Category Archives: LibLink

For highlighting articles by Lib Dems that have appeared elsewhere in the media.

LibLink: Alison Goldsworthy: Westminster’s treatment of women is stuck in the 1950s

By NewsHound | Thu 16th January 2014 - 7:15 pm

Over at the Telegraph, Alison Goldsworthy, Vice Chair of the Liberal Democrats’ Federal Executive has written a thought provoking piece about the way young women are treated in the political bubble that is Westminster.

She paints an unedifying picture of life inside the Palace, across all parties:

Tales of parliamentarians in their 50s, heavy breathing that they may be giving up their seat, or promotions would be on offer whilst getting uncomfortably close to female staffers in their early 20s are commonplace. Go to the bars of Westminster most days of the week then you will see it in action. You don’t

…

LibLink: John Barrett: Independence is about country, not cash

By Caron Lindsay | Wed 15th January 2014 - 11:58 am

Former MP for Edinburgh West John Barrett has made a surprise intervention in the debate on Scottish independence. Writing in the Scotsman last Saturday, he became the only senior figure so far to say that he doesn’t yet know how he’s going to vote in the referendum on 18th September.

He said that the debate so far has become polarised and is switching people off:

There are good people on both sides, who genuinely believe in what they are arguing for. Unfortunately, as they are entrenched in their own positions, they are often unable to view many important issues in a non-party

…

Tagged john barrett, Scotland, Scottish independence referendum and the scotsman | 6 Comments

Liblink: The lobbying bill is no ‘gagging law’

By Joe Otten | Mon 13th January 2014 - 2:35 pm

At the outset, ministers believed the bill would be a fairly non-controversial measure, limiting the political influence of maverick millionaires in elections. It was construed very differently by people we Liberal Democrats most strongly identify with: our natural, liberal allies in the voluntary and charitable sector saw the bill as a broad assault on their freedom of speech.

So write Paul Tyler and Shirley Williams in the Guardian.

The so-called ‘gagging law’ is keeping the definition of ‘non-party campaigning’ in the Political Parties Elections and Referendums Act 2000 – as that which “can be reasonably …

Tagged lobbying bill | 20 Comments

LibLink: Christine Jardine: Let’s be grateful for the EU

By NewsHound | Sat 4th January 2014 - 9:08 am

Former Special Adviser and current Scottish Euro candidate Christine Jardine writes in the Scotsman about what Europe means to her and how she first became aware of what it meant as a child:

For me, joining what was then the EEC was the beginning of a very different, more positive and much less life-threatening relationship with the Continent than the previous generations of my family had experienced.

In 1973 Europe was all about new money, counting everything in tens and hundreds and new equipment to learn with at school.

Yard sticks were out and metre sticks were in. No more inches. It was

…

Tagged conservatives, eu, Scotland, snp and ukip | 2 Comments

LibLink: Danny Alexander – “Every day the Coalition continues is a day Britain’s economy gets stronger”

By NewsHound | Wed 1st January 2014 - 2:00 pm

Over in the Telegraph, Lib Dem chief secretary to the treasury Danny Alexander has welcomed the start of 2014 by highlighting the ways the Coalition is helping individuals and businesses to help get the economy growing fir everyone. Here’s an exerpt:

There is a lot more work to be done, but the recovery wouldn’t be happening without the Liberal Democrats. Every day the Coalition continues its work is a day that Britain’s economy gets stronger.

For the first time there are more than 30 million people in work and unemployment is at its lowest level since April 2009. It is those hard-working

…

Tagged Danny Alexander | 18 Comments

LibLink: Richard Reeves: The Clegg Factor

By NewsHound | Tue 31st December 2013 - 4:51 pm

Remember Richard Reeves, Nick Clegg’s former head of strategy? He left about 18 months ago but has written a couple of pieces in recent days, one for the Guardian and another for the Centre Forum blog. In his Guardian piece, he suggests that it’s after 2020 that the Liberal Democrats will really reap the rewards of our performance in Government. His theory is that we’ll do well enough to stay in government in 2015 and by 2020 we will have killed “the presumption of one-party government.”

At Centre Forum’s blog, he concentrates on Nick Clegg and his achievements and opportunities:

Clegg’s

…

Tagged centre forum, guardian, nick clegg and richard reeves | 52 Comments

LibLink: Nick Clegg: Slam the door on EU migrants and it is Britain that will get hurt

By Caron Lindsay | Sun 22nd December 2013 - 9:33 am

There are many Liberal Democrats, myself included, who feel distinctly uneasy about the changes that the Coalition has made to EU benefits changes, agreed to by Nick Clegg. My personal view is that while these changes save the country a very small amount of money, tackling a problem that doesn’t really exist, we lose a lot more by ceding ground to UKIP and the Tory right.

From Nick’s point of view, though, he feels that he’s agreed to it to make the system fairer and acceptable to British taxpayers in the current climate. He’s fine with free movement around the …

Tagged eu, immigration, nick clegg and sunday times | 41 Comments

LibLink: Tessa Munt: “You don’t have to love the Tories to work with them”

By NewsHound | Fri 20th December 2013 - 10:18 am

In the Daily Mirror, MP for Wells, Tessa Munt (and potential candidate to be Deputy Leader?), has been taking our case to its readers;

We’ve delivered more policies we’ve been working on for some time – like free school meals for primary school children, a supermarket Ombudsman and shared parental leave.

Most importantly of all, we’ve done even more to make our tax system fairer – taking the low paid out of paying income tax altogether and nailing an agreement to give workers a bonus of over £700 in April next year by raising the point when you start paying tax.

…

Also posted in News | Tagged tessa munt | 19 Comments

LibLink: Sir Nick Harvey MP: Time to reform EU defence policy and make Britain safer

By NewsHound | Thu 19th December 2013 - 3:59 pm

Over at British Influence, Sir Nick Harvey has been writing about today’s EU meeting on defence co-operation and what he thinks could be achieved from it.

He sets out why co-operation is a good idea

EU defence cooperation has a crucial role to play in achieving security around the globe and preventing an onslaught of failed states. This is clearly in the UK’s national interest since failed states create a series of associated and interlinked problems which impact on the UK, such as severe poverty, irregular migration and terrorism – as we have seen in the case of Al-Shabaab in Somalia.

There have

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Also posted in Europe / International | Tagged british influence, defence, eu and sir nick harvey mp | 8 Comments

LibLink: Stephen Tall: Where the parties are at the end of 2013 and what they face in 2014

By Newsmoggie | Thu 19th December 2013 - 11:15 am

Stephen has been writing over at Conservative Home again. This time, he’s done his end of year report for each of the main parties. The Telegraph’s Toby Young even complimented it. Here are some snippets:

Labour

With economic growth returning, Labour has deftly segued their economic attack. The assault on public spending cuts that go “too far, too fast” has been ditched, and in its place is a new refrain, “the Tory cost-of-living crisis”. It’s an ingenious line, tapping into the lag between the nascent recovery and people’s wages, with Ed Miliband’s populist pledge to freeze energy prices for 20 months

…

Tagged conservative home, stephen tall and Toby Young was even nice | 15 Comments

LibLink: Nick Clegg: Kick the crooks out and drag the Lords into the 21st century

By NewsHound | Wed 18th December 2013 - 10:53 am

Nick Clegg has written about the need to reform the House of Lords in today’s Mirror in response to the latest mini-scandal concerning Lord Hanningfield. When I read the first sentence, my blood pressure hit the roof:

What’s worse than a greedy Lord clocking in to work for just a few minutes a day to pocket hundreds of pounds from the taxpayer?

What’s worse is when the same peer – caught red handed as a result of the Mirror’s excellent investigative efforts – shrugs their shoulders and tells you: everybody’s doing it.

But there are lots of good ones who work really hard, …

Tagged lords reform, nick clegg and the mirror | 8 Comments

LibLink: Vince Cable opposes Heathrow expansion

By Mary Reid | Tue 17th December 2013 - 3:17 pm

Vince Cable’s constituency of Twickenham is already under the Heathrow flightpath, and he is strongly opposed to any further expansion of the airport.

He writes:

The Davies Commission interim report has put Heathrow at the front of its thinking which is questionable economically, damaging environmentally and probably undeliverable politically.

