Michael Howard, the current Conservative Leader has suffered a defeat by the grassroots of the party to reform the way the new Leader will be selected. Having failed to win the two-thirds majority needed for change, the leadership contest will be held under the current rules, with MPs choosing two candidates to go to a vote of all Conservative members, a move that could prolong the contest until Christmas or beyond.
A new secondary school for Epping and the surrounding area is one step closer after district councillors gave outline planning permission in July.
Surrey's Liberal Democrat County Councillors have reacted strongly to the suggestion by Surrey County Council's Executive that the Clockhouse Brickworks in Capel be the preferred site for a large-scale waste treatment plant.
Speaking at the World Toilet Summit in Belfast, Birmingham Yardley Liberal Democrat MP John Hemming has hit out at the 6,000 deaths a day caused by poor sanitation Mr. Hemming said "The government like to look for complex solutions to simple problems. Half of the children that die in the developing world die from diarrhoeal diseases. That is around 6,000 children a day dying from entirely preventable diseases."
Liberal Democrat Leader Charles Kennedy has slammed Tony Blair's speech as 'not what people want'. Blair has told Labour's conference there must be further reforms to public services so choice is not just the preserve of the wealthy. He vowed to modernise New Labour, saying every time he had announced reforms he wished he had gone further.
Britain's rail passengers, who suffer delays, look set to be awarded higher levels of compensation, following a vote in the European Parliament. Commenting ahead of tomorrow's (Wednesday's) vote on the legislative package aimed at improving the EU's railways, Shepway's Liberal Democrat MEP, Sharon Bowles heralded the move as a victory for passengers.
