Author Archives: The Voice

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

By The Voice | Sun 11th May 2014 - 4:09 pm

Many thanks to the 16300 visitors who dropped by Lib Dem Voice this week. Here’s our 7 most-read posts…

Opinion: We are still living with the consequences of nationalised railways today. Turning back the clock will make matters worse. (117 comments) by Alisdair Calder McGregor

Labour VAT attack backfires badly (43 comments) by Joe Otten

Nick Clegg unveils council waste and incompetence (71 comments) by The Voice

An open letter to UKIP voters (106 comments) by Paul Reynolds

Latest Euro election polls: Ukip take the lead, but what about …

Posted in Site news | Leave a comment

Devo 15: 15 great achievements in 15 years of the Scottish Parliament

By The Voice | Sun 11th May 2014 - 8:43 am

Tomorrow, it’s 15 years since the first meeting of the Scottish Parliament established after may years of work and campaigning by the Scottish Constitutional Convention. In that first decade and a half, it’s done some groundbreaking and pioneering things. It has a lot to be proud of. Here are some of Holyrood’s highlights.

1. Free personal care for the elderly – Enabling older people to live at home for as long as possible

Posted in News | Tagged devolution, holyrood, Scotland and scottish parliament | Leave a comment

Clegg: Pro-Europeans are the real reformers now

By The Voice | Fri 9th May 2014 - 12:30 pm

Speaking at a Reuter’s Newsmaker event this morning Nick Clegg argued the case for reforming the EU, and for the Liberal Democrats to lead this charge.

The economic rationale for being in Europe should speak for itself, but making the case for IN isn’t easy. The Eurosceptic establishment has gone unchallenged for decades and before you even get to the real issues at the heart of this debate, you have to penetrate a wall of assumptions and myths.

…

Or the biggest myth of all – the idea that

…

Posted in News | Tagged europe | 22 Comments

Former Tory candidate urges Haringey residents to vote Liberal Democrat in local elections

By The Voice | Thu 8th May 2014 - 7:29 pm

Labour’s record in running the Council in Haringey is not what you would call impressive. Despite charging the fifth highest Council Tax in the City, the Audit Commission marked it as the worst in London. Despite massively overspending its schools budget, its primaries schools were described as “the worst and going backwards” and they send folk off on luxury yacht trips at taxpayers’ expense.

Posted in News | 2 Comments

Guy Verhofstadt joins fellow Commission presidency candidates for first TV debate

By The Voice | Thu 8th May 2014 - 3:03 pm

Guy Verhofstadt, former Belgian prime minister and Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party nominee for the presidency of the European Commission, joined the three other main contenders for the job — Jean-Claude Juncker (European People’s Party), Martin Schultz (Party of European Socialists) and Ska Keller (European Green Party) — for the first ever televised debate between Commission presidency candidates.

You can watch a video of the debate, which was hosted by Euro News, below:

Posted in News | Tagged european commission and guy verhofstadt | 4 Comments

Phil Bennion MEP wins Clean Air award

By The Voice | Wed 7th May 2014 - 8:05 pm

Liberal Democrat MEP and European Transport Spokesman Phil Bennion has won an award for his work in improving air quality in cities across the UK, after a successful campaign to cut deadly pollution including from diesel-powered vehicles.

Phil was given the “Clean Air in Cities Award” by campaigning group Clean Air in London after he successfully campaigned to ensure tailpipe exhaust checks are included in MOT tests under EU law. This will help detect harmful emissions and ensure that newer diesel-powered vehicles remain fitted with exhaust filters that prevent deadly particulate pollution being released into the air.

Around a quarter of pollution in the atmosphere in the UK comes from diesel engines, contributing to an estimated 7,000 of the 29,000 premature deaths caused by air pollution each year.

Posted in News | Tagged clean air, environment, eu, phil bennion, pollution and transport | 1 Comment

Calling all writers – two essay competitions on liberalism and liberty coming up soon

By The Voice | Wed 7th May 2014 - 8:55 am

We bring you news of two essay competitions which may have escaped your attention.

CentreForum marks the 10th anniversary of the Orange Book

Can you believe it’s 10 years since the Orange Book? That publication is celebrated by some, reviled by others within the Liberal Democrats. It can never be accused of being boring though. It stimulated one of the biggest policy debates in the history of the party. It was also much maligned as some sort of right wing credo but people forget that Steve Webb wrote for …

Posted in News | Tagged centreforum, competitions, liberty and orange book | 5 Comments

Nick Clegg unveils Council waste and incompetence

By The Voice | Tue 6th May 2014 - 12:10 pm

Today Nick Clegg launches the Liberal Democrats’ local election campaign with a fascinating round-up of Tory and Labour ‘achievements’. As he writes:

If you want to understand a political party’s values, look at one thing: when they are in power, how do they spend your money?

