Jo Swinson had her first chance to question Boris Johnson today, as he made his first statement as Prime Minister. The 3m EU citizens in the UK are our friends, family and neighbours. For the last 3 years they have felt anxious about their future in the country they call home. They deserve better. Johnson must at once back @oatesjonny Bill to guarantee the rights of EU citizens after Brexit. pic.twitter.com/vb5NdY6Ci9 — Jo Swinson (@joswinson) July 25, 2019 Here's the full exchange from Hansard: The 3 million EU citizens are our family, our friends, our neighbours, our carers, yet for ...
I blogged about Burton Overy after the GPO in the spring of 2015. Here are some more of the photographs I took that day. You can read all about the Leicestershire village's history in Aspects of Burton Overy.
Conservative councillor Mark McGeever has joined the Liberal Democrats: Delighted to announce that Mark McGeever, Conservative Councillor for Hamilton West and Earnock has joined the Liberal Democrats. The Liberal Democrats, he says, are now the only place for outward looking, European, liberal, progressive, people – as the Tories lurch to the right — Robert Brown (@Robert4LibDems) July 25, 2019 On joining the Liberal Democrats, Mark McGeever said: When I joined the Conservatives under David Cameron, the party had made clear its intent to govern from the centre of British politics. It is a matter of deep regret that over recent ...
Liberal Democrat Justice Spokesperson Wera Hobhouse has urged the new Justice Secretary to adopt a better approach to criminal justice, as new official figures show assaults and self-harm in prison rising to record highs. The latest Safety in Custody Statistics, published today by the Ministry of Justice, show that:There were 34,425 assaults in the 12 months to March 2019, including 10,311 assaults on staff - both record high figures.There were 57,968 self-harm incidents in the same period, also the highest 12-month total on record.The Ministry of Justice's Annual Prison Performance Ratings, also published today, show that 16 prisons are rated ...
Responding to Boris Johnson's announcement today that he will ask the Migration Advisory Committee to review "an Australian-style points based system" for immigration, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Ed Davey said: "The likes of Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage like to talk about an 'Australian-style' immigration system because it sounds tough. But as with most things Johnson says, it's actually completely meaningless. "The UK had a points-based system, but it didn't work and was effectively scrapped 8 years ago. The idea that bringing it back would restore public confidence is nonsense. "Now, instead of a plan to fix our immigration ...
Thu 25th
20:21
Could social housing provider could change its mind on destruction of Sidney Road green space? We ho...
I was not expecting this. South Shropshire Housing Group and its successor Connexus had ruthlessly driven through the application for five bungalows on the much loved green at the bottom of Charlton Rise. The housing association had felled one tree, planned to fell another, and take up half the green with bungalows. But Connexus has had a change in attitude. We heard this at Ludlow Town Council last night. Driving schemes through against the wishes of the community is no longer on the agenda of this housing association. The officers from the housing group said they needed to hear local ...
This time last week, I was delivering leaflets in Llandrindod Wells. I would love to go back, but family circumstances make it impossible before the by-election next Thursday. So, it would be really great if someone would go in my place. Or even if lots of people went in my place. They really need to talk to as many people as possible. The little conversations you have with people can answer their questions and move them from potentially not voting or voting for someone else, to voting for Jane. And Jane is definitely worth voting for. I want to see ...
Second paragraph of third story ("Sleeping Dogs", by Joe Haldeman:Low gravity and low oxygen. My heart was going too fast. I stood for a moment, concentrating, and brought it down to a hundred, then ninety. The air had more sulfur sting than I remembered. It seemed a lot warmer than I remembered that summer, too, but then if I could remember it all I wouldn't have to be here. My missing finger throbbed.This is a collection of stories, poems and essays celebrating the 90th birthday of Frederik Pohl, which was in 2009 (though the book was not published until 2010). ...
On Tuesday evening I attended the Gateshead East Lib Dem branch meeting to give my group leader's report. I talked about the cabinet reports that are presented to full council which say absolutely nothing about what the cabinet members are doing. Clearly that needs to change but so far, my suggestions have been ignored by Labour. Also discussed was campaigning in our key wards. It was reported
Do you know someone special who deserves to be recognised by the party? Yes, it's party awards time! Every year at Autumn Conference we hand out prestigious party awards to members who have done some of the most outstanding work in the party. Going above and beyond the call of duty time and time again. But, as always, we need you to nominate the people that you think are blazing the way in the party. The deadline for nominations has been extended to 31 July and the nomination form and submission details are on the party website There are four ...
I went to have a look at how the junction works were coming along and clearly things are stating to take shape where the new slip road will be going in for traffic to access the M58 west to Switch Island:- This shot is taken from where Giddygate Lane presently joins the junction but that lane is being diverted as part of the works. The new pedestrian steps and cycle path can clearly be seen. And whilst I'm on about that junction, regular readers may recall me saying how unsafe I thought the end of the cycle path around this ...
