Author Archives: Helen Duffett

The LDV Friday Five: 5 February 2010

By Helen Duffett | Fri 5th February 2010 - 5:00 pm

It’s Friday. It’s five o’clock. Here’s a fistful of lists that sum up the LDV week:

5 most-read stories on LDV this week

1. So, what do you make of this graph about gender and politics? (24) by Mark Pack.
2. Opinion: UK Border Agency plunges colleges into crisis (20) by the Head of a private college.
3. Crikey, I appear to know more about Liverpool than the new Labour candidate (5) by Mark Pack.
4. The Independent View: Why Lib Dem, Labour and Green progressives must work together (46) by Anneliese Midgley.
5. The second biggest fight in Wales: Ceredigion …

Posted in Friday Five | Leave a comment

Daily View 2×2: 5 February 2010

By Helen Duffett | Fri 5th February 2010 - 11:15 am

Happy birthday to Jo Swinson, Lib Dem MP for East Dunbartonshire!

2 Must-Read Blog Posts

What are other Liberal Democrat bloggers saying? Here are two posts that have caught the eye from the Liberal Democrat Blogs aggregator:

Biometric data

How many people have had theirs taken under the Terrorism Act 2000, and how successful have they been at getting the samples destroyed? Lord Eric Avebury has put down a Parliamentary Question.

Will libertarian bloggers ever grow up?

Jonathan Calder wants libertarian bloggers to widen their repertoire beyond “Get out of my room Mom!”

Spotted any other great posts in the last day from blogs that aren’t on the aggregator? Do post up a comment sharing them with us all.

2 Big Stories

Liberal Democrat MEP celebrates French equality win

Since August 2007, French couples in a Pacte Civil de Solidarité (PAC) have enjoyed the same rights in relation to tax and inheritance laws which had previously only applied to married couples. However, due to a legal anomaly, British civil partnerships were not recognised under French law, meaning couples living in France were liable for a 60% inheritance tax and were treated like any other unmarried couple.

Graham Watson pointed out the ridiculous situation that many people faced: “Up until now, the practicality of French law has meant that British civil partners living in France would have to dissolve their partnership and enter into a PAC in order to secure the same rights as French couples. This violated the idea of European citizenship and equality, and something had to be done.”

Watson asked the European Commission to press the French Government on the issue.
Ministers have now announced that British civil partnerships are recognised as equal to PACs, and reimbursements will be made to individuals who have made undue tax payments since August 2007.

Posted in Daily View | Tagged civil partnerships, eric avebury, graham watson, id cards, Jo Swinson, jonathan calder and national dna database | 1 Comment

The LDV Friday Five: 29 January 2010

By Helen Duffett | Fri 29th January 2010 - 5:00 pm

It’s Friday. It’s five o’clock. Here’s a fistful of lists that sum up the LDV week:

5 most-read stories on LDV this week

1. EXCLUSIVE: Standards Commissioner rules four journalists broke Parliament’s rules (4) by Mark Pack
2. Oaten reduced to tears in new Channel 4 documentary (29) by The Voice
3. Opinion: UK Border Agency plunges colleges into crisis (15) by the Head of a private college
4. What the pollsters think will happen at the general election (7) by Stephen Tall
5. Liberal Democrat Mayor suspended over benefits investigation (12) by Mark Pack

5 new Liberal Democrat blogs

Burning …

Posted in Friday Five | 2 Comments

Video: Sarah Ludford MEP at Mass Photo Gathering

By Helen Duffett | Sun 24th January 2010 - 7:50 am

Campaign group I’m a photographer not a terrorist held a Mass Photo Gathering in Trafalgar Square yesterday, in defence of street photography. Thousands of photographers came together to assert their rights and to protest against the misuse of Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000.

Section 44 allows uniformed police officers to stop and search people in designated areas if it is considered “expedient for the prevention of acts of terrorism.” I met Grant Smith, who was stopped under Section 44 by police in December. Sarah Ludford, Lib Dem MEP for London, had written a letter to the Independent in protest at his treatment.

