Graham Haywood: Into the (Golden) Sunset

Posted by Robert Alcock on March 31, 2008 9:18 AM

WILL he stay or will he go? For so long the question mark over the early retirement of Sefton Council’s chief executive, Graham Haywood, lingered over the borough’s politics.

Now we have the answer – his last day in the job will be next New Year’s Eve and he will receive an exit package valued at £236,000.

• add or read comments (0)

• Post to:
•  del.icio.us
•  Digg
•  Newsvine
•  Nowpublic
•  Reddit

10 Downing Street - Trouble at the Mill

Posted by Robert Alcock on March 24, 2008 10:48 PM

This report in the Sunday Times is downright exhilarating.

Of course, one must treat such unattributed rumblings with care, but if it’s all on the button it’s quite damaging to Gordon Brown.

Tony Blair was blessed with what seems to have been a very loyal staff; the fact these briefings are being made must in itself be of concern at Number 10.

• add or read comments (0)

• Post to:
•  del.icio.us
•  Digg
•  Newsvine
•  Nowpublic
•  Reddit

Westminster: Houses of the Rising Blood Pressure

Posted by Robert Alcock on March 24, 2008 10:34 PM

THE House of Commons has been a lively place of late.

Gordon Brown made a fuss on his entry to Number 10 about re-instating parliament as a crucible of debate and decisionmaking, and a wave of showdowns so far this year seem to be bearing him out. MPs have got all hot and bothered about nationalising Northern Rock, ratifying the EU’s Lisbon Treaty, heaping scorn on disgraced ex-Tory MP Derek Conway, and axing 2,500 sub-post offices. What’s more, many of their constituents have joined them in their lather, freshly armed with MP-watching websites such as www.theyworkforyou.com.

• add or read comments (0)

• Post to:
•  del.icio.us
•  Digg
•  Newsvine
•  Nowpublic
•  Reddit

Liverpool Calling: Liberal Democrat spring conference

Posted by Robert Alcock on March 12, 2008 9:05 AM

BY the usual standard of spring conferences, this weekend’s Liberal Democrat bash in Liverpool has attracted hefty media attention. I can recall little coverage of Labour’s gathering last weekend in Birmingham.

One reason for this isn’t too hard to fathom – namely last Wednesday’s revolt by nearly a quarter of Lib-Dem MPs, over the now seemingly doomed bid for a referendum on the EU’s Lisbon Treaty. Leader Nick Clegg faced a storm of questions over his handling of the issue when he bounded into a media event at the Crowne Plaza hotel on Friday (I attended along with others from the local press).

• add or read comments (0)

• Post to:
•  del.icio.us
•  Digg
•  Newsvine
•  Nowpublic
•  Reddit

John Pugh MP : from Stockport to Lisbon

Posted by Robert Alcock on March 4, 2008 2:27 PM

INTERESTING to see that no less an organ than the Daily Telegraph picked up on the Visiter's story last Friday about John Pugh and a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty. If you missed them, it's best to check them out here and here rather me re-hashing them now.

The vote on a referendum on the Treaty itself is set for tomorrow. To see whether Dr Pugh - the MP for Stockport (sic) - enters the division lobbies check this blog and the pages of the Visiter.

• add or read comments (0)

• Post to:
•  del.icio.us
•  Digg
•  Newsvine
•  Nowpublic
•  Reddit

Budget Day: Sefton's Political Cash Nexus

Posted by Robert Alcock on March 4, 2008 2:12 PM

THERE has been a host of political happenings in Sefton over the past week.

Where to begin? Well council leader Cllr Tony Robertson hailed a second year of three-party agreement on the budget as a “landmark”. The get-together at Southport Town Hall which signed it off was a good natured affair. I particularly liked Tory leader Cllr Paula Parry's anecdote of a round of budget negotiations held between the three party leaders soon after Christmas. She brought mince pies. The late and sadly missed Labour leader then – the avowedly combative Dave Martin – responded by asking if they had been reduced or were out of date.

• add or read comments (0)

• Post to:
•  del.icio.us
•  Digg
•  Newsvine
•  Nowpublic
•  Reddit