On Thursday, the local elections were not held. The lockdown put an end to this year's local democratic process. We will do a catch up next year (assuming the lockdown process is, by then, lifted.) Thursday marked something of a milestone for me. It was 33 years to the day since I was first elected to Gateshead Council at the age of 23, gaining my seat from the Conservatives. I have been
Great to hear that the awesome Jenny Marr has been selected for next year's Scottish Parliament elections in the Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire constituency: Delighted to be able to say I've been selected as the @scotlibdems Holyrood candidate for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire. The most important thing we can do now right now is to support all those who need us. If I can help, please just ask #StayHomeSaveLives pic.twitter.com/nPHvGNKYGt — Jenny Marr [IMG: 🔶] (@BordersJen) May 8, 2020
Mapperley Tunnel stood on the Great Northern line from Nottingham to Derby, which closed to passengers in 1964 and to goods traffic in 1968. Our guides show us what remains.
"As the coronavirus rips through Europe and the world, Britain's response to the pandemic has shown it's suffering from another dangerous disease: unshakeable belief in its own exceptionalism," argues Otto English. David Hendy looks at how the BBC reported VE Day in 1945. "The world's most robust study of universal basic income has concluded that it boosts recipients' mental and financial well-being, as well as modestly improving employment," reports Donna Lu in the New Scientist. Paul Magrath reviews a former judge's analysis of the challenge of opening up the family courts to better public scrutiny. "The benefits of experiencing nature ...
Having finally finished my undergraduate dissertation, I suddenly find myself with a lot of time on my hands, while also being limited for what I'm able to do with that time as a result of the unprecedented circumstances we all currently find ourselves in. We're also in the middle of our party's period of reflection, after a disappointing General Election result and before the election of a new leader to take us into a new chapter with new USPs. In other words, there is surely no better time than now to pitch a policy idea that can be included with ...
The Commonwealth War Cemetery in Heverlee, and some of the people who remain there.
I was born a few weeks after VE Day, but before VJ Day which marked the end of global warfare in 1945. At the time my father was in India serving as an Army Chaplain with the Gold Coast regiment and he didn't actually get home to see me until the following summer. My parents rarely talked about the war, and it was years before I learnt anything at all about my father's time in India and Ghana. In fact, their generation just wanted to get back to normal life and protect children from information about the atrocities. We weren't ...
Last night, I spent the evening talking to some German friends, based in Berlin. In so many ways this would have been impossible 75 years ago. Despite our distance, and our failings, things could be so much worse.
There may originally have been good reason not to proceed with the Lib Dem leadership election this spring at the height of the uncertainty as to how the Covid-19 pandemic was going to progress,but with hindsight it was quite wrong to announce a postponement of twelve months or more. For the whole of this year so far, Ed Davey has been able to speak only as "interim co-leader"and as a result the impact of the Lib Dem contribution to reasoned critique of the government's performance has been significantly diminished, as has the effectiveness of our input to proposals for radical ...
My first encounter with what I call the black dog was in the early months of 2010, not long after I went off work the previous autumn. I initially rebuffed my GP's offer of antidepressants. That was partly because of a misplaced idea that it would be an admission of weakness to start taking drugs and a concern that being on them might adversely affect my ability to care for Daphne, who was seriously ill. Eventually the pressures of caring and the feeling of isolation resulting from having had no contact from work colleagues led me to a point where ...
The Guardian wins our Headline of the Day Award. Parallels with the fate of Spinal Tap's first drummer were noted by the judges.
A pandemic is a perfect excuse for politicians to exploit public fear for their own political advantage—and many of them are doing just that. Let's start with Trumpland where the administration's mishandling of the pandemic means that the country is fast heading for a world-beating 100,000-plus deaths. Trump is using coronavirus to stoke the fires of Sinophobia. China has been the US administration's chief bogey since 2016 when advisers such as Steve Bannon were warning that a Sino-American war was inevitable. The anti-Chinese stand is also proving popular with the voters in an election year with 70 percent of the ...
Buffer is a great tool for scheduling your social media postings so they go out at the times when they will have the most impact.
