Liberal Democrat Voice

Liberal Reform’s submission to the Gurling Review

By Kavya Kaushik | Wed 9th July 2014 - 8:55 am

Liberal Reform have submitted their recommendation to the Gurling Review on the recent election campaigns.

We believe that the Party needs to present a set of policies around the theme of freedom and opportunity which will allow the electorate to see how a government containing Liberal Democrats would be different from the other two parties

The Submission has 5 areas where we believe the Party needs to focus on for 2015

Clear reasons for voting Liberal Democrat

We can no longer rely on people to vote for us because we are ‘none of the other …

Posted in News | Tagged gurling review and liberal reform | 87 Comments

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Kirsty Williams condemns sacked Welsh Labour environment minister’s “smear campaign”

By The Voice | Tue 8th July 2014 - 8:30 pm

Kirsty Williams, leader of the Welsh Lib Dems, has condemned Labour’s environment minister Alun Davies – sacked today by First Minister Carwyn Jones – for mounting a smear campaign. Mr Davies had asked for details of farm subsidies paid to five opposition AMs: Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies and Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Kirsty Williams, Conservative AM Antoinette Sandbach, Liberal Democrat William Powell and Plaid Cymru’s Llyr Gruffydd.

Here’s Kirsty Williams’ response:

The actions of Alun Davies as a Minister are atrocious and completely unacceptable for anyone serving in public

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Posted in News and Wales | Tagged alun davies, carwyn jones, kirsty williams and welsh assembly | 6 Comments

Paul Burstow MP writes… Making the pursuit of happiness as important as GDP

By Paul Burstow | Tue 8th July 2014 - 7:44 pm

Over the past 12 months I have been working with mental health experts and the think-tank CentreForum, grappling with the challenge of how we can improve mental health care.

Today sees the publication of our final report, The pursuit of happiness: a new ambition for our mental health. It reflects the expertise of many, makes a number of recommendations to transform not just health services, but the mental health of the nation, and it has one overarching call – that the pursuit of happiness should be a priority …

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged centreforum, featured, health, mental health and NHS | 13 Comments

Are the Greens to the Lib Dems what Ukip is to the Tories?

By Stephen Tall | Tue 8th July 2014 - 4:20 pm

“As Ukip is to the Tories, so can the Green party be to the Lib Dems.” That’s a sentence I wrote here, almost seven years ago, on 3rd November, 2007.

In The Times, Sam Coates has looked at how the quiet rise of the Greens in recent months – the party polled just ahead of the Lib Dems in May’s European elections – might hurt the Lib Dems at the May 2015 general election.

An analysis of the European election results shows the Green vote strengthening and consolidating in the

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Posted in News | Tagged energy, fracking, green issues, green party, ian wallace, nuclear power, sam coates and the times | 97 Comments

Nick Clegg doesn’t want his children to follow him into politics

By Newsmoggie | Tue 8th July 2014 - 2:15 pm

There are a couple of reports today of an interview Nick Clegg has given to the Radio Times. The publication itself, in its teaser, has him saying that, being a protective parent, he doesn’t want to see his children following him into politics because of its tough and hostile environment.

I’m like any parent. The first, most visceral instinct you have as a parent is you want to protect your children, and politics is a very rough business you know. It’s absolutely not for the faint-hearted

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Posted in News | Tagged nick clegg, radio times and the times | 8 Comments

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Opinion: An end to OFSTED

By Barry Holliday | Tue 8th July 2014 - 12:41 pm

The dissolution of OFSTED is a policy we as Liberal Democrats need to support and implement to ensure our young students are being offered the best education possible.

I am not saying that schools shouldn’t be inspected and checked.The public needs to have confidence in the school system. Parents have the right to be informed about teachers abilities and performance. Most of all we must be able to ensure that teaching meets the needs of our children.

OFSTED for too long has been nothing but a political football. School inspections should be …

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged education and ofsted | 39 Comments

Nick Clegg: £104 million investment is an important day for Hull

By NewsHound | Tue 8th July 2014 - 10:36 am

Who’d have thought Nick Clegg would write for the Daily Mail? Well, actually, not THAT one, but the Hull Daily Mail about the Government’s £104 million investment in local infrastructure which will be spent on transport links, housing and flood defences. It’s a Liberal Democrat initiative to have local councils and communities decide where money is best spent – good old fashioned liberal decentralisation.

He talked about how he has put his vision into practice:

I wanted to see every part of Britain given more freedom than at the start of this

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Posted in LibLink | Tagged decentralisation, housing, hull daily mail, infrastructure and nick clegg | 5 Comments

Liberal Democrat Conference to return to Bournemouth in 2015 – share your memories of the town

By Caron Lindsay | Tue 8th July 2014 - 9:47 am

Yesterday, it was announced that next year’s Liberal Democrat Autumn conference would be returning to Bourmemouth for the first time since 2008.

This’ll be a big first for me as I have never managed to get to a Conference there.

So, I’m relying on you all to tell me what the place is like and to share some of your memories of Conferences there.

Posted in News | Tagged autumn conference 2015 and bournemouth | 19 Comments

Tessa Munt speaks out about being sexually abused as a child

By NewsHound | Mon 7th July 2014 - 8:55 pm

The Western Daily Press has the story:

An MP who campaigned for an inquiry into historical paedophile allegations has revealed how she was sexually abused as a child.

Tessa Munt told how she kept silent for decades about the abuse because she feared she would not be believed.

Posted in News | Tagged tessa munt | 6 Comments

What’s on in our Parliaments this week?

By The Voice | Mon 7th July 2014 - 6:00 pm

A quick look at what’s going on in our Parliaments this week.

Holyrood

The Scottish Parliament is in recess. MSPs return in early August for 3 weeks before breaking again before the Referendum.

The Senedd

Some interesting events this week, not least a motion to create an independent investigator into breaches of the Ministerial Code. This is something that Liberal Democrats have been calling for for years but the rest of the opposition parties have finally caught up in the wake of the scandal over Alun Davies. He breached the …

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Three reasons to hope that new enquiries will bring a satisfactory conclusion to child abuse scandal

By Caron Lindsay | Mon 7th July 2014 - 5:19 pm

Theresa May has announced two enquiries into historic allegations of child abuse.

The BBC reports:

The head of the children’s charity NSPCC is to lead a review of historical child sex abuse allegations, Home Secretary Theresa May has announced.

Posted in News | Tagged child abuse, duncan hames and theresa may | 39 Comments

Paul Burstow MP responds… On the Carer’s Bonus

By Paul Burstow | Mon 7th July 2014 - 3:45 pm

My post last week on the Carer’s Bonus generated a lot of feedback. Thank you.

A few quick responses. The £250 payment would be available to around a million people based on underlying entitlement to the benefit. So, for example, pensioners who are eligible for Carers allowance but because of overlapping benefit rules do not receive it would receive the Bonus.

Posted in News | 2 Comments

Towards the General Election in 2015: Two ways Labour and Conservatives are gearing up

By Caron Lindsay | Mon 7th July 2014 - 1:25 pm

Two very different reports this weekend about how Labour and the Conservatives are preparing for the General Election.

First of all, an Observer report on how the Tories are raising money to spend in their target seats:

Roll up, roll up, come and jump on the 2015 general election bandwagon. It helps if you are rich and like the Tories, but it matters little whether you were born in Britain or insist on keeping your donation private. There are people waiting at

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Posted in News | Tagged general electon 2015 | 8 Comments

Mike Bell resigns as candidate for Weston Super-Mare for family and work reasons and Welsh Liberal Democrat councillor joins Labour

By The Voice | Mon 7th July 2014 - 11:12 am

The Liberal Democrat PPC for Weston-Super-Mare, Mike Bell, has resigned from that role, although he will continue as a councillor. The Bristol Post reports:

Dad of two Mr Bell, who lives in the town, posted on social networking sites his decision to stand down as parliamentary candidate for the seaside resort with immediate effect.

Mr Bell thanked his supporters said: “I have resigned as Lib Dem parliamentary candidate for Weston super Mare due to work and family commitments.”

Mike was the party’s candidate at the last

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Posted in News | Tagged mike bell, mike priestley, Wales and weston super mare | 33 Comments

Inequality “narrows” due to Liberal Democrat policies

By Caron Lindsay | Mon 7th July 2014 - 9:45 am

An interesting report (£) in the Sunday Times yesterday tells how official figures show that the gap between the richest and poorest is narrowing.

While most people have suffered a squeeze on incomes since Britain was plunged into recession six years ago — and only now is the economy getting back to pre-crisis levels — those on lower incomes have done relatively better than those at the top. Households Below Average Income, an official report published last week, showed income inequality, measured after taking into account housing costs, had fallen to

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged child poverty, featured, inequality, liberal democrat achieve and poverty | 15 Comments

Launching ASD Liberal Democrats

By Matthew Casey | Mon 7th July 2014 - 8:55 am

Following on from my article a couple of weeks ago, Autism – Challenges on entering the workplace, I have had several members contact me regarding difficulties that they faced within the party and expressing a desire that there should be a support network for themselves and for Local Parties and Council groups, in order for people to remain as effective local Councillors.

As a result I am pleased to announce that ASD Lib Dems has been created to help serve the Autistic community both within the party and to the wider ASD Community.

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged asd, asd lib dems and autism | 7 Comments

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

By The Voice | Sun 6th July 2014 - 5:00 pm

Many thanks to the 12,700 visitors who dropped by Lib Dem Voice this week. Here’s our 7 most-read posts…

Opinion: Tuition fees not the crime of the century

Paul Walter

++ Susan Gaszczak resigns from the Lib Dems over handling of Chris Rennard allegations (48) by The Voice

Ladbrokes: “Five seats the Lib Dems might GAIN in 2015″ (46) by Stephen Tall

The Gender Agenda #1 Why have women only training? What’s so special about women? (141) by Alice Thomas

5 things Nick Clegg could do

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Ashcroft battlegrounds poll: Lib Dems set to lose four marginal seats to Labour

By Stephen Tall | Sun 6th July 2014 - 2:45 pm

The second of Conservative peer Lord Ashcroft’s polls of Lib Dem marginal seats was published this week, focusing on four of our battlegrounds with Labour: Norwich South (held by Simon Wright), Bradford East (David Ward), Brent Central (Sarah Teather standing down, Ibrahim Taguri selected), and Manchester Withington (John Leech). Also included was Brighton Pavilion, which Caroline Lucas won for the Greens from Labour in 2010.

Posted in News and Polls | Tagged 2015 general election, bradford east, brent central, david ward, ibrahim taguri, john leech, lord ashcroft, manchester withington, norwich south, sarah teather and simon wright | 41 Comments

Congratulations Ed and Russell! AKA The Lib Dem Wedding of the Year

By The Voice | Sun 6th July 2014 - 11:55 am

Congratulations from all at Lib Dem Voice to Ed Fordham and Russell Eagling, who were married yesterday, Saturday 5th July. Their happy day made the local paper:

Campaigner Ed Fordham, a beaten candidate in Hampstead and Kilburn at the 2010 General Election, married his partner of 17 years, the former Fortune Green councillor Russell Eagling. The ceremony took place at the Rosslyn Hill Unitarian Chapel in Hampstead.

The pair got engaged in Parliament Square after Ed Fordham went down on one knee in front of a crowd of more than 1,000

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Posted in News | Tagged Caroline Pidgeon, ed fordham, russell eagling and same sex marriage | 8 Comments

Why 40% is the magic number in the Scottish referendum

By Stephen Tall | Sun 6th July 2014 - 10:00 am

For some reason, 40% is a figure which has long exerted political significance.

That devolution for Scotland wasn’t introduced in 1979 wasn’t because a majority of those who voted didn’t want it: by 52% to 48% the Scottish voted in favour of establishing a Scottish parliament. However, a Labour MP, George Cunningham, introduced an amendment to the Scotland Act (1978) specifying a minimum turnout threshold of 40% of the electorate. The actual turnout of 33% meant Scottish devolution had to wait a further two decades.

I was reminded of …

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged alex salmond, av referendum, featured, george cunningham and scotland independence referendum | 41 Comments

Jenny Willott MP writes… Historic milestone for women on company boards

By Jenny Willott | Sun 6th July 2014 - 8:15 am

On Thursday, 26th June, 2014, I was delighted to hear the news that the mining and commodities trader Glencore Xstrata had appointed Patrice Merrin, a Canadian former mining executive, as an independent non-executive director.

This decision means there are no longer any all-male boards amongst the UK’s top companies. In 2011, 21 of the FTSE100 companies had no women on their boards, and now there are none. This is an important step forward and one which Liberal Democrats can be proud of helping to make happen. …

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged featured, gender equality, glencore xtrata, patrice merrin and women in business | 35 Comments

What’s being debated in our members’ forum this week?

By The Voice | Sat 5th July 2014 - 5:25 pm

LibDemVoice has two parallel sites. The first is our public blog, the thing you’re reading now. The second is our private members’ forum, which only current Lib Dem members can access.

If you’re a member and want to chat with fellow party members about any issue that’s on your mind, then why not sign up? In addition, you’ll be included in our regular surveys’ of party members’ views.

Here’s some of the most active discussions this past 7 days:

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Stephen Williams on Quentin Letts: “I’m gay, Welsh, bald, slightly disabled – he’s been a st, a b***d”

By The Voice | Sat 5th July 2014 - 2:30 pm

It’s safe to say Quentin Letts is not on Bristol West MP Stephen Williams’ Christmas card list. Speaking to Total Politics, he talks candidly about his experiences on the campaign trail and the hurt of being ridiculed by the Daily Mail’s Quentin Letts about the effects of his neurological disability.

