Author Archives: The Voice

EXCLUSIVE: Nick Clegg on Brexit and Scottish independence: Everybody loses

Nick Clegg talked earlier this week about the possibility of a second independence referendum in Scotland following the Brexit vote. This has been construed in some quarters as implied support of independence.  He has written to Scottish Liberal Democrat Leader Willie Rennie to enthusiastically endorse the position he has taken – that the Liberal Democrats will campaign to keep Scotland in both the UK and the EU. Independence, he says, would only compound the problems of Brexit meaning that everybody loses.

Here is his letter in full:

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Paddy Ashdown’s naughty thoughts

When you or I have naughty thoughts, we tend not to share them with 30,000 people. Paddy Ashdown on the other hand….

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What’s on in our Parliaments this week? 12-16 September 2016

Scottish Parliament 3What are our MPs, MSPs, MEPs and AM’s going to be talking about this coming week?

Holyrood

On Tuesday, MSPs hear a statement on how the SNP government intends to resolve the mess they’ve made on agricultural payments.

There is also a debate on housing. Given that the government moved the goalposts on house building and the number of houses built for social rent has fallen well below both need and target, there is a great deal of jelly to be nailed to the wall.

On Wednesday there is a debate on Brexit and the UK’s negotiating position.

Domestic abuse law comes under scrutiny on Thursday

The Senedd

The Welsh Assembly is back this week.

On Tuesday they will debate substance misuse, implications of Brexit and First Minister Carwyn Jones will face his first question session.

Wednesday is an opposition day, with Plaid, UKIP and the Tories each having an hour for debate on a subject of their choice.

Westminster

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

7 bestMany thanks to the 14,700  visitors who dropped by Lib Dem Voice this week. Here’s our 7 most-read posts…

Lib Dems GAIN council seat from Labour in Sheffield (24 comments) by Caron Lindsay

A bizarre, but welcome, loophole for students in the new BBC iPlayer licence rules (15 comments) by Paul Walter

Clegg in the Guardian: “Why on earth would you not want to try and do s**t?” (151 comments) by Caron Lindsay

Tim Farron MP writes…A Liberal Democrat plan for Britain in Europe  (72 comments) by Caron Lindsay

Tim Farron to launch Lib Dem plan for Britain in Europe (24 comments) by Caron Lindsay

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In Full: Kirsty Williams’ challenge to Welsh universities over Brexit

This week, Kirsty Williams, the Liberal Democrat Welsh Education Secretary, made a speech at Cardiff University about the challenges facing the sector caused by Brexit. She called on universities to strengthen their links to the community at this very difficult time. Here is her speech in full.

Prynhawn da pawb. Good afternoon everyone.

Thank you Colin, and many thanks to colleagues here at Cardiff University for hosting this event today.

It’s great to be here in the Postgraduate Teaching Centre, where professionals from industry and masters students mix and study in the same great location. It is a real state-of –the art facility, one which reflects ambitions to engage strongly with the local and global economy.

One of Cardiff University’s main purposes is to “contribute to the social, cultural and economic development of Wales”. It says so in the university charter (so it must be true…!)

Such civic ambition, in common with our other universities, was the product of a national, political and educational awakening.

As the Aberdare Committee of 1881 noted, there was a “widespread desire for a better education system in Wales” in the second half of the 19th century. The establishment of our own university colleges was central to the fulfilment of that desire.

I know that ambitions for an even better education system in Wales are shared, and demanded, across the country even now. Our national mission is to ensure that all citizens benefit from an equal opportunity to reach the highest standards. I am ambitious, and optimistic, about our collective ability to shape a system that is modern, excellent and innovative.

Universities are critical to that national mission. They should be open and outward-looking, connecting the civic, social and economic.

I want to take the opportunity today to share some thoughts on the role of universities as civic institutions.

  •   The challenge and necessity of civic engagement following the EU referendum;
  •   The role of universities as stewards of community, city and country;
  •   And the importance of innovation, a start-up culture and international links.

    Just before I move on, I’d like to congratulate the sector in Wales for achieving it’s highest-ever student satisfaction level in the National Student Survey last month – outperforming England in fact.

    Although we don’t take the narrow view of students as just a set of consumers, delivering the best possible student experience is a fundamental priority.

