CAMPAIGN FOR GENDER BALANCE

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Campaign for Gender Balance Blog Awards

The Campaign for Gender Balance has announced the shortlists for its Blog Awards, to be announced at the Liberal Democrat Spring Conference.

The shortlists are as follows:

Best Blog by a Woman Liberal Democrat

• Charlotte Gore
• Lindyloo's Muse
• Lynne's Parliament and Haringey diary
• Meral's Musings
• People's Republic of Mortimer

This shortlist will form the basis of two awards - the Judge's Choice and the Peoples' Choice. To vote in the People's Choice category, follow this link: http://cgbblog.notlong.com/

Best Blog Post by a Woman Liberal Democrat

• Labour's plans to 'force' single mothers back to work (Meral Ece)
• Campaign for Gender Balance, Jo Swinson & female bloggers (Jo Angelzarke)
• Three Tory Parties walk into a Bar… (Charlotte Gore)
• What should MPs look like? (Jo Christie Smith)
• Clever Cleggs (Mary Reid)

Best Blog by a Woman Non-Liberal Democrat

• Bethan Jenkins AC/AM
• dulwichmum
• Betsan's Blog
• Rachel from North London
• Rose Hacker

We are sad to report that Rose Hacker died on 4 February, one month before her 102nd birthday. Her remaining columns are continuing to be published by the Camden New Journal.

Congratulations to everyone who has been shortlisted and commiserations to everyone who was not. The final results will be announced at the Campaign for Gender Balance Blog Awards' Drinks Reception, taking place on Saturday 8th March 2008, between 8.00pm and 9.30pm, at Canada Suite, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Liverpool.

The awards will be decided by a prestigious team of judges:

• Jo Swinson MP: Liberal Democrat Shadow Minister for Equalities and Chair of the Campaign for Gender Balance
• Baroness Jane Bonham-Carter: Liberal Democrat spokesperson on broadcasting, a former producer on Newsnight and Vice Chair of the Campaign for Gender Balance
• Ros Harper: Solicitor and compliance officer for a global bank, Lib Dem 2005 parliamentary candidate for Surrey Heath (as which she wrote a blog for Channel Four News) and Vice Chair of the Campaign for Gender Balance
• James Graham: winner, Lib Dem Blog of the Year 2007
• Olly Grender: former Liberal Democrat Director of Communications
• Ros Taylor: Guardian journalist and an editor on the Comment is Free website

To read blogs by Liberal Democrats (women and men), see the Lib Dem Blogs website (http://www.libdemblogs.co.uk).

