Author Archives: The Voice

In Full: Willie Rennie’s speech to Scottish Conference: We stand with the weak against the strong, and will use the power of government to tackle the social and economic injustices that limit freedom.

By The Voice | Sun 28th February 2016 - 2:26 pm

Willie Rennie must have been reading Lib Dem Voice because he opened his speech by quoting from Becca’s blog which we featured 10 days ago. He got in touch with her and she gave him permission to share her story.

He argued that it was time to see major investment in mental health and for it to be given party with physical health.

He also set out what the party would do with the £475 million generated for nurseries, schools, colleges and a pupil premium.

I want to talk to you about a new member of our party.

Becca Plenderleith. She is a bright, intelligent and brave young woman. We are fortunate to call her a fellow Liberal Democrat. She has given me permission to tell you this story.

What she did was something simple. She told her story. She wrote about her experience of the health service.

Only a few years ago she was suffering from depression and following a break up from her boyfriend she considered suicide.

What happened next is something that must be condemned to the past.
She was told by a doctor at accident and emergency that she was a drain on the NHS.

No support, no treatment, just a lecture.

But Becca is making a difference. Making a difference by speaking out.

And the response is encouraging.

Every time I now mention mental health on a public platform the silent nods around the room fill me with hope.

Hope that the stigma is fading, hope that there is a growing demand for change, hope that this will lead to the unstoppable change to our NHS so that mental health is given the equal support it deserves.

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged featured, speeches and willie rennie | 3 Comments

Jo Swinson: Why I now back all women shortlists

By The Voice | Sun 28th February 2016 - 1:18 pm

Below are the two speeches Jo Swinson made to Scottish Conference yesterday. The Diversity Debate took place in two halves. The first was on a constitutional amendment which would allow the Scottish Party to implement arrangements on gender balance which had been approved by conference. One amendment to that was submitted, and supported by the movers, changing gender balance to the much wider “diversity”. The risk of such an approach was that a 2/3 majority was needed for it to pass, but the working group had been advised that a constitutional amendment was vital to enable any new arrangements to be implemented.

It’s worth pointing out that in the intervening period, Jo has done so much to encourage and support women candidates, running training events and supporting so many as they embarked on selection campaigns.

Here is her speech proposing the constitutional amendment:

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged all-women shortlists, diversity, Jo Swinson and scottish liberal democrat spring conference 2016 | 24 Comments

Tim Farron writes: ‘renegotiation not a game changer’

By The Voice | Fri 26th February 2016 - 5:30 pm

Thursday 18 February

Arriving at St Pancras for the Eurostar early on Thursday morning, I found myself amongst a small gaggle of lobby journalists, all clutching tickets to the same destination – Brussels, presumably with ‘open returns’ with no one being sure how long the negotiations would take.

We were, of course, heading to Brussels ahead of the summit at which David Cameron would try and thrash out the last minute ‘grand deal’ that would allow him to campaign for Britain to stay in Europe.

The substance of the deal has been held up as the greatest political settlement of our time by his more loyal supporters and dismissed as entirely irrelevant by the usual Eurosceptic suspects in the Conservative party.

Neither styling is fair. The renegotiation is not a game changer, but it shows that our European partners are open to working together to achieve reform in Europe.

I was heading to Brussels to talk to the liberal leaders and Prime Ministers from across Europe at the ALDE Pre-Summit meeting.

Posted in News | Tagged catherine bearder mep, Farron, referendum and refugees | 3 Comments

Razing half a camp with bulldozers is not a solution

By The Voice | Fri 26th February 2016 - 1:02 pm

Razing half a camp with bulldozers, flanked by riot police is not a solution Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron has said as the French government was given the green light to plan to clear part of the Calais migrant camp known as the ‘Jungle’.

This situation is a heart-breaking symptom of a wider human humanitarian disaster in the Middle East. Razing half a camp with bulldozers, flanked by riot police is not a solution.

