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Category Archives: News

Layla: I’m thinking of standing for leader..

By The Voice | Fri 15th February 2019 - 10:25 am

We know that there is going to be a leadership election at some point in the not too distant future. Vince said as much last year when he launched his plans for a supporters scheme.

Once Brexit is resolved or stopped, that will be the time to conduct a leadership election under the new rules.

Those new rules will be voted upon by the York Conference next month.

We’re not going to get a leadership election imminently and of course nobody has yet announced their candidacy. But we can make an educated guess about likely front-runners.

In 2017, both Ed Davey and Jo Swinson decided against standing. It’s interesting that they have joint billing with Vince at the Conference rally in York. Or maybe that’s down to Federal Conference Committee’s diplomatic skills.

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Tagged iain dale, layla moran and lib dem leadership | 28 Comments

“Playing chicken with the country” – and the possibility of revoking Article 50

By NewsHound | Fri 15th February 2019 - 8:55 am

Lib Dem MPs have been out and about in the media this week.

Christine Jardine took Labour to task for their abject failure to oppose the Government properly.

Layla took to Twitter to give a Valentine’s Day message – and she mentioned the possibility of revoking article 50 if we get to March 29th and there is still no deal. Like Christine before her she talked about May’s game of chicken with the country. Definitely a theme here. .

Valentines Day update 💛 Nothing has changed, but here’s my latest thoughts on this Brexit mess… in short we need a #FinalSay pic.twitter.com/CDNcpSMAyk

— Layla Moran (@LaylaMoran) February 14, 2019

On Bloomberg, Jo Swinson took a coach and horses through Theresa May’s Brexit policy from the beginning, saying that public opinion had changed and the best way forward was a People’s Vote.

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Tagged brexit, christine jardine, Jo Swinson and layla moran | 10 Comments

14 February 2019 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Thu 14th February 2019 - 11:23 pm

No deal Brexit causing panic for people with diabetes (see here)
Lib Dems table amendment to give the people the final say
Cable: Govt defeat shows rejection of May’s time wasting

Lib Dems table amendment to give the people the final say

The Liberal Democrats have today tabled an amendment calling for a People’s Vote with the option to stay in the EU.

The Liberal Democrats have ensured that there is a People’s Vote amendment for MPs to get behind on every single Brexit vote in the House of Commons.

Liberal Democrat Brexit spokesperson Tom Brake said:

In an attempt to force through this unpopular deal,

…

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Tagged brexit, christine jardine, diabetes, peoples vote, tom brake and vince cable | Leave a comment

No deal Brexit causing panic for people with diabetes

By The Voice | Thu 14th February 2019 - 8:00 am

Our Lib Dem MP for Edinburgh West, Christine Jardine, wrote passionately in August about the worry facing many about provision of life-saving medicines in the case of a hard Brexit.

Today she has backed charities’ calls for the Government to provide urgent information on how supplies of life saving drugs, like insulin, will be safeguarded if the UK crashes out of the EU.

Christine says:

This goes far beyond politics. This is about people’s lives.

It is unimaginable that this Tory Government is prepared to let people suffer the anxiety of not knowing how or even whether they will be able to get the medicines they need.

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Tagged brexit, medicines and no deal | 38 Comments

13 February 2019 – (the rest of) today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Wed 13th February 2019 - 11:55 pm

Welsh Lib Dems welcome enhancement of MyTravelPass young persons’ discount scheme

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have welcomed the announcement from the Welsh Government that the MyTravelPass young persons’ bus discount scheme is to be enhanced.

The initial pilot scheme was secured by Welsh Liberal Democrats in opposition during the last Assembly.

The scheme, which has evolved and improved since its pilot in 2015, now offers a third off the fares for all journeys taken by young people aged between 16 and 21 – right up until their 22nd birthday.

Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds commented:

It’s encouraging to see the MyTravelPass scheme continue to

…

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Tagged brexit, dick newby, house of lords, jane dodds, public transport and young people | 2 Comments

(Lucky) 13th February 2019 – Press Releases

By Tahir Maher | Wed 13th February 2019 - 4:30 pm

Cuts that expose police officers to risk should shame Home Sec

A report published today by the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) has warned Conservative Government cuts are exposing police officers to public risk.

Police officers may be trained to put themselves in harm’s way to keep us safe, but Ministers must ensure they have the essential protection of a police colleague working alongside them.

