Mark Valladares

What the Party said yesterday…

By Mark Valladares | Wed 2nd November 2016 - 8:25 am

The Liberal Democrat Voice team now appear to be on the Party’s press release list – it wasn’t like that in my day (mind you, there were dinosaurs then…). It dawns on me that, for campaigners out there, and the generally curious, it might be interesting to see what the Party is telling the world…

Commenting on the Govenrment’s announcement that there is to be extra investment in cyber security Liberal Democrat Shadow Defence Secretary Judith Jolly said:

It is crucial that more is done to increase our cyber security in a world where attacks on computer systems are growing ever

…

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Mark Valladares

Welcome to my day: 2 November 2016

By Mark Valladares | Wed 2nd November 2016 - 7:30 am

Good morning, readers, and welcome. I’m your locum day editor, here to support the LDV team for a little while, especially whilst Caron is otherwise occupied. For those of you who don’t know me, I’m a former day editor and Readers’ Editor (an experiment to see if a different way of handling reader complaints and queries might work – it didn’t really…). But enough about me, what have we got for you today?

We’ll be covering the elections to the Bureau of the ALDE Party (Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in Europe), the pan-European liberal party of which the Liberal …

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Alistair Carmichael MP

Alistair Carmichael writes: for allowing mixed sex couples into civil partnerships

By Alistair Carmichael MP | Tue 1st November 2016 - 2:00 pm

The late great Groucho Marx once said, “Marriage is a wonderful institution – but then, who wants to live in an institution?”

I have no problem in answering “I do” – coincidentally the same words I spoke on September 19th 1987 when my wife and I got married.

Like everyone else, our marriage has had its ups and downs but when we got married I had no doubt that it was the right thing to be doing and I have never doubted it for a second since. I like being married. For us, marriage is a good thing. In fact I …

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Joe Otten

Fighting fun politicians in the age of entertainment news

By Joe Otten | Tue 1st November 2016 - 10:57 am

Yes, this is another “how do we fight back against the politics UKIP/Brexit/Trump” type of article, though I hope a different one to the rest.

I read two articles yesterday, both illuminating, but doubly so when read together. This on the BBC explains a cultural difference between the UK and Germany that may be hobbling diplomatic understanding. British are liable to say “oh no I couldn’t possibly” to mean yes, to which Germans will consider the matter settled at no. Swashbuckling overpromising bluster is far more tolerated in British political culture than in German, which values consistency much more highly and is to our ears extremely dull.

The other was this at the Washington Post expressing bemusement at the “corrupt Clinton” narrative that exists, when “Trump’s history of corruption is mind-boggling.” A list of Trump’s corrupt activities is given. Each has been reported and then we move on. Journalists shrug. The Florida attorney general takes a donation from Trump and drops an investigation into his “university”. Hillary, meanwhile is investigated to within an inch of her life, and even when nothing is found, the investigation is used to support a narrative of guilt.

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William Powell

Reassuring EU Nationals in the UK – ‘not only common decency but also common sense’

By William Powell | Tue 1st November 2016 - 9:16 am

William Powell considers the issue of the many thousands of workers in the UK who had no vote in the #Brexit Referendum – but who are living with its consequences

Quantifying the problem of hate crime

Over the summer, I received several disturbing reports ranging from school yard taunting of the children of EU nationals about ‘returning home’ post Brexit right through to criminal damage of commercial premises. In the light of this, I took the opportunity to ask Cllr Barry Thomas, Leader of Powys County Council, a question on reported incidents of hate crime at Full Council last month. …

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The Voice

Cathy Bakewell: the Government must replace the fit for work test entirely

By The Voice | Mon 31st October 2016 - 2:51 pm

cathy-bakewell

Cathy Bakewell, our new Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, has not been slow in writing about her brief.

The Government is planning to review the Work Capability Assessment, and she agrees that a review is a ‘step in the right direction. But, and there always is a ‘but’ with this Government: 

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Mary Reid

Ten questions about the Richmond Park by-election

By Mary Reid | Mon 31st October 2016 - 1:05 pm

 

1. What is the correct name for the constituency? That question we can answer. The constituency is called Richmond Park. But all the parties seem to refer to it locally as Richmond Park and North Kingston, because it is easy to forget that four of its wards lie within Kingston Borough rather than Richmond Borough.

