The Joy of Six 1533James Ball argues that Labour's social media ban for teenagers is an admission of total and utter failure to govern online spaces: "The UK government has lots of powers to govern the internet that it simply isn't using. Hosting images of child abuse is a strict liability offence, one that Elon Musk's X platform blatantly breached with its Grok chatbot. The government gave itself extensive powers to regulate social platforms under the Online Safety Act, which it has never even made an attempt to enforce." "This week contained two stories, which dominated the headlines. One took place on the streets ... (more) |
Separation of Powers and Civil Liberties in the UK are now at breaking pointWe need to discuss, as a Party, how we are going to put ourselves forward in defence of civil liberties. In March 2024, I, along with my girlfriend, helped a friend move from Wales to London, because we had access to a van and were looking for an excuse to meet up and hang out. On the long drive along the M4, we had several long discussions about my friend's unique experiences, notably in refugee volunteering and work in the charity sector. These conversations have shaped my identity as a Radical Social Liberal. Suffice to say, that car journey had ... (more) |
Welcome to my day: 15 June 2026 - some boldness on Europe... at last...So, I ought to declare an interest as a former member of the Party's Federal International Relations Committee, and a member of the Liberal Democrat European Group on and off over the years. You might therefore imagine that I'd be pleased that Ed Davey is finally talking about our future as a member of the European Union. I'd put it more as relieved, though, as it's been an open door that we've rather shied away from in recent years. Now I do get it, in that calling for us to renew our membership too soon was a risk – remember ... (more) |
Have resignations led to a rethink?The Independent reports that the government is taking another look at its defence investment plan after John Healey dramatically resigned earlier this week, accusing the prime minister of being "unwilling to commit the resources" needed to keep Britain safe. The paper says that indications of a rethink came after cabinet minister Lisa Nandy suggested that more money would be allocated for defence, saying she did not believe Mr Healey's replacement Dan Jarvis "would have taken the job were he not confident that we could meet the moment": No 10 sources suggested the defence investment plan has been reopened in the ... (more) |
High Fell leaflet watch (2)In the last few weeks, since the by-election was called in High Fell in Gateshead, residents of the ward must be feeling that they have received more leaflets than in the previous 25 years! And not only have the Conservatives produced a leaflet, out pops a second one.Conservative candidate Mr Flux reports in this latest edition that he is still cleaning road signs. But what is of more interest is (more) |
No, Leave didn't win the Brexit referendum because of Northern working class votersThere are so many myths, and so much snobbery, surrounding the result of the 2016 referendum that I've a good mind to post this every week. (more) |
Actually, this Summer of Strategy could be quite good...Party President Josh Babarinde wrote to all members and on this site this week inviting us to share our views on the development of the party strategy which will be debated at our Brighton Conference in September. The consultation process involves a Typeform which has to be completed by this Thursday and 3 online consultation sessions over this weekend. The final one is tomorrow night at 5:30pm and I can promise you that if you go to it, you will retain your will to live and will feel that your time has been well spent. This is not usually the ... (more) |
Lord Bonkers: "Something less terrible than the truth"G.K. Chesterton was a brilliant literary critic and there's an observation of his on Dickens that I've quoted more than once in print:It seems almost as if these grisly figures, Mrs. Chadband and Mrs. Clennam, Miss Havisham, and Miss Flite, Nemo and Sally Brass, were keeping something back from the author as well as from the reader. When the book closes we do not know their real secret. They soothed the optimistic Dickens with something less terrible than the truth.I have an uneasy feeling that Lord Bonkers sometimes soothes me with something less terrible than the truth. (more) |
The most Lib Dem question ever?It's 2070 and at a Royal Mail sorting depot in London, staff gather to wish a very special person a Happy 100th Birthday. Mark Pack (no longer a Lord since he helped ensure the abolition of the House of Lords in the late 2040s during the first majority Lib Dem administration in 140 years led by Eleanor Kelly) had become something of a hero to the Royal Mail workers over the years. Back in June 2026, Mark Pack had asked the most Lib Dem of questions in the House of Lords, on one of the party's key obsessions: When the ... (more) |
Aidan O'Rourke: Mangersta BeachI loved the Outer Hebrides and this music - Mangersta Beach is on the west coast of Lewis - captures the feel of a landscape that somehow feels half Scottish and half Irish. So it's no surprise to find Aidan O'Rourke saying in an interview:My dad plays banjo - he had immersed himself in the Glasgow folk scene of the late 1960s, which was a hotbed of political fervour as well as music. When he left Glasgow and moved to Oban, he brought with him that interest in Irish and Scottish music, and a lot of the political affiliation within ... (more) |