The UK Prime Minister is making extrapolations on future policy on the governance of the UK based on one vote on a different issue in one part of the UK. That is hardly democratic is it? Continue reading A vote for Better Together is not a vote for more devolution…
The Tyddyn Bach Trust respite centre in Penmaenmawr in Wales which has provided much-needed respite care for over 2,000 individuals and families affected by HIV since 1997 closed its doors. As a former trustee of Northern Ireland’s leading HIV charity, The HIV Support Centre, I have some idea of how difficult it can be to get funding from health authorities and others to support your work. The MP for Aberconwy, Guto Bebb, said that it was a tragedy the centre had to close. He suggested that the closure is an unintended result of devolution within the United Kingdom. Clients coming … Continue reading HIV Charity closure seems to be result of devolution
Yesterday, in St George’s Cathedral, Southwark, The Rt Rev Mgr Richard Moth told Scouts that ‘Service is uncomplicated – it is the giving of ourselves for others’, during the Founder’s Day Mass for Catholics in Scouting in England & Wales. Continue reading Service is uncomplicated – says Catholic Bishop to Scouts
The first FLAGS* outdoor weekend event was held in Snowdonia last weekend. Four members of FLAGS attended from Shropshire, Birmingham, and Northern Ireland. With the campsite at Dôlgam between Capel Curig and Betws-y-Coed on the A5 road, we woke up on Saturday morning to a great view of Snowdonia, which we were set to climb that day.
We rose, pooled the resources for making breakfast and got going in Eddie’s car to Rhyd Ddu via Beddgelert. We climbed up the Rhyd Ddu path to the summit with lots of stunning views. Continue reading “Snow, Sunshine, and Scouts: part 2 – FLAGS does Snowdon”
Last weekend, I was away in Wales with Scouts. It was the first outdoor activity event run by FLAGS – Active Support Unit for Lesbians & Gays in Scouting which whilst not overly well attended, to put it mildly, did bring four of us together for some craic and some good exercise in Snowdonia. Being a Scouting event we were prepared for most eventualities.
I set off on foot to catch the bus to Belfast Central Station with Andrew. In the station, we waited until the barrier opened, I crossed beyond it, looked back – hoping to get a hug from him – but he was walking away… Turns out we were both nearly in tears: it was the first time we’ve been apart for quite some time, and certainly since our marriage just over a month previously.
The journey from Belfast to Dublin was uneventful, Continue reading “Snow, Sunshine, and Scouts: part 1”
Today in LGBT History Month, we have another good news story resulting from the Liberal Democrats forming the coalition government with the Tories in Westminster. Liberal Democrat Minister for Equalities, Lynne Featherstone MP has launched consultation on reforming the marriage and civil partnership laws in the United Kingdom sorry England & Wales in line with the Liberal Democrats Equal Marriage Policy voted on at Party Conference in September. Unfortunately, this will not be done across the UK as a whole which will mean that whilst Lynne is Minister for Equalities she will be putting out consultation on something that will … Continue reading Reforming the marriage law – why not on a UK basis? – Scotland and NI lag behind
For many gay men in the United Kingdom, there was light at the end of a tunnel in the Government’s Protection of Freedoms Bill.
The Rt Hon David Cameron, wrote in an exclusive for Pink News:
We will change the law so that any past convictions for consensual homosexual sexual activities, which have since become lawful, will be treated as spent, and will not be disclosed on a criminal record check when applying for a job. This is a question of justice – and it’s right that we should change the law and wipe the slate clean.
Unfortunately, it seems that once again HMG is being economical with the truth. Continue reading “did Sir Humphrey give the advice on Chapter 3 of Part 5 of the Protection of Freedoms Bill?”
freedom, fairness and responsibility The three words that we are told by the Liberal Democrat Federal Party website sum up the Coalition Government’s Programme. However, I don’t see how it is promoting any of those when you consider what has just happened to the devolved countries’ finances. HM Treasury changed the rules Formerly, departments were allowed to carry over money from one year to another. In this way, Northern Ireland’s Department for Education had built up a reserve of £87m (2008 figures). Usually, making savings, is considered a good financial practice: building up reserves in case of need in the … Continue reading freedom, fairness, and responsibility: but not to NI!
The proposal that we should have the possibility of bilingual traffic signs in Northern Ireland is seen as divisive. However, I think it could have a much more positive benefit to our country in general.
Until many, mostly political unionists and cultural Protestants, stop seeing any language use other that of English as an attack on being British, we will have a hard job in using any such language. However, as I have said before, and has been said by many, if these self same people would look back in their heritage they would find that they are likely to have ancestors who used Irish, and if not Irish, then Scots Gaelic. Scots Gaelic of course like Welsh is in use on roadsigns in other parts of their so-beloved United Kingdom. In other words, they need to relearn the history of this island and come to the understanding that diversity is often a way of unifying a whole country. Continue reading linguistic diversity should be a positive benefit to all
The debate on this motion in the House of Commons yesterday:
That the draft Higher Education (Basic Amount) (England) Regulations 2010, which were laid before this House on 29 November, be approved.
was inextricably linked to that on
That, for the purpose of section 24 of the Higher Education Act 2004, the higher amount should be increased to £9,000, and to £4,500 in the cases described in regulation 5 of the draft regulations in Command Paper Cm 7986, and that the increase should take effect from 1 September 2012.
However, whilst I do not agree with the trebling of fees for full-time undergraduates, as has been made clear in recent posts. As one who has been a part-time undergraduate the provisions on the inclusion of part-time students within the student loan system for the first time is one part of the Bill with which I can agree. Continue reading “Amongst the shouting – there were good things in that vote too”
Gyronny Herald 