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Yes, yes, I know he's shaking the baby's hand (psst - Dave - you're traditionally supposed to kiss them).

But what does this look like? The still doesn't even do it justice - go here and start watching at about 2:15...

Doesn't anyone check this stuff before it goes out?

This entry is 100% shameless plug, so I'm going to let people who are better with words than I say it for me.

First, Mark Gettleson:

"Last summer, hundreds upon hundreds of Lib Dems flocked to Bromley for one of the biggest by-election campaigns in history. Many of them were young people just like us - university students, school-age people, young professionals and volunteers. Almost a million pieces of election literature were delivered. And we came within a whisker of overturning the 17th safest Tory seat in the country.

"If you have never experienced the buzz and thrill of a Lib Dem by-election campaign on full steam, this summer is the time to start - and this time it's urgent.

"On July 19th, less than THREE WEEKS from now, there will be a by-election in Ealing Southall. The Lib Dems are in second place to Labour and this is not only an election we can win, but one which we are vigorously trying to win."

You can find out more and get regular updates by joining the campaign group on Facebook (and if you haven't joined Facebook yet, you really should - it's an excellent way to get the latest news on the campaigns that you're interested in).

And second, Chris Rennard:



So, don't forget:

1. Join the campaign group on Facebook
2. Visit the local party websites at www.sedgefieldlibdems.org.uk and www.ealinglibdems.org.uk
3. Come to and help out with the by-elections (or do some canvassing
   
4. Please consider making a donation to the campaigns here.

Remember - you write off the Lib Dems at your peril, and this is yet another opportunity for us to confound our critics. Go! Campaign!

Daily Kos has this potted summary (1, 2, 3) of the latest Democratic Presidential candidates' debate:

Q: Outsourcing a problem?

GRAVEL: No. Bad trade deals, employer-based health insurance is the problem.

DODD: Yes. We need to try to keep jobs here.

CLINTON: Yes. Make it less advantageous to outsource -- fight for better trade deals. Develop new industries.

BIDEN: Need to take burden of employers. Make ourselves more competitive through infrastructure development.

EDWARDS: I've seen the horrors of outsourcing. Repeats tax, trade arguments seen earlier.

OBAMA: Much the same as Edwards et al.

KUCINICH: Need to cancel NAFTA, WTO.

You have to worry when Joe Biden makes the most sense out of all of them. Bring back Jed Bartlet, that's what I say.

If they keep this up I might end up supporting Rudy Guiliani (not that it makes the slightest bit of difference...)

David Miliband is the new Foreign Secretary.

I'll be out in the back garden digging a bunker...

Anthony Fairclough (who penned the original letter to Stephen Hammond MP whose reply drew my ire) has alerted me to the fact that the post has vanished from Hammond's website, along with Hammond's own reply.

Fortunately, the original is archived here.

While it's nice to know you're being listened to - it would be nicer if Mr. Hammond or his web team could have

a) published my letter, or
b) replied to it, or
c) contacted me with an explanation for the post in question...

Frankly, this just looks like he's covering his tracks.

Thankyou also to whoever posted this link to this article on cloudsoup - it's a very concise and easy-to-follow explanation of why anyone who voted for the closure motion (as Hammond did) may as well have been voting for the Bill itself.

Once again:

1. You can sign the Lib Dem petition here
2. You can write to a random Lord here
3. You can join the campaign's Facebook group here