It's Cup fever deja vu all over again...

Last season, I found myself in an unexpected dream of footballing glory as plucky Needham Market FC made their way through the rounds of the FA Vase to the semi-finals, where they were eventually beaten by the eventual winners, Kirkham and Wesham FC, over two legs. It was a great dream whilst it lasted, but a small town with a population of less than 5,000 at Wembley? Unlikely, eh?

But the team won't lie down, and they're clearly up for another tilt this year. In November, the campaign started with a narrow 1-0 win over Northampton Spencer in front of 175 hardy souls. St Neots Town fell 4-3 in the third round in front of 219, before the draw everyone dreaded, AFC Fylde (formerly Kirkham and Wesham FC). At least it was at home, but the Lancastrians snatched a 0-0 draw in front of 320 spectators and an away game didn't look promising. And yet, and yet... with enthusiastic travelling support, and the game moved due to problems with the Fylde pitch, the gallant Reds stole away with a 2-1 victory to stun a crowd of 457, earning yet another home draw against Ridgeons League rivals Dereham Town.

At the second attempt, the match was played on something of a gluepot, but Needham Market were worthy 2-1 winners in front of 448 mostly happy fans. And so to the quarter-finals. Joy of joys, another home draw, this time against Chalfont St Peter on 28 February. 

Unfortunately, I won't be there, as I'll be at the South East/South Central joint Regional Conference, but my thoughts will stray towards Bloomfields at about 3 p.m...

Liberal Youth: in adversity, strength

I have to admit that I'm suddenly rather impressed. I comment on Liberal Youth and, as if by magic, they demonstrate exactly why one could be optimistic about their future.

I have been approached by a number of key Liberal Youth personnel, each of them pointing out some element of recent efforts that address some of my concerns. It seems that there are all sorts of things going on to streamline processes, improve communication and increase delivery capacity. As an office holder of Liberal Youth, albeit a somewhat elderly one, I'm pleased to see this.

My Deputy Returning Officer, the estimable Erlend Watson, tells me that he was impressed by the qualities displayed by candidates in the hustings, and I am told that I can look forward to seeing them for myself in due course.

My only disappointment is that there are those who seem to take great delight in stirring things up. Why is someone called Tory Bear being fed a somewhat partial version of events, designed to discredit the organisation? Indeed, who is doing it and to what end? It must be assumed that such an individual is not a friend of Liberal Youth, or hopelessly naïve, to supply the enemy with information in such a manner.

We also have a RON (reopen nominations) campaign, it appears. I'm often troubled by such campaigns, as they tend to be negative by their very nature. However, it is permitted to run such a campaign, as long as it doesn't breach the anti-negative campaigning rules laid down by Liberal Youth's constitution, so I await events with a keen interest.

Preparations are well under way for the issue of ballot papers and manifesto booklets, so the debate over who is best qualified to take Liberal Youth into the future will widen further. I hope that we'll see the best of Liberal Youth in the coming weeks, and after the events of the past week, I'm quietly confident that we will.

Derek Draper vs the blogosphere

The latest development in young Draper's war against the blogosphere is an interesting one, if worrying to defenders of free speech.

The first salvo, accusing Iain Dale and Guido Fawkes of racism or, at the very least, pandering to it, seemed to be cliched but effective. It got everyone talking about him, put Iain and Guido on the defensive to some extent but rallied support for his opponents. So far, not so good.

Now don't get me wrong, there are some fairly vile people posting comments on Guido's blog in particular. I tend to the view that Guido's view of the world coarsens political debate to the point where you might wonder whether there were any principled individuals left at any level of government. Further, I am convinced that the fact that most of these individuals post under pseudonyms frees them to be far more offensive than they might be if their identity was known.

Many of them are, however, not racist, or at least, not overtly so. If there were more ethnic minority members of the Cabinet, we might see a different 'face', but, whilst their language is pretty ugly, there is little evidence of what one might definitively describe as racism. The problem is that, by tolerating such abuse, Guido does effectively provide a platform for them.

Iain doesn't permit such behaviour. Whilst he is pretty partisan, so am I, so nothing wrong there. Occasionally, his sense of humour goes astray, mostly when he hasn't quite worked out all of the implications of a posting but he's pretty quick to offer an apology when he's wrong and honest enough to hold his hands up.

So what would Derek do next? Now this is where a sense of evil genius kicks in, the idea of a multi-layered attack on the lifeblood of the really serious bloggers, cutting off the income stream. First, pressure advertisers by threatening them that their association with known racists will damage their brand, then threaten those behind the conduit of advertising to a range of bloggers, in this case Alex Hilton, 'Recess Monkey' and key player behind both LabourHome and Message Space.

It's classic in its simplicity, entirely consistent with the boycotting tradition of the radical left and guaranteed to keep Derek in the public eye. Labour have maximum deniability due to his somewhat damaged credibility (sorry Derek, but you did get a bit above yourself in the early days...), and the likes of Iain and Guido find themselves on the back foot (sorry guys, but you really are, at least for the time being...). Given the weakness of the Labour blogosphere, combined with the increasing lazy 'dead tree media', the idea of causing Conservative bloggers to at least ponder a degree of self-censorship can only serve to take a little pressure off of the Government. Not much, I suspect, as Labour activists don't really comprehend the real influence of bloggers - not as much as some of our number would have you believe.

The problem is that such a strategy only really succeeds from a position of moral strength against an idea or group who are generally accepted to be beyond the pale. Of all people, given Derek's career highlights, he probably fails to meet the moral strength criteria. A self-confessed Labour insider with a record of pressurising journalists is less than likely to seize the moral high ground.

If it was just Guido, his target might just be deemed as being beyond the pale by the court of public opinion, if it wasn't for the fact that he strikes gold just often enough to establish a degree of credibility. Besides, in attacking a government which seems to know no bounds in its efforts to take away our basic freedoms, he is reflecting a popular zeitgeist.

So I find myself in the uncomfortable position of wanting to defend the right of an individual to launch an advertiser boycott whilst despising his attempts to threaten a fellow blogger or two, whilst also defending the right of a fairly unpleasant individual to propagate a message of destructive cynicism which, if left unchecked, devalues our political culture and weakens our society.

Ultimately though, principles have to rise to the surface. Derek, you're wrong in your approach, wrong to use threats against individuals to attain your goals and wrong in your desire to silence a voice which makes you and those you purport uncomfortable. In a free society, we establish laws which delineate the types of behaviour which is offensive to the broader community. If Guido breaks them, use the law to stop him. Otherwise, leave him to his own devices.

The problem, you see, is that two can play at this game. A political movement on its way out is far more vulnerable than one on the rise and, if you've spent any time looking at the sheer hatred displayed by some of the more rabid Guido posters, you will realise that, given the opportunity, they will do anything to stop you, and your colleagues, from regrouping after your defeat at a General Election.

I have been increasingly saddened by the vitriolic tone of politics in this country in recent years, and maintained a fond, if increasingly forlorn, hope that the Internet could encourage a renaissance of ideas and substance over spin and soundbite. If all it does is release the restraints of civility that demonstrate our qualities as human beings, there is little hope for the civil society that so many of the protagonists in this conflict claim to be fighting for.

Make mine a bottle of badly labelled beer

As a Valentine's Day treat, Ros arranged for us to take a tour of the St Peter's Brewery in St Peter South Elmham, one of a clutch of hamlets named after their church - there are five South Elmhams in close proximity, south of Bungay, near the Norfolk border.

The tour itself is pretty basic, although our guide, John, was excellent value and great entertainment. For those who don't know much about how beer is made, it was sufficiently informative for Ros to learn the meaning of 'cask conditioned' but not so technical that you needed an 'O' level in Chemistry to understand it.

The tasting session afterwards was very pleasant, with a variety of the brewery's products available for tasting, and very good they were too. So much so that we were inclined to buy some of their fine products for further research later. We were then introduced to one of the benefits of visiting a brewery.

Labelling machines do go wrong from time to time and, naturally, supermarkets and the like don't want to have poorly labelled products on their shelves. So the brewery boxes up these rejects and sells them in boxes of eight at a notably reduced price. Frankly, as long as I know what it is, the state of the label doesn't matter, so Ros and I are now the proud possessor of twelve bottles of Old Style Porter plus eight each of Golden Ale, Ruby Red Ale and Grapefruit Fruit Beer.

That should keep us going for a while...

25 random things about me... the Empire strikes back

Mark tells me that this is all the rage, so here goes...

1. My middle names are Serena Isabella Caterina Grimnar - when your family has links to most other royal families, you tend to want to keep in with them...


2. In 1957, I won the European Under-18 whitewater rafting championship, aged 8.


3. My first pet was a marine iguana. I called him Iggy.


4. When Ludwig and I awarded Mark the Knight Cross of Amaranth with oak leaves, I had drunk so much champagne that I called him Franz all evening. He was very good about it.


