Opinion: Manufacturing is a growing sector in the UK and EU membership is vital.Manufacturing has been something I have been passionate about for years now. When I was MP for Rochdale I helped to set up the all party manufacturing group in the House of Commons and then when I became MEP for the West Midlands region I jointly set up the Manufacturing Forum in the European Parliament. I have represented two areas where manufacturing has been so important. In my view, it is even more relevant today in helping to rebalance the economy and to create jobs. Manufacturing accounts for 46% of exports and it is a growing sector. In the West ... (more) |
The Blood is The Life 23-04-2014Refusal to face the realities of migration opens the door to racism (tags: ) Senator Richard Blumenthal almost hit by train during railway safety speech I know you shouldn't laugh, but... (tags: ) Appeal to record wildlife sightings to help Yorkshire wildlife trust (tags: ) [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments (more) |
Do you want to comment on Liverpool's bus lanes?If you want to comment on the effects of the suspension of bus lanes in Liverpool, you've only got a few more days to do it. The deadline is 28th April. You can send in comments by letter or e mail. Here are the key details taken from the City Council website . By Post to:- Jeanette McLoughlin, City Solicitor, Legal Services, Municipal Buildings, Dale Street, Liverpool L2 2DH By email to:- Legal.Planning@liverpool.gov.uk Please quote reference LS/P&EU/NRB/ETRO 8087B/TM 3149/2052.1268 in all correspondence. (more) |
St Mary's Road update.The state of St Mary's Road is one of the things people raise with us most often. It's been great to see the bits of individual enterprise that look to bring unused shops back into use. But there are still problems which the Council seems to view as "not a lot to do with us guv". So here's an update on various bits and pieces. People who know Garston will know that the Sports Bar is in the process of changing into a restaurant and take away. The sign is up and passers by can spot quite a bit of ... (more) |
There are way too many elephants in Lib Dem Members' surveyYesterday, I was delighted to receive the latest Liberal Democrat members' survey and I quickly completed it. Once I actually read the questions, though, some things made me snort with rage. I would be very surprised if they were able to glean any meaningful data from what they asked. Yes, they may well get a few decent press releases out of "Lib Dem Members' favourite achievements in Government" or favourite things that we have stopped the Tories doing that will be covered only on the Lib Dem website and scant few other places. Let's start with the good stuff, though. ... (more) |
Opinion: Britain needs jobs, not UKIP/Tory insults[IMG: Workers bankers london bridge - some rights reserved by zoonabar] Over 4 million British jobs depend on exports to the Single Market. Those are the words of the Centre for Economic and Business Research regarding their recent report into British Jobs and the Single Market. When we talk about this issue UKIP and the Tory Right throw around words like "liar". When people do that it usually means they have lost the argument. UKIP appear to be temperamentally unable of reasoned debate grounded in the evidence. Their leaders are like children who cover their ears and say "I can't ... (more) |
Ukip giving jobs to the EuropeansIn the end the Ukip poster launch yesterday was hijacked by the BBC's Nick Robinson who confronted Nigel Farage with the £2 million questions. The key one was why, when he is warning that millions of Europeans are waiting to take our jobs, is Mr. Farage employing a German as his secretary? The German is question is his wfie, which raises yet more questions of course about employing family members and what process was used to select staff? Interestingly Farage's answer was that only his wife Kirsten would be prepared to work unsociable hours, seven days a week, helping him ... (more) |
Western Cemetery cremated remains sectionLast year, I reported on progress with the proposal for a cremated remains section in Western Cemetery that the Western Cemetery Association has championed, with support from the City Council. As there has, as yet, been no interments of sales of the lairs for urns, I asked the City Council's Head of Environmental Management for an update on steps the council is taking to ensure local undertakers are aware of the cremated remains section. He has advised me that: "... we have had our annual meeting with the undertakers and the urn area at the Western was discussed. So they ... (more) |
Labour – There's a lot to protest about in Sefton!There have been a quite a number of public protests in recent years across the Borough of Sefton against things like:- The Post Office closure programme pursued under the last Labour Government which saw Maghull and Lydiate having 4 Post Offices axed:- Below are Lib Dem protestors fighting for the former Coronation Road Post Road Post Office in Lydiate. [IMG: Labour-run Sefton Council's plan to close public toilets across the Borough. This fight was won by campaigners like those pictured below:- [IMG: rsz_toilet_campaign_02_13_lab] Labour's £46 Green Bin tax for Sefton. This was fought off in the Summer of 2013 ... (more) |
Concerns over grant for Wales' poorest pupils after email leakThe Western Mail reports that the Welsh Government has been accused of reneging on its word and breaching budget commitments after leaked documents suggested ringfenced funding designed to support Wales' poorest pupils will be used to meet its education spending promise:. Pressure from the Liberal Democrats and Plaid Cymru secured an extra £35m for the Pupil Deprivation Grant (PDG), which will be distributed among schools this year and see an additional £918 allocated to pupils eligible for free school meals. Education Minister Huw Lewis has threatened to "claw back" from schools that ignore guidance on how best to use the ... (more) |