Author Archives: The Voice

LDV’s weekend round-up (17-18 Oct ’09)

By The Voice | Mon 19th October 2009 - 9:55 am

Busy this weekend? Didn’t get chance to read Lib Dem Voice? Here’s your ~~cut-out-and-keep guide~~ easily clickable digest of the 19 articles we published …

The LDV Friday Five (ish): 16/10/09 (3) by Stephen Tall
Members of the public who believe Lib Dem MPs behaved worst over expenses? ZERO PER CENT (11) by Stephen Tall
What’s the best blogging platform for new bloggers? (10) by Mat Bowles
Chris Huhne writes … Geert Wilders is best ignored (12) by Chris Huhne MP
MPs expenses: some MPs still don’t get it (3) by Mark Pack
…

Posted in News | Leave a comment

Glasgow North East Lib Dems launch by-election campaign

By The Voice | Thu 15th October 2009 - 6:20 pm

From the BBC:

The Scottish Liberal Democrats have launched their campaign for the Glasgow North East Westminster by-election. Former social worker Eileen Baxendale, 64, will fight the seat which was left vacant by the resignation of former Commons Speaker Michael Martin.

Ms Baxendale said she could give people “something different” and it was “a disgrace” the constituency had been without an MP for 115 days. The by-election has been scheduled to take place on 12 November.

The Lib Dem campaign was launched by Scots leader Tavish Scott, who said his party was the only one with “proposals for real change”.

…

Nick’s Commons statement on Afghanistan

By The Voice | Wed 14th October 2009 - 3:30 pm

The BBC reports on Gordon Brown’s statement today to the House of Commons on the situation in Afghanistan:

Gordon Brown has announced plans to send 500 more troops to Afghanistan – but only if key conditions are met. The troops will be sent as long as they have the necessary equipment, if other Nato allies boost their troop numbers and more Afghan soldiers are trained. …

There are currently about 9,000 UK troops stationed in Afghanistan. There are also 150 reserve troops in the country which the Ministry of Defence said would be available for further temporary deployments.

Below is the text of Nick Clegg’s statement in response:

We on these benches have argued that we cannot continue to fight this war on half-horsepower with half-measures and half-baked thinking. Time is running out for the mission in Afghanistan and we need a radical change in direction.

Posted in Parliament | Tagged afghanistan, gordon brown and nick clegg | 2 Comments

CommentIsLinked@LDV … Nick Clegg: Sir Thomas Legg must re-open MPs’ expenses files

By The Voice | Wed 14th October 2009 - 2:30 pm

Over at the Daily Telegraph, Nick Clegg urges Sir Thomas Legg – heading the Parliamentary inquiry into MPs’ expenses – to go further than he has to date, and “take on the biggest abusers of the expenses regime”. Here’s an excerpt:

’ve instructed Liberal Democrat MPs to cooperate fully with Sir Thomas’ investigations, and abide by any reasonable requests for repayments. But when the Legg process was first announced, I think most people expected the worst offences to come under the toughest scrutiny – MPs who avoided Capital Gains Tax, claimed cash for mortgages that didn’t exist or ‘flipped’ their second home so they could claim for renovations on house after house. Legg’s review, which is still ongoing, will simply not be credible if it doesn’t do all it can to investigate these offences.

Posted in LibLink | Tagged mps expenses, nick clegg and thomas legg | 18 Comments

Lib Dem MP: Where’s my nearest railway station? In Norway.

By The Voice | Tue 13th October 2009 - 9:50 am

The Voice enjoyed this snippet from Hugh Muir’s diary in today’s Guardian:

Alistair Carmichael, the Liberal Democrat MP for the distant seat of Orkney and Shetland, received a parliamentary travel expenses form, which asked: “What is your nearest mainline railway station?” He contacted the Fees Office to explain that his constituency is in the middle of the North Sea but was told he had to answer. OK then, he said: Oslo. The member for Smarty-pants west.

Posted in News | Tagged Alistair Carmichael, hugh muir and mps expenses | 9 Comments

The LDV Saturday caption competition – Vince ‘n’ Paddy

By The Voice | Sat 10th October 2009 - 8:45 am

There’s no prize at stake – just the opportunity to prove you’re wittier than any other LDV reader …

vince paddy

Here are veteran Lib Dem stars Vince Cable and Paddy Ashdown – but what do you imagine they might be thinking / saying?

