Author Archives: The Voice

Lib Dems in Newcastle in “brave, bold, commendable” intervention in housing market

By The Voice | Fri 29th August 2008 - 2:26 pm

The Newcastle Journal has the full story of the Lib Dem city council’s move to buy up private sector housing to avert a property slump, and increase the supply of affordable rental housing:

Newcastle City Council is buying 15 houses as the first step in a move to help stave off the property slump. The authority will become the first in the country to take direct action in the private sector as the housing market crash gathers pace. The homes are on a new development which would go bust without the vital council cash to shore it up. Bosses hope

…

Posted in Local government | 37 Comments

US Presidential election breakfast

By The Voice | Thu 28th August 2008 - 5:55 pm

In November, the Welsh European Election Campaign is holding a fundraising breakfast at the National Liberal Club (Whitehall Place, London) to see the US Presidential election results come in. Starting at 8am and going on until about 11am, individual tickets cost £25 (or five tickets for £100). More details or tickets from Roger Robers on 01492 876 690.

Posted in LDVUSA | 7 Comments

At the next election the unique appeal of the Liberal Democrats will be…

By The Voice | Wed 27th August 2008 - 11:08 pm

Find out how Chris Rennard completed this sentence in an interview over on PoliticalBetting with himself and Ed Davey.

Posted in News | Tagged chris rennard | 32 Comments

Ros Scott for Party President campaign to go live 1st September

By The Voice | Wed 27th August 2008 - 12:41 pm

An email drops into The Voice inbox alerting us to the news that Baroness Ros Scott’s campaign for Lib Dem Party President will officially be launched on 1st September:

The I’m4Ros website goes live on 1st September – Ros is kicking off the opening of nominations with a campaigning trip to Kingston.

Two other names have been mentioned in connection with the post of President – from which Simon Hughes is soon to step down after serving the maximum four years – for which any party member is eligible to stand: Lembit Öpik MP and Huddersfield councillor John Smithson. No news …

Posted in News | Tagged ros scott | 3 Comments

Party finances in Scotland

By The Voice | Wed 20th August 2008 - 9:40 am

Via Liberal England:

An alarming story from The Herald:

Scottish Liberal Democrats have been warned by their auditors that … it may be deemed, in accounting terms, to be no longer a going concern, after nearly a tenth of its expenditure last year was not met by income…

But, as the Herald points out, other Scottish parties are equally precariously placed but have not received such warnings.

Posted in News | 2 Comments

Conservative Party chair in new expenses row

By The Voice | Sun 17th August 2008 - 11:55 am

Via News of the World:

TOP Tory Caroline Spelman—already under investigation for paying her nanny from public funds—was last night embroiled in a NEW £100,000 cash row.

For the Conservative Party chairman used taxpayers’ cash to pay her top aide, DESPITE him undertaking party political work.

Posted in News | 2 Comments

What’s the party up to? Peter Riddell thinks he knows

By The Voice | Wed 13th August 2008 - 1:55 pm

Peter Riddell writes today,

If you want to understand what the Liberal Democrats are up to, look outside London. Over the past fortnight several local papers have published almost identical stories in which the Lib Dems say that they are shifting resources to target Labour seats in their area. Nick Clegg is quoted as saying that if only x voters shift from Labour to the Lib Dems (usually less than 10 per cent), they will win Swansea West, Derby North, Hull North, Norwich South, Liverpool Wavertree, Warrington South, City of Durham, Blaydon, Newcastle North

…

Posted in News | Tagged tfl | 4 Comments

John Macdougall MP dies

By The Voice | Wed 13th August 2008 - 10:34 am

John Macdougall, Labour MP for Glenrothes in Fife, has died from cancer of the lungs. The Press Association has a biography here. Our sympathies are with his family and friends.

Posted in News and Parliamentary by-elections | Tagged glenrothes by-election | 5 Comments

Michael Brown trial to go ahead

By The Voice | Mon 11th August 2008 - 9:56 pm

Via the BBC:

A former donor to the Liberal Democrats is to be tried for fraud in his absence after he skipped bail.

A warrant was issued last month for the arrest of businessman Michael Brown, whose firm gave more than £2m to the Liberal Democrats.

Posted in News | 6 Comments

Vote for us someone by midnight tomorrow

By The Voice | Thu 7th August 2008 - 6:55 pm

Voting in Total Politics / Iain Dale’s Top 100 UK Political Blogs closes at midnight tomorrow (Friday). We’ve discussed the competition before, but if you are intending to vote – hurry up and get your vote in.

