Author Archives: The Voice

The Voice

Welsh Conference agenda announced – amendment deadline on 27th January

By The Voice | Sun 17th January 2016 - 12:00 pm

rally kirsty williams 1The agenda for the important pre-election Welsh Lib Dem Spring Conference has been announced. It takes place in Cardiff from 5-7 February and you can find all the details here.

It’s packed with keynote speeches – each of the AMs gets a slot, along with Tim Farron – and policy debates.

Not surprisingly, the manifesto and a motion on policing feature ahead of the Assembly and PCC elections. After some initial hesitation, the party has decided to stand candidates in all 4 Welsh PCC areas.

Flooding and a motion on childcare and education, reflecting the party’s success in persuading the Labour Government to introduce the Pupil Premium finish the first day.

Sunday sees debates on the European referendum, a members only election briefing and an IR Cymru motion on sex education.

If you want to amend any of the motions, or submit an emergency motion or topical issue, you can do so by 27 January. Instructions are here.

Fringe meetings cover the countryside, health and social care, small business, local government and, as always pre-election, the Electoral Commission will be there to answer questions.

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The Voice

Tweets from the campaign trail: Snow edition

By The Voice | Sat 16th January 2016 - 7:53 pm

All over the country, Liberal Democrats have been campaigning today, some of them in the snow. Here are some of the icy tweets. Thankfully, the reception on the doorsteps was much warmer.

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The Voice

Lib Dem Lords’ maiden speeches: Alan Beith on the National Lottery

By The Voice | Sat 16th January 2016 - 8:55 am

EuroMillions ticketsThis week, we are catching up with our new Lib Dem peers’ maiden speeches. Today, it’s Alan Beith on the National Lottery.

The noble Lord, Lord Holmes of Richmond, was very kind and generous in his references to me and to the circumstances of my election, 42 years ago. It was with a majority of only 57 votes. I never imagined that I would manage such a long political survival, still less that I would find myself in this haven of political survival, the House of Lords. But I believe in the need for a Second Chamber and it will be an honour to serve in it, just as it was an honour to represent in the other House the beautiful Berwick-upon-Tweed constituency, covering 1,000 square miles of Northumberland.

I am very grateful for the warm and friendly welcome I have received in this House from noble Lords and the very helpful staff. I am delighted to renew so many friendships with those on all sides of this Chamber whom I have worked with, taken evidence from or contended with in years gone by. As I seek to follow the slightly different ways of doing things at this end of the building, I have been allocated a widely respected mentor and guide who knows exactly how to keep me in order: the noble Baroness, Lady Maddock, has been doing that ever since I married her.

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The Voice

Lib Dem amendment aims to repeal £1000 cut for low-paid families

By The Voice | Fri 15th January 2016 - 5:15 pm

The Liberal Democrats have tabled an amendment which would stop the Chancellor’s planned cuts to Universal Credit which are still in place, meaning that families on the lowest income will face a similar annual cut in income as those who receive tax credits. Osborne stopped the tax credit cuts after political pressure but the Universal Credit cuts are still planned to go ahead.

The changes mean that anyone applying for Universal Credit from 2017 would be £1000 worse off.

Work and Pensions spokesperson Zahida Manzoor said:

George Osborne claimed he listened to concerns about low income working families losing out when he U-turned on Tax Credits, but in fact he has simply delayed the pain.

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The Voice

Good news from Cornwall – Liberal Democrats hold council seat

By The Voice | Fri 15th January 2016 - 11:30 am

Great news from Cornwall where the Liberal Democrats have held on to the Launceston Central ward on Cornwall Council with a whopping 63% of the vote:

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The Voice

Lib Dem Lords’ maiden speeches: Sharon Bowles on the importance of proper scrutiny

By The Voice | Fri 15th January 2016 - 8:55 am

This week, we’re featuring the maiden speeches of our newest Lib Dem lords. This one is still warm from the press. Sharon Bowles only made it on Wednesday.  As part of the Strathclyde Review, she drew on her experience in the European Parliament when it came to dealing with secondary legislation:

My Lords, I rise for the first time, deeply conscious of the honour that it is to serve in your Lordships’ House. I am grateful for the kind way in which noble Lords have received me, for the friendliness of all staff and for the elegant and discreet way in which the attendants and doorkeepers have steered me from uncertain manoeuvres. I thank the noble Lords who introduced me, my noble friends Lord McNally and Lady Falkner of Margravine, and all those who have enriched my life and learning, without whom I would not be here.