Moving people from a tent to a shipping container will have very little impact. The families I met in Calais were people and families from places like Iraq and Syria fleeing war and instability. These people are trying to look for a place of peace where they can make a new life for them and their family, at least until it’s safe enough to return home. These measures will not help one jot to deal with the issue.

In the camp it is estimated that there are around 300 unaccompanied children. The UK government should do the right thing and urgently act to identify children with family in Britain and offer them refuge immediately.

I call for assurances that these refugees will be treated humanely, rather than as criminals, and for the French authorities to set out a long term, sustainable plan for them. Without these answers it is more likely these desperate people will head back to the channel tunnel and attempt deadly crossings once again.

Posted in News | Tagged Farron and refugee | 8 Comments

Boundary Review is a cynical calculation

By The Voice | Fri 26th February 2016 - 11:40 am

Reducing the number of MPs from 650 to 600 without also looking to cut ministers and a review of the House of Lords means the boundary review is being conducted on a fatally flawed basis.

Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Constitutional and Political Reform Paul Tyler said:

This boundary review is being conducted on a fatally flawed basis. The Conservatives have knocked 2 million people office the electoral register, mainly in densely populated areas, as part of a cynical calculation that the boundary review will produce fewer urban, Conservative-hostile constituencies.

Reducing the number of MPs without also reducing the size of the Executive is a mistake. With the pay-roll vote approaching half the membership of the government side of the Commons, the power of government to control Parliament is increased. And with no prospect of democratic reform of the Lords, we are edging towards a dangerous lack of democratic legitimacy in parliament.

The Conservatives are blatantly attempting to fix the system to keep themselves in power.

Posted in News | Tagged electoral register, house of commons and house of lords | 10 Comments

Clegg says Tories are squandering our legacy. But it wasn’t tuition fees that lost it for us

By The Voice | Fri 26th February 2016 - 10:20 am

Nick Clegg has used his first major interview since stepping down as Leader of the Liberal Democrats to take a swipe at his former Coalition colleagues for ‘squandering’ their legacy. In today’s Independent he states:

The rhetoric at the beginning from David Cameron was good. I held my tongue. But I am afraid the very thin gruel the Prime Minister has announced, and the deeply regressive steps taken by his Chancellor, means it is insecure, hollow double-speak.

He has drawn up a long ‘charge sheet’ about the current Government: …

Posted in News | Tagged Clegg and coalition | 45 Comments

‘Ofcom have bottled it over Openreach’ – Farron

By The Voice | Fri 26th February 2016 - 9:42 am

Tim Farron has commented over Ofcom’s decision over the future of Openreach:

Ofcom had a chance to make a massive change in the sector and have bottled it. I am now calling on the Government to be bold and bring forward plans to break up Openreach and BT, and inject real competition into internet provision. If they won’t, we will, and I will challenge them to back it. Are they on the the side of entrepreneurship or not?

Most of my constituents count themselves lucky if they can

…

Posted in News | Tagged broadband, BT, Farron and ofcom | 19 Comments

Willie Rennie to announce help for disadvantaged pupils in Scottish schools

By The Voice | Fri 26th February 2016 - 8:55 am

Willie Rennie will give key details of how the Scottish Liberal Democrats’ plan for a Pupil Premium will help children from disadvantaged backgrounds in Scottish schools when he delivers his keynote speech to conference this afternoon.

He’ll also outline how the whole £475 million raised from a 1p rise in the basic rate of Income Tax to pay for investment in education would work.

Willie will commit £170m a year of that investment towards a pupil premium in Scotland. £1,400 will be available for every primary pupil …

Posted in Conference | Tagged scottish liberal democrat spring conference 2016 | Leave a comment

Government finally bows to pressure from Tim Farron on EU flooding help

By The Voice | Thu 25th February 2016 - 4:11 pm

At around 50 minutes to the 11th hour, the Government finally agreed to Tim Farron’s request that they apply for EU funding to help with the aftermath of the flooding that hit Cumbria and other areas of Northern England as a result of Storm Desmond on 5 December. The EU Solidarity Fund is there to help out when natural disaster strikes.

