Category Archives: News

Review of North Sea oil and gas

By Mary Reid | Tue 11th June 2013 - 12:30 pm

Ed Davey, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, has launched a review of the North Sea oil and gas industry, headed by Sir Ian Wood.

In the Financial Times, Ed Davey is quoted as saying:

I expect it to say tough things to industry, as well as be supportive, and say tough things to government as well. Our offshore infrastructure is getting older, and we are seeing a decline in the rate of exploration and in the amount of oil and gas that is being recovered.

Lib Dem MP Sir Robert Smith takes Yeo’s place as Energy and Climate Change Committee chair

By Stephen Tall | Tue 11th June 2013 - 11:15 am

Sir Robert Smith, Lib Dem MP for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine, has been named today as interim chair of the Energy and Climate Change Committee following Tim Yeo’s decision to step down while allegations he used the role to help a private company influence Parliament are being investigated. Here’s the committee statement issued this morning:

The committee has unanimously accepted the chair’s recommendation that he absent himself from committee business for the duration of the investigation of the parliamentary commissioner for standards, following his self-referral at the weekend.

The committee

…

Tagged energy and climate change select committee, paul goodman, select committees, sir robert smith and tim yeo | 3 Comments

National carers week 2013

By Norman Lamb MP | Mon 10th June 2013 - 8:57 pm

At some point in our lives, almost all of us will find ourselves caring for a relative or close friend. Many of us will one day be reliant on some form of care ourselves. We owe our carers an immense debt of gratitude. In this week’s National Carers Week, individuals and organisations are joining together to highlight the invaluable work carried out by UK carers and to raise the profile of the nature and challenges of the role.

For too long, the care system in the UK has been designed around the needs of large organisations rather than around …

Tagged carers | Leave a comment

Lib Dem Nevis – sponsored Ben Nevis climb to fund an HQ internship

By Glyn Ley | Mon 10th June 2013 - 3:10 pm

Last week, our party President Tim Farron wrote on Lib Dem Voice about the party’s intentions to fundraise and pay all interns who work at Lib Dem HQ. I think this is fantastic news and something I support. He did however raise the issue that implementing this policy – so that everyone is able to take up an internship regardless of their financial circumstances – could mean fewer internships are available for people to take up. About 18 months ago I wrote an article on here where

Tagged fundraising and unpaid internships | 1 Comment

The Tories’ biggest headache

By Joe Otten | Mon 10th June 2013 - 12:46 pm

Iain Martin in the Telegraph asks “Is Nick Clegg the Tories’ biggest headache?“. Once you get past the heartwarming bitterness, Nick is roundly praised with not-so-faint damnation, for blocking one right wing policy after another.

Mr Cameron remains pragmatic about the antics of his deputy, say colleagues. Some other Tories are much less relaxed. “Our backbenchers have really had it with Clegg now,” admits one minister. An MP from the Tory Right said that Number 10 was “supine” and far too eager to please the Deputy Prime Minister. “Why does our leadership spend so much of its time placating Clegg

…

Tagged nick clegg | 36 Comments

A personal guide to the 13 most essential political podcasts

By Stephen Tall | Mon 10th June 2013 - 8:45 am

Commuting is a major part of my daily life, so I find podcasts are an essential way to make use of time I’d otherwise spend staring vacantly out the window or idly refreshing and re-refreshing Twitter. Here, in order of where they appear in my iTunes directory, are the podcasts I listen to most frequently…

The Economist’s podcasts – a good mix of audio recordings of selected articles from the print edition together with brief discussions involving the Economist’s expert correspondents. Slightly irritatingly the sound can vary between recordings, so you …

Tagged alistair cooke, anne mcelvoy, bbc radio 4, carolyn quinn, emma burnell, featured, george eaton, great lives, guardian politics weekly, helen lewis, house of comments, isabel hardman, jon pienaar, letter from america, mark thompson, matthew parris, media show, new statesman, news quiz, now show, peter oborne, pienaar's politics, podcasts, rafael behr, sebastian payne, simon cox, steve hewlett, steve richards, sue cameron, the economist, the spectator, the view from 22, tom clark and westminster hour | 8 Comments

Charles Kennedy MP writes…

By Charles Kennedy MP | Sun 9th June 2013 - 3:29 pm

Charles Kennedy and Malcolm Bruce today celebrate 30 years as MPs for their constituencies. They have both issued messages to mark the occasion. Here is Charles’.

