What is the point of the Daily Telegraph?The Daily Telegraph asked today, with an air of mockery and condescension, "What is the point of the Liberal Democrats?" It is a question that tells us far more about the Telegraph than about the party it seeks to dismiss. Once a serious conservative newspaper, the Telegraph has increasingly become a vehicle for grievance, culture-war sensationalism, and ideological nostalgia. Its critique of the Liberal Democrats is less an analysis than a reflex: liberalism bad, Europe worse, nuance intolerable. The Liberal Democrats, whatever one thinks of their electoral fortunes, are easy to caricature if one ignores history, policy, and principle. The ... (more) |
Gerry Gable 1937-2026It is with deep sorrow that I heard of the sad news of the passing of Gerry Gable (1937-2026) — a towering figure in the fight against fascism, racism, and the far right in Britain. Gerry devoted his life to defending democratic values and exposing extremism, leaving a legacy that will inspire generations. I first met Gerry during my time as a Liberal Democrat councillor and Parliamentary candidate, when I faced sustained attacks from the British National Party in Epping Forest and Brentwood. One notable moment came when the BNP brought a complaint against me as an Epping Forest Councillor ... (more) |
Julie Covington: Only Women BleedJulie Covington's version of this Alice Cooper song reminds me of a foggy day at Rugby station just before Christmas 1977, but I realise that may not be true for everybody. That year Covington had a number one with Don't Cry for me Argentina and starred in the highly regarded TV series Rock Follies. (more) |
Arrest after £5k found stuffed in man's underpantsBBC News, as so often these days, wins our Headline of the Day Award. (more) |
Maduro and the wrong conclusionsToday's problem is not Maduro. The illegitimate Venezuelan dictator is now out of the game. However, the legitimate government is not in the game either- at least not yet. An optimistic student of realpolitik might take the view that the Americans have learned from Iraq and are not making the mistake of destroying all the Chavista state, which they did with the Iraqi Baathist state after the fall of Saddam Hussein, before Venezuelan democracy can be restored. Since we regard the opposition as the legitimate authorities, and they have not complained about the arrest of Maduro, The US can legitimately ... (more) |
Queens Drive and the tin eared council!(Photo Credit – Liverpool Echo) On Tuesday 6th January I attended a meeting of the Council's Neighbourhood Committee to consider a report about resurfacing on Queens Drive. This was on a report about a £1.8 million project that had been approved by the Council's Cabinet and would not have been scrutinised at all if I had not raised issues relating to it. I regret to say that the Labour members of the Committee totally ignored what I had to say. Regular readers of this blog and those who live in South Liverpool will be well aware of the area that ... (more) |
Vince Cable writes....Tech and TrumpThe British government has been scrambling to keep up with the outrageous behaviour of the rogue superstate which happens to be our main ally and with which we claim to have a 'special relationship'. Keir Starmer says that he had no warning of the attack on Venezuela which suggests that he has clean hands but no influence. A subject much closer to Britain's long term vital interests are forthcoming negotiations with the Trump Administration on technology. These talks will determine whether Britain is to be a digital and AI colony or retains some vestiges of sovereignty. They affect our freedom ... (more) |
The UK must not be Trump's unwitting accomplice in dangerous escalationOver the past week, something alarming has been unfolding at British airbases. At least ten US C-17 cargo aircraft, two AC-130 gunships, and specialised intelligence aircraft have arrived at RAF Fairford and RAF Mildenhall, with reports suggesting elite special operations helicopters may also be present. This isn't routine. The timing, immediately following Trump's Venezuela operation, raises urgent questions about what Britain is facilitating from our soil. Ed Davey has rightly described Nicolás Maduro as "a brutal and illegitimate dictator" – but the Liberal Democrat leader also warned that "unlawful attacks jeopardise safety for all." That second part is crucial. Trump's ... (more) |
The liberal order is not defended by manners; it is defended by resolveOn 4 April 1949, 12 nations signed a treaty to establish collective security, combat totalitarianism, and strengthen transatlantic ties: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America. That treaty came to be known as the North Atlantic Treaty, now more commonly known as NATO. Now, 77 years later, that same alliance is under threat. The United States of America, under the rule of Donald Trump, is threatening to take control of Greenland, while US officials have refused to rule out military action. This is truly the darkest timeline. ... (more) |
The pylons marching across WalesNation Cymru reports that a group considering whether controversial plans to build a network of tall pylons across Wales is necessary has been told that such plans are only being considered because of a failure to move ahead with offshore energy generation. The news site says that Dr Jonathan Dean, a trustee of the countryside charity CPRW, has written a lengthy submission to the Independent Advisory Group on Future Electricity Grid for Wales in which he argues that a new transmission grid from north to south Wales is wholly unnecessary: He states: "In our experience, the main issue the public ... (more) |