Mark Pack

The coalition agreement: international development

By Mark Pack | Mon 31st May 2010 - 3:20 pm

Welcome to the twelfth in a series of posts going through the full coalition agreement section by section. You can read the full coalition document here.

International development has been one of the totemic policy areas which David Cameron chose to show how he was changing the party. As a result, just as a promise to increase spending on the NHS was used to argue that the party was changing in its attitude to public services, so too a commitment to increase spending on international aid was used to argue that the party was leaving behind its ‘nasty party’ roots.

Whatever …

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Mark Valladares

Your LDV guide to the new Parliamentary selection rules

By Mark Valladares | Mon 31st May 2010 - 1:20 pm

There has, for some time, been genuine concern about the way that the Liberal Democrats select their Parliamentary candidates. How they are approved, how the process whereby candidates are selected has become more and more out of touch with modern campaigning methods, let alone questions of diversity, all of these have come under attack in recent years.

In fairness, those concerns have been reflected within the English Candidates Committee and action has been taken to remedy some of the most obvious problems. Before the last General Election, a new approval system was launched, designed to reflect the need to test those …

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Posted in Party policy and internal matters | 6 Comments
Alan Belmore

Opinion: The real issue in the Liberal Youth elections

By Alan Belmore | Mon 31st May 2010 - 12:40 pm

Liberal Youth action day

There have been many debates in these Liberal Youth elections, many of them, dare I say it, ill-informed. The situation Liberal Youth is in is an interesting one. The vast, vast, vast majority of our members never chose to join the organisation. Due to the very nature of the system where you are automatically a member if you are under the age of 26 or a student people don’t choose to be a member of Liberal Youth, they just are. There are around …

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged | 11 Comments
Mark Pack

Capital Gains Tax: an outrageous list of advice

By Mark Pack | Mon 31st May 2010 - 12:29 pm

In a shocking list of advice being given out about capital gains tax, MPs were told:

“Don’t forget to claim expenses”

“Become a butterfly and flit between homes”

“Exploit personal allowances and minimise rates” and more.

The advice urges people to make use of “a range of little-known tax breaks” and quotes a tax advisor saying, “It is possible to reduce a tax bill of a few hundred thousand pounds to virtually zero”.

Oh wait. Hang on. That’s a list of advice that was written for the public and not just MPs, wasn’t it? And the list was written by the Daily Telegraph. Ooops.

Hat-tip: …

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Posted in News | Tagged | 7 Comments
Iain Roberts

Cameron freeing public sector data

By Iain Roberts | Mon 31st May 2010 - 11:28 am

David Cameron today announced plans few Lib Dems would disagree with: to free up a lot more public sector data.

As the Conservative Party website reports

Key proposals include:

  • Items of local government expenditure over £500
  • Details of all government contracts over £10,000
  • Items of central government expenditure over £25,000
  • Names and salaries of all civil servants earning more than £150,000 per year
  • Data covering the last three months on the number of cases of MRSA and C.Difficile infection in each hospital
  • Data on crime in each street

As anyone familiar with the …

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Posted in News | 5 Comments
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Mark Pack

Danny Alexander & the Telegraph: not paying something that’s not due is not a story

By Mark Pack | Mon 31st May 2010 - 10:40 am

So here are the facts as we know them (and see his statement that Helen blogged):

  • In 1999 – 2006 he and his wife owned one property (in London)
  • In 2005 he became an MP
  • In 2006 he bought a house in his constituency. That house has been designated his main home for Parliamentary expense purposes.
  • In 2007 they sold their property in London and bought another one. They haven’t paid capital gains tax on the sale.

Capital Gains Tax rules says that you don’t have to pay Capital Gains Tax when you sell  your main home. If that was all they said then …

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Mark Pack

The coalition agreement: government transparency and immigration

By Mark Pack | Mon 31st May 2010 - 10:20 am

Welcome to the eleventh in a series of posts going through the full coalition agreement section by section. You can read the full coalition document here.

