"The dumbing down of democracy has been gradual, but a Pandora's Box of idiocracy was fully opened with the election of Trump in the US and the EU Referendum in Britain. Both were seismic events that shook the foundations of politics through the blatant manipulation of basic truths." James Melville believes we are losing the art of seriousness, clout, gravitas and diligence in our political discourse. Peter McColl looks at government's view of the public in the second world war and Covid-19: "In the 1940s the population were thought to prefer safety. In the 2020s the population were thought to ...
Well done Sky News, which has picked up our Headline of the Day Award thanks to a nomination from a well-placed Lib Dem source.
Currently in lockdown in the town, the actor Simon Russell Beale has recorded some readings for the Marlborough Literary Festival. The first is taken from Richard Jefferies and his essay Wild Flowers, which you will find collected in the anthology The Open Air:: "If we had never before looked upon the earth, but suddenly came to it man or woman grown, set down in the midst of a summer mead, would it not seem to us a radiant vision? "The hues, the shapes, the song and life of birds, above all the sunlight, the breath of heaven, resting on it; ...
Education spokesperson Layla Moran has often expressed her frustration with the Government for the mess it is making over re-opening schools. DfE has released a 6page summary of the scientific evidence for reopening of schools. However if this were an assignment I'd send it back and ask them to try again. They don't even answer their own question thoroughly. Hope the SAGE papers are better quality pic.twitter.com/aDAao1cIQa — Layla Moran [IMG: 🔶] (@LaylaMoran) May 15, 2020 If only there was a sensible Lib Dem Education Secretary. But wait. There is. In Wales. Our Kirsty Williams has been giving Gavin Williamson ...
The years immediately after the Second World War in Britain were fairly grim and grey, despite the relief of victory. The physical damage of war was still visible in cities and some rationing was in force, as a new Labour government set about establishing the Welfare State. But as welcome relief from the shortages and [...]
My home was built in the 1930s, along with thousands, if not millions, of others. The standard three bed semi has become an icon of suburban life, and can be found outside the town centres of most UK cities. When new, the homes offered comfortable living within easy reach of countryside and town, and indeed nearly a century later they are still much loved. They were built to high standards and often survived much better than the skimpily built post war housing. Most of them have two double bedrooms and a small room, often referred to as a box room, ...
Many thanks to everyone's who has done my quick-dip survey: Thanks to lockdown I'm not getting the chance to meet Liberal Democrat members and supporters at events in the way I'd usually do. Zoom video calls with local parties make up for that, but not fully. So here's a quick survey with a smorgasbord of different points I'd otherwise be asking people about in the queues for coffee (For what members have been saying about the party leadership election, see my post previewing our next Board meeting.) Things that have stood out from the responses are: The number of people ...
Well, we are partially back in the office. We have a strict rota - open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; nobody does more than two days in a week; ten to twelve people each day (of a total strength of 49); only those who have actually asked to return have returned. We have proved we can work from home if we have to, the numbers are robust, but I was one of those who felt the need to recolonise our working space for general mental wellbeing. I must say I found it very helpful to hang out with colleagues in real ...
It appears from certain quarters that our teachers are failing to rise to the occasion and become heroes. It appears that they are selfishly trying to ensure that neither they, their families nor the kids they treat fall prey to ... Continue reading →
The statutory notice for proposals to create waiting restrictions on Kelston Cl and Rodford Way by the schools has been published. You have until 8 June to comment. You may have commented on previous informal consultations, but thi sis the formal, final legal one - so if you are affected please check it carefully and reply to South Glos if you spot a problem. The waiting restrictions are at The Keep Clear proposals are
It became apparent some weeks ago that South Cambridgeshire could not rely on the Mayor and the Combined Authority to lead on Business Recovery. The reason being that South Cambridgeshire is a very rural district albeit wrapping completely around Cambridge City, with an extremely diverse business sector which includes not only the Cambridge Science Park and the world renown Bio Medical campus at Addenbrookes Hospital with the likes of Astra Zeneca but also the Wellcome and Sangar Institutes at Hinxton and the soon to be Huawei headquarters at Sawston. Every bit as important to us is farming, manufacturing, the service ...
It is no surprise that the Treasury's recently published options for economic policy once the pandemic is seen to be under control include continued government austerity, a public sector pay freeze and tax rises - but along with the Keynesian option of government-stimulated growth. The proposal of yet another public sector pay freeze has received scorn. It would include the heroes of the moment: nurses, care workers, ambulance men and women, and local government employees, including the bin men who still operate with great efficiency here in Kirklees. "They wouldn't dare: it would be political suicide." Don't you believe it. ...