The Low Fell Focus Team have just published their latest eFocus, number 39. Issues covered include: Council to rethink tolls on Tyne Bridges Low Fell volunteer gardening group supports world polio day Fighting graffiti in Low Fell Fixing drainage on Durham Road Safety on Chowdene Bank Barriers on Dryden Road removed Council u-turns on cutting special educational provision You can read eFocus on
Leader of the Liberal Democrats Jo Swinson MP has tabled a motion calling for a vote of no confidence in the new Prime Minister, Boris Johnson. She has also written to Jeremy Corbyn urging him to move an official motion of no confidence in Boris Johnson. Speaking having tabled the motion, Jo Swinson said: Boris Johnson holds no mandate from the public or Parliament. His steadfast refusal to rule out proroguing Parliament in order to crash the UK out of the EU demonstrates that he is willing to jeopardise our NHS, jobs, and the economy. He is not fit to ...
coalSo the Lib Dem leader election is over and predictably Labour have gone full on coalition grievance mongering in response. They'd have done this whoever won, no doubt somewhere in Labour HQ there is an unused "This is what Ed doesn't want you to know" video. It seems to have fallen a bit flat, which is a good sign that people are reacting less viscerally but that doesn't mean all is fine, it just means people are prepared to think about it. People are listening to us again. The coalition and austerity will come up and we need to be ...
[IMG: Bin bag with waste scattered by street bin] I've seen, and had reported, a few examples recently of bin emptying where the bin bags are left by waste bins for subsequent collection, which are then attacked and ripped open (by seagulls, mainly). Thanks for the reports (you know who you are!). I've chased this with the Contracts Manager at F&H Council, who has today said: "I can confirm that bags should not be left at the side of the bins, I have spoken with Veolia and advised them of the complaint and what is expected. "They have assured me ...
Whoever looks at British-Dutch relations, especially in trade and food (herring), you see a relationship dating back to the Roman Empire, with the Frisians (a tribe in the North of the present Netherlands) kicking off the chain of English/British-Dutch relationships. The modern relations can be traced back to the British-Dutch anti-Spanish alliance of queen Elizabeth I (sending over her confidant Leicester) in the Treaty of Nonsuch (1585; see Jonathan Israel's book about the Dutch Republic; Clarendon/Oxford University Press; Oxford, 1995, p. 218-230). This treaty was implicit recognition of the Republic; and the shenanigans between Leicester and the Dutch stadholder and ...
Wed, 12:56: RT @MichaelAodhan: The clear message it would send would be "We haven't a clue how the WTO works and thought we would try a meaningless ges... Wed, 13:01: RT @rdanielkelemen: With Johnson taking over for May, he inherits her Brexit Trilemma, so I've made a slightly revised version of venn diag... Wed, 13:03: Matthew Paris on Boris Johnson, in March 2016. https://t.co/6UR8Bd606W Wed, 13:44: Plugging this into Electoral Calculus gives: CON 257 LAB 189 LD 96 Brexit 46 SNP 40 Norn Iron 18 (effectively 11 DU... https://t.co/91VuEu8mPG Wed, 15:31: RT @lowflyingrocks: 2019 OD, 51m-115m in diameter, just passed ...
Thu 25th
10:44
Here's an important myth we need to nip in the bud here and now, as Johnson's premiership begins
Boris Johnson anointed his cabinet yesterday, clearing out half of what was already there. I could say a lot about this – Patel as Home Secretary and Raab as FCO are both truly horrific appointments – but I'll leave most of that to others. I'm more confused about what Johnson thinks he's going to do now that ever, but that isn't much of a surprise. He seems to have played himself into an even sharper corner – time will tell. What I'd rather talk about is a myth doing the rounds about the backstop. I know, I know this is ...
Jo Swinson was on Newsnight talking about the new Cabinet. She said that she had written to Jeremy Corbyn asking him to call a Vote of No Confidence. When asked about whether she wanted to see a General Election, she said: "Absolutely. Bring it on." Despairing at Boris Johnson's new Government? @JoSwinson is too. A Home Secretary who has said she wants to bring back the death penalty, a Chancellor who wants to cut tax for the richest 1% & Jacob Rees-Mogg. Demand Better – join the Liberal Democrats: https://t.co/3anj9XVaNc pic.twitter.com/RT3XCTDYMb — Liberal Democrats (@LibDems) July 24, 2019 You can ...
Boris Johnson spent the last few weeks telling Conservative Party members that he was ideally placed to unite the country. He didn't offer any evidence of why that was the case, but he was pretty unequivocal - unity was his priority. He made much the same point during his speech yesterday: he was the man who will unite Britain. While the excruciating language in which he expressed it was reminiscent of David Brent, the sentiment was clear. Again, no explanation as to how this unity was to be achieved was forthcoming - it should just be accepted as true because ...
Boris Johnson may have the cabinet he wanted, packed out with Brexiteers and purged of any dissenting voices, he may have installed the core of the Vote Leave campaign in his private office, but he still has to confront the reality of a hung Parliament. One of the first decisions he will have to make is what price he needs to pay for an effective majority on key votes, because as sure as night follows day, the DUP are going to come knocking on the door of Number Ten. As the Independent reports, Democratic Unionist Party Leader, Arlene Foster has ...
The first lesson anyone preparing for negotiation is taught is this: never enter a negotiation that you're not willing to walk away from. In that context, Boris Johnson is right (I never thought I'd say that). It is impossible to get the best deal possible from the EU unless the UK is willing to walk [...] The post Peering over the precipice with Boris appeared first on Radix.
You might have heard about the twitter account which was set up by a footballer to pave the way for a breakthrough in English football that would likely give hope and encouragement to so many. When the account @Footballer Gay was set up, the individual behind it said they were a professional footballer playing in ... Continue reading The Gay Footballer Dream →
From the City Council (I am pleased to see these repairs taking place having raised this on behalf of residents) : 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 Scottish Water manhole repair works being carried out HEREBY PROHIBIT the driving of any vehicle in Perth Road (West Wynd to Seafield Road), Dundee. This notice comes into effect on Sunday 28 July 2019 for 1 day. Pedestrian thoroughfare will be maintained. Alternative routes are available via Perth Road / ...
