Author Archives: The Voice

Lynne Featherstone criticises marriage tax breaks

By The Voice | Mon 5th March 2012 - 1:54 pm

Lynne Featherstone has criticised the idea of giving married couples a tax break, saying such a move would be “extremely unfair”. In an interview with The Times(£), the Equalities Minister said a reduction in tax for couples who tie the knot was a “bizarre concept… and wrongly aimed” and warned it was unfair on those couples and single parents who were unmarried.

Posted in News | Tagged marriage and tax | 13 Comments

James Graham leaves the Liberal Democrats

By The Voice | Mon 5th March 2012 - 1:22 pm

Winner of the 2007 Liberal Democrat Blog of the Year award, James Graham has announced he has resigned from the Liberal Democrats.

Writing on his blog, Quaequam Blog!, under the title “Pressing reset”, James says:

Last night I formally resigned as a member of the Liberal Democrats, effective immediately. To answer some likely questions:

1) No, I’m not joining another party. As if.
2) No, I’m not making a protest or resigning because of a specific issue.
3) No, I’m not planning to write a self-aggrandising article about my personal reasons for resigning, at least not this week (and when I do I’ll

…

Posted in News | Tagged liberal democrats | 40 Comments

LDVideo: Jo Swinson’s Political Slot: The Liberal Democrats are in government on your side

By The Voice | Mon 5th March 2012 - 1:07 pm

Posted in Lib Dem TV and News | Tagged apprenticeships, Jo Swinson, pupil premium, tax cuts (Lib Dem), vince cable and youth contract | 6 Comments

Top of the Blogs: The Lib Dem Golden Dozen #263

By The Voice | Sun 4th March 2012 - 7:00 pm

Welcome to the Golden Dozen, and our 263rd weekly round-up from the Lib Dem blogosphere … Featuring the seven most popular stories beyond Lib Dem Voice according to click-throughs from the Aggregator (26 February – 3 March, 2012), together with a hand-picked quintet, normally courtesy of LibDig, you might otherwise have missed.

Don’t forget: you can sign up to receive the Golden Dozen direct to your email inbox — just click here — ensuring you never miss out on the best of Lib Dem blogging.

As ever, let’s start with the most popular post, and work our way down:

Posted in Best of the blogs | 2 Comments

Tonge: Clegg acted “very hastily and ill-advisedly” in issuing apologise-or-resign ultimatum

By The Voice | Sat 3rd March 2012 - 12:41 pm

Here’s the Press Association report of Baroness (Jenny) Tonge’s BBC interview following her resignation this week over controversial remarks about the future of Israel:

Liberal Democrat peer Baroness Tonge has claimed her party leader Nick Clegg acted “hastily” in quickly disowning her after she said Israel “would not be there forever”. She was forced to give up the party whip after the Deputy Prime Minister told her to apologise or resign hours after her comments to students at Middlesex University were revealed.

During a talk at the university, she claimed Israel would “reap what it has sown” if the United States

…

Posted in News | Tagged israel, jenny tonge, middle east, nick clegg and palestine | 17 Comments

The LDV Friday Five: 2 March 2012

By The Voice | Fri 2nd March 2012 - 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

Posted in Friday Five | 1 Comment

Jenny Tonge resigns

By The Voice | Wed 29th February 2012 - 5:34 pm

Baroness Jenny Tonge has resigned from the Liberal Democrats after refusing to apologise over her remarks about Israel.

According to Nicolas Watt of the Guardian, this follows Nick Clegg’s ultimatum that she should apologise for her remarks or resign.

HuffpoUK has the story:

Baroness Tonge has resigned the Lib Dem whip in the House of Lords, according to reports, after refusing to apologise for claiming that Israel would not “last forever”.