2. How posh is Richmond Park? Well someone did have the task of delivering our tabloid to a certain Royal elector who actually lives inside the park – you can’t get much posher than that. But the constituency also includes council-owned estates and relatively modest housing in well-established communities, as well as large secluded private houses.  In Richmond itself the average house price is not far short of £900k.

3. Zac Goldsmith has resigned as an MP, as he had promised to do if the Government backed the expansion of Heathrow. Has he resigned from the Conservative party as well? No-one seems to know.

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Mary Reid

Weekend engineering works?

By Mary Reid | Mon 31st October 2016 - 10:58 am

 

“Weekend engineering works” – a phrase that makes the blood run cold just when you thought you had that visit to relatives, trip to the seaside or weekend meeting sorted.

This year we will have the triple whammy of weekend engineering works plus Christmas and New Year engineering works. Indeed, it is difficult to find any rail companies that are not announcing some scheduled improvements over the long weekend and through to the New Year.

The people most inconvenienced by these interruptions to service are those without cars, especially those in poverty and the elderly, who perhaps are most in need of a bit of cheer from friends and relations over the Festive Season.

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Paul Walter

How you can volunteer to help Sarah Olney win in Richmond Park

By Paul Walter | Mon 31st October 2016 - 9:44 am

sarah-olney-for-rp-600

After her selection yesterday as our candidate at the Richmond Park December 1st by-election, Sarah Olney is calling for volunteers to help her campaign.

Update: Sarah’s website has now gone live.

Click here to choose how you can help Sarah.

This webpage has the information you need about making calls.

This webpage allows you to donate to the campaign.

We leafleted the whole constituency within 48 hours of Zac Goldsmith announcing that he was standing down.

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Paul Walter

LDV’s Sunday Best: our 7 most-read articles this week

By Paul Walter | Sun 30th October 2016 - 7:00 pm

7 bestMany thanks to the visitors who dropped by Lib Dem Voice this week. Here’s our 7 most-read posts…

++BREAKING NEWS : Zac Goldsmith has resigned as MP for Richmond Park (77 comments) by Mary Reid

Brexit is a war already lost (54 comments) by Phil Aisthorpe

In the mayoral election, why did Zac Goldsmith get such a low vote in his own backyard? (13 comments) by Lester Holloway

Oppose Brexit – it’s bad for the country

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Paul Walter

++Lib Dems select Sarah Olney to be our candidate at the Richmond Park by-election

By Paul Walter | Sun 30th October 2016 - 5:51 pm



Sarah Olney has been selected to contest the Richmond Park and North Kingston December 1st by-election for the Liberal Democrats.

An opinion poll has shown it is a two-horse race between local woman Sarah and Zac Goldsmith, the out-going Conservative Brexit MP whose resignation triggered the by-election. Sarah, an accountant and married mother of two, was selected at a meeting of the local party in Richmond today.

Sarah Olney said:

This by-election is a chance for people to have their say on Brexit, the NHS and Heathrow. Only a vote for the Liberal Democrats will make a stand against Heathrow and Brexit, not to mention the scandalous underfunding of the NHS.

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Paul Walter

Clegg: People don’t vote for economic self-harm

By Paul Walter | Sun 30th October 2016 - 3:45 pm

Nick Clegg talked this morning with Robert Peston about Brexit and the Richmond Park by-election. Here’s a transcript of the interview:

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Tim Gordon

Tim Gordon writes…REMINDER that nominations close for party internal elections on 2 November

By Tim Gordon | Sun 30th October 2016 - 2:21 pm

From one by-election we run straight into another, with Richmond Park getting off the ground as a result of the Government’s decision on Heathrow expansion. It is absolutely vital that we all contribute to the campaign as early as we possibly can to keep up the momentum from Witney.

In the midst of the excitement for a second by-election in a matter of weeks you may however have missed that the deadline for nominations for internal elections to our Party’s Committees is fast approaching. Nominations close on Wednesday 2 November at 12 noon.