Unlike the nearly all of the rest of the document, both of these sections lift very heavily from Conservative Party policy, with little of the Liberal Democrat manifesto featuring. However, whilst in the immigration section that means policies which will leave many Liberal Democrats uncomfortable, in the government transparency section this is good news – for truth be told, the Conservative manifesto was rather better than the Liberal Democrat manifesto in this regard.

Our manifesto …

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Posted in News | Tagged and | 2 Comments
Mark Pack

STV and gender balance: if it’s good enough for MPs…

By Mark Pack | Mon 31st May 2010 - 9:20 am

Last week I pointed out that AV is being used for both the Labour leadership contest and for the election of select committee chairs in the Commons, which could make for the fun sight of Labour MPs who have happily used it in both those contests then turning round and explaining how they think it’s really a terrible system for the public to use.

What I missed then (but now realise) is that the election for the Commons Deputy Speakers will also see two features in use because MPs have adopted them but which I suspect a fair few …

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Posted in News | 3 Comments
Helen Duffett

Danny Alexander issues a statement on his Capital Gains Tax affairs

By Helen Duffett | Mon 31st May 2010 - 12:36 am

Danny Alexander has made a statement, following an article in the Telegraph on Sunday night, which reported that he had avoided paying Capital Gains Tax on a south London property in 2007:

My wife and I bought our property in Elspeth Road in 1999, we sold it and moved to the current property in June 2007.

Until the spring of 2006 this was the only property we owned. I had rented a place in Aviemore until then, we subsequently bought a place there and moved into it.

I have always listed London as my second home on the basis set out in

…

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Posted in News | Tagged , and | 97 Comments
Stephen Tall

Top of the Blogs: The Golden Dozen #171

By Stephen Tall | Sun 30th May 2010 - 8:45 pm

Welcome to the Golden Dozen, and our 171st 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 (23rd – 29th May, 2010), together with a hand-picked quintet, normally courtesy of LibDig, you might otherwise have missed.

Don’t forget: you can now 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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Posted in Best of the blogs | 1 Comment
Stephen Tall

Trying to find a bright spot among the depression of David Laws’ downfall

By Stephen Tall | Sun 30th May 2010 - 7:25 pm

Well that was a depressing 24 hours, depressing in so many different ways.

I don’t think I’d describe David Laws’s forced resignation as either right, or wrong: it was quite simply inevitable. There was no way he personally, nor the coalition politically, could withstand the clamour for his head. Eventually he would have been dragged down by the explosion of self-righteousness that the right-wing press and Labour tribalists have let rip over the past two days. I find that depressing.

It is one of the ironies of coalition government that, as it brings together two different, competing parties – two parties …

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged , , and | 75 Comments
Mark Pack

The coalition agreement: families & children and foreign affairs

By Mark Pack | Sun 30th May 2010 - 6:20 pm

Welcome to the tenth in a series of posts going through the full coalition agreement section by section. You can read the full coalition document here.

If you have been following this series of posts, you’ll be familiar by now with the mix of statements in the families and children section: a strong showing of Liberal Democrat policies, some amenable Conservative policies and then a couple of tricky points.

So we have policies which would happily fit in a Liberal Democrat manifesto such as maintaining “the goal of ending child poverty in the UK by 2020”, supporting “the provision of free …

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Michael Beckett

A message from Thirsk and Malton Liberal Democrats

By Michael Beckett | Sun 30th May 2010 - 5:15 pm

Howard Keal with the Thirsk and Malton team
Much delight was shared by local Liberal Democrat campaigners at Howard Keal’s performance at the delayed election in Thirsk and Malton constituency on Friday morning. This came after fighting a strong campaign without paid campaign staff and we enjoyed the success of a positive swing towards the Liberal Democrats from the Conservatives and an increase in our share of the vote. Labour’s claim to be in second place ended in a catastrophic result for them,as they …

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Posted in News | Tagged , and | 2 Comments
Stephen Tall

LDV members’ survey (2): Labour leadership – Ed Miliband wins your vote (but Ed Balls would be best for Lib Dems)

By Stephen Tall | Sun 30th May 2010 - 3:45 pm

Lib Dem Voice has been conducting a survey this week of party members registered on our members’ forum asking them for their views of the coalition, Labour leadership and the party’s general election result. Over 400 have responded, and here’s part two of what you’ve told us …

LDV asked: Putting aside your Lib Dem allegiance who do you think would make the best Labour leader?

