Author Archives: The Voice

The Voice

Five jailed over postal vote fraud

By The Voice | Mon 6th September 2010 - 4:24 pm

The BBC is reporting the jailing of five people, including two former councillors, for postal vote fraud in Bradford.

…the men plotted to get Conservative candidate Haroon Rashid elected in the Bradford West seat using fraudulent postal vote applications.

One man admitted conspiring to defraud the city’s electoral registration officer and was jailed for 11 months.

The four other men had denied the charge but were found guilty and jailed for 21 months at Leeds Crown Court.

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The Voice

How you can help Liberal Democrat Voice

By The Voice | Mon 6th September 2010 - 2:26 pm

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 three 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 …

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The Voice

RIP Cyril Smith

By The Voice | Fri 3rd September 2010 - 1:22 pm

News has just reached the Voice that Sir Cyril Smith, for 20 years Liberal (then Liberal Democrat) MP for Rochdale, has just passed away.

Just over two years agho, Lib Dem Voice published an appreciation of Cyril’s life to mark his 80th birthday:

You’ve got to come to Rochdale to understand properly Sir Cyril’s popularity. He doesn’t get out much these days, but when he does… Rochdale comes to a standstill. Many people remember the Cyril from the 1970s and early ’80s. The Cyril who was Chief Whip during the Jeremy Thorpe scandal; the Cyril who appeared on national TV alongside

…

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Posted in Obituaries | Tagged | 11 Comments
The Voice

Nick Clegg writes about his visit to Afghanistan and Pakistan

By The Voice | Thu 2nd September 2010 - 4:54 pm

In an email sent this afternoon, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has written about his trip to Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Earlier this week this week I went to Afghanistan and Pakistan to see for myself the problems and challenges that those countries face. The coalition government is committed to playing our part to helping ensure that the region has a peaceful and prosperous future.

It was my second visit to our armed forces in Afghanistan, where I saw again the bravery and professionalism of our troops. Whilst the situation in the country is still difficult, I believe

…

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Posted in News | Tagged , and | 1 Comment
The Voice

Andy Coulson accused of knowing about widespread phone hacking

By The Voice | Thu 2nd September 2010 - 1:22 pm

So says the New York Times in its detailed report on what the News of the World got up to with phone hacking during Andy Coulson’s time as editor:

A dozen former reporters said in interviews that hacking was pervasive at News of the World. “Everyone knew,” one longtime reporter said. “The office cat knew.”

One former editor said Coulson talked freely with colleagues about the dark arts, including hacking. “I’ve been to dozens if not hundreds of meetings with Andy” when the subject came up, said the former editor, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The editor added that when Coulson

…

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Posted in News | Tagged | 2 Comments
The Voice

The Independent View: Towards interactive government

By The Voice | Wed 1st September 2010 - 5:52 pm

This is a guest cross-post by Tim Davies – originally posted on the Political Innovation site:

The communication revolution that we’ve undergone in recent years has two big impacts:

  • It changes what’s possible. It makes creating networks between people across organisations easier; it opens new ways for communication between citizens and state; it gives everyone who wants it a platform for global communication; and it makes it possible to discover local online dialogue.
  • It changes citizen expectations of government. When I can follow news from my neighbour’s blog on my phone, why can’t I get updates on local services on the mobile-web?

…

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The Voice

BBC: Nick Clegg hails England’s ‘unbeatable’ World Cup bid

By The Voice | Mon 23rd August 2010 - 5:18 pm

The BBC reports:

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has told Fifa inspectors England’s bid for the 2018 World Cup is “unbeatable”. The Fifa delegation, which will write a report on England’s bid to host the World Cup, began their four-day visit with a reception at Downing Street. Mr Clegg said: “I believe this is an exceptionally strong, unbeatable bid. We in this government believe in it, we hope that you will believe in it.”

You can see Nick welcome the Fifa delegation here:

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The Voice

Tory MP in Commons sex party “scandal”

By The Voice | Sun 15th August 2010 - 11:20 am

The Mail is getting worked up that people attending a black tie dinner at the House of Commons may later, having left those hallowed halls, enjoy some form of sexual activity.

