Lib Dem Donna Harris leads Lambeth Council in rejecting committee seat for sex-charge councillor[IMG: Headshot of Cllr Donna Harris] When a review of Lambeth Council's committee structure proposed putting a councillor who had been arrested on charges of sexual assault, exposure and controlling and coercive behaviour on a committee that investigates wrongdoing, Lib Dem leader of the opposition Cllr Donna Harris was having none of it. Donna, who is the chair of Lib Dem Women, the official body in the Lib Dems representing women, led the efforts to get this stopped. For a week she tried, unsuccessfully, to block the move behind the scenes. However, when the appointments came to Council recently, she ... (more) |
Economic growth - simple but not easy. Part 1.For decades the current governing party in the UK seems to have assumed that economic growth comes from the blunt instrument of government borrowing and spending. But as state debt has approached 100% of GDP, they have had to think beyond that. Unfortunately, this has not amounted to much, with ideological barriers and lack of experience among decision-makers hindering reforms. Labour tend to resort to photogenic one-off remedies, which may or may not ultimately contribute to any beneficial growth; a heavily subsidised weapons deal, a fantasy 'new-town', or a trade deal of exaggerated benefit. Economic growth is not quite as ... (more) |
Scott Walker: Farmer in the City (Remembering Pasolini)The fiftieth anniversary of Pier Paolo Pasolini's death put me in mind of this wonderful track from Scott Walker's album Tilt. In a Guardian article last Saturday, Olivia Laing argued that Pasolini's warnings of corruption and rising totalitarianism offer a chilling message for our times. (more) |
Prince Andrew's Road residents ask for name changeThe judges' decision is in, and BBC News wins our Headline of the Day Award. They also noted this comment from the story below:"There's a kind of misconception that this road is named after Prince Andrew... now Mr Mountbatten Windsor," said Gurney, a Conservative county, district and parish councillor. In fact, she said, research indicated it was named before he was born, in honour of his grandfather, who died in 1944, and was father of Prince Philip, formerly the Duke of Edinburgh.That him above with his missus. (more) |
Christmas market this Saturday! #dundeewestend** UPDATE 5th November - we have now been updated that, unfortunately, this event has been cancelled ** In advance of this year's West End Christmas Fortnight this Saturday - 8th November - from 11am until 4pm, there's a Christmas market taking place. It is at the Albert Halls in Tullideph Road - all welcome! (more) |
Farage outlines his real agendaThe Guardian reports that Nigel Farage has backtracked on his party's election promise to cut £90bn of taxes, accusing Labour and the Tories of "wrecking the public finances" and saying Reform UK would need to get public spending under control first. The paper says that Farage rejected suggestions he had been forced to break manifesto promises in order to gain economic credibility, suggesting the proposal had only ever been an "aspiration". However, the substance of his speech suggests that Reform's real agenda is to cut benefits, cut the minimum wage, raise retirement age, and means test pensions: Reform's manifesto committed ... (more) |
Reform in Leicestershire to hand consultants £1.3m of pubic money to tell it what to doLeicestershire County Council is run by a minority Reform UK administration. And like Reform up and down the country, it took power with no policy agenda beyond banning the flying of the Pride and Ukrainian flags. So, reports BBC News, Leicestershire is to spend £1.3m on consultants to carry out a review of council spending. The council leader claims the consultants will find savings worth many times their fee. That sounds like sheer guesswork to me. Michael Mullaney, the leader of the Liberal Democrat group on the council, sounds more authoritative: "£1.4m is a lot of money to spend on ... (more) |
A stroll along the Thames Path from Hampton Court to SheppertonA lovely walk in autumn sunshine. John Rogers describes it thus in his YouTube blurb: Starting at Hampton Court Station in East Molesey we walk one of the most beautiful sections of the wonderful Thames Path. We pass through Hurst Park, look across the river at Taggs Island, Garrick's Temple, pass by Molesey Reservoirs with its WW2 tank defences, stop for lunch at Walton Marina and cross the river at Walton Bridge. Our walk is guided by Donald Maxwell's 1932 book A Pilgrimage of the Thames and takes us to the ancient St Nicholas church at Shepperton. A church has ... (more) |
What does our campaign against the Family Farm Tax seek?What exactly do we Liberal Democrats want from out campaign against the "Family Farm Tax"? It's important we know, because The Agri Brigade column in the latest Private Eye suggests the government may be about to make some concessions on the issue. These concessions, the Eye suggests, would raise the Inheritance Tax threshold on farmland from £1m to £5m (so, £10m for a married couple). This would mean that the tax would not be levied at all on anything that can sensible be called a family farm. At the same time, technical changes would see a higher tax take from ... (more) |
I know it's hard but... please stayIt's been a difficult time in this party recently. I'll admit that. Those of us who are trans and non-binary have been vilified not just in the media, but within our own party too. I understand why some people want to leave or resign. It's not easy to stay. But if there's one thing I've learned from being on the exec for Plus, it's that the majority of our members, MPs, and activists support our rights. Most of this party fundamentally disagrees with the Supreme Court ruling. And let's be honest, if you do agree with it, you're in the ... (more) |