Category Archives: Politics

Sutton pedestrian crossings proposed for removal by TfL

Posted on 17 August 2010 by Adrian Short

Transport for London are proposing to review and possibly remove 145 traffic lights and pedestrian crossings across London. Here’s a map I’ve made of the five crossings in the London Borough of Sutton that are under review. Download the map … Continue reading →

Posted in Planning, Politics, Sutton, Urban design, Urbanism | 2 Comments

Armchair Auditor interview with Eddie Mair on BBC Radio 4 PM

Posted on 13 August 2010 by Adrian Short

Today, Eric Pickles and the Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) released their spending data for April 2009-March 2010. (My easy-to-download zip file is here.) I was interviewed by Eddie Mair on Radio 4′s PM programme about my Armchair … Continue reading →

Posted in Armchair Auditor, Media Appearances, Politics, open data | Tagged | 2 Comments

Philippa Stroud’s statement regarding The Observer’s story

Posted on 2 May 2010 by Adrian Short

I have just received an email from Philippa Stroud confirming the following statement from her in response to this story in the Observer: “I make no apology for being a committed Christian. However, it is categorically untrue that I believe … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | Tagged | Comments Off

How to lie with statistics, Liberal Democrat style

Posted on 27 April 2010 by Adrian Short

Analysing a dodgy bar chart supporting the Lib Dems’ bogus claims about Labour support in Cardiff North. Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Lib Dems’ leaflets: Legal, indecent, dishonest, untruthful

Posted on 4 June 2009 by Adrian Short

Today the Sutton Guardian has run a story in which I and Bob Steel from the Sutton Green Party accuse MPs Paul Burstow, Tom Brake and the Sutton Lib Dems of distributing deceitful and misleading leaflets about today’s European Parliament … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Sutton | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

With lies like these I’d rather the LibDems fiddled their expenses

Posted on 15 May 2009 by Adrian Short

As the Westminster expenses scandal drags the reputation of all MPs down into the gutter whether they deserve it individually or not, you’d think that politicians would be extra-careful to keep their noses clean during the European Parliament campaign for … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | 40 Comments

Is Sutton Council too white?

Posted on 13 May 2009 by Adrian Short

The Sutton Minority Ethnic Forum is running a project called the Shadow Councillor Scheme, which lets people who may be interested in becoming councillors find out more by closely following a councillor for a month. While everyone is welcome to … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Sutton | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Did police kill G20 protester in London? (Updated: not looking good)

Posted on 2 April 2009 by Adrian Short

Article title preserved for posterity but it’s clear now that Ian Tomlinson was not a protester and was just walking home from work. Please see the updates in the comments at the bottom of this post. Unnamed: The protester who … Continue reading →

Posted in Citizenship, Politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

MPs’ expenses: Forget fiddling the rules, give us live data and real transparency

Posted on 1 April 2009 by Adrian Short

What a squalid mess our system for reimbursing MPs’ expenses is. Whether it’s Mr Jacqui Smith’s much-publicised solo viewing habits, the inevitable confusion among highly-paid, highly-skilled representatives about first and second homes, or the shameless London MPs claiming for a … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Web design | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments