Lobbying, part three of fiveThis is the third set of names from the Cusick/Milmo article of 2011 referred to on Monday. These firms are still listed by the ORCL. Links are to Powerbase entries, where these exist. Finsbury Roland Rudd, who was a friend of Peter Mandelson, and Simon Moyse, former adviser to Gordon Brown at the Treasury, were the prime movers in 2011 and are still with the company. Roland is the son of failed stockbroker Tony Rudd and therefore brother of Amber Rudd MP, disgraced former Home Secretary. Clients then included BSkyB, Vodafone and Boots Fleishman-Hillard's senior people included Henry Featherstone, former ... (more) |
Gumley is Leicestershire's Bishop's CastleI have worked out why I like Gumley so much: it reminds me of Bishop's Castle in Shropshire. Both settlements have a long main street that runs uphill to a building that is no longer there. In Bishop's Castle it is the castle: in Gumley it is Gumley Hall. When I was in Gumley on Saturday I noticed that a couple of the large houses on its only street were looking run down. That is a shame, but it gives it something else in common with its Shropshire cousin. One of the things I have always liked about Bishop's Castle ... (more) |
Walls in BelfastWe went to the Ulster Museum yesterday, where there is a very good and full exhibition about the Troubles. One of the exhibits is a map from the Roads Service from 1979 showing exactly which bits of Belfast were closed off for security reasons. In the yellow zone, no unattended vehicles were allowed from 8 am to 6 pm Monday to Saturday; in the red zone, no unattended vehicles were allowed at any time; and within the barriers, on the cross-hatched streets, only "delivery vehicles etc" were allowed. There were only seven points where vehicles could enter the city centre, ... (more) |
Human rights explained in 2 minutes: a handy animation to shareThis 2-minute animation by www.rightsinfo.org will tell you everything you need to know about your human rights and why they matter. (more) |
Prestwich Public Transport - Let us know your views!Many thanks to everyone who has filled in our recent Public Transport in Prestwich survey. With congestion and pollution a major issue across Prestwich, we're keen to find out more about what local people think about our local Metrolink and bus services, what stops you using them more and what you would do to improve them. You can fill the survey in online at www.loveprestwich.co.uk (more) |
National Allotment Week 13-19 August 2018During National Allotments Week allotment sites across the UK are opening their gates, showing off their skills, sharing their joy in gardening and communal endeavour to encourage everyone to grow food in their own in gardens, balconies and backyards. Click here to view a list. National Allotments Week started in 2002 as a way of raising awareness of allotments and the role they play in helping people to live healthier lifestyles, grow their own food, develop friendships and bolster communities. The campaign week is still thriving 12 years later and interest in growing your own fruit and vegetables has never ... (more) |
What IF... We Leave with no DealIf the Tories throw caution to the wind and somehow manage to leave the EU because they put dogma above the consequences of leaving with no deal, what will the impact of that be for us? Below is a small account of the possible results of that action. I put this forward to reinforce why the Lib Dems are against Brexit and now (as another possibility has emerged) an exit without a deal. Currently, there are no queues of countries enthusiastically waiting to trade with us (as the Leavers said they would be) and even if there where it will ... (more) |
Liberal landslide: the 1906 electionIf you were to ask me which politician of the 20th century was least likely to have delivered Good Morning leaflets, I think Attlee would have been near the top of the list. (more) |
Immigration White PaperBefore a mass of Liberal voices condemns the party's immigration paper and the related motion for party conference, we need to reflect on two underlying issues: first, that global population growth, combined with weak states and intermittent conflicts across the developing world, and exacerbated by climate change, mean that migration to richer and safer countries is becoming one of the most intractable issues democratic nations will face over the next generation; second, that the white working class in Britain (above all, in England) have real grievances, which we cannot dismiss, and which are partly - though only partly - associated ... (more) |
The Blood is the Life for 15-08-2018weekly_food_challenge | Challenge #48 - Hot Weather Comfort Food If you like what you see here (or even if you don't) please consider dropping me a tip: [IMG: Paypal Donate Button] [IMG: Buy Me an uncaffeinated beverage (because I'm allergic to coffee) at ko-fi.com] [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments (more) |