Why Andy Burnham would be foolish to turn his back on LondonThe much-vaunted "Manchesterism" of our new Prime Minister is starting to take its national shape, with his early policy pledges and the appointment of his Cabinet. It's a relentless focus on the cost of living – cuts to VAT on energy bills and a £2 cap on bus fares – paired with a jaunty wardrobe and a flair for social media. Burnham wants the public to see him as somehow more 'real' and more 'in touch' than his aloof predecessor. But Burnham's diagnosis of the ills of the nation – and the action needed to address them – amounts to ... (more) |
From Britain's Mandate to Gaza's Board of Peace: when others decide Palestine's future, Palestinians pay the priceThe failure of the Gaza peace process reflects a recurring problem in the international approach to Palestine: powerful actors repeatedly claim the authority to shape Palestinians' future, make sweeping yet undeliverable promises... and when those promises fail to materialise, Palestinians face the consequences. In January, President Trump's son-in law Jared Kushner unveiled an ambitious plan for a "New Gaza" filled with gleaming high-rise towers, a revitalised coastline and tourist-packed beaches. Six months later, no meaningful reconstruction has taken place, and hundreds of thousands of Palestinians continue to live in cramped, unsanitary tents that have become breeding grounds for disease and ... (more) |
Lord Bonkers' Diary: The nation's prison governorsWith this final postcard from Trescothick Bay, our latest week with Lord Bonkers' Diary draws to a close. What did become of Freddie and Fiona? What should the Liberal Democrats' new strategy be? Who will win the 2.30 at Wincanton? The answers to these questions will no doubt be revealed when next we visit Bonkers Hall. Sunday My long career in public life has convinced me of an important truth: a man who will cheat at golf will cheat at anything. It was therefore no surprise to me when President Trump - can that really be his name? - pressured ... (more) |
Council by-election win for Lib Dems in marginal Westminster seatFive principal authority council by-elections this week plus the one for the Mayor of Greater Manchester. Let's start with a Lib Dem defence in a ward that's located in just the sort of Parliamentary seat the party needs to win in order to prosper at the next general election: Hedge End South (Eastleigh) Council By-Election Result: [IMG: 🔶] LDM: 46.1% (+2.7) [IMG: 🌳] CON: 25.0% (+4.1) [IMG: ➡] RFM: 18.8% (-8.2) [IMG: 🌍] GRN: 8.4% (-0.3) [IMG: 🌹] LAB: 1.7% (New)Liberal Democrat HOLD.Changes w/ 2026. — Election Maps UK (@electionmaps.uk) 2026-07-30T23:17:25.164Z As well as the Mayor contest, there is one ... (more) |
Foxes need to be humble - ChaplinBBC Sport wins our Headline of the Day Award. Personally, I've not heard many complaints about foxes being overproud. They more often involve dustbins. (more) |
Rural Communities working group - so, let the fun begin...It would be fair to say that even my best friends wouldn't describe me as a policy wonk. Yes, I've been known to come up with a compromise or two at ALDE Party events where policy making can resemble speed dating for ideas, but actual serious policy making is not an area of the Party's activities that has been graced by this liberal bureaucrat. That is, until now. A few weeks ago, having read a piece in Liberal Democrat Voice seeking applicants for places on a new Rural Communities policy working group, it dawned on me that someone from the ... (more) |
Is this progress on social care or a false dawn?The Independent reports on Andy Burnham's challenge to the other political parties to help him fix social care, a plea that the Liberal Democrats have been making for some considerable time. The new Labour prime minister held a summit in Downing Street on Wednesday with Tory leader Kemi Badenoch and Lib Dem leader Ed Davey to begin the process of thrashing out a way to deliver social care before it collapses the NHS. As John Crace writes in the Guardian, this issue is personal for Burnham, as it is for Davey and for a lot of us too. Crace says ... (more) |
Council by-election results scorecard 2026-2027Here's the tally of seats changing hands in principal authority council by-elections held between the May 2026 and the May 2027 local elections: Con Lab Lib Dem Green Reform SNP Plaid Ind/ Other Net Con [9] +1 (+1/0) +1 (+3/-2) -1 (0/-1) -2 (+3/-5) -1 (0/-1) – +2 (+3/-1) 0 Lab -1 (0/-1) [8] – -1 (+2/-3) -3 (+2/-5) – – +1 (+1/0) -4 Lib Dem -1 (+2/-3) – [15] +1 (+1/0) – -1 (0/-1) – +1 (+1/0) 0 Grn +1 (+1/0) +1 (+3/-2) -1 (0/-1) [6] – – – – +1 Ref +2 (+5/-3) +3 (+5/-2) – – [5] ... (more) |
Will Nigel Farage be made to pay for sharing that photograph?Here's an unexpected twist: the man who took the photograph of that "Making plans for Nigel" T-shirt is suing people - one N. Farage in particular - for using his work. It has, after all, been spread all over the internet. Alan Robertshaw, whose videos I post here occasionally, takes the opportunity to give us a quick guide to copyright law. My advice to fellow bloggers is to steer clear of photographs from the big agencies that cater for newspapers, because they will find you and invoice you. (more) |
Trapped pigeon freed from netting under bridge in Shrewsbury with 'verbal encouragement' by firefightersOur Headline of the Day Award goes to an old friend of this blog, the Shropshire Star. When I showed the judges this photograph, which has the bridge in question at its centre, albeit in the background, they said: "Oh well, I suppose it will have to do." (more) |