Author Archives: NewsHound

LibLink: what to look out for at Lib Dem Spring Conference

By NewsHound | Published 11th February 2012 - 12:00 pm

The Voice’s Mark Pack has a post over at Total Politics, discussing the issues likely to dominate the upcoming Lib Dem Spring Conference in Gateshead.

The first thing to note, says Mark, is that some of the most contentious political issues of recent weeks such as the reforms to the NHS and to the welfare system don’t appear on the conference agenda as it was drawn up some time ago:

There is a slot for emergency and topical issues to cover this eventuality, but with only time for one motion, not all of the controversies can be aired. Unless a

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Posted in Conference, LibLink | Tagged Gateshead 2012 Conference, mark pack, nhs reform, total politics, welfare reform | Leave a comment

LibLink: how to achieve digital nirvana – inbox zero – by Mark Pack

By NewsHound | Published 10th February 2012 - 4:08 pm

The Voice’s Mark Pack has published some useful tips on how to get to where every busy Parliamentarian, councillor, candidate and activist wants to be - Inbox Zero.

They include such gems as:

3. Stop using your inbox as a substitute for filing

Quite often there will be an email you have read, responded to but do not want to forget quiet yet. Perhaps you have made an order and don’t want to bury away the confirmation until the goods arrive. That is fine — but do not use your inbox for that. Create a “pending” folder to hold these interim messages.

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Posted in LibLink | Tagged mark pack | 2 Comments

£1.5 billion needed to sort out Labour’s PFI mess

By NewsHound | Published 6th February 2012 - 1:54 pm

The Guardian reports:

Seven hospital trusts struggling with crippling private finance initiative debts are to receive £1.5bn in emergency funding from the government to help them avoid cutting patient services to pay their bills.

The Department of Health is making the £1.5bn available – in grants, not loans – to the seven hospital trusts in England with some of the heaviest PFI debts through a “stability” fund. Trusts will be able to use the money to meet PFI repayments, rather than their usual budgets, as long as they meet four conditions set out by the department.

The move will help trusts such

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Posted in News | Tagged andrew lansley, NHS, pfi | 1 Comment

LibLink: Mr Clegg Goes to Peterbrook

By NewsHound | Published 29th January 2012 - 5:55 pm

We’ve not often LibLinked through to the ‘Breaking News’ section of Peterbrook Primary School’s website. In fact we never have before. But their report of Nick Clegg’s visit, alongside local Solihull MP Lorely Burt, deserves a wide audience, and here’s a snippet:

Together with Solihull M.P Lorely Burt and an entourage of press and media broadcasters, Mr. Clegg came from London to see us so that we could share with him our curriculum developments using ‘Pupil Premium’ funding to support the learning and personal development needs of all pupils, with a specific focus at times, on those pupils who are eligible

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Posted in LibLink | Tagged lorely burt, nick clegg, pupil premium, schools, solihull | 3 Comments

Lib Dem Councillor Amy Kitcher shows the compassionate side of politics

By NewsHound | Published 29th January 2012 - 11:00 am

A touching story epitomising the compassionate side of politics reaches The Voice via Dominic Hannigan:

Prompted by Merthyr councillor Amy Kitcher, wellwishers from all over the borough have come to the aid of Paul Thomas, who was living in a flat in conditions he described as a “living nightmare”.

And the dad-of-two, who is battling Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, admits that, if it wasn’t for the help of local people, he might even have considered taking his own life.

“If it wasn’t for Amy Kitcher and if I wasn’t such a strong person, I could be dead by now,” the 34-year-old

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Posted in News | Tagged armed forces | Leave a comment

Vince Cable announces measures to combat excess executive pay

By NewsHound | Published 23rd January 2012 - 5:20 pm

PoliticsHome reports:

Vince Cable has unveiled a raft of measures to combat excess executive pay, including binding votes for shareholders and a ‘clawback’ of salaries of failed bosses.

In a surprise move, the Business Secretary told MPs one day earlier than expected that the Government will require firms to provide a single figure for each director’s pay.

Dr Cable admitted is was “not the Government’s role” to micro-manage company pay but there were steps that could be taken to tackle the “clear market failure”.

Setting out the measures, he said: “First [we want to see] greater transparency so that what people are paid

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Posted in News | Tagged boardroom pay | 13 Comments

Vince Cable to boost shareholder power over boardroom pay

By NewsHound | Published 23rd January 2012 - 12:54 pm

PoliticsHome reports:

Vince Cable will tomorrow announce shareholders are to be given binding votes on boardroom pay. A Written Ministerial Statement from the Business Secretary lays out plans for a legally enforceable veto on future pay arrangements for executives. But shareholders will not be able to vote down bonuses already awarded, and the Government has stopped short of giving employees seats on remuneration committees.

You can read a full report on this on the FT website, which requires registration.

Posted in News | Tagged boardroom pay | Leave a comment

LibDem MEP retains influential European economic role

By NewsHound | Published 19th January 2012 - 8:24 pm

Darren Ennis on MHP reports good news for the UK from the European Parliament:

British Liberal Democrat Sharon Bowles is expected to keep her role as chair of the European Parliament’s influential economic and monetary affairs committee, MHP Sources Say.