My strong view is that the Davies review should not decide to press ahead with Heathrow options and I will be making that view known in the strongest terms.

Tagged davies commission and heathrow airport | 6 Comments

Liblink: Sarah Ludford on the 12th anniversary of the European Arrest Warrant

By Joe Otten | Mon 16th December 2013 - 2:43 pm

The European Arrest warrant, allowing those suspected of crimes in one EU member state to be arrested anywhere in the EU, was agreed 12 years ago. Now under fire from a small group of (soft on crime?) Conservative MPs, Sarah Ludford MEP responds in the Huffington Post.

Since 2009, hundreds of suspects have been extradited back to the UK to face charges using the EAW, including 63 for child sex offences, 105 for drug trafficking, 27 for rape and 44 for murder, while 4,000 suspects have been sent to other countries. …

In fact, the EAW has become so integral

…

Tagged crime and european arrest warrant | 2 Comments

LibLink: Chris Davies MEP – Why I’m backing Verhofstadt for Commission President

By NewsHound | Thu 12th December 2013 - 6:16 pm

Over on his blog, North West MEP Chris Davies explains why he is backing former Belgian prime minister Guy Verhofstadt to continue leading the ALDE grouping and be the group’s nominee for president of the European Commission.

Over to Chris to explain why:

He is a man who can provide the European Union with a degree of leadership and inspiration that it has been missing.

I am seriously concerned that Europe is stagnating while countries elsewhere gain greater economic influence. Verhofstadt is absolutely right in saying that we must break free of our self-imposed shackles and move forward.

National governments should retain control

…

Tagged chris davies and guy verhofstadt | 12 Comments

LibLink: Tim Farron – Only a fool could trust in the ‘oversight’ provided by the intelligence committee

By NewsHound | Thu 12th December 2013 - 9:18 am

Over on Politics.co.uk party president Tim Farron has a piece on the ramifications of the story that has dominated much of the past year: the extent of the powers held by states to snoop on our communications. Tim sets out some thoughts about the oversight of these systems, which he thinks are presently inadequate.

Here’s an excerpt:

Our democratic process is built upon a system of checks and balances. Those who exercise power over the individual are held to account by others. For all the faults of the Westminster bubble (and there are many), the quiet revolution in the way select committees

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Tagged civil liberties, intelligence and security committee and tim farron | 1 Comment

LibLink: Stephen Tall: The agony of the Tory modernisers

By NewsHound | Sun 8th December 2013 - 3:29 pm

In his latest column on Conservative Home, Stephen Tall feels the pain of those who wanted a modern, inclusive Conservative Party. When they had their way, the Tories actually did quite well. When the nasty lot take hold, their poll ratings plummet and they don’t appeal beyond their hardcore supporters. And that’s not enough to win a general election, especially when the Liberal Democrats are keen to woo those who would once have been called the “wets.”

I’ve written here before about the Lib Dems’ 17.5 per cent strategy, the optimistic end of the party’s share-of-the-vote forecast for 2015. To our

…

Tagged conservative home and stephen tall | 16 Comments

Danny Alexander’s passion for Irn Bru and admiration for Lyndon Johnson revealed in Guardian Q & A

By Newsmoggie | Sat 7th December 2013 - 2:03 pm

Danny Alexander is featured in today’s Guardian Q & A. It’s a strange feature that is sometimes contradictory, sometimes very revealing and sometimes just a little too on message for comfort. But then, he’s not talking to Liberal Democrat members, he’s talking to the wider public so if there was no mention of a stronger economy or fairer society, it would probably be a bit of a missed opportunity. When we are sick of hearing something, it’s only just starting to get through to the wider public. He even recognises himself, though, that he might over-use “The mess Labour left …

Tagged Danny Alexander and the guardian | 3 Comments

LibLink: Caron Lindsay – It’s time to get real people involved in the indyref debate

By NewsHound | Sat 7th December 2013 - 8:15 am

LDV’s Co-Editor, Caron Lindsay, has written for The Herald newspaper about 2014’s Scottish independence referendum. She’s a bit bored with the same old politicians serving up the same old rehearsed lines. She wants real people to start having their say:

