People and Politics Day (Tuesday 14 November)


This autumn, the New Politics Network and Charter 88 will be hosting People and Politics Day, an event aimed at school pupils and young people aged 15-19 designed to complement citizenship education and political studies. The event is being supported by the Electoral Commission, the Department for Constitutional Affairs and the Parliamentary Education Unit.


Due to take place on Tuesday 14 November at the Central Hall Westminster, this is believed to be the largest event of its kind in the country. More than 2,000 young people are expected to attend.


In the morning there will be a question and answer sessions with David Milliband MP (Secretary of State for the Environment), Francis Maude MP (Chairman of the Conservative Party) and Sir Menzies Campbell MP (Leader of the Liberal Democrats).


Several other MPs and politicians have also agreed to speak in the afternoon sessions, with many more expected to confirm over the next few weeks. In addition, there will be a series of workshops and other activities in the Democracy Café exhibition area.


The New Politics Network and Charter 88 anticipate demand for this event to be high. Schools and youth organisations that wish to attend are advised to reserve tickets as soon as possible. For more information and to reserve tickets, see the People and Politics Day website.


http://new-politics.com/people-and-politics/

The 2009 Project


The 2009 Project wants thirteen million voters under the age of thirty five to pledge to take part in the next general election (probably autumn 2008 or spring 2009).


More info on the campaign can be found on their website http://www.the2009project.com/


So far ninety seven MPs have signed Early Day Motion 1218 which calls on Members of Parliament to support The 2009 Project's objective and to encourage their younger constituents to pledge to vote. If your MP has not signed why not use the they work for you website to write to contact your MP and ask him/her to sign Early Day Motion 1218.

European Union Water Initiative (EUWI)


Dear Khalid Mahmood MP,


I am writing to you to ask that you lobby the British government to call for immediate and radical reform of the European Union Water Initiative (EUWI) which has failed to deliver access to water and sanitation for many people since its inception four years ago.


More than a billion people are still without safe water and 2.6 billion people lack any way to safely dispose of their excrement. Halving the proportion of people without access to safe water would cost $40 billion ($4 billion a year over 10 years) equivalent to a month's spending on bottled water in Europe and the US, but EU aid for water and sanitation has declined to less than 5%.


The European Union Water Initiative is failing because there is no clear line of accountability. only one thing is clear and that this that the Commission needs to take a stronger and more pro-active lead and encourage EU Member States to commit time, energy and funds to the initiative.


I am hoping that you will use your influence and power as a member of the House of Commons to lobby the British government to call for immediate and radical reform of the European Union Water Initiative.

Yours sincerely,
Adam Nazir Ahmed Teladia

Political Compass


Wednesday March 03, 2004
Economic Left/Right: -1.88,
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -5.38


Tuesday, July 20, 2004
Economic Left/Right: -1.88
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -5.03


Wednesday, July 20, 2005
Economic Left/Right: -2.13
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -6.00


Thursday, July 20, 2006
Economic Left/Right: -2.50
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -5.13

Superman Returns


I met up with friends tonight and we watched Superman Returns. I would recommend that anyone interested in superman or super hero’s watch it as it is interesting.


My comments would be that I think the film went on too long at 154 minutes just over two and half hours I thought the movie could have done with some part edited out and maybe finishing it in 120 minutes or so. I thought that Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane and Sam Huntington as Jimmy Olsen didn’t work and finally (without trying to give too much away) I thought that there were too many love stories going on. I think if there are to be any future Superman films one of the romances has got to end.


On the plus side I like Brandon Routh as Clark Kent (Superman side could be better, he certainly was no Christopher Reeves), Kevin Spacey as Lex Luthor was really good probably the best character in the film and I really liked Tristan Lake Leabu as Jason White, it’s a shame there isn’t more of him in the film I certainly hope we get to see more of Tristan Lake Leabu and of Jason White in any future superman films.


I hope you have a chance to watch the film too.

AN INTERVIEW WITH...


The Liberal Democrats will be carrying out a new series of interviews with leading Liberal Democrats which will be published on http://www.libdems.org.uk/ .


The first interview, which has already been published is with the party's Chief Executive Chris Rennard, who is probably one of the most famous Liberal Democrats in recent history. Lord Rennard’s biography is available on the Liberal Democrats website.


People can submit questions for the next interview, which will be with Ed Davey MP, the Liberal Democrats Trade and Industry spokesman and chair of the Liberal Democrats Campaigns and Communications Committee (CCC)


Interview with Chris Rennard

HEALTH - QUESTIONS & ANSWERS


Q: I've heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life; is this true?
A: Your heart is only good for so many beats, and that's it... don't waste them on exercise. Everything wears out eventually. Speeding up your heart will not make you live longer; that's like saying you can extend the life of your car by driving it faster. Want to live longer? Take a nap.


Q: Should I cut down on meat and eat more fruits and vegetables?
A: You must grasp logistical efficiencies. What does a cow eat? Hay and corn. And what are these? Vegetables. So a steak is nothing more than an efficient mechanism of delivering vegetables to your system. Need grain? Eat chicken. Beef is also a good source of field grass (green leafy vegetable) And a pork chop can give you 100% of your recommended daily allowance of vegetable products.