This coming Sunday will mark thirty years of serving Ross, Cromarty and Skye; Ross, Skye & Inverness West and currently, Ross, Skye & Lochaber. Through the many boundary and name changes it’s a continued privilege to serve the largest and arguably one of most beautiful constituencies in the country. The last three decades have brought have a wealth of issues to the constituency table; from the building of the Skye Bridge, ensuring the continuation of …

Tagged charles kennedy | Leave a comment

Malcolm Bruce MP writes: The unlimited variety of 30 years in Parliament

By Malcolm Bruce | Sun 9th June 2013 - 2:28 pm

Malcolm Bruce and Charles Kennedy have issued messages to mark their 30 year anniversaries as MPs. First up, Malcolm’s:

Thirty years ago this weekend, I was elected as Member of Parliament for Gordon – for the first time and at the third attempt. It had taken nine years of sustained campaigning. I was of course exhilarated and excited but little realised that that was the first of seven successful elections.

Campaigning has changed beyond recognition. Then we had 60 plus public meetings and there was no Facebook or Twitter. Technology was limited too. Then there were no mobile phones, no e-mail and …

Tagged malcolm bruce | 1 Comment

Farron backs ‘Get Better, Get British’ campaign to get more UK food into our hospitals

By The Voice | Sun 9th June 2013 - 12:30 pm

Farmers Weekly reports:

Liberal Democrat president Tim Farron has called for a parliamentary debate based on Farmers Weekly’s campaign to get more UK food into our hospitals. Mr Farron, who is also MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale, launched an early day motion in support of the Get Better, Get British campaign on 5 June. The motion calls for MPs to debate the issue at the earliest opportunity and calls on the Department of Health and DEFRA to support the campaign’s aims.

And here is early day motion …

Tagged agriculture, farmers weekly, hospitals and tim farron | 4 Comments

Clegg and Rennie congratulate Bruce and Kennedy on 30 years in Parliament

By Caron Lindsay | Sun 9th June 2013 - 12:00 pm

Two senior Liberal Democrat parliamentarians have been celebrating 30 years representing their constituencies in parliament. Sir Malcolm Bruce MP for Gordon and Charles Kennedy MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber both thanked constituents and Liberal Democrat party members this weekend for their support.

They have both marked the occasion with events in their constituencies. I travelled to Inverurie on Friday to attend a dinner in honour of Malcolm. His wife Rosemary had organised a few surprise guests for him too. The evening had no fewer than …

Tagged charles kennedy and malcolm bruce | 3 Comments

Unpaid internships: Tim Farron replies

By Tim Farron MP | Sat 8th June 2013 - 1:01 pm

Two weeks ago we published an open letter to Tim Farron on the subject of unpaid internships. Here is his reply.

Dear Friends,

Firstly thank you for your letter and thank you for bearing with me while I was away for a few days with Rosie and the children. I wanted to make sure I gave you a proper reply rather than a few rushed lines.

In my meetings with Liberal Youth and the campaign group InternAware I was asked about the party and internships. I promised at the time that I would personally not employ people as unpaid interns. My staff …

Tagged tim farron and unpaid internships | 24 Comments

Ashcroft’s latest poll: a couple of interesting findings about the Lib Dems

By Stephen Tall | Sat 8th June 2013 - 10:35 am

Conservative peer Lord Ashcroft — who spends more on polling than all three main political parties combined — published the latest of his surveys yesterday.

It contained little good news for his party: ‘Perceptions of the Conservatives have been eroded further … This is the price we have paid for spending half a year talking amongst ourselves.’ And none of the party leaders would’ve been much chuffed by public perceptions of them, though Nick Clegg comes off worst, ‘ the weaknesses of the other two, being “weak”, “out of his depth”, and “out of touch” all at the same time.’

One finding caught my eye, asking which outcome at the next general election the public would most like to see:

Also posted in Polls | Tagged lord ashcroft | 39 Comments

Sarah Teather slams “cowardly, politically motivated” freezing of asylum support

By Caron Lindsay | Fri 7th June 2013 - 1:37 pm

Regular readers will be well aware of Sarah Teather’s long record of campaigning for fairer, better treatment of asylum seekers. Earlier this year, she talked about a “deeply upsetting” report which told how pregnant asylum seekers did not receive the support that they need. In fact, one particularly distressing account told of a mother having to walk home in the snow carrying her newborn because she could not afford transport or a pram.