Image: Alex Folkes/Fishnik Photography

Posted in Caption Comp | Tagged paddy ashdown and vince cable | 13 Comments

How you can help Liberal Democrat Voice

By The Voice | Thu 8th October 2009 - 1:50 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 great, 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 …

Posted in Site news | Leave a comment

Huhne urges Labour – “Restore hero cops’ pensions”

By The Voice | Wed 7th October 2009 - 7:45 pm

Thousands of police officers forced to retire after being injured in the line of duty face having their injury pensions cut back to minimum levels, research by the Lib Dems’ home office team has found.

Previously, officers were allocated an additional sum each year to compensate them for the injuries they received, even when they reached retirement age. However, since Home Office guidance was issued in 2004, many forces have reassessed officers when they have reached retirement age and reduced their injury awards to the lowest possible level. The Labour Government’s recent response to a consultation on this subject …

Posted in News | Tagged armed forces, chris huhne, military covenant and policing | 6 Comments

The LDV Saturday caption competition – Jo Swinson

By The Voice | Sat 3rd October 2009 - 8:45 am

There’s no prize at stake – just the opportunity to prove you’re wittier than any other LDV reader …

jo swinson

Here’s Lib Dem MP Jo Swinson putting across her point – but what might she be thinking / saying?

Image: Alex Folkes/ Fishnik Photography

Posted in Caption Comp | Tagged Jo Swinson | 8 Comments

Daily View 2×2: 30 September 2009

By The Voice | Wed 30th September 2009 - 9:05 am

Two big stories

Gordon’s speech to conference

It almost passed unnoticed in the blogosphere, but it seems Gordon Brown made some sort of speech yesterday.

As the Daily Express put it:

Brushing off reports he is a “dead man walking,” a deluded Brown gushed: “It’s our Britain that works best.”

Though Labour activists might prefer The Guardian’s take:

In a determined 59-minute speech to the party’s autumn conference in Brighton, the prime minister said the Conservatives had faced the “economic call of the century” and had called it wrong.

Polanski arrested

Roman Polanski had sex with a 13 year old girl 32 years ago, so is …

Posted in Daily View | Tagged gordon brown and vince cable | 9 Comments

‘Trial HIV vaccine cuts infection’ – Evan’s response

By The Voice | Fri 25th September 2009 - 12:20 pm

The BBC reports:

An experimental HIV vaccine has for the first time cut the risk of infection, researchers say. The vaccine – a combination of two earlier experimental vaccines – was given to 16,000 people in Thailand, in the largest ever such vaccine trial. Researchers found that it reduced by nearly a third the risk of contracting HIV, the virus that leads to Aids. Speaking at a news conference in Thailand, US ambassador to Thailand, Eric G. John, said the trial has “brought us one step closer to an HIV vaccine”.

Lib Dem shadow science minister Evan Harris has issued the following response:

The field of HIV vaccine research is littered with failures and disappointments. Ideas which look great on paper or in theory end up not giving protection against the virus in the real world. This is the first time that scientists have come close to making that leap, and it’s a real cause for hope.

“However, it would be premature to say this is a turning point.

Posted in News | Tagged evan harris, hiv/aids and NHS | 1 Comment

Trouble for Labour in Rochdale as former mayor quits party

By The Voice | Thu 24th September 2009 - 12:20 pm

Rochdale Labour party is in turmoil this week, after seven Labour members were disciplined for bringing the party into disrepute for calling for an investigation into allegations of domestic abuse by their parliamentary candidate, Simon Danczuk. The former mayor of Rochdale, Robin Parker, has now quit the party in protest at what he regards as a miscarriage of justice, describing the position of Mr Danczuk as Labour’s candidate as “untenable”.