I spoke to Sarah and Grant about the incident:

Video also available on YouTube.

Posted in Events | Tagged #phnat, anti-terrorist legislation, european court of human rights, grant smith, photography and sarah ludford | 2 Comments

The LDV Friday Five: 22 January 2010

By Helen Duffett | Fri 22nd January 2010 - 5:00 pm

It’s Friday. It’s five o’clock. Here’s a fistful of lists that sum up the LDV week:

5 most-read stories on LDV this week

1. Julian Huppert selected for Lib Dems in Cambridge (13) by Helen Duffett
2. Lib Dem PPC resigns over e-mail allegations (17) by Sara Bedford
3. Lib Dem MPs split on Euro referendum? (9) by Stephen Tall
4. Home schooling: what is the liberal approach? (37) by Stephen Tall
5. It’s “Let’s Make Nice Month”: experimental change to LDV’s comments policy (31) by Stephen Tall

5 active LDV Members’ Forum threads

Fox Hunting Ban
Cameron’s love bombing
Voter …

Posted in Friday Five | Leave a comment

Daily View 2×2: 22 January 2010

By Helen Duffett | Fri 22nd January 2010 - 11:14 am

It’s January 22nd. It’s one year to the day since President Obama ordered Guantánamo Bay detention camp to be closed – within one year.

2 Must-Read Blog Posts

What are other Liberal Democrat bloggers saying? Here are two posts – each with a question – that caught my eye from the Liberal Democrat Blogs aggregator:

How good is the Taliban internal communications department?

Rob Blackie asks this because the Taliban have issued their members with a code of conduct:

As anyone in internal communications will tell you – it’s getting people to read and internalise this sort of guidance that’s difficult.

How long does it take to deliver leaflets to the whole parliamentary consituency?

asks Philip Ling, Lib Dem PPC for Bromsgrove. Read on to find out his answer, and to take a couple of bundles off his hands.

Posted in Daily View | Tagged gordon brown, guantanamo bay, iraq, nick clegg, philip ling, rob blackie and taliban | Leave a comment

Mass gathering in defence of street photography #phnat

By Helen Duffett | Thu 21st January 2010 - 2:42 pm

The campaign group I’m a Photographer, Not a Terrorist! invites photographers to gather in London this Saturday in defence of street photography.

The Mass Photo Gathering is in Trafalgar Square at 12 noon on Saturday 23 January. (Map here.) Over 1,400 people have already confirmed their attendance via this Facebook page.

We’ve covered many cases, here at Lib Dem Voice, of anti-terrorist legislation being misused, particularly to detain photographers. Prompted by incidents like these, PHNAT calls on photographers, whether amateur or professional, as well as anyone who values visual imagery, “to defend our rights and stop the abuse of the terror laws.”

Posted in Events | Tagged #phnat, anti-terrorist legislation, european court of human rights and photography | 2 Comments

Cable: “Liberal Democrats committed to Crossrail”

By Helen Duffett | Tue 19th January 2010 - 6:20 pm

Not exactly breaking news, but a reaffirming today of the Lib Dems’ backing for Crossrail, with a financial caveat:

Vince Cable has told the Evening Standard that the Liberal Democrats are backing Crossrail, the east-west railway now under construction in London:

The Liberal Democrats are fully committed to the Crossrail project and we certainly have no plans to scrap it.

However, as with all projects involving public sector money it is critical that Crossrail stays within its agreed budget.

Caroline Pidgeon, Chair of the London Assembly’s Transport Committee told Lib Dem Voice:

The Liberal Democrats have always been fully committed to

…

Posted in London and News | Tagged Caroline Pidgeon, crossrail, railways, transport and vince cable | 2 Comments

Senior Labour councillor defects to Haringey Lib Dems

By Helen Duffett | Tue 19th January 2010 - 5:33 pm

Councillor Brian Haley, one of the country’s most senior black Labour councillors, resigned from the Labour party today and joined the Liberal Democrats. He had been a Labour member for 16 years. His move comes after Haringey was rated one of the worst councils in the country.

