jonathan Wallace

It was a busy week last week, with local elections and all, but in the midst of the flurry of leaflet delivery and canvassing, Lord Roberts was busy in Parliament questioning the Government on homelessness. This has been a big issue in North Devon, as it is across the country, with austerity having gone too far and people not able to afford a roof over their heads. Lord Robert posited: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the decrease in local authority spending since 2009 on homelessness and the number of deaths of homeless people. You ...

Posted by Kirsten Johnson on Liberal Democrat Voice

Second paragraph of third chapter:Living things have always had to make their way in a wild garden of flowers and vines, of leaves and trees and fungi that hold out not only nourishing things to eat but deadly poisons, too. Nothing is more important to a creature's survival than knowing which is which, yet drawing a bright line through the middle of the garden, as the God of Genesis found, doesn't always work. The difficulty is that there are plants that do other, more curious things than simply sustain or extinguish life. Some heal; others rouse or calm or quiet ...

Merseyrail Class 508 EMU at Maghull Station Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership has the article on its website – see link below:- A Merseyrail train at Bootle Oriel Road Station

Posted by Cllr. Tony Robertson on Sefton Focus

Liberal Democrat Chief Whip Alistair Carmichael took some time to speak to the new team behind Debated, Will Barber Taylor and Conrad Lewandowski . Alistair talks about the resurgence of the Lib Dems, the success of the local elections, the impact of Brexit on that vote, and what is next. Have a listen!

Posted by The Voice on Liberal Democrat Voice

An update on my local election results analysis, with this handy table from John Curtice showing how the changes in party support varied depending on how Remain or Leave an area was in the European referendum.

Posted by Mark Pack on Mark Pack

Today is world ovarian cancer awareness day. This cancer is the 6th most common to affect women – currently around 33,000 in the UK have it. 7,400 more women are diagnosed with this cancer each...Continue Reading The post A pants way of raising ovarian cancer awareness appeared first on ten pence piece.

Posted by tim on ten pence piece

In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are not. (Anon.) "Lack of social mobility" and "austerity" confront us. Perhaps much of what we might, and might not do, depends upon information, perceptions and attitudes? In 2019 our public spending is about 38% of GDP, with the USA at about 36%, Germany at 42%, France 56% and Italy 36%. In 2010 our national debt to GDP ratio was 53%. In 2018 it was 87%. Equivalent 2017 figures are: France - 98.5%; Germany – 64.1%; Japan - 222.3%; USA - 103.8%. Since 2010, more than £30 billion has ...

Posted by Steve Trevethan on Liberal Democrat Voice

Below is the Proposal Notice for the inclusion of Eversley Way into the Folkestone West controlled parking zone. The Notice is scheduled to appear in the KM papers on the 10th May 2019. Letters of support or objections to the proposed Order will need to be received by 5pm on Monday 3 June 2019 and addressed to Parking Services, Civic Centre, Folkestone & Hythe District Council, Castle Hill Avenue, Folkestone, Kent CT20 2QY or by email to traffic.orders@folkestone-hythe.gov.uk This extension proposal is being brought forward after a petition signed by the residents in huge majority of homes in that road: ...

YouGov
Wed 8th
11:00

My tweets

Tue, 13:31: BBC News - Seamus Close, Alliance Party, dies after short illness https://t.co/gSssbtp7q4 Very sorry to hear this.... https://t.co/qIJzhJlQne Tue, 15:22: #ChallengeEurope @AndrejPlenkovic "EU should be agile but not fragile, together not apart, and outward- rather than... https://t.co/vqdDK1I8LU Tue, 15:27: RT @MichaelFreytag: „Be agile, not fragile" - Key message from Croatian Prime Minister at @epc_eu Conference on the future of Europe #Chal... Tue, 16:24: RT @AFP: #BREAKING British govt says European elections will definitely go ahead in UK https://t.co/MHN4RHmEGz Tue, 16:30: RT @joncstone: Can't decide whether Juncker is right about this or not. Strong case that the EU was ...

