The long history of spies going into politicsFurther support for my theory that the Conservatives' problem is that they are no longer Conservative came in the shape of a Telegraph front page the other day: Did Rory Stewart spy for MI6? Intrigue surrounds Tory candidate's past as leadership race intensifiesThat the paper thought that revealing that Rory Stewart had served his country in this way would damage him in the eyes of his fellow Tory MPs tells you all you need to know about those MPs. The subject of spies going into politics is an interesting one and there is an article about it on The Conversation. ... (more) |
Trivial Fact of the Day links Market Harborough and Boy GeorgeI have just got this from a taxi driver who got it from two nuns, so it must be true. Father O'Dowd, the priest at Our Lady of Victories, Market Harborough, in the Seventies and Eighties, was the uncle of Boy George, (more) |
Ed's Day - 19 June 2019It's Wednesday, it's eve of poll, and there's a by-election in Merton Canvassing for the amazing @JeniferGouldCH in Cannon Hill by-election in Merton – polling day tomorrow! Labour vote softer than ever – fantastic doorstep response! email jenifer@mertonlibdems.org.uk if you can help tomorrow Come on #MertonMachine @LibDems pic.twitter.com/Yr6d9auJ9t — Ed Davey [IMG: 🔶] (@EdwardJDavey) June 19, 2019 Ed's website is here and you can follow him on Twitter here. (more) |
Working with other parties: a key choice in the Lib Dem leadership contestSo as to better cover the Lib Dem leadership race and hence improve the information available to party members ahead of a key decision, I'm staying neutral in the contest. But the following is, for the reasons set out, crucial to deciding who to vote for – whichever candidate you are leaning towards. P.S. There is still time for party members to take part in my leadership election survey. Vince Cable's approach to working with other parties During his time as Liberal Democrat leader, Vince Cable had a triple-track approach to working with those who share (some of the) party's ... (more) |
Formby – Hightown cycle/footpath – It's well overgrownA cycle down this path reasonably regularly and it has been getting more and more overgrown this summer, making it difficult in places for cyclists and pedestrians to pass each other not least because much of the overgrowth is nettles. What's more overhanging branches are also becoming a problem. I've raised the matter with Sefton Council's Footpaths/Rights of Way Officer. (more) |
New Issue of Liberator OutIssue 396 of Liberator will soon be on its way to subscribers and the free sample article for this issue is Ed Davey and Jo Swinson giving their answers to Liberator's questionnaire to Lib Dem leadership candidates. The topics here are intended to get both to think about what the party is for and what it should do now that it has unexpectedly and suddenly recovered its political standing from the post-coalition doldrums. Here's what we asked the two candidates. For their answers see: www.liberatormagazine.org.uk Were the European election results a one-off or can the support gained be kept and ... (more) |
Building an inclusive society #LDWeek19This week is Learning Disability Week. The theme is sport and inclusion. According to a Mencap survey of 18-35-year-olds, one-third spend less than an hour outside of their homes on a Saturday. Many feel isolated, excluded and lonely. Can you imagine only getting out for an hour and being at home the rest of the day? 49% of the survey respondents want to get out more but can't. We have 1.4 million people with learning disability in the UK. They are often marginalised and misunderstood. A lot of work still needs to be done to break down the stigma around ... (more) |
Press release: Cross-party legal claim against Met Police for stalling on Leave campaign investigationsLiberal Democrat Brexit spokesperson Tom Brake has joined a cross-party group of MPs in taking crowdfunded legal action against the Metropolitan Police in regards to electoral offences committed during the June 2016 EU referendum. Following revelations by whistleblowers, the Electoral Commission found three individuals and three campaign groups had committed electoral offences for which the highest fines permitted by statute were imposed. In line with its Enforcement Policy, the Electoral Commission referred the matter to the Metropolitan Police Service. In September of last year, the Metropolitan Police confirmed that it had received over 2,000 documents and a full explanation from ... (more) |
Lib Dem MP joins cross-party legal claim against Met Police over European referendumA press release from the Liberal Democrats brings the news: Liberal Democrat Brexit spokesperson Tom Brake has joined a cross-party group of MPs in taking crowdfunded legal action against the Metropolitan Police in regards to electoral offences committed during the June 2016 EU referendum. Following revelations by whistleblowers, the Electoral Commission found three individuals and three campaign groups had committed electoral offences for which the highest fines permitted by statute were imposed. In line with its Enforcement Policy, the Electoral Commission referred the matter to the Metropolitan Police Service. In September of last year, the Metropolitan Police confirmed that it ... (more) |
Xi was right to back down. This is why.We've never seen this in Hong Kong before. Neither during the time of British colonization (1841-1997), nor in the current period of the 'One Country Two Systems' connection to China (HK with its own judicial, economic and political system; Beijing looking after defence and foreign affairs). The population took to the streets on a massive [...] The post Xi was right to back down. This is why. appeared first on Radix. (more) |