Author Archives: Paul Walter

Paul Walter

Mark Hunter storms to victory in Stockport

By Paul Walter | Fri 6th May 2016 - 2:20 am


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Paul Walter

Lib Dems gain two seats and hold seven seats in Hull

By Paul Walter | Fri 6th May 2016 - 2:16 am


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Paul Walter

16% swing from SNP to Lib Dems in Orkney

By Paul Walter | Fri 6th May 2016 - 2:13 am

The BBC reports:

Orkney was the first constituency to declare in the Scottish Parliament election, with the Liberal Democrats holding the seat.

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Paul Walter

Spectacular by-election win – Lib Dems take seat from Tories in Newbury

By Paul Walter | Fri 6th May 2016 - 2:03 am

Elizabeth O'Keefe and team

Elizabeth O’Keeffe (centre) with some of her team in Newbury

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Paul Walter

The last risk I expected on polling day was sunstroke

By Paul Walter | Thu 5th May 2016 - 11:00 pm

IMG_2856Well done and thank you to everyone who has done anything for the Liberal Democrats in our campaigns culminating today.

What a glorious day it was here in the south of England! – and apologies if the weather in your area wasn’t as great.

My straw hat got its first outing of the year and, as I tramped round the streets of Newbury, I couldn’t believe how lucky we were to have such glorious sunshine and warmth.

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Paul Walter

The USA: The clue is in the title – and it is the greatest example of pooled sovereignity between states

By Paul Walter | Sat 23rd April 2016 - 10:50 am

Four of the USA’s founding fathers: (l to r) Adams, Morris, Hamilton, Jefferson

There was a rather strange moment on Thursday’s BBC Question Time. There was a discussion about President Obama’s intervention in the EU referendum debate.

Liam Fox was waxing lyrically about how the USA has great democracy, and all we want is the same democracy ourselves without our country being, he posited, controlled by “Brussels”.

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Paul Walter

Is being an MP a rubbish job?

By Paul Walter | Sat 16th April 2016 - 7:54 pm

Nigel Morris in the i reports:

Lonely MPs are finding it almost impossible to balance their jobs with ordinary family life, according to a survey of politicians who quit Parliament at last year’s election.

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Paul Walter

Timely reminder – when the Guardian’s attempt to influence US politics backfired spectacularly

By Paul Walter | Sat 16th April 2016 - 11:54 am

Owen Jones in the Guardian recently wrote an article entitled: “I signed an open letter to Donald Trump, and you should too”:

Trump’s unapologetic embrace of racism, xenophobia and misogyny vindicates all of those ugly prejudices the world over. And millions of Americans are horrified about Trump. They deserve our solidarity and support. There is, after all, another United States, one forged by immigrants and transformed by courageous Americans who fought racism, sexism and homophobia. That is a United States millions of us believe in. And that is why we should sign this letter.

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Paul Walter

Is Leeds showing the way forward on prostitution?

By Paul Walter | Wed 13th April 2016 - 1:50 pm

Considering our own forward-thinking policy on prostitution, I wonder if readers approve of the scheme currently being run in Leeds. The BBC reports:

A suburb in Leeds is the first place in the UK where it is permitted for women to sell sex between specified hours. The “managed approach” was introduced to try to control the trade.

…in this specified network of roads, street prostitutes can sell their services from 19.00 to 07.00 BST, without being stopped by police.

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Paul Walter

Africa’s Super Sunday

By Paul Walter | Wed 13th April 2016 - 12:20 pm

Recently on holiday in West Africa, I was somewhat torn. There was a strong temptation to leave my political conscience in a left luggage locker at Gatwick. Indeed, I think I did to an extent. I was, after all, on holiday and, being in a rural “eco lodge”, I was able to mix with ordinary Africans and provide some support to the local economy.

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Paul Walter

St Ives referendum – Is this the way forward to stop seaside idylls being ghost towns?

By Paul Walter | Wed 13th April 2016 - 10:50 am

The idyllic, but seagull-dive-bombed, seaside town of St Ives is holding a referendum, as the BBC reports:

On 5 May, the council will ask residents to vote on a new town plan, which includes a promise to restrict second home ownership.
If the vote is passed, new housing projects will get planning permission only on condition that the homes are reserved for people to live in full-time. Developers will not be allowed to sell the buildings to anyone who has a residence elsewhere.

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Paul Walter

The government’s EU “remain” booklet hits the doormats…and it is spookily reminiscent of its 1975 counterpart

By Paul Walter | Wed 13th April 2016 - 9:50 am

P1010392 (2)Here’s the very booklet I received yesterday from Her Majesty’s government. It’s a rather dry looking document, but the message is clear, as it is repeated, more or less, three times on the cover of the booklet:

Why The Government believes that voting to remain in the European Union is in the best decision for the UK.