The Liberal Democrat peer, who once said she would consider becoming a suicide bomber if she were Palestinian,

…

Posted in News | Tagged jenny tonge | 15 Comments

Paddick accuses Met of leaking confidential witness information

By The Voice | Tue 28th February 2012 - 9:50 am

Yesterday former policeman Brian Paddick gave evidence to the Leveson inquiry, including these claims about the Met Police:

Posted in London and News | Tagged brian paddick, lord leveson and Phone hacking | 1 Comment

Top of the Blogs: The Lib Dem Golden Dozen #262

By The Voice | Sun 26th February 2012 - 7:00 pm

Welcome to the Golden Dozen, and our 262nd weekly round-up from the Lib Dem blogosphere … Featuring the seven most popular stories beyond Lib Dem Voice according to click-throughs from the Aggregator (19-25 February, 2012), together with a hand-picked quintet, normally courtesy of LibDig, you might otherwise have missed.

Don’t forget: you can sign up to receive the Golden Dozen direct to your email inbox — just click here — ensuring you never miss out on the best of Lib Dem blogging.

As ever, let’s start with the most popular post, and work our way down:

Posted in Best of the blogs | Leave a comment

The LDV Friday Five: 24 February 2012

By The Voice | Fri 24th February 2012 - 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

Posted in Friday Five | Leave a comment

How to get your picture to appear next to your comments

By The Voice | Tue 21st February 2012 - 4:25 pm

You may have noticed that next to some people’s comments is a small picture of themselves, such as:

If you want a picture to appear next to your comments you need to do two things.

Visit Gravatar.com, create an account and upload a picture.
Post a comment, ensuring the email address that you’ve used on Gravatar is the same

…

Posted in Site news | 20 Comments

Top of the Blogs: The Lib Dem Golden Dozen #261

By The Voice | Sun 19th February 2012 - 7:00 pm

Welcome to the Golden Dozen, and our 261st weekly round-up from the Lib Dem blogosphere … Featuring the seven most popular stories beyond Lib Dem Voice according to click-throughs from the Aggregator (12-18 February, 2012), together with a hand-picked quintet, normally courtesy of LibDig, you might otherwise have missed.

Don’t forget: you can sign up to receive the Golden Dozen direct to your email inbox — just click here — ensuring you never miss out on the best of Lib Dem blogging.

As ever, let’s start with the most popular post, and work our way down:

Posted in Best of the blogs | 1 Comment

The LDV Friday Five: 17 February 2012

By The Voice | Fri 17th February 2012 - 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

Posted in Friday Five | 1 Comment

Survey: LibDems are hopelessly romantic

By The Voice | Mon 13th February 2012 - 10:24 am

The Liberal Democrat Voice team is normally very circumspect about surveys. But, it being Valentine’s Eve, our romantic natures got the better of us on this occasion…

UK Dating site FreeDating.co.uk has carried out a survey which reveals differing attitudes to Valentine’s Day, based on political persuasion. According to the survey, Liberal Democrats are particularly positive to Valentine’s Day.

The site says:

Liberal Democrats are hopelessly romantic – along with lawyers, Christians, and women who don’t read books.

Both Tory and Labour voters

…

Posted in News | Tagged liberal democrats | 10 Comments

Top of the Blogs: The Lib Dem Golden Dozen #260

By The Voice | Sun 12th February 2012 - 7:00 pm

Welcome to the Golden Dozen, and our 260th weekly round-up from the Lib Dem blogosphere … Featuring the seven most popular stories beyond Lib Dem Voice according to click-throughs from the Aggregator (5-11 February, 2012), together with a hand-picked quintet, normally courtesy of LibDig, you might otherwise have missed.

Don’t forget: you can sign up to receive the Golden Dozen direct to your email inbox — just click here — ensuring you never miss out on the best of Lib Dem blogging.

