Wera Hobhouse condemns "shocking and irresponsible" scale of drilling for oil in protected maritime areasEmbed from Getty ImagesThe United Kingdom is the world's worst offender when it comes to letting fossil fuel companies drill in protected areas. An investigation coordinated by the Environmental Investigative Forum and European Investigative Collaborations has found that the UK has issued production licences that overlap with 13,500km² of protected areas - an area nearly nine times the size of Greater London. Wera Hobhouse, Liberal Democrat MP for Bath and a member of the Commons energy security and net zero select committee, told The Bureau of Investigative Journalism that these findings are "deeply troubling" and that the UK's place on ... (more) |
International law is brokenThis week's reports of Iranian security forces machine-gunning down scores of unarmed protestors, apparently including children and teenagers must surely strike a chill in the heart of any liberal. How can this be allowed to happen in the 21st Century? Meanwhile, the US military action in Venezuela has attracted widespread condemnation as a breach of International Law, despite Maduro's Government being widely recognised as authoritarian and morally illegitimate. In moral terms, the Iranian regime is little different from a bunch of criminal thugs with guns, killing whomever they please. But in International Law, they are the legitimate Government (largely by ... (more) |
The blame game and the leadership stakesThe Guardian reports that health secretary, Wes Streeting, speaking at the Institute for Government (IFG), has criticised the centre-left of politics for an "excuses culture" which blames Whitehall and stakeholders for the slow pace of change, saying politicians "are not simply at the mercy of forces outside of our control". The paper says that Streeting's comments will be seen as an attack on complaints by allies of Keir Starmer that change has been constantly delayed by the number of regulations and arm's-length bodies: One of the prime minister's former key aides Paul Ovenden authored a piece earlier this month about ... (more) |
Bridging Loughborough Gap to create an 18-mile heritage railwayI once described the the Great Central Railway - Nottingham as a bit of a mystery to those of us in Leicestershire. Rather like the Eastern Roman Empire. Since then I've visited Constantinople and written three posts about it: Rushcliffe Halt, Above the Brush Works and Ruddington Fields. The GCR in Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire are separated by 500 yards of missing bridges and embankments at Loughborough. In this video Tim Dunn looks at the project, already well under way, to close that gap. When it's done, there will be an 18-mile heritage railway running from the edge of Leicester to ... (more) |
Chelsea and Scotland legend Eddie McCreadie has diedI searched for a video of Eddie McCreadie scoring a goal, only to find that his foul on Billy Bremner in the 1970 FA Cup Final replay is everywhere. So here it is instead. It's here because McCreadie has died at the age of 85. I think that leaves Ron Harris, David Webb and Charlie Cooke as the only members of that victorious Cup Final team who are still with us. How old the world has grown. BBC News describes McCreadie's playing career: Former Scotland and Chelsea player Eddie McCreadie, who was once hailed by Tommy Docherty as the best ... (more) |
"Fight for the soul of our country": Josh Barbarinde profiled in the New StatesmanDuring his successful campaign for the Liberal Democrat presidency, Josh Barbarinde's supporters emphasised his unparalleled ability to gain media coverage. They always sounded a little optimistic in a world where not even the party leader gets as much attention as he deserves, but Josh is indeed the subject of a substantial article by Rachel Cunliffe on the New Statesman website. Much of the piece is about Josh personally, but then his compelling backstory is part of what attracts the media. And it does eventually get on to Lib Dem strategy:As the Lib Dems gear up for 2026, this is how ... (more) |
We must support the people of Iran as they stand against their mad MullahsTomorrow some young people will die in Iran. Many have already died in what has largely, on their side, been peaceful and joyous demonstrations against the totalitarian theocratic regime which ahs ruled that benighted country since the downfall of the Shah. However, what was peaceful and joyous on their side has been met with thuggery, bullets, and bullying by the regime now fearful for its survival. These young people are not looking for anything special. Just to live their lives as young people in most Westerns, and for that matter Eastern Countries live. They want to dress as they want ... (more) |
Bravery in the openThe plates of British politics are drifting like never before, populism on the right and the left creating a chasm at the heart of the centre ground; now is the time to sprint towards it, claim it, and take the once in a generation opportunity to become the radical centre. Being noticed doesn't need to be the next stunt, great ideas will suffice. In an era defined by uncertainty, Liberal Democrats face a defining challenge: whether to speak plainly and bravely about the issues that most shape people's lives and suggest radical reforms, even when those issues are complex, controversial, ... (more) |
Another one jumps to the new Tory PartyOne has to wonder why Reform are so scathing about the Tory party as they are rapidly recuiting as many Tories as they can. It is getting to the point where Reform and the Tory Party of Boris Johnson and Liz Truss are becoming indistinguishable. The Independent reports that the latest defector has been less than discreet in the past as to what he thinks of Nigel Farage and Reform. Everybody is entitled to change their mind, of course. The paper says that former Tory Chancellor, Nadhim Zahawi, previously said he would be "frightened" to live in a country run ... (more) |