Fri 19th
17:33

Friday reading

Current Romeinse sporen: het relaas van de Romeinen in de Benelux met 309 vindplaatsen om te bezoeken, by Herman Clerinx Foucault's Pendulum, by Umberto Eco Last books finished It's the End of the World: But What Are We Really Afraid Of?, by Adam Roberts Threading the Labyrinth, by Tiffani Angus Dances With Wolves, by Michael Blake The Fountains of Paradise, by Arthur C. Clarke Titus Alone, by Mervyn Peake Next books Kaleidoscope: diverse YA science fiction and fantasy stories, eds Alisa Krasnostein and Julia Rios Worlds Apart, by Richard Cowper

The Education Minister, Kirsty Williams, has accepted all the recommendations of a report on Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Communities, Contributions and Cynefin in the new school Curriculum. The Minister has also confirmed £500,000 will be provided to support the implementation of the report's recommendations, as part of the delivery of the new Curriculum for Wales. The report, by the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Communities, Contributions and Cynefin in the New Curriculum Working Group, chaired by Professor Charlotte Williams OBE, makes 51 recommendations in total. The recommendations focus on a number of key areas, including improving educational resources, workforce ...

Posted by The Voice on Liberal Democrat Voice

Reading Hansard is rarely gripping. But Newsmoggie did spot the intervention of Tony Greaves in a House of Lords debate of public toilets on Wednesday. The essence of his argument that facilities for peeing should not be subject to business rates. As the Lib Dems favourite moggie, I just use my neighbour's garden. But why are the essential the essential functions of humanity taxed? Lord Greaves picks up the story in the Lords in his characteristic lively style. His argument was that Non-Domestic Rating (Public Lavatories) Bill should be totally clear about when public loos must pay business rates. "I ...

Posted by Newsmoggie on Liberal Democrat Voice

Seven council by-elections this week, four in Scotland and three in Wales. Not quite a full slate of Lib Dem candidates to follow up last week's full slate. But six out of seven this time, which is up from four out of seven the last time these seats were fought. Helensburgh and Lomond South, Argyll and Bute Henry Boswell ran for the Liberal Democrats. Helensburgh and Lomond South (Argyll & Bute) first preferences: CON: 50.7% (+11.7) SNP: 23.6% (+5.8) LDEM: 14.0% (-8.1) LAB: 5.6% (-2.9) GRN: 5.2% (+5.2) WORK: 0.9% (+0.9) Seat change: Conservative GAIN from Liberal Democrat. LDem elected ...

Posted by Mark Pack on Mark Pack

As Spring Conference starts, I have to be honest – I'm simmering with frustration. As I've explored at greater length here, I feel the party leadership is at serious risk of missing the enormous opportunity that the sweep of elections in 2021 represents – failing to provide a foundation for electoral success when the key tool to do so is in their hands. Basic Income is that tool. Adopted as party policy at our Autumn Conference just a few months ago by an overwhelming margin of 715 votes to 250, and with motions being passed and proposed by local parties ...

Posted by Jon Alexander on Liberal Democrat Voice
Fri 19th
11:00

My tweets

Thu, 12:56: The Antikythera Cosmos https://t.co/YgV4ILBb55 Amazing presentation of an amazing ancient Greek planetary computer. Thu, 14:23: One year ago. "Passen Sie gut auf sich, und auf Ihre Liebsten auf." "Look after yourselves, and look after the people you love." https://t.co/tzFEvP6wEI Thu, 16:00: 40 hours left to nominate for this year's Hugo Awards! If you were a CoNZealand member, and you want to nominate, check now to make sure that you are in the system. Thu, 16:05: RT @BSFA: "No artist ever set out to do less than his best and did something good by accident. it doesn't work that ...

Today is an important day in the life of Liverpool although we will only know how important next week. Today the Inspection team led by Max Caller is going to submit its report to the Government on the dreadful state ... Continue reading →

Posted by richardkemp on But what does Richard Kemp think?

The First Minister and Finance Minister must be truthful with the people of Scotland about the looming economic catastrophe Indyref2 would deliver during our recovery from this pandemic. We have never experienced a lockdown economy before, and our recovery from the Covid19 pandemic will not follow the traditional post-recession recovery pattern we saw following the 2008 banking crisis. In fact, there is still significant debate between economists as to how the recovery will take shape. We find ourselves in a very different landscape. Scotland's future and Scotland's prosperity lies in leading, not leaving, the UK. This May we must vote ...

Posted by David McKenzie on Liberal Democrat Voice
Fri 19th
08:30

Whoniversaries 19 March

i) births and deaths 19 March 2019: death of Clinton Greyne, who played Ivo in State of Decay (Fourth Doctor, 1980), Stike in The Two Doctors (Sixth and Second Doctors, 1985) and the Sontaran commander in In A Fix With Sontarans (Sixth Doctor but disowned, 1985). ii) broadcast anniversaries 19 March 1966: broadcast of "The Return", third episode of the story we now call The Ark. The Tardis returns to the Ark centuries after its original visit, to find that the Monoids are now in charge. The Doctor and Dodo are sent to investigate Refusis. 19 March 1977: broadcast of ...

Fri 19th
07:26

Rees Mogg foot in mouth

The Leader of the House of Commons is well-known for his condescending attitude and his attempts at erudition, but two performances in the House of Commons this week have brought down opprobrium on his rathe privileged head. In one, Jacob Rees Mogg referred to an incident where the Speaker of the House of Commons Lindsay Hoyle, told off Plaid Cymru MP, Liz Saville Roberts, for speaking too much Welsh by calling one of the UK's oldest languages a 'foreign language' and comparing it to Latin. As Nation Cymru reports, the incident was brought up in the House of Commons by ...

Posted by Peter Black on Peter Black
YouGov

Residents will recall my recent Facebook post at www.tiny.cc/MuseumOfHere from Freya Macleod, a University of Dundee student about her community engagement project. Freya has extended the closing date for any resident interested in getting in touch - to next Wednesday - 24th March. Full details are below :