…on the front and:

The Government believes that voting to remain in the European Union is the best decision for the UK.

and

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Paul Walter

Could the Republican party save the world from Trump, but split apart?

By Paul Walter | Sun 10th April 2016 - 11:55 am

Things have changed since my last post on this. Last time, I thought it was relatively certain that Trump would be the Republican US Presidential nominee. I am not so sure now. First, we had Mitt Romney’s extraordinary, unprecedented excoriation of Trump. Then we had that unheard of event: the Trump gaffe machine gun finally fired a round which rebounded on him – I refer to his rapidly recounted suggestion that women who have abortions should be punished (which, lest we forget, was followed by a casual grunt to confirm that he thought it inconceivable that the men involved should even be considered for equal treatment).

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Paul Walter

What really is “Kafkaesque”?

By Paul Walter | Tue 5th April 2016 - 5:13 pm

Kafka statue Prague
I’d heard the word “Kafkaesque” being bandied around for years, but only had a vague idea what it meant.

So, upon recently renewing my local library card, I was emboldened to take out their copy of “The Trial” to try to find out what “Kafkaesque” really means – or should mean. (Often words, which are misused, metamorphisise officially to their misused meaning. “Literally” is now accepted as often meaning “used for emphasis while not being literally true”.)

A friend commented: “Ahah! Starting with the light reads, eh?”

In fact, I was greatly impressed by the attractive narrative style of Franz Kafka. There are two horrendously violent incidents in the book. Apart from that, the story proceeds in a very charming and engaging way. The narrator and the subject seem to be intertwined.

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Paul Walter

Book review: Charles Kennedy: A Tragic Flaw by Greg Hurst

By Paul Walter | Tue 5th April 2016 - 11:45 am

I had a chance to read this recently updated book while on holiday in West Africa. It is a remarkably fine volume. Painstakingly researched and impeccably sourced, it offers a skillfully balanced portrait of a remarkable and inspiring man. As the title suggests, the author does not hold back on the human frailties of its subject but these are, nevertheless, presented as part of a rounded, fair and endearing commentary. I feel this book helps us to inch forward a little further in understanding the rather enigmatic Charles Kennedy, while deconstructing a few myths along the way.

I’ll pick out a few parts of the book which particularly caught my attention:

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Paul Walter

Enforced academisation plan is “bonkers”

By Paul Walter | Sun 3rd April 2016 - 12:14 pm

The chairman of the Conservative 1922 backbench committee and Tory councillors are reported to be angry with the government’s plan to force 17,000 schools in England to become academies by 2020.

Melinda Tilley, cabinet member for education in Oxfordshire said:

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Paul Walter

A good quote from Margaret Thatcher

By Paul Walter | Fri 1st April 2016 - 3:15 pm

BBC 2 are repeating some of Terry Wogan’s programmes at lunch time. They’ve been showing “Terry and Mason’s great food trip”, where our Tel went round Britain with a cabbie. I think it’s the best thing he did. There is no greater spectacle than the great Irishman bantering away and tucking into good old fashioned grub.

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Paul Walter

Must-see TV series: Inside Obama’s White House

By Paul Walter | Fri 1st April 2016 - 11:40 am

While I was on holiday, BBC 2 sneaked out the first episode of a fantastic series: Inside Obama’s White House. You can currently watch the first three episodes of the series here on BBC iPlayer.

This is a brilliant series produced by Brook Lapping for the BBC. They’ve got some truly sensational behind-the-scenes footage. So, as they tell the story of Obama’s presidency, they are able to show specific video of that event behind-the-scenes – advisers emerging from a crunch meeting or whatever. And they have a remarkable parade of players giving their retrospective view on events: from Rahm Emmanuel, Obama’s chief of staff, to John Kerry, Treasury secretary Timothy Geithner and chief adviser David Axelrod.

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Paul Walter

VIDEO: Watch the “Electing Diverse MPs” (incl. All Woman Shortlists) debate

By Paul Walter | Sun 13th March 2016 - 5:07 pm

You can watch today’s “Electing Diverse MPs” (including All Women Shortlists) debate from the York conference in full below. Just click on the central arrow:

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Paul Walter

Watch the Spring conference sessions on You Tube

By Paul Walter | Sun 13th March 2016 - 4:49 pm

You can watch the Spring conference debates on You Tube:

The Saturday sessions are here.

The Sunday sessions are here.

