Chris Whiteside for the North

  Iain Dale has put together a book about the 88 most consequential British by-elections since 1769. It will be published on 18th September 2025 and can be pre-ordered from Amazon at British By-Elections 1769–2025: The 88 By-Election Campaigns That Shaped Our Politics: Amazon.co.uk: Dale, Iain: 9781785909788: Books Or from Politicos (signed by Iain) at British By-Elections 1769-2025 - The 88 By-Elections That Shook British Politics edited by Iain Dale COMING 18 SEPTEMBER | Politicos.co.uk Let me declare an interest - I wrote the chapter on the Copeland by-election of 2017 in which, obviously I was a participant as part of the Conservative campaign team. So I am an interested party, but I think this is a really interesting book. I have been racking my brains trying to remember how many of these elections I personally took part in. There were at last a dozen from the Darlington by-election in 1983 where I remember telling in the snow, to the Runcorn & Helsby by-election earlier t...

  "Conservatives stand firm with our Ukrainian friends, today on their Independence Day, and every day.  The unwavering determination of the Ukrainian people to protect what is rightfully theirs in the face of Putin’s brutal aggression is truly remarkable.  The UK’s support must be ironclad. Ukraine will remain one of Britain’s very closest allies far into the future.  Slava Ukraini" Priti Patel , Shadow Foreign Secretary.

Today is the 80th anniversary of the surrender of Japan. There will be VJ Day 80 commemorations to mark the anniversary of the final end of the second world war. A series of events will be held in Britain and around the world, although the USA commemorates VJ day a few days later than we do. In Britain: There will  be an event at the National Memorial Arboretum to honour VJ veterans which will be broadcast live The Red Arrows will join historic Spitfire and Hurricane aircraft for a flypast over national VJ Day 80 commemorations Members of the public are encouraged to participate in a national two-minute silence at noon BST on Friday 15 August  to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.  A Service of Remembrance will honour and remember those who fought and died during the Second World War in the Far East at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, which will be broadcast live on BBC1 from midday.  It will host a spectacular tribute to v...

  "80 years ago, the guns fell silent in the Pacific marking the end of WW2. Today, we remember those who fought to the very end and the families who endured years of fear and loss. Their courage and sacrifice shaped the free, democratic Britain we cherish. We honour them, always." Kemi Badenoch , Conservative leader.

  "In times of war and in times of peace, the greatest weapons of all are not the arms you bear but the arms you link." His Majesty King Charles III From the message the King will broadcast later today praising the work of the heroes of WWII.   His majesty tell the nation and the world how the sacrifice of the heroes of VJ Day will never be forgotten. In an audio message echoing one broadcast by his grandfather, King George VI, eighty years ago, King Charles will describe how those who lived and died in the Far East  ‘gave us more than freedom; they left us the example of how it can and must be protected’.

 Following the VE day commemorations in May this year to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe, VJ Day 80 on Friday will mark the anniversary of the final end of the war. A series of events will be held in Britain and around the world, although the USA commemorates VJ day a few days later than we do. In Britain: There will  be an event at the National Memorial Arboretum to honour VJ veterans which will be broadcast live The Red Arrows will join historic Spitfire and Hurricane aircraft for a flypast over national VJ Day 80 commemorations Members of the public are encouraged to participate in a national two-minute silence at noon BST on Friday 15 August to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.  A Service of Remembrance will honour and remember those who fought and died during the Second World War in the Far East at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, which will be broadcast live on BBC1 from midday.  It wil...

 

Those of a certain age will remember that the slogan "Labour isn't working" has been used before. It was part of Mrs Thatcher's successful campaign against a Labour government which had massively increased unemployment. But there's reason for using this slogan again. True in 1979  and still true now - Labour governments cost jobs. Every Labour government in history has increased unemployment. And it's not hard to see why. One of the first thing the present Labour government did on taking office was to break their promise not to increase National Insurance and impose the biggest tax rise in history on Employers National Insurance contributions A forty billion pounds a year tax on jobs. Is it any wonder that this is what happened to the creation of jobs?  

 Lord Norman Tebbit, one of Margaret Thatcher's closest allis, has died at the age of 94. He will be remembered as many things by many people, but the image which will stick in my mind was what a kind and courteous man he was when I met him. He was described as an “i con in British politics ” by the current Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch., As employment secretary he took on the trade unions, and as chairman of the Conservative Party from 1985 to 1987 he helped Mrs Thatcher secure her third general election victory. As employment secretary he took on the trade unions, and as chairman of the Conservative Party from 1985 to 1987 he helped Mrs Thatcher secure her third general election victory. He also served as trade secretary and had a reputation as a political bruiser. He suffered grave injuries in the 1984 Brighton bombing, which left his wife, Margaret, paralysed from the neck down. After the 1987 election success he left his post as Tory chairman to help care for Margaret, who...

