Author Archives: Cambridge Town Owl

Phil Rodgers confirmed the news earlier. “Strewth! They didn’t pick a local guy either!” Which sort of surprised me – I thought they’d have backed Zachary Marsh given his reasonably competent showing in the local media in the recent local elections. This now means that all parties that have councillors on Cambridge City Council areContinue reading “A full slate of party candidates in and around Cambridge for the general election 2024”

It’s not easy to organise formal set piece debates for general elections at such short notice. Are there alternative public events that could work better for more people instead? In and around Cambridge (four constituencies), Phil Rodgers is keeping a list of events coming up. The Environment hustings above is in the process of tryingContinue reading “Democracy mingles in the park as alternatives to formal hustings?”

And it’s all over the papers! But even in the very unlikely case of the Tories being re-elected, the detail shows not only has it not been thought through, but also that the whole thing would get stuck in the long grass of a Royal Commission Image – From the Government’s National Citizens Service programmeContinue reading “‘Rishi to conscript your teenagers!’ (if the headlines are to be believed)”

The Levelling Up Secretary has announced he is stepping down from Parliament – which automatically means he will not be in his current post irrespective of the general election result He made more than a few adversaries along the way up the career ladder, as journalist and education policy specialist Laura McInerney wrote: Above –Continue reading “Michael Gove’s Case for Cambridge collapses in less than three months”

You don’t have to stand for election to help strengthen democracy – there is a great deal that the public can do. And it does not involve getting a high profile either. In case you missed it, The King has accepted the Prime Minister’s recommendation to dissolve Parliament and commence arrangements for a general election.Continue reading “How can people interested in politics but who do not like party politics take an active part in the general election?”

Independent Councillor in St Neots, Cllr Stephen Ferguson is considering standing in the new St Neots and Mid Cambs constituency. Are any of you tempted? (Should I try and do similar in Cambridge to what I did in Queen Edith’s ward at last year’s city council elections?) It’s decision time following the shambolic setting ofContinue reading “Thinking of standing as an independent candidate for the general election in/around Cambridge?”

Expect general election candidates to be pressed hard over the extractive model of our planning system – including the long-feared application to demolish Hobson Street Cinema Image – Hideous Cambridge (2013) by Jones and Hall. If this application goes through they will need to produce a second volume! This post stems from three recent planning-relatedContinue reading “Developers rinsing Cambridge again”

She also re-stated proposals for controversial ‘grey belt’ proposals at the monster property gathering UKREiiF Image: How to be a Minister (2014) By former Labour Cabinet Minister John Hutton, and Leigh Lewis I picked up some things from the transcript of Ms Rayner’s speech (see link below) to the UKREiiF Conference. This is the LeedsContinue reading “Angela Rayner announces Labour’s criteria for new towns”

There were two former Conservative Cabinet Ministers in Cambridge today – both of whom held Cabinet posts in the current Parliament. (Also reminder of the Debate Not Hate campaign by the Local Government Association – especially with the general election looming) They were: And yet the contrast between the two visits could not have beenContinue reading “Two former Conservative Cabinet Ministers in Cambridge today – and the contrast was huge”

The selection of Lambeth Councillor Marianna Masters (Labour – Streatham Wells) as Labour’s MP-candidate for St Neots and Mid-Cambridgeshire has caused more than a little comment in a contest that might otherwise have seen a rematch between the three candidates that stood in South Cambridgeshire in 2019 The first anyone heard about it was aContinue reading “Labour selects Cllr Marianna Masters as their candidate for the new St Neots & Mid Cambs seat”