Here is a sample of the worst or daftest excesses:

Labour Councils

Posted in News | Tagged local election campaign and nick clegg | 71 Comments

Scottish Liberal Democrats launch their European Election campaign – IN Britain, IN Europe, IN Work

By The Voice | Mon 5th May 2014 - 2:47 pm

Given the illustrious collection of single malts that there is in Scottish Party HQ, it’s hardly surprising that the party decided to launch its campaign of for the European elections in a distillery near Edinburgh. Alistair Carmichael, Willie Rennie and George Lyon checked out the products as they outlined the campaign themes.

There are no local elections in Scotland this year, but there is an added dimension with the approaching independence referendum. The Party of IN arguments apply just as much to Scotland staying in the UK as they do to the UK staying in Europe.

Posted in News | Tagged Alistair Carmichael, european elections 2014, george lyon and willie rennie | 10 Comments

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

By The Voice | Sun 4th May 2014 - 2:40 pm

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

UKIP examined, who they are, what they stand for and what does it mean for British politics? (79 comments) by Stephen Tall

Latest Euro-election polls: UKIP take the lead but what about the Lib Dems (43 comments) by Stephen Tall

Posted in Site news | Leave a comment

What’s being debated in our members’ forum this week?

By The Voice | Sat 3rd May 2014 - 2:03 pm

LibDemVoice has two parallel sites. The first is our public blog, the thing you’re reading now. The second is our private members’ forum, which only current Lib Dem members can access.

If you’re a member and want to chat with fellow party members about any issue that’s on your mind, then why not sign up? In addition, you’ll be included in our regular surveys’ of party members’ views.

Here’s some of the most active discussions this past week:

Posted in Site news | Leave a comment

Lynne Featherstone on the need for clean cookstoves to transform the lives of women and girls

By The Voice | Sat 3rd May 2014 - 12:23 pm

Earlier this week we told you of Paddy Ashdown’s visit to Bangladesh to raise awareness of the need for clean stoves. This is also an area where Liberal Democrat International Development Minister Lynne Featherstone has been working and on Thursday, she spoke at a Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves conference in London. This issue is important because the World Health Organisation estimates that 4.3 million people lost their lives through being exposed to household air …

Posted in News | Tagged global alliance for clean cookstoves, hillary clinton, international development and lynne featherstone | 3 Comments

Norman Lamb: Ensuring good quality care is essential to Lib Dem mission for fairer society

By The Voice | Sat 3rd May 2014 - 10:57 am

The BBC reports that those seeking to work in care homes will have to have a certificate before being allowed to look after people without supervision.

New care workers will have to earn a training certificate within 12 weeks of starting a job in a hospital or care home, the BBC has learned.

The initiative comes in from March next year in England for staff including hospital healthcare assistants.

Posted in News | Tagged care homes and norman lamb | 16 Comments

LibLink: Catherine Bearder MEP – UKIP’s utter contempt for the electorate

By The Voice | Thu 1st May 2014 - 2:32 pm

Following Nigel Farage’s eventual decision not to run in the Newark by-election, Lib Dem MEP for the South-East of England Catherine Bearder shared her thoughts on UKIP’s approach to holding public office, over at the Huffington Post:

Following hours of umming and ahing, Nigel Farage finally declared that he won’t stand for election in the upcoming by-election in Newark, desperately insisting that he is still “a fighter”. It is remarkable that the very man who claims he is not your typical politician, that he

…

Posted in LibLink | Tagged catherine bearded, european elections 2014 and ukip | 11 Comments

Nick Clegg to host live Twitter Q & A at 2:30 pm today

By The Voice | Thu 1st May 2014 - 12:30 pm

Nick Clegg will be taking to his keyboard for what he described as a “Twitter Town Hall” at 2:30 pm this afternoon.

We’ll bring you the highlights later, but if you want to ask him something, it couldn’t be simpler. Why not take a few minutes out of your lunch hour to send him a question?

Euro elections now 3 weeks away. I’m hosting a live twitter Q&A today at 14:30. Tweet your Europe questions to @nick_clegg

— Nick Clegg (@nick_clegg) May 1, 2014

Posted in News | Tagged nick clegg and twitter | 1 Comment

David Steel responds to Cyril Smith allegations: “Idle gossip is not a basis for any inquiry at all”

By The Voice | Tue 29th April 2014 - 2:54 pm

Former Liberal leader Lord (David) Steel has responded on today’s BBC Radio 4 World at One to accusations that he failed to take seriously allegations levelled in 1979 by Private Eye magazine that Cyril Smith abused boys at a Rochdale hostel. You can listen to Martha Kearney’s interview with him here:

Posted in News | Tagged cyril smith, david steel and martha kearney | 30 Comments

Lib Dems pay tribute to Oliver Thomas

By The Voice | Tue 29th April 2014 - 9:37 am

Five people lost their lives in the helicopter crash in Afghanistan last week. Amongst them, sadly, was 26 year old Lance Corporal Oliver Thomas from Brecon, who had worked as a researcher for Roger Williams in his Westminster office.

