In praise of Caroline Pidgeon AM

Caroline Pidgeon is someone I've known, and worked with, for a few years now. When I became active in local politics in East Dulwich, I watched her carve a swathe through Southwark politics and wondered where her ultimate ambitions lay. She was selected to fight the target constituency of Lambeth & Southwark in 2004 and came close to winning it, but didn't let that put her off, and I was delighted when she was successful via the top-up list last year.

One hope that I shared with many Liberal Democrat activists was that she would form better links with Local Parties so that we could campaign more effectively. Our Assembly Members are potentially a valuable resource in terms of raising issues, establishing a profile where we are otherwise weak, and providing a platform for issues of concerns to our voters across the city.

I'm delighted to say that she has had a real effect, using her transport portfolio to pass on information to Local Parties, challenging Mayor Boris on issues such as fares, raising issues passed to her by local campaigns, and generally doing the job we hoped she would do.

Today, I got an e-mail from her in my capacity as Local Party Secretary here in Brent, advising me of proposed changes to a local bus route. This allows me to pass it on to my Executive Committee, and hopefuly allow an exchange of information between our members in the area served by the route and the 'powers that be'. It isn't the first such e-mail that I've had, and is indicative of a genuine community campaigner.

Transport isn't a glamorous portfolio, yet it is key to the quality of life of Londoners. Most voters commute, or use the bus to go shopping, and there is a risk that we take it for granted. Having someone like Caroline, who is keen to voice our concerns and represent our interests, is incredibly valuable, and I hope that our members appreciate it.

So, thanks Caroline, and I'll be hearing from you again soon, no doubt...

A perfect weekend in Mid Suffolk

The sun is shining, the barbecue is cranked up, there's a bottle of badly labelled beer, and here I am in the area declared to be the rural authority to be the highest quality of life in England.

There's pork loin, sausage and bread from our very own bread maker, prepared with care by Ros. We even have Ruby, our visiting cat, who is curled up on a chair in the conservatory.

Does it get better than this?

Hunter gathering for the new millenium

Most people who know me would, if asked, not have me marked down as the sort of person who would go out and hunt my own dinner, or forage the countryside for nutritious plants. They probably wouldn't mark me down as someone of a particularly practical bent, either.

However, yesterday saw something of an achievement, as Ros and I went to Bury St Edmunds to buy something we've been talking about getting for some time. Yes, we became the proud owners of a gas-fired barbecue. At least, we were the owners of a box of parts purporting to be a gas-fired barbecue...

In a touching display of faith, Ros left me to construct the thing, armed only with a twenty-six stage instruction manual, a screwdriver and a spanner, whilst she got on with some gardening. I hardly had the courage to explain that I'd never done such a thing before, especially something that might, if I got it wrong, explode.

I ran into trouble almost immediately, as I was unable to fit the foot to one of the legs. However, Marcus, our neighbour, demonstrated his project management skills and the first hurdle was overcome. Beer helped (it often does) and a glass of St Peter's Golden Ale acted as a spur to greater progress. It was when I got to the bits that carry the gas to the burners that my confidence wavered a bit.

For the life of me, I couldn't work out what happened next but, after a bit of headshaking, I finally worked out what went where and, from then on, it was simply a matter of methodically screwing bolts in and placing bits where they should have been.

Ah, but would it work? With some apprehension, I connected the regulator to the gas bottle and, after a few false starts, propane flowed to the burners. Ros turned them on, flames appeared in an appropriate manner, and nobody died by means of a dramatic fireball.

Ros has a touching faith in my ability to do things like this, whereas I have grave doubts about my technical skills. However, this time (as usual), she was right. We'll be using the barbecue today, so I'll let you know how it goes...

A word to the wise for The Times - be careful what you wish for, you might end up getting it...

I tend to read the financial and personal finance pages quite closely. Not necessarily because I have lots of money, because I don't, but because the information is occasionally useful in my work. I've not always been impressed with financial journalists, however, especially when they talk about tax.

So I was a mite wary when I read the 'Troubleshooter' section in today's Times, written by Rebecca O'Connor, and noted a complaint by a taxpayer who had suffered from delays in receiving a repayment. Said taxpayer was annoyed because they had not received interest on their repayment, something which HM Revenue & Customs are obliged to do by statute.

Rebecca was suitably outraged, and has suggested that we should pay a commercial rate of interest on amounts held by us in excess of liabilities. Apparently, the commercial rate of interest is approximately 0.66%. So, in the instance that her taxpaying correspondent raised, interest of approximately £6 would have been paid.

Unfortunately or, were I to be more cynical, with malice aforethought, she fails to see the other side of the equation. The statutory rates of interest paid and charged were linked to the Bank of England base rate but, as the base rate fell, it became apparent that, if nothing was done, we would be in the ludicrous position of charging taxpayers for owing them money. Hardly fair and, aaccordingly, the interest rate on overpaid tax was given a floor of 0%. Harsh, and providing little incentive to HMRC to make repayments, but at least modestly equitable.

The flip side is that HMRC doesn't charge a commercial rate of interest to its debtors. If you owe HMRC income tax, interest is levied at the astonishingly reasonable rate of 2.5%. Yes, you read correctly, 2.5%. Given that the best buy rates for personal loans are around the 8% mark, and that credit card debts are at 16%, HMRC are charging one of the best rates to be found anywhere, except possibly the 'Bank of Mum and Dad'.

You'd think that a financial journalist would think through the implications of her demands but, on this occasion, Rebecca O'Connor is effectively calling for those struggling with their tax bills to be severely punished. Not necessarily what her readers might wish for, were they to think about it...

The Royal Mail: dealing another (small) blow to social cohesion

I was saddened yesterday to hear that the Royal Mail have closed five of the seven remaining postbus routes in the Highlands following a failure to agree a subsidy from the local authority.

More than twenty years ago, when I applied to join the Civil Service through their trainee accountant scheme, they had clearly read my application form and, noting my declared interest in transport, asked me about Highland postbuses. Naturally, being a Londoner, I knew virtually nothing on the subject, except that they were, presumably, a good thing.

It wasn't a great interview, culminating in the question, "So why do you want to be an accountant?", my answer to which was, "I'm not absolutely certain.". It probably sealed my fate but, fortunately, my test score was so good that they decided to offer me a generalist Executive Officer position anyway.

The postbus network in one of the country's more remote corners has been a crucial link for a string of isolated communities, especially for the elderly and those rural dwellers unable to drive for whatever reason. And yes, subsidy is required, given the impracticality of running a regular bus.

However, there is a limit, and the Royal Mail's insistence on trebling the level of subsidy has proved too much, hence the loss of five routes. A spokesman for the Royal Mail asserted that providing the postbus service was not part of their core duty of delivering the post, and that is exactly the attitude that says all that needs to be said about the loss of a sense of community responsibility.

The Royal Mail still need to collect post from, and deliver to, these communities. To do that, they need a small van, which doubtless runs according to a schedule. How much extra cost can there be to tell people what that schedule is and pick up the occasional passenger? One might almost suspect that they have a long term plan to withdraw from such places...

Andrew Adonis's extraordinary odyssey

I've been quite critical of Andrew Adonis of late and, I feel, not unreasonably so. However, there are times when you have to acknowledge something worthwhile.

Lord Adonis is on a train journey, having purchased a 7-day UK Rail Rover, to see what our railways are really like, from Cornwall to the Highlands and via most points in between. On the way, he's meeting with MP's to discuss their concerns, Dan Rogerson on the Par branch line, Matthew Taylor in Truro and Danny Alexander in Inverness, amongst others. Indeed, in Ipswich, Ros ran across him, getting off of a train to meet the local Labour MP, Chris Mole.

Most impressive of all, he hasn't opted for the soft option of a first class view, something which at least means that you normally get a comfier seat, an occasional cup of tea or coffee and a snack, and a generally more sanguine view of delays. Instead, he has a standard class ticket, so he'll get to see the rail network how the rest of us mostly see it.

So hats off to Andrew Adonis, and here's hoping that he'll learn enough to keep Network Rail and the train operating companies on their toes...

