Author Archives: Cambridge Town Owl

It took time to get going, but the pent-up anger and frustration with politics generally exploded into life in the latter part of the debate at a hustings that took a number of people co-ordinated by Cambridge Friends of the Earth a huge amount of effort and action to put on. You can find outContinue reading “Cambridge Climate Hustings – the first general election exchanges”

Given the looming general election, wouldn’t it have been an idea to withhold this until later in the year to see what any new policy announcements the next government makes? You can read the strategy at item 11 Annex A of Housing Scrutiny Committee’s meeting papers here, which is scheduled for Tuesday, 18th June, 2024Continue reading “Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire’s Housing Strategy 2024-29”

We share the same city, but sometimes it feels like we inhabit very different worlds. Free and inclusive public events are therefore essential for a city like ours. A quick reminder of Phil’s list of hustings and events here. At the moment the new constituency of St Neots & Mid-Cambs is in the lead withContinue reading “The tale of two Cambridges”

Where to start…Let’s try an old book about how Parliament worked in 1955! First of all, candidates’ lists: In summary? The presence of TeamNigel in seven of the eight seats up for grabs represents a *huge threat* to the Conservatives. The challenge for the opposition parties is whether they can agree informally on who isContinue reading “Prime Minister in D-Day shocker as general election candidates lists are published”

I asked too many questions (again) yet I came away with a sense that the world of academia is not happy at the decisions the University of Cambridge and its colleges are taking in their name It was an event open to all, and in return for writing out an in-depth set of responses toContinue reading “What does it mean for a city to grow? When Gown met Town – 04 June 2024”

Keep an eye on Phil Rodgers’ list here for more updates The two that have been added are: The Cambridge Foodbank Hustings – organised by Cambridge Foodbank with It Takes a City, Jimmy’s Cambridge, and the YMCA Cambridge. The future of Cambridge – with the Friends of the Cam, and the Federation of Cambridge Residents’Continue reading “New general election debates in Cambridge for June 2024”

This includes the BBC – which has had to absorb real terms cuts to its licence fee revenue since 2010. If anyone’s looking for ideas, the Master of Selwyn College Cambridge, Roger Mosey (a former BBC Executive) has some ideas. Image – The Struggle for Democracy (1944) ‘I agree with von Bismarck – no notContinue reading “TV broadcasters will need to ask some very serious questions of their industry post-elections”

One is trying to capture the attention of the general public, while the other is trying to keep us politics obsessives occupied with something new every day in order not to bore us One of the reasons why I think more of us bloggers and political commentator-types should stand for election and face a hustings/publicContinue reading “There seem to be two distinct election contests being fought”

This feels like a top-down decision from a broken national party unit that, as shown by the Diane Abbott selection issues, is having a shockingly bad general election campaign – one almost as bad as Team Rishi’s catastrophic operation Cambridge Independent commentator Phil Rodgers posted about this earlier following this afternoon’s post from former GuardianContinue reading “Why is the Labour Party briefing that Daniel Zeichner won’t be taking part in any hustings in Cambridge?”

It’ll be at 7pm at the Wesley Methodist Church next to Christ’s Pieces in Cambridge – and the main host is the Cambridge Branch of Friends of the Earth – which has been active for around half a century in our city. I had it confirmed by email – see also Phil Rodgers below. I’mContinue reading “Cambridge Environment Hustings 11 June 2024 – and themed multi-constituency hustings”