Author Archives: The Voice

The Voice

What’s being debated in our members’ forum this week?

By The Voice | Sat 21st December 2013 - 1:45 pm

LibDemVoice has two parallel sites. The first is our public blog, the thing you’re reading now. The second is our private members’ forum, which only current Lib Dem members can access.

If you’re a member and want to chat with fellow party members about any issue that’s on your mind, then why not sign up? In addition, you’ll be included in our regular surveys’ of party members’ views.

Here’s some of the most active discussions this past 7 days:

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The Voice

Ibrahim Taguri selected for Brent Central PPC

By The Voice | Fri 20th December 2013 - 9:12 pm

Ibrahim Taguri selected for Brent CentralBrent Central Liberal Democrats have selected Ibrahim Taguri as their successor to Sarah Teather to stand at thee 2015 General Election.

Ibrahim born in Brent, grew up in Willesden Green and has spent many years working in the charitable sector.

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The Voice

++ Lib Dem deputy leader Simon Hughes replaces Lord McNally as Justice Minister

By The Voice | Wed 18th December 2013 - 2:42 pm

Simon HughesNews just in:

Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Simon Hughes has replaced Lord (Tom) McNally as the Liberal Democrat Minister of State for Justice.

Lord McNally has been appointed as the new Chair of the Youth Justice Board, a post which he will take up in mid-March 2014. Simon Hughes will take over as Justice Minister with immediate effect.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Leader and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said:

“Tom McNally has been a fantastic minister who has pushed through a Liberal agenda in the Ministry of Justice. He will now bring the same

…

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The Voice

Ros Kayes chosen by West Dorset Lib Dems to take on Oliver Letwin in 2015

By The Voice | Sat 14th December 2013 - 9:45 am

The Lib Dems have been runners-up in the West Dorset constituency since it was created in its modern form in 1992. Oliver Letwin was first elected in 1997 and has narrowly held the seat the seat since then. It would take only a 3.5% swing towards the Lib Dems to win it.

The party has this week moved a step nearer towards that goal with the selection of an energetic local candidate, Ros Kayes, as their website highlights:

West Dorset Liberal Democrats have selected Bridport based Cllr Ros Kayes to fight the seat for the party in the General Election of

…

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The Voice

FOUND: David Cameron’s Little Black Book

By The Voice | Wed 11th December 2013 - 2:13 pm

So David Cameron’s keeping a little black book of the things Lib Dems have stopped him doing in Government – things he wants to put in the next Tory manifesto.

A copy has been found, and it’s scary reading:

Liberal Democrats think these policies are unfair. Do you want schools to be run for profit? Or a record of all your emails and texts to be kept? Or do you want your boss to be allowed to fire you at will?

Click here to help us stop David Cameron’s Little Black Book …

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The Voice

Spring Conference reprieved

By The Voice | Tue 10th December 2013 - 12:26 pm

Spring 2013 Federal Conference agendaA couple of weeks ago Lib Dem Voice reported that party members were being consulted by Federal Executive about the future of Spring Conference, following a consultation session at Glasgow.  This was driven by financial pressures and the need for the Spring Conference to be cost-neutral.

Options included keeping it as it is but with cost savings, reducing its length from two days, or abolishing the Spring Conference completely .  The second option was preferred by Federal Executive.  Not surprisingly, the Federal Conference Committee did not support either abolition or any changes to the length of the conference.

Gareth Epps reports that yesterday evening the Federal Executive agreed to not make any changes, but to see how online technology could make the conference more accessible to the wider membership.

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The Voice

Bob Russell’s surgery lasts for 12 hours – is this a record?

By The Voice | Tue 10th December 2013 - 10:06 am

bob russell_2Bob Russell, the Lib Dem MP for Colchester, claims to have set a record by holding a surgery that lasted for 12 hours.

It seems that 36 people made appointments to see him last Friday. It’s not entirely clear whether he had originally planned it to go on for so long, or whether he just had a very long list of people who wanted to see him.

He claims to have seen 10,000 constituents at his surgeries since he was elected in 1997.

So your challenge today is to establish whether …

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The Voice

Nick Clegg’s Commons tribute to Mandela: “let us honour his memory by ensuring that the hope he gave lives on”

By The Voice | Mon 9th December 2013 - 7:50 pm

clegg on leveson 2Nick Clegg offered his tribute on behalf of the Lib Dems today to Nelson Mandela’s immense contribution to leading South Africa away from apartheid and towards democracy. Here’s what he had to say:

The Deputy Prime Minister (Mr Nick Clegg):
On behalf of the Liberal Democrats, let me add my voice to the many tributes to Nelson Mandela, the father of modern South Africa. Our thoughts and condolences are with his loved ones, the people of South Africa, and everyone around the world who is grieving his loss.

