Digital Economy Bill - YourCountryNeedsYou.com #DEBill

I have to say that Jennie puts the urgency of action well while everyone's favourite Elephant sums up the Lib Dem debate from Sunday (plus other stuff) well. I just want to emphasise the need for you to write to your MP about this, the danger is that the already authoritarian Labour party are going to attempt to rush this draconian bill through the House without proper scrutiny, consultation or debate.

If the internet literate in the Liberal Democrats had to call their own representatives to task over their illiberialism in trying to cut the illiberial nature of this bill how much less can we trust Labour or the Tories to see the light unless you tell them, no not tell them shout at them.

You can if you wise use this 38 degrees webform or if you are local to me write a personal email or visit them at their surgeries. Here are some helpful links to get in touch with the West Lothian and Falkirk representatives.

Linlithgow and East Falkirk: Michael Connarty email connartym@parliament.uk

5 Kerse Road
Grangemouth FK3 8HQ
Telephone: (01324) 474832
Fax: (01324) 666811

Or

62 Hopetoun Street
Bathgate
EH48 4PD
Telephone: (01506) 676711
Fax: (01506) 676722

Falkirk: Eric Joyce email joycee@parliament.uk Twitter id @ericjoyce

The Studio, Burnfoot Lane

Falkirk FK1 5BH

01324 679449

Or

37 Church Walk

Denny FK6 6DF

01324 823200

Livingston: Jim Devine email devinej@parliament.uk

4 Newyearfield Farm,

Livingston

01506 497961

Next surgeries:

Michael Connarty
Friday 19th Newton Community Centre 17:00-18:00
Saturday 20th Bathgate Constituency Office 10:30-11:30

Any details of Eric or Jim please let me know in the comments.

Little Mrs Moffatt is Abandoning her Tuffett

There were few more marginal Labour seats than the 405 seat majority that I felt gutted by in 2005 in Edinburgh South. But at a majority of 37 Laura Moffatt had one of them in Crawley.

Now we learn that the former Nurse who was one of the new Blair Babes in 1997 is not seeking re-election. Sadly it another female member who is saying that despite the changes in recent years it is the 'toll on her family life' that is the reason why she is stepping down.

Laura took her narrow win in good spirit, allegedly she has a tattoo on her left foot of a Labour rose with the number 37 as a permanent reminder of the 5 May 2005. Although it looks like come the early hours of 7 May this year someone else will be declared the new Member for Crawley.

***BREAKING*** Ashok Kumar MP Found Dead

It is being reported that the Labour MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland Dr Ashok Kumar has been found dead in his constituency home this afternoon. When he staff failed to contact him on the phone a workman was sent around to his house.

He was one of the 1997 intake was a fellow of the Institution of Chemical Engineers, a Chartered Engineer and a Member of the Energy Institute. Born in India he was far from being a career politician but someone who was an expert in his field before taking to a career in politics.Having been a research fellow at Imperial College London from 1982-5, before becoming a research scientist for British Steel from 1985 until his election.

He had served as PPS to Hilary Benn while the latter was international development minister but his experience in the fields of science will be sorely missed in the House.

Update The BBC are now reporting this as a 'sudden accidental' death.

Announcing the death in the House Speaker John Bercow said:

"Ashok was a most assiduous Member, much respected by the House and by professional background a very fine chemical engineer.

"I am sure members on all sides of the House will join me in mourning the loss of a colleague and extending our sympathy to the honourable member's family and friends."

Hilary Benn for who he was PPS added:

"It is very hard to believe that Ashok is no longer with us.

"Ashok was a pioneer, a doughty fighter for his constituents and a Labour man through and through who cared deeply for others.

"He was also fearless in pursuit of what he saw as right. I came to value his friendship, his loyalty and his sense of fun over the many years we worked together."

