On this day in 2001, Sven Goran Eriksson took over as manager of the England football team. On the same day, the carers of eight year old Victoria Climbié, who died after being tortured and fed like a dog, were found guilty of her murder, leading to questions being asked of Haringey Social Services.

Today is the 281st anniversary of the birth of Edmund Burke. It’s also the 59th and 56th birthdays respectively of  US radio ‘personalities’ Rush Limbaugh and Howard Stern.

2 Big Stories

Four steps to a fairer Britain

Yesterday saw Nick Clegg set out the priorities which will be at the heart of the party’s manifesto for the coming General Election. Here is some of the media reaction you may not have seen:

• No coalitions for Nick Clegg? – Reuters
• Nick Clegg attacks ‘politics of plenty’ and introduces ‘politics of priorities’ – Total Politics
• A good day for Nick Clegg – ConservativeHome’s  Tory Diary
• Nick Clegg breaks out some New Year honesty – TaxPayers’ Alliance

Does Mum, Dad or Gina know best?

The debate around parenting techniques, re-ignited by Nick Clegg’s comments about Gina Ford’s recommendations continue, with most siding with the Lib Dem leader. Nick compared Ford’s The Contented Little Baby Book to an Ikea manual. saying:

“I will never forget — in the middle of the night, Antonio woke up. Miriam said to me: ‘What does the book say?’ I remember saying to her: ‘Okay, we have got to stop this. I have subcontracted my parental instincts to this book’.”

The Times has a robust critique from Isabel Oakeshott, with over 100 comments, including:

“Yes, Ms Ford, we live in a democracy: parents are allowed to follow your guff and Clegg is allowed to rubbish it if he wants.”

2 Must-Read Blog Posts

Many of our local councillors write interesting blogs, reflecting their work within their local communities and showing the difference a Lib Dem councillor can make.  Here are two posts from councillors on very different authorities that have caught my eye from the Liberal Democrat Blogs aggregator:

BBC Taxi investigation tells half a story

Bury councillor and PPC Richard Baum investigates the investigators, with an explanation as to why the BBC are only interested in one side of a story about the licencing of taxi drivers. Criticising the BBC for proposing mandatory bans, Richard brings a liberal voice to a heated topic:

“I think it is right that having a criminal record should not automatically bar people from doing anything. Taxi driving is no exception. We need to make sure that they are fit and proper people to do the job, and where this is the case there should be no more to it than that.”

Richard’s blog is a good mix of national issues and local stories, all seasoned with a liberal helping of sanity and is well worth a visit.

Need for a complete rethink on clearing pavement ice

The leader of the Lib Dem opposition on Hertfordshire County Council Chris White gives details of St. Albans PPC Sandy Walkington’s plan to beat the snow and ice in Hertfordshire. After some detailed thoughts on how we could free our pavements and residents from the snow and ice, Chris and Sandy conclude:

“None of this is rocket science. It’s not about letting the county council off. But it is how other countries manage much worse conditions by everyone working together. Not only would this release older and less able-bodied people from being imprisoned in their homes, it could be a brilliant mechanism for building community spirit.”

That’s all for today and for those of you now fed up with the weather, may the thaws be with you.