Just how have we, as a nation, managed to do this? The UK has turned itself into a satellite state of the EU. We were promised the country would "take back control" but the reality is somewhat different. Indeed, far from taking back control, we've handed over control. Previously, when we were in the EU, we had a say on the issues over which the member states shared their sovereignty. Now we are
Sorry for the uncharacteristic lack of posts here, but real life has overtaken Liberal England. My mother, who is 89 and once introduced herself as "the Dowager Lady Bonkers" when canvassed by Graham Tope, has been experiencing a series of health problems since the start of the month. She came home from hospital at 8pm on 23 December and I have spent most of my time over at her house since then. I shall try to keep this blog alive, but you can also find me on Twitter and Instagram should you wish. Let's end on a happy memory. When ...
We've brought you reports from the Commons, the Lords and Holyrood debates on the Brexit trade deal today already. In Wales, Lib Dem Education Minister Kirsty Williams broke ranks with her Labour colleagues to support an amendment to the government's own motion which reaffirms the longstanding Liberal Democrat policy to vote against the deal. The amendment which Kirsty specifically voted for stated that she: Does not support the UK Government's deal and calls on Wales' representatives in the UK Parliament to vote accordingly. Labour dodged making a decision on this and abstained. But Wales' sole Liberal Democrat voice stood up ...
And, to balance the red benches with the green, we bring you Dick Newby's speech from the Lords. It is, fortunately, rather longer than that of our Leader in the Commons, thus allowing for a rather more complete exposition of our Party's stance on the deal. My Lords, some four and a half years after the referendum result, we can now see in the treaty that we are discussing today the outline shape of the UK's future relationship with the EU, yet we have had no real opportunity to read it and no chance to consider its implications. It is ...
Here's the new film from the Liberal Democrats, featuring Ed Davey talking about the party's opposition to Boris Johnson's Brexit deal.
Wed 30th
18:52
Willie Rennie: Our children will be astonished that this Government pursued big bang Brexit in the m...
The Scottish Parliament debated whether to give legislative consent to the Bill putting the new trade deal with the EU into operation. Liberal Democrats voted against, and Willie Rennie explained why: This debate needs a bit of realism. The deal is going through. It's going to go through because Boris Johnson has an eighty-seat majority, he has his Euro Sceptics on board and even the bulk of the Labour Party is backing it. So no deal has, finally, been taken off the table. But just because we accept Brexit is happening, that there is a deal and it is going ...
Wed 30th
18:48
Covid Watch: Tier 3 status for Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin - unwelcome but essential
No one is surprised. There is a sense of resignation and growing weariness as we face another partial lockdown locally. Most of the rest of the country is from midnight in lockdown in all but name. For a town like Ludlow which relies heavily on the visitor and hospitality industry, it is a bitter blow for our local venues to have to close their doors yet again. And we don't know for how long. There will be a staggered return to schools and higher education though we don't have the details for Shropshire yet. I have no doubt that this ...
No prizes for guessing what topic I've been researching this year for a future book...
Just before noon today, Ed Davey spoke in the Second Reading debate on the European Union (Future Relationship) Bill, and we bring you his speech now. It should be noted that, due to the number of MPs wishing to speak, his intervention was limited to four minutes. Watch here. The text is below: Our country is gripped by two crises: Britain's hospitals are overwhelmed and Britain's economy is in the worst recession for 300 years. A responsible Government, faced with those crises for people's health and jobs, would not pass this bad deal, for it will make British people poorer ...
Second paragraph of third chapter:I didn't know how to speak in these tutorials where students talked about Evelyn Waugh and travelling abroad to places that I had never been. I tried to flatten the Welsh accent that would keep singing into my mouth, ringing oddly in the room when I tried to say something. My voice became a tight croak in my throat and I put it all into writing. When I wrote, I could sing as much as I wanted. One student who was studying a different subject tried to stretch out a hand of friendship to me over ...
At Lib Dem Voice we were sad to hear of the death of Ann Winfield. Her husband, Rif, writes: My wife Ann Winfield, Liberal Parliamentary candidate in the 1983 General Election for Newham North East, former Assistant Secretary of the London Liberal Party, and Leader of the Liberal Group on Newham London Borough Council from 1982 to 1986, died in Bronglais General Hospital at 8pm on Christmas Eve, 24 December. She was 69½ years old. Born Ann Spriggs in Ladywood, Birmingham, in mid 1951, she was recruited into the Liberal Party (at the age of 9!) by Wallace Lawler, who ...
