Category Archives: LibLink

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

LibLink: Andrew De Freitas – rebel with a cause

By Paul Walter | Mon 7th January 2013 - 11:53 am

This is Grimsby has an in-depth article on veteran local councillor Andrew De Freitas:

A year after fleeing riots in his homeland, a young political activist from British Guiana arrived in Grimsby. In the first of a new series profiling our ward councillors, Local Government Reporter Simon Faulkner speaks to the Liberal Democrat Andrew De Freitas.

“I WAS always a bit of a rebel”, smiles Andrew De Freitas, recalling his childhood in the Caribbean colony of British Guiana.

“My father said ‘this boy when he grows up is going to be a lawyer’, because I was always prepared to argue on people’s

…

Tagged liberal democrats | Leave a comment

LibLink: Tim Farron – A party of both competence and compassion is in a unique position in British politics

By The Voice | Sun 6th January 2013 - 12:15 pm

In today’s Observer, party president Tim Farron begins the year in chipper mood, pointing out that the political pundits are quick to predict the deaths of political parties, including the Lib Dems — yet we’ve endured it all to become now a party of government:

This year marks the 30th anniversary of Margaret Thatcher’s landslide, after which serious political commentators, including those writing for the Observer, speculated that Labour could never win again.

In March, we will observe the 10th anniversary of

…

Tagged tim farron | 14 Comments

LibLink… Nick Clegg: Labour need to tell us what they would cut

By The Voice | Wed 2nd January 2013 - 2:41 pm

Nick Clegg has issued a challenge to Labour in today’s Times. Rather than, he says, oppose every single cut the Coalition has made, Labour should be saying what they would cut to pay for their policy priorities. If Labour want benefits to rise at the rate of inflation, then they need to spell out exactly how they would pay for it.

Firstly, he talks about what the Coalition has achieved for economic growth, and how it has been pragmatic on cutting the deficit, changing its plans as the global economic circumstances changed:

Here in the UK we have now paid off around

…

Tagged benefits, economy, labour, nick clegg and the times | 90 Comments

LibLink: Christine Jardine… Stop pressuring our children to be perfect

By Caron Lindsay | Tue 1st January 2013 - 11:15 am

It’s New Year and every single magazine aimed at women and girls will inevitably be full of the latest crash diet. Whether it’s claiming you’ll lose a stone in seven days, or banning carbs or suggesting you base your diet on cabbage soup or eggs, we are told that we should get rid of the excesses of the Festive Season as soon as possible with often drastic measures.

Jo Swinson recently wrote an open letter to magazine

Tagged body image, christine jardine, Jo Swinson and scotsman | 6 Comments

LibLink: Alistair Carmichael MP’s heartfelt appreciation of John Morrison

By Caron Lindsay | Sat 29th December 2012 - 3:00 pm

A week ago, former East Dunbartonshire Liberal Democrat Council leader John Morrison died soon after being assaulted in Glasgow. In today’s Herald, Liberal Democrat chief whip in the House of Commons Alistair Carmichael, a close friend of John’s for 30 years, has written an appreciation of his life. He takes us through John’s university days as a top debater, through his professional life as a solicitor, and his role as a senior councillor in rescuing East Dunbartonshire Council from a dire financial situation. For our chief whip, John was

a friend and a 30-year source of support, honest advice

…

Tagged Alistair Carmichael, john morrison and the herald | Leave a comment

LibLink: Richard Reeves – Have yourself a merry liberal Christmas

By The Voice | Fri 28th December 2012 - 11:00 am

Over at the CentreForum blog, the liberal think-tank’s associate director, Richard Reeves, takes a look at the “communitarian dream” that is Christmas through a liberal lens:

Christmas combines in one package a number of elements that make us bristle. Religion, especially of an organised variety. Tradition for the sake of itself. The insanity of present buying. And semi-tyrannical familial expectations. … One liberal reaction to all this is to simply grin and bear it. … But bristling and bearing won’t really do. Liberal hostility to faith, family, community and tradition is well founded; they can all inhibit individual freedom. But the

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Tagged christmas and richard reeves | 5 Comments

LibLink: Ed Davey – not a single penny on energy bills that isn’t in the public interest

By Mary Reid | Tue 18th December 2012 - 12:24 pm

In a speech yesterday at the Fair Energy Summit 2012, Ed Davey said:

I don’t want to add a penny to energy bills that isn’t in the public interest.

I am frankly fed up with commentators suggesting that the Government is deliberately increasing energy bills, when in fact we are doing everything we can to reduce them.

Tagged climate change, ed davey and energy | Leave a comment

LibLink: Prateek Buch on Nick Clegg’s speech today

By Paul Walter | Mon 17th December 2012 - 7:30 pm

On Comment is Free, Social Liberal Forum director, Prateek Buch provides an interesting critique of Nick Clegg’s speech today:

At least Clegg recognises that Liberal Democrats have to stand up for what we truly believe in. The recent direction of travel on Leveson, drugs reform and snooping is welcome, and we await more robust promotion of party policy on things that really matter to most people – a fair, sustainable economy where living

Tagged coalition, featured and liberal democrats | 12 Comments

LibLink: Vince Cable – We’ll hunt down the tax avoiders

By NewsHound | Sat 15th December 2012 - 9:50 am

Over on The Guardian website, Vince Cable writes:

Tax avoidance, sham directors, money laundering: the recent Guardian investigation made sobering reading. In the UK we are proud that it is easier and cheaper to set up a company here than just about anywhere in the world. This flexibility is hugely valued by the start-ups and small companies which create a significant proportion of our wealth and jobs, and which are vital to recovery from the latest recession. But this flexibility provides a challenge: how do we stop our system from being abused by people who want to use it to dodge tax or to launder the proceeds of crime?…

Tagged tax, tax avoidance, tax evasion and vince cable | 4 Comments

LibLink: Nick Clegg declares the ‘war on drugs’ lost

By The Voice | Fri 14th December 2012 - 12:51 pm

It’s unlikely that many of our readers also take The Sun, but it’s probably equally unlikely that a Liberal Democrat would ever give an interview to it in which they spoke so freely about drug policy.

So, today’s headline in the Sun, “Nick Clegg: time to re-think drugs” will be an unexpected one, made more so by the rather supportive polling carried out by YouGov for it and the general tenor of the piece.

Here’s a snippet from the article;

If you

…

Also posted in News | Tagged drugs policy and nick clegg | 8 Comments

LibLink: Anthony Lester – My vision of a Leveson law

By Caron Lindsay | Wed 12th December 2012 - 4:35 pm

Liberal Democrat peer Anthony Lester has written for the Guardian about his independent Press Council bill which he introduced in the House of Lords yesterday.

If his measure became law, it would be the Supreme Court rather than OFCOM which would ensure that the independent self regulatory body was genuinely independent and complying with the principles Lord Leveson set out in his report.

Tagged anthony lester, featured, guardian, house of lords and leveson | 1 Comment

LibLink: David Ward’s visit to the West Bank

By NewsHound | Mon 10th December 2012 - 3:53 pm

David Ward MP has been out in the West Bank. He has been blogging a diary for the three days of his visit. Day One is here:

Yesterday night I met with the Consul General based in East Jerusalem to discuss the incredibly complex issue of achieving peace for Israelis and Palestinians. I am reluctant to post my thoughts at this stage as we have so much more to see over the next three days but there is so much that needs to

…

Tagged palestine | 3 Comments

LibLink: Paddy Ashdown – Fighting climate change is moral, vital, and in our own interests

By Nick T | Thu 6th December 2012 - 2:54 pm

In the Independent, Paddy Ashdown shares his thoughts on the Doha climate change talks, currently ongoing and being attended by Lib Dem energy and climate change secretary Ed Davey.

Here’s an excerpt of what Paddy has to say:

Despite being in the midst of global recession, it is essential that governments in developed nations recognise that tackling climate change is not just a moral

Tagged climate change and paddy ashdown | 7 Comments

LibLink: Lynne Featherstone in Zambia, part 3

By Mary Reid | Tue 4th December 2012 - 10:49 am

Lynne Featherstone, the Liberal Democrat International Development Minister has been visiting Zambia and blogging about her trip. In her first day she wrote about a UK-funded empowerment programme for adolescent girls. She followed that with an account of programmes in the rural south supporting education, health care, private sector development, social support, and reducing gender-based violence.