Q: Should I reduce my alcohol intake?
A: No, not at all. Wine is made from fruit. Brandy is distilled wine, that means they take the water out of the fruity bit so you get even more of the goodness that way. Beer is also made out of grain. Bottoms up!


Q: How can I calculate my body/fat ratio?
A: Well, if you have a body and you have fat, your ratio is one to one. If you have two bodies, your ratio is two to one, etc.


Q: What are some of the advantages of participating in a regular exercise program?
A: Can't think of a single one, sorry. My philosophy is: No Pain...Good!


Q: Aren't fried foods bad for you?
A: YOU'RE NOT LISTENING!!!. Foods are fried these days in vegetable oil. In fact, they're permeated in it. How could getting more vegetables be bad for you?


Q: Will sit-ups help prevent me from getting a little soft around the middle?
A: Definitely not! When you exercise a muscle, it gets bigger. You should only be doing sit-ups if you want a bigger stomach.


Q: Is chocolate bad for me?
A: Are you crazy? HELLO ...... Cocoa beans! Another vegetable!!! It's the best feel-good food around!


Q: Is swimming good for your figure?
A: If swimming is good for your figure, explain whales to me.


Q: Is getting in-shape important for my lifestyle?
A: Hey! 'Round' is a shape!


Well, I hope this has cleared up any misconceptions you may have had about food and diets. And remember: "Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - Chardonnay in one hand - chocolate in the other - body thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and screaming "WOO HOO, What a Ride.

Liberal Democrat Agents and Organisers Association Training Event


I spent most of yesterday at the Liberal Democrat Agents and Organisers Association training day event on in Birmingham, which allowed Liberal Democrats to get accredited to Level 1 or Level 2 Agents in just one day.


The training was carried out by some of the Liberal Democrats best trainers a lot of whom are or have been at some point involved with the Liberal Democrat Agents and Organisers Association.


I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to train two modules with Miranda Piercy who I have always heard was a good trainer but only got to see train yesterday. I thought she was terrific and I will be looking out to see what modules Miranda is training in Brighton at the Liberal Democrats Autumn conference to see if I can get along.


Yesterday Miranda and I trained Managing & Motivating Volunteers for Level 2 attendees this is another Liberal Democrat Agents and Organisers Association Training Module which includes food (Introduction to Agenting includes being given Minstrels, Maltesers and Skittles). We also had to train Level 1 attendees Treating Members Well right after they had done Introduction to Agenting so all the trainees had good sweets.


Miranda and I will be training together again at the Liberal Democrats Autumn Conference in Brighton during September this time we will be training Treating Members Well on Sunday 17th starting at 9:15 (earlier start then yesterday) and Writing your Development and Campaign Plan on Tuesday 19th also starting at 9:15.


During the lunch break and once the training was over we a number of the trainers and those attending spent time catching up with the Liberal Democrats you usually find you get to know a lot of people fairly well as you start to see them around at conferences, by-elections and from working together on different party bodies.


I saw some of the feedback forms from yesterday and they looked good so maybe the Liberal Democrat Agents and Organisers Association may consider running an event of this sort again.

If....


Birmingham City Councillor Karen Hamilton/ who was first elected in 2004 with a majority of under 40 and then increased it to a four figure sum in 2006 has recently started her own blog If.....


Karen Hamilton is currently a member of Birmingham City Council's Education & Lifelong Learning Overview & Scrutiny and Leisure, Sport & Culture Overview & Scrutiny committees. Like all other Birmingham City Councillors Karen Hamilton also serves on her respective Ward (Perry Barr) and District (Perry Barr) Committee.


I look forward to reading Karen Hamilton over the coming days, weeks, months and hopefully years.


If.... can be found at http://karenhamilton.blogspot.com/

Have your say about how Britain is run


The Liberal Democrats are allowing you to have your say about the analysis and recommendations of the POWER inquiry.


The results of the Power Inquiry were welcomed by politicians of all the major political parties when the commission published them in February 2006 however the Liberal Democrats would now like to know what others think of them.


Taking Power is open to all, whatever their political views. Every individual, as well as school or college group, is welcome to contribute and to exchange ideas on ways in which citizens in this country can regain power.


The Taking Power conference is being organised by a volunteer team led by Paul Tyler, a Liberal Democrat member of the House of Lords who while MP for North Cornwall from 1992-2005 served as Liberal Democrat Chief Whip, Shadow Leader of the House and was a member of the Joint Committee on House of Lords Reform and the Select Committee on House of Commons Modernisation.


The “Virtual Conference” will take place between Friday 8th September and Friday 6th October. The conference will take place on the internet. It is timed so that there can also be real world events during the party conference season to tie into the online discussion.


For more information visit:


http://www.takingpower.org/

Both Sides of the Pond


My friend Mark Ramsden who is a Politics & Parliamentary Studies student at the University of Leeds has just started a blog called Both Sides of the Pond.


Mark Ramsden is currently working for a large UK company in their government relations department however from September to December Mark Ramsden will be working in parliament for a senior Liberal Democrat MP and from January 2007 Mark Ramsden will be interning in the US Congress.


I look forward to what Mark has to say about the three different experirnces he will have over the next twelve months or so.


Both Sides of the Pond can be found at http://www.markramsden.blogspot.com/