Posted in News | Tagged channel 4 news, melissa kite, quentin letts, stephen williams and total politics | 15 Comments

Call Clegg 3 July – On the desire to reform Westminster from “top to toe”

By Caron Lindsay | Sat 5th July 2014 - 12:01 pm

This week’s Call Clegg saw Nick being questioned on everything from Rolf Harris to Iraq and Israel to PMQs. Twice he talked about wanting to reform Westmisnter from top to toe. He also said that he didn’t mind Prince Charles speaking his mind on policy issues, saying that politicians shouldn’t feel pressured to do what he says.

He also had warm words about Susan Gaszczak, who resigned from the party the other day.

Here’s the video of the whole thing, also available here on You Tube)

Posted in News | Tagged call clegg, lvc and nick clegg | 38 Comments

Lord Dick Newby writes…Action on employee ownership shows Liberal Democrat values in action

By Dick Newby | Sat 5th July 2014 - 10:30 am

I’ve just returned from the second of two events marking Employee Ownership Day. Employee ownership is one of those worthy but rather dull sounding policy ideas which has been in our Manifestos from time immemorial, but like motherhood and apple pie, has a comforting rather than inspiring air.

What this Government has done about employee ownership however, deserves rather more attention. In 2012 Norman Lamb appointed Graeme Nuttall,

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged employee ownership | 15 Comments

LibLink: Tim Farron: Why politicians need to get tech savvy – or get left behind

By NewsHound | Sat 5th July 2014 - 8:53 am

We know that Tim Farron is an early adopter of new technologies. Just look at him on Twitter. He’s written for the Huffington Post about how important it is that policy makers keep up with technological changes. He also outed himself as doing something we’d not really expect of him:

So while catching up with the Margaret Thatcher Conference on Liberty, my ears pricked up during a talk by Joanna Shields, Digital Advisor to the Prime Minister. We live in a world where a three year old can be more

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Posted in News | Tagged huffington post and tim farron | 4 Comments

Paddy: Clegg “has had 17 buckets of s**t dumped over his head by the right-wing press”

By The Voice | Sat 5th July 2014 - 8:10 am

That’s the rather striking quote from Paddy Ashdown in an interview with Iain Dale on LBC radio. Here’s how the Herald reported it:

Speaking to LBC radio’s Iain Dale, Lord Ashdown insisted the party’s dismal poll ratings would recover as the “true Nick Clegg” was revealed to voters.

“The right-wing press in this country detest the coalition – detest it,” he said.

“If they want to destroy the coalition, what they do is

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Posted in News | Tagged iain dale, lbc radio, media, nick clegg and paddy ashdown | 22 Comments

Opinion: Making property tax fairer

By Cara Jenkinson | Fri 4th July 2014 - 4:06 pm

One of the issues that we heard frequently on the doorstep in Haringey in the run-up to the Council elections was fear over the mansion tax. Many of our wards are in nice leafy areas, where the ridiculous rises in house prices over the last year have left some relatively modest family homes pushing up to the £2m barrier. A retired builder who had bought his home for under £50,000 forty years ago told me that he would never vote for us …

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged mansion tax | 35 Comments

By-election update: Hold in Pendle, Gain in Cheltenham

By ALDC | Fri 4th July 2014 - 2:33 pm

This week saw eight principal authority by-elections and two deferred elections in Cheltenham and Tower Hamlets.

In Old Laund Booth ward (Pendle BC), Brian Newman successfully held the seat for the Liberal Democrats. Brian received 58.3% of the vote; increasing the Liberal Democrat vote share by 9.7%. The Conservatives vote dropped 10.9% to come second on 36.3%. UKIP failed to gain any traction coming a poor third with just 27 votes and the Blue Party (a breakaway of the BNP) came last with only 13 votes. Lord Greaves …

Posted in News | Tagged aldc and by-election results | 17 Comments

Op-eds

Are the men of violence back in British politics? (Chris Nelson)
London needs more social homes – and Liberal Democrat boroughs are determined to deliver (Gareth Roberts)
Andy Burnham’s devolution reforms go only half-way (Mark Corner)
Reform donations row shows how facts get trampled at Westminster (David Vigar)
The Independent View: Turning back the tide on free speech (Jack Coulson)

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Bobby Dean MP writes: The resilient state

Sarah Olney bids to become candidate for Mayor of London

Going for four in a row in Scotland

Observations of an Expat: Canada

Liberal Reform’s submission to the Gurling Review

Clear reasons for voting Liberal Democrat

Kirsty Williams condemns sacked Welsh Labour environment minister’s “smear campaign”

Paul Burstow MP writes… Making the pursuit of happiness as important as GDP

Are the Greens to the Lib Dems what Ukip is to the Tories?

Nick Clegg doesn’t want his children to follow him into politics

Opinion: An end to OFSTED

Nick Clegg: £104 million investment is an important day for Hull

Liberal Democrat Conference to return to Bournemouth in 2015 – share your memories of the town

Tessa Munt speaks out about being sexually abused as a child