This report should shame the Home Secretary for his failure to give our police any real increase in their budgets. The Liberal Democrats demand far better for our police. The Government must give local forces the funding …

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Tagged press releases | Leave a comment

Just About Managing (JAM)

By Tahir Maher | Wed 13th February 2019 - 2:30 pm

Nick Clegg referred to such a group as “alarm clock Britain – the bleary-eyed grafters struggling to raise families, while getting out to work, with little money left over to pay for luxuries.”

Resolution Foundation thinks tank suggest there are six million working-age households on low to middle incomes spread across the country. Such households will have at least one person in work, but they are not always low-income families. They may, for example, have an annual income of £50,000 but have a large family to support with high housing cost and very little disposable income at the end of the month.

Although most of the income for JAM families comes from work, it is, in many cases, topped up by welfare support. Two-thirds of all families receiving children tax credit are JAM families. Home ownership for people in this group fell from 59 per cent to 26 per cent last year pushing many of them into long term rental tenancy. The reason for this fall was that they were using 25 per cent of their income for housing over a decade where we had little or no income growth. The cap on benefits has also adversely affected housing benefits up to £100 a week. Since 2010 housing benefits have not risen in line with private rents and current benefits will remain frozen at 2016 levels until 2020. On top of all this is the increases in living costs and the very low if any pay rises – to stay as they are JAM families have to find hundreds of pounds extra for rents.

Many families like these fall back on payday loans and credit card and end up trapping themselves in loans they effectively can’t pay off.

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Also posted in Op-eds | Tagged Just About Managing | 34 Comments

Kirsty Williams – the only Liberal Democrat delivering in government

By Donna Lalek | Wed 13th February 2019 - 11:15 am

In Wales we have the only Liberal Democrat Minister in the United Kingdom, delivering Welsh Liberal Democrat policies on education for our children and young people. Kirsty is now in her third year as the Education Minister. Since May 2016, she has forged ahead with innovative programmes to enhance education and learning for children and young people in Wales, embedded in the Liberal value of opportunity for all. As Kirsty says, it is no coincidence that the Welsh word for a ladder is the same as it is for school – “Ysgol”.

So a quick gallop of just some of the things the Party has done over the last two and a half years:
Expanded and enhanced the Welsh Pupil Premium, or Pupil Development Grant. This policy has been supporting pupils from more disadvantaged backgrounds for most of this decade and has been taken further in government;
Delivered the most progressive student finance policy in the UK, that is unique in Europe. Students are supported with living costs and receive the equivalent of the national living wage. Support for part-time and postgraduate learners has been increased and figures released last month showed these applications have increased;
Made progress on reducing infant class sizes through a £36million fund. Schools are benefitting from more classrooms, teachers and teaching assistants. This was a key campaign priority at the last election, and now it is being implemented in government;
Published Wales’ first-ever plan to support rural schools. This includes a presumption against the closure of schools, and £2.5million per year grant scheme, and steps to make better use of technology;
Announced record investment in Wales’ teaching workforce, and developed financial incentives to attract graduates into teaching;
Taken steps to increase the focus on the mental health of children and young people. A pilot project is linking schools with specialist mental health support, and work is ongoing to develop a ‘whole school’ approach to mental health. As Kirsty has said, this is the foundation of successful education experience.

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Also posted in Op-eds | Tagged education and Wales | 2 Comments

The clock is ticking down to March 29th and Parliament is far from a resolution

By A Liberal in Leeds | Wed 13th February 2019 - 7:35 am

Remain-inclined MPs refuse to contemplate May’s hard Brexit. The hard-line Tory Right are fearful of a backstop, keeping trading links and protecting pesky inconveniences like workers’ rights and basic health and safety standards.

Nobody is willing to compromise. Including us. This is no bad thing. We are passionately and proudly open, internationalist and outward-looking. We cherish long-held cooperation with the rest of the world on trade, innovation, fighting climate change and much more. Many of us celebrate free movement. Above all, we value our place as leaders on the global stage.

We should continue to fight for a People’s Vote on this nebulous and measly-mouthed withdrawal deal.

However, with less than fifty days to go, a referendum on the deal is far from guaranteed. Only a maximum of 150 MPs currently backs a public vote. Moreover, even if the Labour leadership grew a backbone and supported our option, there’s a problem. The notorious lack of party discipline in Labour could still endanger the cause. It will be an uphill struggle.

