Saturday Six 35 - @miss_s_b, Clegg, Royal Mail, Kimi and a Kitty...

Happy Saturday!

It's gorgeous here in Bristol - since you asked - hope you're having a good one wherever you are. But enough of the small talk, here are a selection of blogs and articles to have caught my eye this week. Enjoy!

The Very Wonderful Jennie Rigg blogged some thank-yous following the vote passing the third reading of the  Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill in the House of Commons.

On Wednesday, Nick Clegg gave a speech about the importance of the coalition keeping on to 2015, and chastising those who wished to divert it from its central purpose with continuous speculation about Europe. Andrew Grice in The Independent praises the speech, argues that it should have been made by the Prime Minister as a put down to his internal party critics and his inability to do so indicates the weakness of his position. Prospect also reports on the speech and, whilst being more nuanced in its assessment of the speech and the political landscape, there was no mistake in its interpretation of the central message: "Can the Conservative back benches please button it?"

Next, a letter showing that the Royal Mail can have a sense of humour, even when advising someone that their delivery service is in jeapardy.

Ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix tomorrow, Kimi Räikkönen has been paying tribute to the late James Hunt whose first Grand Prix was at Monaco, 40 years ago on June 3rd. The race was won by Jackie Stewart, whilst Hunt came ninth in a Hesketh March.

Finally, I'm not sure what I find most amusing about this kittyflix video - the kitty's antics or the Facebook page advertised as being Facebook.com/legoKY. But that's just my puerile mind.*

Andrew

*I tell myself that knowing the word "puerile" comes from the Latin "puer" meaning boy suggests that it isn't as puerile as I make out.**

**I suspect that a vague knowledge of schoolboy Latin is not enough to excuse me from being guilty as charged.

Saturday Six 34 - Poverty, Equal Marriage, Texas and Pulled Pork

It's Saturday, so here's another six blogposts and articles that I've seen and thought worthy of some note over the past week:

First up, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation has published a report into attitudes to poverty and welfare. The Guardian reports that this suggests that attitudes towards those who claim state support are hardening amongst Labour supporters. Over on Lib Dem Voice, Stephen Tall looks at how the figures breakdown across the political spectrum.

The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill returns to the commons this week, with news that the Government is not in favour of using the Bill to allow Humanists to conduct legally recognised marriages. The British Humanist Association reports on the issue here - and the efforts by 7 MPs (including Bristol West's Stephen Williams) to amend the bill.

Unfortunately, there are a number of other amendments to the bill and some are not nearly so helpful. Caron Lindsay reports on Lib Dem Voice that free votes are to be given to our MPs - although there are some that even those against the bill should not even countenance voting for.

Regular readers will know I love me a bit of Texas - whose new album comes out on Monday and whom I have ticket to see in November. Last week they performed a couple of gigs as party of the promotion of the new album - here's a review of the Glasgow gig at legendary venue, King Tut's Wah Wah Hut. They also did  a turn on BBC2's Later... with three songs from the album, and Spiteri and Holland covering "How Sweet It Is" - it's worth looking it up on iPlayer.

Finally, my friend Jo relates the latest details of her next charity dining event... The Stars and Stripes Supper Club. Having been one of those at the Pulled Pork tasting, I'm looking forward to it more than ever now.

Andrew

Saturday Six (well, Seven) 33 - The political landscape, bad journalism and Nadine Dorries

Well, after a break for the election campaigning, Saturday Six (and my other regular strands) will be making a comeback, starting now... and, as a bonus this week, Saturday Six is a Saturday Seven.

In his Archives, Alex discusses the rise of UKIP - and the demise of Participatory Politics. Put simply, it's a self-perpetuating cycle: as long as established politicians play to their own gallery, the disengaged will find alternative outlets for their frustration.

One of UKIP's main policies is opposition to equal marriage - which Charles Moore discusses in a Telegraph piece lauded by Nadine Dorries. Jae Kay at Freedom Is Not The Problem gives it to them with both barrels.

Ms Dorries is also the subject of this lengthy piece which starts with the simple premise: "Why hasn't her appearance money for I'm a Celebrity appeared in the Register of Members' Interests yet?"...

Meanwhile, Caron has been reading the Daily Mail and, somewhat unsurprisingly, hasn't liked what she's read. Specifically, Quentin Letts being disparaging about international lawyer Miriam González Durántez on the basis that she is married to Nick Clegg and is Spanish.