As a reminder there are four committees up for election: the Federal Board, the Federal Conference Committee, the Federal Policy Committee and the Federal International Relations Committee. In addition, a number of spaces are available for members to represent the party within our Delegation to the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in Europe (ALDE). The position of Party President is also up for election this year. 

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Caron Lindsay

WATCH Jo Swinson launch action plan on maternity discrimination

By Caron Lindsay | Sun 30th October 2016 - 11:25 am

Yesterday, Jo Swinson, as chair of Maternity Action, helped to launch an action plan aimed at tackling maternity discrimination.

If you think that this stuff doesn’t go on any more, take an hour out to watch the video of the event and you will see that it very much does.  A woman called Amelia tells the shocking story of what happened to her when she told her employers she was pregnant.

The video is available on Maternity Action’s You Tube channel here. Unfortunately, it’s not embeddable here, but do go and watch it.

Here are some tweets from the event:

The number of women adversely affected each year is staggering:

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Jamie Dalzell

The Ebola crisis – we need to hear about the heroes

By Jamie Dalzell | Sun 30th October 2016 - 9:25 am

Two years ago, I was quarantined. Following a trip to Nigeria (and the privilege of working with the DFID funded ESSPIN programme), I returned feeling a little unwell and, before I knew it, people in biohazard suits were bundling me into an ambulance. Fortunately it was not Ebola and, in fact, just a slightly embarrassing case of man-flu. However, I was still extremely grateful for a responsive NHS keeping me safe.

At the time, the Ebola epidemic was a terrifying prospect with a wide range of possible outcomes. One of the worst scenarios I heard was that the largest annual gathering of people in the world, two million Muslims (including many from West Africa) attending the Hajj, could have become a focal point for a sudden and rapid spread of this deadly disease.

Fortunately, this did not happen and we have been blessed to see the Ebola epidemic contained, controlled and eradicated, with the MSF closing their final projects (supporting survivors) earlier this month. We were lucky, but it was not by chance that a pandemic was prevented; it was due to the bravery, commitment and skill of the medics and military who risked their own lives to prevent a disaster. 

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Paul Walter

‘Within 48 hours of Goldsmith’s standing down on Tuesday, the Lib Dems had leafleted the entire constituency’ – Guardian

By Paul Walter | Sat 29th October 2016 - 10:05 pm

richmond parkThe Guardian have a great article which liberally quotes Sarah Olney, the Lib Dems’ “prospective candidate” for Richmond Park and has this passage:

Within 48 hours of Goldsmith’s standing down on Tuesday, the Lib Dems had leafleted the entire constituency and were trying to find a bigger office from which to mastermind their campaign.

Nassar Kessell, a party activist who was out on the streets on Friday, admitted that Goldsmith, who fought an unsuccessful campaign to become mayor of London earlier this year, was popular locally. But he was still beatable.

“There’s no doubt that people like him. He’s been the MP for a very long time. But there is certainly a part of the constituency that is upset about the issues he’s championed – Brexit, for example. We can absolutely provide the alternative.”

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NewsHound

‘What the hell is going on?’ – Farron asks as reports say Hammond briefly given number 2 job because of a typo

By NewsHound | Sat 29th October 2016 - 1:15 pm

Commenting in response to reports that Philip Hammond was given the job of First Secretary of State because of a typo, Tim Farron said:

Alistair Carmichael has only been in his job for a single evening and already he’s seen off a Government Minister.

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Katharine Pindar

Oppose Brexit – it’s bad for the country

By Katharine Pindar | Sat 29th October 2016 - 11:45 am

Why do we accept that leaving the EU is going to happen, when we believe that doing so is harmful to our country? Why do we pussy-foot about, saying that we want a referendum on the terms of our leaving, when we could say, if the people who want to stay in are perceived to be becoming a majority, then there should be another referendum? And there are plenty of reasons to suggest that sufficient leave voters could change their minds in the next few months.

We know that misleading and untruthful information was knowingly peddled by Leave leaders, such as the claim that much of the money currently paid by Britain to the EU could go to the NHS if we leave. In fact, those funds are being promised widely elsewhere now.