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Also posted in Op-eds | Tagged Brexit - No Deal | 39 Comments

12 February 2019 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Tue 12th February 2019 - 11:25 pm

Digital exclusion shows Universal Credit not fit for purpose

Responding to reports that almost half a million people needed help to apply for the government’s flagship Universal Credit benefit online, DWP Spokesperson Christine Jardine said:

The Liberal Democrats raised the issue of digital exclusion with Conservative ministers months ago, but these concerns clearly haven’t been taken on board. This underlines the need to look again at Universal Credit, which is clearly not creating the simpler and more accessible benefits system that was intended.

It is failing the very people it was supposed to be designed to help. Now the Government has acknowledged

…

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Tagged brexit, christine jardine, digital exclusion, driving licence, jenny randerson, mental capacity act, norman lamb and universal credit | 1 Comment

LibLink: Vince Cable: Ministers must properly address the Special Educational Needs and Disability funding crisis

By NewsHound | Tue 12th February 2019 - 2:15 pm

Vince Cable is holding a Westminster Hall debate on funding for special educational needs and disability this afternoon.

In an article for Politics Home, he outlines the impact on families when they don’t have the support that they need…

A single mum in a small flat with a child who needs constant attention while she tries to look after other children, and hold down a job to make ends meet; a couple who have sacrificed careers, holidays and a social life to care for a child with severe, complex needs, seeing the child growing up to an adulthood of continued dependence while they themselves are ageing and their own relationship is falling apart. There are numerous variations of these.

Of course, there are also happier stories. Stories where support provided in school or via the local authority or health service makes all the difference. But for every family who does not get the support they need, there is an unacceptable impact for parents and children alike.

Local authorities are under huge financial stress, however:

At a human level a painful conflict results between parents who want the best for their children (and have the law on their side) and local authorities who want to do their best but are under financial stress after years of painful cuts. More and more requests for EHCPs are being declined or delayed, and funding cuts have led to reductions in the specialist teachers and educational psychologists who provided expert advice to schools teaching SEND pupils. Rationing has taken the form of foot-dragging over ‘statements’, now ‘care plans’. And attempts to mandate adequate local schooling rather than what parents consider to be superior specialist schools, often leading to tribunals, with additional cost, emotional stress and anger.

So is it just a question of more money?

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Tagged Parliament, special educational needs and vince cable | 1 Comment

Welsh Lib Dems select Lead Candidate for South Wales West

By The Voice | Tue 12th February 2019 - 12:37 pm

The Welsh Liberal Democrats launched their campaign to retake the Assembly seat they lost in 2016 to UKIP, with the selection of Sheila Kingston-Jones as the party’s lead candidate for the South Wales West region for the next National Assembly for Wales elections.

Sheila was selected by Welsh Liberal Democrats living in Swansea, Neath, Port Talbot, Maesteg and Bridgend and will be carrying the hopes of the party locally in the Assembly elections in 2021.

Swansea University Student Education Officer, Chloe Hutchinson was chosen as the second-placed candidate on the list, whilst Porthcawl-based businessman, …

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Also posted in Selection news | Tagged Sheila Kingston-Jones | Leave a comment

11 February 2019 – today’s press releases (part 2)

By Mark Valladares | Mon 11th February 2019 - 11:59 pm

And here’s the rest…

Lib Dems: Defence Secretary showboating with ‘hard power’ rhetoric
Lib Dems: Tory Govt prepared to sacrifice people to the electric chair
Govt Universal Credit admission is too late for tens of thousands
Lib Dems: Govt must ensure dinosaur MPs can’t obstruct legislation

Lib Dems: Defence Secretary showboating with ‘hard power’ rhetoric

In his speech “Transforming UK Defence to Meet the Global Threats of Tomorrow”, Gavin Williamson today confirmed that aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth is to be deployed to the Pacific region.

