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That tireless Parliamentary terrier, Lib Dem MP Norman Baker, has been doing what he does best, once again: demanding answers to awkward questions. The man who forced Peter Mandelson to quit the cabinet last time around has now turned his attention to two new bete-noires: 1) Gordon Brown’s refusal to answer questions, which The Guardian’s Politics Blog notes – here’s  [ Read More ]

Yesterday Labour’s transport secretary Geoff Hoon announced to the House of Commons that the Government was giving the go-ahead to the expansion of Heathrow airport. The Tories are officially opposing the new third runway, though there are many splits in their ranks, from shadow cabinet members and Tory MPs, to Tory bloggers, to Oliver Dowden, their Director of Political Operations.  [ Read More ]

Lib Dem MP Norman Baker has revealed that an astonishing 150,000 have been questioned by police at railway stations under the aegis of legislation designed to prevent terrorists. The Telegraph has the full story: The Prevention of Terrorism Act 2000 has been used to stop 62,584 people at railway stations and another 87,000 were questioned under “stop and search” and  [ Read More ]

The news that David Tennant is quitting his role as The Doctor in the BBC series Dr Who has prompted a flurry of speculation in recent months about who might succeed him: David Morrissey, James Nesbitt, David Walliams, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Catherine Zeta Jones have all been suggested. To date – and perhaps not so very unsurprisingly – no Lib  [ Read More ]

It’s been a busy day for two of the Lib Dems’ most tenacious shadow cabinet members today, with both Chris Huhne and Norman Baker urging investigations into Tory shadow chancellor George Osborne’s donation discussions with Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska. Chris Huhne wrote to the Chairman of the Electoral Commission, George Sam Younger*, asking him to confirm: that a donation by  [ Read More ]

For those who are surprised that Norman Baker should have come third in our poll of most-rated Lib Dem shadow cabinet members, much of Stormin’ Norm’s popularity is the result of his championing of causes just like this: A collection of 22 cross party MPs are launching a campaign to end the tradition of swearing allegiance to the Queen when  [ Read More ]

The Guardian asks the question Is Gordon trying to bury bad news?, noting: At 2pm on the day the House of Commons rises for a 75-day summer break, Gordon Brown will publish 10 written ministerial statements on everything from the gifts received by ministers to the guests entertained at Chequers at the public’s expense. The move has prompted claims that  [ Read More ]

So the Bexhill Observer informs us: Speaking in the Lords, Labour peer Lord Berkeley said the book contained sufficient evidence to warrant the opening of a new inquiry into the death of the government weapons inspector in 2003. In his exchange with the Minister, Lord Berkeley highlighted the unsatisfactory, non-statutory nature of the Hutton Inquiry and the fact that none  [ Read More ]

By popular request, here’s the current list of which Lib Dem MPs have declared for which leadership candidate so far. (Originally compiled with the help of Jonathan Isaby of The Daily Telegraph.) The list shows that Nick has attracted two MPs who supported Chris as leader in 2006: Greg Mulholland and Stephen Williams; and eight who supported Simon Hughes (all  [ Read More ]

The list of MPs supporting Nick Clegg has grown to 33 with the news that party president, Simon Hughes, is among his backers. I understand the four other MPs who have endorsed Nick are: Norman Baker, Alan Reid and John Thurso (all of whom backed Ming Campbell last time), and Lembit Öpik. The Hughes news is posted on Nick’s campaign  [ Read More ]