I hope to contribute to various deliberations drawing upon my experience from both strands of my career. The first strand was that of scientist, engineer and patent attorney for over 25 years, running a professional business and immersed in leading-edge technology. The second strand was nine years in the European Parliament, culminating in five years as chair of the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee, facing a vast and profound agenda due to the financial and eurozone crisis.

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The Voice

Lib Dem Lords’ maiden speeches: Lynne Featherstone on the commonwealth, LGBT rights and international development

By The Voice | Wed 13th January 2016 - 2:40 pm

This week, we’re catching up on Lib Dem Lords’ maiden speeches. Today, it’s Lynne Featherstone who spoke following the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting. “From wild child to the heart of the British establishment”, she says:

My Lords, I am so very honoured to be here and to have a continuing platform from which to pursue the political passions of my life. But first I thank noble Lords across the House for the warmest of welcomes. I have been utterly charmed and beguiled by the doorkeepers, Black Rod’s Office and the police, all of whom I thank for their kindness and courtesy, and not infrequent rescue from a wrong turn. I am delighted to make my maiden speech on the recent Commonwealth meeting, and I thank the noble Lord, Lord Luce, for bringing forward this opportunity to me.

The Heads of Government emphasised the need to protect individuals from all forms of violence and discrimination. Violence and discrimination abound across the world. From the almost two women a week here in the United Kingdom who are killed by their partners or former partners, as you go across the world it just gets worse: acid attacks, female foeticide, breast ironing and rape as a weapon of war. I have raised these issues at the very highest levels in countries where women have no rights and in those where there are laws, but no implementation. However, there is nothing more totemic to illustrate the lack of women’s power in this world than female genital mutilation. I am proud to have introduced and spearheaded the campaign in the coalition Government to address FGM both here and abroad.

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The Voice

What Tim Farron hopes to achieve for women in 2016

By The Voice | Wed 13th January 2016 - 1:08 pm

Tim Farron has been doing all he can to get into a variety of media, from Have I got news for you, to Wetherspoons’ newsletter and, this week, to Stylist magazine. This issue is featuring many politicians as guest editors.

Tim was one of three politicians asked to write a letter to their idol and also to say what he wanted to achieve for women this year. This was his response to the latter:

Stylist: Farron pledge to women

 

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The Voice

Liberal Democrat councillors withdraw from East Dunbartonshire administration

By The Voice | Wed 13th January 2016 - 11:05 am

Liberal Democrat Councillors in East Dunbartonshire have withdrawn from the Council’s administration. The three councillors had been in coalition with Labour and Conservatives since 2012. The move leaves Labour and Conservatives with 11 councillors facing an opposition of 13. The two parties will continue as a minority administration.

From the BBC:

It said it would withdraw from the arrangement amid an ongoing row related to a sports complex in Bishopbriggs.

If the move goes ahead, Labour and the Conservatives will continue as a minority administration.

Leader of the Liberal Democrat group, Councillor Ashay Ghai, said: “When we entered coalition in 2012 all parties agreed that we would not put forward recommendations unless all three groups agreed.

“However, Labour and Conservatives broke the agreement by forcing through proposals to underwrite a further £4.4m for the Huntershill sports complex when there were so many unanswered questions.

