Perhaps more important than the fact that the Lib Dem policy to revoke Article 50 is ahead is that it has the support of 41% of voters. That's a big enough pool of support for the party's headline policy to sustain a record-breaking general election result. New polling from YouGov finds 41% backing Jo Swinson's plan to revoke without a referendum with 38% against. Unsurprisingly The new flagship policy is well supported by Remainers and strongly opposed by Leave obe pic.twitter.com/D1dXTtQV04 — Mike Smithson (@MSmithsonPB) September 17, 2019
This film tells the story of how, amid all the redevelopment of the 1960s and 1970s, Leicester has come to have a greater appreciation of its history.
Following the decision by Liberal Democrat conference to back a new policy of cancelling Brexit straight away if there is a Lib Dem majority at the next election, I was grilled on LBC.
There were 20 minutes set aside this morning in the main hall to pay tribute to Paddy Ashdown. In the front row for the session were Jane, Kate and Simon Ashdown. (Baroness) Liz Barker presented the salute to our founding leader with a quiet and heartfelt voice. She emphasised that this was a tribute to a partnership – Paddy and Jane. The section started with a video on the big screen. Relaxed and sincere tributes came from Ed Davey, Nick Clegg, Tony Blair, Jane Ashdown and (Baroness) Cathy Bakewell (who worked with Paddy during his early days as an MP ...
How do you win a Parliamentary constituency at a general election? Here's what I told Putney Liberal Democrats.
Last week it was the Duke of Wellington. This week it is the Mayor of Wellington. The Shropshire Star reports: Wellington mayor Anthony Lowe has defected to the Lib Dems after more than four decades with the Conservative party, due to the national Brexit turmoil. His decision comes after the Lib Dems pledged to cancel Brexit if they come to power at the next general election. Councillor Lowe, who joined the party in 1975, follows in the footsteps of six MPs who have joined the party in the last few weeks including ex-Labour MPs Luciana Berger and Chuka Umunna and ...
I was "up in the gods" for Jo's speech this afternoon in Bournemouth. The first thing to say is that the speech seemed to me to be visually very powerful. Jo is a commanding, strong presence on stage. She stands centre stage, with no lectern or notes, barely glancing visibly at the distant autocues. Her posture and gestures are bold and decisive. And her speech was bold and decisive. In the round, I thought her speech was a barnstormer. Thank goodness, she presented a refreshingly clear and robust alternative to the vacillation of Corbyn and the near-dictatorship of Johnson. Strategically ...
There is a danger that, once you've been to enough Federal Conferences, you tend to become a wee bit cynical about the whole thing. Policy motions where speakers compete to agree most ardently, big set piece speeches from senior figures designed to rally the troops in the face of adversity, that sort of thing. And yet, and yet... It has, in the end, been a rather satisfying four days. I have been given an unexpected opportunity to be useful, done something I'm good at, made a speech and been rather inspired to do something new. Somebody might yet pay for ...
Current In Ethiopia with a Mule, by Dervla Murphy A Local Habitation, by Seanan McGuire Cycling in Victorian Ireland, by Brian Griffin Last books finished De Bourgondiërs, by Bart Van Loo In Time, ed. Xanna Eve Chown Anthropological Studies of Religion: An Introductory Text, by Brian Morris How To Be Both, by Ali Smith The Writing Life, by Annie Dillard Next books The Sparrow, by Mary Doria Russell David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens
Jeremy Corbyn is often referred to as having a cult following and the same is said of Nigel Farage of course. Brexit itself seems to be cultish too but our view of cults is often more likely to be connected with religious extremism rather than politics. So the question is do political cults have a commonality with religious cults? According to Wikipedia in sociological terminology, sects are products of religious schism and therefore maintain a continuity with traditional beliefs and practices, while cults arise spontaneously around novel beliefs and practices. Well Brexit certainly fits the 'novel beliefs and practices' definition ...
Tue 17th
15:50
Well Being Economics: First Reflections on Jo's FIrst Leader's Speech #JoSwinson #LDConf
The key thing that made me jump out of my seat during Jo Swinson's leader's speech was when she questioned why we measure the state of our country by GDP (Gross Domestic Product). It took me back to one of my first Economics tutorials a little over 30 years ago. In that tutorial the tutor said that economics was basically powered by everyone getting out of it what is best for themselves. I questioned that said what about those who were concerned about giving others a fair chance, cared about the environment etc. It will probably not therefore surprise you ...
"I am standing here as your candidate for Prime Minister. Because people across Britain deserve a better choice than an entitled Etonian or a 1970s socialist." - Jo Swinson
Over the past few weeks I have seen a torrent of half-witted abuse being thrown at the Lib Dems and MPs who have defected to us. "Good riddance", "You're Tory-lite", "You'll take anyone". These are the ones that are fit ... Continue reading →
I couldn't resist the opportunity to join the rugby scrum of photographers for the leader's walkabout before her speech this afternoon. This is an annual event and this year it took place on Bournemouth beach. So, there I was, battling with the tabloid photographers, Sky News camera teams and the BBC to get a set of photos. Job done!
Alistair Carmichael MP has hosted a Whisky Tasting at conference (and elsewhere) for many seasons. This year, the Association of Liberal Democrats (ALDC) responded to the recent explosion in the gin market by hosting a Gin Tasting – called "Ginning Here". This was heralded as the first political gin tasting ever. Held, with great panache, at the Hermitage Hotel, Wendy Chamberlain led this bibulous saunter through a selection of tastebud-popping gins. Wendy is our excellent PPC for North East Fife, where she is looking to overturn a current SNP majority of just two votes. In her day job, she works ...
