Robert Buckland Weblog

I am wearing my walking boots around the house as a precaution against disaster on the Wakely Midnight Walk, which I will be doing on the night of 13th and 14th June.  Starting at Midnight from The Red Lion in Avebury, I will be walking twenty miles along the Ridgeway Path to the True Heart [...]

I was interested to read the views of Health Secretary Alan Johnson about Proportional Representation as a means of getting the public to re-engage with politics.  Interesting, but wrong, however.  There is no evidence to suggest a greater involvement in elective politics in countries that use PR.  If anything,  PR serves to undermine the election [...]

Despite the tributes that are being paid to him, and the prospect of a peerage, I suspect that the resignation of Mr. Speaker Martin will not be mourned by many.   The conduct of the various holders of this office has varied widely, but I believe that it great events will make or break holders of offices such as these.  Take Mr. Speaker Lenthall, for [...]

A blustery and showery day did not prevent Broadgreen residents from getting together for the annual Fun Day, held at the Broadgreen Community Centre.  This event, which was first held in 2007, is a particular favourite of mine because it is organised by the community itself and is a direct reflection of what is going [...]

The weekend left me ticketless when it came to Radio One’s Big Weekend at Lydiard Park.  Happily, I found plenty of other things to do.  Last Friday I was a guest of Swindon Dance at their HQ in the Old Town Hall to see Dans Connect’s Connecting Pathways production.  This project involved the Company reaching out [...]

My doorstep discussions in Peatmoor on Saturday provided further evidence that the public are deeply unimpressed with the Parliamentary expenses system and with the conduct of some MPs.  So am I.  A lot of adverse comment from work colleagues and court staff members about MPs this morning reinforces the point that the world of Westminster [...]

An excellent piece from Sir John Major in the Telegraph, in which he condemns attempts to liken the current Government to his 1990s administration.  How can a Government with a majority of over sixty end up in this mess?  Labour’s cult of personality, for so long its strength under Blair, has now become its Achilles [...]

The next meeting of the Swindon SEN Network will take place on Wednesday 13th May at 7.15pm, in the Parish Church Hall, Prior’s Hill, Wroughton.  There will be group sessions, an update on the Autism Bill and information about the setting up of the new Swindon and District Branch of the National Autistic Society.  Everyone [...]

On July 3rd, I will be taking part in a conference organised by my friends David Reeves of the National Register of Advanced Hypnotherapists and Richard Hilling of the Swindon PTSD Working Group.  Here are some further details:
Psychological and Physical Effects of Trauma
A one day Conference
Friday, 3 July 2009, at the Swindon Marriott Hotel. Time: [...]

A busy few days of campaigning started with the launch of the Swindon Conservative Business Partnership at a lunch held at the Blundson House Hotel on Thursday.  Our guest speaker was Shadow Europe Minister Mark Francois MP, and we were also joined by European election list candidate for the South West, Julie Girling.  Julie, who [...]