Few institutions define modern Britain as strongly as the National Health Service. Created in 1948 under the leadership of Aneurin Bevan, the NHS was founded on a simple but powerful promise: Healthcare would be free at the point of use, based on need rather than ability to pay. For generations this principle has been a source of national pride. Yet today the NHS faces unprecedented pressure, and unless we are prepared to rethink how it is funded, that founding promise itself may become impossible to sustain. Demand on the system has grown dramatically over the past two decades. Britain has ...
"Between calling for an end to 'the postwar neutering of Germany and Japan' and a reinstatement of the draft, Palantir also demanded an end to cancel culture and more competitive pay for civil servants. One particularly disturbing point makes the claim that some cultures are objectively superior due to the advances they've made in technology, while 'others remain dysfunctional and regressive'." Cydney Hayes reports on the backlash against Peter Thiel's company Palantir. Tanya Park defends Lib Dem South Cambridgeshire and its four-day week: "Its staff complete 100 per cent of their work in 80 per cent of the time, for ...
Here's the tally of seats changing hands in principal authority council by-elections held between the May 2025 and the May 2026 local elections: Con Lab Lib Dem Green Reform SNP Plaid Ind/ Other Net Con [17] +2 (+2/0) -9 (+3/-12) +2 (+2/0) -20 (+3/-23) -1 (0/-1) – +2 (+3/-1) -24 Lab -2 (0/-2) [16] -5 (0/-5) -8 (0/-8) -31 (+1/-32) – -2 (0/-2) -7 (0/-7) -55 Lib Dem +9 (+12/-3) +5 (+5/0) [35] +2 (+4/-2) -2 (+2/-4) +2 (+2/0) – +4 (+4/0) +20 Grn -2 (0/-2) +8 (+8/0) -2 (+2/-4) [8] +2 (+2/0) – – -1 (0/-1) +5 Ref +20 ...
Dave Mason, one of the founding members of Traffic, has died. Steve Winwood, now the only one of the four still with us, paid this tribute: We were deeply saddened to hear of Dave Mason's passing. Dave was part of Traffic during its earliest chapter, and played an important role in shaping the band's sound and identity during that time. His songwriting, musicianship and distinctive spirit helped create music that has lasted far beyond its era, and continues to mean so much to listeners around the world. Those years remain a special part of the band's story, and Dave's contribution ...
Happy birthday to Steve Darling's guide dog Jennie. She is seven today. Leaving aside the unfortunate episode when she briefly crossed the floor, she has consistently been one of the most impressive members of the Liberal Democrat parliamentary party I can confirm that Jennie is in good health: she has a nice wet nose, as I learnt when she booped me on her way into the Glee Club at last year's Lib Dem autumn conference. I felt honoured. Photo from Steve Darling on Bluesky.
In July 2025, South Cambridgeshire District Council did something no other UK council had done. It made the four-day week permanent. Not as a trial, not as a temporary arrangement, but as the way the council works. Its staff complete 100% of their work in 80% of the time, for 100% of the pay. The government told them to stop. They didn't. The results came in: £371,500 in annual savings, a 120% rise in job applications, a 40% fall in staff turnover. Services maintained. Budget improved. Staff retained. South Cambridgeshire is a Lib Dem council. This is our proof of ...
Most of us by now will have heard of the tech giant Palantir, and its deal with the NHS to build a federated data platform. Putting to one side the influences of Boris Johnson, Dominic Cummings and Peter Mandelson in dodgy looking tech deals, revolving doors and high-pressure lobbying, the more we look into it, the more questions the NHS Palantir deal raises. My team and I have been investigating and asking questions in Parliament. Last week I, (Martin) secured a Westminster Hall debate on the Palantir issue, and I made the case that Palantir's implementation of the NHS Federated ...
As the world seeks new links in the light of the withdrawal by American from civilised discourse and old and trusted relationships, Liverpool is very well placed to take advantage of new trade patterns. To begin with, let's deal with the United States of America. Brits traditionally have liked our relationship with America and with the people of America. We would laugh at their English spelling and pronunciation, and they would laugh at us for all sorts of reasons, but all that was in a safe way that you can josh with friends. We have traded together and fought alongside ...
Liberal Democrat Newswire #208 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, sign up now: Welcome to Lib Dem Newswire #208, which takes a look at that favourite election season topic: are we doing too many leaflets? The rest of this edition includes my first report back from my new role in the party, new polling on what local issues matter most to people, a policy idea for England's cities and more. First, however, ...
Wed 22nd
10:54
"Forthright, clear, determined, energetic" - a tribute to Councillor Jeanette Sunderland
[IMG: Jeanette Sunderland running] Photo Credit: Bradford Lib Dems Some people stand at the front and lead, others sit and back and chunter. Jeanette Sunderland did both, and did them both very well. Forthright, clear, determined, energetic and a real sense of no-nonsense she was a familiar face to so so many of us within the Liberal Democrat family. In tough times and good Jeanette would be there – often turning up to the by-elections that could not be won, precisely because she knew they could not be won and she wanted to help and thank the team who were ...
Dominic Cummings, in a post about, among other things, using AI to do factchecking, used this quote: All AI amounts to is plausible nonsense. Former senior GCHQ official, Ciaran Martin, 2025 However, and ironically given the subject of the post, Ciaran Martin himself says that he didn't say that. On his Bluesky account he posted that: The phrase "plausible nonsense" – an excellent one used in proper context – is not mine. It's @meredithmeredith.bsky.social's I can't claim credit for it IIRC she used it entirely accurately in the context of LLM hallucinations a while back It wasn't presaged with "All ...
If only the singles chart in 1975 had been this good.