The newspaper is upset that Conservative MP Andrew Rosindell has sponsored the black tie event in the Commons, after which attendees will go onto what the Mail says is

an ‘After Party’ on a nearby boat where entertainment includes ‘pole dancing, burlesque and erotic performances’.

Needless to say, this is an outrage – the Mail even tracked down an unnamed MP to comment ‘This smutty event is below the dignity of …

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Posted in News | Tagged and | 14 Comments
The Voice

By-election news: Conservative gain in Medway

By The Voice | Sat 14th August 2010 - 5:56 pm

Only the one by-election this week, a gain for the Conservatives:

Conservative 617 (44.6; +5.6)
Labour 544 (39.4; -0.7)
LibDem (Garry Harrison) 104 (7.5; -0.6)
Green 45 (3.3; +3.3)
BNP 39 (2.8; +2.8)
English Democrats 33 (2.4; n/a)
Majority 73
Turnout 25.3%
Con gain from Lab

(There were two parties standing last time who didn’t stand this time.)

Posted in Council by-elections | 2 Comments
The Voice

Charles Kennedy and wife Sarah to separate

By The Voice | Mon 9th August 2010 - 7:05 pm

The Press Association reports the sad news:

Former Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy and his wife Sarah are to separate. A statement issued by the couple’s respective lawyers said it was “with great sadness” that they had decided to split.

“In doing so amicably, our ongoing and overriding priority will obviously remain our son,” it went on. “We wish this to remain an entirely private family matter.”

Mr Kennedy married Sarah Gurling in 2002 and their son, Donald, was born during the 2005 general election campaign while he was still party leader.

Posted in News | Tagged | 7 Comments
The Voice

Vince’s verdict on the Tories: “I’ve been pleasantly surprised that they’re not as I’d envisaged them”

By The Voice | Mon 9th August 2010 - 5:15 pm

There’s a fascinating interview of Lib Dem business secretary Vince Cable by Decca Aitkenhead in today’s Guardian (much more revealing than yesterday’s in the Telegraph).

As ever with Vince, there are some great one-liners – and, more importantly, a very down-to-earth and honest assessment of his work and that of the Coalition.

Vince on continuing to travel by Tube:

I don’t feel comfortable with luxury, and I try to stay fairly normal. I mean, the first week I became a minister I discovered that there were ministerial cars and Jaguars and all this kind of thing, but I very quickly

…

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Posted in News | Tagged | 57 Comments
The Voice

Wlliams: RBS must use profits to help struggling businesses

By The Voice | Sat 7th August 2010 - 12:55 pm

RBS is the latest British bank to return to profit, with the 84% state-owned bank reporting a first-half pre-tax profit of £1.14bn yesterday. This prompted Co-Chair of the Liberal Democrat Treasury Policy Committee, Stephen Williams, to make call for RBS to make greater efforts to assist UK firms:

RBS is almost entirely owned by the taxpayer, so these huge profits must be used for the national interest and not just to pay massive bonuses to senior staff. There is no excuse for RBS not to loan to good British companies that are struggling to get credit. We cannot simply allow

…

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The Voice

What Lembit did next

By The Voice | Fri 6th August 2010 - 9:45 pm

First there was the venture into stand-up comedy. Then there was the throwing of his hat into the London mayoralty ring. And now he has a new job: as a presenter on Press TV, a 24-hour English language global news network owned by the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting.

The Telegraph reports:

The 45-year-old former member for Montgomeryshire is presenting a show called A Simple Question. … “It is necessary for me to work. I don’t see that Press TV is ‘controversial’: that is to pass judgment and it is not for one media organisation to pass judgment

…

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Posted in News | Tagged and | 14 Comments
The Voice

Sarah Teather pays tribute to Lib Dem volunteer killed in lorry accident

By The Voice | Tue 3rd August 2010 - 6:40 pm

The Standard reports:

Children’s minister Sarah Teather today paid tribute to a Liberal Democrat party volunteer who died after he was hit by a lorry near his home.