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The Voice

Labour Lords give up on votes at 16 in local elections

By The Voice | Wed 13th January 2016 - 9:45 am

Yesterday in the House of Lords, during Parliamentary ping pong on the Cities and Local Government Bill, the Liberal Democrats tried to secure votes at 16. Labour peers, though, didn’t bother to turn up. This is yet another example of them being much more craven than you would expect of an opposition, especially one that thinks itself to be of a more radical hue than Labour has been for a while. This is a policy which was in their manifesto and they should have turned out to support it.

Ever since the tax credits vote in October, Labour peers seem to have got cold feet, allowing themselves to be intimidated by ministers.

Lib Dem peer Paul Tyler was far from impressed, saying:

This no show from Labour means that over a million people will not get a voice in future local elections.

Despite vowing to give 16 year olds the vote in their manifesto the Labour party are now shying away from standing by their policies.

It is clear that Labour do not have the drive or determination to act as the opposition that this country needs.

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The Voice

Farron: We must not pull up the drawbridge because of the Cologne attacks.

By The Voice | Sun 10th January 2016 - 8:00 pm

Reports of crimes and sexual assaults in Cologne on New Year’s Eve have now topped 500.

Tim Farron has said that this incident should not lead to us pulling up the drawbridge. It’s hard to see, though, how much further we could pull up our drawbridge. It’s practically wedged shut already.

Tim said:

I condemn in the strongest possible terms the sex attacks in Cologne on New Year’s Eve.

But we also must not pander to those who say pull up the drawbridge to some of the most desperate people in the world.

The values that cause us to embrace those fleeing war are the same values that refuse to tolerate this kind of violence against women. We believe such crimes should be prosecuted with the full force of the law, regardless of whether they are refugees or not.

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The Voice

Four priorities for LGBT+ in 2016

By The Voice | Sun 10th January 2016 - 3:55 pm

New chair of LGBT+, Adrian Hyyrylainen-Trett has set out 4 priorities for the organisation in the coming year in his New Year message. They are:

Mental health

We know that suicides amongst LGBT+ people are at their highest, and that bullying and harassment leads to a myriad issues, from drug, sex and alcohol addiction, chemsex, lack of happiness, isolation and body image expectations. Where there are potential solutions like the use of PReP, or new Hep C drugs available, especially when HIV diagnoses are increasing, we need to lobby governments to tell pharmaceutical companies to make these medications available to those who are at risk and need that support.

International aid and asylum

 I’m proud to say that the Lib Dems set out our policy against the deportation of LGBT+ asylum seekers way back in 2008, and this policy made it to our 2010 manifesto and the Coalition Agreement. However, when the Tories took over the Home Office from Labour, they continued to send people back to countries where they may be persecuted, prisoned or killed. Our asylum system still sees it fit to probe people’s personal lives to try and determine whether their sexuality is genuine. I still find that hard to stomach; essentially you are asking someone to prove they are LGBT+ when in those countries the public knowledge of this may lead to perilous circumstances. Would we like our personal stories to be forensically detailed just to prove we love someone of the same sex?

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The Voice

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

By The Voice | Sun 10th January 2016 - 2:25 pm

7 bestMany thanks to the 13,400  visitors who dropped by Lib Dem Voice this week. Here’s our 7 most-read posts…

Tim Farron on Labour’s meltdown (46 comments) by Mary Reid

It’s time to move party HQ out of London (36 comments) by Simon McGrath

Blue foxes, red greens and a gold star (14 comments) by Phil Aisthorpe

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The Voice

Lib Dem Lords’ maiden speeches: Shas Sheehan on the dangers of climate change

By The Voice | Sun 10th January 2016 - 11:35 am

We’re catching up this week on Lib Dem Lords’ maiden speeches. Here is Shas Sheehan speaking in the debate after the conclusion of the Paris climate talks.

My Lords, it is indeed a great honour and privilege to be asked to serve in your Lordships’ House. It is a task that I do not undertake lightly and is one that I intend to fulfil with diligence to the best of my ability. Special thanks are due to my noble friends Lady Barker and Lady Kramer for their welcome support on the day of my introduction to this place. Perhaps I may also take this opportunity to thank noble Lords from all sides for their kind words of welcome.

