Caron Lindsay

Top of the Blogs: The Lib Dem Golden Dozen #402

By Caron Lindsay | Sun 14th December 2014 - 7:00 pm

Welcome to the Golden Dozen, and our 402nd 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 (7 – 13 December, 2014), 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:

Continue reading »
Posted in Best of the blogs | Leave a comment
Advert
The Voice

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

By The Voice | Sun 14th December 2014 - 12:30 pm

7 ver 4 fullMany thanks to the 15600  visitors who dropped by Lib Dem Voice this week. Here’s our 7 most-read posts…

 Reasons to be careful about new analysis suggesting Lib Dems “set to lose several more seats than national polls with uniform swing would predict” (77 comments) by Stephen Tall

Game on in Gordon! Liberal Democrat Christine Jardine has to defend seat against former First Minister Salmond (25 comments) by Caron Lindsay

Clegg’s letter to Burnham: “you may have inadvertently misled” Commons on Labour’s NHS privatisation record (31 comments) by The Voice

Continue reading »
Posted in Site news | Leave a comment
The Voice

Vince speaks out against “devastating and ideologically driven” Tory spending cuts plan

By The Voice | Sun 14th December 2014 - 11:00 am

Vince Cable Social Liberal Forum conference Jul 19 2014 Photo by Paul WalterThe Tories have been “well behaved” over the past few years because the Liberal Democrats have kept them on a tight leash, apparently. So said Vince Cable on the Andrew Marr Show this morning. He said that we were now getting a glimpse of what they would be like without that leash, adding that the consequences of their spending decisions would be that there would be around half as much money to spend on Police, defence, local government and social care.

He highlighted the differences between the Conservative and Liberal Democrat approaches to the economy and what a vote for each would mean:

Continue reading »
Posted in News | Tagged , and | 56 Comments
Caron Lindsay

Dear Liberal Democrat MPs: Judicial Review restrictions are a messy compromise too far.

By Caron Lindsay | Sun 14th December 2014 - 9:41 am

Dear Liberal Democrat MPs,

Tomorrow you will be asked for the second time amendments which the House of Lords has made to the Criminal Justice and Courts Bill. The Government wants you to severely restrict the right of citizens and organisations to use Judicial Review to examine its decisions and those of local authorities. This interferes with a key check on government power.

I don’t think any of you would have come up with this idea on your own. The Liberal Democrats are there to challenge entrenched power and vested interests, after all. This measure is one of those “messy compromises” of coalition.

Anyone who has ever been in any sort of relationship, business or personal, will know you don’t get things your own way the whole time. You have to do things you would rather not do. However, there have been a number of times when we have accepted Conservative measures and had to revise our support for them after they became law because the evidence showed that they were the wrong thing to do.

Continue reading »
Posted in Op-eds | Tagged , and | 39 Comments
The Voice

Clegg: No country can prosper without basic freedoms

By The Voice | Sun 14th December 2014 - 9:04 am

From earlier this week, here’s Nick Clegg’s message for Human Rights Day:

Continue reading »
Posted in News | Tagged and | 12 Comments
Advert
Caron Lindsay

Can Murphy and Dugdale resurrect Labour’s fortunes in Scotland?

By Caron Lindsay | Sat 13th December 2014 - 12:14 pm

Labour Party logoSo, we know that Jim Murphy and Kezia Dugdale will be the new leadership team for Scottish Labour. Murphy won the leadership with 55% of the vote and Dugdale won the deputy post with 63%.

The result was announced at the Emirates – the one in Glasgow, not, as I initially thought when I was told yesterday, the one in London. But Labour wouldn’t be so stupid as to announce in London when their last leader quit after complaining that Scotland was treated as a branch office.

Murphy is a Big Beast, having been part of the last Labour government for 9 years. He was a staunch Blairite and, of course, voted for the Iraq war and all of Labour’s authoritarian policies from ID cards to 90 days detention.  A pro-war blairite seems hardly in keeping with the zeitgeist, it has to be said.

He’s a deeply polarising figure. It’s hard to see how he can unite the Labour Party, let alone the country. His rhetoric way back when he was Secretary of State for Scotland was divisive and he’s continued in that vein. In 2010, he described the divide between Labour and the SNP as Patriots vs Nationalists, language which I find at best unhelpful, at worst irresponsible. I wrote back then about how wrong I felt it was to use patriotism as a political weapon. Particularly when our country is recovering from an emotionally bruising referendum, it’s even more nasty, brutal and irrelevant than ever. Even combining it with the word “optimistic”, as he did this morning, makes me feel queasy.