Accountancy firm KPMG has estimated the total cost of the flood damage at £5bn, which means that the UK could be eligible for up to £125 million of, of which 10% would be made available immediately. In 2008, the UKreceived £134 million from the fund to help deal with the aftermath of major floods the previous year.

In order to qualify the Government must apply within 12 weeks of when the natural disaster first hit. As Storm Desmond struck Northern England on 5th December, the deadline to apply is Saturday 27th February.

A week ago, Tim Farron handed over a petition signed by 2063 constituents calling for a grant for the EU Solidarity Fund to MEPs from the Regional Committee, which would have to approve any application.

And today, the Government has finally agreed to apply for the money.

Tim said:

Posted in News | Tagged eu, eu solidarity fund, flooding and tim farron | 1 Comment

Tim Talks Europe 2 – visiting Cologne

By The Voice | Thu 25th February 2016 - 2:45 pm

Posted in News | Tagged eu referendum and tim marron | 2 Comments

Fit for the future: The new Scottish Party Political Broadcast

By The Voice | Wed 24th February 2016 - 6:25 pm

The new Scottish Party Political Broadcast is going out right now. It’s focused on the idea of putting a penny on tax for education and features parents from across Scotland talking about their experience of parenting, the challenges they face and their hopes for their children’s futures. Enjoy!

Posted in News | Tagged holyrood elections 2016, Scotland, wendy chamberlain and willie rennie | 1 Comment

Tim Talks – The European Referendum

By The Voice | Wed 24th February 2016 - 12:51 pm

Tim Talks – The European Referendum

In the latest Tim Talks, Tim Farron focusses on Britain's place in Europe following his meeting in Brussels with other liberal leaders and Prime Ministers from across Europe. Join the fight to keep us #INtogether now: www.libdems.org.uk/europe

Posted by Liberal Democrats on Monday, 22 February 2016

Posted in News | Tagged eu referendum and tim farron | 2 Comments

Norman Lamb: Junior doctors can’t all be dismissed as militants

By The Voice | Wed 24th February 2016 - 11:28 am

Embed from Getty Images

Junior doctors are to hold three more one-day strikes. The British Medical Association, which represents the doctors, has also announced that it is seeking a judicial review into the imposition of the new contract because the government failed to carry out an equalities impact study.

Norman Lamb has added his voice to the debate:

Posted in News | Tagged junior doctors, NHS and norman lamb | 11 Comments

Government spends nearly £5million on advertising the ‘National Living Wage’

By The Voice | Thu 18th February 2016 - 5:38 pm

Embed from Getty Images

A Lib Dem Parliamentary Question has unearthed the fact that the Government has spent nearly £5 million to advertise its ‘National Living Wage’ of £7.20 per hour. This figure includes £750k on posters, £250k on newspaper advertising, £350k on social media advertising, £1.7million on TV, £300k on radio plus over £500k on digital display advertising and pay per click.

This huge amount of publicity is in spite of the fact that from April employers will be required by law to pay the new rate to people aged 25 and over.

The money spent on promoting the scheme would pay the wages for 372 people over the next year, calculated at £7.20 per hour.

Posted in News | Tagged national living wage and tim farron | 8 Comments

Tim Farron in Brussels: “Britain is better in Europe, and Europe is better with Britain in it”

By The Voice | Thu 18th February 2016 - 5:00 pm

Embed from Getty Images

Tim Farron has been over to Brussels today, meeting our partners in the European Parliament. He discussed Britain’s place in Europe with them and with the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE).

Posted in News | Tagged ALDE, brussels and tim farron | 4 Comments

Watch: Catherine Bearder explains why we have to win this Referendum

By The Voice | Mon 15th February 2016 - 4:26 pm

Catherine tells us that she is not lonely in Europe because she is part of a vibrant Liberal group. And tells us how the European Union protects birds of prey.

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged catherine bearder | 5 Comments

Lord Eric Avebury talks about his life

By The Voice | Sun 14th February 2016 - 4:31 pm

Earlier today, we heard the sad new that Liberal Democrat peer Eric Avebury had died.