Library assistant Ismaeel Ebrahimsa, 29, was walking in Cricklewood when he was hit by the vehicle at lunchtime on July 22.

He had been active in local politics for years and helped Ms Teather fight two general election campaigns, most recently for Brent Central in May.

Sarah Teather said,

Ismaeel was a lovely young man who worked hard for his community and really cared about the area where he lived. He was very interested in

…

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The Voice

“Private sector will build nuclear plants,” says Huhne

By The Voice | Mon 2nd August 2010 - 10:30 am

The BBC reports:

New nuclear plants will be built in the UK as part of the move towards a green economy, Energy Secretary Chris Huhne has said.

Mr Huhne told the BBC that breaking the dependence on traditional fossil fuels was vital. The minister said the market would decide which types of low-carbon energy would be used, but he believes nuclear investors are waiting to come forward.

He ruled out specific government subsidies for the new power stations.

Chris was speaking on the BBC1’s Andrew Marr programme, Sunday AM, and confirmed:

My position and my party’s position was always one

…

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Posted in News | Tagged , , and | 19 Comments
The Voice

LDV readers say: Tax Capital Gains and Income at the same level

By The Voice | Sun 1st August 2010 - 12:25 pm

LDV posed the question last month (even before the Osborne/Alexander austerity emergency budget): Do you believe that as a matter of principle capital gains should generally be taxed at the same level as income?

Here’s what you told us:

    68% (946 votes) – Yes
    27% (371) – No
    6% (80) – Don’t know
    Total Votes: 1397, Poll ran: 10th June – 31st July, 2010

If you missed it at the time, it’s well worth having a read of the comments thread.

Posted in Voice polls | Tagged and | 11 Comments
The Voice

BBC: Coalition faces Lib Dem revolt on free schools

By The Voice | Sat 31st July 2010 - 11:15 am

Michael Crick reported for BBC2’s Newsnight on a potentially controversial debate at this September’s Lib Dem conference:

September’s Lib Dem conference in Liverpool will be a pretty tame affair, I predict, since most Liberal Democrats are still on cloud nine over the fact they are now in government for the first time in 65 years.

The biggest controversy, I reckon, could well be over a motion denouncing Michael Gove’s radical policies on free schools and academies. The resolution has been specifically picked by Lib Dem conference organisers for a substantial debate.

First, it calls for local councils to keep their role in the “oversight” of the provision of state schools. This is quite contrary to Gove’s strategy of greatly reducing local authority involvement in education. And second, the resolution urges Liberal Democrats not to get involved in Michael Gove’s cherished new policy of free schools.

Given how important local councillors are in the structure of the Liberal Democrat Party and the prevalence of teachers in the party, there must be a pretty good chance that the motion will be passed.

You can watch the 5-minute report here:

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Posted in Conference | Tagged , and | 31 Comments
The Voice

Ming: Trident must be included in Strategic Defence Review

By The Voice | Fri 30th July 2010 - 3:02 pm

A press release arrives in the Lib Dem Voice in-tray:

Commenting on George Osborne’s announcement that the Ministry of Defence will be responsible for the cost of replacing Trident, Liberal Democrat MP, Sir Menzies Campbell said:

“This confirmation of what had already been predicted makes it essential that the case for like-for-like replacement of Trident should, as the Liberal Democrats have agreed, be part of the Strategic Defence Review.

“How can you possibly take on such a large financial commitment as Trident without considering the military and political implications?

“If fierce cuts are to be made in Britain’s conventional forces, surely we have

…

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Posted in News | Tagged and | 24 Comments
The Voice

Total Politics best blog poll 2010: voting ends tomorrow!

By The Voice | Fri 30th July 2010 - 1:51 pm

A final reminder that time is running out: voting ends tomorrow in the Total Politics Blog Award… We hope readers may be inclined to list Lib Dem Voice somewhere, alongside many of the other fabulous Lib Dem blogging talent listed on Ryan Cullen’s Aggregator.