As a young university student, I and some friends worked and travelled our way across America. One night in Chicago, we lost the car. To this day, I do not believe that my husband appreciates the importance of his unerring sense of direction to our enduring relationship. So, as one who can lose her way in a one-way street, noble Lords will appreciate the sincerity in my words of thanks to all the staff of your Lordships’ House, the clerks, doorkeepers, restaurant and security staff, who have all been so unfailingly kind in redirecting me on numerous occasions.

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The Voice

Lessons from history: What Bush and Reagan could teach some UK politicians about their attitude towards economic migration

By The Voice | Sat 9th January 2016 - 11:55 am

Way back in 1980, as Ronald Reagan and George Bush were battling it out for the Republican nomination, they were asked whether the children of Mexicans working illegally in the US should be able to get educated. Their answer, posted on the Houston Chronicle’s Facebook page, might surprise you. Today’s politicians and tabloid editors might learn something.

Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush debate Mexican border security…

What would Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush say about immigration and securing the Mexican border today?Well, here's what they said about it in 1980 during a GOP debate in Houston.(Archival video from Getty Images)

Posted by Houston Chronicle on Tuesday, 5 January 2016

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The Voice

The Lib Dem week in Scotland

By The Voice | Fri 8th January 2016 - 1:35 pm

st Andrews flag saltire scotland Some rights reserved by Fulla TWelcome to our weekly roundup of what the Scottish Liberal Democrats, led by Willie Rennie, have been getting up to. This week, our MSPs have had a lot to say about flooding, policing, A & E waiting times “Thatcherite” testing, housing and fostering. Oh, and Alex Cole-Hamilton and Edinburgh West are back, bigger than ever.

The week started with Willie Rennie’s Bright, green, liberal vision:

I will set out why four key liberal values should be at the heart of the next parliamentary session. They are that every individual should be free to achieve their potential, that we should stand with the weak against the strong, that power is safer when it is shared and that we are trustees of the world and must pass on a sustainable legacy.

Flooding: when will the SNP Government help?

Alison McInnes criticised the Scottish government’s lack of response to the flooding in the North East:

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The Voice

Edinburgh West Lib Dems re-open their office ahead of Alex Cole-Hamilton’s bid to gain Holyrood seat

By The Voice | Fri 8th January 2016 - 9:05 am

Edinburgh West office

This is the site greeting commuters and pedestrians in one of Edinburgh’s main roads.

In June, sadly, the office which had been rented by Mike Crockart and the local party closed down. This week, it’s re-opened, four months ahead of the Scottish Parliament elections in May where Alex Cole-Hamilton hopes to regain the seat. He also heads the Lothian list.

Since May, newly elected MP Michelle Thomson, who is yet to open a constituency office, has had to resign the SNP whip after a police investigation started into her company’s property deals.

Edinburgh Western’s sitting SNP MSP was deselected in the Summer and replaced with a candidate endorsed by former First Minister Alex Salmond.

Alex Cole-Hamilton told us:

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The Voice

LibLink: Ed Davey says Government is “butchering UK’s renewables”

By The Voice | Wed 6th January 2016 - 1:13 pm

 

BusinessGreen refers to some of Ed Davey’s recent comments as a ‘blistering attack’ in which he ‘slams Conservative ministers’.

He was responding to some research, including Freedom of Information requests, that was carried out by the Carbon Brief. In a nutshell, Conservative ministers  have been claiming that household energy bills were rising because of a projected overspend of £1.5 billion by 2020 on subsidies for clean energy. Hence, they claim there was an urgent need to cut the subsidies for renewables.

But the disclosed emails between officials at the Department of Energy and Climate Change show that by last summer they already knew that energy bills would be 7% lower than originally projected.

According to BusinessGreen, Ed Davey claimed that ‘the revelations provided further evidence the government had slashed renewable energy subsidies on the false premise there was excessive upward pressure on energy bills. He also urged ministers to now release the full detail of the calculations used to project a £1.5bn overspend.’