    BREXIT NEXT STEPS

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LibLink: Nick Clegg – Why Brexit, the junior doctors and Apple tax are all connected

Nick Clegg’s weekly column in the Evening Standard is back following the summer break, and in this week’s Nick sees a link between three of the big news stories of recent weeks:

The junior doctors’ dispute is in part a casualty of focus-group policy-making. The Conservatives discovered — unsurprisingly — that the public, when asked, want a “seven-day NHS”. So they entangled themselves in an increasingly bitter dispute to unpick the existing contractual arrangements governing junior doctors to deliver that promise, even though there is precious little evidence that the old contract was the impediment to a seven-day service in the first place.

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Willie Rennie: Lib Dems will provide a clear, hopeful, optimistic, moderate and progressive voice at Holyrood

Willie Rennie with Neil Slorance cartoonAs the new term starts at Holyrood, Willie Rennie writes to Scottish members to outline what he wants the Lib Dems to achieve. He plants the Lib Dem flag firmly in the pro EU, pro UK space, a unique position. The photo shows him with a framed copy of the brilliant cartoon of the party leaders by Neil Slorance, a reminder of the exuberance and humour of Willie’s Scottish Election campaign:

As the Scottish Parliament resumes after the summer break I want to set out my ambitions for the year ahead.

We return with a spring in our step after the results in the May elections that showed progress with gains from the SNP in Edinburgh and Fife and whopping big majorities in the Northern Isles.  It is now our job to spread that success across the country, starting with the council elections next May.

Just as I did in the Holyrood elections I intend to use this next parliamentary year to provide a clear, hopeful, optimistic, moderate and progressive voice.

In a No Borders approach we will oppose independence, we will support strong relationships with Europe and we will work for public services that can liberate people to achieve more in their lives.

We will work for better mental health and GP services, a penny on income tax for education, and action to exceed our climate change targets and to guarantee our civil liberties.

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

7 bestMany thanks to the 11,300  visitors who dropped by Lib Dem Voice this week. Here’s our 7 most-read posts…

Lib Dems must enthusiastically occupy the clear pro EU space – nobody else will (90 comments) by Caron Lindsay

Vince Cable writes…What Brexit means (41 comments) by Vince Cable

Open Britain divides attention (30 comments) by Joe Otten

Please understand what The Alternative is about (34 comments) by Chris Bowers

Let’s get tough on the causes of euroscepticism (58 comments) by John Bland

Jenny Willott writes: Is Citizens’ Income the answer to the failures of our social security system? (64 comments) by Jenny Willott

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What’s on in our Parliaments this week? 5-9 September 2016

Scottish Parliament 3So, it’s term-time again. After a frenetic and dramatic end to the last parliamentary session, everyone has done their best to make sure it looks like nothing is happening over the past 6 weeks.

That’s all over now, though. The Westminster and Scottish parliaments are back in session this week.  Wales has another week off.

It’s time to get to grips with the major issues around Brexit. That’s going to be the only game in town for quite some time.

Holyrood

There are three major items of business this week. The first is a two day debate on the SNP Government’s plans for the year ahead.

They will include a Social Security Bill to take account of the new powers coming to Holyrood. The government has also stated that its key priorities are educational attainment (which it intends to tackle by national testing rather than more resources) and the economy. They will also be introducing measures on warm homes and climate change.

Nicola Sturgeon will be making a statement on Scotland’s place in Europe. Last week, Willie Rennie said that she was talking too much about independence. Will she offer any other approach?

Finally, there will be an update on the controversial named person scheme which was ruled illegal earlier this Summer. How will the government tackle the requirements of the court judgement?

Westminster

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Lib Dems gather for March for Europe

On a traffic island near Marble Arch, Lib Dems are gathering to take part in the March for Europe

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Farron: We must not let racists hijack the referendum result

As the Cabinet gathers rather awkwardly at Chequers to discuss the implementation of Brexit, Tim Farron makes a keynote speech to the Institute of Public Policy Research in Manchester this morning.

It will be interesting to see if and how he tackles the question of the Open Britain organisation, much discussed on here in the last couple of days.

The advance extracts of his speech concentrate on the need to do something about the increase in hatred and open racism since the referendum and he again emphasises that the Liberal Democrats will stand up for those EU citizens already living here.

He also addresses the real concerns and disadvantages faced by many of those who voted to leave the EU.

Here’s what he is going to say on these topics:

Divided

We, the political classes, have left a country bitterly divided as a result.

Between parents and children, families, neighbours.

Between the nations of our own union, who have worked and fought together for centuries.

Between us and our continental neighbours.