5. I took skiing lessons some years ago. My ski instructor was a young man called Nick but he didn't last very long...


6. I love madrigal singing, and am a stalwart of the Amaranth team at international events.


7. My cousin Jaime was the junior member of the military junta that ran a small Latin American country. He has never admitted which one it was.


8. Amongst my directorships is one for the company that owns the exploitation rights for Stephen Tall across Oceania.


9. Rupert, my eldest son, has been treated for his psychopathic condition. Apparently, the most successful treatment was to join the Conservative Party...


10. My father-in-law owns a large tract of rainforest in Central America with the aim of protecting the giant sloth.


11. I zorb, therefore I am.


12. In my spare time, I sit on the Amaranth Electoral Commission. We haven't found a way to introduce plurality into national politics here because the Authentic Radical Liberal Party repeatedly gain over 99% of the vote.


13. I was forced to take tennis lessons as a child - it didn't work because I couldn't understand why someone was hitting the ball back at me.


14. My favourite job was the one I did for a few years in the mid-eighties as the SDP MP for Greenwich - you wondered what had happened to Rosie Barnes, didn't you. The rabbit was delicious.


15. I like to hunt endangered animals... with my camera... My friend Carol then paints them - it makes it easier to recognise them later but I'm not sure that a tiger should be purple.


16. My doctoral thesis was on peach schnapps and innovative uses for it - I met my future husband, Ludwig, in the course of my research.


17. I share a hair colourist with a leading Liberal Democrat blogger.


18. My favourite traditional Amaranth event is the feast day of St Catherine, marked with virgins, garlic and red wine. We import the virgins from Romania, but I'm not sure about the quality in recent years - they have a terrible urge to sing... terribly.


19. I have a gall bladder called Rex.


20. In 1965, I was chosen to fill a vacancy on the Security Council of the United Nations, aged 16.


21. I have an intern to help me with answering my post. His name is David Milliband and his hobbies include being Foreign Secretary of your country. At least, that's what he tells me.


22. In the 1970's, I ran a spy ring from an office in the Kremlin. If the Soviets had found out who I was spying on, they would have been somewhat upset.


23. When I am stressed, I like to take my pet monitor lizards, Martin and Huw, for a walk. They may have a nasty habit of biting and killing people, but they're big softies really.


24. Every Saturday afternoon, at half past two, come rain or shine, I put on any old clothes and I'm an ordinary person...


25. I am part of a secret team of celebrities who write Iain Dale's blog

Liberal Youth: campaigning hots up

Well, it's been less than three days since nominations closed, and much has happened already. I've been bombarded with invitations to join Facebook groups, questions about process and general organisational stuff. And I'm the Returning Officer...

The Spring Conference takes place this weekend at the University of Warwick, just outside Coventry and, if you're a member of Liberal Youth, try to get along if you can. There will be hustings, although I encourage members to put their questions directly to the candidates whenever an opportunity arises.

After the Conference, the formal ballot will take place, with a manifesto booklet and ballot papers for members to peruse and complete. At the end of March, the count will take place in Cowley Street, and I will announce the result as soon as I can after it is concluded.

Let the best candidates win...

Boris blows a fuse...

It would appear that Keith Vaz has managed to upset Boris Johnson to the point where, in a telephone conversation between the two men, the latter "launched an X-rated tirade" at the former.

Now I freely admit that Keith Vaz frequently irritates me, it's something about his style, I suppose, but he was quite legitimately seeking clarification after Boris's stellar performance in front of the Home Affairs Select Committee. This is only to be expected after Boris fluffed his lines as badly as he did, providing a series of variations on the facts.

Boris may not have been my choice for Mayor, but his eccentricities added to the gaiety of nations. Now, however, we discover that he is a foul-mouthed oik, perhaps ill-suited to the role as chief diplomat for London. I expected him to be harmless if ineffectual. I also expected a series of gaffes. I didn't expect him to interfere with police investigations and abuse Members of Parliament.

It's high time that the gloves came off, and that we really test Boris to see who he really is, methinks...

Liberal Youth elections: Returning Officer ruling no.1

As part of a move towards improving the transparency of elections within Liberal Youth, there follows the full text of my first communication to candidates...

Dear All,

Firstly, may I welcome you to the process of electing the new Officers and Executive Committee of Liberal Youth. As the Returning Officer, my job is to steer you all from close of nominations to declaration of the results on 31 March.

I attach a copy of the Constitution of Liberal Youth, and refer you to Article 9 which defines the framework within which these elections will be run. Failure to read them will not be accepted as an excuse if you breach the Rules, I fear, so do take the time to familiarise yourselves with them.

Now that nominations have closed, I must advise you as to a series of rulings that have been sought as follows:

Membership Lists, access to

It had been my intention to make these available to candidates, subject to completion and return of a data protection certificate. Unfortunately, Article 9.15 (a) forbids me from doing so. For the record, I believe that this restriction may have implications in terms of equality of access to information, but the Constitution is quite explicit. I may return to this point after the elections are completed.

Endorsements

I am currently involved in reviewing the Parliamentary Candidate Selection Rules, which gives me an opportunity to use you as guinea pigs. I intend to take that opportunity by declaring that the inclusion of Party 'celebrities' etc in photographs in manifestos is not deemed to represent endorsement unless explicitly stated. It is my intention that a statement be included prominently in the manifesto booklet to this effect.

Please note that there is one exception, the Liberal Youth Administrator, Paul Pettinger. It is the convention that Party staff remain neutral in internal Party elections, and it is my intention to protect that neutrality as far as I can.

Explicit endorsements shall be vouched and, if challenged, written evidence provided to me as Returning Officer. Any unverifiable endorsement shall be treated as a breach of Article 9.15 (h), and lead to disqualification.

This means that endorsements are allowed, especially given that the Constitution does not rule them out.

Facebook

Candidates may set up Facebook groups in support of their candidacy, and are asked to invite me to join, so that I might monitor them in the event of a complaint.

Hustings

I will rule tomorrow on the amount of time available for speeches following consultation with Paul, bearing in mind the availability of time within the agenda for the weekend.

That's it in terms of general rulings thus far. There are some other issues but I will take these up individually, as they are issues pertaining to accuracy, or application of a specific Rule.

If you have any questions, I can be reached by any of the means below. I would be grateful if you could keep contact during work hours to a minimum, as I do have a full-time job drinking blood and eating babies on behalf of HM Revenue & Customs...

Good luck to all of you. I will post a full list of candidates on my blog and on the Liberal Youth website in due course.

The unbearable lightness of Liberal Youth: the Returning Officer's cut

Having just completed a lengthy review of the Liberal Youth constitution and then issued a bunch of election rulings, I am a mite weary this morning, especially as my rulings were issued in the early hours.

It is interesting to operate with a set of rules which leave vast areas of doubt and uncertainty. There is no guidance about endorsements, and given the apparently general assumption that these are barred - indeed, they are in most internal Party elections and selections - the ensuing debate about the use of photographs with celebrities in them rather misses the point in this instance.

I have therefore chosen to assume that inclusion in a photograph does not imply endorsement unless said individual explicitly endorses the candidate whose manifesto it is in. It is my intention that this assumption is clearly stated in the manifesto booklet. The flip side of this ruling is that, if an explicit endorsement is claimed, it must be vouched by the endorser on pain of disqualification. And yes, for the avoidance of doubt, I really mean it.

Use of Facebook is in. I want candidates to use the free tools available to them. I want members to be able to engage with candidates. I want experimentation, initiative and imagination because these are the sort of skills that can make radical organisations work more effectively, achieve more and make more of an impression.

It hasn't all been as I would wish. The Rules explicitly prevent the membership list from being made available to candidates for purposes of campaigning, and I'll be looking at this again after the conclusion of the elections. I do think that this hands some individuals a potential advantage but my hands are tied.

Lastly, what I would like to see is a campaign of ideas, of proposals and of commitment. What I don't want to see is negative campaigning, abuse and cheap shots. I don't approve of it and, of course, I have the authority to do something about it.

So watch this space, as I'll be using this blog from time to time to report on the campaign...

Local Government Review - Norfolk and Suffolk: County elections likely in June as Boundary Commission accidentally shoots itself in the foot

We were expecting to hear the final proposals for Norfolk and Suffolk this month but, following a partly successful application for judicial review of the review process in Devon by East Devon District Council, the Boundary Commission will now report to Hazel Blears on 15 July.

It appears that the Boundary Commission were of the view that they could only offer one proposal. Surely they haven't been influenced by the New Labour version of choice, have they?

Braving the elements in North East Hertfordshire

I have to admit that Friday night's Presidential visit was not necessarily ill-starred, but it felt like it at times.