Here’s an excerpt from the in-depth report at Rochdale Online:

Posted in News | Tagged paul rowen, robin parker, rochdale and simon danczuk | 1 Comment

RIP Tom Blumenau

By The Voice | Wed 23rd September 2009 - 6:22 pm

From the Guardian’s obituary:

Tom had a strong social conscience and a feeling of moral obligation towards both individuals and the wider community. He was a magistrate for 15 years, a founder member of the Social Democratic party (SDP) and active in the constituency party for the SDP and later for the Liberal Democrats. Arguably his most fulfilling work was with Amnesty International (of which, together with his wife, Eva, he was a founder member) and with its offspring, the Prisoner of Conscience Fund. He set up and later became the chairman of the St John’s Wood, London, branch of

…

Posted in Obituaries | Leave a comment

Daily View 2×2: 23 September 2009

By The Voice | Wed 23rd September 2009 - 9:00 am

2 Big Stories

Clegg faces frontbench dissent on cuts

The Independent reports:

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg faced a major test of his authority tonight as his own frontbenchers stepped up criticism of his plans for public spending cuts.

One senior Lib Dem MP even suggested Mr Clegg had still to prove himself as leader and needed to listen more to activists’ concerns.

French police clear Calais “Jungle”

The Times says:

French police moved to clear migrants out of their makeshift camp in Calais today amid screams, tears and fights with protesters.

Scuffles broke out as the camp, known as “the Jungle”, was emptied in

…

Posted in Daily View | 12 Comments

BBC report: “Clegg ‘to axe tuition fee pledge'”

By The Voice | Sat 19th September 2009 - 8:01 pm

The BBC is reporting that the party will drop its pledge to axe tuition fees.

Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg says he may be forced to scrap the party’s flagship policy of abolishing university tuition fees in England and Wales.

Mr Clegg will tell his party’s annual conference he has to be “realistic” about whether it is affordable given the country’s mountain of debt.

His analysis is backed up by the following quotes from Nick:

“I believe tuition fees are wrong, I believe they need to be abolished, I want to do it as soon as possible,” Mr Clegg will tell a rally

…

Posted in News | 21 Comments

Clegg: Labour insiders have asked us to fall in line

By The Voice | Fri 18th September 2009 - 11:05 pm

More material for Libdemologists, from the Telegraph:

The Lib Dem leader said that members of the Labour Party had approached his party looking for help in preventing the Tories taking power after the next election…

Mr Clegg, whose party begins its annual conference on Saturday in Bournemouth, said he will not take part in any alliance with Labour.

Read the full story here

Posted in News | Tagged nick clegg | 1 Comment

Nick Clegg: angry liberal

By The Voice | Fri 18th September 2009 - 7:25 pm

Drama and political passion over at the Jewish Chronicle, where Nick Clegg vows to Martin Bright that he will not silence controverial Lib Dem peer Baroness (Jenny) Tonge, whose outspoken comments on the Israeli-Palestine conflict have in the past landed her in hot water.

Nick Clegg is angry. No, it’s beyond angry. Incandescent almost gets it, but that still doesn’t capture the full fury of the man as he leans forward from his chair in the Liberal Democrat leader’s office in the House of Commons.

The accusation that Mr Clegg had failed to honour his commitment to act against the pro-Palestinian Lib

…

Posted in Europe / International | Tagged israel, jenny tonge, jewish chronicle, nick clegg and palestine | 5 Comments

Ladbrokes: “all the early money” goes on Lib Dems’ Dave Hodgson in Bedford mayoral election

By The Voice | Tue 15th September 2009 - 11:45 pm

An email drops into the Voice’s inbox from Ladbrokes to let us know their latest odds for the by-election for the directly-elected position of Mayor of Bedford. The betting firm has made the Tories favourites at 1/2, but the Lib Dems’ Dave Hodgson is a close second at odds of 2/1 – and Ladbrokes note:

your man Hodgson is attracting all the early money in Bedford!

Labour and the Independent candidates are also-rans in this election. So, guess what, folks? It’s a 2-horse race!

