Is the shortage of funds for canal maintenance starting to show? As the commentary on this video says, there have already been a number of serious breaches or failures of equipment reported this year. Trekking Exploration - why not subscribe to this YouTube channel? - follows up reports of a stretch of the Erewash Canal without water, and finds they are right. Both the upper and lower gates at one lock are letting water through, so the pound above has run dry. The Erewash stretches from Great Northern Basin at Langley Mill to the Trent at Long Eaton. It was ...
After the news about Donna Edmunds and Luke Shingler being elected as Reform UK councillors but no longer representing the party, we have a third story. This time it is Desmond Clarke, elected for Newark West ward in Nottinghamshire. Elected last Thursday under the Reform UK banner, he is now resigning from the council, forcing a by-election. The Newark Advertiser reports: The party has confirmed the decision to step down from the council, with Mr Clarke stating he was "not in a position to represent the people of Newark West in the way they deserve, while at the same time ...
Last week saw the second maiden speech from our recent small, but evidently perfectly-formed, Lords intake. Shaffaq made his debut during the Second Reading of the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill last Thursday. My Lords, it is with profound humility and sincere gratitude that I rise to make my maiden speech in your Lordships' House. Never did I imagine, as a child born in Kashmir to parents from a humble farming background, that I would stand here among your Lordships, not as an observer but as an equal, entrusted with responsibilities to speak up for communities like the ones that ...
Well that woke the judges up! Thanks to BBC News, we have our Headline of the Day.
Kevin Guy, the Liberal Democrat leader of Bath and North East Somerset Council, will serve as deputy mayor of the West of England for the next year. The appointment was made by the Labour mayor Helen Godwin, who was elected last week. The West of England is the vainglorious name for the area covered by three local authorities - Bristol, South Gloucestershire, and Bath and North East Somerset - and the deputy mayor post will rotate between their leaders. Helen Goodwin told Somerset Live: "I meant what I said during the election campaign. To get the best for all of ...
When the Labour Party won its 'loveless landslide' in 2024, its interest in electoral reform became conveniently weaker. By the time that Labour had won a huge majority at the last election, The Guardian's Peter Walker was reporting that 'the leadership could barely be less interested' in electoral reform, even though there was and still is significant support for it within the Labour Party. What about one year on, as the dust settles on the recent local elections? The results show that five parties are now competing and winning significant support. Will this lead to a different attitude towards electoral ...
My wife and I are heading off in a few days for a short weekend away. And one of the things we're planning to do on our brief break is to scatter the ashes of Molly, one of our Labrador dogs, to whom we sadly had to say goodbye last summer. Molly was a fantastic dog and we loved her dearly. But at the grand old age of fifteen and a quarter, her body simply gave out. She had, however, a fantastic life. And she managed to fit into those fifteen and a quarter years more than most Labradors do. ...
Canvassing last month in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, we came across a middle-aged woman in her garden. "I've had enough of all of you. I'm voting Reform", she said. Our candidate, Julie, calmly explained that it was a local election and a chance to vote for someone who would work hard for residents on planning, potholes, housing and other issues. Reform didn't have much to say about those things. And Julie also observed that while she was out meeting people, the Reform candidate was nowhere to be seen. A week or so later, when we were visiting postal voters, I knocked on ...
The Independent reports that Keir Starmer is under growing pressure from his own MPs and political opponents to reverse his decision to strip 10 million pensioners of winter fuel payments following Labour's losses in the local elections last week. They add that there is also speculation that the prime minister could soon be forced to reshuffle his cabinet, with question marks over whether Rachel Reeves can survive as chancellor. I would have thought that moving Reeves to another job would be a prerequisite for any u-turn on winter fuel payments and benefit cuts: One Labour source suggested: "Rachel is running ...
Marking the 80th anniversary of VE Day, Ed Davey, Leader of the Liberal Democrats, said: 80 years ago today, huge crowds of people across the country came together to celebrate the news that Britain and our allies had secured victory in Europe. What it must've felt like for the people in those crowds. Today and always we should be proud of everything they achieved, and remember with gratitude all those who made the ultimate sacrifice in defence of our country and our freedoms - who gave their tomorrows for our todays. British leadership offered real hope for the world, and ...
We are holding a street surgery tonight to speak with residents on any local issues or concerns they may have. Should you have an issue you wish to discuss with us, e-mail us at westend@dundeelibdems.org.uk or call us on Dundee 459378 and we will be pleased to meet you - many thanks.
