I have incredibly fond memories of Llandrindod Wells this Summer. I spent a very restorative weekend there and in many beautiful villages delivering leaflets and canvassing. I was so proud when Jane Dodds won. So I am particularly thrilled to see that we have crushed the Tories in a by-election in Llandrindod Wells, taking a Powys County Council seat from them by some margin. We didn't stand a candidate last time. Llandrindod North (Powys) result: LDEM: 47.2% (+47.2) CON: 34.2% (-19.6) LAB: 18.6% (-1.2) Liberal Democrat GAIN from Conservative. No Green (-26.5) as prev. — Britain Elects (@britainelects) October 24, ...
A bumper set of eight council by-elections this week: four Conservative seats, three Labour ones and one former independent seat. Abbey North, Daventry Alan Knape stood for the Liberal Democrats, getting a good increase in the vote, taking the party up into second: Conservative GAIN Abbey North (Daventry) from Labour with 41% (+14) of votes. LDM were 2nd on 31% (+10) & LAB 3rd on 29% (-11). No IND (-7) or UKIP (-5) as previous. pic.twitter.com/tN6DbKPnGb — Election Maps UK (@ElectionMapsUK) October 24, 2019
We are trying our best to win a People's Vote, said Ed Davey tonight. 'This is Boris Johnson's failure and he has to admit that', says Lib Dem deputy leader Ed Daveyhttps://t.co/7UH7lbjvPU — Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) October 24, 2019 Speaking to Channel 4 News, he talked about Boris Johnson's failures, and said that Lib Dems would continue to work with other parties to try to secure a People's Vote. Watch here. He added that the important thing was to hear about an extension to Article 50 first then work out where to go next. He pointed out that an ...
Peter Oborne explains how British journalists have become part of the Johnson government's fake news machine. "He comes across as motivated by an anarchic curiosity, ready to trash his current political vehicle and possibly to break up Britain just to see whether anything interesting and useful results." James Meek on the strange ideology of Dominic Cummings. Jennie Rigg has personal experience of the poisoning of Britain's political discourse. "Posters have already appeared announcing the birth of 'Manc-hattan'. But the truth is we are a long way from that uplifting skyline. This is more like something you'd see on the outer ...
Jeremy Corbyn is a chicken. Jeremy Corbyn is frit. The Conservatives are convinced that the voters want a general election just as much as they do, will be outraged if Corbyn fails to allow one at the earliest opportunity and punish him when an election does come. I suspect this view is mistaken. If you ask people for an opinion poll most will say there ought to be an election. But that doesn't mean they have given the idea much thought or care a great deal about it. Most of them certainly do not care half as much as the ...
There are no MPs on the Question Time panel tonight – a function of it taking place in South Shields when there were votes taking place eon the Queen's Speech at 5pm. Good news for us, though. Not only are we on, but one of our new brilliant MEPs is representing us. Caroline Voaden will be flying the Lib Dem flag tonight at 10:35 on BBC1. Here's the rest of the panel: Here's our panel in South Shields tonight. We've got Norman Lamont, @LabourRichard, @CarolineVoaden, @KenLoachSixteen and @KateAndrs. See you at 10:35pm on @BBCOne #bbcqt pic.twitter.com/QbmrkOr6QK — BBC Question Time ...
OK it's only Grant Shapps, but in the Commons today the transport secretary said he was "very supportive" of the reopening of the railway line from Market Harborough to Northampton. The idea was recently put forward in the consultation document for the new West Northamptonshire Strategic Plan. The line closed to all traffic in 1981 - you can see some photos I took on its last day on this blog. Shapps could not resist having a dig at Labour by pointing out that the Beeching closures took place under Harold Wilson's government. That is true, but the political force behind ...
Rajin Chowdhury explained nicely on Twitter what happened in Parliament about the Labour amendment to the Queen's Speech.
Second paragraph of third chapter:The following morning, we meet early to drive to a TV interview happening just up the road, and I'm thinking about making it back to the hotel in time for breakfast. I'm forgetting that this is Australia, a big country, and just up the road is actually a two-and-a-half-hour drive in the heat to the Pinnacles, admittedly a beautiful alien landscape, where they have put a three-quarter-size TARDIS which I can't stand too close to for fear of exposing its lack of stature. The next day I fly to Adelaide for more interviews, and then our ...
Thu 24th
14:00
When people talk about the poisoning of political discourse in this country, this is what they are t...
Hi. I'm Jennie. I was a Lib Dem for a long time. Now I'm not. However, the bonds and friendships you forge over that kind of length of time don't just break when you're not a party member any more. So when my mum was rushed into hospital last night with a collapsed lung after having had surgery for cancer last week, there were a lot of Lib Dems among the people expressing sympathy and wishing me well. Here's one of them: Oh Jennie, so sorry. Sending love & hope your mum is ok [IMG: ❤] — Jo Swinson (@joswinson) ...