The original plan had been to drive from London, attend the dinner, and then drive to Suffolk. However, last Monday's snow put paid to that idea and, instead, we were forced to improvise.

Continued snowfall on Friday had led to the early closure of the Revenue & Customs office in Hitchen, which hardly boded well for either attendance or our ability to get there and back, but we set off optimistically, Ros from Watford and I from Euston. Our journeys coalesced at Stevenage and we were only four minutes late at Baldock, where John and Linda White were there to pick us up and convey us to Cottered, where the village hall was our venue.

A very good meal was served, a lentil soup followed by roast lamb with stuffing, roast potatoes and some well-cooked but not overdone vegetables, before Ros spoke to those present.

John then ran us back to Baldock, where we caught the train back to London with seconds to spare. When we got back to Kingsbury, we discovered that Arriva had suspended all bus services in Hertfordshire.

A great night out though, and many thanks to all in North East Hertfordshire Liberal Democrats for making it happen!

How many countries does Mozambique have a border with?

Wednesday night saw Ros and I in Brentford for the Brentford & Isleworth Quiz Night, fish and chip supper thrown in. Ros was there to give a speech and I was there... because I could be. Besides, I should be there to make sure that she gets home safely, right?

After the speech, the quiz got started, and I have to say that the difficulty of the questions was notable. I normally fancy myself at a quiz night, but these were tough ones, almost as tough as the evening I spent with Duncan, Grace, Jessica and David in Lewisham and Beckenham North two years ago. Luckily, because of the journey home, we couldn't stay long enough to take part, so my reputation in such things remained unblemished.

I was impressed by the fish and chips though. Served in individual boxes, and delivered straight from the shop, they were warm, tasty and filling. I've never seen anyone attempt that before, but it's certainly a good idea.

The journey home was much smoother than one might have feared. We just caught a bus to Gunnersbury, just caught the connecting train to Brondesbury, before just catching the number 32 bus to home.

On our way, we also ran into the new Chair of Camden Borough Liberal Democrats, Elizabeth Stanton-Jones. She has recently celebrated the award of an OBE to her son, Nick, our Leader on Southwark Council, for services to local government. Well deserved, if you ask me...

Another day, another unfunded mandate. Say goodnight, Mr Burnham...

In the excitement following our various Olympic triumphs, the Government decided that we should encourage swimming as a means to improve the health of the nation. Free swimming for the under-16's and over-65's, that was the plan.

And now, surprise, surprise, we discover that the funding is only guaranteed for two years and is so paltry that 143 local authorities have decided that they cannot take up the offer because the resultant loss of income exceeds the proposed grant. Best of all, irony of irony, Mansfield, the home of double Olympic champion Rebecca Adlington, is one of those opting out in the face of a £400,000 shortfall.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm entirely in favour of encouraging greater fitness and better health amongst the populace. However, this is yet another instance where the Government makes an announcement in pursuit of a cheap, favourable headline, without any real thought for the consequences. Their hope, it seems, is that local councils will take the rap - how many councils does Labour run now? - and the Government can walk away, regretting their unwillingness to cooperate.

Government is about taking hard decisions. It is also about honesty. When Government ministers forget these two self-evident truths, it's time to go. The Secretary of State for Culture, Media & Sport doesn't get that. Time to go, Andy...

Kill the wabbit, kill the wabbit...

Elmer Fudd may have been spot on in his intent, if not in his execution, if you'll pardon the pun.

Yes, we're back in Suffolk. To celebrate, we decided to have a nice home-cooked meal, and went to our local farm shop for something to eat. Unexpectedly, they had some wild rabbit, so it was agreed that a stew was what was called for.

Whilst Ros chopped vegetables (including carrots, of course), I was outside spraying the external surfaces of the shed with wood preservative - yes, another new skill for this urban bureaucrat. The unfamiliar sight of sunshine made the afternoon that much more pleasant and, once I'd mastered the technique, the job was done quite quickly. I even had time to treat some of the fence panels before Ros decided that she fancied a go too.

Then indoors for the rest of the evening, playing on the Wii for a while before eating the rabbit stew. One of the great things about rabbit is that it is very lean but, even better, it's very reasonably priced here in the country. One rabbit, with enough meat to feed two, costs about £3.50. Cooked at a low temperature for about four hours with a variety of root vegetables and a handful of puy lentils, and served with roast potatoes (25kg for £6.99) and you've got a meal fit for a baroness.

Then time to read the newspapers, a bit more time on the Wii (new personal best on the shooting range for me) and time for bed...

If it's good enough for Labour: Labour politician watch

This Government, and all of its elected officials, believe that we should be monitored. Alright then, two can play at that game.

Therefore, you are courteously requested to take part in an exercise. If you see a Labour MP, MEP, MSP, AM or councillor, use your blog, or Facebook, or Twitter, or whatever, to publish the location of that person and, if possible, what they are doing. Be accurate, and there is nothing to fear.

They can have no complaint. After all, they are of the view that we have nothing to fear from the surveillance society that we live in and, surely, they aren't guilty of anything (unless you know different, of course).

Oh yes, pass this request on, the more of us the merrier...

"We know what you're saying, we know what you're writing... and now we know where you're going"

According to today's Sunday Times, the Government is building a secret database to track and hold the international travel records of everyone in this country. Well, apart from the fact that it isn't a secret any more, is there no point when the British rise up as a nation and say, "Mind your own business, nosey parkers!"?

Apparently, this new database will be enable government agencies to, amongst other things, monitor presence in the United Kingdom for tax residence purposes, child absences from school during term time and even who your travelling companion is.

What that implies in sharing of information between central government and local government (who else is likely to want to act if you take your kids to Spain in November?), and heaven only knows who else. And worst of all, this information will be retained for ten years.

Now I can actually see the benefit of having this information. Those claiming to be non-resident for tax purposes, those who are under suspicion of illegal activities might well be worthy targets for surveillance, but the rest of us?

In the case of non-residents, if you tell them that, as a condition of claiming the status, they must accept that they will be monitored, it acts both as policing and deterrent. Indeed, non-residents get something in return for the 'inconvenience'.

Otherwise, we should treat this database like the DNA register - no right to retain information beyond the return journey unless there is legitimate suspicion of criminality, and only then if it has been approved by some form of accountable authority.

This Government continues to operate on the basis that we are all likely to be guilty of something. Accordingly, we all need to be monitored so that, when we inevitably commit a crime, we can be tried and found guilty without delay. Well, I've had enough.

If this level of surveillance is good enough for me, it's good enough for Labour politicians. I've had an idea...

Derek Draper - getting his canvass data in early?

There has been much puzzlement, and not a little anger, with the recent activities of Derek Draper who, in following Iain Dale's Twitter feed and then deciding to follow everyone who follows it, has impressed upon many that he doesn't really get it. Alright, it should be said that, from his perspective, there is little to be lost by annoying a bunch of Tories and Lib Dems. One presumes that he is learning something from this.

It is interesting though that his appearance coincides with Labour proposals to monitor and retain our e-mail correspondence. Now I'm not a conspiracy theorist - who needs one when you have Guido and his band of cranky, foul-mouthed renegades - but I'm astonished that nobody has suggested that the two are linked.

Naturally, access to the e-mail addresses and written thoughts of millions of citizens would give any who had it a unique perspective on the way we think, would allow them to accurately determine political allegiances and to eavesdrop on internal party communications. How could anyone believe that our Government, or a Government of the future, could ever abuse such a database? Who would believe that such data could be lost, stolen or even sold? Perhaps, as a Revenue & Customs official, I shouldn't answer that question...

Alright, I'm not being entirely serious, partly because I just can't believe that such a thing would happen. However, if you create a tool, it is not unreasonable to think that someone might use it.

Returning to Derek Draper though, his rather blundering efforts thus far have providing some entertainment. I for one don't presume that he has some Svengali-like influence over the Labour Party's e-campaigning - let's face it, he's had a rather overblown sense of his own importance for some time.

So, let him build a reputation. If it is a positive one, he'll become a counterbalance to the blogging legions of the Right. If it is negative, he'll achieve a degree of notoriety, and a solid if unspectacular readership base, until someone better comes along. The blogosphere needs a credible multiplicity of views, and for all of his failings as displayed so far, if he helps to provide a platform for new, fresh voices, we may end up owing him a small debt of gratitude.

How we pick a candidate for Mayor of London - starting the debate

Alright, it is true that I said that I would write a motion to go to the London Region Conference on the question of how we select our Mayoral candidate for 2012. Why should I feel moved to do so? Well, I'm kind of unhappy about the way the debate is being steered at the moment, and rather less happy about the way that the decision has seemingly been made with the views of four people, one of whom has subsequently quit the Party.