This brings the number of Liberal Democrat Councillors in Haringey to 26 – well on course to take control of the council in May – while Labour now have 30.

Councillor Brian Haley, of St Ann’s Ward said:

Over the last few months it has become ever clearer that Labour has absolutely no vision to lift Haringey out of its current mess.

It is for this reason I have taken the difficult decision to leave Labour and join the only party that has the ideas and ability to turn things around.

The Liberal Democrats in Haringey are the only party with the drive and determination to provide local residents with the quality of service they deserve.

I would urge anyone wavering in their support for Labour to join me and back the Liberal Democrats which offers positive local change.

Posted in London and News | Tagged brian haley, defections, haringey, lynne featherstone and robert gorrie | 5 Comments

Cameron thinks elitism will fix education

By Helen Duffett | Mon 18th January 2010 - 5:42 pm

The Conservatives think they can improve education in this country by making the teaching profession “brazenly elitist” but it looks like they haven’t done their homework. David Cameron’s latest wheeze would actually exclude Carol Vorderman, the Tories’ own Maths Taskforce chief.

David Cameron made a speech today at a south London school, outlining Conservative pledges:

The Tory leader said he wanted to make teaching the “noble profession” and would bar students with a poor degree from taking government cash to train for the classroom.

And in what was almost certainly a conscious echo of Labour rhetoric, Mr Cameron said: “Good education is the right of the many not the privileged few.”

Michael Gove, the Shadow Education Secretary, went further in confronting head on claims that the Conservatives’ policies favour the better off.

An incoming Conservative government would be guided by a “moral purpose” to make opportunity more equal, he said, adding that it was a ‘scandal’ only 79 boys in receipt of free school meals achieved three ‘A’s at A-level nationwide compared with 175 pupils from Eton alone.

“It’s a scar on our conscience and we are pledged to reverse it,” said Mr Gove.

However, “breaking open the supply of education” won’t be achieved by discouraging graduates with lower classes of degree.

Posted in News | Tagged carol vorderman, david cameron, education, malcolm gladwell, michael gove and paul waugh | 19 Comments

Julian Huppert selected for Lib Dems in Cambridge

By Helen Duffett | Sat 16th January 2010 - 12:51 am

Congratulations to Julian Huppert, newly-selected Liberal Democrat PPC for Cambridge.

From a press release by Cambridge Liberal Democrats:

“Julian was selected from a shortlist of six candidates who fought for the position at Hustings at The Michaelhouse Centre in Trinity Street, Cambridge last night (Friday).

The ballot was called after MP David Howarth decided to stand down at the general election to return to his academic career at Clare College.

Posted in Selection news | Tagged cambridge, david howarth and julian huppert | 15 Comments

The LDV Friday Five: 15 January 2010

By Helen Duffett | Fri 15th January 2010 - 5:00 pm

It’s Friday. It’s five o’clock. And when I tried to high-five Stephen Tall by way of celebration, he thought I was putting up my hand and asking to compile the Friday Five again. Ah, why not –

5 most-read stories on LDV this week

1. Revealed: the Lib-Con pact election poster (33) by Stephen Tall
2. What do we want? Section 63 of the Metropolitan Paving Act 1817 of course (20) by Mark Pack
3. NEW POLL: Who is your Liberal Voice of the Year? (22) by Stephen Tall
4. Gina Ford vs Nick Clegg (12) by Mark Pack
5. Liberal Youth … the story continues (26) by The Voice

5 active LDV Members’ Forum threads

Public nudity
Book: Crap MPs
Marriage Without Borders
PPCs for the next General Election
Helvetica Neue Font Set (-my favourite! But then I’m a font fiend.)

Posted in Friday Five | 2 Comments

Daily View 2×2: 15 January 2010

By Helen Duffett | Fri 15th January 2010 - 12:25 pm

Welcome, Daily Viewers, to January 15th – and a public engagement special.

A year ago today US Airways Flight 1549 made an emergency landing into New York’s Hudson River. Eyewitness Janis Krums took this famous photo of the plane (right) and immediately shared it with the internet via Twitter, thus proving the website could be used for so much more than telling the world what you had for breakfast. (The only twitpic photo that’s come close since then was of a fox on the London Underground, but I live in hope and carry a camera…)

And as Mark reminds us, today’s a very good day for having your say on MPs’ expenses.

