Author Archives: Richard Davis

Opinion: UKIP vote against EU tackling tax evasion

By Richard Davis | Sat 25th May 2013 - 10:25 am

UKIP frequently describe the EU as a large, expensive, bureaucratic nightmare, stating that we pay into the EU more than we get out. Yet at a time when the EU seeks to change that, by tackling tax evasion and avoidance, potentially saving member states in total 7 times the EU’s annual budget, UKIP vote en masse against it.

This week the EU Parliament voted to halve the €1 tn lost due to tax evasion and avoidance by 2020 by closing tax loopholes and tax havens. This is to be achieved by tightening some of the agreements between tax havens such as …

Posted in Europe / International and Op-eds | Tagged eu, tax and ukip | 21 Comments

Opinion: An EU exit would be bad for Britain; it is our job to explain why

By Richard Davis | Thu 23rd May 2013 - 10:59 am

When Lord Lawson argued in The Times for a UK exit from the EU (reported in the Guardian; no pay wall! ), he said his arguments had nothing to do with being “anti-European”, but it appears they were nothing but. Filled with emotion and political zeal there was little relevance or fact based on economic evidence. Which is extremely disappointing from an ex-chancellor.

He stated that UK exports to the EU have risen by 40% while exports to the EU from countries outside of it have risen by 75%. If we were to leave the EU we would have to start paying …

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged europe and nigel lawson | 13 Comments

EU’s Youth Guarantee to end “social emergency” of youth unemployment

By Richard Davis | Fri 1st February 2013 - 8:51 am

Recent economic announcements have been a true rollercoaster ride, with unemployment figures falling to one of the lowest levels, but then national output also falling. This disconnect between unemployment and GDP is still confusing economist, but the real worry is that youth unemployment is doing as expected, if not exceeding expectations. Youth unemployment in the UK now stands at just under 1 million, with over 1 in 5 young people now out of work. This has recently risen to the highest level since 2011.

Across the EU this picture does not improve with youth unemployment standing at 23.7% which equates …

Posted in News | Tagged european union and youth unemployment | 5 Comments

Opinion: Businesses, politicians and voters speak against a Brixit

By Richard Davis | Tue 15th January 2013 - 11:23 am

I have long been a fan of the Westwing, and I was recently reminded of a particular scene where President Bartlett faces a difficult decision on whether to reprieve a man on death row or not. His local priest tells him a tale of a man who prays for help, but refuses all assistance when it is offered, claiming that God would save him. However, on his death he is told by St. Peter that God had sent a multitude of people to help him, but he had not accepted any of their help.

This seems to bear some resemblance to the current situation with Cameron floundering on what to do with the European Union. The problem is that recent polling has shown that the Conservative party is losing votes to UKIP and so his backbenchers believe the only way to regain those ‘lost votes’ is to be harder on the EU and call for a Brixit (British exit from the EU).

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged european union | 30 Comments

Opinion: Apps – a new weapon in the campaigning arsenal

By Richard Davis | Mon 15th October 2012 - 1:53 pm

In the 2010 general election it was the norm for all candidates to have a website, blog, Facebook page and Twitter account. Social media were spreading, even back then, and becoming a way for politicians to reach out to the people they represent, not just as a news outlet, but, as Tom Brake recently wrote on Lib Dem Voice, a method for opening a two-way communication with the electorate.

But now, with the spread of smart phones, we are entering an age where the politicians can add another weapon to their

Posted in Op-eds | 7 Comments

Opinion: Now is NOT the time to abolish 50p tax rate

By Richard Davis | Thu 8th September 2011 - 1:48 pm

A letter appeared in the FT today from a deficit* of economists which suggested that the 50p tax rate be dropped. Their reasoning, as was stated on yesterday morning’s Radio4 Today programme is that hedge funds are relocating to Switzerland in favour of the cheaper tax. While I assume if the tax was dropped the 0.5% of the population in the UK who actually pay that level wouldn’t contemplate leaving?

Having worked with hedge funds I recognised a few of the names, such as Sushil Wadhwani, listed in the BBC article as former Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) member. In other …

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged hedge funds and income tax | 34 Comments

Lib Dem candidates for the London Assembly

By Richard Davis | Sat 6th November 2010 - 2:32 pm

Below you will find a list of the Lib Dem candidates currently standing for the London Assembly along with their online media.

Candidate	Webpage	Twitter	Facebook	Email	YouTube	Flikr
Jeremy Ambache	Jeremy Website	@Jeremy4London	Facebook	Jeremy		Flickr
Steve Bradley	Steve Website			Steve
Emily Davey	Emily Website	@emilygasson		Emily
Merlene Emerson	Merlene Website	@merleneemerson	Facebook	Merlene	YouTube
Bridget Fox	Bridget Website	@BridgetFox	Facebook	Bridget	YouTube
Stephen Knight	Stephen Website			Stephen
Ajmal Masroor	Ajmal Website	@AjmalMasroor	Facebook	Ajmal
Caroline

…

Posted in Local government | Tagged london assembly | 1 Comment

Opinion: Higher Education should be like the NHS, free at the point of use

By Richard Davis | Wed 13th October 2010 - 4:53 pm

Higher Education should be freely available to all, however in its current state it is not. Only those who are academically able can enter the current system of HE. We need more technical colleges and alternative further education institutions.

Tony Blair aimed to get 50% of people into university, by the end of Labour’s term they had achieved 45%, Lord Browne wants to go another 10% further. These are admirable aims. Admirable, but in my opinion wrong. We should aim to have much more of the population complete some type of higher education, but it should not necessarily …

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged browne report, higher education, tuition fees and universities | 24 Comments

Opinion: The death of partisan politics?

By Richard Davis | Thu 13th May 2010 - 4:20 pm

I think people need to look a little more objectively and put an end to the partisan “we hate the Tories” or “we hate Labour” that I am hearing all the time. It makes us look ridiculous and is the main reason that the average person has come to distrust and ultimately hate the political system we currently have. What we have seen over the last few days is actually a huge leap forwards, when two parties which are so fundamentally opposed can come together and find common ground to try to do the best for the country in what …

Posted in Op-eds | 66 Comments

Nick: "Jobs are right at the heart of the Lib Dems’ agenda"

"Lib Dems set to name 7 new peers for House of Lords"

EU in/out referendum bill - will Lib Dem MPs abstain?

The Morrissey Report: "No excuses" says Caron Lindsay

Author Archives: Richard Davis

Opinion: UKIP vote against EU tackling tax evasion

Opinion: An EU exit would be bad for Britain; it is our job to explain why

EU’s Youth Guarantee to end “social emergency” of youth unemployment

Opinion: Businesses, politicians and voters speak against a Brixit

Opinion: Apps – a new weapon in the campaigning arsenal

Opinion: Now is NOT the time to abolish 50p tax rate

Lib Dem candidates for the London Assembly

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Opinion: Higher Education should be like the NHS, free at the point of use

Opinion: The death of partisan politics?

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Nick: "Jobs are right at the heart of the Lib Dems’ agenda"

"Lib Dems set to name 7 new peers for House of Lords"

EU in/out referendum bill - will Lib Dem MPs abstain?

The Morrissey Report: "No excuses" says Caron Lindsay

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