Mark Pack

Ex-Tory councillor convicted of proxy vote fraud

By Mark Pack | Mon 5th July 2010 - 11:44 pm

An update on Mohammed Saghir, the former Conservative councillor in Calderdale who went on trial for electoral fraud earlier this year:

has been found guilty of election fraud at Bradford Crown Court.

Mohammed Saghir, 63, of Gibbet Street, Halifax, applied for five proxy votes in other people’s names in the May 2008 local election…

Saghir, who did not attend court for his trial, is thought to be in Pakistan. His son, Shakar, was standing as an independent candidate in the election. (Halifax Evening Courier)

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Helen Duffett

John Sharkey to run Liberal Democrats’ Fairer Votes campaign

By Helen Duffett | Mon 5th July 2010 - 5:20 pm

Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg has announced the appointment of John Sharkey as chairman of the Liberal Democrats’ Fairer Votes Campaign – the campaign for a “Yes” vote in next year’s AV referendum.

Nick Clegg said,

I am delighted that John Sharkey has accepted this role.

This is a vital campaign for the country and I can’t think of a better person than John to run it for the Liberal Democrats.

John Sharkey is one of Nick Clegg’s closest advisors and a former MD of Saatchi and Saatchi, who worked on the Conservatives’ 1987 General Election campaign.

More recently, he chaired the …

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Posted in News | Tagged , and | 44 Comments
Helen Duffett

Nick Clegg’s statement on political and constitutional reform

By Helen Duffett | Mon 5th July 2010 - 4:28 pm

Nick Clegg has just made a statement in the House of Commons outlining the Government’s proposals for political and constitutional reform, including plans for a referendum on the use of the Alternative Vote system in the UK.

The statement included the announcement of two important dates: the date for the AV Referendum (in the Bill to be introduced before the Summer recess) is intended for 5 May 2011 and the next General Election on 7 May 2015.

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Posted in News and Parliament | Tagged , , and | 22 Comments
NewsHound

LibLink: Edward McMillan-Scott – AV is not the only vote

By NewsHound | Mon 5th July 2010 - 3:45 pm

Over at The Guardian’s Comment is Free website, former Conservative, now Liberal Democrat, MEP Edward McMillan-Scott argues there should be a third option in the coming referendum on electoral reform – the single transferable vote. Here’s an excerpt:

I understand that the Electoral Reform Society and senior Liberal Democrats have concluded that the alternative vote option presented in the coalition agreement is the best that can be achieved at this stage and that any discussion on the issue will cloud the debate. …

Single party advantage has no part to play in what amounts to a change of constitutional significance. Westminster has

…

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Posted in LibLink | Tagged , , and | 7 Comments
Mark Valladares

If English Council meets and nobody knows, did it really meet?

By Mark Valladares | Mon 5th July 2010 - 2:20 pm

Saturday morning dawned bright and sunny, but whilst most people heading for London were on their way to Pride, or Lords for the cricket, or Wimbledon for the tennis, a few dozen hardy Liberal Democrats were heading towards the St Alban’s Centre near Chancery Lane station for the first of 2010’s two meetings of English Council.

Unusually, the first item on the agenda was a speech by the Party President, Ros Scott, who talked about the challenges facing the Party in the weeks, months and years ahead, as well as some of the work being done at Federal level to address …

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Posted in Op-eds and Party policy and internal matters | Tagged , , , , and | 4 Comments
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Helen Duffett

Total Politics Best Blog Poll 2010: vote now!

By Helen Duffett | Mon 5th July 2010 - 1:20 pm

It’s that time of year again, when Total Politics asks you to vote for your Top 10 favourite blogs. This is the fifth year of the poll. The votes will be compiled and included in the forthcoming book, the Total Politics Guide to Blogging 2010-11, which will be published in September. For the second year running, the poll is being promoted/sponsored by LabourList, LibDemVoice and Iain Dale’s Diary.

Click here to vote in the Total Politics Best Blogs Poll 2010

The rules are simple.