2 Must-Read Blog Posts

What are other Liberal Democrat bloggers saying? Here are two posts that have caught the eye from the Liberal Democrat Blogs aggregator:

A vote for ‘None of the above’ is a vote for pusillanimity

Adam Bell at Decline of the Logos: from fence-sitting to barricading the streets.

Enquiries and the state of Brown’s trousers – a historical note

MKNE political information looks at public protest, 1812-style.

Spotted any other great posts in the last day from blogs that aren’t on the aggregator? Do post up a comment sharing them with us all.

2 Engaging Stories

Posted in Daily View | Tagged adam bell, eric pickles, janis krums, mps expenses, Parliament, power2010, tom brake, twitpic and twitter | 1 Comment

Chris Nelson selected for Lib Dems in Kettering

By Helen Duffett | Fri 8th January 2010 - 2:24 pm

News from Kettering and Wellingborough Liberal Democrats:

Local Liberal Democrat members have chosen local campaigner Chris Nelson to be the Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for the Kettering constituency.

Chris Nelson was born and brought up in Kettering – attending Millbrook Infant & Junior Schools as well as Ise Community College – and has a degree in law from Oxford Brookes University. He contested Ise Division in last June’s county council elections and works as an aide for Northampton Liberal Democrats and Bill Newton Dunn MEP.

He takes over the role from Roger Aron – who contested the constituency in the 1997,

…

Posted in Selection news | Tagged bill newton dunn, chris nelson, kettering and roger aron | 9 Comments

Have your say on MPs’ expenses

By Helen Duffett | Fri 8th January 2010 - 11:50 am

The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority is running a public consultation on MPs’ expenses, to run from 7 January to 11 February 2010.

The IPSA was created by the Parliamentary Standards Act 2009, in response to last summer’s public outcry at MPs’ expenses and allowances claims under the existing scheme. The body is independent of Parliament, Government and political parties.

Respond online or in writing with your views on a new scheme for MPs’ expenses.

The topics it covers include:

Posted in News | Tagged independent parliamentary standards authority and mps expenses | 6 Comments

Daily View 2×2: 8 January 2010

By Helen Duffett | Fri 8th January 2010 - 7:00 am

Suspicious Minds. Steamroller Blues. Can you guess what it is yet?

No, not Labour and the Tories’ fortunes this week, but Elvis Presley’s 75th birthday.

It’s also the 1139th anniversary of the Battle of Ashdown.

2 (nearly) Big Stories

Coups and cricket balls: both spun, neither won:

Cabinet almost backed our coup, rebel MPs claim

Fresh doubts about Gordon Brown’s authority surfaced last night as rebel Labour MPs claimed that most of his Cabinet came close to backing the attempted coup against him.

One ringleader of the revolt told The Independent: “My understanding was that only three or four Cabinet ministers were absolutely determined to die in the ditch for Gordon.” Suggesting that Cabinet members were fomenting the revolt, the rebel MP said that: “We were asked to do something and we did it.”

Posted in Daily View | Tagged cricket, david cameron, elvis presley, gordon brown, jane watkinson and mark valladares | Leave a comment

Liberal Democrats regain Woodfield, Harrogate Borough Council

By Helen Duffett | Fri 8th January 2010 - 2:21 am

The first by-election of 2010 has resulted in a Liberal Democrat gain from the Conservatives in Harrogate.

The result:

Greta Knight 688 62.5% (+4%)
Con 246 22.3% (+7.5%)
BNP 92 8.4% (-4.1%)
Lab 73 6.6% (-7.5%)

Turnout was 26.99%

The …

Posted in Council by-elections | Tagged andrew goss, claire kelley, geoff webber, greta knight, harrogate liberal democrats and woodfield | 8 Comments

Aspiring Independent candidate in Chingford changes his name to “None Of The Above”

By Helen Duffett | Tue 5th January 2010 - 9:28 pm

From the Waltham Forest Guardian:

An aspiring MP has gone to extreme lengths to protest against the three main political parties.