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The Voice

Tom Brake slams “shamefully weak” UK government statement on Saudi executions

By The Voice | Tue 5th January 2016 - 9:03 pm

Lib Dem foreign affairs spokesperson Tom Brake has torn into the Government’s statement on the executions of 47 prisoners in Saudi Arabia in a series of tweets this evening.

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The Voice

Obituary: Brian Niblett – Liberal Democrat ‘force of nature’

By The Voice | Tue 5th January 2016 - 9:54 am

Brian NiblettVeteran Liberal Democrat campaigner, Brian Niblett, sadly passed away on 10 December following a year-long battle with cancer.

Brian Niblett came from modest beginnings, growing up in Filton, South Gloucestershire, the youngest of four children. Brian joined British Gas as an apprentice and went on to become a chartered engineer and enjoy a 22 year career with the company. His final role was as head of public relations for the Middle East and Africa before he left in 1996 to focus on politics and to set up his own PR and marketing consultancy with his partner, Lisa.

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The Voice

Parliamentary Committee backs calls for UK to take 3000 unaccompanied refugee children

By The Voice | Tue 5th January 2016 - 8:31 am

Westminster’s International Development Select Committee has backed calls by Save the Children for the Government to take 3000 unaccompanied refugee children from Syria.

From the BBC:

The International Development Committee said it backed calls from charities for the UK to accept more unaccompanied minors as a matter of “utmost urgency”.

Lone children risked being forced into prostitution or the drugs trade unless given sanctuary, the MPs said.

The UK has taken 1,000 refugees so far as part of a 20,000 five-year target.

But humanitarian campaigners say this is inadequate and that refugees already in Europe should qualify for resettlement under the UK’s Vulnerable Persons Relocation (VPR) scheme, which is currently restricted to those in refugee camps in Syria and neighbouring countries.

The BBC gives the teensiest, tiniest mention to the fact that Tim Farron supports this measure, but doesn’t quite capture the extent of his support, going as far as actually trying to make it happen by lodging a bill in Parliament.

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The Voice

Liberal Democrat Voice Stars of 2015 Part 7

By The Voice | Mon 4th January 2016 - 11:55 am

We wanted to honour those Liberal Democrats that our readers felt were true stars of 2015, which has been one of the toughest years in our party’s history. Over the past few days, we have sought out  nominations and now have a rather impressive list that we’ll be publishing in instalments during this week. Here is the seventh part. Their names come with the comments made about the contribution they have made. Some are parliamentarians, some are councillors, most are grassroots activists. Let’s celebrate them and the many others who are fighting fto keep that Liberal Democrat flame alive. These are our Liberal Democrat stars of 2015.

Nicholas Pentney

Nicholas worked tirelessly above and beyond as our Organiser in North Cornwall for the General Election in 2015, always with a positive and friendly attitude, encouraging a can do attitude.

Nicholas sadly lost his mum just before the Bournemouth conference yet he still attended conference attending training workshops from first thing in the morning to last in the evening. Nicholas then returned and worked tirelessly on Adrian Sanders’ campaign during the by-election needed by the sad passing of Nicholas’s mum Ruth. Everything Nicholas does he does with a smile and a calm cheerful manner.

I can not praise Nicholas enough and I consider it an honour to work with  Nicholas as a part of our team in North Cornwall.

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The Voice

Willie Rennie sets out the case for a bright, green, liberal Scotland

By The Voice | Mon 4th January 2016 - 11:25 am

Willie Rennie factoryWillie Rennie kicks off election year in Scotland by setting out the case for a bright, green liberal Scotland. Speaking on a visit to a factory in his Fife constituency, he said:

The last five years in the Scottish Parliament have been dominated by independence. The next five years should be dominated by a bright, green and liberal programme for Scotland:

With Scotland returning to work today it should signal a change of focus for our parliament: it’s time to get on with the day job.

Children and young people deserve a good quality education with nursery education and a pupil premium to give every child a chance of a good job.  Yet under the SNP, Scotland’s once proud education system has slipped in the world standing.