Continue reading »
Posted in News | Tagged , , , and | 39 Comments
ALDC

ALDC by-election report, 11 December 2014 – a trio of Liberal Democrat wins

By ALDC | Sat 13th December 2014 - 10:40 am

ALDC Master Logo (for screen)Eleven principal council by-elections were held across Britain yesterday. The two contests in Aylesbury Vale resulted in two Liberal Democrat wins. Peter Agoro was victorious in Southcourt ward, polling 42.3% to secure a comfortable majority of 317 votes as UKIP finished second. Labour, who were defending the seat, saw their vote share drop by 12.2% in finishing third. There was more good news as Anders Christensen held for the Liberal Democrats in Gatehouse, winning with a slender majority of 28 ahead of the UKIP candidate.  These two victories see the party’s representation on Aylesbury Vale DC increase to 17 councillors.

Continue reading »
Posted in News | Tagged , and | 9 Comments
The Liberator Collective

New edition of Liberator – December 2014

By The Liberator Collective | Sat 13th December 2014 - 8:54 am

liberatorThe latest issue of Liberator, the independent radical liberal magazine, is now with subscribers.

Live sample contents from Liberator 369 online are:

Commentary, on the Lib Dem general election messages.

Continue reading »
Posted in News | Tagged | 2 Comments
Stephen Tall

LibDemVoice Fantasy Football League: how it stands after Week 15

By Stephen Tall | Sat 13th December 2014 - 7:50 am

Congratulations to George Murray, who has re-gained the lead from Jon Featonby in the LibDemVoice Fantasy Football League after Week 15. But it’s tight at the top: just four points separate them… almost a two-horse race, you might say.

Continue reading »
Posted in News | Tagged | Leave a comment
The Voice

Julian Huppert: Commons should debate ban on fisting and watersports porn

By The Voice | Fri 12th December 2014 - 8:50 pm

Julian Huppert MPPinkNews reports:

A ban on the production of certain types of porn in the UK will be the subject of a debate in the House of Commons, if a Lib Dem MP who opposes it gets his way.

Brought in by the Audiovisual Media Services regulation 2014 last week, the ban states that any online paid-for porn such as Video on Demand (VoD) must adhere to the same rules set out for those producing DVDs. Those rules are set out by the British Board of Film Censors (BBFC), and ban

…

Continue reading »
Posted in News | Tagged , and | 60 Comments
Caron Lindsay

A bit of advice to the English Liberal Democrats – sort your gender balance out and soon

By Caron Lindsay | Fri 12th December 2014 - 7:53 pm

I realise I could get myself into trouble here, as a Scot, offering advice to a fellow State party, but please be assured  that it is meant in a sisterly way. You  may think of it as annoying-little-sisterly but I have an annoying little sister I adore and couldn’t be without.

Anyway, tomorrow the English Council Executive has its first meeting the English Party elections. At this meeting its office bearers and committee representatives for 2015 will be chosen. For more details of what is on the agenda, Anders Hanson, outgoing Regional Chair of Yorkshire and the Humber and a directly elected member for 2015 has provided a very good summary here.

The big problem with ECE is with gender balance. Next year’s 23-3 male/female split is, believe it or not an improvement on this year’s. Anders has this analysis of the situation:

Continue reading »
Posted in Op-eds | Tagged | 37 Comments
Lindsay Northover

Baroness Lindsay Northover writes…DFID’s approach to LGBT rights

By Lindsay Northover | Fri 12th December 2014 - 5:33 pm

It’s been just over a month since I became our International Development Minister, and I’ve enjoyed every moment since. When she held the role, Lynne Featherstone used to say it was the best job in government and I wholeheartedly agree. Shaping and seeing first-hand how UK aid transforms the lives of the world’s poorest, most vulnerable and most marginalised people is a Lib Dem dream job.

Yesterday I met with Stonewall and the Kaleidoscope Trust to discuss what DFID is doing to address the problems faced by one of the most marginalised groups – LGBT communities in developing countries. Of course I have long drawn on the fantastic Stonewall and Kaleidoscope Trust expertise both for our domestic and international work on equalities, but I was keen to meet them in my new capacity at DFID and learn how we can best work together. Their international work is truly impressive, from educating international development NGOs on LGBT rights and concerns, to engaging global businesses to use their leverage in the fight for equality, to helping to train local campaigners across the world in campaigning and legal techniques.