Latest Lib Dem Blogs

• May 18, 2012:
  • Mark Zuckenberg falls for the same old trick...
    Facebook has no real value. There is a world crisis in stock markets because of real problems in the real economy - ie people getting out of their bedrooms, having a shower and going out to paid work. And the problem is there's not enough of them at the moment. The idea that the virtual economy can suck out of the real economy a billion dollars is ludicrous. Anyone foolish enough to pay $38 per facebook share will struggle to see a return. In the UK they should take their $38 or £25 and spend it in their local pub, ...
• May 17, 2012:
  • Not a Crime for 30 Years #IDAHO in Northern Ireland #LGBT
    Earlier today I was at City Hall in Belfast and then later at St. George's Church for highlighting IDAHO (International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia). This year in Northern Ireland we are celebrating 30 years since the decriminalisation of homosexuality in Northern Ireland. This came into being some 15 years after the 1967 act removing the status of crime from gay men in England and Wales and 2 years after Scotland. This was because of a five year case through the European Court of Human of Rights brought in the name of Jeff Dudgeon against the United Kingdom, and the ...
  • Local Victory
    Local residents around Gondar Gardens with local councillors Nancy, Flick and Russell are here celebrating after the latest scheme for development on the reservoir was emphatically turned down by Camden's Planning Committee last week. But although we've won this particular fight - the war's not over yet! The developers may well appeal against this decision and are already in the process of the appeal against the refusal of the previous scheme. (This appeal against refusal of the first scheme (destroying all of the reservoir space, replacing it with luxury houses in the 'pit' accessed via a car lift) will be ...
  • Yate & Chipping Sodbury Broadcasters Association needs board members
    Could YOU become a Board Member for this exciting new venture? Becoming a board member is one of the most challenging and rewarding volunteer assignments. Yate FM say "We want all of our board members to feel that their commitment of time, skill, and resources is valued and worthwhile" Yate FM's Mission Statement is "To reach out to all of the diverse groups in the community to give people a voice, enable talent to develop, provide training opportunities, access to equipment and to nurture a sense of inclusion." The project board will contain up to 7 individuals who represent the ...
  • Have the Lib Dems and Tories got too close?
    According to this clip provided by Lib Dem Voice it suggests they possibly have...
  • Students' Union ATM - now in place!
    Further to my item yesterday about the need for a new RBS cash machine at the University of Dundee Students' Union, the bank has moved fast to deliver its promise of a new machine - now in action - see below.Although I was very critical of the bank's decision to close the student bank branch, I am nonetheless grateful that it has honoured its promise to keep a free cash facility for university students.
  • 1922 spells resurgant Conservatives
    Mr Baldwin, legendary Conservative PM It would be easy to Caricature the Conservative party as the Galactic Empire, Lord Cameron reporting to Baroness Warsi's throne room at the pinnacle of Millbank towers and being reassured that; Soon the Rebellion will be crushed and young Clegg will be one of us. Their MPs an army of grey clones who are desperate to privatise everything and make as much money as humanly possible at all times crushing the will and rights of the common voter but this is simply not the case. Ed Milliband can spout the platitude Same old Tories... as ...
  • Donna Summer - Queen of Disco
    Very sad to learn of the passing of Donna Summer, whose superb music had so much influence during my younger years. 'Last Dance' was always my favourite Donna Summer hit:
  • Karl Popper on the importance of argument
    From Letters to a Young Contrarian by Christopher Hitchens: I pass to an observation of the late Sir Karl Popper, who could himself be a tyrant in argument but who nonetheless recognised that argument was valuable, indeed essential, for its own sake. It is very seldom,as he noticed, that in debate any one of two evenly matched antagonists will succeed in actually convincing or "converting" the other. But it is equally seldom that in a properly conducted argument either antagonist will end upholding exactly the same position as that with which he began. Concessions, refinements and adjustments will occur, and ...
  • An excellent exhibition at Stockport Art Gallery
