Author Archives: Patrick Murray

Opinion: 4.5 million people are waiting for homes – let’s not leave them behind

By Patrick Murray | Published 11th August 2010 - 5:40 pm

David Cameron’s recent comments on council housing tenancies have sparked some controversy in the media and here on Lib Dem Voice.

First, I am delighted that at least there is a debate around housing policy. Many people are simply unable to afford to buy, leaving people in cramped overcrowded accommodation that is harmful to their and their family’s health. There are still many people sleeping on our streets and many more in homeless shelters and temporary accommodation.

I’ve seen both ends of the crisis. Ten years ago I was homeless myself and went through the shelters to temporary accommodation …

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged | 17 Comments

Opinion: A Liberal Line on Immigration

By Patrick Murray | Published 23rd October 2009 - 12:30 pm

For me one of the key tenets of liberalism is our commitment to human rights and fairness. This is why I think fighting the fight on immigration is so important.

On last night’s Question Time, a member of the audience asked whether the rise of the BNP had been down to Labour’s failure on immigration. I think there is an element of truth in that, but perhaps not the element of truth that our home affairs spokesman, Chris Huhne, thought.

Over the last ten years we have been subjected to Home Office and Immigration policy made to please the xenophobic, right wing agenda of papers such as the Daily Mail.

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged , , , , | 61 Comments

End Mental Health Discrimination: Repeal Section 141

By Patrick Murray | Published 26th June 2009 - 11:19 am

One in four people in this country will suffer from a mental health problem at some point in their lives. Rethink, a national mental health charity, conducted a survey on MPs mental health last year. They found that 11% of MPs had suffered personally from a mental health problem. Yet not one is prepared to speak publicly.

In part this is undoubtedly to with the stigma that surrounds mental health. But there is also a clause in the Mental Health Act which states that any MP who is sectioned is removed from their seat, with no provision to return. There is …

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Posted in Op-eds, Parliament | 6 Comments

Martin Salter put loyalty to Brown before loyalty to the Gurkhas

By Patrick Murray | Published 1st May 2009 - 3:06 pm

Reading has a significant number of Gurkha ex-servicemen and their families, and Reading Liberal Democrats have joined some politicians from other parties, including retiring Reading West Labour MP Martin Salter, and the current Mayor of Reading Cllr Peter Beard, in campaigning for Gurkha justice and better welfare for Gurkha families.

Yesterday was an historic day for the Ghurkas. Nick Clegg’s motion to grant these brave soldiers the right to live in Britain passed by 267 votes to 246. It was a victory for justice. Clegg was absolutely right to press Gordon Brown on the moral principle at stake during PMQs- namely, …

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Posted in Op-eds, Opposition watch | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Opinion: Eco-Towns – what about social justice?

By Patrick Murray | Published 16th September 2008 - 4:50 pm

The Eco Towns motion passed at the Liberal Democrat conference was flawed: in seeking to oppose centrally imposed Eco-Towns the policy centrally imposed a rigid policy across the country, with no regard for local circumstances.

In my hometown of Oxford we have some of the worst housing problems in the country. I myself was homeless only eight years ago, sleeping in the city’s homeless shelter for young people. I’ve also been at the sharp end of trying to solve the crisis, as Oxford city council’s housing portfolio holder from 2006 until this May.

The reality is that the housing crisis in Oxford is destroying lives. We have thousands of people on the waiting list, and thousands more in private sector accomodation not even on the list. We have hideous problems of overcrowding, homeless shelters and hostels that are regularly full, with few homes free for people to move off the streets. The average waiting time for larger affordable homes is 10 years. Locally produced estimates of housing need show that we need at least 1700 new affordable homes every year just to keep pace with demand, let alone tackle the backlog. Remember: behind these statistics are real human lives, real tragedies.

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Posted in Conference, Op-eds | Tagged | 3 Comments