Continue reading »
Posted in News | Tagged , and | Leave a comment
The Voice

Stephen Lloyd resigns as PPS over underinvestment in A27

By The Voice | Fri 12th December 2014 - 2:27 pm

The Eastbourne Herald is reporting that Eastbourne MP Stephen Lloyd has resigned as PPS to Ed Davey over the £75m proposed for investment in the A27 in the Autumn statement.

Stephen is quoted

After all the work and cross-community effort by so many local residents and businesses in Eastbourne and Willingdon, I am profoundly disappointed by the proposal put forward by the Department of Transport. Instead, there is a vague promise for some time in the future. This isn’t jam tomorrow, but more like the possibility of jam sometime, if we’re lucky, in a few years.

…

He said, “Ever since I

…

Continue reading »
Posted in News | Tagged | 15 Comments
Joe Otten

Devo Sheffield announced: transport, skills, business support, housing, no mayor

By Joe Otten | Fri 12th December 2014 - 11:47 am

Nick Clegg is in Sheffield today to confirm a city devolution deal which will shift power from Whitehall to the Sheffield City Region combined authority, giving the city region greater control over transport, skills, housing and business support. This historic deal for Sheffield will allow the city to introduce “oyster-style” travel cards, and local councils and businesses will have control over the majority of the skills budget for the area for the first time.

This comes a month after the Northern Futures Summit, which brought together local people and businesses to share their vision for strengthening the economy in the region. The deal does not impose any specific form of governance over the city, such as a metro mayor.

Continue reading »
Posted in News | 29 Comments
Adam Killeya

Opinion: The two party system is dead

By Adam Killeya | Fri 12th December 2014 - 8:40 am

And then there were lots

The two party system is dead. I’ll come back to that.

I am currently off work following an operation and, with time on my hands and limited physical options, I have been passing the time analysing Ladbroke’s constituency odds for the general election to work out the national picture from the ground up. Clearly this isn’t what the odds are designed for, and they reflect the betting market as well as the bookies predictions, but they are a much better reflection of reality on the ground than say the old BBC swingometer based on the convenient fiction of a uniform swing between two parties. Moreover, even if the concept of spending hours analysing bookies odds on constituency results appals you, the results are fascinating.

Continue reading »
Posted in Op-eds | 39 Comments
Caron Lindsay

Ed Miliband has his economic deficiencies but is the Liberal Democrat response adequate?

By Caron Lindsay | Thu 11th December 2014 - 11:07 pm

I’m getting as fed up with arguments about the economy as I was about the quality of the debate in the independence referendum. We seem to be stuck in a yah-boo soundbite fest that is deeply uninspiring.

Ed Miliband’s latest contribution on the deficit was pretty risible if you looked at it in terms of facts. He’s opposed practically every single cut the Coalition has made over the last four years but presumably his “sensible cuts” won’t actually affect anyone. Of course he’s not actually told us what they are, so we can’t really judge. Our problem is that with the way our newspapers and broadcasters work, neither Labour nor the Tories have to be that good to get their message across. Already we seem to be being demoted to an afterthought in most news reports. We have to work ten times as hard as everyone else to grab even a tiny bit of attention.

The nagging worry I have about Labour appropriating policies like our Mansion Tax is that they can then position themselves to say “vote for us, we come without their baggage”. This, I grant you, is pretty much the same as “vote for us cos we’re fairer than them and more economically responsible than them” which seems to be our pitch.

Continue reading »
Posted in Op-eds | Tagged , , and | 36 Comments
Caron Lindsay

Why this coalition is worth it: Pupil premium pays off as achievement gap narrows

By Caron Lindsay | Thu 11th December 2014 - 8:30 pm

The BBC tells us that poorer pupils are doing better at school, although you have to scroll through a load of text and graphics before they squeeze in as an afterthought that the Pupil Premium championed by Nick Clegg was responsible for the success.

Two-thirds of pupils (67%) on free school meals gained a Level 4 in reading, writing and maths this year – up four percentage points on 2013.

This compares with 83% for non-disadvantaged pupils, reducing the attainment gap to 16 percentage points.

The data is based on tests taken by 11-year-olds in 16,000 school

Schools Minister David Laws said it was “encouraging to see the attainment gap between disadvantaged children and their peers continue to narrow and parents, teachers and pupils deserve to be congratulated for their efforts”.

He added: “But we know there is more to do and there are still too many areas with simply unacceptable levels of attainment for disadvantaged pupils.”