1. You must vote for your ten favourite blogs and ranks …

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Andrew Stunell MP

Andrew Stunell at the Local Government Association conference: putting our ideas into practice

By Andrew Stunell MP | Mon 5th July 2010 - 12:20 pm

Three months ago, if I had said that the Liberal Democrats would be in government, and I’d be a Minister in the Department for Communities and Local Government, you would have laughed at me. Yet here we are. I’ve fought no less than eight general elections and at the first seven, all we did was tell people what the Liberal Democrats would do if we got into power. This time we get to show them instead.

And with the Local Government Association Conference coming up this week, our priorities on local government will get their turn in the spotlight.

In …

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The Voice

How you can help Liberal Democrat Voice

By The Voice | Mon 5th July 2010 - 11:20 am

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

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

1. Let us have your tips for stories. Perhaps there’s something outrageous going on in your local council? Or you’re an expert in a particular area and have spotted a story other people have missed? Or you’ve seen …

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Mark Pack

The Freedom Bill: this time the consultation is for real, but is it better?

By Mark Pack | Mon 5th July 2010 - 10:20 am

The Freedom Bill (previously known as the Great Repeal Bill) has been a Liberal Democrat policy for some time and now that we’re in coalition government it’s become the Your Freedom initiative – an online consultation to identify laws to repeal.

In two respects this is good news – online consultation is becoming more of a habit for government and it’s also becoming a welcome pattern to see long-standing Liberal Democrat demands move towards actual implementation by government.

But in one respect I think the Your Freedom site does not address a key issue as well as the party did when …

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NewsHound

LibLink: Chris Huhne and Vince Cable – The green economy is still viable

By NewsHound | Mon 5th July 2010 - 9:45 am

Over at The Independent today, Lib Dem cabinet ministers Vince Cable and Chris Huhne argue that the Coalition Government’s plans to set up a Green Investment Bank, announced in the Budget, are of huge significance for establishing a successful green economy in this country. Here’s an excerpt:

… there is much to be decided about how this might work. Bob Wigley’s comprehensive review of the issue, published last week, sets out one possible model – a commercially independent bank given clear overarching goals for green investment in new technologies and infrastructure. Innovative green financial products could give an opportunity for individuals,

…

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Stephen Tall

EXCLUSIVE: What Lib Dem members think of the Coalition Budget measures and that VAT increase

By Stephen Tall | Mon 5th July 2010 - 8:20 am

Lib Dem Voice has been polling our members-only forum this past weekend to discover what Lib Dem members think of the Coalition Government’s budget, and what you make of the Lib Dems’ and Government’s performance to date. Almost 350 party members responded, and we’ll be publishing the full results of our survey this week.

First, we asked what Lib Dem members: Do you support or oppose the following budget changes announced by the coalition government?

Here’s what you told us:

Increasing VAT from 17.5% to 20% from January 4, 2011
Strongly Support: 6%
Support: 42%
Total support = 48%
Oppose: 28%
Strongly Oppose: 14%
Total …

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Posted in LDV Members poll | Tagged and | 71 Comments
Stephen Tall

Top of the Blogs: The Golden Dozen #176

By Stephen Tall | Sun 4th July 2010 - 7:20 pm

Welcome to the Golden Dozen, and our 176th weekly round-up from the Lib Dem blogosphere … Featuring the seven most popular stories beyond Lib Dem Voice according to click-throughs from the Aggregator (27th June – 3rd July, 2010), together with a hand-picked quintet, normally courtesy of LibDig, you might otherwise have missed.

Don’t forget: you can sign up to receive the Golden Dozen direct to your email inbox – just click here – ensuring you never miss out on the best of Lib Dem blogging.

As ever, let’s start with the most popular post, and work our way down:

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Mark Pack

Blog sues pollster in row over questionable polls

By Mark Pack | Sun 4th July 2010 - 6:35 pm

The news is from the US and allows people in Britain to give themselves a quick pat on the back because from what’s come out so far it very much looks as if the British rules on polling transparency would stop any similar situation arising (at least as far as polls commissioned from British Polling Council members go):

I’ve obtained a copy of the lawsuit that Daily Kos just filed against Research 2000, and this going to get nastier than you thought.

The suit contains striking new details about Research 2000’s alleged reluctance to release its raw data and its alleged money

…

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Posted in Polls | Tagged | 4 Comments
Iain Roberts

Would the coalition dare to cut welfare back to Labour levels?

