United Nations Day, 24th OctoberEach year I try to write something on what in my view should be one of the most important anniversaries: the founding of the United Nations. Sadly it now passes almost without notice. Rather than a group akin to "Raise the Flag" draping our lampposts with Union Jacks and St George's Crosses, and leaving them there to become tatty, it would be nice if our town halls and other civic buildings flew the UN's blue and white standard each year for a few days. This would be a useful reminder of the hopes o the survivors of the tragic wars ... (more) |
The church and the lifeboat memorialAll Saints Church in Mumbles is not the only one in the area with a lifeboat memorial. As this site records, there is also a monument in a church at the far end of the Gower peninsula. The Gower Holidays website says of St Cattwg's church in Port Eynon that it was founded during the 6th century by St. Cattwg's missionary to Gower, St. Cennydd: The present building dates from the 12th century and was given to the Knights of St. John by Robert de la Mare around 1165. The doorway is probably sixteenth century, and the holy water stoup ... (more) |
Bob Trubshaw revisits the Ironstone quarries of LeicestershireBetween the 1870s and 1970s there were extensive open-cast ironstone quarries in parts of Leicestershire. However few traces of these survive. In this video Bob Trubshaw summarises and updates the extensive research of Eric Tonks, which was published in the 1990s, shortly before his death. From 33.17 you can see the quarries at Nevill Holt near Market Harborough. Most critics now accept that Nevill Holt Hall was the principal model for Bonkers Hall. (more) |
Ex-Conservative campaign director sentenced over election betsIt's been a busy week for news about those in politics breaking the law as, following the news about Reform, we now also have this: The Conservatives' former director of campaigning and his wife [Anthony and Laura Lee] have received suspended prison sentences after they admitted to cheating at gambling by placing bets on the date of the 2024 general election ... Amy Hind, a former Tory party employee who was working as an NHS business support manager, was also sentenced to six months' imprisonment, suspended for a year, after previously pleading guilty ... The trials of other defendants will ... (more) |
ALDC by-election report, 22nd OctoberFive principal authority by-elections took place across England and Wales on Thursday 22nd October. Labour were defending two seats (in Leeds and Carmarthenshire), the Conservatives defended one in Wychavon, the Green Party defended one in East Hertfordshire, and an Independent defended one in South Kesteven. It proved to be a productive night for the Conservatives, who held their seat in Worcestershire and secured three gains from three different parties - taking seats from the Greens in Hertfordshire, Labour in Leeds, and an Independent in Lincolnshire. For the Liberal Democrats, it was an undeniably tough set of contests where our vote ... (more) |
The Burnham government: the shine dims.In the past few days the Government's image had lost some of its shine. First up is the decision to authorise the exploitation the Jackdaw natural gas field in the North Sea. The question is: Does, or doesn't, Mr Burnham's government regard the damage to the planet by further fossil fuel exploitation outweigh the alleged (in this case very short term) advantages. I understand that the pros and cons are finely balanced, but Burnham has voted in favour of the short term. As Guardian columnist Zoe Williams writes (22 October): "... it matters: it destroys our moral authority as a ... (more) |
This week, it's the Conservatives who prosper in by-electionsThere were five principal authority council by-elections this week, and it was a good set for the Conservatives this time: Grantham St Wulfram's (South Kesteven) Council By-Election Result: [IMG: 🌳] CON: 38.3% (+4.6) [IMG: ➡] RFM: 25.1% (New) [IMG: 🙋] Ind: 13.1% (New) [IMG: 🌹] LAB: 12.4% (-3.8) [IMG: 🌍] GRN: 6.5% (-7.1) [IMG: 🙋] Ind: 4.7% (New)No Inds (-21.8, -2.2) as previous.Conservative GAIN from Independent.Changes w/ 2023. — Election Maps UK (@electionmaps.uk) 2026-10-22T23:42:30.535Z Thank you to Caryl Tandy for being the Liberal Democrat candidate. Although this was a good week for the Conservatives, the overall picture is a little ... (more) |
Is kindness what we stand for?If what we're against, above everything else, is cruelty and the abuse of power... then are we for kindness? But before I get into this article, I want to address a few points. I'm talking about a kindness that is radical in the change it demands. A kindness that fights when facing down cruelty and those looking to concentrate and abuse power. We also need a vision of what a kind society could be. I'm not only talking about the how of doing politics. That radical, standing-up-to-cruelty type of kindness must flow into our policy and campaigns. I don't think ... (more) |
A.E. Housman on books and their authorsJohn Bayley once began a review of a book about Elizabeth Gaskell with: To an admirer who wanted to meet him on account of A Shropshire Lad Housman replied discouragingly that while most men might be more interesting than their books his book was definitely more interesting than its man. (more) |
The hopes of the world rest on the shoulders of libtards in the midterm elections in the USAAs we approach the midterm elections in the USA my best wishes go to all the liberals and social democrats who are fighting to get rid of Donald Trump's majority in the two Houses of Congress. This would effectively constrain Donald Trump as he becomes a lame duck president for his final two years in office. Why should I, a Lib Dem councillor in Liverpool, be concerned about this? Well, it's for three reasons really: Firstly, it's because the policies endorsed by trump and his spineless republican colleagues in the Senate and house are literally throttling the of billions of ... (more) |