Things Are Only Getting Worse - D:Nightmare

It was thirteen years ago that they brushed into power telling us that 'Things Can Only Get Better' to the words of D:Ream's anthem. The fact that the band's keyboard player Prof. Brain Cox has now said he's backing the Lib Dems must be an omen that they haven't.

But according to the leader in The Times this morning even the Labour manifesto is going to ignore the last 13 years. Was it really that long ago that John Prescott was encouraging Labour activists to Go Fourth, and now the voters aren't apparently being asked to give Labour a fourth term.

The Times looks back at those promises of a better Britain of the new cool Britannia:

"This is not the country that Tony Blair promised us. Ofsted reports that 40 per cent of 11-year-olds cannot read or count as they should. Unemployment today is at its highest level since Labour came to power. Almost a million under 25 are out of work, well over half a million have been out of work for over a year, and more than eight million people in Britain are economically inactive. Is this how Cool Britannia was supposed to look"

As for the Prime Minister himself, while chancellor he promised us he had done away with Tory Boom and Bust economics, he appears to have replaced it with Labour boom and bust. The only difference I've found thus far is that I'm still employed even though my salary is frozen, once again.

Back in 1997 Labour promised pledges to do stuff, now they are merely offering guarantees not to take stuff away. Who are they going to blame?

The last Tory Government was 13 years away. No Labour Government has had this much time to but things right. So that would fall on deaf ears.

The world? Well they did say that this recession was a global recession but it seems to have hit us worse that most of the rest of the world, and that includes Greece. So how can we explain that oh 'prudent one'.

Does that mean that the Tories are going to be the best option to get us out of this? Well no. There have been numerous world leaders who have cast doubt over the Conservative plan to get the UK out of this, and as for the man we think will be at the helm, George Osborne, there is already talk even amongst Tories that the shadow Chancellor may not get the job in government.

The Lib Dems are offering a sustainable recovery. One that doesn't hurt the pockets of those who are already most affected by the recession. We need to think differently, act differently and ensure that such a deep recession isn't allowed to happen. Labour and the Conservatives are both caught in the trap of promising certain people that things don't need to change. They are also both clutching at last minute straws, I saw both sides on Twitter wanting to take the raising the tax threshold to £10k yesterday. That is costed in the Lib Dem manifesto what about the other two.

The Lib Dems have realised we need an austerity budget going forward, but one that stimulates growth. That is why we have set aside for the time being some of the things we would dearly love to do, they aren't what is key right now, but concentrate on what this country needs to get back on its feet and stride off confidently again. The other parties don't seem to the get it and the SNP worst of all. That's why the only real change that can build a fairer Britain is coming with the Lib Dems. That's why Nick Clegg's hope of one in three voters realising that now as we build up to the election isn't pie in the sky.

Things can still get better, you just need to see how.

Sunday 14 March 2004

Six years go this day fell on a Sunday. I know because of what I was doing that day.

The M8 experienced two rush hours that day one heeading out to Glasgow the other heading back.

Livingston were in their first major cup final. The club had entered administration just before the semi-final match but we won through and found ourselves at Hampden for the final. For the first 45 minutes we sang our hearts out but you wouldn't have known three quarters of Hampden was wearing the green and white of Hibernian.

But then in two glorious minutes at the start of the second half first Derek Lilley got on the end of a Burton O'Brien pass to get the first, right in front of the Livi support. Then moments later David Fernandez played Jamie McAllister through with onlyDaniel Andersson the Hibs keeper to beat, but he curled it around, the keeper leaving the bulk of the national stadium speechless. Just not our little section. Already hoarse we could now hear ourselves sing, and sing we did til the final whistle.

I then had to walk back into George Square to meet our lift home (they'd been shopping). We passed the queue of Hibs supporters in their cars, many of them had left the stadium early. There were more of us than them at the end for the medals to be collected by the losers who had beaten Celtic and Rangers to get there.

They were happy days.

