Caron Lindsay

Agenda 2020 Essay Competition #22: What it means to be a Liberal Democrat today

By Caron Lindsay | Sat 2nd April 2016 - 3:55 pm

The party ran an essay competition for members of the Liberal Democrats, to submit 1000 words on the theme “What it means to be a Liberal Democrat today.” The deadline for contributions was in November and the winner was announced at Spring Conference. If you would like us to publish your submission, send it [email protected] This one ended up on the shortlist, as Essay #9. It was mine. It dawned on me that I’d never actually published it on here and, as I’m currently en route for a week in the gorgeous Highlands, now seems to be a good time to let you read it. True to form I wrote it in about half an hour and submitted it about 10 minutes before the deadline.

The most important thing about being a Liberal Democrat today is that it is not a spectator sport. Liberalism is under threat from the politics of blame, fear and isolationism. Everyone who believes in freedom, social justice and the need to look after our planet needs to roll up their sleeves and live those values in every aspect of their lives. We need to find ever more creative and effective ways of countering the forces that threaten liberty, scapegoat groups of people and perpetuate inequality.

At the core of our belief, uniquely, is respect for the individual. Enforced or even encouraged conformity makes us weep. Our optimistic view of humanity drives us to create the conditions for all to thrive. While education is the cornerstone of human development, we understand it’s difficult to learn without food and shelter. We will stand up for the rights of those who don’t conform to society’s norms and will challenge attitudes which impose an oppressive expectation of behaviour. Unless it harms others, let it be.

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The Voice

What’s being debated in our members’ forum this week?

By The Voice | Sat 2nd April 2016 - 1:55 pm

members forum wordleLibDemVoice has two parallel sites. The first is our public blog, the thing you’re reading now. The second is our private members’ forum, which only current Lib Dem members can access.

If you’re a member and want to chat with fellow party members about any issue that’s on your mind, then why not sign up? In addition, you’ll be included in our regular surveys’ of party members’ views.

Here’s some of the most active discussions this past 10 days:

Local Elections 2016: The Liberal Democrat battleground

TTIP

Military intervention in Libya

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NewsHound

Miriam Gonzalez Durantez has a right go at Brexiteers over terrorism claims

By NewsHound | Sat 2nd April 2016 - 12:30 pm

Earlier this week, Miriam Gonzalez Durantez took to the pages of the Telegraph to deliver a scathing riposte to those “Leave” campaigners who seek to scare us into believing that being in the EU increases terrorism.

She started with an insight at her feelings over the Coalition years:

Having felt for five full years the frustration of seeing my husband, Nick Clegg, regularly reversing ill-judged Conservative decisions with little public credit, it is tempting to remain silent on the Brexit referendum – yet another ill-judged Conservative government decision that puts at risk the future of all our children just to sort out internal difficulties in the Conservative Party.

She tackles the idea that the EU’s freedom of movement is behind a flood of foreign criminals ending up here. In fact, she places the blame closer to home:

These assertions are made despite the fact that the UK is not part of the Schengen area and that, even for those within Schengen, there are exclusions to the freedom of movement on public security grounds. So if the Home Office has allowed criminals and terrorists into this country, it is nothing to do with EU rules and everything to do with the Home Office itself.

Terrorism, she says, is always the fault of hate-filled individuals, but she cites 3 key foreign policy decisions on Iraq, Syria and Libya as enabling ISIL to expand. Surprisingly, she questions her own role:

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The Voice

Willie Rennie issues Living Wage challenge

By The Voice | Sat 2nd April 2016 - 11:30 am

Willie Rennie has challenged the other parties to commit to ending government bonuses for companies which fail to pay their employees the Scottish living wage.

He was speaking as the so-called living wage proposed by George Osborne came into force. The Tory living wage of £7.20 is £1.05 an hour less than the Scottish living wage of £8.25 an hour, which is calculated independently by the Living Wage Foundation. It’s also worth noting that the Scottish Liberal Democrats are the only party in Scotland to be accredited as Living Wage employers.