Torture: you might not like it, but I can see where President Obama's coming from

Barack Obama's decision not to prosecute those responsible for the torture of those held at Guantanamo Bay has come in for much criticism from, how can I put this, people like us. "How can we let these people off scot free?", is an obvious question, given the circumstances.

However, I find myself in agreement with his decision. Not because I see a place for torture in any criminal justice system, nor because I believe that people shouldn't be held to account for their actions. The thing is this, should you prosecute people for doing something they have been told, by an authority as high as the Attorney General, is legal?

I personally think not. And yes, I am well aware that the 'only following orders' defence is a lame one. The problem is that, through the decisions of the Bush Administration, the normal frameworks within which combatants are handled were torn down, only to be replaced by whatever Dick Cheney and his neo-con cohorts said was permissable. Challenges to various aspects of the regime at Guantanamo Bay were lost in the thickets of appeal, process and Presidential decree, whilst the ability of politicians to scrutinise the intelligence community has always been limited.

In effect, any moral lodestone had been lost, leaving those at the sharp end of prisoner interrogation floundering in an ethics-free environment.

So, if you can't prosecute those who carried out the torture, surely you can prosecute those who gave the orders? Not so fast, Tiger...

The difficulty here is in proving that the law was actually broken. I'm not an expert in US law, and I know few people who are. Whilst waterboarding and the various other methods used to extract information are vile in nature, and in their impact on the victims, it is obvious from the actions of senior US law officers that the position was not as transparent as it might have been.

So, whilst prosecutions of Cheney and others might provide a degree of moral satisfaction, it is far from certain that they would be successful.

I think that President Obama has displayed a sense of pragmatism here. Torture has no place in a civilised society, no matter how evil our opponents are, and I trust that such acts will be prohibited, regardless of the circumatances. The victims of torture must be compensated and rehabilitated where possible. And then let the IRS loose on Cheney's tax returns...

Suffolk Liberal Democrats nominate candidate for Upper Gipping!

I did mention that there were a few potential opportunities on my horizon and it gives me great pleasure to announce that I have been nominated to be the Liberal Democrat candidate for the Upper Gipping Division of Suffolk County Council.

Upper Gipping has not been contested by the Liberal Democrats in the recent past, but we feel that it is important to give voters across the county an opportunity to vote for a party who will challenge the savage cuts in services being made by the Conservative administration.

So I'll be taking the fight to the Conservatives from Haughley in the west to Occold in the east, as part of a team of candidates across the county. They deserve a decent contest, after all, since taking control in 2005, they've;

• made £40 million worth of cuts in care for older and vulnerable people
• overseen a drop in GCSE results
• increased pay for top council managers by £10 million
• increased allowances for Cabinet members by 78%
• abolished free day care for older people
• closed council run day centres
• appointed a Chief Executive on £220,000 a year

Unusually, there is no incumbent, as the sitting councillor, Jeremy Clover, sadly passed away earlier this year. So, whatever happens, Upper Gipping will get a new councillor in June. Only time will tell if it's me...

Hurrah for Mysore Paints and Varnish - the Returning Officer's faithful friend

Polling has started in the world's most populous democracy, and across India, voters are having their fingers indelibly marked to prevent multiple voting.

The Times reports that all of the special ink comes from a small company founded by the Maharajah of Mysore in 1937, and has been conveyed to every one of the 828,804 polling stations. It's good to see that India produces such a world-beating product, and it's so effective and cheap that they export to several other countries, including Canada and Mongolia.

This year, their work has been complicated by the decision to mark voters with a line rather than just a dot, as in past elections. And yet they have worked their marvels, producing an ink that marks the skin for fifteen days, essential when polling takes place on consecutive Thursdays...

As a Returning Officer, such tools as these can be vital to prevent voter fraud, and when the potential number of voters is as high as 714,000,000, an quick and easy check is essential.

So, a big hurrah for Mysore Paints and Varnish, Karnataka's gift to democracy!

The award for the worst campaigning error goes to...

Now we've all heard of stories where a candidate has bounded on stage at a campaign rally and cheerfully shouted, "Good evening, Dogs Breath, Idaho (or whatever)!", only to discover that he's in Armpit, Nebraska (or wherever). In the midst of a hectic campaign, it can happen.

However, V S Acharya, from the Bharatiya Janata Party, India's leading opposition party, has probably trumped all of them. In Udupi, he was forced to cut short a fiery campaign speech when he received a volley of abuse from the assembled throng. It seems that he was addressing a rally of Congress Party supporters!

I'm hoping for his sake that he turned up at the right venue, and that the date was wrong. Oh well, perhaps Damian McBride could do some media management for him, he'll have some time on his hands...

UPDATE: Perhaps there's more to this story than meets the eye...

Liberal Youth: does anyone want to be Vice Chair Campaigns?

Due to what I might describe as an ethically sound, and clearly thought-out decision on the part of Ben Mathis (you will note that I do not comment on whether or not it is right), there are two vacancies which require urgent action.

Firstly, Liberal Youth require a Vice Chair Campaigns to fulfil the remainder of the 2008-2009 term (until 30 June). This will be filled by co-option. Secondly, they require a Vice Chair Campaigns to fulfil the 2009-2010 term until a proper by-election can be held at their next conference. This will also be handled by means of a co-option.

And now, as I fear you might have guessed, is where it gets a mite complex. This is, I emphasise, not a criticism, although there are those who might feel that it should be. In most parts of the Party, the Executive Committee are empowered to co-opt without much in the way of limitation. Liberal Youth are different, as much to ensure openness and transparency, I suspect, as for any other reason.

Accordingly, Liberal Youth will seek nominations from the membership, whereupon all nominees will have their manifesto circulated to the 2009-2010 Executive Committee*, who will vote by secret ballot (probably by e-mail and/or text). Given that Liberal Youth don't have a staff member at the moment - watch this space - I'll be talking to James Shaddock to see how we go about kickstarting the process.

So, if you're a member of Liberal Youth, watch out for the advertisement and, if you think that you have what it takes to be a good Vice Chair Campaigns, why not apply?

* The 2008-2009 Executive Committee have, I am told, agreed to accept whoever is 'elected' to fill the 2009-2010 vacancy pro tem...

We're on the road to Eastbourne (Borough)... a Hatters fan reflects

And so the dream of a Houdini-like escape from certain relegation finally died yesterday, as Luton Town's 0-0 draw with Chesterfield, combined with Grimsby Town's win at Notts County, finally shut the door on any hope that they might survive starting the season on minus 30 points.

It's been a tough few years for Luton Town fans. Three rounds of administration, some eccentric management decisions plus a crooked board of directors have taken the club from fifth place in the Championship to relegation to the Blue Square Premiership in just 40 months.

On that December day in 2005, the coach trip to Ipswich was diverted to hospital after Sol Davis, our central defender, had a stroke. The team that was doing so well suddenly couldn't buy a win. It's been downhill from there, really.

The decision to consult fans as to the identity of a new manager had brought Mike Newell to Luton Town - rumour had it that Watford fans had voted for him as the worst of the three options - and his crusade against bungs in football was made to look somewhat hypocritical when, as it turned out, his contract gave him a cut of all transfer fees gained when selling players.

The Club Secretary, Cherry Newbury, uncovered financial irregularities and reported them to the Football League, and that was the killer blow. Despite the fact that a new consortium had brought the team out of administration, and offered a surprisingly good deal to creditors, a seventeen point penalty for a breach of FA insolvancy regulations, plus a thirteen point penalty for financial irregularities was the punishment deemed appropriate.

Brian Mawhinney, the former Conservative MP for Peterborough, told fans that we should be grateful for being given the chance to even play in League Two at all, which might explain why 40,000 fans booed him at the season's rather surreal high point, the Johnstone's Paint Trophy final at Wembley.

The against the odds 3-2 victory after extra time against a side pushing for promotion from League One gave Luton the ironic double of a trophy and relegation to the Blue Square Premiership. At least we'll be able to exchange reminiscences with Oxford United as the only two teams to have won the League Cup and now not be in the Football League.

