Not for the first time, the Shropshire Star wins our Headline of the Day Award. I always knew that photo of Craven Arms fire station would come in handy.
I blogged the other day about the threat to the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal. Here is a more hopeful story: the restoration of its Crumlin Arm, which once linked the canal to Newport and its docks. That Wikipedia entry makes it sound enticing: The canal started at a basin in Crumlin and ran through the villages of Newbridge, Abercarn and Cwmcarn now under the A467. The canal then reached Cwmcarn lock now under the grass at the end of the present canal. The canal crosses the Pontywaun aqueduct and follow the side of the mountain above Crosskeys and Risca this ...
Welcome to the second of what may turn out to be, in decreasing order of likelihood, an occasional set of blog posts, the start of a regular series of blog posts, the birth of a new email list or the emerging first draft of my next book: some first impressions from the House of Lords, which I joined in February 2025. One of the first things you are giving after joining the House of Lords is a pack of example maiden speeches given by other peers. It is a hard copy rather than an electronic document, in part perhaps because ...
It's a curious thing when Local Elections happen and the party with the most to lose is the official opposition, not the Government, but that's what is likely to happen this year. After 1997 the Tories had a lengthy lost weekend at a national level, but in fact started reviving at council level the year after. That is highly unlikely to happen this year. The Conservatives are defending a high watermark, a freakishly good result for them in 2021 created by the short-lived vaccine bounce that put wind in their sails for a few months. This year the Tories are ...
Ed Davey has posted this charming photo of him and Victoria Collins visiting a hedgehog sanctuary in Harpenden. It puts me in mind of a Liberal England post from New Year's Day 2016: Today in someone's review of the year I came across an interview Nick Clegg gave to the Evening Standard on the eve of the general election: Looking back at the campaign, it is the comic moments he remembers. For instance, his first visit was to a hedgehog sanctuary, with Paddy Ashdown. Ashdown muttered under his breath to Clegg: "When I was in the Special Boat Service we ...
Four principal authority council by-elections this week, including another one caused by a Liberal Democrat councillor becoming an MP: Thatcham North East (West Berkshire) Council By-Election Result: [IMG: 🔶] LDM: 40.7% (-15.3) [IMG: 🌳] CON: 25.2% (-0.2) [IMG: ➡] RFM: 21.6% (New) [IMG: 🌍] GRN: 7.5% (-11.1) [IMG: 🌹] LAB: 5.0% (New)Liberal Democrat HOLD.Changes w/ 2023. — Election Maps UK (@electionmaps.uk) 2025-04-25T09:04:57.379Z Thank you to Kelly Turner for flying the Lib Dem flag here – and scoring such a promising vote increase. For what all this means for the running total of council by-election results since the last May elections, ...
The Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry have banned 6 peers and 15 MPs from entering the Russian Federation for: Hostile statements and unfounded accusations coming from members of the UK Parliament, including public statements in favour of seizing Russian assets "immobilised" in Western jurisdictions Lib Dems are very well represented on the list. Among the peers are Lord Purvis and Baroness Smith (and Lord Alton, a cross bencher was a Liberal MP for 18 years ) and Russia has sanctioned no fewer than 8 of our MPs - Alistair Carmichael, Chris Coghlan, Helen Maguire, James Maccleary, Mike Martin, Manuela Perteghella, Cameron ...
Balgay Bowling Club has published the dates for this year's "Try Bowls" events. Whether you have played before, or are hoping to try out bowls for the first time, the club has lots of equipment and plenty of qualified coaches who will be there to help you out. The club also offers free coaching sessions in the following weeks and a half price first year membership. All welcome at the "Try Bowls" events and for any more information please contact Alan McDonald at alan.mcdonald96@gmail.com or call Alan on 07732 679604.
The Independent reports that Robert Jenrick has fuelled speculation that he is preparing a leadership campaign to replace the beleaguered Kemi Badenoch with just a week to go before the local elections. The paper says that a letter to local election candidates offering his support was revealed just 24 hours after a recording emerged of him laying out a pledge to unite the Conservative Party and Reform UK. In the letter, Mr Jenrick said: "I firmly believe that the best way to defeat our opponents is to champion Conservative values. We must not only stand by our Conservative principles but ...
