Paul Walter

The Last Post

By Paul Walter | Wed 11th November 2015 - 9:30 pm

As we approach the end of Armistice Day, it is, perhaps, appropriate to remember the tune most associated with military memorials, The Last Post.

The BBC produce some superb radio documentaries. They have surpassed themselves with “The Last Post” presented by Alwyn W Turner. It tells the story of the tune and describes its extraordinarily wide use, often at national and international occasions and including at the funerals of Sir Winston Churchill and IRA man Bobby Sands. He also mentions the American equivalent, “Taps”, which was played at the funeral of John F Kennedy.

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Paul Walter

David Cameron is hoist with his own petard

By Paul Walter | Wed 11th November 2015 - 7:50 pm

Hat-tip to Peter Black for inspiring the title

Here below is some fascinating reading. First, a letter which David Cameron sent to the Conservative leader of Oxfordshire County Council (bearing in mind the PM’s constituency of Witney is in Oxfordshire) and then the reply he got.

Via, it seems, a somewhat incautious researcher or adviser, Mr Cameron reveals an extraordinary ignorance of local government finance, coupled with remarkable arrogance.

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NewsHound

LibLink: David Laws: George Osborne needs to prove his cuts won’t stall improvement in education

By NewsHound | Wed 11th November 2015 - 6:04 pm

As Schools Minister, David Laws introduced the Pupil Premium, extra money for disadvantaged kids in school to help close the attainment gap.

He has written for the Independent to say that the Government needs to do more to ensure that people have a route out of poverty:

The Government also needs a new drive to raise educational standards, and to keep the focus on improving attainment for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds – those who are much more likely to end up in poverty and on benefits. We are not going to address poverty and create opportunity while 60 per cent of young people from poor households fail even to achieve the old and unambitious target to secure five GCSEs at C grade or higher, including English and Maths. This figure is a national disgrace.

The last Government had a strong record on education – with the introduction of the Pupil Premium, swift action to tackle failing schools, and the clean- up of English’s discredited qualifications system. But there is nothing at all to be complacent about. If the country’s main anti-poverty and pro-opportunity strategy is now to rely on education and work, then we have got to do an awful lot more and more intelligently

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Anuja Prashar

London Region Elections: Anuja Prashar’s pitch for Chair

By Anuja Prashar | Wed 11th November 2015 - 5:04 pm

I am standing for Chair of London region because after the European and local elections 2014 and GE 2015 election, Liberal Democrats need committed support and dedicated focus to rebuild local party capacity for important elections coming up in the next 3 years. The Chair will have a pivotal role, to build up local party teams for a series of campaigns, by providing them the resources and support needed to take their energy and turn it into election wins.

I have served as Chair of my local party for 3 years, executive of London region for 3 years, stood in a council by-election 2012, campaigned all over London as European list candidate 2013-2014, PPC in GE 2015, worked on several policy working groups and worked at many levels of the party – including chairing the GLA selection committee 2015 and representing Lib Dems at ALDE policy groups in Brussels. I have also seen what our new members can do if given the right institutional support at the local level. I have complete conviction that Lib Dems in London can regain and indeed acquire new political territory over the next 3 years. 

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Chris Maines

London Region elections: Chris Maines’ pitch for Chair

By Chris Maines | Wed 11th November 2015 - 4:04 pm

The party has entered a new phase in our history, recovering from the electoral fallout of coalition, a new Leader, new members and a renewed determination to build a more tolerate and Liberal society.  Our first test in London will be the high profile Mayoral and Assembly elections. We have probably our best ever team, led by the experienced and highly regarded Caroline Pidgeon. For the first time Caroline, as our Mayoral candidate tops a well-balanced regional list to ensure a campaign focused on improving our representation at City Hall.  A London-wide election is always a challenge to the region; it needs to find the resources, fight for media coverage and ensure consistent messages across the capital. It is also a great opportunity to ensure we campaign in areas not used to Liberal Democrat activity and to motivate our thousands of new members.

I am confident that the Liberal Democrats will do surprising well in London next May. We will demonstrate to the media and the public we are back.