And now the biggest danger of them all.

That because of those divisions, we are in danger of letting malevolent forces hijack the result.

Plenty of my mates voted leave and I can tell you that the majority of those who did vote leave are utterly appalled that Farage, Le Pen and their ilk now seek to claim the result as a victory for their hateful brand of intolerance, racism and insularity.  Britain is better than that.

But I’m not so blinded by those emotions that I don’t see the new divisions that are opening up between us.

New political boundaries which chop the old certainties of Tory and Labour into little pieces.

Because there’s a new battle emerging.

Between the forces of tolerant liberalism and intolerant, closed-minded nationalism.

And, of course, you know that, as leader of the Liberal Democrats, which side I’m on.

To EU citizens

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

7 bestMany thanks to the 10,100  visitors who dropped by Lib Dem Voice this week. Here’s our 7 most-read posts…

Could “Traingate” derail Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership campaign? (71 comments) by Caron Lindsay

Nicola Sturgeon appoints controversial Brexit minister (25 comments) by Caron Lindsay

Andrew George writes…Can progressives unite to defeat the Tories? (68 comments) by Andrew George

Brexit and the path to a written constitution (36 comments) by Ciaran Mcgonigle

Renationalising the railways is trendy but not smart (73 comments) by Jack Watson

Is Labour really the natural home for those concerned about human rights? (33 comments) by John Kelly

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LDV at 10: Pick of the posts: The one with the naked man

On 27th August, LDV will be 10 years old. In that time, we’ve brought you over 24,000 posts and published over 337,000 comments. Over the Summer holidays, we’ll take you on a nostalgic meander through a decade of Liberal Democrat history, seen through the eyes of our editors and contributors. We hope you enjoy our choices.

This is one of our more iconic posts. Former co-editor Stephen Tall made a bit of a rash promise on the Daily Politics in 2013. He said that if the Liberal Democrats only  won 24 seats in the General Election, he would run naked up Whitehall.

Well, sadly, the election result is history. Stephen could have got off on a technicality, but he did the run, on, of all dates, the anniversary of Margaret Thatcher’s birth, pretty much naked and filmed for the Daily Politics. Enjoy.

Stephen Tall, formerly of this parish, has honoured the pledge he made to run naked down Whitehall if the Liberal Democrats were reduced to 24 seats.

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It might be a bank holiday weekend, but Lib Dems are working

It might be a bank holiday weekend (not in Scotland, though), and the sun might even be shining, but Liberal Democrats all over the country are working hard.

Poplar and Limehouse candidate Elaine Bagshaw is running a Train and Campaign today where members can learn the latest in campaigning techniques. The Tower Hamlets team has been knocking on doors most nights since the General Election and are doing great things.

In North London, Bradley Hillier Smith, who has written for us about his trips to  Calais and Dunkirk to help refugees, is holding an event outside Waitress in Finchley until 4pm today. Go along and help if you can. 

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WATCH: What does Hillary Clinton think of Nigel Farage?

Not a huge amount. Watch this video from ITV News.

Many of us will have found the sight of Farage speaking at a Donald Trump campaign rally pretty distasteful. Let’s hope that the American people keep turning away from Trump as they seem to be doing at the moment.

My worry is that as the campaign intensifies after next weekend’s Labor Day, Trump’s campaign will simply go after Hillary in every way that they can. They can’t win a clean campaign so they will fight as dirty as possible.

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Lib Dem Jobwatch Special: The ALDC edition

ALDC Master Logo (for screen)The Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors and Campaigners is recruiting. Here are the jobs they are currently advertising:

Campaigns Officer (Full Time, Manchester)

Local Government Scale SO1-SO2 (Currently £25,440 – £29,558)

Work with the leading campaigning organisation within the Liberal Democrats as one of our two national Campaigns Officers.

We are looking for someone who can bring their own campaigning experience and ideas –not necessarily gained within the Liberal Democrats – to help us enable Liberal Democrats to campaign effectively in our communities and win elections. Experience and ability around online campaigning will be an advantage.