Let’s have the next debate around the kitchen table with some ordinary people. Take my friends Anne and Stevie as an example. The referendum is on her birthday. If we become independent, that’ll happen on his. She’s pro UK, he’s pro independence, albeit with a slightly different and quirkier vision than that presented by the SNP. They care deeply

…

Also posted in Scotland | Tagged caron lindsay and Scottish independence referendum | Leave a comment

Jo Swinson talks to Cosmopolitan about the gender pay gap and equality in the workplace

By NewsHound | Tue 3rd December 2013 - 9:35 am

We’ve heard a lot from Nick Clegg and Jo Swinson over the past week on one great inequality in the workplace – the rules around leave after a baby is born. Thanks to the Liberal Democrats in government, parents will soon be able to share all but the first two weeks of a year of parental leave. For me, that policy sums up what we are about. It’s liberal, it’s about allowing people to make choices that are right for them and it does sing to both stronger economy and fairer society mantras.

However, that’s not the only issue of equality …

Tagged gender pay gap, jenny willott, Jo Swinson and shared parental leave | 5 Comments

Liblink: Lynne Featherstone on breaking the link between violence against women and HIV

By NewsHound | Mon 2nd December 2013 - 8:27 am

The UK is supporting HIV intervention in Malawi and others must help to break this tragic cycle, say Lynne Featherstone and Annie Lennox in the Guardian.

Tears may dry in seconds. Bruises may disappear in days – and scars might eventually fade. But of all the devastating consequences of violence against women and girls, there is one lasting impact that cannot be hidden underneath clothing or concealed behind a forced smile. In sub-Saharan Africa, every minute of every day a woman becomes infected with HIV, adding to the tragic and persistent spread of the HIV/Aids epidemic.

The brutal fact is that …

Tagged HIV, lynne featherstone and violence against women and girls | 1 Comment

LibLink: Willie Rennie – St Andrew’s Day: A proud Scot making the positive case for remaining within the UK

By NewsHound | Sat 30th November 2013 - 7:55 pm

Over at the Endeavour Public Affairs blog, Leader of the Scottish Lib Dems Willie Rennie marks St Andrew’s Day, 30th November, by reflecting on the importance of Scottish identity … within the UK. Here’s an excerpt:

It is because I am a proud Scot that I want to see a constitutional settlement which gives us the best chance to get on in life. 2011 was the first year where the number of people aged 65 and over was higher than the number of those aged under 15. When it comes to providing stability for pensions, welfare and our economy

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Also posted in Scotland | Tagged willie rennie | Leave a comment

LibLink: Tim Farron – EU: The Liberal Democrats as the ‘Party of In’

By NewsHound | Sat 23rd November 2013 - 12:35 pm

With 6 months to the European elections, the Lib Dems are stepping up the party’s drive to be identified as the most pro-European party – in contrast to previous campaigns when the party has tended to downplay its pro-Europeanism.

There are two reasons. First, the Lib Dems believe we’re better off in. Secondly, the party’s private polling shows that those who aren’t current Lib Dem voters, but would consider voting for us, are generally pro-European and like the party’s stance.

Party president Tim Farron published an article on the Huffington Post yesterday making the Lib Dem case. Here’s an excerpt:

Of course,

…

Tagged eu, european union and tim farron | 9 Comments

LibLink: Julian Huppert calls for greater public scrutiny of spying

By Andy Boddington | Sat 9th November 2013 - 9:02 am

Writing in the Guardian yesterday, Julian Huppert called for greater public scrutiny of national security. It was not just the work of the intelligence services that was scrutinised in parliament last Thursday, he says, but secretive intelligence and security committee which oversees the services.

This sort of public scrutiny is exactly what we need to restore confidence in our intelligence service, whose work keeps us safe. It does make you wonder why this should have been such a massive event: shouldn’t public scrutiny be at the heart of the way our intelligence and security service operates anyway?

Huppert says that he is not asking for details to be discussed, just principles.

Also posted in News | Tagged edward snowden, featured and security policy | 3 Comments

LibLink: Are the Liberal Democrats a Lea & Perrins party?