    Stockport Art Gallery has it's annual Open Contemporary Art Exhibition running until 24th June, and for my money it's well worth a look. The exhibition is organised by SKarts, and includes cash prizes for the works of art judged the best - go along and see if you agree with the judges decisions (I didn't, but that probably says more about my taste in art than anything else). The Gallery, opposite the Town Hall and next to Stockport College, is free to visit. Opening hours: Monday: Closed, except for bank holidays 11am - 5pm Tuesday to Friday: 1pm - 5pm ...
  • Postcards from the Land of the Disabled
  • Bernard Jenkin on Afghanistan
    This afternoon I attended the second half of a Global Diplomatic Forum conference on "Two Years of the UK Coalition Government's Engagement with the World". Barbara Serra from Al Jazeera vigorously chaired a session on the UK's Role in the Middle East and North Africa Politics, but it was disappointing that no-one on her panel ...
  • MITx 6.002x week 10: (sine) waving but not yet drowning
    This week's lectures have been about the response of networks to a sinusoidal drive and how to analyse them. First of all, this involved using an incredibly difficult method based on solving differential equations (so difficult that the attempt terminates part way through after much baffling mathematics), a "sneaky" approach based on complex algebra and finally a "super sneaky" approach based on the impedance model. This final method turns all of the steady state sinusoidal circuit analysis problems which seemed pretty difficult using the first two methods into problems which can be rather more simply solved by the application of ...
  • Blockbusters with Simon Mayo
    Series 1 Episode 1 of "All New Blockbusters" on Challenge. One thing: They're not kids! [IMG: Post to Twitter] Tweet This Post
  • Southport Lib Dem chosen as Council Group Leader
    Iain Brodie Browne was elected last night (14 May 2012) as the new Leader of the Lib Dem Group on Sefton Council. The Birkdale Councillor had acted as Deputy Leader for the past 5 years. Iain told the Lib Dem Councillors that their job was to robustly challenge the actions of the ruling Bootle group of Labour councillors and to hold them publicly to account for the decisions they take. "I met with Southport's Lib Dem MP John Pugh yesterday to discuss the tough decisions that lie ahead - for example on Libraries, Tourism investment and the Green Belt. Lib ...
  • Launceston Mayor Making
    This afternoon was the civic highlight of the year with the annual mayor making (or mayor choosing) ceremony at the town hall. Rob Tremain was elected for a second term as mayor and Dave Gordon for a second term as his deputy. Congratulations to them both. The event brings together the great and the good of the town including representatives from many town organisations, churches and charities. There are mayors from across East Cornwall and we were joined this year by Pat Harvey, Chairman of Cornwall Council. As well as the usual business, there was a special award for Graeme ...
  • Part of me died today...
    Donna Summer RIP. A legend passes. Pourquoi such praise? - someone might ask, if they were reading this. Well, my mind goes back to the summer of 1977. A long time ago. To give you an idea of how long ago it was, I actually had hair in those days. Yes. Actual hair - lots of it. I spent the summer at Butlin's Minehead. I could tell quite a few stories from that time. I was 18 years old. My fellow room mate was a 30 year-old Scouse taxi driver. I was in the lower bunk. He was in the ...
  • Time to abandon the 'Moscow criterion'
    When there are safe opportunities to reduce the salience of nuclear weapons we should take them - independently, writes Menzies Campbell
  • Vince Cable: "We have some excellent news today..."
    Watch Vince Cable explain what it is: Vince Cable worked hard to secure the deal, including travelling to the US to meet personally with the General Motors senior management. Earlier in the week, the latest quarterly trade statistics showed the first car industry surplus since 1976, demonstrating that today's news is not the exception but rather the norm.
  • Queen visits Merseyside Maritime Museum 17/5/12
    Queen visits Merseyside as part of Diamond Jubilee Tour 17/5/12
  • Annual council bun fight
    Much excited gathering at tonight's annual council meeting will most likely be adding to this blog as the night goes on. PLEASE NOTE ALL COMMENTS IN THIS POSTING ARE LIKELY TO BE INACCURATE AND PERSONAL OPINION. I'm led to believe that a new post has been created, in yet another embarrassing move by Labour it's understood that the new post has been created to pander the independents. Clark back as council chair no surprise, " quite surprised " says chair 15 minutes of waffle. Followed by tributes to Brian Goodwin Standards arrangements agreed god knowns their enough of them eligible ...
  • South of Scotland MSP Joan McAlpine disrespects parliament and her constituents