As ever, let’s start with the most popular post, and work our way down:

Posted in Best of the blogs | 1 Comment

Bristol launches own currency to boost local business

By The Voice | Sun 12th February 2012 - 8:05 am

The Financial Times reports an innovative new development in Bristol designed to help local businesses:

A Bristol credit union is launching its own bank notes with which traders in the city will be able to pay their business taxes. The Bristol pound, which is supported by the Liberal Democrat-led city council, will be accepted tender in the city by businesses that sign up to the project. … The plan is to encourage more local trading – as the pounds will only be accepted by other shops or businesses in the city.

“One of the ways we can protect independent traders

…

Posted in News | Tagged bristol council | 2 Comments

Danny Alexander: it’s time to axe higher-rate tax relief on pensions to fund tax-cuts for lowest-paid

By The Voice | Sat 11th February 2012 - 5:58 pm

A couple of weeks ago, Nick Clegg signalled his determination to cut the taxes of the lowest-paid — now Lib Dem chief secretary to the treasury Danny Alexander is pressing for the tax-rise that would enable the Coalition to get on with it.

Here’s how the Telegraph reports it:

Danny Alexander, a Liberal Democrat Cabinet minister, says the better-off are receiving overly-generous tax relief when they invest money for their retirement. Mr Alexander’s proposals would see tax relief halve from 40 per cent to 20 per cent. He also wants workers on the minimum wage, who earn up to

…

Posted in News | Tagged Danny Alexander, pensions and tax cuts (Lib Dem) | 8 Comments

The LDV Friday Five: 10 February 2012

By The Voice | Fri 10th February 2012 - 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

Posted in Friday Five | Leave a comment

How you can help Liberal Democrat Voice

By The Voice | Wed 8th February 2012 - 10:25 am

The Voice is only a success because of the interest and support from our readers. For many people just lurking and reading the site is all they want to do – and that’s fine, we’re grateful for people taking the time to read the site.

You can though help us continue to produce interesting content for a growing audience. Here are four simple ways:

1. Let us have your tips for stories. Perhaps there’s something outrageous going on in your local council? Or you’re an expert in a particular area and have spotted a story other people have missed? Or you’ve seen …

Posted in Site news | Leave a comment

Top of the Blogs: The Lib Dem Golden Dozen #259

By The Voice | Sun 5th February 2012 - 7:00 pm

Welcome to the Golden Dozen, and our 259th weekly round-up from the Lib Dem blogosphere … Featuring the seven most popular stories beyond Lib Dem Voice according to click-throughs from the Aggregator (29 January – 4 February, 2012), together with a hand-picked quintet, normally courtesy of LibDig, you might otherwise have missed.

Don’t forget: you can sign up to receive the Golden Dozen direct to your email inbox — just click here — ensuring you never miss out on the best of Lib Dem blogging.

As ever, let’s start with the most popular post, and work our way down:

Posted in Best of the blogs | 1 Comment

Lord Ashcroft, Panorama and a herbivorous Liberal Democrat Peer

By The Voice | Wed 1st February 2012 - 4:26 pm

Yesterday’s Press Gazette highlights that the Panorama programme broadcast, entitled Secrets of the Tory Billionaire, on Monday night may help the Independent defend the libel case brought against it by Lord Ashcroft.

In a development that you couldn’t make up, the Independent, in its own coverage of the programme, referred to Lord Ashdown when talking about the Conservative Party’s major benefactor.

This prompted our own Paddy Ashdown to write to the paper with, The Voice suspects, his tongue firmly wedged in his cheek

“It is one thing to misrepresent my position on the benefit cap as you did last week,

…

Posted in News | Tagged bbc, lord ashcroft, paddy ashdown, panorama, Press Gazette and the independent | 4 Comments

Pack & Tall Debate… Tuition fees: what should Lib Dem party policy now be?