By Andy Boddington | Fri 8th November 2013 - 4:03 pm

In today’s Telegraph, Isobel Hardman says that Nick Clegg is targeting the green, metropolitan middle-class “who fret about whether they are doing the recycling properly.”

Work is being done on the “repeal” sections of the party’s manifesto, explaining how the Lib Dems will reverse certain Coalition reforms, including the unpopular employee shares-for-rights scheme. But, Hardman says some party figures want more distinctive Lib Dem thinking:

To avoid being seen as a Lea & Perrins party – one that is capable of improving any government, but shouldn’t be taken alone.

Also posted in News | Tagged nick clegg | 11 Comments

LibLink: Stephen Tall – Who could lead the Tories and Lib Dems after 2015?

By Nick T | Thu 7th November 2013 - 10:59 am

Our very own Stephen Tall has been moonlighting again for the lucky people over at Conservative Home. For this edition Stephen has unpacked his crystal ball and programmed it to Spring 2015, where he finds several possible scenarios confronting Messrs Clegg and Cameron.

Here’s a sample:

Conventional wisdom suggests David Cameron will have to win outright to be sure of continuing as Conservative leader. After all, the last Conservative leader to fail to win two successive elections outright – Edward Heath in 1974 – is not a happy precedent. Yet if the Conservatives were to emerge as the largest single party once

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Tagged 2015 general election and stephen tall | 52 Comments

LibLink: Tim Farron – Why has the plight of the overcrowded and the homeless not been prioritised?

By NewsHound | Wed 6th November 2013 - 11:45 am

In a hard-hitting article in today’s Guardian, Tim Farron hits out at David Cameron’s “lack of humanity in face of basic need” on housing while outlining what Liberal Democrats want to see done to make sure that there are enough affordable houses for people.

He outlines the scale of the problem first:

The real divide in modern Britain is not between strivers and shirkers, but between those who were lucky enough to buy homes before 1997 and those who were not. Unless we tackle the housing crisis, homelessness is going to become a mainstream problem. Working families can’t afford to buy, and

…

Tagged featured, housing, the guardian and tim farron | 21 Comments

Liblink… Vince Cable: Europe is an anchor for British business

By Joe Otten | Mon 4th November 2013 - 12:23 pm

For centuries, Britain has developed economically through being an open, outward-looking country. Today, the economy has a high level of global integration. The UK is the world’s fifth largest exporter of goods and services, and we attract more foreign direct investment than any other European country.

…Vince Cable, writing in the Guardian.

Tagged cbi, european union, jobs and trade | 2 Comments

LibLink: Steve Webb – Issue of pension charges has been neglected for too long

By NewsHound | Wed 30th October 2013 - 8:48 am

The BBC reports on Steve Webb’s planned “full frontal assault” on the charges that pensions companies levy for management of pensions funds:

Pensions minister Steve Webb told BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast that the move was just the start of a much broader review into pensions charges.

He said: “We do have powers to cap a much wider range of charges. The document today looks at banning something called active member discounts. That means when you leave a firm they jack your charges up – we don’t think this is right so we will probably ban those.”

Steve has written an article …

Tagged daily telegraph, fairer society, pensions and steve webb | 19 Comments

LibLink: Stephen Tall – Lib Dems recontaminating the Tory brand? No, the Tories do it to themselves

By NewsHound | Wed 23rd October 2013 - 4:16 pm

Our Stephen Tall has been moonlighting over at Conservative Home again, this time pointing out that it’s the Liberal Democrats who are the good cops in the Coalition and that may not be the case in any future deal with Labour. Some of his comments will controversial amongst Liberal Democrats…

We’re lucky to be in coalition with the Conservatives:

Yet we are lucky and here’s why: we disagree with the Conservatives enough to protect our own identity within Coalition. The politicos call it differentiation. Most people would recognise it as “good cop, bad cop” politics. And it suits us Lib Dems down to the ground. It means that on many of the issues that matter most to the voters – especially tax-cuts for the low-paid and safeguarding the NHS, according to this YouGov finding– the Lib Dems are considered to have been a civilising influence on the Conservatives.