Nelson Mandela’s message

…

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The Voice

MPs condemn MPs’ pay rise

By The Voice | Mon 9th December 2013 - 1:13 pm

MPs of all sides are objecting to IPSA proposals to increase their pay by 11%, alongside some less-reported minor cuts to expenses and a move to a career-average pension scheme, that make the whole package, we are told, cost-neutral.

Danny Alexander has called the rise “wholly inappropriate”:

I think most people will find it utterly incomprehensible that a time of pay restraint for the public sector and further squeezes on Government spending that IPSA should be recommending . I think it would be wholly inappropriate to get such a large pay rise when every other public sector worker sees pay

…

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The Voice

Christmas present ideas from the LDV team and friends: Day 9

By The Voice | Mon 9th December 2013 - 8:55 am

Giles Goodall at ALDENext up in our series of Christmas present ideas comes from regular contributor and Euro candidate Giles Goodall.

Just in the nip of time for Christmas – with a release date two days after the last ever episode airs on BBC4 – comes the box set of all three series of Denmark’s hit political drama. Which self-respecting, Europe-minded, coalitionist Lib Dem could be without the Borgen Trilogy?

After the heady days of a surprise election victory, novelty of entering government, and mounting pressure of compromising on your ideals in

…

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The Voice

LDV’s Sunday Best: our 7 most-read articles this week

By The Voice | Sun 8th December 2013 - 2:00 pm

Many thanks to the 16,600  visitors who dropped by Lib Dem Voice this week. Here’s our 7 most-read posts…

Opinion: Child taken from the womb by social services.  Really?( 137 comments) by Evan Harris

Jo Swinson takes on Daily Mail’s Liz Jones, who thinks she shouldn’t be “procreating” (11 comments) by Caron Lindsay

Hemming helps woman in forced caesarean and adoption case (28 comments) by Caron Lindsay

Times: “The increasingly confident and powerful Mr Clegg” (28 comments) by Newshound

Opinion: Women must stop stepping into the political shoes of men (45 comments) by Andy Boddington

Nelson Mandela: the long walk is …

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The Voice

Christmas present ideas from the LDV team and friends, days 6, 7 and 8

By The Voice | Sun 8th December 2013 - 12:30 pm

We’ve fallen a bit behind with our Christmas present ideas, so here we catch up with 3 ideas.

The first is from party president Tim Farron who wants us to look up. Literally. He suggests that a telescope would be an amazing gift because:

It opens up the awesomeness of everything.

Regular LDV contributor Alisdair Calder McGregor suggests this Doctor Who laden page. He says:

I don’t think I really have to explain why do I?

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The Voice

Nick Clegg’s Letter from the Leader: Nelson Mandela

By The Voice | Sun 8th December 2013 - 9:13 am

A very brief note this week, devoted to Nelson Mandela. Nick highlights his statement and points us towards the debate that will take place in the House of Commons tomorrow.  We also discover that Paddy spends time on his phone at the dinner table. He wouldn’t get away with that in LDV Towers.

libdem letter from nick clegg

A very sad week. I never met Nelson Mandela but, like many of you, I’ve also never known the world without him in it. This weekend it feels like an emptier place.

I was having dinner

…

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The Voice

Christmas present ideas from the LDV team and friends: Day 5

By The Voice | Thu 5th December 2013 - 3:45 pm

Mark Pack's snazzy clipboardDo you have a great big long list of people to buy Christmas presents for and no idea what to give them? I hope that you will find our ongoing series of present suggestions helpful.

Today, our former co-editor Mark Pack puts forward something that will surprise nobody. He’s always keen to make sure that Liberal Democrats are the best equipped political geeks around. Last year he was keen to ensure that we didn’t let a little bit of snow and ice get in the way of …

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The Voice

Liberal Youth by-elections are go!

By The Voice | Thu 5th December 2013 - 11:31 am

As we reported recently, Liberal Youth are currently holding by-elections for Membership and Communications Officer.

This morning, emails containing links to the electronic ballot were despatched to voters. If the party knows you are under 26, in full time education and you have supplied an email address, you should have received an email from Opavote. If you have not, please contact the Returning Officer at [email protected].

Details of candidates and their manifestos can be found here.

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The Voice

Brent Labour councillor Dhiraj Kataria joins Liberal Democrats

By The Voice | Tue 3rd December 2013 - 4:29 pm

Lorber KatariaBrent Council’s Liberal Democrat contingent was strengthened today when West Harp councillor Dhiraj Kataria left Labour to join them.

He gave his reasons as:

I have become increasingly disillusioned by the way the Brent Labour Group has operated – and particularly by the top-down way in which that it has been led. I feel decisions taken by the Labour Group and Labour Executive members, such as closing half our libraries and cutting street cleaning, have been against the interests of my constituents.