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Paul Walter

It’s time to focus on real life – Tim Farron’s conference speech in full

By Paul Walter | Sun 13th March 2016 - 3:48 pm

Here is the full text of Tim Farron’s keynote speech to the Liberal Democrat Spring conference in York today:

You will be unsurprised to hear that I was recently interviewed by Stylist magazine.

They asked me lots of exciting questions regarding my colossal sense of glamour.

They also wanted me to write about a woman who had been my hero.

I wanted to be completely honest, and pick the woman who was indeed my hero.

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Paul Walter

Party adopts All Women Shortlists after Tim Farron’s plea: ‘The time for excuses has gone’

By Paul Walter | Sun 13th March 2016 - 12:11 pm

The Liberal Democrat federal party conference at York this morning passed the “Electing Diverse MPs” motion without amendment 1, meaning that the party has adopted All Women Shortlists along with a slew of other major diversity initiatives.

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Paul Walter

Watch Tim Farron’s keynote leader’s speech to conference here at 11:45

By Paul Walter | Sun 13th March 2016 - 10:35 am

By clicking on the arrow below, you can watch this morning’s session of the Liberal Democrat spring conference in York, including Tim farron’s keynote leader’s speech at 11:45am. It should be a corker.



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Paul Walter

“Electing diverse MPs” including All women shortlists – full motion and amendments

By Paul Walter | Sun 13th March 2016 - 9:20 am

Here is the full motion, with the amendments to be debated, for “Electing diverse MPs” (including All Women Shortlists) which is about to be debated at the York conference. (Note: you can see the motion with its line numbers starting on page 57 of the agenda paper for conference here and the amendments starting on page 17 of Saturday’s Conference Daily sheet here.). A reminder that you can watch the live stream of the debate here.

The motion

F20 Electing Diverse MPs

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Paul Walter

Watch the debate on “Electing diverse MPs” including All Women Shortlists here at 9:40

By Paul Walter | Sun 13th March 2016 - 8:30 am

By clicking on the arrow in the box below, you can watch the debate on “Electing diverse MPs (which will include consideration of All Women Shortlists) when it starts at 9:40 this morning. Below the box I’ve shown the text of the motion, together with the amendments to be debated. (Note: you can see the motion with its line numbers starting on page 57 of the agenda paper for conference here and the amendments starting on page 17 of Saturday’s Conference Daily sheet here.).

Also here, by clicking on the arrow below, you can watch the whole conference session today from 9am until 1pm, including Tim’s leader’s speech at 11:45.

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Paul Walter

Britain must lead – not leave

By Paul Walter | Sun 13th March 2016 - 7:34 am

Here is the full text of Tim Farron’s speech to the York conference rally this weekend:

When you’re sat in the front row, it’s impossible to miss your cue to get on stage.

But for those of you who were at conference in the autumn, you may have noticed I was a little late to the stage.

I was sitting very happily having a cup of tea in the green room, completely oblivious to what was happening

I didn’t think I was due on for at least 5 more minutes.

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Paul Walter

Liberal Leave campaign

By Paul Walter | Sat 12th March 2016 - 7:03 pm

LiberalLeave

We’ve been asked about the Liberal Leave campaign, which is working for a “No” vote in the forthcoming EU referendum.

The campaign has a Facebook page, a website and a Twitter feed.

The Facebook page features a couple of pieces of literature being given out by supporters at the York conference. One of them is on the right and, together with the Liberal Leave website, tells us about some of the people supporting the campaign:

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Paul Walter

Watch the live stream of the York spring conference here

By Paul Walter | Sat 12th March 2016 - 5:37 pm

It’s on YouTube here.

Or you can click on the arrow below to see it:



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Paul Walter

Data: If we’d won more seats in 2015, our Commons team would still have been over-whelmingly white and male

By Paul Walter | Fri 11th March 2016 - 8:33 am

If you don’t already get Mark Pack’s Liberal Democrat Newswire, it’s worth signing up to it. I’ve also heard he’s co-written a book on how to win elections.

In this month’s Liberal Democrat Newswire, which is number 77, Mark presents some very clear statistics on a key point which has come up in the diversity debate:

One comment often made is that the party’s current all male, all white line-up in the House of Commons is due to the party having only 8 MPs – and that if they party had done better at the last election, it would have been more diverse.

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Paul Walter

‘Electing diverse MPs’ motion is comprehensive, balanced and sensible

By Paul Walter | Mon 7th March 2016 - 10:30 am

Reading through the “Electing diverse MPs” motion for the York conference, I was struck by how it comprehensively covers the necessary territory in a very measured and sensible way.

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