In January last year, he sat down at the National Liberal Club to talk about his life with his son John and liberal historian Seth Thevoz:

A Liberal Life: Eric Lubbock at the National Liberal Club from John Lubbock on Vimeo.

Posted in News | Tagged eric avebury | 8 Comments

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

By The Voice | Sun 14th February 2016 - 3:45 pm

7 best Many thanks to the 11,400 visitors who dropped by Lib Dem Voice this week. Here’s our 7 most-read posts…

Baroness Sal Brinton writes…Electing diverse MPs (106 comments) by Sal Brinton

Do you agree with Kirsty and Tim about banning Delilah? (42 comments) by Caron Lindsay

Is there a chance that the new Top Gear will be very entertaining but not (borderline) offensive? (40 comments) by Paul Walter

A practical suggestion to improve the UK’s influence within the EU (27 comments) by Robert Boyle

Posted in Site news | Leave a comment

Watch: Highlights from the Lib Dem In campaign launch

By The Voice | Sat 13th February 2016 - 11:55 am

Here are the highlights of the Lib Dem In campaign launch from earlier this week. Who do you recognise?

#INtogether

This is Britain's time to lead, not leave. See the highlights from our #INtogether launch, and join our campaign!

Posted by Liberal Democrats on Friday, 12 February 2016

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged eu referendum and liberal democrats iin | 16 Comments

Clegg slams Tories over Trade Union Bill

By The Voice | Sat 13th February 2016 - 10:25 am

The Yorkshire Post reports Nick Clegg’s evidence to a parliamentary committee looking at Party funding. He accused the Tories of trying to rig the system in their favour.

Mr Clegg said: “I just think this is fundamentally wrong to do this in such a partisan way.”

The Sheffield Hallam MP said he was no ‘sepia-tinted romantic’ when it came to trade union and Labour links as he had personally suffered from ‘appalling’ use of funds for political purposes in his ‘own Sheffield backyard’.

However he said he was alarmed that Conservative proposals are directed at one party and as Deputy Prime Minister he spent years blocking such measures being introduced.

Posted in News | Tagged nick clegg, party funding, trade union bill and yorkshire post | 3 Comments

Nick Clegg compares Investigatory Powers Bill powers to Russia

By The Voice | Thu 11th February 2016 - 8:25 pm

On the Today programme, Nick Clegg compared the “dragnet” approach of Theresa May’s Investigatory Powers Bill to the way things happen in Russia.

During the Coalition years, Nick had stopped the Conservatives from introducing a “snooper’s charter.” It’s worth remembering that he was going to let it through until a conference call with some angry bloggers who understood the technology, and the intervention of people like Julian Huppert, made him think twice. But once he’s changed his mind, he was good to his word and held May off for 3 years.

The Guardian quotes him as saying this morning:

He said: “Why there is this great congregation of concern from all wings of political opinion is because what the home office is in essence proposing is that in order to be able to surveil and analyse something they are saying they want to collect everything on everyone. That is a dragnet approach which I have always felt is disproportionate.”

He dismissed the analogy of the needle in the haystack – the argument that the security agencies need to embark on the bulk collection of data in order to be able to find crucial nuggets of details about terrorists.

He told Today: “I know the needle-haystack argument and it is a comforting analogy. But the reality is a little different. Why, for instance, is there no other European or Commonwealth country that I know that pursues this dragnet approach?

Posted in News | Tagged Draft Investigatory Powers Bill, nick clegg and today programme | 10 Comments

Lamb: Government wrong to impose junior doctors’ contract

By The Voice | Thu 11th February 2016 - 1:43 pm

Norman Lamb has commented on Jeremy Hunt’s ill-advised decision to impose the controversial contract on junior doctors. He said:

It is a mistake to force a new contract on junior doctors when there is clearly still such strong opposition to its terms. There is a serious risk that large numbers of junior doctors will leave the NHS to go and work abroad, which will have serious consequences for the health service and patient safety.

Growing demand for services, coupled with a funding settlement which doesn’t keep up, are the fundamental problems facing health and care and yet the Government is refusing to take real action to address this.