Here’s what you said:

37% – Ed Miliband
25% – Diane Abbott
17% – David Miliband
9% – Andy Burnham
8% – John McDonnell
3% – Ed Balls
(Excluding Don’t know / No opinion =

…

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Posted in LDV Members poll | Tagged , , , , , and | 11 Comments
Mark Pack

Is the Mail on Sunday in a different time zone? Or how it got a string of facts wrong

By Mark Pack | Sun 30th May 2010 - 2:18 pm

The Mail on Sunday appears to have made a basic and repeated series of factual errors in a piece today about Liberal Democrat MP Lynne Featherstone.

In the piece the paper repeatedly claims that Lynne has sent tweets in the middle of the night: “1am tweets”, “one post, made at 1:38am…”, “at 12:29am…” and so on. There’s even a screenshot apparently verifying this pattern of middle of the night tweets.

Except, if you take a look at the Twitter website and look up the tweets in question you see they are all time-stamped with different times. Take the two in …

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Posted in News | Tagged , and | 19 Comments
The Voice

Opinion: What about justice for women?

By The Voice | Sun 30th May 2010 - 1:50 pm

The following is a piece from a Liberal Democrat member in England:

I’ve lived with a rape victim.  I know about the nightmares, the sleepwalking, the self-harm, the blackouts, and other unpleasant things I won’t mention.  I’ve seen at first hand the damage rape can wreak upon a woman, and I can’t think of anything offhand that might be worse.

I mention this firstly to explain why this article is posted anonymously, and secondly in consideration of what difference it would have made to the woman I loved and lived with if her attacker had been brought to justice.

It would have made …

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Posted in Op-eds | 31 Comments
Chris White

Opinion: we have our own red lines for schools

By Chris White | Sun 30th May 2010 - 11:10 am

I will try and write about the Coalition without any reference to ‘uncharted waters’ or ‘interesting times’. Someone has to.

To begin with I was pleasantly surprised when I read the Culture, Media and Sport sections of the full agreement: more or less what I had wanted but without some of the policies I had criticised in our own manifesto. I can live with the ‘reduction in red tape for live music’ although I still believe we need to concentrate on opportunities for new bands.

My worries are in fact in a different area: academies. I didn’t like this policy before the …

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged | 9 Comments
Richard Wilson

Opinion: Let’s not ask why we need Liberal Youth, let’s ask why we don’t have Liberal “Youth” in the first place

By Richard Wilson | Sun 30th May 2010 - 9:15 am

Richard Wilson is a candidate for Chair of Liberal Youth.

Yes, I’m going to say it. We don’t need Liberal Youth in its current form. We really don’t. I’m not leading a call for dissolution. Just for it to be labelled what it currently is – Liberal Democrat Students. No more and no less.

Let’s look at the evidence – Of the candidates at this election, the vast majority are students. Of the campaigning Liberal Youth does, well, it’s mainly about student issues, and of the money Liberal Youth spends on campaigns…well, I’m sure you’ll be surprised to hear that it …

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged | 7 Comments
Stephen Tall

David Laws: the view of party members – 59% say he should have stayed put

By Stephen Tall | Sat 29th May 2010 - 11:40 pm

Lib Dem Voice polled party members registered on our members’ forum today asking them whether David Laws should resign following the Telegraph’s allegations over his expenses. Over 350 members responded, and here’s what you told us …

LDV asked: In the light of allegations made against Lib Dem chief secretary to the treasury David Laws and his expenses claims, what do you think should happen next?