    One of my regional MSPs, Joan McAlpine was ordered to apologise to Parliament today after showing discourtesy to parliament. The parliamentary aide to the First Minister missed her opportunity to question ministers on cases due to osteoarthritis and its impact on the NHS because of a dinner date with Big Eck. I understand that McAlpine ...
  • Where and what?
    [IMG: Where and what? ] Photo © 2012 Michael Carchrie Campbell
  • New Roles at City Chambers
    Today was the first meeting of the City council since the elections. Traditionally the first duty is to appoint a Lord Provost and Deputy convenor. Gorgie/Dalry councillor Donald Wilson was unanimously elected to succeed George Grubb. Donald was a popular choice on all sides of the Chamber. Hailing from Selkirk where his late father, a baker, made the famous Selkirk bannocks in his bakery. Coming from Selkirk has meant that Donald has a very powerful sense of history this being a town which was decimated with all but one of it's male population falling at Flodden. Borders generally get the ...
  • Queen's jubilee: temporary traffic orders
    Notice from the county council NOTICE is given that the Hertfordshire County Council propose to make an Order under Section 16(A) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, the effect of which will be:- 1. To prohibit all traffic from using that length of A1081 St Peters Street, St Albans from its junction with the A1057 Hatfield Road/A4147 Catherine Street roundabout south westwards to its junction with B691 Victoria Street, a distance of approximately 316 metres, except for access. 2. The existing one way traffic system on Adelaide Street, St Albans will be temporarily suspended, to enable all vehicles to travel in ...
  • Israel rips up the olive groves of the West Bank: Lib Dems press for action
    Earlier this week, some farmers received a most unwelcome disturbance. It was the Israeli settlers from the illegal development, who came to cut down the grapes and destroy the olive trees that were their livelihood. This is going on all over the Occupied Territories at present. In other places it appears to be the IDF. At Wadi Fuqeen, one of the eye-witnesses said: "Whoever was awake ran towards the sound to defend the village. There were a few young settlers with tools destroying some trees close to settlement. When they saw the villagers they began insulting and shouting at us. ...
  • The Black Beast of Harborough is back
    Lock your doors! Bar your windows! The Harborough Mail reports a new sighting of the Black Beast of Harborough: A large black labrador-sized animal was seen near Arthingworth. It was spotted from about 40 metres away through a low-powered telescope on Wednesday, May 2. The report, made to the Big Cats in Britain group, described the animal as black with white patches on the front. It was definitely not a dog, said the report. The incident is the latest in a series of sightings of 'black beasts' stalking the Harborough countryside which go back as far as the 1990s. These ...
  • Cheadle Area Committee moves to Bolshaw Primary School, Heald Green
    The Cheadle Area Committee covers three of the Stockport Council wards: Cheadle & Gatley, Cheadle Hulme North and Heald Green. We aim to move the location around, spending a year in each ward in turn. This allows local residents from each area to have a chance to get to the area committee, even if travelling is an issue. Two years ago the Area Committee was in Cheadle Hulme. Last year we held it in Cheadle village. For the coming year it will be at Bolshaw Primary School, Cross Road, Heald Green. View Cheadle and Gatley in a larger map By ...
  • Another success for Consett's young filmakers
    "I Love Shoe" has been chosen for an Olympic Film Festival run by Shetland Arts. The film, based on an original song by the young people from Consett, really is an example of our young people promoting Consett across the length and breadth of the nation. Shetland Arts is taking a UK-wide part in the London 2012 Festival celebrating the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. 'A Hansel of Film - Shetland to Southampton and Back' is a relay of screenings of short films made by the public in each of the nations and many of the regions of the ...
  • LDVideo: Tessa Munt in fit of giggles in Commons as Minister sits on Davey
    Well, there's a headline you probably didn't expect to read today. Enjoy. * Nick Thornsby is Thursday Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs here.
  • Save us from a re-run of Blair-style 'growth'
    There is speculation in the newspapers that the Blair and Mandelson Show is poised to make a re-entry into mainstream UK politics, to make the case for that phenomenon they call 'growth': http://www.neweconomics.org/blog/2012/05/16/back-to-the-90s
  • Pothole repairs issued for Borrowdale/Gainford
