Christmas across the world

Merry Christmas everyone!

BBC News Website has some great photos of today across the world.

Here's a few of the ones I like the look of:

Palestinian Christians attend mass in Gaza city.










Christmas at the Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception in Moscow.










Christmas on Bondi beach in Sydney. Nice santa hats girls!

And our new leader is...

NICK

CLEGG

MP

Age: 40
Represents: Sheffield Hallam since 2005
Previous roles: Former MEP, and Trade Negotiator with European Commission
In his own words: I want a new politics: a people’s politics. I want to live in a country where rights, freedoms and privacy are not the playthings of politicians, but safeguarded for everyone. Where political life is not a Westminster village freak show, but open, accessible, and helpful in people’s everyday lives.

• Where parents, pupils and patients are in charge of our schools and hospitals.
• Where fine words on the environment are translated into real action.
• Where social mobility becomes a reality once again, so that no-one is condemned by the circumstances of their birth.
  

Why have we stopped imagining a better society? Look at what we’ve got. The Conservatives and New Labour have governed in the same way - Top-down and centralising. I refuse to believe that the only alternative to a clapped out Labour Government is a Conservative party which has no answers to the big issues - environmentalism without substance, social justice without money, internationalism without Europe.

The challenge for my party is clear and simple: to define a liberal alternative to the discredited politics of Big Government. I want to open up my party, open up Westminster, and open up politics for good. To lead well, a leader needs to listen.

• That’s why I will hold regular and public Town Hall Meetings.
• That’s why I want to open up the Liberal Democrats to give people who support us, but aren’t members, a say on the big issues.
• That’s why I will spend at least one day every week listening and campaigning outside Westminster
• That’s why I will set up a network of real families, who have nothing to do with party politics, in every region of this country to advise me on what they think should be my priorities.

If you once voted Lib Dem but think we’ve spent too much time focusing on ourselves.

If you once voted Conservative but don’t know what they stand for any more.

If you once voted Labour but feel let down after ten years of disappointment.

If you’ve given up voting altogether, but still care about the world we live in:

Then a newly united, energetic, optimistic Liberal Democrat party is here for you.

Benchill Library Campaign

Martin Eakins is campaigning for a Community Library in Benchill - perhaps at or near Benchill Primary School

Your Lib-Dem team have launched a campaign to build a Community Library in Benchill.

Whilst Northern Moor has one, as does Northenden, Benchill is the only part of our ward to be a Library free zone.

Hundreds of Families would benefit from a library close by, as the nearest one at present is at the Forum in the Centre of Wythenshawe.

The Military Covenant

I'm pleased to hear that our team in Westminster have forced a debate on the Military Covenant on Wednesday.

The Covenant is an unwritten agreement between our military forces and the nation - a pact that means our service personnel agree to lose certain rights, even make the ultimate sacrifice for the defence of Britain.

In return Britain must take care of our military, and their dependants, ensuring their welfare is taken care of.

The Royal British Legion have declared the Covenant broken, by this Labour Government, and are campaigning for it to be Honoured. Our top Military Chief, Sir Richard Dannatt, has described it as "out of kilter", about as critical (and probably more) any serving Chief of Defence can be about their government.

As Chancellor, Gordon Brown cut the accommodation budget for our military, and it was the previous Conservative administration that are to blame for the inadequate medical care.

The Liberal Democrats believe the time has come for us to have a new military covenant that ensures politicians honour their debt to the armed forces, the plan includes:

• A new Strategic Defence Review that takes account of the new international situation
• An assurance from politicians that the armed forces will not intervene without providing necessary resources, manpower and equipment that ensures our personnel are secure in the commitment
• A parliamentary committee to conduct an annual review of the state of the covenant
• A ring-fenced budget for welfare and accommodation within the Defence Budget
• Improved medical care and counselling for troops returning from service
• Further funding to allow all armed forces accommodation to be assessed at the highest standard

If you want to support the Royal British Legion's campaign, then check out what you can do here.

Direct Action on Palatine Road

Lib-Dems - working hard for you all year round, not just at election time.







Last Saturday was Farmers Market day for the Village, and it was - as always - superb!

However I was shocked to see piles of rubbish left on the parade when the traders had left. I went out to have a look, and one pile had spilled onto the slip road and was rapidly disintegrating when cars were forced to drive over it!

I moved all the bulky items onto the pavement, but it was still unsightly due to the polystyrene scattered everywhere.

I managed to borrow a broom from Bargain Booze (thanks guys!) and quickly swept it up. I was told that the council normally do this after the Farmers Market had closed, but were running late this day.

I've written to the council asking them to be a bit quicker and to ask the traders to leave waste on the pavement, rather than the slip road.

Before and after.

Getting the roads fixed in Northern Moor

New parking bays for Lawton Moor Road have
been applied for by your local Lib-Dem team

I was out delivering leaflets at the weekend when I noticed how shabby the verges are and how congested the road is on one part of Lawton Moor Road.

The council installed a few parking bays on the western half of the road, and they do massively improve things, so we've applied for them to be installed on the eastern half also.

We'll keep you updated with any progress made.