Author Archives: Joe Otten

This morning Nick Clegg launched a cross-party initiative to examine the causes and effects of inequality in education at primary and secondary schools in England and Wales. We know this is a topic close to Nick’s heart and a core theme of the Liberal Democrats’ contribution to the coalition government through the Pupil Premium and free school meals for infants.

This follows initial research by the Social Market Foundation revealing regional disparities compounding the known socio-economic disparities, with London doing best and Yorkshire, tragically, doing worst. Sheffield was recently reprimanded by Ofsted over primary school performance, with many other local authorities in the region receiving similar letters, according to the Yorkshire Post.

Tim Farron has commented on today’s strike over shift patterns, patient safety and pay.

Tomorrow’s strike is the result of the Government’s serious mismanagement of negotiations with junior doctors. Healthcare professionals, patients and the public have been let down.

Throughout this process, the Government seems to have focused more on political point scoring than engaging with junior doctors in a respectful way which recognises that they are dedicated public servants, who work extremely hard, caring for people in need.

The Government must urgently resume talks with the BMA and stop their megaphone diplomacy. Our NHS and everyone who relies on it, deserve much better than this.

The BBC is reporting Cameron’s central ask of the EU as being

• Protection of the single market for Britain and other non-euro countries
• Boosting competitiveness by setting a target for the reduction of the “burden” of red tape
• Exempting Britain from “ever-closer union” and bolstering national parliaments
• Restricting EU migrants’ access to in-work benefits such as tax credits

Yesterday’s “fatal” motion by Liberal Democrat peer Zahida Manzoor to reject the governments tax credits was lost by 310 votes to 99 with the Labour bloc abstaining – another #Labstain on welfare.

In moving the fatal motion Baroness Manzoor said

The party is setting up an expert panel to look at the case for legalisation of cannabis.

I am pleased to be serving on this exciting new venture – Liberal Dems set up expert panel on cannabis legalisation http://t.co/yioIw2Pb3V

— David Nutt (@ProfDavidNutt) October 12, 2015

Norman Lamb was on Newsnight last night (4 minutes 30 seconds in, following a report at 1m50s) explaining the idea.

It is a sobering thought that this country might have two Conservative women prime ministers before there is a single one of another party. Today Theresa May made her pitch, and here is some of the reaction.

Jeremy Corbyn’s first speech to the Labour conference as leader is due to start shortly.

All such speeches are played to two audiences: one in the hall and one in the country. How Corbyn plays this will be particularly interesting, his being a candidate of the left wing core vote and, it is suggested by his opponents, putting two fingers up to moderate public opinion.

Liberal Democrat shadow chancellor Susan Kramer has responded to John McDonnell’s speech at the Labour conference yesterday.

From the BBC

The elections watchdog has recommended a change to the question to be put to voters in a future EU referendum.

The Electoral Commission said the wording proposed by ministers – “should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union?” – could be perceived as biased to the status quo.

It has proposed adding the words “or leave the European Union?”

Yesterday in the Commons, Tim Farron gave his first speech as party leader, against the Welfare Bill, highlighting the effects of the ESA changes on people with mental health conditions, the effects on young people, and on the working age poor. He criticised Labour’s confusion over the bill in deciding to abstain, although 48 Labour rebels voted against.

The Liberal Democrats will stand up for families, whether they are hard-working or just desperate to be hard-working. We will not let the Conservatives through choice, or the Labour party through their silence, unpick our welfare system.

Last week Tom Papworth and I interviewed the two leadership candidates, Tim Farron, and Norman Lamb on behalf of Liberal Reform supporters who submitted questions.

To give you a flavour, here are the wordles. Can you tell which is which?