The role of regional Chair and regional party is look beyond the next 6 months. It needs to build the foundations for local parties to win back support, councillors, MEPs and MPs over the next 5 years. I have three priorities

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Newspuppy

LibLink: Kate Parminter: It’s time to stop puppy farming once and for all

By Newspuppy | Wed 11th November 2015 - 1:35 pm

HazelKate Parminter has written for Politics Home following her question on puppy farms in the House of Lords the other day.

She asked:

We need new legislation to tackle the appalling conditions that thousands of puppies suffer in the UK when they are bred for sale. Do the Government agree that no puppies should be sold under eight weeks and that all people selling puppies and dogs should have a licence, which will then give local authorities the resources to tackle puppy farming?

The Minister gave a broadly sympathetic but vague response.

Sue Miller followed up Kate’s question with:

My noble friend mentioned the very high volume of trade that takes place over the internet. Do I understand from the Minister that the Government intend to make sure that anyone advertising puppies for sale on the internet will have to have a licence number?

Describing the Minister’s answer as a “glimmer of hope,” Kate outlines in her article the change she wants to see:

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The Voice

Sir Simon Hughes knighted by the Queen

By The Voice | Wed 11th November 2015 - 11:55 am

Sir Simon Hughes’ knighthood is official! Yesterday he went to Buckingham Palace to receive his insignia from the Queen.

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London Lib Dems to debate private hire regulations – how they should get it right

By A Liberal Reform Board Member | Wed 11th November 2015 - 10:25 am

Upon moving to London my first ‘culture-shock’ moment – so much as an Aussie can have them – was discovering that many black cabs only take cash payment. In 2015 it is hard to imagine another industry where a regulator must step in to ensure more than half of all operators provide a facility as basic as card payment.

This matters, as this weekend our London conference will debate a motion on Transport for London’s (TfL) recently released proposals to regulate the private hire car market. While many of the proposals are sound, several will sabotage successful business models and reduce competition, further breeding the kind of apathy to consumer preferences that sees many black cab drivers refuse card payment.

There are three proposals Liberal Democrats should be most concerned with. The first, a mandatory waiting period between requesting a private hire vehicle and pick-up, is hard to square with any consumer interest rationale. TfL is proposing a mandatory 5 minute wait, about 1.5 minutes more than the average time it takes for an Uber driver to arrive. Apparently this would reduce the risk of a customer getting into the wrong vehicle, a problem TfL provides no evidence to suggest actually exists. Even if it does, it appears not to have been weighed against the risk of extending the time in which people may have to wait alone on a street corner late at night. 

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Lord Tony Greaves calls for action to register young people and ex-pats for the referendum

By Elliot Margison | Wed 11th November 2015 - 9:03 am

Liberal Democrat peer Lord Tony Greaves used the committee stage of the European Union Referendum Bill to press the government to sort out the voting system for people living in other European countries who may be at risk of losing their chance to vote in the Referendum which is due before the end of 2017 and perhaps as early as June next year – together with some in the UK itself.

Sounds simple enough, although in this year’s general election the system had a shortfall of several million UK citizens living abroad who were eligible to vote but could not physically do so due to administrative problems in getting registered, being correctly identified and actually receiving the postal ballot paper itself.

Out of more than two million UK nationals living in EU countries, only 100,000 were able to successfully vote in this year’s general election. Lord Greaves said:

If only 100,000 were able to be on the register for the general election, clearly, the system up to now has not worked – even though the figure was increased by three times. Three times not many is still not many.

He moved an amendment to the Bill to make sure that the Electoral Commission makes special efforts to get votes on the register once the date is known – both British citizens living in the EU and those who will be missed off the register when the new system of individual registration starts a year early (something the Liberal Democrats in the Lords tried to stop and failed by just 11 votes the previous week).