That said, there are options, each of which will have its supporters. Me, I just want a proper debate so that those of us who will be expected to work for the candidate, whenever he or she emerges. However, we've also had some issues regarding our Regional List, so why not 'kill two birds with one stone'. So, here goes...

Picking Mayoral and Assembly Candidates for London

Conference notes the disappointing outcome of the 2008 Mayoral and London Assembly campaigns, where the Party lost two Assembly seats and polled below expectations. One factor contributing to that underachievement was the lack of cohesion between the Mayoral campaign and that for the Assembly.

Conference also notes the controversy caused by our selection process for the constituencies and the Regional List.

Therefore, Conference calls for stronger linkage between the campaign for Mayor of London and those for the Regional List and the GLA constituencies, and for a selection timetable and process which encourages fairer competition and reflects diversity within our community by:

1. Establishing a direct link between the Regional List and the Mayoral campaign by making the candidate at the top of our Regional List our Mayoral candidate.
2. Ensuring that the Regional List is selected prior to the constituencies.
3. By removing restrictions that prevent candidates from demonstrating their ability to campaign during the selection process.
4. By providing training for potential candidates in fighting internal region-wide selections.
5. By encouraging potential candidates to come forward by means of an organised outreach process.

Those are my opening thoughts. Amendments and suggestions via comments please...

Credit card providers cutting people off at the knees

I consider myself incredibly fortunate, in that I have a dread aversion to debt, mostly thanks to my parents, whose eminently sensible approach to money has rubbed off on their eldest child.

Accordingly, I treat credit cards as a convenience rather than a loan and pay off my bill in full every month. If ever I needed a reminder that this is an excellent strategy, it came recently when my credit card provider sent me details of their new terms.

As of April, any payments made will set first against those amounts attracting the lowest rate of interest, thus allowing them to extract the maximum amount of interest out of you and, in the process, making it even more difficult for those in financial difficulties to extract themselves from their dilemma.

I accept that the days of cheap, freely accessable credit are probably over, and that less and less of us will be permitted to take out credit cards in future, bringing us into line with our continental cousins. However, I don't imagine that credit card companies see it as 'doing us a favour'.

There is a wonderful irony at work here. When times were good, credit card companies were delighted to increase our credit limits and tell us about all the wonderful things we could do with our newly found access to a line of credit, those adverts for Mastercard being but one example - flight to Barbados £600, new swimwear £45, interest to be paid on holiday you couldn't actually afford... er, priceless? Now we are being told that, regardless of our payment history, we should be reined back. Who, might I ask, tempted us into mass foolishness in the first place?

Over the years, my credit limit seemed to rise exponentially as though the better behaved I was, the more temptation they would put in my way. Indeed, I discovered at one point that I had a credit limit five times that of the then Chancellor of the Exchequer (although given Norman Lamont's tendancy towards illfortune, probably a good call). And now that they've discovered that I don't have limitless wealth, my credit limit is being 're-evaluated', shorthand for 'being cut'. Fine for me, but trickier for others.

It is time for us all to develop a more cautious approach to debt. However, perhaps a more gradual tightening might be more effective?

Can evolution make you less intelligent?

One of my pet irritations is the stupidity of other people. Getting things wrong is one thing, but doing something and then complaining about the inevitable consequences of doing it is quite another.

Yesterday evening, I was on my way to collect Ros, and I boarded a Circle Line train at Embankment. So far, so good. The driver pushed whatever button is required to close the doors, causing a warning sound to be emitted. The doors began to close and, as they did, a man stepped through them. Unfortunately, he had a computer case over his shoulder, and this was trapped between the doors. He tugged at the case, but he couldn't budge it, and a bystander forced the door open so as to free it.

Now I don't tend to help out in these situations because, by forcing the door against the motors that close it, you risk damaging the door, thus obliging the driver to take the train out of service. Add to that the cost of repair work, which I as a passenger have to fund, and I have reasonable cause to object. Besides, there'll be another train in a few minutes.

So, bag released, what is the response from this person? "Bloody trains!", he exclaimed. "Bloody idiot!", I should have replied...

In Today's Super Soaraway Snow!

BRITISH SNOWMEN GIVE COLD SHOULDER TO MIGRANT WORKERS

Snowmen in Cumbria went on a go-slow in protest against the decision by local children to build snowmen using snow imported from Eastern Europe. A spokesman said, "These snowmen blow in from Poland and Lithuania, taking our jobs. The Government should act now!".

A Government spokesman said in response, "We believe that freedom of movement within the European Union has been good for the UK economy. There is nothing stopping British snowmen from plying their profession in Greece or Italy, or even French Guiana. If they're able to lodge competitive tenders, I have no doubt that British snowmen are the best in the world. Indeed, since 1997, numbers of snowmen in the workforce have increased by 6.32%.

David Cameron, for the Conservatives, claimed that, "The Labour Party have failed our snowmen. If elected, we would ask Richard Whiteley to chair a commission to come up with some ideas for reform of the snow personnel sector.". When told that Mr Whiteley had sadly passed away some time ago, he was dragged away by Ken Clarke before he could respond.

NEW PEER IN CASH FOR SUGGESTION PROBE SHOCKER!

Baroness Snout of Snow-on-the-Wold, 38-26-36, pictured above in her bikini, was condemned today for suggesting that the use of snowploughs in these horror snowstorms would be a good idea, despite the fact that her ex-husband's sister-in-law knew a bloke in the pub who owned shares in a snow clearance company.

Chris Huhne, the Liberal Democrat spokesman for Home Affairs immediately demanded a full police enquiry, "This is yet another example of corrupt practice in the House of Lords. Action must be taken to clean up these practices immediately.".

THE SNOW SAYS!

It is time for the Government to act to stop foreign weather from denying the British people from enjoying our typical wet, grey winters, and making us to accept a climate forced us by faceless Eurocrats in Brussels.

Gordon Brown, we want our British weather back!

Twenty five random things about me

I've been tagged on this meme by Duncan Borrowman, and so, here are a few things that you might be interested in or surprised by;

1. The first letter of the alphabet which doesn't start a country I've visited is K.


2. I've worked for the same (dis)organisation for more than twenty-two years.


3. I'm double-jointed in both hands.


4. A giraffe once licked me.


5. It took Ros to persuade me to get, and carry, a mobile phone.


6. I am an honorary Kentucky Colonel. There is no free chicken involved.


7. I once assassinated my freezer by trying to defrost it with a screwdriver.


8. As a child, I fingerpainted the garage doors, only to find out that we had no white spirit in the house...


9. I have a worrying knowledge of London bus routes.


10. Touch wood, I am yet to break a bone of any kind.


11. I was there the day that the Cincinnati Reds beat the Colorado Rockies 24-12 in a National League baseball game.


12. I've visited the most dangerous post office in the world.


13. In 2006, I held the hand of an orangutan in Seoul, South Korea.


14. The largest pyramid in the Southern Hemisphere is in Invercargill, New Zealand. I saw the family of tuataras there, amongst other things.


15. I have nine 'O' levels, one of which is in Graphical Communication.


16. You'll believe that a man can fly... like a brick. I can bungy but I can't indoor skydive.


17. It is my personal view that, if you marinate fruit bat in red wine for long enough, it tastes like kidney. I didn't say whose...


18. The European Liberal Group once put me on a policy working group to devise a cultural policy for Europe. It wasn't a success...


19. I'm the oldest member of my generation on my father's side of my family. It's a pity that we tend towards matriarchs.


20. I attended four different infant schools yet remain well-adjusted. At least, that's what my invisible friend tells me.


21. My horoscope sign is Scorpio and I was born in the Chinese Year of the Dragon. So much for astrology then...


22. My perfect day would be to zorb in the morning and spend the afternoon in a spa being pampered.


23. I would like to go to Madagascar to see lemurs in their natural habitat.


24. In 2007, I chaired the Foreign and Military Policy Commission of Americans for Democratic Action, the first non-Amercian to do so.


25. I once anonymously paid for the dinner of a young Bolivian couple when I saw him go down on one knee and pull out an engagement ring. It would be nice to think that they're still together...

I think that I won't tag anyone else. Is there anyone out there who hasn't been tagged anyway?

Keeping warm the Duncan Hames way

And so, an early start for Bradford-on-Avon, where we were met by Duncan Hames, the livewire PPC for Chippenham, and Rosemary Brown, our candidate for the new unitary Wiltshire authority.

We were conveyed directly to Winsley, where a chill wind was blowing. Fortunately, there was plenty of leaflet delivery to keep me warm, and to burn off the excellent cooked breakfast that Liz and Hilary had laid on for us. I actually enjoy leafletting on days like this, and as long as it isn't raining, I'm reasonably brisk.

Today's missive was Duncan's annual report, plus a letter reporting back on the successful campaign to save the local post office. Ironically, it was under threat because the shop it was housed in was part of a chain which went into liquidation, but a campaign to rescue it has resulted in the reopening of the shop under new management.