Liberal Democrats are running 53 local councils. Our response to the Covid pandemic has highlighted how important are the LibDem values of community empowerment and ensuring everyone can reach their potential. At the beginning of the pandemic Robert Jenrick, Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government told council leaders to do what it takes to protect communities from Covid, gave us specific tasks and repeatedly said government would cover our costs. In a matter of days my council has worked with communities and volunteers to set up brand new support networks to provide for vulnerable ...
Thu, 12:28: RT @H_Bettsworth: hands up if you tried to sing this bit of Politico Playbook to the tune of 'we didn't start the fire' https://t.co/cPslLA... Thu, 12:56: Dacian Cioloș a traversat Europa în plină pandemie https://t.co/8bb1vot2Gl Leader of Liberal group of MEPs drives f... https://t.co/aP7DeRag36 Thu, 16:05: Why The Empire Strikes Back is overrated https://t.co/yMxda5coit Fighting talk! (Actually I agree.) Thu, 17:11: RT @BenjaminMyersQC: Appreciating how important it is to use time wisely, I have experimented with how a jumbo rawl plug (shortened) can be... Thu, 19:01: Thursday reading https://t.co/g7Q7e29EfM Thu, 20:48: Democrats Shouldn't Force Joe Biden Out of ...
A key 2016 report, which identified a "lack of joint tactical-level plans" for a pandemic and warned that demand for services would outstrip local capacity was not heeded by Ministers and has left us unprepared for the coronavirus crisis, according to this report in the Mirror. They say that the analysis is based on a 2016 simulation of a flu pandemic, codenamed Exercise Cygnus, which found major issues with how well the UK was prepared: The document identified a "lack of joint tactical-level plans" for a public health emergency, with demand for services outstripping local capacity. The 57-page Public Health ...
Fri 8th
09:40
On pandemics and health, we need to look to South Korea - Phil Hammond "MD" in Private Eye
[IMG: Dr Phil Hammond] Dr Phil Hammond Throughout the Coronavirus crisis, the "MD" column, written by Dr Phil Hammond, in Private Eye has provided a refreshingly astute and wise commentary on the crisis. The latest issue of Private Eye is out now. I have recently subscribed to it, so I receive my copy without leaving home. Sheer luxury! (As an aside, someone once asked me to name the thing or service which I had bought or used for the longest period in my life. I came up with Lloyds Bank and Private Eye, of both of which I have been ...
Like many people today I will commemorate the 75th Anniversary of VE day. BUT we were not alone - the battle was joined by the Commonwealth countries, Australia, New Zealand , Canada, India, South Africa, the Caribbean and South Pacific islands , soldiers from occupied Europe - the Free French, Poles Greeks and others who made it here to join the fight, even countries like Brazil who fought bravely , and the USA (late again ) and the Soviet Union who probably took the greatest sacrifice in lives lost. And VE day wasn't even the end of the war, it ...
Durham County Council's Bulky Waste Collections will re-start on May 18th and can be booked from 9am on Tuesday 12 May at www.durham.gov.uk/bulkywaste or by calling 03000 260 000. Bookings cannot be taken until this date. Items should be placed at your kerbside bin collection point, where your rubbish bins are collected from, ready for collection.
We are currently in the midst of an unwanted sociological experiment. Society is reliant on its citizens being responsive to the current restrictions in a way that cannot realistically be enforced by coercion. The lessons to be drawn can offer us significant hope. A hope that, as a counsellor working in mental health, I have always had. It is a hope in the possibility of the majority to find a way to do the best for themselves and others. An army of volunteers have been found. Neighbours are mostly, neighbourly. Politicians have asked that citizens be trusted to pay their ...
With community events to commemorate 75 years since the end of WW2 now cancelled, on Friday 8th of May why not host your own event in your home or garden!🏡Yate Town Council has posted lots of ideas, links to the history of the day, how to dress 40's style, what would have been eaten on VE day May 8th 1945 and lots more so you can follow along and have some fun commemorating VE Day 2020. 🥣🥂🎖🎨🧺🎉They would like everyone to get involved no matter how big or small and send in photographs of what you have been getting up ...
There's an in depth travel survey on the Merseytravel website which you may like to participate in – see link below:- A Merseytravel consultation event previously held in Maghull. A Merseyrail electric unit at Bootle New Strand Station. A Liverpool bound 507 EMU approaching the Crescent Road level crossing in Birkdale, Southport.
With grateful thanks to Ann Gourlay, some more photos of the lovely Magdalen Green blossoms!