Commenting on this move Liberal Defence Spokesperson Jamie Stone said:

Gavin Williamson is heating up UK defence rhetoric, something which may well

…

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Tagged brian paddick, christine jardine, death penalty, defence strategy, female genital mutilation, jamie stone, parliamentary procedure, universal credit and wera hobhouse | 6 Comments

11 February 2019 – today’s press releases (part 1)

By Mark Valladares | Mon 11th February 2019 - 11:50 pm

A veritable floodtide of press releases today, so we’ll take them in two parts for ease of access…

Govt immigration white paper – an enormous red tape threat to UK businesses
Property guardians caught in poverty trap
Cable: GDP figures reveal the country is now fairly close to recession
PM and Corbyn plot to deliver disastrous Brexit together

Govt immigration white paper – an enormous red tape threat to UK businesses

Responding to a report by Global Future which shows the deep costs to our economy of the Government’s immigration white paper, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesperson Ed Davey said:

Conservative immigration plans represent

…

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Tagged brexit, economic growth, ed davey, immigration, olly grender, property guardians and vince cable | Leave a comment

9-10 February 2019 – the weekend’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Sun 10th February 2019 - 10:27 pm

It may be that Parliament is at a bit of a loose end whilst the Government argue amongst themselves over Brexit, but that isn’t to say that there is much for Liberal Democrats to be stirred by…

Government ferry plan hits the rocks
UK citizens to be left without medical cover in event of no-deal Brexit
No specific funding for NHS in no deal scenario
Stone: Immigration rules for Commonwealth soldiers are outrageous
Cable: PM’s meaningful vote timeline irresponsible and insulting to parliament
UK must support Turkey’s stand on Uyghur crisis – Carmichael

Government ferry plan hits the rocks

Responding to news that the Government has scrapped its …

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Tagged Alistair Carmichael, brexit, ehic, health insurance, immigration, jamie stone, meaningful vote, military covenant, NHS, tom brake, Uyghurs and vince cable | 5 Comments

WATCH: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s forensic deconstruction of US campaign finance laws

By Caron Lindsay | Sun 10th February 2019 - 10:55 am

In case you missed it, the youngest member of the US House of Representatives showed why she managed to unseat a senior Congressman in the Democratic primary last year.

We think campaign finance in this country is unfair. It is. And neither Conservatives nor Labour are that bothered in changing a system that suits them and keeps others out.

In the US, it’s a whole other layer of awful.

This week Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez gave us all a lesson in how to take apart a system that gives massive power to large institutions and their interests. Enjoy.

Continue reading »

23 Comments

Vince: I have changed my mind on assisted dying

By Caron Lindsay | Sat 9th February 2019 - 5:24 pm

Vince Cable has become the first party leader to come out in favour of the legalisation of assisted dying.

We don’t often link to the Daily Mail, but will make an exception for Vince’s incredibly moving article.

He talked about losing both his mother and his first wife and how he at that point was opposed to assisted dying becoming legal.

He says he has changed his mind after listening to the concerns of constituents.

And he describes how he and his wife Rachel have discussed the issue:

We both agreed that if ‘assisted dying’ were legal, we could not allow the other to suffer intolerable pain should they wish to bring it to an end.

Vince has spoken before about his mother’s breakdown as a result of Post Natal Depression and how adult education played a huge part in her recovery. In later life, though, she suffered mental illl health again.

When I visited her towards the end of her life she sometimes begged to die, to be released from her unhappy state; but on other occasions she insisted on her love of life; simple pleasures like a walk in the park, and by the river.

Without self-worth, however, she was obsessed about being a ‘burden’. I could see all too clearly that, in a permissive regime for assisted dying, fragile and muddled people like my mother would easily be persuaded to sign up.

When his wife Olympia died from Breast Cancer in 2001, she would never have considered assisted dying:

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Tagged assisted dying and vince cable | 22 Comments

8 February 2019 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Fri 8th February 2019 - 11:30 pm

Jenny Rathbone Warning Unacceptable – Welsh Lib Dems

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have criticised the decision to only give Cardiff Central AM Jenny Rathbone a formal warning following an investigation into anti-Semitic comments she made.

Jenny Rathbone had already been readmitted into the Welsh Labour Assembly Group in January whilst the investigation was ongoing.

Her remarks about a synagogue in Cyncoed were branded “extremely offensive” by the synagogue’s rabbi Michoel Rose.

Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds commented:

It’s extremely disappointing Jenny Rathbone has been admitted to the party with only a formal warning for her comments, which were clearly anti-Semitic.

I can only imagine the

…

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Tagged anti-semitism, jane dodds, labour, peoples vote, tom brake and Wales | 2 Comments

ALDC By-election report 7th February 2019

By ALDC | Fri 8th February 2019 - 5:39 pm

A busy Thursday of six by-elections welcomed campaigners into February, with 1 hold, 1 gain and a 21% swing for the team in Lambeth.

