Author Archives: Mark Valladares

It’s a long way from Mid Suffolk to Southport. Actually, it’s a long way from Mid Suffolk to any of the Party’s usual Federal Conference venues, which may explain why I didn’t travel up. Conference isn’t, after all, everyone’s cup of warm beverage…

That does mean that I’ve had some time to prepare for today, so what do I have for you?

In light of the decision by Conference to refer back the Macdonald Report on the Party’s disciplinary procedures, I offer some thoughts from the perspective of someone who sits on Appeal Panels. I’ve tried to be reasonable…

For the benefit of …

It was, supposedly, on this day in 1541 that the city of Santiago was founded, and in 1818, the nation it is the capital city of became independent from Spain. And that is a happy coincidence because today is brought to you from Valparaiso, Chile. As you read this, I’m asleep, but that doesn’t necessarily stand between a Day Editor and his/her duty.

But enough of my travel schedule, what have we got for you today?

We kick off with a report of November’s ALDC Kickstart weekend, designed to encourage some of you to attend the similar events that are scheduled for …

It seems that the forecast for the coming week is for temperatures to drop a bit. So, be like me and make sure that you wrap up warmly, especially if you’re campaigning for the May elections!

This week, I’m hoping for a sign, any sign, that the Government has a clearly stated plan for how it is going to handle negotiations with the European Union. Admittedly, there are a number of potential plans out there, but as there isn’t an apparent majority for any of them, we may have to keep on waiting.

Today …

Good morning, on the 328th anniversary of the summoning of the Convention Parliament by Prince William of Orange to discuss ruling jointly with his wife Mary – an occasion when the English positively welcomed an intervention from the Continent… And it’s also the anniversary of the Battle of Rorke’s Drift, which may feel a bit familiar to those of you who’ve been members for a few years…

So, what have we got for you today? Well, Federal International Relations Committee (FIRC) has concluded that it needs to reach out to the wider membership more effectively (some might suggest ‘at all’), and …

Good morning! Yes, it’s the last Monday before Christmas, and politics is, in theory, winding down towards the transition to peace and goodwill to all. And yet, the DExEU equivalent of Bob Cratchit is probably hard at work preparing for Phase 2 of the Brexit negotiations. Not an enviable task, I suggest… If you’re watching, Bob, here’s a cheery penguin to admire…

We’re expecting a fairly quiet day here at LDV Towers. I’ll be taking my regular look ahead at this week in the Lords – yes, they’re still there – and we …

As Britain recovers from the chaos that a few inches of snow wrought yesterday, today is brought to you from Creeting St Peter, my small but perfectly formed Suffolk village. We’ve had an inch or so here, mostly yesterday morning, but whilst there’s broadband, there’s hope, I’m told.

Talking of chaos, it seems like Government ministers have spent the weekend queuing up to sabotage Theresa May’s deal with the European Union. One does wonder about the wisdom of publicly talking about how and when the deal might be reneged upon, and with the …

Liberal Democrat Voice comes to you this morning from Amsterdam, at the end of a weekend in which it became clear that Europe is preparing to move on with, or more probably without, the United Kingdom.

So, what have we got for you today? We’ll kick the day off with some thoughts from John Pugh on regional liberalism as a means to rebuilding our presence in local and national government.

My usual preview of the week in the Lords will follow, and we’ll have news of the elections for the ALDE Party Bureau, which …