Mon, 12:56: Christopher Eccleston "very ill" with anorexia during Doctor Who https://t.co/fsZYHyM4P7 Wow. Mon, 16:08: RT @damonwake: Luxembourg PM empty podiums @BorisJohnson. They were meant to do a joint presser but Johnson pulled out. Brutal. https://t.c... Mon, 17:27: RT @AlbertoNardelli: @bbclaurak or they had agreed but then the uk asked for alternative arrangements at the very last minute Mon, 17:28: RT @HeleneBismarck: The UK delegation asked to move the meeting at the last minute when it was too late to move all the technical equipment... Mon, 18:07: RT @davidallengreen: The Brexit negotiations in three pics https://t.co/rxnHBCIy9T Mon, 18:20: Terrance Dicks, ...
There will not be a dry eye in the conference chamber this morning. At 10.50am there will be a tribute to the late Paddy Ashdown. The chamber will be packed for that. The biggest event of the day however will be Jo's leader's speech, her first. There is an air of anticipation in the conference centre about it. Meanwhile, there will be policy debates on citizenship, housing and the railways.
A bit of a catch up last night: I attended the North East regional dinner at Valentino Restaurant last night. It was good to catch up with others from the region. Conversations across the table covered a wide variety of issues including self-sufficiency, campaigning and Labour vote meltdown. It was also useful to meet up with some of the key campaigners from Sunderland. Lots of swapping of
It is excellent that the Resolution Foundation has embarked upon serious macro-economic wonkery. Their opening salvo – "Recession Ready?: Assessing the UK's macroeconomic framework" – is as good an introduction to the state of play as you can find. They call it "the most comprehensive assessment of the UK's macroeconomic policy framework since the financial [...]
This was the lovely cover of the new edition of the Liberator Song Book, circulated at last night's Glee Club. One of the hosts quipped during the proceedings: You know, at this point we could really do with someone telling a ten minute joke. There was such a void. We just needed Paddy to walk in and announce that he was telling his joke: For positively the last time. Paddy, you are sorely missed. * Paul Walter is a Liberal Democrat activist. He is one of the Liberal Democrat Voice team. He blogs at Liberal Burblings.
In the first of three blog posts from the party conferences, Ben Rich reports from the Lib Dems on the electoral prospects of the radical centre... The Lib Dems are riding high, full of confidence, buoyed by defections and flushed by successes in the local and European elections. And yet, their poll rating – while massively increased from the debacles of 2015 and 2017 – is stubbornly stuck between 17 and 20 per cent. Briefly, earlier in the summer, the Conservatives, Labour, Lib Dems and Brexit parties were all polling at 20 per cent, give or take the margin of ...
From Sheena Wellington : Cappuccino Concert with Karen Marshalsay, HarpSaturday 21st September, 2019 - 11am - noon We are delighted that the wonderful Karen Marshalsay is including the Wighton in her album launch tour. Karen is a master of all three Scottish harps - the warm sounding modern gut-strung lever harp, the clear ringing wire-strung clarsach of the Highlands and Gaelic culture, and the Baroque bray harp with its buzzing sitar-like. The new CD *The Road To Kennacraig* shows off her skill and musicality beautifully. With a particular interest in playing pipe music on the harp, Karen has worked with ...
Tue 17th
06:17
We are denuding Ludlow of trees - we need to act to limit damage to the environment and biodiversity
We have been discussing the loss of trees in Ludlow a lot of late. Only yesterday, someone came up to me and said: "You can see it walking along the Breadwalk. Looking back to the town, there is much less tree cover than ten years ago." I have no doubt that we are losing tree cover in the conservation areas in Ludlow. We are also losing a lot elsewhere in Ludlow too. Some new trees have been grown but a study of tree felling in Ludlow's conservation areas over the last five years shows that applicants planned to replant only ...
As if it were not bad enough that the UK Government are pursuing a cull of badgers, despite all the evidence indicating that they do not work, the Guardian have unearthed figures that cast severe doubts on Ministers' recent decision to extend the cull to new areas. The paper says that tuberculosis levels in cattle have risen in the original two areas of the country where the badger cull has been piloted over the past five years, raising questions about the merit of expanding the scheme: The figures are confirmed in official data quietly released last week as the government ...
More lies from Johnson. Johnson has, yet again, done a runner to evade facing scrutiny from the international press. To be clear stories that Johnson would have been drowned out by a vociferously noisy demonstration are risible. I was there. The press conference took place in a garden by the Ministère d'État closed behind railings ... Continue reading Johnson Lies in Luxembourg
Sam Gyimah is the third recent defecting MP to get up on stage this evening at the Glee Club. He said that his wife had told him that under no circumstances should he try to sing. But, bless him, he joined in singing "The Land" as our video below shows. So he is now the third defecting MP to do his initiation and become a proper Liberal. Congratulations to Sam! And another one. @SamGyimah sings "The Land" at Glee Club #ldconf @caronmlindsay pic.twitter.com/FjgIPqZ37z — paulwalteruk (@paulwalteruk) September 16, 2019 * Paul Walter is a Liberal Democrat activist. He is one ...
