What artistic parallels are there for the life we are living now? I feel I am in the opening chapters of a John Wyndham novel or one of those series made in the 1970s to terrify children. A good example of the latter is The Changes from 1975. You can see a snatch of it above and listen to a good discussion of it in an episode of the podcast Jaffa Cakes for Proust.
The Liberal Democrat leadership election should not be delayed until May 2021, says Hermione Peace. And she's right. "Whole streets in the City were shuttered and even the Spring Gardens at Vauxhall were all but deserted." Gillian Darley takes us to London in the devastating plague year of 1665. Tom Hartley, a psychologist, explains how one terrifying, exciting night of delusions, hallucinations and paranoia has informed his view of mental illness. Charlie Pullen looks at the experimental schools of the 1920s: "Strange new schools sprang up, old schools broke with convention and adopted new procedures, the new methods of teaching ...
31st March every year is the Transgender Day of Visibility. Liberal Democrats have been marking the occasion at a time when the transgender community continues to face a toxic atmosphere of hostility in the media and beyond. The resilience of this community in the face of such discrimination is quite remarkable. This year, as the much-needed reform of the Gender Recognition Act looks likely to be shelved in England and is in jeopardy in Scotland due to splits in the SNP, there are even greater challenges ahead. This year there is no colourful and exuberant trans pride in Scotland as ...
Last week, I launched a petition calling on the Government to implement a Coronavirus Compensation scheme, to protect the families of all frontline workers should the worst happen. I need your help to make it happen. During this crisis, the message to all of us has been repeated over and over: where possible, stay at home. But it isn't possible for everyone. The NHS, for instance, isn't a faceless organisation. It is made up of many members of our community, our neighbours and our friends. In times of crisis, our society relies even more heavily on essential workers, such as ...
Non-fiction: 5 (YTD 17) The Almost Nearly Perfect People: Behind the Myth of Scandinavia's Utopia, by Michael Booth 1493, by Charles C. Mann Strategic Europe, ed. Jan Techau Red Notice, by Bill Browder An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, by Adam Smith - did not finish Fiction (non-sf): 2 (YTD 7) Small Island, by Andrea Levy Midnight Cowboy, by James Leo Herlihy sf (non-Who): 17 (YTD 42) The Golden Fleece, by Robert Graves Deeplight, by Frances Hardinge The Light Brigade, by Kameron Hurley (did not finish) The Green Man's Foe, by Juliet E. McKenna ...
I was actually thinking of The Party, as in the Liberal Democrats, rather than the many Houseparty calls that are happening. My older grandson introduced us to the latter and is busy organising slightly chaotic family get-togethers each day. There are three main tasks that I do these days for my local party, and am still doing through the crisis. Firstly, I send out a weekly newsletter to our members, registered supporters and non-member volunteers, and this has been more important than ever during the last few weeks. We are encouraging people to volunteer through the local initiatives and also ...
There is nothing quite as wonderful as money. There is nothing quite as beautiful as cash. Some people say it's folly, But I'd rather have the lolly. With money you can make a splash. Eric Idle (Monty Python), "The Money Song" If you haven't already done so, it is worth having a look at the Electoral Commission's reports of Q4 donations to the political parties. The Liberal Democrat report is particularly fascinating. Between 1 October and 31 December 2019, the party received donations totalling £13,372,664 from 433 donors. That is more than the Labour party received in the same period. ...
After a number of years running this blog I ran out of steam. It seems like now it's time to start again if it allows me to pass on any information that may be useful to people. Be patient. The software has all changed and I've grown longer in the tooth which doesn't help! So watch this space, and let me know if you have anything you want me to add.
For the first time ever Liverpool's Planning Committee met today in a virtual format using Skype. Despite some IT teething difficulties, we managed quite well to hear each other and contribute. For legal reasons we could not make decisions today ... Continue reading →
There has been much discussion of the postponement of the leadership election for fourteen months in this time of crisis. Whatever the merits of either side are, I think we can all agree it is unlikely the Federal Board will change their minds, if only because of the reams of articles and podcasts they are putting out bolstering their position. I recognise that we must realise the realities of the coronavirus situation. It is true that online hustings would provide less scrutiny than in-person ones, not least due to a greater control over the flow of the conversation.The concerns about ...