Then back into town for lunch with members of the Bradford-on-Avon branch at a fantastic restaurant, which I'll go into more detail about later...

An evening with Bradley Stoke and his black sheep brother, Harry

We couldn't stay for the conference dinner, so were whisked off to Frenchay, for an evening with members in Filton & Bradley Stoke (Harry Stoke is next to Bradley Stoke, by the way). Our hosts for the night, Hilary and Liz Kitchen, made us very comfortable, before we set off for the Trust Hall in Stoke Gifford for the evening's event.

Filton & Bradley Stoke is one of those seats beloved by political anoraks, a genuine three-way marginal, and much debate takes place online about what might happen if... well, if just about anything really. As a brand new constituency, it offers all sorts of potential organisational problems, in terms of leadership, in terms of campaigning strategy and in terms of identity. I'm sure that all political parties have experienced a degree of difficulty in the transition.

It was a very pleasant evening, with baked potatoes, chili and salad and, of course, the obligatory raffle. I've been buying a lot of tickets recently, in the hope of winning a peerage, but there never seems to be one amongst the prizes. Clearly, I need to join the Labour Party and buy more expensive tickets...

Ros, as the guest speaker, gave her third speech of the weekend before taking questions. It is, in many ways, good that members ask penetrating questions about how the Party works, what it does and how it campaigns. In return, they get thoughtful and honest answers, and I find that strangely reassuring. After all, how often do senior politicians offer more than platitudes when they're away from Westminster?

Today, we're off to Bradford-on-Avon and Salisbury, so more reportage later...

A Liberal Democrat Film Festival - Graham Watson launches the European campaign in the South West

Once in a lifetime, there comes a motion picture...

Back in the main hall, delegates were treated to 'Graham Watson MEP - the movie', a documentary of an average week in his life as our Member of the European Parliament here in the South West.

Graham then spoke about the importance of linking the European and County campaigns, and the opportunities presented by the weakness of Labour and the decline of UKIP, before introducing the rest of the six strong team of candidates, Kay Barnard, Justine McGuinness, Humphrey Temperley, Paul Massey and Jeremy Wilcock.

Kay then spoke with passion about how important it is to elect more Liberal Democrats to the European Parliament, important for the environment, important for improving accountability and democracy.

A lively question and answer session followed, touching on Iceland's membership of the Euro, UKIP and Conservative sleaze in the European Parliament, and economic protectionism.

Nick Clegg: nationalise the weakest banks, cut out unfair tax breaks for the wealthy, invest in our future

I'm standing at the back at the joint Devon & Cornwall/Western Counties Regional Conference, watching Nick make the keynote speech.

He's in bloody good form, as far as I can judge, and his dander is well and truly up. Best of all, he's not just talking about concepts and philosophy, he's actually talking about specific measures which, if the media would pay any attention, would resonate with the public (that's a hint, by the way...).

He started with an attack on both the Labour and Conservative Parties and, let's be honest, they're both culpable. You cannot imagine that the Conservatives would have done anything different, and now they have nothing to say. Unfunded proposals and a general 'the Government are at fault' mantra actually say nothing of value.

Tax breaks for the wealthy are as contrary to the notion of progressive taxation as can be conceived. Nick highlighted the fact that wealthy individuals benefit from twice as much tax relief on their pension contributions as basic rate taxpayers do. Indeed, he could have gone on to note that most tax reliefs for investment merely enable the wealthy to make more money at lower risk to themselves. Don't get me wrong, there have to be incentives to invest, but if those incentives distort investment trends in a way which unbalances the economy, then perhaps we need a rethink.

Nick then attacked the sheer waste of the money spent on a temporary cut in the rate of VAT. Investing that money in infrastructure, in environmentally sustainable works, in insulating homes, in developing alternative energy sources, would actually achieve a return on our money. From the perspective of a Government, it would actually generate some tangible product, and one wonders how a Labour Party so keen on spin and image failed to reach the same conclusion.

The question and answer session was an interesting reflection of how political activists are thinking, with the emphasis on the economy. Questions about tax rates, encouraging saving and the Euro were fielded with some aplomb. I have sometimes felt that Nick hasn't always done himself justice, but this session, as well as his speech at the launch of 'Unlocking Democracy', have indicated that he has grown into the role of Leader.

Nick also made it clear that Liberal Democrats will be pressing for stronger sanctions against errant Peers, acknowledging that there will be much greater scrutiny of all members of the House of Lords, at least in the short term, until action is taken to tighten the rules of expenses

All in all, a really good session, and delegates left the room with much to talk about.

A cosy dinner, just sixty or so close friends...

Back on the road again, this time to Western Counties.

Ros and I set off for Yeovil Junction, where we were met by Jill Shortland, Leader of Somerset County Council, and whisked off to Chard for the first engagement of a busy weekend, the Chard Branch Annual Dinner in the lovingly restored Guildhall.

Now I know what you're thinking, branches, not very big. And yet, there were sixty people there, and a great time was had by all, with a great meal, good company, and speeches from David Laws and Ros.

Now, for those who have, how can I put it, doubts about Orange Bookers, there would have been some amusement at the introduction given to the local MP, which began, "Slightly to my left... David Laws.". I've always thought of David as 'fearfully bright' but never seen him at close quarters. His introduction of Ros was a very astute analysis of how her campaign was perceived by others, and I was quite impressed given my perception that he doesn't really involve himself in the internal workings of the Party.

Jill very kindly put us up for the night, and it was interesting to hear her take on the forthcoming county elections, scheduled for the same day as the European elections. Somerset is a key battleground for us, and with Conservative Districts suffering from truly weak leadership, Mendip in particular but Sedgemoor as well, there are real prospects for consolidation of our position.

A good night's sleep and a cooked breakfast later, off to the centrepiece of the weekend, the joint conference of Devon & Cornwall and Western Counties in Taunton...

Back on the road again, this time to Western Counties.

Ros and I set off for Yeovil Junction, where we were met by Jill Shortland, Leader of Somerset County Council, and whisked off to Chard for the first engagement of a busy weekend, the Chard Branch Annual Dinner in the lovingly restored Guildhall.

Now I know what you're thinking, branches, not very big. And yet, there were sixty people there, and a great time was had by all, with a great meal, good company, and speeches from David Laws and Ros.

Now, for those who have, how can I put it, doubts about Orange Bookers, there would have been some amusement at the introduction given to the local MP, which began, "Slightly to my left... David Laws.". I've always thought of David as 'fearfully bright' but never seen him at close quarters. His introduction of Ros was a very astute analysis of how her campaign was perceived by others, and I was quite impressed given my perception that he doesn't really involve himself in the internal workings of the Party.

Jill very kindly put us up for the night, and it was interesting to hear her take on the forthcoming county elections, scheduled for the same day as the European elections. Somerset is a key battleground for us, and with Conservative Districts suffering from truly weak leadership, Mendip in particular but Sedgemoor as well, there are real prospects for consolidation of our position.

A good night's sleep and a cooked breakfast later, off to the centrepiece of the weekend, the joint conference of Devon & Cornwall and Western Counties in Taunton...

Julie Andrews wouldn't be pleased, the hills are alive with the sound of...

... naked German hikers, according to the authorities in Appenzell.

It would seem that this rather pretty part of German-speaking Switzerland has been chosen by naturist hikers as a good place to go on holiday, and the locals aren't happy. I suppose that I can see their point.

Appenzell is a fairly conservative place. Women weren't entitled to vote in cantonal elections until 1990, and the two Appenzell half-cantons are probably amongst the least industrialised in the entire country (they do make very good cheese though).
I visited Appenzell myself some years ago and, halfway up the side of a mountain, came across a monument to 500 brave men of Appenzell, who had defeated an army of 5000 Austrians. Perhaps the fact that the Austrians were attacking up the side of an exposed mountain, towards a group of archers hiding in trees might have been a contributory factor, but the locals are proud of the victory anyway.

The good news for anyone planning to hike naked in Appenzell is that the locals have laid down their bows. The bad news is that they are instituting a SFr200 (about £122) fine for anyone caught hiking au naturel. My advice is to make sure that you wear thick socks - you get terrible blisters otherwise. Oh yes, and don't forget the sun cream, the UV index is higher at altitude...

Starbucks annoy me, I boycott them, and see what happens...

The BBC reports that Starbucks are cutting 6,700 jobs worldwide, with the closure of 300 stores. This may have something to do with the announcement that quarterly profits were down 69%, although I'd like to think that my decision to give up my regular vanilla latte was a contribution.

Frankly, I'm surprised that it has taken this long, given the cost of their product. However, it is a sign that people are reining in their spending in anticipation of a long, hard recession. If that money is used to buy other things, then all is good. If it is used to pay off debt, we could be mired in gloom for some time.