We have been living with the fallout from the 2016 Referendum for more years than many of us would care to admit to. After the General Election last December, many really did think that, followed by our exit from the EU we really had reached the "end of the beginning". However, who would have thought this time last year that we would have spent most of 2020 hunkering down and ending with probably our largest ever peace time deficit? And for once we were not alone. How we humans have got to where we are exposes several theories. My personal ...
This posting is about Altcar and Hillhouse Station on the Southport & Cheshire Lines Extension Railway some 12 years after the line closed. The photo is from a collection held by former BR employee Neil Reston which has recently been passed on to me by his family. The scene of 'dereliction' (the word used by Neil to describe it in his album) looks south towards the next station on the line (Lydiate) from the vantage point of the road over-bridge which still exists. And a bit of background – The line and this station opened on 1st September 1884, the ...
Well I think it would be safe to say no normal person saw this year coming!!!This time last year we had only just begun to hear about 'Coronavirus' hitting Wuhan province in China and were beginning to get the smallest of glimpses into the havoc it would bring around the world. I distinctly remember talk [...]
Tue, 12:33: RT @jmlw1: @nwbrux Yes. 'sovereignty'. Is the opposition's best plan to abstain, do you think? Or vote against? Voting 'for' seems to be... Tue, 12:56: James Tiptree Jr. and Joanna Russ: Sci-Fi Pen Pals https://t.co/p5uvDLVdPK Actually sounds like only one side is well preserved (Sheldon to Russ), but it will do! Tue, 13:48: RT @jmlw1: @nwbrux I'd have agreed with you too. I can see SNP and NI MPs position too, possibly Plaid Cymru. I'm not clear that the other... Tue, 14:11: RT @MarkyGoodrich: @jmlw1 @nwbrux For the Labour Party, abstention looks the best policy as @jonworth said ...
Since this site started in 2009, I've been keeping an eye on which is the most popular blog post with readers. It's a little trip down memory lane, showing how my own interests and my audience has evolved over time. Here's the latest round-up: 2020: Latest general election voting intention opinion polls – we may have only been in the first year after a general election, but people still liked looking at opinion polls. As in 2019, Google search took a shine to this post making it the most popular in the year. 2019: General election voting intention polls – ...
Welcome back to the third of our four articles featuring the most read posts on the site in 2020. If you missed the earlier posts, posts 16-20 can be found here, and posts 11-15 here... June saw the tearing down and immersion of the Edward Colston statue in Bristol. At number 10, Chris Bowers wrote for us suggesting that supporting what was, in strictness, a criminal act, was a troubling step. It would be fair to say that opinions were split, and the debate about when, or if, it is appropriate to break the law in order to advance a ...
Wed 30th
08:30
Whoniversaries 30 December: two weddings, Enemy of the World #2, Three Doctors #1, Power of Kroll #2
i) births, marriage 30 December 1970: birth of Saul Metzstein, director of several Eleventh Doctor stories. 30 December 2011: wedding of David Tennant and Georgia Moffett. 30 December 1996: birth of Vivian Oparah who played Tanya Adeola in Class. ii) broadcast anniversaries 30 December 1967: broadcast of second episode of The Enemy of the World. Giles Kent asks the Doctor to help him against Salamander. Jamie and Victoria manage to infiltrate Salamander's headquarters. 30 December 1972: broadcast of first episode of The Three Doctors, starting Season 10 and bringing back Patrick Troughton and William Hartnell. The Time Lords are losing ...
Following the announcement on COVID-19 Level 4 restrictions, the University of Dundee Botanic Garden has advised that it will remain open for all local Dundee residents to visit, apart from the following dates: Hogmanay - 31st December 2020 New Year's Day - 1st January 2021 Staff, Friends and Students who are residing in Dundee can enter by showing their respective cards. All non-members must pre-purchase a ticket via the Viator or Trip Advisor here. The café is not open and this will be reviewed on 15th January as we learn more about the lifting or otherwise of Tier 4 restrictions. ...
The Liberal Democrats have tabled a series of amendments to the European Union (Future Relationship) Bill that demand the Government protect British businesses, the rights of UK nationals and ensure Parliament has proper scrutiny over the future relationship agreement. Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey, who has said his Party will vote against the deal, warned the Government has committed an "affront to our democracy" by allowing Parliament just a few hours to debate the trade deal. The amendments to give Parliament additional scrutiny over the trade deal, which are to be considered by the Speaker, include: A clause ...