She spent the final day of her visit with the Minister for Gender, and together they launched 16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence in Zambia.

Tagged lynne featherstone and Zambia | Leave a comment

LibLink: Lynne Featherstone in Zambia, part 2

By Nick T | Thu 29th November 2012 - 9:18 am

Lib Dem international development minister Lynne Featherstone is currently on a trip to the southern African country of Zambia. Her first visit was to the capital, Lusaka, and to a UK-funded empowerment programme for adolescent girls.

Over to Lynne:

This programme is supporting more than 1,500 of the most vulnerable girls, providing safe spaces and mentoring to help build their confidence and life skills.

The girls I met told me they were learning about their rights as women. One 16 year old girl said she now felt more confident to say no to unwanted approaches from boys. Another said the girls now

…

Tagged dfid, international development, lynne featherstone and Zambia | 2 Comments

LibLink: Lynne Featherstone on ending violence against women and girls in Zambia

By NewsHound | Tue 27th November 2012 - 10:49 pm

International Development minister Lynne Featherstone is currently visiting Zambia and blogging her trip for the Huffington Post. In her first post she writes:

My first visit since arriving in Zambia was to a UK aid adolescent girls empowerment programme in one of the poorest neighbourhoods of the capital, Lusaka. This initiative is supporting more than 1,500 of the most vulnerable girls, providing safe spaces and mentoring to help build their confidence and life skills.

The girls I met told

…

Also posted in Op-eds | Tagged africa, international development, lynne featherstone and Zambia | 1 Comment

LibLink: Vince Cable – Where is Africa’s share of the spoils?

By Paul Walter | Mon 26th November 2012 - 3:53 pm

In the Independent, Vince Cable complains that Africa sees little of the vast profits from its natural resources:

Each year, international oil, gas, forestry and mining companies make large payments to the governments of resource-rich developing countries, though their citizens see very little of it. Charities have estimated that in Africa this income is six times greater than the aid the continent receives. Where does all this money go?

Tagged africa | 6 Comments

LibLink: Lynne Featherstone on eliminating violence against women and girls

By Paul Walter | Mon 26th November 2012 - 12:53 pm

On the occasion of her first visit to Zambia and the UN Day for eliminating violence against women, Lynne Featherstone writes on Huffington Post:

Physical and sexual abuse of women is a global scourge, that transcends borders. From the UK, where one in four women will be the victim of domestic abuse in their lifetime to Zambia, where 47% of women have suffered gender-based violence. Much has been done to improve

Tagged violence against women and girls | 5 Comments

LibLink: Nick Clegg – I’m the daddy

By NewsHound | Sat 24th November 2012 - 12:55 pm

The London Evening Standard carries a feature interview with Nick Clegg, focusing on his and Miriam’s home life and its influence on his political views — here’s some excerpts:

His startling lack of machismo is mirrored in his policies: he wants more time for dads at home, more time for women to chase high-flying careers. From 2015, parents can share up to one year of “parental leave” after the birth of a child. They can take time off together, take it in turns, or

Tagged evening standard and nick clegg | 1 Comment

LibLink: Nick Thornsby – The Justice and Security Bill is the Liberal Democrats’ biggest challenge yet

By Caron Lindsay | Thu 22nd November 2012 - 4:39 pm

Our Nick Thornsby has been writing about the Justice and Security Bill over at the Guardian’s Comment is Free site.

First of all, he gives his view about why this Bill is bad news for anyone who is committed to civil liberties:

It is difficult to comprehend just how fundamental a departure from centuries-old principles this would be. The right to see and hear the evidence of the other side, and subsequently to challenge the veracity or utility of that evidence, forms the

Tagged comment is free, justice and security bill, nick thornsby, secret courts and the guardian | 11 Comments

The Economist: ‘Grassroots Lib Dems are much keener on coalition than Tories’

By Stephen Tall | Mon 19th November 2012 - 12:30 pm

The Economist’s political commentator ‘Bagehot’ this week surveys the attitudes of Lib Dems towards the Coalition at the mid-term point — I particularly like its opening:

THE Somerset village of Chew Magna, with its sleepy pub and Georgian houses, seems an odd setting for prognostications about Britain’s political future. But prognosticate the local Liberal Democrats do. “In 40 years’ time, people will look back and ask: what was all the fuss about being in coalition?” says Dine Romero, a councillor. Her colleagues nod. Multi-party government, they agree, is here to stay. “I like coalition—on principle”, asserts a sprightly 91-year-old.