Much has been made lately of how much - or how little - a person can live on. Aethelread The Unread takes to pieces a particularly bad piece of "journalism" from the BBC website that purported to prove £1 a day wasn't just feasible but could provide a wide and varied diet.

Finally, much has been made about the local election results, the Queens Speech and what they mean for the parties and the coalition. Here are two responses, one by Linda Jack and the other by Stephen Tall. I'll leave you to judge whose views I'm closest to.

Andrew

Bristol and Blogs

This Blog is unashamedly fond of Bristol. It is, after all, a great city with fantastic urban art, varied architecture, lively bars and clubs (I'm told...), tea emporia, artisan coffee houses, various independent shops (and an independent Mayor).

 

It's a hub for creative industries, the home of Deal or No Deal and featured in Dirk Gently, Dr Who and (soon) Sherlock. It's home to one of the UK's (and the World's) top Universities and is a key centre for the Aerospace Industry.

 

It's a city of Festivals: from the Harbourside festival to the Balloon Fiesta, from Upfest to Brisfest. It's a vibrant, diverse city with a rich history of incomers enriching and developing its cosmopolitan culture.

 

It's the home of Wallace and Gromit, and the home of Banksy, Brunel and John Cabot. And it's my home.

 

Aside from the all the above, it is also the home of a great many blogs which, along with this one, are collected together on the Bristol Blogs aggregator site. Go and have a look - and if you're not local, be sure to put Bristol (as well as Bristol Blogs) on your "to visit" list!

 

Andrew

Saturday Six 32 - Bishops, Immigrants, Growth and Gays. And Boris.

So it's Saturday Sunday - it must be time for another tasty half dozen posts and articles which I've found thought provoking, interesting and/or enjoyable over the past week or so...

First up, from this morning, Stephen (Glenn) takes on Lord Carey (something I'm quite likely to do here later, too...) and another bishop is featured as Stephen (Tall)'s Liberal of the Week - the Bishop of Dudley urges leadership not capitulation on the issue of immigration.

Not unrelated to immigration (given the economic benefits it can bring, and the need for government raise its income and seek to engineer growth, this piece of budget analysis is quite insightful.

Last Sunday's stand in on Andrew Marr's Sunday morning show was Eddie Mair. One of the guests was Boris Johnson. Mair deployed his subtle but deadly interview technique to fatal effect as outlined in this report.

And finally two articles about pioneers in their fields. First, Robbie Rogers in the Guardian on his very public coming out - and what's next and then: "When I was in the Military  they gave me a medal for killing two men and a discharge for loving one." - The powerful story of one man who took on the US Air Force in the 70's.

Andrew

Saturday Six 29 - Secret Courts and Lib Dem Conference

I'm preparing this on Friday morning, en-route to Brighton for Lib Dem Spring Conference. One issue dominates this week - the votes in the Commons on Secret Courts (or Closed Material Procedures).

Like most people travelling to conference, I consider Secret Courts top be an affront to Liberalism and Natural Justice. But I've written enough on the subject over the past few weeks and months for the regular reader to know my views, so here's a selection of other blogs, and consideration of where we go from he.

Caron provided some initial reaction from Monday night's votes on Lib Dem Voice - the comments section is quite entertaining (although not particularly constructive...)

The Liberator is right in identifying Secret Courts as being different to many of the proceeding issues in which Lib Dem parliamentarians have defied Party policy. I think this may have ramifications for years to come - particularly post 2015. Tim Farron's decision to vote against the Whip may well have increased his chances of securing the leadership should he decide to stand...

On A View From Ham Common, Richard Morris identifies some of the questions the issue raises. Including "Is There Much Hope?"

Mark Thompson wonders whether it's worth attending Lib Dem Conference at all...

...whilst a more drastic response is suggested by George Potter - and I'm not sure it's all that tongue in cheek either...

It isn't all about Secret Courts though - Caron Lindsay on Lib Dem Voice seeks to put Conference in a wider perspective.

And that's it for another week!

Andrew

Saturday Six 28 - Rennard, Growth, Eastleigh and Rape Jokes

Good Morning, 

Depending on how organised I am, and what else I have on, I sometimes put this post together in stages over the course of the week. Other times, the majority of it is written on Saturday morning. So it is this week, with the exception of the first selection:

As I type this particular entry, it's Sunday evening, and already I cold have filled up this post with entries regarding the allegations against Lord Rennard - and the alleged cover-up. I'm sure there will have been many more articles by the time you read this - but here is a post by Linda Jack which makes some good points.