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Joe Otten

Cameron sets out 4 EU demands

By Joe Otten | Tue 10th November 2015 - 1:04 pm

cameron-europeThe BBC is reporting Cameron’s central ask of the EU as being

  • Protection of the single market for Britain and other non-euro countries
  • Boosting competitiveness by setting a target for the reduction of the “burden” of red tape
  • Exempting Britain from “ever-closer union” and bolstering national parliaments
  • Restricting EU migrants’ access to in-work benefits such as tax credits
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Tim Farron MP

Tim Farron writes… Liberal Democrats can and must oppose a snoopers’ charter

By Tim Farron MP | Tue 10th November 2015 - 12:00 pm

snowdenLast week, Theresa May finally published the Investigatory Powers Bill. It isn’t surprising it has taken her so long to come back with a new Bill after we blocked her first attempt in 2012. At the time, I said the Liberal Democrats can and must oppose a Snoopers’ Charter. The 2012 bill was a disproportionate invasion of all our privacy, forcing internet service providers to keep a record of all your texts, emails and every website you visited.

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Paul Holmes

Kafka meets Spectre

By Paul Holmes | Tue 10th November 2015 - 10:04 am

I have just completed the strangest election I have ever been involved in. Candidates were banned both from knowing who the electorate were and from campaigning. You could apparently chat to any friends you had who happened to be entitled to vote, but only of course if you happened to know by some random chance that they qualified.

These were I’m told the English Party rules for holding Regional Party elections. A special extra twist meant that, due to an English Party ruling, Chesterfield voting delegates were barred from voting so I couldn’t even pitch to them for a batch of first preferences to get me through the all important first round in an STV count. Despite that I topped the poll for the Regional elections to English Council. Yes, contested elections for such positions! This Lib Dem Fightback idea is taking root in all sorts of strange places.

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Posted in Party policy and internal matters | 10 Comments
The Voice

Bearder, Wallace and Brake set out alternative ask of EU

By The Voice | Tue 10th November 2015 - 8:43 am

Catherine Bearder - Photo by DAVID ILIFF. License: CC-BY-SA 3.0David Cameron is expected to announce his list of proposed EU reforms today in a letter to EU council president Donald Tusk. Catherine Bearder, Jim Wallace and Tom Brake have written an alternative letter advocating British leadership in Europe on refugees, tax evasion, climate change and organised crime. Text follows.

Dear President Tusk,

Our Prime Minister, David Cameron, will today be putting forward a list of demands which he believes are necessary to win over those in his own party and amongst the British public who are sceptical about the EU ahead of the forthcoming referendum on the UK’s EU membership.

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John Whitehouse

HS2: Who cares about an old pear tree standing in its way?

By John Whitehouse | Mon 9th November 2015 - 5:17 pm

cubbington pearIt was announced on the BBC Countryfile programme on Sunday evening that a 250-year old pear tree in Cubbington, Warwickshire had been voted as England’s Tree of the Year 2015 in a public vote organised by the Woodland Trust. The ancient tree will have to be destroyed in order to build the HS2 line between London and Birmingham.

Who cares, supporters of HS2 may cry? Isn’t it the ultimate bit of nimbyism to raise a fuss about an old tree standing in the way of progress?

The reason why the planned destruction of the Cubbington pear tree is important is that it exemplifies everything that is wrong about the way in which HS2 has been designed and is being rolled out. The design speed of 400 kph, which is quite unnecessary for a small crowded island such as ours, has determined a route which allows minimal deviation from a straight line, either horizontally or vertically. Just like the Roman roads two millennia ago, HS2 has to go straight through things rather than round them.

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Mary Reid

LibLink: Guy Verhofstadt – David Cameron wants a two-speed Europe

By Mary Reid | Mon 9th November 2015 - 4:07 pm

 

Guy Verhofstadt heads the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in the European Parliament and is the former Prime Minister of Belgium. In the Independent he examines David Cameron’s stance on Europe under the headline “EU referendum: David Cameron should spell it out. He wants a two-speed Europe“. He writes:

This week, or so we are told, the Prime Minister will set out his Christmas list of EU reforms to the president of the European Council, Donald Tusk. A broad agreement on the UK’s renegotiation package is envisaged at the December summit of European leaders. There will be battles and setbacks in the weeks to come, but there are reasons to think a deal can be found.

Many in continental Europe strongly agree with David Cameron that the European Union of today is not fit for purpose and is in need of fundamental reform. Most accept that the direction of travel has shifted towards some form of “two-speed Europe”, broadly based around eurozone “ins” and “outs”. And clarifying these two types of membership would surely be progress, compared with the chaotic multi-speed, hotchpotch EU of today. Maybe it is time for Cameron to be explicit and use the expression “two-speed”.