Tributes have been paid by a number of leading Liberal Democrats.

Posted in Obituaries | Tagged kirsty williams, nick clegg, oliver thomas and roger williams | 2 Comments

LibLink: Tim Farron: Let’s extend the pupil premium to young carers

By The Voice | Mon 28th April 2014 - 11:57 am

On his recent column on the ALDC Members’ website, Tim Farron has made the case for the Pupil Premium to be extended to young carers:

One of the biggest Lib Dem wins of this Coalition Government has been the Pupil Premium. The Pupil Premium was designed as extra support for kids in our schools who need a little extra help to get the best start in life.

I don’t need to tell you about it; you’ve supported it from an idea in our manifesto to its implementation. I’m preaching to the converted. It’s

…

Posted in LibLink | Tagged aldc, pupil premium, tim farron and young carers | Leave a comment

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

By The Voice | Sun 27th April 2014 - 3:36 pm

Many thanks to the 17,100 visitors who dropped by Lib Dem Voice this week. Here’s our 7 most-read posts…

Jeremy Browne MP responds to LDV debate about his book (71 comments) by Jeremy Browne MP

On Sarah Wollaston’s naming and shaming in the Times of “very aggressive male bloggers” (12 comments) by Stephen Tall

Posted in Best of the blogs and Site news | Leave a comment

Jenny Willott to become the first female Liberal Democrat minister to attend Cabinet

By The Voice | Sun 27th April 2014 - 2:17 pm

There are many people in the party who would like to see the Liberal Democrats with at least one female Cabinet Minister on a permanent basis. There are plenty strong candidates, not least Jenny Willott and Jo Swinson.

We will have to wait a little longer for that, but this week, Jenny Willott will be there to make a presentation on Coalition efforts to close the gender pay gap. She will also attend future meetings when issues affecting women are discussed. The Independent has the story:

In her new role secured

…

Posted in News and Op-eds | Tagged cabinet, gender balance, jenny willott and Jo Swinson | 4 Comments

Coincidence or not? Ukip put candidate named House to take on Eastleigh’s Lib Dem council leader Keith House

By The Voice | Sun 27th April 2014 - 12:45 pm

The Eastleigh News reports what might be accident or might be design – Ukip’s decision to put up a candidate called House against the Lib Dems’ long-standing council leader, Keith House:

Eastleigh’s ruling Lib Dem leader Keith House faces an unusual challenger in next month’s local elections – the Ukip candidate shares the same surname and is alphabetically listed above the Lib Dem by one letter.

John House comes from Chandler’s Ford, some way away from Hedge End’s Wildern ward, which raises the possibility that this is a tactical move by

…

Posted in News | Tagged eastleigh, keith house, local elections 2014 and ukip | 4 Comments

Farron on Murnaghan on Lib Dems standing up for Britain’s interests, the price of government and whether the UK is a Christian country

By The Voice | Sun 27th April 2014 - 11:36 am

Tim Farron has just been on Sky’s Murnaghan show, talking about a variety of issues from the European elections – what can the Lib Dems do to stop annihilation was the introduction. Here are the highlights:

The first question was whether we are paying price for going into government

If you stand for election there’s an occupational hazard you might get elected and that is what you should want if you believe passionately that Britain and the world should operate in a different way.

Posted in News | Tagged murnaghan, sky news and tim farron | 8 Comments

Farron on Cyril Smith allegations: there is a “need to answer serious questions as to who knew what and when”

By The Voice | Sat 26th April 2014 - 8:00 pm

Lib Dem party president Tim Farron has said a police inquiry is the best way to deal with allegations – previously covered here and here by LDV – that former MP Cyril Smith committed a series of sexual assaults and that this was covered up by the authorities. Here’s how the BBC reports his comments:

Police are investigating allegations that the former MP for Rochdale, who died in 2010 aged 82, sexually abused boys at homes and hostels in the town. Mr Farron said the police inquiry was

…

Posted in News | Tagged cyril smith and tim farron | 31 Comments

What’s being debated in our members’ forum this week?

By The Voice | Sat 26th April 2014 - 2:25 pm

LibDemVoice has two parallel sites. The first is our public blog, the thing you’re reading now. The second is our private members’ forum, which only current Lib Dem members can access.