Over on Not The Treasury View. Jonathan Portes draws a link between much vaunted immigration statistics and UK exports.

Of course, the big news of this week was the Eastleigh by election, won by Mike Thornton for the Lib Dems - a very welcome fillip given how other news has been for us lately. Here are Caron's observations on Lib Dem Voice about what we can learn as a party. By way of contrast and comparison, here's a take by a Tory Supporter, Nick Denys.

Politics can take over your life - Jazz Hands, Serious Business reassures that it's OK to do other things! Honest, it is!

Finally, rape jokes made by machine. Not funny, not plausible. Martin Belam says Solid Gold Bomb's excuse just won't wash.

Andrew

Saturday Six 26

Good Morning, this week's Saturday Six is on schedule and under budget...

This article is one of the best things I've read about the current Horse meat scandal engulfing the processed meat industry - and the implied demonisation of those who buy Value Ready Meals.

The Daily Mail reports that 4 million adults have never worked. Stephen Tall unpicks the figures a bit....

Mark Thompson is a regular on these pages, this week he's arguing that the Pope's decision to stand down injects some humanity into debates on Popes and Monarchs having a vacation for life.

Vince Cable has picked up on Bristol West MP Stephen Williams' idea of distributing the state's shareholding in RBS to the population at large. The M&G Bond Vigilantes propose a variation on the idea...

The Eastleigh by-election is in full swing - and Liberal Youth are doing a sterling job in support of Mike Thornton.

Finally, news on a project which has seen several internationally renowned architects including Zaha Hadid and Frank Gehry design rugs to be made by Afghan woman and sold through a not-for-profit charity.

Andrew

Saturday Six 25

Good Afternoon, welcome to my 900th published blogpost (on this blog, at least). Although I had some thoughts about doing something specific to celebrate, I've opted to go ahead with the day late edition of Saturday Six which wasn't published yesterday due to a combination of an unexpected but welcome houseguest and the fairer tax action day.

First up, two posts on Chris Huhne's demise as MP for Eastleigh: Mark Reckons discusses the tragedy of a confidence built of hubris whilst Richard Morris argues on the New Statesman Staggers blog that, whilst the particular turn of events last week may have been surprising, Lib Dems had mentally got over the loss of a Cabinet Minister and up for the By-Election battle.

This past week also saw the Second Reading of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill - which passed by a margin of 400 to 175. My friend Glyn was in the public gallery for the debate as it is something he feels strongly about, something which had led to a disturbing incident related on his own blog.

There has been ongoing speculation about imminent appointments to the House of Lords - something that has led Nick Barlow to come up with an interesting proposition - especially for a parliamentary party which is "too male, too pale."

This test (with a h/t to Alex Wilcock) seeks to define political philosophy based on a series of statements rather than (as with some tests) policies. Don't be alarmed (as I was) with it being on the OK Cupid site - and at the end there is an option for getting the results without signing up. This is how I came out - I have a bit of an issue with the "S" word...

Finally, a couple of ideas for Shrove Tuesday - although I must confess I'm a cook-and-eat-whilst-at-the-stove kinda guy, traditionally taking it in turns with my housemate.

Andrew

Saturday Six 24

Another tardy edition of Saturday Six, so let's jump straight in!

I'm not normally a fan of lists of "Influential Gays" or even "Influential gay people" but I quite liked this series of portraits from The Guardian. The link is to one of Omar Sharif Jr (whom I had never heard of) but I like most of the pictures in the series.

Last Sunday saw Andy Murray take on Novak Djokovic in the final of the Australian Open. Sadly my prediction that he would lose in four was right. Two days previously, he had taken on Federer in the Semis - Pseudo Fed Blog has the inside story on some of their exchanges...

You may well have read of the HMV employee who tweeted as the administrators made redundancies in the marketing department during the week. Liberal Conspiracy has more details on the woman behind those tweets - in her own words.

On the issue of Cats v. Dogs, I'm very much on the side of the former. If you are unsure of how to pet a cat (especially if you are more used to dogs) then this handy petting guide will help you avoid some of the pitfalls. Do not assume that because your dog likes being petted all over that a cat will...

Apparently 817 (count 'em) entire Acts of Parliament were repealed on Thursday when the Statute Law (Repeals) Bill received Royal Ascent. These included the Female Orphan Asylum Act of 1800 (and related legislation), the Extradition Act 1873 and the Assam Railways and Trading Company's Acts of 1897 and 1910. 

And finally, my friend Will does Burns' proud with his reading of A Man's A Man For A' That.