It won't be easy next season. If reminders were needed that bouncing back is rather harder than it looks, here are some... Wrexham, Mansfield Town, York City, Oxford United, Torquay United, Kidderminster Harriers, Rushden & Diamonds and Cambridge United...

It's not going to be pretty at times next season, but we do get to play AFC Wimbledon. Come on you Wombles (in your other games at least)!

He's Just Not That Into You

And so we've reached the end of our holiday, and here we are at Larnaca Airport awaiting a flight to Frankfurt (it's a long, and fairly dull story) before connecting for London City.

It's been a good trip, and both of us are better for what has been a fairly restful break. I've got four Returning Officer gigs and some council candidate selections to do, whilst Ros returns to the full-time job of President - at least, she's putting in the hours of a full-timer whilst continuing to perform her responsibilities in the Lords.

Our last day was spent pottering around before heading around the coast from Polis to Larnaca. Given that neither of us was terribly keen on a long drive in the darkness, we took the opportunity to arrive back early and catch a movie at the cineplex here in Larnaca. Given that The Fast and the Furious 4 and Confessions of a Shopaholic were the other two options, we picked 'He's Just Not That Into You' as being the sort of non-intellectual but gentle movie that two mature moviegoers could bear.

And it wasn't that bad a movie. Alright, the plot is a bit predictable, and there is a plethora of happy endings - for the 'good' people at least - but as a way of killing two hours or so, I could think of many more less satisfying choices.

Cypriots clearly do late nights better than Ros and I do. The cineplex was pretty quiet when we got there at 7 p.m. yet by the time we left there were hordes of people waiting to catch the various 10 p.m. showings.

We went for the more typical pastime of eating next, and found a restaurant only too willing to serve us the most enormous meze. Too enormous, as it turned out, with enough food left over to feed another couple, I suspect.

New Labour says, "Volunteer... or else!"

Apparently, the new Labour policy is that everyone shall have performed 50 hours of community service by the age of 19, under proposals released today (it's Easter Sunday, for pity's sake, haven't you got families to oppress, guys?).

It's just another step towards a state which tells you what to do, how to do it and well, from a political party that actually believes that you should make co-operation mandatory (think about it for a moment). There are, according to government figures, some three million young people carrying out some form of community work in this country, all of it presumably voluntary, through church groups, guides, scouts, youth clubs and all of the worthy organisations that do so much to enrich our lives.

And yet there are young people out there, forced to step in to replace the state, as carers, as babysitters, bringing in earnings to supplement those of their parents, or to help keep a roof over their heads. There are those who serve in our armed forces, or as local councillors, or who are studying to go on to teach, or nurse, or police. All of these things enrich our society, and often for little reward.

Labour propose to make our young do the things that they, the Labour Party, choose to support. They probably don't consider campaigning for action against climate change or for fox hunting, or for the preservation of castles to be community work, and yet it can be (by the way, I'm not in favour of fox hunting, but there are those who are, and they have a right to be heard too).

Young people have turned away from politics with its inevitable compromises, towards single issue groups who lack the baggage that political parties drag behind them. They believe that by working for those causes, they can make the world a better place. Who are we to tell them that this is less valuable than painting a fence at a care home for the elderly?

Labour believe that citizenship includes contributing to your community, as do I, and aim to include this in the national curriculum for 14-16 year olds. However, National Youth Service, as it will be called is just another kneejerk reaction to the calls for greater discipline amongst our young people. Calls made, for the most part, by people made frightened by the media and too many of our politicians who demonise our young because they can't vote, and those who cry out can.

I believe that Liberal Democrats should oppose mandatory community service, whilst encouraging those who wish to volunteer by providing interesting and fulfilling opportunities, and by providing financial and moral support to proposals that support volunteerism. If, for example, a group of young people organise a day to clear rubbish from a stretch of river or stream, local councils should provide protective clothing, perhaps lay on a truck to take away the rubbish, invite the press to attend, and mark their efforts publicly.

Yes, we need to find ways to encourage our young to integrate into the wider community. Most of them, if given an opportunity to do so, will accept with open arms.

But please, please don't make it mandatory. Remember, we have a volunteer army for a reason. It stands and fights because it volunteered to be there, not because someone made it. Likewise, our young people won't be much use in their communities if they're made to do something and be somewhere that they wouldn't otherwise choose.

Resignation is not enough, Damian...

No sooner do I write that Damian McBride has brought the civil service into disrepute than he is gone. If only I actually had that sort of influence!

But seriously, in this instance, a resignation is not enough. There needs to be a clear statement that this is not something that the Government wishes to associate itself. Might I suggest a proper dismissal, with disciplinary action?

The Civil Service deserves nothing less...

Damian McBride - proving yet again that Labour don't get the public sector ethos

It seems that Damian McBride has been exposed as the source of a number of e-mails proposing attacks on prominent Conservatives using false allegations in an attempt to discredit them.

One should set aside the allegations themselves for the time being, although they demonstrate a particularly New Labour trend towards slur and innuendo that has become more and more pronounced as the wheels have fallen off of the 'project'. 'If in doubt, use leaks and friendly journalists to discredit those attacking you' appears to be the motto.

However, as a public sector bureaucrat, my concern relates to the use of a civil servant to attack political opponents. The whole point of civil servants is to provide apolitical support, leaving the grubby art of politics to the political professionals. And that's where the system of Special Advisors creates a massive problem.

You and I pay for Special Advisors through our taxes, in the same way that you graciously pay my salary. I am covered by the Civil Service Code, which explains what I may or may not do in the course of my duties, especially in terms of the boundary between political and administrative. If I cross that boundary, I can be disciplined, by sanctions up to and including loss of position and, if memory serves, pension.

It seems clear that young McBride has crossed that boundary and then some. Under normal circumstances, disciplinary action should follow. Something tells me that a mere reprimand will be meted out, which tells me just how little Labour politicians understand how the public sector should operate.

I fear that they see us as a reservoir of votes, a client group who rely on the Labour Party to build and sustain a bureaucracy large enough to keep them all in a job. To some extent, this is true, although less so than it was. Labour have done little for job security in London and the South East, and are only to happy to enmesh us in targets and strategies, instead of allowing us to adapt to the needs of those we serve.

They also seem to think that we have a duty of loyalty, come what may. I disagree. We have a duty to avoid disloyalty, a responsibility to deliver those policies and strategies devised by our political masters regardless of their origin, Conservative or Labour, Liberal Democrat or Plaid Cymru. We must ensure that the law of the land is upheld, and make it as easy as possible for those who wish to comply.

It is high time, therefore, that the place of Special Advisors within the structure of government is made abundantly clear. Either they are civil servants, prevented from taking part in partisan politics, or they are not civil servants and their salaries are paid by politicians. If the latter route is chosen, then they're free to behave in a partisan manner.

It shouldn't be that difficult for an intelligent person to see the significance of this, but Damian McBride has proved that some people just won't get it...

Support your local PPC - doing something about it

I have, I acknowledge, talked a good game on improving support for PPC's, especially those in less attractive, i.e. non-winnable, seats. I've talked about the importance of mentoring, of the mistakes we make by selecting a PPC and then letting them get on with it. However, without action, it's all just talk.

And so, when English Candidates Committee proposed the creation of a Training and Development Working Group, I looked around the room to see who would volunteer. It became painfully apparent that, given how many of my colleagues would be up to their necks in campaigns elsewhere, I was honour bound to put my money where my mouth is, and volunteer my services. So I did, and now serve on a group that consists of Dawn Davidson, former Chair of both the English Party and the English Candidates Committee, Margaret Joachim, London's Regional Candidates Chair and a former PPC, Martin Turner, Chair of our beloved Parliamentary Candidates Association, and myself.

It could be argued that the creation of another working group only serves to blur the various initiatives springing up. We now have a Training Advisory Board, chaired by Marcus Evans, as proposed by the Bones Commission, which is tasked with finding ways of improving and developing those skills required in modern campaigning and policy development. We have the Campaign for Gender Balance, whose work on mentoring and training has been commented on favourably in the past. We also have the Campaigns Department and ALDC, whose training sessions add much value to our campaigning.