    As the state of the junction of Borrowdale Avenue and Gainford Avenue in Gatley has once again deteriorated, the Lib Dems have secured repairs to go in. Temporary repairs will be completed in the next few days to make the roads safe, with permanent repairs scheduled for the next couple of months. The residential junction's not only used by people going to and from the lakes estate, but also traffic cutting through to avoid the speed humps on Silverdale Road and so gets more than its fair share of traffic by some margin. We want to ensure that it's at ...
  • A rival to liberalism
    Flip Chart Fairy Tales has put up an interesting post entitled 'A post-liberal future'. In it, they argue that economic and social liberalism has been the dominant force in our politics for the last quarter century, exemplified in both Thatcher and Blair. Both of the large parties have represented an alliance between liberal and illiberal ...
  • When Sol went up to lift the FA Cup I was there...I was there
    Four years ago at this very moment I was sitting (or possibly standing) inside Wembley stadium watching the Pompey team warm-up for their FA Cup Final appearance against Cardiff City. When I first started following my local team the likelihood of ever winning the FA Cup seemed pretty far-fetched. The run in 1992 was the closest I thought we would come and in all honesty that team deserved to win the competition. That Highbury semi-final was something else but that as they say was that. We had a couple of runs to the quarter-finals but winning the competition was not ...
  • "We are not planning for a Greek exit" - Verhofstadt
    Guy Verhofstadt, the former Belgian prime minister and current leader of the liberal grouping in the European Parliament, has rejected talk of Greece leaving the Eurozone. Interviewed on the Today programme yesterday he said such speculation was aimed more at influencing public opinion in Greece than it was a prediction of the likely outcome of the current crisis. Verhofstadt warned that the EU is unprepared for the contagion that would result from a Greek Euro exit, saying: There is no real firewall around the other economies of Europe, we only have a few fire extinguishers. You can hear the full ...
  • Labour sell-out by forming coalition with Tories in South Ayrshire!
    Today was the first meeting of South Ayrshire council where "the ten Conservative Councillors - the largest political group within the Council - formed a minority administration working in a Partnership Agreement with the nine Labour Councillors." i.e. a coalition by another name. Labour after giving the LibDems hell for working in partnership with the only ...
  • Why Cambridge is different
    Because they have headlines like this in their local paper: Former wife of lion tamer was running brothel There's a huge story there, but I'm not sure if it's for a supporting character in the Fenland version of Northern Exposure, or the central character in a magic realist novel.
  • Parish Welcome leaflet launch @stgeorgebelfast @churchofireland
    This afternoon I hope to attend the launch of Changing Attitude Ireland's Parish LGBT Welcome leaflet at St George's Parish Church, Belfast. The speaker is Pádraig Ó Tuama and the event is between four o'clock and a quarter to five. Filed under: Blogging
  • Roman remains found at Windy Ridge
    From the Harborough Mail: Roman remains have been discovered at a site in Harborough which has been at the centre of a battle between developers and residents. The Mail understands archeologists have found remains at the so-called Windy Ridge site off Glebe Road in Little Bowden. County Hall, which is responsible for archeological finds, confirmed that Roman-era items have been unearthed but had no further details.
  • New series: a tie a day
    Anyone who knows me, knows that I have quite a collection of ties. Some of them go back years, many are recent purchases or gifts. Quite a lot of them are from various societies or clubs to which I belong or have belonged. I'll be taking a picture of one each day, and posting it ...
  • Thanks for your support
    As you will know by now, despite a 5% swing from Labour to Liberal Democrat (against the national trend) and a 10% increase in our vote share, Labour was given a second chance in Castle on 3 May. I wish Castle's new councillor Judy Rogers well, and as a Castle resident myself will watch to ...
  • Lynne Featherstone to reform Equality and Human Rights Commission
    The Guardian reported on Tuesday that Equalities Minister Lynne Featherstone is to reform the Equality and Human Rights Commission, cutting its budget and removing some of its responsibilities, most notably its obligation to assess how Government policies would affect the poorest. Now, if ever there was a quango in need of reform, the Equalities and Human Rights Commission is that body. Dysfunctional seems to be the best word to describe the EHRC. Wasteful would be another. For three years running, the National Audit Office qualified its accounts. Last year was the first year since its formation in 2007 when it ...