Posted in News | Tagged jeremy hunt, junior doctors and NHS | 28 Comments

Lib Dem In Campaign – the first video

By The Voice | Wed 10th February 2016 - 4:45 pm

Here is the first video of the Lib Dem In campaign. What do you think?

Today we launch our campaign for Britain to remain in Europe. This is Britain’s time to lead, not leave. Together we…

Posted by Liberal Democrats on Wednesday, 10 February 2016

Posted in News | Tagged eu referendum and liberal democrats in | 6 Comments

Farron holds summit aimed at helping refugee children

By The Voice | Wed 10th February 2016 - 3:15 pm

As we told you on Monday, Tim Farron got representatives from charities, NGOs and political parties round the table today to work on a practical plan for the UK to accept 3000 unaccompanied child refugees who have reached Europe.

Among those attending were Save the Children, UNICEF, Islington Law Council, Kent Refugee Action Network, Refugee Council, Homes for Good, Coram, Barnardo’s, British Red Cross, ECPAT UK, Cambridge Refugee Resettlement Campaign, The Children’s Society, ILPA and the Local government Association. Also, Leader of the Green Party Caroline Lucas MP, Margaret Greenwood (Labour) MP, Heidi Allen MP (Conservative) and Mark Durkan MP (SDLP) came along.

Tim told the meeting:

Posted in News | Tagged child refugees, refugees and tim farron | 2 Comments

Lib Dem Remain campaign to be launched this afternoon

By The Voice | Wed 10th February 2016 - 11:30 am

Tim Farron heads to the unlikely environment of a table tennis bar in London to launch the Lib Dems’ In campaign this afternoon.

Also speaking will be London Mayoral candidate Caroline Pidgeon and MEP Catherine Bearder:

Today @LibDems launch our campaign to keep Britain in Europe. Join us in this once in a generation fight #InTogether pic.twitter.com/Lt6kHU7k5Q

— Catherine Bearder (@catherinemep) February 10, 2016

Posted in News | Tagged Caroline Pidgeon, catherine bearder, eu, ldintogether campaign and tim farron | 8 Comments

Big wins for Welsh Lib Dems in budget negotiations

By The Voice | Wed 10th February 2016 - 9:41 am

It’s annual budget time and the Welsh Liberal Democrats have secured some substantial investment in young people in the Welsh budget including 5000 new apprenticeships, increase in and extension of the Pupil Premium and a young person’s bus pass.

The full list of Liberal Democrat policies to be implemented is:

Posted in News | Tagged peter black, Wales and welsh liberal democrats | Leave a comment

Lamb: Junior Doctors’ strike is a wake up call for the Governemnt

By The Voice | Tue 9th February 2016 - 8:27 pm

Norman Lamb has said that the Junior Doctors’ strike scheduled to take place from 8 am tomorrow should be a wake up call for the Government:

If strikes go ahead tomorrow this should be a wake-up call to the Government that it needs to take a more constructive approach to resolving this dispute. They cannot solve the capacity and funding problems in the NHS by forcing this contract on junior doctors.

Growing demand for services, coupled with a funding settlement which doesn’t keep up, are the fundamental problems facing health and care and yet the Government is refusing to take real action to address this.

Posted in News | Tagged junior doctors, NHS and norman lamb | 23 Comments

Peers and pancakes race for Rehab charity

By The Voice | Tue 9th February 2016 - 12:35 pm

Today saw the annual Shrove Tuesday pancake race at the House of Commons in aid of the charity Rehab. You can read all about it and find some amazing looking pancake recipes from the likes of Paul Hollywood, Rick Stein and Gino D’Acampo in the official brochure here. Apple pancakes with Apple Brandy Custard is the one I want to eat most.

Here, courtesy of Terry Stacy, is the Lib Dem contingent of Kate Parminter, Rupert Redesdale, Susan Kramer and Dominic Addington in action.

Where’s the pancake?

