Author Archives: The Voice

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How you can help Liberal Democrat Voice

By The Voice | Published 8th February 2012 - 10:25 am

The Voice is only a success because of the interest and support from our readers. For many people just lurking and reading the site is all they want to do – and that’s fine, we’re grateful for people taking the time to read the site.

You can though help us continue to produce interesting content for a growing audience. Here are four simple ways:

1. Let us have your tips for stories. Perhaps there’s something outrageous going on in your local council? Or you’re an expert in a particular area and have spotted a story other people have missed? Or you’ve seen …

Posted in Site news | Leave a comment

Lord Ashcroft, Panorama and a herbivorous Liberal Democrat Peer

By The Voice | Published 1st February 2012 - 4:26 pm

Yesterday’s Press Gazette highlights that the Panorama programme broadcast, entitled Secrets of the Tory Billionaire, on Monday night may help the Independent defend the libel case brought against it by Lord Ashcroft.

In a development that you couldn’t make up, the Independent, in its own coverage of the programme, referred to Lord Ashdown when talking about the Conservative Party’s major benefactor.

This prompted our own Paddy Ashdown to write to the paper with, The Voice suspects, his tongue firmly wedged in his cheek

“It is one thing to misrepresent my position on the benefit cap as you did last week,

…

Posted in News | Tagged bbc, lord ashcroft, paddy ashdown, panorama, Press Gazette, the independent | 4 Comments

Pack & Tall Debate… Tuition fees: what should Lib Dem party policy now be?

By The Voice | Published 1st February 2012 - 1:50 pm

In the week of the publication of university application figures, LibDemVoice co-editors Mark Pack and Stephen Tall debate what it means for the Lib Dems’ future policy…

Stephen Tall: The publication of the University application figures for 2012 — the first year of the new £9k maximum fees regime — has something for everyone. Those who have always claimed the prospect of huge debt would deter potential students can point to the headline 8.7% decline in applications. Those who say the new fees repayments system …

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged featured, higher education, tuition fees, university | 30 Comments

Lib Dem MPs win concessions ahead of benefits cap vote

By The Voice | Published 31st January 2012 - 7:35 am

Lib Dem MPs, including the party’s deputy leader Simon Hughes, look set to obtain concessions from Iain Duncan Smith to win their support for the Coalition’s controversial welfare bill, which will introduce a benefit cap of a maximum of £26,000. Here’s how The Guardian reports the news:

The government is expected to make a series of concessions in the coming days on it controversial £26,000 household benefits cap to win over wavering Liberal Democrat MPs. Iain Duncan Smith, the work and pensions secretary, is expected to agree that a discretionary fund should be established to ease the burden on families

…

Posted in News | Tagged benefits, iain duncan smith, liam byrne, mark thompson, simon hughes | 7 Comments

University figures: Highest year ever for teenager applications – except for last year’s spike

By The Voice | Published 30th January 2012 - 2:25 pm

The BBC reports:

University applications from UK students for the first year of higher tuition fees are down by 8.7%, according to figures from the admissions service.

With fees rising to up to £9,000 per year, the impact has been biggest for England’s universities – down by 9.9%.

The LibDem Voice team have been quick to respond. Mark Pack pointed out three key facts about the figures:

1. Proportion of poor school-leavers applying to uni. at record levels
2. Best year ever for applications by teenagers save last year’s spike
3. Drop in mature student applications, which has caused the overall decrease figure

And …

Posted in News | Tagged tuition fees, university | 17 Comments

Opinion: Is the Post Office safe in your hands, Mr Davey?

By The Voice | Published 30th January 2012 - 9:45 am

Editor’s note: the author of this post has requested to remain anonymous, but his identity is known to me.

I write as a lifelong Liberal/Lib Dem and former councillor. I am sadly having to remain anonymous so that my wife is not made subject to reprisals for my views.

Lib Dem Voice recently claimed the future of the Post Office network is secure. I would like to present a counter (sic) viewpoint.

My wife took on a Post Office 10 years ago and her guaranteed monthly salary then was £620. Now, its £800 for a 48-hour working week – less than £3.70 …

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged ed davey, post office, royal mail | 15 Comments

Shirley Williams’ campaign against NHS reforms wins new concessions from Lansley

By The Voice | Published 29th January 2012 - 12:30 pm

Here’s how The Guardian reports today’s news that the Coalition will offer further concessions to the NHS reform bill in an attempt to head off a revolt in the House of Lords led by Lib Dem peer Baroness Williams:

… ministers will table a series of amendments to the health and social care bill that will oblige Andrew Lansley to maintain the NHS as a national public service and, his critics say, limit his ambitions to expand the role of the private sector. The changes will also spell out the kind of services that must be offered by GPs and

…

Posted in News | Tagged andrew lansley, health, NHS, shirley williams | 9 Comments

LibLink: David Laws – Reasons to be cheerful in 2012

By The Voice | Published 16th January 2012 - 11:54 am

In the Daily Mail, David Laws gives readers a tour d’horizon of the economy, ending with some optimisim:

The first good news is that inflation should fall – and steeply. Last year, inflation rose because of higher energy and food prices, and the rise in VAT.