Last month, Willie called for the SNP to stop the payment of state aid to firms who fail to pay at least the national living wage.

Yesterday he broadened that challenge to all the other parties:

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Antony Hook

EURef: Brexit would endanger Britons’ healthcare rights

By Antony Hook | Sat 2nd April 2016 - 10:23 am

InFacts has an article by two senior lawyers about the affect of leaving Europe on UK citizens’ healthcare rights.

They conclude:

The healthcare rights we enjoy under EU law are specific, practical and make a difference. The risk of losing them illustrate clearly the dangers of Brexit. We might manage to negotiate to keep them – as Norway and Switzerland do. But that could not be guaranteed. Other options, such as the Canada model, would have a significant adverse impact on the welfare of British citizens, whether they are visiting or working abroad or simply wanting the option to be treated elsewhere

…

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Iain Donaldson

Will North West Region choose to become a state party?

By Iain Donaldson | Sat 2nd April 2016 - 8:56 am

The Liberal Democrats are a growing party and week on week new colleagues join us in the battle to create a democratic and liberal nation in which success is founded on merit, policy is founded on evidence and citizens are treated equally.

This party has always championed the concept of subsidiarity, decisions being taken as close as possible to the people they affect. We were the party that pressed hardest for a North West Regional Parliament, and we are the party that in government delivered Devo-Manc and real prospect of Devo-Merseyside. It is not our preferred option of devolution and it does not devolve enough powers, but it is a beginning in the quest to achieve the Liberal Democrat ambition of a Federal United Kingdom within a Federal European Union.

The North West Region finds more General Election candidates than the Party in Scotland, the Party in Wales or the Party in any other region in England. We not only fill our own seats but we also export candidates to other regions and train candidates for other regions.

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ALDC

ALDC’s by-election report: 31 March 2016

By ALDC | Fri 1st April 2016 - 5:17 pm

ALDC Master Logo (for screen)Five principal council by-elections took place yesterday. In Craven (DC), an Independent candidate made a gain from the Conservatives in Embsay with Eastby ward. In a head-to-head contest with the Conservatives, the Independent polled 79.9% in what was the fourth by-election loss for the Tories in March.

There was also success for the Richmondshire Independents in the Richmond Central by-election in Richmondshire (DC). The Independents made a gain from the local Liberal Democrats in receiving 35% of the vote to finish 31 votes ahead of Lib Dem candidate Philip Knowles.

Elshewhere, the SNP collected 49.5% of the first preference votes in securing a hold in Maryfield ward in Dundee (UA). Christopher McIntyre came in fifth place for the Liberal Democrats with 3% of the first preferences. There was also a comfortable hold for Labour in Caerphilly (UA) as they polled 55.7% in Moriah ward.

In Essex (CC), the Holland-on-Sea Residents Association gained a seat from Tendring First in Clacton East division with an 820 vote majority.

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Recent Comments

  • User AvatarTony Greaves 3rd Apr - 12:00am
    Will there be more resources to tackle problems such as the fact that half the constituencies in the NW are effectively derelict? Tony Greaves
  • User AvatarMatt (Bristol) 2nd Apr - 10:09pm
    I doubt anyone actually involved in policy development in this party agrees with me, but (whilst I am completely OK with the possible demise of...
  • User AvatarEddie Sammon 2nd Apr - 9:30pm
    After a bit more thought - I can support regional parliaments as long as it isn't done via devolution on demand. Devolution on demand plus...
  • User AvatarStephen Hesketh 2nd Apr - 9:06pm
    George Potter 2nd Apr '16 - 7:42pm Hi George, I took it to be a reflection of our own internal but pretty logical geo-community regions...
  • User AvatarMichael Berridge 2nd Apr - 8:56pm
    Does look like local people voting against politicians of whatever party.
  • User AvatarJ Dunn 2nd Apr - 8:37pm
    The utter stupidity and crassness of this article is eclipsed, by those who would foolishly, put their names and reputations in endorsement of it.