Adam Osen, 50, has officially changed his name to None Of The Above and hopes to attract support from disillusioned voters as an independent parliamentary candidate for Chingford and Woodford Green.

The move was suggested by Mr Above’s brother, Gideon, who took the idea from the film Brewster’s Millions, which sees a character run a political campaign under the same slogan.

The former Mr Osen, a painter and decorator of Woodberry Way in Chingford, said his wife, Rebecca, 43, tried to talk him out of the move and many did not believe he would go through with it.

However, he admitted his two children, Gabrielle, 18, and Michael, 15, were less surprised as he has a reputation for coming up with “off the wall” ideas.

Mr Above, or None as he is known to friends, has lost faith in Labour, Liberal Democrat and Conservative parties since the MPs’ expenses scandal.

I spoke to Geoff Seeff, Liberal Democrat PPC for Chingford and Woodford Green, who said,

Posted in Election law and News | Tagged adam osen, charles kennedy, chingford and woodford green, geoff seeff, glasgow hillhead, nicholas lyell, roy jenkins and waltham forest guardian | 23 Comments

Parties on a war footing – but what are they fighting for?

By Helen Duffett | Sat 2nd January 2010 - 7:35 pm

New Year, old sabre-rattling. Gordon Brown and David Cameron are parading their leadership credentials, with a view to capturing an entire nation – the UK, that is.

David Cameron made a speech (transcript here) in Oxfordshire today saying that the country needs a change of direction and a new leadership:

“We can’t go on in these difficult times with a weak prime minister and a divided government.”

You can almost hear the Tory munitions factory roar as they forge this, strengthen that and defeat the other.

And here’s Gordon Brown on New Year’s Eve:

“The Detroit plot thankfully failed. But it has been a wake-up call for the ongoing battles we must wage not just for security against terror but for the hearts and minds of a generation.”

It’s a common political (and journalistic, and marketing) technique to play to people’s fears, but what next in the Prime Ministerial arms race – Brown and Cameron appearing on the decks of rival aircraft carriers, squeezed into military uniform à la George Bush?

Neither leader, for all their fighting talk, seems to have heard of liberty.

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged darrell goodliffe, david cameron, george bush, gordon brown, liberal revolution blog, nick clegg, stephen glenn and terrorism | 1 Comment

Daily View 2×2: 1 January 2010

By Helen Duffett | Fri 1st January 2010 - 1:40 pm

Happy New (General Election) Year!

On this day in 1973, the UK joined the European Community, along with Denmark and the Republic of Ireland. On January 1, 2002, Euro coins and banknotes became legal tender in twelve of the European Union’s member states.

It’s a quarter of a century since Britain’s first mobile phone call was made. In a seemingly random intersection of the Fates, comedian Ernie Wise was calling from St Katherine’s Dock to a room above a Newbury curry house – the then office of a little company called Vodafone.

2 Interesting Stories

Is a Labour-Tory coalition unthinkable? Only until you think about it
Martin Kettle muses in the Guardian on a hung Parliament:

It seems innocent to assume that either Labour or the Tories would automatically turn first to the Liberal Democrats in those circumstances – or that the Lib Dems would necessarily deliver. The big parties could calculate that they would be better off in a marriage of convenience with a historic enemy they respected, from which they could withdraw with dignity when the moment was right, rather than to embark on a more permanent entanglement with a Lib Dem party which at bottom they each despise.

The more one looks at the evolutionary dynamics of British politics, the more serious the grand coalition option may one day become. Is a Labour-Conservative deal really unthinkable? Only until you start thinking about it.

At least the next government won’t be decided on the toss of a coin… or will it?

Coin tossing through the ages

The Telegraph has an interesting history, including this:

Posted in Daily View and Europe / International | Tagged alex wilcock, charles darwin, christopher underwood-frost, creationism, education, ernie wise, euro, european union, hung parliament, mobile phones, queen victoria, sara bedford, vodafone and william gladstone | 5 Comments

Daily View 2×2: 29 December 2009

By Helen Duffett | Tue 29th December 2009 - 7:00 am

May I be the first to wish you, “Happy That Bit Between Christmas and New Year.”