I believe that I have warned previously that advocating the further devolution of powers to the Welsh Government as a means of solving a specific issue or problem can be helpful, but is by no means a panacea. Nevertheless, today's report by a Welsh Government commissioned review, led by the former lord chief justice of England and Wales, Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd, advocating the devolution of powers to control justice, policing and prisons to Wales, is to be welcomed. As the Guardian reports, Lord Thomas calls for the age of criminal responsibility to be raised from 10 to at least ...
Today 24th October, is United Nations day, though you wouldn't know it from the British media. I have as yet seen no reference to it in my daily newspaper, nor heard any mention of it on the BBC news bulletins. If you'd like further and better particulars they can be found here and here. I believe it's now Labour Party policy that we should have more public holidays, so, if and when this policy is implemented I suggest that one of them should be UN Day and, not only that, but it should be the actual date and not just ...
Oh Lisa I've heard and seen your Bexit agonies on TV many a time but being progressive means Brexit should be a straight NO every time Being a progressive means rejecting making the poor poorer but you know Brexit in any form will make the poor poorer Being a progressive means standing up for your constituents jobs but Brexit will mean the loss of some of your constituents jobs Being a progressive means promoting workers rights but Brexit as you know will reduce workers rights Being a progressive means going and being green for future generations but Brexit will undermine ...
I'm the son of immigrants, one parent from Germany, the other from Poland. My family history is in miniature the troubled history of Europe, scarred by the horrors of extremism and war - and then my parents making a new home together in our country. It's why our liberal democracy, despite all its flaws, is so precious to me. And why we have to protect it against the extremists and populists. To do that, we need to build a grassroots liberal movement, mobilising the millions who share our values. Such a movement can continue our successes this year winning more ...
Over the last few hours I have seen a load of twaddle talked about the NHS and the Labour amendment on the Queens Speech largely by people who seem to know little about how the NHS or Parliament works. Let's ... Continue reading →
Alongside the leader of our MEPs, Catherine Bearder, the Lib Dem Brexit spokesperson, Tom Brake MP, is also backing me as Liberal Democrat President.
Welcome to, as you might have suspected from the pun in the title, Athens, where liberals, friends and allies are gathering for the 40th Congress of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in Europe (ALDE) Party. I'm here in a myriad of capacities, and I'll be covering the event for Liberal Democrat Voice. It's an interesting time to be a European Liberal. Good results in the European Parliamentary election earlier this year led to a rather larger centrist group in the Parliament – I use the c-word advisedly, as ALDE MEPs have been subsumed into a larger Renew Europe group, ...
Wed, 12:42: RT @elliotttimes: The cast list: Johnson , Corbyn, Brown, Spencer, Milne and Cummings. Is this the moment Brexit got done? Wed, 12:46: RT @bbclaurak: Hear nothing was agreed at PM-Corbyn meeting - Labour wanted to discuss a different timetable for Brexit bill, govt wanted t... Wed, 12:56: Why Is the World So Loud? https://t.co/TdZgQwHi0c Long read, but important. Wed, 14:10: RT @eucopresident: In my phone call with PM @BorisJohnson I gave reasons why I'm recommending the EU27 accept the UK request for an extensi... Wed, 14:47: RT @JakubKrupa: Polish Europe Minister Konrad Szymański rejects @DKShrewsbury's letter asking for ...
The next edition of Low Fell eFocus was published this week. It includes: Axe the Bus Tax! Car vehicle crime in Low Fell update Low Fell Business Survey launched Boer War Memorial restored to former glory! Crocuses planted by Volunteer Gardening Group You can read the full newsletter on this link.
The article is on the website of the Liverpool City Region – see link below:-
Thu 24th
08:55Super Lib Dem Lords on Super Saturday Julie Smith: This deal is not in the national interest
We continue with our Lords speeches on the special Saturday sitting. This next one is highly significant. Julie Smith had not voted against the triggering of Article 50 because she felt that we would have to leave. She has changed her mind and explains why; My Lords, it is normally courteous to thank the Leader of the House for repeating Statements from the Prime Minister. However, on this occasion, I rather wish she had not. The Prime Minister articulated a view, reiterated by the noble Baroness, Lady Pidding, that he hopes that the two halves of our country—the 52% and ...
From the Curator of Museum Services at the University of Dundee : We're delighted to announce the programme for our special full day event to end the Art for All exhibition, featuring an amazing line-up of artists and researchers:Art for All - A Study Day exploring Public Art in Dundee and ScotlandSaturday 26th October, 10am-5pmD'Arcy Thompson Lecture Theatre, Tower Building, University of DundeeProgramme10.00-11.30am Session OneIntroductionMatthew Jarron (University of Dundee) on the lost public art of DundeeAndrew Demetrius (University of St Andrews) on David Harding's work as Town Artist for GlenrothesProfessor Vee Pollock (Newcastle University) on the role of public art ...
