Liberal Democrats: Rail passengers must not be priced off trains "Taken for a ride" – Liberal Democrats urge rail fare freeze as inflation bites Headphone dodgers: Govt should take a leaf out Irish Rail's book and back Lib Dem calls for fines Carmichael voices concern over abolition of UK Space Agency Liberal Democrats: Rail passengers must not be priced off trains The Liberal Democrats have demanded an urgent rail fare freeze ahead of inflation figures which are expected to determine the amount rail fares rise next year. Almost half of all fares in England are directly controlled by the Government. ...
Planning has started for the 2026 Lloyd George Society weekend school. We are considering a slightly later date, 7th to 8th March, and a new venue, the Lake Country House Hotel and Spa, at Llangamarch Wells. You can read more about the proposals at the Society website here
Years ago I blogged about The Marksman, a BBC drama that became controversial after the Hungerford Massacre of 1987. Some sources even say it was never broadcast because of it, but I know it was because I remember watching it. It was a revenge drama, with David Threlfall returning to Liverpool from Spain to uncover the killers of his young son. The cast list was impressive: Threlfall, Richard Griffiths, James Ellis, Leslie Ash, Craig Charles. And the theme music was by Richard Thompson, aided by some poetry written and performed by Charles. Yet when I wrote about it in 2011 ...
This, just in from out Trivia Desk, wins Trivial Fact of the Day. The Wikipedia entry for this blog's hero T.H. White tells you that that one of his great great grandfathers was a clergyman and author from Cape Colony, part of what later became South Africa, called Abraham Faure. Go to the Wikipedia entry for Abraham Faure and you find that he is also a great great great grandfather of the scientist Richard Dawkins.
I'd no idea this bus service existed until I saw it waiting for passengers on the approach to Craven Arms station the other week. The X48 starts from there and runs via Knighton and Llandrindod Wells to Builth Wells. It's an odd service in that it more or less parallels the Heart of Wales railway line, though it you want downtown Builth Wells it's a better bet. Trains call at Builth Road, which is a couple of miles from the town. And the difference between the train and bus fares may not be as great as you expect. If the ...
Wed 20th
13:25
Review: Iain Dale talks to Michael Heseltine, Jacqui Smith and Tessa Dunlop in Edinburgh
[IMG: Caron, Tessa Dunlop and Iain Dale at Edinburgh Fringe] The Edinburgh Festival is in full swing. Broadcaster Iain Dale's run of All Talk shows was limited to just four days this year because, apparently, the Oasis concerts last week had booked out all the hotels. These interview shows are always worth going to and often make the headlines. I was absolutely gutted to miss the first shows with Rachel Reeves and Jess Phillips as I had committed many months ago to look after my nephews. However I managed to go to both shows the following day. The first was ...
July's inflation figure of 3.8% is a sign that the Chancellor needs to take stronger action says Lib Dem Treasury Spokesperson Daisy Cooper. And she has an idea up her sleeve about how to do that: Rising inflation is grim news for families, pensioners and businesses still struggling with the cost-of-living crisis. After the Conservative Government oversaw the biggest fall in living standards on record, people desperately need things to change. But, so far, Labour has failed to offer a vision for the economy or a strategy to bring down the cost of living. The Chancellor needs to take far ...
Denis Mikhailov, a Russian dissident lawyer now exiled to Poland, explains how Trump's generosity to Putin only entrenches his tyranny: "For Putin, this meeting was not a platform for negotiations, but above all an instrument of political legitimisation. On the one hand, it was an opportunity to show the world that he is still being received, that he is capable of holding dialogue on equal terms with the President of the United States, despite the warrant of the International Criminal Court and his de facto political isolation." "Your politically engaged supporters inhabit the networks where these narratives form. They populate ...
Wed 20th
10:28Alistair Carmichael LibLink: Palestine Action ban reveals Labour's dangerously authoritarian instinc...
Alistair Carmichael has criticised the Labour Government for its proscription of Palestine Action. In a recent column for the Scotsman he talked about why he was never able to join the Labour Party: For all the similarities between Liberal Democrats and Labour, the differences matter too. Labour has centralising instincts that will always be anathema to liberals who champion community empowerment. Then there is the freedom thing. Scratch any Labour government and you will find a deep authoritarian streak. It is increasingly apparent that this is every bit as true of Yvette Cooper's Home Office as it was of those ...
Following on from yesterday's post, the Guardian reports on analysis that has found that the UK is using Brexit to weaken crucial environmental protections and is falling behind the EU despite Labour's manifesto pledge not to dilute standards. The paper says that experts have said ministers are choosing to use Brexit to "actively go backwards" in some cases, though there are also areas where the UK has improved nature laws such as by banning sand eel fishing: Analysis by the Guardian and the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP) has found the UK is falling behind the EU in terms ...
Federal Committees report to each Conference. It's an important way for members to hold them to account. Conference votes on whether to accept or reject each report. You can read the reports here. Members can also ask questions which need to be submitted here by 1pm on 8th September. We'll be looking at what they say. Our meander through the agenda starts with the Federal Conference Committee report written by chair Nick Da Costa. Here are the highlights: I am delighted that we are returning to Bournemouth for Autumn Conference 2025, once again at the Bournemouth International Centre (BIC). It's ...
An update from the Principal Engineer (Design & Property Services) at Dundee City Council : "The City Engineers and Sustainable Transport Team are currently developing a new design for a proposed footway along the north side of Riverside Drive, extending from the Riverside Pavilion to Riverside Approach. Please see the general arrangement drawing. The budget for this work is being met from the Transport Scotland funded - Cycling and Walking Safer Routes. This footpath is being proposed as a direct response to complaints made by members of the public during the scenario when the flood gates are closed along Riverside ...