Continue reading »
Posted in News | 26 Comments
Caron Lindsay

MPs to debate curtailing judicial review on Monday as rebel Lib Dem peers face wrath of senior party figures

By Caron Lindsay | Thu 11th December 2014 - 7:44 pm

house of lordsYesterday we told you about the Liberal Democrat rebels in the Lords who voted against the Government’s plans to restrict judicial review and to reject the plans for the new secure college to be open to girls and under 15s. It’s worth adding that the NSPCC are totally opposed to the secure college plans. Penelope Gibbs from the Standing Committee on Youth Justice wrote in an LDV article two weeks ago that young children and girls would be put at risk if this were to go ahead.

Continue reading »
Posted in News | Tagged , and | 43 Comments
Ed Davey

Live from Lima….Ed Davey writes from the Climate Change Talks

By Ed Davey | Thu 11th December 2014 - 4:54 pm

I’m half way through my third day at the Lima UN climate change talks and the negotiations look set to go to the wire this weekend.

But that’s not because there’s some crisis in the global talks – it’s because these are the most technically complex and politically challenging global negotiations ever. To make global agreements on how we move our carbon world to a low carbon world is an extraordinary task.

And the good news is that – thanks to Liberal Democrats in government – we come to the talks with a good story to tell – one of leading through example.  Of walking the walk, and unlike some, not just talking the green talk.  You may have read that Michael Gove prevented the Tory Climate Change Minister from attending the talks and I will leave it to him to explain his actions.

Continue reading »
Posted in News | 16 Comments
NewsHound

Davey: We need to look at rules on transparency of fossil fuel investments

By NewsHound | Thu 11th December 2014 - 10:59 am

The Financial Times reports:

Britain’s energy secretary has called for tougher rules to be applied to companies holding “risky” fossil fuel assets that could plunge in value because of global action to tackle climate change.
Ed Davey’s move makes him one of the first senior politicians to weigh into a growing debate on the future of oil, gas and coal companies as governments work on sealing a global climate deal in Paris next year.

“We’re seeing a move from a carbon economy to a climate economy,” Mr Davey told reporters on the sidelines of UN talks in Lima shaping the Paris agreement.

Continue reading »
Posted in News | Tagged and | 10 Comments
Stephen Lloyd

Stephen Lloyd MP writes… A better future for our coastal communities and inshore waters

By Stephen Lloyd | Thu 11th December 2014 - 9:15 am

imageFor the past few years in my role as MP for Eastbourne, I have been working with residents and councillors from across the political spectrum on an outstanding, £80million redevelopment plan for Eastbourne’s harbour. Together we have drawn up plans which aim to bring 1,500 jobs, new and affordable housing, as well as leisure activities to the community.

Continue reading »
Posted in Op-eds | Tagged , and | Leave a comment
The Voice

Clegg’s letter to Burnham: “you may have inadvertently misled” Commons on Labour’s NHS privatisation record

By The Voice | Wed 10th December 2014 - 6:30 pm

clegg on leveson 2Nick Clegg fielded Prime Minister’s Questions today, during which he noted that Labour’s shadow health secretary Andy Burnham is “the only man in England who has ever privatised an NHS hospital”. Mr Burham complained that Nick had misled the House of Commons over the issue of Hichingbrooke Hospital, accusing him of “sheer inaccuracy”. The Lib Dem leader lost no time in responding:

Dear Andy,

I see that you raised a Point of Order in the House of Commons and that you accused me of “sheer inaccuracy”. I am always happy to confirm the accuracy of what I have said.

Continue reading »
Posted in News, Parliament and PMQs | Tagged , , , , and | 32 Comments
Stephen Tall

Why IDS is still in his job is revealing of Conservative attitudes to social security

By Stephen Tall | Wed 10th December 2014 - 5:55 pm

Iain Duncan SmithWhen Andrew Lansley’s health reforms ran into trouble – and his inability to take with him the public or those working in the NHS proved toxic – David Cameron reshuffled him out of harm’s way. Jeremy Hunt was brought in to make nice to the health sector and patients.

When Michael Gove’s education reforms started to run before they could walk – and his inability to take with him the public or the teachers proved toxic, especially in marginal constituencies – David Cameron reshuffled him out of harm’s way. Nicky …

Continue reading »
Posted in News | Tagged , , , , , , and | 17 Comments
Paul Walter

Poll: Young people appear more tolerant, open and happy with modern Britain

By Paul Walter | Wed 10th December 2014 - 3:35 pm

A recent survey by YouGov, for Business for New Europe, indicates that teenagers have markedly more positive views towards Europe and the free movement of labour than adults. This should encourage those who appreciate the economic advantages of an outward-facing UK. It could also fuel calls for 16 and 17 year-olds to be included in any forthcoming referendum on the EU.

