Iran's actions on US airbases "unacceptable" Johnson's hard negotiation deadline is unrealistic Farron: Child refugees vote reveals Tory MPs' true colours Johnson's govt must stand up to use of death penalty abroad UK Govt must not abandon Iran Nuclear Treaty Iran's actions on US airbases "unacceptable" Responding to Iran's missile strikes on US airbases in Iraq, Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said: Iran's actions against US airbases last night were unacceptable and should be unequivocally condemned. It is vital Boris Johnson does all he can to ensure dialogue and a de-escalation of this intensifying situation. The Prime ...
* I don't think this is a film where spoilers matter, but in case you disagree full spoilers ahead * Habemus Papam*2 According to the fictional version of Pope Benedict XVI who appears in the Two Popes: "there is an old saying – 'God always corrects one pope with another'." This idea of Benedict and [...]
Aberdeen's The Press and Journal wins our Headline of the Day Award, thanks to a nomination from that excellent firm HE Translations.
First weekly roundup post of the year. Current Roots and Wings: Ten Lessons of Motherhood that Helped Me Create and Run a Company, by Margery Kraus Miss Shumway Waves a Wand, by James Hadley Chase Last books finished Auguria, Tome 1: Ecce signum, by Peter Nuyten Exhalation, by Ted Chiang Seraphina, by Rachel Hartman Auguria, Tome 2: Gaeso dux, by Peter Nuyten Auguria, Tome 3: Fatum, by Peter Nuyten Land of Terror, by Edgar Rice Burroughs Demon in Leuven, by Guido Eekhaut Under Another Sky: Journeys in Roman Britain, by Charlotte Higgins As Time Goes By, by Joshua Hale Fialkov ...
If you would like to attend the Spring Conference in York from March 15th – 17th and are worried about the cost of attending, then the Conference Access Fund may be able to help you. The fund is taking applications up until January 22nd. If you would like help with the accommodation, travel, childcare, disability or access-related costs related to attending the conference, then please do apply using this form. The fund is supported by the party's conference budget, but also by donations from supporters. Liberal Democrat Voice has supported the fund. If your application is approved, you can receive ...
The Liverpool Echo has the story on its website – see link below:- This Echo story hit home to me as I started work as a fresh faced lad of 17 in Magdalen House in September 1975. In those days the building housed Inland Revenue staff. I worked there for 3 years if memory serves. And my second encounter with the very same building came about quite a few years later when I would go to it as a Sefton Councillor. It had passed from the Inland Revenue to the Health and Safety Executive but when the H&SE moved ...
Wed 8th
17:05
Ed Davey: We must not allow President Trump to drag the UK into yet another war, like Iraq
Ed Davey, acting leader of the Liberal Democrats, has just written to Liberal Democrat members summarising the party's position on the Iran crisis: We are living in dangerous times. The assassination of a key Iranian leader, General Suleinami, ordered by President Trump, has raised tensions across the Middle East. It's too early to know if today's inevitable if unacceptable Iranian response will lead to further US retaliation but huge diplomatic efforts must be made now to de-escalate. Britain must continue to work with European allies to lead that diplomacy. And to help reduce tensions, Prime Minister Johnson must rule out ...
Happy New Year! Over Christmas and New Year, a team of HQ staff and almost 60 volunteer testers from across the party as well as the team at Prater Raines have been hard at work testing Lighthouse, the party's new Local Party Management tool. The feedback from those users has been really encouraging. They've found the system really intuitive and easy to use. It'll also work for all parts of the party – from branches up to state parties and will solve a number of other long standing issues as well (thought not all on day 1!) Of course, launch ...
[IMG: J12 M20 Cheriton Interchange (Screenshot from Google Maps under Fair Use https://www.google.com/intl/en_uk/help/terms_maps.html)] I've just received an M20 "Operation Brock" contraflow update: "Work to remove the contraflow barriers will begin on 13 January. "The work will take place overnight and J9-7 will be fully closed each night (including weekends) from 8pm - 6am. "The works will start at the London end and move backwards. "It is expected that the work to remove the barriers will be finished by 31 January." So over a fortnight of full night motorway closures, in order to remove a barrier for a system never actually ...