And there we have it, another six for your Saturday... Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a Rugby match to go and watch! 

Andrew

Saturday Six 23

Good morning evening, welcome to another Saturday Six... This time brought to you by my new iPad... (Honestly, I do promise not to bang on about it too much!)

First this week, Caron reports on President Obama's second Inauguration and a depressing aspect of the American Dream: the unspoken assumption that there will always be poverty to be climbed out of.

Even though I'm an atheist, I am interested in faith issues. This piece on Buddhism piqued my interest, as it analyses the darker side to what is an often idealised religion.

Cameron made his BIG SPEECH on Europe this week - Mark Reckons that the Lib Dems should be in favour of his referendum.

I'm not a particularly sentimental person - but this piece about a straight teenage boy attracting the attention of his gay classmate and how he responded touched me. Not in a soppy way but because it illustrates how the world should be.

Julie Burchill's  rant in The Observer a couple of weeks ago shone a spotlight on the difference between free speech and hate speech. Polari Magazine discusses some of the issues and also analyses some of Suzanne Moore's attitude to sexuality politics.

Here's an infographic to end on - The Lord Of The Rings Project presents a handy history of the One Ring....

Andrew

Saturday Six 22

It's Saturday evening, so I'll just get straight into listing this Saturday's Six:

Charles Moore in the Telegraph discusses the Operation Yewtree report into Jimmy Saville and highlights the problem with now treating all allegations as fact. There may be no doubt that Jimmy Saville was a paedophile  but there will never be a chance for due process to determine this as fact.

Next up is a review of Tom Daley's "Splash". I've not seen the programme but I just love this line from David Bowden's review: "diving is straight-up, 100 per cent, balls-out, why-don’t-we-see-that-Mapplethorpe-exhibition homo-eroticism." H/T to @stephentall for the link.

The Fluffy Elephant has done it again: this time with an OPTIMISTIC PIECE about the LD future.

Nicole Cooke retired from cycling this week and the BBC reported that she had some strong words on the subject of drug cheats in the sport: "When Lance cries on Oprah later this week and she passes him the tissue, spare a thought for all those genuine people who walked away with no rewards - just shattered dreams. Each one of them is worth a thousand Lances."

Mark Thompson reports on the progressive nature of the changes in Income Tax payable at different pay bands under the coalition.

Finally, M&G's Bond Vigilantes report on an increasing bubble in the Chinese housing housing market.

Andrew

Saturday Six 21

Good Afternoon, welcome to another tour of some of the blogs that have caught my eye this week. As always, they are in no particular order:

First up, Mark Valladares argues against seeking to anchor policy in the "centre ground". I agree.

Next, something entirely different; one disgruntled man's feelings towards a trip to see Les Misérables. My own review of the film can be found here.

Caron Lindsay regularly features in these pages - mainly because she is a) so prolific and b) so often right. In this piece she makes a strong liberal case against the capping of benefit increases at 1% - something which is inherently unfair dressed up as fairness. (It's a similar argument to that which supported the "Community Charge" or that advocates of a flat taxation system advance.) I disagree with her with regards to whether our MPs should have been voting for it, though, in that the 1% cap is compromise ironed out of a Tory desire to freeze benefits and sees a reduction in the pension funding annual (and lifetime) allowances - reducing the amount of tax relief paid to those on higher incomes.

The London Underground was 150 this week - and this blog is a fantastic tribute to it. I'll be paying repeat visits over the next few weeks and months to explore it's wealth of photos and features.

You probably noticed the Government's mid-term review this week. Jonathan Portes, of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, had a look at the performance in relation to those Deficit Reduction targets.

And finally, a word or two on fireworks and not believing everything you see...

Andrew

Saturday Six 20

Welcome to this, my twentieth weekly collection of blogs which have caught my eye. Let's crack on...

First up, Jonathan Calder on Liberal England reports on a little-know 1955 radio production of The Lord of the Rings, featuring Prunella Scales and David Hemmings!

Last week's Saturday Six had a link to a Liberator article on the new (or latest) Lib Dem messaging strategy. Caron Lindsay and George Potter have both written their own responses.

George has also written this piece on why it is fair to raise welfare payments in line with inflation - in bad times as well as good.

The Adam Smith Institute's Sam Bowman discusses some of the issues faced when cutting spending in the Public Sector; concluding that spending cuts have to be accompanied by reform. I would like to re-iterate the old addage that a link does not infer full agreement. But I liked this paragraph: " Of course deep spending cuts are needed. But, unless you’re happy to mess over people who rely on state services through no fault of their own, they can only work in conjunction with big changes in how we do things." 