So I see our role as being to tie up the loose ends, identify those gaps which particularly impact on PPC's, and to recommend what additional training and support might be required, and how it might best be delivered. We've got our first meeting soon, so I'll let you know how it's going...

Archbishop Makarios III, not quite what I expected

We don't usually associate Europe with religious leaders, but then Cyprus is just a little different. Never let it be said that 'Liberal Bureaucracy' isn't willing to go that extra mile for a good story though.

In this instance, Ros drove the extra mile that brought us to Panagia, a village on the edge of the Troodos Mountains in western Cyprus, which is the birthplace of Cyprus's first President. Our original plan had been to weave our way through the mountains but, after I'd found absolutely no sign of the scheduled turning, we were heading for the monastery at Kykkos when we came to a road junction unmarked on our maps. As it indicated a route to Panagia, we reverted to plan A.

Panagia is a traditional place, with elderly Cypriot men sitting outside bars, talking and killing the hours. They've probably earned it, as the terrain is tough and opportunities few, available only by dint of hard graft. It is therefore perhaps an unlikely place for a spiritual and political leader to be born but this was where the man imprisoned and exiled by the British, and the subject of an assassination attempt by Greek Cypriots seeking to unify the island with Greece, came from.

Makarios was a vague memory from my childhood, but he was clearly no ordinary man. He studied theology at Boston University before returning to become a key figure in the independence movement. The British realised just how influential he was, and exiled him to the Seychelles before acknowledging his authority and bringing him back for negotiations.

A master at playing off competing interests, he resisted absorption into Greece whilst giving every indication that he supported it, until 1974 when, with the Generals in charge in Athens, a coup attempt was launched. Whilst it failed, and Makarios survived, it was sufficient provocation for the Turks, whose invasion still leaves the island divided in two today.

His birthplace is rather humble, although clearly cared for, and tourists flock to the small building in order to learn more about one of Europe's forgotten, but key, figures.

If you do happen to be in the area, you might want to drop in. Besides, the views will take your breath away...

Time for the police to think about the implications of their actions

There has been plenty of comment in Lib Dem circles and elsewhere about the 'Tomlinson affair', and I'm not going to spend any time adding to the words of my esteemed colleagues. However, I feel that I should touch upon the threat of civil society caused by the increasing breakdown of trust between the police and the communities they serve.

Many years ago, there was an acknowledgement that, if you came from a minority community, the police were perceived as people to be avoided and not to be trusted, especially if you were young. White, male and reactionery, and that was just the senior officers. Racism and homophobia were thought to be rife, and a series of incidents merely reinforced that suspicion.

That said, as long as you weren't black, gay or Irish, you could be reasonably certain that the police wouldn't trouble you. They weren't armed, they had limited rights of detention, and they had a bit more discretion in the absence of targets. Add the fact that police officers were more tightly connected to their communities, and you had a degree of confidence in their actions.

Increasingly, things have changed, and in doing so, the view of the police has changed. The McPherson Report, following the shambles that was the investigation into the tragic death of Stephen Lawrence, highlighted the perception of institutional racism, and led to a re-evaluation of how the police should act in a multi-cultural society. Changes to 'stop and search', amongst other traditional bugbears, were intended to reassure minority communities that the police were there for everyone. Community outreach projects were designed to encourage migrant communities to build stronger relationships with the police.

Surely, this was, and remains, a good thing. Good policing requires a flow of information backwards and forwards. The police can't be everywhere, and data gleaned from honest citizens going about their day to day activities is, if properly evaluated and applied, invaluable in attacking terrorism and criminal activity.

And yet the police find new and imaginative ways of shaking that trust. Jean Charles de Menezes' death may well have been a horrible mistake, but the lies and subsequent coverup sent out a clear message that, when things go wrong, the gut reaction is to pretend that they didn't.

The recent case in Merseyside, where a young man was arrested for turning in a lost mobile phone was, in many ways, more worrying. I was brought up to believe that, if I found something valuable, I should turn it in. If the actions of the Merseyside Police are reflective of current practice, that's clearly the last thing I should do. It implies that the police look upon everyone with suspicion, and that they are not one of us.

The Tomlinson incident and the two videos showing an officer in riot gear attacking a middle-aged man walking away with his hands in his pockets, and using an inappropriate level of force, implies a police force overly keen to use violence against those engaging in perfectly legal activities. Yes, there was tension, yes there were incidents of violence against the police and against property. However, I expect the police to be sufficiently well-trained to resist temptation.

All the community outreach in the world comes to nought, if incidents like the three I have quoted overshadow the activities of the majority of decent officers. If the public feel less trusting of, and more distant from, those whom they trust to police their communities, we are all that little less safe, and a little less free.

Hanging out with the lounge lizards of the Akamas

I've always had a quiet fondness for lizards. Indeed, the idea of having an iguana for a pet retains some appeal - I'd walk him on a lead and harness and call him Iggy - although I'm not sure that Ros would be as keen.

However, one of the pleasures of Cyprus is the number of lizards I have spotted, basking on rocks or scuttling across paths. They're pretty handsome creatures, especially the striped skinks that I occasionally run into. With the balmy days of spring turning into summer, life is pretty good for reptiles, and so they are more active than usual.

Today, Ros and I spent some time driving around the Akamas Peninsula, in far north-west Cyprus. The British forces on Cyprus used the area as an informal testing range, and there are still unexploded ordnance to be found by the unwary. The unsurfaced roads are very rough, but Ros drove us safely to a small cove on the Eastern side, where we stopped for a picnic lunch and a brief paddle in the azure sea.

We had already stopped for a walk in the forest that covers a decent chunk of the peninsula, and were charmed by the vibrant colours of the wildflowers that cover the ground in a variety of yellows, blues, reds and purples. Again, Ros's recommendation that we come to Cyprus has proved to be a pretty good one...

And still I'm Returning Officer for South East England...

Due to the unforeseen withdrawal of Simon Green from the Liberal Democrat list for South East England, there has been a further change to the list order as follows;

1. Sharon Bowles
2. Catherine Bearder
3. Ben Abbotts
4. Jim Barnard
5. Antony Hook
6. Zoe Patrick
7. Gary Lawson
8. David Grace
9. John Vincent
10. James Walsh

Zoe, Gary, David and John all rise one place, and James has been added by the Selection Committee in the absence of any further short-listed applicant who wished to be considered.

I've had the pleasure of working with James in the past, and know him to be firmly committed to the creation of a better Europe for its citizens. He'll make a fine addition to our list and I'm personally grateful to him for his willingness to step in at short notice.

Dear Irfan...

It seems that, instead of properly answering the question I put to you last week, you've decided to have a bit of a whinge about the fact that I've attacked you.

No, I don't make a habit of attacking you. Heavens, if I had a go every time I thought that you'd written something I consider to be wrong, I wouldn't have nearly 900 postings, it would be rather higher. On the contrary, because you place barriers in the way of commenters - is registration really necessary? - I prefer to use my blog to point out that I disagree.

Indeed, on the two occasions that I have indicated that I think that you're wrong, you've withdrawn your initial assertion under a hail of comments attacking your position. I fully accept that I called you out on the use of homophobic language last year, and I wasn't the only one to do so. I overlooked the anti-semitic language you used in your piece on Gaza only because of the condemnation that came from other quarters. You have an unfortunate habit of using language with a lack of thought and sense of context, and when that is used as a stick to beat our Party, as it was by Iain Dale, I see no reason to let it slide.

Your cavalier disregard for facts is occasionally troubling but, for the most part it falls within the category of freedom of expression. When you attack our MPs for wasting public money however, and offer an ill thought out suggestion, I have a right to respond, and on this particular occasion, I took the opportunity, as I potentially would if an opposition politician was equally reckless/stupid.

Now the use of the phrase 'cavalier disregard for facts' is quite a strong one, I know. However, you are at liberty to test it and here are two questions for you;

1. When were our two pieces, the piece by me challenging you, and the piece where you first addressed the Alastair Carmichael question, posted?

2. How many times have postings of mine been in the Golden Dozen, and how many of them have been about you?

You evidently know the answers, because you assert that you do, so it shouldn't take very long, should it?