I suppose that it is very easy to get into the mindset that politics is everything in life. But it turns out that there is life outside of Westminster. I read the other day that former Labour Deputy Leader, Tom Watson, is training to become a gym instructor. That started me thinking about what had happened to our vast number of MPs from before the election in 2015. Stephen Gilbert, former MP for St Austell and Newquay, for example. Whatever happened to him after he posted a "Gone Surfing" post-it note on his Twitter account in 2015? Well, it turns ...
US President Donald Trump doesn't do quiet confidence. If he had, then he might have ended 2019 displaying it. Which makes his actions in Iran in early 2020 baffling. As Autumn approached Mr Trump might have been worried about his reelection and his legacy. He came into office promising to show his vaunted business skills, ... Continue reading Donald Trump's message to Iran: get nukes fast
Tue, 12:56: RT @klara_sjo: After the kill, the house rabbit attempts to dispose of the body. https://t.co/NoNuVlYG4f Tue, 16:05: The forgotten history of Constance Markievicz, the first female MP https://t.co/lu9EU3OGdg @AnnaCafolla writes for... https://t.co/UTTwr5Ps3o Tue, 17:11: What the death of iTunes says about our digital habits https://t.co/C8inT8llVs Funny and perceptive. Tue, 17:19: RT @higginsdavidw: 75% of RIC officers were Catholic. Most of them joined what was the police force of the day to serve their communities a... Tue, 19:17: BSFA Long List - Goodreads/LibraryThing stats https://t.co/nGWnJwz5OU Tue, 20:48: Jailed Catalan MEP elected head of regionalist group in Parliament https://t.co/VO8P9LaFBO Another ...
One of the more interesting moments already in the nascent race to see who becomes the next leader of the opposition was when Jess Phillips appeared to suggest that Labour could campaign to rejoin the EU, if the conditions were right – and then, a few days later, appeared to retract this possibility. What the Labour Party collectively hopes is that Brexit, now that it is definitely going ahead, will cease to be an issue for them. I think they are fooling themselves. Furthermore, they have painted themselves into a corner with Brexit that I can't see a way out ...
Wed 8th
09:44Billy Kelleher MEP writes: Britain didn't become more illiberal and less tolerant overnight
Embed from Getty ImagesBrexit's happening. There I said it. It is not what I, my party, or my island wants. I know it's not what the Lib Dems want, but we are where we are. The deal that Prime Minister Johnson agreed with the EU is not as good as Theresa May's deal. While it is good for Northern Ireland, it may prove damaging for East-West trade between Ireland and Great Britain if a future relationship agreement isn't agreed in time. For the first time, the islands of Ireland and Great Britain are not on the same course – we ...
The Guardian reports on claims by senior MPs that ministers and civil servants are not being properly scrutinised by parliament because of delays in setting up select committees. They say that despite crucial Brexit policy passing through the Commons and the possibility of conflict in the Middle East, chairs of four committees have said they have not yet been given any indication by Boris Johnson's government when they will be able to sit again. Their concern is exacerbated by previous accusations that the prime minister and his close adviser Dominic Cummings have avoided appearances before MPs on these committees: Since ...
This Saturday - 11th January - you can take a tour of the night sky in the observatory's planetarium room and learn about constellations, galaxies and the latest space news and much more. Please note that Winter Planetarium Shows are suitable for children aged 5 and over. Just £1 for adults; 50p children. Booking essential on 435967.
Wed 8th
06:50
Shropshire Council says it can't afford to care for adults and children as it consults on its strugg...
The cost of adult social care is increasing by £8m to £10m a year. Children's social care costs are growing by £5m a year. "This is unaffordable and unsustainable." New and innovative models of delivery must be created to stem growth of costs. That's the message from Shropshire Council as it launches a consultation on next year's budget and seeks to plug a £14m hole in the 2020/21 budget. Basic council tax will go up by 3.99%. Your council tax bill also includes the police, fire, and town or parish council precept. The West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner is ...