The Liberal Democrats have confirmed over two thousand people joined the party in the days after the party's best ever gains of Councillors in local elections. Alongside securing a national equivalent vote share of 19% - the best since 2010 - Liberal Democrat Brexit Spokesperson Tom Brake said the surge in members was a clear sign the Liberal Democrats are "the strongest party for remain going into the European Elections.""With these astonishing local election results, it is fantastic news that over two thousand people have flocked to the Liberal Democrat banner in aid of our campaign to stop Brexit. "This ...

Posted by Aberavon and Neath Liberal Democrats on Aberavon & Neath Liberal Democrats

Liberal Democrat Newswire #124 came out at the weekend looking, surprise surprise, at the Lib Dem performance in the 2019 local elections.

Posted by Mark Pack on Mark Pack

Rosie Oxberry was first elected to Gateshead Council last year as a left wing "socialist" Labour member. Her first year on the Council can best be described as noticeable for being unnoticed. But Red Rose is something of a fan of Facebook. She seems to spend lots of time Facebooking. She visits my site regularly and is happy to post up comments which castigate both Lib Dems and Blair/Brown in

Posted by Jonathan Wallace on Jonathan Wallace

At the beginning of May, the Trump administration made it clear that it would break with the neo-conservatism of previous Republican administrations. Born of the American theorist Irving Kristol, and nurtured by his son Bill Kristol in the think tank Project for the New American Century, neo-conservative ideology had profoundly influenced the two terms of [...] The post Trump prefers sanctions to gunboats – but can it last? appeared first on Radix.

Posted by Renaud Girard on Radix

As if we hadn't had enough of anti-Semitism from Jeremy Corbyn's Labour Party, the Guardian reports that another UK party leader has also been caught up in a similar controversy. The paper says that Nigel Farage is facing strong criticism from Jewish organisations and a series of other groups after it emerged he repeatedly took part in interviews with a far-right US talk-show host, during which the Brexit party leader openly discussed conspiracy theories, some of which have been linked to antisemitism. They add that Farage appeared at least six times on the show of Alex Jones, who was sued ...

Posted by Peter Black on Peter Black
Wed 8th
08:30

The Brexit Myth

The recent success of the Liberal Democrats at the 2019 Local Elections is something which, undoubtedly, has brought a great amount of joy to all of us who have weathered this five year storm. However, a narrative has already taken shape, one that threatens future momentum and growth - that this is attributable only to Brexit and Brexit related issues. This is a reading that is surface level. A little thought and a cursory digging dispels this myth. First of all, we must look at who benefited most from the Conservative and Labour defeat. Of course, at a gain of ...

Posted by Edwin Black on Liberal Democrat Voice

A guest posting by Andrew Blackburn, who is in the first photo below with Shirley Williams Tony Robertson and Richard Clein with Shirley Williams At the 1979 General Election, the Conservative MP Norman St. John-Stevas, on hearing that Labour's Shirley Williams had lost her seat, said: "I am very sorry to see Shirley defeated, that is speaking personally, because I had a great admiration for her. We were on opposite sides of the Commons, we debated very fiercely but she is a marvellous person. She is one of the most honest and sincere people in politics and I'm very sorry ...

Posted by Cllr. Tony Robertson on Sefton Focus

From the City Council : THE ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 - SECTION 14(1) THE DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL AS TRAFFIC AUTHORITY being satisfied that traffic on the road should be prohibited by reason of Street Lighting Column reinstatement works being carried out HEREBY PROHIBIT the driving of any vehicle in Nethergate (eastbound between Tay Street Lane and West Marketgait), Dundee. This notice comes into effect on Sunday 12 May 2019 for 1 day. Pedestrian thoroughfare will be maintained. Alternative routes are available via Nethergate / Perth Road / Hawkhill / West Marketgait. For further information contact 433082. Executive Director of ...