Here’s what you told us:

  • 59% – He should stay put in his job
  • 29% – He should step down temporarily pending the findings of the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner
  • 12% – He should resign immediately

    • (Excluding Don’t know / No opinion = 6%)

    Here’s a selection of party members’ comments:

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    Posted in LDV Members poll and News | Tagged | 61 Comments
    Helen Duffett

    David Laws’ resignation letter to the Prime Minister – and David Cameron’s response

    By Helen Duffett | Sat 29th May 2010 - 8:42 pm

    From the BBC:

    Dear prime minister,

    The last 24 hours have been very difficult and distressing for me, and I have been thinking carefully about what action I should take in the interests of the government, my constituents and – most important of all – those whom I love.

    I am grateful for the strong support which I have received from my friends, family, and from you, the deputy prime minister and the chancellor.

    This support has been incredibly important, but nonetheless, I have decided that it is right to tender my resignation as chief secretary to the Treasury.

    I

    …

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    Posted in News | Tagged , and | 37 Comments
    Stephen Tall

    +++ David Laws resigns, Danny Alexander takes over as Chief Secretary

    By Stephen Tall | Sat 29th May 2010 - 8:00 pm

    The BBC reports:

    Liberal Democrat David Laws has resigned as Chief Secretary to the Treasury after admitting he claimed expenses to pay rent to his partner.

    Mr Laws said he would be standing down with immediate effect in a statement given at the Treasury.

    He had earlier apologised and said he would pay back the money which the Daily Telegraph said totalled £40,000.

    The Yeovil MP said he wanted to keep his relationship with James Lundie private.

    Mr Laws said he had informed both David Cameron and Nick Clegg, but it had been “his decision alone”.

    Explaining his decision, he said: “I do not see

    …

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    Posted in News | Tagged and | 69 Comments
    Iain Roberts

    Innocent or guilty, there is no case for Laws to resign

    By Iain Roberts | Sat 29th May 2010 - 6:35 pm

    I’ve read, and listened to, a great deal of comment about David Laws today. Rumours are currently circulating that Laws has resigned from the Government. If so, I think it’s a great shame, a great injustice and a great disservice that’s been done to the British people.

    Let’s take the absolute worst case scenario: that Laws knowingly broke the rules, saw himself and James Lundie as partners, chose not to admit it and took the money.

    If that were the case – and Laws says it isn’t – the public purse will have been no worse off as a result …

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    Posted in Op-eds | Tagged and | 68 Comments
    Stephen Tall

    LDV members’ survey (1): 67% say Lib Dem general election result “disappointing”

    By Stephen Tall | Sat 29th May 2010 - 5:45 pm

    Lib Dem Voice has been conducting a survey this week of party members registered on our members’ forum asking them for their views of the coalition, Labour leadership and the party’s general election result. Over 400 have responded, and here’s part one of what you’ve told us …

    LDV asked: How would you rate the Lib Dems’ general election result?

    Here’s what you told us:

    1% – Very good
    9% – Good
    22% – Okay
    52% – Disappointing
    16% – Very disappointing

    LDV then asked: Which of the following reasons do you think best explain why the Lib Dems did less well in …

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    Posted in LDV Members poll | 4 Comments
    Damien Shannon

    Opinion: We must not blame Party Leaders for acquiescing to the demands of Governance

    By Damien Shannon | Sat 29th May 2010 - 3:50 pm

    Damien Shannon is a candidate for Vice Chair (Finance) of Liberal Youth.

    It is a dispiriting sight to see the swell of twenty Liberal Democrat Ministers of the Crown – five of whom have taken on Cabinet roles – abandon with gusto the free thinking policies that secured the popular approval of twenty three percentiles of the voting public just a few short weeks ago. Nick Clegg, Vince Cable, David Laws, Chris Huhne and Danny Alexander will all have had a stark realisation of the tremendously constrictive machinery of government awaiting them when acceding to their respective offices. They will all …

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    Posted in Op-eds | Tagged | 3 Comments
    Julian Huppert

    Dr Julian Huppert MP’s maiden speech

    By Julian Huppert | Sat 29th May 2010 - 2:45 pm

    Back when Cix was the main way of talking to other Lib Dems online, a tradition emerged of posting Lib Dem MPs’ maiden speeches so that people could read them and respond – a tradition LDV would like to continue. The first new Lib Dem MP to speak in the 2010 Parliament was Gordon Birtwistle, with Julian Huppert shortly after.