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John Marriott

Working together to stay in the EU

By John Marriott | Mon 9th November 2015 - 2:43 pm

 

I was personally impressed by the article in last Wednesday’s Guardian by Labour’s Pat McFadden MP, which challenged the Brexiters to spell out just what life would be like for us if we chose to leave the European Union. Coupled with the recent sensible remarks from his party colleague, everyone’s favourite ex-postie, Alan Johnson MP, and the furious back tracking of Messrs Cameron and Osbourne, it gives me hope that all like minded people WILL bury their differences and show a united front against forces both political and popular that seem to think that we can throw our weight around as we did a hundred years or more ago.

As someone who has concerns about the current Lib Dem tactics on the upcoming EU referendum, which seem to be operating in a bubble, with no reference to political reality, the chances of politicians from most, if not quite all, parties sharing both physical and media platforms in the run up to the vote, whenever it takes place, makes a great deal of sense.

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Mary Reid

LibLink: Kate Parminter on puppy farming

By Mary Reid | Mon 9th November 2015 - 2:07 pm

Kate ParminterKate Parminter has written in the Huffington Post about her campaign against puppy farming. Under the headline “Parliament Must Do the Right Thing and Do What It Takes to Bring the Horrific Practice of Puppy Farming to a Halt” she writes:

Our nation’s love of dogs and the way we care for our pets often brings out the very best in human nature. But sadly when it comes to breeding, it can also bring out the worst. For most people, care for animals is instinctive, coming from a deep understanding of their vulnerability and need for love and attention. For a few heartless criminals, the huge demand for pets, dogs in particular, is viewed simply as an opportunity to make easy money, with no regard at all for the welfare of the animals that are at their mercy.

…

It is not enough to simply rescue and treat animals – we need to go further than that and stop the abuse from happening in the first place. What is needed is political action which tackles the problem at its source, not just putting a sticking plaster over a problem when the damage has already been done.

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Central Bank Independence

By Michael Cooke | Mon 9th November 2015 - 1:06 pm

 

Support for multilevel governance seems a prerequisite for any Lib Dem. Devolution from the centre to the periphery, from Westminster to Holyrood and the Welsh Assembly is one example. There has also been devolution upwards to the supranational institutions such as the EU Statesman are no longer the preserve of government; governance is now very much a fixed concept.

However, there has been devolution or delegation to other institutions besides devolved bodies and the EU. The Bank of England’s independence is an interesting point in case. If LDV readers do support Central Bank Independence as a theoretical concept in the abstract, then its internal consistency should also have an external consistency when applied to the specific case of the Bank of England.

At this point, I would really like to start a debate on the following:

What should the size and scope of the Bank of England’s remit be?

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The Voice

Alistair Carmichael case rumbles on

By The Voice | Mon 9th November 2015 - 12:33 pm

Alistair Carmichael speech Jan 2014Today the Election Court will be sitting in Edinburgh to hear witnesses in the legal challenge, as we explained here. It is expected to carry on for 4 days. At the end of the process the court will report to the House of Commons, and any action will be decided by them.

The hearing will not be in public this time, apart from the summing up. Apparently tweeting has been banned.

Back in May, Alistair issued this statement.

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Keith Legg

A postcard from Egypt

By Keith Legg | Mon 9th November 2015 - 11:23 am

 

Whilst I write this, I sit in a classroom near central Cairo along with a group of 25 mostly Egyptian students. As part of a Model United Nations conference, they are discussing terrorism in Central and Western Africa. They do so not in their native Arabic, but in English – and across the corridor, there is a similar discussion being conducted in French. They have researched the countries they are representating, they are speaking confidently and knowledgeably about the topic, and they show more respect for each other in their debating skills than many of their adult counterparts. Their ages range from 12 to 18.