I was very sorry to learn that Alderman John Jackson, a former councillor and Mayor of Copeland has died. (To avoid any confusion, I should probably explain that he was Mayor when this was the title of the councillor who was in the council chair that year, and who acted as the ceremonial mayor and first citizen. It was an entirely different post from the subsequent office of directly elected Mayor, who was essentially an elected leader.) John was a straightforward, no-nonsense honest and kind individual who worked hard for his constituents as a councillor and for his community in everything he did. He will be missed. Rest in Peace. 

Remembering all the brave men - Brits, Americans, Canadians, Aussies, Kiwis, lovers of freedom from every country in the commonwealth and all around the world - who landed on the D-Day beaches or jumped out of aeroplanes 81 years ago today so that Europe would be free again.

Labour blinked. But don’t be fooled. This fight isn’t over. Yesterday, I challenged Keir Starmer from the despatch box. I demanded he reverse his unfair Winter Fuel Payment cuts. Cuts that hit the poorest pensioners hardest. After a year of pressure, Starmer finally admitted he would  “revisit the threshold”.  That’s not a plan. That’s a vague promise. He hasn’t said how, when, or for how many. Is this a full U-turn or just a cosmetic tweak? We don’t know.  They’ve offered headlines, not answers. Some of the country's poorest pensioners are worrying about paying their energy bills this winter.  They need certainty now, not a vague promise of help tomorrow. Labour still haven’t explained who will now qualify. They haven’t explained how they’ll fix the mess that left thousands of eligible pensioners out in the cold.  And they haven’t given a date for when, or if, anything changes. We’re not letting this drop. Labour’s supermajority doesn’t mean a free pass. We’ll ...

Today is the 80th anniversary of the end of the second world war in Europe. To commemorate and remember all those who died, there will be a two minute silence at 12 noon BST today.

 

 

The origin of this anthem as I was told the story is that Samuel Sebastian Wesley wrote this lovely piece while he was organist of Hereford Cathedral. This was at a time when cathedral choirs were at "a very low ebb" and it was written for an Easter day service at which only three trebles and the Dean's butler, who sang bass, were available.  Wesley was a genius and the anthem would undoubtedly work for four such voices, but I prefer it with a full choir, as performed here by the choir of St Paul's cathedral or as I heard it sung this morning by the choir of Selby Abbey.  

Wishing all Christians in the UK and everywhere - and anyone else reading this and celebrating this great festival - a happy and peaceful Easter.

Well, what else could one use as the music spot for the 21st of March?

 Prince William has led tributes to John “Paddy” Hemingway, the last surviving pilot who fought in the Battle of Britain, after his death aged 105. The Prince of Wales wrote on social media that he was “sad” to hear about the passing of the last of “The Few”. He added:  “We owe so much to Paddy and his generation for our freedoms today. Their bravery and sacrifice will always be remembered. We shall never forget them.” Born in Dublin in 1919, Group Captain Hemingway enlisted in the RAF in 1938 and soon became one of the young pilots who fought in the Battle of France. Two years later, he was among the men known as  “The Few” , a term coined by Winston Churchill to describe Britain’s Battle of Britain pilots. Chief of RAF Air Staff Sir Rich Knighton passed condolences to Mr Hemingway’s family and friends. “I am thankful that I was able to meet and spend time with him in Dublin, most recently in January this year,”  he said. “Paddy was an amazing character wh...

 

Today is world book day. One of my heroes, and perhaps the greatest US President of all time, as Abraham Lincoln. He was a great lover of books. Here are two of my favourite Abraham Lincoln quotes on the subject.

 

At 8pm today, the 80thh anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, I like many others put a lighted candle in my window to mark Holocaust Memorial day and remember all victims of genocide.

WE REMEMBER. Today is the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. This evening at 8pm I and many others will safely place a lighted candle in the window to remember the victims of the Shoah and all other victims of genocide.  When the true horror of what the Nazis had done the world said in disbelief "Never again!" Yet, sadly and incredibly, these have been empty words because, if not on quote the same vast scale, similar things have kept happening. It is time for us all to make sure that the words "Never again" are not just empty words. It is time FOR A B£TTER FUTURE.