Deadline for applications NOON 28 September 2016

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Reminder: Wikipedia editing event at National Liberal Club tomorrow

Last week, Kat Bavage told us about an event at the National Liberal Club in London tomorrow. Liberals will gather to pore over the NLC’s vast array of historical resources and edit Wikipedia entries to make sure that the Liberal and Liberal Democrat contribution to history is properly recorded. Kat said:

The irony is however that although very many people read Wikipedia’s content (half a billion people a month or thereabouts) very few actually engage in creating it. In the UK there are perhaps only around 15,000 editors, and of these the majority only occasionally chip in to correct a typo

…

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

7 bestMany thanks to the 11,300 visitors who dropped by Lib Dem Voice this week. Here’s our 7 most-read posts…

Book review: The Residence: Inside the private world of the White House (0 comments) by Caron Lindsay

How to leave the EU without invoking Article 50 (10 comments) by Simon Pike

What happened to sending £350 million a week to the NHS? (45 comments) by Anna Pitcher

There may be a snap election. Your country needs you to do your duty (21 comments) by Chris Key

Taking the time to grieve? (33 comments) by Mark Argent

Nuclear weapons policy: Multilateralism remains the most viable route (81 comments) by Toby Fenwick

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

7 bestMany thanks to the 14,636 visitors who dropped by Lib Dem Voice this week. Here’s our 7 most-read posts…

Tim Farron on grammar schools (214 comments) by Mary Reid

Invoking Article 50 could be a disaster for the UK (55 comments) by Paul Walter

Sal Brinton on Jeremy Corbyn (43 comments) by The Voice

Owen Smith fishing with his ‘rich Tory friends’ – when Twitter gets rather silly (11 comments) by Paul Walter

What happened to sending £350million a week to the NHS? (21 comments) by Anna Pitcher

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LDV at 10: Pick of the posts: The one with the Games Makers

gamesmakers

On 27th August, LDV will be 10 years old. In that time, we’ve brought you over 24,000 posts and published over 337,000 comments. Over the Summer holidays, we’ll take you on a nostalgic meander through a decade of Liberal Democrat history, seen through the eyes of our editors and contributors. We hope you enjoy our choices.

Continuing our Olympic themed weekend, four years ago, our Mary Reid spent two weeks as a Games Maker at the Paralympics. She wrote about her experiences and asked what the Liberal Democrats could learn from that.

Certainly, there has been more of an effort to engage and appreciate our volunteers at a national level since then, but there is always scope for improvement.

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LDV at 10: Pick of the posts: Looking back at London 2012

On 27th August, LDV will be 10 years old. In that time, we’ve brought you over 24,000 posts and published over 337,000 comments. Over the Summer holidays, we’ll take you on a nostalgic meander through a decade of Liberal Democrat history, seen through the eyes of our editors and contributors. We hope you enjoy our choices.

While we are all marvelling at the Olympic action in Rio, there is no way that the Games pack as big an emotional punch for British people as our home games four years ago. Even the most hard-hearted sceptic got totally caught up in the Games.

With all that’s happened since, many of us want to see that tolerant, inclusive, liberal vision set out in Danny Boyle’s amazing opening ceremony.  That Britain is still very much there, despite what has happened recently. Building that country that works for everyone is the only way to bring people back from listening to the voices of those who spread hatred and division.

Anyway, here is Stephen Tall’s take on Boyle’s opening ceremony. He made Danny Boyle his Liberal Hero of the Week.

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LDV at 10: Pick of the posts: The one where Vince said what we needed to do about the credit crunch

On 27th August, LDV will be 10 years old. In that time, we’ve brought you over 24,000 posts and published over 337,000 comments. Over the Summer holidays, we’ll take you on a nostalgic meander through a decade of Liberal Democrat history, seen through the eyes of our editors and contributors. We hope you enjoy our choices.

Let’s go back to 2008 and the start of the global crash.

Here is what Vince Cable had to say. It’s relevant because it shows our consistency of approach to these things over the years and that we were well ahead of the game in predicting the dangers of the accumulation of personal debt.

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Conference Directory published

directory2016If you are planning to attend Autumn Conference in Brighton then you need two documents – the Agenda and the Directory. The Agenda sets out all the debates and speeches that will be happening in the Main Auditorium, and that was published last week.

But the public business in the Auditorium, whilst the most visible,  is only one part of what is on offer at Conference. Layered over and around it are the fringe meetings, exhibition and training sessions. At the exhibition you can chat with members of the many special interest organisations within the party, as well as external groups, and join them if you like.

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Sal Brinton on Jeremy Corbyn

 

Over the weekend Jeremy Corbyn said he would not be prepared to overturn Brexit. He said:

I think we’ve had a referendum, a decision has been made, you have to respect the decision people made. We were given the choice, we after all supported holding a referendum so we must abide by the decision.