Bradford MB, Bolton & Undercliffe
LD Rachel Sunderland 1733
Lab 1153
Con 418
Green 73
LD gain from Lab
Percentage change from 2018

We jump straight in at our standout result of the night in the Bolton & Undercliffe by-election. A hard-worked campaign from Rachel Sunderland and the Bradford team saw a fantastic first gain of the year for the Lib Dems and first gain from Labour since October. With a huge increase of 9% of the vote share and a lead of over 500 votes the whole team can be proud. Congratulations on a great result!

Wokingham BC, Evendons
LD Sarah Kerr 1441
Con 729
Lab 115
LD Hold
Percentage change from 2018

Sarah Kerr put on a brilliant showing to hold Evendons seat in Wokingham BC. Not only did Sarah successfully defend the seat, she also increased her vote by a whopping 16.3% leaving her with a majority of over 700 votes! This result is an extremely positive showing for the party and is a great sign in the run up to the elections in May. Well done Sarah and the team for what was a brilliant result.

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Tagged aldc and local elections | 8 Comments

Shaping the future: Making a difference

By Flo Clucas | Fri 8th February 2019 - 11:55 am

Many of us came into politics to change the way things were and are.

For me, like many others, the woman who encouraged me into politics, was Shirley Williams. She was an inspirational figure, able to reach out to those, like me, who were new to the idea of activism and afraid that we wouldn’t fit in.

Shirley was of course famous. But my political apprenticeship didn’t stop with her. Other women, such as Lesley Abdela who founded the 300 Group, taught me a huge amount.

Learning from those who had experienced the ups and downs of politics, fought discrimination and went on to make a difference, was amazing. They brought us in, inspired us, taught us and gave us the chance to speak and express our opinions. They are remarkable, inspirational women.

But, progress, encouragement and opportunity has carried on, not stopped with them. The future builds on the past, but doesn’t rest there!

To celebrate International Women’s Day, Liberal Democrat Women and four constituency parties: Richmond, Sutton, Kingston and Merton, are holding a special conference:

Shaping the Future; Making a Difference

This will be a unique chance to hear from some truly inspirational women from within the party and beyond.

But it will be more. In the afternoon there will be a series of practical workshops focusing on women in community activism, politics, public life, business, tech, creative industries and also explore strategies for encouraging women to participate.

The event is being jointly sponsored by Lib Dem Women and the local parties in the London Boroughs of Richmond, Kingston, Sutton and Merton.

Among our keynote speakers will be:

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Tagged flotella benjamin, lib dem women, lorely burt and sal brinton | Leave a comment

7 February 2019 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Thu 7th February 2019 - 11:41 pm

Ghost Trains Add to GWR Chaos – Welsh Lib Dems
Davey: Govt needs to stop hitting people with higher energy bills
Vince Cable announces changes to top team
Lib Dem International Trade spokesperson slams Liam Fox for misleading House

Ghost Trains Add to GWR Chaos – Welsh Lib Dems

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have criticised Great Western Railway (GWR) for ‘ghost trains’ after trains after 21:00 between London Paddington and Swansea for Monday to Thursday next week (11th-14th) disappeared from the timetable.

The tickets have been removed from the timetable so passengers are unable to buy them but the trains don’t appear as cancellations on GWR’s …

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Tagged department for international trade, ed davey, energy bills, jenny randerson, leadership, liberal democrat spokespeople, rail franchises, tom brake, vince cable and Wales | 5 Comments

Norman Lamb’s message for Time to Talk Day

By Caron Lindsay | Thu 7th February 2019 - 7:21 pm

Today is Time to Talk Day.

Norman Lamb was probably the best Minister we had in the Coalition years. He did so much to try to change the culture of the NHS on mental health. And what I particularly liked was that there was no bullshit from him. If something wasn’t good enough, he owned it and tried to do something about it.

Today, for Time to Talk Day, he urged people to talk to each other about mental health.

On #TimeToTalkDay it’s so important we encourage everyone to talk openly about their mental health and be willing to have conversations with friends and loved ones we are concerned about. Only then will we end the stigma attached to mental ill health. pic.twitter.com/tJHWWsESUz

— Norman Lamb (@normanlamb) February 7, 2019

I just wish that we had had a minister for mental health in Scotland who actually got it.

The reason Norman got it is because mental ill health has affected family members. His sister died by suicide in 2015 and his son Archie has OCD.

