"I have reported on British politics for almost three decades, and have never encountered a senior British politician who lies, cheats and fabricates as habitually or systematically - or with as much inventive relish - as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson." Peter Oborne says we are now in the same family of nations as Putin's Russia, Modi's India, Sisi's Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Jennifer Williams writes on the plight of homeless families in bed and breakfast accommodation under lockdown. Jack Flemming was not impressed by his encounter with Britain's Covid-19 testing system. "I was playing in a Minor Counties match ...
Govt must make mental health support available to health and care workers New Trade and Agriculture Commission must be a "watchdog with teeth" – Farron Govt must stop spending money on measures that don't prevent crime Govt must make more help available for people and businesses in Leicester Govt must make mental health support available to health and care workers Responding to reports that Labour have announced a "Care for Carers" plan, Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said: Over the past months the Liberal Democrats have called on the Government to ramp up mental health support for ...
Don't worry. I am not going to write another post arguing that the world's problems would all go away if its central banks adopted a NGDP level target (it has been over 10 years now, give it a rest!). There are plenty out there already: this one this one by Sam Dumitriu is a goodContinue reading "What you need to think if you are calling for a NGDP target"
Of all the heartfelt tributes to Diana Maddock this weekend, one on Facebook by George Crozier, whose first job was as her parliamentary researcher immediately after her spectacular by-election win in 1993. He has very kindly agreed to let me post it on here so that you can all enjoy it too. I will admit to a few tears when I read it . He recounts how well they got on and has some details about her parliamentary work (eg against puppy farms) that we might otherwise have missed. George tells how she was reported in the local press and ...
Matt Hancock has just made a Commons statement announcing measures to combat the spike in Covid-19 infections detected in Leicester. Non-essential shops will close again for at least the next fortnight and school will be closed again, except for vulnerable children and those of critical workers. The measures cover not just the city of Leicester but also surrounding settlements including Oadby, Birstall and Glenfield.
The BBC has the article on its website – see link below:- www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-53061201 Oh dear, as a parish councillor for 35 years and a long-time supporter of parish councils generally this situation saddens me. How on earth can flying the rainbow flag be anything but a positive thing in any community?
Momentous times as I started my new job and new office. My first visitor was former Labour MP Dick Leonard, who will turn 90 this December, all being well. I travelled to London in the first week of January to meet new colleagues, and to Kosovo and Cyprus later in the month for business. Despite only just starting one new job, I interviewed for another when a long-dormant application came to life; I did not get it. I also had the miserable experience of having a laptop stolen at the Gare du Nord in Brussels. Young F delighted us with ...
A few seconds after I took this photo of Bradley Wiggins, from a vantage point in the Rose Theatre, a thousand people surged into the building to watch the rest of the race on a giant screen. Huge cheers erupted as Wiggins turned into Kingston's Ancient Market, crossed the bridge to Hampton Wick and then on to the finish line outside Hampton Court Palace. It won him a gold medal in the 2012 Olympic time trials. He endeared himself to local residents for ever when he said this about the roaring from the spectators: But the point where I was ...
Mon 29th
16:06
The best argument for not having another independence referendum is by having another independence r...
Doesn't make sense? Hear me out. Layla Moran has confirmed she is opposed to a second referendum in The Scotsman last week and Ed Davey (admittedly along with most other members) has a similar view. I feel this is the wrong tack and is sure to seriously hinder the Lib Dem's prospects in the Scottish election before we even start next May. We will be fighting for scraps amongst the Unionist vote when we don't have to. Look across the water to Quebec, where I think we can draw a lot of parallels. The electorate confirming No twice in a ...
[IMG: Monday Motivation] The post Monday Motivation appeared first on Ambitiousmamas.
Me outside the old Maghull Police Station. This was once a real hub of community policing. In any society there will always be a minority, possibly a significant one, which will not play by the rules set down by that society. Looking at the UK lockdown of recent months I'm wondering if our significant minority are wearing their non-conformist views on their sleeves? And I'm not taking about non-conformism here in the radical and Liberal sense of the word but more in the two fingers up to society as a whole way. Let's look at 3 pieces of potential evidence ...
Just when we had got the popcorn out and were settling down to watch the latest row in Labour over anti-Semitism, following Keir Starmer's decisive action in sacking a member of his shadow cabinet, another one pops up, this time on the political right, to underline how these appalling conspiracy theories plague both wings of the political spectrum. If the Corbynite left cannot see the damage these tropes are doing in undermining the Jewish community (and the Labour Party) then perhaps they will pause for reflection when they realise that those on the right are also using them. For those ...
Mon 29th
11:13
The BLM "FREE PALESTINE" tweet: could the "liberal consensus" actually go into reverse?
Over the weekend, the official Black Lives Matter UK twitter account put out a tweet that read: "As Israel moves forward with the annexation of the West Bank, and mainstream British politics is gagged of the right to critique Zionism, and Israel's settler colonial pursuits, we loudly and clearly stand beside our Palestinian comrades. FREE PALESTINE." It caused a lot of liberals who had hitherto not questioned Black Lives Matter as being anything other than for the greater good to think again. Not about racism, obviously, I just mean about what this organisation that has taken on the slogan really ...
Sun, 12:56: RT @yawyr_vk: 1/ The peak of Everest is infamously termed 'Death Zone'. Each breath contains ~ 30% of the oxygen found at the sea level. Bi... Sun, 15:20: From A Clear Blue Sky: Surviving the Mountbatten Bomb, by Timothy Knatchbull https://t.co/o1TE5Dygcp Sun, 16:05: RT @youngvulgarian: I was asked to write about what it feels like to be in the eye of a Twitter storm and why I decided to mostly leave the... Sun, 18:08: Say, all of you folks who were campaigning against the abolition of the Seanad because it was really really going t... https://t.co/7NS5Qlu1HK Sun, 19:02: ...
Exploring the Colchester Orbital walking route, with pictures.
Here's how you can get really helpful emails specially designed for Liberal Democrat campaigners. As a bonus, none of them are from me.
Responding to news that Sir Mark Sedwill has confirmed he will stand down as Cabinet Secretary, National Security Adviser and Head of the Civil Service in September, Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said:"Boris Johnson is clearly ready to grant Cummings his every wish when it comes to politicising the civil service and sweeping out those who may try to hold his Government to account."Sedwill's departure threatens to introduce yet more instability into the Civil Service at a time when it is already stretched to breaking point by the COVID-19 crisis, the largest economic downturn in living memory ...
A new report from the House of Lords has shone a searchlight on the effect of online activity on the health of our democracy. Over the past year Paul Scriven and myself have been members of a Select Committee taking evidence, investigating the level of harm, and developing proposals for tackling this critical issue. As Liberals we see technology can be a tool to help spread power, and improve democracy. But that can only happen with the correct framework around it. Trust in our democracy is being eroded. Our key conclusions are that democracy should be supported rather than undermined ...
Govt funding for schools is spin over substance Responding to the Government's announcement of a ten-year rebuilding programme schools, Liberal Democrat Education spokesperson Layla Moran said: This is spin over substance. The funding is nowhere near the £7bn the National Audit Office has said is needed to repair our schools. Schools need urgent investment to increase space now, not vague numbers pulled out of thin air. Whether it's investing in schools or hospitals, time and again the Conservatives have over promised and under delivered.
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 - WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY 29 JUNE 2020 20mph speed limit zone road marking and traffic sign works commencing Monday 29 June 2020 for 2 weeks to improve road safety for the higher levels of pedestrians and cyclists in the following streets in the Perth Road area: Roseangle, Magdalen Yard Road, Richmond Terrace, Richmond Court, Fort Street, ...