We know that Scotland and Northern Ireland had majorities for Remain, and their leaders along with the Welsh are demanding a say in the terms of leaving. Nicola Sturgeon insists that Scotland must keep access to the EU’s single market.

We know that the country’s economic prosperity is threatened by leaving, that Theresa May herself saw the dangers of doing so and the advantages of staying, and that price rises which will hit the poorest first can be expected soon. Staying in the single market seems vital for our economy.

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Newsmoggie

Tim Farron announces new shadow cabinet

By Newsmoggie | Sat 29th October 2016 - 9:51 am

Tim Farron has announced his new Shadow Cabinet team, saying:

I am pleased to announce my new Shadow Cabinet team. Together we will provide the strong Liberal voice that Britain desperately needs to stand up to this Tory Brexit Government.

The Tories have no plans to protect the interests of the country in the wake of Brexit. Labour is in disarray. Only the Liberal Democrats can confront the Government and stand up for people’s jobs and livelihoods.

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Caron Lindsay

Dear Readers, Please be patient

By Caron Lindsay | Sat 29th October 2016 - 9:27 am

As you know, this site is run by a team of dedicated volunteers who fit in responding to submissions, comments, occasionally, to hilarious effect, spam and other correspondence. It takes some effort to keep LDV on the go.

At the moment, I am having to take a lot of time away from the site. My husband is still seriously ill in hospital and the next couple of weeks are going to be intense, particularly when he is moved from a hospital five minutes down the road to one an hour away. Before anyone says it for me,  I know that’s not that far. Back in the 80s, my Dad had surgery in Aberdeen when we lived in Wick and my Mum just got to see him at the weekends. The travelling time, however, will impact on the time I have to work on the site.

That effectively means that if you email me on a day I’m editing the site after midday, I’m not going to get to it till the next day.

The rest of the team have been fantastic in covering for me over the past month and I so appreciate their help. If it hadn’t been for them, the site would have been very sparse. Inevitably, though, there are going to be greater delays. Similarly, comments may take longer to be moderated. That’s inevitable and at this time, there is not a lot we can do about it.

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The Voice

Two Lib Dems at the Palace to collect honours

By The Voice | Fri 28th October 2016 - 3:20 pm

Yesterday Merlene Toh Emerson and Jen Yockney went to the Palace to collect their MBEs. Marlene was awarded for her public and political service and Jen for services to the bisexual community.

Here they are together with some great colour co-ordination:

This is what we said at the time their awards were announced.

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Paul Walter

Nissan announcement – did May promise any cash for Qashqais?

By Paul Walter | Fri 28th October 2016 - 1:55 pm

At the end of the day, we’re all Brits together. I rejoice that Nissan have announced the production of the new Qashqai and X-Trails at Sunderland.

Tim Farron has commented:

The commitment to Sunderland by Nissan is obviously very welcome. Ensuring that jobs are protected at the plant is vital for Sunderland and our economy.

However, it is utterly ridiculous that Theresa May is having to give special assurances to key manufacturers in order to deal with the Brexit fallout her government is creating.

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Caron Lindsay

Alex Cole-Hamilton and Ming Campbell honoured at Scottish Politician of the Year Awards

By Caron Lindsay | Fri 28th October 2016 - 12:30 pm

New Lib Dem Edinburgh Western MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton won the “One to watch” award at the Scottish Politician of the Year Awards, presented at a glittering awards ceremony in Edinburgh.

He was also praised by his predecessor, Margaret Smith:

From The Herald:

With one third of MSPs new to Holyrood this year, the largest field was in the One to Watch category, sponsored by ScottishPower Renewables, with the judges impressed by the breadth and depth of talent being attracted to the Parliament as its powers increase.

The winner was the LibDem health spokesman Alex Cole-Hamilton, who gained the Edinburgh Western seat from the SNP and is already tipped as his party’s next leader.

It’s not difficult to see why he won when you see the quality of his debut speech on the European Union

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Leon Duveen

How can Lib Dems support the movements for peace for the people of Palestine & Israel?

