Cross-party group urge BBC to save Politics Live Homeless covid deaths should act as a wake up call Government unwillingness to work with EU is unforgivable Cross-party group urge BBC to save Politics Live A cross-party group of MPs have called on the BBC to adhere to its obligations as a public service broadcaster and make a "firm commitment" to the future of Politics Live amidst reports the show could be axed. Liberal Democrat MP Daisy Cooper, who coordinated the cross-party group, warned the BBC that dropping the show would "seriously harm the ability of the BBC to scrutinise and ...
Ed Davey's Lib Dem leadership campaign risks being too focused on not upsetting moderate Tory voters in seats in the South of England where we are in second place. But maybe he has found an issue that is dear to my heart. Powys's County Times reports that last month Ed raised concerns about the pollution of the River Wye in the county in the Commons. Though its report seems to refer to a written question from Ed, the paper quotes him at length:"Our natural environment is precious and there is none more precious than Wales' beautiful River Wye," Sir Ed ...
Fri 10th
19:39
Shrewsbury shopping centres plummet in value by two thirds - Shropshire Council shrugs off the loss
The devaluation of the Pride Hill, Darwin and now defunct Riverside shopping centres within the Shrewsbury Loop will be a surprise to no one. But the collapse in value from £51m to £17.5m- 66 per cent - over three years is bigger than expected. It is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, retail devaluation seen anywhere in England in such a short period. Shropshire Council has shrugged this off as an expected devaluation. Deputy Council leader Steve Charmley said: "We were aware of the possible downturn in the fortunes of the high street - an issue compounded by ...
The Folkestone Haven offers safe, inclusive and welcoming spaces for people who are struggling to cope with their mental health during the evening, weekends and bank holidays when other services may be closed. The Folkestone Haven is for adult residents (18+) of the Folkestone and Hythe District who are experiencing difficulties with their mental health and feel unable to cope. This includes people who may be anxious or worried about anything affecting their mental health but don't have support networks available to them. It is for people who use or have used mental health services and those who have never ...
For the record, I am not a huge fan of the Retro Hugos in general. It's striking that three of the 1945 Best Novel finalists are really from outside the sfnal subculture that existed at the time, indicating how few actual novels were being written by the sf pulp writers. Anyway, it's an interesting selection. The Golden Fleece aka Hercules, My Shipmate, by Robert Graves Second paragraph of third chapter:King Sthenelus, the new Achaean overlord of the Peloponnese, justified his seizure of the throne of Mycenae from the Henetian house of Pelops by denying that his predecessor had a valid ...
This sad story of rural crime, nominated by a reader of Liberal England, wins the Cotswold Journal our Headline of the Day Award.
I was recently sent an article by the American columnist Charles Davenport in which he warned of anti-American Marxist infiltration of Black Lives Matter. To be fair to Mr Davenport, he prefaced his criticism of BLM with a stiff condemnation of the death of George Floyd and racial discrimination in general. But then he goes on to quote their leaders out of context and describe Black Lives Matter as ... an anti-American, often violent, collection of Marxists. Their contempt for capitalism is brazen, as is their disdain for law and order. He is right and wrong. But more importantly, Mr ...
The story of recent attempts to reach a deal on devolution for the North East is not a happy one. Labour councils in the region split and went to war over plans for an elected mayor for the North East. Mick Henry, leader of Gateshead Council at the time, was one of the casualties. He was replaced by Martin Gannon, a staunch opponent of the mayoral system, though he is a supporter of devolution.
Responding to reports UK has opted out of the EU's coronavirus vaccines scheme, Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson Munira Wilson said:"When coronavirus is such a threat to people's lives and livelihoods, Ministers should leave no stone unturned in their bid to end the pandemic. "This Government's stubborn unwillingness to work with the European Union through the current crisis is unforgivable. "The crisis does not stop at any national border. It is about time the Prime Minister started showing leadership, including fully participating in all EU efforts to secure critical medical supplies and a vaccine."
Responding to ONS statistics released today that reveal 16 people who were homeless have died as a result of Covid-19, Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran said:"Every death is truly heart-breaking. With coronavirus putting the most vulnerable in our communities at risk, we must ensure no one is left behind. 16 homeless deaths is 16 too many."The Government must avoid more deaths by protecting emergency funding for local authorities to accommodate rough sleepers, particularly as many have underlying health conditions."This sad news should act as a wake up call to the Conservatives. Ministers must urgently produce a long-term plan to end ...
Liberal Democrat MPs Ed Davey and Layla Moran will be the two candidates contesting the latest Liberal Democrat leadership contest, the Party has confirmed.At the close of nominations yesterday both Ed Davey and Layla Moran secured the support required to appear on the ballot.Voting will open on the 30th July and close on the 26th August, after which the Party will announce the next leader.Liberal Democrat Party President Mark Pack said: "With two fantastic candidates, I am really excited for the contest for who will lead the Liberal Democrats and champion our vision for an outward-looking, caring country that celebrates ...
Fri 10th
12:12
PODCAST - Saving the party from disaster: lessons from Jo Grimond for the Liberal Democrats
I've tried something a little different for this episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts: taking a look at the career of a previous party leader to see the lessons for the current Liberal Democrats.