I have been impressed by the Liberal Democrat Group’s commitment to

…

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The Voice

Christmas present ideas from the LDV team and friends – Day 3

By The Voice | Tue 3rd December 2013 - 2:45 pm

Welcome to Day 3 of our  series of Christmas present ideas. Today it’s the turn of Mary Reid.

Sweet-ToothSweet Tooth by Ian McEwan

Ian McEwan has written another masterful novel, set in the murky world of MI5 in the 1970s. The outcome is actually given away in the first paragraph, but the final chapter is still surprising and revelatory. In between, we follow a young and seemingly ill-prepared recruit to the service as she is given the task of subverting a novelist. She had herself been introduced to MI5 by an older …

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The Voice

Christmas present ideas from the LDV team and friends – Day 2

By The Voice | Mon 2nd December 2013 - 2:45 pm

On this Mega Monday, here are two Christmas present suggestions from our own Nick Thornsby.

letters of arthur schlesingerThe letters of Arthur Schlesinger Jr.

Edited by his two sons, this collection of Arthur Schlesinger’s letters gives a fascinating insight into many of the key events in 20th century American history. And unlike most historians, Schlesinger often found himself mixed up in those events, particularly where they involved the Democratic party. He famously spent time working as an adviser in the JFK White House, so there is interesting material from before, during and …

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The Voice

Nick Clegg’s message for World AIDS Day

By The Voice | Sun 1st December 2013 - 12:45 pm

Nick Clegg’s message for World AIDS Day reflects the National AIDS Trust’s Fact Up campaign. They want the UK to learn five facts about living with HIV in the UK. These are:

1. People living with HIV live a normal life span if diagnosed and treated in time

2. There is no job which someone can’t do specifically because they have HIV

3. Treatment can mean that people living with HIV are no longer infectious

4. Men and women living with HIV can become parents of an HIV-free baby.

5. BUT people living with HIV still face stigma and discrimination.

More information is available at HIV Aware.

Nick’s message is also available here on You Tube.

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The Voice

Nick Clegg’s Letter from the Leader: Good news for Mums and Dads

By The Voice | Sun 1st December 2013 - 11:19 am

“Liberal Democrats will allow parents to share the allocation of maternity and paternity leave between them in whatever way suits them best.” That’s what the party’s 2010 manifesto said would happen – and this week it actually did happen. Here’s what Nick Clegg had to say about the party’s policy success…

libdem letter from nick clegg

A short one this week: just to say a huge well done to all Liberal Democrats. We’ve finally landed our flagship policy on shared parental leave.

Help us share the news about our shared parental leave!

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The Voice

Have you been ennobled, Lord Paddick, or are you just pleased to see us? (AKA Look! It’s Brian in his Speedos)

By The Voice | Thu 28th November 2013 - 9:24 pm

We don’t do caption competitions here at libDemVoice any more, but if we did this one would surely feature…

brian paddick

Here’s the official caption by way of explanation…

Lord Brian Paddick smiles after winning the race for the House of Lords during the The House of Lords v House of Commons Speedo Charity Swim at Porchester Hall on November 27, 2013 in London, England.

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The Voice

Letter from the Leader special: The Party of In

By The Voice | Wed 27th November 2013 - 8:36 pm

nick clegg euNick Clegg today emailed everyone who had signed up to the Why I am IN campaign on the eve of the ALDE congress which takes place in London over the next 3 days. He took the opportunity to explain why he’d signed the Liberal Democrats up to the benefits changes announced by David Cameron today. The tone is very different from Cameron’s bombastic words today which seem to have confused agreed coalition policy with the Conservative desire to limit EU migration post 2015. Liberal Democrat members will no doubt …

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The Voice

LDV’s Sunday Best: our 7 most-read articles this week

By The Voice | Sun 24th November 2013 - 2:15 pm

Many thanks to the 18,000 visitors who dropped by Lib Dem Voice this week. Here’s our 7 most-read posts…

…

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The Voice

“Nick Clegg is an idle f*****r says David Cameron”

By The Voice | Sun 24th November 2013 - 11:45 am

clegg-cameron_different_directionsThe Mirror’s headline promised Coalition discord and rancour. The reality was a lot less interesting – a joke by the Tory leader as his Lib Dem counterpart enjoyed dinner with his wife. Here is that racy anecdote in all its “foul-mouthed” glory:

The PM’s foul-mouthed remark came as he heard the Lib Dem leader and his wife were enjoying a meal out – while he was still busy working. He made the discovery after calling a horse-training pal who happened to be in the same restaurant as the Cleggs.

