The former leader of the Conservative MEPs, Edward McMillan-Scott, the Conservatives' most senior MEP, has joined the Liberal Democrats, it was announced at the Liberal Democrats' Spring Conference in Birmingham.
The President of the European Parliament has used new powers to dock the allowances of UKIP MEP Nigel Farage, who refused to apologise for gratuitously insulting the new President of the European Council, thanks to an initiative taken in the last parliament by Lib Dem MEP Graham Watson to ensure that such powers existed.
"Ken Clarke's legendary hush puppies made no sound this week as they padded their way to EU Commission President Barroso's office. The Daily Telegraph got wind of the story, but there was no further media comment, no photographic evidence and not so much as a press release to mark the Shadow Business Secretary's visit", writes Lib Dem MEP for the South East, Catherine Bearder.
The Surrey Police Authority is to hold a widespread public consultation on their plans to expand their force by about 200 new constables over the next 3 years, paid for by cutting about 50 senior officers and relocating Police Stations to council offices and supermarkets. About 100 of the new officers would join the neighbourhood police teams of "Bobbies on the Beat". This initiative has been supported by the Lib Dem members of the Surrey Police Authority.
The new Conservative administration, following David Cameron's lead, has now proudly proclaimed a conversion to "localism" (the devolution of decision making to the lowest level) which is a complete reversal of the policies of the last Conservative government. However the first test of the new approach revealed that not much had changed.
Throughout Surrey there was a failure to fill and top-up grit bins during the periods of heavy snow in December and January resulting in many justified complaints from residents. Just how chaotic the situation was has been revealed following questions from County Cllr Stephen Cooksey.