Fri, 12:56: Arriving in Hong Kong in pandemic times. https://t.co/b8HhLJoqv2 Fri, 16:05: How Nick Clegg is trying to fix Facebook's global image https://t.co/N7NKbaYyN3 Long but very interesting. Fri, 17:11: How New Zealand beat the coronavirus https://t.co/HNNIcd4Pum Another good long read, from a German perspective. Fri, 18:06: The Hunt for Vulcan, by Thomas Levenson https://t.co/R5RgsQbCkK Fri, 20:48: Try your hand at docking with the International Space Station without destroying it https://t.co/aM4jwM8iAo Great fun! Sat, 09:29: RT @remkorteweg: Or what? https://t.co/9BQl35X98m Sat, 10:24: Cold Water from Karlsruhe: the German Constitutional Court's Ruling and the EU's Constitutional Certainty... https://t.co/Tleu6yREw3 Sat, 10:45: 2019 Election ...
Hello! I'm Mark Pack, author of 101 Ways To Win An Election, and the maintainer of the largest database of national voting intention polls in the UK, stretching back to 1943. Although most attention understandably and rightly is on other things, the polling companies running semi-regular voting intention polls. Below the table, you'll find the option to sign up to email updates about new polls and also a set of answers to frequently asked questions about political polling. General election voting intention polls Pollster Con Lab LD Grn BXP Con lead Fieldwork Opinium 49% (nc) 34% (+1) 6% (nc) 3% ...
Key to the whole testing programme for COVID-19 is the ability to quickly track down anybody who has had contact with an infected individual and then test and if necessary, isolate/treat that person. Unfortunately, that aspect of the UK government's programme is not going so well for them. As the Independent reports, so far only 1,500 people have been hired as part of the government's aim to recruit an 18,000-strong army of contact tracers by mid-May. A shortage of contact tracers could slow the delivery of the smartphone app, which the English Health Secretary promised would be available by the ...
Following the COVID-19 crisis, as Liberal Democrats, we have a clear call to action we cannot squander – to ensure that all those that have lost their lives as a result of the pandemic have not done so in vain. Our action must be to support education, experts and other to express their opinions, to engage in intellectual tussle, and to be trusted to develop systems based on values rather than league tables. Michael Gove's Education White Paper in 2010 perhaps sent us a glimmer of a world that was going to go wrong. Even its title was set to ...
A crucial new post is being advertised in the Liberal Democrat team: Director of Strategy, Research and Messaging You will make sure we have a clear strategy for winning future elections, that is understood and owned by the party as a whole. You will make sure we understand and speak to people's hopes and concerns, through building and leading world-class research, insight and feedback loops. You will make sure our political positioning and messaging is relevant, timely and cuts through. Details on the party website.
Sat 16th
09:45
A plea for considerate driving during the health emergency and emergency roadworks #coronavirus
My follow councillor Vivienne Parry spent quite a part of yesterday trying to deal with problems caused by emergency closure of the A4117 by Severn Trent Water. It is a major repair and unlikely to be finished until Monday. I haven't been to investigate as I am shielded. But the reports I get are disturbing. People are driving too fast down Squirrel Lane, which is a single track road. Drivers are a threat to each other. They are also a threat to the people who are using the lane for exercise. It is worse at Rocks Green on the A4117. ...
Here are some of the former Liberal Prime Minister David Lloyd George's appearances courtesy of YouTube.
The BBC has the article on it's website – see link below:- www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-52685220 Our right wing newspapers have always had a downer on the teaching profession so it's no surprise that in the debate over when schools should return to being open (other than for the children of key workers and vulnerable youngsters) that it uses the issue to teacher bash. The Children's Commissioner wading into the matter telling Government and teaching unions to 'stop squabbling' is frankly unhelpful too. By using such a phrase she probably inadvertently gives the impression of an equal battle where both sides could well ...
We have known for months that the Lib Dems were doing an internal review into what went wrong with the 2019 general election campaign. As someone who has strong views on this subject, I read the report, released yesterday, with anticipation. I'll start with this basic, overarching review: it is much, much better than I thought it would be. I should caveat that remark by saying my expectations were pretty low going in. I had cynically thought that the conclusions the report would come to as to what went wrong in December would be some painfully Lib Demy stuff along ...
DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL - WEEKLY ROAD REPORT Please note that most works are subject to change and late completion due to the restrictive measures in place following UK and Scottish Government advice that only emergency/urgent works and those considered essential should take place during this period. REPORT FOR WEST END WARD - SATURDAY 16 AND SUNDAY 17 MAY 2020 Lower Pleasance (Douglas Street to Brewery Lane) - closed on Saturday 16 May for Scottish Water manhole repairs. REPORT FOR WEST END WARD - WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY 18 MAY 2020 Hawkhill (at Tait's Lane) - off-peak temporary traffic lights on Tuesday ...