Whether you’re at work, at home, working from home, or none of the above, here’s your Daily View for Tuesday:

Today is the 200th anniversary of the birth of William Ewart Gladstone, Liberal statesman and four-times Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. (By the way, remember to nominate your Liberal Voice of 2009 here.)

It’s also 34 years since the Sex Discrimination and Equal Pay Acts came into force, legislation which now faces overdue modernisation and streamlining by the Equality Bill.

2 Must-Read Blog Posts

What are other Liberal Democrat bloggers saying? Here are two posts that caught my eye from the Liberal Democrat Blogs aggregator:

Cameron’s potted plants underline the difference. Peter Black’s post (a late contender for my favourite blog post title of 2009) features a video of Jacob Rees-Mogg, Tory candidate for North East Somerset, “a key Conservative candidate who reflects the views of many in his party that he is a member of the ruling class with a God-given right to be in Government and that as far as he is concerned the rest of us are just potted plants.”
Is photography the new crime? Andrew Reeves takes a photo of the police taking a photo of the protesters.

Spotted any other great posts in the last day from blogs that aren’t on the aggregator? Do post up a comment sharing them with us all.

2 Big Stories

Fury as China executes British drug smuggler

China was this morning condemned for its human rights record after a British man who, his supporters say, had mental health problems, was executed for smuggling drugs.

Akmal Shaikh, 53, was shot dead by a firing squad at 10.30am local time (2.30am British time) after frantic last-minute pleas for clemency by the Foreign Office failed.

Posted in Daily View | Tagged akmal shaikh, andrew reeves, argentina, china, equality bill, gay marriage, jacob rees-mogg, paul walter, peter black, photography and william gladstone | 1 Comment

Daily View 2×2: 25 December 2009

By Helen Duffett | Fri 25th December 2009 - 7:00 am

Good morning and happy Christmas, loyal LDV readers! I hope you’re in fine voice as there’s singing to be done. Join me in waking the neighbours, the kids or the lark with some a capella goodness.

But first – the history, blogs and news:

On this day in 1066 William the Conqueror was crowned King of England in Westminster Abbey. On this day in 2003 British-built Mars probe Beagle was lost after failing to make contact with scientists.

2 Must-Read Blog Posts

What are other Liberal Democrat bloggers saying? Here are two posts that caught my eye from the Liberal Democrat Blogs aggregator:

Different types of snow

Tim Pickstone, councillor and Chief Executive of ALDC, gives us a glimpse of his daily commute.

KitKat Time

Futility Monster takes a break from blogging this Christmas – unless any real news happens…

Spotted any other great posts in the last day from blogs that aren’t on the aggregator? Do post up a comment sharing them with us all.

2 Big Stories

President Obama hails Senate health bill support
From the BBC:

US President Barack Obama has welcomed the passage of his healthcare bill through the Senate, saying it paves the way for “real” reform.

The bill, which passed with 60 to 39 votes, aims to cover 31 million uninsured Americans.

“This will be the most important piece of social legislation since Social Security passed in the 1930s,” he said.

It must still be reconciled with similar legislation passed by the House of Representatives.

Mr Obama said: “We are now finally poised to deliver on the promise of real, meaningful health insurance reform that will bring additional security and stability to the American people.”

Posted in Daily View | Tagged a capella, aldc, barack obama, futility monster, swine flu and tim pickstone | 1 Comment

The Christmas present Barking doesn’t need

By Helen Duffett | Wed 23rd December 2009 - 5:56 pm

I spotted this poster on my way through Barking yesterday – it features Nick Griffin, the BNP’s Parliamentary candidate for that constituency, raising a glass and purporting to wish the locals a Merry Christmas.

It’s in a high-traffic spot, and I’m told there are other such posters around the town. Griffin said when he was selected for the seat back in November that his party would concentrate more money and resources on Barking than they had done for any other election campaign.