And finally, who says F1 isn't affordable on a budget? Perhaps this guy could save HRT...

Andrew

Saturday Six 19

Its the last Saturday - and therefore the last Saturday Six - of the year... Fortunately, though, this is a Christmas free zone; and is also relatively free of New Year naval gazing!

First, Neil Monnery reports on the announcement of Suzi Perry as the new anchor for the BBC's F1 coverage, and of the Grand Prix being covered by the beeb next year. Personally (even as a Sky viewer), I regret that the BBC will not be covering either the season opener in Australia or the Monaco races.

Next up, two pieces from Lib Dem Voice. Giles Goodall reflects on what a Norwegian-style relationship with the EU could really mean for Britain and Jo Shaw provides an update n Lib Dem campaign against Secret Courts: simply, the Leadership needs to listen to the party.

Liberal England reports on one Shropshire man's efforts to recruit members and supporters for the Liberal Democrats. 

The under-representation of woman on Have I Got News for You is reported on by Nick Barlow, who has been updating his spreadsheet at the end of the 44th Series of the programme.

Finally, the Liberator Magazine Blog goes off-message with a message about being on-message. Personally, I'm not against efforts to have us all singing (broadly) off one page - I do feel, though, that the message has to be coherently founded in Liberalism. I suspect that's a blogpost for another day, however...

Andrew

Saturday Six 18

Ah, Christmas, so much free time, so little free time... Changing routines, travelling, shopping, multiple demands on your time, sundry obligations. I shall try to keep blogging meantime, though!

First up for the regular Saturday Six, The Week had an article arguing that Obama is right not jump straight into a argument on Gun Control in the wake of the shootings in Newtown, Connecticut.

The week before last I was in the audience for Question Time - Fullfact.org were the "Extra Guest" commenting on Twitter as the programme was broadcast. These are their findings.

Anyone who knows me, knows I love Tolkien and knows that I love the Peter Jackson films. I do still have a sense of humour about them too, though - and enjoyed this on The Onion.

Peter Oborne in The Telegraph (I'm nothing if not eclectic on these pages) argues that David Cameron's Conservative Backbenchers should be more amenable to the coalition.

David Davies MP: "What? Oh no. Have I said something wrong again? Have I said something really bad? What did I say?" or The curious case of the MP who seems to lack any awareness of how interviews work.

And finally, Caron has a rant... about the "Full Scottish" that John Lewis served me this morning!

Andrew

Saturday Six 17

Another week, another six blogposts for your delectation, education and enjoyment...

First up this week, Graeme Cowie at Predictable Paradox compares Scotland's system of Maintenance Loans with the new Tuition Fee and Maintenance Loan regime in England and Wales with some interesting conclusions.

Next - and I wouldn't normally read or link to Guido Fawkes - here are some graphs showing how the average Income Tax rates have altered in different income bands between 2009/10 and 2011/12. (He links to a table of HMRC data to support his argument - the original data from which that has been cribbed can be found here).

This made big news but I make no apology for linking to the original story: Nick Clegg's interview in The Sun in which he supported the Home Affairs Select Committee in calling for a Royal Commission into Drugs - and for reform of our drug laws:"We've got to level with the British People." #IAgreeWithNick

It's been a good few weeks for Lib Dems at Westminster: from April the Personal Allowance will be just a shade short of £10,000, Clegg has found his voice on Leveson and Drugs, Legislation is now to be brought forward on Equal Marriage and the Draft Data Communications Bill (DDBC) has been ditched. 

The DDBC has had a fraught history; the LibDem leadership had initially accepted the proposals until an outcry from the activists led to a different approach being adopted: the bill was published in draft form to be examined in detail by a cross-party committee of MPs and Lords. From Clegg's point of view, the key member was Julian Huppert MP, one of the view MPs with both a technical knowledge and background, a fundamentally Liberal mind and huge goodwill amongst the active membership. If he had said no to the bill, Clegg would have to too.

As it happens, the report tearing apart Theresa May's bill was agreed unanimously by the committee (5 Tories, 4 Labour, 2 Lib Dems and a Cross-bencher), so Clegg had even more ammunition than the "Huppert Veto" and the bill, in its current form, is dead! So much for pre-amble, here's a piece in The Guardian by John Kampfner. Every Government is prone to persuasion by the Security Services for the need for more powers: Liberals must always stand guard against these being disproportionate to any threat.