Many people here are finding the UK’s decision on Sharm el-Sheikh airport a difficult one to follow. They understand the need to protect the UK’s citizens, but are confused by a need to protect their own. Egypt’s economy depends on tourism to a massive extent – from sun seekers in Sharm and Hurghada, to historical voyages to Luxor, Aswan and Cairo itself. The country also has a young population, with an average age of 25, and youth unemployment as high as 1 in 3.

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The Voice

Are you interested in working on party policy on nuclear weapons?

By The Voice | Mon 9th November 2015 - 9:59 am

 

The Federal Policy Committee is searching for members with an interest and/or some relevant expertise in the issues around Trident and nuclear weapons to join a policy working group.

At Federal Conference in Bournemouth, Conference passed this amendment to the Trident motion:

1. Commission a Policy Working Group to develop policy on the future of Britain’s nuclear deterrent, if any, following a full consultation within the party.

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Posted in Party policy and internal matters | Tagged and | 6 Comments
Caron Lindsay

Top of the Blogs: The Lib Dem Golden Dozen #438

By Caron Lindsay | Sun 8th November 2015 - 7:00 pm

Welcome to the Golden Dozen, and our 438th 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 (1-8 November, 2015), together with a hand-picked quintet, 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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Sheila Thomson

Scottish Party elections: Sheila Thomson: My pitch for Convener

By Sheila Thomson | Sun 8th November 2015 - 6:00 pm

I am seeking election as Convener of the Scottish Liberal Democrats because I believe Scotland needs a strong Liberal Democrat party at all levels of representation from our individual communities, local authorities and Scottish, Westminster and European parliaments. To achieve this we need to ensure our party here in Scotland has a strong team supporting our members and the communities we live and work in, including the Scottish Executive, political leadership and staff team.

I have been a life-time supporter of liberalism, and I have a track record of over twenty years of party activism, working at all levels within the Scottish Party. I joined the Liberal Democrats because they were and remain the only truly liberal party, where we believe in allowing individuals to make their own choices, whilst ensuring that there is a safety net to help those who cannot manage without support.

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Willie Wilson

Scottish Party elections: Willie Wilson: My pitch for Convener

By Willie Wilson | Sun 8th November 2015 - 5:00 pm

It is a privilege to have been nominated for the post of Convener of the Scottish Liberal Democrats. We find ourselves at a difficult time for the Party. Our electoral base, both at Holyrood and Westminster has been eroded and at Local Government significantly reduced since the last Local Government Elections. I have no illusions that the challenges we face are enormous, however, they need to be tacked with hard work, determination, co-ordination and targeting. This will help us tackle effectively the financial, electoral and organisational challenges we face. The Leadership of the Party needs to be a spearhead in this process. I consider that I have got the necessary experience, knowledge and skills to tackle the post of Convener.

The work will not be easy and will require a huge amount of effort from Office Bearers, MSPs, our MP, Local Councillors and activists throughout the country. I have now been a Party Member since 1966 and a Councillor since 1980. I currently am Chairman of the Association of Scottish Liberal Democrat Councillors and Campaigners, Vice-Chairman of the Conference Committee, Chair of the Mid-Scotland and Fife Region and Secretary to our local party in Perth and Kinross. I also play an active role as a Returning Officer for the Party. Clearly, if I were to win the election for Convener, this workload would be reviewed!

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The Voice

So you want to be Liberal Democrat Party Treasurer…

By The Voice | Sun 8th November 2015 - 1:30 pm

…said very few people ever. However, there have been some bold and enterprising individuals who have taken the role on over the years, to whom we are extremely grateful.

The most recent incumbent was Lord Ian Wrigglesworth, who stepped down in September, so the party is seeking someone to fill this important role.

This isn’t about financial admin, book-keeping, financial strategy and telling people sternly that they can’t spend money we don’t have. That role is taken by the Chair of the Federal Finance and Administration Committee, currently Peter Dunphy. It’s mainly about fundraising – making sure the party has the money it needs to fight campaigns strongly.  The ad on the party website explains more:

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Newspuppy

Watch Liberal Democrat peer Jeremy Purvis being mocked on US tv

By Newspuppy | Sun 8th November 2015 - 11:55 am

Poor Jeremy Purvis. The Liberal Democrat peer found himself mentioned in comedian John Oliver’s US show Last Week Tonight. Oliver was telling Americans about the Tories’ defeat in the House of Lords over tax credits and in doing so had a good go at its archaic traditions – and mentioned that it even had a member called Lord Purvis of Tweed. What he didn’t, of course, mention, is that Lord Purvis of Tweed was most definitely on the side of the angels over tax credits and that if his party’s proposals had gone through, the proposals would have been killed off completely.

