A single point of failure: Why we need the NHS to remove Palantir.Most of us by now will have heard of the tech giant Palantir, and its deal with the NHS to build a federated data platform. Putting to one side the influences of Boris Johnson, Dominic Cummings and Peter Mandelson in dodgy looking tech deals, revolving doors and high-pressure lobbying, the more we look into it, the more questions the NHS Palantir deal raises. My team and I have been investigating and asking questions in Parliament. Last week I, (Martin) secured a Westminster Hall debate on the Palantir issue, and I made the case that Palantir's implementation of the NHS Federated ... (more) |
Liverpool forges new partnership to replace fraying links with the USAAs the world seeks new links in the light of the withdrawal by American from civilised discourse and old and trusted relationships, Liverpool is very well placed to take advantage of new trade patterns. To begin with, let's deal with the United States of America. Brits traditionally have liked our relationship with America and with the people of America. We would laugh at their English spelling and pronunciation, and they would laugh at us for all sorts of reasons, but all that was in a safe way that you can josh with friends. We have traded together and fought alongside ... (more) |
Q. Are we delivering too many leaflets? A. No, and here's why... (LDN#208)Liberal Democrat Newswire #208 came out earlier in the week and you can now also read it in full below. But if you'd like to get future editions emailed direct to you as soon as they are published, sign up now: Welcome to Lib Dem Newswire #208, which takes a look at that favourite election season topic: are we doing too many leaflets? The rest of this edition includes my first report back from my new role in the party, new polling on what local issues matter most to people, a policy idea for England's cities and more. First, however, ... (more) |
"Forthright, clear, determined, energetic" - a tribute to Councillor Jeanette Sunderland[IMG: Jeanette Sunderland running] Photo Credit: Bradford Lib Dems Some people stand at the front and lead, others sit and back and chunter. Jeanette Sunderland did both, and did them both very well. Forthright, clear, determined, energetic and a real sense of no-nonsense she was a familiar face to so so many of us within the Liberal Democrat family. In tough times and good Jeanette would be there – often turning up to the by-elections that could not be won, precisely because she knew they could not be won and she wanted to help and thank the team who were ... (more) |
Who said "All AI amounts to is plausible nonsense"?Dominic Cummings, in a post about, among other things, using AI to do factchecking, used this quote: All AI amounts to is plausible nonsense. Former senior GCHQ official, Ciaran Martin, 2025 However, and ironically given the subject of the post, Ciaran Martin himself says that he didn't say that. On his Bluesky account he posted that: The phrase "plausible nonsense" – an excellent one used in proper context – is not mine. It's @meredithmeredith.bsky.social's I can't claim credit for it IIRC she used it entirely accurately in the context of LLM hallucinations a while back It wasn't presaged with "All ... (more) |
Dr Feelgood: She Does It RightIf only the singles chart in 1975 had been this good. (more) |
Chuck out the checker?Tonight I was sent by a colleague the link to the Gateshead page on Poll Check. I've always had a bit of a sceptic view of polls that take the average of national polls and then project them onto ward contests. There is a significant proportion of the electorate which votes for a different party in local elections to national elections. Add into the equation some basic mistakes. For example, in (more) |
The Home Office tackles an apostrophe but not Elon MuskThe latest edition of my email newsletter about work in Parliament, A Lord's Eye View, is out and you can also read it in full below. But if you'd like to get future editions emailed direct to you as soon as they are published, sign up now: A quick update about the Home Office's social media use policy, which encourages people to use Elon Musk's X. I got excited about an update to it... but the update was, let's say, niche. The Home Office and X [IMG: a close up of a cell phone with social media icons] Photo by ... (more) |
New light on the Mods and RockersI've just got back from an event at Leicester Central Library: High Flying Around: Memories of the 1960s Leicester Arts and Music Scene Join Leicester author and curator Shaun Knapp, author, curator and graphic designer Joe Nixon, musician Kenny Wilson, and the University of Leicester's Colin Hyde for a discussion on the arts and music scene in Leicester during the 1960s. I talk to Kenny Wilson sometimes in my favourite coffee shop in Market Harborough and Shaun Knapp turned out to be a member of Gypsy (who were called Legay earlier in their career), a Leicester band of the late ... (more) |
Secret Northamptonshire on the building of the Welland ViaductI wouldn't call the Welland Viaduct exactly secret: it's nearly three-quarters of a mile long, 60 feet hight, contains 30 million bricks and is really quite hard to miss. But having been inspired to write posts by the BBC's Secret Shropshire and Secret Leicestershire pages, I though I would have a look at Secret Northamptonshire. And this is the story that caught my eye: Northants'"Grandest and Most Perfect" Structure The Harringworth or Welland Viaduct is one of the longest of its kind in Britain. Stradling the picturesque Northamptonshire valley, it is a magnificent example of Victorian construction and ambition. But ... (more) |