Posted in News | Tagged iain dale and total politics | 2 Comments

Liberal Democrat Voice says, the party acts…

By The Voice | Thu 7th August 2008 - 4:10 pm

In May Liberal Democrat Voice carried a piece from Lynne Featherstone about the lessons from May’s elections, in which she laid out five challenges for the party including,

We should ensure that we have at least a modest local internet presence covering every part of the country, helping point the public at more news about the party, how to join, how to get in touch with the local team etc. With the number of existing sources of news and information about the Liberal Democrats, I am sure it can’t be beyond the wit of a clever programmer or two to be able to put together an effective mini-site system that covers our internet black holes at a minimum of cost and effort.

A few days ago the following email went out to local parties:

We have agreed a deal to put in place a local website for every party of the country which does not have its own local Liberal Democrat website.

This deal, with Prater Raines Ltd , will mean that wherever someone lives in the country, they can find the Liberal Democrats easily on the internet and get informed and involved. It will also mean that the party’s campaign buttons and films are much more widely publicised around the internet.

Where a local party does not have a website (e.g. because it is very small and has not been able to afford one or find a suitable volunteer) this deal will ensure that there is a simple, professional looking site. It will contain relevant local contact details, as used currently on www.libdems.org.uk, along with up to date news about the party and its campaigns.The party will also provide an appropriate local web address for each of these sites that can be used in any local activity to help promote it.

Posted in Online politics | Tagged prater raines | 4 Comments

Everything you ever wanted to know about LDV’s Stephen Tall…

By The Voice | Thu 7th August 2008 - 1:50 pm

… Is over at Total Politics’ Daily Politico Q&A here. Find out about Stephen’s childhood links to Michael Foot, what he would have been doing in 1940, why he has no hobbies, and much more.

Posted in News | Tagged total politics | Leave a comment

Party elections: it’s that time again

By The Voice | Thu 7th August 2008 - 11:20 am

Nomination papers will be available next week for the party’s biennial internal elections.

The committees up for election are the Federal Executive, the Federal Policy Committee, the Federal Conference Committee and the International Relations Comittee. Also up for election are the delegation to the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party, and there’s the Interim Peers List Top-Up Election to choose 30 new potential peers (because we believe in an elected Lords). The electorate for these elections is made up of voting representatives to Federal Conference.

There’s find more information about the elections and the timetable on the party website. There are …

Posted in News | 5 Comments

Leadership election news

By The Voice | Wed 6th August 2008 - 9:32 am

In Wales: While Brecon and Radnorshire AM Kirsty Williams and Cardiff Central AM Jenny Randerson remain favourites, North Wales AM Eleanor Burnham launched her bid by promoting herself as a candidate best-placed to reconnect with Welsh speakers in the north.

In Scotland: Three weeks today the new Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats will be unveiled.

Posted in Scotland and Wales | Tagged kirsty williams | 7 Comments

Nick Clegg’s summer message

By The Voice | Tue 29th July 2008 - 2:34 pm

Courtesy of the party website, here’s a video of Nick Clegg’s summer message to Liberal Democrats:

Posted in Lib Dem TV and News | 48 Comments

Russell Johnston RIP

By The Voice | Mon 28th July 2008 - 11:58 am

A number of senior Lib Dem figures have paid their tributes to Russell Johnston, who served the party both as an MP and peer, and in so many other ways:

Former Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy MP said:

I was deeply saddened to learn of Russell’s passing. I have lost a great friend and mentor, going right back to my high school days, never mind later in the Houses of Parliament.

“It is no exaggeration to say that Russell changed the face of Highland politics with his completely new approach to constituency representation at that time. His ideas and initiatives were instrumental in the establishment of the original Highlands and Islands Development Board. His work kept the flame of Scottish Home Rule and Europeanism alive through their darkest hours.

“A massive political presence has passed – one which is quite irreplaceable. My heartfelt sympathies go out to Joan and to the entire family.”

Posted in News | Tagged charles kennedy | 6 Comments

Calling all young Lib Dems: Meet the women and men who make the news

By The Voice | Sat 26th July 2008 - 3:40 pm

Journalists of the Press Gallery have started their annual search for the best young political writers of tomorrow in a competition designed to encourage students to voice their views on government and politics. The winners are invited to tour the Houses of Parliament and meet leading politicians and political journalists.

The topics for this year’s competition are:

Years 10-11: if you had half an hour to meet the Prime Minister, name one thing you would ask him to do to make Britain a better place, explaining why you think he should adopt your idea, and how …

Posted in Online politics | Leave a comment

Have you signed up for the Lib Dem conference yet?

