Being a contrary child, I often took against writers I was meant to enjoy. Arthur Ransome, for instance, was dispatched with a scissor movement involving Malcolm Saville and Richard Jefferies. And once I discovered T.H. White's The Sword in the Stone I had no more time for C.S. Lewis. I have just come across an article that suggests there may have been more behind this latter judgement than sheer cussedness. In it, Rebecca Onion interviews Maria Sachiko Cecire about her book Re-Enchanted: The rise of children's fantasy literature in the twentieth century. In it she identifies an 'Oxford School' of ...
A lovely tweet from Lib Dem MP Layla Moran tonight: 2020 is a new decade and a new path in my journey. Last year I fell in love with a wonderful woman. Something I'd never even considered before. Now I am just happy #Pansexual #OutAndProud pic.twitter.com/jdfz87Hdkx — Layla Moran [IMG: 🔶] [IMG: 🏳️🌈] (@LaylaMoran) January 2, 2020 Layla also spoke to the Guardian: Moran, who is thought to be considering a bid for the Lib Dem leadership, said she and her friends had been approached by newspapers that wanted to run stories about her relationship. "That itself is why I'm ...
One of the statistics that those interested in equality of access to the best of higher education look at is the number of pupils receiving free school meals who gain a place at a Russell Group university. The other day I realised that I had done exactly that in 1978. Yes, I was once a poster boy for social mobility. Though the Russell Group was not formed until 1994, and the University of York did not join it until 2012, a place at York was certainly sought after when I was taking my A levels. One of the problems poorer ...
You can't deny that, in terms of winning, Dominic Cummings has so far been very effective. Yes, he has driven a coach and horses through many of the conventions in terms of behaviour, and his tactics come with their own long-term issues, but I suspect that he is of the view that, in the long-term, we're all dead, so that isn't important. The thing about a campaign though is that once it's over, you generally move on to the next thing, preferably something interesting, where the results are visible. Civil service reform is seldom like that, because unlike a campaign, ...
Second paragraph of chapter 3:The other servants at Wherewithal House said, 'Don't be ridiculous, Mary. The girl is a beast, a frightful creature. She is spoiled and savage, the very worst combination possible.'I wasn't really aware of the Iris Wildthyme books, another series that I obviously need to get to grips with for completeness, and picked this up at a book sale earlier in the year. It's the middle volume of a trilogy published in 2011, 2012 and 2013, and so I missed out on both the set-up and the conclusion. It's interesting enough that I will seek out the ...
Starting as I mean to go on... my first campaign outing after taking up office as President of the Liberal Democrats was this morning to help Anton Georgiou in the Alperton by-election (Brent Council).
I believe in robust debate and in holding our opponents to account. Those who have campaigned with me will know that despite my light-hearted personality, I'm not prone to giving much ground. Scrutinising our opponents is a vital part of politics and our democracy is worse off if the tough questions aren't asked. But after a divisive election, in a time of damaging and sometimes poisonous debate, I want to do something just as important as robust campaigning. I want to offer praise and thanks to my opponents. In Cheltenham we managed to squeeze a large number of hustings into ...
Thu 2nd
11:55
Lord William Wallace writes...We should welcome a Constitutional Commission, and do everything we ca...
The 2019 Conservative Manifesto promised that 'in our first year we will set up a Constitution, Democracy and Rights Commission...to look at the broader aspects of our constitution.' The Queen's Speech confirmed that promise. We should welcome this with both hands, and use it to challenge the government's agenda with our own. Boris Johnson wants to reassert executive power against parliament. The manifesto's criticism of 'the failure of Parliament to deliver Brexit' shows impatience with criticism and debate. Dominic Cummings wants to cut through the cautious policy-making of the civil service and impose radical changes to central government. Right-wing think ...
Wed, 15:40: Hild, by Nicola Griffith https://t.co/zSQDhBTiwQ Wed, 17:50: RT @Storiestobe: First, I want to reiterate that I am with Courtney and that I have resigned my #RWA membership. This entire thing is horri... Wed, 18:53: RT @0tralala: Of no interest to anyone, but the last time an episode of #DoctorWho was first broadcast on a Wednesday was The Time of the D... Wed, 19:47: RT @bbcdoctorwho: TEN MINUTES TO GO! #DoctorWho https://t.co/ImURAQIMo7 Thu, 10:14: RT @lowflyingrocks: 2020 AD, 10m-22m in diameter, just passed the Earth at 16km/s, missing by 895,000km. https://t.co/yuuuEPVOUT Thu, 10:45: A Weapon With a Will of ...
Thu 2nd
10:30
Why the "Labour's been losing voters for decades" explanation for the 2019 general election defeat i...
Since "It was all Brexit's fault" as an explanation for why Labour got decimated in a general election last month didn't work as well as intended, the Left have cottoned onto a new one. Labour's been losing voters for ages, apparently, decades even; it's just that Jeremy was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Could have happened to any Labour leader. During the Blair years, Labour lost touch with its base and it just took a while for that to filter through enough to lose those seats in the north and the Midlands. This, like the Brexit blame ...
The Independent reports on an interesting case in the United States where a federal judge has blocked North Carolina's new voter identification law, citing the state's "sordid history of racial discrimination and voter suppression": The decision by US district court judge Loretta Biggs will prevent state officials from requiring voters to show identification in the 2020 presidential election after critics said the law unfairly targets African-Americans. North Carolina could be a key state in this year's election as voters chose Donald Trump in the last presidential vote but also elected a Democratic governor in 2016. Republican leaders in the state ...
The BBC has the article on its website – see link below:- www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-50946871 On one level this is a bizarre story to me because as a regular cyclist I've never even been tempted to use a shared bike/city hire bike or whatever you wish to call them. They are often heavy and cumbersome, which I suppose they have to be to survive long on the open street and so that they are not likely theft targets. Yet it seems they are very much theft targets! Quote from the article – 'Police in Manchester were called to more than 400 incidents ...
If you think we have had all the elections that we need then you are doomed to disappointment! On May 7th we will have no less than 4 elections on the same day. We will elect a Liverpool City Region ... Continue reading →
The Ludlow Art Mural Project was an amazing initiative. The idea of a mural was born in a chat over a beer. A deal to paint the boards on the former Budgens was agreed in a shake of the hand when I met Robin Morris the developer. Morris Property paid for the scaffolding and paint. Shropshire Council provided youth support. The entire project went from first thoughts to completion in five weeks. Sometimes the discussion was stormy. That's art and artists for you. Now with plans for new retail units and apartments submitted, the mural's days are numbered. I love ...
From the Friends of the University of Dundee Botanic Garden : On Sunday 5th January, Alasdair Hood, former Curator, University of Dundee Botanic Garden, will give a talk on "A life in horticulture." It will take place at 2pm in the Education Centre at the Botanic Garden. All are welcome!