By Iain Roberts | Sun 4th July 2010 - 5:20 pm

After adjusting for inflation, welfare spending today is an astonishing ten times higher than in 1948, according to figures published in yesterday’s Guardian.

The graph shows that the sharpest rises in welfare spending were both under Conservative administrations (presumably not unconnected with the recessions at those times – 1981-84 and 1991-94 – though the bill rose in all but three of the 18 years of Conservative government).

Only under Churchill and Eden in the 1950s did the welfare bill fall slightly.  Under Macmillan it rose about 50%, and the welfare bill Labour inherited in 1997 was almost double that they’d handed …

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Iain Roberts

How many votes should earn a party power?

By Iain Roberts | Sun 4th July 2010 - 4:20 pm

“It’s outrageous that the Lib Dems wield any power and influence having secured just 23% of the popular vote”, goes the argument  – mostly heard from Labour activists at the moment.

I don’t recall them arguing that Labour shouldn’t have had power after 2005, when the party won 35% of the vote, so I wonder at what point a party switches from no power to total power?  Which vote swings it?  Perhaps we could identify the actual voter and let them know?

Hello Mrs Abercromby – we just wanted you to know that your vote will take your party over 33.84% which …

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Posted in Op-eds | 22 Comments
Stephen Tall

Pollwatch – State of the Leaders: Clegg +34%, Cameron +38% (June 2010)

By Stephen Tall | Sun 4th July 2010 - 3:10 pm

Yesterday, Pollwatch looked at the state of the parties in June; today it’s the turn of the coalition government leaders.

As with all polls, what follows comes with caveats. Only two polling companies – YouGov and Mori – this past month asked questions specifically to find out the public’s views of the Lib Dem and Tory party leaders. (Harriet Harman’s performance as Labour leader is not being measured). And each asks variants on the basic question – do you think Clegg/Cameron are doing a good job – to come up with their figures, so comparison ain’t easy. But, still, we don’t indulge in polls that often, so here goes …

Here, in chronological order, are the results of the five polls published in June asking for the public to rate the two governing party leaders:

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Posted in Polls | 2 Comments
Mark Pack

Chris Fox and Lorely Burt continue in post

By Mark Pack | Sun 4th July 2010 - 10:50 am

Chris Fox, the party’s interim Chief Executive, has been appointed to the post permanently whilst Lorely Burt, chair of the Parliamentary Party (in the Commons) has been re-elected unopposed. Best of luck to them both.

Posted in Party policy and internal matters | Tagged and | 1 Comment
Helen Duffett

The coalition “marriage” – should we keep our name?

By Helen Duffett | Sun 4th July 2010 - 9:50 am

In the Guardian last week, Timothy Garton-Ash argued that the Liberal Democrats’ distinctive identity is being lost both by coalition with the Conservatives and by other parties’ appropriation of the “liberal” label:

The Liberal Democrats should change their name to the Liberals. Here’s why. First of all, Liberal Democrats is a pretty meaningless name. That’s liberal democrats as opposed to illiberal democrats, is it? Or as opposed to liberal anti-democrats?

Lib Dems, to which they are usually abridged, is even emptier. The name sounds like the product of an awkward compromise, which is exactly what it is. When the Liberal party,

…

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged , and | 78 Comments
The Voice

Tessa Munt MP’s maiden speech

By The Voice | Sat 3rd July 2010 - 8:29 pm

LDV is continuing the tradition started on Cix of re-posting maiden speeches of new Lib Dem MPs for the delectation and comment of our own community. You can catch up on those published to date here. Today is Tessa Munt’s turn …

It is an honour to follow Jim Shannon and to address the House for the first time on behalf of the people of Wells, the most beautiful constituency in the country. Yes it is.