In the UK there exists a principle, harking back to the days of Sir Robert Peel. This long held tradition and principle is called policing by consent. This is essentially the idea that police legitimacy is based on the consent of those it polices. This vital bond, between citizen and state is one that should be held with the upmost regard. When our nation is in crisis, as it arguably is now, the rule of law becomes more, not less, important. This vital principle has almost passed unnoticed in recent weeks as the UK government has brought in strict legislation ...
Whatever the rights and wrongs of the current government lockdown and the actions of police in enforcing it, the one thing that is clear is that there is still a huge amount of confusion about what we can and cannot do, and that this confusion extends to the police who seem to be applying different interpretations of the rules in different parts of the country. As the Guardian reports, a former supreme court justice has heavily criticised Derbyshire police for stopping people exercising in the Peak District saying that such behaviour risks plunging Britain into a "police state". Lord Sumption ...
Delay?! No. We press our advantage. Be mercenary. We have nothing left to lose. 6% by the latest polls. For nothing. No, literally, it's a good result, given we have been and represented nothing, since (or but...) defeat, in December. It's been four months. Do you want another year and a half?! And a year after Labour crown their leader, set out their stall? This is folly. I want Jo Swinson back. And I never wanted her at all. Strange times. She would have fought. Not delayed. For fourteen months. The history of procrastination may have the odd genius discovery, ...
Yesterday Hungary's ruling Fidesz party, which has a comfortable outright majority within parliament, voted to grant Prime Minister Viktor Orbán the right to rule by decree (with no time limit set) and to bring in a state of emergency. The pretext is the Coronavirus crisis but the move is but the latest chapter in the [...]
Mon, 16:05: The fatal hike that became a Nazi propaganda coup https://t.co/QLTscZPpDP Fascinating long read from a few years back. Mon, 17:11: Why are Germany and Austria's coronavirus death rates so low? https://t.co/NQ1MchTQ9Q "The real mystery is not why... https://t.co/XZVtIBElPd Mon, 18:34: October 2005 books https://t.co/vsYqeQPNVi Mon, 19:58: RT @bbcdoctorwho: To celebrate Vincent Van Gogh's birthday #DoctorWho fans around the world are going to watch 'Vincent and the Doctor' tod... Mon, 19:58: RT @Emily_Rosina: 2 MINUTES TO GO! #TheUltimateGinger Mon, 20:02: It's the Doctor! #TheUltimateGinger Mon, 20:02: RT @emmafreud: RC: isn't Matt's hair GREAT. looks very like Hugh Grant's hair ...
COVID-19 local infoTwo places to go for authoritative local info - the COVID-19 facebook group and Yate Town Council has set up a website:We are posting news from official sources. If you pick up info about eg changed shop opening hours, do please let us know and we will
Yesterday, I reported on how Hull Liberal Democrats are ringing residents to help them through the coronavirus crisis. Today, it's Janet Grauberg from Camden, back for another set of tips about phoning: Some of the Camden Lib Dem campaigners have been meeting weekly (via Zoom) to think about how best to serve our local communities in this crisis. Last week we created a "Coronavirus Useful Information and How to Help" page on our website, and sent out emails to residents, tailored by ward, with links and suggestions. This week we started telephoning members. We decided not to go straight to ...
Tue 31st
10:05
Here's what Starmer needs to do when he becomes Labour leader - and as quickly as possible
Unless the granddaddy of upsets takes place, Keir Starmer will become leader of the Labour Party on Saturday. Word has it that it intends to try and clear out the worst of the tankies on day one. Great start. We will find out several things about the Labour Party in April. One, how many of those in the shadow cabinet who appeared slavishly devoted to the Corbyn project were actually in love with it or if they merely blew with the wind. I suspect there are many more in the latter camp than even cynics like me suspect. Two, how ...
[IMG: Non Domestic Rates Demand Notice] The Government announced earlier in March that all businesses that received full Small Business Rate Relief would qualify for a £10,000 grant (non-repayable). There is now more news on this scheme, and for Folkestone and Hythe businesses a form to complete to claim the payment. Please note that I will link ONLY to the Folkestone and Hythe District Council website here for security to reassure you I'm not operating a scam. Firstly - what businesses are covered by this scheme? It includes all businesses that occupy a property which is subject to business rates, ...