Yours sincerely,

Mark

News from Creeting St Peter: public transportation to Little Stonham and beyond!

As I mentioned in the climactic ending to my posting last week, our village noticeboard contained some exciting information. Yes, there is public transport out of Creeting St Peter!

I'm a Londoner, transplanted to mid-Suffolk on a part-time basis since I married Ros, and as a non-driver, I am occasionally twitchy about my reliance on Ros to get around. Needham Market and Stowmarket are both reachable in an hour on foot, but I'm an old(ish) man, and not as fit as I might be. I was aware that we have a bus every Thursday morning - route 453 from Stowmarket to the Creetings and back the same afternoon - part of a network of bus routes designed to convey people from outlying villages to a market town whose market is a mere shadow of what it once was.

So the news that we indeed have a regular service was the cause of great excitement and then confusion. Confusion because the timetable referred to a taxibus, whatever that might be. Best of all, the bus appeared to run from Stowmarket to Little Stonham, but not back... Luckily, the Internet came to my salvation, and I came across this useful explanation and allied leaflet . Yes, the bus does run to Little Stonham, where it connects with buses to Diss and Ipswich. Also, you can pre-book it to take you to Needham Market or Stowmarket, all for the cost of a regular bus fare. The only unexpected element is that it actually is a taxi, although you won't hear me complain.

And so, the world is my oyster. I can get to Sudbury, Diss, Bury St Edmunds or Ipswich by bus, or go to lunch in one of the various gastropubs in the area, and all without having to rely on Ros. A man should retain some degree of independence, after all...

Peering across the border...

The sun is warm, the sky is blue (as is the sea). Yes, Ros and I are on holiday, here in Cyprus.

This is my first trip to Cyprus, and it isn't a country that, in the past, I would have given a lot of thought to. It's a bit near, a bit Mediterranean, and lacks that sense of adventure that once marked my travelling. However, Ros was convinced that I would enjoy it so, here we are.

And, as usual, she's right. The warmth of the sun, and the gentle pace of life turns out to be to my liking after all.

We're staying near Polis, in the northwest of the island, and our outing today took us to Kato Pyrgos before swinging inland to see the moufflon at Stavros tis Psokas. The journey is made more complex by the division of the island between the Republic of Cyprus and those areas controlled by Turkish forces. Nowhere is this division more bizarre than on the coast between Pomos and Kato Pyrgos, where the village of Kokkina (Erenkoy in Turkish) is a tiny pocket, hemmed in by Cypriot forces on the heights on all three landward sides, monitored by a small United Nations base. As a result, the drive to Kato Pyrgos is lengthened by about 15 kilometres up into the hills and back down the other side.

We were looking for a recommended restaurant but gave up when the road ran out at a gate marked 'You are entering Turkish territory'. It looked like an ordinary road, without any warning that you might be on your way to one of the last surviving European geopolitical hotspots - the Attila Line. It's still guarded by armed troops, although there are now five authorised crossing points.

We gave up and retreated back into town where we found a restaurant serving fresh fish and healthy salad before setting off into the hills.

The road weaved its way inland, with hairpin bends and sensational views, although I was glad of Ros's driving skills, given the potential hazards and the frequent small landslips we encountered. Eventually, we reached Stavros, where we grabbed coffee before visiting the moufflon enclosure.

The moufflon is the national animal of Cyprus and it's a bit like a mountain sheep. At one point in the 1930's, there were just 15 left, but preservation measures have retrieved matters so that over ten thousand now roam the hills - not that you'd have much chance of seeing one, as they're very shy. The enclosure at Stavros isn't very big, but they were still hard to spot. They are brown in colour and blend in to the scrubby hillsides that they inhabit.

We then headed back to the villa, with some off-road adventure as we made our way past the Argaka Dam and through some rather pretty forest before home and an early evening snack...

A kettle is probably most effective when used to make tea

I'm a law abiding kind of guy, with no criminal record and an inherent respect for the police. They have a difficult job to do and, for the most part, they do it well, even under severe provocation.

However, that doesn't necessarily mean that their tactics and strategy should go unchallenged, especially by those amongst us who are keen to see a policing and criminal justice strategy whereby the key elements of each support and underpin the other.

There are now serious concerns about the strategy employed in policing the mixture of peaceful and provocative protests that we saw in the City of London earlier this week. The notion of 'kettling', whereby protestors were effectively detained for exercising their legal right to voice their legitimate concerns, demonstrated a notion of policing for convenience rather than for proportionality. By showing such disregard for the needs of the innocent and the peaceful, they have harmed each individual protestor's view of the police, and in the longer term damaged society's relationship with those who are tasked with building and maintaining safer communities.

Policing is most effective when it is done by consent, whereby those of us who abide by the law accept the right of the police to use legitimate tactics and strategies to thwart those not so inclined. In return, we retain the right to go about our lawful activites unmolested. Those responsible for the abuses unleashed this week are well advised to remember that particular social contract.

Welcome to the Irfan Ahmed Challenge!

I note that Irfan has sounded off about MP expenses again, challenging our MPs to reduce their expense claims to the average levels of Tory and Labour MPs. Whilst a number of you have commented on his blog, the fact that I would have to register to do so rather put me off. So I am obliged to enter into the fray via this august medium...

My challenge to Irfan is this. Alastair Carmichael claims the highest level of expenses for travel of any Liberal Democrat MP. Can Irfan find the cheapest way of getting from Evie to Westminster that allows Alastair to be present in the Commons chamber for the maximum amount of debating time and allows him the flexibility to change his arrangements without additional cost?

In my experience, statistics offer a mere snapshot of information and provide little context in isolation. It's a bit like trying to identify an elephant through a keyhole. If the elephant is far enough back, it's possible. If the elephant is too close, you can describe what colour it is, but not what it is.

You really need to break down expense figures and analyse each element before you start making sweeping statements condemning a group of people. And then, by all means, attack waste, fraud and greed, but do ask questions first, and shoot later. It's so much more difficult if you do it the other way round...

So now that the election is over, what do I do next?

I've tidied away the ballot papers for safe keeping, I've calculated the results, and I'm content that, as far as possible, all is well in terms of process. The result, on the other hand, is for Liberal Youth to deal with in due course.

I do have to submit a report on the elections, and would be grateful for any comments with regard to process that reflect possible constitutional change, or that could be reflected in a protocol for future elections. You know where to find me, or just leave a comment.

The rest of my life is likely to be hectic over the coming months, as a whole new set of opportunities have emerged, but I ought to 'clear my desk' first, so to speak...

Liberal Youth - time to stop fighting, time to start doing?

I wrote this article early on in the campaign and, following some actually quite justified criticism, withdrew it from circulation pending the end of the election. I did say that I would put it up again afterwards, although in hindsight, it probably deserves a revisit...

One of the quirks about being a kindly Returning Officer is that people talk to you. Sometimes, and I emphasise only sometimes, you wish that they would stop, but most of the time, you get to learn an awful lot about a person and the organisation they're involved in. In the case of Liberal Youth, this hasn't always been impressive. I'll start with the good stuff...

They have a good administrator. Paul Pettinger has been a pleasure to work with. He has a pretty good idea as to what he should be doing, is able to manage it to a degree, and is patience itself.

The activists are fizzing with enthusiasm and ideas. That is exactly how it should be and, whilst I don't necessarily agree with Lembit's suggestion to them that they should be radical and on the cutting edge, there is no reason why they shouldn't be exploring new ways of doing things, new ideas for policy and asking the questions that most of us would like to see asked but haven't quite got the nerve to.

My concerns start with achievement, I suppose. Liberal Youth and its predecessors have, in recent years, been weak here, or at least, perceived to be weak, which amounts to pretty much the same thing. Their freshers campaigns have been sub-optimal, reliant on hard graft by Paul in the office, under-funded and occasionally late. For example, in my years on the Regional Executive in London, requests for financial support were frequently late (if they turned up at all), poorly supported in terms of planning and worse still in terms of reported outcome.