First, I wish to pay tribute to my predecessor, David Heathcoat-Amory, who sat in the House for 27 years, a longer period of

…

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Posted in Parliament | Tagged , and | 3 Comments
Stephen Tall

Pollwatch – State of the Parties: Lib Dems 19%, Labour 33%, Tories 40% (June 2010)

By Stephen Tall | Sat 3rd July 2010 - 4:10 pm

A total of 10 voting intention polls during June – some of which, but not all, earned a mention on Lib Dem Voice so let’s bring the story up-to-date …

Here are June’s polls in chronological order of publication:

    * Con 36, Lab 30, Lib Dem 25 (1-9 June, Harris)
    * Con 40, Lab 32, Lib Dem 18 (10-11 June, YouGov)
    * Con 36, Lab 30, Lib Dem 23 (16-17 June, ComRes)
    * Con 39, Lab 31, Lib Dem 19 (18-20 June, Mori)
    * Con 39, Lab 31, Lib Dem 21 (18-20 June, ICM)
    * Con 39, Lab 34, Lib Dem 19 (17-18 June, YouGov)
    * Con 41,

…

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Posted in Polls | 14 Comments
Stephen Tall

The LDV Saturday caption competition: “Chris and Evan open the floodgates” edition

By Stephen Tall | Sat 3rd July 2010 - 2:45 pm

There’s no prize at stake – just the opportunity to prove you’re wittier than any other LDV reader …


(Photo credit: Lib Dem Flickr photostream).

Here’s Climate Change Secretary Chris Huhne and former Lib Dem MP Evan Harris examining the floods that hit Oxford a few summers ago – but what do you think they might be saying to / thinking about each other?

The winner of our most recent caption competition, the “Tim Farron cashes in” edition – according to The Voice’s judging panel of one – was this …

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Posted in Caption Comp | 9 Comments
Adam Bell

Opinion: Why Lib Dems should have no reservations about campaigning for AV

By Adam Bell | Sat 3rd July 2010 - 11:40 am

Lib Dems are necessarily an introspective bunch, given to minute analysis of the implications of our own policies in order to ensure they’re entirely fair & liberal. As a consequence, the compromises involved in the coalition agreement (and the practices thereof) have come as something of a brutal shock to many party members – most significantly over the VAT increase. I still find that unbelievable – why on earth would you raise a transaction tax when demand is weak? However, that’s not the issue at hand, which is the Alternative Vote.

The Alternative Vote works by enabling the voter to rank …

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged , and | 22 Comments
Stephen Tall

The Saturday Debate: Time for British troops to be withdrawn from Afghanistan

By Stephen Tall | Sat 3rd July 2010 - 8:45 am

Here’s your starter for ten as we continue our Saturday slot posing a view for debate:

Lib Dem MEP Chris Davies has recently written to Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg renewing his call for British troops to be withdrawn from Afghanistan:

It is very difficult to justify our continued engagement when the reasons for it so often appear contradictory and open to challenge. I suspect one reason why 77% of people in this country tell pollsters that they want our troops out of Afghanistan is because they either do not know what are the objectives for their presence or do not

…

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged , , and | 23 Comments
Mark Pack

Government 100% committed to completing the journey to LGB and T equality

By Mark Pack | Fri 2nd July 2010 - 11:04 pm

A news release from the Home Office brings the news:

Home Office Equalities Minister Lynne Featherstone today set out the Government’s ambitious plans to tackle homophobia and transphobia and promote equal rights for all.

Speaking to the Trade Unions Congress (TUC) LGB and T conference ahead of Pride London 2010, the Lynne Featherstone stressed that the battle for equality is far from over and promised that the Government would do everything in its power to protect LGB and T people from discrimination.

The Minister highlighted the Government’s plan of action for the LGB and T community – the first of its kind to …

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Posted in News | Tagged and | 2 Comments
Helen Duffett

The LDV Friday Five: 2 July 2010

By Helen Duffett | Fri 2nd July 2010 - 5:00 pm

It’s Friday. It’s five o’clock. Here’s a fistful of lists that sum up the LDV week:

5 most-read stories on LDV this week

1. Should Lembit Opik be the Liberal Democrat candidate for London Mayor? (70) by Mark Pack
2. Government moves right, political agenda moves elsewhere (71) by Mark Pack
3. Two Lib Dem MPs rebel over VAT (82) by Mark Pack
4. Lines of attack against the Lib Dems becoming clearer (145) by Iain Roberts.
5. Opinion: Observer’s dishonesty doesn’t disguise party challenges (24) by Chris White.