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Tagged featured, mental health and time to talk day | 1 Comment

Vince reshuffles Lib Dem spokespeople

By Caron Lindsay | Thu 7th February 2019 - 5:58 pm

Vince has announced several changes to his top team of spokespeople.

Tim Farron will be taking over the Communities and Local Government brief, which really suits him with his longstanding interest in housing. Wera Hobhouse moves from there to cover Energy and Climate Change.

Edinburgh West MP Christine Jardine will now cover issues relating to Work and Pensions, taking on the portfolio vacated by Stephen Lloyd when he resigned the Whip in December. Jamie Stone becomes Scottish spokesperson. Chief Whip Alistair Carmichael will speak on Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Vince said of his new team:

I am pleased to announce today our new spokespeople who will speak out on the most important issues we face in Britain today.

While Parliament is consumed by Brexit, we need to remember that people are also affected by a whole host of other challenges.

We will continue to speak up for them as we continue our fight for the public to have a say on the Brexit deal with a People’s Vote.

It’s disconcerting that Lynne Featherstone no longer seems to have a spokesperson role given that she is one of the party’s best performers. She used to do energy and climate change in the Lords but that role has now gone to Chris Fox.

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Also posted in Op-eds | Tagged christine jardine, featured, lynne featherstone, spokespeople, tim farron, vince cable and wera hobhouse | 21 Comments

New Issue of Liberator Out

By Liberator Collective | Thu 7th February 2019 - 2:10 pm

Issue 394 of Liberator is on its way to subscribers.

Our first free sample article for this issue gives three perspectives from the continent on Brexit, by Søs Haugaard, Kate Vanovitch and Sonja Rentz.

In the second, Tony Greaves explains how the Liberal Democrat preamble – barely contentious when written – now reads like a revolutionary text.

Both are on: www.liberatormagazine.org.uk

Also in this issue:

PARLIAMENT PERFORMS THE PARROT SKETCH The contortions of Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn over Brexit remind David Grace more of Monty Python than an effective legislature

PADDY ASHDOWN 1941 – 2018 Obituaries by Alan Leaman, Rebecca Tinsley, Roger Hayes, Mark Smulian, Claire Tyler and Les Farris

WHERE DID ENGLAND GO? Jonathan Coe’s new novel Middle England uses characters from some earlier books to chart the nation’s path into one of mutually uncomprehending tribes after the 2016 referendum, finds Jonathan Calder

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Tagged brexit, liberator magazine, paddy ashdown and preamble | 6 Comments

6 February 2019 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Wed 6th February 2019 - 11:55 pm

Thousands dying waiting for social care as Govt ignores crisis
Lib Dems: 50 days until Brexit cliff-edge
Greg Clark’s warning exposes recklessness of Tory Govt
Lib Dems: Govt must investigate civil service support for Tory meetings
Lib Dems threaten veto to force Govt u-turn on knife crime

Thousands dying waiting for social care as Govt ignores crisis

Responding to the research by Age UK showing that more than 50,000 older people have now died waiting in vain for care during the 700 days since the Government first said it would publish a Social Care Green Paper, Former Liberal Democrat Health Minister Norman Lamb said:

These figures

…

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Tagged brexit, brian paddick, civil service, health and social care, knife crime, norman lamb, peoples vote, tom brake and vince cable | 3 Comments

Opinion: Truth Hurts

By Tahir Maher | Wed 6th February 2019 - 8:43 pm

So, the EU couldn’t hold it in any longer after bearing Farage’s taunts, and the mess with the negotiations by the prime minister the EU eventually lost their cool and the European Council President Donald Tusk wondered if there was a “special place in hell for those who promoted Brexit without even a sketch of a plan of how to carry it out safely”. Not sure whether to be shocked that he is offending the UK or say Bravo … I think Bravo, wish he would have said this a bit earlier.

The usual dross of right-wingers has come out with predictable counter comments: “arrogance of the EU…”; “this is what you would expect from unelected bureaucrats…”, “17 million people voted to leave…”, “The man has no manners,” said Leadsom, and it goes on.

I personally liked Guy Verhofstadt (EUs chief Brexit negotiator) who tweeted “Well, I doubt Lucifer would welcome them, as after what they did to Britain, they would even manage to divide hell.”