The poll, based on the views of young people aged between 14 and 17 years old, showed:

  • If there was a referendum, approximately twice as many of those aged 14 to 17 would vote to stay in the EU (45%) as leave (23%).
Continue reading »
Posted in News | Tagged and | 15 Comments
Paul Walter

Video – Kirsty Williams bonus

By Paul Walter | Wed 10th December 2014 - 2:15 pm

As a follow on to our earlier post, this was the video played last night at Cardiff City hall just before Kirsty Williams received her award as Welsh Assembly Member of the year. It’s worth watching. Kirsty can certainly “kick arse”.

Continue reading »
Posted in Wales | Tagged and | Leave a comment
Paul Walter

PMQs: Nick Clegg comes back from Cornwall

By Paul Walter | Wed 10th December 2014 - 12:45 pm

clegg on leveson 2I stopped doing PMQ write-ups some time ago. They were getting so repetitive and mind-numbingly pointless that I was losing the will to live.

Today’s exchange between Nick Clegg and Harriet Harman was typical of the genre. Harriet Harman made some very good prepared points, and Nick Clegg blasted away on Labour’s record and mentioned some good bits from this government’s record. There was a lot huing and crying and then everyone went to lunch.

Continue reading »
Posted in PMQs | Tagged , and | 36 Comments
Junade Ali

Opinion: Why the Liberal Democrats must put reform first

By Junade Ali | Wed 10th December 2014 - 11:15 am

It was rather warm for February 17th. I was lost looking around the many exits of St James’ Park tube station. I was after Dr. Ken Ritchie, the former CEO of the Electoral Reform Society. Graham Smith, the CEO of Republic had given him my details originally to help The Reform Foundation (which he chairs) get a website. This escalated quickly when a few weeks later I found myself voted in as a trustee during a meeting of the other trustees.

Continue reading »
Posted in Op-eds | Tagged and | 31 Comments
Paul Walter

Kirsty Williams named Welsh assembly member of the year

By Paul Walter | Wed 10th December 2014 - 10:15 am

rally kirsty williams 1Many congratulations to Kirsty Williams, who has been named AM of the Year as part of the Welsh Political awards. The award, given to Kirsty last night at Cardiff City Hall, was “for exercising her political skills to enable the First Minister to achieve his budget, but also allow the Lib Dems to claim significant policy gains in the areas of health and education.”

Continue reading »
Posted in News | Tagged and | 15 Comments
Caron Lindsay

24 Lib Dem peers “rebel” as Lords reject government’s judicial review proposals

By Caron Lindsay | Wed 10th December 2014 - 9:15 am

The Guardian reports:

A rebellion in the House of Lords has inflicted a second defeat on the government’s plans to restrict access to judicial review challenges.

The vote by 274 to 205 means that for a second time peers have rejected keys proposals in the criminal justice and courts bill. It will restore to judges their discretion in handling such cases.

Continue reading »
Posted in News | Tagged and | 52 Comments
Caron Lindsay

Something you didn’t know about Stephen Tall…

By Caron Lindsay | Tue 9th December 2014 - 7:10 pm

…but could probably have guessed.

Stephen got a mention in the Telegraph’s Morning Bulletin this morning for this tweet:

So, I asked around at LDV Towers and discovered that there was only one member of the team who has a Positive Candy Crush Status. And it isn’t me. I’m not going to out the person because they asked me not to.

Continue reading »
Posted in News | Tagged and | 10 Comments
Advert

Recent Comments

  • Chloe
    What your up against is voter apathy. So many only turn out to vote in a GE . Mayoral election turnouts hover around 30%. That's on a par with pcc's and in the ...
  • Jana
    I understand why some people believe we need to prevent Reform from getting donations that would allow it to match or even exceed the spending of the main parti...
  • Mohammed Amin
    I agree with David Vigar. While parts of the media have always had poor editorial standards. Conversely the BBC used to be quite good, but has declined signi...
  • James Lloyd
    The current set up of counties isn't going to work for large scale devolution of power. The 1974 compromises have left places like here in Greater Manchester cu...
  • Peter Martin
    "......England’s new territorial governments should have powers comparable in seriousness to Scotland and Wales. " Has anyone asked the elector...