He made it! He's back at the Hall and all is right with the world, or at least with his little corner of Rutland. Though to be honest, it's rather a large corner of Rutland. A Whig in a wig So here I am back at the Hall. I am delighted to find that a whole wing has been given over to Ukrainian refugees - before I departed I left firm instructions that this was to be done if the balloon went up in Europe - but, to be honest, I am just delighted to find the wing. I had ...

Posted by Jonathan Calder on Liberal England

From the Dartmouth Films website: Eric Ravilious: Drawn to War is a true story. Eric Ravilious is as compelling and enigmatic as his art. Set against the dramatic wartime locations that inspire him, Margy Kinmonth's film brings to life this brilliant but still grossly undervalued British artist. Caught in the crossfire of war 80 years ago, Ravilious's legacy largely sank without trace, until now. Made with the blessing of the Ravilious Estate, this first full length feature documentary about Ravilious unfolds in his own words, through previously unseen private correspondence and rare archive film. Shot entirely on location in the ...

Posted by Jonathan Calder on Liberal England

My new favourite actress Freda Jackson didn't just play termagants like Mrs Joe (Great Expectations) or Mrs Voray (No Room at the Inn). Here she is as Mistress Quickly in Laurence Olivier's Henry V from 1944. This is the scene following the death of Falstaff. With the lines "he's in Arthur's bosom, if ever man went to Arthur's bosom" and "a' babbled of green fields" we are close to the mystic Englishness of another wartime Freda Jackson film, Powell and Pressburger's A Canterbury Tale. The other actors in the scene are Robert Newton as Pistol and two who were to ...

Posted by Jonathan Calder on Liberal England
Tue 7th
17:23

The Lib Dems' Big Idea

On 11th May Humphrey Hawksley posed the question "Do the Liberal Democrats have a captivating Big Idea?". Hawksley went on to mention Boris Johnson's 'Take Back Control', and Donald Trump's 'Make America Great Again', and briefly discussed these and other examples of Big Ideas, before finishing his post thus: "The Liberal Democrats, therefore, have a unique opportunity. Let us define our big idea and begin arguing its case now, so that by the time the next general election is announced it will be embedded in the national conversation." (I wish he had not dropped the capital letters!) I shall attempt, ...

Posted by Roger Lake on Liberal Democrat Voice

Yesterday I took the train to Tiverton to help Richard Foord in the Tiverton and Honiton by-election. I helped to deliver the blue letters from Richard in time for the postal ballots which started arriving the day after. The Tiverton sub-HQ is very well located near the centre of town, next to Morrisons. It is a very spacious and modern facility with one of the best loos I have ever seen at a by-election office. And I've seen a few! There was also a great range of soft drinks, teas and coffees on offer. It all seemed very organised and ...

Posted by Paul Walter on Liberal Democrat Voice

It's been interesting to see that the Tory Party have come out of the No Confidence vote today as divided as they went into it. The pro-Johnson people (211) are saying it was a good win. The anti-Johnson people (148) ... Continue reading →

Posted by richardkemp on But what does Richard Kemp think?

Liberator 413 can be downloaded here (click on the 413 icon). This is the free June 2022 online-only edition of Liberator and we hope you enjoy reading it. You can sign up here to be emailed each time a new bi-monthly Liberator comes out. What's inside this issue? Alongside Radical Bulletin, Commentary and the return of Lord Bonkers' Diary, Liberator 413 includes: LOADSAMONEY RIDES AGAIN A get rich quick culture and low expectations of politicians has led to the corruption of public life with 'partygate' only the tip of an iceberg, says Nick Winch GLOBAL BRITAIN OR LITTLE ENGLAND? The ...

Posted by The Liberator Collective on Liberal Democrat Voice

An old classic for 211 Conservative MPs to reflect on today 😕

Posted by AL Franklin on Maintain the Advance!
Tue 7th
11:00

My tweets

Mon, 12:53: RT @ceemage: Fun fact: I taught Sir Graham Brady all he knows about running elections. Well, kind-a, sort-of. Mon, 12:56: Thread. https://t.co/1f6YrfqDow Mon, 14:11: RT @BrusselsTimes: The Twitter video erroneously includes the Princess Elisabeth Research Centre in Antarctica in a list of places around t... Mon, 14:44: I read 200-300 books per year. I have a long commute - over an hour by public transport each way. I have a nice garden that I like to sit in on a warm summer weekend. I also have a ruthless system to prioritise unread books using Librarything. Stats: https://t.co/aPfWqKVuK5 https://t.co/5DnpVjieZX ...

Early this afternoon, Lib Dem MPs will table an EDM motion of no confidence in the prime minister Boris Johnson. Liberal Democrats are tabling a motion of no confidence in the Prime Minister so Parliament can finally put an end to this sorry mess. The lying lawbreaker is barely clinging on. Every Conservative MP with a shred of decency must back our motion and give Boris Johnson the sack. — Ed Davey MP [IMG: 🔶] [IMG: 🇬🇧] [IMG: 🇪🇺] (@EdwardJDavey) June 7, 2022 * Newshound: bringing you the best Lib Dem commentary in print, on air or online.

Posted by NewsHound on Liberal Democrat Voice
YouGov

Some time ago, residents in Kelso Street asked us if it would be possible to add a "no through road" symbol to street name signage in the street. Some vehicles emerging from the Royal Victoria Hospital do at times go up the street thinking there is an exit to Blackness Road, when the exit is, in fact, via Jedburgh Road. The roads maintenance partnership agreed to our request and Michael is pictured at the recently installed sign. This new signage took rather longer than anticipated to be provided as the initial new sign was damaged but a replacement was ordered ...

Responding to the news that Conservative MPs have voted to keep a lawbreaker in Number Ten this evening, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said: "Conservative MPs are now fully responsible for the Prime Minister's behaviour. They have narrowly voted to keep a lawbreaker and liar in Number 10. "Whilst Boris Johnson has clung on today - make no mistake, his reputation is in tatters and his authority is now totally shot. "It's clear that the Prime Minister and the Conservative Party are laughing at the British public. "Every Conservative MP who cares about integrity and decency must do the right ...

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