Tory MEP defects to the Liberal DemocratsThe Liberal Democrats have today reaped benefits from David Cameron's unsustainable Euro-scepticism with the defection of estranged Tory MEP to Nick Clegg's party. Edward McMillan-Scott is the MEP for Yorkshire and the Humber and the former leader of the Conservatives in the European parliament. He clashed with David Cameron last year over the Tory leader's decision to remove his MEPs from the centre-right European People's party and set up a new group, European Conservatives and Reformists, with controversial allies from eastern Europe. He successfully stood against Michał Kamiński, the Polish MEP chosen to lead the new group, for the post ... (more) |
Election Results 11th March 2010Dacorum BC, Adeyfield WestCon 486 (32.8; -8.6)Lab 429 (29.0; -13.3)LD Steve Wilson 362 (24.5; +8.1)BNP 203 (13.7; +13.7)Majority 57Turnout 35.83%Con holdPercentage change is since May 2007Wellingborough BC, Redwell WestCon 570 (57.2; -20.3)Lab 186 (18.7; -3.9)BNP 84 (8.4; +8.4)LD Penny Wilkins 72 (7.2; +7.2)English Democrats 62 (6.2; +6.2)Green 23 (2.3; +2.3)Majority 384Turnout 37.7%Con (more) |
Edward McMillan-Scott MEP joins the Lib DemsThe longest-serving Conservative MEP has joined the Liberal Democrats. Or so it says here. Later. There is a report confirming it on the Guardian site: The MEP said today: "I have been around the higher circles of the Conservative party for long enough to fear that on Europe Cameron says one thing in opposition and will do another in government. "I have long fought against totalitarianism and the extremism and religious persecution it brings. It was wrong of Cameron to associate with MEPs who have extremist pasts in his new European alliance." He added: "My reasons for joining the Liberal ... (more) |
Irony: it's like steely but with a smaller carbon footprintSo part of the reason I am not at #ldconf this weekend is because I couldn't get my shifts covered at work. What happens, on a weekend when I know there's no cover? I come down with enteritis, and can't work because my work involves food handling. So not only am I missing out on conference, and not only does my gut feel like someone is tying knots in it, but I have caused a massive problem at work, and am losing money through not being able to work to boot. Isn't life a joy? My March sponsor is Mark ... (more) |
That new Lib Dem election slogan in fullThe BBC informs us that it will be the rather wordy: "Change that works for you, building a fairer Britain"A naughty part of me is reminded of the efforts of Reginald Perrin's son-in-law Tom: Tom: I have distributed among you a few campaign ideas - I'm not really a campaign person - and slogans. I won't bore you with my slogan ideas now. Perrin: No, no, Tom, I insist that you bore us with them now. Tom: Oh. Well, there was one - I'm not really a slogan person - it went: "Go to Grot shops and get an eyeful, ... (more) |
What happens to MPs' websites when Parliament is dissolved?There was a little flurry of interest last year as to whether MPs with "MP" in their Twitter name would face a problem after Parliament is officially dissolved for the general election. That's because after that point technically no-one is an MP and you're not allowed to call yourself an MP if you aren't one. That story was rather over-played though it did spur me to dig out quite what the sanctions would be, which in turns out isn't that simple a question to answer. But what about MPs' websites and text on them saying they are an MP? That ... (more) |
Tom Baldwin and the "triple lock": you could have read it here TomToday Tom Baldwin in The Times reports on its exciting persistent investigative journalism into the party's "triple lock" rule for deals with other parties: The exact wording of this rule, disclosed only after repeated inquiries to Liberal Democrats headquarters this week, sets a high bar for clearing "any substantial proposal which could affect the party's independence of political action". A pedant would point out that it was "disclosed" here back in November. Then it was Steve Richards I took to task (for calling the rule – which was debated in public at party conference – "secret"). Perhaps you should add ... (more) |
House Points: Jon Venables, Ed Balls and Michael GoveMy House Points column from today's Liberal Democrat News. The material on the Stockport murder case of 1861 comes from an article by Gitta Sereny which was published in the Independent in 1995. Modern times House Points has reached an age when it is allowed to have fogeyish moments. And when it has them it argues that modern Britain no longer understands the distinction between adult and child. The murder of James Bulger in 1993 showed this development at its starkest. Rather than being merciful because the perpetrators were children, the press and public were angrier. The judge, who allowed ... (more) |
Opinion: Make politics fit women's lives, not vice-versaFor today's women "motherhood, not sexism, is the issue". So says The Economist ("We Did It", 30 December 2009), noting that "women who prosper in high-pressure companies in their 20s drop out in dramatic numbers in their 30s and then find it almost impossible to regain earlier momentum". Could the same be true in politics? Nearly 80% of current male Lib Dem MPs first entered Parliament in their 30s and 40s. Yet our female MPs were overwhelmingly elected in their 20s or 50s, and not one was first elected while raising young children. Achieving the same age spread as the ... (more) |
I think that I shall never see...I'm in Birmingham in advance of the Spring Conference, but I'm not exactly slacking. Ros is working, and as a result, we're getting to see what the City Council is doing. Our first stop was Alexander Stadium, and the parkland surrounding it, for a tree planting event. To encourage children to take an interest, schools are encouraged to send groups to take part, so we were surrounded by small children armed with spades and a steely determination to make sure that their tree stayed planted. It was raining, but that will only ensure that the roots are properly nourished... One ... (more) |