Author Archives: The Voice

WATCH: Jane Dodds’ speech to Lib Dem Conference

Here is Welsh Lib Dem Leader Jane Dodds’ speech to Lib Dem Conference.

Enjoy!

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Monday at Conference: What’s on?

Here’s Monday’s events in the main hall. We have keynote speeches from Daisy Cooper and Welsh Leader Jane Dodds, policy motions on bereavement support, supporting musicians, the Israel Gaza conflict, prisons and international development and a consultation session on the General Election Review.

You can find full details in the agenda here. Don’t forget about the Lib Dem Conf app too – available on your app store.

If, like me, you are stuck at home, you can watch all the main hall action live here.

09.00-09.45 F29 Policy motion: Fair Votes Now

09.45-11.05 F30 Consultative session: General Election Review

11.05-11.20 F31 Speech: Daisy …

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Maiden Speeches: Will Forster MP for Woking

Our next maiden speech comes from Will Forster, the new Liberal Democrat MP for Woking who spoke in the Budget Responsibility Bill.

This text is below:

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Maiden Speeches: Marie Goldman MP for Chelmsford

Marie Goldman, the new Lib Dem MP for Chelmsford, made her maiden speech in the debate on the Budget Responsiblity Bill.

The text is below:

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Alistair, Layla and Jamie, our three new Select Committee Chairs

So the new Chairs of the three Lib Dem led House of Commons Select Committeeshave been announced They were all elected unopposed.

Alistair Carmichael will chair the Environment, Food and Rural Affaiirs Committee.

Alistair said on his election:

I am honoured to be confirmed today as the Chair of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee. I look forward to meeting with the EFRA committee team in the coming days and indeed with the different organisations and experts with a role to play in this sector as we begin our work.

Whether on fishing, farming, water quality or pollution, there is no shortage of issues for the committee to tackle in the coming months. It will take some time for the remaining members of the committee to be appointed and our “to do” list is going to be lengthy, but I intend for us to hit the ground running.

Jamie Stone will head the Petitions Committee which holds debates on those Parliament e-petitions which get more than 100,000 signatures.

He said:

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Your last chance to question Federal Committees

It’s your last chance to submit questions to Federal Committees!

This is an important part of scrutinising those we party members entrust to run the party.

The deadline is 1300 hours tomorrow, Monday 9 September – which is the same as the deadline for amendments and emergency motions.

So if you have a question on, say, the direction the party is taking, ask the Federal Board, what we are doing on diversity, menbers and training, ask the Federal People Development Committee, how Conference is run, ask Federal Conference Committee, how the party is approaching future elections, ask Federal Communications Committee. …

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Maiden speech: Angus MacDonald, MP for Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire

Next in our series of maiden speeches is the one given by Angus Macdonald on Thursday, in the debate on the Great British Energy Bill.

This is what he said:

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Maiden speech: Caroline Voaden, MP for South Devon

Continuing our series highlighting the maiden speeches of our new MPs, here is Caroline Voaden, speaking in the debate on Technology in Public Services on Monday. 

Here is her speech in full:

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Maiden speech: Mike Martin, MP for Tunbridge Wells

Our new MP for Tonbridge Wells, Mike Martin, also made his maiden speech, which he titled An Ode to Tunbridge Wells, in the debate on Technology in Public Life on Monday.

Here is the full text:

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Maiden speech: Alex Brewer MP for North East Hampshire

We’re back on the maiden speeches of our new Lib Dem MPs now. Alex Brewer, our MP for N E Hampshire made hers on Monday in a debate on technology in public services. 

The full text is below:

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Maiden speech: Chris Coghlan MP for Dorking and Horley

Our maiden speech of the day comes from Chris Coghlan, our new MP for Dorking and Horley, in the technology in public services debate. He talked about the lack of support for those with special educational needs in Surrey and highlighted the harrowing murder of his constituent’s autistic son who had not been able to get the support he needed. 

The text is below:

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SNP mess it up every single time – Cole-Hamilton

It’s the new parliamentary term at Holyrood as well and today the troubled  SNP Government unveils its Programme for Government.

Alex Cole-Hamilton said, ahead of the debate this afternoon:

The SNP’s offer is about as inspiring as the ferries they’ve botched and the rail fares they’ve hiked.