Unfortunately for the Government, I'm more inclined to the cautious view and, whilst I tend to shun debt, the idea of building up my savings, if only in a small way, is an appealing one. Forget the miserable interest rates, the idea of having reserves is reassuring.

Isn't it funny how things work out? When a pay deal goes from bad to good(ish)...

In August, I reported on the latest travails of my employers, noting their particularly ungenerous pay offer. It is a measure of how things have changed in just five months that an offer which implied an 8% pay cut in real terms over three years now looks like being a reasonable reflection of inflation in the economy. Indeed, with more than a million jobs likely to be lost over the next year or so, if the experts are to be believed, it looks like a pretty good deal.

Interestingly, my union seem to have gone quiet in terms of protesting about the pay deal, focusing their fire on the proposed office closures and the difficulties likely to be caused for those staff in comparatively remote areas when their offices are closed. I would suggest that this is a fairly pragmatic line to take. Frankly, we civil servants aren't popular at the best of times, tax officials even less so, and the uproar if we got an above inflation pay rise would be great.

Meanwhile, reorganisation continues apace, and jobs continue to be shed, slowly but surely, as we head towards the new, leaner, more efficient organisation that is our target. I was talking to a senior figure in the accountancy world over dinner last week, and he is of the view that we're not doing very well. The ability to get information, to find the right person to talk to about a specific problem, the lack of interconnectedness, all of these things worried him. Yet he acknowledged that the training we provide to our technical staff remains at a high level, and that they are still worth poaching in terms of the skill sets they offer.

I remain concerned that we are reorganising with a headcount figure in mind, rather than a structure which optimises our ability to close the tax gap, improve compliance and serve the public in a way that fulfils their varied needs. There is a sense that things are done because something needs to be, rather than taking a step back and evaluating properly the impact of a particular change. However, the pressure to cut costs, move work away from London and the South East, and introduce greater use of technology is great, and comes from the Government, and a degree of confusion is inevitable.

Let nobody think that the public sector isn't taking its share of pain in terms of this economic crisis. The difference is that, for many of us, we were already suffering before everyone else did. We may not be fashionable, but you might be a lot worse off when we're gone...

Someone has been too clever by half...

Yesterday, I blogged about 'Progressive London' aka 'Get Ken elected in 2012'. I noted that the administration he had led prior to last year's election had become, how can I put this, morally and ethically ambivalent at best, noting Lee Jasper in particular.

Frankly, I've tended to the view that Mr Jasper and, in particular, his approach towards plurality and inclusion is decidedly sub-optimal. You can be included if you agree with him but not otherwise, and plurality is a one way street whereby his perspective should be considered when he is out of office, and yours can be disregarded when he is in office. However, that is a personal view, and anyone has a right to hold a view to the contrary.

There was, however, a quite educational exchange of comments, anonymous naturally, where the author first accused me of racism and then, when I noted my mixed race status, accused me of suffering from self-hate.

I usually enjoy these anonymous comments because, unless I happen to agree with them, they give me an opportunity to abuse the author on grounds of cowardice. Spleen venting is always amusing...

However, there was an interesting twist. I had referred to a GLA hustings in 2000, where Mr Jasper's behaviour was, to my mind, indicative of an utter disrespect for the democratic process and for the right of legitimate political movements to make the case for their views. I named the constituency but not the location. Curiously, my anonymous commenter knew where the hustings had taken place, which might lead one to reasonably assume that he, or she, was there and, might I suggest, a participant in the orchestrated abuse.

I made that point, and the comments stopped. Curious, eh...

Progressive London - just another Labour front...

Mark Pack has already noted that Progressive London is not all that it seems, or at least that not all of those involved are singing from the same hymnsheet, so to speak.

I am not in the least surprised that Dawn Butler doesn't get it. Anyone willing to claim more than £21,000 as a second home allowance when they represent a constituency within 24 minutes of Westminster, who complains about unfair coverage in her local newspaper and who appears to have given up representing those constituents being transferred into Brent North, is hardly likely to be backward in seeking endorsement of her Party above a wider cause.

However, I thought that I should see what 'Progressive London' is all about. After all, I am a Londoner, born and bred, and I want the city to be successful. So imagine my surprise when, amongst the articles posted are a series of pieces from the Socialist Economic Bulletin, penned by one Ken Livingstone, and which make no reference, direct or otherwise, to London.

The Conference was opened by one Ken Livingstone, and one might almost suspect that the organisation is simply a front for a 're-elect Ken' campaign for 2012.

In fact, why beat about the bush, it is a front for Ken, and anyone who has any experience or knowledge of how the old hard left worked, will recognise it for what it is, a way to keep Ken in the spotlight. Given that Citizen Ken led an administration which became more and more ethically bankrupt as it felt more secure - Lee Jasper, anyone? - I for one don't want to see him back.

I'm not attacking Susan Kramer or Mike Tuffrey, after all, it was certainly worth checking the lie of the land. And whilst I do wonder why Lembit has gotten himself involved - Montgomery must be in, oh, zone 127 - he does live in London midweek and it's nice to see him take an interest. But enough is enough. We have a fairly appalling relationship with London Labour - with a few honourable exceptions - and I see no advantage in lending them the credibility that comes with our involvement.

After all, they'll almost certainly shaft us if their ploy works...

Lords reform in an age of scandal - not as easy as it looks...

The publication of allegations of wrongdoing against four Labour Peers by the Sunday Times has dealt another blow to the current arrangements in the House of Lords. Lord Taylor of Blackburn, in particular, has been particularly foolish, and the recording of parts of the conversation he had with the undercover journalists appears to be pretty damning.

Much attention has been drawn to the current lack of effective sanction against those who break the rules, and there have been many who have been quick to condemn the allowances system that applies at present. On first glance, it looks pretty generous. A daily attendance allowance, supplemented by additional payments for those who reside outside London, amounts to approximately £330 per day. There are additional allowances for secretarial support, as well as reimbursement of travel costs.

And there's the rub. To get paid, you have to turn up. Given the age profile of the Lords, that's less easy than it sounds, and it also needs to be borne in mind that the House only sits for about 160 days each year, less if there is a General Election. Ill health means that you lose your income and, for those whose primary source of income is their activity in the Lords, an accident or surgery can be very expensive indeed.

Whilst some Peers are assiduous in their attendance, holding down frontbench roles, serving on Select Committees, or on one of the various committees that manage business in the Lords, there are many who turn up infrequently, if at all. I notice that journalists have referred to Jeffrey Archer (Lord Archer of Weston-super-Mare) as a convicted criminal who still sits in the Lords, yet he has not attended for some time. Some of the Peers are in their nineties, and given that Life Peers cannot renounce their peerages, they are 'on the books' until death.

So, what do you do to reform the Lords, if the Government is so unwilling to do anything to change the way people get there? Salaries for Peers might be attractive to some, but what level of remuneration is appropriate? How do you link it to attendance? Indeed, what can one expect in return?

There are those who will suggest that Peers be barred from earning from sources other than the Lords. Frankly, this is a non-runner. Too many Peers have established income from their activities established long before they were elevated to the Lords. Captains of industry, bankers, local councillors, lawyers and even the bishops are often there because of those activities. Some of them attend less frequently than they might for the very reason that it permits them to engage in those other activities. And, of course, if they don't turn up at the Lords, they don't get paid.

Indeed, if you have a job or profession that pays £70,000 per year or more, you would be guaranteed to be worse off if you then accepted a peerage. If you want the best and the brightest to contribute to public life by means of scrutiny of legislation, or by amending poor legislation, then either you provide them with an incentive, or you leave them with the scope to obtain supplementary income.

A more limited reform would be to ban Peers from being lobbyists or Parliamentary advisors. Ironically, this is pretty much banned already, and Peers are expected to declare their interest if they speak or raise questions. This convention could be toughened up though, with meaningful sanctions for those who breach it. The inability of the Lords to punish miscreants is a serious failing, and the options of suspension, with its financial implications, or outright expulsion should be considered.

Given that most Peers will be perfectly happy to see the book thrown at any Peer found guilty of taking cash for amendments, such legislation would almost certainly be welcomed.

We must be careful not to over-react. If we place too many restrictions on Peers, we risk restricting new appointments to those with sufficient financial resource to take the hit of reduced income, the retired and, ironically, the poor. As an example, an Executive Officer in the Civil Service would probably be better off as a Peer if they attended half of the sitting days. On the other hand, if we want the best and the brightest, and there really are some astonishingly knowledgable people in the Lords, we need to provide some flexibility.

Of course, the best solution is an elected second chamber, but does anyone see that sort of reform coming in the next ten years?...

What do you mean, you haven't filed your tax return?

Yes, it's that time of year once again, when thousands of people around the country suddenly realise, "Oh dear (or something similar), I've forgotten to deal with my tax return. I'd better get it done.".

