Kingston Lib Dems launch local election campaign

Council leader Liz Green among a group of campaigners and candidates launch the party's 2014 manifesto which contains a commitment to build four new primary schools and another new secondary.  At of course the Willoughby Arms...

The lesser known Margo MacDonald

With the sad news of the death of Margo MacDonald earlier today many tributes have been made about her many achievements on the Scottish political scene.  But what is probably less well known is that Margo was a season ticket holder at Easter Road, leading to this tribute from the club this afternoon.

One interesting consequences of her death is that she has no replacement on the list as she stood by herself.  And unless the Parliament makes provision for a list by-election (which I don't think it does) then her replacement will come from another list - which may mean the Lib Dems gain her seat.

Edit 11.40pm - apparently according to section 10(2) of the Scotland Act her seat will remain vacant until the next Scottish general election.

Nick v Nige factchecker

LBC have very conveniently published a fact checker after last night's debate.  And it suggests neither participant's claims were fully compliant with the actualité...

Edinburgh Airport to York Place by tram in two minutes

TV for cats in north Kingston

Spotted at the aviary at Crown Cars on the way back from school this morning...

Tim Rice backs UKIP

Leading Richmond Park Tory (oh and Oscar winning musician) Sir Tim Rice has left the Conservatives and is backing UKIP - according to this report from the Daily Mail.

Given Zac Goldsmith's apparently genetically driven anti Europeanism, the fact even he can't keep his local Tory Europhobes on board doesn't bode well for the Tory party's ability to win the Euro elections later this year - even in a Conservative association as financially well endowed as Richmond Park...

Ed and Emily Davey have baby girl

News reaches LOWA towers that Kingston and Surbiton MP Edward Davey and wife Emily (who did the hard work) have a new daughter - Ellie - born at Kingston Hospital.  Congrats go to them all.

US Republicans face uphill battle in 2016 presidential election

An interesting article from the Washington Post that outlines the demographic and political shifts that appear to tilt the US electoral college in the Democrats favour...

Danny Alexander's currency union u-turn

Lib Dem Voice (among others) reports Danny Alexander has ruled out a post Scottish independence currency union in the strongest possible terms.  He states: "a currency union would create unacceptable risks both for Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom."

This surely can't be the same Danny Alexander as press spokesman for the pro european currency union campaign Britain in Europe who told the Guardian in 2002, "When the euro fell below dollar parity, anti-Europeans were rubbing their hands with glee. There's egg on faces now,"

Now I don't know whether Danny actually now believes currency unions 'create unacceptable risks' or has simply gone native and is just parroting the Osborne Treasury line.  But what I do know is that it is stupid politics both for the 'No' campaign and the Lib Dems.

It's stupid for the No campaign as there is nothing more certain to get the opposite reaction in Scotland than for Westminster politicians to tell the Scots what they can do.  And it is stupid for the Lib Dems as they have denied themselves the opportunity to point this out.

Friday favourite 136

I stumbled across this the other day.  It shouldn't be funny but somehow it is...