Should the Reform UK leadership take responsibility for violence at their conference?One would have thought that a national politician, a member of the Privy Council and a former cabinet minister, would condemn violence in whatever form it might take, however that does not appear to be how the Rt Hon Robert Jenrick works. The Times reports that climate protesters who were attacked while disrupting Nigel Farage's speech at the Reform UK conference have called on Robert Jenrick to apologise for "trivialising" the violence. The paper says that the protesters, who interrupted the party leader's address on Friday to ask him about the £5 million gift he received from the crypto billionaire ... (more) |
8 September 2026 - today's press releasesDunlop responds to embargoed PISA report Scottish Lib Dems seek urgent meeting with Justice Secretary over violence against women PISA shows almost two thirds of pupils suffering from lack of assisting staff Harley: A&E waits are totally unacceptable Chou Turvey comments on 14% rise in domestic abuse charges reported to Crown Office Dunlop responds to embargoed PISA report Responding to the embargoed news that Scotland has recorded its worst ever results for reading and maths in the PISA international comparison of 91 countries' education systems, Scottish Liberal Democrat education spokesperson Duncan Dunlop MSP said: Once the best in the world, ... (more) |
Printing againWith the summer break now behind us, we are back to campaigning. I was in our print room this morning the result of which was 1000 leaflets ready for delivery this weekend. (more) |
Six month absence and he stands againThis is the first time that I have ever come across an ex-councillor standing in a ward where he caused the election by not attending any meetings. If a councillor fails to attend a meeting for six months, they are off the council and a by-election is called. Most of those former councillors disappear never to be seen again. Not so ex-councillor John Allen, elected for Reform in Hirst ward of (more) |
Chowdene action dayOn Saturday 5th September 2026, Gateshead Lib Dems held an action day, this time in Chowdene ward. Most of the ward was delivered with the Focus in the morning. I had a patch of 275 to deliver, only to find whilst out delivering that 60 had to come off my delivery list - I bumped into a colleague who was delivering part of my patch by mistake! It meant I was the first back at HQ for lunch! (more) |
Three way split for parties of the rightA by-election in the Northumberland ward of Amble is due to be held on 1st October. The vacancy has been caused by the death of Arty Hume, first elected in May last year for Reform. The point of interest is the list of the parties contesting the by-election. There are four: Conservatives, Reform, Restore and Labour. I am scratching my head as to why there is no Lib Dem candidate. Sadly, the party (more) |
Geoff Marshall asks: What are Britain's least served stations?Geoff Marshall says in his YouTube blurb: So we quite often talk about Least Used Stations ... but what about the Least SERVED - the stations the get the fewest services with just a small number of trains per week? Since it's been 10 years since I rode Stockport/Stalybridge with Karl, we headed out to Lincolnshire to ride the line to Skegness to tick off three Least Served stations, and find out what the least served stations in the country are. I'm so old that I can remember when Stockport to Stalybridge had a proper service and was a useful ... (more) |
Kent Police has admitted ignoring intelligence on Dover disruptionKent Police has admitted receiving intelligence about a planned disruption in Dover four days before it took place, reports Metro: A woman has said she warned police about the masked mass protest in Dover days before it happened, despite officers calling it 'spontaneous'. Kent Police has been criticised for its 'slow response' after hundreds of masked protestors in balaclavas wearing all-black halted traffic at the port on Saturday. The force defended their handling of the 'spontaneous protest', but Metro has spoken to an anti-racism campaigner who said officers should have been more prepared. In a statement to Metro, Kent Police ... (more) |
The executions continue in IranI have been on holiday for the last few days which has given me the opportunity not only to do a little sleeping drinking eating and sunning but also to catch up on what's been going on with the news outside Liverpool. Some of the news has been quite encouraging particularly that relating to Donald Trump and America's Republican Party. There seems to be little doubt now that the Democrats will do well in the midterm elections and clip the wings of Donald J Trump. In some ways his policies have descended and become farcical. Renaming Lake Ontario, as like ... (more) |
Traffic Cop Nick Lovatt sacked after committing more than 20 driving offencesEmbed from Getty ImagesThe Derby Telegraph wins our Headline of the Day Award. On one occasion, the fellow officer who stopped him is reported to have said: "Who do we think we are, sir? The police and crime commissioner for Nottinghamshire?" (more) |