By The Voice | Sat 26th July 2008 - 10:17 am

An email arrives at LDV Towers reminding party members that:

For those of you who have yet to register for the federal party conference in Bournemouth, please note the next price increase is fast approaching. Sign up before 31st July for the advance booker rate of £89. The late booker and on site registration rate will be £117, so make sure you catch this last-chance discount.

The agenda timetable will soon be on the website at www.libdems.org.uk/conference. Items not to be missed include:

o the ‘Make it Happen’ pre-manifesto debate
o the Leader’s Q&A hosted by Steve Richards of the Independent and
o the

…

Posted in Conference | 2 Comments

Are you a Lib Dem living in Cornwall?

By The Voice | Fri 25th July 2008 - 5:30 pm

If so, you might want to know that the Western Morning News – the south-west’s regional newspaper – is holding a readers’ Q&A event with David Cameron in Cornwall next week.

Do you have a question for Dave? Perhaps: “What did you really think when David Davis told you he was resigning?” Or “How are you getting around without your bike, with only a chauffeur-driven car to rely on?” You can attend in person or submit questions online. Full details here.

Posted in Online politics | Leave a comment

Obama in Berlin: “This is the moment”

By The Voice | Fri 25th July 2008 - 12:02 am

The Democratic candidate for President addresses a crowd of ~~100,000~~, ~~200,000~~, ~~1,000,000~~ who-knows-how-many? in the German capital city. All 25 minutes are here for your viewing delectation:

Posted in LDVUSA | 2 Comments

Everything you ever wanted to know about LDV’s Mark Pack…

By The Voice | Wed 23rd July 2008 - 1:28 pm

… Is over at Total Politics’ Daily Politico Q&A here. Whether you want to know about his favourite dish, his unusual hobbies or his political hate figure – all that and much, much more is revealed.

Posted in News and Online politics | Tagged total politics | 8 Comments

Government minister: we may still introduce the big, mad database

By The Voice | Thu 17th July 2008 - 6:03 pm

Coruscating criticism from the Information Commission of the idea of putting together a huge new database of all our emails, mobile calls and internet use hasn’t put Labour off the idea.

Instead government minister Lord West has told Parliament that, “it is very early days as to where we go on this.” In other words – we are still thinking about going ahead with this.

And therefore – we need to keep up the pressure on this issue. It’s very easy to write to your MP, and here again are our top four arguments you can use:

1. It would be a huge …

Posted in Big mad database | 1 Comment

BBC: Vince on inflation rise

By The Voice | Wed 16th July 2008 - 7:13 pm

Question: when was the last time the BBC felt able feature a headline, Lib Dems on inflation rise, and know it would be taken seriously? Thanks to the party’s shadow chancellor, Vince Cable, the BBC News Politics site has been prominently featuring a talking head from Vince for the last day. And well worth watching it is, too.

Posted in News | 2 Comments

Alan Beith to publish his View from the North

By The Voice | Wed 9th July 2008 - 5:42 pm

Sir Alan Beith, the longest-serving Liberal Democrat MP, is to launch his autobiography Alan Beith: A View from the North at this autumn’s party conference in Bournemouth.

We’re promised that the book will include the Lib-Lab pact of the late 1970s, Paddy Ashdown’s years at the head of the party, and Sir Alan’s work overseeing the intelligence and security services over more than a decade.

It will also cover his experiences over 35 years as MP for England’s northernmost constituency, the philosophy of Liberalism and the …

Posted in News | Tagged alan beith | 1 Comment

It’s a three-way contest for next Scottish Lib Dem leader

By The Voice | Tue 8th July 2008 - 12:05 pm

Following Nicol Stephen’s surprise resignation as leader of the Scottish Lib Dems, three MSPs have declared their intent to succeed him, according to today’s papers. Here’s The Times:

Tavish Scott, the former Transport Minister, who is widely tipped as the favourite to replace Nicol Stephen as leader, formally announced his bid only hours after the former Rural Affairs Minister, Ross Finnie, made it clear he too was running. … Mr Scott, who is close to Mr Stephen, has won the backing of six of the party’s MSPs and five MPs. He also enjoys the support of the former UK party

…

Posted in Leadership Election | Tagged Ming Campbell, nicol stephen and tavish scott | 1 Comment

In his own words: Tory David Maclean on MPs’ pay

By The Voice | Fri 4th July 2008 - 6:09 pm

An extract from the Hansard transcript of yesterday’s debate on MPs’ pay and expenses:

David Maclean (Penrith and The Border) (Con):

I have been a Member of the House for 25 years. I have been privileged to be a Minister under Prime Minister Thatcher and under Prime Minister Major. I have taken pay freezes, pay standstills, pay cuts and pay deferments, and a fat lot of good it did for the respect in which Parliament or Ministers at the time were held. Whether or not Prime Minister Thatcher had a pay policy — I am certain she never did — we …

Posted in News and Parliament | 10 Comments

Ian Robertson selected for Glasgow East

By The Voice | Thu 3rd July 2008 - 4:27 pm

Glasgow Liberal Democrats have chosen local teacher Ian Robertson to be the party’s candidate in the parliamentary by-election on July 24th.