People deserve a good quality health service with better mental health services and more GPs.  Yet under the SNP there’s long waits to see a GP or get mental health treatment they need.

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The Voice

Liberal Democrat Voice Stars of 2015 Part 6

By The Voice | Sun 3rd January 2016 - 11:55 am

We wanted to honour those Liberal Democrats that our readers felt were true stars of 2015, which has been one of the toughest years in our party’s history. Over the past few days, we have sought out  nominations and now have a rather impressive list that we’ll be publishing in instalments during this week. Here is the sixth  part. Their names come with the comments made about the contribution they have made. Some are parliamentarians, some are councillors, most are grassroots activists. Let’s celebrate them and the many others who are fighting fto keep that Liberal Democrat flame alive. These are our Liberal Democrat stars of 2015.

 Cllr Frank Hindle

He has been a councillor in the town for 25 years he and served as opposition group leader on Gateshead Council during the difficult years of the coalition. He has also been N.E Regional Chair and was the Parliamentary candidate in Gateshead in 2010 and 2015. He has been the election agent for the local authority elections for years. and he is currently starting a term as Chair of Gateshead Liberal Democrats. Frank has dedicated his life to the party and deserves some recognition for his dedication and work.

Dave Hodgson and Christine McHugh

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The Voice

Farron blasts shelving of enquiry into banking culture

By The Voice | Sat 2nd January 2016 - 12:55 pm

We already know that the Government tried to slip out lots of bad news (including crucial evidence of the hardship caused by the Bedroom Tax) in a giant Take out the Trash day before Christmas, but the Financial Conduct Authority used Hogmanay to slip out the fact that it wasn’t going to bother with publishing a review into banking culture. Apparently it “wouldn’t help.” Try telling that to the people who suffered as a result of one of the worst crashes in history.

Tim Farron was on this one straight away and ended up getting quoted pretty widely. He said:

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The Voice

Liberal Democrat Voice Stars of 2015 Part 5

By The Voice | Sat 2nd January 2016 - 11:55 am

We wanted to honour those Liberal Democrats that our readers felt were true stars of 2015, which has been one of the toughest years in our party’s history. Over the past few days, we have sought out  nominations and now have a rather impressive list that we’ll be publishing in instalments during this week. Here is the fifth part. Their names come with the comments made about the contribution they have made. Some are parliamentarians, some are councillors, most are grassroots activists. Let’s celebrate them and the many others who are fighting fto keep that Liberal Democrat flame alive. These are our Liberal Democrat stars of 2015.

 James Baker and Mick Taylor from Calderdale

For going  above and beyond the call of duty for the party despite various health & personal difficulties.

Sheree Miller

For being our outstanding candidate in Boleyn Ward by-election, who got a thoroughly deserved second place. Just brilliant on the doorstep, talking to people, listening to their concerns. And a great chilli too.

Amy Stuart

As a representative of the influx of members post-election and for her inspirational speech at Conference Rally.

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The Voice

Liberal Democrat Voice Stars of 2015 Part 4

By The Voice | Fri 1st January 2016 - 11:55 am

We wanted to honour those Liberal Democrats that our readers felt were true stars of 2015, which has been one of the toughest years in our party’s history. Over the past few days, we have sought out  nominations and now have a rather impressive list that we’ll be publishing in instalments during this week. Here is the fourth part. Their names come with the comments made about the contribution they have made. Some are parliamentarians, some are councillors, most are grassroots activists. Let’s celebrate them and the many others who are fighting fto keep that Liberal Democrat flame alive. These are our Liberal Democrat stars of 2015.