In comparison Owen Smith has committed himself to offering a second referendum if elected as Labour Leader.

Sal Brinton, President of the Liberal Democrats, has has responded to Corbyn’s comments:

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

7 bestMany thanks to the 16,670 visitors who dropped by Lib Dem Voice this week. Here’s our 7 most-read posts…

Two Liberal Democrat peers quit the party (55 comments) by Caron Lindsay.

Muddled mandates and the EU Referendum (83 comments) by James Lindsay.

By-election watch – Another Lib Dem GAIN from the Conservatives (14 comments) by Caron Lindsay.

The 3 most complained about TV moments connected to the EU Referendum campaign (2 comments) by Antony Hook.

Did you spot the Liberal Democrat in David Cameron’s Resignation Honours? (8 comments) by Caron Lindsay.

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LDV at 10: Pick of the posts: The one with Joanna Lumley and the Gurkhas

On 27th August, LDV will be 10 years old. In that time, we’ve brought you over 24,000 posts and published over 337,000 comments. Over the Summer holidays, we’ll take you on a nostalgic meander through a decade of Liberal Democrat history, seen through the eyes of our editors and contributors. We hope you enjoy our choices.

Remember that wonderful day in 2009 when a Liberal Democrat motion to allow Gurkhas to settle in this country was won and the Labour Government was defeated.  Joanna Lumley had been at the forefront of the campaign and she and Nick Clegg and David Cameorn held a press conference after the vote.

The next week, Joanna Lunley had some robust exchanges with then Labour MP Phil Woolas ( remember him?).

It’s a huge pity that David Cameron seemed to forget this when he let down the Afghan interpreters who served our country and put themselves and their families at huge risk.

Anyway, here’s Alex Foster’s post rounding up the commentary on that historic day before the result of the vote was known.

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LDV at 10: Pick of the posts: The dawn of Cleggmania

On 27th August, LDV will be 10 years old. In that time, we’ve brought you over 24,000 posts and published over 337,000 comments. Over the Summer holidays, we’ll take you on a nostalgic meander through a decade of Liberal Democrat history, seen through the eyes of our editors and contributors. We hope you enjoy our choices.

April 15th 2010 is an auspicious date in Liberal Democrat history. It was the first Leaders’ Debate in a General Election at UK level ever.

Nick Clegg was adjudged the winner. Here’s Stephen Tall’s commentary on the night itself.

Within a few days, the world would have gone mad with Cleggmania. Given what’s happening in politics now, it seems tame but it was a Big Thing at the time. You knew it wasn’t really going to lead to anything, but it was a good feeling. 1983, when the Alliance was at one point ahead in the polls and finished with just 23 MPs always loomed large in my mind.  Anyway, over to Stephen:

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Deadline extended for motions on Europe for Autumn Conference

agenda2106Given the fast moving political context, members have been allowed more time to construct a motion on Europe for Conference. A 90 minute slot has been allocated on the Monday morning for a debate, but the deadline for submission of motions on Europe will be 1pm on Monday 5th September.

The text of the motion that is selected will be published in Conference Extra, which is published during the week before Conference. You can then submit amendments right up until 5pm on Thursday 15th September.

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Venue for Autumn Conference 2017 announced

 

It has just been announced that the Autumn Federal Conference in 2017 will be held in Bournemouth.

The dates are, provisionally, Saturday 16th to Wednesday 20th September 2017. This year the Conference Committee is trying out a four-day Autumn conference, which makes better use of the Saturday. They will be assessing its effectiveness and the reaction of members in their responses to the post-conference survey. If they decide to repeat the four-day pattern, then the conference will end on Tuesday 19th September instead.

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Conference agenda for Brighton now online

agenda2106The main agenda for the 2016 Autumn Conference in Brighton has now been published online.  This year, for the first time, the conference will begin at 9am on the Saturday, 17th September. It will end, as usual, with the Leader’s speech, which is expected to finish by 3.30pm on Tuesday, 20th September.

The deadline for amendments, emergency motions, requests for topical discussions and for online questions to Federal Committees, Parliamentary Parties and the Leader’s and Education Q&As is 1pm on Monday 5th September. That is also the deadline for submitting  requests for separate votes on motions that are being debated on the Saturday. For debates on other days the deadline for separate votes is 9am on the day before the debate. You can also submit late questions to the Speakers’ table at conference – see the agenda for individual deadlines.

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