We all …

Tagged bagehot and the economist | 12 Comments

LibLink: Paddy – withdraw British troops from Afghanistan now

By NewsHound | Fri 16th November 2012 - 7:54 am

Writing in today’s Times (£), Paddy Ashdown says that Afghanistan is ‘not worth the life of one more soldier’:

The war in Afghanistan is lost and not worth the life of one more British soldier, Paddy Ashdown writes in The Times today. In a stark assessment of the 11-year campaign that has cost 438 British lives, Lord Ashdown of Norton-sub-Hamdon urges Britain to pull out its troops as quickly as “decently” possible. The intervention comes as David

Also posted in News | Tagged afghanistan, defence, featured and paddy ashdown | 10 Comments

LibLink: Tavish Scott says college row marks a turning point for the SNP

By Caron Lindsay | Thu 15th November 2012 - 1:30 pm

Tavish Scott has written a column for the Scotsman criticising the SNP Government for abuse of power and neutering the Holyrood Parliament. His comments come in the wake of a row about the Education Secretary Mike Russell effectively engineered the resignation of the Chairman of Stow College in Glasgow. Kirk Ramsay had been a vociferous critic of Russell’s cuts in the sector.

The story so far:

Ramsay records Russell’s on-the-record remarks at a meeting with about 80 people present at which the Cabinet Secretary was discussing his plans for the Further Education sector. He did so because he suffers from Tinnitus and …

Tagged further education, kirk ramsay, mike russell, Scotland, scotsman, snp and tavish scott | 7 Comments

LibLink: Simon Hughes – This water tax trickery in the corporate sector is unacceptable

By Mary Reid | Tue 13th November 2012 - 12:30 pm

Over in the Observer, Simon Hughes is making his views on tax avoidance perfectly clear.

Every pound lost to tax avoidance, tax planning, tax efficiency, or whatever other euphemism is used, by people who simply don’t want to make their contribution is a pound that cannot be spent on vital services. At a time when we are asking individuals and households to make great financial sacrifices, behaviour of this kind from the corporate sector is simply unacceptable.

Tagged simon hughes, tax avoidance and thames water | 4 Comments

LibLink: Sarah Teather – Asylum through a child’s eyes

By Caron Lindsay | Thu 8th November 2012 - 3:30 pm

Former Children’s Minister Sarah Teather was personally thanked by Citizens UK at Liberal Democrat Conference in September for her role, as Children’s Minister, in ending child detention for immigration purposes. She said then that there was much more to achieve on the way the UK Borders Agency operates.

This week she’s launched an enquiry into the support for families within the asylum system. She wrote about that enquiry and what she wants to achieve for Politics Home:

If you have never had a conversation with a young asylum seeker about their

Tagged asylum, home office, immigration, politics home and sarah teather | Leave a comment

LibLink: Mark Pack’s five lessons from the US election

By Caron Lindsay | Wed 7th November 2012 - 7:48 pm

I’ve long suspected that the Voice’s Mark Pack doesn’t need to sleep and his clear thinking after a long electoral night kind of backs up my theory. As my neural pathways crumble from lack of sleep, he has already put together five lessons we should learn from both Obama’s win and Romney’s loss.

He talks about the important of the non white male vote. While Romney might have done well amongst white men, he lost many other important groups of voters, including women, who make up the majority.

Mark also made a good point about the many emails which came out of …

Also posted in Online politics | Tagged barack obama, Mark Pack, mhpc blog, Mitt Romney and us election | 6 Comments

LibLink: Menzies Campbell – Europe is the glass jaw of the Tory party. It has taken a hit

By NewsHound | Mon 5th November 2012 - 4:54 pm

In the Independent, Sir Menzies Campbell gives his perspective on the latest Tory shenanighans on Europe:

Europe is the glass jaw of the Tory party. Some of their dissidents have been heard to say that Mr Cameron should behave like Margaret Thatcher. But it was her “No, no, no” to Europe which was the straw that

Tagged conservative party, david cameron and european union | 3 Comments

LibLink: Vince Cable – making the transition to low carbon economy

By NewsHound | Mon 5th November 2012 - 3:53 pm

Writing in the Telegraph, Vince Cable says that a green economy is fully compatible with a competitive and efficient manufacturing industry:

Green sectors have outperformed the wider economy since the economic downturn. The UK share

Tagged green economy | 1 Comment

LibLink: Sarah Ludford MEP – ‘US Presidential Election – What will be the impact on EU/US relations?’