Cllr Fran Wilson

Fran is Leader of Maidstone BC

You can’t get bluer then the County of Kent, with only two out of the counties district and borough Councils not being Tory controlled, one of those is UKIP lead,  the other is Lib Dem lead Maidstone. Maidstone went orange in May 2015, despite a disappointing general election result, the Lib Dems continue to be the main opposition to the Tories in the Town. Under the leadership of veteran Lib Dem Cllr Fran Wilson, the Councils Lib Dem group brought together a rainbow coalition of parties to take control of the Council and rid Maidstone of its unpopular Tory rulers. Uniting Lab, UKIP and Independents they have dumped the hated Labour executive/cabinet system and reintroduced the more inclusive committee system, as a result giving every Councillor a voice on the Council. This is Fran’s second stint as Council Leader, who is the only female Council Leader in Kent, being no novice to local government,  she walks a daily tight rope of trying to keep the Tories out of power in Maidstone, with her informal “rainbow” coalition, at the same time Fran and her colleagues continue to fly the Lib Dem flag in Kent and deliver key Lib Dem polices in the Town.

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The Voice

The Lib Dem week in Scotland

By The Voice | Thu 31st December 2015 - 2:41 pm

Welcome to our weekly roundup of what the Scottish Liberal Democrats, led by Willie Rennie, have been getting up to.

The plight of 50,000 children on housing waiting lists

Jim Hume highlights the tens of thousands of children on housing waiting lists in Scotland. This is an area entirely devolved to the SNP Government. Jim said:

It’s unbelievable that someone has been on a council house waiting list since the end of the Second World War. The lack of housing available for social rent in this country is a disgrace and Ministers should be ashamed of themselves. The SNP has muddied the waters on housing by backtracking on election promises and Scots and their children are paying the price.

The Scottish Liberal Democrats believe children need the best start in life. This cannot be achieved if there is uncertainty about whether they’ll even have a roof over their heads. Last week we discovered 30,000 children have been homeless on Christmas Day over the past three years. When you put that figure with the tens of thousands of children currently on housing waiting lists, it paints a very bleak picture for young people needing support as they’re grow up in Scotland.

Projects such as the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership, which is funded by the Scottish Government, are bringing properties back into use but not at a rate that will actually make much of a difference.

These kind of schemes need more funding so that they can stop being a drop in the ocean and start having an impact. How many more thousands of children will be left languishing on waiting lists before the Scottish Government recognises there is a housing crisis in this country?”

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The Voice

Liberal Democrat Voice Stars of 2015 Part 3

By The Voice | Thu 31st December 2015 - 11:55 am

We wanted to honour those Liberal Democrats that our readers felt were true stars of 2015, which has been one of the toughest years in our party’s history. Over the past few days, we have sought out  nominations and now have a rather impressive list that we’ll be publishing in instalments during this week. Here is the third part. Their names come with the comments made about the contribution they have made. Some are parliamentarians, some are councillors, most are grassroots activists. Let’s celebrate them and the many others who are fighting fto keep that Liberal Democrat flame alive. These are our Liberal Democrat stars of 2015.

Everyone involved in making sure we had a full slate of candidates in parliamentary elections

I’d like to nominate as Lib Dem stars all the people involved in making sure we have a full slate of candidates in parliamentary elections. Being the end of 2015 I’m thinking particularly of the General Election but the same will apply to all elections. That’s the people in the states and regions who manage the process, those who organise approval, selection and appointment of candidates, the returning officers who work with local parties, and those in local parties who do the shortlisting. It is a huge organisational job that I think most members won’t appreciate the scale of, and it takes a small number of activists a lot of time to get right and is obviously crucial for us as a political party.

Bradley Hillier-Palmer

As one of our newest members in Camden, he has led a charge of activity around supporting refugees – including street stalls collecting for Calais, and is actually in Calais this week helping refugees struggling.
He embodies the Liberal Democratic spirit of equality, community and liberty with enthusiasm and action, and I have no doubt he will go on to be a valuable asset to the Lib Dems
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The Voice

Lib Dems in the New Year Honours

By The Voice | Thu 31st December 2015 - 8:25 am

The New Year Honours were announced late last night. We have trawled through the list and have spotted a couple of prominent Liberal Democrats.

But we are sure there are others known to you, our readers.  Please let us know in the comments about anyone we have missed, and we’ll add them to this post.

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