Mr Cameron

…

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The Voice

Nick Clegg’s Letter from the Leader: “Smack bang in the liberal centre – the only place you can deliver real, liberal freedom”

By The Voice | Sun 24th November 2013 - 10:18 am

Tory planning minister Nick Coles’ admission this week that the Conservative brand is still tainted provides the cue for Nick Clegg to stake the liberal flag squarely in the centre ground once again. The Tories see us too statist, he says, while Labour sees us as too hard – Nick reckons this confirms the Lib Dems are exactly where we should be. And he defines his version of what liberalism is: “liberalism is about enabling everyone to get on in life”. Read his letter in full, below…

libdem letter from nick clegg

This week there’s been a lot of chat in the Westminster village about an issue close to our party’s heart: liberalism.

Specifically, on whether or not the Conservative party can be liberal. Sparked, on this occasion, by a Tory Minister and arch-moderniser, Nick Boles, conceding that their detoxification project has failed.

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The Voice

What’s being debated in our members’ forum this week?

By The Voice | Sat 23rd November 2013 - 5:00 pm

LibDemVoice has two parallel sites. The first is our public blog, the thing you’re reading now. The second is our private members’ forum, which only current Lib Dem members can access.

If you’re a member and want to chat with fellow party members about any issue that’s on your mind, then why not sign up? In addition, you’ll be included in our regular surveys’ of party members’ views.

Here’s some of the most active discussions this past 7 days:

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The Voice

BBC: “Mike Hancock MP will not face charges over sex assault”

By The Voice | Sat 23rd November 2013 - 12:01 am

Mike HancockBBC News reports:

Portsmouth South MP Mike Hancock will face no further police action in relation to alleged sexual assault claims.

A Hampshire Police statement said it had discussed the case with the Crown Prosecution Service and would not be taking any further action.

Mr Hancock, who is also a councillor, had strongly denied the allegations.

An independent report released in September found he failed to observe the council’s code of conduct.

Hampshire Police said it had informed those affected by the decision.

Mr Hancock said: “I’m personally delighted and pleased they have come to

…

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The Voice

Hull Labour councillor pledges: “500 Twitter followers and I’ll punch a Lib Dem”

By The Voice | Fri 22nd November 2013 - 10:40 pm

The Hull Daily Mail reports:

A TWITTER row has broken out after a Hull City councillor tweeted he would “punch a Lib Dem in the face” if he reached 500 followers. Labour councillor Chris Sumpton claims the tweet was only meant as a joke but his Liberal Democrat colleagues are furious and are considering taking the matter further.

The issue was raised at yesterday’s full council meeting when an angry Councillor Eliza Mann asked council leader Stephen Brady to condemn the tweet.

But the leader said he couldn’t comment because he wasn’t in possession of the full facts and wasn’t familiar with

…

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The Voice

Nick Clegg: “I’m extremely proud to be part of a government that looks to the future of LGBT rights.”

By The Voice | Tue 19th November 2013 - 9:08 am

nick clegg pointingIn an interview for Pink News, to mark yesterday’s 10th Anniversary of the repeal of Section 28, Nick Clegg said:

Section 28 was a divisive piece of legislation that should remain consigned to the constitutional graveyard forever. We have made tremendous strides as a country in securing greater LGBT rights since then – not least in securing the landmark legislation to secure equal marriage that I have supported for years.

There is of course further to go, particularly to help put a stop to homophobic bullying in schools. I’m extremely proud to be part of a government that looks to the future of LGBT rights.

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The Voice

Call for evidence: Lord Rennard

By The Voice | Sun 17th November 2013 - 6:00 pm

From Liberal Democrat Chief Executive’s Tim Gordon’s Weekly briefing email:

Following the conclusion of the Metropolitan Police that there will be no criminal charges against Lord Rennard, an internal Party investigation is being held, in which his expulsion from the Party is one of the possible outcomes. This will be an independent investigation carried out by Alistair Webster Q.C. Anyone who may have relevant evidence, against or in support of Lord Rennard or who wishes to make a statement should contact Alistair Webster at [email protected]. All statements should be made in writing and sent to Alistair Webster by 22nd November (if

…

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  • David Evans
    It's an interesting article, which gives us more to think about, but when it ends with "Government and politics can strive toward this platform ... giving ind...
  • Neil Sandison
    This one of a series of articles recently published in the Liberal Democrat Voice that defines our social liberal values . Frequently the hot house of Westminst...
  • Pawel Urbanski
    This is the right problem to be working on, and I think the answer may be less about the words than about the moments. In my experience people learn what we sta...
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    It's good to have an MP putting herself forward for this. The manifesto seems a bit vague though. All good thoughts and nothing you can really disagree with, b...
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