By NewsHound | Sat 3rd November 2012 - 5:25 pm

Over at the Endeavours Public Affairs blog, Lib Dem MEP for London Sarah Ludford looks at this Tuesday’s presidential election and what it means for Europe. Here’s an excerpt:

The Obama administration has in any case been perceived as not very interested in Europe, except as a source of financial and economic worry, with a strategic shift of US focus to the Asia-Pacific region distracting from relations with the EU. It’s a sobering cause for reflection that neither candidate has talked about Europe in their campaigns, even in the televised debate devoted to foreign affairs.

Tagged barack obama, Mitt Romney, sarah ludford and usa presidential election 2012 | 2 Comments

LibLink: Matthew Oakeshott – Osborne isn’t working – how do we rebuild the economy?

By Nick T | Thu 1st November 2012 - 2:48 pm

Writing in the Guardian, Lord (Matthew) Oakeshott is typically forthright in his assessment of the chancellor’s performance and the changes he would like to see:

What we need instead is a far bolder plan for economic recovery. I call it plan C for construction and capital investment rather than plan B but we can all agree at least, on this side of the debate, that Osborne isn’t working. We must be mad to treat our record low long-term interest rates as some sort of virility symbol, instead of an unrepeatable opportunity to finance desperately needed investment.

The pension funds and insurance companies

…

Tagged matthew oakeshott | 8 Comments

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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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What’s going on with party strategy?

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Category Archives: LibLink

LibLink: Andrew De Freitas – rebel with a cause

LibLink: Tim Farron – A party of both competence and compassion is in a unique position in British politics

LibLink… Nick Clegg: Labour need to tell us what they would cut

LibLink: Christine Jardine… Stop pressuring our children to be perfect

LibLink: Alistair Carmichael MP’s heartfelt appreciation of John Morrison

LibLink: Richard Reeves – Have yourself a merry liberal Christmas

LibLink: Ed Davey – not a single penny on energy bills that isn’t in the public interest

LibLink: Prateek Buch on Nick Clegg’s speech today

LibLink: Vince Cable – We’ll hunt down the tax avoiders

LibLink: Nick Clegg declares the ‘war on drugs’ lost

LibLink: Anthony Lester – My vision of a Leveson law

LibLink: David Ward’s visit to the West Bank

LibLink: Paddy Ashdown – Fighting climate change is moral, vital, and in our own interests

LibLink: Lynne Featherstone in Zambia, part 3

LibLink: Lynne Featherstone in Zambia, part 2

LibLink: Lynne Featherstone on ending violence against women and girls in Zambia

LibLink: Vince Cable – Where is Africa’s share of the spoils?

LibLink: Lynne Featherstone on eliminating violence against women and girls

LibLink: Nick Clegg – I’m the daddy

LibLink: Nick Thornsby – The Justice and Security Bill is the Liberal Democrats’ biggest challenge yet

The Economist: ‘Grassroots Lib Dems are much keener on coalition than Tories’

LibLink: Paddy – withdraw British troops from Afghanistan now

LibLink: Tavish Scott says college row marks a turning point for the SNP

LibLink: Simon Hughes – This water tax trickery in the corporate sector is unacceptable

LibLink: Sarah Teather – Asylum through a child’s eyes

LibLink: Mark Pack’s five lessons from the US election

LibLink: Menzies Campbell – Europe is the glass jaw of the Tory party. It has taken a hit

LibLink: Vince Cable – making the transition to low carbon economy

LibLink: Sarah Ludford MEP – ‘US Presidential Election – What will be the impact on EU/US relations?’

LibLink: Matthew Oakeshott – Osborne isn’t working – how do we rebuild the economy?

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Josh Babarinde writes…The Lib Dem Summer of Strategy

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What’s going on with party strategy?

A strange but welcome feeling

Category Archives: LibLink

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