Social Liberal Forum heading to Brighton i360 for high-flying pre-Conference eventThe Social Liberal Forum (SLF) has unveiled a pair of high-profile keynote speakers for its signature Pre-Conference Social ahead of the Liberal Democrat Autumn Conference in Brighton. Taking place on Friday, 18th September 2026, at the iconic Brighton i360, the evening will feature guest appearances from Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Energy Security and Net Zero Pippa Heylings MP, alongside former Cambridge MP David Howarth, who will be launching his new book, Being Liberal: The Liberal Disposition in Contemporary British Politics. A High-Altitude Start to Conference Weekend Set 450 feet above the Sussex coastline aboard Europe's highest moving observation tower, the ... (more) |
George Eliot as Coventry City supporterOne of my occasional flights of fantasy is thinking anachronistically about what football teams historic political or cultural figures might have supported. In that regard, I sometimes refer to George Eliot as a Coventry City supporter even though she died three years before the club was founded. Prompted by Coventry City's return to top-flight football after a 25-year absence and seeing the great author's grave at Highgate Cemetery earlier in the summer, I have been pondering that a little more in the last few weeks. I think there are good reasons to see affinity between the two. They are certainly ... (more) |
Reinvigorating the Royal NavyOn the 20th July this year, a Russian Navy frigate conducted live-fire exercises approximately 40 nautical miles south of Plymouth, in the English Channel. The vessel was shadowed by a Royal Navy ship and a French military aircraft. A week earlier, a separate Russian frigate had fired warning shots at a British yacht south of the Isle of Wight. These are not distant signals picked up by intelligence. They are warships firing guns off the English coast. And the Royal Navy response required a French aircraft because we did not have enough of our own to spare. Welcome to the ... (more) |
Lib Dems make another gain from ReformA quartet principal authority council by-elections this week, and another full slate of Lib Dem candidates, which is one up on the last time these seats were up. Not only a full slate, but also another Lib Dem gain from Reform: St Neots Eynesbury (Huntingdonshire) Council By-Election Result: [IMG: 🔶] LDM: 47.9% (+29.8) [IMG: ➡] RFM: 30.3% (+3.1) [IMG: 🌳] CON: 6.7% (-3.8) [IMG: 🌍] GRN: 5.5% (-12.5) [IMG: 🌹] LAB: 4.9% (New) [IMG: 🙋] Ind: 4.8% (New)No Ind (-26.2) as previous.Liberal Democrat GAIN from Reform UK.Changes w/ 2026. — Election Maps UK (@electionmaps.uk) 2026-08-20T22:26:12.765Z The thanks here go to ... (more) |
Has racism and sexism become normalised in the UK?The Guardian reports on the comments by the UK equalities minister, Bridget Phillipson that racism and sexism have become normalised in Britain, as she warned that young men are being sucked into violent misogyny by the "cesspit" of social media. Phillipson told the Guardians Politics Weekly Podcast that she was increasingly worried about how commonplace misogyny and racism had become, fuelled by online interactions and statements by politicians she said would not have been acceptable a few years ago. They add that she accused senior MPs from Reform and the Conservatives of having made racist statements in recent years, and ... (more) |
Council by-election results scorecard 2026-2027Here's the tally of seats changing hands in principal authority council by-elections held between the May 2026 and the May 2027 local elections: Con Lab Lib Dem Green Reform SNP Plaid Ind/ Other Net Con [9] +1 (+1/0) +1 (+3/-2) -2 (0/-2) -4 (+3/-7) -1 (0/-1) – +2 (+3/-1) -3 Lab -1 (0/-1) [9] -1 (0/-1) -1 (+2/-3) -3 (+3/-6) – – 0 (+1/-1) -6 Lib Dem -1 (+2/-3) +1 (+1/0) [15] +1 (+1/0) +2 (+2/0) -1 (0/-1) – +1 (+1/0) +3 Grn +2 (+2/0) +1 (+3/-2) -1 (0/-1) [6] – – – – +2 Ref +4 (+7/-3) +3 (+6/-3) ... (more) |
A vanished island in the Trent near NottinghamShakespeare knew all about the River Trent's fondness for changing its course. Here's Hotspur in Henry IV, Part 1: Methinks my moiety, north from Burton here, In quantity equals not one of yours: See how this river comes me cranking in, And cuts me from the best of all my land A huge half-moon, a monstrous cantle out. I'll have the current in this place damm'd up; And here the smug and silver Trent shall run In a new channel, fair and evenly; It shall not wind with such a deep indent, To rob me of so rich a bottom ... (more) |
Jeffrey Archer's 'First Among Equals', with Shane Whaley (part 1)The latest edition of the email newsletter for my podcast, Political Fictions, is out and you can 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: First Among Equals: the TV version of Jeffrey Archer's novel After last time's novel, this time we're back to TV – with the first episode of the televised version of a novel: Cory and Mark are joined by Shane Whaley of the Spybrary podcast this week. Shane has picked for us to watch First Among Equals, ... (more) |
A train ride to Newport to visit St Woolos' CathedralI fancied a train ride today, so I went down to Newport in South Wales. I even managed to cover some track that was new to me - Hereford to Newport. One reason for going there was St Woolos' Cathedral. Ever since I learnt that it isn't the Victorian rebuild I had imagined and has a history dating back to the sixth century, I have wanted to see it. The photo above shows its twelfth-century Romanesque portal and the arches from the same period in the nave. The building is no larger than many parish churches, but it still impresses. ... (more) |
Global Power or Euro-Atlantic leader?What is Defence for? Recent governments seems reluctant to define national security goals. There are needs around the Home Islands, the Falklands, Cyprus, Ascension, Diego Garcia, Gibraltar, the Caribbean, and various nations that the government has given "iron clad" security guarantees. There are also commitments to NATO and the Northern Group, in Europe. For a politician there is a large and vocal demand for defence, but we are told there is no more money. And industry will want certainty - for investment - to start large capital investment and skills pipelines. People around government talk of there being no headroom. ... (more) |