Despite having had so many chances to get things right, the SNP have managed to mess it up every single time. They are taking everyone for granted.

People want to see an end to long waits for NHS treatment and a competent plan to fix social care, getting people the care they need and delivering for staff.

…

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Lib Dems welcome suspension of some arms sales to Israel

Yesterday foreign secretary David Lammy announced a partial suspension of arms sales to Israel.

Our foreign affairs spokesperson Layla Moran welcomed the move but said it was overdue:

This action should have been taken long ago by the previous government, who failed to take any leadership on the matter. Liberal Democrats welcome this announcement as a step forward from the government.

Liberal Democrat MPs will now carefully scrutinise the details of the Foreign Secretary’s announcement, including those export licences which the Government has not suspended. We are concerned that the decision is made solely on risk of use in Gaza and not the West Bank.

Every day seems to bring new dreadful scenes from the region, and the UK must be doing everything that it can to ensure that an immediate bilateral ceasefire is secured – to put an end to the humanitarian devastation in Gaza, ensure the hostages are brought home, and open the door to a two-state solution.

Lib Dem MP Alistair Carmichael also welcomed David Lammy ‘s announcement but said that the Government needs to go further to drive peace talks to end the violence in Gaza and elsewhere in the Middle East.

Alistair said:

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There’s still a few days to get in nominations for the party awards

At Autumn Conference (14th – 17th September) the party will be recognising some of those who have given the Liberal Democrats outstanding service and commitment in the past year.

Nominations are now open, so if you know somebody in the Party who you think has gone above and beyond and deserves recognition for it by being awarded one of the six awards listed below, nominate them now!

Nominations close on Monday 26th August 2024 at 23:59.*

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Maiden speech: Pippa Heylings MP

Our final stop, for now, on the Maiden Speech Tour takes us to South Cambridgeshire. Pippa Heylings MP made her debut on 26 July. 

The text is below:

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Maiden Speech: James MacCleary MP

Our maiden speech tour today, like yesterday, starts in Sussex in the constituency of Lewes represented by James MacCleary.

The text is below:

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Maiden Speech: Brian Mathew MP

Our maiden speech tour heads to the West Country now, to hear Brian Mathew, our MP for Melksham and Devizes.

The text is below:

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Four ways you can help Liberal Democrat Voice

The Voice is only a success because of the interest and support from our readers. For many people just lurking and reading the site is all they want to do – and that’s fine, we’re grateful for people taking the time to read the site.

You can though help us continue to produce interesting content for a growing audience. Here are four simple ways:

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Maiden Speech: Alison Bennett MP

LDV has been bringing you our new MPs’ maiden speeches. We’re catching up with those made at the end of the Parliamentary session with Alison Bennett from Mid Sussex.

The full text is below:

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The venue for Spring Conference is …

… Harrogate!

The Federal Conference Committee has announced that the Spring Conference 2025 will take place from 21st to 23rd March at Harrogate.

The main venue will be Harrogate Convention Centre, Kings Road, Harrogate HG1 5LA. And the Conference Hotel and Conference HQ will be at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Kings Road, Harrogate HG1 1XX, which is a one minute walk from the Harrogate Convention Centre.

You can book your accommodation by clicking here.

They have also released some preliminary timings:

Friday 21 March: 18.30-19.30 Rally
Saturday 22 March: 09.00-18.00
Sunday 23 March: 09.00-13.00 (Leader’s speech: 11.45-13.00)

Please note that fringe events will happen outside these timings.

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Maiden speech: Bobby Dean MP for Carshalton and Wallington

Apologies for not covering Bobby Dean’s maiden speech earlier. He gave it during the debate on the Budget Responsibility Bill on 30th July.

Here is the full text:

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Christine Jardine urges Government to appoint Independent Advisor on Islamophobia

Lib Dem Equalities Spokesperson Christine Jardine has written to Women and Equalities Minister Anneliese Dodds to welcome the work the Government has done so far in measures to support Muslim communities and urging them to go further by filling the post of Independent Advisor on Islamophobia that the Conservatives left vacant for two years.

The text of her letter is below:

Dear Anneliese,

I wish to share my concerns about the shocking violent Islamophobia unfolding on our streets and urge early action to fill the position of Independent advisor on Islamophobia left vacant for two years by the previous Conservative Government.

