Sun 28th
23:03

Runrig: Dust

There was a time when I got my music from the bargain bin at Woolworth's. So it was that, long before I went to a Runrig gig in Portree, I owned their third album Recovery. Listening to its final track, Dust, makes me very aware of my Scottish roots. At the time of the referendum on Scottish independence I came to dislike the Yes side. Just like Leave in the EU referendum, they refused to address hard economic questions - in their case it was what an independent Scotland would do for a currency. Still, Scotland is not too wee ...

Posted by Jonathan Calder on Liberal England
Sun 28th
16:42

My BSFA votes: Best Art

Easter is coming, and with it the deadline for BSFA Award voting, assisted by the lovely BSFA Award booklet So I'll be revealing my own votes over the next few days, category by category; not to be understood as recommendations, but as confessing my own quirks. (Except for one category, where I am Right and anyone who votes otherwise is Wrong.) I'll start with the Best Art category. I nominated four works here, and three of them made it to the final ballot, which I think is a record for me in any BSFA award category in any year. The ...

In this week's review, our regular correspondent Tom Arms looks at yet more mass shootings in America and the struggle for stronger gun control. He turns his attention to events in Israel and the failed Sino-American summit in Alaska. Europe has been at times teetering on the edge of vaccine wars and it is the 50th anniversary of the seventh fastest growing economy in the world, Bangladesh. Two more mass shootings in America. Another 16 dead bodies. And another round of calls for gun control. Of course, gun control in America means something different than everywhere else in the world. ...

Posted by Tom Arms on Liberal Democrat Voice

It's been a good start to the Scottish Liberal Democrats election campaign with our first photo opportunity getting on the front pages of the two main Scottish broadsheets: Not a bad start to the photo-op campaign! Thanks to our incredible staff team. Absolutely loving this campaign already. [IMG: 🔶] [IMG: 🐥] [IMG: 🔶] pic.twitter.com/JUwqMsaWci — Alex Cole-Hamilton [IMG: 🔶] (@agcolehamilton) March 26, 2021 * Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings

Posted by Caron Lindsay on Liberal Democrat Voice

Here is Ed Davey's message for Passover, published last night. Our best wishes to all celebrating today. At sundown tonight, Jewish communities in the UK and around the world will mark the beginning of Passover, the eight-day festival commemorating the liberation of the Israelites after 400 years of slavery in ancient Egypt. The story of the Exodus has inspired generations; it's a story of hope and triumph. It shows us what's possible when we hold tight to faith in the midst of darkness and uncertainty. This is a message that's relevant, even today. Usually, Passover is a large celebratory affair, ...

Posted by The Voice on Liberal Democrat Voice
Sun 28th
12:00

My tweets

Sat, 13:07: https://t.co/vmbjEuHiVs Sat, 15:11: Edward Scissorhands https://t.co/a3XAkx8j1C Sat, 15:25: Keeping a balance at De Torenvalk. @ De Torenvalk https://t.co/7XCJUn3Xv0 Sat, 15:34: I cannot understand how The Angels Take Manhattan can be losing. The Faceless Ones has good cinematography but zero coherent plot; The Angels Take Manhattan is a decent time paradox story in itself and a lovely end to Amy/Rory. https://t.co/j9TwwQo6wn Sat, 17:42: RT @MrBeamJockey: I have not seen this episode of DOCTOR WHO, but its title led me to imagine this. LIST OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE TAKEN MANHATTA... Sat, 22:09: Yes! https://t.co/ZATPCVInoR https://t.co/hruSZAgjgw Sun, 10:30: Whoniversaries 28 March ...

Am I the only one who find programmes like Escape to the Country unsettling? The clue is in the word "escape". That idea of rural life being idyllic compared to the nightmare of living in cities. Before anyone gets worked up, I don't think cities are a nightmare. A buzz of life 24 hours seven days a week. Almost everything available whenever you need it. Walkable neighbourhoods. But cities and large towns are too busy for me. All those people you don't know rushing past not saying hello. I don't think rural areas are a nightmare. Far from it. But ...

Posted by Andy Boddington on Liberal Democrat Voice

So, when the UK government said it wanted to end rough sleeping, especially during the pandemic, they didn't quite make it clear what they meant. The Guardian reports that the Home Office has quietly relaunched a controversial programme that uses councils and homelessness charities to obtain personal data that could lead to the deportation of non-UK rough sleepers. They say documents obtained by Liberty Investigates, a journalism unit of the human rights organisation Liberty, reveal that two charities and six councils have signed up to the scheme since it was relaunched six months ago: The disclosure follows last week's widely ...

Posted by Peter Black on Peter Black
Sun 28th
09:30

Whoniversaries 28 March

i) births and deaths 28 March 1924: birth of Robert James, who played Lesterson in The Power of the Daleks (1966) and the High Priest in The Masque of Mandragora (1976) 28 March 1987: death of Patrick Troughton, three days after his 67th birthday, while attending a convention in Columbus, Georgia. He did his last panel the previous day, ending it with the words, "I've got another one tomorrow, haven't I? Good. I like doing this." Sadly, he was dead before breakfast. ii) broadcast anniversaries 28 March 1964: broadcast of "Mighty Kublai Khan", sixth episode of the story we now ...

Lockdown has deeply affected all of us. People have lost loved ones, families have been separated and loneliness and isolation have become the new normal for so many. Mental health support must be at the heart of our plan to Put Recovery First. That's why we have a four-point plan to make sure no one is left without the support they deserve: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter ⏰ We need a 24/7 Mental Health care crisis system so that people can get care whenever they need it - round the clock support and services to look after our people ...

Posted by Aberavon and Neath Liberal Democrats on Aberavon & Neath Liberal Democrats
YouGov

Am I the only one who find programmes like Escape to the Country unsettling? The clue is in the word "escape". That idea of rural life being idyllic compared to the nightmare of living in cities. Before anyone gets worked up, I don't think cities are a nightmare. A buzz of life 24 hours seven days a week. Almost everything available whenever you need it. Walkable neighbourhoods. But cities and large towns are too busy for me. All those people you don't know rushing past not saying hello. I don't think rural areas are a nightmare. Far from it. But ...

Posted by andybodders on Andy Boddington

Blether Tay-Gither is the Dundee Storytelling Group. From Sheila Kinninmonth, Blether Tay-Gither's secretary : Hope you can join us for our March Blether on Zoom Tuesday 30th March - 7pm to 9pm This month's theme is Rivers. And, it's our birthday! Rivers, the flowing life giving water of the land. Rich with stories and activity. We are drawn to rivers for the wonders that lay along their banks, for the beauty they hold, and for the history written on their waters. This month we are exploring rivers through story and you are welcome to come along. Bring a story and ...