FRENCH:
Le Monde: Britain more isolated than ever
Libération: A European agreement (without Britain)
Le Figaro: Only Britain sulks over european agreement
Le Figaro: London pushes itself away from the European Union

SPANISH:

El País: Europe advances leaving UK isolated
El País: UK stands outside the agreement to strengthen Europe
Público: The EU gets rid of the UK in new austerity treaty
ABC: UK leaves the inner circle
ABC: UK heads out
El Mundo: UK- isolated in the EU
El Mundo: UK stands alone in the EU after Hungary’s ratification
La Vanguardia: EU agrees more fiscal integration and London pulls away
La Vanguardia: Euro summit ends with more fiscal integration and UK self-exclusion

Conference,

Today, Europe celebrates the 10th Annual European Day of Languages, a European Union initiative to appreciate linguistic diversity in Europe and promote language learning.

You might think it a bit of an anorak subject, and perhaps it is, but as a trainee interpreter of French and Spanish, it’s my anorak subject.

Britain cannot afford to lose languages, and it cannot afford to rely on the popular myth that everybody speaks English.

Ironically, it is only because English is widely spoken that we have a responsibility to promote, learn and use foreign languages.

As the party of openness and diversity, this should be a core Labour principle in foreign policy and in British diplomacy.

In the European Union, if a meeting cannot find any available English interpreters, that meeting is cancelled. Delaying the exchange of ideas, slowing down government, and hindering reform.

That’s bad for Europe, and bad for Britain.

In Brussels, Britain is often underrepresented because of a lack of language professionals.

In Business, Britain loses out to foreign enterprise because of a lack of language professionals. That means Labour loses the job creation and economic growth that goes with it.

English may be the lingua franca in many countries, but companies have to speak to customers in their own language.

So the business that do well are the business that go global.

As globalisation continues, languages are an obviously vital tool. Forging friendships, breaking barriers and sealing deals.

The Labour Party must be open to Europe.

Britain in the world needs languages, which is why, on the 10th European Day of Languages, Labour must not let Britain get tongue-tied or lost in translation, but be ready to promote, encourage and develop languages professionals.

Thank you.

The polling stations are open for the local B&NES elections today until 10pm. Most people who intend to vote will have made up their minds which candidates and parties they will favour. But there may be some of you who remain ‘undecided’, feeling unsure who to vote for.

So, what can we say to you that might influence your decision in our direction? Many things, we think, but two in particular.

First, while all our opponents represent worthy causes, to which we also subscribe –  to make Westmoreland a cleaner and happier area; to attend better to environmentally-specific matters; to address more effectively traffic flow problems in the ward; to manage the council’s budget efficiently – we are the only candidates who are standing for election on an explicit fairness and justice platform. That is to say, we want to be councillors in order to address local concerns in ways that privilege the less well off members of the ward, which means we would contest any cuts in council expenditure that threaten to diminish the quality of life of its most vulnerable residents.

And, second, if elected, we would work tirelessly within the area to help build a community whose members live together, freely, in a spirit of tolerance and respect. So, in addition to representing responsibly the ward’s interests at council meetings, we would create new opportunities within Westmoreland itself for its residents to lobby us about issues which concern them, beginning with holding regular public meetings and frequent surgeries and establishing a website to assist the exchange of views and foster debate about matters of common concern.

You’ll have two votes for two Councillors: Vote Labour
Vote David HALPIN
Vote Hadleigh ROBERTS

The big Yes to AV campaign rally in Bath this afternoon. I don’t think I need to add anything, except another angle:

Pics courtesy of my friend Les Skipper.

Ben Bradshaw, MP for Exeter, came over to Bath to launch the Bath & North East Somerset election campaign in front of the guildhall with the candidates. The local press printed the headline “Labour to fight in every ward.” On the next page over, was the launch of the Lib Dem campaign, which, in my impartial opinion, looked a bit limp.

In the Local Elections that take place on May 5th. I have been nominated, with my friend David Halpin, as the two Labour candidates in the Westmoreland Ward of Bath, currently held by two Lib Dems.

See you in May!

The event was to be held in the Chapel Arts Centre (a performance space underneath a chapel).

An interesting discussion ensued between a resident and the Lib Dem Cllr organising the event, in the forum of the local newspaper.