  • Taking the Biscuit
    Today's Telegraph contains an astonishing story about the UK Energy Minister, Greg Barker, whose responsiblities include tackling climate change. They say that Mr. Barker upset his colleagues by using the office microwave to heat a cushion for his pet dachshund Otto. The paper says that Mr Barker, who is understood to bring the dog to work at the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), reportedly put Otto's puppy warmer in the same microwave used by staff to heat their lunches. "When [he] first arrived we had to watch our step, as the dog wandered around the office," a source ...
  • Lynne Featherstone to give Equality and Human Rights Commission much needed reforms
    The Guardian reported on Tuesday that Equalities Minister Lynne Featherstone is to reform the Equality and Human Rights Commission, cutting its budget and removing some of its responsibilities, most notably its obligation to assess how Government policies would affect the poorest.Now, if ever there was a quango in need of reform, the Equalities and Human Rights Commission is that body. Dysfunctional seems to be the best word to describe the EHRC. Wasteful would be another. For three years running, the National Audit Office qualified its accounts. Last year was the first year since its formation in 2007 when it managed ...
  • New Series: a tie a day
    [IMG: New Series: a tie a day] The tie of the White Lion Society
  • Parking income in Launceston has fallen 10% under Cornwall Council
    Cornwall Council is getting ten percent less from pay and display car parks in Launceston than was the situation they inherited from the former North Cornwall District Council. This is despite (or, more likely, because of) year on year overall price rises. When Cornwall Council took over responsibility for parking in April 2009, the total income from the four pay and display car parks in the town was £183,318 a year. In the year 2011/12, Cornwall Council took £165,307.36 - a drop of more than £18,000 or around 10%. In only one car park, the Cattle Market, is the council ...
  • Campaign countdown 13
    Expenses Returns for the Local Elections 2012 [IMG: The 2012 ALDC guide to completing your election expenses return can be downloaded below] We all know that they have to be done but getting round to the election expenses is most activists least enjoyable election task. Your local authority should supply you with a set of election expenses forms. There are 3 basic forms to be submitted for each candidate: 1. The expenses form -this has changed radically in recent years do NOT assume that they way you did it four years ago will be OK this time. 2. The candidate's ...
  • The start of the summer...
    The Home of Cricket We may have had our summer all ready (do you remember the few nice days we had in March?) but today is when it really starts! Yes that's right, today is the first test match of the Summer - I don't think I get as excited at Christmas! As usual, the first test is also at The Home of Cricket - Lord's. That's special for every visiting team, it's the place everyone wants to play given all the history that surrounds the ground - every player would love to get their name on the honours board. ...
  • Private Members Bills
    I have come 6th in the ballot for Private Members Bill. I do not need to decide as to which subject my PMB should address is until Mid June. Much that it is quite likely that I will be looking at judicial secrecy and the accountability of the state as a subject for a Private Members Bill. However, this is not guaranteed. However, if anyone wishes an alternative proposal to be considered could
  • Bizarre cabinet pronouncements on stadium decision
    A couple of days ago Cornwall Council was asked to choose between two options on the stadium project. The option that got most votes was an outright rejection of the idea of any council funding. Anyone in the room would be absolutely clear that this was what those who voted were calling for. The other option was the one I voted for - it said that there needed to be a proper business case put forward for the scheme and that the full council was entitled to see that (and the answers to other significant questions) before taking a decision. ...
  • Lib Dem policy goes viral as 'Reform Section 5′ campaign launched
    "It might surprise you to know that under Section 5 of the Public Order Act, the police and the courts can decide if you or someone else might feel insulted" states the front page of the Reform Section 5 campaign's website. But this is unlikely to surprise many Lib Dems, who just a couple of months ago, at our Spring Conference in Gateshead, passed a motion (pdf) which called for the right to free speech to be protected through: The repeal of section 5 of the Public Order Act, which creates 'non-intentional' speech offences, and the removal of 'insulting' from ...