Campaigning has appeared fragmented and the disconnect from the campaigns run by the Party nationally has been glaring. If Liberal Youth is to run its own campaigns, might it not be better to link them to a salient campaign run by the Party? Better still, might talking to the Policy Unit, or the parliamentarians, or Campaigns Department help in terms of materials, press or strategy? If it is going to campaign 'independently', it needs to link up with other parts of the Party, to build up a mutual support network.

For me, the most disappointing aspect is the lack of unity. It has been put to me that an organisation that is doing little is most vulnerable to infighting, and I have to say that it has been a recurring theme of my time as Liberal Youth Returning Officer that most of the conversations I have been part of revolve around who isn't getting on with whom. How does such distraction help in the building of a better organisation?

Another problem is one of continuity. This has always bedevilled the students - a maximum of four years is likely to do that - and now that the new organisation is predominantly student-led due to the comparative difficulty of organising individuals spread thinly across an area, it seems to have infected Liberal Youth.

A much better transition process is the key. Unless you are changing the entire Executive, and even in Liberal Youth, that is unlikely, you should have some continuity. Proper record keeping, and better information publishing, allows an incoming Executive to pick up and go with comparative ease.

Lastly, Liberal Youth has, in the past, been weak on the use of the Internet. ironic, really, when you consider how keen they are on Facebook and blogging. The website needs more content, more frequently but most importantly, it needs relevance. In the autumn, when Ros and I were attending their conference, we arrived on the campus of the University of Surrey to discover that we had no more information that that. If we hadn't run into John Dixon, we might never have found them.

Details of their conference, its venue, the agenda and some contact details would seem to be an obvious thing to put on the website, as well as news of those candidates standing for election. With an Executive the size of Liberal Youth's, it shouldn't be difficult to get the work done without placing further burdens on the sole staff member. Using the website as a core campaigning tool would enable it to be linked to other readership groups within the Party, build goodwill and, possibly, attract funding from other sources.

I have no personal interest in who might be able to achieve this, especially as the things that I am proposing are the basics of running an organisation, i.e. what do you need to do, who are you doing it for and how are you going to deliver it? Once the elections are over, I may well suggest some ideas that help the winners. It's up to them to listen, should they choose to do so...

UPDATE - 20:50: I am advised that there is a separate website for Liberal Youth conferences...

Liberal Youth: now that the counting is over

It's been a long election campaign from the perspective of this Returning Officer.

I had been warned that, traditionally, Liberal Youth elections tended to present some unusual challenges, especially by previous Liberal Youth Returning Officers. However, a promise was a promise...

And yet, in many ways, these elections have been quite easy to administrate, especially given the surprisingly small number of serious rule breaches. Whilst there have been, and there is no point in evading this, some extremely unfortunate incidents linked to naivety, impulsiveness and occasional character failures, these are issues related to the ability of individuals to respond rather than react.

In a hotly-contested election, where passions are running high and the issues boil down to questions of personal style and approach, there is a risk that, in personalising the contest, you lose track of the purpose of the organisation. I believe that, in this instance, some individuals momentarily forgot that. It is, as someone said, a learning curve to be navigated with care.

In the midst of the maelstrom, there were some interesting lessons learnt. My experiment of permitting endorsements appeared to work well, and I would make two points;

1. If you are going to make an endorsement in anything other than a personal capacity, you need to understand that you need to have a robust process of consultation in order to validate it. On the whole, it's probably best not to try.

2. Endorsements are a double-edged sword. Sometimes, especially in liberal circles, an endorsement from a senior figure actually repels more than it attracts. Slates, real or perceived, are looked upon with even greater suspicion. If you are going to endorse, think of the implications to you of getting it wrong...

The apparent use of a Tory blogger as a conduit for attacks on candidates rather span out of control. I tend towards an old-fashioned view that internal issues are best addressed internally, that media management only works when you own the media, and that anonymity is a recipe for paranoia and recrimination. So, if anyone reading this is the 'mole', just one message - it wasn't necessarily clever, and it certainly wasn't helpful. Ah well, lackaday...

As I said to one candidate, elections are like thunderstorms, sometimes they clear the air, occasionally a lightning strike is fatal. Of course, one always hopes for the former, but you need to be prepared to deal with the latter. I stand ready to serve, regardless...

RECOUNT: Liberal Youth elections - General Executive Members

Sometimes, a Returning Officer just senses that something is not perfect, so I've spent a jolly two hours recounting the GEM election - just in case, you understand. And so, here is the revised result...

count 1

Cara Drury - 48 votes
Alexandra Royden - 38 votes
Victor Chamberlain - 31 votes
Alan Belmore - 25 votes
Martin Shapland - 23 votes
Patrick Elsdon - 22 votes
Jennifer Warren - 21 votes
James Harrison - 20 votes
Michael Atkins - 16 votes
Richard Morgan-Ash - 13 votes
Richard Wilson - 6 votes

The number of votes cast was 263, making the quota 29.23, and Drury, Royden and Chamberlain were elected.

count 2

The Drury surplus was then transferred at a value of 0.39, leaving the votes of continuing candidates as follows:

Alan Belmore - 26.56 votes
Martin Shapland - 26.12 votes
Patrick Elsdon - 25.90 votes
Jennifer Warren - 25.68 votes
James Harrison - 20.39 votes
Michael Atkins - 17.56 votes
Richard Morgan-Ash - 14.56 votes
Richard Wilson - 7.17 votes

This failed to elect further candidates.

count 3

The Royden surplus was transferred at a value of 0.23, leaving the votes of continuing candidates as follows:

Patrick Elsdon - 27.97 votes
Jennifer Warren - 27.29 votes
Martin Shapland - 27.04 votes
Alan Belmore - 27.02 votes
James Harrison - 20.85 votes
Michael Atkins - 18.48 votes
Richard Morgan-Ash - 14.79 votes
Richard Wilson - 8.32 votes

This failed to elect further candidates.

count 4

Wilson was eliminated, given that the Chamberlain surplus was less than the difference between Wilson and Morgan-Ash, leaving the votes of continuing candidates as follows:

Jennifer Warren - 30.99 votes
Alan Belmore - 29.02 votes
Patrick Elsdon - 28.97 votes
Martin Shapland - 27.04 votes
James Harrison - 20.85 votes
Michael Atkins - 19.10 votes
Richard Morgan-Ash - 15.79 votes

Warren was elected.

count 5

The Chamberlain surplus was transferred at a value of 0.05, leaving the votes of continuing candidates as follows:

Alan Belmore - 29.42 votes
Patrick Elsdon - 29.37 votes
Martin Shapland - 27.49 votes
James Harrison - 21.00 votes
Michael Atkins - 19.10 votes
Richard Morgan-Ash - 15.84 votes

Belmore and Elsdon were elected.

count 6

Morgan-Ash was eliminated, given that the Warren, Belmore and Elsdon surpluses were less than the difference between Morgan-Ash and Atkins, leaving the votes of continuing candidates as follows:

Martin Shapland - 35.89 votes
James Harrison - 24.44 votes
Michael Atkins - 22.10 votes

Shapland was elected.

count 7

The Shapland surplus was transferred at a value of 0.18, leaving the votes of continuing candidates as follows:

James Harrison - 26.67 votes
Michael Atkins - 24.32 votes

Harrison was elected without quota.

So, no difference to the final outcome, although there was a variation of the route used to get there...

Liberal Youth elections: the results - General Executive Members

This was probably, from a technical perspective, the most complex. The first preferences were as follows;

Michael Atkins - 16 votes
Alan Belmore - 25 votes
Victor Chamberlain - 31 votes
Cara Drury - 48 votes
Patrick Elsdon - 22 votes
James Harrison - 20 votes
Richard Morgan-Ash - 13 votes
Alexandra Royden - 37 votes
Martin Shapland - 23 votes
Jennifer Warren - 21 votes
Richard Wilson - 6 votes

The quota was 29.01 and Chamberlain, Drury and Royden were elected on first preferences.

Transferring the Drury and Royden surpluses failed to elect anyone else, and as the Chamberlain surplus was less than the gap between Wilson and Morgan-Ash, Wilson was eliminated and his votes transferred at face value.

That transfer elected Warren, and Morgan-Ash was then eliminated, whereupon Belmore, Elsdon and Shapland were elected. Elsdon's surplus was then transferred, whereby Harrison was elected without quota.

