Robert Buckland Weblog

The Swindon SEN Network meeting that took place at the Lawn Community Centre on 14th October was a chance to take stock of the situation facing all those of us with an interest in Special Educational Needs.  The Autism Bill is currently going through its House of Lords stages, having been amended to focus upon [...]

The news that Morrissey has been discharged from the Great Western Hospital after having breathing difficulties on stage at the Oasis last night will come as a relief to his many fans.  Readers of this blog will know that my musical tastes lie elsewhere, but I am sure that he received a very high level [...]

The sight of senior politicans running around waving their hands in their air about Nick Griffin’s dismal performance on BBC Question Time this week is rather worrying.  They are making the mistake of taking seriously the ragbag army of extremists, consipracy theorists and unpleasant nutcases that make up the senior echelons of the BNP instead [...]

This Autumn has brought more than its fair share of sadness;  the death of broadcaster Patrick Hannan at the age of 68  last week was unexpected.   I had the pleasure of participating in quite a few of his programmes on BBC Radio Wales over the years, and admired his style and depth of knowledge.  His [...]

There will be another meeting of the Swindon Special Educational Needs Network tomorrow evening, this time at the Lawn Community Centre in Guildford Avenue, starting at 7.15pm.  We shall have the usual group sessions, plus an update as to the progress of the Autism Bill, which will soon have Royal Assent.
I had an excellent meeting [...]

My hopes of competing in this year’s Swindon Half-Marathon remain unfulfilled.  It was back to baggage duty for me this morning; I was gently chided by LibDem Eastcott Councillor Stan Pajak,  a marathon veteran and man of huge stamina. I reminded Colin Lovell, Swindon Council Cabinet member and Moredon Councillor, that we had agreed to [...]

Despite BBC Radio Swindon’s description of me as a “former barrister” on Monday morning’s programme,   I continue to be in practise as I have been for the past eighteen years,  almost to the day.   It was as a concerned practitioner that I welcomed Shadow Justice Minister Dominic Grieve QC MP to Swindon on Friday for [...]