We are currently living in an interesting time aren't we? The COVID – 19 pandemic, black lives matter protests, and just recently the # speaking out trending on Twitter as allegations of various abuse within wrestling starting in the British Isles and rapidly spreading to other areas. This comes hot on the heels of the [...]
Lib Dems: Vulnerable people who cannot return to work must get sick pay Responding to the daily press conference, where the Health Secretary made an announcement to relax the guidance to all those shielding, Liberal Democrat Health, Care and Well-being Spokesperson Munira Wilson said: The announcement from the Health Secretary will be welcome news to all those who have been shielding over the past few months during the pandemic. Whilst this has been crucial for their physical health, we cannot underestimate the toll this has taken on their well-being and mental health. It's vital the Government ensures that everything is ...
To mark Windrush Day today, Lib Dem Vice President Isabelle Parasram talks about why this day is significant for her. My parents were a part of The #WindrushGeneration. Like many others, they came to the UK from Trinidad & Tobago in the 1960s. Here, I speak about why #WindrushDay2020 is significant for me. And – more importantly – why it's significant for British society as a whole.@LDCRE1 pic.twitter.com/tiGk1D1EMB — Isabelle Parasram (@IsabelleParasra) June 22, 2020 Over on the party website, Floella Benjamin wrote about the structural racism that still blights our society: I came to Britain from Trinidad in 1960 ...
The most substantial engineering work on the Thames and Severn Canal was Sapperton Tunnel, which is 2.17 miles (3.49km) in length. This video examines the tunnel and its rather perilous remains. The unfenced shafts remind me of the remains of the lead mining industry in Shropshire when I first explored them more than 30 years ago. Cotswold Canals in Pictures has an informative page on the tunnel, which says the last commercial traffic to use the tunnel did so in May 1911. It also says:The restoration of Sapperton Tunnel is entirely feasible from an engineering standpoint. As might be expected ...
A Sherman tank of the US Third Army in WW2 In September 1944 the US Third Army under General George Patton approached the Eastern French city of Nancy. Its vehicles, notably Sherman tanks, had driven there under their own power after landing in Normandy in July. And not by the most direct route: the army ... Continue reading Henry Ford's shadow: from France 1944 to Covid-19
[IMG: Recycling and Residual / General Waste Wheely bins] Never give up. A local resident was in touch with me in March after trying, and failing, to get a replacement "residual waste" (non-recycling) bin from Folkestone & Hythe District Council after it was broken in the course of its regular collection. That seemed wrong to me, so I took it up with the Council too. I asked, begged, argued... and lost. I was pointed to the policy and told it didn't cover residual waste bins. I asked for them to change the policy, and that it was unfair, but was ...
Mon 22nd
17:58
The Queen's Agent: Francis Walsingham & the Rise of Espionage in Elizabethan England, John Coope...
Second paragraph of third chapter:It had all looked so different earlier that same summer. The signing of the treaty of Blois was commemorated in a group portrait of the English royal family now known as the Allegory of the Tudor Succession. According to its inscription, the painting was presented by Queen Elizabeth to Francis Walsingham as a 'mark of her people's and her own content'. The artist didn't sign his name but was probably Lucas de Heere, a Flemish Protestant who fled to England with his family in the 1560s. He later acted as an envoy between Walsingham and William ...
As Caron has explained, Autumn Conference will take place online from 25th to 28th September. I have been watching the developments with a lot of interest, because I was a member of the Federal Conference Committee for five years until I stood down at the end of last year. I loved being on the committee, but it completely took over my time at Conference. Committee members were on a rota to chair and aide motion debates in the hall, to chair speeches and Q&As from the main stage and spokespersons' sessions elsewhere, and to attend various events for first time ...
Do you want to have your say on the Liberal Democrat leadership election or the future of the party? This is a reminder that I welcome guest posts on Liberal England. As you can see from this list of the 10 most recent guests posts, I am happy to consider a wide range of subjects beyond the Lib Dems If you would like to write a guest post for this blog, please send me an email so we can discuss your idea. Political parties must be rooted in their communities once again - Mike GaylerWhy am I a Liberal Democrat ...
The legacy of the coalition seems to be a big part of the debate around our leadership election. Those arguing the most important thing is that we move on from the coalition will tend to favour one of the two candidates not around during the coalition. And visa-versa. I assume contributors to Lib Dem Voice are not allowed to write direct endorsements of their preferred candidate, but they can signal their preferences by proxy in this way. So, in that vein, here are my thoughts on what factors we should consider when choosing our next leader. You will note that ...
Liverpool Lib Dem's Spokesperson on Culture and Tourism, Cllr Carole Storey, has outlined a seven-point plan to create an engine for the recovery of a crucial sector for Liverpool employment post Covid-19. The seven-point plan will create a sustainable tourism ... Continue reading →
Those who forget their history .... and I am not talking about statues. I am talking about the history of black protest in the UK. There have been repeated protests in the last forty years. Sometimes they have ended badly, sometimes they have led to significant inquiries and recommendations that seem not quite to have been implemented. In the UK police are mostly unarmed and that means we do not have so many deaths at the hands of the police as in the USA – but the evidence is that black people die disproportionately at the hands of the police. ...
Mon 22nd
11:27
The Thirsk MP killed by a turnip who took the seat from a man who thought he was a bird
The Northern Echo wins our Headline of the Day Award.
Sun, 14:11: RT @alexvtunzelmann: Oh, I love this. To accompany "And when Alexander saw the breadth of his domain, he wept, for there were no more world... Sun, 14:40: I went to church this morning https://t.co/0bbaCRMZgi Sun, 14:48: RT @molybdomantic: @nwbrux I love the Beiderbecke series with all my heart 💜 Sun, 15:38: Local Hero, by David Benedictus https://t.co/ZgfY2XMVzG Sun, 19:09: RT @ShepCircle: @molybdomantic @nwbrux I remember this vaguely as a kid (my parents watched) and I couldn't work it out (other than liking... Mon, 10:45: RT @stephenkb: What is the best performance of the black and white movie era, ...
Politicians are very quick to condemn human rights abuses across the world but as always, it must be judge them by what they do, not by what they say. The Independent reports that Britain is supplying tens of millions of pounds worth in tear gas, rubber bullets and riot gear to countries found to be breaching human rights. They say that government records show ministers have issued export licences for such arms since 2010 to countries including Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Brunei and Bahrain, all of which have had concerns raised about human rights. They ...
If I get the 10 pm bus out of town on a Wednesday night (usually after a session with the Campaign for Real Ale), I can look forward to a decent political discussion on the way home if Michael gets on. That's actually his real name but in political and folk-singing circles he is better known by a pseudonym which I shall not reveal here. Michael is happy to have me as one of his councillors but we have no illusions about our political differences. He is an honest Marxist within the Labour Party and he will say, "You are ...
Mark Windrush Day by giving the right to remain to all NHS workers, Lib Dems say The Liberal Democrats are marking Windrush Day by renewing calls on the Government to give all NHS and social care workers who have worked in the UK during the coronavirus pandemic indefinite leave to remain. Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Christine Jardine urged Ministers to make clear by backing these calls that "those who have put their lives at risk for our country are welcome to live in it." The Royal College of Nursing are also calling for reform, citing statistics from the Nursery ...
Another great online event tomorrow, promoted by Ninewells Community Garden - "Testing and improving your garden soil - Workshop and Q&A". You can get full details here.