By The Voice | Wed 1st February 2012 - 1:50 pm

In the week of the publication of university application figures, LibDemVoice co-editors Mark Pack and Stephen Tall debate what it means for the Lib Dems’ future policy…

Stephen Tall: The publication of the University application figures for 2012 — the first year of the new £9k maximum fees regime — has something for everyone. Those who have always claimed the prospect of huge debt would deter potential students can point to the headline 8.7% decline in applications. Those who say the new fees repayments system …

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged featured, higher education, tuition fees and university | 30 Comments

Lib Dem MPs win concessions ahead of benefits cap vote

By The Voice | Tue 31st January 2012 - 7:35 am

Lib Dem MPs, including the party’s deputy leader Simon Hughes, look set to obtain concessions from Iain Duncan Smith to win their support for the Coalition’s controversial welfare bill, which will introduce a benefit cap of a maximum of £26,000. Here’s how The Guardian reports the news:

The government is expected to make a series of concessions in the coming days on it controversial £26,000 household benefits cap to win over wavering Liberal Democrat MPs. Iain Duncan Smith, the work and pensions secretary, is expected to agree that a discretionary fund should be established to ease the burden on families

…

Posted in News | Tagged benefits, iain duncan smith, liam byrne, mark thompson and simon hughes | 7 Comments

University figures: Highest year ever for teenager applications – except for last year’s spike

By The Voice | Mon 30th January 2012 - 2:25 pm

The BBC reports:

University applications from UK students for the first year of higher tuition fees are down by 8.7%, according to figures from the admissions service.

With fees rising to up to £9,000 per year, the impact has been biggest for England’s universities – down by 9.9%.

The LibDem Voice team have been quick to respond. Mark Pack pointed out three key facts about the figures:

1. Proportion of poor school-leavers applying to uni. at record levels
2. Best year ever for applications by teenagers save last year’s spike
3. Drop in mature student applications, which has caused the overall decrease figure

And …

Posted in News | Tagged tuition fees and university | 17 Comments

Opinion: Is the Post Office safe in your hands, Mr Davey?

By The Voice | Mon 30th January 2012 - 9:45 am

Editor’s note: the author of this post has requested to remain anonymous, but his identity is known to me.

I write as a lifelong Liberal/Lib Dem and former councillor. I am sadly having to remain anonymous so that my wife is not made subject to reprisals for my views.

Lib Dem Voice recently claimed the future of the Post Office network is secure. I would like to present a counter (sic) viewpoint.

My wife took on a Post Office 10 years ago and her guaranteed monthly salary then was £620. Now, its £800 for a 48-hour working week – less than £3.70 …

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged ed davey, post office and royal mail | 16 Comments

Top of the Blogs: The Lib Dem Golden Dozen #258

By The Voice | Sun 29th January 2012 - 8:25 pm

Welcome to the Golden Dozen, and our 258th weekly round-up from the Lib Dem blogosphere … Featuring the seven most popular stories according to click-throughs from the Aggregator (22nd-28th January, 2012), together with a hand-picked quintet, normally courtesy of LibDig, you might otherwise have missed.

Don’t forget: you can sign up to receive the Golden Dozen direct to your email inbox — just click here — ensuring you never miss out on the best of Lib Dem blogging.

As ever, let’s start with the most popular post, and work our way down:

Posted in Best of the blogs | Leave a comment

The LDV Friday Five: 27 January 2012

By The Voice | Fri 27th January 2012 - 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

Posted in Friday Five | Leave a comment

Top of the Blogs: The Lib Dem Golden Dozen #257

By The Voice | Sun 22nd January 2012 - 7:00 pm

Welcome to the Golden Dozen, and our 257th weekly round-up from the Lib Dem blogosphere … Featuring the seven most popular stories beyond Lib Dem Voice according to click-throughs from the Aggregator (15-21 January, 2012), together with a hand-picked quintet, normally courtesy of LibDig, you might otherwise have missed.

Don’t forget: you can sign up to receive the Golden Dozen direct to your email inbox — just click here — ensuring you never miss out on the best of Lib Dem blogging.

As ever, let’s start with the most popular post, and work our way down:

Posted in Best of the blogs | Leave a comment

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Author Archives: The Voice

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