Yesterday, she described the Home Office’s announcement that asylum support rates will be frozen for the upcoming year as cowardly and politically motivated. The freeze comes despite …

Tagged asylum, children's society, immigration and sarah teather | 15 Comments

What’s on the agenda for English Council?

By Andy Strange | Fri 7th June 2013 - 8:55 am

There will be a meeting of the Liberal Democrat’s English Council on Saturday 15th June at University College London.

The English Council is the governing body of the Liberal Democrats in England. It meets twice a year to consider matters of importance to the English Party.

Alongside the usual reports from officers and representatives of the English Party on other party bodies, the main business of the meeting will be to discuss the results of the recent local elections and think ahead to next year’s European election.

There will also be a number of minor constitutional amendments to be approved. These are:

* An …

Tagged english council | 2 Comments

Call Clegg highlights 6 June – “I was lucky, but it’s not about luck, is it?”

By Caron Lindsay | Thu 6th June 2013 - 6:55 pm

So, if you haven’t got time to sit through the half hour of Call Clegg, here are my highlights of today’s session.

On his Opening Doors initiative

But to be honest I think what this is about is what about those kids who aren’t lucky enough to have, I don’t know, families or parents who can help or can try and help them, who just don’t have the contacts, who don’t have the support they need to live out their dreams….

…I actually do think there are so many young children today …

Tagged call clegg, lbc and nick clegg | 4 Comments

Annette Brooke MP writes…What I hope to achieve in my new role

By Annette Brooke MP | Thu 6th June 2013 - 3:54 pm

I was very pleased this week to become Chair of the Parliamentary Liberal Democrat Party. I was elected unopposed, and took my place as Chair at the Parliamentary Party meeting, in what many would consider a slight baptism of fire, having only had my new role confirmed hours before!

I am delighted to be embarking on this new role. The job is an extremely important one and I am really excited to be taking it on. As I am retiring at the end of this Parliamentary term, I feel that while many of my colleagues will need to be focusing …

2 Comments

Are employment levels one of the “better stories” of the Coalition, as Fraser Nelson claims? Not really.

By Stephen Tall | Thu 6th June 2013 - 2:15 pm

The Spectator’s editor Fraser Nelson is — rightly — very hot on politicians being accurate in their use of stats. For instance, he’s — rightly — called out both Nick Clegg and David Cameron for confusing (whether accidentally or deliberately) the terms ‘debt’ and ‘deficit’, claiming the former is falling when they mean the latter.

However, Fraser is sometimes a bit casual with facts himself — for instance, wrongly claiming that an old report for the Department for Education ‘proved’ the pupil premium was flawed when it did no such thing.

And today he makes a point of highlighting …

Also posted in Op-eds | Tagged david bell, david blanchflower, david cameron, employment rate, fraser nelson, nick clegg, niesr, ons and unemployment | 10 Comments

Clegg says no to childcare ratio changes. My question is: why’s it the Government’s job to dictate them?

By Stephen Tall | Thu 6th June 2013 - 9:45 am

Nick Clegg’s statement is categorical — the Coalition is abandoning plans to allow nurseries and childminders in England to look after more children. Revealed in January by Conservative children’s minister Liz Truss, the idea that the ratio for under 2s, for example, could increase from 1:4 to 1:6 was always going to be controversial. Here’s Nick:

“One of my absolute top priorities in government is to deliver better quality, more affordable childcare for parents up and down the country. I will relentlessly champion and pursue policies that deliver that –

…

Tagged childcare, children, liz truss, nick clegg, nursery premium and ofsted | 29 Comments

Alistair Carmichael writes…We should be talking about how Lib Dems won record investment for renewable energy

By Alistair Carmichael MP | Wed 5th June 2013 - 8:30 pm

Yesterday I voted against the inclusion in the Energy Bill of a target for decarbonisation to be met by 2030. In truth I think that the setting of a target would have been sensible and that is why I am content with it being party policy. So why vote against it? I didn’t do so because I am a bad person who is determined to ignore party policy. The truth is a little more complex than that.