Livingston yesterday extended their lead at the top of division 3 after being dropped from Division One last year due to administration again. Yesterday we won at Elgin while East Stirlingshire lost. I wasn't here for most of the previous climb, just the last few weeks in Division One. Plus I'm missing the ride through Division three this time due to the election. But I still have hope we can do it again.

Why the People are Kingmakers not the Lib Dems

I'm sorry Iain and Tom it's not as easy as Iain makes out. Indeed Tom's argument "let the little people have their vote*, then ignore what they say and start bartering away the very policies they voted for behind closed doors and without reference to them." seems to apply to some of the policies that over 60% who expressed a preference against in 2005 saw happen under first past the post.

What Nick has laid out are four principles that will shine through no matter what decisions Liberal Democrats have to make after an election (even if that is in choosing a minority partner to see them through). So Iain or Tom either of your parties can make it clear right here right now.

• Is your party committed to a fairer tax system lifting the poorest out and make the wealthiest pay their fair share by shutting some of the loopholes you've both created.
• Is your party committed to investing in education and provision of skills to lift us out of the recession and get some of those out of work back in productive employment.
• Are you committed to a green, sustainable economy to lift us out of this recession.
• Is your committed to real political change to sort out the political mess we now find ourselves in.

Neither of you seem keen on the first, are non-committal on the second, need work on the third and are refusing to take tough choices on the fourth.

One of your parties talks change yet seems to not know the meaning of the work. The other promises future fairness while ignoring that means a failure to deliver over the past 13 years. All of the above are examples of change and fairness on the way forward. Things that the people are saying they want, you know away from the Westminster bubble, on the streets, on the buses, in the shops.

The Liberal Democrats principles are clear, the people will know just what we stand for. Whereas both you parties seem to be confused on just what you stand for.

Tom what we are waiting for is for those people to have their say first, see what mandate they give, they are the kingmakers not us. Sorry Tom unlike Labour we do not take anybody's vote for granted, that has been the problem with both Labour and the Conservatives for too long. That gentlemen is the difference, why it isn't straight forward to give an answer you want us to say. Although even you own party leaders are now being asked that question I notice, and guess what? They aren't giving as straight an answer as Mr Dale.

* How derogatory of an MP to call the electorate 'little' people.

Livingston I Presume, Not

So determined to defend Labour's narrow 405 vote majority in Edinburgh South less than three months ago one of their councillors was seeking the relative security of Livingston.

Having failed to even make the short list to do a wonderful job he has returned tail between his legs to become the candidate in Edinburgh South.

Now he is claiming to ride on the coat tails of the legacy of Nigel Griffiths. "I'm absolutely delighted to have won the selection. Nigel has left a significant legacy of fighting hard for the constituents of Edinburgh South."

I notice he is also claiming like Nigel did in 2005 that it is heading into a close contest with just the Tories. Then Nigel said on an eve of poll leaflet.

Stop the Tories Here!!!

4,000 new Tory voters
have moved into South
Edinburgh

For over 100 years Edinburgh South was Tory.
With boundary changes it it heading Tory again.
You've stopped them once.
Stop them again.

Do you think that Labour really know what is going on in Edinburgh South anymore now than they did in 2005? I don't think so I have seen and heard about so little activity by them on the streets.

We all know how that gloom and doom message panned out. Nigel only just held on and we all know it wasn't the Tories he was trying to stop. But using the fear of the Thatcher years only just got enough people to back him. Surely Labour wouldn't try to fight the ghosts of the past again to try and hold on while they are leaking voters to the Lib Dems?

Oh dear. Nigel's successor is claiming that once again it is between Labour and the Tories while in 2007 the party that gained was actually the Lib Dems, when we were performing worse in the polls.

So Ian go ahead and ignore that your main rival is actually Fred Mackintosh of the Liberal Democrats, I'm sure you'll appreciate him building a fairer Britain for the people of Edinburgh South after you and the Tories fail to win.