Amusing as this is, it’s just a storm in a teacup alongside the disastrous negotiation stance that the prime minister is taking. After losing the vote in parliament (one of the worst, if not the worst defeat for a government in history), she has not in any way changed her red lines. The prime minister’s plan B was to try to persuade everyone else that her Plan A was right. The government’s approach hinges on one thing, and that is some sort of a deal on the backstop which will appease the DUP. If this is achieved the European Research Group (wonder if they will change their name if we leave the EU) will vote grudging with the government; the alternative being an early general election that Labour has a chance of winning. The prime minister knows this, and therefore all she is focused on is trying to get a backstop acceptable to the DUP.

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Also posted in Op-eds | Tagged Backstop | 107 Comments

Lib Dems challenge use of civil servants to advise Tory compromise seekers

By NewsHound | Wed 6th February 2019 - 8:20 pm

Politics Home’s Ross Kempsell reported today that eight of the eleven Lib Dem MPs have written to the Cabinet Secretary today. They want to know whether it’s ok for our impartial civil service to be diverted from their jobs to advise the group of Tory MPs who are trying to thrash out a Brexit compromise.

https://twitter.com/rosskempsell/status/1093164715394719744

Surely our Civil Servants have something better to do than look for a sticking plaster that is going to keep the Tory Party together for the 15 minutes they have to spend in a voting lobby?

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Lynne Featherstone writes on the International Day of Zero Tolerance to FGM

By The Voice | Wed 6th February 2019 - 6:49 pm

Today is the International Day of Zero Tolerance to FGM.

As a minister in the Department of International Development, Lynne Featherstone did so much to tackle this practice – work that is now starting to have results, with the first prosecution under the measures she introduced taking place recently.

Over on the party website, she writes about her work – and how the current Government is even continuing it.

Back in 2013 when I was a DFID minister, together with campaigners like Nimco Ali and Efua Dorkeeno, we kicked off the original government campaign on FGM. We succeeded in securing the biggest ever spending commitment in the world of £35 million to work towards eradicating FGM worldwide.

I am delighted to let you know that legacy has continued.

The current Secretary of State for the Department of International Development recently announced that an extra £50 million will go towards eradicating FGM worldwide.

On this occasion, I am delighted to be overtaken.

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Also posted in LibLink | Tagged fgm and lynne featherstone | 1 Comment

In Praise of the Backstop

By Patrick Maxwell | Wed 6th February 2019 - 4:15 pm

As Theresa May goes to and for from Brussels once again the forlorn hope of getting reassurances on the Irish backstop, the Brexit process is stagnating, and the clock keeps on ticking towards March 29th. The hard truth for Theresa May, as revealed by the ERG, is that the hardline Brexiteers in her party will never accept any deal that comes back from Brussels. They saw any cooperation with the EU as suspect, and any hopes of securing their backing at the eleventh hour our woefully misguided, despite desperate hopes for a last-minute solution.

The backstop has, of course, been …

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Also posted in Op-eds | Tagged Back Stop | 10 Comments

A Liberal Democrat perspective on Trump’s State of the Union

By Aimee Challenor | Wed 6th February 2019 - 3:15 pm

Last night, Mr Trump presented his State of the Union to the American People and the watching world. I stayed up late and caught a live stream of it, as well as the Democratic Party response delivered by Stacey Abrams.

It was an uninspiring jumble of falsehoods, empty promises, and rhetoric. The highlight of the evening was Congress singing “Happy Birthday” to Holocaust and Pittsburgh shooting survivor Judah Samet, who turned 81.

The evening began with Presidential hypocrisy as Trump praised three “incredible heroes” who participated in D-Day, yet in November he cancelled his Armistice Day visit to the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery and Memorial simply because it was raining.

Like Nixon before him, Trump tried to use his State of the Union Address to oppose the ongoing investigation in him and his team, referring to investigations as “partisan” and “ridiculous”. Trump then moved on to praise his “success” with Tax reform – that didn’t pay for itself; he criticised antisemitism – despite his rhetoric directly contributing to a rise in the abuse of Jewish people and communities. He continued his tirade against a woman’s right to have control of her body, he rallied against legal asylum and pushed again for his racist southern border wall.

In one of the stranger twists, Donald Trump told us that he is meeting Kim Jong-Un later this months and that the US has held “constructive” negotiations with the Taliban, and then in the next breath went on to criticise Iran calling them “Bad bad people”. He praised the US Armed Forces; “Our economy is the envy of the world, our military is the most powerful on earth, and America is winning each and every day,” ignoring the fact his recent discriminatory trans ban, will weaken the US Military.

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