Here’s some of the most active discussions this past 7 days:

Posted in Site news | Leave a comment

Charles Kennedy pays tribute to Tom MacIver, Scotland’s oldest man and founder of Ross-shire Liberals

By The Voice | Fri 25th April 2014 - 3:25 pm

Scotland’s oldest man, Tom MacIver died last Friday at the age of 106. He was a very significant figure in the Highlands and actually founded the Ross-shire Liberal Party way back in 1959. He remained active until relatively recently. He was awarded the MBE for services to politics.

He was a very important player in Charles Kennedy’s election campaigns and was known to ease tensions during those sometimes fraught years of the Alliance. He was a teacher by profession and also wrote a book, Croft Remote, about growing up on a remote Wester Ross farm during the First World War.

Charles paid a generous tribute to him in the Ross-Shire Journal:

Tom’s death is incredibly sad for me, as along with a small handful of people such as John Farquhar Munro and the late Harry Miller, Tom was absolutely crucial to my success in my first election in 1983,” he said.

Posted in News | Tagged charles kennedy, jamie stone, liberal heroes and tom maciver | 2 Comments

“The fight is on; it’s time to pick a side” – Clegg launches European election campaign

By The Voice | Thu 24th April 2014 - 11:51 am

At a Town Hall style event in Colchester this morning, Nick Clegg launched the Lib Dem campaign for the European elections, which will see the party seeking to defend its 12 seats in the European Parliament.

Speaking at the event, Clegg framed the elections as a clear choice between internationalism and isolationism:

The election on the 22 May is about one thing: do you think Britain is better off in the EU, or do you think we should be out? Finally the big question at the heart of the European debate

…

Posted in News | Tagged european elections 2014 | 41 Comments

LibLink: Where would you rather live – Great Britain or little England?

By The Voice | Tue 22nd April 2014 - 9:46 am

Nick Clegg asked this question in The Guardian yesterday, and robustly attacked Ukip’s position:

The isolationists have been allowed to peddle their myths unchallenged for decades. Of all Nigel Farage’s far-fetched claims – and there are many – the most outlandish is the idea that Ukip’s call for an exit is the insurgents’ battle cry. European withdrawal is presented as a great revolutionary promise, held in stark contrast to the status quo upheld by a homogeneous political elite.

Posted in LibLink | Tagged nick clegg, nigel farage and ukip | 24 Comments

‘The Welsh Liberals’: new book published this month

By The Voice | Mon 21st April 2014 - 2:31 pm

Published this month: The Welsh Liberals: The History of the Liberal and Liberal Democrat parties in Wales.

Despite being Wales’ oldest political party this is the first published history of the Welsh Liberal Party or its successor, the Welsh Liberal Democrat Party.

The Welsh Liberals: The History of the Liberal and Liberal Democrat parties in Wales charts the highs and lows of an extraordinary party.

This comprehensive study includes over 40 interviews with senior figures from within the Welsh Liberal Party, the Welsh SDP and Welsh Liberal Democrat Party.

You can order it from …

Posted in Books and Wales | Leave a comment

Vince Cable to crack down on “rogue” directors

By The Voice | Mon 21st April 2014 - 9:28 am

Vince Cable has rogue directors in his sights, announcing plans to stop people who are convicted of commercial crime overseas from being directors of British companies.

The BBC reports:

The business secretary said dishonest directors could cause “huge” harm.

UK criminals can already be banned as directors, and Mr Cable wants the same for those committed overseas.

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) said the measures are due to be tabled in the Parliamentary session which ends in spring 2015.

They would mean “stronger deterrents”

…

Posted in News | Tagged BIS and vince cable | 9 Comments

Labour’s “Easter Clegg” – that’s grown up politics for you

By The Voice | Sun 20th April 2014 - 8:57 am

Labour’s Easter weekend headline grab isn’t about their policies. It doesn’t tell you why you should vote for them, why their vision is any good.

Oh no. It’s a highly personal attack on Nick Clegg in the shape of a chocolate Clegg. All very mature.

From the Mirror:

But the packaging warns the Clegg Eggs are “guaranteed to leave a bad taste in your mouth – and like the Deputy PM himself – are “completely hollow”.

The slogan for the campaign on Twitter suggests the eggs, shaped in the image

…

Posted in News | Tagged easter, labour and nick clegg | 82 Comments

Actually, this Summer of Strategy could be quite good…

Josh Babarinde writes…The Lib Dem Summer of Strategy

Alison Suttie writes: Thank you to our volunteers

What’s going on with party strategy?

Author Archives: The Voice

1. Free personal care for the elderly – Enabling older people to live at home for as long as possible

CentreForum marks the 10th anniversary of the Orange Book

Labour Councils

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