Firstly, it seems to be conveniently ignored by many that the Bill does include a power to set a target but in 2016 – …

16 Comments

Stephen Williams gets award from World Health Organisation for anti smoking work

By The Voice | Wed 5th June 2013 - 7:47 pm

Every year on World No Tobacco Day, the World Health Organisation gives out medals to people who have made outstanding contributions to tobacco control.

There were just six awards given out in Europe, and one of them was to Liberal Democrat MP for Bristol West, Stephen Williams, who was nominated by two organisations, Action on Smoking and Health and Smokefree South West.

He was presented with the medal by Health Minister Anna Soubry today. The Minister backed his campaign for plain packaging of cigarettes.

Since he …

Tagged stephen williams, tobacco control and world health organisation | 3 Comments

Annette Brooke is new Chair of Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Party

By NewsHound | Wed 5th June 2013 - 6:55 pm

Annette Brooke is the new Chair of the Parliamentary Liberal Democrat Party. Annette was elected unopposed, and took her place as Chair of a meeting of Liberal Democrat MPs last night.

Annette’s new role will involve the chairing of Parliamentary Party meetings, interaction with all colleagues, providing a communication channel to represent views where appropriate and providing a listening and supportive pastoral role to complement the work of the Liberal Democrat Whips.

Annette will bring a wealth of experience to the role, having been a member of the Chairman’s Panel in Parliament …

Tagged annette brooke and liberal democrat mps | 2 Comments

Lord Tope tackles goldplating EU laws

By Sean O'Curneen | Wed 5th June 2013 - 2:29 pm

“Goldplating” – the practice whereby national governments add on extra regulation to the law emanating from the EU – is what often leads citizens to believe that the European Union “over-regulates”. Whilst there may be cases of such excessive regulation from Union bodies, such as the recent proposal to ban certain types of olive oil jugs, which has been thankfully withdrawn, the fact is that much of the over-regulation happens when the European law is being processed at national level. Unfortunately, Westminster has not been immune to the “goldplating bug.”

For this reason, Lord Tope, member of the EU’s assembly of …

Also posted in Europe / International | Tagged eu and lord tope | 8 Comments

Ashdown says package offered to Afghan interpreter doesn’t “fulfill our debt of honour”

By NewsHound | Wed 5th June 2013 - 12:59 pm

A couple of weeks ago, we reported that the Government had changed its mind and would allow Afghan intepreters to settle in this country. This is something that Paddy Ashdown and Nick Clegg had argued for vociferously.

However, as details of the scheme have emerged, they have been dismissed as insufficient by various people, including Paddy Ashdown as the Times (£) reports:

Senior politicians have accused the Government of mistaken priorities in their handling of safeguards for British Army interpreters when UK forces leave Afghanistan.

Only those interpreters who were still in British service on December 19, 2012, will be offered

…

Tagged afghan interpreters, paddy ashdown and the times | 1 Comment

Paul Tyler writes….There can be no party funding consensus without compromise

By Paul Tyler | Wed 5th June 2013 - 11:59 am

This week’s revelations about MPs and Peers profiting from their seats in Parliament has been a catalyst to get the political reform agenda going again, though Alexander Ehmann is quite right to say that these stories were not a “lobbying” scandal as such. No lobbyist worth their salt (or their fee) would seriously approach a parliamentarian offering ready cash. Only journalists would do that, exposing their targets as greedy and stupid in equal measure. The parliamentarians concerned – it would appear – have broken the rules which already exist. And if they have sinned, it looks like a case …

Tagged lobbying and party funding | 11 Comments

Same sex marriage bill: Speeches from Lords Phillips and Carlile

By Caron Lindsay | Wed 5th June 2013 - 9:55 am

We’ve covered in full all the Liberal Democrat speeches from the Same Sex Marriage Bill, which passed its second reading in the Lords last night.

Lord Phillips of Sudbury was the last but one speaker very late on Monday night. He made an original contribution, describing himself as “pathetically open-minded.” I’m not sure that young people will be entirely satisfied with his comments which implied that when they grow up, they won’t support equal marriage in as large numbers. He di, however, again use thoughtful and temperate language in his critique …

Tagged lord carlile, lord phillips of sudbury and same sex marriage bill | 3 Comments

Rebuilding our campaigning base in York

By Keith Aspden | Wed 5th June 2013 - 8:55 am

York is a classic example of an English city where the Liberal Democrats developed a strong local base as voters became disillusioned with both the Conservatives and later Labour in the 1990s and 2000s. After two decades of Labour control we won a landslide victory in 2003 and formed the administration on City of York Council for eight years. As elsewhere, in 2011 we took a hammering from the voters, our first electoral test as a party of government.