Like the rest of the country, I am deeply distressed by the riots, violence and disorder we have seen in recent days. A small minority of far-right extremists have exploited the unfathomable tragedy in Southport to commit appalling acts of violence, targeting Muslims, asylum seekers and communities of colour.

I fully support your government in calling the motivation behind some of this violence what it is – Islamophobia.

Racism and Islamophobia have no place in our society. Everyone has the right to feel safe in their homes, communities and places of worship. I and my Liberal Democrat colleagues utterly condemn this violence.

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Maiden speech: Jess Brown-Fuller MP for Chichester

Jess gave her maiden speech in the debate on the Budget Responsibility Bill on Tuesday.

Here is the text of her speech in full:

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Maiden speech: Josh Reynolds MP for Maidenhead

Josh Reynolds made his maiden speech in Tuesday in the debate on the Budget Responsibility Bill.

Here is the full text:

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Vacancy: Party Representative on the Executive Committee of Liberal International

A vacancy has arisen for the Liberal Democrats representative to the Executive Committee of Liberal International. This Committee meets annually in person and is hosted by a Liberal International member party, so can take place almost anywhere worldwide. The next event will take place on 29th November 2024 in Santiago, Chile. The position is elected by the Federal International Relations Committee and the term will run until the end of 2025.

The post entails engaging fully with the work of Liberal International and working as a member of a team with the FIRC Chair and Liberal Democrat members of the Liberal International Bureau and other Liberal International Committees. This will require a commitment to fund your travel to the relevant meetings, noting that currently the party does not offer any travel expenses for this purpose. Between these meetings much of the work is undertaken online, but ad hoc meetings and events are possible.

The successful candidate should be able to demonstrate:

  • A good basic knowledge of international relations and current global tensions.
  • Familiarity with Liberal International and some knowledge of its member parties around the world.
  • An understanding of the differing priorities of liberal sister parties in the varied social and economic climates of developed and developing countries.
  • Experience of building consensus in an international framework.
  • Alignment with the Liberal Democrat position on key international issues.

Please note that applicants must be members of the Liberal Democrats.

Application Details: To apply for the role please send a CV and covering letter describing your suitability to Mark Valladares at [email protected]

Application deadline: 28th August 2024

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Maiden speech: Gideon Amos, MP for Taunton & Wellington

Yesterday, Gideon Amos made his maiden speech in a debate on Passenger Railway Services.

Here is the full text:

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Maiden speech: Claire Young MP for Thornbury & Yate

Yesterday, Claire Young made her maiden speech in a debate on Passenger Railway Services.

Here is the full text:

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LIbLink: Ed Davey – Lib Dems plan to ‘finish the job’ in Tory heartlands

Embed from Getty Images

Over on the Guardian website, there’s an interview with Ed Davey in a buoyant mood:

Confirming that he intends to lead the party into the next election, Davey said the party would again ruthlessly target so-called blue wall seats, traditionally Conservative areas where the Lib Dems have taken advantage of perceived Tory complacency and disaffection with the party’s ideological direction.

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Nominations open for ALDC’s Campaigner Awards

We’ve not been short of electoral success this year and the best of our campaigning will be recognised at Conference in September.

ALDC has opened nominations for its annual Local Campaigner awards.  You don’t have to be an ALDC member to nominate, though everyone should be an ALDC member because you get access to the very best in campaigning support.

The categories are:

Best literature – We’re looking for local parties’ examples of well-designed literature with strong messaging, photos and layout. We want to see your best.

Best local election campaign – We’re looking for local parties that have fought effective and strong 2024 local election campaigns. Tell us about your winning strategy. What innovative new ideas did you use? What great literature did you deliver? Did you develop a digital strategy and run a successful online campaign? How did you raise the funds to support your campaign?

Best by-election campaign – We want to hear from teams that have helped us have another great year of by-election gains. Tell us about your winning strategy. What innovative new ideas did you use? What great literature did you deliver? Did you develop a digital strategy run a successful online campaign? How did you raise the funds to support your campaign?

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Maiden speech: Lisa Smart MP for Hazel Grove

Yesterday it was the turn of Lisa Smart to give her maiden speech.

The full text of her speech is below.

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Recent Comments

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