To find out more about Dave Hodgson’s campaign to become Lib Dem Mayor of Bedford click here. …

Posted in News | Tagged bedford and dave hodgson | 3 Comments

CommentIsLinked@LDV… Nick Clegg: Scotland needs to dare to be different

By The Voice | Mon 14th September 2009 - 1:20 pm

Over at Scotland on Sunday, Nick Clegg has an article arguing that “It’s the Liberal Democrats who have the record, the strength and the vision to change politics for good”. Here’s an excerpt:

It’s liberals who invented the state pension and the NHS, liberals who were first to campaign to protect the environment and liberals who first put concern for human rights into our foreign affairs. The Liberal Democrats are a pioneering party – the party of Charles Kennedy and Ming Campbell, who stood up against jeers and derision to campaign against the illegal invasion of Iraq. We led calls for

…

Posted in LibLink and Scotland | Tagged nick clegg | 1 Comment

Paul Twigger selected for Lib Dems in West Derby

By The Voice | Sun 13th September 2009 - 12:00 pm

ClickLiverpool.com has the story:

Cllr Paul Twigger has been unanimously selected by the Liberal Democrats to fight the next General election for the West Derby constituency. At 28, Paul Twigger will be one of the youngest prospective candidates to stand for the Lib Dems. Mr Twigger will go head to head with Labour’s Stephen Twigg in 2010 for the Parliamentary seat. … As well as being the city’s youngest councillor, Paul Twigger also works as a Field Officer for the charity Age Concern Liverpool, looking after some of Liverpool’s most vulnerable citizens.

Cllr Twigger said: “I am delighted to have been

…

Posted in Selection news | Tagged liverpool, paul twigger and west derby | 3 Comments

How you can help Liberal Democrat Voice

By The Voice | Mon 7th September 2009 - 5:35 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:

Posted in Site news | Leave a comment

The Indy’s Q&A with Lembit

By The Voice | Mon 7th September 2009 - 2:15 pm

Lib Dem MP Lembit Opik is the subject of The Independent’s ‘You ask the questions’ feature today. In it he tells readers:

about his leadership aspirations (he has none);

how he thinks Nick Clegg is doing better as leader than Lembit thought he would be doing;

describes the Liberal brand as “public-service orientated, slightly left-leaning and suspicious of authority. We’re sort of courteously anti-establishment.”

his views on the Megrahi realease;

he favours research on the legalisation of the prescription of hard drugs;

he’s pleased to have the chance to write a politicla column for the Daily Sport.

You can read the …

Posted in News | Tagged lembit opik | 3 Comments

Farron blasts as “ridiculous” Tory council’s refusal to protect allotments from vandals

By The Voice | Sat 5th September 2009 - 5:45 pm

The Mirror has the story:

Gardeners are so furious with their council they feel like throwing in their trowels. The growers have been banned from using barbed wire to deter allotment vandals – in case they hurt themselves.

Property at the Muddy Bottom East Allotment is being damaged up to three times a week. In one attack 15 sheds were smashed, water butts were overturned and taps were left running.

But when allotment holders asked Southampton council to put up the wire, it said no for fear of being sued. … Lib Dem environment spokesman Tim Farron said the decision was “ridiculous”.

Bizarrely,

…

Posted in Local government and News | Tagged southampton city council and tim farrant | 8 Comments

Nick and Paddy on Afghanistan

By The Voice | Sat 5th September 2009 - 4:55 pm

Yesterday saw Gordon Brown’s statement on the UK’s continuing involvement in Afghanistan, in which he defended the government’s strategy, and maintained its goals were “realistic and achievable”. It earned short shrift from Nick Clegg:

The situation in Afghanistan is on a knife-edge. Yet today we have heard little in the way of fresh, new thinking from Gordon Brown. After pursuing an overambitious and under-resourced strategy for eight years it’s hard to believe that increasing the training of the Afghan police and army will now do the trick. We need a bolder change of strategy to turn things around. When it comes to Afghanistan, we need to do things properly or not at all.

Posted in News | Tagged afghanistan, nick clegg and paddy ashdown | 4 Comments

Video: Don’t let the Tories airbrush history

By The Voice | Fri 4th September 2009 - 4:35 pm

Last week the Conservatives produced a video about their history and “greatest achievements.”

Now the Liberal Democrats have rebutted their “progressive” claims with: “Don’t let the Tories airbrush history” – pointing out a few things they missed.