Housing is a big issue* which, arguably, we have never got right from the point at which Thatcher introduced the Right to Buy scheme but didn't make provision for the replenishment of the Social Housing stock. This infographic from Shelter highlights some of the many issues involved.

And finally, this from Stephen Tall on another Local Council by-election success; turns out that the Lib Dems really are still "Winning Here", where "Here" is Harrogate (x3), Littlehampton, Brentwood, Sutton, Vale of White Horse, Shepway, Folkestone, Havant, Watford, Eden, North Tyneside, Hebden Royd, Ryedale, Horsforth, Todmorden...

Andrew

*If you want to read more by an expert in the area, I'd point you in the direction of Alex's Archives...

Saturday Six 16

This edition of Saturday Six was started before the publication of the Leveson enquiry but I ended up too busy to post it last weekend. So, here are three from the week before last with the rest being finds from the past few days...

Andrew Page declared himself proud of Lib Dem peers in respect of the debate on the Justice and Security Bill - and of Nick Clegg on the issue of Shared Parental Leave.

On another Justice issue, Mark Thompson argues that giving some prisoners the right to vote - is the right thing to, on principle, and not just because the European Court of Human Rights has ruled that a blanket ban is illegal. You will not be surprised to learn that I think he is spot on.

Finally, in an issue which has become super-topical again in the past day or two, Raybeard explains why he thinks "gay marriage" is unnatural...

And now for a more recent three:

Over on The Spectator's Coffee House Blog Isabel Hardman cautiously welcomed the dual-statement approach adopted by David Cameron and Nick Clegg over the Leveson report before putting the boot in over plans for Lib Dems (including Ministers) to vote against boundary reforms. I fear that Ms Hardman will be disappointed by the lack of a Black Swan to save the Conservatives from such an eventuality...

Jonathan Calder reports on comments made in a Point of Order in which David Davies took exception to Theresa May's characterisation of those against the Draft Data Communications Bill as being on the side of "criminals, terrorists and paedophiles" and "putting politics before peoples lives."

Finally, Harry manson has written a piece on Political Betting about prospects for a Labour/Lib Dem Coalition in 2015. Not good, given that "the Labour Party has not been as tribal for thirty years" - something that any politically aware Bristolian will be able to explain to you, should you ask.

Andrew

Saturday Six - #Leveson Thursday Special

So the 1st Leveson report was published earlier and, aside from my own small contribution, the interwebs has been awash with differing takes on the subject. Here are just a few*:

Caron summarises Nick Clegg's statement using the power of Storify. And you can read his statement in full here, with David Cameron's here.

Of course, a free press is a core Liberal belief - and there were many in the party who felt that this cannot be guaranteed if there is any form of State involvement in the regulatory framework. Stephen Tall, for example, believes that Cameron was sticking up for Liberalism today, rather than Clegg.

Finally, contrasting responses from Index on Censorship and Liberty.

The party leaders are meeting tonight and much more debate will ensue - I've a feeling that we'll be coming back to this topic again several times before it's settled.

Andrew

*Well, six, obviously.

Saturday Six 15

It's a grey, drab, dreich Saturday afternoon here in Bristol and I'm sat in my reading room listening to Kylie Minogue's The Abbey Road Sessions* with a cup of tea and my book awaiting. So, let's crack on: 

Choosing to be gay is all about embracing hardships - so why should we introduce Equal Civil Partnerships? Andy West reports...

Of course any discrimination and prejudice directed at gay people is magnified many times for Transgendered people - as this press release on the publication of the European Commission's "Eurobarometer" report on discrimination makes clear.

The Justice and Security Bill has been in the Lords this week where a number of amendments were passed - with support from cross-benchers, Labour and some Lib Dem backbenchers. Meanwhile, the Lib Dem grassroots campaign against it continues. Nick Thornsby makes an interesting contribution: pointing out that the phrase "secret courts" is not nearly sinister enough in describing the effect of the measures proposed.

The Director of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, Jonathan Portes,  relates an exchange he had with Jesse Norman MP (Conservative) when giving evidence to the Treasury Select Committee. Norman pursued and extraordinarily hostile line of questioning.

E-mails from Cabinet Ministers to Lib Dem Members are ten-a-penny these days. Mark Valladares has had a missive from Danny Alexander.

And finally - this picture of a feature in this week's Private Eye made me chuckle.

Andrew

* I was when I started, now have Hurts with Happiness playing and I have drunk all the tea. I've also acquired a cat on my lap, so laptop is now a-top my knees.