That left Atkins as runner-up...

Liberal Youth elections: the results - Vice Chairs

A big Returning Officer hello to Liberal Youth and innocent bystanders. Oh yes, and Tory Bear, who clearly didn't believe me...

The Vice Chair election results are as follows:

VC Campaigns

Ben Mathis - 202 votes
RON - 78 votes

VC Communications

James Shaddock - 233 votes
RON - 46 votes

VC Finance

Daniel Snowdon - 232 votes
RON - 46 votes

VC Membership Development

Mohammed Ali - 8 votes
Neal Brown - 132 votes
Chris Jenkinson - 123 votes
RON - 11 votes

After the elimination of Ali and RON, the final score was;

Neal Brown - 137 votes
Chris Jenkinson - 128 votes
non-transferable - 9 votes

Liberal Youth: Chair election - the result...

Mohammed Elias Ali - 4 votes

Elaine Bagshaw - 148 votes

Sara Scarlett - 92 votes

RON - 44 votes

I hereby declare that Elaine Bagshaw has been elected Chair at count 1.

Counting ballots the Amaranth way...

As one of Liberal Youth's Deputy Returning Officers, I'm in Cowley Street, preparing for the count. Surprisingly, having done a lot of research on student politics, I have discovered that most of my preparations won't actually be helpful on this occasion.

Whilst I firmly support the concept of a participatory and scruplously run election, I do also believe in reflecting cultural diversity. Accordingly, I had arranged for the creation of election count software that contained code designed to distort the result - so popular in Ohio, tI'm told, a suitcase filled with completed ballot papers and, if all else failed, CS gas to clear the room of those pesky observers. Naturally, the count was to be surrounded by the best cavalry unit that Amaranth can put into the field, instructed to act without mercy on my command.

But no, Mark assures me that these won't be necessary. Sometimes, just sometimes, he lacks a sense of humour...

Liberal Youth : count delayed (slightly) due to congestion - Returning Officer en route

You know how it is, everything set and ready to go, and I'm on the Northern Line.

But relax, all those of you awaiting the results, work will commence shortly...

Liberal Youth - the waiting is nearly over...

Polls have closed, the ballots await the tender mercies of the count, and a Returning Officer's thoughts turn to transfers and quotas. Watch this space, as results will emerge throughout the afternoon.

Oh yes, and for the benefit of Tory Bear, we don't hide our election results - publish and be damned, I say...

Barry Gardiner - value for money?

So, the figures are out and how much did our MP cost us, here in Brent North?

£93,888 Staffing costs
£15,079 Cost of staying away from own home
£11,946 Office running costs
£10,587 Communications Allowance
£4,549 Stationery associated postage costs
£1,799 Centrally purchased stationery
£1,333 Central IT provision

Total cost... £139,181.

Compare and contrast with his fellow Brent MPs... Dawn Butler first...

£88,783 Staffing costs
£23,083 Cost of staying away from own home
£15,137 Office running costs
£11,396 Communications Allowance
£4,972 Staff cover and other costs
£4,887 Stationery associated postage costs
£2,029 Centrally purchased stationery
£1,039 Central IT provision

My arithmetic tells me that this totals £151,326... not good. So, what about Sarah Teather?

£83,630 Staffing costs
£26,118 Office running costs
£8,013 Communications Allowance
£2,812 London Supplement
£2,217 Stationery associated postage costs
£1,158 Central IT provision
£933 Centrally purchased stationery

This totals £124,881, so clearly Sarah is by far the best value for money...

When you're a political spouse, you give up your anonymity...

Richard Timney is learning this the hard way at the moment, and perhaps he needs a reminder as to the identity of his wife.

Traditionally, political wives have lived a comparatively low-profile existence, required to look decorous on occasion, pose with hubby, children and labrador in front of picture perfect period house, and do good deeds in the constituency. Dull, worthy, true, but that's the way it is, particularly if you're a career woman in her own right. At least there was a template though...

The increasing interest in the private lives of our politicians has changed that though, and the simultaneous emergence of the political husband has created a whole new field of interest for journalists. What's the husband up to? What influence does he have on his wife? Not fair, I know, and casually sexist, it's true, but as my junior school teacher so rightly told me, life isn't fair.

So you have to be careful. The Press are not averse to going through your rubbish, quizzing your best friends or following you. They will, if they can get away with it, bug your phone or hack your e-mail if your spouse is important enough.

Now you know Richard. You've paid a high price for not knowing sooner, but hopefully you and Jacqui will patch things up. Piece of advice though, if you're going to watch porn movies, put them on your personal credit card next time...

News from Creeting St Peter: we've got a brand new notice board

News of another communications breakthrough reaches your correspondent, deep in the mid-Suffolk countryside. We've had a new noticeboard put up near the centre of the village as the old one was getting a bit tatty and worn. You may think that this is not exactly big news, but it provides the one location where information can be placed which might be of interest to the population of our thriving metropolis in the absence of newspapers, radio and television stations.

I had noticed that two men were working on it as we drove past on Saturday afternoon, and so thought that it would be interesting to take a closer look at their handiwork. They've done a nice job, and it looks quite impressive in terms of the carpentry involved (not that I'm a good judge, but...).

It's amazing what you can find out by studying the contents of a village noticeboard though, and I was delighted to discover that... actually, let's save that for another time...

That's right John, pick on the public sector again...

If in doubt, change the subject, is John Healey's motto. As the Minister for Local Government, he claims that his aim is to stop overgenerous remuneration packages in the public sector. Clearly, he hasn't been entirely paying attention to the policies his Government have been promoting since 1997.

It is entirely accurate to suggest that pay rates at the top end have gone up rather faster than inflation, and the Conservatives have been quick to point this out - no hypocrisy there, obviously. However, the pressure to make the public sector more businesslike in its approach, and the devolvement of responsibility in terms of education budgets mean that you need to offer remuneration packages that reflect that. It is, after all, supposed to be a free market.

And yes, there are benefits to being in the public sector - a comparatively generous pension scheme and relative job security - but those benefits are not as obvious as they once were. Look at Sir Fred Goodwin's pension arrangements or, for that matter, the average director of a FTSE100 company. As for job security, when politicians opt to pass the buck rather than take responsibility, it's the official who is thrown to the media wolves. What price job security then?

It is entirely right that the public sector seeks value for money, and that remuneration packages factor in some of the benefits inherent in public sector employment. However, when those calls come from the same people who are adamant that details of their own remuneration packages are a private matter, it's time to keep up the attack on their hypocrisy and evasion.

One day I'll wish I could remember what I learned yesterday

Amidst the wide-ranging activities that Mike Dixon had arranged for Ros and I in Birmingham was something a little different. Usually, we do Party oriented things, (P)resident surveying, or a dinner, but this time we were taken to see a new short term care and rehab centre, built under the Liberal Democrat joint administration.

Cllr Sue Anderson is the Cabinet member for Adult and Community Services, and is justly proud of the effort that has gone into creating the £11 million facility known as the Ann Marie Howes Care Centre, in Sheldon, deep in Hemming territory in Yardley. We were given a guided tour by the centre's manager and I was incredibly impressed by the attention to detail and the thoughtfulness that has gone into the design of each element.

One of those elements is a new unit for victims of dementia. Each room has a 'memory box' on the door, so that the resident can recognise which room is theirs from the contents on display. Something that I hadn't known was that those who develop dementia also lose the ability to recognise certain colours, whilst red and yellow are recognised for much longer.

This knowledge is used in unexpected ways. Plants in the garden with red leaves are used to delineate paths, red edging is put on steps to make them easier to spot.

The centre has a wide range of facilities, with a gymnasium for helping the elderly to maintain fitness and thus independence, a lovely little restaurant, free wi-fi so that residents can communicate with friends and family and connect to the rest of the world, and such seemingly small things as podiatry services. Cutting your toenails isn't easy when your flexibility and mobility are limited, and having someone to do it for you is invaluable.

