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Neil Fawcett

@neilmfawcett

Rock, folk and prog - Doctor Who - real ale - TV, films and books - Lib Dem - generally woke and proud - he/him. Lib Dem councillor. Works for Layla Moran MP. Posts are personal.

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Latest posts by Neil Fawcett @neilmfawcett

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You can't trust Nigel. You can't trust Reform.

10.03.2026 23:15 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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Events offer Oxfordshire residents free experience of electric vehicles A series of free events are coming to Oxfordshire this year to give residents an opportunity to explore the world of electric vehicles (EVs).Starting later this month, Go Electric Oxfordshire events a...

Free Go Electric events are taking place across Oxfordshire from 21 March, giving residents the chance to test‑drive electric vehicles, try e‑bikes and get expert advice on charging, costs and making the switch to EVs.

Read more ➑️ news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/events-offer...

06.03.2026 09:32 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Motorists urged to use '20mph is plenty' stickers as lower speed limits dominate roads Oxfordshire County Council has begun encouraging drivers to purchase free stickers supporting lower speed limits

In an unprecedented move, I'm going to share a GB News story. About Oxfordshire's 275th 20mph zone. And you know what? It's pretty favourable.

When even GB News recognises that people ACTUALLY WANT 20MPH, you know that it's got to be pretty popular.

www.gbnews.com/lifestyle/ca...

10.03.2026 16:51 πŸ‘ 25 πŸ” 6 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 1

That fourth set of four is sublime :-)

08.03.2026 22:56 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
International Women's Day graphic showing Oxfordshire Lib Dem women leaders, Liz Leffman, Bethia Thomas, Layla Moran and Maggie Filipova-Rivers.

International Women's Day graphic showing Oxfordshire Lib Dem women leaders, Liz Leffman, Bethia Thomas, Layla Moran and Maggie Filipova-Rivers.

08.03.2026 20:18 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

A lot of the Lib Dem income is from the period they carried in being councillors.

08.03.2026 00:39 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Fair.

07.03.2026 21:14 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

I sometimes wonder whether Blair ever learned anything from his disastrous support for Bush in Iraq.

He clearly didn't.

07.03.2026 21:02 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 0

This is a bad policy and doesn't fit with a Liberal Democrat approach to environmental sustainability.

04.03.2026 23:06 πŸ‘ 13 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

To go back to my point from this morning, Lib Dems in 2003 were making opposing the American-led misadventure in the Middle East their main focus. Lib Dems today are doing this sort of populist twaddle instead.

03.03.2026 19:24 πŸ‘ 5 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

I agree.

I mean, not having 21,000 people waiting more than a year in the first place would be a better policy, but this is at least an improvement.

04.03.2026 22:57 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Spot on.

We've been saying this for years now. The recent Centre for Cities report sets out how much more effective the more balanced Cambridge approach has been.

03.03.2026 20:51 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Somebody played Meet Me On The Corner at the open mic night at The Old Anchor on Thursday.

Made my evening :-)

01.03.2026 18:13 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Good to see Jon putting the argument so robustly.

And good to see our colleagues in Glos and Herts adopting the policy that is already working well here in Oxfordshire.

One further point on the value for money is that one death prevented saves Β£2 million cost to the state.

01.03.2026 09:46 πŸ‘ 5 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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28.02.2026 16:30 πŸ‘ 1118 πŸ” 390 πŸ’¬ 58 πŸ“Œ 22

It's probably a factor.

I'm all for simpler rules.

But financial factors are probably a bigger factor. Lots of SMEs struggled after the crash and then during COVID.

28.02.2026 17:19 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

And the market has changed dramatically since 2015.

The market has become steadily more dominated by the volume builders and SMEs have been squeezed out.

On the demand side, it has got harder and harder for young people to enter the market, and there has been a big shift to buy to let.

28.02.2026 14:51 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

You can come up with whatever theory you like about incentives, but it's a plain fact that developers sit on sites that have planning permission and slow down building rates when the market is weaker.

If your theory doesn't fit the facts, it's most likely wrong.

28.02.2026 14:44 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

1 There are loads of sites that have planning permission that the developers are not building.

2 Developers often put forward bad plans and/or don't include adequate infrastructure and slow the process down themselves.

3 And a lot of what they build is poor quality.

28.02.2026 12:48 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

They might as well call it Operation Tiny Penis. Pathetic.

28.02.2026 12:00 πŸ‘ 928 πŸ” 152 πŸ’¬ 57 πŸ“Œ 12

The same Tony Gallagher whose company used to make large donations to the local Conservative Party?

28.02.2026 12:01 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Very happy to have supported this.

28.02.2026 10:00 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Andrew’s Previews | Substack "All the right votes, but not necessarily in the right order". Click to read Andrew’s Previews, by Andrew Teale, a Substack publication with thousands of subscribers.

βœ… Liberal Democrat HOLD

Shirley (Southampton) council by-election result:

LDEM: 27.4% (-11.8)
LAB: 26.8% (+2.8)
REF: 19.1% (+19.1)
GRN: 15.1% (+7.6)
CON: 8.1% (-16.1)
IND: 3.4% (-0.2)

+/- 2024

Estimated turnout: ~34% (+4)

andrewteale.me.uk/previews

27.02.2026 00:42 πŸ‘ 55 πŸ” 16 πŸ’¬ 4 πŸ“Œ 14

The government’s introduction of new requirements for dual nationals has been chaotic and unfair. We’re calling for a grace period.

24.02.2026 07:39 πŸ‘ 9 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 0
Yellow bucket, green spade, pile of compost (unsplash, Marcus Spiske)

Yellow bucket, green spade, pile of compost (unsplash, Marcus Spiske)

South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils are giving away free compost at two events in Wallingford & Abingdon in March. Residents should bring their own bags and a spade and may collect up to three bags of compost each.
www.southoxon.gov.uk/waste-and-re...

21.02.2026 09:04 πŸ‘ 6 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 1

That's a fair analysis.

21.02.2026 10:01 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
A road with not much traffic

A road with not much traffic

Abingdon Road, #Oxford 5.05pm Friday night.
A smooth and easy journey on the electric bus. No traffic problems, thanks to the Congestion Charge.

20.02.2026 17:08 πŸ‘ 23 πŸ” 4 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 0

Great result in the area I grew up in.

Lemon tops all round :-D

20.02.2026 00:22 πŸ‘ 7 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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I was pleased to welcome @hrwallingford.bsky.social to the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee’s Innovation Showcase.

HR Wallingford is doing important work on water challenges and the UK must invest in sovereign science to strengthen our position as an attractive hub for innovation.

19.02.2026 11:31 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 4 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Oxfordshire Shared Lives carer honoured at royal reception Lyn Lacey, a dedicated Oxfordshire carer for more than 27 years, was invited to meet Their Majesties The King and Queen at a reception at Windsor Castle yesterday (Wednesday 11 February 2026).Now aged...

Oxfordshire Shared Lives carer Lyn Lacey, 77, has been honoured at a royal reception at Windsor Castle for more than 27 years of opening her home and heart to support others.

Read the full story ➑️ news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/oxfordshire-...

16.02.2026 08:04 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0