The unitary authority of York is split into two parliamentary constituencies including the marginal (famously ‘doughnut-shaped’) York Outer, a seat that the Conservatives won with a majority of less than 7% over us at the 2010 general election.

Within months of a disappointing general election result, we rightly anticipated a tough fight in all-up local elections in 2011, especially against the unfavourable national picture. A resurgent Labour Party took eight council seats from us to win overall control, including five seats in York Outer that they won from third place.

Also posted in Campaign Corner | Tagged york | 8 Comments

16 Liberal Democrats rebel and vote for 2030 decarbonisation target

By Caron Lindsay | Tue 4th June 2013 - 9:15 pm

An amendment to the Energy Bill which would have set a target for carbon emissions target for the power industry was defeated by just 23 votes tonight. 16 Liberal Democrat MPs backed the amendment while 30 voted against it.

10 of the 16 are already on the Friends of the Earth website (plus Mike Hancock, who temporarily withdrew from the Whip last night).

They are:

Andrew George

Greg Mulholland

Julian Huppert

John Hemming

John Leech

Martin Horwood

Roger Williams

Andrew Stunnell

Mark Williams

Adrian Sanders

In addition, Tim Farron and Gordon Birtwistle supported it and Mike Thornton in his first act of …

Tagged decarbonisation targets and energy bill | 13 Comments

Updated: The journey to equality continues: Same Sex Marriage Bill passes first Lords stage

By Caron Lindsay | Tue 4th June 2013 - 8:13 pm

The Same Sex Marriage Bill received its Second Reading in the House of Lords this evening after Lord Dear’s wrecking amendment was defeated by a much larger than expected majority of 390-148 after two days of debate.

While this is obviously welcome news for the Bill’s supporters, there is still virtually limitless potential for their Lordships to make mischief with its provisions.

It will be very important to keep talking to Lords in the run-up to the next stage of the Bill. It will now be considered …

7 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

Category Archives: News

Review of North Sea oil and gas

Lib Dem MP Sir Robert Smith takes Yeo’s place as Energy and Climate Change Committee chair

National carers week 2013

Lib Dem Nevis – sponsored Ben Nevis climb to fund an HQ internship

The Tories’ biggest headache

A personal guide to the 13 most essential political podcasts

Charles Kennedy MP writes…

Malcolm Bruce MP writes: The unlimited variety of 30 years in Parliament

Farron backs ‘Get Better, Get British’ campaign to get more UK food into our hospitals

Clegg and Rennie congratulate Bruce and Kennedy on 30 years in Parliament

Unpaid internships: Tim Farron replies

Ashcroft’s latest poll: a couple of interesting findings about the Lib Dems

Sarah Teather slams “cowardly, politically motivated” freezing of asylum support

What’s on the agenda for English Council?

Call Clegg highlights 6 June – “I was lucky, but it’s not about luck, is it?”

On his Opening Doors initiative

Annette Brooke MP writes…What I hope to achieve in my new role

Are employment levels one of the “better stories” of the Coalition, as Fraser Nelson claims? Not really.

Clegg says no to childcare ratio changes. My question is: why’s it the Government’s job to dictate them?

Alistair Carmichael writes…We should be talking about how Lib Dems won record investment for renewable energy

Stephen Williams gets award from World Health Organisation for anti smoking work

Annette Brooke is new Chair of Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Party

Lord Tope tackles goldplating EU laws

Ashdown says package offered to Afghan interpreter doesn’t “fulfill our debt of honour”

Paul Tyler writes….There can be no party funding consensus without compromise

Same sex marriage bill: Speeches from Lords Phillips and Carlile

Rebuilding our campaigning base in York

16 Liberal Democrats rebel and vote for 2030 decarbonisation target

Updated: The journey to equality continues: Same Sex Marriage Bill passes first Lords stage

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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?

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Category Archives: News

On his Opening Doors initiative

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