The full press release is on the Glasgow East Liberal Democrats website.

Posted in News and Parliamentary by-elections | Tagged glasgow east by-election | Leave a comment

Manchester Labour councillors plan secret underground car park “in the interest of democracy”

By The Voice | Thu 3rd July 2008 - 2:09 pm

The Manchester Evening News reports:

PRO-CONGESTION charge councillors are planning to build themselves a private underground car park in the city centre. Senior Labour councillors – who are backing the toll in exchange for a massive expansion of public transport – want to tunnel next to the town hall to provide spaces for the 96 elected members, a handful of top officials and approved visitors. Ironically the car park bunker, under the Peace Gardens, would be only a few yards from one of Manchester’s main tram stops in St Peter’s Square.

… Bernard Priest, Labour’s finance chief and the man

…

Posted in Local government and News | 6 Comments

Peter Hain file passed to prosecutors

By The Voice | Wed 2nd July 2008 - 10:44 pm

As The Guardian reports:

The Metropolitan police handed a file to the Crown Prosecution Service following an inquiry into late declarations to his campaign for the deputy leadership of the Labour party.

Hain today put any inconsistencies down to an “innocent mistake” and said he had provided police “with all the information they might need”…

A Metropolitan police spokesman said that the CPS would “advise us on whether any further enquiries are necessary and whether any charges should be brought”.

Hain quit as work and pensions secretary in January after the Electoral Commission referred his late declaration of donations to the police following

…

Posted in News | Tagged electoral commission and peter hain | 1 Comment

Nicol Stephen resigns as Scottish leader

By The Voice | Wed 2nd July 2008 - 10:37 pm

As the BBC reports:

The former Scottish deputy first minister said the stresses and strains the job placed on his family life had become too great.

However, he will remain as the MSP for Aberdeen South…

Mr Stephen, who has four children aged between four and 12, said in a statement that family now had to take priority.

“Everyone involved in politics knows that there are stresses and strains on family life. But when it goes beyond that, when it crosses a line, something has to be done.”

“And at that stage – when you have to make a choice between family and politics

…

Posted in Scotland | Tagged nicol stephen | 14 Comments

Op-eds

Reform donations row shows how facts get trampled at Westminster (David Vigar)
The Independent View: Turning back the tide on free speech (Jack Coulson)
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)

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Bobby Dean MP writes: The resilient state

Sarah Olney bids to become candidate for Mayor of London

Going for four in a row in Scotland

Observations of an Expat: Canada

Author Archives: The Voice

Lib Dems in Newcastle in “brave, bold, commendable” intervention in housing market

US Presidential election breakfast

At the next election the unique appeal of the Liberal Democrats will be…

Ros Scott for Party President campaign to go live 1st September

Party finances in Scotland

Conservative Party chair in new expenses row

What’s the party up to? Peter Riddell thinks he knows

John Macdougall MP dies

Michael Brown trial to go ahead

Vote for us someone by midnight tomorrow

Liberal Democrat Voice says, the party acts…

Everything you ever wanted to know about LDV’s Stephen Tall…

Party elections: it’s that time again

Leadership election news

Nick Clegg’s summer message

Russell Johnston RIP

Calling all young Lib Dems: Meet the women and men who make the news

Have you signed up for the Lib Dem conference yet?

Are you a Lib Dem living in Cornwall?

Obama in Berlin: “This is the moment”

Everything you ever wanted to know about LDV’s Mark Pack…

Government minister: we may still introduce the big, mad database

BBC: Vince on inflation rise

Alan Beith to publish his View from the North

It’s a three-way contest for next Scottish Lib Dem leader

In his own words: Tory David Maclean on MPs’ pay

Ian Robertson selected for Glasgow East

Manchester Labour councillors plan secret underground car park “in the interest of democracy”

Peter Hain file passed to prosecutors

Nicol Stephen resigns as Scottish leader

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Bobby Dean MP writes: The resilient state

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Observations of an Expat: Canada

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