Despite winning cross-party praise for her increasingly high profile role during the economic downturn, Bowles risked losing the coveted position following British Prime Minister David Cameron’s EU veto and the decision by her UK Liberal Democrat colleague Diana Wallis to stand in this week’s election of a new President of the European Parliament.

Wallis infuriated Liberal leader Guy Verhofstadt by standing as an independent, putting at risk a political pact he had negotiated with the Parliament’s two largest groups – the centre-right EPP and the Socialists – designed to keep Bowles as head of the Parliament’s most important committee.

Posted in News | Tagged economics, european parliament | 11 Comments

Diana Wallis MEP resigns

By NewsHound | Published 19th January 2012 - 6:08 pm

European Voice reports:

Liberal Democrat MEP announces that she is to quit just days after failing in bid to become president of the European Parliament.

Diana Wallis, a British Liberal MEP who this week failed in her bid to become president of the European Parliament, today announced that she is to stand down as an MEP.

Wallis said that after 12 years as an MEP she wanted “to take a break from politics,” adding that it was time “for someone with fresh eyes to take over”. Wallis said she would give up her seat on 31 January.

Wallis came third in

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Posted in News | Tagged european parliament, liberal democrats | 18 Comments

ELDR announces venues for 2012 meetings

By NewsHound | Published 17th January 2012 - 10:23 am

The European Liberal Democrats have announced the venues for their Council meetings and annual Congress for 2012.

The first Council meeting will take place in Yerevan, Armenia and is expected to take place on 11-12 May, just five days after scheduled Parliamentary elections. This might be seen as a bold decision, given that following the 2007 elections, opposition parties alleged widespread fraud and called for mass demonstrations, although European observers felt that the vote largely met international standards. The Liberal Democrat delegation of fifteen, led by Robert Woodthorpe-Browne, will …

Posted in Europe / International, News | Tagged eldr | 7 Comments

Clegg sets out vision of “John Lewis economy”

By NewsHound | Published 16th January 2012 - 11:36 am

The BBC reports:

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has urged more companies to offer shares to their employees, saying it will improve productivity and unlock growth.

He told an audience in the City that the government planned to cut red tape, and reform the tax system to accommodate employee ownership.

It is hoped the measures will create what he called a “John Lewis economy”.

…The Lib Dem leader told the event hosted by the City of London Corporation and Centre Forum think tank: “We don’t believe our problem is too much capitalism – we think it’s that too few people

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Posted in News | Tagged economy, nick clegg, shareholders | 4 Comments

LibLink: “John Hemming is definitely a cat man”

By NewsHound | Published 14th January 2012 - 2:10 pm

John Hemming, Lib Dem MP for Birmingham Yardley, is an unabashed iconoclast. The Independent this week sought to understand what makes him tick a little better. Inevitably there is some focus on his private life — most notoriously brought to public attention by his estranged wife’s stealing of a kitten from his girlfriend’s house — but also a lot of space given to his views on the UK care system and the economy. Here’s an excerpt:

Hemming is serious but funny, blithely overweight, and a stickler for detail. He sits surrounded by plenty of clutter, a frisky kitten and an inquisitive

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Posted in LibLink | Tagged john hemming | 1 Comment

The Beveridge Group announces its relaunch

By NewsHound | Published 10th January 2012 - 12:18 pm

The Liberal Democrat Voice team have received a press release from John Pugh MP, which may be of interest to those in the Party keen to engage in debate on policy and philosophy.

With an eye to the new parliamentary year and forthcoming legislation, the Beveridge Group has reformed and a new updated website is already up and running. The initiative follows widespread concern inside and outside parliament as to where Coalition policy on public services may be going.

We want to prompt a proper debate as to where the …

Posted in News, Party policy and internal matters | Tagged alistair carmichael, beveridge group, john pugh | 14 Comments

Duwayne Brooks interviewed on Today

By NewsHound | Published 9th January 2012 - 8:54 am

Liberal Democrat Councillor Duwayne Brooks, the only witness to Stephen Lawrence’s murder, talked movingly to Radio Four’s Today programme this morning.

He described some of the effects of his post-traumatic stress disorder following the murder, praised the police for the conviction of two of the attackers and expressed some doubt that the other attackers will ever be brought to justice.

You can listen to the full interview here.

Posted in News | Tagged race relations, stephen lawrence | 2 Comments

Stephen Lawrence – “Some justice at last”

By NewsHound | Published 3rd January 2012 - 3:43 pm

The BBC reports the stunning news:

Two men have been convicted of the racist murder of black teenager Stephen Lawrence, 18 years after he was stabbed to death at a south London bus stop.

Gary Dobson and David Norris were found guilty by an Old Bailey jury after a trial based on forensic evidence.

Scientists found a tiny blood stain on Dobson’s jacket that could only have come from Mr Lawrence.

As he was led away, Dobson told the jury they had condemned an “innocent man”. Sentencing will be on Wednesday.

Stephen’s parents, Doreen and Neville, wept in court as the jury found

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Posted in News | Tagged justice | 1 Comment

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