Ironic that Griffin chooses this moment to highlight some of the benefits brought to this country from overseas.

Posted in News | Tagged barking, bnp and nick griffin | 10 Comments

Daily View 2×2: 18 December 2009

By Helen Duffett | Fri 18th December 2009 - 9:42 am

Whether you’re snowed in, or just snowed under, welcome to Friday. It’s 12 years since Donald Dewar unveiled the bill for a Scottish Parliament.

2 Big Stories

BBC apologises for asking: ‘Should homosexuals face execution’
From the Telegraph:

People were asked by the corporation to share their views on anti-homosexual legislation in Uganda which would see some sexual activities punishable by death.

The BBC website debate ran ahead of a feature on the World Service Africa Have Your Say programme.

Peter Horrocks, director of the BBC World Service, wrote on the BBC Editor’s Blog that the original forum headline on the website was in hindsight ”too stark”.

He wrote: ”You might have read some of the coverage about a World Service Africa Have Your Say debate yesterday …

”The original headline on our website was, in hindsight, too stark. We apologise for any offence it caused.

”But it’s important that this does not detract from what is a crucial debate for Africans and the international community.”

Lynne Featherstone, Lib Dem spokesperson for Youth and Equality, had called on the BBC to apologise and wrote to the Director General.

Posted in Daily View | Tagged copenhagen summit, donald dewar, jonathan wallace, lynne featherstone, scottish parliament and will howells | Leave a comment

Lib Dems hold Whittle Hall, Great Sankey Parish Council

By Helen Duffett | Fri 18th December 2009 - 8:22 am

Another victory against the Tories, this time in the constituency of Warrington South.

Congratulations to new Councillor Matt Newton and the team at Warrington Liberal Democrats on winning the Whittle Hall by-election, Great Sankey Parish Council.

The result:

LD Matt Newton 573
Con 336
Turnout approx 11%

For this week’s full by-election results and analysis, see this weeks’ by-election commentary on the ALDC website.

Posted in Council by-elections | Tagged great sankey, matt newton, warrington south and whittle hall | 8 Comments

Stephen Gately’s partner complains to PCC over Moir article as a “connected party”

By Helen Duffett | Thu 17th December 2009 - 10:36 pm

From the BBC:

“Stephen Gately’s civil partner Andrew Cowles has formally complained to the Press Complaints Commission (PCC) over a Daily Mail article about his death.

Mr Cowles claims Jan Moir’s column, published in October, breached guidelines on accuracy, intrusion into grief or shock, and discrimination.

A PCC investigation will also consider the 25,000 complaints about the piece.”

As Mark pointed out in October the Press Complaints Commission’s remit states:

Posted in News | Tagged andrew cowles, daily mail, jan moir, press complaints commission and stephen gately | Leave a comment

Artist arrested for filming buildings

By Helen Duffett | Wed 16th December 2009 - 6:53 pm

Posted in News | Tagged anti-terrorist legislation, london, police community support officers and simona bonomo | 14 Comments

Peter Tatchell stands down as Green candidate for Oxford East

By Helen Duffett | Wed 16th December 2009 - 3:25 pm

Green Party Parliamentary candidate Peter Tatchell has announced that he is to step down after brain injuries sustained from beatings left him unable to campaign effectively.

Peter Tatchell’s statement (from the Green Party website):

“It is with great regret and reluctance that I am standing down as the Green Party parliamentary candidate for Oxford East. My brain injuries from the Mugabe and Moscow bashings mean that I would not be able to campaign effectively in the general election or do the duties required of an MP, if I was elected,” human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell announced today.

“It would not be

…

Posted in News | Tagged green party, oxford east, peter tatchell and robert mugabe | 9 Comments

Does Richard Tracey understand his own recommendations?