    Dr Julian Huppert (Cambridge) (LD): Thank you for giving me this chance to speak so early in this Parliament, Mr Deputy Speaker. It is great to see you in the Chair. There has been a long succession of maiden speeches …

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    Posted in Parliament | Tagged , , and | 2 Comments
    Gordon Birtwistle MP

    Gordon Birtwistle MP’s maiden speech

    By Gordon Birtwistle MP | Sat 29th May 2010 - 1:00 pm

    Back when Cix was the main way of talking to other Lib Dems online, a tradition emerged of posting Lib Dem MPs’ maiden speeches so that people could read them and respond – a tradition LDV would like to continue. The first new Lib Dem MP to speak in the 2010 Parliament was Gordon Birtwhistle.

    Gordon Birtwistle (Burnley) (LD): I am grateful for the opportunity to make my maiden speech so early in the new Parliament. I pay tribute to those who made their maiden speeches before me—the hon. Members for Beckenham (Bob Stewart), for Bolton South East (Yasmin Qureshi), …

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    Posted in Parliament | Tagged , , , , , and | 6 Comments
    Stephen Tall

    David Laws: what should happen next?

    By Stephen Tall | Sat 29th May 2010 - 11:00 am

    Last night, Lib Dem Voice covered the Telegraph’s story that David Laws, the chief secretary to the treasury, has referred himself to the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner because it is alleged his second home expenses claims breached the rules which state rent cannot be paid to an MP’s spouse.

    The story is dominating today’s news agenda, presenting the coalition government with its first real test. There are, as I see it, three options:

    1) Tough it out. David has referred himself to the Commissioner, maintaining that he has done nothing for personal gain, even if he has broken the rules. Many …

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    Posted in News | Tagged | 80 Comments

    Opinion: Why do we need Liberal Youth?

    By Martin Crosby | Sat 29th May 2010 - 9:20 am

    Since getting involved in the party almost nothing has disappointed me more than Liberal Youth. At times it appears remote, unaccountable and to have little to say on policy outside of the tuition fee debate. Given its elections are going on, I thought it was the right time to ask, why do we need Liberal Youth? Because working regularly with enthusiastic students (and being a young person myself) I’m not sure we do, for the following reasons…

    1. As ‘young Lib Dems’ do we actually need a single voice?

    I would argue no. Unlike a student body …

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    Posted in Op-eds | Tagged | 27 Comments
    Stephen Tall

    David Laws issues statement on his expenses and sexuality

    By Stephen Tall | Fri 28th May 2010 - 10:45 pm

    David Laws has apologised, promised to pay back up to £40,000, and referred himself to the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner after the Telegraph published expenses claims showing he rented a room from his partner.

    The paper’s story shows that David:

    • David claimed between £700 and £950 a month between 2004 and 2007 to sub-let a room in a flat in Kennington, south London, owned by his partner who was also registered as living at the property;
    • from 2007, David then began claiming of £920 a month to rent the second bedroom from a new house bought by his partner,

    …

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    Posted in News | Tagged and | 221 Comments
    Mark Pack

    Another Labour councillor resigns – this time in Barking

    By Mark Pack | Fri 28th May 2010 - 10:40 pm

    Following Labour’s trouble in Redbridge, where a Labour candidate was elected and has then had to resign because they were a council employee and so barred from standing, the same again has happened in Barking.

    This time it is Goresbrok ward, where Labour’s victory was particularly notable because it involved ousting BNP councillor and GLA member Richard Barnbrook.

    By-elections are due in both councils.

    Posted in News | Tagged and | Leave a comment
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