I love publishing guest posts on Liberal England, whether they're on politics or wider culture. I'm happy to entertain a wide range of views, but I'd hate you to spend time writing something I really wouldn't want to publish, so please get in touch first. These are the 10 most recent guest posts on Liberal England:How Dune anticipated Deep Seek - Peter ChambersDefections of local councillors have doubled in 2025 - Augustus CarpWhen Doctor Who saved us from the gaping inferno - Peter ChambersHow a radio station saved my life - Mark Howson256 local councillors have changed party allegiance since ...
Rennie secures major overhaul of qualifications quality assurance after history exam row Greene: Nationalists failing to deliver as Scottish economy shrinks Dozens of pro-independence accounts go dark after Israeli strikes on Iran National Insurance rise leaves Welsh universities with a £18 million a year bill SNP financial strategy is late, incompetent and unsustainable Rennie secures major overhaul of qualifications quality assurance after history exam row Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP Willie Rennie has secured a series of significant reforms to the Scottish Government's Education Bill to strengthen the oversight and quality of national qualifications, following widespread concern over this year's Higher ...
PAC Covid loans report: unacceptable still no sign of the billions "mugged from taxpayers" Lib Dems demand mandatory vote in Parliament before any British forces sent to conflict zones as nearly 60% of Britons back a vote ahead of any UK action in Iran Trade Strategy has "missed the mark" and shows a Government "cowering in the corner" – Lib Dems PAC Covid loans report: unacceptable still no sign of the billions "mugged from taxpayers" Responding to the Public Accounts Committee report which states that the Government has been "dangerously-flat footed" in recovering taxpayer losses from fraudulent Covid loans, Liberal ...
Liberal Democrat Newswire #198 came out earlier in the week and you can now also read it in full below. But if you'd like to get future editions emailed direct to you as soon as they are published, just sign up now: Welcome to Lib Dem Newswire #198 and I should start with condolences and sympathies to the family and the many friends of David Boyle, the writer, policy thinker and former editor of Liberal Democrat News, who died just a couple of days ago. Editing the party's former newspaper was but one part of David's many contributions, to which ...
The Warwickshire County Council website has the news of the departure after six weeks of Cllr Rob Howard as council leader: Much to his regret, the Leader of Warwickshire County Council, Cllr Rob Howard, has today (25 June) resigned from his role. Cllr Howard said "This has been a very difficult decision to take. The role of Leader is an extremely demanding role and regretfully my health challenges now prevent me from carrying out the role to the level and standard that I would wish. I am honoured and privileged to have held the role, even if only for a ...
Wed 25th
18:28
Charlotte Cane on the long campaign for improvements to the Ely North Junction bottleneck
Charlotte Cane, the Liberal Democrat MP for Ely and East Cambridgeshire, is right: "Every new government or [rail] minster wants to look at everything again. "You do a business case under one set of criteria and then, five years later, you're asked to do a business case under another set of criteria. "Governments need to be less fixated on making new announcements which are their announcements, and more willing to continue things that have already been started." She was talking to BBC News about the often promised but never delivered improvements to Ely North Junction, a bottleneck on the main ...
New data is out from the annual British Social Attitudes survey: Support for electoral reform has reached a new high – A record 60% are in favour of changing the electoral system 'to allow smaller parties to get a fairer share of MPs', rather than keeping the current system (36%). – This change is backed by a majority of supporters of all parties and by those with low levels of trust and confidence in government. – For the first time, over half (53%) would prefer coalition to single-party government (41%). Long-time readers may recall me reporting support for electoral reform ...
The style of political campaigning today has become infinitely more professional than when I first became involved in politics. In the 1960s the news cycle was far slower and gentler; TV and radio interviewers treated politicians with respect, and would allow them to offer long answers without interruption. Now we have 'breaking news', daily opinion polls, multiple staff to advise and aggressive interviewers. Political leaders are far better equipped to follow the headlines and shifting public moods. But do they still dare to lead? The UK's debate on public spending represents a classic example of government and main opposition doing ...
At the Municipal Journal Awards last Friday, Stockport Council were given the award of "Local Authority of the Year " with the judges singling out their " 'standout' submission for its 'clarity of purpose and impact' and a 'commitment to people-centred progress'.. The judges also said that "The "OneStockport" ethos shone through bold investment, strong service delivery and genuine co-production." In an article earlier this year Cllr Mark Hunter (until May 2025 Leader of Stockport Council) explained their approach. I was particularly struck by the attention to building new homes: Our 'One Stockport' approach unites public, private and voluntary sectors, ...
This is a track from their 1993 album Come on Feel the Lemonheads. It doesn't feel like 32 years since I bought that album, but then my copy is on vinyl.
A lot has been said about the value of 'Action Days'. I have no doubt that for a parliamentary or council by-election it is a vital tool in getting outside help to where it is most needed. I am certain that there is great camaraderie and that it seems more effective to be working in a group and appear to cover a lot of ground. Is this a tool to be used when council wide elections are happening alongside say a Mayoral election, where lots of people are seeking election or re-election. Is it productive to move people around instead ...
Fraser is pictured in Brook Street, just east of the Co-op, where residents have asked us if a pedestrian crossing would be possible given the volume of traffic and the difficulty pedestrians - and particularly elderly residents - have getting across the road to the shop. This has been raised before but at that time the number of pedestrians crossing here was not high enough to meet the criteria for a pedestrian crossing, but in light of the recent requests we asked the City Council to re-survey the road to see if it now met the criteria for a crossing. ...