By Helen Duffett | Tue 15th December 2009 - 6:28 pm

London Assembly Member Richard Tracey has past form on writing odd letters to local newspapers in London. In August I reported on his claims that a Tory mayor and Tory boroughs were responsible for London not seeing a rise in unemployment – when in fact unemployment, sadly, has soared across the whole of London.
Now he has sent this letter to Southwark News:

“The introduction of speed cameras to enforce 20mph zones in Southwark, Waltham Forest and other London boroughs is bad for London’s hard-pressed motorists.
There are already too many revenue-raising speed cameras on the capital’s roads, London does not need more.

Furthermore, there is a danger that large areas of average speed-check cameras will encourage drivers to concentrate on their speedometers instead of the road; which would have a counter-productive effect on safety.

Many road-users feel that congestion means journeys in London already take too long and 20mph speed limits will force people to spend even longer in their cars. Not to mention that driving at 20mph causes even more pollution and higher CO2 emissions than driving at 30mph.

Richard Tracey, London Assembly Conservative Transport spokesman”

Richard Tracey might have a point that speed cameras are not popular, but he does seem to be exaggerating just how many would be necessary to ensure that 20 mph zones are effectively enforced.

Posted in London and News | Tagged islington council, london, richard tracey and speed cameras | 4 Comments

Daily View 2×2: 15 December 2009

By Helen Duffett | Tue 15th December 2009 - 2:39 pm

It’s December 15th. It’s 4 years since Latvia amended its constitution so that same-sex couples would not be entitled to marry.

2 Big Stories

Registrar who refused to carry out civil partnership ceremonies loses appeal
Islington Council has won its High Court appeal against a ruling that it had discriminated against a Christian registrar who refused to conduct same-sex civil partnership ceremonies.

From the Islington Tribune:

Lillian Ladele, 48, had hoped to overturn a decision by a top employment tribunal judge who had backed Islington Council in the dispute.
The council said Ms Ladele’s religious beliefs, that same sex unions were “sinful”, clashed with their strict employment codes and meant she was failing to fulfil her duties.

High Court “Master of the Rolls” Lord Justice Dyson dismissed the appeal this morning and ordered Ms Ladele, who was not present in court, to pay costs.
In a 17 page judgement, Lord Dyson said: “Islington wished to ensure that all their registrars were designated to conduct, and did conduct, civil partnerships as they regarded this as consistent with their strong commitment to fighting discrimination, and internally in the sense of relations with and between their employees. I find it very hard to see how this could be challenged.”

Liberal Democrat councillor Ruth Polling (Islington’s cabinet member for Equalities) said,

This is very welcome news. The judgement is the right one as it confirms all public sector employees must carry out their duties without discrimination and Islington was right to insist this of all our staff. We are delighted it provides much-needed clarity for employers across the country.”

You can read more here.

Posted in Daily View | Tagged civil partnerships, islington council, jeremy rowe, latvia, lilian ladele, ruth polling, silvio berlusconi, simon cowell, the age of stupid and wit and wisdom | 13 Comments

Op-eds

Vince Cable writes…Labour and Fiscal Rules (Vince Cable)
Josh Babarinde writes…The Lib Dem Summer of Strategy (Josh Babarinde)
Mathew on Monday: “We need to be bold” (Mathew Hulbert)
As a party we must be better defined for the 2029 general election (Chris Bowers)
From national averages to local realities: inequality in our communities (Tom Walker)

Advert

Josh Babarinde writes…The Lib Dem Summer of Strategy

Alison Suttie writes: Thank you to our volunteers

What’s going on with party strategy?

A strange but welcome feeling

Author Archives: Helen Duffett

5 most-read stories on LDV this week

2 Must-Read Blog Posts

2 Big Stories

5 most-read stories on LDV this week

5 new Liberal Democrat blogs

5 most-read stories on LDV this week

5 active LDV Members’ Forum threads

2 Must-Read Blog Posts

5 most-read stories on LDV this week

5 active LDV Members’ Forum threads

2 Must-Read Blog Posts

2 Engaging Stories

2 (nearly) Big Stories

2 Interesting Stories

2 Must-Read Blog Posts

2 Big Stories

2 Must-Read Blog Posts

2 Big Stories

2 Big Stories

2 Big Stories

Subscribe

Most Read

Search

Op-eds

Recent Comments