Posted in Lib Dem TV | Tagged conservative party and YouTube | 7 Comments

Our Shirl on how Ted Kennedy inspired the UK’s minimum wage

By The Voice | Fri 4th September 2009 - 11:15 am

Lib Dem peer Shirley Williams has a letter in today’s Times looking at the role of Democratic senator Edward Kennedy – and herself – in promoting a national minimum wage in the UK:

I knew Ted Kennedy well as the chairman of the Senior Advisory Committee of the Institute of Politics at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government … In 1989 and 1990 I was acting director of the institute. … The Senator and his staff had done a good deal of research into the minimum wage, research that showed conclusively that in the US it had not damaged employment

…

Posted in News | Tagged edward kennedy and shirley williams | 3 Comments

Nick and Ming speak out on Megrahi

By The Voice | Wed 2nd September 2009 - 11:15 pm

Nick Clegg, who has publicly opposed the Scottish executive’s decision to release convicted Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali Al Megrahi, today responded to the news that Gordon Brown – who has remained silent about the case until today – let it be known to the Libyan authorities via his foreign office ministers that the Prime Minister did not want Mr Al Megrahi to die in prison:

The Foreign Secretary has now admitted that the British Government made its position on Megrahi’s release clear to the Libyans.

“It is now clear that Gordon Brown felt able to share his feelings with a power-crazed

…

Posted in News | Tagged abdelbaset ali al-megrahi, libya, Ming Campbell and nick clegg | 6 Comments

CommentIsLinked@LDV… Peter Black: Wales needs a holistic approach to mental health

By The Voice | Mon 31st August 2009 - 2:45 pm

Over at Wales Online, Lib Dem Welsh assembly member Peter Black, the party’s health spokesman, explains why an holistic approach to health-care is so vital. Here’s an excerpt:

Mental health and wellbeing services have historically been under-resourced in Wales and throughout the UK. Such a position is surprising given the incidence of debilitating mental health problems among the population. The figures are striking – one in four of us will suffer from a mental illness at some point in our lives, and one in seven will suffer to a sufficient degree to warrant therapeutic intervention at some level.

Posted in LibLink | Tagged NHS and peter black | Leave a comment

Sandra Gidley: sofa, so good?

By The Voice | Mon 31st August 2009 - 1:34 pm

Old school, analogue politics demanded that constituents turn up to their MPs’ offices for surgeries if they were seeking their Parliamentarian’s help. Then came street surgeries, when elected representatives turned up their residents’ doorsteps to solicit casework.

But Lib Dem Romsey MP Sandra Gidley has taken mobile surgery to a whole new level of comfort:

The Sofa will be travelling around the Romsey and Southampton North constituency with Sandra Gidley MP. Come to one of Sandra’s Sofa Surgeries, Sit on the Sofa with Sandra, and sign the I’ve Sat on Sandra’s Sofa visitor book.

Sandra’s sofa even has a website:

Posted in News | Tagged sandra gidley | 1 Comment

Nick Clegg publishes his message for Ramadan

By The Voice | Sun 30th August 2009 - 2:45 pm

You can find it as Muslim News – here’s an excerpt:

We in the Liberal Democrats have always championed religious tolerance, and we are proud of the diverse traditions in our country. We recognise the importance of the principle of Zakat to Muslims, especially at this time, and I deeply regret that Islam can be unfairly portrayed in many parts of the media especially when Muslim communities in this country do so much excellent charitable work.

The full article is here.

Posted in News | Tagged islam, muslim news, nick clegg and ramadan | 17 Comments

Op-eds

Britain has too much government and too little democratic power (James Dennison)
Foreign interference in British politics: How the Liberal Democrats man meet the challenge (Larry Ngan)
Mathew on Monday: It’s time to take big money out of British politics (Mathew Hulbert)
The liberalism we need: a platform for people to thrive and live their version of a best life (Josh Matthews)
Tom Arms’ World Review (Tom Arms)

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Author Archives: The Voice

LDV’s weekend round-up (17-18 Oct ’09)

Glasgow North East Lib Dems launch by-election campaign

Nick’s Commons statement on Afghanistan

CommentIsLinked@LDV … Nick Clegg: Sir Thomas Legg must re-open MPs’ expenses files

Lib Dem MP: Where’s my nearest railway station? In Norway.

The LDV Saturday caption competition – Vince ‘n’ Paddy

How you can help Liberal Democrat Voice

Huhne urges Labour – “Restore hero cops’ pensions”

The LDV Saturday caption competition – Jo Swinson