Most of those increases are behind us – last week, energy price cuts of five per cent were trumpeted. Inflation, which peaked last year at 5.6 per cent (retail prices), should be down to about 2.5 per cent by May.

That will help hard-pressed household budgets.

The second piece of good news is that

…

Posted in LibLink | Tagged david laws, economy | 10 Comments

London Lib Dems hit out at Boris’s fare hikes as “shameful”

By The Voice | Published 3rd January 2012 - 11:25 am

London Lib Dem mayoral candidate Brian Paddick and leader of the London Lib Dems Caroline Pidgeon have criticised Boris Johnson’s 7% price hike for public transport fares which came into force today. Here’s the party’s official statement:

Commenting on the Mayor’s 2012 fare rises being introduced today Brian Paddick, the Liberal Democrat Mayoral candidate said:

“Once again we start the year with another painful fare package from Boris Johnson. For the fourth year in a row he has racked up fares by far more than the rate of inflation.

“His latest rises will simply add to the financial problems

…

Posted in News | Tagged boris johnson, brian paddick, caroline pidgeon, dave hill | 4 Comments

How you can help Liberal Democrat Voice

By The Voice | Published 2nd January 2012 - 9:45 am

You can though help us continue to produce interesting content for a growing audience. Here are four simple ways:

Posted in Site news | 2 Comments

Horwood calls for National Defence Medal awarded by “truly independent” body

By The Voice | Published 31st December 2011 - 2:35 pm

Lib Dem MP for Cheltenham Martin Horwood has stepped up calls by the party for a National Defence Medal to be available for all veterans who have served in the Armed Forces.

Here‘s how the Press Association reports the story:

Martin Horwood, co-chairman of the Parliamentary Party Committee on International Affairs, said a new body was needed which was recognised by veterans as “truly independent”. Currently, any decision to award new medals is made by the Honours and Decorations Committee behind closed doors. But Mr Horwood believes it needs to be disbanded and reformed with a new independent chairman. It must

…

Posted in News | Tagged defence, martin horwood, monroe palmer | 11 Comments

Happy Christmas!

By The Voice | Published 25th December 2011 - 8:00 am

Christmas tree

(If you’ve not yet seen the Liberal Democrat Cabinet Ministers Christmas Card, brought to you by our own Mark Pack, enjoy it here.)

Posted in News | 1 Comment

LibLink: From David Laws to Andrew George – The Lib Dem rebellion league table

By The Voice | Published 19th December 2011 - 11:55 am

Over on Left Foot Forward, Mark Pack has blogged an infographic analysing the patterns of rebellion amongst Liberal Democrat MPs:

Liberal Democrat peers used to be in a remarkably privileged position in the party. Not only because they have held office without the pesky need for elections but also because for many years the third party in the House of Lords has been the key swing vote when the government has been wanting to get legislation through…

[However,] helped by the primacy of the Commons, revolts by Liberal Democrat MPs which could cost the government its majority are now no longer the neglected,

…

Posted in LibLink, Parliament | Tagged andrew george, david laws, mark pack | 9 Comments

Election results thread

By The Voice | Published 15th December 2011 - 11:15 pm

Most eyes will be on the Feltham & Heston Parliamentary by-election, but there are also a handful of council by-elections being held including a double-header in near-by Kingston, where the Liberal Democrats are trying to take two seats off the Conservatives.

We will update the site in due course with the results and party reaction, but for the time being here is a discussion thread…

UPDATE:

Sky News reports turnout in Feltham & Heston at 31%. Very low, but also in typical Sky ‘never wrong for long’ style, wrong. Turnout turns out to be even lower: 28.8%. It was 59.9% at the general …

Posted in Parliamentary by-elections | Tagged feltham and heston, kingston council | 24 Comments

How you can help Liberal Democrat Voice

By The Voice | Published 6th December 2011 - 4:44 pm

You can though help us continue to produce interesting content for a growing audience. Here are four simple ways:

Posted in Site news | Leave a comment

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