5 from the LDV archive

1. Nick Clegg on the Freedom Bill by Mark Pack, November 2006.
2. 76% say London mayoral candidate should be from grassroots by the founding editor, January 2007.
3. LDV readers say: Miliband would be most effective Labour leader by Stephen Tall, October 2008.
4. Huhne and Clegg set out their views on coalition politics by the Voice, November 2007.
5. Jo Swinson writes… Experiences of a Female MP: Overcoming the Ultimate Old Boys Club by Jo Swinson, April 2009.

5 top reader search returns to get to LDV

(excluding Liberal Democrat Voice or its variants)

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Stephen Tall

New LDV members survey now live: what you think of the Budget and the Coalition Government so far

By Stephen Tall | Fri 2nd July 2010 - 4:53 pm

The new LDV members’ survey is now live. So if you are one of the 1,000+ registered members of the Liberal Democrat Voice forum – and any paid-up party member is welcome to join – then you now have the opportunity to make your views known.

Questions we are asking your opinion on include:

  • which measures in the Budget you support or oppose;
  • what you think of the VAT increase;
  • whether you’d have preferred to see fewer spending cuts and more tax rises;
  • your overall view of the Budget’s effectiveness and fairness;
  • whether you think the Lib

…

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Posted in LDV Members poll | Tagged | 1 Comment
Stephen Tall

LibLink: James Graham – On electoral reform, it’s AV or nothing

By Stephen Tall | Fri 2nd July 2010 - 3:10 pm

Over at The Guardian’s Comment Is Free website, Lib Dem blogger James Graham – who works for Unlock Democracy, incorporating Charter 88 – argues that, whatever reservations electoral reformers may have about the non-proprotionality of the alternative vote system, it is quite simply the only show in town. Here’s an excerpt:

We could debate what system is best until the cows come home, but to seriously suggest that there is a viable alternative to AV at this stage is simply politically naive. AV is on the table because of a classic British compromise: it is a Labour policy being

…

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Posted in LibLink | 1 Comment
Helen Duffett

David Cameron to campaign against Alternative Vote reform

By Helen Duffett | Fri 2nd July 2010 - 2:40 pm

This morning, David Miliband – leading contender for the Labour Leadership – said that he’s in favour of Alternative Vote reform.

Now the BBC reports:

David Cameron will campaign against changing the voting system, his spokesman said, in a referendum expected next May.

His spokesman said the PM would be asked his view and “clearly his view is that he’s not in favour of it”.

There’s been some ambiguity about whether Cameron being against AV constitutes him campaigning against the reform – the Prime Minister’s own spokesman doesn’t yet seem sure:

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Posted in News | Tagged , , and | 10 Comments
Helen Duffett

By-election news: two Lib Dem gains, one loss, Yeovil hold

By Helen Duffett | Fri 2nd July 2010 - 1:40 pm

Shropshire Lib Dem team celebratesLocal farmer Richard Huffer, last night won Clee Division of Shropshire County Council from the Conservatives taking over 60% of the vote. Speaking after the count, Richard said “I’m extremely grateful for the confidence that local electors have shown in me. The scale of the victory is quite humbling. Now the work really starts – our area has suffered from neglect and poor representation for too long!”

Parliamentary Candidate Heather Kidd, who was agent in the by-election said,

Richard will make an excellent councillor.

…

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Posted in Council by-elections | Tagged , , , and | 9 Comments
Mark Pack

Why budget maths makes me thinks of Escher

By Mark Pack | Fri 2nd July 2010 - 12:50 pm

A small state is smaller than a big state, right?

But now bear with me.

Take a glance at the heated rhetoric coming from Labour ranks about how the coalition government is hell bent on a right wing crusade to slash the size of the state.

Then consider this. The coalition’s spending plans will see public spending in 2015-16 at a fraction under 40% of GDP.

And you know what? That’s higher than it was under Labour in 1997-98 and in all the intervening years through to, and including, 2003-04. (See the graph here from Peter Hoskin.)

So the horrible dreadful right-wing small state still …

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged and | 5 Comments
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    An excellent article Victor on the great work you are doing. It's a great shame people like David can't give credit where credit is due....
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    Couldn’t agree more Karen. It’s the best speech in a generation, and more importantly an opportunity to build common cause on things that matter to us, like...
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