Sue clearly has a passion for what she is doing, and her determination to give the elderly an opportunity to live in dignity in decent accommodation is a reminder of why we are in politics, to change people's lives for the better. This is the fourth new centre that has been opened, replacing aging, below standard facilities - another Labour failure caused through years of neglect, and if the finances can be settled to the satisfaction of the Council, there may be more, if the demand exists.

I should also note that we were treated to lunch at the centre. If you ever happen to be in the area, and the chicken and ham pie is on, trust me, it's very, very good.

Picking up the ball and running with it...

Time for another weekend away, this time to the West Midlands, as Ros and I converged on Rugby for a Local Party dinner in the recently built village hall in Dunchurch, the village where, it is said, the organisers of the Gunpowder Plot met to agree their strategy.

I've had the pleasure of working with the local PPC, Jerry Roodhouse, before, and it was nice to be able to catch up. He had chaired an inquiry into the affairs of one of the London Local Parties, and I was one of the Regional Party nominees on the panel. Jerry carried out a very effective scrutiny, making some solid, practical recommendations that were only too readily accepted.

The local members made us feel extremely welcome, and the dinner, served by Sarah and her team, was of a very high standard, roast beef with all of the trimmings being the centrepiece. I had been promised a never-ending diet of rubber chicken when Ros became President and, it must be said, I've eaten pretty well. Local Parties go out of their way to lay on a good spread when we turn up, and are often incredibly imaginative in terms of how they organise their dinners.

Our table included the newly elevated Freeman of Rugby, Ron Ravenhall, whose service to the town makes him an extremely apt recipient of the honour. He isn't well, but turned up to meet Ros, and I was impressed by his enthusiasm and impish humour. Olga, the Local Party President, was celebrating a significant birthday, which was marked with the presentation of a gift on behalf of the Local Party.

Ros's speech went down well, and some interesting questions followed from an audience who were clearly out to enjoy themselves. I put on my 'Honourable Lady Mark hat' and drew the first winning raffle ticket. It was, I must acknowledge, a very good set of prizes.

Today, we're in Birmingham, with a full day of activities ahead...

Andrew Adonis, you're a bit of a fraud, really...

Yesterday's Evening Standard includes a story about a gallant Government minister attacking Network Rail's incompetence in managing to close both the East and West Coast main lines on consecutive weekends. Yes, it's Lord (Andrew) Adonis, standing up for the travelling public.

Yet there is, as there usually is, some backstory here. Let's go back to the beginning of the story. Far from this being the initiative of an on the ball minister, this is actually the story of a rather frustrated baroness. As Ros relates, because it is her, gentle reader...

Asked By Baroness Scott of Needham Market

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they advise Network Rail on the strategic impact of its engineering works programme.

The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Lord Adonis): My Lords, the Government do not provide such advice. This is an operational matter for Network Rail, overseen by the independent Office of Rail Regulation. As part of the Periodic Review 2008 final determinations accepted by Network Rail on 5 February, the Office of Rail Regulation has set targets and provided funding for Network Rail to reduce the impact of its engineering works on users of the railway.

Baroness Scott of Needham Market: My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that the weekend after next both the east coast and the west coast main lines will have severe delays due to engineering works and that it is not uncommon for two of the three routes into East Anglia also to be subject to delays? Who speaks on behalf of passengers when the overall network delays are simply unacceptable?

Lord Adonis: My Lords, I understand the noble Baroness’s point about inconvenience to passengers. It is precisely for that reason that the Office of Rail Regulation, which is the body responsible for ensuring that the voice of passengers is conveyed loud and clear to Network Rail, has agreed with Network Rail that over the next five years there will be a reduction of more than one-third in the disruption caused to passengers by engineering work. Of course, it is not possible to maintain the railway without engineering work, which will cause some disruption to passengers, but we expect that the target of a one-third reduction in that disruption will make a big difference to the experience of members of the travelling public.

So, on 2 March, our noble friend Lord Adonis is saying that, "It's nothing to do with me, talk to the Office of Rail Regulation.". In other words, we don't have anything to do with it.

And yet, and yet... Andrew then writes to Iain Coucher, the Chief Executive of Network Rail, raising the subject. Iain then writes to Ros, providing an explanation but nothing resembling a genuine apology. Of course, it's nothing to do with Andrew, as the Office of Rail Regulation is responsible for ensuring that the voice of passengers is conveyed loud and clear to Network Rail, his words, not mine.

And so we reach yesterday, when Andrew suddenly claims the credit for putting a rocket up Network Rail.

All I can say to Lord Adonis is;

1. Either your answer on 2 March was deliberately evasive, or you are an interfering busybody, bypassing the Office of Rail Regulation when it suits, hiding behind it when it doesn't.
2. You are an appalling glory seeker, only interested in burnishing your personal reputation regardless of the facts.

Frankly, you're lucky that Ros adheres to the courtesies of the House of Lords. If I was in her place, I'd be looking for the metaphorical lamppost and piano wire. Andrew Adonis, you are no gentleman...

Alice, I hope your neighbours don't read the Times...

Alice Miles has had a piece published in today's Times, entitled "Don't blame second-home owners for all rural ills".

She starts off with a fairly uncontroversial reflection on a consultation exercise in her village regarding a proposal for some affordable housing, noting that 90% of respondents had rejected all of the options. So far, so worthy. And then the wheels not so much fall off as sprout Boadiccea-like spikes...

Whilst she acknowledges that second-home owners are usually blamed for the unavailability of affordable homes, and admits that, in some holiday areas, there are too many, her real fire is turned on what I might effectively describe as 'permanent villagers'.

In the sort of blanket attack that indicates that Alice has her village home on the market, she asserts, "As a rule, rural people work far less hard than city people and pay less tax. Their quality of life is high, compared to the city dweller on his hamster wheel.". Gosh, Alice, don't beat about the bush, tell your neighbours how you really feel, why don't you? She goes on, "The relative laziness is accompanied by lack of imagination and a poverty of ambition.".

I've got to say that, if I was one of Alice's neighbours, it would be time for the pitchforks and flaming torches, as she clearly has no respect for her community, and is happy to tar them all with the same brush that journalists too lazy to actually seek out the truth use so freely. Oh, sorry Alice, that's a lazy generalisation, isn't it? You don't mind though, do you?

The reason that rural dwellers pay less tax is... trumpet fanfare... because they earn less (duh!) - excluding of course those city people with their second homes who invest their money so as to avoid paying levels of tax of which they disapprove. And yet their quality of life is higher. Might that be because they live a less consumer-oriented lifestyle, with less pressure to buy all of that 'stuff' that advertisers think we must have?

I don't know, if truth be told, although Ros has referred to issues of rural isolation and poverty that she encountered as a district and county councillor. However, perhaps if Alice did her own consultation exercise, she might discover that the truth, as it usually is, is rather more multi-faceted...

Help Unlock Democracy to develop something really useful

Last year, in the period leading up to the London Assembly elections, Unlock Democracy promoted London Vote Match, a tool which allowed voters to match their views with those of the various competing parties to see which one best represented them. I was enthusiastic about it then, and remain so now.

The good news is that Unlock Democracy will be promoting Vote Match Europe in the months leading up to the European election in June. However, they need your help, so why not use this link, and contribute your ideas and thoughts?

And, once the final 'product' is available, why not mention it to your friends?

The patience of the long distance Komodo Dragon

I'm not sure how many of you picked up on the story of the man who recently died after being attacked by two komodo dragons who had been waiting for him to fall out of a tree.

Komodo dragons are interesting creatures, in that they are remarkably patient hunters. They aren't particularly quick, and they aren't so large as to be able to overpower their prey. What they do have is an incredibly nasty bite. Their modus operandi is to bite their prey and then wait patiently. You see, their saliva has an unpleasant necrotising effect and so, like journalists who've got Dawn Butler in their sights, they follow their victim until death inevitably follows, when they then settled down for an unhurried meal.

They are, if you like, a metaphor for the Conservative Party, who do little more than give the Government an occasional nasty nip before sitting back to await the inevitable collapse and death of this Labour government. Indeed, the Conservative Party is a bit slow, contains its fair share of reptiles and speaks with forked tongue on civil liberties. On the plus side, it is a survivor from a bygone age...