By Leon Duveen | Fri 28th October 2016 - 11:00 am

Israeli children visit Palestinian village of Tuwani and participate in bilingual activities together - Some rights reserved by delayed gratficationThe departure of Jenny Tonge from the party will not come as a surprise to many nor, if I am honest, will there be many tears shed over it. She has, at best, been semi-detached for some time after resigning the Party Whip in the House of Lords.

However, her departure has made me think about the best way forward for the Liberal Democrats to support a peaceful resolution of the Palestine/Israel conflict.

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NewsHound

Party sets up review of culture and processes focusing on race and ethnicity

By NewsHound | Fri 28th October 2016 - 9:34 am

The Liberal Democrats are committed to better representing the communities they seek to serve and have voted through a raft of measures, including the Diversity Quotas and Electing Diverse MP’s motions passed by members at Federal Conference in York and Brighton this year.

As part of the party’s ongoing commitment to build and safeguard a fair, free and open society; an independent review which will focus on the issues and/or barriers faced by BAME members and supporters has been commissioned by the Federal Executive. This review should help the party determine what and where the issues are and how we take action in this specific area.

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Caron Lindsay

Another Friday, another 3 Lib Dem GAINs

By Caron Lindsay | Fri 28th October 2016 - 9:00 am

It’s Friday again and the Liberal Democrats have gained another Parish Council seat in Claypool, Horwich

We held a parish council seat in Houghton Regis in Beds, too.

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NewsHound

Tim Farron reacts to UKIP’s endorsement of Zac Goldsmith

By NewsHound | Thu 27th October 2016 - 4:49 pm

Following UKIP’s endorsement of Zac Goldsmith in the Richmond Park by-election, Tim Farron commented:

Zac Goldsmith claimed Brexit has nothing to do with this by-election. The very public endorsement he has picked up from the party of Nigel Farage nails that lie.

Zac Goldsmith was already the Conservative Party candidate. Now he is also the UKIP candidate. His campaign is the Nigel and Zac show.

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Chris Key

Reasons to doubt Zac Goldsmith will be re-elected

By Chris Key | Thu 27th October 2016 - 2:53 pm

So we have the first by-election test in London for the Prime Minister who wants a country that works for everyone. How does Zac Goldsmith stack up against this mantra (even if not the official Tory candidate)?

Firstly he voted to cut disability benefits by £30 a week, resulting in him being dumped by a local disabled charity.

Secondly he has never railed against the lack of affordable housing in his own area as Richmond Council allows more and more luxury flats to be built in a form of Bosnian style ethic cleansing as his friend Boris described the London housing crisis. He also supported the sale of precious social housing stock.

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Phil Aisthorpe

Brexit is a war already lost

By Phil Aisthorpe | Thu 27th October 2016 - 1:23 pm

Is she or isn’t she? Since her accession, the public has been puzzled by Theresa May’s stance on Brexit. Was her lukewarm support for Remain merely self-preservation, just wanting to keep out of the fray? Was she a closet Leaver? Well now we know. The Guardian suggests that she is indeed a Remainer, but not just any old Remainer, but a Tory Remainer and so quite happy to switch sides. Paddy Ashdown summed it up in this Tweet.


But what does this tell us about the Tory mind? Well it tells me that the Conservatives are a party unencumbered by the constraints of values and principles, a party where politics is merely a game to be won or lost. Not for the Tory are there any of the questions of morality or conscience that exercise the minds of other parties. The Tory has become Nietzsche’s Übermensch, the self-mastered individual contemptuous of namby-pamby liberalism.

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Newsmoggie

Plaque to commemorate cycling councillor at new railway station

By Newsmoggie | Thu 27th October 2016 - 11:53 am

Here’s a lovely story from the Bromsgrove Advertiser:

A renowned campaigner for cyclists who died in 2007 will live on in a commemorative plaque to be unveiled at Bromsgrove railway station, marking a new facility that would have been close to his heart.

Gordon Selway, described as a “larger-than-life” character and who was also a Bromsgrove district councillor, was transport spokesman for the Worcestershire branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) and volunteered for many charities.

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