Responding to news that the BBC will ask over-75s to start paying for TV licences from 1 August, Liberal Democrat Digital, Culture, Media and Sport spokesperson Daisy Cooper said:"Many people over the age of 75 are worried about setting foot outside their homes due to the risk of COVID-19. For those who are isolated, television is a lifeline - especially right now. It is a travesty that many may now lose access to this vital service. "The Government has forced the BBC into a corner where it has to choose between further cuts to its programming or raising these fees. ...
Responding to the reports that two of the UK's largest high street retailers, John Lewis and Boots, have announced a combined cut of 5,300 jobs, Liberal Democrat Business Spokesperson Sarah Olney said:"The scale of today's layoffs show the true extent of the crisis facing British high streets. The Conservative Government had the chance to provide real relief for our high streets in yesterday's summer statement, but instead the Chancellor did nothing for the vast majority of businesses outside of hospitality."We cannot allow the Government to forget that behind each job loss statistic lies a household struggling to make ends meet. ...
Responding to confirmation that the House of Commons will be asked to approve membership of the intelligence and security committee on Monday, Liberal Democrat MP Wera Hobhouse said:"With the threat of coronavirus, people are rightly worried and need a Government they can trust. Boris Johnson has failed to do that with his conspicuous delay to reconvening the intelligence committee. "After months of pressure from Liberal Democrats and others, I am glad the committee is due to be restored. However, it should never have needed this fight. The Prime Minister has a lot to do to claw back public confidence. "At ...
Yesterday a friend and I went to the Spaghetti House in Holborn for lunch, the first time I have eaten in a restaurant since before coronavirus lockdown — that is well over three months. The restaurant only reopened this week, along with many others, though by no means all. Some will have gone to the [...]
As we slowly emerge from the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions there has been, understandably, a marked increase in road traffic. In particular, Britain's love affair with the car has largely created the congestion on our roads. Seldom is one able to complete a journey without delays due to accident, road works, or just sheer numbers of vehicles. To alleviate such congestion, we are encouraged to make more use of public transport. Using buses instead of private cars could significantly reduce the number of vehicles on the roads. But people are reluctant to give up their cars, Covid fears notwithstanding. It takes ...
Thu, 12:56: In defense of Belgium's coronavirus response https://t.co/YjIvdZcdoP Health minister @Maggie_deBlock hits back, especially against @TheEIU. Thu, 15:26: RT @Keir_Starmer: He had three chances. https://t.co/w3Y58DmlJH Thu, 16:05: Coronavirus: The inside story of how UK's 'chaotic' testing regime 'broke all the rules' https://t.co/8E9N2a1GNI Wow. Thu, 17:11: Doctor Who and the Communist: the work and politics of Malcolm Hulke (1924-1979) https://t.co/Np5V3DrDHX A welcome... https://t.co/7ILl2TS1v1 Thu, 18:17: Thursday reading https://t.co/J3mUU0f5cL Thu, 18:56: 2020 Hugo finalists for Best Related Work https://t.co/d9H4y7ymzI Thu, 19:33: RT @tconnellyRTE: Confirmed. Paschal Donohoe has won the contest to be next Eurogroup President Fri, 00:20: RT @theiaincameron: Pin-sharp visibility ...
Kent County Council Liberal Democrats bring the very welcome news of another Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) candidate being in place.
These are the final figures for the nominations for the next Leader of the Liberal Democrats – more details here. You can see both candidates in action at the many hustings meetings (all via Zoom or YouTube, of course). Some are regional in character, others focus on specific policy areas or strategy. Everyone who was a party member by yesterday will be able to vote in the election, which will run from 30th July to 26th August, with the results expected to be declared on 27th August.
i) births and deaths 10 July 1941: birth of Jackie Lane, who played companion Dodo Chaplet in early 1966. There is some fan lore that she was born in 1947, but this is clearly contradicted by Nicholas Briggs' Reeltime interview with her, as well as by the story that she was considered for the original part of Susan and lost out on A Taste of Honey to Rita Tushingham in 1961. There is also some confusion with a slightly older starlet, Jocelyn Lane, who married Prince Alfonso of Hohenlohe-Langenburg. Of all the living former companions, Jackie Lane has had by ...
As residents will be aware, the City Council has announced the return of parking charges from next Monday - 13th July. However, I am pleased to say that my plea to officers to not to reintroduce these in the West End from 13th July has paid off. Car parks in the seven West End car parks that had charges intoduced for the first time in January of this year will continue to be free until the universities return in October. The City Council also advises : "The first phase of charging from July 13 applies to all on-street bays, as ...
The Guardian reports that police across England and Wales face an inquiry to establish whether they racially discriminate against ethnic minorities in their use of force and stop and search. They say that the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) intends to use its formal powers to investigate cases and then look if any pattern of racial discrimination exists. It has vowed it can "drive real change in policing practice": The review comes as forces are under pressure to justify their use of stop and search after a series of high-profile cases that have been caught on camera. The Met ...