Only this year, there's a difference. In years past, you could download the return form, fill it out quickly, and deliver it by hand. I remember when self assessment was new, my then office opened over the weekend to deal with the late rush. Taxpayers were queuing down a flight of stairs to hand over their return and a cheque to settle their liabilities. As the office's Customer Service Manager, my job was to keep things moving along and deal with those who felt that queuing was beneath them. It turned out that they were wrong...

Unfortunately, such an option isn't open to you this year, as the deadline for filing paper returns was 31 October. Your only option is to file online, although you'll need an activation code if you haven't already got one. Oh yes, and it's almost certainly too late to get one in time.

So, a penalty of £100 beckons, unless you take my advice. In fact, the penalty is £100 or the amount of tax unpaid at 31 January so, if you make sure that you pay your tax in time, and I recommend today, any penalty will be reduced to nil once the tax return is filed.

You know what to do. Besides, the Government needs your money...

A picture may not be worth a thousand words...

Yesterday, Ros and I could be found in Newport, where we were scheduled to meet up with Ed Townsend, the Deputy Leader of Newport Council and our PPC in Newport East. Ed has been building up support over recent years, and got within 900 votes of winning the Welsh Assembly seat in the 2007 election. Now he has his sights on the Parliamentary seat, and we were there to take photographs and do a little light delivering.

We were first taken to the M4 near Severn Tunnel Junction station where, from an overhead bridge, we had a clear view of the toll plaza. This pinch point acts to cause congestion, especially as there is a restricted range of payment options. If you don't have enough money to pay the toll, you are obliged to exit the motorway, and are escorted off. To make matters more entertaining, there is a 50 mph speed limit on the motorway as it approaches the toll boothes, and much money is generated by use of speed cameras.

Entertainingly, there was a speed camera vehicle on the bridge whilst we were there, with loud music blaring from it, illegally parked on the footway. Given that it's all automated, I suspect that the officer in the back of the van probably acts merely as a guard.

Photographs were orchestrated by Veronica German, Mike's wife and our leader on Torfaen Council, as combinations of Ros, Mike, Ed and local campaigner, Linda Guppy, were pictured looking at the toll boothes or talking to each other. I took the opportunity to get some shots for Ros's Facebook group and for the website.

Next, we visited a post office which had been saved. Yes, saved. I was intrigued to discover that the Post Office appear to limit the ability of a postmaster or postmistress to campaign to save their facility. Apparently, they had known that they were earmarked for closure, but were sworn to secrecy for nearly three months. I find that level of cynicism quite remarkable, but am not terribly surprised. More photographs were taken, and then it was time to do some leaflet delivery.

Beechwood ward is bounded by the M4 to the north and Beechwood Park to the west, and I was tasked with delivering the two boundary roads (not the M4, the one parallel to it...). Luckily, it was mostly downhill, although I felt as though I'd done a round on the step machine by the time I'd finished. At least the sun was still shining...

And then it was time to head back to London. We had the company of some Arsenal fans heading back from their cup game at Cardiff City, and their chanting on arrival at Paddington was amplified by the great curved train shed. They're surprisingly melodic...

Tea and gentility on the Welsh border

In Abergavenny, we attended an open house at the home of Alan Butt Philip, the number 1 candidate on the Welsh Liberal Democrats list for the European Parliament elections in June.

The comparatively low number of seats in Wales, the dominance of Labour and the existence of four credible alternatives have all combined to make winning a seat difficult for Liberal Democrats here. However, the drop in Labour support over the past five years has led to support for whichever opponent has established itself as the credible alternative, and Labour's hammerlock over the politics of South Wales is slowly being loosened. This is our opportunity to win that elusive seat in the European Parliament.

Jo drove us back to Cardiff Bay, where we grabbed dinner in a Turkish restaurant on the waterfront, before returning to our base in one of the new developments in the area. Of that, more later...

To Merthyr... and beyond!

We grabbed a quick cup of tea with Amy Kitcher, the PPC there, and her husband Kevin, before hitting the streets of Merthyr. Ros went off to meet local shopkeepers with Amy and Cllr Bob Griffin, whilst I went off with Kevin, Dominic and others to deliver leaflets.

Whilst Merthyr has a reputation for being a bit grim, and I acknowledge that some of the economic and social statistics are depressing, to say the least, yet it is surrounded by some incredible scenery. If only the Labour council weren't so deluded...

I was astonished to find that the local development plan presumes that 4,000 new homes will be built in Merthyr in the period to 2022. What they will do for work is something of a mystery, and there are suspicions that it is an excuse to permit open cast coal mining - after all, land will need to be levelled and foundations dug... 45% of households in Merthyr are without paid employment already so why not develop employment opportunities instead?

Indeed, local Liberal Democrats have published their critique of the plans at www.merthyrlibdems.co.uk. Alas, Labour in Merthyr have been in power so long that they have developed a sense of invulnerability, and won't listen to other voices.

Like a welcome parcel, we were then passed on to Jo Foster, Chief Executive of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, who whisked us off to Abergavenny, Y Fenni in Welsh...

There'll be a leaflet on the hillside...

I've been having a bit of a stroll today, enjoying the sunshine and the crisp winter air. Strangely enough, I've had some bits of paper to read and, best of all, share, with some complete strangers.

My day started in Cardiff Central, with a breakfast meeting with some Cardiff students. Luckily, students are sensible souls, so we met at 10 a.m. I was chatting away when in walked a memory of my days in Brent. Elizabeth Clark was an activist in Brent and now lives in Cardiff, where she was recently elected to the city council. We talked briefly of past memories before she had to leave for a ward surgery.

Fortified by a bacon sandwich and a capucchino, it was time to deliver some leaflets. Off to Penarth with Cardiff South & Penarth PPC, Dominic Hannigan, where Ros and I met up with Rodney Berman and Jenny Willott, whose generosity in supporting the campaign in a neighbouring seat is great to see.

We grabbed lunch in a local pub before Dominic drove us to Pentrebach to meet with key campaigners in the Merthyr Tydfil & Rhymney constituency...

A visit to Freedom Central

Not just a collaborative blog, Freedom Central is the new headquarters of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, and I have now visited it. They make a very nice cup of tea (thanks, Rachel!) and have a nice view out of the windows. It's pretty hi-tech, so I'm sure it will be a great success.

Yes, Liberal Bureaucracy is brought to you live from Wales, where I'm accompanying Ros on her first weekend trip as Party President. We caught a mid-afternoon train from Paddington, which arrived at Cardiff Central on time (amazing, given that we were on First Great Western...). We were met by Dominic Hannigan, our PPC for Cardiff South & Penarth, who whisked us off to HQ for a look round and light refreshment.

Ian Walton, an old friend, was in the middle of announcing the election results for the Welsh version of Liberal Youth, and we exchanged a few stories about youth wing elections - I'm the Returning Officer for Liberal Youth in England.

We then retired for a breather in our base for the weekend, before attending a pizza and politics event in Cardiff Central at the home of Cllr David Rees, something of a local legend.

Tomorrow, we're in Cardiff South & Penarth, Merthyr Tydfil & Rhymney and Abergavenny (where the cheese comes from). Should be fun!

A posting of no interest whatsoever...

It has been brought to my attention that the rate of interest paid on income and corporation tax overpaid is about to drop.

To make life simple, there is an automatic link between the base rate and the rates of interest paid and charged, and with the recent rapid drop in the base rate, it's gotten to the point where it was hardly worth calculating the interest. However, with the base rate at 1.5%, the interest rate for overpayments should be almost negative, i.e. you get charged for the privilege of being owed money.

And so, as of 27 January, the interest rate for tax overpaid will drop to zero.

There is a silver lining though. If you owe HM Revenue & Customs money, we're only charging 3.5%. Why do I think that the Government is going to drop down the list of priority debtors?...

The Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Bill - another curate's egg from Labour

According to the website of the UK Borders Agency,

"The Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Bill will lay down a radical new approach to British citizenship that will require all migrants to speak English and obey the law if they want to gain citizenship and stay permanently in Britain - while speeding up the path to citizenship for those who contribute to the community by being active citizens.'

I have to say that, whenever I see language like that, I am immediately wary and, given the form of this Government in terms of talking tough and then failing to resource the work properly, creating hardship and organisational chaos.

Certainly, the new proposals will appeal to those who feel that immigration to the United Kingdom is too easy, and the talk of restricting access to benefits, and of sending foreign criminals home probably qualifies as 'dog whistle' politics.

I admit to doubts about the proposals that all foreign migrants committing crimes will risk the automatic loss of their right to remain (for those earning prison sentences), or an extension to their qualifying period for citizenship for minor offences. For those migrants from countries that are unsafe, or with whom we are unable to reach agreement over repatriation, a future of semi-permanent detention beckons, and the cost to the public purse will be formidable. Restricted access to benefits, particularly if applied to genuine refugees, will cause great hardship and greater temptation to commit minor crimes to keep body and soul together. If, however, we enable refugees to work, this might be mitigated to some extent.