It’s that time of year again, when Total Politics asks you to vote for your Top 10 favourite blogs. This is the fifth year of the poll. The votes will be compiled and included in the forthcoming book, the Total Politics Guide to Blogging 2010-11, which will be published in September. For the second year running, …

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The Voice

Hughes attacks Labour’s “naked opportunism” in opposing vote reform bill

By The Voice | Wed 28th July 2010 - 4:10 pm

Lib Dem deputy leader Simon Hughes has not minced his words in decrying Labour’s decision to vote against the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill, which would allow a referendum on electoral reform:

This is staggering hypocrisy from Labour. Labour’s shadow cabinet decision is not about principle, it is about naked opportunism. With most of their leadership contenders claiming to back AV for a fairer voting system, it is astonishing they now wish to block the legislation to make that happen.

“Each and every Labour MP campaigned on a manifesto committing to a referendum. Now they have the opportunity to make

…

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Posted in News | Tagged , and | 76 Comments
The Voice

Farron: “damning” evidence that Labour neglected Armed Forces

By The Voice | Tue 27th July 2010 - 6:25 pm

A memo released by the Iraq Inquiry today by Lieutenant General Sir Nicholas Houghton, then-Chief of Joint Operations at the military’s Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ) to Ministers, shows that Labour ministers were formally warned that the military needed an alternative to the Snatch Land Rover in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Tim Farron, Co-Chair of the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Committee for Foreign Affairs & Defence, comments:

This is yet another damning sign that the Labour Government ignored advice from its top military officials on their equipment needs. “As we long suspected, generals told ministers that they needed better equipment to protect

…

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Posted in News | Tagged and | 5 Comments
The Voice

Total Politics Best Blog Poll 2010: last week to vote!

By The Voice | Mon 26th July 2010 - 7:45 am

A gentle reminder to our readers of the fast-approaching deadline … We hope readers may be inclined to list Lib Dem Voice somewhere, alongside many of the other fabulous Lib Dem blogging talent listed on Ryan Cullen’s Aggregator.

It’s that time of year again, when Total Politics asks you to vote for your Top 10 favourite blogs. This is the fifth year of the poll. The votes will be compiled and included in the forthcoming book, the Total Politics Guide to Blogging 2010-11, which will be published in September. For the second year running, the poll is being promoted/sponsored by …

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The Voice

Clegg: I’m not apologising for calling the Iraq war illegal

By The Voice | Sat 24th July 2010 - 5:45 pm

Nick Clegg has hit back at attacks on the coalition and media suggestions that he ‘gaffed’ by terming the Iraq war illegal during Prime Minister’s Questions this week.

In an interview for Channel 4 News following his ‘Nick Clegg meets’ session in Oxfordshire this afternoon, Nick comments on the coalition:

… when you do something new, in politics as much as in any other walk of life, of course people are going to react against it and say: ‘I prefer the old way, I think this isn’t going to work’. And of course you get that in both parties, Conservative and Liberal Democrat. I think it would be more suprising if there was not a ripple of anxiety across both parties. People will always come up with interesting ways to describe the coalition – some flattering and some not so. Of course it’s important in any colaiton that the people at the top know how to work together, but it’s a partnership government.”

And has this to say about his labelling of the Iraq war as illegal:

It was quite obvious to anyone outside the slightly odd world of Westminster that what I was doing was repeating something about which I have strong personal views in a way that wasn’t binding on the government as a whole.

You can watch the interview here:

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Posted in News | Tagged | 16 Comments
The Voice

Mark Valladares’s day as guest editor

By The Voice | Fri 23rd July 2010 - 12:07 am

A big thanks goes from all at The Voice to Mark Valladares for commissioning and writing all of today’s content on the theme of the House of Lords.

