Author Archives: the founding editor

During the Second Reading of Baroness (Sue) Miller’s Public Demonstrations (Repeals) Bill, the minister announced that instead of supporting her Bill, the Government would instead soon be announcing other locations where they intend to curtail the right to protest.

Commenting, Baroness Miller said:

“The Government talked about Britishness yesterday, but today showed a blatant lack of concern about their mutilation of one of the most cherished British traditions: freedom of expression.

“In fact the Government appears determined to extend its draconian policies into other parts of the country.”

Baroness Miller will today introduce a bill in to the House of Lords – the Public Demonstrations (Repeals) Bill, in an attempt restore the freedom to demonstrate around Parliament.

Baroness Miller, and a group of Lib Dem peers will hold a protest opposite Parliament before going in to the chamber to speak for the bill.

News 24 have introduced new on-screen graphics today with the clock shoved so far over to the left that even when I force the TV in to letterbox widescreen it looks like it’s 3:50 at 13:50 – please fix it before I am forced to buy an actual clock, rather than using the telly as a big talking-news-providing-magic-clock.

Ruth Turner has been arrested as part of the cash for honours probe

Ming has been a regular on Andrew Marr’s Sunday AM of late, and can be seen again on Marr’s sofa this Sunday.

If, like me, you’re sleeping at 9am on a Sunday morning, you can watch online here after the event.

BBC News reports:

“A Conservative candidate at the Holyrood election has called for a change of party leader in Scotland.
The challenge to Annabel Goldie’s authority came as the party’s UK leader David Cameron arrived in Scotland to boost the election effort.

“Holyrood candidate Peter Lyburn believes that the Tories need rejuvenated north of the border.”

Danny Alexander MP has been appointed the Liberal Democrat Shadow Social Exclusion Secretary. He will replace Matthew Taylor MP in the Liberal Democrat Shadow Cabinet, who yesterday announced he will stand down at the next election.

Danny said “I am delighted to have been appointed to this position. Britain faces a huge challenge in tackling poverty and social exclusion.

“The Government’s policies are bogged down in mass means-testing and bureaucracy, creating dependency not opportunity.

“The Liberal Democrats are the only party that puts fairness and opportunity for all at the top of the agenda, and …

Via Ed Maxfield comes news of the Telegraph’s coverage of the Lib Dems‘ new million-pound national call centre, being funded by a new major donor to the party.

I understand (and I’m not particularly in the loop on this, so don’t take it as gospel!) that data from this call centre will feed a new national voter-intention database being funded by a £500,000 grant from the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust.  I’m sure more information will be released in time (when it’s built, for example).

The Liberal Democrats have taken overall control of Rochdale Metropolitan Council after a Labour Councillor quit. This leaves the Liberal Democrats with over half the Councillors and now in full control of the Council.

The Lib Dems have been in minority control since May after gaining a number of seats in the local elections. Labour Councillor Smith will stand down with immediate affect. His seat is up for election in May, there will be no by-election as a ‘six month rule’ will apply – leaving the residents of Middleton West with only 2 Councillors. The Liberal Democrats

…

Should our next candidate for mayor of London be an MP?

• Yes: 24% (80)
• No: 76% (248)

Total Votes : 328

So the next logical poll is to ask ‘which grassroots member’? Please submit suggestions below.

Names that will definitely appear, as they were suggested when I asked this question a while ago:

• Ben Abbotts
• Navnit Dholakia
• Steve Hitchins 
• Chris Maines
• John Stevens

I’ve included Lord Dholakia as he was suggested in the last thread, and is not, strictly speaking, an MP!

The newly elected Federal Executive (the Lib Dems’ sort-of-equivalent to Labour’s NEC) has voted to replace David Griffiths as chair of the Federal Finance and Administration Committee.

Now, this is really only of interest to navel gazing Lib Dems but it is interesting to note that David Griffiths was the man tasked with standing up at conference and answering questions on the Michael Brown debacle, which can’t have done him any favours.

The new chair, Duncan Greenland, is a Camden Councillor and member of the management board of CentreForum.  He takes up the reins …

The Electoral Commission are in for a bit of a bumpy ride in the next couple of weeks, as a report from the committee on standards in public life is due, and is (according to its chairman) going to recommend quite a shake-up.

Before that though, the Commission is advising people who are planning to vote by post or proxy in Mays elections to look out for a letter from their local council, requesting their signature and date of birth.

If you’re putting out a Focus leaflet in the next few weeks, you may want to carry a reminder also.

Councils across England are …

Liberal Democrat Voice has been shown a Freedom of Information request which reveals that in the last four years Labour run Knowsley Council has paid over £47,000 from public coffers to the Labour party, to exhibit at its party conference.

The council’s Freedom of Information officer states “Knowsley exhibits at the Labour Party conference as part of it’s lobbying and positioning work.”

According to the same FOI request as a result of their annual conference bung to the Labour party, Knowsley Council claims to have secured “Ministerial and other VIP visits to the Borough” – perhaps a case of ‘cash for visits’? In any event we’d be interested to know whether government ministers would be prepared to confirm that they conduct official visits on the back of being lobbied by exhibitors paying tens of thousands of pounds to have a stand at their party’s conference.

Lib Dem Voice will likely be maintaining radio silence for a few days, so have a merry Christmas, and if I don’t see you before then, a happy new year.