We've already had plenty of warning of the new points-based system and, whilst it is claimed that it will 'allow the Government to manage immigration which in turn will help contribute to future population projections and control', I am yet to be convinced that, when immigration from other EU countries is unlimited, it will prove to be much more than guesswork. Besides, in an employment market as complex and fluid as we have in the United Kingdom, I suspect there will be plenty of work for lawyers in challenging how the points system operates.

Border and Immigration Minister Phil Woolas is quoted as saying:

"We are clear that newcomers should speak English, work hard, and earn the right to stay here - and only get British citizenship once they have proved their commitment to the country.
"Migration only works if it brings benefits, and these measures will ensure that only those migrants that make a positive impact on their local community will be able to stay in the UK."

Nonsense, of course. Lithuanians, Poles and Bulgarians will be exempt from this, as will French, Portuguese and Greeks. Given that much of our immigration is from EU nations, it's all talk from 'Bruiser Phil'. As a bid to draw voters away from the BNP, it may well do the trick, at least temporarily, but it hardly acts to mark us as reaching for higher moral and ethical standards in public life.

There are some positive elements though. The Bill will strengthen Britain's security by giving frontline staff of the UK Border Agency combined customs and immigration powers, allowing them to be more effective.

The Bill will also place a duty on the UK Border Agency to safeguard the welfare of children in its work; introduce new rules to give automatic British nationality to a child born in the UK where at least one parent is a foreign or Commonwealth member of the British armed forces; and fix the current situation whereby a father could pass on his British nationality to a child born abroad before 1961 while a mother could not. I think that we can all applaud that...

I suspect that the Conservatives will wave this through whilst complaining that it isn't tough enough and the Government are all talk and no action. They're probably right on the second point, but I'm hoping that our Peers and MPs will do what they can to improve the Bill. The notion that we have to be tough on people coming to our shores 'just because' is no excuse for injustice.

A society debut - sort of...

So there I am, sitting on a southbound Northern line train, dressed in black and white, my one rebellion against monochrome a pair of cufflinks in a variety of pinks and purples, on my way to a dinner party. At least I am coloured co-ordinated with the line I'm travelling on...

I admit that it isn't a particularly intimate dinner party, although I have no idea who the hosts are, and the list of sponsors is fairly spectacular. I do know what the occasion is - we're celebrating the onset of the Year of the Ox - so am guessing that there is a Chinese element.

So, why am I going? Good question, my friend. Apparently, our glorious Leader, a.k.a. the Cleggster, is in the South West this evening, and in his absence, our Imperial Sereneness, the Party President, is standing in. I'm tagging along. And yes, you guessed it, two blokes called Gordon Brown and David Cameron are turning up as well. I wonder if their skills at small talk are any good...

I'll tell you about it afterwards, assuming that there is an afterwards, that is...

Another political quiz, and how did I make out?

My Political Views
I am a left moderate social libertarian
Left: 4.51, Libertarian: 2.78

Political Spectrum Quiz

So, I remain modestly left-wing and modestly libertarian. In United Kingdom terms, that makes me centrist and socially liberal.

My Foreign Policy Views
Score: -3.75

Political Spectrum Quiz


My Culture War Stance
Score: -6.4

Political Spectrum Quiz

I'm not really an interventionist and I'm a cultural liberal. I'm reassured by that, wouldn't want to think that I was becoming a reactionary as I get older...

Who's afraid of the big Ken Clarke, the big Ken Clarke, the big Ken Clarke?...

Not me, I must confess? In fact, I would suggest that having Ken Clarke back on the Conservative frontbench is probably good for us.

The justification is that the Conservatives need someone with experience to take on Peter Mandelson. Hang on a minute, the noble Lord is... in the Lords, the one place where our suede shoe wearing, jazz loving Europhile can't go. And yes, he'll be up against him on television, but how many of the public actually care about business regulation? Indeed, how many Conservative shadow spokespeople in that role can most people remember?

Let's be honest here, bringing back a sixty-eight year old is hardly intended to be a long-term appointment. The prospects of Ken Clarke serving in the first Cameron cabinet are probably pretty remote, and this is simply a short-term fix intended to distract attention from the fact that there is no policy substance (still!).

He will entertain, in all likelihood, but he is a bruiser, not a strategist. You always sensed that his primary tactic as a minister was to pick a fight, and then get shuffled off to another job, leaving some other poor soul to mend fences afterwards.

From an outside perspective, his well-publicised differences with the Party leadership on the subject of Europe mean that he will be distrusted by the Eurosceptic right and by the more reactionary press (Daily Mail and Daily Telegraph). Every utterance with regard to Europe (and his portfolio is impacted by Europe more than some others) will be analysed for adherence to the 'line', and I frankly doubt his discipline.

I have to say though, he will at least be consistent, unlike his leader. Now, Mr Cameron, your policy on leaving the EPP and forming a more conservative grouping in the European Parliament. How's that going?

Cannabis: a gentle warning from your friendly neighbourhood bureaucrat

Of course, I am fully aware that my readers are all thoroughly law abiding souls, but given your catholic tastes in friends and acquaintances, I thought you might like to pass word on…

The change in categorisation of cannabis from class C to B was announced by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith last May, and comes into force on 26 January. It means the penalty on conviction for summary cases, those conducted without a jury trial, will increase.

Offenders currently pay three times the value of the drug or £500 – whichever is greater – and can be imprisoned for up to three months. This will go up to three times the value or £2,000, with a potential prison sentence of six months.

The penalties for conviction on indictment are not affect by the reclassification.

Rules governing compounding, where offenders found with small quantities of the drug may in certain circumstances be offered the chance to pay a settlement instead of facing court proceedings, also differ between class C and class B drugs.

A more diverse Parliament: it isn't about shortlists, it's about electoral systems and changing the culture

Whilst the inauguration of Barack Obama has been occupying the attention of most of the world's media, the Speaker's Conference on increasing diversity in Parliament has been hearing evidence. Two of those giving evidence today raised interesting points, and I agree with one as much as I disagree with the other.

I'll start with where I agree. Fay Mansell, from the Women's Institute (a far more radical organisation than one might expect), was of the view that the culture of the House of Commons was much too macho, and dissuaded women from getting involved. Indeed, the House of Lords, a much more civilised place, has women in a range of key roles, and some of the best performers on all benches are women. Ironically, such a situation might not survive the coming of an elected second chamber if the 'first past the post' electoral system is used.

There is no question that the culture of the House of Commons, while improved, is outputting to those who believe that a good argument and a strong case should help you to make policy and persuade others to support it. The quality of debate, the lack of courtesy and the childish sub-public school humour make you despair sometimes. Once again, compare and contrast with the House of Lords.

As a backbench MP, or an opposition one, you probably have less power and influence than a senior councillor on a unitary authority. The councillor will certainly have a budget, unlike MPs, will be able to go home at night, unlike MPs, and attract less abuse. You can understand why women are better represented at council level.

So yes, change the culture, cut out the mindless confrontation, make question sessions real, rather than an opportunity for the rutting stags on the green benches to score petty points, and resource MPs so that they can do their jobs well. That way, you might persuade some of the really talented women on county councils and unitary authorities to take that last step towards parliamentary candidacy.

And now for my area of disagreement. Simon Woolley, of Operation Black Vote, continues to promote all-black shortlists for Parliamentary candidate selection. Curiously, I supported the legislation permitting political parties to seek an exemption from anti-discrimination rules, on the grounds that such a notion fitted very nicely into Labour Party philosophy. If it does, I see no reason why they shouldn't be able to do it. Yes, they'll need to deal with the potential consequences - and Blaenau Gwent is a living reminder of what can go wrong - but they need to be true to what they think is right.

However, it appears that Mr Woolley is oblivious to the question of political philosophy. To ask Liberal Democrats to apply positive discrimination demonstrates that he doesn't 'get' liberal democracy as we see it. We are mostly uncomfortable with the notion that we should favour someone because they are something rather than having the right skills. We believe in merit, and that anyone with the right skills can succeed with work and a dash of charisma.

There are some in our Party who give the impression that, if we discriminate in their favour, all will be well, and we will have our more diverse Parliamentary party. And yet isn't it about the concept rather than the named individual? Our aim should be to create opportunity for everybody, and our 'tool of choice' is proportional representation.

Multi-member constituencies would create greater political diversity, would encourage political parties to cast their net wider for support, for activists and for candidates, and allow for the development of new political parties that fill niches that currently have insufficient oxygen to allow meaningful life. I don't hear Simon Woolley calling for that though...