Posted in News | Tagged dominic addington, kate parminter, parliamentary pancake race, rehab, Rupert Redesdale and susan kramer | Leave a comment

Tim Farron to host urgent summit on unaccompanied refugee children

By The Voice | Mon 8th February 2016 - 9:47 am

Embed from Getty Images

An urgent summit to discuss unaccompanied asylum seeking children who have fled conflict, poverty and persecution will be chaired by leader of the Liberal Democrats Tim Farron.

Liberal Democrats have been pressing the Government to take 3000 orphaned child refugees who have reached European shores.

Posted in News | Tagged refugee crisis, tim farron and unaccompanied refugee children | 2 Comments

Tim Farron’s message for Chinese New Year

By The Voice | Mon 8th February 2016 - 8:56 am

Here is Tim Farron’s message to welcome the Year of the Monkey:

It is with great pleasure that I wish UK’s Chinese diaspora communities a very Happy Lunar New Year on the advent of the Year of the Monkey!

I am delighted that ties between UK and China have strengthened and deepened over the years and am deeply appreciative of the many contributions the Chinese living in the UK have made to our economy, enriching our local communities.

I am particularly proud that we have a British Chinese candidate from my party standing in the Mayoral and London Assembly elections this May. I therefore ask for your support and vote for the Liberal Democrats to elect the first British Chinese London Assembly candidate this May.

Posted in News | Tagged chinese new year and tim farron | 4 Comments

Op-eds

Observations of an Expat: Post Election Worries (Tom Arms)
How Liberal Democrats can ride Britain’s youth wave on the pro-EU shift (Rupinder Singh)
Just growth by lowering deadweight losses through tax (Tony Vickers)
Local democracy should not be an excuse to stop building homes (Massimo Ricciuti)
The need for a nationally relevant message (Mark Corner)

Advert

Chris Coghlan: put children with complex needs at centre of SEND reforms

SNP Govt defeated on Lib Dem motion

Vince Cable writes: A budget of small things

Chadwick launches leadership bid

Author Archives: The Voice

In Full: Willie Rennie’s speech to Scottish Conference: We stand with the weak against the strong, and will use the power of government to tackle the social and economic injustices that limit freedom.

Jo Swinson: Why I now back all women shortlists

Tim Farron writes: ‘renegotiation not a game changer’

Razing half a camp with bulldozers is not a solution

Boundary Review is a cynical calculation

Clegg says Tories are squandering our legacy. But it wasn’t tuition fees that lost it for us

‘Ofcom have bottled it over Openreach’ – Farron

Willie Rennie to announce help for disadvantaged pupils in Scottish schools

Government finally bows to pressure from Tim Farron on EU flooding help

Tim Talks Europe 2 – visiting Cologne

Fit for the future: The new Scottish Party Political Broadcast

Tim Talks – The European Referendum

Norman Lamb: Junior doctors can’t all be dismissed as militants

Government spends nearly £5million on advertising the ‘National Living Wage’

Tim Farron in Brussels: “Britain is better in Europe, and Europe is better with Britain in it”

Watch: Catherine Bearder explains why we have to win this Referendum

Lord Eric Avebury talks about his life

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

Watch: Highlights from the Lib Dem In campaign launch

Clegg slams Tories over Trade Union Bill

Nick Clegg compares Investigatory Powers Bill powers to Russia

Lamb: Government wrong to impose junior doctors’ contract

Lib Dem In Campaign – the first video

Farron holds summit aimed at helping refugee children

Lib Dem Remain campaign to be launched this afternoon

Big wins for Welsh Lib Dems in budget negotiations

Lamb: Junior Doctors’ strike is a wake up call for the Governemnt

Peers and pancakes race for Rehab charity

Tim Farron to host urgent summit on unaccompanied refugee children

Tim Farron’s message for Chinese New Year

Most Read

Op-eds

Recent Comments

Chris Coghlan: put children with complex needs at centre of SEND reforms

SNP Govt defeated on Lib Dem motion

Vince Cable writes: A budget of small things

Chadwick launches leadership bid

Author Archives: The Voice

Subscribe

Most Read

Search

Op-eds

Recent Comments