For posterity, here is a list of the posts that featured today as a result:

…

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The Voice

Lib Dem Tim Farron leads campaign for charities VAT exemption

By The Voice | Wed 21st July 2010 - 11:12 pm

Third Sector reports:

A Liberal Democrat MP is campaigning to win exemptions from fuel tax and VAT for mountain and cave rescue teams. Tim Farron, the party’s MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale, wants the coalition government to provide rescue teams with a VAT refund each year – a policy that was part of the Liberal Democrat manifesto.

“We’re hopeful,” said a spokesman for Farron. “We’re still awaiting a response from the Treasury, but this is something we can make a strong case for. These are emergency services, and they should be treated differently.”

Andy Simpson, a volunteer with Mountain Rescue, said that

…

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Posted in News | Tagged , and | 4 Comments
The Voice

Labour misled Britain over Iraq role in terror threat – Farron

By The Voice | Tue 20th July 2010 - 6:38 pm

A party news release hits The Voice’s inbox:

Commenting on Eliza Manningham-Buller’s evidence to the Chilcot Inquiry, in which she said the conflict in Iraq ‘substantially’ increased the threat to the UK from international terrorism, Co-Chair of the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence, Tim Farron said:

“This is a shattering blow for Labour’s claim that the Iraq war did not increase the terrorist threat to Britain.

“We already knew that this was a disastrous war for our own brave service personnel and hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians. Now we have the head of MI5 at the time saying …

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Posted in News | Tagged , and | 17 Comments
The Voice

Tessa Munt denies council tax claims from Mail on Sunday

By The Voice | Mon 19th July 2010 - 10:07 pm

The BBC reports:

Wells MP Tessa Munt has denied any wrongdoing after a national newspaper reported allegations that she falsely claimed a council tax discount.

It is alleged that the Liberal Democrat MP was sharing her home with broadcaster Andy Kershaw and a GP while claiming the discount for living alone.

Ms Munt said: “Neither of these two people were living with me.” …

Ms Munt said that the Mail on Sunday newspaper had “muddled the difference between council tax and electoral registration”.

She said both Mr Kershaw and the GP, John Laband, were registered to vote at her address as they did not

…

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Posted in News | Tagged and | 25 Comments
The Voice

Can you help Dr Huppert improve Lib Dem policy on IT & the Internet

By The Voice | Fri 16th July 2010 - 2:59 pm

The Federal Policy Committee is setting up a Policy Working Group on Information Technology and Intellectual Property, to be chaired by Dr Julian Huppert MP.

The working group will review all aspects of policy on IT and the internet. It will be necessary to give significant attention to intellectual property issues, with particular attention to their application to the digital economy.

The group will take forward the issues raised by the conference motion Freedom, Creativity and the Internet adopted by the Spring Conference 2010.

Party members interested in joining the group should contact Debbie Enever on [email protected] for more details. …

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Posted in Party policy and internal matters | Tagged and | 3 Comments
The Voice

Vince Cable’s speech on higher education funding

By The Voice | Thu 15th July 2010 - 6:24 pm

Vince Cable, Lib Dem secretary of state for business, innovation and skills, today delivered his much-trailed speech on higher education funding. The full text was published on the department’s website, and is reproduced below. A shorter version appears on the Lib Dems’ website here.

This is my first attempt to set out my views on the university, and wider, HE sector and my aspirations for it. The background is a very sombre and difficult one, financially. Without doubt the most serious within living memory. David Willetts and I are working together to find a way of dealing with it.

Much

…

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The Voice

Lord Ashdown to lead review of emergency aid

By The Voice | Wed 14th July 2010 - 8:55 pm

The party website reports the news:

A review of how the Government responds to disasters such as the Haiti earthquake will be led by former Liberal Democrat leader Lord Ashdown, it was announced today.

Lord Ashdown will lead a taskforce of humanitarian experts from inside and outside Government to review all aspects of how the UK Government responds to disasters and work with the international community to speed up the delivery of aid.

The review will also look at how the UK can best work with international bodies and UN agencies in emergency situations and to ensure that the global response to

…

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