Just to make it all a bit worse, some media outlets described Jeremy as “Lord Pervis.”

Watch the clip here:

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Caron Lindsay

Reprise: For Remembrance Sunday, some reflections on my visit to the Tower of London poppies

By Caron Lindsay | Sun 8th November 2015 - 10:45 am

It’s a year since I wrote the post below, but I wanted to repeat it this year partly because that brief hour at the Tower of London has stayed with me. The symbolism was compelling and should make us all think about the reality of war and what everyone affected by it goes through.

Poppies through BridgeLast Monday I was down in London for a meeting and had an hour spare to nip down to the Tower of London to see the poppy installation where 888,246 ceramic poppies have been laid out in an act of remembrance for all those who died in the First World War.

I found it incredibly moving. The atmosphere was one of humble quiet reflection. You know when you normally go to things, people can be pushing and shoving and trying to get the best view. Actually, here, everyone was respectful, giving each other space, despite the massive crowds.

I think what got me more than anything was seeing that this huge sea of red, made up of individual stems, symbolised one part of one side who lost their lives in the First World War.

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The Voice

Tim Farron and Lib Dems mark Remembrance Sunday

By The Voice | Sun 8th November 2015 - 10:17 am

As always on the Sunday closest to November 11th, the anniversary of the Armistice in the First World War, the country stops to remember those who have been killed in conflict.

Here are how senior Liberal Democrats are marking the occasion.

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Dick Newby

Lord Dick Newby writes…How to get a Lib Dem peer to visit your local party

By Dick Newby | Sun 8th November 2015 - 8:55 am

Earlier this week, Liberal Democrat Peers completed 100 constituency visits undertaken since the General Election. Visits have included AGMs, new member meetings, Lib Dem Pints, and discussions on specific subject areas. Their aim has been to explain to members what we’re doing in Parliament and, more generally, how the Party can play a crucial role in shaping politics between now and 2020. For the Peers involved it’s an invaluable way of finding out what’s going on in the Party outside the confines of Westminster and we find it invigorating.

Between the summer and Christmas, we’ve set ourselves the tasks of attending all AGMs where we’re invited, to attend new member meetings and to participate, either via visits or telephone canvassing, in key local by-elections. In a few days’ time, I will be leading a team of Peers to Oldham West and Royton, and between now and 3 December several groups of my colleagues will also be visiting the seat.

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Caron Lindsay

Three reasons why you should go to Oldham West for your own good

By Caron Lindsay | Sat 7th November 2015 - 9:33 pm

Tim Farron went and opened Jane Brophy’s campaign HQ in Oldham West and Royton today and, as is the way with these things, was surrounded by lots of colourful diamonds:

I would strongly recommend that if you can get over to Oldham between now and the by-election on 3rd December, you do – for your own benefit as much as any help to the campaign. Yes, Jane Brophy is a fantastic candidate, a brilliant social liberal who really knows how to serve her community, and of course we want to support Tim Farron in the first by-election of his leadership, but there is a veritable cornucopia of good things that we can get for ourselves too. Here are just three.

Feel the Lib Dem Buzz

Once you’ve felt the vibe of a Lib Dem by-election hq, you will never want to miss another one. It’s great fun, you meet people from all over the country whom you wouldn’t necessarily meet at Conference and it’s actually good for the soul. My first by-election was Littleborough and Saddleworth (which is the neighbouring seat to what is now Oldham West) back in 1995. I met people there who are friends to this day. We only went to help for a day and then go on to have a bit of a touring holiday but we ended up staying for the whole week and went back for several weekends and the last week because we were having such a good time.

People have even met their partners at by-elections. I was particularly proud at playing “Cilla” during the Livingston by-election to a couple who celebrated their seventh wedding anniversary last week.

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