Greg says:

Why is this in a venue that does not have wheelchair access!!!! – Unbelievable, that just sums up how the government treats disabled people! Hoe can wheelchair users get to join in if they can’t even get in to the venue!

Lib Dem Cllr responds:

You’re right that the venue doesn’t have full wheelchair access. This was a consideration when I booked it yesterday. However, the nature of the steps and doors means that it is possible to carry a chair and passenger into the venue without too much trouble. Our volunteers will certainly help as necessary. I appreciate that this isn’t elegant, but I am grateful to the Chapel Arts Centre for being able to accomodate us at short notice. Send me an email to info@bathlibdems.org.uk if you’d like to plan specific access requirements.

Greg replies:

it’s good to see your comment, and would be possible if you use a manual wheelchair, but I have tried to access places with similar access in the past with my heavy powered wheelchair (as many people who have muscle and neurological conditions rely on due the the needs created by their disability) and this just is not practical and safe to do, and attempts have unfortunately ended in accidents in the past to both wheelchair user and people trying to lift chairs that are not made to be lifted up steps.

Then in a subsequent article, said Cllr continues to put his foot in it by calling the venue change a “pain”:

I’m glad Nick Clegg came to Bath and I’m proud that he’s continuing the same town hall meetings as he did before the election.
It was a pain having to move venues, but I’m really impressed that over 250 Bath locals came to take part so it was worth doing.
Incidentally, I earn about £21,000 per year (two jobs) and don’t consider myself poor. In fact, half of all workers in Britain earn less than £21k – it is the median average income. I find it quite reasonable.
Thanks again to everyone who came along to share their views. I’ve been canvassing this morning as a Liberal Democrat and I didn’t get booed once!

It’s an amusing thread (if you’re not a Lib Dem, which according to the latest polls, that’s 91% of the population), much better than the loonies on Have Your Say!

[Ed Miliband] immediately instituted a language change that grumpy Labour backbenchers were impressed by. It was to be referred to as a “Tory-led government” not the more cuddly “coalition”.

From this site, July 29th, 2010:

It is this appropriate to treat the Coalition not as something strange but as something that is all too familiar; this is a Tory Government in all but name. It is up to Labour to call it as it is.

Seems like I’m getting on well with the Ed’s in the Shadow Cabinet.

I stopped by the protest and helped them to write a press release for their blog, here.

They’ve also sent a letter to Lib Dem Don Foster MP, whom I interviewed last Friday. (To be broadcast between 1800 and 1900 Wednesday on 1449AM radio)

–

Hadleigh Roberts, a presenter for the current affairs program “Buzz” on the URB campus radio noted:

“The general feeling of this protest is more than an insular concern about student personal debt. Evidently, the impact of this policy is something that will be felt by students, but also has a huge impact on the quality of life of people today, and the life chances of generations in the future.

–

By losing brother David, he has immediately lost a key ally in the cabinet, but I don’t want to comment on family matters.

What caught my eye is where the “top jobs” went.

Shadow Chancellor: Alan Johnson
Shadow Foreign Secretary: Yvette Cooper
Shadow Home Secretary: Ed Balls

The Balls-Cooper household must have had its roof blown off. Johnson has been put there because of general competence, likeability and political neutrality (say “moderate”) to keep Balls away from his ‘dream job’. Steady Al won’t cause any trouble for Ed M.

Balls, as a now-scorned political operator, has been kicked to the Home Office, where he’ll be so busy on the job he won’t have time for anything else.

Cooper, who would have been my pick for the Treasury, has been sent to the Shadow Foreign Office, a political wasteland where she will have to chase after journalists herself. Nobody bothers interviewing the Shadow Foreign Sec. They only ever got Hague on because he was Hague and de facto Deputy Tory-in-Chief. The only thing she would be able to kick up a fuss about will be Europe, which is a vote-loser anyway. There aren’t any treaties in the offing and no elections in sight. It’s off the agenda.

He even put Diane Abbott in a junior position. (Tent pissing out.)

At least he’s put 22 new MPs in the line-up so they can get trained as fast as possible.

Overall we’re not off to a good start, which is bad for Ed, bad for Labour and very bad for Britain.