How to stop Labour stealing our lunch on EuropeBy trying to 'out-Europe' us, Burnham will fall into a trap on immigration. At the last general election, hustings for the Chelsea & Fulham seat were like no other. Eventual Labour winner Ben Coleman, incumbent Tory minister Greg Hands and I were all trying to 'out-Europe' each other on a church stage, by declaring our commitment to the Remain campaign eight years earlier. This tripartite agreement on the calamity of Brexit made sense in Europhile central London, just off the King's Road. But in Starmer's successful McSweeneyist campaign, the Labour red lines of no to Rejoin, let alone free movement ... (more) |
Councillor Cherise Welch joins Liberal DemocratsBracknell News reports on Chersie Welch joining the Lib Dems: An independent Bracknell Forest councillor has joined the Liberal Democrats in a boost for the party's group on the council. Councillor Cherise Welch, who represents Harmans Water and Crown Wood, has announced she will now sit as a Liberal Democrat after previously serving as an independent representative. Cllr Welch was elected to Bracknell Forest Council in 2023 and said her priorities would continue to include health and education services, litter and fly-tipping... Councillor Mike Forster, leader of the Liberal Democrat group, said: "We are delighted to welcome Cherise to the ... (more) |
A mermaid saved from drowning plus the mole men of New YorkEmbed from Getty ImagesSome more gleanings from the December issue of Fortean Times. First, there is the story from Mainz in Germany about the man who called the police when he saw someone in difficulty in the Rheine. When the cops arrived, they discovered it was a woman with a fish's tail - not an actual mermaid, but someone enjoying the now popular sport of mermaid swimming. She told them she had intended to keep close to the bank but had been carried out by the current. The same item also covers a story from Germany's fake newspaper Der Postillon ... (more) |
The whole city must unite behind our disadvantaged childrenLast Wednesday, 11th of November, Liverpool City Council devoted an entire council meeting to the problems faced by many of the young people in our city. It is important that we understand the contacts of these problems with almost 30% of our young people living in the poverty line, many of them in poor quality housing, and many of them struggling to get a decent education for a variety of reasons. Liverpool is not alone in this with most cities having areas where there is an abundance of poverty and the shortage of opportunity. It would be easy to say ... (more) |
Mississippi: Historic change has come at lastThe news last week from the US Mid-term elections has been utterly seismic, as noted by Caron here. But something else really big has happened which deserves separate focus. While the party poppers were being swept up from the Democrat celebrations, officials in Mississippi were quietly and labouriously sifting through ballot papers. The vote for the state-wide US Senate post was too close to call. A real nail-biter. NAACP's* Legal Defense Fund website takes up the story: Mississippi advocates and legal advisors, including the Legal Defense Fund and the Mississippi: Count Every Vote coalition, worked tirelessly all across the state ... (more) |
Meeting Friends of SunnisideI met up with volunteers from Friends of Sunniside last night to discuss arrangements for forthcoming events. The first is on Saturday 14th November (11.30-3pm) when Cornerstone Church holds its Christmas fair. Alas, I will not be able to make this event as I am at a conference in Northumberland.On Sunday 29th November (4pm-6pm) Cornerstone Church will be holding a Christmas celebration (more) |
Charlie Wilson's WarThe 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: Get the books As well as covering some books in the podcast, we also mention others in the newsletter's bonus content. You can browse all the books mentioned and get them for yourself via my Bookshop.org page (affiliate link). The books available include the one this time's film was based on and my blog post on ... (more) |
Lighting up SunnisideOn Monday I met up with Plant Up Sunniside to put the final touches to the Switch on Sunniside event on 25th November. I've booked the Christmas donkey and "reindeer". Santa is coming as well. There will be live music from Anna Reay. There will be no Christmas tree as such this year, sadly. The cost of buying a tree (plus delivery, installation, insurance etc) from the Council has jumped (more) |
Write a guest post for Liberal EnglandI love publishing guest posts here on Liberal England. Have you thought of writing one yourself? It could be on Liberal politics or culture or... anything really. Why not an article about a local campaign or quirky piece of history? Perhaps you have a book to promote? Please drop me an email if you'd like to discuss your idea first. I'd hate you to spend time on a piece I really wouldn't want to publish. Here are the last 10 guest posts on this blog:In praise of outgrounds: How cricket in small towns made a roaring comeback- Matthew PennellWhy has ... (more) |
The many contortions of Reform UK in WalesThe BBC reports that Reform UK's leader in Wales says she stands "firmly" by one of her Senedd members who was banned from speaking in the parliament for claiming white people are being "replaced" in the UK. This is a well-known and recognised white nationalist conspiracy theory, often associated with anti-Semitism: The party's Welsh leader, Helen Jenner, said Joe Martin's ban was because of "undue pressure" from governing party Plaid Cymru and was an "infringement on freedom of speech". Martin had been told he would not be allowed to speak in the Senedd's chamber until he apologised for the remarks, ... (more) |