Tue 31st
09:00
+++Plans for Lib Dem autumn conference on hold - online options to be explored instead
The chair of the Federal Conference committee, Geoff Payne, has posted the following text in the Lib Democrat Federal Conference Facebook group: In the light of the coronavirus epidemic, the Federal Board has decided to put on hold plans for the preparation of a traditional party conference in the autumn and will make a final decision on whether to cancel the event in May. In the meantime, the Federal Conference Committee will consider the feasibility of an online event, which might include some elements of a formal conference. Part of that will be the way in which the key elements ...
Authoritarianism, in any form, is probably what us liberals try to fight against most of all. Indeed, it is one of the biggest fault lines in our left of centre politics as it splits liberals from socialists because socialists tend to lean towards it whilst Liberals abhor it. And here we are, because of our present health crisis, in a government sponsored authoritarian state with our freedoms significantly curtailed for our own good. Yet despite us being in a form of lock-down the government which imposed this on us is said, in polls, to be reasonably popular. Do we like ...
Tue 31st
08:15
Pigs start 75 square metre fire after swallowing and excreting battery powered pedometer
Thanks to a nomination from a Liberal England reader, the Independent wins our Headline of the Day Award.
Following a new Focaldata poll showing 64% of voters want Boris Johnson to "request an extension to the transition period in order to focus properly on the Coronavirus", Liberal Democrat Acting Leader Ed Davey said: "Extending the Brexit transition period now is the right thing to do. Boris Johnson must give tackling Coronavirus the government's undivided focus. Saving lives must be the priority. "This isn't about old debates, it's about the stark reality our country and the world is now faced with. Liberal Democrats will continue to urge the Prime Minister to immediately extend the Brexit talks."
Responding to the various reports of police action in response to the Coronavirus crisis lock-down, Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said:"The fact that police forces across the country seem to be taking wildly different approaches to enforcing social distancing rules is incredibly concerning. "Of course common sense must prevail, but we are in an unprecedented situation with controls being put in place that the country has never experienced before. The government have not put clear guidelines in place and the result is that neither police nor families are sure what they should be doing. "The vast majority ...
Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey has called for joint UK and EU intervention following Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban obtaining sweeping new powers to manage the country's Coronavirus epidemic. He said:"While emergency powers are clearly necessary to deal with this crisis, democrats across the world will have deep concerns for the human rights of the Hungarian people after this almighty power grab."We have already seen a serious deterioration of the rule of law in Hungary under Viktor Orban. We must not allow him to use the Coronavirus epidemic to curtail freedom of speech and take for himself ...
Responding to yesterday's update on coronavirus from the Foreign Secretary, Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said:"Reports from many British citizens stuck overseas bring home the reality of the global scale of this crisis. Many have been in a desperate position, unsure whether they will be able to secure accommodation or access adequate supplies."The Foreign Office must ensure that British citizens will be able to return home, wherever they have been stranded, without exception. We welcome the steps the government is taking to charter flights in order to get people home, and to work to ensure commercial flights ...
So, welcome back on what is the International Transgender Day of Visibility. By the way, if somebody wants to write about it, and its significance, for us, that would be very gratefully received. 2 big stories Has the Government been less than wholly accurate in its explanations over why the United Kingdom didn't take in EU projects to bulk-buy medical kit? The Guardian has seen EU minutes which record the involvement of British officials in four meetings dating back as far as 31 January. Missing e-mails, communication confusion, or simply buck passing by HM Government? A public inquiry might not ...
I have had enquiries from residents about signage that appeared on Benvie Road last week - near the junction with Benvie Gardens - that indicated forthcoming road/pavement works. I have spoken with council roads engineers and this work was to have been undertaken by SSE contractors to instal a new electricity supply. However, non-essential/non-urgent work of this kind is now suspended during the COVID-19 health emergency, so the work is not now going ahead and will be undertaken at a later date. The signage has now been removed.
Three days ago, a row blew up about wearing Personal Protective Equipment on the wards of Ludlow Community Hospital. That row gained national and local press coverage, along with coverage on the BBC. That coverage accurately reflected the concern within our community that we thought GPs should wear PPE and that we should not be having arguments in a time of crisis. Now the whole matter has been amicably resolved and will, I hope, be quickly forgotten. Last night, Dr Catherine Beanland and Dr Chris Targett from Portcullis Surgery and ShropCom issued a statement stating that it had been agreed ...