Also posted in Op-eds | Tagged conservative home and stephen tall | 11 Comments

LibLink: Miriam González Durántez – Why I’m calling on brilliant British women to go back to school

By Mary Reid | Tue 8th October 2013 - 3:45 pm

Miriam González Durántez has written for The Telegraph about how to provide good role models for girls.

She writes:

The UK, and Europe in general, is without any doubt one of the best places in the world to be a woman, if not the best. We can vote, we can work, we can travel, we have access to education, we can own and inherit property, we can speak freely, we are the masters of our own emotional lives. It is often easy to take all this for granted.

And yet while men are able to toy with unlimited options, we still face a series of stark choices. If we do not have children, people assume we are “frustrated”. If we stay at home taking care of our children, it is said we are “not working”. If we have a job, we are portrayed as just “part-time mums”, and sometimes even as bad parents. If we succeed in our professional lives, we’re branded “scary”; if we follow fashion, we’re “shallow”; if we like science, we’re “geeks”; if we read women’s magazines, we’re “fluffy”; and if we defend our rights, we’re “hard”.

Tagged featured, Inspiring the Future and miriam gonzalez durantez | 10 Comments

Op-eds

Vince Cable writes…Labour and Fiscal Rules (Vince Cable)
Josh Babarinde writes…The Lib Dem Summer of Strategy (Josh Babarinde)
Mathew on Monday: “We need to be bold” (Mathew Hulbert)
As a party we must be better defined for the 2029 general election (Chris Bowers)
From national averages to local realities: inequality in our communities (Tom Walker)

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Josh Babarinde writes…The Lib Dem Summer of Strategy

Alison Suttie writes: Thank you to our volunteers

What’s going on with party strategy?

A strange but welcome feeling

Category Archives: LibLink

LibLink: Alison Goldsworthy: Westminster’s treatment of women is stuck in the 1950s

LibLink: John Barrett: Independence is about country, not cash

Liblink: The lobbying bill is no ‘gagging law’

LibLink: Christine Jardine: Let’s be grateful for the EU

LibLink: Danny Alexander – “Every day the Coalition continues is a day Britain’s economy gets stronger”

LibLink: Richard Reeves: The Clegg Factor

LibLink: Nick Clegg: Slam the door on EU migrants and it is Britain that will get hurt

LibLink: Tessa Munt: “You don’t have to love the Tories to work with them”

LibLink: Sir Nick Harvey MP: Time to reform EU defence policy and make Britain safer

LibLink: Stephen Tall: Where the parties are at the end of 2013 and what they face in 2014

Labour

LibLink: Nick Clegg: Kick the crooks out and drag the Lords into the 21st century

LibLink: Vince Cable opposes Heathrow expansion

Liblink: Sarah Ludford on the 12th anniversary of the European Arrest Warrant

LibLink: Chris Davies MEP – Why I’m backing Verhofstadt for Commission President

LibLink: Tim Farron – Only a fool could trust in the ‘oversight’ provided by the intelligence committee

LibLink: Stephen Tall: The agony of the Tory modernisers

Danny Alexander’s passion for Irn Bru and admiration for Lyndon Johnson revealed in Guardian Q & A

LibLink: Caron Lindsay – It’s time to get real people involved in the indyref debate

Jo Swinson talks to Cosmopolitan about the gender pay gap and equality in the workplace

Liblink: Lynne Featherstone on breaking the link between violence against women and HIV

LibLink: Willie Rennie – St Andrew’s Day: A proud Scot making the positive case for remaining within the UK

LibLink: Tim Farron – EU: The Liberal Democrats as the ‘Party of In’

LibLink: Julian Huppert calls for greater public scrutiny of spying

LibLink: Are the Liberal Democrats a Lea & Perrins party?

LibLink: Stephen Tall – Who could lead the Tories and Lib Dems after 2015?

LibLink: Tim Farron – Why has the plight of the overcrowded and the homeless not been prioritised?

Liblink… Vince Cable: Europe is an anchor for British business

LibLink: Steve Webb – Issue of pension charges has been neglected for too long

LibLink: Stephen Tall – Lib Dems recontaminating the Tory brand? No, the Tories do it to themselves

We’re lucky to be in coalition with the Conservatives:

LibLink: Miriam González Durántez – Why I’m calling on brilliant British women to go back to school

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